About This Quiz
Some American drivers don't care where their car — or the parts that make up their car — are made, as long as it will get them where they are going. Other drivers, however, make it a point to only do business with American companies whenever possible. There are a lot of reasons these shoppers may feel this way — everything from wanting to support the "home team" to grudges carried over from long-ago wars. To them, the phrase "Made in the USA" takes on special meaning. Do you know which lands some of the most famous auto parts makers call home? This quiz will test your knowledge of where the makers of critical pieces are located, and some of them will surprise you!
In this age of globalization, it's impossible to get a car — even from domestic automakers — that is completely made of parts that could honestly have the American flag stamped onto them. And, while some parts made by American companies may originate from outside the U.S. borders, some foreign-owned companies may have divisional headquarters in the United States, employing American workers. It can be tricky business to do business only with "American" companies, but after this quiz, you'll have a much better sense of where to go if you want to make "Made in the USA" mean something when it comes to your vehicle.
It's time to explore the world of auto parts, so dust off your atlas, fire up Google Maps and put your knowledge of home-grown OEM and aftermarket equipment to the test!
WD-40 has silenced a lot of squeaks since it was developed in 1953 in California, but the company doesn't need any help keeping quiet about the formula of "Water Displacement, 40th Formula." The WD-40 Company, still based in San Diego, never patented it for fear of leaking its secrets.
Motorcraft has been the official parts brand of the Ford Motor Corporation since 1972, when it replaced Autolite (which is still around, now part of FRAM). Official parts for Ford, Lincoln and Mercury cars come from Motorcraft.
Originally known as United Motors Corporation and United Delco, ACDelco is the brand owned by General Motors and supplies OEM parts for the company's vehicles. Founded in 1916, ACDelco is headquartered in Grand Blanc, Michigan.
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Mopar, the official parts company for Fiat Chrysler, has been a part of the company since it became its own organization in 1937. Through the many twists and turns of mergers, buy-outs and acquisitions, the company is still headquartered in the U.S. — Auburn Mills, Michigan, to be precise.
Champion, one of the most recognizable brands of spark plugs used today, was founded in 1908 in Boston, and then moved to Toledo, Ohio. Through various acquisitions and mergers, the company is now owned by the Federal-Mogul Corporation, which is headquartered in Southfield, Michigan.
The Cragar Corporation, founded in 1930 by Crane Gartz (the company's name comes from the first three letters of his first and last name), first sold aircraft engines and cylinder heads for the Ford Model A. The company was later sold and decided to focus on wheels for racing and for aftermarket customers who soon clamored for the strong, stylish rims the Phoenix, Arizona-company was producing.
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The Goodyear Tire Company, famous for its vast array of tires and its ubiquitous blimp, was founded in 1898 and is based in Akron, Ohio. The company was named after Charles Goodyear, who invented vulcanized rubber.
Founded in 1981, MagnaFlow is a designer and manufacturer of performance automotive exhaust systems, has about 130 employees and is located in Oceanside, California.
Drivers who want their vehicles to travel faster — either because it's their job or their hobby — often turn to Roush Performance for aftermarket parts. Primarily a Ford-vehicle parts manufacturer, the company was founded in 1995 and is based in Plymouth Township, Michigan.
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Founded in 1905 in Dayton, Ohio as Dayton Rubber Manufacturing, Dayco began by making airless tires, and then went on to make the first whitewall tires in 1913, as well as pioneering some synthetic rubber technology. Today the company focuses on belts, hoses and other items the modern car needs to function and is headquartered in Troy, Michigan.
Since going into business in the late 1990s, Duraliner has made pickup bedliners designed to protect the "action areas" of both U.S.-made and imported pickup trucks. It has always made them in the United States.
In addition to automotive batteries, Interstate Batteries, headquartered in Dallas, Texas, also makes items for the ignition systems of boats, lawnmowers, motorcycles and other vehicles and tools. The company was founded in 1952 and often sponsors cars and drivers in NASCAR and other sports.
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It provides chemicals and other products for multiple fields, but for those who work on cars, the 3M Company, formerly known as the Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company, produces one main product: Bondo. That particular putty has been filling various holes and other body imperfections since 1955.
Bosch, headquartered in Gerlingen, German, has an impressively diversified manufacturing portfolio, with divisions in the industrial technology (including automotive equipment), mobility, consumer goods and energy technology sectors. The company was founded in 1886 and employs more than 400,000 people.
Panasonic Automotive is the arm of the Panasonic Corporation, located in Osaka, Japan, that makes audio equipment for cars and trucks made by manufacturers around the world. The company makes both OEM equipment and aftermarket parts.
