[MoparNorm]

Aside from the similar "hood-higher-than-fenders" styling cue, it didn't remind me of a Ram 1500 any more than the Durango did. IMHO, if it was "just" a 7/8 Ram 1500 in styling, it wouldn't have sold as well.

The only difference between the Dakita and Ram was the "coke bottle" sides, th rest of it was very similar

 

[Mike V.]

In some cases, buying the Dakota because it was smaller was a valid option. Maybe a Ram 1500 didn't fit in the garage. Just because something is bigger doesn't automatically make it the better buy.

And it's a heck of a lot easier to maneuver than a Ram in tight places.

Mike

 

[jazz77]

Had they said, "would you buy a car made in XYZ if it had the same quality and costed 20% less", then probably the answers could have been very different

I think so, everything being equal patriotism can play a role for some consumers but it is the very last thing to be be factored in.

Even though when you think about how protectionist is the automotive sector in China...

 

[MoparNorm]

I think so, everything being equal patriotism can play a role for some consumers but it is the very last thing to be be factored in.

Even though when you think about how protectionist is the automotive sector in China...

And sadly, consumer ignorance about how harmful that is for homegrown industry and jobs, runs rampant.
If one is worried about the general economy and indeed their own job, point of origin should be the number one thing to be factored in.
If we aren't worried about our fellow citizens jobs, why can we expect them to be worried about our jobs?
It would be less important if there was true fair trade, but there isn't. As long as countries like Japan and China are allowed to manipulate currently, there will be trade imbalance.
The poll was a weak effort to justify exporting jobs.
Henry Ford, wasn't exactly a role model, but even Henry knew that he had to pay his workers a fair enough wage to allow them to buy his products.

 

[freshforged]

Although I'm not making any big ticket purchases, I always look for the point of origin in my purchases, and let the shops I'm dealing with know that I'd like to see more product made in the usa on their shelves. I'll even take my own time to help them locate suppliers if they are genuinely interested in my business.

Its that important to me.

 

[MoparNorm]

Although I'm not making any big ticket purchases, I always look for the point of origin in my purchases, and let the shops I'm dealing with know that I'd like to see more product made in the usa on their shelves. I'll even take my own time to help them locate suppliers if they are genuinely interested in my business.

Its that important to me.

Good for you! I do the same.

 

[Dave Z]

Yes, me too, but we are clearly in the minority. 

Sad thing is, it gets harder every day to NOT buy from China. I started out with New Balance based on the "made in USA" label; now it's the box that's made in USA along with their most expensive sneakers that are not in any store I go to. Carhartt moved over to China as well, and you can tell. I ended up dropping snooty Carhartt for better quality, cheaper pants made in Mexico.

People are generally not willing to pay 20% more for American goods, guaranteed not to be made with lead and mercury, etc. 

I am beginning to think the only way for the US to be competitive will be to move back to factory towns, ending the home-and-car ownership thing. Or, of course, we could at least talk about the "protectionist" policies that have helped make China into a world power, in self-defense, for the sake of national security...  (Side note: http://www.acq.osd.mil/dsb/reports/ADA435563.pdf">High Performance Microchip Supply &nbsp

Other side note, I had not considered Dart (really, Viaggio, if we're talking suspensions) as a platform for a pickup, hmm. It would avoid the weight issues of the minivan. Is this the metric-ton pickup for Europe though? 

 

[jazz77]

And sadly, consumer ignorance about how harmful that is for homegrown industry and jobs, runs rampant.
If one is worried about the general economy and indeed their own job, point of origin should be the number one thing to be factored in.
If we aren't worried about our fellow citizens jobs, why can we expect them to be worried about our jobs?
It would be less important if there was true fair trade, but there isn't. As long as countries like Japan and China are allowed to manipulate currently, there will be trade imbalance.
The poll was a weak effort to justify exporting jobs.
Henry Ford, wasn't exactly a role model, but even Henry knew that he had to pay his workers a fair enough wage to allow them to buy his products.

It is a complex issue: the risk it so create an environment where domestic companies have less incentives to improve and rely mostly on their own markets. And of course in the end companies who have to survive in a more competitive environment ake over the others.

 

[freshforged]

Dave, for us made Carhart options check out some of the small us made shops putting out heavy weight jeans:

Bailey's Wild [I should have my mouth washed out with soap for using such terms] Jeans (recently on-shored)

Texas Jeans
and of course Union Label

 

[SouthPawXJ]

Another good resource (albeit with an overland expeditioning bent) is http://www.expeditionportal.com/buyersguide/2011-the-american-overlander-the-made-in-the-usa-list.html

 

[Dave Z]

Thanks, I'll check them out when these wear out.

