Comments on: Sign Of The Times: Camry Tops “Most American Vehicle” List

By: Bunter1

Bunter1 — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 00:20:14 +0000

I have a nasty tempered in-law that would explode if she saw that her hubbies ‘rado was behind the Oddy (I have an Oddy).
More TOyota’s than Gov’t Muttonhead vehicles?

Delightful.

I see some limp rear guard action is still functioning among the “faithful” but the public will catch on before they will.

Kudos to Ford for their improvement. Send this to Prez Goodwrench before he flushes any more of our money down the tubes.

Bunter

By: al2

al2 — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 22:24:35 +0000

I stick by my comment “token cars” ,yes the two big sellers by Toyota and Honda are “tokens”,assembled in the U.S..
The real problem is Americans don’t care where anything is made anymore ,we are the ONLY people in the world like this . . . as long as average Joe has his job he’ll buy cars from anywhere ( MOST CARS WITH FOREIGN NAMEPLATES ON THE ROAD IN AMERICA TODAY COME FROM OVERSEAS ).
Yes Chrysler is owned by Fiat but still provides a number of U.S. jobs as of today.
Big business DOES NOT want the average person to know where ANYTHING is made anymore and unfortunetely the average person is falling into big business plan.
How often do any of you look at a labels and ask where something is made before you purchase it?
I’ll bet many of you all ran out to replace your light bulbs with CFL bulbs to save a few cents each month on your electric bill . . . doesn’t it bother you in any way that ALL these bulb are Made In China ?
Workers in Brazil asked GE to make CFL’s there . . . GE ignored them,workers in Ohio asked GE to make CFL’s there ,GE ignored them too.
But your saving afew cents now each month because you didn’t care where the bulbs come from ???
Same thinking occurs in auto purchases ,that is good some are at least buying the few Toyotas or Hondas assembled here in the U.S. but again it is “token” and these two companies know it.
But the American people don’t care.

By: Kman

Kman — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 18:18:18 +0000

It seems to me that this is the kind of in-depth study that one should do before spending $50+ Billion.

So what did we just bailout, exactly?

By: Lokki

Lokki — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 17:43:29 +0000

I have some experience in this area. Most suppliers for Japanese are NOT owned by the “parent” company. They do receive close supervison and quality control support. The Japanese model believes in long-term relationships. They are careful NOT to drive their suppliers out of business by underpaying them. They don’t want to have to train new supplers.

It’s GM, and Chrysler that started squeezing their suppliers until they went bankrupt – but they sure produced a lot of junk parts before they got there.

By: Steven02

Steven02 — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 16:00:17 +0000

This list means nothing to me. The Camry wasn’t even eligible last year because of its domestic parts content.

To me, the list that matters is domestic parts content which is further down the cars.com story.

Ford Taurus 90 percent Chicago
Lincoln MKS 85 percent Chicago
Toyota Sienna 85 percent Princeton, Ind.
GMC Savana 1500 82 percent Wentzville, Mo.
Chevrolet Express 1500 82 percent Wentzville, Mo.
Buick Lucerne 81 percent Detroit
Chevrolet Malibu 80 percent Kansas City, Kan.
Honda Odyssey 80 percent Lincoln, Ala.
Toyota Avalon 80 percent Georgetown, Ky.
Toyota Tundra 80 percent San Antonio
Toyota Venza 80 percent Georgetown, Ky.

By: akear

akear — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 15:16:25 +0000

The principal engineering and design of the Camry was done in Japan.
This is yet another failure for the US auto industry.

By: AJ

AJ — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 13:24:42 +0000

An additional great point to this list is more and more cars are built non-union. Even as a Jeep guy, I swear I’ll never buy another UAW built vehicle ever again. But then I do figure that the Jeep brand may end up in someone else’s hands in the near future anyway. :D

By: PeteMoran

PeteMoran — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 07:53:32 +0000

All the nationalists are taking a long time to work out that the ownership (or HQ) of an enterprise does not make economic activity.

It’s the economic footprint of the enterprise that is important. Toyota etc should be welcomed not derided.

China, India, Mexico, South America even Australia has worked it out. “Owning” and trading the “ownership” of companies while taking a clip off the sale means nothing for the people. Wall Street is dead (we wish).

By: chanman

chanman — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 04:03:42 +0000

Canada counts as ‘Domestic’ because of the 1965 Auto Pact and later, NAFTA agreements.

By: King Bojack

King Bojack — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 03:10:34 +0000

Sweet, another reason I can hug Toyo nuts and sleep better at night! Thank you content stickers!

By: obbop

obbop — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 03:08:04 +0000

Ross Perot tried to warn us pert’ near three decades ago.

But, the class war could not be beat back and whatever would benefit the few at the top is all that mattered.

Never mind what was best for the common folk and the country as a whole.

And the elites continue their skim as a 2nd-wprld lifestyle awaits most of our progeny.

Of this I am convinced.

By: mcs

mcs — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 02:51:37 +0000

Mercury_diSABLEd :

That’s where the true bragging rights come from, anyone can build a car. I’m not gonna call the new Camaro ‘Canadian’ because it’s manufactured in Canada.

So… I guess the Camaro is an Australian car.

By: derm81

derm81 — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 02:22:42 +0000

Anyone have the stats for the number of permanent employees versus contract or temporary employees used to build vehicles in NA?

By: Mercury_diSABLEd

Mercury_diSABLEd — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 01:29:18 +0000

Superbadd75 the only problem is none of those vehicles listed are engineered in America. That’s where the true bragging rights come from, anyone can build a car. I’m not gonna call the new Camaro ‘Canadian’ because it’s manufactured in Canada.

