youre a couple years too late tho. GM now offers 100,000 mile warranties and according to JD Power n Associates initial quality gap has pretty much been closed. Chrysler is lagging a bit behind..
@whotolduso 100,000 mile warranty won't do it. The cars should last 250,000 at least. If a car is shot by 100,000, it isn't worth buying. It is not the warranty that is the issue, it is the quality which just isn't there.
@vbdenny It doesn't mean the car will break after 100. My buddy just sold his Grand Prix with over 200.. but that's not the point. I don't blame you since for such a long time they were cutting corners to make ends meet after feeding ridiculous union obligations - resulting in shitty quality. I'm glad they got a kick in the ass and today I wouldnt hesitate getting a new focus or fiesta over a corolla any day. Don't even get me started on the looks...
@vbdenny Every car sold internationally is world class... That's fine, it's a great car. It definitely won't last for 250k miles w out problem, since that seems to be your criteria of a good car.. Mitsubishis definitely don't have a lagacy of quality and reliability. They're hit and miss..
I had a Miserable Mazda, a Horrible Honda, and now I have a Terrible Toyota (not by my choice) and I had nothing but troubles after troubles after troubles with those cars! I had a Ford and it was the best damn car I ever had! If I had a choice right now I would own an American car!!
@GayUOPXBoy10 ah yeah but look at the positive sides of it all. Buick is the most popular brand in China and they have a boatload of people. I think we build Buicks there as well. Interesting to me is that Korea is even worse than Japan in repect to allowing imported cars. Either way, with all thos I saw washed away in the Tsamumi, my guess is that car sales will be up there.
here is something for you...if you hate american cars so much ...ask your local toyota or honda dealership how much money did they donate to anything 9/11 realted?..FORD GM , CHRYSLER all donated millions ,,,toyota and honda...zero
@390merc65 Oh I don't hate American cars. I have a 66 Cutlass in my garage. I do hate spending a lot of extra money to repair stuff that shouldn't break though. I'll give Ford great credit for their new cars as they look really good. I will also give Ford credit for donating however no credit to GM or Chysler as they did that with my money.
@vbdenny well good..i like old's as well ..i just have a hard time accepting that every american has so much trouble with american cars...my daily driver is a 90 grand marquis,,,high millage and it is rock solid reliable..my family and friends own 99% american made..to be honest...they seem pretty dam good..i dought we are the exception to the rule..i have seen my fare share of problematic japanese car's .i work in the auto industry for almost 30 years ..i have seen all of them break
@390merc65 I have owned 4 Fords, 4 Chevys, 2 Buicks, 1 Plymouth, 1 Cadillac, and 1 Oldsmobile so Ihave gone through a few engines, transmissions, a/c systems, brakes, bearings, alternators, ps pumps, ball joints, etc, etc. I now have 1 Nissan in which in 10 years I replaced the tailgate lever. I have 2 Lexus, a 90 and a 04, one ball joint. I have 1 Toyota, a 99 Corolla, windshield replaced because of stone hit. For my dollars, most American cars don't make sense. Repairing them is a good gig
@vbdenny dont you actually have 3 toyota's?..isnt a lexus just an excuse from toyota to hang a higher price tag on a glorified toyota ...like i said..i fix them all..no matter what it says on the grill...that include's European and american made japanese cars as well
@390merc65 Well yes, Toyota makes Lexus Like GM Makes Chevys and Cadillacs and Ford makes Lincolns. The difference is that my Lexus has a V-8 and is rear wheel drive and will do a buck fifty flat out. My other Lexus is front drive with a V-6 and very much like a Camry except more detailed. Although Lexus cars don't break often, the stealerships rip you off when it is repair time.
@laupstad sadly, I came to the same conclusion after decades of doubting. They are still fun though This summer I will have a video or two featuring a 69 GTO, a 67 Mustang GT-390, and a 72 Chevelle SS-454. In fact I have a video from last year with the same cars. It is called Unanticipated Acceleration
@laupstad well tell me why then if they are so bad,,then why are there so many older american cars and trucks still on the road ???..[IF] they are so bad..how did they manage to out survive jap cars or trucks of the same year or decade..
The thing is mate, the european and japanese older cars ARE on the road still, but since they never sold new in America, they're not there and there isn't much of a comminuty around them.
