Sad Reality

[Jims50chrysler]

What a terrible mess this is (importing) and it seems like it is spirling like toilet water about to go down the drain regardless of who's to blame it is going to take some leadership to get us out of it...

Speaking of Canadian made, we don't make much cool stuff I know if I need old car,Bike,and tractor parts I will very likely not be shopping locally, I can buy it from a supplier in the USA or I can pay a Supplier here in Canada to pay a supplier in the U.S. for the part.

Hey Norm up here we have a hats for hides program that the Canadian Gov't sponsers the Idea is you turn in your moose or deer hide and you recieve a hunter orange ball cap with a succesful big game hunter patch on it, the hides as I understand it go to the Natives so they can make stuff to sell, I came to find out they do go to the indians...the ones in india first to get tanned because there enviromental practices in india are a little more condusive to doing it on the cheap...I don't totally disagree with you about what you said regarding people like you and me are as much to blame for this mess as the CEO's and politicians but I would suggest that if these countrys that produce these products for import into North America had to play by the same rules as an American or Canadian company they would have a much harder time undercutting the compitition....(eg)I don't think Fisher price would have been able to even buy lead base paint in the U.S.

Just my thoughts

Jim

[PatS....]

How much competition would there be if the Chinese government did not subsidize 100% of the shipping costs?

China is a long way off and shipping would be a deal-breaker if they didn't pay for it.

And WHY would they do that?

Simple, there was no war and they destroyed our manufacturing ability 100%

What were the main targets for our bombs in Europe in WW!!??

What's next? Who knows but we won't like it.

Maybe round up every world leader and put them in prison during the Olympics? Who knows.

[Plymouthy Adams]

want to bring them to their knees..just give every chinese family a few credit cards...make quality of life an issue..

[Mr. Belvedere]

I have found that it is difficult to even buy American on alot of products anymore as whole segments of manufacturing have closed down an gone overseas. Take power tools for example, most are made in China or Mexico, even the former big name American names now outsource. If you look hard there are american made tools and equipment, but they are big bucks and unless I would be using it in my line of work I will probably buy the cheaper inferior Chinese nock off, some tools I am willing to invest in others not so much. The reason this importing problem is so hard to fix is because in most cases its a win-win for everybody but the U.S. worker. The corporation wins with big profits and no environmental or safety problems to deal with, and the consumer wins with a more affordable product. Shoot alot of companies in- source with illegal help from the south. So, even though the product label says, made in USA it may still be actually built by foreigners. Case in point, my father was a sales rep for a furniture manufacturer that employed mostly illegals to work in the factory, even then they could not compete with the Chinese made product and eventually began importing most of there stuff. When my dad was first in the business 25yrs ago virtually everything was U.S. made by U.S. workers. Now nothing but the most high end furniture is made someplace else, same as tools. This "global" economy is a scary unknown for most of us and it seems like its all downside but in reality it is not, as other up and comming economies boom they in turn order our high tech big ticket items such as John Deere tractors which I read the other day in the Wall St Journal is flush with orders from abroad. Same with Boeing. Only time will tell what the end result on all this will be. Btw, Wally World is not the only retailer selling Chinese goods! One other thought, Companies are no longer "U.S." or foreign their loyalties only lie were they can make a buck or a yen or a euro.

[Jims50chrysler]

I suppose that is true as the foreign countys economy grows they could afford to indulge in some of that western lifestyle that they appear to like but none the less these are scary times right now.

Jim

[Norm's Coupe]

Good point Mr. Belvedere. FYI though, even Chrysler has been doing the same thing since at least 1987. Bought a new 87 Reliant which claimed to be made in the US. That's because most of the parts were made in the US. However, the car had a sticker in the trunk that read; "Assembled in Mexico".

[Young Ed]

My parents 83 caprice classic was assembled in Canada. I remember the maple leaf sticker on the drivers door.

