Tomeygun said:
I had heard that paint used on the truck make in MX was oil based.
Paint used in the US is water based due to EPA... .
A couple senior reps of dodge told me the oil based paint is better.
Then again, I could be mis-informed
OK, I'll toss in my 10 cents worth here ( 5 x $. 02)
I have worked in manufacturing (aerospace to industrial to consumer products and back to aerospace) for the last 20+ years. I have worked internationally (UK, Canada, Mexico), and have started production facilities in Mexico and the US. First of all, the environmental laws in most of the free trade zone (i. e. Maquiladoras) are as strict as California these days. There are violators (and still a little corruption), but the Mexican government is really trying to clean up their country.
Secondly, there will not be an escape from the global economy anymore because there is so much foreign ownership in american companies these days. The reverse is also true. And it's not always a bad thing. Ford owns Volvo, and with that company, they have been able to leverage a lot of Volvo's safety initiatives into the Ford brand label. Safer cars are bad? Daimler (Benz) has provided a lot of parts to the Dodge and Chrysler brands (i. e. the Crossfire). Does anyone doubt the quality and craftsmanship of Mercedes? Who here remembers the Taurus SHO? For it's time, it was a pretty amazing car. The engine was designed by Yamaha, and built by Mercury Marine.
I am currently working for a small aircraft manufacturer here in the US. We are a wholely owned American company. Our supplier's are in countries like Japan, Canada, the UK, Italy, France, Spain, Chile, and the US. Many of our suppliers are partnering with us as our production ramp increases to build alongside our factory (a la the Japanese). Now if a Japanese company employs americans to build parts in the USA, is it still a Japanese company? Yes, but the americans still benefit from jobs, tax base, the supplier economy improves, but what about local housing, food, and shopping. They also see benefit. There are many americans working abroad (ex-pats) who are earning american salaries, but are living and spending money in foreign economies.
If we become strict isolationists, I fear our own economy will unravel, too.
So, back to the orginal statement, it's really more important, IMHO, that we pay attention to the things (all the things) that benefit us as a country, and not get too hung up on labels.
BTW, I really love my cummins...
Juan