[VPIDarkAngel]

Originally Posted by GMAN

By the way, if you drive a new Freightliner your truck was most likely made in Mexico. And Freightliner is owned by Mercedes as is Detroit engines.

This is true. All 3 Freightshakers I've driven (one 2006 Classic and 2 2007 Century's) have been made in Mexico.

Also, Bridgestone and Firestone are part of the same conglomerate, although I don't know where said conglomerate is based.

[Mackman]

Goodyear is still a US company. I was at the tire shop like 2 weeks ago buying 2 new tires for my car. I said to the guy the only thing i want is the tires to be made in the USA.

He told me in the 3 years he worked there i was the only one to ever say the tires have to be made in the USA.

I will always buy stuff made in the USA if i can. Somethings you just cant. I go to this website when ever i buy anything some what big www.stillmadeinusa.com To find out what brands are still made in the USA. I used it when i bought a dishwasher like 3months ago.

Look at my sig its been there for a long time and i agree with it 100%

[chris1]

Originally Posted by VPIDarkAngel

This is true. All 3 Freightshakers I've driven (one 2006 Classic and 2 2007 Century's) have been made in Mexico.

Also, Bridgestone and Firestone are part of the same conglomerate, although I don't know where said conglomerate is based.

You want to know where a truck is built,look at the first # in the VIN
1 US
2 Canada
3 Mexico

[GMAN]

Originally Posted by Rev.Vassago

Do you support NAFTA? Did you support Clinton's trade agreements with China? From what you're saying here, you should.

I never supported NAFTA. The agreement is too one sided, especially with Mexico. They get everything and we are left holding the bag. An agreement such as NAFTA only works if it benefits all signers. Our trade with China is also too one sided. We should not be the only country that is giving up our tariffs. At this point it is too late to do much about the tariffs. Adding tariffs at this point will likely not do much other than start a trade war.

[GMAN]

Originally Posted by TimberWolf

In my opinion we have employer greed to blame for the lack of enthusiastic employees. Companies for the last 30/40+ years have looked soley the bottom line of revenue while forgeting about employee
loyalty. "
Thanks for the 19 years of service Mr Smith but it is just not working out anymore" the company loses Mr Smith's 60,000 salary and brings in Mr wet behind the ears at $35,000 a year. you see it every day, the days of people spending 20+ years with one company are sadly in the past. How can an employer expect employees to put forth 100% if the employee lacks a secure feeling, our nature does not allow for this to happen. If at any one time an employee feels slighted they will seek out other employment or look for ways to get back at the employer ie. theft, lazyness, lack of enthusiasim, and in general poor performance.
"never buy a car built on Monday or Friday" it is a catch 22.

I too wish to buy American products at all times however when it comes to large purchases like cars it will come down to an evaluation the the product and warranties versus the American counter part. My wife's Izuzu Rodeo is an American built car owned by a Japanese Comapny it runs great and still has plenty of room to go. My 67 Fastback is an awesome car built to last by Ford, However My 06 Mustang Sucks I have had numerous issues with it to the point that I am ready to trade it in and am looking at buying a Hyundai Santa Fe, right now I'm busy looking at the differences between the Escape, the Eqinox, and the Liberty and sadly the foreign import is coming out on top with the warranty and across the board reviews, as well as pricing..
I always tell my father he and mom lived in our country at the best time when we were still new enough to know better but not quite mature enough to know best..

Timberwolf

It isn't just the employer. Employees started moving around more during the 1960's and 1970's. Both are to blame when it comes to employee turnover. I also fail to understand why some executives are rewarded for running their companies into the ground. There is disparity but it is the employer who puts his money and resources on the line. There are too many employees who have little or no loyalty. One of the major loss factors for any employer is from employees. Employees will steal from their employers which costs everyone. Employees will move for the smallest amount of money or benefits rather than trying to change things at their current company. The truth is that not all employees have the same value to a company. I believe that when a worker puts in more effort and is more productive that they should be better compensated. It goes back to performance pay which I have long supported. I recall someone posting on this forum some time ago that they would put in more effort if they were paid more. They never understood that an employer will only pay more for a worker who is putting forth more effort.

