American or Foreign

the other pc said:
I disagree.



The regulators set up the conditions for the test. The course and measurement methodology are mandatory. So what if the company has a “ringer� that can drive better than everybody else? They’re playing by the rules and doing what their supposed to do.



If the regulations specified that the course be driven by multiple operators, not trained on that specific vehicle’s characteristics and the results averaged it would be an entirely different story. But that’s all up to the regulatory agency. They created the situation and if they don’t control it that’s not Toyota’s fault.





PC.
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Actually what you just described DOES happen.
 
All my cars since I was driving have been Hondas. There is something in the way that they are put together and operate that just fits me. All 3 of our cars have been almost completely trouble-free. I have had my 91 Accord for 8 years now and other than routine maintenance, I had to replace the dreaded Honda main relay once. My wife's radio went dead over Christmas. After 4 years and 70,000 miles, Honda still picked up the tab.



I almost always get GM cars when I drive rental cars. Admittedly, in the past 5 years GM has moved light years ahead of where they were in terms of interior style/quality. I just don't get the same feeling from any of them as when I drive my wife's 4 cylinder Accord much less our TL. I will say that a GM rental is almost always nicer than whatever Ford product I get the other times. You can say what you want about them being rental cars and being the cheap models, but a cheap Chevy seems to be a nicer car than a cheap Ford.



I am not a die hard foreign guy per se, there is nothing that Toyota builds right now that I would even consider except maybe a Land Cruiser.



I think GM still has it in them to build a world class car given the chance. The new CTS is evidence of that. You would have to look very hard to see anywhere they "cheaped out" on that car. Ford is still trying too hard to build cars to a price instead of a personality. Chrysler went from the style leader in my opinion to figuring out how many different ways they can replicate the moderately popular 300/Magnum/Charger, which I too find completely unappealing.
 
Personally, I can't stand reading from some person that says he/she owned ONE Ford 30 years ago and says they will never again own a Ford. I swear I hear or read this sort of comment (about any make) just about every day! It's rediculous! That being said, I am a firm believer that we may all just have bad luck with a certain brand. My parents had two Oldsmobiles in a row, a '79 and '85. The '79 I vaguely recall wasn't spectacular obviously since we only had it 6 years, and the '85 had to have a new engine after like three years. Since then they bought a used '89 Mercury Grand Marquis and it was great. They have since bought like four new Grand Marquis' with no issues hardly.



Myself, I will probably always buy American. I don't buy into the hype about quality. Sure, I may get slightly better quality from a Toyota, but from what I've heard about the cost of service, I'm not going to come out ahead if I'm paying 50% more on service.



My vehicles owned:

'81 Mercury Zephyr-Was ten years old when I got it, and lasted two years. It finally quit running, and after selling it to a junk yard, by dad found out they replaced the carbeurator and it ran fine.



'84 Ford Thunderbird-Owned less than two years. The only bad car experience I've had with three blown head gaskets resulting in two warped heads. But that was the only issue I had with it. I chaulk it up to the fact it also was a 10 year old car rarely driven (46K miles) before I got it.



'90 Mercury Cougar-Owned over three years to 114K miles. Only issue I recall was it didn't run well in wet weather a couple different years. I sold it when it was acting up again. In hind sight I wish I had kept it because I think it just had an issue with plugs/wires going bad for whatever reason. It ran great otherwise.



'96 Olds Cutlass-Owned 9 years, and just sold it with 145K miles, and still running good. The only issues was a faulty coolant sensor, ABS sensor, and the DeathCool eating the intake gasket.



'03 Pontiac Bonneville-No issues so far in 8 months, knock on wood.



My wife's cars:

'94 Pontiac Sunbird-Owned 6 years, and sold with 100K miles because we wanted an SUV. Only two issues that I recall; a bad alternator and some other part (PCV valve I think).



'00 Mercury Mountaineer-Owned nearly 5 years with a few minor issues: a bad caliper, faulty back up sensor, window that got off track, water leak, short in radio display and in my opinion premature rusting in a couple areas.
 
A million years ago when I was single I dove foreign cars. I did the MG, VW, Datsun and Porsche thing. After marrige and kids I went domestic Ford and Chevy were the cars I drove, and drove and drove.

These domestic cars were reliable but I did spent a lot on simple repairs, the Chevys needed brakes every 15000 miles the Fords weren't much better and never seemed to run right after 18000 miles. They all started to leak oil around 40000 miles.

In 2000 I bought a cheap-0 Hyundai Elantra for my wife. I thought I use it and throw it away like I did to my VW Rabbit.



But the Elantra just ran and ran. Nothing went wrong with it. Still had original brakes at 45000 miles. No oil leaks, nothing but put gas in and drive.



I wish I could buy a domestic car, I want one made in America, that would be as trouble free as this old Hyundai but I'm not sure there is one.



Oh yeah, I did buy three more Hyundais, two Sonatas and another Elantra.

Yes they have all been super reliable and trouble free.
 
I choose foreign vehicles based on styling and feel. My last 3 cars have all been VW's, and my next probably will be as well. My wife will probably get something Honda since she has it in her mind that Domestics are cheap and unreliable. ( I agree with the cheap part)

I've owned several Domestic vehicles in the past and all were very reliable cars. I averaged about 65k on each without a single problem with any of them. If they bring a vehicle out that appeals to me both aesthetically and performance wise I'll consider them again.
 
The Ford Mondeo is something I would consider if I am looking to buy an American brand. But then again, it's not sold in the U.S. and I believe it was designed in Europe.
 
