What Wal~Mart definitely lacks compared to AutoZone, Pep Boys. R&S Strauss, etc. per automotive cleaning chemicals, synthetic motor oil, etc. is selection
I went into an Autozone on President's Day, and was shocked to find a replacement window crank that would have worked on my '67 Catalina! They also had a driver's side 2-door power window switch that would have worked on my '76 LeMans or '85 Silverado, as well as a single-switch.
Now, those aren't exactly rare parts, as that window crank has probably been used by GM from around 1967-1990, and those switches were common, as well. But still, with the wide variety of switches and such around these days, it was a bit of a shock to see those parts out there on the shelf! Now granted, they were cheap reproductions in the "HELP" repair section, so don't expect genuine GM parts!
I don't believe that ANY of the items I mentioned are from China, and even if a few of them are, they are the definitely the same as I would buy at other stores, just a bit less expensive. Most of my friends do the same. So when people make the statement or assumption that the only things that people buy at Wal-Mart are cheap, Chinese-made, I completely disagree.
It is true that not everything sold at Wal-Mart is made in China, but I'd venture to say that at least 50% of the items on the shelf are made offshore.
I simply do not agree...near the new Super walmart of which I speak, the other stores that moved in around it are, Home Depot, Wells Fargo Bank (they had a tiny location earlier and absolutely needed more space), a major Verizon Wireless store (meaning they also offer tech support and service), a new Mexican restaurant, a new BBQ restaurant, a new Kauffman Tire Store (their first in the area) and a new Wendys...they are building a new McDonald's right as we speak...good businesses, and a few serve fries...what's your problem with that???
My problem with that list is that other than the tire store, each one is a retail job. Retail jobs are notoriously low paying with few benefits. Even the tire store probably is fairly low paying if all they do is tires.
Comparing prices on a couple of Auto products like cleaning/polishing stuff for metals, synthetic motor oil, Wal-Mart is SIGNIFICANTLY lower priced than Autozone, Kragens, or any other smaller auto parts shop (pep-boys, you name it). The prices aren't even close on a percentage basis.
Yes Wal-Mart is cheaper but that's because they are the largest retailer in the world and have the power to dictate what they will pay for the products they sell, what the payment terms are, how much of a rebate the mfr will kick back, et al. Too many manufacturers get all starry eyed at the prospect of selling to Wal-Mart just to have it bit them on the butt down the road.
A good point about Wal Mart and manufacturers. I remember looking at TVs a year or two ago. There was a standard Panasonic model available at several stores. For the same price at Wal Mart there was a Wal Mart exclusive model number - the same TV decontented. There were several features on the standard set that weren't on the Wal Mart model.
You have to watch out for things there. Some things area good deal and some aren't.
2015 Mazda 6 Grand Touring, 2014 Mazda 3 Sport Hatchback, 1999 Mazda Miata 2004 Toyota Camry LE, 1999.
"I simply do not agree...near the new Super walmart of which I speak, the other stores that moved in around it are, Home Depot, Wells Fargo Bank (they had a tiny location earlier and absolutely needed more space), a major Verizon Wireless store (meaning they also offer tech support and service), a new Mexican restaurant, a new BBQ restaurant, a new Kauffman Tire Store (their first in the area) and a new Wendys...they are building a new McDonald's right as we speak...good businesses, and a few serve fries...what's your problem with that???
My problem with that list is that other than the tire store, each one is a retail job. Retail jobs are notoriously low paying with few benefits. Even the tire store probably is fairly low paying if all they do is tires."
You seem to feel that every job that is created must be a manufacturing job or it doesn;t count...I simply allow for evolution to take place, you seem to want to fight it...
Let's face it...businesses that grow will abandon buildings that no longer serve their needs, and everybody here seems to complain that the abandoned buidling is somehow the "responsibility" of the business to make sure it is occupied by a subsequent business, and I think you simply are trying to fight change...
What about the doctor's office where the doctor becomes successful and needs 4000 sq ft instead of 2000 sq ft, so he leaves the building he was renting and finds bigger space...are you going to tell him/her to stay in the smaller location until a new tenant (or owner) is found???...of course not...
Buildings have been abandoned by businesses leaving for decades...why is Walmart such a bad guy that they should be forced to stay in facilities that no longer serve their needs???
Apparently Russell Stover bought out Whitmans and consolidated production, or they just moved production to another place...lemko seems to be psoting like you are, as tho companies should be forced to stay in rotten inner cities just to keep the jobs there, as tho that location is sacred...it isn't...
On a slightly different note, my father used to buy his auto parts from a warehouse in the Bronx...their windows were broken every night, their insurance skyrocketed over the years because the neighborhood went bad over the years...they were regular victims of muggings and theft...tell me why those jobs should stay there just to keep the bldg occupied???
They moved their business to Connecticut...in the FIRST YEAR, their insurance rates drooped so much that the savings paid for the entire move, and then thay continued to save every year, obviously increasing profitability...
What many seem unwilling to admit is that when areas deteriorate, almost always for the obvious reasons, businesses leave and take the jobs with them...so, all the locals who depended on those unskilled jobs are left behind, and the area gets even worse...but the original deterioration starts with the type of people who make it into a slum, and then it just goes down from there...much of Philly was apparently "inner city" which does not bode well for normal people who want to be safe on the job without needing personal protection...
lemko laments job loss in Philly...the fact is, things change, businesses leave or close...I wouldn;t be surprised if labor unions play a part in that, altho probably not the only reason for leaving...
