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RE: Would you buy an american car? - 5/5/2009 6:16:33 PM   
DomImus


Posts: 2004
Joined: 3/17/2009
Status: offline 		I have owned nothing but Fords and have enjoyed every one of them. I'd imagine I will drive nothing but Fords for the rest of my life.

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RE: Would you buy an american car? - 5/5/2009 6:26:32 PM   
ThatDaveGuy69


Posts: 978
Joined: 6/22/2007
Status: offline 		'05 Godge Grand Caravan - love it - pain-free!
'99 Chrysler Sebring convertible - absolutely love it!

The Sebring replaced a Ford Tempo and the '05 replaced an '01 Caravan.

My 1st-ever new car was a Mercury Topaz.  Replaced that with a Ford Ranger. Replaced that with a Ford Explorer. Replaced that with a Chevy Suburban.  Replaced the "bus" with the van.  And so it goes...

~Dave

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RE: Would you buy an american car? - 5/5/2009 7:20:34 PM   
Joseff


Posts: 505
Joined: 6/2/2007
Status: offline 		Have you looked at american cars lately? I've owned all kinds of cars, been rather fond of a couple nameplates, but I'm convinced that a car is more than the sum of its parts-there's good ones and bad ones. There's a lot to be said about unions, bad investments, the economy, and etc, etc... but I think at least half the trouble with American car companies is that they are producing some BUTT UGLY cars. Now not all of them are ugly, there are a few attractive models, but the great majority of them just look alike. Maybe in the future they'll have cars that attract me, but for now, I basically wouldn't want to be seen in most of them.

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RE: Would you buy an american car? - 5/5/2009 11:02:36 PM   
GreedyTop


Posts: 52100
Joined: 5/2/2007
From: Savannah, GA
Status: offline 		my first car was a 74 Merc Comet.   Great little car.
FOr years Ihad an 80 Chevy Silverado... I still miss that beast.  If the transmission hadnt died, I'd STILL be driving it.
Had a saturn for a bit.  Hated that car, although I will admit to its sturdiness.. I couldnt kill it (I'd not even check the oil until the oil light came on)
93 Blazer... GREAT little thing, until I totaled it.
93 Jimmy now.. (the one with transmission issues that TONIGHT started wafting some kind of almost electrical hot smell while I was driving home... NOW what????).

If I could afford my dream truck?  The Chevy 3500 Dually, Crew cab, 8' bed, diesel.
Dream fun car? Either the Audi TT (ragtop), or a classic ragtop Bug.


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RE: Would you buy an american car? - 5/5/2009 11:31:49 PM   
Lorr47


Posts: 862
Joined: 3/13/2007
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quote:

As to whether Detroit will survive, has anyone heard of the Chinese cars to arrive at America bix-boxes in the next year?


Yes, and with the sticker price being (this was a year or so ago) between $6,000 and $12,000 for even a full sized truck, it will be interesting.  At that time the problem was emissions.

The best driving and most fun automobile was a T top Dodge Aspen.  My first automobile was a 1969 candy apple red Ford Mustang fast back that I bought off the showroom floor for $2,600.


< Message edited by Lorr47 -- 5/5/2009 11:36:19 PM >

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RE: Would you buy an american car? - 5/5/2009 11:38:47 PM   
Lorr47


Posts: 862
Joined: 3/13/2007
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quote:

As to whether Detroit will survive, has anyone heard of the Chinese cars to arrive at America bix-boxes in the next year?
quote:

ORIGINAL: DarkSteven

I have no clue what an American car is.  Are you referring to the location of the plant, of the parts suppliers, or of the company management? Or should I simply pop the hood and see if it takes standard or metric wrenches?


Good point since the parts come from all over the world.

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Profile   Post #: 26
RE: Would you buy an american car? - 5/6/2009 12:39:14 AM   
GreedyTop


Posts: 52100
Joined: 5/2/2007
From: Savannah, GA
Status: offline 		BAck in the mid 90s I rented a Dodge Neon when I was in South Dakota.   That critter was over 110 without any trouble.  no shakes shimmy's or anything.  The main issue I had was that the rear seat deck was so high that I couldnt comfortably see behind myself (I'm 5'4")..  otherwise, I liked the car

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RE: Would you buy an american car? - 5/6/2009 2:22:23 AM   
ThatDamnedPanda


Posts: 6060
Joined: 1/26/2009
Status: offline 		I might if they made one that interested me, but they don't. My trusty little Subaru Forester is the perfect car for me, moreso than any other vehicle I've ever owned, and no American manufacturer makes anything even comparable in the key areas. They don't serve my market, so I don't shop there.

