R U thinking of a new tundra

Ryan,
      We are basically a (union) sheetmetal shop, and if I talk about the projects and name who I work for in the same internet searchable post this engineer will have some explaining to do.

Joined: August 13 2006
Location: United States
Posts: 1320 Posted: April 04 2007 at 12:51pm | IP Logged    

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Id by a Ford, to keep my buddy BFN working in turn he has money in his pocket to spend on the luxeries in life like his boat in which i have and it will put money in my pocket to go torwards the purchase of that new Powerstroke f-250,
Its a cycle that what this country was built on, its delicate and if you take one part of the cycle out everything will stall

Yamaha 600 owner here

By your logic though, if you were in Georgetown, KY you'd buy a Toyota sedan to keep your local business up? No? They employ around 7,000 people there, surely some of them own boats, better line their pockets so they can afford to keep boating. Not an American/Foreign ownership argument there, it's a matter of location of manufacture.

Like I said, lots of people around my way (Norfolk, VA) used to work for Ford, but Ford's pulling out/ closing up the second most efficient plant they have before July. No more F-150's out of Hampton Roads and no more jobs. In the words of one of the workers quoted in a local newspaper article "They asked us to be the best, and we all worked our >>>'s off and we were the best. For what?"

I'm not sure how one would speculate that America might be out of the auto business, when Honda, Toyota, Suburu, Nissan
and others have many factories here. If the question is, "Will any auto manufacturer claim their headquarters to be in the Untied States?" I couldn't say. But, I also think it doesn't matter much. As long as American workers, are building cars, in America, then, IMO, america is in the auto business. BKH

redneck7 wrote: "They asked us to be the best, and we all worked our >>>'s off and we were the best. For what?"

IMHO the true American vehicles, Ford + GM, are the best, and those workers succeeded! For no other reason then a sense of patriotism and the hope it will help ensure a quality job here at home or help keep our economy strong, I will NEVER walk into a Foreign car dealer to buy a vehicle!!

Tey american car companies having troubles, wonder why with all the people here buying foriegn cars. Go figure, I wonder about people like you guys. Your worry about your neighbor having a job but you drive off in your honda can't figure it out, don't know why.

Guess what think japan is going to build cars here when they run Ford and GM out of business don't think so. Why you because they can build them in another country and ship them here for less with no competition.

By the way redneck you friend could have transfered he had the right to come to Michigan and follow his product. If he refused to do this, I don't feel sorry for him. I may be facing the same choice here soon. Difference is I will go where work tells me to.

Let me ask the rest of you one other question, if the US used only your foriegn competitor and it was going to cost you your job would you feel the same way?

Sorry about the rant, but I can see yoor guys lopsided reasoning. If you bought amercin in the first place they would have gone back to Japan in the 80's. I agree with Eric, american is the only way to go.

Oops one more thing when the UAW takes a pay cut guess what happens across the board everyone takes a pay cut, becuase we quit spending money.

heres my take 25 years form now.... Toyota Nissan, they are now supplying 95% of all vehicles to the US..... Chevy, Ford long gone(cant stay in business if you aint selling.
now they have the majority which means they are calling the shots, sure they employ many people you know friends, family, niehbors
Now what possibly could you, me,the shareholders or even the government do if they woke up one day and thought hey lets double our profits or lets cut the workers saleries in half or lets only employ men, I think you get the point, right now you may be saying to yourself why would they wanna do that, its because they could. thats the point im getting at.
   

Mike alot has to do with ford and gm costs of retired workers. GM has over 500,000 retired workers collecting benefits. Ford has I think 180,000 plus workers that are retired receiving benefits. These benefits are just a cost, they are nolonger getting any work out of these people. The foreign car companies have not yet incurred any of these costs.

Toyota has come to the reallity that they are going to have to start paying some of these costs soon, hence why they have started to look at cost savings right now. But hat is only part of it.

By the way I apologize for my rant earlier, if I offened anyone that wasn't my intent. But some of the view points of people don't make sense to me. Everyone has the right to their own opinion. But please dont' say your mad at ford because a friend of yours and an entire community lost their jobs when you do not support their product. You can not own a foreign car and be mad at the big three for closing plants.

By the way it was asked earlier if the big three would screw the public if they could. From 1986-1996 for had the best selling car the Taurus. 1993-2003 The big three dominated the SUV market. Did they screw the public in any way shape or form? As long as the big three are around there is compotition. If you get rid of the big three and no car makers have there head quaters here, then our government has no control over them. They simply say don't like are rules, well we will take are car and go home. Then the US is left with out a car manufacture now what? I believe this is the point Eric was getting at.

