Rant

[husker]

I am 46 and my dad is 85. He was a farm boy in Nebraska then was in WW2. I was raised with his way of thinking so some or maybe most wont agree with me.
He always tried to buy American made items and would buy local. We lived in a small town. Things may have been a few dollars more than if we
would go to Portland and buy but he would tell me it is better to support local and also the service and information you get is worth some money also.
I remember some times we would just go to the local hardware store to get advice on how to fix the mower or chainsaw or something he needed to know.
He would tell me you make a good American wage you should buy American. I know it is tuff know days to find things Made in America but I do try.
I think if more people would have been this way in the 70s and 80s America may not be the way it is.
People want to make good money but they dont want to spend it on American made products so that was the in for items made over seas, and it just went down hill from there.
The points I am trying to make is, I think buying local is a good thing even if it a few bucks more than what you can get it for on the net. I will not buy anything on the net. I think the more people buy on the net the more money we take away from a store in the city we live in and as some of are parents may have thought it would not do any harm in there day, in are day the net may take over what a store used to sell.
I see plenty of posts about you can buy that cheaper on line or why buy that when you can buy a chinese nock off for a third of the price.
You may not agree with my thinking on any of this but I ask you to think about it. I just keep seeing things getting worse and I dont know what to do. Like I said. Maybe if people back in the 70s looked at it this way we might not be were we are.

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[Blue Devil PA]

I agree 100% with anyone buying quality items.
I try to buy American for any and all purchases, however, I have not and will not purchase second rate crap just because it has "Made in the USA".
I bought Toyota for my truck, why? Because it has the best re-sale value of all trucks, gets great mileage and is dependable. I cant say that for the Ford and Dodge trucks that have crossed my path.
In a perfect world the companies that produce crap in the US would have failed, died and something (hopefully) better would have come from the ashes. Not so with TARP, it has destroyed the survival drive of big US businesses.

 

[tlfreek]

UH. going back to the 70s..I suspect if American Manufacturing GM, Ford etc would have seriously embraced quality to cost to include design - foreign auto makers would not have had gained the upper hand. The Gremlin, the pinto the Maverick....

There are other examples. Much of the American public went this way for a reason. My mom bought a toyota corolla in 78 - it was a far superior car over the Dodge Dart she had before that.

 

[husker]

I do agree that part of the problem was/is that American companies did/do not listen to the American consumer on what they wanted. This is still a problem in the car industry. I have friends that would love to have a small truck with a diesel motor like you can get overseas.
I do also agree that some companies should have failed.

 

[Steve06]

I tend to agree with Husker. I try to purchase the best product with the highest quality for the price I want to pay. I expect decent customer service and that is worth something extra. I am pleased when that product is made in the USA but if not I will purchase the product where it is available from whatever source produces it.

 

[kenno]

When I lived in OZ 30 years ago you could buy a Hyundai Samuri w/2cyl diesel. It got about 50mpg
You could buy datsun and toyota 4 door 4X4 PUs with 6 cyl diesels that got over 30MPG
Iszuzu Trooper w/4cyl diesel.
Iszuzu introduced a Cab Foward diesel 4X4 cab and chasis.
But the Dems control the Import board and the Unions control the Dems so they will never be imported

 

[tlfreek]

oh - I should have also mentioned that I do agree with you, I do buy local when I can. In fact most of what I buy is local and not mail order unless its through ebay. I have many times paid more to go through the hassle to drive across town to buy instead of having it conveniently mailed to my door. Of course there is a flip side in that I can always take it back, I get customer service and there is a loyalty element that transcends in other ways than the part I just bought. Nevertheless, dealers, businesses and others, in some cases, need to up there game to compete. if you cannot beat price sell your service. If you dont know me, get to know me. If you know me, make sure I know that when I come through the door.

As much as I hate to admit it there is a shop I do sometimes go to, that oozes service. They do it right, greet me when I walk in, talk bubblegum to me, make sure I get what I need when I need it and when I leave make me feel good that I wasted a lunch hour picking up stuff and paying more for it.

 

[Barone20]

I agree with husker, although I sometimes fall victim to cheaper prices, we should all do a better job of keeping the dollar in our communities.

I agree 100% with anyone buying quality items.
I try to buy American for any and all purchases, however, I have not and will not purchase second rate crap just because it has "Made in the USA".
I bought Toyota for my truck, why? Because it has the best re-sale value of all trucks, gets great mileage and is dependable. I cant say that for the Ford and Dodge trucks that have crossed my path.
In a perfect world the companies that produce crap in the US would have failed, died and something (hopefully) better would have come from the ashes. Not so with TARP, it has destroyed the survival drive of big US businesses.

As for Toyota. They have more American made parts than gm, Ford, or dodge, just not an American brand!
Sorry I'm still a Chevy guy! Toyota doesn't make a 1 ton diesel. If they did it would prob retail for 100k. Damn they are proud of thosee things

 

[Cougfan2]

I personally think that the Japanese car makers in the late 70's and 80's were the best thing that ever happened for the American automobile manufacturing industry. They taught them to listen to their customers. The American auto mfgs basically screwed the pooch by thinking that the American public would continue to put up with planned obsolescence and transmissions that were designed to fail after 100K miles.

