So, my wife's car is totaled. The replacement car will be American.

[LuckyTheDog]

Another driver slid across the freeway and went sideways into her lane. My wife hit the other car broadside because there was no time to stop -- especially on the icy road. Neither driver was seriously hurt. But the 2005 Pontiac Vibe is now history.

I have no idea yet whether we will be able to buy a brand new car for her. But, if we do, it'll be an American-made car from a U.S. company.

Flame away. But we WILL buy American.

[leftyclimber]

1. I don't care what you buy.

I DO care that your wife is OK. That's most important. :)

[stray cat]

2. I'm glad to hear your wife is fine although I'm sorry about the added frustration

of trying to get another car

[flvegan]

3. Glad your wife is okay, but I don't see why anyone would flame you

for buying an American car.

:shrug:

[LuckyTheDog]

5. There are Big 3 haters here

Lots of them.

[MrModerate]

12. I think there are probably more who are just frustrated . . .

That the Big 3 have behaved so stupidly for so long. I've bought American and I've bought imported and now with the collapse of the world economy under way -- of which automakers are a big part -- I don't think I'm going to be buying any car for some time.

[stray cat]

13. I've seen people who don't like paying to bail out car companies

they all generally like workers to have jobs. I have not seen anyone say buying American is a reason to get flamed! Most people get flamed if they like American made toyotas.

[anonymous171]

4. Why are you so xenophobic?

:sarcasm: Glad to hear your wife is OK!

[Redstone]

6. Do as you feel best. I hear that the Ford Fusion and the Chevy Malibu are excellent cars.

Were I determined to "buy American," those two would be at the top of my list.

Redstone

[LuckyTheDog]

10. Funny you should say that...

Those also top OUR list. I'm guessing she'll go for the Fusion. She loves small hatchbacks.

[TTUBatfan2008]

17. See my post below...

I have an '09 Malibu and I love it. Very cool car with a smooth ride and great handling.

Here's what my car looks like:

[Redstone]

18. No, the Focus can be bought as a hatchback; the Fusion is only available as a

4-door sedan. A handsome car, in my opinion, and with a 4-cylinder engine and a manual tranny, only about 17 grand. A screaming bargain, if you ask me.

Redstone

[MannyGoldstein]

32. We Have A Focus Wagon - It's Been Great

We first rented one in - of all places - Tuscany, it was amazingly good in the mountains filled with hairpin turns. A while after we got back to the US, we picked one up with a standard (we prefer a shift), and have had 80k+ trouble-free miles.

[Ichingcarpenter]

20. I agree with both of those cars except the Malibu has

started getting some complaints. My neighbor has the fusion and I'd buy it as a car.
I've owned 6 American vehicles some good, some bad. I do love my Subaru
I got in the late 90s so I don't need another car for a while.

[TTUBatfan2008]

24. What kind of complaints for the Malibu?

I haven't had any problems with my '09 that I got in September. Then again, I don't drive much and it has around 3500 miles on it. They drove the motherfucker across the state of Texas AND charged me a $500 destination fee, so it already had nearly 450 miles on it when I got it. I was pretty pissed when I looked at the odometer and realized that they didn't use an 18 wheeler to bring it across the state. You charge me $500 and then you tack on 400+ miles onto it as well? Wonderful. :(

[Ichingcarpenter]

31. I'm not trying to diss the Malibu but read on-line the first year was great

but the next years model had some call backs. I still like the car.

My brother's first car was a new 64 Malibu.

[TTUBatfan2008]

35. So the '09 has had callbacks?

Well shit. That's the one I got. LOL. And I couldn't get an '08 model, ironically, because they were sold out due to strikes in their manufacturing facilities. Apparently the plant that built the transmission and axles got shut down for a few months by an employee strike. And consequently, the car was completely out of stock everywhere since it was named North American Car of the Year at the North American Auto Show. I wanted a navy blue one and I had a hard time getting it even after the strike ended and the '09 model came out.

[Ichingcarpenter]

37. My brother's Malibu was a Navy Blue

I loved that car. The Malibu got good reviews, I just heard
something about the 2008 vs 2009 models from my mechanic friend.

