[PhrogMech46]

Ok so I'm just curious why is it when people talk about winches the whole "Made in USA" thing comes up? Im just wondering why is it out of all the foreign made stuff we all buy that it is winches that many people decide that the line has to be drawn? Im just curious to hear peoples points of view on it and what they consider "American Made".

 

[oz97tj]

Many foreign products, such as electronics, are decent quality. Many tools, such as winches that are foreign are made cheaply and work poorly. Buying cheap chinese wrenches for 5 bucks knowing they may break is one thing. Spending a few hundred bucks on cheaply made chinese crappy winches that you may need to rely on to get home is entirely different. With the costs being so close to many of superwinch and warns offerings, its pretty dumb really to save the small amount of money knowing that the quality is far lower.

 

[BigMike]

I just don't support companies that empower a future enemy of the US. Any time I can buy something that is made in the US over China, I do it as long as it is of equal or better quality and not twice as much.

Too many people turn a blind eye to the whole China feeding off of the US because "you just can't help it". Show me one product made in China that is better than a US made product.

I say FUCK CHINA and companies that use their enslavement camps to make products.

 

[PhrogMech46]

I just don't support companies that empower a future enemy of the US. Any time I can buy something that is made in the US over China, I do it as long as it is of equal or better quality and not twice as much.

Too many people turn a blind eye to the whole China feeding off of the US because "you just can't help it". Show me one product made in China that is better than a US made product.

I say FUCK CHINA and companies that use their enslavement camps to make products.

Doesnt Warn use parts from China in the VR series and assemble the winches here in the US using Chinese parts? Im pretty sure they are better at making televisions than us. How about cars like Toyota that are assembled here in America providing jobs for people here in America?

 

[oz97tj]

Doesnt Warn use parts from China in the VR series and assemble the winches here in the US using Chinese parts? Im pretty sure they are better at making televisions than us. How about cars like Toyota that are assembled here in America providing jobs for people here in America?

Foreign companies assembling products here still isn't good. They may provide some jobs to "our" people but the profits still go back to their countries.

 

[PhrogMech46]

Many foreign products, such as electronics, are decent quality. Many tools, such as winches that are foreign are made cheaply and work poorly. Buying cheap chinese wrenches for 5 bucks knowing they may break is one thing. Spending a few hundred bucks on cheaply made chinese crappy winches that you may need to rely on to get home is entirely different. With the costs being so close to many of superwinch and warns offerings, its pretty dumb really to save the small amount of money knowing that the quality is far lower.

I would have to disagree in saying that they are close in price. Do you have experience with Chinese winches or are you basing this on what youve heard.

 

[PhrogMech46]

Foreign companies assembling products here still isn't good. They may provide some jobs to "our" people but the profits still go back to their countries.

Very true, just so we are clear im not defending any side of the debate Im just curious as to what people think about this topic and their rationale.

 

[PhrogMech46]

So when you guys by anything you check to see if its American made and if not you try to find an alternative even if its significantly more?

 

[BigMike]

Doesnt Warn use parts from China in the VR series and assemble the winches here in the US using Chinese parts? Im pretty sure they are better at making televisions than us. How about cars like Toyota that are assembled here in America providing jobs for people here in America?

No, the VR is a different design which makes it less expensive. I've talked to Warn and they source everything they can from the US but will admit that some parts in a Warn winch are imported and not all from China. They will provide you a breakdown of the parts if you give them the model number.

I would call that a company that wants to build a quality product and employ Americans.

 

[oz97tj]

I would have to disagree in saying that they are close in price. Do you have experience with Chinese winches or are you basing this on what youve heard.

I've had a chinese made winch and it treated me good. It was a harbor freight winch and has pretty good reviews across the internet other than being slow. I've had first hand experience with friends jeeps with cheap chinese winches though that have had ridiculous problems that can be attributed to nothing more than poor quality. These winches are all in the 300 to 400 dollar range

There are winches from Warn and Superwinch that have stellar reputations and retail for 400 to 500.

Disagree all you want but with the amount we all spend on our jeeps and considering the fact that a winch is something you may need to rely on in a bad situation, the extra 100 or so dollars is a very small sum to pay to have something that will work.

 

[616fun]

Foreign companies assembling products here still isn't good. They may provide some jobs to "our" people but the profits still go back to their countries.

Funny...Jeep is owned by Chrysler. Chrysler is owned by Fiat. Fiat is a foreign company. Everyone flips out about a winch that is foreign, but stand proud to drive a perceived American vehicle.

 

[BigMike]

So when you guys by anything you check to see if its American made and if not you try to find an alternative even if its significantly more?

It depends and you can probably tell I'm passionate about this topic. When I buy stuff for my Jeep, hell yes. I paid more for my PSC bumper than a RR stubby because companies like PSC are small businesses that employ people. The more people that buy from them, the more they grow and employ more people. Unless you're like Smittybuilt that started out like that and got so big then moved all of their production and manufacturing to China in the name of profit. In the end, they are now considered the low end of the scale for Jeep products.

I even called ProComp when I bought my wheels to make sure they weren't made in China. I shuttered when they answered the phone and said "Smittybuilt/ProComp". But the lady said she gets a lot of calls like mine and assured me that the ProComp steel wheels are made in the USA.

