HHR quality compared to perceived Foreign
03-20-2007, 09:06 PM
#51
Senior Member
Join Date: 05-01-2006
Location: New London, CT USA
Posts: 2,507
IT goes two ways also. Some companies could give a damn about their employees too. No respect both ways = a hopeless mire.
That is what I have seen in my thirty plus years of working. I could give examples, and likely will later, but my wife is waiting for me to watch 24 on the DVR. Time to go....
That is what I have seen in my thirty plus years of working. I could give examples, and likely will later, but my wife is waiting for me to watch 24 on the DVR. Time to go....
03-20-2007, 09:23 PM
#52
Banned
Join Date: 10-14-2005
Location: Rochester,N.Y.
Posts: 9,121
IT goes two ways also. Some companies could give a damn about their employees too. No respect both ways = a hopeless mire.
That is what I have seen in my thirty plus years of working. I could give examples, and likely will later, but my wife is waiting for me to watch 24 on the DVR. Time to go....
That is what I have seen in my thirty plus years of working. I could give examples, and likely will later, but my wife is waiting for me to watch 24 on the DVR. Time to go....
Luckily I was young, stubborn, independent, and hard headed so I could tell them to screw themselves a walk out. 
I would be screwed if I was that position now that I have the responsibilities of my kids, wife, house, car, and so forth. 
Luckily my company is smart and going strong while many manufacturing and production shops go belly up. 
03-20-2007, 10:00 PM
#53
Member
Join Date: 11-23-2006
Location: Sun Prairie,WI
Posts: 60
i dont agree with the forgien cars being better then ours ...it think its just the media hypes them up so much that toyota is great...gm is bad, i remember reading a car review (probably car and driver) talking about economy cars..saying the the carolla was so much better then the cobalt... the older carolla's were good cars for the money , the newest carolla is a underpowered, dull plastic junk box...but somhow was still better then the decent cobalt that was cheaper then it also
03-20-2007, 11:22 PM
#54
Banned
Join Date: 10-24-2006
Location: The Show-Me State
Posts: 1,761
:greatpost:
Honestly, buying Japanese and German cars is a fad for people with more money than they're smart enough to spend responsibly. First it started with Mercedes, then BMW, then Toyota/Lexus, and then Honda. It just simply isn't "fashionable" to buy a domestic car anymore.
It's like that ad Toyota was running a year ago with the smartass thirty-something giving you "tips" on how to justify your "smart" Toyota purchase to your friends who are giving you crap about not buying American.
Here's my take: I'm a GM brat, grew up in a GM family, moved with GM, and got the highest quality medical care and education because of GM. I also sold cars for a while, too. There is no Japanese car that is worth the premium being charged for that country of origin. Not one. There is no car being produced today that will never require maintenance or fail to break down at some point in its lifetime. For the $5,000 price difference between a Camry and an Impala, it isn't worth it.
As for the HHR not having dome light controls, vanity mirror lights, or disc brakes on the rear, so what? It's an economy car, and it has to be priced lower than the foreign competition AND cost less to build, or it never would have been built. Actually, my dome light has a switch on the actual light that's similar to what's found on a Corolla, vanity lights ARE an option, and rear discs, which require more maintenance than drum brakes, will be available on the SS model next year.
Also, Hyundai and Kia are one and the same now. Both of their cars are still garbage, I sold them and appraised 'em on trade. No other vehicle has worse resale value than a Hyundai or Kia because they're throwaway cars.
Honestly, buying Japanese and German cars is a fad for people with more money than they're smart enough to spend responsibly. First it started with Mercedes, then BMW, then Toyota/Lexus, and then Honda. It just simply isn't "fashionable" to buy a domestic car anymore.
It's like that ad Toyota was running a year ago with the smartass thirty-something giving you "tips" on how to justify your "smart" Toyota purchase to your friends who are giving you crap about not buying American.
Here's my take: I'm a GM brat, grew up in a GM family, moved with GM, and got the highest quality medical care and education because of GM. I also sold cars for a while, too. There is no Japanese car that is worth the premium being charged for that country of origin. Not one. There is no car being produced today that will never require maintenance or fail to break down at some point in its lifetime. For the $5,000 price difference between a Camry and an Impala, it isn't worth it.
As for the HHR not having dome light controls, vanity mirror lights, or disc brakes on the rear, so what? It's an economy car, and it has to be priced lower than the foreign competition AND cost less to build, or it never would have been built. Actually, my dome light has a switch on the actual light that's similar to what's found on a Corolla, vanity lights ARE an option, and rear discs, which require more maintenance than drum brakes, will be available on the SS model next year.