What Wal~Mart definitely lacks compared to AutoZone, Pep Boys. R&S Strauss, etc. per automotive cleaning chemicals, synthetic motor oil, etc. is selection. Wal~Mart has a paltry selection compared to those other outlets.
My local Wal-Mart stocks Mobil 1 0W-40, 5W-30, 10W-30, and 15W-50- as well as Shell Rotella Synthetic 5W-40. So I'm covered.
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2021 Sahara 4xe
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
First, I made no mention of stores building or moving to larger stores or other locations. That happens and its not the responsibility of the tenant to replace themselves.
You seem to feel that every job that is created must be a manufacturing job or it doesn;t count...I simply allow for evolution to take place, you seem to want to fight it...
No every job doesn't have to be a manufacturing job but most of those retail jobs you tout really don't pay a living wage. Those retail jobs in my area (Boston) might pay $10 a hour and nobody can support a family on those wages.
We all lament that our country is falling behind the rest of the world in economic vitality. I don't see how ringing a register at WalMart or waiting tables at Chilis will allow us to regain our economic prowess. Yes at least jobs are being created but when one needs to hold 3 of them to get by, perhaps we are doing something wrong.
Uh, Whitman's Chocolates was not in a "rotten inner city" but a very nice part of Philadelphia. The Sears complex was also in what was a nice part of the city that became a ghetto when the Sears complex was closed and subsequently demolished. It was amazing how fast that once nice neighborhood went down the toilet when its biggest employer left.
A family? Nobody can support themself on $10 an hour in Boston or any other major city unless you count living in a dangerous slum neighborhood sharing a fleabag apartment with three roommates, taking the bus to work every day, and subsisting on Little Hugs fruit drink and ramen noodles a living.
A family? Nobody can support themself on $10 an hour in Boston or any other major city unless you count living in a dangerous slum neighborhood sharing a fleabag apartment with three roommates
I remember when I finally hit the $10 an hour mark working part time as a gov't contractor way back in the fall of 1992. I thought I had it made! I also had another job as a sales associate at Hechts (now Macy's), and by that time I think I was making about $7/hr at that.
Of course, back then I was still in college, living with my grandmother, and didn't have all the expenses and experiences of the "real world" just yet. But the sad reality is, $10/hr wasn't much 20 years ago, and it's even less today! :sick:
Actually, now that I think about it, I had broken the $10/hr barrier back in 1989-90 working as a waiter in college. But most of it was cash, and the hourly rate was only something like $2.11 per hour, so it didn't seem like $10+ per hour. Seeing that $10/hr on the paycheck seemed a bit more impressive. :shades:
If you made $10/hr you probably wouldn't live in Boston but rather one of the outlying towns such as JP, Dorchester, Somerville or even as far out as the 128/95 belt. We have a good transportation system from many different areas.
"No every job doesn't have to be a manufacturing job but most of those retail jobs you tout really don't pay a living wage. Those retail jobs in my area (Boston) might pay $10 a hour and nobody can support a family on those wages."
All I can say is that I am grateful when new businesses move in or expand and bring jobs with them...I do agree with you that manufacturing jobs will pay the most, but we deal with reality as it is...if Kauffman Tire and Wells Fargo and Verizon move in, I am grateful for the jobs they bring and I really do not know what they are paid...I would rather see those jobs than see the place turn into those photos of Philly that lemko posted...
I also know that I pay a hefty labor rate when they work on my car...I know that it all does not go to the technician, but if even half of it does, they make good money, and I think they have benefits, too...I believe the same for Verizon Wireless...
As far as ringing a register at WM, they won;t be paid as much, and the skill level of the job does not mandate as much, either...but A job is better than NO job, and, as far as the area goes, NEW businesses are better than NO businesses...so you can lament all you want about what you wish the jobs WERE, but this is what they ARE, and I am grateful they are here...
As far as car supplies like oil and waxes, if they sell the same brand as the big auto stores, only cheaper, then the products are the same...a quart of Pennzoil is a quart of Pennzoil...
BTW, sometimes the selection of spices and soups is far greater at WM than my local grocery...I rarely buy food at WM, but if the local Ingles or Kroger does not have it, WM often will...
I also know that I pay a hefty labor rate when they work on my car...I know that it all does not go to the technician, but if even half of it does, they make good money, and I think they have benefits, too..
I don't think the mechanic/technician even gets half of that rate. Labor rates around here are around $90-100 per hour, but I think the typical mechanic is lucky to get around $50,000 per year, unless he's really experienced or has a lot of seniority, or part owner in the business.
As far as ringing a register at WM, they won;t be paid as much, and the skill level of the job does not mandate as much, either...
And you know, I really don't get this "living wage" socialism poop. Jobs ringing at WM are for college kids, retirees, or housewives wanting to earn a few extra $$ on the side. If you think WM is a CAREER, then you've made some piss poor choices in your life. It's great that there are jobs like Mickey Ds and WM and being an usher at the local metroplex. It's what you do while you work to apprentice or study for a decent job.
