Date: Thu, 21 Jul 2005 18:18:13 -0700
Reply-To: David Marshall <mailinglist@FASTFORWARD.CA>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: David Marshall <mailinglist@FASTFORWARD.CA>
Subject: Re: Why Americans Are the Jerks of the World!
In-Reply-To: <8c.2b53c188.30119ad9@aol.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"
Nokian is a Finish company (Parent company is Nokia, the wireless phone
company) what does this have to do with Americans as per the title? Isn't
buying from Finland as "bad" as buying from China as the majority of the
dollars are going to a country other than the USA? Let alone where the
money goes when your Vanagon was originally purchased or when you buy parts
for your Vanagon - very little of it is North American made so why pick on
China?
I honestly think the "cheap China goods" thing will change in the next few
years as the Chinese Yen is no longer pegged to the US Dollar so now that
there will be currency fluctuation between the USA and China, things will
start to reflect the real value of those goods and you will see a price
change on stuff made in China. Perhaps the goods will go up in price or
down... time will tell. The Chinese are competing on the open and free
market in a capitalist way which is the way that Americans are forcing on
the rest of the world, so with that logic, how can buying from China be a
bad thing?
Chinese stuff can be crap and it can be good - all countries have their good
and bad manufacturing points. The US made Schrade Multi-Tool that I have is
a total piece of crap - so just because something is made in the USA doesn't
*always* mean that it is good quality. The Chinese flip-flops I am wearing
are lasting very well and I only paid $7 for Wal-Mart... we can start with
the Wal-Mart stuff now too right!?
Unfortunately Arthur C Clark is going to be right in his prediction in the
book 2010 - China will be the West's enemy in 2010, just like the Russian's
were during the cold war.
So, what is the answer about Chinese tires on our Vanagon... buy BFGs or
some other North American made tire or deal with it, or alternatively not
start to complain about the Chinese tires unless they really are crap....
which only time will tell and then the capitalist market will then work it's
magic and the Darwin theory will come to play - Chinese tires will die or
dominate.
Sorry for the long post...
David Marshall
Fast Forward Automotive Inc.
4356 Quesnel-Hixon Road
Quesnel BC Canada V2J 6Z3
http://www.fastforward.ca mailto:sales@fastforward.ca
Phone: (250) 992 7775 FAX: (250) 992 1160
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-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com]On Behalf
Of George Goff
Sent: July 21, 2005 5:42 PM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Why Americans Are the Jerks of the World!
Now, this sucks!!!
In the winter, I've used Hakkapeliitta's for almost 30 years. Currently, I
use them on four cars which are in my maintenance program. So, my heart
sank
whenever I tripped over the following announcement. I noticed that Nokian
is
not shipping the Chinese junk to Europe or to their own country.
Apparently,
we are the only suckers who will buy their new found junk. Please spare me
all
the anecdotes of how quality stuff now comes from China because I will
counter with any randomly picked example of Chinese goods picked which will
prove
you to be wrong. If the Chinese are making modern contrivances which are
high
quality, they are keeping them for themselves.
George
Nokian outsourcing to China.(News)(GiTi Tire)(Brief Article)
Publication Date: 20-DEC-04
Publication Title: Tire Business
Format: HTML
Company: Nokian Tyres PLC
Author: Davis, Bruce
Article Price: $9.95
Subscription to Research: $49.95/month (learn more)
Description
Byline: Bruce Davis
Tire dealers in North America handling the Nokian brand will be getting
Nokian tires made in China starting next year, according to an outsourcing
agreement signed by Nokian Tyres P.L.C. and GiTi Tire (China).
The agreement calls for GiTi Tire-also known ...
REF: http://goliath.ecnext.com/coms2/summary_0199-3523966_ITM&referid=2090