Off subject

[Daniel Dorece]

Well, now i'm really ticked! I took a ride up to Pickett, Wi to the swap meet yesterday and on the drive up I saw at least a dozen foreign cars with support our troops ribbons on them. If you want to support our fighting men in Iraq at least buy U S made products so the guys and gals who are spilling their guts so we can have gas for our cars can at least get a job when they come back!!!!!!!! B T W These cute little ribbons are now being made in China.
Dan

[Byron Roberts]

And who knows were the money goes..when you can buy them at Dollar World...And everyother place....Byron

[Tanner Remillard]

The only problem with most U.S vehicles is that they burn so much damn gas. Everyone has to have the "suburban" or "excursion," how ever you say it. I see the little women in there 20's and 30's that are driving them and they cant even hardly see over the steering wheel. And dont tell me it's because they have to haul the kids around.

[Byron Roberts]

Daniel:: Tell us about the swap....Gas was down to $2 something .. What followed you home... Byron

[Brickman]

no different than the pc that we are useing , being made in a foren country

[Wm. Galloway]

I hear ya, unfortunately "American" cars probably have more foreign content than "imports". And many of the "import" brands are made in the United States.

[BobRR]

Tanner Im with you on that. Here you have all these college girls driving full size trucks and most of them couldnt drive a escort!They want to drive a Suv. while putting on make up, talking on the phone and eat all at the same time!BobRR

[Mac Leod]

BobRR, I think you have forgotten something important...oftern they have a book holder mounted on there steering wheel (have seen it many times) so they can eat, paint, smoke, talk, read, play with the radio, adjust there seat between 5000 pre set configurations, play with the mirror and avoid the oak trees that jump in front of them. I too am sick of the over glorified grocery getters. I can see owning a REAL truck for work or other thing that require it, but the esclade ?!? or better yet...the "H2" hummer- straight rear axle gas hog/POS (for trucks I love diesel) how about dodge rams- a friend has one...9 MPG TOPS... ?????

Mac Leod

[BobRR]

Mac we all forgot a couple of others the tv and video games! But as long as they have seat belts, air bags,antilock brakes , traction control and cameras who needs to pay attenion to driving? BobRR

[Chuck Parcher (Ks.)]

I think that sometimes we forget that for the most part the foreign mfg's. really put the quality in their veh. for less money......That is what started the foreign take over back in the 70's. The american veh. were boats. gas guzzlers. the door handles would fall off etc. Diesels made out of gas engine blocks. etc. when the gas lines started, people took a real look at the Japanese autos. I went with a friend to a transmission shop last week to pick up his truck. while talking to the mech. I asked which of the top 3 had the best transmissions..........Ford was number 1 GM number 2 and Crysler number 3 He came up with this determined by how many he has rebuilt over the past 9 years in business. Then he told me that in 9 years he has never had a Toyota trans in the shop. So.................That's one man's opinion. I buy American Ford truck, Cad. Jeep cherokee, Pace Arrow. but I think the door was opened by the guys that were putting out the junk for more money than the imports. Anyway that's what I think. My 1951 3/4 ton flat head six truck has no plastic anywhere, except maybe the dash knobs. and distributer cap. Things have changed. CHUCK

[Forrest A]

One thing that you may not know is that most of the major manufacturers of vehicles in this country own large portions of the shares offered by over-sea car companies. GM, owns a large portion of Toyota for example, it's no secret. All of the American car companies have manufacturing facilities in other lands abroad. (Fortunately, the last time I checked there aren't any cars being shipped from Iraq to the US with new paint on them.) The world economy goes farther if we all work together. My two pennies.

Forrest A

[Forrest A]

Pickett:

It was perfect weather for a swap meet. I was there on Saturday only so I don't know how many people showed up Sunday. Saturday seemed to have a good turnout compared to the past meets held in Pickett (that I can remember). Having your own show grounds is like owning a 2000lb gold nugget. People seemed to be buying, I sold enough to fill my tank on my truck twice (about $100). There was a little of everything there.

[Daniel Dorece]

I notice a few of the replies sound like justification for the foreign cars parked in their driveways. you know who you are.
Dan

[Chuck Parcher (Ks.)]

Well I for one don't have any foreign cars in my drive way. If I did I sure would'nt need to justify it to you or anyone else. I think I'll buy what ever I think I want to buy, and I for one really care less what anyone else thinks about it. I fought in a war in the orient, Had an uncle that was in a Japanese prison camp, and I still reserve the right to buy what I want, when I want, and from whom I want, and if you or anyone does'nt like it, that's just too bad.............Tough S__t..
CHUCK

[Mike Inglis]

Some people really cant be picky with what they drive, i drive what i can afford and right now really isnt much. I know Many Honda Products are manufactured here in Canada, by Canadians, im not sure in the U.S. but i am assuming there are several Foriegn Cars manufactured (assembled) in the U.S.

As far as im Concerned, all you are paying for is a name.
and yes, I drive a Chev Product so im not advertising foreign models.

I say, if it gets you from Point A to Point B and Back to point A you are doing well!!

Mike

[Kevin O. Pulver]

Harley Davidson owners laugh at my Yamaha. I tell them that you gotta be proud of that Japanese technology. American money paid for it after the war.
So if you think about it... It's actually AMERICAN technology!
I had a farmer uncle who bled John Deere green. He spent time in the South Pacific in WWII, and hated the Japanese with a passion. Imagine how seething mad he got when NipponDenso alternators and other components started showing up on his "American" tractors. And nothing he could do about it. If JD isn't American what is? I make no excuses for the cruelty of the Japs brought on by their ungodly world view. But to be fair, let's remember we had some Japanese Americans who fought valiantly on our side too. Kevin

[Daniel Dorece]

The only parts of my Dodge diesel truck that I have had to deplace were the Nippon alternator (twice) and the made in japan heater switch. This in 185,000 miles. So much for Japanese quality.
Dan

[Harvey Teal]

When the US manufacturers start building a decent machine, I'll buy one.

[RIRR]

Even the machines that build the parts for our US Made Cars are built overseas.

[Kevin O. Pulver]

Daniel, I'm with you on the Dodge Cummins. I'm Mopar all the way, but you wanna talk alternators? My 91 Dodge 1/2 ton had the voltage regulator inside the computer. A bad regulator means changing the entire $400 computer.
I drove it for a year just carrying a spare battery and charging them at night. The electric shop had a $70 part that was a supposed fix to mount on the alternator and make it regulate. It wouldn't work, so finally they suggested I put a GM one wire alternator on it. I didn't want to fabricate brackets and all, but they assured me it wasn't too bad. I tried it, and it really was easy. About one hour with cardboard template, angle grinder and drill had the job done. I only needed to fabricate one piece where the adjustment slide is.
So the moral is, the Jap alternator was still fine, but the stupid Dodge engineering almost sunk me. Kevin