Greetings All,
So in this day and age I hear many people discuss American vs. Japanese vs. European. The industry has changed over the years yet so much has stayed the same! I swear the automotive industry is so much like this countries politics. Often times the masses are treated like mushrooms, fed bull and left in the dark.
Now I am not loyal to any country or brand, or any brand for that matter. Many swear by imports and say they will never go back to a domestic. The funny thing is not all domestics are "domestic", same held true for imports. My current car is a Pontiac GTO and was built in Australia by Holden. This is a big reason why I bought it because the car is so much bang for the buck. Or how about the Magnum, 300 and Charger? These three cars sit on a slightly modified W210 Mercedes Benz E-class chassis with same suspension. That is why your grandpa is in love with his Chrysler!
In this day it's hard enough to be original. Even my old Datsun SPL311 Fairlady was a design stolen by the Japanese from the Europeans and I still see the Japanese car companies practicing this today. Look at something like the new LS460 from Lexus. The ass was literally transplanted from a 7 series BMW. Everyone loves the European design with the Japanese practicality and it is a formula that has worked for years.
One thing that impressed me with domestics is how much value GM offers. Not too long ago I was an Avis franchisee and for those who often travel know that Avis is a GM preferred company. My clients were coming back from trips with mpg numbers that blew both Toyota and Honda away. We are talking 36mpg out of a full-size V6 (3800) Chevy Impala! This alone made me think twice. Now I know what many say, it's not just gas mileage. And you’re right. The top three things I hear when people shop for cars are warranty, mileage and fit & finish. Well now that GM offers a 100k warranty I think they just blew one of those out of the water and with plans for the future it will only get better.
So before you close the door on the big three, really do your homework. Not that I have a problem with the U.S. supporting the Japanese economy but even if the factories are over here and even though some Toyota's have been built here since 1986, the profit still goes abroad. As Lee Iaccoca said over twenty years ago, “If you can find a better car, buy it.�
Happy Motoring!
-Lance
The fact of the matter is, if you treat a car right, she'll treat you right. I understand that some cars are "lemons" plain and simple...but certainly not the vast population.
I own a 2001 Camaro Z28, and although she is a "domestic" (actually built in GMs factory at Ste. Therese, Quebec, Canada) she gets fairly decent gas mileage. Around 15-18 city, and 25-27 highway, all depending on my speed, of course. Not as great as a four-banger, but pretty respectable for a 5.7 litre V8, given her year and mileage at over 102,000.
By the way, Lance, how do you like your GTO? I always thought that if anything ever happened to my Z28, I'd look into a 2005-2006 GTO...at least until the 2009 Camaros come out.
Not all imports are as great as their cracked up to be:
http://www.z28.com/forum/showthread.php?t=103026&highlight=toyota+tundra
Anyways, my Z28 has never left me on the side of the road (knock on wood), and she's never been in the shop for anything other than the replacement of the 12-Disc CD changer (once again, knock on wood.)
I agree with Lance, look towards domestics, you'd be surprised at what you find.
I agree I've noticed that the Japanese luxury mfg's tend to model their designs off of BMW & Mercedes, [flattering for the German's].
I too have owned a number of cars from various mfg's and sadly the more expensive models have had more issues, [go figure].
Regarding the big 3; it seems even after the gas crunch of the 70's, I noticed that the focus has been on making mid & large sized cars. Look at how heavy the Camaro/Firebirds became - this was GM's sports car after the Vette[?]. I feel the Japanese and European mfg's stole the market with practical, reliable, light fun-to-drive cars.
Some may laugh, but I always liked the aerodynamic body style of the Chevy Monza. It was more of a economy car, [that even came with a V8 at one time]. Had they developed it into a sports car, [better suspension] they may have had a good following. I've never understood the Detroit decision makers...
It's a tough call on the new Camaro with a boxy front and the 20" wagon wheels don't do it for me. The new PC Volt is also interesting for commuting...