Gm built

[band1t]

I was looking at my truck the other day and got to thinking.
how much of the truck was built by GM and how much was farmed out to other companies and GM
just slapped there name on it ??
I dont know how big the GM plant is but I am sure its huge.

do they have mills running around the clock cuttin rims?
was the rear end made by GM or someone else and GM slapped there name on it??
who sewed theses seats together???
how much was made by Americans and how much wasnt??
did Bear Brakes make the rotors and pistons on the brake system??

this is just some of what I was asking myself.
whats made in house and whats not.

[astroracer]

There was a day when GM made "most" of the components required to build a vehicle. Those are long gone. Outsourcing has been around since the automobile was invented.
Even in the early years "Fisher Body" made the coachwork. AC Spark Plug made plugs, AC Rochester did electrical, American axle made axles, Kelsey Hayes and motor Wheel did wheels, Delphi did instruments, Lear did seats, and jobshops did a lot of the design work. NOTHING is done by a major manufacturer now-a-days that doesn't include outsourcing... Thats why we have a global market and everything is so volatile.
Mark

[moreHP]

I think the window stickers on most new cars and trucks list the percentage of parts and where they are made. I dont remember how detailed they get but I know the listed engine, transmision, chassis and major parts like that. The only reason I know this is that I was at a dealership a couple of weeks ago looking at a Chevy Cruze and I noticed this info on the window sticker. I remember it saying the engine is built in Austria which I thought was interesting.

[vintageracer]

The bulk of the "plants" that GM, Ford and Chrysler now have are "Assembly Plants". For the most part today the "Big 3" Design, Test and Assemble cars. There are certainly some components (Parts) that are manufactured in-house by the OEM's a company facilities such a engines and transmission however even that is changing. Most of the parts in a car today are "manufactured" to the OEM specifications by outside suppliers.

The "Content" stickers on window stickers refers to the country/continent of manufacture of the components within the car. I have never seen a window sticker with a "100% North American Content" on any car made by the Big 3 or anyone else for that matter. There may actually be make/model vehicle with 100% North American content however I doubt it!

The automotive supply chain is a worldwide business!

[Kenova]

The bulk of the "plants" that GM, Ford and Chrysler now have are "Assembly Plants". For the most part today the "Big 3" Design, Test and Assemble cars.

That sums up the Auto Industry.
If they had their way, the part and component suppliers would also be responsible for the assembly line installation of their respective components. In theory, the employees at each work station on the assembly line would be employed by the company manufacturing or supplying the components.

As for band1t's truck, GM still stamps out most of their sheet metal in Canada or the USA but I would be surprised if they used North American steel. The majority of engines and transmissions are built in Mexico, axles by American Axle (not sure of plant location), seats are usually assembled in or near the assembly plant but the components could be from anywhere, and last I heard the wire harness was assembled in Mexico.

Ken

[novaderrik]

GM assembles parts and assemblies that are built by outside contractors- a lot of which also supply similar parts and assemblies to Ford, Dodge, Toyota, Honda, BMW, and anyone else that has car assembly plants in North America.

take apart an original car from the 60's and you will find Dana driveline parts, Timken wheel bearings, and Harrison radiators. a lot of GM cars and trucks had Ford glass in them..

we could get really crazy and talk about the seemingly random parts and pieces that AMC used to throw together to build cars and trucks- AMC engines with Ford ignitions bolted to Chrysler transmissions..

[406 Q-ship]

Gm today is not the GM of years gone by, back as late as the 1980's GM made probably 95% of the pieces in the vehicles. The big pieces that GM outsourced was the glass (Libby Owens Ford LOF). In fact GM back then supplied alot of the pieces for the other OEMs (Fords with Q-jets and Delco steering boxes) but today I would put the real GM content at closer to 50%. Even at 50%, most of those parts still come from outside of north america.

Henry Ford built the River Rouge Plant to have raw material go in one side and cars come out the other side. Ford at one point made his own tires (ever seen a late 1930s Ford with a Ford tire?), Henry even owned the rubber plantation in South American to make sure he would not have supply issues.

[vintageracer]

Ford at one point made his own tires (ever seen a late 1930s Ford with a Ford tire?), Henry even owned the rubber plantation in South American to make sure he would not have supply issues.


Google and read about "Fordlandia" in South America. Henry Ford's vision of how the World should be managed/run that now sits abandoned for almost 70 years in the Amazon jungle!

