Toyota Camry Tops Ford F-150

[martinfan5]

The Toyota Camry took the top spot this year, as 2014’s top vehicle — the Ford F-150 — fell below 75 percent in domestic-parts content with its 2015 model-year redesign. The Toyota Sienna, Honda Odyssey and Chevrolet Corvette return to the list alongside GM’s three-row crossovers: the Chevrolet Traverse, GMC Acadia and Buick Enclave. The Michigan-built SUVs were last on the AMI in 2013.

Cars with at least 75 percent domestic content are becoming an endangered species, and for the first time in the American-Made Index’s nine-year history, the list has fewer than 10 cars.

The Toyota Camry took the top spot this year, as 2014’s top vehicle — the Ford F-150 — fell below 75 percent in domestic-parts content with its 2015 model-year redesign. The Toyota Sienna, Honda Odyssey and Chevrolet Corvette return to the list alongside GM’s three-row crossovers: the Chevrolet Traverse, GMC Acadia and Buick Enclave. The Michigan-built SUVs were last on the AMI in 2013.

It’s not that automakers are slowing U.S. production. If anything, the opposite is true: Excluding heavy-duty trucks and commercial vehicles, automakers assemble 101 models in this country for the 2015 model year, from Chevrolet sedans to BMW SUVs. These cars combine for the vast majority of new-car sales, and U.S. production remains on the rise.

What is shrinking is the percent of overall domestic-parts content. Five years ago, 29 cars qualified for the America-Made Index. Today it’s fewer than 10. Consider the opposing paths of U.S. auto production versus so-called “homegrown” cars:

The complete article

https://www.yahoo.com/autos/toyota-camry-tops-ford-f-150-as-the-most-american-122790558077.html

Edited June 30, 2015 by martinfan5

[LDO]

Back in 1990, I bought a Nissan mini truck. A Japanese truck, assembled in Tennessee, with engine and trans made in Mexico. My aunt wanted to know why I didn't buy an American car. She had just bought a 1st gen Ford Probe. I asked "Why didn't YOU?". I had to show her the sticker in the door jamb that said "Built by Mazda for Ford".

[martinfan5]

Back in 1990, I bought a Nissan mini truck. A Japanese truck, assembled in Tennessee, with engine and trans made in Mexico. My aunt wanted to know why I didn't buy an American car. She had just bought a 1st gen Ford Probe. I asked "Why didn't YOU?". I had to show her the sticker in the door jamb that said "Built by Mazda for Ford".

Did they start building here to avoid the chicken tax ?

[jbwelda]

could it be that Nissan truck is still running fine while that Ford Probe was long ago rotted out and junked?

And it wasn't even a Toyota Tacoma.

jb

[1930fordpickup]

Back in 1990, I bought a Nissan mini truck. A Japanese truck, assembled in Tennessee, with engine and trans made in Mexico. My aunt wanted to know why I didn't buy an American car. She had just bought a 1st gen Ford Probe. I asked "Why didn't YOU?". I had to show her the sticker in the door jamb that said "Built by Mazda for Ford".

Built by Mazda In Flat Rock Michigan. The plant was a Ford foundry that closed then rebuilt and ran by Mazda to build both brands. Now it is ran by Ford and they only build Mustangs there.

[martinfan5]

could it be that Nissan truck is still running fine while that Ford Probe was long ago rotted out and junked?

And it wasn't even a Toyota Tacoma.

jb

I see a lot more Nissan's Hardbodys than I do Probes driving around

Edited June 30, 2015 by martinfan5

[xbazzarex]

just because the car is "made in america" does not make the design any better. toyota and honda are terribly boring cars and not even very good for the few things they can do. sure you can get 40mpg in your civic, i can get that if not more in my cruze(which is not a chevy car, it is a holden) without it looking like dog****. from my own experience with foreign cars from japan and korea specifically, reliability is a major issue. granted i drive my car like ive stolen it, but most other cars ive driven(american,german,Australian) hold up a hell of a lot better.

[Tom Geiger]

The Toyota Camry took the top spot this year, as 2014’s top vehicle

Important to say that Camry didn't take a top spot... it's merely the car with the most US content. That's what the article was about.

[StevenGuthmiller]

just because the car is "made in america" does not make the design any better. toyota and honda are terribly boring cars and not even very good for the few things they can do. sure you can get 40mpg in your civic, i can get that if not more in my cruze(which is not a chevy car, it is a holden) without it looking like dog****. from my own experience with foreign cars from japan and korea specifically, reliability is a major issue. granted i drive my car like ive stolen it, but most other cars ive driven(american,german,Australian) hold up a hell of a lot better.

That's got to be the first time I've ever heard anybody complain about reliability with the Japanese cars.

I've owned Buicks, Dodges, Mercurys, Mazdas & Hondas over the past 25 years. The only ones I've had zero trouble with are the Hondas.

My daughter drives a 2006 Honda CRV with nearly 300,000 miles on it. It still drives & handles like a new car.

I drive less than 5 year old Chevy Uplanders & full sized Chevy vans @ work. The Uplanders are massive pieces of garbage. No offense to any Chevy owners out there, just calling it how I see it.

I've gotten to the point where, in my family, we buy nothing but Hondas. Collectively, we own 4 Hondas & an Acura & I won't go back. I have a real distaste for fixing cars.

