Quote:
Originally Posted by Chris Cook
The Camry is a "Bourbon Burner" ... built in Georgetown, Kentucky, USA from mostly domestically sourced parts!!!
What do you consider the Mopar Pro Stockers Jackee? "Maple Syrup Burners" since the Stratus is built in Canada? Or "Kraut Burners" since Mopar is owned by der Deutchslanders?
I say let 'em all in. There are no domestic cars anymore, there are no foreign cars either. There are basically only 5 or 6 car companies in the world, they build and badge 'em as they please and as it suits their whims. If Toyota, BMW or Ferrari want to build a Pro Stocker who the hell should tell them "no"?
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I see you've bought into the marketing and PR spin. It's at full gale force these days with Toyota entering NASCAR.
FACT: Half the units Toyota sold in the US last year were made in Japan.
FACT: Profits go to Japan and don't stay in the US.
FACT: When the Japanese build a plant here, they also bring their suppliers. I've seen numerous small factories spring up doing weatherstrip, wiring, upholstery, and all the ancillary parts that used to be a big part of the US auto industry. They all have non-locational names (Triad Industries, etc.) but the owners are from Japan. Then we hear about how American the parts are.
FACT: The Japanese have a strong sense of national unity and still have a bunker mentality of advancing Island Japan above all others. That's not necessarily a bad thing but it does promote predatory business.
Check the OEM tires on Asian vehicles. 95% of them will be Bridgestone (and now Firestone) which is a Japanese company. Goodyear has never been able to make much of a dent in supply and Firestone didn't either until Bridgestone bought it.
FACT: Most of the raw materials used in the plants are also imported from outside the United States.
FACT: The Japanese government subsidizes their auto industry by keeping the yen artificially low and by sponsoring R&D ventures that would not be legal here in the US due to anti-trust laws.
None of the above apply to US makers. And as for the Mercedes angle, the last time I looked Chrysler stock is still sold on the NYSE. Further, the Germans have never had restrictive trade or predatory actions.
The Japanese lobbyists (funding went to 5 million last year from about 300K in 2002) love to talk about non-continental car production. It's a red herring, as cars have been produced in Canada for decades and none of the above issues apply to them anyhow.
Misssouri once was the #2 vehicle production state in the US behind Michigan. It's not any longer and I know a whole bunch of people who have lost jobs not just at the assembly plants but at the supplier facilities also.
In the realm of opinion, I'm only slightly amused at Toyota's effort to wrap itself in the US flag. Just for kicks, take a close look and almost any Asian vehicle commercial on TV and note that the colors used are predominately red, white (or silver, which looks white on TV), and blue. You think that's just a coincidence?
I'd hate to see Toyota buy DRCE and Mopar parts and then produce their "Toyota" parts according to the engineering product of US makers. Of course, that's what they've just done in NASCAR and NHRA let the genie out of the bottle a long time ago when Pro Stock parts stopped being production-based.
One thing I can say for sure, though. I can go to any GM. Ford, or Mopar dealer and buy performance parts very similar to what's being raced. I doubt seriously the same is true (or ever will be) for Toyota. Even if they did, what would I put the engine in, a 68 Corolla?
The grab for money is destroying our heritage.
Re: Toyota Prostock???
