Topic: 41% Now Say “Buying American” Is Top Factor When Purchasing a Car

[Bubba]

There's some confusion out there.

http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/business/auto_industry/november_2010/41_now_say_buying_american_is_top_factor_when_purchasing_a_car

41% Now Say “Buying American” Is Top Factor When Purchasing a Car
Sunday, November 14, 2010


When looking for a car, adults nationwide now say buying American-made is as important as finding the best deal.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 41% of Adults say they look for an American-built car first when shopping for automobiles. Slightly more (44%) say they look for the best possible deal regardless of where it’s manufactured. Just 12% prefer foreign-built cars. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

Those numbers have shifted from June 2008, when 51% said finding the best deal was their top priority and just 32% placed more importance on “buying American.”

The survey of 1,000 Adults nationwide was conducted on November 10-11, 2010 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC.

While a plurality of investors are most concerned with finding the best deal, non-investors think buying an American car is more important.

But Americans are divided on what exactly American-made means. Forty-one percent (41%) believe buying a foreign brand that is built in the U.S. is the same as buying American, but 42% do not. Another 17% are not sure.

Still, a majority (59%) of adults consider the “Big Three” – Ford, General Motors and Chrysler to be the only American car companies. Twenty-nine percent (29%) disagree, while 12% are undecided.

Earlier this month, 54% of Americans said they are less likely to buy a GM car because the federal government is the automaker’s majority owner.

Still, in a separate survey in early June, 48% of those who planned to buy a new or used car in the next year said they are at least somewhat likely to buy either a Ford or a vehicle made by General Motors. Those findings included 20% who were Very Likely to buy a Ford and 26% Very Likely to buy a GM product instead.

Fifty-three percent (53%) of Americans still think the federal government bailout of GM and Chrysler was a bad idea. Most adults were opposed to the taxpayer bailout of the two auto companies right from the start.

A plurality of voters continues to believe that the country’s economy will benefit from free trade, but they also think it will stunt job growth.

[aquadorhj]

interesting post, thanks.

[Ex-airbalancer]

But do Americans want hatches & wagons?

[tortoise]

You're bound to take better care of something that you paid for.  I guess the American people want to see their investment do well.

[toolatecrew]

But Americans are divided on what exactly American-made means. Forty-one percent (41%) believe buying a foreign brand that is built in the U.S. is the same as buying American, but 42% do not. Another 17% are not sure

How meaningful is the survey if the respondnents don't even undertand what American made means?

It would be intersting to see the results in Canada..since there are no Canadian car companies do Canadians consider Canadian made "assembled in Canada"?

Its interesting that over 1/2 still think the bailout was a bad idea. Those companies will need to be extra careful to downplay or hide any forigen manufacturing or partnerships. Bailing out companies so they can shift jobs to China or Mexico doesn't sit wll I guess.

[gotak]

I know for me I don't care where it's made.