Re: [Amc-list] DUH! Re: 64 Ambassador 990!

[Frank Swygert <farna@xxxxxxx>]

Arfon, I have to agree with all but the statement I quoted below, plus add that the maintenance and extra gas for a well kept Rambler will be much less than payments on the Accord. Yeah, you use twice as much gas (with conservative driving -- a bit more than twice as much with the 327/4V model), which doesn't do much for dependence on foreign oil, but money wise you still come out cheaper. 

The Accord body is made in the US, along with many of the body and some engine components. The main engine (long block) and transmission are made in Japan, but hardly 95% foreign made -- more realistically about 25-30% foreign made. I know some money gets shuffled back to Japan, but at least Americans have jobs assembling the cars. It' not as good as buying American, but it's better than 100% imported cars. 

American cars are pretty much as good as Japanese now, at least certain models are, but most Americans don't trust the US makers any more. Resale value is better on Hondas and such mainly because there aren't as many over here as there are Fords and Chevys of similar size. When I was stationed in Japan Hondas and such were like Chevys and Fords over here, and resale value sucked! Great deals on used ones because they were everywhere. If you plan on driving a car a long time, and get it for a much better price to begin with, resale value is meaningless. Pay $30K for a new Honda vs. $25K for a comparable US make. The Honda has better resale value, but the best you will do is make up for the extra $5K it cost you. In other words, to the buyer it's a wash at best, but they did get to make higher payments and pay more taxes on the more expensive car. 

-------------
Date: Thu, 01 May 2008 19:32:27 -0500
From: A Griffiths <arfonrg@xxxxxxxxxxxx>

Well, with a new accord,
    
    - Also, by buying that American ASSEMBLED accord, you are keeping 
thousands of foreigners in jobs making the 95% foreign content of the car.

-- 
Frank Swygert
Publisher, "American Motors Cars" 
Magazine (AMC)
For all AMC enthusiasts
http://farna.home.att.net/AMC.html
(free download available!)

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