MoPars - Made in USA - interesting story

[odcics2]

Interesting... When you factor in things like where the profits go, where it's engineered, etc. the score card gets realistic.




Mopars rank high in "Made in USA" index

Posted on June 27th, 2013 • by Bill Cawthon

Description: Avenger-MostAmerican-Web

Recently, much media attention has been focused on the Cars.com "American-Made Index" which had the Ford F-150′s "out-Americaning" the Toyota Camry based on domestic content. This is an important bragging point because "Buy American" has long been a watch phrase for many in the U.S. Whether it's patriotism or concern for the economy, these buyers want to buy a real American car or truck.

The problem is determining which vehicles are American.

In an effort to help consumers, every light vehicle contains somewhere on the Monroney Label (the "window sticker") a domestic content statement that has been required by the American Automobile Labeling Act (AALA) since 1994. The label must contain:

1. The percentage U.S./Canadian equipment (parts) content;
2. The names of any countries other than the U.S. and Canada which individually contribute 15 percent or more of the equipment content, and the percentage content for each such country (a maximum of two countries);
3. The final assembly point by city and state (where appropriate), and country;
4. The country of origin of the engine;
5. The country of origin of the transmission; and
6. A statement which explains that parts content does not include final assembly (except the engine and transmission), distribution, or other non-parts costs.

However, the standards used by the American Automobile Labeling Act have a lot of wiggle room. For one thing, Canada is counted as what amounts to a 51st state in that Canadian assembly is counted the same as assembly in a plant located in the U.S. In addition, the AALA rating covers an entire car line, so even vehicles not made in the U.S. still count as domestic vehicles.

Associate Professor Frank DuBois is an expert in supply chain management who teaches at the American University's Kogod School of Business. Recognizing the limitations of the AALA standards, he created a formula that more accurately describes what is and what is not an "American car." According to DuBois, the Kogod Made in America Auto Index is a better measure of a vehicle's nationality.

According to DuBois, the Made in America Auto Index "gives consumers more knowledge, and knowledge is power."

The Kogod Made in America Auto Index includes the following factors:

    Profit Margin: Where the profits go. In other words, where is the automaker's global headquarters?
    Labor:> Where the vehicle is assembled.
    Research and Development
    Inventory, Capital, and Other Expenses: Location of assembly where the money is spent.
    Engine and Transmission: Location of production
    Body, Interior, Chassis, Electrical, and Other: Location of production
    National Highway Traffic Safety Administration AALA "Domestic Content" Score

Based on the Made in America list, neither the Ford F-150 nor the Toyota Camry is No.1. That honor goes to a three-way tie between the GMC Acadia, Buick Enclave and Chevrolet Traverse.

However, at No. 2 we find the Dodge Avenger, the most "American" car available, tied with the Ford F-150. The Avenger was third on the Cars.com list and was the only Chrysler Group vehicle included. At No. 3 on the Kogod Made in America Auto Index is the Chrysler 200 followed by a three-way tie for fourth wiht the Jeep Wrangler, Compass and Patriot. At the No. 6 spot, it's a three-way tie between the Dodge Durango, Jeep Grand Cherokee and Ram 1500 pickup.

Chrysler Group was second only to General Motors in the number of vehicles that can be counted as American-made by the more rigorous standards: Ford had just three, the F-150, Mustang and Taurus.

And the Camry? One of six vehicles tied for twelfth place.   

[Scaregrabber]

This is a big deal, I wish more people had enough foresight to care about this stuff.

Sheldon

[TUFCAT]

This is a big deal, I wish more people had enough foresight to care about this stuff.

Sheldon

I AGREE! 

[Ghoste]

Me too!

[Mopar Nut]

Me three!

[Mike DC]

                       
I'd like to see this cross-indexed to the quality ratings of the various cars.  It would be an interesting conversation IMHO no matter what the results turned out to be.  

 

[odcics2]

I'd like to see it cross indexed to total job losses across the US over the past
40 years and how much damage to the working class has occurred. 

[bull]

This is a big deal, I wish more people had enough foresight to care about this stuff.

Sheldon

I AGREE! 

