Poll; Worst car by Detroit

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Just for fun, what do you think is the biggest piece of junk put out by Detroit in "modern" times. My vote; the Ford Maverick, pick your year.
A total sled, underpowered, fell apart, tiny little tires, handled like a bathtub on wheels. And it was really ugly to boot.
 
My 1983 Chevy Monte Carlo that I owned from '89-'93. What a piece of crap. Over the four years that I owned it, I had to have just about everything but the engine replaced in that thing. RIP, you POC.......still loved her, though.
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Motor City definately churned out some beauties from about the mid 70's to early 80's
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. IMO- some of the toppers:
1) AMC Pacer
2) Ford Pinto
3) Chevy Vega
4) Chevy Chevette
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G/luck
Joel
 
I disagree that the Maverick and the Chevette were so bad. Vega has to get the award for engine durability along with the Pinto for the gas tank fiasco. I saw some hi-mileage Mavericks and Chevettes even Pinto, no Vega's though.

I had a 75 Ford Grenada that I would like to forget.
 
quote:

Originally posted by 3putter:
Just for fun, what do you think is the biggest piece of junk put out by Detroit in "modern" times. My vote; the Ford Maverick, pick your year.
A total sled, underpowered, fell apart, tiny little tires, handled like a bathtub on wheels. And it was really ugly to boot.


I would discourage you from thinking of the Maverick as being put out in "modern" times. Further, our Mav had a honking 302 V8, and had decent, simple fastback looks. Pinto or Mustang II were easily more disgusting during that period. For the purposes of Detroit, may I suggest that "modern" times began when Iacocca took over at Chrysler? Around J-car and K-car times...
 
Definitely the "pseudo-diesels" from GM. Those converted OldsmoBuick gas V-8s. TERRIBLE!

And not to leave Ford out...

Ford came out with a little diesel powered Ranger pickup truck in the early 80's. A company I worked for had one. It gave you that "big truck" feel, cuz it pulled out from a redlight like an 80,000 pound semi...
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Dan
 
No particuliar order:

Ford Tempo
Pontiac Fiero (1/2 Chevette, 1/2 Citation!)
Chrysler TC
Caddilac Alante
Anything AMC
DMC
Chevrolet Cavilier (too darn old of a chassis)

Since VWoA is in Auburn Hills, can we count VW, too?
 
I have a Tempo and a Pinto,they have both been solid cars.

They both have over 100K miles and they have resisted rust quite well.
 
there are still quite a few pintos out there. in fact they are the car of choice in the hobby stock class in dirt track.

I think the oldsmobile diesels, the chevy vega, cadillac 4.1l v8 and transmission were all pretty bad. jeeps of the mid 80's are pretty poor, but they are easy to work on, parts are plentyful and everybody loves a jeep so they get missed as junk. I know for a few years you could get a jeep with a GM engine, ford ignition, and peugot transmission!
 
Biggest pieces of junk I've owned were a Chevy Celebrity and a Buick Century. The Buick was worse and made in Canada, actually. Ack to both! No more American car for me.
 
I immediately had a few cars to mention, but for some reason the thought came that if you had any of these lemons 100 years ago, you'd be king of the world.
 
Keep in mind that AMC was not a Detroit company but rather a Kenosha, Wisconsin based company.

My picks for the worst Detroit cars of all time are as follows:

Chevy Citation
Chevy Vega
Ford Mustang II
Ford Bronco II
Ford Festiva
Pontiac Aztec
Chrysler Cordova (w/Corinthian leather)
Ford Maverick
Ford Pinto
Ford Granada
Caddilac Cimmeron
Mercury Comet
Dodge Omni
Mercury Bobcat
 
Most of the Lincoln/Mercury products of the 70s-80s:

"Let's take a Ford, double the tail lights, add some chrome and call it a "luxury car"....

Think I'm kidding?

Pinto tailights x2=Bobcat
Granada x2=Monarch
heck even today Explorer x2= Navigator

How about a 4 door Thunderbird? huh?
Mustang 2 (aka Gelding 1)

(i'm not picking on Ford but all the other candidates have already been horsewhipped)

now, back to overall junk: K cars. period. and anyone who doubts the stupidity of the buying public should remember that these abominations were credited with saving Chrysler!
 
quote:

Originally posted by kenw:

now, back to overall junk: K cars. period. and anyone who doubts the stupidity of the buying public should remember that these abominations were credited with saving Chrysler!


Well, remember back then, the K-car was marketed as a cheap, fuel-efficient car that could actually hold six people. And considering the competition, it's really no wonder they sold a few. Today (yesterday, really), the stupidity of the buying public has been carrying the big two by demanding chrome, fake wood, and leather-lined four door truck-wagons. Frankly, the K-car seems more sensible.
Perhaps the question should be "What wasn't junk back then?"
 
that butt ugly 4 dr AMC Matador - no matter where it was built.

gotta chime in on the Maverick - my roommate in college drove the wheels off of his. Very dependable car for him.
 
quote:

Originally posted by Tosh:
Well, remember back then, the K-car was marketed as a cheap, fuel-efficient car that could actually hold six people. And considering the competition, it's really no wonder they sold a few. Today (yesterday, really), the stupidity of the buying public has been carrying the big two by demanding chrome, fake wood, and leather-lined four door truck-wagons. Frankly, the K-car seems more sensible.
Perhaps the question should be "What wasn't junk back then?"


So many gumnt agencies bought K-Cars that they were sometimes refered to as G-Cars.

I agree with your comment. The K-Car was a pretty well laid out tranportation appliance. I don't think it's quality was much worse than the average car of it's era.

The mimi-vans that sprang from it's chassis were brilliant for the time.
 
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