Society will always need the menial jobs. And society will always have people in the bottom 20%. I don't really see why those less capable, educated, or motivated should be earning up there with those who have paid much bigger dues.
"And you know, I really don't get this "living wage" socialism poop. Jobs ringing at WM are for college kids, retirees, or housewives wanting to earn a few extra $$ on the side. If you think WM is a CAREER, then you've made some piss poor choices in your life."
That has been my point for years...others on these boards simply think that because you show up for work that you should be paid $40K or more, regardless of the skill level involved, and I have always said that floowsweeping jobs and the like are barely worth minimum wage, regardless of whether you have 6 kids or not...and it comes down to the choices YOU made with your life...if you choose to have zero skills, and you have 6 kids, then you will, and should, live on the poverty line forever...not because I say so, but because the market does not value floorsweeping skills as much as auto technician/electrician/welder skills...
"And you know, I really don't get this "living wage" socialism poop. Jobs ringing at WM are for college kids, retirees, or housewives wanting to earn a few extra $$ on the side. If you think WM is a CAREER, then you've made some piss poor choices in your life."
That has been my point for years...others on these boards simply think that because you show up for work that you should be paid $40K or more, regardless of the skill level involved, and I have always said that floowsweeping jobs and the like are barely worth minimum wage, regardless of whether you have 6 kids or not...and it comes down to the choices YOU made with your life...if you choose to have zero skills, and you have 6 kids, then you will, and should, live on the poverty line forever...not because I say so, but because the market does not value floorsweeping skills as much as auto technician/electrician/welder skills...
Lamenting the wholesale loss of the industrial job base (the one which built the middle class and made the nation what it became) which has been exchanged for the service industry so a top few can reap windfall profits not seen in generations is "socialism"? Sounds like a red herring to me.
If only "paying dues" or being capable had any correlation to success.
That has been my point for years...others on these boards simply think that because you show up for work that you should be paid $40K or more, regardless of the skill level involved, and I have always said that floowsweeping jobs and the like are barely worth minimum wage, regardless of whether you have 6 kids or not...and it comes down to the choices YOU made with your life...if you choose to have zero skills, and you have 6 kids, then you will, and should, live on the poverty line forever...not because I say so, but because the market does not value floorsweeping skills as much as auto technician/electrician/welder skills...
While I agree that people make their choices and live with the consequences, in many places in this country the opportunities for better jobs are far and few between.
I don't believe that one should get $40K just for showing up. But those McJobs many times aren't held by students, house spouses or retirees - they are held as the primary job of many people willing and capable of doing more but can't because of the wholesale offshoring of those jobs. In reality I'm a globalist who believes that nations should do what they do best. We are quite capable of being the best in important industries but we are too comfortable giving those industries away in pursuit of cheaper goods.
Good jobs such as this. These are Budd railcars being built at its massive NE Philadelphia complex:
Today, this is the site of a golf course used by the "successful hard-working" 1%. Wonder whatever happened to all those Budd workers and their families?
The Budd cars are extremely well-made. These cars were made in the 1960s and are still serving SEPTA - Philadelphia's regional transit authority. They are now being replaced after 40+ years by cars made by Hyundai-Rotem from Korea.
These Hyundai railcars are troublesome and are "assembled" by low-cost unskilled workers in a shop in South Philly. The Budd workers took pride in their work. They were truly masters of their craft. These new guys look like something from an exploitation movie or Fifty Cent video and do as their Korean masters command for a fraction of what a Budd employee would've earned, factored for inflation of course. I doubt very much these krappy Korean kars will last 10 years let alone close to 50. Well, you get what you pay for!
Lamenting the wholesale loss of the industrial job base (the one which built the middle class and made the nation what it became) which has been exchanged for the service industry so a top few can reap windfall profits not seen in generations is "socialism"? Sounds like a red herring to me.
Let's see, I mentioned that walmart cashier jobs should't be expected to provide the "living wage" as defined by some. Don't see how that's in any way mentioning "wholesale loss of the industrial job base". Red herring, indeed.
If only "paying dues" or being capable had any correlation to success.
But it does! Perhaps not PERFECT correlation, according to some. But just seeing that higher education = much lower unemployment and higher salaries shows the correlation. But of course, more money to satiate the masses doesn't really measure the health of the populace, anyway. :P
Did anyone say cashiering jobs should provide some kind of golden standard? Nope, I didn't see it. Nor was there anything "socialist" about what was said.
Maybe we can just emulate some kind of unnamed artificial nation tax haven (which will almost by definition be loaded with "socialist" programs), and that will save us. Or maybe a political candidate who is deathly afraid of class warfare (a war declared by his class, one he belongs to by birth) can right the ship. Yeah...
For many, mommy and daddy simply buy the diploma - no dues paid there.
Some don't seem to understand being penny wise and pound foolish. Go buy a Chinese toaster and replace it every other year, much better than spending 5x as much but having it last 10x as long. However, with the annihilation of real incomes, for most, that's the only choice.
I bet many of those old Budd railcars will outlast all of us. But their replacements are cheaper and a product of "free trade" (a competitor nation, coddled by our military and foreign policy, competing on our shores with no hindrance), so they must be good.
