More U.S. Cars Are Being Made in Mexico

originally posted by: stormson
for those afraid of illegal immigration, this is a good thing.

think about it. why would someone travel thousands of miles, risk everything, just to pick fruit? only if that was better than what they have at home.

so how do you solve it? jobs! if we make mexico better, and countries south of mexico better, then we will reduce illegal immigration because they will have no reason to come here.

but what about the american worker? simple, divide up the labor. have one side do parts, and the other side do assembly. thats what the japanese do. their american "made" cars are actually just "assembled" here from foreign parts.

too birds one stone if done right.

America used to do that very thing by tech transfers and manufacturing plants.. Once you add in all the political pay-offs, graft and corruption the rich are richer and the Peons are living in government two room cider block homes close to the company they work for ...for slave wages...

I say let them fend for themselves and do everything we can to reestablish America's manufacturing base. You really can not fix stupid or root out corruption unless everyone is on the same page.

originally posted by: Bluntone22
I've been a Ford owner my whole life "yeah,yeah, save the stupid Chevy jokes"
I have always tried to buy American.
My fusion was made in Mexico.
My f150 was made in Canada.
So American cars? Meh.

At the same time Toyota and I think Nissan both build cars here in Indiana.
Tell my why I shouldn't buy a Toyota next time.

I'm the same way. I haven't owned a foreign car in over 30 years. Even though my Ford may have been built outside the country, I'll still buy an American brand. It means engineers and other high paying jobs stay at home. Not to mention, the profits come home. It doesn't mean you shouldn't buy a Toyota built here though. At least they are employing people.

On another note, you realize that China has overtaken the US as the largest auto market in the world. GM is very successful there and is a big part of their revenue now. It's very much an international business these days.

originally posted by: Bluntone22
a reply to: seasonal

Japanese companies manage to make a nice profit manufacturing in America.
American companies can't.
Labor unions?
Corporate taxes?
Mismanagement?
All of the above?

If you were to look where Toyota builds their cars, I'm sure America is way down on the list of plants. Nobody but the smallest manufacturers build all their vehicles in their home country.

And yes, of course it comes down to money. What else would a manufacturer be in business for? Do you know what costs to engineer a car or build a plant?

I'm from Michigan. My grandmother and grandfather both retired from Crystler in the 80's. Neither had higher then an 8th grade education. My grandmother was an inspector. She climbed in and out of car trunks for 10 hours a day for over 20 years.

When my grandmother retired she paid cash to have her dream home built in Florida. She had enough money to own 3 homes. When she passed 10 years ago she still had $500,000 in her 401k.

My grandfather had enough money to live out his days in Las Vegas and spend every waking moment at a crap table. He was spending $90,000 a year at the casino.

How many Americans can do this on an 8th grade education in today's world?

Almost everything that can be outsourced in this country has been. The auto workers of that era fought and bargained for what they had. I know because my family lived it. They were paid proportionately and relative to what the company was making in profits. The unions made the companies open their books and wages were based profits.

My cousin got his masters in computer science a couple years ago. Adjusting for inflation between now and back then my grandparents made more money for their time.

The standard for cost of living in this country has changed dramatically over the past 20 years. I've watched everything my grandparents fought and worked for get systematically destroyed.

In 2008 when the economy crashed the CEO's of GM flew their private jet to Washington to beg for bail out money. They spent thousands flying when they could have drove the 12 hours.

It's not just the CEO's in the auto industry it's all over the country. They want more at the cost of Americans without having to contribute anything back to the system from which they gained.

As far as I'm concerned if they want to exploit slave labor wages they should go live in those countries.

a reply to: LogicalGraphitti

Yeah it's the same here in the UK. My folks for example are obsessed by buying Ford products and don't like Japanese vehicles. I tried talking them into buying either a Honda or a Toyota as both these companies make their cars here in England, they employ Brits to make the cars and parts are largely sourced locally. They say they don't like foreign stuff (it's made here lol) while Ford don't make anything here in the UK anymore bar diesel engines and that's going too. Their mindset is like so many here who have been brainwashed into believing Ford's are a Britisih product and Japanese stuff is somewhat foreign when the reality is completely the other way round. Total madness, especially when Toyota and Honda are just about the most reliable things made today

originally posted by: hopenotfeariswhatweneed
a reply to: AMPTAH

This I often found really weird, because Canada doesn't give it's own home grown businesses these tax breaks.

Its only weird to you as you do not benefit from the deal, its a little like the Russia thing, our media is like Russia the bad guy, yet behind closed doors and public knowledge all sorts of deals are struck, the space station is one example.

Well, I understand who benefits.

The jobs come to Canada. And the "politicians" get the votes from those people that get the jobs.

The fact that the American Car companies have lots of capital, means they can turn around the job situation "quicky", within the time span of a Local Politicians "term in office."

So, it's a "quick fix" that looks good, for Politicians running for the next elections.

But, in terms of "long term goals", those Politicians should be concentrating on creating a favorable tax environment for local businesses, so that the local companies can grow and hire these same folks. But, that strategy takes too long to materialize, and who ever implements it would be helping the next politician, and not his own campaign. So, the weird thing happens instead. Where foreign firms get the preferential treatment. Money talks. Whoever has the capital "now" gets best deals.

Why are the clothing/production lines of both Donald and Ivanka Trump not producing within the US?
Is it perhaps because production is cheaper in China with no trade tariffs for imports in the US?
So why, if your president and his prinses are making a nice profit of the ability, does he dare to point his finger to others?

a reply to: seasonal


Probably one of the reasons why illegal immigration is down? Mexicans can stay in Mexico and make American dollars.

a reply to: earthling42

It doesn't just come down to it being cheaper in China mate. Making anything in the west means you will be sued by some employees at some point on joke grounds to claim from you. Our legal system has made manufacturing at home a pain in the bum to be honest. So much easier in the far east

originally posted by: Bluntone22
I've been a Ford owner my whole life "yeah,yeah, save the stupid Chevy jokes"
I have always tried to buy American.
My fusion was made in Mexico.
My f150 was made in Canada.
So American cars? Meh.

At the same time Toyota and I think Nissan both build cars here in Indiana.
Tell my why I shouldn't buy a Toyota next time.

My recent buy was a Nissan strictly because they are building them here in Indiana.