Want to support Japan?

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(hill @ Aug 27 2007, 12:43 PM) [snapback]502747[/snapback]</div>

no, it's called personal experience. I've not dealt with this at a Toyota or Honda dealership. Stereotypes by damned

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(hyo silver @ Aug 27 2007, 09:20 AM) [snapback]502708[/snapback]</div>

But hyo, didn't you hear? Globalization isn't about cheap labor, it's about the lack of engineering talent in the States, a round-the-clock workforce, penetrating foreign markets or whatever the excuse of the day is. I'm sure if they got paid the same, corporations would still hire all the offshore workers!

 

The following is from the Consumer Reports 2007 auto edition:

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(hill @ Aug 27 2007, 12:43 PM) [snapback]502747[/snapback]</div>

Does that mean they have a high lead content?

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(priussoris @ Aug 27 2007, 12:52 PM) [snapback]502757[/snapback]</div>

Years ago a friend pointed out to me that some baseball (style) caps had a thin braided cord that ran along the joint between the bill and the cap itself. Then he showed me some where you could see where the braid had been clipped off, and you could see the remnants of the ends. He said that was because they were manufactured overseas, but in the US they would clip off the braid, so that they could then say "Made in USA".

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(TonyPSchaefer @ Aug 27 2007, 09:18 AM) [snapback]502673[/snapback]</div>

But do they suck any less?

 

Is Pontiac a USA all the way brand? The 2003 to 2006 Pontiac GTO was made in Adelaide Australia. It was sold here as the Holden Monaro and in the UK as the Vauxhall Monaro. It also went to the Middle East with a Chevrolet badge. Holden still export to the Middle East under the Chevrotet brand.
Australia is not a cheap labour market, it is just a case of volume, matching the production volume to the production facility. GM Holden needed to increase volume so they took on the Middle Eastern market. We import small cars from Asia mainly, very litttle in the car type vehicles come here from USA. Ford sell a few F series trucks and that's about it.

Australia also exports engines to South Korea for Daewoo and imports Daewoo cars which sell under the Holden badge.
No small cars are made in Australia but small cars dominate the market here, go figure that.