Filed under: Government/Legal, Chrysler, LLC., Ford, GM Tensions are high in the Motor City, with good reason. At this point, the only chance General Motors and Chrysler have of avoiding bankruptcy is for President Bush to tap the remaining $15 billion from the first half of the $700 billion TARP fund. Unfortunately, the stress of the situation has gotten the better of some folks in SE Michigan. Four vehicles with foreign nameplates were vandalized recently at a Woodhaven, Michigan strip mall, just a stone's throw away from a Ford stamping plant. Each of the vehicles had two slashed tires and the phrase "Buy American" written on them. Surveillance video caught one middle-aged gentleman as he got out of a red Ford Escape to slash one of the car's tires and write something on it. Police say, however, they have no evidence that links Ford employees from the stamping plant to these acts of vandalism. We hope that remains the case, as headlines of organized labor attacking innocent Hondas and Toyotas is the last thing the Detroit 3 needs as it awaits the cash-filled hands of our lame duck president. Thanks for the tip, Joe! [Source: Click on Detroit]Foreign autos vandalized to promote buying American originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 15 Dec 2008 09:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments More...
That is just ridiculous. If someone did that to my car, it would be very counter productive, because it would drive me even further away from buying an American car (that was probably built in Mexico anyways..)
The Big 3 may have allowed themselves to be held hostage by the UAW but American consumers will have no more of it. My guess is that you are going to see Big 3 sales continue to dwindle as buyers flock to the foreign nameplates if for no other reason than to protest the UAW's stranglehold on the domestics. This bailout debacle is casting the UAW in a very negative light and I think we are in the beginning stages of a consumer revolt. I honestly believe that this is the beginning of the end of the UAW. Good Riddance.
I have no tolerance for people vandalizing other people's stuff, however... Maybe the person who comes up with windshield notes that say " Where what country is your money going" woudl make a fortune, constructive way to get a point across. It's not where it's made it's not where the parts come from, it's were the money goes, where are they paying their taxes, what Country's trade is affected by that company's sales. Fords could be built in China.. but the money still comes to the Good ole USA Don't get me wrong I want american workers making cars. But American manufacturers have been saddled with overpriced labor for decades and leterally been paying pepple to play checkers since 1984! Our companies can't compete if the Unions are coddling the workers, American car companies have a generation ( or 2) of people that know the junk they made in the 70's and early eighties. Quality cannot drop one bit, becasue there is a perception they have top overcome, It is not enough for the big 3 to have a few good years, they have to do it consistently and always. It's the upcpmoing generations who have had it drilled into them for years that American cars are bad, THe car companies need to win over those new buyers
What about the thousands of people employed by foreign auto makers in the United States? I work for a Japanese company, and I certainly know where I, and the 2,000 other people I work with spend all our money we earn working there. Right here in the U.S. most all of our parts suppliers are U.S. companies also. The bottom line is, the big 3 are where they are now due to poor management, poor quality of products they made in the past, and the poor economy, not even mentioning the union. You can't place blame on the foreign automakers, or the people who buy foreign vehicles, for what's gong on with Ford, Chevy and Chrysler right now.
Well I have to say I have never faulted the Japanese companies for making good products. my issue is with people not giving American car companies a chance based largely on quality issues that go back 20-30 years. And yes you are correct they are employing Americans. An American Car company can employ Americans too given enough sales. I just think, we'd be in terrible shape if We only had foreign car companies products to choose from, a good example is electronics. We now have to choose basically between a high priced Japanese TV's (IE Sony) or (to pay a decent price ) buy a Chinese TV. Ever try negotiating on the price of a new Toyota? We have to have American companies making something or the economy suffers. Competition drives price down. Also notice in my commets I stated the American car companies brought some of the issues on themselves. But much was due to lazy and careless workers. My friends brother back in high-school bought a new ( 1977 )Chevy P/U had a fender bender and when they took the damaged fender off they found a Beer can in the fender That is not the fault of management that is the fault of some idiot on the line being stupid. Sorry to step on toes but unions far exceeded their need a long time ago. It's a system as corrupt as our political system. Big money Big donations. Rank and file pays the price in union dues, how much could wages drop, without affecting the rank and file if those union dues weren't there? It's on the Management ANd the Worker to show a little pride and make a quality product. Toyota spends years of testing a new desisgn before it hits the road for sale to the public, they can spend that money in RD because they aren't strapped with over paid workers. Again I don't mean to step on toes so I better bow out, but someone has to take an honest look at a system that pays laid off workers over $40 an hour to literally sit around in a room all day doing nothing.. since 1984! By the way my Dad and my uncle were union guys my uncle worked harder than anyone I know, my dad called in sick, spent his life putting nuts on bolts , when they called him in for calling in sick ( when he wasn't ) the union stepped in and protected him, sorry but it is wrong to have a union supporting terrible work habits, and I know that happens all the time. Anyway Jamie I am not saying go out a bash people for buying Japanese or Korean or German or anything else, but people better start supporting american companies or we'll be choosing between Toyotas and Hondas or Kias and Daewoo's.
I have owned nothing but fords, 3 rangers, bronco II, Bronco, F150, explorer, and 2 mavericks. I have always had a soft spot for ford, but you know what? There is now a Civic sitting in the dreway. The wife has a 45min commute each way and fords just jon't get the near 40mpg that the civic does. Sorry
I understand buying from Far East auto makers I had a new '02 Hyundai Accent, And My first NEW car was a Subaru Hatchback The closeest thing Ford had to that was, THe Escort and at the time I had heard they had quality issues, My Mother had a 78 Subaru Wagon that she drove over 300k , and would still be driving it except for the rust that wiped it out. My whole point is that there are people out there who buy "other" than American based on old out dated information. US Manufacturers built some real garbage , a long time ago. And yes there are still newer designs that have issues Mopar for one as recently as 2005 maybe even later had issues with transmissions, that is not a new problem for Mopars, Several mopars I have had all had reverse go out with jsut a little over 100k on them. But all american manufactureres suffer for the poor quality of one. People group all american Cars as one group if Mopar has qaulity issues then people overgeneralize and say it's all American products. No one condems all the Japanese car companies whne one of them has issues. Nissan for one had trouble with some trannys in Maxima's a freind of mine had to spend $3000 to have one replaced and it had relatively low miles, that was back in '93. My Brother in law has a Nissan Frontier 2002 I believe and trim is peeling. I'm trying to say generally the attitudes are that Japanese products are perfect, and American products are inferior, I'm not buying it. It doesn't mean I woudl never buy a Honda or toyota, but I won't pay $5000 more for a Corolla , when I can get a Focus for a better price. How much extra gas could I buy with that savings on cost. Anyway I just wish people would look at consumer reports and then decide, instead of assuming if it a US car company it must be crap.
I have a 2006 Focus that was the only American car on the list of vehicles that get a least 35 MPG! I can buy American and STILL get good mileage! I say keep the dollars in the good ole USA! Robin
You also let non-residents apply and obtain concealed carry permits and I like that.. I will be applying for my Florida Non-Resident CC permit one of these days...
