I can agree with you. Thing is sometimes they may be the only game in town. That was the rod kit. I run into the same problem with hardware, you can't buy a middle grade product made in the U.S., it's something like ARP, nothing else. I do all I can in the U.S., but hardware is the one thing I cannot do without increasing cost by about 1/3. An example. I needed gaskets. Called Cometic. I was told over $6.00 for a gasket for a cam chain tensioner, I said "What would it be if I bought a couple hundred?" - same price. I was fortunate I have them laser cut by my sticker guy from rolls of gasket paper from a car parts store, $4.00/roll and I get over 100 pc, for $1.20 each. One case where I lucked out. Of course I'm not sure, maybe the paper is from China. I hope not, but wouldn't be surprised if it was. I will pay more, but not outrageously more. $6.00 vs $1.20... you tell me..

On the other hand I'd go about anywhere but Chinese for a shock and other products that may be easily "cheaped out", make it look trick, but it ain't. Same with numerous products. I don't see anything different in today's environment than twenty years ago. The majority of the product sucked back then and still does. They are still as opaque as ever in anything to do with their government and production processes. I agree that the general American buyer has pushed so much overseas especially with the "WalMarting" of America. The drive for the cheapest. It isn't a new phenomenon by any means. I have gone out of my way a number of times to avoid Chinese product. Have for decades. I will go for some other Asian products though.

That same attitude is what has pushed the good small motorcycle dealerships out of business. They cannot compete with the cut throat bigger dealers who will jack their price up one way or another on most customers. Sometimes you have to make a stand. I probably paid near a grand too much for my new bike, but - but that smaller dealer has saved me more than that when they gave me a break on my parts I buy from them. I buy from them because I worked in a small dealership and know how hard it is, ain't buyin' a vacation home in Bermuda for sure. I support them with my purchases and I want them to be there when I need them. I just don't want to go to WalMart or Costco to buy my motorcycles and parts.

So understand there are times. Until someone steps up and changes the situation they may be the only game in town. I would buy an American phone and have to think it is possible to make one here and sell for the price that Apple is doing with their Chinese phones. I would like to see more "free world" product as well as American product. I think national security should dictate that we have American health products if at all possible, even with some subsidizing if needed. Get some necessities back on shore even if we have to support someone other than big pharma. There is no reason for the same product to be so much less costly in Canada versus the U.S. - and big pharma is claiming the product isn't as safe? Yea, and I crap gold bars.

 

Have you noticed over the last few years that all the money on cheap Chinese products has gone into the packaging? The quality on the packaging of some of the low end electronics products on Amazon is amazing. The quality of the cardboard boxes, printing, internal foam laser cut packing... top notch. Looks and feels fantastic.

Then you open the package, pull out the item and open the back cover, only to find that the soldering on internals looks like someone melted a crayon to hold two wires together and all the screws are 1/8 turn from the threads being stripped...LOL

They know what looks good on the shelf and in the pictures....

 

Yeah, on product that isn't going to be manufactured in the U.S., I'm hoping we're able to do more business with more and varied SE Asian countries...and other global suppliers...rather than China. For one, it's not a good idea to have all the eggs in one basket, as we're seeing play out with China. Heck, even our KLX, the KLR, and other bikes are a Japanese/Thailand combination.

China, however, is a bad actor with the usual communist internal corruption, and that's probably never going to be fixed in our life time. I'm not so sure that much of what China has been manufacturing can't be accomplished here or other developing countries. Computer controlled equipment in the design and manufacturing process make it easier for non-rocket-science level workers to produce quality. I mean look at S. Korea...basically the newer generation Japan. And prices on products made here are somewhat affected by the fact that there's no competition here. With China out of the picture, that could improve.

 

It can, but then Apple and the rest aren't sure they have wrung that last nickel profit out of the thing. I worked for Allied Machine and Engineering Corp. in Dover Ohio. A national caliber tooling manufacturer. I understand the president of the company was approached by some easterners who said they could engineer and make his product for 20% of what he was paying. He laughed in their faces and told them to go away, they couldn't pay a living wage for that kind of money. He has kept as much production in the company as possible, working deals for coating and heat treating. Part is dedication to the area, part is to have his thumb on all aspects of the product. Heck if it was remotely feasible he'd probably mine the ore. Gotta like and appreciate a guy like that. The pay wasn't the best, but it wasn't the worst, you could make a living there.