I read this on a Canadian forum, some bits and pieces you'll like:
"What will happen is:
Unions will be busted/pressured. Public has bought the Kool-Aid. This will drive down wages across a wide spectrum of industries…and not only unionized ones. Boy, are some union bashers going to be in for a surprise!!
What happens then? Fast Forward 20 years:
Three classes of people (Just like India/china):
1) Unprotected Labour (no barrier to entry) – majority of Canadians in this class, wages will be low as labour will be plentiful.
2) Protected Labour (strong barriers to entry) – Doctors... Dentists, Politicans, etc.
3) Non-working class – this group owns most of the assets whether liquid or not. Their goal is not to work a 9-5 job but to ‘grow’ their money.
Like I said, Just like India! Watch and wait."
That's the brave new world. Some might call it "class warfare".
Did anyone say cashiering jobs should provide some kind of golden standard? Nope, I didn't see it. Nor was there anything "socialist" about what was said.
Was not somebody lamenting walmart jobs, and not being paid a "living wage"? Not a golden standard - but whatever the job, it should support a family (or whatever "living wage" really means).
Socialist as in some societal body should determine salaries (to provide such "living wage") rather than allow *gasp* a company or even *more gasps* the MARKET to determine what a job should be paid.
Maybe we can just emulate some kind of unnamed artificial nation tax haven
You know I had just been thinking we were overdue for that one! Made me smile!
I know that there's no good argument left when it comes up. :shades:
I dunno, usually the cry of "socialism" is a translation for someone not having a leg to stand on...those who claim to be on the "right" in this mediocre political climate scream it all the time :P
But anyway, if "socialism" is good enough for our competitors and these tax havens...
I didn't see a claim that every job should be able to sustain a family - more of a lament of the transformation of many jobs that could do so to service industry/mcjobs that can't. Real incomes and wage trends speak for themselves.
The "market" is broken, as the socio-economic realities of the past 25-30 years or so prove. It's all about the race to the bottom now.
My Mom still has her Oster blender and Sunbeam toaster that were wedding shower gifts from 1964. Both were made in the U.S.A. and still perform flawlessly. I still have a U.S.A.-made General Electric can opener made circa 1970 my Grandmom gave me. It still works well despite being finished in a ghastly period avocado green. It would probably go through the floor if I dropped it for it is very solidly made. The current Chinese-manufactured can openers I see for sale at Target would break into a million pieces. It doesn't matter whose name it stamped on it.
Is your mom's toaster one of those with no lever - where the bread just goes down on its own? I have one of those I bought on Ebay. It needs to get the light-dark knob fixed but it's probably older than I am and built like a mid-50s Buick!
2015 Mazda 6 Grand Touring, 2014 Mazda 3 Sport Hatchback, 1999 Mazda Miata 2004 Toyota Camry LE, 1999.
My mom has one of those automatic toasters - I think she got it from my great-grandmother when I was a little kid. American made, probably 50 years old, still works.
When I bought a toaster some time ago, I think the closest I could find was made in Mexico, everything else was from China.
Those automatic lowering toasters were Sunbeam T series. They made them for at least 40 years. I house we stayed in on vacation when I was maybe 5 had one and I thought it was the greatest thing I'd ever seen. (To give an idea of what worked for my 5 year old self the day they came to replace a burned out red on the traffic light up the street was a big event, too.)
I was teaching an Internet for seniors course in the late 90s and was showing how to buy things and such and somehow the toaster story came up and a guy who bought such things and fixed them up explained exactly what they were and Ebay took it from there.
People are getting wise to such things. Used to be able to pick up a nice one for $20. Probably twice that now.
2015 Mazda 6 Grand Touring, 2014 Mazda 3 Sport Hatchback, 1999 Mazda Miata 2004 Toyota Camry LE, 1999.
Didn't planned obsolescence start with the Big 3 automakers, changing the look of the car every year so that it was obvious you were driving LAST YEAR'S MODEL...
So, it's OK to make cars obsolete but when the rest of manufacturing does it, they are just ripping us off... :confuse: :confuse:
So, it's OK to make cars obsolete but when the rest of manufacturing does it, they are just ripping us off..
Well, planned obsolescence when it refers to cars, merely means that they're going to change the styles up every so often, whether they really need to or not, to make sure everybody wants to be hip and be seen in the new model. And, also, over time, they'll quit making parts for the old models, so that even if your car has been reliable, eventually something WILL break that's no longer manufactured, and that's pretty much the end of it.
When it comes to stuff like appliances, it seems like they just make them cheaper today, so they don't last as long. One problem is that motors and such are more energy efficient, but that means they're also more lightweight, flimsy, and will wear out quicker. I would guess that even with heavy-duty equipment like railroad coaches and such, there's still a need to make things more efficient, which means less heavy and over-built.
There's a distinct difference between simply making something that goes out of style, so you want the newer model, versus making something cheap so that it wears out prematurely.
When it comes to so much offshored manufacturing, in a way we have engineered obsolescence - when something dies prematurely due to shoddy workmanship and materials. But it keeps profit margins high, lets execs enjoy undeserved gold, and enables people to engage in the distracting activity of shopping, so it is encouraged.