I like the way the new ones look too.

[cabluedem]

52. Nitpicking here,but FWD cars have"transaxles".Glad to hear you bought a US union-made Chevrolet. n/t

[Redstone]

25. Well, the Malibu wouldn't make my list because there's no manual transmission. But other

than that it seems a good deal. What are the problems you're hearing about? Quality? Durability?

Redstone

[cabluedem]

53. You like a stickshift? I can't sell my 98 PU cause' everyone wants an automatic trans. Go figure! nt

[Redstone]

58. Yeah, beleive it or not, I've never owned a car with an automatic. (We've had family cars with

autos, but my personal ride has always been one with a clutch.)

Redstone

[Ichingcarpenter]

27. The Fusion is assembled in Mexico with Mexican, American and European parts.

"How you define an American car is one of the great conundrums of this world," said Dutch Mandel, the editor and associate publisher of AutoWeek.

Fewer than half of the parts on some Big Three vehicles are made in the U.S.

Looking at a Ford Fusion? It is assembled in Mexico. The Chrysler 300C is assembled in Canada, but its transmission is from Indiana; the brand's V-8 engine is made in Mexico. Engines in the Chevrolet Equinox sport utility vehicle are from China.

On the other hand, Toyota's Camry is comprised 80 percent of parts made in the United States, and 56 percent of Toyota's vehicles sold in the U.S. also are made here, according to Toyota spokeswoman Sona Iliffe-Moon.

The Toyota Sienna and Tundra also have 80 percent of their parts manufactured in the U.S.

"When you have manufacturers from around the world building cars in the U.S. with 85 percent domestic content -- engine, transmission, assembly -- is that an American car?" Mandel asked. Or, he asks, is it considered foreign because the profits go back to a foreign country?

http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/12/12/american.cars/index.html?=

[alarimer]

34. There are really no "American" cars anymore.

I bought a Mazda, made in Japan. At the time Ford owned a 33.4% percent share of Mazda, enough to give them control under Japanese law. The same platform for my car was used in some European Fords and some Volvo models (can't recall now which ones). My Nissan truck (both of them actually) were made in the US. Or should I say assembled. I considered a Toyota Matrix/Pontiac Vibe (same care, different names) assembled who knows where.

the Pontiac G8 is made in Australia, of all places.

No matter what you buy, a large multinational corporation, which does not care about you or me or its workers, profits. The sad, hard truth is to get the best deal you can based on whatever information you can find. I like Consumer Reports myself. That's why I bought the Mazda instead of the Matrix/Vibe or Dodge Caliber. It was simple judged to be a better buy.

[Ichingcarpenter]

38. My 99 Subaru is made in Japan

they no longer are made just there either.

They are international car companies and
not national companies now so don't fool yourself.

[pampango]

55. My 99 Subaru has a sticker that says "Imported from Indiana". Don't know how we allowed

that "import" got across the Ohio border. ;)

[Andy823]

42. So is the Focus.

My 2004 focus said right on the door plate "Made in Mexico", but my 2008 Focus only says made by Ford Motor Company. Might say someplace else where it was made, but I haven't looked any place but the door plate. Same with my Chevy truck, just says made by General Motors. Now my Dodge van says "MADE in USA"!

[Ichingcarpenter]

48. Major car companies are like international banks

Even though its Citigroup or Bank of America.
The Scottish National Bank or the bank of Iceland.

They hold no allegiance except the all mighty buck.

The major car companies are the same way.

[ret5hd]

7. Oh, I am so sure so many will flame you...

After reading dozens of posts re: american vs foreign cars guess how many i've read that have flamed someone for making the personal decision to buy american?

would you guess none?

now, i have read some flaming those that decide to buy foreign. and i have read some that flame someone for saying there is only one correct answer to the issue.

but none that flame someone for making the personal decision to buy american.

martyr much?

[stray cat]

16. You are right - I have never seen anyone flamed for saying they would buy an American car

Maybe people are flamed if the call anyone who doesn't buy an American car a hater of American workers.

