Can you explain what is meant by “domestic content?”
It means “the parts are made in the United States.”
Actually, from what I’ve just read, it means “the parts are made in the United states, or possibly Canada, or possibly Mexico.”
I’ve owned two Toyotas and two Hondas. I will continue to buy only Honda as long as I live.
If you read the Cars.com page, you will see they are specifically measuring parts made in the US. They also have other articles where they talk about the problems with the “domestic content” official stickers.
And even if it is true that they are using the “sticker” definition, how sad that even the F-150 can only manage a 60% rating.
I’d prefer to buy a car that is mostly made in the United States, all other things being equal. However, all other things are equal. I drive a rental car every week, and based on the cars that I drive (mostly Ford, Chevy, Nissan, Hyundai, Volkswagen and Toyota) are available from my rental company) I’d rank them like this:
Quality:
- Ford
- Nissan
- Dodge/Chrysler
- Hyundai
- Chevy
- Toyota
- Volkswagen*
Driveability:
- Ford
- Nissan
- Dodge/Chrysler
- Volkswagen
- Hyundai
- Chevy
- Toyota
*I really liked the Volkswagen CC and am very disappointed in Jetta.
My favorite rental car has been the Ford Fusion SEL. Ford Taurus is too big for me. My colleagues have complaints about the overly stiff suspension on the CC and loved the Hyundai. Toyota I was surprised at how disappointing it is, especially given their general reputation. Dodge/Chrysler also skews too big for me but drives well. Chevys tend big. Both Dodge/Chrysler and Chevy have major design flaws. The one thing that bothers me most about Nissan is that all of their cars seem to be going to key-less ignition.
My dad worked at Ford for 38 years so there’s no real question as to what I’m going to buy. It comes down to which current model of Ford.
I’ve never driven a foreign car before, except the one time someone tried to teach me to drive stick in a BMW.
I try to buy American, IMO we need industries in this country.
I prefer Ford. However Ford had nothing that appealed to me, my requirements were a 4-door manual transmission sporty car with good power. I wound up with a Mazdaspeed3, which at least has some Ford parts in it even though the salesman assured me it did not.
FYI for those who like small cars, the newest edition of Car/Driver just did a head-to-head comparo of the new Ford Focus with the new Honda Civic. Guess who won?
“One in six jobs in the US is tied to the automotive industry” presumably includes all of the mechanics servicing German luxury cars, dealers selling Italian sports cars, auto plants building Japanese minivans and so forth. It does not necessarily mean General Motors, Ford or Chrysler (which, BTW, is majority owned by Fiat).
This. I’ve owned nothing but Nissans for the last 30 years.
I’ll assume the Focus. The hatchback is pretty sharp-looking now. I looked at a couple nicely equipped ones, what got me was they were over $20,000! I thought a Focus should be $11,000, with a nicely equipped one for $15,000 or so. I can’t get used to so many cars being over $20,000 now.
If I understand it correctly, “domestic content” - even if it refers to parts made only in the US - only addresses where parts are actually fabricated. It does not refer to where the R&D took place, and that’s a huge portion of the cost of a car.
A good number of General Motors and Ford vehicles sold in the US were designed at overseas subsidiaries.
Pretty much all the cars I would consider buying are made by GM/Ford/Chrysler, assembled in Mexico, Canada, or the US (about evenly split). There are very few Japanese or German cars that interest me.
I’m not American and I have no particular fondness for America/Americans (over any other country). “American” cars dollar for dollar are just objectively better, especially on the used market.
One reason is that most people think Japanese cars are better made. Most people also know about as much about cars as I do about heart surgery, so it works out nicely for me. As a bonus, a lot of the best “American” cars are made in Canada too.
People giving you shit because you bought a non American car is just retarded.
Having said that; I’m strictly Ford truck man myself.
/Texas
You didn’t really have an option for me - I would prefer to buy an import because American car companies have been letting their quality slide for far too long. That said, we just bought a Ford Mustang because Toyota doesn’t have an affordable sports car at the moment (if they did, and it compared with the Mustang, we would have gone with the Toyota).
Our 12 year old Toyota Tercel is still running like a top. My five year old Toyota Corolla is still running like a top. I wouldn’t mind helping to keep Ontarians working, but Ford and Gm have to wake up and smell the requirement for quality vehicles.
It sounds like “if it’s a wash, [you’d] prefer NOT to buy American.”
American car companies have had a reputation for poor quality and for a lack of small, fuel-efficient cars. But both of those are changing; the quality is better and they have introduced a bunch of small, fuel-efficient cars. (Although the impression I get of Ford lately is that they are selling smartphones with four wheels and an engine.)
If it’s a wash I’d certainly prefer to buy American, but my sense is it’s rarely a wash, at least wrt what I’m in the market for.