You could say the same for US cars here, i see 40-50 year old Mercs, Bimmers and Lancias more often than i see Chevy's, Ford's (US) or Chryslers. American cars are made to last 5 years and be replaced, wich is a state of mind Europe couldn't adopt after the war like the Americans could and did.
@390merc65 The thing is mate, the european and japanese older cars ARE on the road still, but since they never sold new in America, they're not there and there isn't much of a comminuty around them.
You could say the same for US cars here, i see 40-50 year old Mercs, Bimmers and Lancias more often than i see Chevy's, Ford's (US) or Chryslers. American cars are made to last 5 years and be replaced, wich is a state of mind Europe couldn't adopt after the war like the Americans could and did.
@laupstad i am sure the big 3 would donate if...[IF]..japan's government allowed U.S car manufactures in.. japan...there is a huge differnce here..jap auto makers are in the U S ..and claim to care about THE U,S..but we all know that isnt true.....they are here taking our money..but i dont see the big 3 in japan..but anyway,,as americans..i know we are there already helping them out...and if not..it is only a matter of time untill ford or GM give money
@390merc65 If they allowed the big three to make cars there? Why would they even WANT to make cars in market where they don't sell any? Since i posted this comment i have seen that Ford finally stepped up and donated, allthough it wasn't much. I just wanna add that my current cars (I'm from Norway) is a Pontiac Bonneville SSE and a 75 Trans Am. I love them to death, but they're still crap. Specially compared to my neighbours E-class Merc wich cost the same as the SSE new.
@laupstad they do not want them there only to save their own ....well maybe ford did not give much ,,but it didnt take them long to at least help unlike toyota and honda here in the states when 9/11 happened ,,if a 75 t/a is crap..then how well is any 75 toyota or honda???..and i seem to remember mercedes having some reliability issues ..so it seems no matter what you buy...or how much you spend..any and all cars will make crap ...including mercedes
@laupstad so tell me exactly how much did ford donate?.or the lack there of???..and most ppl know if you buy an older american muscle car...usually those kind of cars are beat to death since they leave the car lot new...and ppl can badmouth american cars all they want and say they are junk, but there are also american cars and trucks that have gone the distance and proven them selfs as well ..and american cars seem to have a huge fallowing around the world as well
ya ya you un american bastureds stop driving american becuase you drove the hell out of your american cars didnt change oil, didnt flush the trans, and didnt do regular mantince then the car breaks down and you bash the american auto industy.
There is nothing American about Lexus. It is a Japanese luxury car in its execution. I am sure that they will hold up very well under European driving conditions. They are more reliable and durable than Mercedes, Audis and BMW offerings. In the American market they are not considered to be old person's cars.
Interestingly Volkswagen has improved its reliability in the latest Consumer Reports issue. VW is still way behind the Korean and Japanese brands.
My Lexus LOVES American roads. Even though the car is 20 years old with almost 180,000 miles, it still drives better than just about any new car. I agree that the speeds here are slower but for those of us who like to go fast, they are sweet. I would say the most popular cars with old people are Totoya Camry, Big Buicks, and Crown Vics. I think a BMW, Mecedes, or Audi with a full warranty is a beautiful dream, withour the warranty, it is a frightening nightmare.
because their product is awful and can´t fool people with "buy american" any more. Old engineering, awful, quality and awful engines...what did they expect? to fool customers forever???
Volvo in the USA is considered by some buyers to be a good alternative to BMW, Audi, ect. They do offer some very good high speed cruisers.
The Japanese and Koreans have done their homework in the American market. They are meeting needs and desires of the car buyer. American car companies simply stopped listening to their customers. They need to give the customer good value for the money and a lower cost of ownership. I think Ford has learned this lesson. The US market is an open market.