[JVS]

54. It's projection from the Buy American Cars Even if Suck Donkeys Camp

[ProfessorGAC]

56. Depends On How You Define Flame

When people say things like JVS said in reply to your post, one could interpret that as a flame. Because i'm one who for 36 years has had nothing. We've had zero major mechanical problems and have driven every car to >175k miles. (The highest was 260k) So to suggest that i don't know the difference between cars that suck donkeys and the good ones could be considered a flame. No?
GAC

[Tangerine LaBamba]

8. It's a good time to go car shopping.......

Prices are down, desperation is up.

You should get a really good deal.

Buy American. What's wrong with that? I've always bought American, wouldn't do it any other way.

Sounds like that accident could have been horrible. I'm glad it wasn't. Cars can be replaced.

[TTUBatfan2008]

9. Just a recommendation on the car...

I got a 2009 Malibu back in September. It's a great car. Looks cool, has very good handling, and provides a smooth ride. I'd highly recommend it. One thing I wouldn't recommend is the extended warranty (which I did buy), since it appears GM is headed for extinction. Here is what my car looks like:




At any rate, I'm glad your wife was not harmed. That is the most important thing.

[Oceansaway]

11. Chevy Aveos (sp) are nice....n/t

[LuckyTheDog]

14. They are nice, BUT...

...they are made in Korea. She wants a U.S.-built car.

[alarimer]

36. Some Toyotas are made in the US.

I can't recall which ones offhand. So are some Mazdas (the Mazda 6 I think). Plenty of trucks and SUVs of all kinds, not too many small cars.

[michreject]

41. By non union workers nt

[geardaddy]

60. I thought that was the case.

So, all the Japanese automakers that have plants in the US deny the workers to form unions?

[michreject]

62. Most

That's why the locate in the south.

[Ilsa]

15. So glad your sweetie is okay. Sorry about

the car, too. The Vibe is a pretty, sporty car with good mileage isn't it?

We have a GMC and a Ford. Thanks for buying American.

[rwheeler31]

19. Good for you, glad everyone is ok.

[liberalmuse]

21. I'm glad your wife is okay.

And I certainly won't flame you. I loves my Ford Focus. It's survived a teen backing into it less than a week after I bought it, her wrecking it with in the first year of getting her license, and a garage falling on it. And I rarely need to put gas in it.

[seabeyond]

22. i bought an lincoln, but geeesh... where are you gonna buy an american BUILT car

when i bought a car more than a decade ago, i talked buying american and the american name cars were having them built all over the globe and brought back here. engine in brazil, ect...

good luck

[peace13]

23. I hope that your wife is OK.

Please make sure that she is 100% before signing any release forms. Good luck with the car shopping.

[lumberjack_jeff]

26. Check out the Dodge Caliber.

30-32mpg hwy. Decent price, good features.

[Sherman A1]

28. Glad your wife is okay

that is the major consideration of course. As to what you buy, that is your choice. I have both "American" (a Ford Ranger with more than one sub assembly from foreign sources) and Japanese cars (one built in Tennessee and one built in Japan)

So it's kinda hard to say just what is American built or not in my opinion.

[FloriTexan]

29. I have always bought American..

or so I thought. Found out my Chrsler Sebring convertible was made in Mexico. I think some Toyotas, Kias and Hyndais are made in American but at non-union factories. Are you buying union or non-union or does that matter? I have a Saturn and just found out that Saturn is going to be dropped by 2012. Great. Thanks. So much for buying American. I read they warranties will still be honored and you'll still be able to get parts and stuff, but your resale value is gone. Substitute computer for car :argh:

[Greyhound]

30. Don't know why you expect to get flamed for this. The only flame wars I've seen on this subject

have been the result of nasty personal attacks from one particular poster that is, understandably, freaked out about his future.

The bottom line is that, generally, everybody builds good cars today. There are exceptions, certain models that are extra cheap and usually built in another country anyway, regardless of the badge they carry.

Please try to get one actually built here.

