Depends on the motives of the person buying the car.
There is no specific answer to this question.

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Besides the Toyota Tundra, Seqouia, Land Cruiser, and the Nissan Titan, any other foreign car you buy would make you un-American in my opinion!

I must confess though, I do agree with "Azael."

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Yeah, this post is a bit skewed toward domestics. In reality the results of most americans would be slightly towards imports - namely japanese brands. This is simply because consumers naturally purchase based on quality, safety, fuel economy. Other factors would be resale value, brand image/loyalty, price, etc. Overall though, I think everyone can say from a consumer perspective the imports ranks positively on most of what buyers' value. On the other hand, domestics generally rank negatively on what matters.

On another note though. I think Ford has the best chance of a complete turnaround in terms of current restructuring and future products. I have to say that only about 10-15% of their products available right now are of any value compared to import competition. But within the next 2yrs, I would say 50+% of their products would be competitive. (focus, fiesta, escape, hybrids, fusion, f-series, taurus, mustang, possibly explorer, flex)
As far as GM goes, I think they will are too early into their restructure to be able to tell. Only about 10-20% of their future products are competitive. Which is insufficient to be successful.
Chrysler on the other hand wouldn't be able to survive with their product line. Only their design and price is any good for a handful of models. They only have a couple of jeep vehicles, 300c, minivans, and ram. They really cant turn around the rest of the company within a reasonable amount of time without a large amount of cash and time.
I'd like to know what you guys think on this

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I don't come to Autoblog for news, I come to be "refreshed" on what it means to be American. It's no surprise the poll has changed a lot since Autoblog gave their opinion on the vote. That's why they don't allow campaigning near the polls in an election.

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Yupe. Turn the question around. What the big 3 are doing is un-american.

Crucifying someone for expressing their freedom to buy is also un-american.

It's sad, but the so call commies consumers in China actually have more freedom than Americans. They are free to buy whatever they want with their money. You walk into a restaurant in China or shop in China they beg you regardless of how you dress or who you are, to spend your money. Where as in America. They judge you, they stare at you. The corporation decides what people should buy. Your cellphone can only be used on their network. You should only service your car at their dealer, etc... so much for the land of the free. Now that's un-american.

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How about this poll instead: Is it un-American for the UAW to strike against an ailing American company?

Autoblog, Apr 17th 2008: "This morning, UAW workers at General Motor's Lansing Delta Township plant in Michigan have began a work stoppage, halting production of the Saturn Outlook, Buick Enclave and GMC Acadia."
http://www.autoblog.com/2008/04/17/uaw-strike-halts-gms-cuv-production/

Autoblog, May 5th 2008: "Local UAW contract negotiations aren't going well for General Motors, and today they took a turn for the worst as union members at the automaker's Fairfax assembly plant in Kansas walked off the job at 10AM EST. The bulk of GM's hot-selling Chevy Malibu are produced at the Fairfax plant..."
http://www.autoblog.com/2008/05/05/uaw-strikes-gm-malibu-plant/

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What does that even mean, "Un-American". So if I'm German and I buy an American made car (feel free to laugh BTW), does that make me un-German, even when German economy is currently poor?

You make a poor cars along with poor decisions, you take the responsibility, don't blame the citizens for it.

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to be fair and give AB the benefit of the doubt, maybe they posted this to point out the poll should be asking if it is 'patriotic' or 'loyal' to buy a foreign vehicle.

as has been poined out, America has traditionally been a capitalistic society promoting free enterprise (yes that is rapidly changing).

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People, please.

The first amendment allows us to express ourselves in whatever way we want... thats why the FCC allows the Dukes of Hazard car to have the confederate flag painted on it. Some people like the flag, some people dont.

But that is America, we can choose what we like and don't like. But we can never choose for someone else what to like. If someone prefers a Honda rather than a Ford, thats their choice. I do not support intimidating someone into buying a certain product from a particular country.

Limiting one's freedom of choice is downright un-American.

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I don't see why anyone would even defend any company and say it's 'American' to side with it. The companies don't do the same, it's not like they chose Flint over Mexico just because it was 'American'. Being American is acting in your self-interest (which Nunez points out), whether you are a company or an individual. It's the same as saying it's 'American' to side with the majority party in the government. If you truly believe siding with a corporation on sentimental reasons--or the government on policy--is what it means to be 'American', then you need to reevaluate your 'patriotism'.