I have never owned a Volvo, but I know they are pretty good cars. I find them rather bland however and I also so quite a few on the road with lighting issues. I think they must have electrical issues on their lights,
Please explain what are the lighting issues that you mentioned here? I find it interesting that a company that prides itself on safety would have lighting problems.
look around at Volvos that you see on the highway and you will often see that one brake light or tail light is much brighter than the other. At times I have seen where one goes very bright and the other goes off. Of course I have seen this on other cars but Volvo seems to be much more common.
they fooled me for a number of years. I just expected things to break. Now I say, wave a flag if you like but you will also be waving your wallet along with it.
yeah, I remember an american friend telling me you were used to change cars every 3 years or so because they wouldn´t last longer AND you just didn´t expect them to last longer. you were made to believe that a car can´t last more than 4/5 year....and that was the trick to sell cars...a big bold eagle and a flashing looking car .....until the japanese came...
when I first started driving and before, a car that went 100,000 miles was something that was a big deal. My first car was 8 years old, with 53,000 miles and I bought it for $50 because it flunked inspection. I replaced the kingpins, and the drag link, and put in a new windshield and I was good to go. I even got the windshield for free out a wreck from someone I knew. Now I see a bunch of people driving around with 200,000 - 300,000 miles, most either asian cars or american trucks.
I recently talked to my mechanic. He said that German cars are the least reliable and the most expensive to repair because of the high cost of replacement parts and the complexity of the design. The owners of these cars put up because of they are status symbols. The mechanic likes the reliability of Toyota and that for has really moved up in quality.
"complexitiy of the design?" tell your mechanic to buy a book and learn. German cars are the most reliable and best engineered cars in the world and are worked much harder in Europe than over there. That american mechanics are not up to their level of expertise is not really their fault
I was in the auto parts business for a number of years. I called on numerous new car dealers and independent shops. The consensus of opinion is that German cars do break down more often. Independent evaluations by Consumer Reports and J.D. Power state that Japanese cars are at the top in the reliabily charts. Lexus may be the finest car on the road.
Also, I did not state that he could not fix German cars or did not have the expertise. He has over 30 years experience.
fair enough, but in Europe we drive cars harder and they don´t break down. I had renaults, peugeots, opel, seat, bmw and none of them have ever brake down and I average 100mph when travelling on higways. I sell them after 100,000km with only the dealer maintenance done to it. But I lived in the US, owned a 70000miles civic and the first time I went over 120mph it broke down after a mere minute. Then I found out that the same car has better components when is european spec. So maybe is that
The conditions over can be extreme with some of the coldest temperatures in the winter and extreme heat in the summer. This depend of where in the USA one lives in. My impression is that out of the European cars, the Volvo line seems to be very well made. I have had good reviews of their products.
Also, the Korean cars seem to be rapidly improving after a poor start 15 to 20 years ago. They are also gaining market share.
Are the Japanese and Koreans are making inroads in Europe?
fully agree. Koreans are steping up their game, and they have better products everytime and the longest warranties of the lot. Volvo is considered unbreakable around here and the safest cars...but a car for old grandpas too :)
It is true that weather can be much more extreme there (I lived in Texas and Florida and experienced tornados and hurricanes and floodings which never had before)
The thing is I believe the cars have worse components over there. Even the european versions of american cars are beef up, with bigger brakes, harder suspensions and shorter gear ratios. I think american automakers have been living of "buy american" too much, you need something more than that for a product nowdays
Japanese cars are very good, so good indeed that we have quotas for them and lots of taxes to make them very expensive so ppl go for european product :) they have awesome engines (specially Honda) and Toyotas are just the best in customer satisfaction here. Haven´t owned one myself, but the thing seems undestructable...but not too sporty
Toyota and Lexus also have very high customer satisfaction ratings in the US market. Has Lexus had any success in the European market? I would consider buying one over any other luxury car. They are an excellent buy on the used car market.
The US car market is still a mostly open market market until now. I do not know if Obama will keep the market open now that he is putting government's hand in the marketplace.
well, Lexus is considered a brand for old ppl here and american biased tase, so, no, they dont sell that many. For the price ppl just get a BMW or Mercedes or Audi...very few ppl would go for Lexus. But the real difference is that European cars like theVolkswagen golf for example have very good chassis, very efficient engines to go up to 150mph in the sport version and roomy enough to travel long distances for more than 100000miles with no trouble and american brands just cant match that
Even though right now is supposedly a "great" time to buy a new car, I'm sticking with my '98 Civic that just passed 151,000 and still runs like new for all the reasons listed above. I don't mean to sound ignorant as I'm not a mechanic, but some of the "problems" people talk about resulted from them driving their cars improperly and not doing the maintenance. My brother trashed his '01Civic because of this, and everyone says you can't kill those cars. Well you can.
so true. Any car can be killed by poor PM. What bothers me is when you do everything according to schedule and things till break. Keep your Civic, you can't kill them :)
I've never understood (as an outsider) why the US had / has such a love affair with large cars? My country (in land mass) is larger than the US, and we have the opposite attraction and go as small as possible.