[Donnachaidh]

33. I hope your insurance company doesn't jerk you around

We had an accident that totaled our 3 year old car. We figured they would at LEAST replace the car with something similar (considering we are forced by law to carry 25K insurance on our vehicle). They said they would give us LESS than 3K on the value of the car. Twenty Five thousand in insurance, and they offer us SQUAT. :grr:

[kwenu]

39. Why would you be flamed for saying you're buying an American car?

[knixphan]

40. She's okay. That's the biggie. Glad for that-

And then, Volt.

[endless october]

43. i'm so sorry your wife was in an accident.

i'm in the midwest. sometimes, there's just nothing you can do to avoid sliding. the roads are bad this year

additionally, kudos to you for buying American.

[1gobluedem]

44. I love my Dodge Caliber

Which is a small hatchback. The Fusion is nice too.

[leftyclimber]

45. Oh -- to add a vehicle recommendation

if you're not worried about fuel economy, the Dodge Durango is incredibly reliable in winter conditions and switches between AWD and 4WD. I drive one for work once in a while and even though I feel like I'm driving a Sherman tank because my personal car is a little sedan it's one of the only work vehicles I'm comfortable driving in snowy/icy conditions. I'm personally big on gas mileage, but I don't know what your situation is, so I wanted to throw that out there.

Another thing to bear in mind is that both Volvos and Saabs are made by Big Three manufacturers, although I'm not sure where their plants are. Both have small cars that are fuel efficient and reasonably priced, and they are both pretty safe vehicles WRT crash efficiency.

On another note, my stepson's mom drives an '05 Vibe. I'm glad to hear, not only for your wife's sake but for my stepson's sake, that it performed as well as it did in a crash.

Good luck finding a reliable car soon. Let us know what you end up with.

[ogneopasno]

46. I'm sorry your wife got in an accident. Thank you for buying an American car.

[marew]

47. Glad no one was hurt but I will NEVER buy American again!

My last three cars were American. The oldest one had silver paint. The paint washed of the car within two year. It was down to the primer. The next one was a Pontiac. I kept stalling in traffic and having to have it towed every few weeks for several months...brand new car! Turned out they had put a rusty gas tank in so the system was repeatedly blocked up. I used my car for work so inconvenient doesn't even begin to describe what a mess it caused for me. The most recent was a Ford. Had it for 5 or 6 years. Got new breaks from the Ford dealership. Three weeks later one of the breaks start squealing like crazy. Took it in. They fixed it--- not. Two months later starts squealing again. Took it in, worked for another two months. Took it in for the THIRD time in six months. Said think I need a new break. No way, Ford said. I said since the warranty on these breaks is up after a year, if it starts squealing again the day after the warranty is up, no matter how many times I've brought it in wasting my time, then it becomes MY problem. The Ford dealership said, "ABSOLUTELY!!!" Got rid of that baby and have a Scion xB. Love it. The American car manufacturers were not loyal to me... just wanted my money for garbage. I will not be loyal to them. I am still angry about what American car manufacturers did to me and all the time and money I wasted.

[onetiredmom]

49. I have a Fusion

and I love it. I've had it three years with 45,000 miles. No problems as of yet.

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

50. Glad everyone is okay.

[Tatiana]

51. My husband bought a new Fusion in 2006. No problems whatsoever.

It's a lot noisier than my Altima, though. If you want a hatchback, my neighbor has a Focus that they really love. Also, the Focus is a lot roomier on the inside than I thought and it gets great gas mileage. They are a ton of them all over Europe.

[mistertrickster]

57. Good for you. My next car will also be American.

Just check Consumer Reports. Some American cars still aren't as good as imports. Chryslers suck, for instance. But there're a lot of good ones too, and we should all be buying American these days.

[demokatgurrl]

59. It can't be done

all cars now have parts from all over the world. Even those made here. I have a car with a French engine, a Japanese transmission, and a British body. And those are the parts I KNOW about.

[Ioo]

61. Nissan: American Made

[Blue Gardener]

63. Thank you

As someone who works for an automotive supplier here in the US, I thank you for buying a car made in America. I bought a Ford Focus last year and absolutely love it. The SYNC system is great since many places are now banning cell phones while driving. I answer the phone with a button on the steering wheel and talk totally hands-free. Plus, I can hook up the iPod and request the SYNC system to play any song, album or artist. It's great!