Steve

[rusty85]

just because the car is "made in america" does not make the design any better. toyota and honda are terribly boring cars and not even very good for the few things they can do. sure you can get 40mpg in your civic, i can get that if not more in my cruze(which is not a chevy car, it is a holden) without it looking like dog****. from my own experience with foreign cars from japan and korea specifically, reliability is a major issue. granted i drive my car like ive stolen it, but most other cars ive driven(american,german,Australian) hold up a hell of a lot better.

Your Cruze is not a Holden. They are a global model designed largely by Daewoo with some input from Opel. They are simply badged as Holdens in OZ.

Edited June 30, 2015 by rusty85

[jbwelda]

that's only the beginning of what that dude has wrong. Toyotas are "boring" and unreliable? I wonder what planet this dude is from, cause he sure aint here on earth.

yes reliability is a major issue. they are so reliable the issue is there are so many of them out there even after 300k miles. try that in your "Cruze" haha what a piece of junk.

funniest thing ive read all morning, but its early still.

jb

[Joe Handley]

My Sister's boyfriend typically drives the 20 year old Camry that his family owns, but has also had the suspension rebuilt on it twice in the time they've had it, and luckily doesn't have the V-6 that tended to sludge up and fail on owners, that Toyota usually blamed on said owners, even if there were maintenence records showing regular oil changes.

[jbwelda]

>the V-6 that tended to sludge up and fail on owners, that Toyota usually blamed on said owners,

>even if there were maintenence records showing regular oil changes

I never had a problem like that with Toyota V6 even though the 3.0 (I think it was) has a reputation for only lasting 200k or so then it needs a valve job.

these "regular oil changes"...every 10,000 miles whether it needed it or not?

I change the oil in all my vehicles every 3k and its never even turned black so I kind of doubt the engines "sludge up".

now the small block chevy I was foolish enough to put in my land cruiser...what a hunk of boat anchor. 8mpg, premium required, about max and the 3.4 v6 in my Tacoma runs circles around it on regular gas and never fails to deliver < 20 mpg, and that's with about 150k on the clock.

Toyota: oh what a feeling

jb

[rusty85]

I will say I was stung by my 06 civic. Had the engine block crack at right around 40k. Which was apparently down to a casting flaw from the engine plant that affected a considerable number of 1.6l engines. Honda at least replaced the engine free of charge. Ended up trading it in last year in part for a bigger vehicle but also because the electrical system was on its way to going tango uniform.

[Quick GMC]

I have an 06 GMC Sierra. I just drove a friend's F-140 FX4. Other than the smooth suspension, I was pretty let down by the rest of the truck. Turning radius is the same as mine, interior space is about the same with the truck being MUCH larger than mine. The F-150 was a $50k truck.

I am honestly thinking about buying a beater truck and restoring my 06 for a fraction of the cost of buying a new truck . I would like to build a new engine for it and fix the little interior issues and new suspension. Trucks are outrageously expensive these days.

[StevenGuthmiller]

Just a little list of issues with my non-Honda vehicles over the years.

All started at less than 35,000 miles on brand new vehicles except the Buick which I bought used.

1987 Buick Century;

Bought it with 70,000 miles on it, lasted me about 10,000 before I found water in the oil.....Goodbye.

2000 Mercury Moutaineer Monterey;

Aside from from the Firestone tire recall, at about 8,000 miles the main computer had to be replaced. When I found it was leaking oil all over my garage floor @ 30,000 miles......Goodbye.

2003 Dodge Ram pickup;

I really liked this truck! It had gobs of power with the Hemi, & with 4 wheel drive, it would go through anything. But it also began rusting in the first year, & with the price of fuel rising so much at the time, plus the fact that the power steering pump was shot & the front wheel bearings were going.....Goodbye

I've had several Mazda pickups over the years & always seemed to have much better luck with the non-Ford ones. The '87 extended cab was one of the best vehicles I ever owned!

Other than that, probably more than a dozen Hondas, all of which have rarely seen a shop.

Steve

[martinfan5]

just because the car is "made in america" does not make the design any better. toyota and honda are terribly boring cars and not even very good for the few things they can do. sure you can get 40mpg in your civic, i can get that if not more in my cruze(which is not a chevy car, it is a holden) without it looking like dog****. from my own experience with foreign cars from japan and korea specifically, reliability is a major issue. granted i drive my car like ive stolen it, but most other cars ive driven(american,german,Australian) hold up a hell of a lot better.

Yeah, and my 2001 Nissan Maxima with 310,000 on the OD with OEM drive train begs to differ what that.

[martinfan5]

Important to say that Camry didn't take a top spot... it's merely the car with the most US content. That's what the article was about.

But, infact it did take the top spot, its at the top of the list with the most domestic content used.

Edited July 1, 2015 by martinfan5

[Longbox55]

just because the car is "made in america" does not make the design any better. toyota and honda are terribly boring cars and not even very good for the few things they can do. sure you can get 40mpg in your civic, i can get that if not more in my cruze(which is not a chevy car, it is a holden) without it looking like dog****. from my own experience with foreign cars from japan and korea specifically, reliability is a major issue. granted i drive my car like ive stolen it, but most other cars ive driven(american,german,Australian) hold up a hell of a lot better.

The sheer numbers of them I've serviced over the years and the types of repairs done to them disagrees with your statement about the Japanese and Korean cars quality.