A most interesting perspective. Gasoline has always been pretty cheap here, even today. There is something in the sound of a powerful V-8 in a big car that is just music to the ears. I had a couple Buick Eleectra 225's and a Cadillac Sedan deVille, all well over 2 tons. The Buicks had 455CID engines (0.007456 m³) and sucked the premium stuff at around 8-12mpg in town, On the highway, anything over 16mpg was a cause for celebration. Big cars are (or were) the American Dream.
I drive a 2001 Toyota Sienna with 186K miles- 23-25 mpg-not bad for a minivan. Not too many problems except the AC has quit and I had to replace the catylitic converter to pass inspection ~~expensive~~
LOL, I hope, pray, it goes around at least another 7.5 times. The mechanic said something to the effect that the cat was used up or saturated. Its interesting that a Nissan Sentra and a Grand Am I owned previously went to their heavenly rests with 244K and 230K miles respectively with their original cats. Of course the Sentra ate alternators, and the brake light would come on in the Grand Am when i reached exactly 68 mph. If I drove a 1,000 miles and only reached 67 mph, no brake light.
I'm sorry but my Buick Regal GS runs and drives like brand new with 115k on it, same with all our American cars. My friend bought a new Accord and had a bunch of problems with it in the first few years they owned it. I guess it's subjective, but everyone I know with GM and Ford vehicles have had minimal problems. I'll always drive American.
Consider yourself lucky. My neighbor has a Buick Regal and just had the transmission replaced last year. I don't consider 115,000 to be very much milage. The longest running US car I had ws a Cadillac that made it to 300,000. Of course it has had a transmission, 2 AC compressors, wheel spindle, body plastic and several other things replaced along the way. Before you say you will always drive American, go drive a Lexus and you will see what I mean.
I hate seeing people express their opinions about subjects they have no knowledge about. Can you please do your research before you speak?..I'm an ASE Cert. Technician since 1991 and currently work at a Foster Chevy dealership in Houston,Texas..The fact is that the domestic cars have wayyyyy more problems compared to imports, ranging from premature gaskets and sensors failure, Underbody fittings wear as early as 40000 miles..and those are just a few things to mention..I see this everyday.
Lol, I'm just talking about my personal experiences here. I've also heard many mechanics say they've seen more problems with Japanese cars than American, it's all in the eye of the beholder. My American cars have always been reliable so I see no reason to send my hard earned money to another country when I could be keeping it here.
I have a right to my own opinion, stop getting so bent out of shape about it.
first things first. I very much appreciate your opinion and your decision to make a contribution defining your position, so thank you. Next, the issue at hand... My best experiences with cars has been with American cars. I love a big V-8 with 3" duels and a 12 bolt posi. Throw in a big old M-21 (or 22), a fat quadrajet and some L-60's I have a 66 Cutlass in the garage (and a video called 66in around (or something like that) where I take it out. more...
While both my heart and wallet agree with you, my time and aggrevatation level can't. The Nissan dealer that I bought 3 cars from, jacked me around on a simple brake issue and lost me for life.
I'll have to check out that video, sounds like a great car =).
The reliability has gone way up recently on many US cars, Consumer Reports had an article about how the Ford Fusion/Mercury Milan twins outscored many of their Japanese competitors in reliability. There isn't a huge reliability gap like their used to be, and even if American cars are a LITTLE less reliable, I'd rather spend less on a car and pay a bit more for maintenance, and keep my money in America
it is too bad that US automakers have ignored the wants and needs of the people and produced junk for so long that they drove people away. They MIGHT have improved their reliablity but I will let someone else figure it out. When I look at a 5 year old Chevy, Ford or Dodge and then look at a 5 year old Toyota or Honda, there is no comparision
"When I look at a 5 year old Chevy, Ford or Dodge and then look at a 5 year old Toyota or Honda, there is no comparision " yep, that is the best test you can make. The japanese still look new while the americans look like trash...a real shame.I still remember the first time I drove a Camaro...I thought: what a piece of junk (engineering wise)...nice looking car with very torquey engine on an awful chassis with awful brakes and suspension setup....what a dissapointment
My friend has a early 1990's toyota with half a million km's on it. It looks like it'll fall apart any minute but the thing still drives like a dream.
