Some questions/observations:

Mexico, China, Thailand?

I think you have the sources backwards - the bodies are made in Japan and everything else is N.A. sourced.

So the drivetrain was Japanese. The rest of the car was North American! (except, perhaps for that missing 5%...)

That missing 5% is that super duper Teflon treatment!

But that's installed here!

We sure do sell a lot of it!

I believe the Matrix has been assembled at Cambridge, Ontario since it became available early in 2002. I never heard of a "J" car. I upgraded the speakers in mine (and added a Bazooka) and it made a big difference in sound. The head unit is adequate.

Except for those Toyota made in the GM/Toyota plant, where the UAW contract requires at least 75% American parts, Toyota does not produce ANY American made vehicles. Toyota only assembles its cars and trucks in the US. Look at the first number of the VIN. If it is a '1' it is made in the US of more that 75% American parts. If it is a '5' it is only assembled in the US of mostly imported parts.

Current Camrys are made in Japan with a 'J' or only assembled with a '5,' as is the case with the Tundra. Because of a complaint filed with the FTC by Honda, who actually makes cars in the US, Toyota can no longer advertised that the cars are American made. Toyota now says it its advertisements that its vehicles are "Made in the US of world sourced parts."

It appears Toyota can not longer advertise that it is the number one car BRAND in the US either, Chevrolet sold more cars than Toyotas in June. ;)

mike hunt

hachiroku wrote:

Is her name Monica?

mike hunt

Mark wrote:

So the Toyotas that are made in the USA (Georgetown, KY) are NOT "made in the USA"? Doesn't make a lot of sense to me.

You say Toyota assembles cars in the USA of 75% American parts, but Toyota does not produce ANY American made vehicles. How can that be?

I think if you check you will find that GM sold more VEHICLES than Toyota, but Toyota sold more passenger cars. GM has a big lead in trucks, however. At least that is the way it looked the last time I saw the figures. June might be anomalous because of the GM promotion.

Merritt

If you will re-read the post, the cars made in the GM/Toyota plant are the exception, the only ones with a '1.' The Camrys made in Kentucky are only assembled there, of mostly import parts and have a '5' for the first number of the VIN

Chevrolet did indeed sell more CARS then Toyota in June. As to trucks Chevrolet sells more trucks than Toyotas sell CARS and TRUCKS combined. GM sells nearly five times as many vehicle in the US annually as does Toyota, Lexus, and Scion combined.

Do some research before you chose to post on a subject of which you obviously have little or no knowledge, WBMA. Try

mike hunt

Merritt Mullen wrote:

I like the car, and the sound system sounds decent even with the spaekers provided.

And Cambridge is it! That's what the Cert of Origin says.

The content sticker says (with varying amounts)

US/Canadian supplied parts: 75% Japan Supplies parts: 20%

That sure sounds about as American a they get these days. Look at the cars from Chrysler, GM, etc. They all have foreign parts now. So why is a GM American and a Toyota Japanese?

That seems very strange as my 92 Camry and my 00 Avalon were both assembled in Georgetown and both have VINs that start with "4"

And it isn't a vehicle until it is assembled, so where it is assembled is where it is "made."

And as I understand it, the Avalon was designed in the USA as well. I don't even think there is a Japanese version.

And didn't the promotion (pay what the employees pay) have something to do with that?

Do Chevy cars outsell Toyota cars every month?

It it all kind of moot, as in a few years we will all be driving Chinese cars anyway.

Merritt

Especially since the new Ford 500 is really a Volvo, and the Chevy Malibu is a Saab. Maybe we should call Ford and GM vehicles Swedish.

Merritt

To quote someone else, "I'm sorry sir, the meatballs are ORF!"

Those are Swedish meatballs, right?

Merritt

You got it!