Tired of hearing of how the U.S. makes only garbage cars!
- Thread starter ToyotaNSaturn
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By that logic, anybody can make the almost perfect wedding cake simply by following a recipe.
most or the cars made are crummy look at the warranty repair per 100 units sold.
moribundman, How many wedding cakes have Anti-lock brakes?
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Don't you mean anti-wedlock brakes?
America stopped making great cars in 1969 IMO. The new Vette is an exception to my rule.
I think the analogy might be: have a 13 year old bake a cake with a good recipe/all the right ingredients and a pastry chef bake one using only dirt and water.
I still am waiting to buy another US designed/built vehicle after a 28 year lapse...but I have to say I am closer today than 10 years ago.
I still am waiting to buy another US designed/built vehicle after a 28 year lapse...but I have to say I am closer today than 10 years ago.
The record of Honda and Toyota says that the American workforce can build wonderfully reliable cars with great workmanship. Where American cars fall down is in the design and engineering departments. Just look at the record of the Ford Taurus. They originally engineered a fine car that went to the top of the sales chart, then they shut down the engineering department. Is it any wonder that it is a dying nameplate, given the lack of engineering attention it has received? Just look at the engine in the 2005 model. It is absolutely the same one that it started with back in 1985. {The 4-valve V-6 is no longer available in the Taurus]. It is still a good 1985 car, but this is 2005, and, bye bye Taurus.
I read the article and the jist was that it was being made at a new factory and there were assembly issues which had to be worked out. I did not see any negative American comments.
But that's the point! I WAS WEARING THE SEATBELT! LOL! It would just come on randomly! But it's like I said, it was a good car. I just never would have shopped for it. I found myself walking out of my hotel room just staring at it.
As far as Euro cars go, those fluid specs many times are for the birds. I've owned 3 Euro cars (1 BMW and 2 saabs) and if I can't buy it at Autozone or Walmart, it doesn't go in the car. And nothing seems to have fallen off or frozen up yet. My BMW was an 82 320i and it WAS a car that got passed on once or twice before it got to me in 1994. I'd still have it today if I hadn't gotten frustrated at the archaic add on a/c unit it had. You don't want weak a/c in Louisiana! But the little M10 4 cyl (same as the 2002) was bulletproof.
Motor Trend has a good break down of the GM crisis in its COTY issue. Of course the car itself is a Honda Civic, which by the way, they confirmed the Civic sedan is as big as a last gen Accord.
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I also failed to find negative American comments in the article.
My personal experience and the experiences of family members make up my mind about the matter. None of us will buy the typical American brand any more. I had about all the problems with domestic brands I could take. We've now been users of European and Japanese brands for a number of years.
I just bought a new Honda yesterday. I don't have to point out its reputation because it's so well known.
I do believe the Americans COULD design and build the best cars on earth. I wish they WOULD do so.
And, then, what suits one doesn't suit another. You buy what you want to.
My personal experience and the experiences of family members make up my mind about the matter. None of us will buy the typical American brand any more. I had about all the problems with domestic brands I could take. We've now been users of European and Japanese brands for a number of years.
I just bought a new Honda yesterday. I don't have to point out its reputation because it's so well known.
I do believe the Americans COULD design and build the best cars on earth. I wish they WOULD do so.
And, then, what suits one doesn't suit another. You buy what you want to.
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I don't find American cars inferior, I find them boring, as in undesireable in the sense of style, performance, interior ergonomics, etc.
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This is my opinion, as well. I don't think I'll be in the market for any car in the near future ..but I see no reason to buy any American designed car for much beyond throw away utility. The styling is passe~ ..the mechanicals/systems are antiquated in a very short time.
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For the most part I agree. I do think the SRT-8 versions of the Chrysler and Dodge are kind of exciting cars as well as the new Mustang GT. GM is turning around under the direction of Bob Lutz. Most of their direction has been SUV's which are flat on their face right now.
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I don't find American cars inferior, I find them boring, as in undesireable in the sense of style, performance, interior ergonomics, etc.
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This is my opinion, as well. I don't think I'll be in the market for any car in the near future ..but I see no reason to buy any American designed car for much beyond throw away utility. The styling is passe~ ..the mechanicals/systems are antiquated in a very short time.
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For the most part I agree. I do think the SRT-8 versions of the Chrysler and Dodge are kind of exciting cars as well as the new Mustang GT. GM is turning around under the direction of Bob Lutz. Most of their direction has been SUV's which are flat on their face right now.
I love my 06 Mustang GT, and before that 03 Cobra, 00GT, 95GT, and 85GT. Had good service from all of them. The most problematic car I ever owned was an 84 Honda.
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Now, as always, you usually get a decent thrill from the top of the line. Whatever that line may be. If you got a Mustang ..the Cobra (or whatever) was a banging hot car (same with the TransAm, Z28, LS1, etc.). If you bought the high end of anything it usually served you well in the type of "high end" it was in. It's always been that way. American cars had really nothing to offer over their history. They didn't ride, they didn't handle, they didn't last. The only thing that they had was fairly stout drivetrains in the 50-70s that required little in costly maintenance. To get a good ride, you had to buy a luxury car. To get handling, you had to buy a sports car. Again, the top of the line (De Villes, Hemis, Z28, Corvettes, Vista Cruisers) did what they did ..very well.
They made excellence very expensive (if you can call it excellence). Trucks they haven't seemed to screw up too much ..but they're working on it.
They made excellence very expensive (if you can call it excellence). Trucks they haven't seemed to screw up too much ..but they're working on it.
I agree that the problem American cars have is mainly one of buyer interest. Even the supposedly exciting newer American cars don't excite me at all.
I used to like Japanese cars a lot, because, if you remember, Japanese cars used to be small, and simple. Anything like that, if it's built well (they were) is engaging to drive just on the basis of mechanical directness. A lot of them also had nicely balanced handling. Now that the Japanese car industry is thoroughly mature, those qualities have been largely replaced as the cars have become bigger and more powerful. At least rwd seems to be making a comeback.
For me, the current area of interest is European cars, primarily BMWs of somewhat past eras, with a growing soft spot for Saabs and even old Volvos.
- Glenn
I used to like Japanese cars a lot, because, if you remember, Japanese cars used to be small, and simple. Anything like that, if it's built well (they were) is engaging to drive just on the basis of mechanical directness. A lot of them also had nicely balanced handling. Now that the Japanese car industry is thoroughly mature, those qualities have been largely replaced as the cars have become bigger and more powerful. At least rwd seems to be making a comeback.
For me, the current area of interest is European cars, primarily BMWs of somewhat past eras, with a growing soft spot for Saabs and even old Volvos.
- Glenn
Some people view the Mustang as some sort of high-end car that requires special training and tools to work on, much like a Mercedes. I think this is how some Mustang specialty shops get away with charging a much higher labor rate than the local average.
Oddly enough, just about every single part in my Mustang was shared with other Ford vehicles, and it wasn't a very expensive car when it was new.
Oddly enough, just about every single part in my Mustang was shared with other Ford vehicles, and it wasn't a very expensive car when it was new.
Keep in mind that Japanese cars were total crapola when they were first imported. It did take them quite a long time, many years of building good cars, before this stigma was eliminated.
While the korean companies are trying to accelerate the pace of losing the quality stigma, the public will only believe it if they continue to produce cars that have good quality.
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Let's hope the public consists of discriminating shoppers.
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