Is anything still made in the USA???

I am in the process of restoring a 1939 JD D, and am very upset at the amount of repop parts that are made in CHINA. I ordered a pan seat, pulley brake pad and several other items and they are all made overseas. The quality of these are not up to par at all. This is an AMERICAN past time. I know that almost everything in Wal-Mart is made in China. It is really something when you cant restore a classic American tractor with American made parts. I will calm down now!

Thanks Brad D

• China Business Weekly

You did it pretty good there. Thanks, and thanks to all that posted. Sure felt good too.

Makes me want to go out and steal some made in China non-union piece of junk garden tractor from Walmart and blow it up on some trail lawyer's lawn, in front of Koffi Annan. Ahh, would sleep good afterwards too.

Mark.

Thanks for the clarity and the content description on the Cadillac. it"s good to know that at least part of the GM product line has a focus on domestic supply.

Have you heard that GM is planning on out-sourcing the entire 3800 engine to China? Rumor has it that it will be a crate engine ready to bolt in. That one makes me sick and I hope it"s not true. LOTS of 3800"s out there and it will surely hurt folks here stateside.

GM is expanding into the Chinese market and I would not be surprised to see production of the 3800 (a cheap motor to build) moved to China for use in Chinese and other asian market vehicles.

I don't think you will see job loss in US due to this.

The next question will be, will there be enough oil to go around.

I believe that it is getting harder to find American made items for all of the various reasons that folks have listed below, but that just means we have to try harder. There are certain items that you just can't find "made in USA", there are other items that are not as easily found, but there are some that are easily found. I think we all need to make a concerted effort to be aware of where the items we by are purchased. I know I drive my wife crazy, but I will not buy pants, socks, shirts, or shoes that are not "made in USA". (if anyone knows where one can get jockey shorts and/or T-shirts made in USA, please let me know). It is going to cost more, but the job you save may be your own - if you buy what someone else is making, they can buy what you are making.

I know the discussion usually comes down two topics: 1) "what is really American made?" Some stuff is assembled here from foreign/domestic or just foreign materials, some is "made" here from mostly USA materials, some is made by an foreign owned company with a plant here in the states, or stuff made here and then assembled somewhere else (mainly Mexico); and 2) Should I give my money to a "American" company which makes its stuff overseas or to an "foreign" company which makes its stuff here in the states?. My feeling is that if we make a real effort to look for items that fit any of the scenarios in #1 above, we would be better off; and I feel better buying something that has been produced in the USA, whether or not the company is an "American" company; over buying something from an "American" company, but produced elsewhere (like Levi's jeans).

I know Wal-Mart always seems to be the target of the "foreign made" comments, but they are no different (better or worse) than Target, Kohls, Sears, Penneys, etc. Just ask my wife, we've been looking for lampshades and haven't yet found a match - one she likes that is made in USA.

Sorry for the rant, but buying American has been a passion of mine for about 20+ years now and some days it can get depressing to look and look and come up empty. But in a lot of cases patience pays off - when we bought our last mini-van, I held out until I could find when off a US assembly line, with an engine and transmission also off a US line (I know many of the components came from all over).

Off the soap-box!
Keeping buying USA made/aasembled/etc. (and Canadian too, for those of you up north)

Also, I dont think you should appologize for your rant. I find it very interesting and it keeps people like me on my toes and in perspective.

Everyone should follow the 5-P's (prior planning prevents poor performance).

Yes, we consumers have a role in it but the corporate line of defense is always the same: "maximize value to the stockholders". These are the same people who look the other way when an off-shore supplier uses sub-standard material, yet they won"t allow that same advantage with a domestic source. (Sorry for the sore spot here guys.)

I for one will pay more for better quality, I bet lots of you guys will too, if you can find it anymore.

I have experience with Japanese companies in both aerospace and automotive applications and I would take them any day over the big 3 auto guys. They could care less if you make it or not. The Japanese treat you as family.

