Search | Car Forums | Gallery | Articles | Helper | AF 350Z | IgorSushko.com | Corporate |
| Latest | 0 Rplys |
|
Car Comparisons Compare any cars and find out what every body else thinks. Just refrain from making stupid comparos like Viper vs. Geo Metro :) |
Show Printable Version | Email this Page | Subscribe to this Thread |
|
Thread Tools |
03-26-2006, 09:33 PM | #1 | |
AF Enthusiast
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Issaquah, Washington
Posts: 927
Thanks: 0
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
|
"American" vs. "Import"
In the constant debate between domestics and imports, what most people don't realize is that in many cases the only American, Asian, or European thing about them is the name's heritage. Many "American" cars are not built in the U.S. and their chassis are usually taken from some other manufacturer. Many "Asian" cars are also not from Asia. Many times they are built in the U.S! So when people talk about supporting our economy, buying an "Asian" car would have the same effect, and in some cases more. Cars also usually share platforms. A Mazda may have the same platform as a Saturn, a Pontiac the same as a Volvo, etc. Take the Hummer H2 for example; it's just different body panels/interior on top of some Chevy truck along with the Chevy's engine. It's just an image that it's a different manufacturer or even a different car for that matter. And this is true of most autos today. You're not supporting a country; you're supporting a particular corporation (that could give a rip about whichever country they're in).
So really there are no "domestics" and no "imports" built today, it's just an image.
__________________
'99 GSX, 5-speed, 60k miles: Greddy filter / RRE uicp / 1g bov / Autometer boost gauge / Injen-copy intake / Megan DP (not installed) Coming soon! Thx to Blackcrow & nova1313! http://dsm-one.org/ Adopt pets in need! http://www.petfinder.com/ |
|
03-26-2006, 10:50 PM | #2 | ||
AF Premium User
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Hicksville, Oklahoma
Posts: 3,465
Thanks: 0
Thanked 17 Times in 11 Posts
|
I predict a quick death for this thread.
__________________
For a long time it gave me nightmares... witnessing an injustice like that... it's a constant reminder of just how unfair this world can be... I can still hear them taunting him....... silly rabbit, tricks are for kids... I mean, WHY COULDN'T THEY JUST GIVE HIM SOME CEREAL? Quote:
|
||
The Following User Says Thank You to Muscletang For This Useful Post: |
markothemechanics (06-18-2016)
|
03-26-2006, 11:21 PM | #3 | |
Here for the pussy, man.
|
Re: "American" vs. "Import"
It's the truth but not a comparison, I'll shift it to the Cars I love/Cars I hate forum whenever I feel like it.
I play by nobodys rules. Not even my own.
__________________
Check out my Pride and joy in AF- and discuss your favourite Alfa Romeo 2007 Audi A4 3.0 TDI Le Mans |
|
03-26-2006, 11:27 PM | #4 | ||
AF Enthusiast
Thread starter
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Issaquah, Washington
Posts: 927
Thanks: 0
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
|
Re: "American" vs. "Import"
Quote:
__________________
'99 GSX, 5-speed, 60k miles: Greddy filter / RRE uicp / 1g bov / Autometer boost gauge / Injen-copy intake / Megan DP (not installed) Coming soon! Thx to Blackcrow & nova1313! http://dsm-one.org/ Adopt pets in need! http://www.petfinder.com/ |
||
03-27-2006, 12:29 AM | #5 | ||
AF Enthusiast
|
Re: "American" vs. "Import"
Quote:
And I'd like to say that I completely agree with you (I can't argue with the validity of your facts), but I know damn well that as of right now, I'd only buy a car with a Japanese name on it.
__________________
My '05 Impreza 2.5 RS. |
||
03-27-2006, 01:06 AM | #6 | ||
AF Enthusiast
Thread starter
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Issaquah, Washington
Posts: 927
Thanks: 0
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
|
Re: "American" vs. "Import"
I forgot to mention that my car is actually a good example of what I'm talking about. It's an "import" but where was it made? Normal, IL.
Quote:
I also don't like that almost all of the car companies are in only a couple hands. One corporation owns fifteen or so manufacturers. And another owns half of the rest. They are all supposed to have their own particular angle to bring to cars, and I think that is lessened by this. And isn't there something about trust laws and monopolies and making capitalism work by not having one part of the market in only a couple hands?
