Why I spurn American Cars

Good Question. People only enter parts stores when their cars are
broken. I order for this to be a fair question, what percentage of the
population own Japanese cars, and what is that relationship in
percentage to the purchase of repair parts for those specific vehicles
vs others. That would require research.

 

I agree. Consumer Reports loves Japanese cars, is interested in German
cars, and generally dislikes American cars.

On the other hand, it would be a lot easier to like American cars if the
auto companies would deal with the reliability issues, the cheap materials,
and the abysmal customer service attitudes.

I'd prefer to buy a Cadillac than a Lexus, but the Cadillac is so far behind
Lexus when it comes to reliability, fit and finish and customer service it
isn't funny. Comparing a Deville with any Lexus product is embarassing.

Until Cadillac or Lincoln gets with the program, I'll stick with Lexus.

 

I have an 02 Taurus now and it is definately noisier than my GM cars were.
But I still like the car.

 

may have been but was glad to see it go lol.....had so many other problems
with the car it was no longer funny........

 

I dumped a '98 Audi A4 Avant 2.8 with 49,000 miles on it about 9 months ago.

The car was purchased new and all service (except battery #4 and tires) was
done by Audi dealers. I replaced 6 instrument panels, 4 batteries, an
alternator, engine computer, climate control computer, cam shaft tensioner
seals, power steering rack, stereo, 2 speakers, coolant reservoir, coolant
temperature sensor, fuel gauge sending unit, tiptronic switch, cruise
control switch, turn signal flasher, EGR secondary return pipe and a
catalytic converter.

None of my Toyota or Honda products needed much more than routine
maintenance. Now I drive a Lexus. Any questions?

 

dang dude...what did you do wreck it???

 

On Sun, 06 Jul 2003 19:39:25 GMT, "Shetland Sheepdog"

I think American cars would have less reliability issues if they
stopped using so many foreign parts and used more american parts like
the japanese cars do

 

Heck yea. The only problems I had with our chrysler were the mitsubishi
made parts and I had to replace a lot.

 

Yeah we know they wont freaking start!!!!!

 

Folks
America:

* makes the best submarines
* makes the best space ships
* makes the best computers
* makes the best tanks
* makes the best rockets.

They, therefore, can make the best cars. They just choose not to do so.
That is why I buy Japanese.

 

Not according to GM and Ford, who think that some foreign cars
are superior, especially Toyotas and Hondas.

Don't know about European (incl. that German brand, Chrysler),
but I can get parts for my Toyota and Nissan as easily and
cheaply as I can for my GM. It as Ford that was the worst
for me when it came to parts cost and availability, dealer
or parts stores.

 

ROFLMAO

 

That's management's job. The magic of markets is supposed to insure that
companies, i.e., management, will improve their products and cut their
costs to compete effectively.

<snort>

 

Depends on the car, e.g., Ford Taurus - a ton, Honda Accord - very little.

Prices on cars 25-30 years old are just a matter of nostalia, like
Lester Burnham's lust for a red Trans-Am.

 

--
Regards,

JT (Residing in Austin, Texas)

Just Tooling Down The Internet Superhighway With my G4.......

 

The worst experience of my life was a Ford Taurus. No more modern cars
for me!

JT


1931 Studebaker President State Coupe (Q4)
1955 Studebaker President State Coupe
1955 Studebaker President State Sedan - Almost done Daily Driver
1956 Studebaker Power Hawk - Long Time Fun Car - (Will be burial
container)
1963 Studebaker Lark Custom 4 Door Sedan - Project but driven daily
1964 Studebaker Champ P/U T-6 Long Bed - Daily driver
1965 Honda Dream 305 - Long Time Friend
1989 Honda CRX - Police Pound Project
1956 Leica M2

--
Regards,

JT (Residing in Austin, Texas)

Just Tooling Down The Internet Superhighway With my G4.......

 

Heh heh... Finally, some sanity in this discussion...



