Warren J. Dew

When I visited Peking last year, the Chinese made Jettas there looked exactly like the Mexican made Jettas sold in the U.S. I'd have no problem buying a car manufactured in China.

I'm not sure I'm ready to buy a car engineered or designed in China yet, though.

Lice Locket

Yup, I saw a consumer report on how 80% of Christmas gifts were made in China. Nissan, HOnda, and Toyota are going to start having auto plants in China to be exported to the US as well.

However, a Chinese-BRAND car is different; we really have no idea how they are designed. Whether they are crappy or great is not going to depend on where it is made (since teh Japanese trust China to build a lot of cars), but the engineers who design them.

honda606

The only things in my house "Made in China" are possibly the microwave and my teapot.

I refuse to support anything coming out of that country therefore I can't shop at Wal-Mart.

Ooalloems2koO

u might as well get out of this planet called "earth"

Lice Locket

What's wrong w/ products coming out of China?

Slamnasty

Maybe this is too idealistic, but I'd rather not buy directly from a government that treats its people the way it does. The good news for idealogues like me is, Mr. Bricklin seems to have failed at almost every venture he's tried (save the Subaru thing). So chances are that is likely to happen again. Not that I dislike the guy or anything...his business record isn't the most success-ridden one around. But he's got more nads than me for trying!

So, on that note I'll try as hard as I can to buy as few items as possible that are made in China. Though I'm sure there are plenty in my possession I don't know about. >:

On the whole China-making-everything statement, I heard recently that even China is starting to shift manufacturing to other countries, that have EVEN LOWER paid workers than their own. I wish U.S. companies had the spines to keep at least SOME manufacturing here, and provide jobs.

happs22

Hmm, a car built by Communists sold in America? I doubt it will go very far (in both sales and reliability). Furthermore, I don't know who in the world would want to support a government that allows violations of human rights, intellectual property rights, patent protection rights, and so on. Talk to anyone who manufactures goods and listen to the frustrations about protecting IP and patents in China.

I have a feeling that Chinese cars won't exactly take over the market in this or any other non-Asian country.

edit: I have no problem with products being manufactured in China through competitive outsourcing, or direct innovation.

Lice Locket

Outsourcing is almost necessary to improve the economy and improve way of life in America.

In the 1930s, Americans got mad at Mexican immigrants b/c they were taking all the grape-picking jobs.
In the 70s, Americans lost silicon manufacuring jobs to Asians (mainly Indonesia).
Currently, Americans are losing telemarketing jobs to foreigners.

Do you see the pattern? You may complain that Americans are losing jobs b/c of foreigners, but it is for the better; it is evolution! Do you really think any American dreams to pick grapes nowadays? You hear anyone wanting their kids to manufacture silicon anymore? You want your kids to go to college so they can get a job at telemarketing? Thign is, w/o outsourcing, the economy stalls. Same for Japan; they must outsource their auto market into China, b/c they want to improve their economy. I'd say, if you lived in teh US, had American education, and then lost your dishwashing job to some guy who can't speak English, that's unfair. And China also now know they must expand outside their country if they wnat improvement.

Also, w/o outsourcing, only the rich can afford clothing, cars, etc., b/c production costs increase. The most profitable stores in the US are the bargain stores like Target and Walmart. You never thought how you can buy a T-shirt as cheap as $5? The fact is, most hippies are gonna give you numbers like "these people only makes 3 cents a day," but forget to remind you that 3 cents (reminder: cents is an American currency) a day is more than what they used to make. My relatives in China make about 2000 USD a YEAR. And they're not poor in that country.

Without outsourcing, the gap b/w rich and poor will be bigger and bigger; no new money entering the US = same money gets recycled.

AP2kyle

Why would they bring over the 8th largest from china??
If they want to make it big, wouldn't the biggest come over first???

Regardless, i'd buy american before i'd buy a chinese car!

FO2K

My aunt would not buy anything made in Japan because the Japanese attacked us at Pearl Harbor. Very few consumer items are made in the good ol' USA anymore, so she probably gave up on that notion.

When I was in my late teens, the only Japanese car in the US was the Toyopet. I and all my friends thought it was a joke. Soon came the 240 Z, and things changed quickly.

I respect your idealism, but buying goods made in China will help their economy, and in the long run contribute to freedom of individuals in that country.

As for Bricklin, I don't know. His car (the Bricklin) was a folly. I still see one once in a while though. If it rains, you got soaked waiting for the doors to open. Maybe he has a winner this time, but I wouldn't bet on it.

I do think however the chinese are, and will continue to be, a force to contend with in the entire manufacturing community- including the automotive industry.