__________________
'99 GSX, 5-speed, 60k miles: Greddy filter / RRE uicp / 1g bov / Autometer boost gauge / Injen-copy intake / Megan DP (not installed) Coming soon! Thx to Blackcrow & nova1313! http://dsm-one.org/ Adopt pets in need! http://www.petfinder.com/ |
||
03-27-2006, 08:14 AM | #7 | |||
AF Enthusiast
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Pacific, Washington
Posts: 2,927
Thanks: 0
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
|
Re: "American" vs. "Import"
Quote:
Quote:
A good example of well executed cross platforming might be the current Dodge Magnum/Chrysler 300/Dodge Charger/Upcoming Challenger/probably another car I'm forgeting. They all ride on basically the same chassis but differ in available engines, suspension, exterior and interior pieces. Having been in a Magnum and a Charger I can tell you that they come off as very different. The thing that varies alot is how each sub-brand operates. Example would be Saturn, which operates very independently of it's parent GM compared to Lincoln whose cars are all direct copies of Ford cars with different body work and interior pieces. Then you have Land Rover, also owned by Ford, that doesn't have any direct cross overs (to my knowledge). Anyway, as for the anti-trust laws, yes they do prohibit one company from gaining control over a whole market. That was the big stink with Microsoft since it makes up something like 95% of the computer software market in the US and just slightly less than that in Europe. Or way back when one company, Bell, controlled all of the phone networks in the US. It was broken up and we had eighteen million smaller companies that are now merging and consolidating once again (if there is a monopoly in progress it is definately the media business, as 4-5 huge companies control just about all of the radio, music, movie, phone and television companies in the world). However it would seem we are very far from seeing an automotive monopoly any time soon. If one were coming I would say it will arrive around the time fuel cell cars and other forms of propulsion do, as the research cost that comes with this type of technology is enormous and is currently being lead by only a few major manufacturers.
__________________
1989 240SX Fastback. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1995 300ZX Twin Turbo Warning: Objects in mirror aren't as fast as they thought they were. |
|||
03-27-2006, 06:12 PM | #8 | |
AF Fanatic
|
Re: "American" vs. "Import"
you could almost hold the same argument about calling american cars "domestics". a lot of part manufacturing is outsourced to like mexico japan korea etc. look at this pic for example:
a good old american harley carbeurator, made in Japan.
__________________
BP's Rides; - 2005 Kawasaki Ninja ZX6R- Mods: ECU Jumper, Akrapovic Slip-on, Power Commander III, 8000K HID's. - 2K2 Maxima 6 Speed-Mods: Advanced Timing, Cattman Cat-back Exhaust, H&R Springs, Tokico Illumina Struts, Konig Theory 19" Rims. |
|
03-29-2006, 02:13 PM | #9 | |
AF Regular
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Richmond, Virginia
Posts: 247
Thanks: 0
Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post
|
Re: "American" vs. "Import"
It's a pretty complex subject but GM employs more Americans than all the foreign transplants conbined. http://www.howtobuyamerican.com/cont...db-autos.shtml Here's a pretty good site that explains more than I ever could. But basically if you are concerned with American jobs look at the window sticker and look for a high domestic parts content. It is more important to have a high domestic parts content than where the final assembly is located. GM models have a good parts content. A lot have 90% or close to it. The highest Toyota has is 70%, with most models ranging from 0-60%
|
|
04-08-2006, 01:20 AM | #10 | |
AF Enthusiast
|
Re: "American" vs. "Import"
We where talking about this today at work. Well i work for a billet parts manufacturer, and we get a lot of parts from Ford. Almost everything we get is made is canada, or mexico, Fords been doing it for a while everything is made out of country then assmebles in the U.S. Gm, chrysler, and anyone affiliated with them does, hell even some of the asain market guys make there parts in mexico and canada. Saves them a ton of money, even some of the vehicles are assembles and shipped back from else where. I read somewhere about 2 years ago that the only car to be almost fully produced in america, is the honda accord . So anyone just cause they employ the most doesnt mean shit, there still sending stuff out of country just to make a few extra bucks on a part.