Ryan

Ryan

All the Accord wagons worldwide are made in the USA. Toyota's Tundra truck has more US content than the Ford F-150 or Chevy Silverado. The Ford and Chevy have lots of Canadian and Mexican parts, some Japanese, and (yup) Chinese.

Ryan

When he died, so did his ethics. That's my theory on why Walmart is the Walmart that it is today. Profit for the five richest kids in the world, whom did nothing more than be fathered by him, and inherit the whole thing after his untimely death. If I ever get the itch to buy made in China junk, I'll go over to Kmart and get it for less since they have no customers. Keep Americans working, buy American made, by Americans. The heck with a "global economy" and the Useless-nited Nations.

Mark

Thanks Brad

What would happen to our country if a conflict should come up someday that involved China? Our entire economy seems to revolve around them and their ability to provide everything from government loans to obsolete tractor parts.

"Repro" for "reproduction" makes sense, but where did the term "repop" come from?

Let me ask you a question about your theory on how the unions have driven the manufacturing out of this country. When you go into a grocery store for instance, and say pickup a GE product, such as a "light timer" for instance, and every single model they market is made in China, you tell me how that non-union made in China product has a price tag on it as though it was made in America at a higher wage, when it was made in China for pennies? My point is that not one American hand touched it's manufacturing, union or not, yet it still costs $10 - $20, and was made for pennies. Where is the union driving that price up?

I've watched contractors build homes using illegal aliens do everything in crews from eletrical to plumbing to drywall, getting paid low wages, yet the builder still charges from $100K to $200K to $300K for those homes constructed at low wages.

I've watched contractors put in streets and infrastructure (water and sewage) using illegal alien labor operating heavy equipment, and doing not just the laboring, but also the finish concrete work, paying low wages to the illegals, yet charge big $$$ for the labor.

Watch a Walmart go up sometime. Once the outer structure is up and the windows are in place, they get covered up to block what's going on inside. The semis that deliver the store fixtures and stuff are not jam packed to the gill to have less semis deliver the stuff. On the contrary, they are packed with less stuff for easy and quick removal. Roll the truck in, get the stuff off, get it up while the next one's backing in. Watch the low wage illegal labor drive up and work during the night behind windows that block them from sight. No unions involved there.

I could go on and on and on, especially when I hear some politician say that the illegals only take the jobs that we Americans do not want, but your complaint is partly about how the unions have driven the jobs out of this country.

Well, you go into any store and find anything not made in China, and it'll be pretty hard, and there are no labor unions that I'm aware of in China, yet those products sell for some pretty seriously elevated price tags, for generally low quality out of tolerance junk - none of which had an American hand involved, union or not. It's called profit.

Although, I do agree with your point on law suits. Do you remember when then Vice-President Quayle addressed the American Bar Association and told them "In Japan, there's one trial lawyer for every 50,000 people, but in America, we have one for every 2,000 people"? Do you remember that? Like him or not, he stood in their faces at one of their sponsored functions, and punched them in the nose. He barely made it out of there with his shirt on his back, but told them the truth. Pretty gutsy, if you ask me.

Mark, IBEW Local 21, and darn proud of it.

Our household makes a touch more than that, but not much.

We have a comfortable life, and we don't go without anything we need. We buy lots of stuff we don't need. We have $ to have fun once in a while. Life is good. I buy USA whenever I have the opportunity. I patronize by local businesses even if it costs me a little more.
I have lots of foreign made stuff in my home...and I don't lose sleep over it. I don't think you can blame our current state of affairs on any one thing....as long as there is money to be made, big business will go after it.
Yes, someday the USA won't be the richest nation in the world, but no amount of money can ever replace these beautiful hills, our small town way of life, and the pride in knowing we live in a country where we are free to worship as we please, and work where we please. I am proud to be an American not because I think we are superior, but because I know that the American spirit will never die.

One word is WOW....I have no idea that I would open up such a large can of worms. I am 24 and just really wondered where I could find American Made reproduction parts for tractors. But I am refreshed when I read all the responses from the folks who have their heads on their shoulders. Next time I will stick to tractor related gripes

Sorry,
Brad D