Cooper zeon RS3-A made China...bummer

[grampi]

Originally Posted By: PandaBear
Originally Posted By: grampi
Yes, and have you noticed the price of tires lately? Even though more and more of our tires are now being made overseas, I'm not seeing prices go down. In fact, tire prices just keep going up. Where's the lower prices we should be seeing due to the lower cost of labor?


There was a natural rubber shortage a few years ago that started the huge tire price hike. I remember reading an article that said new rubber trees would start harvesting at about now.


Don't fool yourself...tire prices will never come back down...

 

[Ken2]

Quote:
Likely would be made in the same factory even.


How can they be made in the same factory? Think about that statement for a second........
It is a tax deductible expense to pack up and ship factory equipment even to a foreign country. You can thank our best-Congress-money-can-buy.

The Chinese can build things just as good as the inspectors watch them make.

My matched set of Michelin motorcycle tires has the front made in Thailand and the rear made in Spain. You never know until you read the fine print.... (And I don't think there are any U.S. made motorcycle tires.)

 

[ledslinger]

I just checked the price of Yokahama Avid Touring S I put on my 2000 Concorde about 2 years ago. Listed price was $75 (paid 70) 2 years ago, todays price is $103. This is Discount Tire.

 

[OVERKILL]

Originally Posted By: Ken2
Quote:
Likely would be made in the same factory even.


How can they be made in the same factory? Think about that statement for a second........
It is a tax deductible expense to pack up and ship factory equipment even to a foreign country. You can thank our best-Congress-money-can-buy.

The Chinese can build things just as good as the inspectors watch them make.

My matched set of Michelin motorcycle tires has the front made in Thailand and the rear made in Spain. You never know until you read the fine print.... (And I don't think there are any U.S. made motorcycle tires.)


My point was regarding a tire marked "Made in USA" can't be (legally) manufactured in the same facility as a tire marked "Made in China".

 

[grampi]

Originally Posted By: dailydriver
Originally Posted By: antiqueshell
Originally Posted By: OVERKILL
Originally Posted By: grampi
We can't even make our own tires anymore...this is beyond ridiculous...


It is sad

Tariffs....please.
Why should China get an unfair trade advantage with the US, Canada, or for that matter any other first world nation that has respect for their citizens?


Because the right wing, 'open markets/"free" trade' types would NEVER IN A MILLION YEARS go for this, and would rather ship ALL of our jobs overseas (and gleefully/substantially reward those who do with tax breaks) and give foreign entities EVERYTHING they want as far as trade goes with NOTHING in return, while punishing, berating, villifying, and calling those citizens of THIS country who CANNOT find work with a living wage, "just plain lazy".

Maybe we should send the Gadsden Flag waving house's jobs overseas, take away ALL of THEIR quite excellent health care, and benefits, and then start calling THEM "lazy"??

I think you meant to say "left wing"....right wingers actually support jobs staying here in the U.S....

 

[HerrStig]

Originally Posted By: OVERKILL
Quote:
In a December 2003 agreement, Cooper entered a joint venture with Kenda Rubber Industrial Company Ltd. for construction of a plant outside Shanghai, China, to produce radial passenger and light truck tires. Then, returning the company to its core business of tire manufacturing, Cooper in December 2004 completed the sale of its automotive business, Cooper-Standard Automotive, for approximately $1.165 billion. The sale included the forty-seven manufacturing facilities and operations of Cooper-Standard Automotive, which is a global manufacturer of fluid handling systems, body-sealing systems, and active and passive vibration control systems, primarily for automotive original equipment manufacturers.

The sale in turn provided new opportunities for growth. In January 2005, Cooper announced an agreement to buy an 11 percent interest in Kumho Tire. That month, the company also announced it was forming a new commercial division encompassing both Oliver Rubber Company and commercial tires. In October 2005 the company announced an agreement to obtain 51 percent ownership in China’s third largest tire manufacturer, Cooper Chengshan (Shandong) Passenger Tire Company Ltd. And Cooper Chengshan (Shandong) Truck Tire Company Ltd.
That phrase "new opportunities for growth" always makes me nervous. It sometimes happens just before the drain rotation begins.

 

[HerrStig]

Originally Posted By: grampi
Originally Posted By: bigjl
Originally Posted By: grampi
We can't even make our own tires anymore...this is beyond ridiculous...


Not really when you read the board with a non US perspective.

If you want tyres with 50 or 60 thousand mile tread warranties and oil for $3/4 a quart and tools for next to nothing what do you expect.

Business is about profit.

If the consumer is intent on lower and lower prices above all else then companies will outsource to save as much as possible.

Similar thing is happening in the UK at the moment.

