How do I argue against an anti-foreign car person ?

I do buy into the open market economy purchase the best product at the best price regardless of country of origin however with our record trade deficit and the Great Recession I do try and purchase American made products when possible if I can but that can be difficult to find.

 

All good Parents, including Step-Parents, try to pass on the knowledge and wisdom learned during their life to help the kids along. This does not mean what they learn is all there is, and most are proud to find times when the student becoming the teacher....even if they won't admit it. If you really want the Prius just do it. However as mentioned in the other thread, if you must buy used, get newer/lower miles and no rebuilds or salvage. I still recommend new so you don't eat someone else's abuse or neglect. He would definitely rub that one in.

 

I believe the OP is in the process of purchasing a certified preowned gen 3 Prius from a Toyota dealer.

 

Same here

 

Thank you. I am aware of the OP's situation.

 

Sounds like my 2006 BMW. Finally had enough and sold it. Live and learn. I will never buy a German car again. Now only Toyota, Honda, Lexus or Acura.

I learned from my patents to avoid GM and Ford. The quality was not there in the 70 and 80's. My dad always purchased them and finally started buying Toyota and never went back.

 

You cannot win an augument with closed minds .......but one thing for sure we all owe the Japanese a debt. If they had not FORCED the big three to make better products we would be driving Pintos, Vegas or some giant boat thats strong point being it has "genuine Carinthian Leather"!!!!!!

RAL

 

My wife's '10 Camry was built in Georgetown, Kentucky.

 

Mine's been up for sale for 3 months...ugh.

 

I attempt to buy American as much as I can. I will only buy american if it is superior to a foreign product. It is my money so why waste it on an inferior product just because it's American made?

 

Simple, because you want to support a diverse economy in the country where you live and raise your children. Toyota builds several models in the US but they still don't build the Prius here yet. At this point, there is really no excuse why they shouldn't, we have demonstrated the market is large enough.

 

I'm not sure about Ford but I'm fairly certain GM and more particularly, Chrysler are no longer US owned.

 

Carmax will make you an offer. It may be blue book trade in value though.

 

I believe it was Pres Regan who pushed the Japanese car manufacturers to build cars here or face tariffs. See Deeds.

The Reagan Record On Trade: Rhetoric Vs. Reality

 

True. I've done a few cars through them. In my experience, they offer about 1k over trade-in.

 

Are you saying this based on the nationality of the stockholders? Is that even knowable?
While GM is global in its operations (China is its single largest market) it is headquartered in Detroit and, significantly, does the bulk of its R&D and general engineering in Warren, Michigan (a mile up the road from where I work).
Fiat does own the majority of Chrysler but maintains its North American R&D and engineering in Auburn Hills, Michigan. I can literally stand in my front yard and see the strobe light on their tech center tower.
Of course Toyota is not devoid of North American technical investment. Besides its assembly plants in Kentucky, Indiana, West Virginia, Texas, Alabama and Ontario Canada, it has two large tech centers in southeastern Michigan.
The local (Detroit area) engineering scene has become very diverse over the last three decades with much of vehicle content being transferred to Tier 1 suppliers. I have worked as an engineer for German and Japanese suppliers. Make no mistake though, in most of these firms the shots are called from their home offices.

I made a conscious decision when we moved here 19 years ago to make my vehicle purchases based on product rather than nationality. The competition is what keeps things improving. I currently own a Chevrolet, BMW and Subaru in addition to the Prius. I can't say what my next purchase will be.

 

Tell Dad the oil use and oil imports are the single biggest threat to US national security with 20 years of oil wars, $14T in oil war debt over the last 30 years, and 200,000 US dead and wounded soldiers...all to secure Middle East oil US wouldn't need if everyone drove a Prius.

Tell Dad that global warming for oil use threatens the future for his grandchildren and that if everyone drove a Prius US would be able to meet the goal scientists have set for an 80% drop in greenhouse gases by 2050.

Tell Dad that Toyota invests more in US car factories than GM or Ford and employes more and more American's in car manufacture while GM and Ford layoff.

Tell Dad that because you bought a Prius, Toyota is building a plant in the US to build the Prius investing billions in US and creating thousands off US jobs.

Tell Dad the most patriotic thing you can do is buy a Prius and he better get on it.

 

And if he still does not agree, buy what you want anyways. I'm sure he didn't do everything his Dad said either.

 

Agree with him that "they don't build'em like they used to," use your wife as a second example, and then change the subject.

 

+1
If you buy an inferior product or one that doesn't meet your desires because it isn't built in the US, you are telling the US manufacturers that they don't ave to build what you want to the standards you want.

If it weren't for lost sales to foreign competition the big three would still be building the poor quality carp they used to build.