would you buy American made?

[polara71]

I want to ask the group, if you have the opportunity to buy something American made over something made elsewhere would you do it?

Do you look for the American Made tag on items when buying or doesnt it matter?

Would you pay more for said item because its made in the states?

 

[Stormer]

I try but I have to admit to not always looking. I will pay more for American stuff but not always because of quality. I also try to buy local but the internet makes that tough. Thank god Jegs is in Columbus, OH...

But, having said all of that, I shop at Home Depot & Best Buy just like everyone else.....

 

[300rag]

I always try to get made in Canada or USA. I hate shipping money out for cheap crap. I will pay a premium to a point.

 

[commando1]

I unashamedly buy genuine Greek Feta cheese so I'm not patriotic.

< Sent from my tablet >

 

[Bryan]

I try to buy North American made. If something is made in the USA or Canada I will be willing to pay a bit more for it over something "imported".

 

[azblackhemi]

I try to buy American but I have to admit I don't always make the time to do the research to see what is or isn't made here. I will say I only buy New Balance tennis shoes because I like the look and fit and know they are made here.

 

[70NPORT]

I would like to buy American AMAP, however because we live in a global economy it is virtually impossible to do so. I think we as consumers (American consumers) have some blame to bare for that situation. It's very long story, but If it were possible I'd buy American every-time, all the time.

 

[Fratzog]

Bought the US made boot cover from the Legendary and it showed up without the bead. I was PO'd to put it mildly. To make a long story short they agreed to repair it and reimburse the $84 brokerage fee. I think they handled the problem well and they probably saved my business in the future. What I still can't fathom is how something like that actually got shipped out in the first place. Further to Dave's question I will give preference to NA made but I'm lazy like everyone else.

 

[1978 NYB]

I support my community and try to make purchases locally first. I shop at the Commissary on the Army Base. I bought a Nissan Titan seven years ago after conducting research and battling with my wife at that time. She wanted a Nissan and I wanted a Ram.The truck is made and assembled in Tennessee. The only item in the truck that is made in Japan is the txsm. Other than the truck, I have no problem paying extra for quality American made products.

 

[cm23uoc]

I buy "Made in Germany" for obvious reasons, while I prefer things that used to be "Made in Western Germany", the old stuff, you know.
But you're tricked about that anyways, I think they can print that on already if something was made there, the parts coming from China or somewhere else or maybe even just the packaging being domestic.

Recently read an article in the local newspaper of a shop in the US that only sells 100 % American made things, don't remember where it was situated but he reportedly had nothing computer related as this tag does not apply to any of these products.
Well, I supported your economy recently with a pair of Red Wing boots.

 

[bluefury361]

I go out of my way to buy US or Canada made products, It takes extra time to find and may cost more but the piece of mind is worth it.
As far as American built foreign vehicles go...... Sure, they are built in the US.... And some poor redneck on the line got a days pay for building it.... But the profit for the sold product go's outside the US..... Not a healthy way to support our economy. JMHO.

 

[fc7_plumcrazy]

I like to buy US and Canada built stuff. At least if we talk about old iron )
I still buy modern american stuff: Big Red drinks are awesome

 

[has2bmopar]

I will pay extra to buy U.S. or Canada products, and though a rarety in automotive parts, my Mahle file fit rings for my 360 project were made in Germany. I also proudly bought a German made Sig Sauer 40 cal. and have a Walther pistol as well.

I had purchaced 2 sets of 440 Source heads before I found out later that reluctantly it was revealed that they were made in China with Mopar and Edelbrocks engineering. Through the A&B body forums I found through other's hardships about the chronic problems with the early castings, and that the locks & retainers were absolute crap on the heads, the springs were nameless, and reportedly were short lived, but the valves were said to be U.S. products.

I sold both sets of heads, along with Comp retainers and locks that I purchaced separately, and suggested new valve springs as well. Even though I eventually found that they were decent castings, and good heads once you replace most of the parts, I still couldn't stomach having them on one of my vehicles knowing they were made in China, with stolen engineering and technology... It frankly pisses me off. I paid a good percentage more for my smallblock Edelbrock air gap intake also, and the extra cast in boss with "Made in USA" was worth every penny.

You still have to look at what what your buying, as I was recently very disappointed in the set of smallblock Edelbrock heads that I bought, which had a core shift on the exhaust ports... They kind of ticked me off, as you could see the offset ports clearly in the pictures, and I described how all the bowls were shifted around the guides as well, and the people at Edelbrock acted like I was talking out of my ***, and they wanted me to send the heads to California, so the "experts" that couldn't see anything wrong in the pictures, could tell me that they were fine.... Ummmm... No.

The offset bowls would really adversly affect flow, and these ports were shifted at least 1/8"/.125", so if you originally have 3/16" of aluminum between the exhaust and a bolt hole, or a water jacket, you now have 1/16" between... Now add even a minimal amount of porting, and you have $1,500 in scrap aluminum. Even if you left them untouched, and you had one crack, it is a race part... No warranty.

