What kind of car do you drive?

[R-2800]

well there real good to probly same level as a German car but German cars are safer i think and would prefer a German car, it all depends on the person, but hey for me if has 4 wheels and won't break down every 2 miles fine with me!

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

Jeep and then Mercedes. The best there is.

 

[mkloby]

sure you can Japanese cars are miles better ask anyone who drives one

I think all new cars are very reliable - it's just a matter of personal preference and specific options you want in your vehicle. I've never had anything go wrong w/ any of my newer American cars, or my wife's japanese car.

 

[davparlr]

I think all new cars are very reliable - it's just a matter of personal preference and specific options you want in your vehicle. I've never had anything go wrong w/ any of my newer American cars, or my wife's japanese car.

I was watching autoline detroit and the emcee said that the car with the worst reliability today is better than the car with the best reliability ten years ago.

DerAdlerIstGelandet-
Jeep and then Mercedes. The best there is.

I learned to drive in a 1947 Jeep-civilian version. What a wonderful vehicle. Goes anywhere (although I do remember digging it out of a Florida swamp where sank up to the body), but not very quickly. Use to run sand dunes on Perdido Key before there were back-to-back condos. My older brother got it when he got his license, I got a 1954 Ford four door. Talking about the opposite ends of cool!

Mercedes reliability reputation has been hit hard lately. I think they are working hard to improve it. Overall, European car reliability has been slipping down a bit. You have to note my first comment on reliability above, however. Some American makes have been making great strides. Buick has been right up there nudging Lexus for the top spot in reliability. I drove a rented Ponitiac G6 a month or so ago. First GM car I was impressed with in 30 years.

My selection of greatest American traitors? American auto maker CEOs and Directors and Labor leaders of the 1970s and 80s. In the 70s GM had almost 60% of the American market. Now they are what, 28%. All due to incompetence, greed and feather bedding. In the 70s, Olds Cutlass was the no. 1 selling car in America. Now they don't even exist! Amazing collapse. I'll bet all those Directors and CEOs that allowed this to happen have a really nice retirement because of selling the future to boost stock prices. I used to be a big Olds fan, now I drive Hyundais (made in America). Not because I want to be, but in the 70s the American cars were junk and they seem uninspired since.

 

[102first_hussars]

Originally Posted by pbfoot
sure you can Japanese cars are miles better ask anyone who drives one

Well i drive a '95 Acura Integra which is basically a Honda, i can go a week and a half on a tank of gas its a good car, i kept it nice and pretty too

 

[pbfoot]

Must agree with you American cars were the best up until the early 70's and labour and management dragged them down by not paying heed to the competition from the Japan who showed everyone how a car is made. I live in a automotive area with GM having engine and drive train plants here and watched as they laughed (employees and management) at the rice burners stating that they would not last with north american driving conditions and they would be like european imports hard to get parts for and unreliable

 

[Matt308]

American cars have come about. 20 years ago, I would have agreed with you. Today, car quality between Japan and US is marginal at best. Japan leading perhaps, but the difference is now in shades of gray as opposed to black and white. America finally woke up that that quality and a car that runs 150k is expected...no longer the exception.

 

[davparlr]

American cars have come about. 20 years ago, I would have agreed with you. Today, car quality between Japan and US is marginal at best. Japan leading perhaps, but the difference is now in shades of gray as opposed to black and white. America finally woke up that that quality and a car that runs 150k is expected...no longer the exception.

As you say, they started turning the corner about 85 (my 83 skyhawk was the same old junk). Not until recently has GM generated some exciting cars (not including the Vette and Cadillac, who have been doing a good job). Ford and Chrysler have both built some interesting cars (I had a 1999 Chrysler that was a good car). I hope they can continue to recover. The increase in warrantee has helped, it certainly helped Hyundai to turn around perception.

 

[Matt308]

I think that comparison to cars today is like asking your wife what shade of white she wants on the wall. Its so close that you could flip a coin and not be disappointed. Competition is key.

For confirmation, in AvWeek this week, the Boeing CFO specifically stated that Airbus' health is integral to Boeing and their customers health. Competion breeds innovation.

