No Ad, just a little commentary......

[Gravel Maker]

We build things certain ways, OK, we build things MY way......I come from a varied background and have had several distinctly different chapters in my life but the one thing that stands out through it all is, there is ALWAYS room for improvement and you can ALWAYS do better. We strive to do things better everyday and when jobs are going to other countries because someone can do something for less you need to stand back and think, what can I personally do to stop that from happening.

Think Quality in everything you do, don't ever stop at just good enough. Don't buy the junk sold in the big box stores, pay a little more for something made better and made to last. And when you buy something and they offer an extended wharantee ask them what happened to companies being proud of what they made, back when you didn't need an extended wharantee?

This country is facing the biggest problem it has ever faced in offshore competition and you do not want to be batting for the other side, buy American made products, made by people just like you! Keep the manufacturing base we have, when it is gone do you think Chinas products will still be inexpensive? I don't care who's Diff Cover you buy, just buy one made in the US! All of our jobs will ultimately depend on it.......And if you don't like what I say you need to step back and think on it......

4x4 is just about as American as you can get, lets keep it that way.

 

[mp1472]

Yes!!!!!! I agree ! Just remember the best price is not always the best deal!

 

[camok5]

I agree with your statement with one little problem. Not all American companies are selling quality products anymore, it seems that a lot of the bigger American companies have followed suit with the non US companies. It used to be that you could buy a Craftsman ratchet and it would last forever, now a days they break as fast as the ones you get at Harbor Freight. Plus they used to stand behind there products and would replace them with a new one if it did break, and now all they will do is give you a refurbished old one. It pisses me off when a good company goes bad and then tries to ride on the coat tails of there old name. I still try and always buy American but I do more research before I just go out and buy anything that says made in America.

 

[Gravel Maker]

That gets back to this.....

"And when you buy something and they offer an extended wharantee ask them what happened to companies being proud of what they made, back when you didn't need an extended wharantee?"

It really used to be like this, everything had a 3 or 5 year wharantee, but they didn't need it.....Think of that old wood cabinet 30 year old Zenith TV you can't give away at a garage sale, damm, you can't bring yourself to throw it away because it still works fine.......and nobody would give you $5 for it, we are now a throwaway society......We want it to break so we can get the latest and greatest 3000" big screen.....

 

[Gravel Maker]

And the story goes on.......

It's only getting worse.....

Today I got word that steel is going up 14% tommorrow so I started looking a little deeper and based on commodities futures prices it looks like another 9% in June.

At some point very soon our government needs to decide its time to do something to keep all American factories from closing their doors, how would we deal with 20 million suddenly unemployed factory workers due the the high cost of raw materials, prices that are artificially high due to the Chinese demand on our supply. A limit should be imposed or they will simplly win the war economically.......$250 a ton for scrap steel today, it will be $280 tommorrow......just for scrap.

 

[Gravel Maker]

Since I last updated this.....Changes.......

The Steel price increase in June was 11% and should be another 10% Tuesday......Jobs are simply fading away.....

 

[Midwestern4x4Parts]

Damn Dan , That's Nuts. My Tube supplier Told me about the increase But I haven't got any lately. Almost time to stock up since it keeps going up.

 

[thatK30guy]

You're right on all counts here but one other thing I hate seeing on this site that gets repeatedly asked over and over and over again and again and again: "where's the cheapest I can buy..."

Arrrggghhh! I hate it when people ask for cheap prices. If you want cheap prices, buy China or Taiwan. Nobody seems to understand the time and labor that goes into fabricating parts along with the cost of the materials.

Theres a difference between buying cheap and buying the said asking price. The cheap price is just that....cheap. Lower grade or quality of materials and labor put into the item.

So, for anyone out there looking for AMERICAN made parts, kwitcherbitchin about prices. Take pride in KNOWING you're getting a quality part that will more likely SAVE you than break you. Take pride in KNOWING you're supporting the AMERICAN way!