doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Done With Cabels.....

I had a conversation with a neighbor a month or two ago about the Toyota Tundra and Honda Accord sitting in my driveway. He opined that I was part of the downfall of the American Auto Industry. BTW, he drives a Dodge Ram.

I asked him where his truck was built. After looking at the decals and paperwork that came with it, he determined it was manufactured in Mexico. While my Tundra was built in the USA.

I also told him that when Chevy, Ford or Dodge started building a truck with the same longevity, resale value and dependability at a comparable price, that I would gladly trade in my Toyota.

Consumers are going to spend their money where it makes the most sense. Why pay more for an inferior product just because it was made in Mexico or Canada by an American car company?

Grandfather was one of the strikers at the Homestead works, father and uncles union members in various steel mills around Pittsburgh. The unions were doing good things then in securing basic rights of workers. Then by the end of my father's generation steel workers were getting outrageous benefits no business could afford - steel mills were done. Generally the unions became recognized as a problem more than a solution and their numbers in business declined precipitously except in Govt employee unions. Their national leadership is more concerned with "Workers of the World Unite" which Markism. Follow that path, workers in US and Bangledesh will be getting the same pay and benefits and they will be closer to those paid in Bangledesh. Businesses on the stock exchanges need to have enough regulation to prevent being looted by executives, Unions need to be regulated to prevent their abuses as well. Everyone is being pitted against someone else. Envy, greed being used to divide us and those doing it are elected by us. Anyone see the problem here with career politicians? They have plundered us like no CEO can possibly achieve. They are the ones to get control over.

Just my opinion, but that day is here and has been for more than ten years. My 1999 GMC 2500 had 215,000 miles on it without any significant issues when I sold it to a friend. That truck will be pulling a 3 horse trailer long after any Toyota could muster a drive across the country with a suitcase in it. Just normal maintenance and preventative maintenance of hoses etc. My 2008 Chevy 1500 has 63,000 on it now, without any significant issues.

Like the saying about the memory of poor quality lingering long after the product is gone, the American auto industry is still battling to recover from its past. Don't get me wrong, I don't think a GM is on par with a Lexus. Just that the American truck is a good reliable product.

American makers make good 1/2 ton and larger trucks, but the same cannot be said about every other class of vehicle that many other people want. When it was time to replace my vehicle a few years ago none of the US automakers even manufactured the vehicle I wanted anymore (4 cylinder small 4x4 pickup), so I had no other option. Others have suggested I just get a full size truck but I get a calculated 24mpg average, haul compost and firewood into and out of the back 40 with ease, transport myself and the wife with 2 large dogs in comfort, get essentially truck offroad capability with car handling, and I haven't had a hiccup in 90k miles with only gas and oil in it. It aint perfect, but it's been a very reliable vehicle and I'll probably buy another one if I still don't have any other similar options in another 100k miles. Guess what? It was made in Louisiana--without double checking I'm pretty sure the sticker said 85% made in USA.
The last guy who gave me grief about my toyota shoots a citori, drives a 2005 Dodge truck and drinks budweiser.

Rayle Electric who supplies my power uses Ford trucks and many run over 300,00 miles with no problems.Bobby

300,000 Bobby

FYI, my 98 hp 4 wheel drive (not a toy, but not huge either) John Deere tractor was assembled in Saltillo, Mexico. The front transaxle was made in Brazil.

We bought it because it was the best we could get for the money.

Starter packed up in my 2002 Chev Silverado last week and the Canadian Automobile Association man showed up with another Chev---a '93 tow truck with, he said, one million miles on it. C'mon, I said, not a million miles? "Yes, I sold my old business years ago and now I just work part-time with my old Chev."

WOW....I find this all very interesting. Since I started the thread and have kept up on it I thought I'd make a final comment and at the same time say that many, many good comments and anologies have been made. I agree with Rifle that this all happened with Cabelas after they went public and the Cabela's family was out of the picture; it's called greedy strategy for the stockholders. The very same thing that happened at WalMart after Sam Walton passed away; they got greedy and went to off shore mfg. As for Shinbone's question, where do we purchase "American made", we just have to shop around and be committed and willing to pay a little more if we really believe in the "American Made" concept as I do. I worked in business for many years and have a true appreciation for the free enterprise system. My last twenty years of employment was with the world's largest pharmeceutical company. We mfg'd in the U.S. and had mfg'g facilities in more than sixteen other countries more for logistical reasons than for cost of manufacture. For me today and for the last many years it is and will remain a "Made in the U.S.A." mindset or I'll let it go by. I gave Uncle Sam over twenty years of service and of which I'm very proud and I won't desert her at this stage of life. Thanks for all your input and very thoughtful comments....CBB

Back to subject of CABELA's:

The zipper recently broke on a jacket I had purchased from CABELA's (their own brand)ina prior year. I took it back to the local store, and asked them what "they could do?"

The women at the service desk was very nice. She looked up some code on the inside label, and said she thought I bought it three years ago. I said I didn't exactly remember, but that perhaps she was correct. She told me to go ito the store and find a replacement that was similar, which I did. She then said she would have to charge me $6 difference for the replacement; which I thought was a heck of a deal.

CABELA's still provides first class service!

JERRY