Drive America
Lindsay Machak
Jul 30, 2008
Being from the Motorcity, I pay a lot of attention to cars. Since coming to Richmond, I’ve made observations while I have been here and I’ve come to the conclusion that being brand-loyal doesn’t seem like a big thing here. As I drive down the streets and when I’m in parking lots I see a lot of Hondas. I drive a Chevy and it’s second nature for me to pay attention to who is driving what kind of car. Now yes, I understand that in Detroit there are many factory workers and families that are auto-related so many people there would naturally have American-made cars. But isn’t it important to Richmond to drive American?
Maybe you haven’t noticed “patriotic” cars in Richmond because Richmonders realize that “buying American” doesn’t mean anything anymore. Honda’s best sellers come from plants in Ohio while Ford imports cars from Mexico. Toyota opened a plant in Texas this year while Chrysler brought in cars from Europe. Honda opened its plant in the United States in Marysville some 25 years ago.
Even the argument that buying American supports American jobs is moot. Honda makes cars in Ohio and Alabama out of parts produced. Honda may be a Japanese brand, but it makes cars in Ohio, where it employs more than 15,000 workers.
You should read up:
http://blog.cleveland.com/business/2007/12/buy_american_no_longer_black_a.html
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=950DE1DF1E3DF933A15755C0A96F948260
Julie of Richmond
Jul. 31, 2008 at 06:51 PM
Yeah, in my visits to the MidWest, especially Detroit, I’ve noticed that the large majority of cars are Fords, Chevys or Chrysler products. I agree with your observation that people here, and probably much of the rest of America, don’t have that same made in America loyalty about cars.
AndyT of richmond
Jul. 30, 2008 at 04:29 PM
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