[Norm's Coupe]

Ed, lots of cars were built in Canada. Ford has been using motors built in Canadian plants for years. That's why one is called the Cleveland engine and one was called the Windsor. Canada really isn't the problem. Their wages and laws are very similar to ours, unlike Mexico with their cheap labor and hardly any environmental laws.

[Mr. Belvedere]

My Ferd Escort is made in Mexico.

[Plymouthy Adams]

Ed..that was one of them subliminal messages to get you to buy more pancake syrup..

[Plymouthy Adams]

dang sure hope the Stanley Corp. sends you a Christmas card..looks like you their best customer...

[Plymouthy Adams]

last time I used my drill as a hammer I marred the grip and now its hurts my hand..

face it..times have changed..if you used this tool for a living..yeah spring for the top of the line product..use in once in a blue moon..could be a bit of over kill..buy the chapo and a couple other items you use now and again..up the inventory

[No Bux Rod]

Pat,

Back to the thing you can fix, your Chrysler. I bought a chrysler industrial motor last Feb with a missing radiator filler snout. Upon tear down i found the blown head gasket that Will mentioned earlier.

If I were you I would look for a rad in a junk yard or if you have the filler neck, get it re-soldered and you are back in business.

N B R

[Mr. Belvedere]

Forget the tools check-out this article, about how and where more and more prescription and over the counter drugs are comming from!

http://news.yahoo.com/s/mcclatchy/20071206/wl_mcclatchy/2774948

[Norm's Coupe]

last time I used my drill as a hammer I marred the grip and now its hurts my hand..

face it..times have changed..if you used this tool for a living..yeah spring for the top of the line product..use in once in a blue moon..could be a bit of over kill..buy the chapo and a couple other items you use now and again..up the inventory

I use to think the same way. While I will still buy some cheap tools, a 3/8 drill is a different story. I went through several Craftsman drills that cost between $20 and #30 each. Each one only lasted about 5 years tops. Then in the mid 90's I finally popped for a nice corded 3/8 Milwaukee Electric Drill. That one is still going strong and has more power than any of the Craftsman drills had. I will not buy any cordless tools regardless of who makes it.

[Plymouthy Adams]

I needed a sawzall..in my book Milwaulkee is the only name that will do for that item..my power tools for the shop are mostly air powered..however I still have a few Black and Decker drills of various sizes..including skill saws, belt sanders etc etc..have always had good luck with that name..but again..this stuff has been around for long long time...

[james curl]

If you are in a 501K or other type of money fund then you are also part of the problem because most of your money is invested in stocks which you expect to see at least 20% return on or will have them sold and buy others that perform at a higher rate. Almost all state, city, county and a lot of company pension funds are invested in the stock market they have to have the highest returns so that the retires can be paid their check each month. So like it or not we have seen the enemy and he is us. Just think if social security had been invested in the stock market instead of the famous lock box there would be money in the fund not I.O.U.s.

[PatS....]

Pat,

Back to the thing you can fix, your Chrysler. I bought a chrysler industrial motor last Feb with a missing radiator filler snout. Upon tear down i found the blown head gasket that Will mentioned earlier.

If I were you I would look for a rad in a junk yard or if you have the filler neck, get it re-soldered and you are back in business.

N B R

Rod, I am not lucky enough to have the Chrysler running. Hell, it's only been 4 years...maybe this coming spring if I continue on the mend with my arm.

The rad I blew was the one on my Dodge Ram pick me up truck circa 1988. The top tank has a 6 inch gash out of the tank seam. I guess the minus 28 was a shock on an old rad. This plastic Chinese rad might last the winter...if I'm lucky...it doesn't instill any confidence in me it's so flimsy and crappy.

[Tony_Urwin]

An acquaintance recently returned from China. She was very surprised at the beauty and quality of everything in the homes she visited. It seems they have enough sense to buy quality goods, and sell the junk to greedy foreign corporations.

My dad bought a drill in the '50's (I think it was a Black and Decker), and used it often. After he died 5 years ago, my brother claimed it, and it is still working fine.

I buy drills regularly. They seem to last about one month longer than the warranty these days. I think they are designed with that "product lifetime".