I'm so sad! We have to sell our Honda Odyssey..

[Peggy in Ks]

My dh took a new job in Nov. and took about a $15,000 pay cut. We can't afford our van anymore, unless I go to work full time. I didn't think I would mind this much, but I'm going to miss the roominess (it seats 8), and the large cargo area.
The good thing is, my dh brother is going to buy it, and we are going to buy his older van.
It worth the sacrifice so I can stay home.
Peggy

[Jackie in AR]

I'm sorry, Peggy. But I'm glad you get to stay home! :)

[Karin]

But it will be worth it in the long run! My next van is going to be American made, as much as I love our Sienna, because of what I've learned about the auto industry, etc--apparently the media doesn't give us all the facts. I do like the Sienna a LOT, though...

[Pam "SFSOM" in TN]

But it will be worth it in the long run! My next van is going to be American made, as much as I love our Sienna, because of what I've learned about the auto industry, etc--apparently the media doesn't give us all the facts. I do like the Sienna a LOT, though...

Do tell! Sienna used to be made in the US by union workers. Not anymore? When (where) did they move?

[Karin]

Well, it is, but there's a whole lot more to this I learned in How Americans Can Buy American. He devotes an entire chapter to dispelling auto industry myths (kind of like the homeschool myths in the media, IMO). Apparently, GM has 84 plants in the US (more than Toyota, Nissan and another foreign company combined), and many of their vehicles have more American made parts in them than the Sienna does. GM pays it's corporate taxes here, helping our economy, and only makes a couple of hundred dollars profit per vehicle because they pay their taxes here, pay so many pensions, etc. Toyota, et al, makes c $1000 profit per vehicle, doesn't pay all those pensions, pays its corporate taxes in Japan, hires their engineers in Japan, etc. Similar with Ford. Chrysler is 80.1 percent American owned, but Chrysler is planning to start importing cars from China.

Basically, the media harps on the mistakes made by American motor companies in the 1970s (well known) but ingores all the cheap Japanese cars of the 1960s (also well known at the time). There's much more, but it would take a long, long post. And some of these newer vehicles are getting high ratings. I will put the web site here for those interested. http://www.levelfieldinstitute.org This lists vehicles, where made and what percentage of parts made here.