I now actively avoid Chinese goods if possible.

Sometimes it isn't possible, like if you want an iPhone for example.


I think you missed my point. Let me ask you this; what products have gone down in price due to the lower cost of labor by having the stuff made overseas? The answer is none have. We pay more for goods today than we've ever paid, so that tells me the money that's being saved with cheaper labor isn't being passed along to consumers, it's going straight into the pockets of business owners...making a profit is one thing, raping consumers is another...
electronics, cheaper than ever for more performance.

 

[Mr Nice]

Originally Posted By: JHZR2
This is sad. Very sad.


Its the stone cold truth.

 

[PandaBear]

Originally Posted By: grampi
Don't fool yourself...tire prices will never come back down...


It did already. I was tire shopping for over 2 years and have seen them reduced in the last 8 months or so from the peak. No, it will not go back to the $100 for 4 days but it did drop my size from $70 down to about $60.

 

[PandaBear]

Originally Posted By: grampi
I think you meant to say "left wing"....right wingers actually support jobs staying here in the U.S....


Paging Tempest.

I'll say without political jabbing attempt that this is a political jabbing statement. The definition (at least in the US) is that right wing is pro market and pro consumer, and don't care whether job is lost due to automation or out sourcing. Market will correct that.

The laws we have here that allow tax shelter via foreign registered subsidiary companies to pay foreign income instead of US income tax on corporate means there is actually more benefit to build oversea and import when all cost is equal. This is a policy more supported by the right wing than the left wing.

 

[PandaBear]

Originally Posted By: grampi

I think you missed my point. Let me ask you this; what products have gone down in price due to the lower cost of labor by having the stuff made overseas? The answer is none have. We pay more for goods today than we've ever paid, so that tells me the money that's being saved with cheaper labor isn't being passed along to consumers, it's going straight into the pockets of business owners...making a profit is one thing, raping consumers is another...


First you have to compare against inflation (although consumer price is what make up inflation, so you need to use something else to factor that in). Let's say you trust gold as the real currency. You can say that all things are priced lower today than 20 years ago in terms of gold price.

Our income also is lowered in terms of gold price, but oil is probably not. This make sense as more jobs and income are now earned oversea, we have less income and our stuff cost less, as a wash, price stays the same or didn't increase as much as it would have.

Everything in valuation is dynamic, so it is hard to say what if would be without outsourcing other than it would increase (but not sure how much). Orange juice was $2/64oz in 96, it is now $3/59oz in 13. If you use orange juice (assume Florida's Natural) as a benchmark, those items that cost only slightly more over the years is actually cheaper now.

 

[dailydriver]

Originally Posted By: PandaBear
Originally Posted By: grampi
I think you meant to say "left wing"....right wingers actually support jobs staying here in the U.S....


Paging Tempest.

I'll say without political jabbing attempt that this is a political jabbing statement. The definition (at least in the US) is that right wing is pro market and pro consumer, and don't care whether job is lost due to automation or out sourcing. Market will correct that.

The laws we have here that allow tax shelter via foreign registered subsidiary companies to pay foreign income instead of US income tax on corporate means there is actually more benefit to build oversea and import when all cost is equal. This is a policy more supported by the right wing than the left wing.


^^^THANK YOU!!!, as this was my implication, PRECISELY!!! (Although I'm sure that our resident Gadsden Flag flailer will be on here shortly to defend his righty compadres for the above practices/'pricipals').

 

[Cardenio327]

Originally Posted By: Ken2
(And I don't think there are any U.S. made motorcycle tires.)


I think most Dunlop motorcycle tires are still made in U.S.A. I just put a pair of new Michelins on my bike, both came from Thailand, but it wouldn't have surprised me if they had been made in two different countries.

 

[Jarlaxle]

Originally Posted By: Ken2
Quote:
Likely would be made in the same factory even.


How can they be made in the same factory? Think about that statement for a second........
It is a tax deductible expense to pack up and ship factory equipment even to a foreign country. You can thank our best-Congress-money-can-buy.

The Chinese can build things just as good as the inspectors watch them make.

My matched set of Michelin motorcycle tires has the front made in Thailand and the rear made in Spain. You never know until you read the fine print.... (And I don't think there are any U.S. made motorcycle tires.)


I recall Dunlop still makes some MC tires here.

 

[HWEaton]

Originally Posted By: grampi
I think you meant to say "left wing"....right wingers actually support jobs staying here in the U.S....


No they do not. You will find most people supporting the "Keep the jobs in the US" are left wing liberals such as myself.

Additionally, I have attempted this post approximately 3-4 times and each time it disappears. If any mods have issue with me suggesting something counter to another poster, please let me know why.