Is your car made in America?

[gencoupe3dot8]

Thought this might be of interest... I was surprised when talking to my Ford dealer....

Ford’s Fusion, Fiesta, and Lincoln MKZ models are built in Mexico, while the Edge, Flex, Lincoln MKX, and Lincoln MKT are built in Canada. Other North American models are built in the U.S.


According to NHTSA documents, Ford’s compact Focus is assembled in Wayne, Mich., with 90 percent of its parts sourced from the U.S. and Canada, but its transmission originates in Germany. While the Taurus is assembled in Chicago, Ill., about 65 percent of its parts are of U.S. origin. But its engine and transmission are both built in the U.S.


The F-Series pickup truck, that most iconic of domestic vehicles, is assembled in Kansas City, Missouri, and Dearborn, Michigan, but with just 55 percent of parts made in the U.S. or Canada. More than 15 percent of its parts come from Mexico, although all of its engines and both transmission systems are built in the U.S. Some transmissions for the Mustang (assembled in Flat Rock, Michigan) come from China.


GM vehicles assembled in Canada include Chevrolet's Camaro, Equinox and Impala and the GMC Terrain, while vehicles built in Mexico include Cadillac's SRX and Escalade EXT, Chevrolet's Aveo, HHR, Silverado, and GMC's Sierra. GM vehicles built in the U.S. include Buick's LaCrosse, Lucerne and Enclave, Cadillac's CTS, DTS and STS-V, Chevrolet's Cruze, Corvette, Malibu and Tahoe, and GMC's Yukon.


According to figures from IHS Global Insight, of the GM vehicles assembled domestically, several Corvette engines are built in Canada, with several transmission variants originating in Mexico. Its Chevrolet Silverado (assembled in Fort Wayne, Indiana) carries U.S.-built engines across all models, but several transmissions are built in Mexico. For the Cadillac CTS assembled in Lansing, Mich., several engines originate in Canada and Mexico, and the transmissions for various models in the CTS range come from Japan, France, Mexico, and the U.S. Some engines for GM's Chevrolet Cruze, assembled in Lordstown, Ohio, come from Szentgotthard, Hungary.
Chrysler says about 61 percent of the components it uses for its Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep lines come from the U.S., while about 20 percent come from Mexico and Latin America, about 10 percent from Canada and just under 10 percent from the rest of the world. It maintains large production facilities across the U.S., but also builds its 300 and Dodge Challenger and Charger, in Canada, and the PT Cruiser in Mexico.

[MarylandTDI]

My VW was made in Mexico, with the diesel engine and tranny coming from Germany. It's a crazy world!

[07RS4]

Originally Said by gencoupe3dot8 Thought this might be of interest... I was surprised when talking to my Ford dealer.... Ford’s Fusion, Fiesta, and Lincoln MKZ models are built in Mexico, while the Edge, Flex, Lincoln MKX, and Lincoln MKT are built in Canada. Other North American models are built in the U.S. According to NHTSA documents, Ford’s compact Focus is assembled in Wayne, Mich., with 90 percent of its parts sourced from the U.S. and Canada, but its transmission originates in Germany. While the Taurus is assembled in Chicago, Ill., about 65 percent of its parts are of U.S. origin. But its engine and transmission are both built in the U.S. The F-Series pickup truck, that most iconic of domestic vehicles, is assembled in Kansas City, Missouri, and Dearborn, Michigan, but with just 55 percent of parts made in the U.S. or Canada. More than 15 percent of its parts come from Mexico, although all of its engines and both transmission systems are built in the U.S. Some transmissions for the Mustang (assembled in Flat Rock, Michigan) come from China. GM vehicles assembled in Canada include Chevrolet's Camaro, Equinox and Impala and the GMC Terrain, while vehicles built in Mexico include Cadillac's SRX and Escalade EXT, Chevrolet's Aveo, HHR, Silverado, and GMC's Sierra. GM vehicles built in the U.S. include Buick's LaCrosse, Lucerne and Enclave, Cadillac's CTS, DTS and STS-V, Chevrolet's Cruze, Corvette, Malibu and Tahoe, and GMC's Yukon. According to figures from IHS Global Insight, of the GM vehicles assembled domestically, several Corvette engines are built in Canada, with several transmission variants originating in Mexico. Its Chevrolet Silverado (assembled in Fort Wayne, Indiana) carries U.S.-built engines across all models, but several transmissions are built in Mexico. For the Cadillac CTS assembled in Lansing, Mich., several engines originate in Canada and Mexico, and the transmissions for various models in the CTS range come from Japan, France, Mexico, and the U.S. Some engines for GM's Chevrolet Cruze, assembled in Lordstown, Ohio, come from Szentgotthard, Hungary. Chrysler says about 61 percent of the components it uses for its Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep lines come from the U.S., while about 20 percent come from Mexico and Latin America, about 10 percent from Canada and just under 10 percent from the rest of the world. It maintains large production facilities across the U.S., but also builds its 300 and Dodge Challenger and Charger, in Canada, and the PT Cruiser in Mexico.

