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What's Normal? - Do You Drive An American Made Vehicle? (1 Viewer)

Do You Drive An American Made Vehicle?

  • Yes

    Votes: 92 47.4%

  • No

    Votes: 102 52.6%
  • Total voters
    194
First off, we all know what the question meant. Not where it was made but do you drive a Ford, GM, or one of the "American" Stellantis brands (Chrysler/Jeep/Ram/Dodge). And I guess Tesla.

Anyway, I don't see myself ever owning another American vehicle.

Not because of quality. Detroit seems to make fine vehicles. But Detroit doesn't want to sell the sorts of vehicles I prefer.

Commuter sedans/coupes, minivans, and wagons/hatchbacks.
In fairness, nobody outside of Europe makes a true wagon anymore, which sucks.

These are the vehicles that, IMO, provide the most practicality for the buck. Detroit has essentially gotten out of the business for all of those.

Even when they made these vehicles, they didn't really want to (Caravan/T&C aside, which of course is gone now). For the last 70+ years, it's been perfectly clear that all they really want to make is massive and/or impractical vehicles. In the 70's, it was 18 foot long , 2 door land yachts. Japan shamed them into making a sedan. They all tried that for a few decades because economical became cool.

But they didn't love it. Recently they've started living their dream. All their focus is on $90K trucks. Just look at the dealer lot nearest you.

Yeah, they have some crossovers (that the Japanese companies made popular). They'll tinker around with a commuter EV from time to time (but ultimately kill it, like the Bolt). They want to make $120K Lightnings and Silverado EV's.

Detroit has made perfectly clear, for longer than any of our lifetimes, that a reasonable car for the average American is not what they are interested in.

Anyway, Detroit makes fantastic vehicles, but I can't imagine ever buying one again.
 
Not even blaming Detroit. They serve their consumers.

If you are an automaker in a nation that loves debt and is perfectly happy to have that average vehicle sell for the nation's average household income, it would be dumb not to take advantage of that.
 
pollardsvision said:
First off, we all know what the question meant. Not where it was made but do you drive a Ford, GM, or one of the "American" Stellantis brands (Chrysler/Jeep/Ram/Dodge). And I guess Tesla.

Anyway, I don't see myself ever owning another American vehicle.

Not because of quality. Detroit seems to make fine vehicles. But Detroit doesn't want to sell the sorts of vehicles I prefer.

Commuter sedans/coupes, minivans, and wagons/hatchbacks.
In fairness, nobody outside of Europe makes a true wagon anymore, which sucks.

These are the vehicles that, IMO, provide the most practicality for the buck. Detroit has essentially gotten out of the business for all of those.

Even when they made these vehicles, they didn't really want to (Caravan/T&C aside, which of course is gone now). For the last 70+ years, it's been perfectly clear that all they really want to make is massive and/or impractical vehicles. In the 70's, it was 18 foot long , 2 door land yachts. Japan shamed them into making a sedan. They all tried that for a few decades because economical became cool.

But they didn't love it. Recently they've started living their dream. All their focus is on $90K trucks. Just look at the dealer lot nearest you.

Yeah, they have some crossovers (that the Japanese companies made popular). They'll tinker around with a commuter EV from time to time (but ultimately kill it, like the Bolt). They want to make $120K Lightnings and Silverado EV's.

Detroit has made perfectly clear, for longer than any of our lifetimes, that a reasonable car for the average American is not what they are interested in.

Anyway, Detroit makes fantastic vehicles, but I can't imagine ever buying one again.
Click to expand...
Have you looked at a Pacifica? We have a T&C with 185K and love it. Pacifica is close, albeit expensive.
 
Keerock said:
pollardsvision said:
First off, we all know what the question meant. Not where it was made but do you drive a Ford, GM, or one of the "American" Stellantis brands (Chrysler/Jeep/Ram/Dodge). And I guess Tesla.

Anyway, I don't see myself ever owning another American vehicle.

Not because of quality. Detroit seems to make fine vehicles. But Detroit doesn't want to sell the sorts of vehicles I prefer.