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RE: Would you buy an american car? - 5/6/2009 3:21:16 AM   
subrob1967


Posts: 4591
Joined: 9/13/2004
Status: offline 		We currently own 2 Chevys, a Honda, and a Ford.
Of the four the best one to drive is the Ford, but then again, it's a Lightning;)

We have an S10 a Cobalt, an Accord, and my toy, the Lightning.
Next to the Lightning, the best car I've owned was a 93 Tbird LX. I traded in my 280ZX for it, and never looked back.

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RE: Would you buy an american car? - 5/6/2009 3:35:56 AM   
Lashra


Posts: 4900
Joined: 2/9/2006
Status: offline 		I have to say that I love my Honda Pilot, it is probably the best vehicle that I have ever owned.
All the American cars that I have owned started to fall apart at around 100K, especially the GM ones.
I maintained them properly but they just did not hold up. I owned one Mercury that the engine and trans
were strong still at 146K but the body was falling to pieces.

So I will stick with Honda, they just seem to be really well put together and the seats are great for my
back.

~Lashra


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RE: Would you buy an american car? - 5/6/2009 3:45:17 AM   
Owner59


Posts: 17033
Joined: 3/14/2006
From: Dirty Jersey
Status: offline 		The quality dept. has improved greatly.American cars are as good as any import or one built here in a Honda/Toyota/Nissan/Other plant

My Chevy Silverado 2500 came with a 10year/100 thousand mile warranty.No guarantee that it won`t break but it`ll get fixed.

The problem is that the good news hasn`t reached the consumer.Japanese cars still have a great rep. and American cars still have a bad one.

I`ll only buy American cars.I don`t care if it`s built here under Honda or Toyota. 

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RE: Would you buy an american car? - 5/6/2009 3:54:42 AM   
LaTigresse


Posts: 26123
Joined: 1/15/2006
Status: offline 		Tell that to the owner of my company Owner! He bought a used Nissan Altima for himself and a brand new HHR for his wife. Hates the rattly cheap piece of shit HHR and loves the Altima that is already paid for. He is wishing he had bought her the Mazda I showed him.

< Message edited by LaTigresse -- 5/6/2009 3:57:12 AM >

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Just because you are well educated, articulate, and can use big, fancy words, properly........does not mean you are right!

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RE: Would you buy an american car? - 5/6/2009 6:27:41 AM   
popeye1250


Posts: 18104
Joined: 1/27/2006
From: New Hampshire
Status: offline 		Since 1985 I've owned three Mercurys, three Ford F-150's and now a Lincoln MK-S and never had any problems with any of them .
Great vehicles all. The Ford F-150 trucks you could really beat on and it didn't bother them at all.
Years ago I talked to a Mechanical Engineer and he told me that the state of engineering was such that there was really no differance in "quality" between Jap and American cars anymore like in the 1970's.
Today any car you buy will be roughly of the same quality. So, I don't know why that "quality" issue has continued to go on from the 70's, "urban myth" maybe or more likely just uninformed people who don't read the automotive magazines?

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RE: Would you buy an american car? - 5/6/2009 8:41:34 AM   
LaTigresse


Posts: 26123
Joined: 1/15/2006
Status: offline 		I don't think we are reading the same magazines. I tend to avoid those that are primarily funded by auto maker's advertisements and stick to actual real people type experiences. Consumer report type stuff.

I also look at the cars that are sitting on the side of the road with the hood's up. What ends up in the junk yards the quickest. What has the highest resale values. What my brand independent, mechanics tell me about the cars they work on. I talk to body shop guys and police officers about structural integrity during accidents.

I don't care what pretty magazines that sell advertizing to Ford or GM have to say. They are biased.


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My twisted, self deprecating, sense of humour, finds alot to laugh about, in your lack of one!

Just because you are well educated, articulate, and can use big, fancy words, properly........does not mean you are right!

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RE: Would you buy an american car? - 5/6/2009 6:46:17 PM   
Irishknight


Posts: 2016
Joined: 9/30/2007
Status: offline 		I've owned both but will only buy from an American company anymore .... unless I get enough money to buy Italian.  I've also watched the cars on the side of the road as I used to travel.  American and Japanese were there in equal numbers. 

Mind you, I have to have a truck and the vaunted Toyota full sized won't do the task at hand.  It isn't half the truck of the Dodge or Ford and is still less than the Chevy, whose quality has fallen again.

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RE: Would you buy an american car? - 5/7/2009 6:30:17 AM   
samboct


Posts: 1817
Joined: 1/17/2007
Status: offline 		Not only would- but do.

