small rant

[jims69camaro]

as if i ever launch into a small rant. anyway, last chance to hit the back button before i get started.

seen on a toyota prius parked in a mental health medical complex: "My car $tarve$ terrorists. Does yours?"

i couldn't resist. i grabbed a piece of paper and a pen and this is what i wrote:

it amazes me just how much people can rationalize. your bumper sticker says your car starves terrorists. well, it also starves american people. the bulk of your money that you paid for your car goes to japan. if you had bought american, your money would have stayed here. doesn't anyone remember the pearl harbor? 3000+ americans lost their lives, about the same number that died on september 11, 2001. in 50 years are you going to drive an Afghani car? buy american and keep americans working. leave the terrorists to the military.

that's it. all the time i was hoping the driver would come out so we could have a face to face, but that didn't happen. and i guess the complaint is that there are no american electric cars. that's not true. not to mention the myriad of hybrids available... no one HAS to send their money to japan or korea to get the car they want. we make them (for the time being) right here in america. land of the free, home of the brave.

and before you start in with the "x-car" is built here in the US, the bulk of the money still goes to "x-car"'s home country, where ever that is.

have a nice day.

oh, and buy american.

[WildBillyT]

Jim:

Well done. Kudos to you for writing that up. And Kudos to you for having the self control to not add "my car starves american line workers" or "I support unfair trade balance" in sharpie right next to the sticker.

[LTb1ow]

Damn nationalists... LOL

[Tsar]

Damn, you surely get bend out of shape easily...

[FlyingDutchman]

Jim FTW!

I 100% agree.

[Blacdout96]

Jim, awesome, very true.

[nj85z28]

Jim i want to shake your hand.

[maroman88]

JIM FTW....!

[jims69camaro]

who got bent out of shape? they clearly displayed their opinion on their bumper. i only hope they didn't dismiss the note out of hand without reading it. maybe, at the very least, they got something to think about.

[Frosty]

If people want to display bumpers stickers then everyone else has the right to leave notes on their vehicles.

I'll keep my mouth shut about the "buy American" issue as I don't want to tarnish Jim's good deed. :)

I would've thrown in how destructive those cars are to the environment once they expire.

[jims69camaro]

I would've thrown in how destructive those cars are to the environment once they expire.

you know, just as a aside, i wonder what numbers they will cook up to announce "success!" to the cash for clunkers program? you know statistics can be used to support any point of view, so i will steer clear of any number ending with the % sign. but i wonder how "successful" they really were? had the cars truly lived out their normal lifespan, causing more harm than good to keep them on the road? if the bump in mpg was really that significant, considering the time period we're talking about... and how much of a disaster is it going to be to destroy those cars and have them sit in some junkyard/landfill? part of the terms of the 'law' was that nothing could be salvaged from the vehicle...

anyway, you can have your prius. i'll take a chevy volt, please. well, i would, if i were in the market for an electric car.

and, tony, notice i said "bulk of the money", not "all of the money". everyone is aware of the total percentage of foreign parts in our "american made" vehicles. but the bulk of the money stays here. :mrgreen:

[Frosty]

I'm not going to comment on the CFC programs as it WILL turn into a Democrat bash fest on my end and I don't feel like having the whiny mods PM me(j/k guys).

I know what you said...and I agree to a point but when it comes to a free-market(well sort of), Capitalism and my hard-earned money I go with the best product for the money. I'm a die hard GM guy but if Nissan or Hyundai or any other "import" makes a vehicle that fits my needs for the budget I set aside then loyalty goes out the window. It's up to GM and Ford to make a product that stands out, it's up to them to make a product that shines above the rest and makes people WANT to buy them. This isn't the 60's where the name sold the vehicle...that might still exist with the older people and Caddy but that's not the case anymore. GM and Ford rested on the laurels for far too long...it was almost arrogance on their part. "We're GM, people will buy our cars because we're GM". Those days are long gone. Like I said I'm a die hard GM guy but if they don't make a car that fits my needs at a certain price range then peace-out GM.

[1QWIKBIRD]

......oh, and buy american.

Be sure to apply this thinking to everything you purchase. We ALL get our panties in a damn bunch over the cars, but then run out and buy the biggest damn SAMSUNG, SONY, HITACHI, ONKYO, YAMAHA, (fill in your personal favorite) television or home theatre system, or car stereo or appliance or heating a/c equipment, construction equipment etc. etc. etc...........don't stop at the cars.

John Deere, CAT, CUMMINS, GE, WHIRLPOOL......you get the idea

And don't forget to support your local business owner. Not the big box store necessarily, but the local guy. The internet is a great tool, a wonderful resource but if you forget your local guy, the impact is just as damaging.