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They're not telling you what it means to be American. It's a poll on a website outside of Autoblog. It's about Autos (Operative word: 'Autos') so they're gonna post it.

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Who are you to tell Autoblog what to do?

they have to give you something to discuss.

so criticize the news or article but stay out of criticizing autoblog.

Relevant to this, I don't think buying foreign is un-American, but it would be nice to see more people trying to help this automakers improve their vehicles instead of going out of business.

countries like North Korea sell vehicles here in the USA but in their countries American cars are not welcome by the public and receive higher taxes. What I am trying to say is that America has an open market without many restrictions, just meeting the USA standards while other countries raise the price of American cars, tax them, etc. I think its time to help our economy first.

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"While I disagree with what you are saying, I will fight to the death for your right to say it" - Does that ring a bell? One of the principles upon which this country was founded on.

And stop getting all offended, and politically correct - Autoblog pointed out a questionable poll posted by Detroit News, and there is NOTHING wrong with discussing it. If you believe that provoking discussion is wrong, then you probably were in the O'Reilly camp back in 2002 saying that "either support Iraq invasion or shut up".

As for the poll itself, it's not scientifically valid, it's not a poll any statistician would take seriously, and don't forget that it's a Detroit publication and since it's DetNews, it is no wonder as to which crowd it appeals to.

No excuses for what those boneheads did to hard-working individuals who just happened to buy a foreign car. God damn people are stupid!

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No, that is not Autoblog`s job. It`s ls1vette`s job to tell how all of you are un-American. Go see his posts, he uses the American flag to "catch his load" after watching men drive around in circles for 500 miles.

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Torrent: I wouldn't have minded if they just put a link to it and stated what it was, but what they did is qualify why the poll is bad, and give their own opinion of what it is to be American. While I'm usually the last person to complain about the content of this website, I don't like how they went about this in a number of ways. I was just making it known that was how I felt

arturo: I really hope that you're trying hard to upset people. First, I was criticizing the article, but I guess I need to state that more explicitly for your tastes. Second, North Korea does not sell cars here. Hyundai is from South Korea. North Korea has much bigger problems than buying cars from America (such as getting food).

I, personally, don't want to buy a car new from a Japanese manufacturer simply because the Japanese market is a bit anti-competition, and Japanese consumers are a bit xenophobic (they will buy something made in Japan before the equivalent product made somewhere else, with relatively little regard to any price/quality difference). In that sense, I feel we are better off buying from domestic manufacturers, provided that they have a competitive product out. However, as much as I feel this way, I wouldn't want to force my feelings onto others.

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Japanese buy small, quirky cars which no other manufacturer makes. If you say Neon, then your credibility is out the window.


Also what's wrong with expressing opinion. And what is it anyway to be "Un-American"? I still don't get that one. Bashing aspects of American culture? Politicians? Government? Cars that no one wants? No steel industry? Education lacking far behind? Freshmen in college not being able to put a coherent sentence together? UAW workers slashing tires of foreign cars in Woodhaven...what if victims were teachers, volunteers for Humane Society, or American Cancer Association?

Of course that's all just make-up stuff. America is perfect, #1 #1 #1 #1 wooooo....gooooo NASCAR!

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"countries like North Korea sell vehicles here in the USA"

name a North Korean car that is sold in the US.



"What I am trying to say is that America has an open market without many restrictions, just meeting the USA standards while other countries raise the price of American cars, tax them, etc."

incorrect. at one point in time that may have been the case. for instance there was a period of time that the US *did* have grey market cars. that era is long gone.

if you see a car you'd like to own made in another country... good luck! you have to wait 25 years before you can import it. why? because the domestic manufacturers would die off in an instant if there was a relatively unregulated open market.

in OTHER countries it isn't necessarily like this... the UK has tons of grey market importers. to compete with importers... you actually have to make a non-crap price competitive domestic product. that was something the Big 3 couldn't stand for... hence the functional impossibility nowadays of for instance you seeing a Mondeo from Europe or a Falcon from Australia or any number of cars from Japan and instead of saying 'man! i wish i could buy one of those!' you could... ya know... ACTUALLY BUY ONE.

open market without many restrictions my ass.

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