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Founded in 1933, the Takata Corporation was located in Japan and had production facilities around the world making airbags and seat belts. A massive recall of airbags, starting in 2013, however, did the company in; it filed for bankruptcy in 2017.
One of the largest manufacturers of engine parts and systems in the world, Mahle was founded in 1920 and is currently headquartered in Stuttgart, Germany. The company has 16 major research and development centers in several different countries — including the U.S. — and employs around 80,000 workers.
The Japan Victor Company (JVC) makes a vast array of consumer electronics -– it was key in developing the VCR — and that includes audio gear for the car, including amplifiers, speakers, receivers and more. The company was founded in 1927 and is headquartered in Yokohama, Japan
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Cummins makes truck engines and other automotive and industrial equipment that is available in about 190 countries, but the company is headquartered in Columbus, Indiana. The company, which has a spot in the Fortune 500, was founded in Columbus in 1919.
Vortech, founded in 1990 by former Paxton Supercharger engineer Jim Middlebrook, is headquartered in Oxnard, California. Since its inception, Vortech has supplied those who want to coax more speed out of their engines with supercharger systems, fuel and air components and more.
Tenneco — originally known as the Tennessee Gas Transmission Company — is a multinational corporation headquartered in Lake Forest, Illinois and is responsible for, among other things, Monroe shocks and struts, Walker exhausts and DynoMax mufflers.
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BorgWarner started life in 1880 as the Morse Equalizing Spring Co., taking on its current name in 1928. Located in Auburn Hills, Michigan, the company is best known for its powertrain products, including manual and automatic transmission equipment. It also supplies turbochargers for the IndyCar series and has sponsored the Indianapolis 500 trophy since 1936.
The Lear Corporation provides automotive seating and electronic systems for a global audience and is ranked on the Fortune 500 list. The company, headquartered in Southfield, Michigan, has approximately 165,000 employees and was founded in 1917.
Michelin is the second-biggest global tire manufacturer — only Bridgestone is larger — and has made tires for everything from bicycles to the space shuttle. The company is better known, however, in certain circles for its guidebooks and its restaurant star-rating system, which brings attention to the best food in the world.
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The Japanese Automatic Transmission Company (the full name gives it away), supplies many automatic transmissions for many automakers, although it is a subsidiary of Nissan. Founded in 1970, the company is headquartered in Fuji, Shizuoka, Japan.
Denso was founded in 1949 as the parts supplier for Toyota vehicles. Although the company — headquartered in Kariya, Aichi Prefecture, Japan — is still partially owned by Toyota, the company supplies parts for many other manufacturers and is the fourth largest auto parts supplier in the world.
The Bridgestone Corporation, based in Tokyo, Japan, is currently the largest manufacturer of tires in the world. Founded in 1931, the company has production facilities in 24 different countries and also owns the Firestone Tire & Rubber Company, which it bought in 1988.
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Unipart was once part of British Leyland (of Land Rover fame), but in 1987 is was spun off as an independent company after a management buyout and is now one of the largest private companies in the U.K. It now makes auto and truck parts, as well as supplies for trains, buses and other equipment, and has a logistics division for supply chain optimization.
Alpine Electronics specializes in car navigation and audio systems and works with many automakers, including BMW, Honda, Jaguar, Dodge and others. The company was founded in 1967 and is headquartered in Tokyo.
When measured by sales of original equipment parts, Magna International is the largest manufacturer of automobile parts in North America, supplying to companies including Ford, GM, Fiat Chrysler, Volkswagen, Tesla, BMW and Mercedes. The company was founded in 1957 and is headquartered in Aurora, Ontario, Canada.
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GReddy makes turbo kits, cooling systems, exhaust systems, electronics and other aftermarket items and is owned by the Japanese-based Trust Company. The GReddy company — its name a combination of "GReat" and "eddy" (a swirling wind) — does have a home in Irvine, California, however.
Continental AG was founded in 1871 and is based in Hanover, Lower Saxony, Germany. The company is the fourth-largest tire manufacturer in the world, but also makes products including brake systems, powertrain and chassis components and many other automotive items.
Autoliv Inc., founded in 1953 and headquartered in Stockholm, Sweden, is a company that makes equipment such as airbags, steering wheels, seatbelts and more for its customers around the globe. Employing 67,000 people, the company has offices in 27 countries.
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Although the part of the company that makes powertrain components kept the Delphi name (it's Delphi Technologies), the parent company took the name Aptiv in 2017. Headquartered in Dublin, Ireland, Aptiv is currently developing technology in the self-driving automobile arena.
With exploded diagrams and step-by-step instructions, there's a Haynes Owner’s Workshop Manual for almost every model of car under the sun. The manuals are published by the Haynes Publishing Group, headquartered in Sparkford, Somerset, England.