Buying American cars has always been the patriotic thing to do, but more than a few of us feel that it hasn't always been the sensible choice. After all, a Honda can outlast a Ford by at least 100,000 miles, right? Actually, American cars have come a long way. If you think names like Toyota and Honda are the only option for serious reliability, you need to think twice...

The Cold-Hard Facts

So you think you can't rely on American cars? J.D. Powers says otherwise. Their latest dependability study for 3-year-old vehicles shows that America's own Buick tied with Lexus for first place and Cadillac and Mercury actually outperformed Honda and Toyota.

And it's not just J.D. Powers touting the benefits of American cars. Dan Gray from MPGomatic.com appeared on iReport recently, proclaiming the surprising reliability of American-made vehicles.

The question is, will resale values also improve, or do foreign cars still take the cake when it comes to the financial factor?

Show Me the Money

American cars have been notorious for losing value faster than their foreign counterparts. Fortunately, that trend may change. Experts predict that since American cars have upped their reliability, as well as their aesthetic appeal, the market should start seeing a significant change in resale value trends.

And a lower resale value isn't always a bad thing -- especially if you buy used. A pre-owned Cadillac can cost a lot less than a pre-owned Honda, even though Cadillac beat out Honda in the latest dependability reports.

Not to mention the fact that buying American cars helps our economy. The automakers need sales to keep people employed. If we all start buying American, it can only have a positive effect on our economy.

So the next time you want to buy a car, don't assume a foreign name is going to give you more bang for your buck. American cars aren't just the patriotic thing to do -- they're now a sensible choice as well.