--
Regards,

JT (Residing in Austin, Texas)

1931 Studebaker President State Coupe (Q4)
1955 Studebaker President State Coupe
1955 Studebaker President State Sedan - Almost done Daily Driver
1956 Studebaker Power Hawk - Long Time Fun Car - (Will be burial
container)
1963 Studebaker Lark Custom 4 Door Sedan - Project but driven daily
1964 Studebaker Champ P/U T-6 Long Bed - Daily driver
1965 Honda Dream 305 - Long Time Friend
1989 Honda CRX - Police Pound Project
1956 Leica M2

 

| The worst experience of my life was a Ford Taurus. No more modern cars
| for me!
|
| JT
|
|
| 1931 Studebaker President State Coupe (Q4)
| 1955 Studebaker President State Coupe
| 1955 Studebaker President State Sedan - Almost done Daily Driver
| 1956 Studebaker Power Hawk - Long Time Fun Car - (Will be burial
| container)
| 1963 Studebaker Lark Custom 4 Door Sedan - Project but driven daily
| 1964 Studebaker Champ P/U T-6 Long Bed - Daily driver
| 1965 Honda Dream 305 - Long Time Friend
| 1989 Honda CRX - Police Pound Project
| 1956 Leica M2

Isn't that a CAMERA?
|
|
|
|
|
| Mike Graves wrote:
| >
| > Buy a Ford. They don't make any noises.
| >
| > Cory Dunkle wrote:
| >
| > > | > >
| > >>Do people find the following features as annoying as I do?
| > >>
| > >>1) The rattles and shakes. Even little bump I encounter, I get these
| > >>funky sounds from all over the car. It is so damn annoying. Can any
| > >>claim that their American car does not rattle or doesn't have
| > >>torsional shakes when encountering potholes? Obviously almost every
| > >>car has some sort of rattle and shakes but bad as American Cars?
| > >
| > >
| > > My car has two rattles... One somewhere in teh front when hitting
potholes
| > > and such, and my drivers side door panel is a little loose and will
make a
| > > squeaky rattle sometimes when sitting at stop light. If I ever get off
my
| > > ass I'll tighten up the screws on that door panel adn that will be
cured.
| > > Not sure what's causing the rattle in the front, but again, if I ever
get in
| > > the moood to find it (not likley in this 90*-100* weather!) I'll fix
it. Not
| > > bad for a 35 year old car.
| > >
| > > My mom has a '97 Caravan which has no rattles or shakes.
| > >
| > >
| > >>2) Cheeziest interiors. American Cars have the worst design interior
| > >>of any brands. Everything from choice of materials to design of
| > >>gauges. Ergonomics are a nightmare. (Only notible exception is the
| > >>Aurora)
| > >
| > >
| > > I find both my my cars ('67 and '68 Galaxie 500) interior styling to
be
| > > quite good looking. All new cars look pretty much the same and most
suffer
| > > from a complete lack of leg room (for tall people like me anyway) and
| > > sometimes lack of headroom. It's always that same gray cloth interior
or
| > > greay leather. Rarely any color inside most new cars.
| > >
| > >
| > >>3) Poor fit & finish. My mother once looked at a new LH and I sat in
| > >>the back and examine the roof. Poof! Off comes the paneling. I
| > >>initially thought it must be just this car, got into another LH and
| > >>same problem.
| > >
| > >
| > > I wouldn't know what an LH is, but I doubt things like that are
common. I
| > > know I've enver seen them in my grandparents cars, and they usually
lease so
| > > have new cars fairly often. They've had plenty of Chevy's and Fords
(don't
| > > remember any Mopar though).
| > >
| > >
| > >>The worst fit and finish problem with American cars is
| > >>the wind and road noise. Can the American Manufacturer's produce a
| > >>car that has proper sealing doors and windows?
| > >
| > >
| > > My mom's Caravan has very little road noise, in fact, my dad's Geo and
| > > girlfriends father's Camy both have louder road noise. As for my
Galaxies, I
| > > always have the windows down except in winter. Don't remember too well
any
| > > road noise, but that hole in the exhaust right before the muffler on
my '68
| > > makes for some resonating at certain RPM.
| > >
| > >
| > >>4) Americans cars are the uglist cars on the planet today (except the
| > >>cars produced in the former Eastern Bloc countries). Everything from
| > >>panel spacing to design. Roadmaster, Caprice Classic, Lumina,