Good post Mike, I've been saying this for years. It's a global market for car parts, etc.

Without a quick search, I believe there is only one "True" domestically made vehicle. Some brand in China...forgot the name...is entirely made 100% in China.

The real question is, when people cry buy American with cars, trucks, etc. is where is the money going? US workers? Abroad? There is probably no real way to track it down anymore. I personnaly don't believe it's entirely a bad thing...paying someone $50 an hour, with strictly American made parts and workers, could only elevate the cost of some of these vehicles behind what most could afford.

[MarylandTDI]

Originally Said by 07RS4 Good post Mike, I've been saying this for years. It's a global market for car parts, etc. Without a quick search, I believe there is only one "True" domestically made vehicle. Some brand in China...forgot the name...is entirely made 100% in China. The real question is, when people cry buy American with cars, trucks, etc. is where is the money going? US workers? Abroad? There is probably no real way to track it down anymore. I personnaly don't believe it's entirely a bad thing...paying someone $50 an hour, with strictly American made parts and workers, could only elevate the cost of some of these vehicles behind what most could afford.

I agree. While I like to see the domestics doing well and making profits, think of how many American jobs and successful businesses are created via the thousands of Honda, Toyota, VW, BMW, Audi, Hyundai, Mb, etc. dealerships here in the US. Think of the amount spent right here on service. On aftermarket parts and accessories. On care care products. In paint shops. At the restaurants next door to all these places. And so on. The more the merrier, I say.

[3PedalMINI]

Originally Said by MarylandTDI I agree. While I like to see the domestics doing well and making profits, think of how many American jobs and successful businesses are created via the thousands of Honda, Toyota, VW, BMW, Audi, Hyundai, Mb, etc. dealerships here in the US. Think of the amount spent right here on service. On aftermarket parts and accessories. On care care products. In paint shops. At the restaurants next door to all these places. And so on. The more the merrier, I say.

I couldnt agree more with that. Infact i would argue that american cars are less american then the foreign brands. Look at BMW, they have two massive plants building the x5 exclusively for the world and plan to build another 1 billion dollar plant to build 100% of all of their SUV's here in the states. alot of BMW's design actually comes out of california.

Nissan now has a commercial work van, it is 100% assembled here in the US and the main body panels built here too with very few parts actually coming from china/japan. Assembly happens in Massachusetts and i believe the body/chasis comes from a plant in detroit. Nissan actually wanted to source alot of parts from america because most of the working class still has that mindset of "Buy American". Quite frankly i could care less. I wanted a vehicle that got me from jobsite to jobsite reliably.

I never really understood, especially now in the current world why people say buy american buy american!!!! GM has shipped most of their design over seas, Buicks are designed in germany further proving that american cars are becoming less american. Hell, look at cadillac alot of that design is coming from germany/italian designers. Theres a reason caddilac is looking to the germans/italians for the perfect balance of performance/handling. They are trying to lose the "straight line" fast sterotype as most of you would agree with ...Does this make the cadillac any less american?!? idk, some of the "BUY AMERICAN" should be disgusted by cadillacs decision to outsource some of that to foreign nations

I wish there would be a study done to see how many jobs each car manufacture creates/make in the USA. All the way from corporate to the lot attendants that shift cars around. Albeit BMW employs the most followed by nissan/toyota then the american companies then audi vw etc.

