What does 'American-made' mean to you?

jillciminillo

jillciminillo

Administrator
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I'm always very intrigued by the Cars.com American-Made Index every year -- and the fact that it's rarely a Detroit 3 truck that tops the list. This year, for the third year in a row, the Honda Ridgeline was dubbed the most American truck. Does that sit well with you? How about the fact that the Toyota Tundra is "more American" than the Ford F-150.

You can dig into the story and the AMI full list, but the crux of the survey looks at how many American jobs and parts are created with the build of the truck -- so it has to do with final assembly location as well as parts and labor. So, do you think it's more American for a foreign automaker to build, design and source the truck in America (thus creating more jobs) or for an American automaker to source and build the truck outside of America but bring the revenue home?

pickuptrucktalk.com

American-Made Index 2024: How American is your truck?

Every year, the folks at Cars.com push out the American-Made Index, ranking vehicles on how American they are. The results are always surprising.
pickuptrucktalk.com pickuptrucktalk.com
 
I think it's comical how "American made" was so strongly argued for the big three then these lists appeared. I knew a guy down the street who sent a JD lawnmower back because it had a Kawasaki engine. With ownership all over the globe, manufacturing all over the globe, what does it really matter? And how many people are typing their comments on an American made phone or computer? Anyone? Anyone?
 
Dusdaddy said:
I think it's comical how "American made" was so strongly argued for the big three then these lists appeared. I knew a guy down the street who sent a JD lawnmower back because it had a Kawasaki engine. With ownership all over the globe, manufacturing all over the globe, what does it really matter? And how many people are typing their comments on an American made phone or computer? Anyone? Anyone?
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How does one send a lawnmower back exactly??
 
My take is that American Made is more perception than reality. My AT4 was built in Mexico (engine and trans built in US). The reality is that my neighbors Ridgeline is far more American made than my GMC, but my perception, and I'm guessing that of many other Americans is that I'm driving an American truck while my neighbor is driving a Japanese vehicle.

Is American Made important to me? I'd like it to be but until its important to the companies that claim to be American made I'm chasing perception rather than reality.
 
testerdahl said:
How does one send a lawnmower back exactly??
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He bought it from a local JD dealer. When they offloaded it in his driveway, they lifted the hood to explain pre-op checks and he saw the Kawasaki logo. Told them to stop right there and load it back on the truck because he did not want it. He ended up getting a different model with a Briggs. He was a former Marine from WWII and refused to eat Asian food either.
 
I do prefer American made and then after that, allied made (in the current order of the world.) I try to avoid China when I can but that's impossible with some things. My Samsung phone is made in Vietnam, Dell laptop all over but Dell is cutting ties with China as Samsung did.

In the truck world I don't have any hesitation for assembled in the US, Canada or Mexico. I don't doubt some of the components and chips are made in China. Even then, those parts or traded and sold in US dollars which helps us and drives our economy.
 
Fightnfire said:
I do prefer American made and then after that, allied made (in the current order of the world.) I try to avoid China when I can but that's impossible with some things. My Samsung phone is made in Vietnam, Dell laptop all over but Dell is cutting ties with China as Samsung did.

In the truck world I don't have any hesitation for assembled in the US, Canada or Mexico. I don't doubt some of the components and chips are made in China. Even then, those parts or traded and sold in US dollars which helps us and drives our economy.
Click to expand...
In today's world, it's just too difficult to keep track of. I've had customers that existed purely because an overseas company wanted a "Made in USA" logo. So all parts were sent to the US, it was assembled here then sent back for distribution. And I have also seen the opposite; all American designed and built parts sent overseas for assembly. Hard to say which one was more American.
 
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