Commuter sedans/coupes, minivans, and wagons/hatchbacks.
In fairness, nobody outside of Europe makes a true wagon anymore, which sucks.

These are the vehicles that, IMO, provide the most practicality for the buck. Detroit has essentially gotten out of the business for all of those.

Even when they made these vehicles, they didn't really want to (Caravan/T&C aside, which of course is gone now). For the last 70+ years, it's been perfectly clear that all they really want to make is massive and/or impractical vehicles. In the 70's, it was 18 foot long , 2 door land yachts. Japan shamed them into making a sedan. They all tried that for a few decades because economical became cool.

But they didn't love it. Recently they've started living their dream. All their focus is on $90K trucks. Just look at the dealer lot nearest you.

Yeah, they have some crossovers (that the Japanese companies made popular). They'll tinker around with a commuter EV from time to time (but ultimately kill it, like the Bolt). They want to make $120K Lightnings and Silverado EV's.

Detroit has made perfectly clear, for longer than any of our lifetimes, that a reasonable car for the average American is not what they are interested in.

Anyway, Detroit makes fantastic vehicles, but I can't imagine ever buying one again.
Click to expand...
Have you looked at a Pacifica? We have a T&C with 185K and love it. Pacifica is close, albeit expensive.
Click to expand...
Pacifica seems awesome.

My point is that it's the last of the American minivans. And a reminder that Chrysler/Dodge abandoned the best vehicle they ever made.

Over the last 70 years, anytime Detroit has done something that makes economical sense of the average American family, they eventually abandon it.

T&C/Caravan was revolutionary. Pacifica is nice, but it's here because they can get a better mark up. Chrysler/Dodge ditched a revolutionary model without blinking an eye.
 
I drive a F350 and love that truck. The seats are very comfortable and it is truly a redneck Cadillac. Wife drives a Mazda. It’s been a good vehicle so far (2016 with 94k miles).
 
Wife drives a 2010 Ford Edge. GB her! I joke but it’s been a great vehicle. I replaced the head unit with a touchscreen with apple play. It’s got leather. All she seems to care about is that it has heated seats.

My work car is a Chevy Malibu. It’s garbage but it has turbo and I get a new vehicle every two years so we abuse them.

2017 Nissan Frontier. Manual. It’s a 1990s truck with all the modern amenities. It’s mostly just used for HD runs or beach visits. 30k miles and it’s paid off. The youngest says she wants it. She says she’s willing to learn to drive a stick and for that reason alone I’m strongly considering letting her have it. Frees me up to buy something else or not.

1997 Chevy Tahoe - the only vehicle in the garage. My baby.

Want:

Early 70s Datsun 240z
66’ Fastback

Both resto-mods. I don’t care about original.
 
My wife drives a Ford and I drive a Toyota.

If it helps answer your question, I'm really not a car guy and I don't care where my car is made - I go for bang for the buck and whether it's a comfortable driving sedan (my previous "adult" cars were a Lexus and a VW).
 
Last edited:
3 and 2

Me: Toyota Tacoma

Wife : Honda CR-V

Wife's work van: Ford Transit Connect

RV: CLASS A Jayco on a Ford F53 Chassis

Wife's Motorcycle: Honda Shadow
 
Pip's Invitation said:
This question is silly given that where a car is actually made and where the car company is headquartered are often different. And it has been that way for a long time.
Click to expand...
Plus the dealerships are generally owned by Americans and employ American sales persons and staff.
This is why I never understood the “only buy American car” mentality.
 
Whats "American made" anyway?

I've always been a Toyota guy. First rig I drove to high school was my dad's '72 Land cruiser.

I drive a crewmax Tundra......sucks down the gas, but it's a great truck and I love it.
 
STEADYMOBBIN 22 said:
1997 Chevy Tahoe - the only vehicle in the garage. My baby.

Want:

Early 70s Datsun 240z
Click to expand...
Love the late 90’s Tahoe’s! Please tell me it’s the 2 door. My mom had a forrest Green 2 door in the early 2000’s when she lived in Tahoe ironically. She totaled it coming down the mountain on an icy road, slid into the other lane and went head on into another truck. Got pretty badly hurt. Prior to that accident there wasn’t a month that went by that I wasn’t trying to get her to sell it to me.

