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"What are all of the makes of cars (trucks, etc.) that are American made?"
(Thanks to the U.S. Stuff visitor who emailed the question ~1999)


Don't know.

As far as U.S. Stuff can tell, there are no makes of cars that are 100% American made. The closest U.S. Stuff has seen is 2001 Oldsmobile Intrigue GLS Sedan and the 2001 Pontiac Widetrack Grand Prix GT Sedan, made by USA owned Oldsmobile/General Motors and USA owned Pontiac/General Motors, both assembled in Kansas City, Kansas, USA, with a USA engine, USA transmission, with 96% US/Canadian parts content. Check the parts content sticker, though. The Grand Prix SE Sedan has a Mexican engine.

A close second, (and usually first) are the 2001 Saturn S models. They are made by the USA owned Saturn/General Motors, assembled in Spring Hill, Tennessee, USA, with a USA engine, USA transmission and 95% US/Canadian parts content. The 1998s (pretty sure) were the same, but in the 1999s they went "downhill in Spring Hill" with 90% U.S./Canadian parts. Saturn got their act together and have the 2001s back up to 95%. Saturn recently came out with their larger L models, which have lower US/Canadian parts percentages (80% for 2001), the V6 engine is from the UK, and their commercials used to brag about the L model's German engineering. You can't have it all.

Also in second for model year 2001 are the Ford Tauruses, the Ford F150 Lariat Harley-Davidson model, and the GMC Safari. Like the Saturn S's, the Fords and the GMC are USA owned, USA assembled, with USA engines, USA transmissions and 95% US/Canadian parts. The Taurus's cousin, the Mercury Sable is the same, but with 90% US/Canadian parts.

Honorable mention for a car made by a foreign owned car company would have to go to the 2001 Chrysler Prowler. German owned Daimler-Chrysler's Prowler is USA assembled in Detroit, Michigan, with a USA Engine, USA Transmission, and a very high 94% US/Canadian parts content (Could be mostly Canadian, though. Can't tell for sure. Just hope it's mostly USA.)

1998 Ford F150s and F250s use to be 95% on some models but the 1999s went down to around 90%, with many including Japanese transmissions. The (1999?) Plymouth Prowler was 90%. Many 1998 Mustangs were 90% but the 1999s were are around 85%. The Chevy Blazers were around 90%. Many 1998 Tauruses were around 85%. 1998 Corvettes, Grand Prix, Intrigues, Cavaliers were around 82%. Chrysler had some vans around 90% with US assembly and the Durango was around 80%.

Some Camrys, Accords, Nissans, Mazdas, Mitsubishis, (all?) Mercedes M sport utilities, (all?) BMW Z sports cars are assembled in the US.

The term US/Canadian doesn't tell you how much is US. U.S. Stuff would, though, recommend looking for USA ownership, USA final assembly, USA transmission and USA engine, with the highest US/Canadian parts content you can find. This info (except for ownership) is listed on the parts content sticker. On new vehicles it should be attached to the vehicle window, like the price sticker. On 2001 Hyundais, the parts content sticker is a nearly invisible clear decal on window (Miniscule to zero US content). Nissan vehicles and 2001 Lincoln Navigators have been seen by U.S. Stuff with the content sticker on the opposite side of the vehicle from the price sticker (don't want you to see it?), Chrysler products had them incorporated into the price sticker (good choice, can't fall off without the sticker price falling off, too). Some Pontiacs and the Corvettes had them (and still did for model year 2001) folded up so you couldn't see them unless you unstuck one of the ends of the sticker from the window and unfolded it (good info, but are they too ashamed?).

It's been said (by a dealers association) that the formulas for content are inaccurate because they combine US and Canadian content, and they treat parts diffently when the parts provider is owned by the auto company and when it isn't. This, they say, makes parts/vehicles with the same US content have radically different percentages on the parts content sticker.

If you go new car shopping, always check the stickers (it's about the best you've got, as far as U.S. Stuff knows). U.S. Stuff has seen seemingly identical Pontiacs, one assembled in the USA and the other assembled in Mexico. Seen similar vehicles with different countries of assembly at Ford (Mexico, US), Chrysler (Canada, US), GM (Mexico, US and Canada, US), Toyota (Japan, US), etc.

If you're looking for a used vehicle, U.S. Stuff has seen some vehicles with the place of assembly printed on the manufacturers label on the door jamb. U.S. Stuff has also seen some GM vehicles with the label not saying. According to the book "Made in the USA' by the Made in USA Foundation (available for purchase by calling 1-800-USA-PRIDE http://www.madeusa.org/book.htm), the serial number of the vehicle will have the country of final assembly coded into it. If the serial number starts with a '1' or '4', its final assembly was in the USA. If it starts with a '2', Canada; a '3', Mexico; a 'J', Japan; 'K' for Korea and other letters or numbers for other countries.

So, if you're in the market for a used vehicle, US Stuff recommends checking the parts content sticker. Probably not still on the window, and probably not still in the possesion of the vehicle owner. Impossible, so you may want to check the US government's listing of parts content for the vehicle (US Stuff hasn't found such a list, probably doesn't exist). You're next best (maybe only) option is to check the serial number, and look for a starting number of "1" or "4", USA final assembly. Next, try to look for a vehicle that's similar to a new car with the most US Stuff. Like shopping in the year 2001 for a used vehicle, you may want to get a 2000 or older Pontiac Widetrack Grand Prix GT Sedan, since the 2001 model is USA owned, USA engine, USA tran, with 96% US/Canadian parts, but beware of the SE Sedan, which may have had a Mexican engine. Or you may want a smaller vehicle, like a 2000 or older Saturn S model. You'd be pretty safe with that choice, since all 2001 S models are USA owned, USA engine, USA tran, 95% US/Canadian (and other years seen to be the same, with 90% or more US/Can parts).

According to the book 'How Americans Can Buy American' by Roger Simmermaker, (available for purchase by calling 1-888-US-OWNED howtobuyamerican.com) Chrysler produces 30% of its vehicles content in the USA, 50% for Ford, 70% for GM. The Dodge Dakota (1995?) is 80% American content. The book emphasizes the importance of US ownership of the companies that make the vehicles. A few of the US owned makes listed are Saturn, Ford, Vector, Lamborghini. Some foreign owned are Mercedes, Toyota, Honda, Volkswagen. U.S. Stuff beleives Chrysler (Daimler-Chrysler) is now German owned.

A lot of the above numbers and info are to the best of U.S. Stuff's knowledge, so you better check it out yourself before you buy. Corrections would be appreciated.

The two books above are good guides. Buy them ASAP. U.S. Stuff hopes you find a vehicle you like, Made in the USA. If you do (or some other Made in USA product), please let U.S. Stuff know so it can be listed on the U.S. Stuff web site.

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