Stuff like TV's, no sense in even checking. I feel like it's a win if a TV is made in Mexico or Taiwan.

There are so many parts that we buy for our Jeeps where we can support US made products but so many people don't. I do understand that it is a cost issue for most of us. But I'd still rather save and wait then buy from China. ACE Engineering understands this and is striving to bring quality US built products to us at a reasonable cost.

 

[Ditch55]

Very true, just so we are clear im not defending any side of the debate Im just curious as to what people think about this topic and their rationale.

I just bought a Warn VR1000 knowing it was built here. I called and asked before I made the purchase, and it was backed by them! I did not know where all the parts were made.....do you know where all are Jeep parts are made? I don't. With that said, I don't even know if it possible to find out such things anymore? I will never agree with anyone about the Chinese can make better parts or anything than the USA can period!!

 

[oz97tj]

Funny...Jeep is owned by Chrysler. Chrysler is owned by Fiat. Fiat is a foreign company. Everyone flips out about a winch that is foreign, but stand proud to drive a perceived American vehicle.

What's funny is you clearly haven't read all the posts in this thread. What's also funny is jeeps are shitty quality but there is no real competition for them so many of us are forced to drive them. Its nice that you picked me to try to be a smartass with but id choose quality over where its made. Generally that coincides with made in the USA.

 

[PhrogMech46]

No, the VR is a different design which makes it less expensive. I've talked to Warn and they source everything they can from the US but will admit that some parts in a Warn winch are imported and not all from China. They will provide you a breakdown of the parts if you give them the model number.

I would call that a company that wants to build a quality product and employ Americans.

Cool thanks for that info I remembered someone saying that Warn confirmed that some parts were sourced from else ware but I was under the impression that it was only with their VR series winches.

 

[Ditch55]

It depends and you can probably tell I'm passionate about this topic. When I buy stuff for my Jeep, hell yes. I paid more for my PSC bumper than a RR stubby because companies like PSC are small businesses that employ people. The more people that buy from them, the more they grow and employ more people. Unless you're like Smittybuilt that started out like that and got so big then moved all of their production and manufacturing to China in the name of profit. In the end, they are now considered the low end of the scale for Jeep products.

I even called ProComp when I bought my wheels to make sure they weren't made in China. I shuttered when they answered the phone and said "Smittybuilt/ProComp". But the lady said she gets a lot of calls like mine and assured me that the ProComp steel wheels are made in the USA.

Stuff like TV's, no sense in even checking. I feel like it's a win if a TV is made in Mexico or Taiwan.

There are so many parts that we buy for our Jeeps where we can support US made products but so many people don't. I do understand that it is a cost issue for most of us. But I'd still rather save and wait then buy from China. ACE Engineering understands this and is striving to bring quality US built products to us at a reasonable cost.

ACE is awesome just saying.....

 

[BigMike]

Funny...Jeep is owned by Chrysler. Chrysler is owned by Fiat. Fiat is a foreign company. Everyone flips out about a winch that is foreign, but stand proud to drive a perceived American vehicle.

Yes, this is true. But there is only one company that makes a JEEP and it's Chrysler/Fiat. My Jeep is an '09 and not a Fiat, BUT, I don't think Fiat will not be realizing big profits for a long time to come, if ever. More parts will come from their sources over time though. I think only 56% of my '09 is from North America.

But we do have choices when it comes to products for our Jeeps. To turn a blind eye to US made products using your argument doesn't hold water.

Let me ask you this, what company's winch do you want on the front of your Jeep if you and or your family is hanging off of a cliff and you have to depend on that winch to save your life. It could come down to the only time you ever use your winch. I've read way too many Smittybuilt winch failure stories to own one, even though they have a great warranty. I've also read a ton of stories where people have used their Warn winch on several vehicles for many years without failure. All companies have a defective rate, even Warn. But I'd bet my life on a Warn over any other winch.

 

[PhrogMech46]

I've had a chinese made winch and it treated me good. It was a harbor freight winch and has pretty good reviews across the internet other than being slow. I've had first hand experience with friends jeeps with cheap chinese winches though that have had ridiculous problems that can be attributed to nothing more than poor quality. These winches are all in the 300 to 400 dollar range

There are winches from Warn and Superwinch that have stellar reputations and retail for 400 to 500.

Disagree all you want but with the amount we all spend on our jeeps and considering the fact that a winch is something you may need to rely on in a bad situation, the extra 100 or so dollars is a very small sum to pay to have something that will work.

Which winches are you comparing that are rated the same and only $100 different?

 

[Ditch55]

I guess we hit a hot topic button about 3 post in seconds

 

[616fun]

What's funny is you clearly haven't read all the posts in this thread. What's also funny is jeeps are shitty quality but there is no real competition for them so many of us are forced to drive them. Its nice that you picked me to try to be a smartass with but id choose quality over where its made. Generally that coincides with made in the USA.

I'm not being a smart ass to you. I'm making a point. 'made in the USA' for Jeep is a misnomer.

I run the part that will fill my need for the best cost. I have an Engo winch that us proving as reliable as the perceived 'made in the USA' products. I run Ace because it's quality at a reasonable price.

Our other car is an Infiniti G37 convertible. As with any other purchase we bought what fit the need.