I'm pretty sure that Canada can produce a decent auto.

I have a diesel VW which are German, but technically North American whereas they are built in Puebla, Mexico. I'd buy another one if it was available; diesel only.
Before that i had a 91 Honda Accord wagon with 220,000 miles that wouldn't die. The Mightyone. It was made in Ohio.
Give me a diesel hybrid Honda that runs on algae biodiesel, all of which made in the USA!!

I'm in the construction industry. Industrial, as in Blast Furnaces in Steel Mills. Not the stereotypical poster I suppose. Yes we're people too. And to us, economics and green issues are linked. We care enough to do things, we are driven by economic incentive, but as a mid sized company we can not employ tech that will put us out of business.

But we buy American Vehicles exclusively. Not because of some nationalist ideal (though it helps our image for the union members to see the brands), but because until recently they were the only companies that made vehicles suitable to our needs.

We have an odd 100 pickups, not counting large vehicles. can't haul a sand pot or a welding rig on an Escape Hybrid. We need an F-350. The Diesels make a huge difference in our fuel consumption when towing. I have an expedition as a company vehicle, both to haul and to accommodate customers. I can't do those things in a focus.

Large trucks have a valuable contribution to the economy on the road, but people somewhere forgot the F series trucks and similar are utility vehicles, they are not daily drivers. The people who stopped buying Ford and GM trucks should not have been buying them in the first place.

My point is, this will not be changing my buying habits at all. I buy maybe 10 pickups a year of varying sizes.

I'm looking forward to trying the V6 turbos when they come out, because they don't make diesels in the 150 and 250 sizes. But I can't be motivated by how a car company makes me feel. I am motivated by what my company NEEDS, and... it won't change no matter how small the vehicles they make get.

When they are fun to drive and fuel efficient.

I will always buy North American because it is one of the last manufacturing institutions Americans can hold onto. A healthy American auto industry equals a healthy America.

If by "get it right" you also mean shifting more production back to domestic factories and hiring more American workers in addition to building more fuel efficient and/or electric cars, then yes.

I'm definitely interested in the GM Volt. I don't like any Ford cars though. Never have. I don't see myself ever buying a ford unless they release something new and innovative.

They've still got to deal with their legacy of poorly made cars. Even modern cars from GM are being panned as feeling cheap.

I won't be buying a car for another couple years, so we'll see what's out then. But as it is now, I'm not interested in any cars from US manufacturers. Not even the Volt, since I live in the city and have no way of plugging it in every night.

Since many Japanese cars are built in the US these days, who am I helping by choosing American cars instead? Perhaps American CEOs. Frankly, I don't care one way or the other about the "brand", except I think the big three exploited American consumers by neglecting R&D to improve quality of their cars in the last two decades. The Japanese did it right, and they are now reaping the rewards. Whats wrong with that? In complete fairness, I think they deserve it. It reminds me of the ant and grasshopper story more and more.

I hope my stuff holds together until I can get a Volt.
vsk

I really want an early '60s MG B as a project car. They are sporty and can be fuel efficient (4 cylinder, with the proper tuning), handle great, and are fast and fun to drive.

American manufacturers just don't get it. From quality of workmanship and materials to fit and finish, they lag far behind the leaders.

I'm not saying it's impossible for them to step up, and meet the challenge, but the Hondas and the Toyotas are resting on decades of experience and reliability that has done nothing but increase consumer trust and loyalty. It's going to be a very hard habit to break.

I always push to buy american, but I'm not going to buy a vastly inferior product.

I voted for the streetcars, although I would buy some kind of car that fits my family of 5, with 3 boys over 6', and gets more than 40 MPG. Except it will always only be available in Japan and Europe. I have finally decided to buy the first 4 person full electric that comes out, and then keep my '91 volvo station wagon running untill the car makers make a car for the eco mom. Read Unbra Fisk's column that touches on this, here:
http://www2.grist.org/advice/ask/2008/08/25/index.html

I do think we need to get beyond the idea of driving everywhere, especially the 40% of car trips that are under 2 miles. That's about 10 minutes on a bike, by the time you park your car, driving would take longer.

I would gladly purchase Ford as I've been a devoted Ford fan for many years. But only if they seriously put an effort into something eco-conscience and fiscally conscience. I had to switch to a used 2004 mustang just before Katrina hit because I had been driving a 1978 and 1983 bronco to work. But even the mustang only gets 21 mpg. I'd prefer to stick with Ford, but I will be forced to buy my first foreign vehicle if they don't start making some changes.

I'm holding out for an electric that can match/better my Saturn. I'd also like to see "American" car companies actually using more American-made parts. Getting most of your parts imported, then assembling the vehicle in the states...doesn't count in my opinion.

