American made cars...

[kimwim8]

My dad is an old Union worker and will not buy a car unless it was made in the USA (I have bought foreign myself & loved them - so no flames please)!

Anyway, my mom needs a new car and was wondering if any foreign car companies actually produce the cars here in the USA?

Also, if anyone has bought a car recently, please share what you bought & how you like/dislike it.

Thanks!

 

[ZachnElli]

I think alot of "foreign" cars are built in the US now. I know my Toyota was built in Indiana. My dh use to work for a subdivision of Toyota and we ordered it straight from the factory. I think Honda has a plant in the US too.

 

[chadfromdallas]

My dad is an old Union worker and will not buy a car unless it was made in the USA (I have bought foreign myself & loved them - so no flames please)!

Anyway, my mom needs a new car and was wondering if any foreign car companies actually produce the cars here in the USA?

Pretty much every car you see on the road is assembled here. You will not find an entirely American made(including parts) car.

 

[Castlebound]

Well I can tell you that our Toyota was made in Georgetown, Kentucky. I also know that they have another plant in Texas. I love our Toyota! Our Chevy on the other hand was made in Mexico. We live near a Chrysler plant and several parents at me kids' school work there. One day one the the dad's was giving me crap about buying American. I asked him why he didn't buy American. He said that he owned a New Dodge Ram truck and it was American. I told him that since Daimler bought Chrysler it was no longer an American company. Since he works there you would think that he would know that he was now working for a foreign company.

 

[debster812]

I had this debate with my dad about 10 years ago.

My 'Foreign' Nissan Sentra SE-R was assembled in Smyrna, TN.

His 'American' Ford Taurus was built in Mexico.

To a die hard Union guy, which was the lesser of 2 evils? He could never tell me.....

 

[ziggystardust]

My family is in the same boat.

Last year my mom was so close to getting a Honda b/c they are made here. I mean close, there was a deposit and everything. My dad was never 100% with the idea but he was warming up to it since the dealer told him exactly where the car was made.

Then, my dad found out the Honda is non-union.

My mom now has a chevy malibu instead of a honda.

 

[chadfromdallas]

My mom now has a chevy malibu instead of a honda.

Poor choice

 

[CheshireVal]

My very first car was a Ford Festiva, and I'm pretty sure that was made in Korea. I never had any problems with that car, but my last car-- a '99 Ford Escort ZX2-- was nothing but trouble from day one.

I drive a Scion now-- I have no idea where it's built, though.

 

[lovemygoofy]

We own a '04 Saturn Ion 3 and a '05 Saturn Vue both made in the USA. They have parts from Honda and Toyota. We love them and haven't had any touble (knock on wood).

 

[Laurajean1014]

I only know of Kentucky and Ohio for foreign cars made in US. Toyota, I believe.

I will no longer purchase an American car. I only buy foreign. I buy for the quality. If American cars were better made, I would definitely buy American over foreign.

 

[tandrjohn]

"Foreign" versus "non-foreign" is a real gray area anymore. Some foreign made cars are assembled in the US (with US and foreign parts), and some American cars are assembled in Mexico or Canada (with US and foreign parts). Also, for example, Ford owns or holds a majority stake in Mazda, Volvo, Jaguar, Land-Rover, and Aston Martin. The question should be union versus non-union. While all American automotive plants and most major American supplier plants are unionized, none of the foreign owned automotive plants in the US are.

I buy only Ford products because of the discount I receive because FIL worked there for 35+ years.

Here is a list of 2005 American cars assembled in Mexico or Canada. This list doesn't include Chrysler products because as somebody mentioned, Chrysler is no longer an American company:

2005 Ford Crown Victoria 4dr 4.6v8 Auto OD
USA Owned
Canada Assembly- St. Thomas, Ontario
USA Engine
USA Transmission
90% US/Canadian Parts Content

2005 GMC Sierra 1500 2wd CrewCab P/U 5.3v8 4spd auto
USA Owned
Canada Assembly- Oshawa, ON
USA Engine
USA Transmission
90% US/Canadian Parts Content

2005 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 2wd Crew Cab LS 5.3v8 4spd Auto
USA Owned
Canada Assembly- Oshawa, ON
USA Engine
USA Transmission
90% US/Canadian Parts Content

2005 Ford Focus ZX5 SES 2.0 (i4?) Autotran
USA Owned
Mexico Assembly- Hermosillo
USA Engine
USA Transmission
60% US/Canadian Parts Content
15% Mexico Parts Content

2005 Ford Focus ZX5 2.0 (i4?) 5spd Man
USA Owned
Mexico Assembly- Hermosillo
USA Engine
Germany Transmission
60% US/Canadian Parts Content
15% Mexico Parts Content

 

[theSurlyMermaid]

My American car only dad needed only to compare his new Toyota to the constantly-in-the-shop cars he had before before he never went back. He has my mom to thank for that!

As for me, I am in awe of my Toyota Prius.

 

[laurie31]

Honda has a plant here in Alabama and so do Mercedez and Hyundai. Toyota has an engine plant here as well.

http://www.detnews.com/2005/autosinsider/0505/23/0auto-188214.htm

Laurie

 

[Dan Murphy]

Automobiles, like many consumer products today, are built in a rather homogeneous world economy. 'American' cars are 'foreign', 'foreign' cars are 'American', most cars, if not all, are 'world' cars. And most are very good.

 

[DrCavin]

Hondas are made in Marysville, Oh Some BMW models are made in South Carolina...

 

[wvrevy]

Actually, there's a Toyota plant about 15 miles from where I'm sitting (and I can't see Mt. Fuji anywhere around )

I've bought my last "American made" car. Every Chevy, Olds, or Dodge I've ever owned has had problems, whereas the foreign cars I've owned and been around never have.

 

[Viking]

I) don't know if those are in you Mum's pricerange but the following 'German' cars are built in the USA:
-Mercedes ML
-Mercedes R (Will be on the market as a '06 model later this year)
-BMW Z4
-BMW X5

And BTW, many 'American' cars are only geographically American not politically as meanwhile there are more cars built in Canada than in Detroit.

 

[tandrjohn]

meanwhile there are more cars built in Canada than in Detroit.

That's been true for a while now, however, Ontario eclipsed Michigan in total auto production just last year. Overall, the US is miles ahead of Canada in auto production. However, Canada is attractive because it subsides most of the workers' health care cost tab while the US does not. Here is a breakdown of North American auto production:

Top 10 North American vehicle producers

2004 (In Thousands)

1. Ontario 2,701.2
2. Michigan 2,598.4
3. Ohio 1,818.5
4. Missouri 1,226.3
5. Kentucky 1,162.8
6. Indiana 772.6
7. Tennessee 713.8
8. Coahuila, Mexico 410.4
9. Illinois 396.8
10. Georgia 395.7

Other 4,027.4

Total 16,224.0

Source: WardsAuto.com

 

[kimwim8]

Thank you all so much! I can't wait to share with my parents!

 

[kimwim8]

My very first car was a Ford Festiva

I had a Ford Festiva! It was nicknamed the Easter Egg b/c it was teal and so small! I loved how that car drove, but I totally felt on display for the world b/c all it was was WINDOWS!!

Thanks to everyone for the great information!