My truck was one of the first to be built in Mexico, to me i think they would make a better quality vehicle in china but ill leave my feelings of mexican manufacturing for another thread

[egott_91]

Mine was made in Canada, eh! Then sent to SLP in New Jersey...soooo, sorta? Lol

[Rich]

Mine was made in Bowling Green Ky.
100% American made? Yes, 100% American parts? No clue, but I doubt it. But I still love my Chevys.

[dipolley]

My family has been a GM family for 3 generations. When my brother bought a car for his business he did his research. He considered a Chevy but found that the Toyota Matrix (which he bought) had a higher percetage of US-made parts than the other GM cars he considered. And since the Matrix is just a rebaged Pontiac Vibe, he was OK with being the first to buy a non-GM car in our family since 1985.

[b_pappy]

Mine are American makes, American made, high percentage American. I realize they are not 100%, we've lost too many industries at this point
It's nice to try and justify buying a Korean (Or German or Japanese) car because it was built in Alabama (or South Carolina, or some other state) from world sourced parts, but in the end it's still a foreign car.
I wonder if Fiat 500 owners realize their Italian car was assembled in Mexico with a Detroit engine?
Anyhow, I realize foreign companies employ some American workers at some American factories, and some American cars are assembled out of our country. I don't like it, but it's market and economic driven. A good friend worked for Toyota, drove a Toyota on weekdays, enjoyed his Corvette on weekends. His job was outsourced to India. That was the editorial part of my reply.
Technically, per the Feds, the first VIN determines country of assembly:
The first digit in the make code will always be the country of manufacture. There are numerous country codes, but the most common ones are:

• USA: 1, 4 or 5
• Canada: 2
• Mexico: 3
• Japan: J
• Korea: K
• England: S
• Germany: W
• Italy: Z
• Sweden: Y
• Australia: 6
• France: V
• Brazil: 9

[3PedalMINI]

Originally Said by dipolley My family has been a GM family for 3 generations. When my brother bought a car for his business he did his research. He considered a Chevy but found that the Toyota Matrix (which he bought) had a higher percetage of US-made parts than the other GM cars he considered. And since the Matrix is just a rebaged Pontiac Vibe, he was OK with being the first to buy a non-GM car in our family since 1985.

yup we were a GM family too. It took alot for my dad to sign the bottom line on his first Foreign car, a 2010 Audi q5. he is now on his second Audi After my issues with my truck my family is no longer a GM family, even my grandfather that sold/worked on GMs for 30 years has turned his back on them after having his own issues/run ins with GM corporate around the same time i did. He now happily drives a nissan frontier

I was the first in my family to buy a non american car. A 2006 Mini cooper S. In 2008 i bought a 2007 leftover brand new GMC savanna 3500 cutaway for my business (the spartan body was built in Pennsylvania) I would argue that was the most american vehicle that has been bought and i would say that was the most reliable one and would easily go to 200k without a hiccup. I traded them both in 2010 for a 2010 GMC sierra. 8 months later i got rid of the turd in December for a 2011 Mini cooper Clubman S and april of last year I bought a 2012 Nissan NV.

The part list % that is now required cracks me up, I havent been to a gm dealer in a while but my turd had 65% of the parts made in china.

Unless GM changes i will NEVER own another domestic car.

Originally Said by b_pappy Technically, per the Feds, the first VIN determines country of assembly: The first digit in the make code will always be the country of manufacture. There are numerous country codes, but the most common ones are: USA: 1, 4 or 5 Canada: 2 Mexico: 3 Japan: J Korea: K England: S Germany: W Italy: Z Sweden: Y Australia: 6 France: V Brazil: 9

Interesting, never knew that. However my mini is made in Oxford england, where every mini besides the countryman is made. My VIN stats with a W

Edit: I just did a search and manufactures can put the initial digit of the parent company's headquarters as long as they are in the same continent. So in my situation BMW is mini's parent company so they can place W's because Germany and England are part of Europe However the X5's have a 5U meaning they were made in america.

Fascinating, so its not "That" accurate.