Love Honda, maybe Toyota, if a car is really built well maybe i would consider Ford.

I'd far prefer a domestic automobile, but I WILL buy from overseas / other North American countries if the domestics don't cut it. My next new car will be something that could compete well in the Automotive X-Prize. I don't see GM, Ford and more especially Chrysler stepping up to the plate. (The much anticipated Volt's 1.4 liter engine is only being designed to keep the car going when the batteries are getting low. How little extra would it take to cycle it on and off to RECHARGE the batteries while driving!) But, they're too busy lobbying for lower fuel economy standards.

Nick, I really appreciated your comments about how pickup trucks were developed for and meant to be used in construction, farming, and other heavy-duty purposes.

I hope we can all get back to that reasonable way of thinking. When I see that small suburban families think they "need" SUVs and pickups to get the groceries, or to drop their kids off at soccer...it makes me feel like giving up. If those people would start using vehicles that are genuinely appropriate to the task -- that means small cars designed to transport two to four people and maybe up to 200 lbs. of stuff -- things would be better.

Reserve the pickups and other such vehicles for those people who actually make their living doing heavy-duty jobs, and who need the right equipment to do them. For the do-it-yourself set who might be doing a once-or-twice-in-a-lifetime reno: rent a truck for the time you're actually going to need it for that job.

My Subaru was made in Indiana, so I'm not sure what you mean by North American car.

I was on the Honda lot waiting for service, and wandered around killing time. I had a hard time finding a car NOT made in the USA (the hybrids were made in Japan, and not many on the lot, and a few made in the UK-very few)

Just an observation: The newer Japanese car factories are mostly in the non-union South and offer 401k's, and the US automakers are mainly in the Northern unionized states and have years of pension and medical obligations.

Makes one wonder if this is a sign of the times for unions.

#1: If I were in the market for a car, I wouldn't care about where it was made. That's at the bottom of our priority list. If American manufacturers can't give me what I need, then they deserve to lose my business. That's how America works, right? Or are you asking me to be some kind of a Communist and demand that I make sacrifices for the greater good?

#2: We don't have a car. And because we're serious about reducing our household GHG emissions, we're not going to get one that will increase our emissions, regardless of how low those emissions are. As such, we're still waiting for an electric. The iMiEV is still a couple of years away, and that looks like the only candidate so far.

no matter what I'll get a Volvo, or should that fail a Saab, course seeing as Volvo is... some... strange related member of the american company starting with f due to some strange connection I guess I would be buying one -.-

Judie,
Just to clarify...The Volt is an electric car with a InternalCombustionEngine used ONLY as a generator to charge the batteries after the stored energy is used.
The electric motor is the only thing driving the wheels.

small diesel regenertive braking/or hybird pu/crossover/van
sedan almost as good as my tdi vw i would by 2 today.
my 2001 tdi has 391000 on it and the upholstery is gettig bad

I used to be a ford fan, my first new car was a ford. My problem is their lack of service, once they get your money you're on your own. My next car was a nissan and it had problems and they fixed them no questions asked. A car is a complex machine and I can understand some things won't be perfect but their lack of commitment really hurts in the long run.

I'm not against US brands only because of fuel efficiency- it's a quality issue. Every US car that I've been unfortunate enough to drive has been a piece of dung and has cost it's owners WAY too much to maintain. Unless they manage to make a quality come back like the Kia did while also improving their efficiency and design, I'll never own one.

I will never buy an American car, especially a Ford. The big 3 don't stand behind their cars like Toyota does. My mom had a Focus and it was worthless after 8 years, her ignition lock broke (common Ford problem) and it cost her $500 to fix, Ford did not respond to my letters.

My wife had an Explorer and it was reliable but worthless after 9 years. We also bought a F-150 a few years ago and it's OK so far, resale value is terrible as usual. I use it for a lot of recycling so I think it is carbon neutral BTW.

I had a Toyota Tacoma and they sent me a letter 8 years later saying that there were corrosion problems and they would fix it up until 3-4 years after I got this letter. That is standing by your product.

Priuses and Insights sometimes sell for MORE than what they originally cost and the quality is top notch. The big 3 cannot make a quality car anymore.

The irony is that Toyotas have a higher percentage of car parts made in America then a lot of Big 3 cars, so the whole buy America thing is moot too.

I already own a Ford. I quite like my 2005 PZEV Focus. Mileage isn't as good as a hybrid, but it's still pretty good. And aside from CO2, it's very clean. (It puts out less smog-forming crap [nitrogen compounds, particulates, etc.] than normal cars.)

GM does have it right, it is called a Corvette.

Pete