HELP ME PICK A NEW CAR

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Originally Posted by Bruno

Emotional reasons or rational reasons?

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In 1973 I was a union ironworker just out of apprentice school. I was working on a big structural job putting up an airplane hanger for 747 jets. At that time, and maybe still, the largest cantilever structure in the Southeastern united states. I bought a '72 type 3 squareback VW and some of my union brothers were put off because of that. I said it didn't make any difference and I liked it better than other choices. That year the Arab oil embargo happened.

Our economy went into the worst tailspin since the great depression. Very like what we have now and took 5 years to recover. Many USA auto workers were unemployed while I drove onto union jobs in my little foreign car. Since then it has been a Ford or a Chevy. I have nothing against workers in other countries and wish them the best of luck but I believe in taking care of 'our own' if you live in this country. If you were my age and lived here all of your life you would have seen the vast majority of manufacturing jobs go 'offshore'. What made this country prosperous was our manufacturing based economy. A consumer based economy doesn't work very well if most folks don't have jobs. That is what my opinion is based on.

From a selfish standpoint, since I live and work in this country, and our economy is suffering greatly, making a large purchase, where I had the choice, I'd go with a USA made alternative. Chances of a foreign auto worker walking into the tattoo shop I work in are between slim and none. A USA auto worker might just take a vacation and end up in my chair. That is the rational response, the emotional comes with wanting to stimulate this economy out of nationalism maybe ....

Then why do our cars makenit so much harder to afford one. Not only the cost of the car but also the gas consumption on average a Japanese car will eat less gas then any American and output more power. I do agree with you that we have to put $$ into our economy but the USA car makers don't make it easy.

Btw like I said before some if not most Japanese cars are built in the USA giving our workers jobs. The Honda van is fully build in the USA

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Originally Posted by nycexit2

Then why do our cars makenit so much harder to afford one. Not only the cost of the car but also the gas consumption on average a Japanese car will eat less gas then any American and output more power. I do agree with you that we have to put $$ into our economy but the USA car makers don't make it easy.

Btw like I said before some if not most Japanese cars are built in the USA giving our workers jobs. The Honda van is fully build in the USA

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I haven't had to buy one since my 2001 Ford E250 van. The V8 definitely likes gas. I didn't comparison shop at the time, just bought the one I wanted and it has been great.

The company's name doesn't matter if it is built in the USA. As far as the price deferential .... I was in Home Depot a week ago. I needed some tapcon anchors and the Condrive to install them. I had a choice of spending $21.00 on a Condrive system made in China or $41.00 on basically the same thing made in the USA.

I went for the USA system. I'm assuming the company making them in China isn't paying their employees what the USA counterpart is making. Whether that is where the price difference is or not I don't know. Whatever it is I feel better spending the extra few bucks than I would have had I went for the imported tool. Might help a fellow American keep their job.

what about a subaru estate?

Me personally would never buy a new vehicle again. Payments, drive it off the lot and lose a few grand. But that's me. I have owned a pilot and 2 CRV's, the pilot was nice but a bit of a pig on fuel. The CRV is almost as roomy but burns way less fuel. I believe the CRV is made here in north America.

Also, don't forget many U.S cars are made in foreign countries and much of the parts going into just about all U.S cars come from abroad.

Have you looked at subaru?

Btw. My honda civic is more american made than most american cars.

I have a 2007 Pathfinder with almost 55,000 miles on it.
I've changed the oil 3 times. That's the only work i've ever done it.
Original tires, brakes, even wiper blades. I get about 19mpg, which isn't that bad.
And I can tow 6,000lbs.

I think people place way to much importance on MPG ratings... The way you drive plays a much bigger role than many people know. I have an '03 Monte Carlo with nearly 100k on it that I can get 34 combine miles on without a problem, my friend has a brand new Honda fit and only gets about 30 MPG. Now obviously if she was driving it properly she could top my Monte Carlo easy but she doesn't which is my point. Keep the RPMs down and shift early and mileage shouldn't be a problem.

Most hondas BMWs and toyotas are built in the US. In Ohio, South Carolina and Indiana respectfully. But I do agree I try to buy American any time I can. BTW I drive a 2003 Ford ZX2