This is a neighborhood in Virginia Beach called Church Point. Pretty nice neighborhood which was built about 10 years ago. At the time, it was the Parade of Homes or Homerama (whatever) neighborhood. They sold then for around 200-400, now you can't touch them for under 3/4 of a bill.
I'm sure that you have been on the road a lot longer than I have, so I haven't purchased cars from all the same eras as you. I remember horror stories about my parent's 76 Dodge Aspen rotting out and never staying in alignment. My dad's 78 Ford pickup also rusted away within a few years. More recently my sister had a 97 Cutlass that was the definition of a lemon. Personally, I have had nothing but good experiences with the Ford products I have owned (87 Tempo, 02 Focus, 06 Fusion).
of all the US auto companies, Ford seems to have been much faster to respond to the situation. I have owned 3 Fords, an Econoline, a Torino, and a Cortina. My neighbors minivan that just lost the transmission at 120,000 was a Ford. My girlfriends parents has a 76 Apen, and the front fenders rusted through in less than 2 years. My aunt has a 07 Fusion and loves it.
Ford has always been a powerhouse around the world, selling their own design cars in a different market. Obviously, Ford wasn't going to send any Crown Vics over there, and an Excursion? not a chance. I suspect that you are correct and that Ford's survival will be because of their diversification throughout the world. I had a Ford Cortinia years ago.
good video mate...yeah usa quality :D
SuperM1998 1 month ago
lexus rx is old, but still looks cool :)
SuperM1998 1 month ago
youre a couple years too late tho. GM now offers 100,000 mile warranties and according to JD Power n Associates initial quality gap has pretty much been closed. Chrysler is lagging a bit behind..
whotolduso 2 months ago
@whotolduso 100,000 mile warranty won't do it. The cars should last 250,000 at least. If a car is shot by 100,000, it isn't worth buying. It is not the warranty that is the issue, it is the quality which just isn't there.
vbdenny 2 months ago
@vbdenny It doesn't mean the car will break after 100. My buddy just sold his Grand Prix with over 200.. but that's not the point. I don't blame you since for such a long time they were cutting corners to make ends meet after feeding ridiculous union obligations - resulting in shitty quality. I'm glad they got a kick in the ass and today I wouldnt hesitate getting a new focus or fiesta over a corolla any day. Don't even get me started on the looks...
whotolduso 2 months ago
@whotolduso I guess if I was to buy a new car today it would be (without hesitation) a Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution. A world class car for $35K
vbdenny 2 months ago
@vbdenny Every car sold internationally is world class... That's fine, it's a great car. It definitely won't last for 250k miles w out problem, since that seems to be your criteria of a good car.. Mitsubishis definitely don't have a lagacy of quality and reliability. They're hit and miss..
whotolduso 2 months ago
I had a Miserable Mazda, a Horrible Honda, and now I have a Terrible Toyota (not by my choice) and I had nothing but troubles after troubles after troubles with those cars! I had a Ford and it was the best damn car I ever had! If I had a choice right now I would own an American car!!
GayUOPXBoy10 1 year ago
@GayUOPXBoy10 ah yeah but look at the positive sides of it all. Buick is the most popular brand in China and they have a boatload of people. I think we build Buicks there as well. Interesting to me is that Korea is even worse than Japan in repect to allowing imported cars. Either way, with all thos I saw washed away in the Tsamumi, my guess is that car sales will be up there.
vbdenny 10 months ago
here is something for you...if you hate american cars so much ...ask your local toyota or honda dealership how much money did they donate to anything 9/11 realted?..FORD GM , CHRYSLER all donated millions ,,,toyota and honda...zero
390merc65 1 year ago
@390merc65 Oh I don't hate American cars. I have a 66 Cutlass in my garage. I do hate spending a lot of extra money to repair stuff that shouldn't break though. I'll give Ford great credit for their new cars as they look really good. I will also give Ford credit for donating however no credit to GM or Chysler as they did that with my money.
