LOL...I won't say exactly how much I make an hour, but I will say that it is a considerate amount more than the Cobalt Plant is paying. Plus add in my insurance benefits, 2 profit sharing bonuses a year, a monthly attendance bonus, discounts on Honda products, totally free banking, along with discounts(some free) to several Ohio festivities,events and businesses....I could continue to go on, but I think you see my point.
Later,
WEIMER

My post wasn't a dis on Honda as it seems you took it.

That GM plant I refer to is the last major employer in the area. It's in the rust belt in Northeast Ohio which may have partly to do with it. Most of the people working there have already been bent over by the steel companies going under. There was a huge scare that GM was going to shut the plant down with the end of the Cavalier. A couple of friends of mine's parents were really worried about it for several months.

Also, that was $20/hr seven years ago, like I said, I don't know what it is now. I know folks that drive up to 2 hours one way to work there, that's how bad the economy is in the rust belt (10-15% unemployment in Youngstown, near Lordstown, for the last decade).

I forget when it opened, but the Honda engine plant in Canton, OH is another larger employer. I knew a couple of people who's parents worked there. That was an hour & 1/2 drive each way, and they were happy to even have a job.

Perhaps I stumbled on the key. Perhaps Honda & Toyota are so successful because they opened their plants were the people needed the jobs. Since those jobs where scarce, workers have to work hard to keep their job. Hard workers typically put out high quality product. Does that make sense?

Good thread Jim. Personally I wasn't aware how many "foreign" cars were built in the U.S. until a couple years ago.

Some people I know knocked on my Accord when I bought it last year, I heard "what did you buy that import for?" or "I would never buy that jap crap." I told them it was made in the U.S. and good luck finding many American cars that run and look this good after 200,000 miles. I've got 229,000 on it now and I have to say that no body has anything bad to say about the Accord anymore. In fact one of the original complainers went to a Honda dealership when he was in the market for a new car.

Not all, but a good percentage of Subaru's are made in Lafayette , In. A good deal of Nissans are made in Smyrna Tennesee. Including the new Titan full size truck. The v-8 engine for that is built in Alabama.