Peace

[btownws6]

i agree with all of you i'm all buy american but like what was said gm and ford need to make a car that suits everyone's needs. i love gm to death but they need to start making their cars a little better and cheaper i know that is a little strange but c'mon the time has come make a car that is affordable and gets good mpg because people like myself who drive a total of 150 miles a day for work need something that's not expensive and great on gas. it's come down to quality and convenience not brand and quantity

[Tsar]

For some reason this thread reminds of one of those "jesus shows" on TV. You know where they preach about god and try to sell you useless crap. I remember when two ladies visited my house, and I told them that I don't believe in god... our conversation ended with them telling me that I will die next time I fly if I'm such a non believer :lol:

[ib4200]

lol have you fly'ed since?


the supporting the local buisness thing is sorta like how you should buy from the guys over here---->
instead of the big guys like summit or jegs and whatnot

[1QWIKBIRD]

i agree with all of you i'm all buy american but like what was said gm and ford need to make a car that suits everyone's needs. i love gm to death but they need to start making their cars a little better and cheaper i know that is a little strange but c'mon the time has come make a car that is affordable and gets good mpg because people like myself who drive a total of 150 miles a day for work need something that's not expensive and great on gas. it's come down to quality and convenience not brand and quantity

100% true......The big 3 need to produce a product on par with the others, then with time to repair their broken image, they'll be fine. Very few people can afford to plunk down $25k for a car have it turn out to a be a POS. And once that happens, you've lost a customer for a return purchase.

For some reason this thread reminds of one of those "jesus shows" on TV. You know where they preach about god and try to sell you useless crap. I remember when two ladies visited my house, and I told them that I don't believe in god... our conversation ended with them telling me that I will die next time I fly if I'm such a non believer :lol:

I intended a hint of sarcasm, but that doesn't always come through in this medium. Now come here son to the altar open your heart, your mind and your WALLET and giveth till it hurts no more, (I think you can give more....don't hold back) and ye will be SAVED....(everyone is chanting in the background, the choir is singing and sweat is pouring off of you).....you start to shake and tremble......NOW YOU ARE HEALED......(this is where you collapse to the ground and flop like a fish) DO IT, DO IT.....:rofl:

[Tsar]

lol have you fly'ed since?


the supporting the local buisness thing is sorta like how you should buy from the guys over here---->
instead of the big guys like summit or jegs and whatnot

Yea, I've flown as a pilot in command and as a passenger multiple times since that time, still here. :nod:

[Frosty]

I intended a hint of sarcasm, but that doesn't always come through in this medium. Now come here son to the altar open your heart, your mind and your WALLET and giveth till it hurts no more, (I think you can give more....don't hold back) and ye will be SAVED....(everyone is chanting in the background, the choir is singing and sweat is pouring off of you).....you start to shake and tremble......NOW YOU ARE HEALED......(this is where you collapse to the ground and flop like a fish) DO IT, DO IT.....:rofl:

:rofl:

[madness410]

good job man

[PolarBear]

oh, and buy american.

I dont think the foreign cars are really much better if at all

Be sure to apply this thinking to everything you purchase. We ALL get our panties in a damn bunch over the cars, but then run out and buy the biggest damn SAMSUNG, SONY, HITACHI, ONKYO, YAMAHA, (fill in your personal favorite) television or home theatre system, or car stereo or appliance or heating a/c equipment, construction equipment etc. etc. etc...........don't stop at the cars.



Unfortunately when it comes to electronics there is little you can do to "buy american". From what I know the remainder of the US companies that operated for electronics are gone

[Tru2Chevy]

Unfortunately when it comes to electronics there is little you can do to "buy american". From what I know the remainder of the US companies that operated for electronics are gone

http://www.thinkyourwaytowealth.com/2008/02/16/can-i-actually-buy-a-tv-made-in-the-usa/

- Justin

[PolarBear]

http://www.thinkyourwaytowealth.com/2008/02/16/can-i-actually-buy-a-tv-made-in-the-usa/

- Justin

Good to know, I was pretty sure Philips (maybe?) and Zenith were some of the last
Or maybe it was RCA

[jims69camaro]

http://www.thinkyourwaytowealth.com/2008/02/16/can-i-actually-buy-a-tv-made-in-the-usa/

- Justin

thanks justin. don't forget: http://madeinusa.com/
and www.howtobuyamerican.com

i don't see myself as a crusader in any way. but i do still believe in the US and i think if more people got into it, that we could turn away some of those foreign things at the shipyard.