[CreepinDeth]

The bulk of the "plants" that GM, Ford and Chrysler now have are "Assembly Plants". For the most part today the "Big 3" Design, Test and Assemble cars. There are certainly some components (Parts) that are manufactured in-house by the OEM's a company facilities such a engines and transmission however even that is changing. Most of the parts in a car today are "manufactured" to the OEM specifications by outside suppliers.

This is also my understanding of what it's come to these days.
The majority of the components are outsourced which leads the % to the next point he ID'd.....


The "Content" stickers on window stickers refers to the country/continent of manufacture of the components within the car. I have never seen a window sticker with a "100% North American Content" on any car made by the Big 3 or anyone else for that matter. There may actually be make/model vehicle with 100% North American content however I doubt it!

The automotive supply chain is a worldwide business!

Yep.....and unfortunately GM is turning into a mostly Mexican/Canadian produced truck these days.
I hear the new Dodge Ram's are also made in Mexico.

Sadly the most American made truck in the United States today is the Toyota Tundra
with close to 75% American produced parts in it's total content package as the sticker shows.
I was discussing this.....hell 5 years ago, so they've had that title for awhile now when the
new Tundra debuted.

http://content.usatoday.com/communities/driveon/post/2011/06/ranking-the-two-most-american-cars-are-from-japanese-makers/1

Oh ....and the most American car is the Toyota Camry. Thank the Big 3 management for decimating
the Big 3 in America and outsourcing so much outside of the country and CLAIMING to be "American".
The only thing "American" lately is their design teams and their consumer market that they sucker into
"Buying American" when they are actually buying foreign.

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2011/09/camryxwidecommunity-1.jpg

[novaderrik]

This is also my understanding of what it's come to these days.
The majority of the components are outsourced which leads the % to the next point he ID'd.....


Yep.....and unfortunately GM is turning into a mostly Mexican/Canadian produced truck these days.
I hear the new Dodge Ram's are also made in Mexico.

Sadly the most American made truck in the United States today is the Toyota Tundra
with close to 75% American produced parts in it's total content package as the sticker shows.
I was discussing this.....hell 5 years ago, so they've had that title for awhile now when the
new Tundra debuted.

http://content.usatoday.com/communities/driveon/post/2011/06/ranking-the-two-most-american-cars-are-from-japanese-makers/1

Oh ....and the most American car is the Toyota Camry. Thank the Big 3 management for decimating
the Big 3 in America and outsourcing so much outside of the country and CLAIMING to be "American".
The only thing "American" lately is their design teams and their consumer market that they sucker into
"Buying American" when they are actually buying foreign.

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2011/09/camryxwidecommunity-1.jpg

is this the point in the thread where i'm allowed to say the word "unions", followed by the acronym "NAFTA", with the letters "EPA" thrown in for good measure?

[astroracer]

is this the point in the thread where i'm allowed to say the word "unions", followed by the acronym "NAFTA", with the letters "EPA" thrown in for good measure?
Yes, go ahead... :) Along with FMVSS, CARB and Congress...

[damannhw]

[QUOTE=CreepinDeth;837066]
The only thing "American" lately is their design teams and their consumer market that they sucker into
"Buying American" when they are actually buying foreign. QUOTE]

In most cases they aren't "buying" foreign parts, they are manufacturing parts in plants they own in other countries. Unfortunately, it's just a product of international business, and largely caused by government policies that have made the US companies seek more cost efficient ways to compete with the influx of uncontrolled foregin goods. I find it interesting that Toyota (& other foreign makes) can produce parts & build cars cheaper here in America than at home ? But let the US try to export our products into other countries, and watch out, it's gonna cost us big time. Our country needs to wake up and quit being so passive about foreign goods. You can see where it's taking us.

As far as Toyota, they never built a car I could stand to look at much less desired to own. Hands down most boring/bland cars built. Being involved in the auto industry has really opened my eyes to how deceptive and controlling they are of their "image" and what the media says about them. They are absolutley the best I've ever seen at covering up the dirty stuff. And even if they are assembled in the US, the profits all go right back to Japan. I prefer to keep my money in the US.