vbdenny 1 year ago
@vbdenny well good..i like old's as well ..i just have a hard time accepting that every american has so much trouble with american cars...my daily driver is a 90 grand marquis,,,high millage and it is rock solid reliable..my family and friends own 99% american made..to be honest...they seem pretty dam good..i dought we are the exception to the rule..i have seen my fare share of problematic japanese car's .i work in the auto industry for almost 30 years ..i have seen all of them break
390merc65 1 year ago
@390merc65 I have owned 4 Fords, 4 Chevys, 2 Buicks, 1 Plymouth, 1 Cadillac, and 1 Oldsmobile so Ihave gone through a few engines, transmissions, a/c systems, brakes, bearings, alternators, ps pumps, ball joints, etc, etc. I now have 1 Nissan in which in 10 years I replaced the tailgate lever. I have 2 Lexus, a 90 and a 04, one ball joint. I have 1 Toyota, a 99 Corolla, windshield replaced because of stone hit. For my dollars, most American cars don't make sense. Repairing them is a good gig
vbdenny 1 year ago
@vbdenny dont you actually have 3 toyota's?..isnt a lexus just an excuse from toyota to hang a higher price tag on a glorified toyota ...like i said..i fix them all..no matter what it says on the grill...that include's European and american made japanese cars as well
390merc65 1 year ago
@390merc65 Well yes, Toyota makes Lexus Like GM Makes Chevys and Cadillacs and Ford makes Lincolns. The difference is that my Lexus has a V-8 and is rear wheel drive and will do a buck fifty flat out. My other Lexus is front drive with a V-6 and very much like a Camry except more detailed. Although Lexus cars don't break often, the stealerships rip you off when it is repair time.
vbdenny 1 year ago
@390merc65
I guess you could, using the same standards, inform me how much Ford, Chrysler and GM have donated to the tsunami victims in Japan?
I'm a huge US car enthusiast, but denying that the cars are cheaply/badly built is just silly. They are, and it it shows.
Fun, but rubbish is my usualy description.
laupstad 10 months ago
@laupstad sadly, I came to the same conclusion after decades of doubting. They are still fun though This summer I will have a video or two featuring a 69 GTO, a 67 Mustang GT-390, and a 72 Chevelle SS-454. In fact I have a video from last year with the same cars. It is called Unanticipated Acceleration
vbdenny 10 months ago
@laupstad well tell me why then if they are so bad,,then why are there so many older american cars and trucks still on the road ???..[IF] they are so bad..how did they manage to out survive jap cars or trucks of the same year or decade..
390merc65 10 months ago
@390merc65
The thing is mate, the european and japanese older cars ARE on the road still, but since they never sold new in America, they're not there and there isn't much of a comminuty around them.
You could say the same for US cars here, i see 40-50 year old Mercs, Bimmers and Lancias more often than i see Chevy's, Ford's (US) or Chryslers. American cars are made to last 5 years and be replaced, wich is a state of mind Europe couldn't adopt after the war like the Americans could and did.
laupstad 10 months ago
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@390merc65 The thing is mate, the european and japanese older cars ARE on the road still, but since they never sold new in America, they're not there and there isn't much of a comminuty around them.
You could say the same for US cars here, i see 40-50 year old Mercs, Bimmers and Lancias more often than i see Chevy's, Ford's (US) or Chryslers. American cars are made to last 5 years and be replaced, wich is a state of mind Europe couldn't adopt after the war like the Americans could and did.
laupstad 10 months ago
@laupstad i am sure the big 3 would donate if...[IF]..japan's government allowed U.S car manufactures in.. japan...there is a huge differnce here..jap auto makers are in the U S ..and claim to care about THE U,S..but we all know that isnt true.....they are here taking our money..but i dont see the big 3 in japan..but anyway,,as americans..i know we are there already helping them out...and if not..it is only a matter of time untill ford or GM give money
390merc65 10 months ago
@390merc65 If they allowed the big three to make cars there? Why would they even WANT to make cars in market where they don't sell any? Since i posted this comment i have seen that Ford finally stepped up and donated, allthough it wasn't much. I just wanna add that my current cars (I'm from Norway) is a Pontiac Bonneville SSE and a 75 Trans Am. I love them to death, but they're still crap. Specially compared to my neighbours E-class Merc wich cost the same as the SSE new.