My second car was a 75 240z. Love that car. Owned it while I lived in Mammoth, we got 30ft of snow that year, man I learned excellent car control too! Lol.
 
Pip's Invitation said:
This question is silly given that where a car is actually made and where the car company is headquartered are often different. And it has been that way for a long time.
Click to expand...
We have a base model caravan (16) and a used corolla (05). I know one is an american company, the other not, don't know where either was made, and don't care. They reliably get us from point A to point B. As long as that sustains until our oldest is old enough to legally crash the corolla then as long as he emerges injury free I'll call it a win.
 
Zow said:
My wife drives a Ford and I drive a Toyota.

If it helps answer your question, I'm really not a car guy and I don't care where my car is made - I go for bang for the buck and whether it's a comfortable driving sedan (my previous "adult" cars were a Lexus and a VW).
Click to expand...
Yes..I go for what is comfortable, reliable, and fits our needs.
When I bought the CRV we had, it was after we had our son and wanted something bigger than the Civic I had, still getting good gas mileage, safe and reliable. With one kid, we didn't want a minivan yet (my wife would later get one). The CRV checked all the right boxes at that time over other models.
Our last car purchase was a used Camry after the CRV was totaled. This time I have a mechanic I trust and we had some problems late with the CRV and several with the Ford Escape we own (and are just hoping we don't have other typical problems they seems to have). He doesn't work on european cars...and gave me solid advice on several options we had. Mainly in the market for parts and things we are in right now...what cars are more reliable, easier to fix, and cheaper and easier to get parts at the moment.
Once I had a pretty good idea of what I was looking for it was easier to filter out and find something. Took it to him before we bought it and his guys looked it over for free and let me know any issues it may have.

Once my daughter starts driving (and she will learn on the Camry)...we will decide if we buy another used car for her to use...or just deal with having 2 cars to share among the 3 of us (Son has the escape at college during the school year). With both of us working from home almost exclusively...we may not purchase another.
 
Right now have a GMC Yukon, wife had an Explorer but wanted something smaller and just got a new Escape. The Escape was much nicer than I expected as I have not driven one in 10-12 years.
 
I do wonder too how many folks care where the car company HQ is.

I care a lot. But my guess is many or most do not.
 
I've driven two different 4 Runners for the past 15 years.

There isnt's an SUV that touches the 4 Runner on the market IMHO with the exception of the Range Rover which is obviously a different price point.

Long story short, I don't care if the car is Japanese. However, I would never buy a Chinese or Russian car for geopolitical reasons. (I don't even know if Russia makes cars)
 
Zow said:
My wife drives a Ford and I drive a Toyota.

If it helps answer your question, I'm really not a car guy and I don't care where my car is made - I go for bang for the buck and whether it's a comfortable driving sedan (my previous "adult" cars were a Lexus and a VW).
Click to expand...
Same
Value + longevity + practicality with a large family. Which has meant Toyota and Honda
 
2006 Toyota 4runner with 180k miles on it. Bought it in 2011 with 50k miles. Most reliable vehicle I've ever owned, it runs like a top and is built like a tank.
 
No, as of a month ago, when I sold my 2008 Escape which had 276k miles on it. The transmission was starting to go bad again(had it replaced at 175k), so I went and bought a 2015 Rogue with 51k miles on it. It’s a nice car, the acceleration is a bit squirrelly, but it handles perfectly fine.

ETA: My wife drives a 2011 Toyota Sienna, and she’s not an American car fan. I grew up outside Detroit with 2 grandfathers who worked for Ford, so I have a soft spot for the brand
 
I won't ever buy another Chrysler product after having a Plym Voyager. Transmission went out around 70k miles, and I found out this was not a unique occurrence. I have been Lexus and Honda since then, but bought a Tesla Y in 2020. I would be hard pressed to buy anything other then one of those three brands.
 
Made?

Honda Odyssey assembled in Alabama.
GMC Acadia assembled in Tennessee.

Pretty much all the popular vehicles regardless of company are assembled in the US.
 
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