[TimberWolf]

Originally Posted by GMAN

It isn't just the employer. Employees started moving around more during the 1960's and 1970's. Both are to blame when it comes to employee turnover. I also fail to understand why some executives are rewarded for running their companies into the ground. There is disparity but it is the employer who puts his money and resources on the line. There are too many employees who have little or no loyalty. One of the major loss factors for any employer is from employees. Employees will steal from their employers which costs everyone. Employees will move for the smallest amount of money or benefits rather than trying to change things at their current company. The truth is that not all employees have the same value to a company. I believe that when a worker puts in more effort and is more productive that they should be better compensated. It goes back to performance pay which I have long supported. I recall someone posting on this forum some time ago that they would put in more effort if they were paid more. They never understood that an employer will only pay more for a worker who is putting forth more effort.

Exactly A Catch 22, I will show you mine if you show me yours, what came first the chicken or the egg, it goes on and on and on where it stops nobody knows.
This is what the industrial age has created, democracy and free thinking which are very great things to have, however the flip side to this is that you will always have extreme difficulty in getting two different sides to agree thus creating a circle of crapola.
There are many days I sit back and look at all the crap we see happening in our government (ALL PARTIES) the sh.t we see on the streets and the lack of compassion we share towrds our fellow man that truly makes me happy when I come home to my 90' by 110' section of my world, crack open a Coors light, maybe a shot or two of a good tequila (milagro Anejo) or Jagermeister and then I sit on my back porch by the pool and look back into my world, at this point I realize that nothing else matters in life but what is right in front of me.
Life is way to short to forget about the good stuff, and the good stuff is family. The job is just an exsistence, a means to an end, a way to pay a few bills, but by no means is it or will it ever direct or dictate my way of life. I did that for over 20 years in the hospitality industry and did not get sqaut for all my efforts. I used to have a work ethic that kept me away from my family for many hours, more then I have ever completed pulling a trailer, I played the game numerous times with all my superiors and customers, I gave up family time to make sure a job was complete or to cover others who could care less. Then in 2004 I was told I needed to be at work rather then go to my oldest daughter's graduation from high school. When I told the family this is what my boss told me I had to do, they all said Fu.k That!! Long story short I went to her graduation got fired from my job took 6 months unemployment, went to driving school, and have completley changed my outlook on this world and what priorites come first in my life from here on out..
I have never felt better.

It Is What It Is In My World

Timberwolf

[mike3fan]

Maybe an opposing view is needed?

Goodyear has indicated that it will invest $600 million in its American tire manufacturing facilities, making it highly likely that the tariffs will allow for some capital investments in the domestic tire industry and put tire workers back on the job. Prices for tires -- if they rise at all -- will increase by $3 per tire, according to the trade commission, while the economic benefits to the nation -- in the form of jobs and wages saved, taxes paid, and corporate profits -- will more than double that.

Tire tariff aids manufacturing | detnews.com | The Detroit News

[GMAN]

I hope they do improve facilities and hire more people. However, until they start standing behind their products they will need to get along without my business.

[mike3fan]

Thats fine it's your money. But that surely wasn't your point in the original post.

Originally Posted by GMAN

I just received a call from a friend of mine and he told me that Obama is planning on putting a high tariff on Chinese made tires to make them more competitive with U.S. tire companies. Beijing considers it a trade war. This will double the price many owner operators pay for their tires. Obama did this after China loaned him money to bail out the banks and investment companies. I wonder if China will start to raise prices on products they export to the U.S. and put tariffs on products we export to them, if we have anything left to export? This guy is a real genius. :roll:

[GMAN]

Originally Posted by mike3fan

Thats fine it's your money. But that surely wasn't your point in the original post.

I don't want to pay more for my tires or anything else than I have to. I won't buy Goodyear if they were giving them away. The last Goodyear tire I bought was about 12 years ago. They don't stand behind their product. It is true that the main reason I started to buy foreign made tires was the price. If you pay full retail for the U.S. made tires you will be about double the price that I have been paying for the Chinese tires. But these foreign tires have been holding up very well. Whether I go back to American made tires or not they will not be Goodyear. It is a shame. I used to buy a lot of Goodyear tires for my personal vehicles. I also used to buy a lot of truck tires from Goodyear until they refused to stand behind them. There are other options in the U.S. I suppose that I will just wait and see what happens with prices. I need to buy 2 more tires for my step deck and one steer tire. If I go with the Chinese tires I had better hurry before the tariff hits.