BY the way next time you see a foreign car on a lot, check the sticker see if it was actually made here or if it was imported. Honda make a roughly 180,000 accords in the US and still imports over 200,000 accords. If your selling that many and your palnt can't keep up build a new plant.

Just so you don't think I am crazy, I practice what I preach. MY f-150 made in dearborn, my focus made in wayne both in Michigan. MY dad's dually f-350 made Kentucky truck, my mom's towncar made in Wixom also michigan. You will not find a car made in mexico or Canada in my fleet of cars or anyone in my family. My family owns all fords all made in the states. I can not control the fact that US goverment, signs free trade agreements which makes us companies use a certain amount of foreign supplied parts to build their vehicles in other countries, which no one will buy because of the hevy import tax that every country uses except the US.

I like all the guys people here on this site, so I am just going to keep my mouth shut on topics like this and I wont bring them up myself any more. The people are great people and hate to be at odds with them over car issue. It's a boat site, I am going to leave it at that. For those of us that like the big three we can shoot the sh*t someplace else.

87BFN owner wrote: From 1986-1996 for had the best selling car the Taurus.

87/James,

The Taurus was not the best selling car because it was a good car, or even a popular car. Rather, in 1987, Ford paid $1.3B for an 80% stake in Hertz. It then flooded the rental car market with Taurus and other Ford products. It did so primarily so it could make a claim as the most popular car in the world, and so it could keep other vendors out of the market, including other American car makers, and in particular at that time, Chrysler.

I think I could probably put forth a factual dispute to many of the points you've made, but
that's not my intent.

My perspective would be that you have a set of beliefs built around your own experiences, job, union membership etc. They are yours, and should be respected. No one is likely to change your opinion, and you aren't likely to change theirs. It's like trying to convince a person to change religions. Not likely to happen. My $.02. BKH

I think these are good discussions. Obviously how we live and work are huge parts of our lives, so we have personal feelings that come to the surface. I got to thinking, every car in our family fleet is a Ford, except for my oldest son's. He was able to find work at a Toyota dealership, so he drives a Tundra. Otherwise, next son a Ranger, youngest son a Mustang, my wife a Sable, and myself a 2000 F150--one of the ugly ones. Except for the oldest son we bought those vehichles primarily because they were the most economical choice for what we wanted.
It is my understanding that Ford and GM have to add about $2K per vehichle to take care of benefits for retirees--so that makes it tough to compete.
I do think these discussions help inform myself and others. Just as I learn about boats from you guys I can learn about other facets of life.

Chuck

if your thinking about buying a honda accord go look at the ford fusion, we have one here and its a great looking car, i wonder what the pricing is compared to the sushi delivery car,
I am thinking about buying one for the wife, does anyone have one?

Canadians also drive alot of chevys, fords chryslers, I bet if you go over to the big J, you wont find any of the big three.
Next time you see a Japenese family around your town notice what they are driving, I bet you any amount of money they'll be in a Honda or a Toyota. where's the courtesy?

Courtesy? Who do the Japanese owe courtesy to? They are taking pride in what their country designs, just like some are telling us to do, so they buy those autos. In my garage and driveway there is a Mitsubishi, Honda, Toyota, and a Mercury. All have their good points and bad points. The Mercury pulls the boat. It is easier to work on the Mercury, though.
Here in Alabama, we have a Mercedes plant, Honda plant, and Hyundai plant. The labor at all of these plants is 95% American. What about their jobs? These are American jobs.

M3Fan

Surely you're not speaking disparagingly of my 1976 Nova that ran down the highway like a sideways dog?

Chuck

   Thanks for some of the insight James.I can't help but think that someone should have been planning better for the retiree situation.If you know you have to pay your taxes,you save some of your profit to do that,instead of trying to coax more money out of someone or cut costs after the fact to make up the difference.I guess it's on a much bigger scale than that in the real world,but it seems a little like corporate greed again.
   I think it's great that you defend your employer and the American Auto industry,the problem is definately alot bigger than just cars and trucks in this country.You are obviously a dedicated employee,hopefully Ford will reward you for that down the road.

   No offense on the 2000 F150 comment,Lake. Doesn't JBear also own one of those

    Mike