Originally Posted By: skip029
I wanted to get a feel for how people felt on this forum today. Does that mindset or theory or FACT, still prove correct today?
Fact with an "but"...
Some Asian makes are still the top-dog. Others have slipped. Overall, I would say that asian brands are the best but that does not meant that all are better than other European/American brands. That being said, a lot of Asian brands are US made/assembled and sometimes only for the US market. US brands maybe Korean/European/Mexican built. Honda makes the Fit in Mexico...
That being said, the best, reliable companies are the "conservative" engineering companies. Those tend to be asian, but Buick is a prime example of a conservative American brand that is well sorted. Companies making a lot of engineering changes (Honda, Ford, FCA) are going to have more issues. However existing product will be ok.
Toyota, Mazda, and Subaru (as a whole but not perfect) are still the high-quality brands. More-over, they are consistent. If there is a problem, it will be a known, consist ant problem that once you fix it, it is good to go without worries. You do not get wild stories like my fleet Cevy Impalas, where one can't keep a transmission in it, one eats power-steering pumps and the other has 100K miles without a replacement to any non-wearing part. You do not get the wild inconsistencies.
Honda has fallen off the cliff IMO and I would consider a Hyundai/Kia to be producing a better and more reliable product. Nissan is about as bad as anyone. Fiat and Chrysler are a dumpster fire. Still, FCA can make some decent cars but exect that you are taking a gamble. It could be fine or it could be a cluster... which is the VW method. I would take specific US models over specific asian models.
As for the GF's lease... keep her in a newer car. I had no problem bumming around in a high mileage Subaru. I know how to fix things and what to do. My wife freaks out over the tire-pressure monitor. She will not like something that becomes a maintenance item (even if it is PM). So for piece of mind, (and unless she wrenches), there is a reason she probally took a lease over a used car.
Finally, with 200K plus vehicles, it is less about the brand on the hood, but more about how it was maintained, repaired, and engineered.
Honda elements are decent vehicles but they command to much for their mileage. Yes, you are crazy if you are spending more than a couple/few grand on a 233K car. My co-worker is a Element fanatic and they are willing to spend 15K on something with nearly 100K miles because their 200K element was still going to fetch them 8K at traded-in.