Daniel60

Has anyone thought of this? With Nascar letting Toyota Camary into NASCAR elite level, the Nextel Cup, in 2007 and with the continuing downfall of American autos is it soon that I will have to drive a rice burner like the rest of the majority of americans? Geez I would drive anything before an import. Whats Your opinion? Moderator please don't move this thread because I like for everyone to issue their opinions. In other words I don't believe everyone checks the off boards.

jrbtfarr

I have owned five Mustangs in my life (65, two 69s, 68, and currently an 06). I also currently own a Toyota Tundra (V8), a Miata, an Explorer and a Honda S2000. The S2000, by the way, is the best handling and quality piece of machinery I have ever owned.

Some people would own nothing but a Honda, some swear by their European sports cars, and some would own nothing but an American (meaning U.S.) made car (my Tundra was made in Indiana). I lived in Japan for five years, and very much admired the work ethic of the Japanese people. Both the Japanese and the Eurpoeans have provided us many automotive advancements.

As a kid in the 60s, I loved to watch NASCAR. That was a time in which actual stock cars were modified for racing, and the competition included not only Ford, Chevy and Dodge, but Oldsmobile, Nash, Buicks and everything else you can think of. Now, they are all the same car beneath the sheet metal, which also is practically identical. It was fun to watch the Hondas, Toyotas, and Chevys race each other in the IRL. That should also be true in NASCAR. Rather than feel threatened by bringing some competition in NASCAR, we should sit back and enjoy it and hope the competition will end up providing us even more technology advancements in our street cars.

Sometimes it seems the slam against "ricers" is more a racial or nationalistic thing than an argument over what is being driven. Maybe that is in part caused by the struggles the U.S. Automotives companys are in right now, but that is another discussion.

Just my two cents....

PullMeOverRed05

I'm afraid to say it, but I think the American Automotive industry may go the same route of the American TV manufacturers. Will be a sad day for us all if that happens

wmscottmc

I agree, I dont think that Ford or GM will exist as manufacturing companies in 10 years -- they will be more like Nike. They will design and market their cars, that will all be built overseas. Calling them American cars will be meaningless. And that is too bad. Many cars (ie. Toyota) will be built in the US and so-called American cars will be built overseas. So what will be more American, Toyota or GM? Unless GM and Ford get huge changes from the unions it is all over for them, at least as manufacturers.

6xStang

1979. Chrysler. Chill out, as this too shall pass. 'nuff said.

PS: I never thought of "ricers" as any type of derogatory term for anything but a high performance high revving small displacement car with tinted windows and a fart can muffler. The SRT-4 has been oft-termed a "ricer."

757GT

The Government will not let that happen to Ford nor GM. You guys remember the early 80s when Chrysler was going under. The Government bailed them out and look at them today. They are extremely profitable.

torch red

the problem is not only FORD or GM, they obviously need a wake up call. its Us the American people, keep buying Jap cars and more Americans will lose there jobs, Then again all the Jap brands are now pruducing cars here and creating jobs, so its a catch 22, i for one will never buy Jap Again, i know there cars are superior in many ways but i will support my American brands from now on. I would suggest to any one take a look at what American car company have to offer, there are a slew of Models, and u might be saving a job.

6xStang

I don't necessarily disagree but I have a Chevy Suburban which was made in Mexico, a Ford made in Canada, and a Honda made in Ohio. A friend drives a BMW made in, I think, South Carolina. Mazda is considered a "Ford" brand, and Subaru is considered a "GM" brand. So the old argument about buying American to save American jobs doesn't fly. It may go to saving "UAW" jobs if you buy a Ford, GM, or Chrysler branded product, but I think the others have been successful at keeping the UAW out.

I'm a workers rights guy and a union supporter when it makes sense, but in my opinion it is bad UAW deals that is killing the companies right now. Labor and insurance are some of the largest operating costs, yet the ingenious deal that these companies have struck with the UAW is that, even though they are losing money every day, they can't lay off any workers till after 2007.

Honda employees in Ohio are non-union and the plants there are quite successful.

Uh oh; this became somewhat of a rant and I apologize.

torch red

not at all, very good points and i should have also mentioned the unions, they make $30 hour and a machine does most of the work and they are doing the same thing over and over again, health care is a big problem as well, all your points are right on. The UAW is to big now, but thats every ones fault, its great when times are good but every one forgets when times are tough.

Newbreedgt05

I agree with torch red. It will be a cold day in hell before I will ever buy a Japanese car. I'm tired of people that are complaining about the economy and driving foreign cars. If everyone in the US bought an American car, our economy would be much better. Unemployment would also be down by a lot. If all of the major US car companies went bankrupt, hundreds of thousands of Americans would lose their jobs. This would destroy our economy. It would also be the end of the muscle car and this forum would cease to exist. Nothing beats the sound of a huge V8 idiling, and foreign cars would never be able to match that. Japanese manufactures may be building some of their cars in the US and creating jobs, but that's not the point. The point is that the money that is paid for the cars is still going to the same place, which is the foreign countries. This money could have been spent on American cars and helped to pay the rising insurance costs to keep people from losing their jobs.