QOTD: Will Trump Exempt Some Parts From Tariffs?

by Tim Healey

Published: April 1st, 2025

qotd will trump exempt some parts from tariffs

Earlier today, we brought you Bloomberg's report that automakers are looking to exempt some low-cost parts from President Trump's proposed tariffs.

The automakers are doing this, of course, because even cars that are built in the U.S. that would be exempt from the tariffs aimed at fully-built vehicles would be subject to tariffs on parts. And so, in order to built cars that are completely tariff-free, automakers need to get exemptions on small parts.

And, of course, need to be assembled here in the U.S., with the engines and transmissions also assembled here.

Anyway, I ask of you, and I realize this is fraught with the danger of bad comments -- can automakers get at least this concession from the Trump Administration? Or not?

Please play nice below, the banhammer is ready.

With that in mind, sound off below.

[Image: Palitsyn Evgenii/Shutterstock.com]

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Tim Healey

Tim Healey grew up around the auto-parts business and has always had a love for cars — his parents joke his first word was “‘Vette”. Despite this, he wanted to pursue a career in sports writing but he ended up falling semi-accidentally into the automotive-journalism industry, first at Consumer Guide Automotive and later at Web2Carz.com. He also worked as an industry analyst at Mintel Group and freelanced for About.com, CarFax, Vehix.com, High Gear Media, Torque News, FutureCar.com, Cars.com, among others, and of course Vertical Scope sites such as AutoGuide.com, Off-Road.com, and HybridCars.com. He’s an urbanite and as such, doesn’t need a daily driver, but if he had one, it would be compact, sporty, and have a manual transmission.

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Comments

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6 of 43 comments

Acemar138975508 on Apr 02, 2025

Trump's tariffs and foreign policy are grounds for impeachment, or 25th amendment filing, then if JD Vance replaces him, file the 25th amendment on him based on his recent behavior.

1 Reply
- See 2 previous
- 28-Cars-Later on Apr 02, 2025
  
  Not even close.
  
  Like
- 1995 SC on Apr 02, 2025
  
  you have lost it
  
  1
- Les Fender on Apr 03, 2025
  
  Some FLAMING TDS on display here!
  
  Like
Mister on Apr 02, 2025

You've got it all wrong! Double the tariffs! Triple them! This way we can cut traffic by keeping the poors off the road so we can drive our Ferraris and Lambos the way they were properly intended. Then we can buy all those junkers they can't afford to fix for scrap money and ship them overseas! More profits! More money!

(if you couldn't identify this as sarcasm, I'll show myself out)

3 Reply
- ToolGuy™ on Apr 02, 2025
  
  Dan Neil is that you?
  
  Like

Recent Comments

Rizzle The price is the same for a manual or automatic. If you want a manual you might want to get a 2025 or 2026 (or older) because who knows if VW will offer the manual in 27. It could be deleted just like they did for the GTI and R. It is too bad you can't get a GLI in S form without the sunroof and with a cloth interior. Same basic car but many $1000s less. Yeah, the red stripes are a bit silly, but someone at VW thinks they are cool. In the good old days they would have put on racing stripes and fake louvers and called it the GLI-X.
ToolGuy™ I have always resented how GM did not consult me on styling choices.
ToolGuy™ Ford produces 6,819 vehicles in about 17 minutes.
ToolGuy™ Yes, but No. And Maybe. With upscale soft-touch interior materials, especially below the armrest.(I am training to be an Automotive Journalist.)
Orange260z In 2007 we drove from Regina SK to LA via Flagstaff, and Las Vegas, returning via Sam Francisco, Reno and Northern NV. The Montana "reasonable and prudent" had been repealed by then, and Montana actually had the slowest highway speeds of our trip.Through Utah, Arizona, and Nevada we were quite surprised to see a steady flow of traffic at speeds of approximately 100mph on I15, I40, and I80, but also Hwy89, Hwy93 and other non-interstate highways. Many of the vehicles doing these speeds were full-size SUVs and pickup trucks - having owned Suburbans and Yukons I get that they are comfortable cruisers at high speed, but good luck braking or swerving at 100mph.Also had a similar experience driving back to Ontario from Dallas TX - much of the daytime interstate traffic was moving in the 85-100mph range (speed limits were generally 70--75mph).