As a young, punk kid; I worked in the auto industry in Michigan for about 18 months.
With the auto industry being what it was in Michigan; and the role it still plays today, I still watch this business sector to guage other things related to investing overall.
There has been for many years, a given amount of content overlap among the big 3 auto companies from years past; with some vendor parts being shared. Today? Well, we know this mix is now endless as to content and where a part may actually have been given birth. I purchased an AC/Delco repair part a few years ago, that had previously been made at a hugh Michigan facility (since leveled to the ground several years ago) and the country of origin was Slovenia.
By choice of vehicle type for our house, several of our vehicles over the years have been built in Canada; about 1 hour drive away.
We would joke that our car or van was indeed foreign built, by the fine workers of Canada.
One current vehicle, a Chrysler 300, is assembled in Canada; with parts from many places, including a much refined V-6 motor from Michigan and an amazing 9 speed transmission, that at the time (2012) was provided by Audi, of Germany. The transmissions, if I recall properly, are now being built in Michigan. A side note: this car, at 60 mph, flat expressway and little headwind obtains 38 mpg.
Anyway, another potential mix of product in the below link.
My Chrysler/Fiat/Volkwagen/Canadian/ ? / vehicleRegards,
Catch
Comments
Johnson Controls, Borg Warner, etc make all these car parts. It's amazing where they are all made. I had a Mitsubishi with a battery made in Guam of all places.
No wonder cars all look the same anymore.
Sales people will tell you ANYTHING. Guess what? There IS no spare. There is a gizmo that looks like it attaches to your flat tire to give it air enough to get somewhere for help. The automakers are cutting all sorts of corners. And it's TOO fancy in all the wrong ways----- according to this old Luddite.
The Ford "Jag"......was a "duh"???
That overpriced auto looked more like a Ford Taurus in the end.
A side note to another thought that popped into my head is the VW, Routan, mini-van.
This van was built by Chrysler for VW with a few changes to trim, healdlights, etc.
The van was produced from 2008-2013. I see them periodically on the roads in Michigan. But, it idefinitely is not a German built, VW product.
Take care,
Catch
BTW Catch, Saw a beautiful '68 Plymouth Roadrunner (dark green) at a auto show recently. Does that bring back some memories! Nice wheels for cruising Woodward back in the go-go years. Right?
Not only does Hertz and the rest charge high rates for so called full sized cars, they put a hold on your credit card. The amount varies but $200-300 is common. Now multiply that by the number if rentals they do that day worldwide and that amounts to a healthy sum. It's free money for them as they use it as a float. Same thing applies if you apply for a refund. It might take a couple of weeks or so before the money shows up in your account.
A lot of companies do this so I'm not singling out car rental companies.
Remember when chrome was a process and not a paint coating on plastic?
Edit PS: I read that James Garner passed away. He drove a Pontiac Firebird on the Rockford Files.
-Up 34% for 1 yr