I had the opportunity to speak to a group of young teens about my job position. When I explained to them much of the tech industry has gone overseas the subject turned to American jobs. I have been teaching my daughter what it means to buy American and keep your money closer to home. Teaching her the long term downfalls and the short term gains by buying forgien services or products. How we are all connected in this economy. From the government/state/city employee relying on taxes generated by jobs, to the doctor relying on jobs so people could visit them and PAY for services rendered. My daughter had written a paper in her economics class about this subject and it struck a cord with the teacher. The teacher knows I am not an economics major but am educated. I was very surprised on how I had the full attention of the classroom, along with some very good debate and questions. After all was said and done the young people understood how we are connected, what it means to keep money closer to home. What it means for their economic future. Education is the key here folks. People will understand. I hope word spreads with this younger generation.
Well, my 17 year old son says that when he is out on his own he would like to have an older Jeep Wrangler like mine- but only after he already has a German sports coupe in the garage... :P
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2021 Sahara 4xe
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
yeah, jeeps are still wildly popular. HS cool kid down the road has a sweet lifted new body style 2dr Wrangler.
I often drop my daughter off in the morning at middle school, which is just down the road from the high school. There are still a few kids that drive cool rides.
My son wants to drive my mostly stock 1999 Wrangler during the summer; he likes the manual tranny and the way it drives(I installed Bilstein HDs a while back). I figure, why not? As I always say, life is too short to drive boring cars- or to let your kid drive boring cars...
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2021 Sahara 4xe
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
My son wants to drive my mostly stock 1999 Wrangler during the summer; he likes the manual tranny and the way it drives(I installed Bilstein HDs a while back). I figure, why not? As I always say, life is too short to drive boring cars- or to let your kid drive boring cars...
I saw two Wranglers being driven by teenagers on their way to school this morning. Outside of fuel economy, they seem reasonably priced, easy to work, on, and all sorts of parts available for repairs/upgrades, etc.
Nissan already ships all its U.S.-built products overseas to 46 foreign countries and U.S. territories, said David Reuter, vice president of corporate communications for Nissan Americas. "The No. 1 exported product is the Nissan Altima, with major destinations being Canada, Mexico and the Middle East," Reuter said.
Other automakers export from the U.S. as well:
Mercedes-Benz's plant in Tuscaloosa County, Ala., built 148,092 SUVs - the M-Class, R-Class and GL-Class, according to Felyicia Jerald, communications manager. Nearly two-thirds of those were exported to more than 130 countries. Interestingly, when the plant opened 18 years ago, that ratio was reversed, with only one-third exported.
Toyota exported 85,000 vehicles last year from the U.S.; its export plan focuses on increasing sales of U.S.-assembled vehicles in markets where the it makes sense, said Javier Moreno, a Toyota spokesman.
South Korean automaker Hyundai is sending nearly 50,000 Sonatas and Elantras from its plant near Montgomery, Ala., to Canada and Puerto Rico, according to Hyundai plant spokesman Robert Burns. Hyundai's exports to Canada from that plant have grown by 127 percent since 2006, Burns said. Exports to Puerto Rico have grown nearly 300 percent in the same period. Hyundai's corporate sibling, Kia, exports Optimas, Sorentos and Santa Fes from its plant in West Point, Ga., said spokesman Michael Ofiara. Kia exports about 9.5 percent of its Georgia-built vehicles to Canada and Puerto Rico. Recent expansion gives Kia more production flexibility, but right now, it has no plans to move additional manufacturing facilities to the U.S.
For the Chrysler Group, the Jeep brand carries international cache and is the automaker's "truly global brand," said spokeswoman Michelle Callendar. Jeep sold 172,849 units overseas in 2011, up 17 percent over 2010, Callendar said. The company says that most of those Jeeps were exported from the U.S., though they were bolstered by some unspecified production in Egypt and Venezuela "mainly for the local markets," she said.
With multiple stories of Big 3 "foreign made" cars being better than the USA built versions, I hope for their sake they are making quality cars for export, or they will lose business in exports after people in other countries realize the USA made stuff is garbage.
'18 Porsche Macan Turbo, '16 Audi TTS, Wife's '19 VW Tiguan SEL 4-Motion
I'm not sure that with modern technology and QA there is much difference in any car build quality these days. There may be differences in engineering though such as design to cost and some plants may have been modernized with more automation. Interestingly enough, from what I've seen the Honda CRV AC compressor problem seems more prevalent in those assembled in Japan. Many of the Japanese vendors like Denso have moved plants here and provide parts to D3 vehicles these days.
Comments
I went into an Autozone on President's Day, and was shocked to find a replacement window crank that would have worked on my '67 Catalina! They also had a driver's side 2-door power window switch that would have worked on my '76 LeMans or '85 Silverado, as well as a single-switch.
Now, those aren't exactly rare parts, as that window crank has probably been used by GM from around 1967-1990, and those switches were common, as well. But still, with the wide variety of switches and such around these days, it was a bit of a shock to see those parts out there on the shelf! Now granted, they were cheap reproductions in the "HELP" repair section, so don't expect genuine GM parts!
It is true that not everything sold at Wal-Mart is made in China, but I'd venture to say that at least 50% of the items on the shelf are made offshore.