Also, Hyundai and Kia are one and the same now. Both of their cars are still garbage, I sold them and appraised 'em on trade. No other vehicle has worse resale value than a Hyundai or Kia because they're throwaway cars.
03-20-2007, 11:36 PM
#55
Senior Member
Join Date: 05-01-2006
Location: New London, CT USA
Posts: 2,507
:greatpost:
Honestly, buying Japanese and German cars is a fad for people with more money than they're smart enough to spend responsibly. First it started with Mercedes, then BMW, then Toyota/Lexus, and then Honda. It just simply isn't "fashionable" to buy a domestic car anymore.
It's like that ad Toyota was running a year ago with the smartass thirty-something giving you "tips" on how to justify your "smart" Toyota purchase to your friends who are giving you crap about not buying American.
Here's my take: I'm a GM brat, grew up in a GM family, moved with GM, and got the highest quality medical care and education because of GM. I also sold cars for a while, too. There is no Japanese car that is worth the premium being charged for that country of origin. Not one. There is no car being produced today that will never require maintenance or fail to break down at some point in its lifetime. For the $5,000 price difference between a Camry and an Impala, it isn't worth it.
As for the HHR not having dome light controls, vanity mirror lights, or disc brakes on the rear, so what? It's an economy car, and it has to be priced lower than the foreign competition AND cost less to build, or it never would have been built. Actually, my dome light has a switch on the actual light that's similar to what's found on a Corolla, vanity lights ARE an option, and rear discs, which require more maintenance than drum brakes, will be available on the SS model next year.
Also, Hyundai and Kia are one and the same now. Both of their cars are still garbage, I sold them and appraised 'em on trade. No other vehicle has worse resale value than a Hyundai or Kia because they're throwaway cars.
Honestly, buying Japanese and German cars is a fad for people with more money than they're smart enough to spend responsibly. First it started with Mercedes, then BMW, then Toyota/Lexus, and then Honda. It just simply isn't "fashionable" to buy a domestic car anymore.
It's like that ad Toyota was running a year ago with the smartass thirty-something giving you "tips" on how to justify your "smart" Toyota purchase to your friends who are giving you crap about not buying American.
Here's my take: I'm a GM brat, grew up in a GM family, moved with GM, and got the highest quality medical care and education because of GM. I also sold cars for a while, too. There is no Japanese car that is worth the premium being charged for that country of origin. Not one. There is no car being produced today that will never require maintenance or fail to break down at some point in its lifetime. For the $5,000 price difference between a Camry and an Impala, it isn't worth it.
As for the HHR not having dome light controls, vanity mirror lights, or disc brakes on the rear, so what? It's an economy car, and it has to be priced lower than the foreign competition AND cost less to build, or it never would have been built. Actually, my dome light has a switch on the actual light that's similar to what's found on a Corolla, vanity lights ARE an option, and rear discs, which require more maintenance than drum brakes, will be available on the SS model next year.
Also, Hyundai and Kia are one and the same now. Both of their cars are still garbage, I sold them and appraised 'em on trade. No other vehicle has worse resale value than a Hyundai or Kia because they're throwaway cars.
Oh a Yugo would have worse resale value IF any still moved on their own!
03-21-2007, 12:24 AM
#56
Senior Member
Join Date: 05-23-2006
Location: Chandler, AZ
Posts: 1,082
It does seem that the media, especially car mags like Motor Trend and Car and Driver, fall all over themselves trying to hype the foreign makes and knock American makes at every opportunity.
Thing aren't all that Black and White!
03-21-2007, 02:23 AM
#58
Member
Join Date: 06-24-2006
Location: US
Posts: 80
GM cars made in the US:
Buick: Lucerne
Cadillac: CTS, DTS, STS, XLR
Chevy: Cobalt, Corvette, Malibu, Malibu Maxx
Pontiac: G5, G6, Solstice, Vibe
Saturn: Aura, Ion, Sky
And if you want to count trucks/vans/SUVs:
Buick: Enclave (2008), Rainier, Terraza
Cadillac: SRX, Escalade (some)
Chevy: Colorado, Express, Silverado (some), Suburban (some?), Tahoe, Trailblazer, Uplander
GMC: Acadia, Canyon, Envoy, Savana, Sierra (some), Yukon (some)
Hummer: H1, H2, H3
Saturn: Outlook, Relay, VUE
So, that makes 35 vehicles made exclusively in the US (16 cars and 19 trucks/vans/SUVs), and 5 more that I think have at least one plant in the US and one in Canada or Mexico.
Non-US:
Buick: Lacrosse (Canada), Rendezvous (Mexico)
Cadillac: Escalade (some Mexico)
Chevy: Avalanche (Mexico), Aveo (Korea), Equinox (Canada), HHR (Mexico), Impala (Canada), Monte Carlo (Canada), Silverado (some Canada), Suburban (some Mexico).
