I'm running an electric fan so I don't need to worry too much about this particular issue, but I gotta say I'd be pissed if I bought a new repop piece and it warped on me after just a few heat cycles. I would ask myself why it warped, when plastic fan shrouds have been around for about half a century. The answer is that it's just poor quality of materials... and probably NOT made in the USA or Canada. Most likely made in China.
In these economic times it's hard for us to pay more for products just becuase they're made over here, but all too often the quality of those foreign goods is so bad it justifies the extra expense of buying American (or Canadian) so in the long run we're better off buying local anyway. Never mind the fact that you're keeping the wealth in your own country (or continent) instead of sending it over to some place where they will do who knows what with it.
Another thing... the American government's stimulus package shouldn't need a "buy American" clause... Americans should have a buy American clause built into their thought processes. It should be automatic, the way it is in other countries. Not to pick on Japan (I usually like to pick on China), but how may Japanese people do you think are driving American cars? Right... not a hell of a lot. How many Americans are driving Japanese cars?
We have to change our culture of consumerism so that it's automatic that we buy products produced locally. It's not always easy... just try and find a pair of running shoes made in Canada or the USA. I'm not sure that it's possible. When I go to the grocery store and I see cheap fruits and vegetables that are marked "Product of Mexico" or "Product of Brazil" I do my best not to buy them. I go for the "Product of Ontario" first, if that's not available then I look for "Product of USA." Again, it's not always possible to buy local. I really like bananas, but there aren't a hell of a lot of bananas being grown in Canada.
I know I'm preaching to the choir here. Most FABO members are hard core Mopar guys, so buying locally is clearly a part of most of our car buying thought processes.
Sorry 70Duster440... I turned your thread about crappy fan shrouds into a lament about our tendency to buy foreign products.