| > >>Cadillacs, to name a few of the uglies. There was a time when
| > >>American Cars set the standard for styling, but that time has passed
| > >>along with Disco and Bell-bottoms.
| > >
| > >
| > > 99% of new cars are hideous. Don't give me that crap about American
cars
| > > being the ugliest... All cars look the same anymore. There was a time
when
| > > you could look at a car and instantly know the make, model, and trim
| > > package. Nowadays you're lucky enough to guess the make.
| > >
| > >
| > >>5) Driver feedback. Yucky Steering and Brake feel. There is about a
| > >>1 inch dead zone on my Jeep Cherokee where the steering wheel moves
| > >>but the car does not. It is difficult to know when brakes will lock up
| > >>give the spongy feel of American brakes. Also very difficult to know
| > >>when you rear-end will slide out since the only feedback from your
| > >>butt and back is the vibration from the lousy chassis.
| > >
| > >
| > > I loathe power brakes. They totally deaden the road feel. I'd prefer
to have
| > > manual steering, but I don't believe that was common on late '60s
full-size
| > > Fords. As for knowing when your brakes will lock, that's simply a
matter
| > > of knowing your car. It's entirely your fault that you don't know your
own
| > > car. Same thing with the rear sliding out, though nearly all cars are
FWD
| > > anymore so that isn't a common thing.
| > >
| > >
| > >>6) Lack of driver reward. I have never recalled feeling giddy coming
| > >>up to a winding road when driving an American car. Driving one of
| > >>these things is completely devoid of pleasure and reward.
| > >
| > >
| > > I think it's fun to drive my Galaxies down winding roads... Kinda like
| > > driving a boat. But seriously, it's a blast to cruise around in my
cars.
| > > I go for pleasure drives all the time. At least once a week I'll go
out with
| > > no destination in mind and just burn gas.
| > >
| > >
| > >>I currently own only one American car, a 1994 Pontiac Grand AM. I
| > >>have own a couple other American cars. I have had experience with
| > >>Corvettes Camaros, Fieros, Cutlasses, GMC trucks / Vans, Dodge
products
| > >>etc. I own two European cars both of which are free of the things I
| > >>described above.
| > >
| > >
| > > Good for you. Stick to the cars you like, I'll stick to the cars I
like.
| > > Though admittedly foreign cars (not necessarily European) are great
for one
| > > thing, and that's mileage. Nothing like getting 31+ MPG on the
highway,
| > > without an overdrive transmission no less!
| > >
| > >
| > >>I am willing to buy another American car if they can produce something
| > >>worth buying. I will wait...hopefully for a short time.
| > >
| > >
| > > There are very few new American cars I'd be interested in buying.
| > > Mustang Mach 1
| > > '88 Monte Carlo SS
| > >
| > > Those are the only two I can think of off the top of my head. Anything
else
| > > is pointless, as I may as well just go with a Japanesse econo-box and
leave
| > > my real cars for enjoyment.
| > >
| > >
| > >>I am interested in people's views on American cars and whether they
| > >>see them in a bad light as I do. I do not intend to start a flame
| > >>war, I am truly interested. It is my opinion that once a person buys
| > >>a Jap or European car, they tend not to go back to American cars. IF
| > >>this is true, how will American Cars attract this market back?
| > >
| > >
| > > I see most new cars in the same "light" you see American cars. Poor
quality,
| > > overpriced, underpowered, don't last, etc... Typically it's the
econo-boxes
| > > that last. Nothing new is going to be good looking, so you may as well
go
| > > for mileage and look to the past for a toy.
| > >
| > > Oh, and what the hell does alt.space.monkey.invaders have to do with
cars?
| > > LOL Silly troll. *pokes troll with stick*
| > >
| > >
|
| --
| Regards,
|
| JT (Residing in Austin, Texas)
|
| Just Tooling Down The Internet Superhighway With my G4.......

 

(Selected sarcastic revisional editorializations interspersed herein...)

Does anyone else besides me see the inane foolishness of all this? Good,
then I'm not alone...

Cheers - Jon

 

That's because all American car R&D dollars have gone to SUVs in the last
decade.