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Are xA/xB's a happy medium?

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Old Jul 31, 2006 | 07:22 PM
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Default Are xA/xB's a happy medium?

I hear all the time from people about how you should support domestic companies and they'd never buy an imported car. I tend to agree that our dependence on foriegn rescources, whether it be cars, electronics, or oil, is way too high.
I try to make the point that you can't get a domestically made car that is a Low Emmisions Vehicle, good on gas, and under 15,000.
My mom wanted to get a Mercedes ML350 last month. I told her that if she bought it her opinion on high prices of gas and any opinions she had on the war for oil "dubbya" is waging where negated. My real question am I part of the problem too? I think that buying a car with good gas milage and low emissions is better than buying a domestic that is less efficient, just for the sake of buying American.
Old Jul 31, 2006 | 08:14 PM
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if you buy domestic cars you obviously don't understand , efficiency , quality , or much else.

and the war is not for oil
Old Jul 31, 2006 | 08:24 PM
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you're right, it's not just for oil. I was trying to keep my shot at Bush short. But trust me, there are plenty of other corrupt reasons for the war.
Old Jul 31, 2006 | 08:35 PM
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Also how many domestic car companies have factories that are in America anyway most of them have out sourced because they aren't making enough money to pay the high price of taxes and lease payment's?
Old Jul 31, 2006 | 08:43 PM
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yeah scion's aren't made in america but about 40 percent of toyota's are made in or assembled in the united states.
Old Jul 31, 2006 | 08:51 PM
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I know some folks who work for Denso here in the US, and my Mom's Corolla came with a Delco battery.
Old Jul 31, 2006 | 08:52 PM
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You should never buy a car just because you want to support america - it seems silly to sacrifice on the specs YOU want just because an american company can't seem to get it right. Plus, if you buy a foreign, efficient, quality car, what message does that send to GM or Ford if you and 50,000 others go buy an xB or a Pruis?

Support the box man.
Old Jul 31, 2006 | 08:53 PM
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The salesmen are American too...usually. It's not like you aren't putting money into the economy here by buying a Toyota.
Old Jul 31, 2006 | 11:33 PM
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The main reason the american auto industry improves it's product is competition.
American cars would not be even be half as effecient on gas, or better on build quality if it were not for those folks buying Hondas, and Toyotas and Datsuns back in the 70s-80's! Here we are in 2006 ,again facing a real possibility of an oil embargo or at the very least skyrocketing gas prices -- Deja vu we're back in the 70's again! And again the U.S. auto industry is caught with it's pant's down! The closest thing they can offer is Chrysler's P.T. Cruiser (not bad but poor real life MPG) Chevy's HHR (check out the HHR club under maintainance and technical problems - UGH!) The Colbalt reviews in Consumer Reports is a critic's dartboard!
Ladies and gentlmen, it is therefore our patriotic duty as Americans to buy any import we choose to better the breed of the american auto industy!
Just my 2cents.
Howard in Gilroy
Old Jul 31, 2006 | 11:36 PM
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Untill the UAW is gone I will never buy american again. They are the #1 reason the US automakers are going under. That and the poor quality of American cars.
It's funny watching loyal Chrysler customers buy extended warranties because they know they will need them. LMAO
Old Aug 1, 2006 | 12:46 AM
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When I was making the decision to buy a Scion, I made darn sure that every part was made and assembled in Japan, for the very reason(s) stated in the post above.
Old Aug 1, 2006 | 03:37 AM
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well almost half of Toyotas plants are now in the USA and Canada, which allows for more jobs in the midwest, were the big 3 have pulled out almost completey. Chrysler has a big planrt in canada which has helped it to improve quality, since opening its doos.

But the Big 3 would not be as far as they are, even if it is lacking majorly< if it weren't for foreign automakers doing so well and making sucj good well rounded porducts.