[CreepinDeth]

Old Toyota's were absolutely HORRIBLE inside like older Buicks were. Nothing jazzy about them.
In 2007 the new Camry came out and it's nicer then my Lexus daily driver.
On the same token new GM has improved IMMENSELY in interior design and feel. (Except the Impala)

I think GM hired the old Toyota boring interior designer for the newer Impala's......because they're very cheap looking and blah.
Overall I do give GM more credit for their newer interior design and feel overall though.


And even if they are assembled in the US, the profits all go right back to Japan. I prefer to keep my money in the US.
Not quite......and I think this is a big facade talking point.
I'm not sure which angle you're talking about here......so I'll hit them all.

Profits to stockholders, the stock market is global and anyone can own their stock.
GM stockholders lost everything not that long ago.

Corporate profits that are taxable , sorry but GM isn't and won't be paying taxes anytime soon.
http://madeinusanews.com/2010/11/03/no-taxes-for-years-for-gm/

Profits to supporting businesses around manufacturing plants, these include
Profits - Real estate taxes
Profits - Utilities
Jobs for Americans = Income tax profits for the US market, as well as economic stimulation all around.
Profits for supporting businesses around major manufacturing plants.

I'd rather employ Americans in the end then feed a corporate machine hiring foreigners to build cars for our market....which is just my opinion.

The big 3's management and corporate hierarchy profit more from exporting product manufacturing.....not US Workers or taxpayers.
I do agree with you that they've been put against unfair 3rd world labor but if Toyota can do it, there's no excuse why GM, Ford, or Chrysler can't.
Sorry that's just one I can't swallow. Japan is much more expensive to produce cars there I'd assume, but if they can do it here and
employ Americans and be competitive with Mexican GM cars, I find a serious flaw in the big 3's management.

In the end, I don't buy brand new cars either way so these discussions don't apply much to me.
However, if I was to buy brand new, I'd only buy a vehicle made here in the United States by American labor.
I love that new Dodge Ram alot......but I won't buy it since it's Made in Mexico last I was told.....

is this the point in the thread where i'm allowed to say the word "unions",
followed by the acronym "NAFTA", with the letters "EPA" thrown in for good measure?

NAFTA didn't do much except allow Mexico into the game.
1988 we already had a free trade agreement with Canada and prior to that we still had production there IIRc.
If you ask me, NAFTA was more for the oil then anything else.
Canada and Mexico are in the top 3 crude importers for us now.

As for Unions......UAW, etc.
I do believe Toyota, and the other import companies with more domestic content are also UAW.
If that's the case, I'm not sure how it's Unions to blame for the Big 3's exportation......I think management failures and greed.

EPA ??
I'm curious what angle this presents that doesn't include their competitors in the US market as well.

[Twentyover]

Ram Trucks- Some made in Mexico, some at Warren truck plant

[Scott Parkhurst]

Um...It's not called "Specific Motors".

It's called "General Motors".

[Twentyover]

....

As for Unions......UAW, etc.
I do believe Toyota, and the other import companies with more domestic content are also UAW.
If that's the case, I'm not sure how it's Unions to blame for the Big 3's exportation......I think management failures and greed.


Non of the transplants are UAW. This includes Toyota, Honda, Nissan, BMW, Mercedes, Hyundai/Kia. NUMMI's Fremont CA plant (the joint venture between Toyota and GM) was UAW, but was closed by Toyota after GM's reorganization (wonder whose' paying those pensions?)

[CreepinDeth]

Non of the transplants are UAW. This includes Toyota, Honda, Nissan, BMW, Mercedes, Hyundai/Kia. NUMMI's Fremont CA plant (the joint venture between Toyota and GM) was UAW, but was closed by Toyota after GM's reorganization (wonder whose' paying those pensions?)

I stand corrected. I had assumed they were.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/23/business/global/23uaw.html


The union has been trying, and failing, to organize workers at Toyota for almost as long as the company has had assembly plants in this country.

The union has little in the way of a sales pitch on wages and benefits now that the Detroit automakers have cut wages and benefits to union
members to be more in line with Toyota and the other so-called transplant manufacturers.

Professor Liker said morale among Toyota workers soared to “historic highs” during the recession, as U.A.W.-represented plants closed but
Toyota kept its work force intact. The company halted some production as demand fell, but employees were still asked to report every day, often for training.

Accordingly, convincing Toyota workers that the U.A.W. offers any better job protection than they already have could prove difficult.


Sounds to me like the UAW has outlived it's usefulness.