I agree with Popeye- Consumer Reports has hurt the US car mfgs by continuing to harp on what are now non-existant quality issues in the build of cars.  Sorry LaT- I'm going to disagree with you.  The car enthusiast rags are written by car people- Consumer Reports isn't.  If I want to know about a washing machine- I'll look at Consumer Reports.  But for cars, boats, stereos, and cameras- I'll stick with the specialty rags.  Iv'e met some of their writers- they generally love the subject they're writing about.

I also recall back in the 80s or early 90s when sharing cars was a bit more common between US and Japanese mfg- think it was the Ford Probe and the Mazda 6?? there were people that would swear up and down that the Mazda was a better car- although both were built in the same factory and on the same line- it wasn't until they put the badging on that the production lines diverged.  This was born out over the years with a significant difference in the cost of the used car- the Mazda held its value better.  To me- this underscores the importance of perception in choices.

The other arena that the Japanese firms did better was having a more restricted dealer network, which allowed dealers to offer better warranty and repair service than US dealerships.  Plus, the corporate culture probably had a lot to do with this.  US dealers sold cars- they didn't want to fix them and often did a lousy job.  The car I'm currently driving- a 2004 Focus SVT has had a bunch of electrical issues from the dealer installed alarm- which looked like it had been done by a bunch of drunken monkeys.  I bought the car used and have taken it to my mechanic- and after getting stuff sorted out- the car runs fine and drives very sweetly.  Its far more sophisticated in handling than any Honda or Toyota even at 1.5x higher cost.

Prior to the Focus- I had a Neon ACR- not quite as sophisticated- but a lot of fun.  I ran that car to over 175 k and a bunch of those miles were towing a boat (which I also tow with my Focus).  One of my friends recently bought an Impala SS- whoooweeee.  Nice set of wheels.

In past years I've owned Alfas and Audis.  Both cars had bad reputations in reliability- the Alfa especially.  But find an Alfa shop and give it regular maintenance (yes- it did take more than a Toyota Camry- but it was a hell of a lot more fun to drive!) and they did fine.  The Audis were unkillable- I pushed a 5000 to close to 300k although I was never crazy about the way the car drove.

Worst POS I've driven recently- a Hyundai Santa Fe.

Sam

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RE: Would you buy an american car? - 5/7/2009 7:12:48 AM   
kittinSol


Posts: 16926
Status: offline 		Is this the car geeks thread? I need some car geek advice. We're looking to buy a new car. We have four children and two adults to carter around (including the driver), so it's got to be a large car (joy, joy ). Anyhow... what's a good value car that won't break down all the time and that can accommodate six and preferably seven people in relative comfort? I wish I could say that money wasn't a concern without squirming... but I can't rofl.

Cheers, my dears.

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RE: Would you buy an american car? - 5/7/2009 7:28:37 AM   
LaTigresse


Posts: 26123
Joined: 1/15/2006
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: kittinSol

Is this the car geeks thread? I need some car geek advice. We're looking to buy a new car. We have four children and two adults to carter around (including the driver), so it's got to be a large car (joy, joy ). Anyhow... what's a good value car that won't break down all the time and that can accommodate six and preferably seven people in relative comfort? I wish I could say that money wasn't a concern without squirming... but I can't rofl.

Cheers, my dears.


Check out a Mazda CX 7. I love love love my Mazda. Lots of bells and whistles for the money and it's been very reliable.


_____________________________

My twisted, self deprecating, sense of humour, finds alot to laugh about, in your lack of one!

Just because you are well educated, articulate, and can use big, fancy words, properly........does not mean you are right!

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Profile   Post #: 38
RE: Would you buy an american car? - 5/7/2009 7:37:00 AM   
kittinSol


Posts: 16926
Status: offline 		It looks great, but can it sit six or seven people legally and all at once?!

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RE: Would you buy an american car? - 5/7/2009 7:45:53 AM   
LaTigresse


Posts: 26123
Joined: 1/15/2006
Status: offline 		Five for sure. My best advise......go test drive a bunch of different brands and get an idea what YOU like. Then do the research online of actual customer satisfaction. Talk to your mechanic. Then you will get an idea of what is best for you and your family. What fits the way you drive and how you want to maintain it.

Even my car, as much as I enjoy it, would be a huge pain in the ass for a lot of people. It is more expensive to maintain because it is considered a high performance car. It rides differently than many people want. It doesn't handle for shit in the snow. The tires are expensive. Those are things I knew going into it because I researched it.


_____________________________

My twisted, self deprecating, sense of humour, finds alot to laugh about, in your lack of one!

Just because you are well educated, articulate, and can use big, fancy words, properly........does not mean you are right!

(in reply to kittinSol)
Profile   Post #: 40
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