I simply do not agree...near the new Super walmart of which I speak, the other stores that moved in around it are, Home Depot, Wells Fargo Bank (they had a tiny location earlier and absolutely needed more space), a major Verizon Wireless store (meaning they also offer tech support and service), a new Mexican restaurant, a new BBQ restaurant, a new Kauffman Tire Store (their first in the area) and a new Wendys...they are building a new McDonald's right as we speak...good businesses, and a few serve fries...what's your problem with that???
My problem with that list is that other than the tire store, each one is a retail job. Retail jobs are notoriously low paying with few benefits. Even the tire store probably is fairly low paying if all they do is tires.
Comparing prices on a couple of Auto products like cleaning/polishing stuff for metals, synthetic motor oil, Wal-Mart is SIGNIFICANTLY lower priced than Autozone, Kragens, or any other smaller auto parts shop (pep-boys, you name it). The prices aren't even close on a percentage basis.
Yes Wal-Mart is cheaper but that's because they are the largest retailer in the world and have the power to dictate what they will pay for the products they sell, what the payment terms are, how much of a rebate the mfr will kick back, et al. Too many manufacturers get all starry eyed at the prospect of selling to Wal-Mart just to have it bit them on the butt down the road.
You have to watch out for things there. Some things area good deal and some aren't.
My problem with that list is that other than the tire store, each one is a retail job. Retail jobs are notoriously low paying with few benefits. Even the tire store probably is fairly low paying if all they do is tires."
You seem to feel that every job that is created must be a manufacturing job or it doesn;t count...I simply allow for evolution to take place, you seem to want to fight it...
Let's face it...businesses that grow will abandon buildings that no longer serve their needs, and everybody here seems to complain that the abandoned buidling is somehow the "responsibility" of the business to make sure it is occupied by a subsequent business, and I think you simply are trying to fight change...
What about the doctor's office where the doctor becomes successful and needs 4000 sq ft instead of 2000 sq ft, so he leaves the building he was renting and finds bigger space...are you going to tell him/her to stay in the smaller location until a new tenant (or owner) is found???...of course not...
Buildings have been abandoned by businesses leaving for decades...why is Walmart such a bad guy that they should be forced to stay in facilities that no longer serve their needs???
Apparently Russell Stover bought out Whitmans and consolidated production, or they just moved production to another place...lemko seems to be psoting like you are, as tho companies should be forced to stay in rotten inner cities just to keep the jobs there, as tho that location is sacred...it isn't...
On a slightly different note, my father used to buy his auto parts from a warehouse in the Bronx...their windows were broken every night, their insurance skyrocketed over the years because the neighborhood went bad over the years...they were regular victims of muggings and theft...tell me why those jobs should stay there just to keep the bldg occupied???
They moved their business to Connecticut...in the FIRST YEAR, their insurance rates drooped so much that the savings paid for the entire move, and then thay continued to save every year, obviously increasing profitability...
What many seem unwilling to admit is that when areas deteriorate, almost always for the obvious reasons, businesses leave and take the jobs with them...so, all the locals who depended on those unskilled jobs are left behind, and the area gets even worse...but the original deterioration starts with the type of people who make it into a slum, and then it just goes down from there...much of Philly was apparently "inner city" which does not bode well for normal people who want to be safe on the job without needing personal protection...
lemko laments job loss in Philly...the fact is, things change, businesses leave or close...I wouldn;t be surprised if labor unions play a part in that, altho probably not the only reason for leaving...
My local Wal-Mart stocks Mobil 1 0W-40, 5W-30, 10W-30, and 15W-50- as well as Shell Rotella Synthetic 5W-40. So I'm covered.
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2021 Sahara 4xe
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
You seem to feel that every job that is created must be a manufacturing job or it doesn;t count...I simply allow for evolution to take place, you seem to want to fight it...
No every job doesn't have to be a manufacturing job but most of those retail jobs you tout really don't pay a living wage. Those retail jobs in my area (Boston) might pay $10 a hour and nobody can support a family on those wages.
We all lament that our country is falling behind the rest of the world in economic vitality. I don't see how ringing a register at WalMart or waiting tables at Chilis will allow us to regain our economic prowess. Yes at least jobs are being created but when one needs to hold 3 of them to get by, perhaps we are doing something wrong.
I remember when I finally hit the $10 an hour mark working part time as a gov't contractor way back in the fall of 1992. I thought I had it made! I also had another job as a sales associate at Hechts (now Macy's), and by that time I think I was making about $7/hr at that.
Of course, back then I was still in college, living with my grandmother, and didn't have all the expenses and experiences of the "real world" just yet. But the sad reality is, $10/hr wasn't much 20 years ago, and it's even less today! :sick:
Actually, now that I think about it, I had broken the $10/hr barrier back in 1989-90 working as a waiter in college. But most of it was cash, and the hourly rate was only something like $2.11 per hour, so it didn't seem like $10+ per hour. Seeing that $10/hr on the paycheck seemed a bit more impressive. :shades:
But definitely not in the city...
All I can say is that I am grateful when new businesses move in or expand and bring jobs with them...I do agree with you that manufacturing jobs will pay the most, but we deal with reality as it is...if Kauffman Tire and Wells Fargo and Verizon move in, I am grateful for the jobs they bring and I really do not know what they are paid...I would rather see those jobs than see the place turn into those photos of Philly that lemko posted...