__________________
Cant remember who posted it but if you see it give yourself credit Don't ever look at cars as just imports or domestics. Just because a car is made in a certain country doesn't mean that it is anything like another car from that country. An example of this is Mitsubishi reliability, just because they are Japanese doesn't mean that they are as reliable as a Honda or Toyota. Cardomain |
|
04-09-2006, 09:03 PM | #11 | |
AF Enthusiast
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: madison, Wisconsin
Posts: 701
Thanks: 0
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
|
Re: "American" vs. "Import"
i figure as long as we tread softly this thread could last longer then we anticipate.
but to the topic, when i think import or domestic, i ussually look at the badges. and yes i am biased towards domestic, but that doesnt mean i dont look at hondas or mits and dont say "that looks cool". im a fan of certain makes, certain models. and i really dont look at heritage. (well unless you call heritage... thier line of cars from the past.... say the old skyline, chevelles, early porshe, bmw. )
__________________
ford guy.... i know, and im sorry. |
|
04-09-2006, 09:36 PM | #12 | |
Scuderia Kimi
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: portland, Oregon
Posts: 1,746
Thanks: 0
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
|
Re: "American" vs. "Import"
I think that one of the biggest mistakes people can ever make is to classify cars in terms of just "import" or "domestic." This leads to massive misunderstanding of the auto world. What often happens is that people will transfer attributes of one specific car or make to all of the others from that country.
An example of this can be seen in Mitsubishi reliability and quality. According to the general "import v. domestic" debate, all Japanese cars will last forever. This is grossly inaccurate when it comes to Mitsubishi cars. People only expect them to be like that because they are Japanese like Toyota and Honda. Just because a car is from Japan does not mean that it is reliable. There is also an assumption that all European cars are reliable, which again, is terribly wrong. According to JD Powers dependability survey, the only European makes that are above average are BMW and Porsche. Volvo, Jaguar, Benz, Saab, Audi, Mini, and Land Rover are all pretty far below the industry average, with Mini and Range Rover scraping the bottom. Again, people assume that because Benz and Volvo were reliable cars back in the day, all European cars are reliable now. Yet another example of this is the idea that all American cars are gas guzzlers. Compare the C6 Corvette Coupe to the Benz SLK350 and Audi TT 250. The Vette' has a big American V8, while the Benz and Audi have 6-cylinders, so the Vette should use much more gas right? wrong. The Corvette gets 18/28, the SLK gets 18/25, and the TT gets 19/26. My bottom line is that people shouldn't be concerned with "import and domestic" but "company and other company," or better yet, "car and other car." Over generalization only leads to misinformed purchases. Just because your Accord comes from Japan doesn't mean that the Mitsubishi Galant you are looking at will be anything like it. Judge a car based on its own merits, not preconceptions about its country of origin.
__________________
Kimi Raikkonen 2007 WDC Scuderia Ferrari 2007 WCC "I collect walnuts" -Kimi Raikkonen on his hobbies outside of F1 |
|
04-09-2006, 11:38 PM | #13 | ||
AF Enthusiast
|
Re: "American" vs. "Import"
Quote:
__________________
My '05 Impreza 2.5 RS. |
||
04-10-2006, 01:25 AM | #14 | |
AF Enthusiast
Thread starter
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Issaquah, Washington
Posts: 927
Thanks: 0
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
|
Re: "American" vs. "Import"
I agree, expecting something of a car just based on it's *supposed* country of origin is wrong. Although according to consumer reports, "Imports" do seem to be the most reliable of the manufacturers, at least for now. For five year old reliability from least problems to most it goes: Lexus, Toyota, Acura, Honda, Infinity, Subaru, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Buick, Ford, Isuzu, Saturn, Mercury, Lincoln, Audi, Hyudai, Saab, BMW, Jeep, Chrysler, Chevy, Dodge, GMC, Volvo, Pontiac, Oldsmobile, VW, Cadillac, Mercedes. Mitsus get a bad rap because some of them had problems. But if you look at their reliability rating in CR, their worst car (the Endevor) scores an above average and their best car (the Outlander) scores the highest rating.
For mpg, I believe V8's get a bad rap because they are always put in heavy ass cars, while 4-cyls are usually put in light cars. I think in the same car, with the same hp, they would get about equal mpg (although the with the V8 the car would have to be slightly lighter to make up for the engine's increased weight over the 4-cyl).
__________________
'99 GSX, 5-speed, 60k miles: Greddy filter / RRE uicp / 1g bov / Autometer boost gauge / Injen-copy intake / Megan DP (not installed) Coming soon! Thx to Blackcrow & nova1313! http://dsm-one.org/ Adopt pets in need! http://www.petfinder.com/ |
|
04-10-2006, 03:16 AM | #15 | |
Scuderia Kimi
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: portland, Oregon
Posts: 1,746
Thanks: 0
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
|
Re: "American" vs. "Import"
JD Power dependability survey
__________________
Kimi Raikkonen 2007 WDC Scuderia Ferrari 2007 WCC "I collect walnuts" -Kimi Raikkonen on his hobbies outside of F1 |
|
|
POST REPLY TO THIS THREAD |
|
|