If anything when you buy a froeign made car you are helping because with the competitoin, the big 3 are bettering themselves, which will, in the long run help to create more jobs and better quality because more people will start to buy once they realize how well and close they are to foreign cars
Old Aug 1, 2006 | 04:55 AM
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I must say everyone here seems to feel the same way about this. Brings tears to my eyes.
Old Aug 1, 2006 | 04:58 AM
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Its pretty obvious to me that Ford, GM, and Daimler Chryler are in someone's pocket right now. We had the technology for more fuel effiecient vehicles for DECADES but mysteriously the vehicles haven't stayed on the market long. There was a Ford Escort diesle back in the late 80s that made upper 50s in gas mileage. Needless to say, i dont think that car was on the market long. And the automakers are saying they dont have the technology? Brazil runs almost all if not all of its vehicles on cane sugar. WTF?? Then we turn around and introduce the Jeep SRT-8 that gets like 8 mpg in the city? Thats bull to me. And why not make it easier to import vehicles from other countries that are easier on fuel? There was an article in Autoweek this week about the BMW 3 series with a diesel that gets 38 or so mpg but big surprise, we cant get it here.
Old Aug 1, 2006 | 06:30 PM
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It's a conspiracy! It is dubya's fault!
Old Aug 1, 2006 | 07:31 PM
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Pre-1974 - American cars beat the Imports.

Post 1973 - Imports beat American.

I recently learned that a Ford Mustang is less "American" than a Honda (forget the model) because more of it is built overseas.

I will spend my money on the higest quality car in my price range. Until American manufactures get with the program, I will never buy American. I like my money and dont want to flush it down the toilet.
Old Aug 1, 2006 | 07:34 PM
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Originally Posted by ModelAXb
Its pretty obvious to me that Ford, GM, and Daimler Chryler are in someone's pocket right now. We had the technology for more fuel effiecient vehicles for DECADES but mysteriously the vehicles haven't stayed on the market long. There was a Ford Escort diesle back in the late 80s that made upper 50s in gas mileage. Needless to say, i dont think that car was on the market long. And the automakers are saying they dont have the technology? Brazil runs almost all if not all of its vehicles on cane sugar. WTF?? Then we turn around and introduce the Jeep SRT-8 that gets like 8 mpg in the city? Thats bull to me. And why not make it easier to import vehicles from other countries that are easier on fuel? There was an article in Autoweek this week about the BMW 3 series with a diesel that gets 38 or so mpg but big surprise, we cant get it here.
You see, those with political influence do not want ultra efficient cars. Hell, here is a great motor:

http://www.angellabsllc.com/ME%20theory.html

that you will not be seeing in any production cars anytime soon.

Although a lot of the blame has to be placed on the STUPID consumers who continue to buy inefficient cars and trucks (SUV's).

Stupid is as Stupid does.
Old Aug 1, 2006 | 08:19 PM
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hey don't bash thejeep grand cherokee srt8 that thing is badarsed as all hell. 0-60 say what.
Old Aug 1, 2006 | 10:18 PM
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It’s simple: in order to be “American Made,” a vehicle must be assembled here, with 75 percent of its content sourced from the US. The top selling cars that failed the test, in alphabetical order:


Chevrolet Equinox

Chevrolet HHR

Chevrolet Impala

Chevrolet Tahoe

Chrysler 300

Chrysler PT Cruiser

Dodge Charger

Ford Focus

Ford Fusion

Ford Mustang

http://wbz4.autobytel.com/content/sh...le_id_int/1965
Old Aug 1, 2006 | 11:03 PM
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All the import-haters (the ones that I know at least) now aren't saying "American Made" is better, because as posted above, they know that their precious 'stangs aren't truly American Made. They're saying "American Designed/Engineered" to make themselves feel better about trash talking about "jap scrap." That makes me want to drive domestic even less, considering "American Engineering" is synonymous with poor quality, cheap materials, terrible gas mileage, inferior appearance/styling, and a higher pricetag.


Anyone wanna remind me again why I should want a ford, chevy, or dodge? I won't buy domestic just to support American jobs/workers. If they want to sell me a car, make something I want to buy above all the others! I don't think a domestic will ever make a car worth my money while the UAW runs the American Big 3.

Toyota, Honda, and Hyundai are the Big 3 of the future IMO.

</rant>



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