I also know that I pay a hefty labor rate when they work on my car...I know that it all does not go to the technician, but if even half of it does, they make good money, and I think they have benefits, too...I believe the same for Verizon Wireless...
As far as ringing a register at WM, they won;t be paid as much, and the skill level of the job does not mandate as much, either...but A job is better than NO job, and, as far as the area goes, NEW businesses are better than NO businesses...so you can lament all you want about what you wish the jobs WERE, but this is what they ARE, and I am grateful they are here...
As far as car supplies like oil and waxes, if they sell the same brand as the big auto stores, only cheaper, then the products are the same...a quart of Pennzoil is a quart of Pennzoil...
BTW, sometimes the selection of spices and soups is far greater at WM than my local grocery...I rarely buy food at WM, but if the local Ingles or Kroger does not have it, WM often will...
I don't think the mechanic/technician even gets half of that rate. Labor rates around here are around $90-100 per hour, but I think the typical mechanic is lucky to get around $50,000 per year, unless he's really experienced or has a lot of seniority, or part owner in the business.
And you know, I really don't get this "living wage" socialism poop. Jobs ringing at WM are for college kids, retirees, or housewives wanting to earn a few extra $$ on the side. If you think WM is a CAREER, then you've made some piss poor choices in your life. It's great that there are jobs like Mickey Ds and WM and being an usher at the local metroplex. It's what you do while you work to apprentice or study for a decent job.
Society will always need the menial jobs. And society will always have people in the bottom 20%. I don't really see why those less capable, educated, or motivated should be earning up there with those who have paid much bigger dues.
That has been my point for years...others on these boards simply think that because you show up for work that you should be paid $40K or more, regardless of the skill level involved, and I have always said that floowsweeping jobs and the like are barely worth minimum wage, regardless of whether you have 6 kids or not...and it comes down to the choices YOU made with your life...if you choose to have zero skills, and you have 6 kids, then you will, and should, live on the poverty line forever...not because I say so, but because the market does not value floorsweeping skills as much as auto technician/electrician/welder skills...
That has been my point for years...others on these boards simply think that because you show up for work that you should be paid $40K or more, regardless of the skill level involved, and I have always said that floowsweeping jobs and the like are barely worth minimum wage, regardless of whether you have 6 kids or not...and it comes down to the choices YOU made with your life...if you choose to have zero skills, and you have 6 kids, then you will, and should, live on the poverty line forever...not because I say so, but because the market does not value floorsweeping skills as much as auto technician/electrician/welder skills...
If only "paying dues" or being capable had any correlation to success.
While I agree that people make their choices and live with the consequences, in many places in this country the opportunities for better jobs are far and few between.
I don't believe that one should get $40K just for showing up. But those McJobs many times aren't held by students, house spouses or retirees - they are held as the primary job of many people willing and capable of doing more but can't because of the wholesale offshoring of those jobs. In reality I'm a globalist who believes that nations should do what they do best. We are quite capable of being the best in important industries but we are too comfortable giving those industries away in pursuit of cheaper goods.
Today, this is the site of a golf course used by the "successful hard-working" 1%. Wonder whatever happened to all those Budd workers and their families?
If those families were lucky/smart they invested in education and moved up while the getting was good.
These Hyundai railcars are troublesome and are "assembled" by low-cost unskilled workers in a shop in South Philly. The Budd workers took pride in their work. They were truly masters of their craft. These new guys look like something from an exploitation movie or Fifty Cent video and do as their Korean masters command for a fraction of what a Budd employee would've earned, factored for inflation of course. I doubt very much these krappy Korean kars will last 10 years let alone close to 50. Well, you get what you pay for!
Let's see, I mentioned that walmart cashier jobs should't be expected to provide the "living wage" as defined by some. Don't see how that's in any way mentioning "wholesale loss of the industrial job base". Red herring, indeed.
If only "paying dues" or being capable had any correlation to success.
But it does! Perhaps not PERFECT correlation, according to some. But just seeing that higher education = much lower unemployment and higher salaries shows the correlation. But of course, more money to satiate the masses doesn't really measure the health of the populace, anyway. :P
Maybe we can just emulate some kind of unnamed artificial nation tax haven (which will almost by definition be loaded with "socialist" programs), and that will save us.
For many, mommy and daddy simply buy the diploma - no dues paid there.
I bet many of those old Budd railcars will outlast all of us. But their replacements are cheaper and a product of "free trade" (a competitor nation, coddled by our military and foreign policy, competing on our shores with no hindrance), so they must be good.
I read this on a Canadian forum, some bits and pieces you'll like:
"What will happen is:
Unions will be busted/pressured. Public has bought the Kool-Aid. This will drive down wages across a wide spectrum of industries…and not only unionized ones. Boy, are some union bashers going to be in for a surprise!!
What happens then? Fast Forward 20 years:
Three classes of people (Just like India/china):
1) Unprotected Labour (no barrier to entry) – majority of Canadians in this class, wages will be low as labour will be plentiful.
2) Protected Labour (strong barriers to entry) – Doctors... Dentists, Politicans, etc.
3) Non-working class – this group owns most of the assets whether liquid or not. Their goal is not to work a 9-5 job but to ‘grow’ their money.