[79CamaroDiva]

i agree with all of you i'm all buy american but like what was said gm and ford need to make a car that suits everyone's needs. i love gm to death but they need to start making their cars a little better and cheaper i know that is a little strange but c'mon the time has come make a car that is affordable and gets good mpg because people like myself who drive a total of 150 miles a day for work need something that's not expensive and great on gas. it's come down to quality and convenience not brand and quantity

GMs problem is their marketing.. I've noticed since I bought my HHR, that I don't ever recall seeing any actual commercials featuring the car, no billboards, nothing. When I pull in to gas stations or parking lots, at least twice a month someone asks me "what kind of car is that??" surprise! its a chevy! AND i've gotten 35 mpg out of it. Granted, that was very easy driving, but I average 29 now with normal stop & go driving, plus cruising 75 or so. And I paid a whopping $11,900 for it with 13k miles. Could have bought a used one for around 13-14k, but it wouldn't have been optioned like i wanted. You can't tell me that's expensive.


BTW, good job Jim! :bow:

[Frosty]

thanks justin. don't forget: http://madeinusa.com/
and www.howtobuyamerican.com

i don't see myself as a crusader in any way. but i do still believe in the US and i think if more people got into it, that we could turn away some of those foreign things at the shipyard.

But what if the countries that are major importers of our stuff decide to do the same? It's a double-edged sword...it's global market nowadays.

This is still a perfect example of Capitalism...in a giant market it's sink or swim...those that can't hack it go out of business.

[WildBillyT]

But what if the countries that are major importers of our stuff decide to do the same? It's a double-edged sword...it's global market nowadays.

This is still a perfect example of Capitalism...in a giant market it's sink or swim...those that can't hack it go out of business.

They wouldn't. Their own citizens can't afford the products they make.

[jims69camaro]

They wouldn't. Their own citizens can't afford the products they make.

and with the huge discounts they receive to import their goods here, they wouldn't ever stop importing. the trade market between our country and others is way off. we should be adding tariffs to their goods, not discounting them. and while some of the smart ones have factories inside the US where final assembly takes place, that's all well and good because it provides jobs. they save on transportation (of the final assembly) but because of the 90% of parts to make the final assembly are made in another country, they are able to remain competitive with native assemblies. a perfect example is the TV that justin gave the link to: they import all of the parts and assemble the thing here. so while it has the tag of "Made in the US", most, if not all, of its parts come from somewhere else. there is no way to compete with the labor rate in other countries; the reason why their parts are so cheap to buy and bring here for final assembly.

anyway, to get back to the OP, i firmly believe in buying GM or Ford and considering Chrysler (we own a jeep). i was brought up in a pro-US, pro-union (racist) house. my father owned pontiacs and fords and my grandfather only owned pontiacs (and one Indian motorcycle, before he met my grandmother). while i have shed some of the less-politically-correct behavior and speech (talk of ******s, spooks, degoes/whops, jews/kikes, and polocks was regular dinner conversation), i still firmly believe in US products and unions. i would never buy a japanese car, whether built in the US or not. buying a japanese car means one more US family goes without dinner.

[Blacdout96]

You know, I think if we owned Mexico, we could compete with the labor rates ;) just my 0.02 cents, so Kasey, get cracken on making some parts :lol: :lol:

[PolarBear]

"They think I'm a Mexican" :lol: From Supertroopers

THe only problem with "owning" Mexico would be that then there would be a lot more Mexcians in this country, and they would be allowed to roam freely within

[Blacdout96]

"They think I'm a Mexican" :lol: From Supertroopers

THe only problem with "owning" Mexico would be that then there would be a lot more Mexcians in this country, and they would be allowed to roam freely within

Theres no difference of that today, just now they'd actually be legal, they could get real jobs, get insurance for their cars, and become modern people of society normally outcasted for their efforts to have a better life.

I'm sure we could enforce rules for them to come over here, its not like we'd just tear down the walls.

I'm just waiting for the day that all of mexico is up on ebay :rofl:

[7pointoh]

I don't have a problem with what people buy or how they spend their money. Although, I agree with America first. What a person says or or put on a bumper is their opinions. They have every right to say it and another person has every right to disagree with it.

That being said, I have my run ins with some hybrid drivers. Most, not all, seem to have this snotty attitude that because they drive a hybrid, that they are a better person than me. Maybe they are, maybe they are not but they don't have to be arrogant about it. Giving me the evil eye when I drive my Silverado around:evil:

[LTb1ow]

I don't have a problem with what people buy or how they spend their money. Although, I agree with America first. What a person says or or put on a bumper is their opinions. They have every right to say it and another person has every right to disagree with it.

That being said, I have my run ins with some hybrid drivers. Most, not all, seem to have this snotty attitude that because they drive a hybrid, that they are a better person than me. Maybe they are, maybe they are not but they don't have to be arrogant about it. Giving me the evil eye when I drive my Silverado around:evil:


Ahahah you shoulda kept your TA loud and smelly... works wonders. :twisted:

[7pointoh]

Well, it's still smelly but not as loud.

[LTb1ow]

Ahahaha windows go up fast if I have to idle next to people. ;)