I bought American cars and Japanese cars thru the 70's, 80's, and 90's. The Japanese cars (although for the most part made in America) were just superior in quality and I had far fewer mechanical problems with them.

I won't go into my speculation as to why that is as it might start a whole 'nother fight on this forum, but that's my personal experience.

That being said, when I replace my Nissan Frontier Quad Cab, I will take a serious look at Ford F150's again. They seem to be the exemption to the rule for Japanese vs. US quality in light pickups from reports I've read.

 

[jbett98]

Years ago, I lived next to a 125 acre farm east of Sandy, OR. The old woman who lived there needed my help every once and awhile, and after doing a couple of chores for her, she would invite me in for a snack as a way to repay me for my time.
I would marvel at the beautiful huge old nickel plated stove in the middle of the kitchen, it also heated her water.
Every where I looked, either inside her house or in the barns, all the tools, farming implements or kitchen ware were made in America.
There was no plastic junk, only made to last, turn of the century items. Most were over 80 years old, and still working like they were new.
It was like you stepped back in time, and I fully believe that with a good solid horse to pull the farm implements and the work ethics of the old timers you could live off of that land with only what was there, it was that well made.

 

[bnz43]

What it comes down to is greed plain and simple. Sending jobs over sea to make 10 more bucks is pathetic, while waving the flag at the same time. And wallstreeters basically beting on speculation. Thats why we are circling the drain. Dont get me started on the banks, insurance companies and drug companies.

 

[Nwcid]

I am not for or against buying American.

I will by the best product for my need from the best maker. I will buy American when it is the better product but I will not buy a lesser product just for the fact it is American. If more American companies want my $$$ then they need to make a product that is what I want, in the quality I want that is also cost competitive. It is not that hard of a formula to figure out. Many new companies do it every day.....

While I want to support America, America has to support the customer too or the customer will find somewhere else to shop....... How come it seems the support only seems to go one way? Why does the side that keeps begging for support earn it? Support is like respect, it needs to be earned.

 

[WhyteCheddar]

I agree wiht most here. My preference is American products, but wont buy it ONLY because its made in the US. It has to be the quality I need for the job I need it to do.
That being said, my 2003 Z71 Silverado was every bit as good of quality of either of the Tacomas I owned before it and in some ways better.
YMMV.

 

[theguncrank]

He would tell me you make a good American wage you should buy American.

Not everyone makes a "good American wage" anymore, that's a big factor.

 

[SonicBlue03]

I've tried to get away more and more from buying things via the Internet and supporting more local businesses. When I see local stores go out of business I feel bad not only for the loss of something I've known for a while, but for the jobs that it took with. Big stalwarts when I was growing up (Montgomery Ward's, etc.) are disappearing (Sears is rumored to be next) and - while those are examples of big box stores - they were "the" department stores in the smaller towns where I grew up.

 

[Blue Devil PA]

I agree that greed has played a huge part of the problem.
Try to buy a NorthFace, Mountain Hardware or similar product. All used to be made in small shops in the US and produced excellent, somewhat expensive, but very much worth the money spent product. Both got popular, sent their production overseas and expanded their product line. Here's the kicker, by saving money going overseas you would think their prices would have come down significantly, you guessed it, they have not.
Thanks for screwing everyone by producing cheap crap with a formerly great name so a few people could get wealthy!
Whew, I feel better getting that out there.
PS anyone else think that REI is now just an expensive outdoor section of Walmart, just try and find something not made in a third world sweatshop.

 

[Sabertooth]

I agree that greed has played a huge part of the problem.
Try to buy a NorthFace, Mountain Hardware or similar product. All used to be made in small shops in the US and produced excellent, somewhat expensive, but very much worth the money spent product. Both got popular, sent their production overseas and expanded their product line. Here's the kicker, by saving money going overseas you would think their prices would have come down significantly, you guessed it, they have not.
Thanks for screwing everyone by producing cheap crap with a formerly great name so a few people could get wealthy!
Whew, I feel better getting that out there.
PS anyone else think that REI is now just an expensive outdoor section of Walmart, just try and find something not made in a third world sweatshop.

Then there is boots and shoes, Chinese Redwing boots, Chinese Mason boots. If you have a odd size foot, like me, your out of luck, get used to sandles.

 

[drew]

PS anyone else think that REI is now just an expensive outdoor section of Walmart, just try and find something not made in a third world sweatshop.

A little bit. You can get quality stuff there, some American made. I've bought MSR snowshoes and a Thermarest sleeping pad from them this year. Both were made in Seattle.

I'll happily buy American if it's available and matches what I want. I'm usually willing to pay a premium.

 

[SonicBlue03]

Drew is correct on some of their goods being quality stuff. Wild Things Tactical sells some of their more consumer-driven gear through REI, and that's all US-made and high quality.