Like I said, Just like India! Watch and wait."
That's the brave new world. Some might call it "class warfare".
And related to the subject of this thread, how the middle class became the underclass
Was not somebody lamenting walmart jobs, and not being paid a "living wage"? Not a golden standard - but whatever the job, it should support a family (or whatever "living wage" really means).
Socialist as in some societal body should determine salaries (to provide such "living wage") rather than allow *gasp* a company or even *more gasps* the MARKET to determine what a job should be paid.
Maybe we can just emulate some kind of unnamed artificial nation tax haven
You know I had just been thinking we were overdue for that one! Made me smile!
I know that there's no good argument left when it comes up. :shades:
But anyway, if "socialism" is good enough for our competitors and these tax havens...
I didn't see a claim that every job should be able to sustain a family - more of a lament of the transformation of many jobs that could do so to service industry/mcjobs that can't. Real incomes and wage trends speak for themselves.
The "market" is broken, as the socio-economic realities of the past 25-30 years or so prove. It's all about the race to the bottom now.
When I bought a toaster some time ago, I think the closest I could find was made in Mexico, everything else was from China.
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2021 Sahara 4xe
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
I was teaching an Internet for seniors course in the late 90s and was showing how to buy things and such and somehow the toaster story came up and a guy who bought such things and fixed them up explained exactly what they were and Ebay took it from there.
People are getting wise to such things. Used to be able to pick up a nice one for $20. Probably twice that now.
Now it's planned obsolescence. :sick:
So, it's OK to make cars obsolete but when the rest of manufacturing does it, they are just ripping us off... :confuse: :confuse:
Well, planned obsolescence when it refers to cars, merely means that they're going to change the styles up every so often, whether they really need to or not, to make sure everybody wants to be hip and be seen in the new model. And, also, over time, they'll quit making parts for the old models, so that even if your car has been reliable, eventually something WILL break that's no longer manufactured, and that's pretty much the end of it.
When it comes to stuff like appliances, it seems like they just make them cheaper today, so they don't last as long. One problem is that motors and such are more energy efficient, but that means they're also more lightweight, flimsy, and will wear out quicker. I would guess that even with heavy-duty equipment like railroad coaches and such, there's still a need to make things more efficient, which means less heavy and over-built.
There's a distinct difference between simply making something that goes out of style, so you want the newer model, versus making something cheap so that it wears out prematurely.
Boy, those execs in the offices outside your cube must really be *nasty*!...
Some of them are pretty much the definition of idiocy, yes.
Almost as bad as those who take offense when our beloved and vital upper managerial/exec ranks are taken to task.
It's not what you know...
...it's what you kiss...!
Well, my 17 year old son says that when he is out on his own he would like to have an older Jeep Wrangler like mine- but only after he already has a German sports coupe in the garage... :P
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2021 Sahara 4xe
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
I often drop my daughter off in the morning at middle school, which is just down the road from the high school. There are still a few kids that drive cool rides.
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2021 Sahara 4xe
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
I saw two Wranglers being driven by teenagers on their way to school this morning. Outside of fuel economy, they seem reasonably priced, easy to work, on, and all sorts of parts available for repairs/upgrades, etc.
Exactly, they are extremely DIY friendly- and parts are relatively inexpensive and plentiful.
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2021 Sahara 4xe
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
Nissan already ships all its U.S.-built products overseas to 46 foreign countries and U.S. territories, said David Reuter, vice president of corporate communications for Nissan Americas. "The No. 1 exported product is the Nissan Altima, with major destinations being Canada, Mexico and the Middle East," Reuter said.
Other automakers export from the U.S. as well:
Mercedes-Benz's plant in Tuscaloosa County, Ala., built 148,092 SUVs - the M-Class, R-Class and GL-Class, according to Felyicia Jerald, communications manager. Nearly two-thirds of those were exported to more than 130 countries. Interestingly, when the plant opened 18 years ago, that ratio was reversed, with only one-third exported.
Toyota exported 85,000 vehicles last year from the U.S.; its export plan focuses on increasing sales of U.S.-assembled vehicles in markets where the it makes sense, said Javier Moreno, a Toyota spokesman.
South Korean automaker Hyundai is sending nearly 50,000 Sonatas and Elantras from its plant near Montgomery, Ala., to Canada and Puerto Rico, according to Hyundai plant spokesman Robert Burns. Hyundai's exports to Canada from that plant have grown by 127 percent since 2006, Burns said. Exports to Puerto Rico have grown nearly 300 percent in the same period.
Hyundai's corporate sibling, Kia, exports Optimas, Sorentos and Santa Fes from its plant in West Point, Ga., said spokesman Michael Ofiara. Kia exports about 9.5 percent of its Georgia-built vehicles to Canada and Puerto Rico. Recent expansion gives Kia more production flexibility, but right now, it has no plans to move additional manufacturing facilities to the U.S.
For the Chrysler Group, the Jeep brand carries international cache and is the automaker's "truly global brand," said spokeswoman Michelle Callendar. Jeep sold 172,849 units overseas in 2011, up 17 percent over 2010, Callendar said. The company says that most of those Jeeps were exported from the U.S., though they were bolstered by some unspecified production in Egypt and Venezuela "mainly for the local markets," she said.