Lets see your tow rig!

[buergday 0]

My tow rig - '04 Titan

[Spud 7]

New Tundra, does quite well.

[h20king 794]

nice rigs but you would not catch me dead in one of those things i work UNION so i will allways buy American geuss im old school.

[LakeSurfer 10]

I am sure I will catch crap for this, but

 

The Tundra is made in the great state of Texas (San Antonio, TX) by Americans the last time I checked. To be honest, I am really tired of the "buy American" when it comes to autos. Reality is that most cars (including "American") bought in the US use a combination of US/foreign labor and parts.

 

For example,

(1)

The "American" Ford Fusion contains just 30-percent U.S./Canadian content, whereas the competing "Japanese" Honda Accord contains 70 percent, Nissan Altima 65 percent and Toyota Camry 80 percent.

 

(2)

Cadillac Escalade/ ChevyGMC Tahoe or Surburban

U.S.-Canadian content: 62%

 

Ford F150

U.S.-Canadian content: 75%

 

Toyota Tundra

U.S.-Canadian content: 80%

 

 

Spud - Great looking truck

 

Edit: Added Ford F150

Edited February 2, 2010 by LakeSurfer

[h20king 794]

You will not catch crap from me you live in texas one of those right to work anti union states with wages well below the rest of the nation.You would not catch me dead working there either.I see $42 an hour on the check the same work in texas pays half that.The wife and I are both union journeyman pipe fitters so we chose to buy american like i said nice rigs just not for me

[elc 2]

The buy American thing is hilarious - this reminds me of my grandfathers school of thought. My Tahoe and Tundra were both built in the USA. IMO Both are about equal quality.

 

The new Tundra's are awesome trucks and tow substantially better then my Tahoe. But the Tahoe is a great people mover and I am willing to sacrifice the lack of towing power up long grades, for the comfort.

[buergday 0]

BTW - my Titan was built in the USA too...and it tows a hell of a lot better than my old Expedition...and has not been in the shop once in 6 years **knocks on wood**

[Spud 7]

Don't hate... Toyota employs thousands of Americans, Big 3 ?... Plants in Mexico? I'm a union guy too. I love my dad's duramax and my brother in law's cummings, I love my truck too. experiencing a Lemon sucks !!

 

 

BTW- Buergday, that is one of the best looking Titans I have seen.

[Spud 7]

I am sure I will catch crap for this, but

 

The Tundra is made in the great state of Texas (San Antonio, TX) by Americans the last time I checked. To be honest, I am really tired of the "buy American" when it comes to autos. Reality is that most cars (including "American") bought in the US use a combination of US/foreign labor and parts.

 

For example,

(1)

The "American" Ford Fusion contains just 30-percent U.S./Canadian content, whereas the competing "Japanese" Honda Accord contains 70 percent, Nissan Altima 65 percent and Toyota Camry 80 percent.

 

(2)

Cadillac Escalade/ ChevyGMC Tahoe or Surburban

U.S.-Canadian content: 62%

 

Ford F150

U.S.-Canadian content: 75%

 

Toyota Tundra

U.S.-Canadian content: 80%

 

 

Spud - Great looking truck

 

Edit: Added Ford F150

 

Well said...

 

I believe you forgot to mention Ford's Mexico plants... jobs taken from Americans, people just watch the news.

 

Oh yeah - disclaimer : My wife is Mexican.

Edited February 2, 2010 by Spud

[MANDC 0]

Unions IMO- at least on the auto manufacturing side are one of the main reasons of skyrocketing costs of vehicles. In ohio Navistar is all but out of business- Why- because you have guys that were making over 100,000 dollars a year to make trucks. That same guy may not be able to sweep the floor in front of the office because its not in his union contract. Manual labor 100,000 dollars a year- gimme a break.

 

Dont get me wrong. If you are a member of a union great. Back in the 70's they served a good purpose in protecting our workers. Today they a major contributor for manufacturing costs to either skyrocket or leave the country all together.

[Kyle 0]

You will not catch crap from me you live in texas one of those right to work anti union states with wages well below the rest of the nation.You would not catch me dead working there either.I see $42 an hour on the check the same work in texas pays half that.The wife and I are both union journeyman pipe fitters so we chose to buy american like i said nice rigs just not for me

 

It's not what you make, but what you spend.

Texas may have lower wages in certain fields, certainly not accros the board. But the cost of living is substantially lower as well. Average cost per sq. foot is 28.6% lower than the national average according to the Dallas Area Chamber, this in addition to the fact that we don't have a state income tax.

