Buy American
Truly weird news: GM is selling Hummer, the instant classic vehicle based on the U.S. Army’s Jeep replacement, to a Chinese firm.
Fighting back, we’re replacing the wife’s Acura SUV (made in Maryville, Ohio) with another American made vehicle, a Toyota Sienna minivan manufactured in the American heartland – Princeton, Indiana. (We’ve never really liked the RDX and its cargo capacity isn’t up to hauling the various paraphernalia small children require.)
Despite the fact that my government now owns two car companies that make cars that haven’t captured our attention (although I’d take a Corvette if it wasn’t ridiculously overpriced) our streak of buying cars made outside of Motown continues. The last two American badge cars I purchased, both Fords, were manufactured in Claycomo, Missouri.
As I’ve mentioned previously, our extended family (my wife, my parents, my mother-in-law, and myself) own five vehicles between us: Three Nissans and two Toyotas. Of the five, only mine (a Nissan 350Z roadster) was made outside the United States. None was made in Detroit.
Just as India’s Tata Motors bought Range Rover for its dealer base presumably China is doing the same thing with Hummer. An odd choice but the prestige value probably appealed to them, too.
I expect Indian and Chinese cars in the U. S. market very soon.
Do they meet US safety and emissions standards?
Steve
They will have to to be sold here. My understanding is that they already meet or exceed emissions standards. I don’t know about safety standards.
Don’t worry, those crafty Chinese will figure out some other non-regulated way to have your car give you cancer. Just like their toys, toothpaste, and drywall does. Don’t buy it if you want your family to be safe.
Another 350z driver! Good man.
I understand Tata is going to start selling a high MPG truck in the US next year. I’d like to consider buying one but I expect I’ll need to make my truck purchase this year.
Interesting but possible urban legend from my government days is that if Toyota wanted they could contest being left out of the “buy American” requirements for government purchases. The requirements have nothing to do with American owned, just that the product be from substantially domestic labor and constituents.
@JJ
You know, and this is pure anecdote, where I live a lot of folks are driving Chrylser 300s. I’m surprised at the number I see given the situation. I’d buy one myself if I needed a new car and had the money; good-looking vehicle imo.
Heh. Another non-political post that bridges the divide.
Not a bad looking car, although not popular in these parts. Chrysler came out with some really innovative and bold vehicles circa 1993 but then fell behind. The Sebring convertible hasn’t been updated in years and is now the old bald guys’ car around here. The Dodge Viper is still pretty sweet but, again, at $88,000 and change, vastly overpriced compared to the Japanese competitors.
The Chrysler 300 was one of the few success stories from the Daimler Chrysler merger. It’s based on a Daimler chassis which made it a pretty good performer. I’ve driven rentals of its Dodge Charger version, and it was not a bad car.
To add to my previous comment, the 300 is based on the Mercedes E-class chassis and suspension. It’s good bang for the buck for a good performance sedan. The questionable part would be the Chyrsler powertrain and build.
You think it’s bad now? The volume of the paraphernalia grows at the same rate as the child.
Not sure that I care for the 370z, they have softened the lines too much. That’s ok though, probably ensures the 350 of classic status.
Who will be making hummers for use by the US military? Are we going to trust Chicoms to do that when they can’t even make safe dog food?
While the Hummer shares a body shape with the HMMWV, the latter is made by AM General and no longer has anything to do with the Hummer aside from marketing. They sold the license to GM a decade or so ago.