By: Tecant

Tecant — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 01:03:00 +0000

Of the four models currently racing in NASCAR’s Sprint Cup, only the Toyota Camry is assembled in the USA. The Chevy Impala and Dodge Charger are built in Canada; the Ford Fusion in Mexico.

Not that any of the four have much in common with the production cars they are named for except the decals.

By: Facebook User

Facebook User — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 00:08:15 +0000

If it’s not a GM, Ford or Chryler it is a foreign car. No matter what manipulated BS spun numbers are presented.

By: oldyak

oldyak — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 22:48:59 +0000

How many of these ‘U.S.’ suppliers are actually owned by the parent company and as I have read,how many truly ‘U.S’ suppliers have been driven out of business by shady dealings by our Japanese friends????
And the Camry is a shitty car..so whats the point?
Hey if you want to bash a Camry…Go for it!!
But that wont happen………….

By: superbadd75

superbadd75 — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 22:26:53 +0000

“you have a few “token” cars that are made by transplants here in the U.S.”

Acura TL – Marysville, Ohio
BMW X5 – Spartanburg, South Carolina
BMW Z4 – Spartanburg, South Carolina
Honda Accord – Marysville, Ohio
Honda Civic – East Liberty, Ohio
Honda Element – East Liberty, Ohio
Honda Odyssey – Lincoln, Alabama
Honda Pilot – Lincoln, Alabama
Mercedes-Benz M-Class – Vance, Alabama
Mercedes-Benz R-Class – Vance, Alabama
Mazda 6 – Flat Rock, Michigan
Mazda B-Series – Minneapolis, Minnesota
Mazda Tribute – Kansas City, Missouri
Hyundai Sonata – Montgomery, Alabama
Hyundai Santa Fe – Montgomery, Alabama
Infiniti QX56 – Canton, Mississippi
Mitsubishi Eclipse – Normal, Illinois
Mitsubishi Endeavor – Normal, Illinois
Mitsubishi Galant – Normal, Illinois
Mitsubishi Raider – Warren, Michigan
Nissan Altima – Smyrna, Tennessee and Canton, Mississippi
Nissan Armada – Canton, Mississippi
Nissan Frontier – Smyrna, Tennessee
Nissan Maxima – Smyrna, Tennessee
Nissan Pathfinder – Smyrna, Tennessee
Nissan Quest – Canton, Mississippi
Nissan Titan – Canton, Mississippi
Nissan Xterra – Smyrna, Tennessee
Saab 9-7X – Moraine, Ohio
Subaru Tribeca – Lafayette, Indiana
Subaru Legacy – Lafayette, Indiana
Subaru Outback – Lafayette, Indiana
Toyota Avalon – Georgetown, Kentucky
Toyota Camry – Georgetown, Kentucky
Toyota Camry Solara – Georgetown, Kentucky
Toyota Corolla – Fremont, California
Toyota Sequoia – Princeton, Indiana
Toyota Sienna – Princeton, Indiana
Toyota Tundra – Princeton, Indiana
Toyota Tacoma – Fremont, California

So, what about the few token models? And I am definitely missing some. This is just what I came up with in a short search. A lot of the foreign cars sold here are built here. More than most people realize.

By: PhotoJim

PhotoJim — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 22:07:45 +0000

Shhh – football season started last weekend. Proof we’re independent. :)

I always wonder about the utility of these lists. They are actually likely to make a Canadian consumer less likely to buy these vehicles. The ones that lost the greatest score between the North American and American lists are really the cars we should be buying, if Canadians are going to be rational actors helping their own slightly less recessional economy. (Ford, Hyundai, and Kia all have increased sales this year. Ford is now #1 in Canada.)

If Americans insist on buying American, non-Americans should insist on buying from their own country (or at least as non-American as possible to level the playing field). In the long run, that serves no one.

By: tauronmaikar

tauronmaikar — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 21:59:09 +0000

This list summarizes to me the “whats” and “whys” of what NOT to buy.

By: Lokkii

Lokkii — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 21:35:37 +0000

Wait, why does the NHTSA count Canadian parts as ‘domestic?’ Are the Canadians aware of this?

Shhhhhhh! They like to think they’re like all independent and stuff….

By: findude

findude — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 20:35:36 +0000

Without slicing the numbers, let me just say that it is good to see this here. A few years back I explained to a co-worker that my Honda Odyssey (Alabama) was more an “American” car than his Chevrolet Aveo (Korea). No source in the world would convince him that his Chevrolet was not American.

The ignorance about this runs very deep and is perpetuated by the worst kind of provincial jingoism.

By: threeer

threeer — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 20:16:01 +0000

a “few token” cars built here in the US from foreign-plated companies?? Really?? The Camry and Accord (two of the top-selling cars, mind you) are built here. Same goes for several Hyundai models…and BMW seems to be doing pretty well in South Carolina, as is M-B in Alabama. I grant you it might not be a majority of the automotive production in America…but “token?”

By: crackers

crackers — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 20:12:50 +0000

Another way to look at this is to see how much each company pays in the way of US taxes. With the D3 not making any profit, I would imagine the taxes paid are negligible. If fact, I would be interested to know how many years of taxes paid by GM and Chrysler all this bailout money represents.

By: Edward Niedermeyer

Edward Niedermeyer — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 20:02:53 +0000

Strippo, dean: Yup, brain fart. Text amended.