What Would You Say?

[Chevyman2]

Originally Posted by Brutal SS

The fact that the (current) Camaro is assembled in Canada and not the US doesn't really bother me, (they seemed to have done a very good job) but sometimes relentless comments from some people on the matter can be annoying.

What is a good comeback response to someone who is critical of your car and says that the Camaro is not an American "muscle" car, but a "Canadian Leaf" car?

Have you gotten these kinds of comments before? How would/did you respond?

If I'm not mistaken its American Ingenuity and engineering that created this iconic car. Where its assembled or developed only matters when speaking of that made in China.

[tonyko1]

Originally Posted by jd10013

usually I tell them that given the current work ethic of Americans along with the propensity to intentionally do a poor job if they're unhappy about a contract or bonus; that I'm glad it's not assembled in the US.

I really don't prefer my car be built in an American unionized plant where the employees can't be fired no matter how incompetent or lazy they are.

Actually, the Canadian UAW has been known to be more "militant" than the American UAW. That is why the two are geographically different now, they used to be the same union, but split due to a disagreement over some contract, may have been the one with Chrysler years ago with Iacocca.

Having said that, I have been to the Oshawa plant, although times change. My father bought a new 1973 C-20 Chevy pickup for $3500 and it was built in Oshawa. A few months later we were up there visiting family friends and hanging around Rice Lake and another guy we met was an engineer there and offered to give us a tour of the Oshawa plant. I wasn't even a teenager yet but I still have vivid memories of the place. It was HUGE and as I remember it, there were two distinct "works" or assembly areas, not sure about 39 yrs later. However, I do remember the entire parking lot full of GM cars and the engineer guy stating, "this is proof positive we believe in the cars we make". I also remember the Canadians being very cordial to us and thank them for that and the great memories.

[midnighter]

The planet earth is made in China.

[MBS]

Tell them to drive to the Motor City , There is a huge building their , It says GM headquarters , You can miss it, That is where the Camaro was conceived, Might have given birth in Canada was conceived in DETROIT!!!!!

[He11bent]

Explain to them that the Canadian gov't bailed GM out with billions of dollars and thats why all the Canadian workers have jobs while the US has the highest unemployment rate since...oh wait, that right we got screwed on this deal too!

Your friends are right. The good news is that GM will be building the Gen 6 on US ground.

[Cam2011]

Just tell them that they don't have one and you do.

[alextop30]

Me personally I heard it once and did not respond! Many people that throw these things out are determined to be uneducated about economics and I am not going to waste my time for free education.

The real answer is that foreign investment in your neighboring state is a good idea economically. The economy was not this bad all the time for us to focus on where things are assembled. Let's just say the designs of the car are done here. Engineers slave over the specifics and parts design for days if not years. The parts in every single car are not produced in the country where the corporation is headquartered nor assembled in that geographic location. Anyway when you look at it from an economic standpoint it benefits everyone that a car is not designed, manufactured and assembled in the same place, the problem however is that different stages require different types of labor. In the United States we mostly need very highly educated individuals to design the car and parts the way they are supposed to work together the timing the gear ratio and other things that are just as critical to the process as a well manufactured part which if produced into a country with lower cost of living provides wealth and uplifts that place's economy and drives down the cost of the vehicle.

The short answer it's all good l! Don't worry about my leaf I will still blow your butt out of the water.

[Ringo64]

Seriously you're not going to have a 100% "Built in America" anymore and people don't realize that. Their Japanese/German/Korean car probably has parts and whole items that were manufactured and built in another country. Just because it's built somewhere else doesn't mean its not "German Engineered" or whatever. Same here with the Camaro, its still American Muscle.

[RollaMo]

I wonder if the Chinese people look at an item and say to themselves "Oh crap, another Made In USA piece of junk".

[tjk_art]

Tell him thats a nice Hyundai he's driving. It was a close second when making your decision.

[Mick]

I feel no need to justify where my Camaro was made. I'm proud of my Oshawa-built Camaro. Our Canadian neighbors and friends have built something that needs no excuses or apologies of any kind.

[Roll_the_Dice]

As said before...I don't have to justify to anyone that my car was made in Canada, USA, Germany, etc. Until they pay for your car, they don't get a vote or a say. Ignore them...

It reminds me of when friends used to ask when my wife and I were going to have kids. I would respond, "Next time we have a family meeting, I will make sure you get invited." They would not say another word...

[90503]

Can't see it as an issue, really...Canada has been building great GM cars and trucks for many years...not like they don't know what they are doing...I don't even consider the Camaro as an "import"...all good...

To have a neighbor like Canada with basically an ungaurded border with the U.S. is a wonderful thing...eh?

[The_Blur]

Ask them if they'd rather call it a muscle car if it came from Korea or Japan.