GMC: Sierra (some Canada), Yukon (some Mexico)
Hummer: n/a
Pontiac: Grand Prix (Canada), GTO (Australia), Torrent (Canada)
Saturn: n/a
... with 11 vehicles made exclusively outside the US (6 Canadian, 3 Mexican, 1 Korean, 1 Australian) and again 5 that are part-US part-Canadian (2) or part-US part-Mexican (3).
03-21-2007, 06:26 AM
#59
Senior Member
Join Date: 01-31-2007
Location: New Hampsha
Posts: 2,479
Thanks Interested..I had no idea that many were still made in the US..
Now why would they make the Cobalt in the US but the HHR down in Mexico? Same platform are they not?
I don't think buying an import is a fad HHRCrafty....I've had my Matrix since June of 05 and just went over 60K with almost zero issues...issue with the tracking of a front window but besides that....nothing..just change the oil every 5K and put gas in it....my last car was a Saturn Vue that was in and out of the dealer every other week for a new problem...bad bearings, steering wheel got excessive play in it, headlight stalk melted, 3 sets of rotors in 2 months, broken seat heaters etc...list goes on.....Honda 3.5L engine it was the only thing going for it.
I'm not a GM hater by any means..in fact of all the domestics they are my favorite... I'm going to Vegas in April and look forward to renting an Impala...just love those cars...would I buy one? I hate to say it but I'm not convinced a GM car will last as long on the road as a Toyota will and in my given situation with the high miles, that is what I need. Now kick me back to 12-20K miles a year? I'd have an HHR right now :)
Goose
Now why would they make the Cobalt in the US but the HHR down in Mexico? Same platform are they not?
I don't think buying an import is a fad HHRCrafty....I've had my Matrix since June of 05 and just went over 60K with almost zero issues...issue with the tracking of a front window but besides that....nothing..just change the oil every 5K and put gas in it....my last car was a Saturn Vue that was in and out of the dealer every other week for a new problem...bad bearings, steering wheel got excessive play in it, headlight stalk melted, 3 sets of rotors in 2 months, broken seat heaters etc...list goes on.....Honda 3.5L engine it was the only thing going for it.
I'm not a GM hater by any means..in fact of all the domestics they are my favorite... I'm going to Vegas in April and look forward to renting an Impala...just love those cars...would I buy one? I hate to say it but I'm not convinced a GM car will last as long on the road as a Toyota will and in my given situation with the high miles, that is what I need. Now kick me back to 12-20K miles a year? I'd have an HHR right now :)
Goose
03-21-2007, 08:26 AM
#60
Senior Member
Join Date: 03-10-2007
Location: Ottawa, Ontario
Posts: 211
The "Buy American" vs. "American cars are crap/Japanese cars are the best" argument is best shown to be a hard one to make when one compares the Chevy Impala and the Toyota Camry.
The Camry is percevied as the better car, but it is built in the US. Not only that, the NA market is the best one for the Camry. The Toyota Camry is car built by Americans for Americans.
The Impala - the classic American nameplate - is built in Ontario. Built by Canadians for Americans? I suppose a portion of the money heads back to Detroit instead of Tokyo, but I would suspect that the Camry directly supports more American jobs than the Impala.
What I'm trying to say is that while trying to keep your spending power inside your own borders is admirable it's getting harder all the time! As a Canadian, I would have prefered to buy a car built in Canada, but there weren't any that would meet my needs (and that I liked).
Americans, Canadians, Mexicans, Japanese, Koreans can all make great cars if time and resources are put into good engineering and quality controls. With GM plants winning awards it appears that the manufacturing process has been taken care of. Now if GM can just poach a couple of senior Honda Engineers
The Camry is percevied as the better car, but it is built in the US. Not only that, the NA market is the best one for the Camry. The Toyota Camry is car built by Americans for Americans.
The Impala - the classic American nameplate - is built in Ontario. Built by Canadians for Americans? I suppose a portion of the money heads back to Detroit instead of Tokyo, but I would suspect that the Camry directly supports more American jobs than the Impala.
What I'm trying to say is that while trying to keep your spending power inside your own borders is admirable it's getting harder all the time! As a Canadian, I would have prefered to buy a car built in Canada, but there weren't any that would meet my needs (and that I liked).
Americans, Canadians, Mexicans, Japanese, Koreans can all make great cars if time and resources are put into good engineering and quality controls. With GM plants winning awards it appears that the manufacturing process has been taken care of. Now if GM can just poach a couple of senior Honda Engineers