God I love capitalism.

 

[Glider]

My only experience of American cars is driving hire cars when on Holiday when we were given a Trans Am and it was awfull. The basic design was shot full of holes and the finish deplorable.
I don't know what the view is of the Trans Am in the USA, but I hope it is seen as a bad car not a good one.
The second car we drove was a Chrysler Neon which in the USA was a huge improvement but is seen in the UK as a poor car. I test drove one in the UK and wouldn't dream of buying one but compared to the Trans Am it was a pearl.

 

[Matt308]

They don't make TAs any more. Same for Neons.

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

Ah a Neon. We had one in college and it sucked! It worked great all the time except when were really really wanted to go somewhere, like Woodstock 1999. Damn thing broke down and we never made it!!!!

 

[Matt308]

Just read in the paper that the crash tests have come in for the "minis", cars 2500lbs and under. NOT GOOD. These include Minicooper, Yaris, Varig and Scion. Simple law of physics people. When two masses collide and one mass is 60% greater than the other, Newtonian physics rule.

 

[loomaluftwaffe]

I dont drive yet

 

[pbfoot]

Just read in the paper that the crash tests have come in for the "minis", cars 2500lbs and under. NOT GOOD. These include Minicooper, Yaris, Varig and Scion. Simple law of physics people. When two masses collide and one mass is 60% greater than the other, Newtonian physics rule.

I disagree with a smaller vehicle I am a much smaller and more agile target able to dodge the land yachts captained by cell phone talking blue haired women

 

[mkloby]

I disagree with a smaller vehicle I am a much smaller and more agile target able to dodge the land yachts captained by cell phone talking blue haired women

That won't help you when Laverne creams you from behind when you're stopped at a stoplight! She'll get you sooner or later. You can run but you can't hide!

My wife has the 06 Scion tC... not bad crash ratings. 5 star driver front and all 4's for the rest. Sometimes cars, like the Mazda 6 (probably tips the scales at 3000 or so), may be bigger but fair poorly in crashes.

 

[Matt308]

mkloby, not sure what your ratings are from, probably gov't. These tests that I quoted were from a non-profit group that was sponsored by the insurance companies...for what that's worth. They claimed Scion was "adequate" for frontal and "poor" from side. Don't know what the scoring parameters were though. I must assume passenger injury and not damage.

You have a kiddo on the way. You'll need a bigger car for you, wifey, kid, car seat, diapers, crib, stroller, baby wipes, jarred stuff of different colors that baby eats, spoons, binky(s), rattles, mindless books that contain rhymes whose merits are a crime to humanity, sacks for the baby feces, extra changes of clothes for those that become soiled with aforementioned excrement, baby powder, wipes to clean up too liberal doses of baby powder, baby hats and blankets for when the temperature is slighly below that of the womb, breast pump, extra bags for breast pump contents, cooler for breast milk, antibiotics for wifey's breast infection, baby formula since wifey is consuming antibiotics she can no longer feed, a hidden beer to consume when wifey complains that her tits are full and hurt due to her taking antibiotics and can't feed nor use breast pump but they look hot as hell, batteries for breast pump, anti-bacterial gel for post arse-wipes and a small pocket to contain your sanity. Don't worry about your balls, they will be in her handbag.

 

[Matt308]

Oh. And I don't know if all that is true. A loser buddy of mine told that stuff.

 

[mkloby]

Oh. And I don't know if all that is true. A loser buddy of mine told that stuff.

Haha - thanks for the heads-up Yes it was the gov't crash ratings. Oh do not worry - my baby is not going in the Scion, it's unfortunately becoming my car after he/she is born. It's a pretty feminine car, but whatever.

Which model scion were you speaking of? They have a couple really tiny shoeboxes that look like they'd lose in a collision w/ a bicyclist.

 

[davparlr]

I disagree with a smaller vehicle I am a much smaller and more agile target able to dodge the land yachts captained by cell phone talking blue haired women

If that was true, all of the small, agile cars would have fewer accidents. I suspect that this does not statistically hold up. Most accidents occur when you don't have reflex time to respond. Manueverability has little to do with it.