Buying an Si

[ssfromsd]

15k instead of a couple more dollars every month AND B4 INSURANCE ETC...? and a HONDA!!!??? YOU DISGUST ME!!!!

[Big O]

Haha....no offense, Cooper tires suck ......Kumho or BFGs all the way

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I've had plenty of BFG's and Coopers and I can attest to the fact that Coopers are just as good and have a longer tread life. BFG's are softer but my brother actually had both tires on the same truck at the same and the Coopers we no different than the BFG's.

 

My vote is for Cooper.

[backinblack]

Part of it is, of course, exchange rates. Adjusted for costs in the respective countries, the yen is just too weak. And considering the cost of doing business in the United States in U.S. dollars, the Japanese still have a cost advantage of three to four thousand dollars per vehicle, which they can either use to pricing advantage or margin advantage or putting more equipment into a car at a given price. And it doesn't matter whether they produce the cars in the U.S. or not, because a lot of the content is still imported. People say, "Well, Toyotas are built in the United States now." Yes, many are assembled in the United States, many are not assembled in the United States, and even the ones that are assembled in the U.S. contain a high percentage of Japanese or other offshore parts. The exchange rate issue is real. The other thing is, I don't think there is a real, measurable quality difference anymore. If you look at J.D. Power ranking by make — by nameplate — as opposed to by corporation, Toyota is actually now in ninth place. And Buick, Chevrolet and Cadillac are ahead of Toyota. It's only when you lump Lexus and Toyota together that Toyota barely squeaks out a first-place position — a little known fact, by the way. So the reality is we've closed the quality gap but the lag in customer perception is still huge. The average person still believes that the Japanese cars' quality and reliability is head-and-shoulders above General Motors, and it simply is no longer the case.

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As for the buy American aspect, with these multinational corporations the profits do not strictly go to Japan or Germany etc. and hurt our economy.  Does buying a Chevrolet ensure that the profits made on the truck goes towards America.  Not necessarily foreign ownership is huge part of these automobile companies.  In fact a large percentage of the holdings of some foreign automakers are held in North America.  If you buy an Izuzu are you helping the Japanese?  Since GM has a slice in it GM shares the profits and some of the moeny goes back to America.  How much of Toyota, Honda corporations are actually Japan owned.  It's not as large as you think.

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While I won't argue that the ownership of car companies can be several layers thick. I would love for you to come up with any kind of proof to back up your statement that Honda and Toyota are not majority Japanese owned!

 

I find that the Japanese are actually opening more North American plants, thus hiring more workers, investing money in our economy.  Thus the profits are pumped straight back into the buying market.  GM and Ford are closing multiple plants all over North America and using Mexican labour due to the damn unions.  Buy a Dodge/Chrysler, German's have a share in that too.  I don't think you should buy a vehicle based on where you assume the profits are destined.  Foreign investment and multinational corporations play a major part in our economy.  Buy what you like.

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Yeah the Japanese have opened up a few plants, heck they're even building a few parts here now. But check the percentage stickers on those same toyotas a very small amount of their parts are made in NA. There are two simple reasons why Toyota builds cars in NA:

1) so people can have that warm and fuzzy feeling when they buy them

2) (the real reason) it costs less to ship the parts and have us put them together than it does to ship the finished product.

 

I'm not trying to attack you here ChevySSandChevy8.1 just question some of your statements and discuss the facts.

[Tony-CA]

The 06 Civics are nice. I purchased one in December and have no complaints. How can you complain with 40mpg? According to the window sticker 70% of the parts orginitated from the US/Canada with the final assembly point being in East Liberty, Ohio.

As of today premium fuel went for $2.93 per gallon...and this was at a Beacon gas station. And 12 mpg just plain sucks.

[Pasadena SS]

See what you did Luke! You got people all worked up in here. If you're gonna buy an import best keep it to yourself.