Henry Ford, wasn't exactly a role model, but even Henry knew that he had to pay his workers a fair enough wage to allow them to buy his products.

Except that if you dig down, you find that's marketing. The number of people who got that "fair wage" was miniscule; and they had to subject themselves to regular inspections to make sure they were going to the “right” church every Sunday, living in accordance with Henry’s religious beliefs, etc.

The main reason for giving that wage was the same as over-posting ads for migrant workers in California during the Dust Bowl: so he’d have fifty applicants per position, and if you wanted more money or had your hand chopped off by the machinery, you could be kicked out and replaced instantly.

The “living wage” myth is almost as bad as the “invented the car” myth (Cugnot beat him to it), the “first car assembly line” myth (Ransom Olds and Oldsmobile), the “first cheap car” myth (Brush among others) ...

 

[jazz77]

Thanks, I'll check them out when these wear
Except that if you dig down, you find that's marketing. The number of people who got that "fair wage" was miniscule; and they had to subject themselves to regular inspections to make sure they were going to the “right” church every Sunday, living in accordance with Henry’s religious beliefs, etc.

The main reason for giving that wage was the same as over-posting ads for migrant workers in California during the Dust Bowl: so he’d have fifty applicants per position, and if you wanted more money or had your hand chopped off by the machinery, you could be kicked out and replaced instantly.

The “living wage” myth is almost as bad as the “invented the car” myth (Cugnot beat him to it), the “first car assembly line” myth (Ransom Olds and Oldsmobile), the “first cheap car” myth (Brush among others) ...

Wasn't Benz who invented the car? I guess it'a a matter of defining what a car is

But yeah in any case it wasn't Ford.

 

[freshforged]

one more for good measure--I've never bought myself a pair of these but I have friends who sear by them:
White Boots

 

[PCRMike]

First in America was Ransom Olds.

 

[MoparNorm]

First in America was Ransom Olds.

...and the Dodge Brothers, were his primary supplier. The Dodge Brothers also supplied nearly all of Henry Ford's parts, up until 1914, when they started building their own complete automobile.
Dodge will be 100 years old, next year, but Dodge Brothers were building car parts in the 1890's.

 

[Guest]

FYI, some of Carhartt's stuff is still made in the US. And recently they brought some stuff back to the US to produce. I was surprised to learn that there is actually a TV that is or going to be assembled in the US. Made in Michigan of all places.

 

[dak4x4]

Although I'm not making any big ticket purchases, I always look for the point of origin in my purchases, and let the shops I'm dealing with know that I'd like to see more product made in the usa on their shelves. I'll even take my own time to help them locate suppliers if they are genuinely interested in my business.

Its that important to me.

A Big +1....!

 

[Dave Z]

Regarding Carhartt, when I looked, everything I normally buy was Chinese. New Balance brought some back too, but not enough.

First car in America was absolutely not Ransom Olds. Ransom Olds was the first to make them on the assembly line.

Cugnot beat Daimler by a century. He made several cars -- by today's definition, perhaps trucks would be the appropriate term. They had four wheels, steering, independent power (steam), brakes, towing capacity, even trailers for some. His thought was mobile artillery not personal transportation, but they could be used for either one.

If you count Daimler as the first, you have to assume that it's more important to burn gasoline in a tricycle, than to have a four wheeled self powered self steering automobile.

Daimler was the first, as far as I know, to sell cars.

 

[abgwin]

And sadly, consumer ignorance about how harmful that is for homegrown industry and jobs, runs rampant.
If one is worried about the general economy and indeed their own job, point of origin should be the number one thing to be factored in.
If we aren't worried about our fellow citizens jobs, why can we expect them to be worried about our jobs?
It would be less important if there was true fair trade, but there isn't. As long as countries like Japan and China are allowed to manipulate currently, there will be trade imbalance.
The poll was a weak effort to justify exporting jobs.
Henry Ford, wasn't exactly a role model, but even Henry knew that he had to pay his workers a fair enough wage to allow them to buy his products.

That's a lot to infer from a survey someone else took.

It's entirely possible that the questions were purposely phrased that way to get a resounding "no", but there's absolutely no way to know unless you designed that survey yourself.

As with statistics, anything is provable by a poll, especially if you know the answer you want before asking the question.

 

[MoparNorm]

That's a lot to infer from a survey someone else took.
.

I inferred nothing other than the questions were simplistic and slanted, with an obvious point.
What we know is this; Fiat has plants in India and China. It's not a secret that the wages in those countries are lower than in Europe and the US and Canada.
Any business that places profit near the top of their goals, would be foolish not to investigate the options.
You do not need be a rocket scientist to infer the point of the questions.
The commentary about consumer buying habits, comes from 45 years as a successful businessman. Some could learn from it.