Don't get me wrong, I'd love to make more than I do, but I have a million dollar home (by California standards, lol), the wife drives a sports car, I have my Chevy Avylanche, got a boat, and don't owe anyone a dime on anything else. I think its pretty good here.

[enzo101mo 98]

I know we are getting off the subject but, My dad was a Union Plumber for 35 years I became a Pipefitter to back in late 70s. Back then everything was almost union. For those who weren't union the union pay scale kept wages going up for them too. Back when Ronald Regan killed the air tracffic controlers union in 1981 the unions started to fall. I started my own General Contracting business in 1988 and have seen wages in construction fall back or go up every slowly. That's even for union workers scale too. I was making 21.83/ hr plus benifits in 1987, the average construction worker non union is not even making that today. Unions you had health benifits for your family and this is one of the largest things today that employers can't afford for their employees. If you read the history books going back to the 1920s depression the communist party preaching in big cities and labor conditions where so bad there where sweat shops and no benifits. That's when the Union were born. See what's happening the cost of living has gone up and the wages are not.

 

I wrote to GM about how can a new 2009 tahoe be $48,000.00 and back when I bought my 2001 tahoe with the same equipment was only $28,000.00 How do the justify the big jump in eight years?

 

So guys enjoy your new trucks I think it's great and it keep people employed no matter where or whom there working for.

[h20king 794]

mandc gimme a break$ 100.000 a year for skilled manual labor f**k yeah I had to go to school for five years pluss do on the job training I have to be licencsed through the state and have do 28 hrs follow up training evrey year on top of maintaining my weld certs evrey 90 days so $100.000 a year plus for skilled manual labor you bet. kyle i understand property is much cheaper in texas my sister lives in dallas I would love to live somewhere with more sun but i would starve in texas.our state income tax is not that bad as we have no salse tax.Man you guys get wound up all i said was nice rig just not for me.

[Spud 7]

20" rims + $5,000

 

Navi + $3,000

 

Floor Mats + $200

 

Pleather seats + $2,000

 

All foreign products right? Maybe not the rims...

[h20king 794]

man let it go and buy the way they are 24" rims

[Spud 7]

Just havin fun man.

[Top 0]

My old truck that just keeps going!

 

[Kyle 0]

mandc gimme a break$ 100.000 a year for skilled manual labor f**k yeah I had to go to school for five years pluss do on the job training I have to be licencsed through the state and have do 28 hrs follow up training evrey year on top of maintaining my weld certs evrey 90 days so $100.000 a year plus for skilled manual labor you bet. kyle i understand property is much cheaper in texas my sister lives in dallas I would love to live somewhere with more sun but i would starve in texas.our state income tax is not that bad as we have no salse tax.Man you guys get wound up all i said was nice rig just not for me.

 

I got no problem with anyone making 100k. one reason why you'd probably starve here has to do with illegal aliens. They come up from Mexico in groups, you'll have 5-6 breadwinners sharing an apartment, which they get the govt to pay for, they all share a car, and send all they make back to mexico for their families. by doing this they can swoop in and undercut a true local who has a house pmt, cars, and other overhead. I end up working with a lot of these guys, I've built cabinets, countertops, and done general contracting. I couldn't afford to compete with them though. I got me a good governmet job now.

 

..oh one more thing, a freakin tundra was more expensive than my crew cab duramax. unbelievable.

Mac is out and off my soapbox, sorry for the rant think i'll drink a beer.

[h20king 794]

I feel you Kyle the illegal problem is bad here also up untill last year thy could get a drivers licence here without showing proof of citizenship.I am thankfull though that they dont have the skills or the money to do my work.Most of my work is done at intell designing and fabricating high purity pipe systems for new tools.And im also with you on the price of the tundra they cost more than i paid for my truck.I got a smoking deal though sticker was $42,000 and I paid $28,000 and yes it was brand new not used

[trane29 0]

I like Toyota. I have a Sequoia myself. I had a 2002 GMC Yukon, went to back the boat up in the yard and the rear wheels spinned. So I reached over and pushed my 4 wd button and the rear wheels still spinned. Turns out the front axle actuator had gone out. Traded it on a Toyota Sequoia. We have had some more than usual snow this winter and I've had it in 4wd many times and it worked every time.

Dont get me wrong I'm not anti american, but I am for getting a good product.