14th Oct 2009, 17:33

I'd like to say that before Ford fans say "That recall was just on a cruise control switch!" that the switch was actually causing vehicles to CATCH FIRE even with the ignition off. So the part malfunctioning may have been small, but the problem it caused was potentially DEADLY. I think this is much more serious than some silly Toyota floormats.

15th Oct 2009, 06:31

Imagine having your home in foreclosure due to downsizing loss of orders caused by no one buying. And having a brand new import you just bought in your driveway. Not a pretty picture. Even if you had a low fixed rate mortgage, who feeds your family? I am not receiving income checks from Taiwan China or Japan. I get requests to deposit checks in spam overseas scams a lot too. I am supposed to deposit a small amount and get a huge overseas check, set for life. Not happening

15th Oct 2009, 12:13

16:25 - Although I drive a domestic, I think that people who drive imports have plenty of common sense. In fact I find it offensive to use the terms "unpatriotic" or "common sense".

Why don't you just let people drive what they want already, ALL cars are GLOBAL now.

17:33 - Although I agree that the Ford recall is serious indeed, I wouldn't consider the Toyota recall "silly".

You do know that a family of four being killed because of a stuck accelerator was a large reason for the recall, don't you?

15th Oct 2009, 13:31

06:31.

I'm an American, (I own a domestic, and don't work in the automobile business), but unlike a lot of people posting on this site, I don't believe that the civilized world ends at our borders.

By the way, did you ever think that the home being foreclosed upon down the street might've been owned by an American who happens to be Toyota salesman?

15th Oct 2009, 15:07

In my lifetime I have owned (for personal & business use) the following:

10 Volkswagens (some good some bad)

1 Opel (not very good)

4 Chevrolets (most very good)

1 Ford (good)

1 Dodge (terrible)

2 Pontiacs (good)

1 Nissan (very good)

1 Geo (very good)

4 Jeeps (all very good)

1 Saab (very good)

I don't apologize to anyone for buying some imports.

I think I've made my contribution to the economy.

Now let's post about the vehicles!

16th Oct 2009, 08:44

12:13 people can still buy whatever they want, however I am seeing continual downsizing and plant closures of all kinds. I see first hand being in industrial distribution, manufacturing facilities of all types closing, large reductions - downsizing well beyond just cars. I only cover 4 states in my travels, but I see and hear a lot.

I buy whatever I can find domestically, and maybe do something rather than zero. It is more than just cars, it's everything in your home. Sure there may be an existing big screen you bought overseas that you can certainly enjoy sitting home collecting employment sometime. I am perhaps more directly exposed and have empathy for many of my customers I have had for nearly 30 years. It's touching 2010 and everyone's spending counts. I can flip over a new towel, or a brand new pair of socks downtown in a store and buy "Made in USA", takes maybe 2 seconds. Small effort, but if many more did, maybe it's fewer people that we have to cover with higher taxes.

What is immediately cheap or a deal is not always when you look at how your quality of life lessens in your community. I went to one domestic customer yesterday that was glad they got a short run of orders to work a 40 hour week on manufacturing. Another is closing in December... and another manufacturing agricultural equipment was shutdown 2 months. Some engineering and others remained, but no mfr. being done. I would like to see more buy their equipment than Japans version. It affects us all... more than just the small new import in one driveway. It trickles throughout the economy.

I lost a huge plant in my own town and it is left for us still with jobs to pay the taxes in town, merchants left etc. I have a GM made in America. It works well has a 100000 mile warranty and I like it. And I had imports that did not hold up as well lately.... with the bad economy it is not a consideration to return even if the quality returned.

16th Oct 2009, 09:58

"I am not receiving income checks from Taiwan China or Japan."

So GM, Ford and Chrysler are sending you checks then?? Oh, that's right, they already asked you for money, so sending you checks would be just giving you your own money back!

16th Oct 2009, 14:47

Ford didn't take any money - GM & Chrysler did.

That being said, I wouldn't buy a Ford because of that "Fusion Guy" insulting all owners of imports.

(I drive a domestic, but he is way over the top)

16th Oct 2009, 15:20

I made a lot of money from GM and Chrysler. They paid my company and I made a lot too.

16th Oct 2009, 15:57

Yeah, I feel exactly the same way about never buying a Toyota or Honda because of the people that haunt this site talking about how American cars are crap, and anybody who buys an American car is uneducated and has poor taste. I would buy a Ford, though, because from what I've seen in recent years, they are making pretty good vehicles. I'd also buy a Dodge. Why let some guy stop you from buying what you want to buy? Truth is, I just don't care for Toyotas or Hondas, anyway.

16th Oct 2009, 17:41

"I made a lot of money from GM and Chrysler. They paid my company and I made a lot too."

Well then feel free to buy all of the GMs & Chryslers that you want. I'll buy what I want, okay?

16th Oct 2009, 19:39

"The highest ratings Consumer Reports gives in reliability is given to the Ford Fusion."

Hey that's great! Now let's see the Fusion do that for another 25 years or so like the Accord and Camry.

17th Oct 2009, 17:53

There are far more 25 year old Fords and GM's on the roads than Accords or Camrys. No Japanese car is made for extended use. You will see late '70's GM and Ford cars on the roads every day. It's very rare to see a pre-1990 Japanese car. Our GM car turns 55 years old this year. It's 100% original and still drives great.

As for people being offensive, nothing is more offensive to me than people who turn their backs on America by buying from Japanese companies, putting our own people out of work.

17th Oct 2009, 19:43

17:41 The difference is its unlikely Japan has contributed anything to buy their cars or assist the domestic employees. I love fill your own driveway and not care less.

18th Oct 2009, 09:48

If you took the time to read the comment I was responding to, you would realize that I was not trying to say how long Japanese cars lasted, I was saying that the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry have been at the top spots in new car reliability for quite awhile, until recently they were surpassed by the Ford Fusion. I don't see the Fusion as being all to exciting until it has those top spots for another 20 years. You domestic owners are so excited that an American car has finally made it into the realm of Japanese reliability, that you're jumping on something that hasn't even had a long enough time to show its true colors in the automotive world.