20th Oct 2009, 22:29
Yes, buying the Ford Fusion assembled in Mexico does help the American economy and American workers more than buying the Toyota assembled in Texas. This is a quote from the CNN story posted, "Buying American Really Does Matter.":
"When it comes to longer term benefits, a lot of activity happens in the country in which the company's world headquarters is domiciled"
http://money.cnn.com/2009/10/12/autos/most_american_car/
This is what somebody has been arguing for a long time, and I think he deserves an apology for all the abuse he took for stating the facts.
I'm the patriotic American who deserves the apology and I'm happy that other Americans are finally taking notice and acknowledging that all I have been saying is true. We've been trying to get this point across for years. People who don't understand economics are destroying our country out of a lack of knowledge. For every 10 people that might gain some small benefit from buying a Japanese car, there are 90 that are hurt. Please think about this before sending your American dollars to Japan.
21st Oct 2009, 08:15
1. There are plenty of Fusions and Focuses at any given time on ANY Ford dealer lot. I recently shopped Fusions against Accords and the dealers I went to had plenty of '09's right along side the '10's they already were receiving. You can also get a Focus pretty easily as there were rows of them. You may have a small dealer or one that doesn't believe in stocking cars to keep their overhead low. Go online and do an inventory search and you'll see how many of each there really are.
2. I have hardly ever seen a Honda, Toyota or Nissan on any Ford used lot. The reason is mainly because the Ford dealers don't want imports on their lots because people don't go to Ford dealers for a Honda. I did see many used Fords there, however, that were lease turn ins or nice trade ins.
I'm not saying Fords are good or bad here, but I am also not going to make inaccurate statements just because I am trying to get some point across.
21st Oct 2009, 08:18
Yes Ford does have a controlling interest in Mazda. This is why they use many of the same parts for both car lines.
21st Oct 2009, 08:34
I think everyone is missing the point on this thread about American Companies. The domestic car companies have been mismanaged and run into the ground for decades, yet everyone is so quick to jump on the bandwagon to support them. They have done nothing to preserve the American economy and if anything have contributed more than any other business to it's demise. Any other business short of the banks that is. All of these facts are laid out before you yet you still, without blinking, want to wholeheartedly support them.
Should you keep doing your job if you fail at it? You know the answer to that... So why has it become the norm in our country to let every incompetent person in any given incompetent organization keep theirs? Why do we continue to support corrupt and mismanaged businesses? Please someone tell me why this makes sense and don't go down the old "because it will save jobs" road. I'm sorry, but the domestic car companies created this unemployment mess NOT Honda and Toyota.
So now I am unpatriotic for not supporting this? Well, I guess if you go by the trend of American business which is littered with corruption, scandals and thieves, then yes I am unpatriotic. God forbid I want honest businesses that aren't out to take everything I've worked hard for.
These large corporations have failed me... they have failed ALL of us. Stop pointing fingers at your neighbor and saying they are unpatriotic for driving a Honda or Toyota and start blaming the big three, you are so quick to support, for the downfall of America. What is unpatriotic is these large corporations, that you keep on supporting, driving us farther and farther towards the end of America and all that we know. In my opinion, driving a Chevy is more unpatriotic than driving any foreign car, because by doing so you are allowing the dishonesty and thievery to go on and on....
Wake up people!!
21st Oct 2009, 10:14
"I'm the patriotic American who deserves the apology"
I am sorry, but I do not think you deserve an apology, and furthermore I believe that you are confused or mistaken about what the word "patriotic" means.
I have just seen intolerant & offensive statements attributed to the cause of "patriotism" in your comments. I really do not mean to be offensive in any way, but I have seen how you have turned many people away from buying Fords because of your obvious disdain for anything that you consider not American. Even though your idea of what is "American made" is flawed.
I must state again that I do not mean to offend you, however I find YOUR statements contrary to what I believe America is and what America stands for.
21st Oct 2009, 10:20
No they do not. According to WIKIPEDIA-
"On November 18 2008 Ford announced that it would be selling a 20% stake in Mazda bringing its stake to 13.4%, and surrendering control of the company"*
Which would mean that they now own less than 14% of Mazda stock, and do not have a controlling interest in Mazda.
* Quoted from Wikipedia
21st Oct 2009, 10:28
"So now I am unpatriotic for not supporting this?"
Only according to some people who seem to like to resort to name calling when someone has different ideas than their own.
"start blaming the big three, you are so quick to support, for the downfall of America."
Yes, the fault lies with the Big Three, and not with the hard working American who is only trying to make a living and do what is best for their families. In my opinion to create divisiveness by calling a fellow American "unpatriotic" because he/she happens to drive an "imported" car is just plain wrong, and I don't think there is anyplace for this on this site (and I drive a domestic car).
21st Oct 2009, 11:30
"People really seem to have a terrible time understanding the economics of buying from U.S. car companies."
Perhaps this is because between their closing US factories to outsource jobs, taking billions in taxpayers money/bailouts, in some cases being owned by various overseas companies i.e. Chrysler, - they really don't inspire confidence in buying their products. Also, maybe you are the one who is having trouble understanding that US cars are being built in other countries and using parts not made in the USA.
21st Oct 2009, 11:40
Okay, I am in error on that one. Sorry, I didn't realize Ford had dropped so much of its stake in Mazda.
21st Oct 2009, 12:54
So now destroying American industries is "what is best" for our families?? That's an odd way of doing "what is best". Why not just dissolve all our financial institutions and send the money to Germany or Japan? Why not give Japanese mortgage companies liens on all our homes? Why do people remain so opposed to American industry? As the CNN special quoted in comment 22:29 clearly states, we do far more harm by sending our money to other countries to support THEIR industries.
A few other factors also need to be addressed:
1) In spite of being in bankruptcy, GM STILL managed to outsell Toyota over the past 12 months in spite of Toyota's far more widespread worldwide sales efforts fueled by billions bilked (mostly) from gullible Americans in spite of their obviously inferior quality (Consumer Reports ranked Ford's Fusion 2 full levels HIGHER in reliability than Camry and one level higher than Accord). In September Fords sales losses were less than 1/4 of Honda and Toyotas.
2) J.D. Powers rates a Ford and a Buick tops in long-term reliability. The Ford Mustang is ranked higher than the Toyota Solara and the 2007 Pontiac Grand Prix beat out the Toyota Solara as best large car that year over the Toyota Avalon.
3) Car reviewers in most publications rank GM's Corvette far ahead of the Ferrari as a world-class sports car.
4) The Cadillac CTS is now the world's fastest sedan... at HALF the cost of the competition.
5) Import fans claims that Ford does not build the Fusion are blatantly false. The Fusion is built by Ford and benefits from Ford's quality control, not Mazda's. When Ford took over Mazda'a quality control (starting in 1993 with the B-2300 and B3000 pickups) the quality level and reliability of all Mazdas went way up. Prior to that time Mazda was, at best, a very mediocre car company producing poorly built and unreliable vehicles.
6) Studies of reliability clearly show that virtually ALL modern cars are VERY reliable (with the notable exception of recent Toyotas). There is virtually no difference except that domestic manufacturers have the confidence in their cars to offer much longer warranties.
7) Resale figures show that based on PURCHASE PRICE you are no better off with a Honda or Toyota than with a Ford or GM car. Much higher prices for comparable imports negate any possible higher resale values.
20th Oct 2009, 10:40
American companies, yes, American designed and built parts? Hardly... Most electronics come from Japan even if they are assembled here. I don't think there are too many U.S. companies that are manufacturing electronic components these days. We need to get back to that though if we are going to survive.