What vehicle(s) do you drive?

[Bubba]

Is a Japanese car made in Kentucky more or less "American" than an American car made in Mexico?

You answered your own question in your first four words.
Where does the profit end up? An american company or a foreign company?
Did our bailout money go to american or japanese companies?
Are all the parts made in the USA? No marie but when i work on an american car as opposed to a foreign car i notice a hell of a lot more parts made in the USA then in the foreign cars.
What does the success of the bailout of the american car companies hinge on? Buying a toyota or a chevy?

So it's not about the workers, it's about the profits. OK, I see your point.

So you're OK with an American car made in China, with parts made in China, Mexico and Southeast Asia, and exported to the US for sale. Gotcha!

Your funny. Every foreign car is made here and every american car is made in mexico right?
How many americans work for GM? How many work for the foreign companies? If the american car companies go under all those jobs go to.
It's about the workers and power. If our car companies go under we will to. It's really that simple.

Nice change of subject. I was asking, however, about what constitutes an American car? You said "where does the profit end up?", from which I can only conclude that you define an American car by where the profits go. Thus the follow up question - is an American label car made in China with parts made in other countries and then exported to the US an American car? By your statement about profits it appears you would say it's an American car. No?

[MarieM]

Is a Japanese car made in Kentucky more or less "American" than an American car made in Mexico?

You answered your own question in your first four words.
Where does the profit end up? An american company or a foreign company?
Did our bailout money go to american or japanese companies?
Are all the parts made in the USA? No marie but when i work on an american car as opposed to a foreign car i notice a hell of a lot more parts made in the USA then in the foreign cars.
What does the success of the bailout of the american car companies hinge on? Buying a toyota or a chevy?

So it's not about the workers, it's about the profits. OK, I see your point.

So you're OK with an American car made in China, with parts made in China, Mexico and Southeast Asia, and exported to the US for sale. Gotcha!

Your funny. Every foreign car is made here and every american car is made in mexico right?
How many americans work for GM? How many work for the foreign companies? If the american car companies go under all those jobs go to.
It's about the workers and power. If our car companies go under we will to. It's really that simple.

Nice change of subject. I was asking, however, about what constitutes an American car? You said "where does the profit end up?", from which I can only conclude that you define an American car by where the profits go. Thus the follow up question - is an American label car made in China with parts made in other countries and then exported to the US an American car? By your statement about profits it appears you would say it's an American car. No?

What profit? Isn't there some kind of profit made all along the line? The parts made in other countries generate some type of profit.

I still think it's all about the hood ornament. It's all about perception and chest-thumping.

(Why isn't what kind of a TV the potential g/f owns a deal breaker?)

(And why is a owning an automobile that has GM tags the be-all-and-end-all that defines a good American? My son gave 6 years of his life to the US Navy; plus the time he gave while still a member of NROTC in college. He's now driving a Honda. You gonna call him out on that?)

[SkiDork]

what about:

The location of the company headquarters? Would that help define it?

[Mister Moose]

My view would be where the bucks go. Not that it is on any part of the sticker, but out of the total purchase price, how much in profit, labor, and parts is US content. Then, those parts might be comprised of subassemblies only partially made in the US. We know that driving a Ford Fiesta is not driving an american car.

Bottom line, its hard to tell. We do know where engines and bodies are made, and we know who the corporate overlords are.

At this point, the car companies are too bloated. They need to restructure. They need tough love. They need to be competitive in the world market place. We also need parity in foreign marketplaces.

[lilywhite]

Just everyone go back to school for economics. GLOBAL economy.
We can make our own stuff in house, but still quote outside for certain products.
pricing is key, not to mention quality and on time delivery.
Whether cars or your plastic bottle holding your gatorade...it is global competition.
the end.

[Humpty Dumpty]

Did anyone see that a Chinese company is buying Hummer? I personally questioned this, thinking that Hummer was contracted by the US military. Then found out that military Hummers are built by AMC General...and will continue to be. The consumer Hummer was licensed to GM by purchase from AMC. Who knew a bowling/Sunfish/Pacer company was building military vehicles? I'm sure finn knew this and I wish she would have shared this info with the Kzone community.

[RENO]

There's very little that is truly 100% american made anymore unfortunately. People that rag on others because they don't buy american made products like they do should look more closely at the world around them. They should look at their car, home, furniture, clothing, food, appliances, tv, radio, toys, computers, phone, banks, insurance, skis, snowboards, etc... etc... etc......

[Geoff]

Did anyone see that a Chinese company is buying Hummer? I personally questioned this, thinking that Hummer was contracted by the US military. Then found out that military Hummers are built by AMC General...and will continue to be. The consumer Hummer was licensed to GM by purchase from AMC. Who knew a bowling/Sunfish/Pacer company was building military vehicles? I'm sure finn knew this and I wish she would have shared this info with the Kzone community.

You are confusing AMF (American Machine and Foundry; Bowling gear, Voit sporting goods, Ben Hogan golf clubs, Head skis, Harley-Davidson, Alcort/Sailfish/Sunfish, Hatteras Yachts...) with AMC (American Motors Corp; ).

Even James Bond couldn't make AMC products cool.

[thorski]

The amc javelin was nice.
The car bond is in there kinda looks like that VW orange peanut M+M looking car i've seen on here.

[Geoff]

The amc javelin was nice.
The car bond is in there kinda looks like that VW orange peanut M+M looking car i've seen on here.

A VW is an econobox with some soul. Sadly, I took the big discount and bought this one in 'Arrest-me Orange'. I think you're confusing 'econobox' with 'shitbox'.

[SnoBrdr]

Did anyone see that a Chinese company is buying Hummer? I personally questioned this, thinking that Hummer was contracted by the US military. Then found out that military Hummers are built by AMC General...and will continue to be. The consumer Hummer was licensed to GM by purchase from AMC. Who knew a bowling/Sunfish/Pacer company was building military vehicles? I'm sure finn knew this and I wish she would have shared this info with the Kzone community.

You are confusing AMF (American Machine and Foundry; Bowling gear, Voit sporting goods, Ben Hogan golf clubs, Head skis, Harley-Davidson, Alcort/Sailfish/Sunfish, Hatteras Yachts...) with AMC (American Motors Corp; ).

Even James Bond couldn't make AMC products cool.

Then you never drove a 68 - 70 Javelin AMX.

A true road rocket if there ever was one.

[SkiDork]

The amc javelin was nice.
The car bond is in there kinda looks like that VW orange peanut M+M looking car i've seen on here.

That was an AMC Hornet. (The Man With The Golden Gun)

They also used a Matador in The Man WIth the Golden Gun to do the flying car sequence.

[the Disemboweler]

The amc javelin was nice.
The car bond is in there kinda looks like that VW orange peanut M+M looking car i've seen on here.

That was an AMC Hornet. (The Man With The Golden Gun)

They also used a Matador in The Man WIth the Golden Gun to do the flying car sequence.

what successful, famous, tech entrepenure's father was CEO of AMC? Hint the son graduated from stanford & I think all the original employees were SU grads too....

[jhatski]

George Romney, threw his hat in the ring for Pres. interesting guy. A number of years ago I used to follow the buy american car routine, but when the car industry didnt get right the first time the japanese companies kicked their butts, I quit. I just refuse to award big bloated stupidity and the global economy issue has really made it difficult to figure out who is benefitting. When Camrys are being built in Ohio tell the workers down there you shouldnt buy a toyota. I have a Ford, Toyota and a Volvo in the family so I am truly global.

[MarieM]

Even James Bond couldn't make AMC products cool.

Yeah...but Wayne and Garth could!