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Mr.Copper @ 21:07 Made in America??? Pretty tough to be sure nowadays

Posted by silverngold @ 21:31 on August 29, 2015  

These days, automakers manufacture and assemble vehicle…

It used to be pretty obvious which cars were built in the U.S. (Detroit’s Big Three of Ford, GM and Chrysler) and which weren’t (everything else). Then in the 1980’s the Japanese started building cars here, which made for some interesting arguments about what constituted an “American” car. But in today’s global economy, it’s even harder to answer the question: Is your car made in America?

Many consumers looking to buy an American-built vehicle are having a hard time finding one that’s assembled here with 100-percent American-built components. That’s because it’s actually impossible, at least if you’re talking about buying a car from the major carmakers.

Made In U.S.A. (Partly)

For example, while Jeep’s Patriot may be built in Belvedere, Ill., its transmissions originate in Mexico, Japan and Germany. Similarly Ford’s Michigan-assembled Mustang may be as American as mom, Marines, and apple pie, but its transmissions come from China, France, the U.K., and Mexico. Chrysler’s PT Cruiser isn’t even built in the U.S. – it’s assembled in Toluca, Mexico, though its transmission is U.S.-sourced. GM, meanwhile, builds its Chevy Camaro in Canada and its GMC Sierra pickup in Mexico.

Confusing? Yes. But that’s not the start of it. BMWs are now built in the U.S. and so are some Mercedes vehicles (in Spartanburg, South Carolina, and Vance, Alabama, respectively). With Japanese carmakers having established multiple assembly plants across the U.S. and American car companies operating plants in Canada and Mexico lines are blurred further.

So what makes a car American? It’s a rancorous debate that’s sure to rumble on, but consumers can make up their own minds based on information that’s appeared on the labels of every new car for sale for years. This states where the vehicle was assembled and where the engine and transmission originated.

http://www.autoblog.com/2010/10/06/is-your-car-really-american/

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Post by the Golden Rule. Oasis not responsible for content/accuracy of posts. DYODD.