I've gone both ways on this. My last two cars were an Acura and a Silverado, so call me a fence sitter. BUT



American car companies need to do something DRAMATIC. I know there are lots of arguments about alternative fuels and what is most appropriate for America, the world, the environment, etc. So I don't want to start a debate on why E-85 or bio-diesel or fuel cells are bad. But if an American car company came up with an electric vehicle that could go a couple hundred miles between charges that looked cool and was safe and had enough amenities, they could capture the comuter market overnight. I'm not talking a Prius that gets its nickel for its batteries from the worst mining disaster ever to hit the continent (in Canada) but something that could kick *** environmentally and cost wise. Give me a $12-15K electric and you couldn't build them fast enough. I'm a patriot and I love this country and want us to do well for ourselves and the world, but DAMN I'm tired of the myopic attitude of American business. Get with the program! Thanks: /rant
 
mschuyler said:
I've gone both ways on this. My last two cars were an Acura and a Silverado, so call me a fence sitter. BUT



American car companies need to do something DRAMATIC. I know there are lots of arguments about alternative fuels and what is most appropriate for America, the world, the environment, etc. So I don't want to start a debate on why E-85 or bio-diesel or fuel cells are bad. But if an American car company came up with an electric vehicle that could go a couple hundred miles between charges that looked cool and was safe and had enough amenities, they could capture the comuter market overnight. I'm not talking a Prius that gets its nickel for its batteries from the worst mining disaster ever to hit the continent (in Canada) but something that could kick *** environmentally and cost wise. Give me a $12-15K electric and you couldn't build them fast enough. I'm a patriot and I love this country and want us to do well for ourselves and the world, but DAMN I'm tired of the myopic attitude of American business. Get with the program! Thanks: /rant
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Around 2011 the Prius will have an optionally used wall plug and be getting 150 mpg. It will be able to make average in city trips in electric only mode, so the potential to run on almost no gas is quite feasible. This will be achieved by using lithium ion/lithium polymer batteries so the destruction in Canada can stop. Although, I would like to know where you get the materials for Lithium batteries, hopefully it won't be as destructive as what we've seen with making nickel metal hydride batteries.
 
mschuyler said:
I've gone both ways on this. My last two cars were an Acura and a Silverado, so call me a fence sitter. BUT



American car companies need to do something DRAMATIC. I know there are lots of arguments about alternative fuels and what is most appropriate for America, the world, the environment, etc. So I don't want to start a debate on why E-85 or bio-diesel or fuel cells are bad. But if an American car company came up with an electric vehicle that could go a couple hundred miles between charges that looked cool and was safe and had enough amenities, they could capture the comuter market overnight. I'm not talking a Prius that gets its nickel for its batteries from the worst mining disaster ever to hit the continent (in Canada) but something that could kick *** environmentally and cost wise. Give me a $12-15K electric and you couldn't build them fast enough. I'm a patriot and I love this country and want us to do well for ourselves and the world, but DAMN I'm tired of the myopic attitude of American business. Get with the program! Thanks: /rant
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I think you are hoping for the Volt concept to come into production. I agree with you, a car like that could turn GMs fortune around.



We have owned all domestics (GMs) save one, an '82 Jag. So far none of them have given us major problems. Some minor problems, but they were problems specific to that model (LIM leak in the LA1 3400, front rotors warp bad on my N-body, etc.).



I still think domestics build the best full size trucks, the new Tundra might change that in the next few years, but GMs trucks have always been solid imo. Up here in rural Manitoba in Canada where I live I would say at least 1/2 if not more of the farm trucks around here are GMs, and they see some rough work.



I think right now if I had to pick a car for fuel economy I would pick a foreign car. They just seem to have that extra edge in fuel economy. As far as quality and all that, interiors etc, the big 3 were pretty bad in the late 90's up till about 04-05 I would say, but it never bothered me personally.



I wouldn't hesitate to consider and look at foreign cars nowadays. In fact I think they would probably be my next buy, but I would have to test drive both kinds (domestic and foreign) first.



As far as sympathy goes for the big 3, I don't really have none. They slipped up and got lazy, 'nuff said I think.
 
As for my opinion on foreign or domestic, I have one word: JEEP :)

For me, it has just been my first vehicle and I have really enjoyed the vehicle as well as the community. I would be willing to comparison shop around though for my next vehicle. I think just about every car on the market has distinct advantages and disadvantages.
 
azenthusiast said:
As for my opinion on foreign or domestic, I have one word: HUMMER :)
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:grinno: I thought you might have made a mistake. LOL



And yes the Volt would be an amazing car to put out there right about now. GM's styling and mind set is starting to go back to what it should be. That slump they went into has hurt them and there is a reason there number one and will be number one again!
 
I will always be a Toyota guy, honestly my family has owned both, I have a 99 tacoma, I have 115K on it. It runs perfectly fine, I know it will run another 115K most likely.. therefore the reliability factor.. do you see ancient ford trucks from the 80's drivin down the street? nope you see those little toyota trucks.. We had a ford escort the thing was a piece of crap it barely had 30K on it and the clutch went out twice and a few other things went bad. The only american car I would buy would be a mustang just cuz they're so freakinn beautiful haha. thats my two cents. And I do agree that chevy/GM trucks can be pretty solid, I've seen some reliable ones. Just not somethin i'd buy. I'd love a new tundra!! If i had that kinda cash of course haha.
 
That's my point. If GM bought Toyota tomorrow it's not on the merits of their design that a car goes a million miles.
 
Monte78Carlo2k1 said:
:grinno: I thought you might have made a mistake. LOL



And yes the Volt would be an amazing car to put out there right about now. GM's styling and mind set is starting to go back to what it should be. That slump they went into has hurt them and there is a reason there number one and will be number one again!
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Here's Three Reasons I meant Jeep :)



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The H1 is awesome! But the H2 and H3 have become realtor status symbols in AZ.
 
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