[mcwarren]

Congrats Luke! I know what you mean about the gas prices. Enjoy

[ChevySSandChevy8.1]

No problems at all I enjoy a good discussion. I do not believe the fact that foreign automobiles are head and shoulders above the domestics in reliability, but I would agree that the majority of people do think that. Most people don't know much about Buick's reliability. While I do not have the exact numbers on hand about the percent ownership of Honda. Honda has quite a percentage of foreign ownership just as many large corporations do. The acutal majority ownership in these large companies tends to be very low, 30% is even considered high for a majority ownership. So where does the rest of the shares go to? I don't have an analysis of the Honda corporation and can tell you exactly how much ownership is in fact Japanese. Yes money is still flowing to Japan when you do buy a Japanese car. When you buy an American Car can you say your profits are not going to foreign pockets as well? Japan labour is extremely expensive, space is limited, corporate fees are high, by using their multinational status they can cut costs with assemby in North America. Plus it makes no sense to Honda/Toyota to build a Tundra/Sequoia etc in Japan when it only sells these vehicles in North America. Multiple parts are being outsourced now a days with our tailgate cables being a perfect example (made in China). So just because it has a Chevy badge does not mean that you are helping American workers and the American Economy. Same basis is used when I discuss Honda/Toyota. It's not the 60s anymore foreign ownership and investment drives our economy.

[backinblack]

Perception has almost everything to do with it at this point. I'm pretty much convinced that if you took a sampling of every auto manufactuer's product and maintained them all properly there would not be much difference. Technology sharing between companies and overall product inprovements have left very little difference between companies.

 

On the ownership issue, I can't say that when I buy from and American owned company that no money goes into foreign pockets. Actually I know that it does becasue not all the parts are American made and not all the shareholders are Americans. However I can say that a much greater percentage of that money ends up in American hands than it does if you buy a Honda.

 

I saw a break down at work not too long ago that compared GM's employement numbers and money infused into the economy in NA. They compared it to all Japanese manufactuer's combined numbers. I'll try to find the numbers tomorrow it's pretty interesting. It basicly shows that that Japanese contribution is limited to direct results. The people that work at their factories and their engine plants.

[Bigdogx]

What can you do this honda rubbish has been bashed into the heads of americans by these pos car magazines for years!

[cwest94]

Congrats Luke on the new Civic SI. I have seen those and I think they are sharp as hell. I would in a second buy one if I could afford another car payment. I'm not that crazy of the new Civic 4dr, but the 2dr ones are nice. I was looking at trading my Blazer in on an Accord. I like how they updated the back with the LED lights and it has more room in it then what my Blazer has. Plus it gets a hell of a lot more MPG then what I get now.

 

I like Honda's and use to own an Accord. I like my Blazer but it isn't made anywhere near as good as what my Accord was and isn't anywhere near as reliable. I'm starting to get jealous of my dad's new Mazda, it may end up pushing me over the edge to get a new foreign car.

[Luke]

15k instead of a couple more dollars every month AND B4 INSURANCE ETC...? and a HONDA!!!??? YOU DISGUST ME!!!!

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I guess you can't please everyone. Thanks for the praise and criticism.

 

 

Maybe I'll post a pic or two when I get it.

See what you did Luke! You got people all worked up in here.    If you're gonna buy an import best keep it to yourself.    

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Then again maybe not!

[SS_bnoon_SS]

A few weeks early for April fools isn't it?

 

Just remember, you can own a Jap performance car AND still not be a ricer. You just have to resist the temptation to buy a melon shooter exhaust tip and stickers. Now, back away from the faux carbon fiber dash kit and nobody gets hurt...

 

[backinblack]

A few weeks early for April fools isn't it? 

 

Just remember, you can own a Jap performance car AND still not be a ricer. You just have to resist the temptation to buy a melon shooter exhaust tip and stickers. Now, back away from the faux carbon fiber dash kit and nobody gets hurt...

 

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[blackpearlss]

I got mine a honda prelude si that's my every day driver. Gas prices in so Cal r getting high,but thats not the only reason for not driving the truck, I just want to keep the miles down.

[a-blur-by-you]

hey at least he's keeping the SSS