I sent them back to Summit and bought a set of Mopar heads. Same patent as Edelbrock, yes, but not the same outfit casting them. They are cast by Mopar and they are nice. Mopar's quality control gets 2 thumbs up from me. Edelbrock will get my intake business, but my heads are, and will be Mopar, Indy and Stage V (five).

I hope that our companies don't become too dependant on an established good name, and lose their reputations to some dill holes in Q.C. that pass off what they think the "dumb public" will never notice...



After initial, unfinished port work, you can see the inner walls are centered and the bowls were symmetrical to their mirrored counterparts.

 

[polara71]

I myself have paid double for a made in America item over a foreign piece. Something as simple as sandwich bags I recently struggled to find ones not made in China.

I should have patented the "made in America" store twenty years ago instead of asking everyone why isnt there one

 

[1978 NYB]

I buy "Made in Germany" for obvious reasons, while I prefer things that used to be "Made in Western Germany", the old stuff, you know.
But you're tricked about that anyways, I think they can print that on already if something was made there, the parts coming from China or somewhere else or maybe even just the packaging being domestic.

Recently read an article in the local newspaper of a shop in the US that only sells 100 % American made things, don't remember where it was situated but he reportedly had nothing computer related as this tag does not apply to any of these products.
Well, I supported your economy recently with a pair of Red Wing boots.

I have plenty of stuff with "DDR" on it.

:sFl_america2:

 

[1978 NYB]

I will pay extra to buy U.S. or Canada products, and though a rarety in automotive parts, my Mahle file fit rings for my 360 project were made in Germany. I also proudly bought a German made Sig Sauer 40 cal. and have a Walther pistol as well.

I had purchaced 2 sets of 440 Source heads before I found out later that reluctantly it was revealed that they were made in China with Mopar and Edelbrocks engineering. Through the A&B body forums I found through other's hardships about the chronic problems with the early castings, and that the locks & retainers were absolute crap on the heads, the springs were nameless, and reportedly were short lived, but the valves were said to be U.S. products.

I sold both sets of heads, along with Comp retainers and locks that I purchaced separately, and suggested new valve springs as well. Even though I eventually found that they were decent castings, and good heads once you replace most of the parts, I still couldn't stomach having them on one of my vehicles knowing they were made in China, with stolen engineering and technology... It frankly pisses me off. I paid a good percentage more for my smallblock Edelbrock air gap intake also, and the extra cast in boss with "Made in USA" was worth every penny.

You still have to look at what what your buying, as I was recently very disappointed in the set of smallblock Edelbrock heads that I bought, which had a core shift on the exhaust ports... They kind of ticked me off, as you could see the offset ports clearly in the pictures, and I described how all the bowls were shifted around the guides as well, and the people at Edelbrock acted like I was talking out of my ***, and they wanted me to send the heads to California, so the "experts" that couldn't see anything wrong in the pictures, could tell me that they were fine.... Ummmm... No.

The offset bowls would really adversly affect flow, and these ports were shifted at least 1/8"/.125", so if you originally have 3/16" of aluminum between the exhaust and a bolt hole, or a water jacket, you now have 1/16" between... Now add even a minimal amount of porting, and you have $1,500 in scrap aluminum. Even if you left them untouched, and you had one crack, it is a race part... No warranty.

I sent them back to Summit and bought a set of Mopar heads. Same patent as Edelbrock, yes, but not the same outfit casting them. They are cast by Mopar and they are nice. Mopar's quality control gets 2 thumbs up from me. Edelbrock will get my intake business, but my heads are, and will be Mopar, Indy and Stage V (five).

I hope that our companies don't become too dependant on an established good name, and lose their reputations to some dill holes in Q.C. that pass off what they think the "dumb public" will never notice...

View attachment 8504View attachment 8505View attachment 8506View attachment 8507

After initial, unfinished port work, you can see the inner walls are centered and the bowls were symmetrical to their mirrored counterparts.
View attachment 8508

Thanks for your detailed explanation. That'll change my future endeavors.

 

[detmatt]

In all the ways that apply to this topic, I wish it were the '50s or '60s right now.

 

[1978 NYB]

In all the ways that apply to this topic, I wish it were the '50s or '60s right now.

Me too!!! With all the recent conversation.....I wish I had my Super Bee again. LOL!

 

[cm23uoc]

I myself have paid double for a made in America item over a foreign piece. Something as simple as sandwich bags I recently struggled to find ones not made in China.

I should have patented the "made in America" store twenty years ago instead of asking everyone why isnt there one

The article about that American made store also mentioned there was no electric can opener available for example out of American production.
To be honest with the average income you would be stranded in the world of globalization if you'd want to buy everything out of domestic production, and even the highly paid factory workers at the German car plant exists only because of a high percentage of lowly paid leased laborers that do the same work for half the money.

I have plenty of stuff with "DDR" on it.

:sFl_america2:

Well they had some tasteful alternative to the Converse Chucks.
And ever tasted their Cola back in the day ?

 

[commando1]

And ever tasted their Cola back in the day ? View attachment 8519

I want my Orange Crush back that way it used to be made.