I think they do care but like in so many other venues the information is controlled. Cars.com is what the media pays attention to so now it's the standard. Anything else will be looked at with suspicion and assumed to have an agenda.

[Ghoste]

Sadly everything has an agenda including the media who  are suspicious of agendas.

[1974dodgecharger]

Sadly everything has an agenda including the media who  are suspicious of agendas.

I'm sure the report has an agenda also.  My college roofless or always told me 'u can make a report/research say anything u want it just varies how much money is thrown at the report'

That's why one research will say one thing and 2 years later a research will say opposite.

[odcics2]

Sadly everything has an agenda including the media who  are suspicious of agendas.

I'm sure the report has an agenda also.  My college roofless or always told me 'u can make a report/research say anything u want it just varies how much money is thrown at the report'

That's why one research will say one thing and 2 years later a research will say opposite.

I only believe the Pro American results!          

[TUFCAT]

I only believe the Pro American results!          

[Ghoste]

Me too.

[Cooter]

 Nothing is made actually in the USA anymore. Until the buying public begins to care about this, profits will overshadow patriotism.

[odcics2]

Nothing is made actually in the USA anymore. Until the buying public begins to care about this, profits will overshadow patriotism.

I guess the Ram trucks coming out of the plant in Warren, MI  don't count?
Or the 200s and Avengers from the Sterling Heights, MI plant...   

[hatersaurusrex]

I wonder if that index counted Chrysler or Fiat in the the 'Global Headquarters' ranking, which is apparently the most heavily weighted.   I'd say they counted Chrysler instead of Turin, Italy.

Mopars are foreign cars by that standard alone.   I bought a 98 Dakota just before Daimler took over and haven't bought a new one since.  Switched back to Ferd after that.

[Ghoste]

Right or wrong, I still keep supporting Chrysler. My choice.

[1974dodgecharger]

Nothing is made actually in the USA anymore. Until the buying public begins to care about this, profits will overshadow patriotism.

I guess the Ram trucks coming out of the plant in Warren, MI  don't count?
Or the 200s and Avengers from the Sterling Heights, MI plant...   

If thats the case then my honda was made in the U.S.A also by american workers in a plant in Alabama also my toyota truck which has a plant in Austin I believe was made by American workers also 

[TUFCAT]

Nothing is made actually in the USA anymore. Until the buying public begins to care about this, profits will overshadow patriotism.

Cooter was made in the USA....and still we suffer.

[odcics2]

I wonder if that index counted Chrysler or Fiat in the the 'Global Headquarters' ranking, which is apparently the most heavily weighted.   I'd say they counted Chrysler instead of Turin, Italy.

Mopars are foreign cars by that standard alone.   I bought a 98 Dakota just before Daimler took over and haven't bought a new one since.  Switched back to Ferd after that.

You missed a chance to buy a MoPar when Cerberus owned them!  (100% New York based)

Also - at this time - Chrysler is based in the US - incorporated in Delaware.  AND - in the future, it really appears the combined companies will be based HERE, mostly for financial reasons.

Petty came back to MoPar in 1970, you can too. 

(yeah - he's with Ford now. But check the latest sales figures - Dodge is up WITHOUT being in Nascar, imagine that.)

[JB400]

Too bad they don't put an percentage on the sales sticker to tell exactly the percentage of parts made in the U.S. that are on the vehicle.  The only bad thing thing is most of the replacement parts are made in China and Indonesia.

[areibel]

Right or wrong, I still keep supporting Chrysler. My choice.

Amen!

And Cerebus, they had no real intent of building cars.  Whenever you hear "investment capitol" they're not in it to make money by running a business- they're there to gut it out and squeeze every last buck out of it that they can.  CHrysler almost got it ( how about Ram trucks built by Hundai?  Toyota Challengers?), but there have been lots of others- Hostess via court order, RJR/Nabisco, etc..

[Tilar]

Nothing is made actually in the USA anymore. Until the buying public begins to care about this, profits will overshadow patriotism.

This reminds me, When I was driving truck I had a load of rolls of cloth and leather material going to Laredo Texas and then on to Mexico. They sent the material to Mexico, they sewed them into seat covers and then ship it all back to be put together. He said that particular load would end up at a GM plant when they were done.