laupstad 10 months ago
@laupstad they do not want them there only to save their own ....well maybe ford did not give much ,,but it didnt take them long to at least help unlike toyota and honda here in the states when 9/11 happened ,,if a 75 t/a is crap..then how well is any 75 toyota or honda???..and i seem to remember mercedes having some reliability issues ..so it seems no matter what you buy...or how much you spend..any and all cars will make crap ...including mercedes
390merc65 10 months ago
@laupstad so tell me exactly how much did ford donate?.or the lack there of???..and most ppl know if you buy an older american muscle car...usually those kind of cars are beat to death since they leave the car lot new...and ppl can badmouth american cars all they want and say they are junk, but there are also american cars and trucks that have gone the distance and proven them selfs as well ..and american cars seem to have a huge fallowing around the world as well
390merc65 10 months ago
ya ya you un american bastureds stop driving american becuase you drove the hell out of your american cars didnt change oil, didnt flush the trans, and didnt do regular mantince then the car breaks down and you bash the american auto industy.
Stupidaso2 1 year ago
There is nothing American about Lexus. It is a Japanese luxury car in its execution. I am sure that they will hold up very well under European driving conditions. They are more reliable and durable than Mercedes, Audis and BMW offerings. In the American market they are not considered to be old person's cars.
Interestingly Volkswagen has improved its reliability in the latest Consumer Reports issue. VW is still way behind the Korean and Japanese brands.
michael112254 2 years ago
My Lexus LOVES American roads. Even though the car is 20 years old with almost 180,000 miles, it still drives better than just about any new car. I agree that the speeds here are slower but for those of us who like to go fast, they are sweet. I would say the most popular cars with old people are Totoya Camry, Big Buicks, and Crown Vics. I think a BMW, Mecedes, or Audi with a full warranty is a beautiful dream, withour the warranty, it is a frightening nightmare.
vbdenny 2 years ago
because their product is awful and can´t fool people with "buy american" any more. Old engineering, awful, quality and awful engines...what did they expect? to fool customers forever???
cesnitry 2 years ago
Volvo in the USA is considered by some buyers to be a good alternative to BMW, Audi, ect. They do offer some very good high speed cruisers.
The Japanese and Koreans have done their homework in the American market. They are meeting needs and desires of the car buyer. American car companies simply stopped listening to their customers. They need to give the customer good value for the money and a lower cost of ownership. I think Ford has learned this lesson. The US market is an open market.
michael112254 2 years ago
I have never owned a Volvo, but I know they are pretty good cars. I find them rather bland however and I also so quite a few on the road with lighting issues. I think they must have electrical issues on their lights,
vbdenny 2 years ago
Please explain what are the lighting issues that you mentioned here? I find it interesting that a company that prides itself on safety would have lighting problems.
michael112254 2 years ago
look around at Volvos that you see on the highway and you will often see that one brake light or tail light is much brighter than the other. At times I have seen where one goes very bright and the other goes off. Of course I have seen this on other cars but Volvo seems to be much more common.
vbdenny 2 years ago
they fooled me for a number of years. I just expected things to break. Now I say, wave a flag if you like but you will also be waving your wallet along with it.
vbdenny 2 years ago
yeah, I remember an american friend telling me you were used to change cars every 3 years or so because they wouldn´t last longer AND you just didn´t expect them to last longer. you were made to believe that a car can´t last more than 4/5 year....and that was the trick to sell cars...a big bold eagle and a flashing looking car .....until the japanese came...
cesnitry 2 years ago
when I first started driving and before, a car that went 100,000 miles was something that was a big deal. My first car was 8 years old, with 53,000 miles and I bought it for $50 because it flunked inspection. I replaced the kingpins, and the drag link, and put in a new windshield and I was good to go. I even got the windshield for free out a wreck from someone I knew. Now I see a bunch of people driving around with 200,000 - 300,000 miles, most either asian cars or american trucks.
vbdenny 2 years ago
I recently talked to my mechanic. He said that German cars are the least reliable and the most expensive to repair because of the high cost of replacement parts and the complexity of the design. The owners of these cars put up because of they are status symbols. The mechanic likes the reliability of Toyota and that for has really moved up in quality.
michael112254 2 years ago
yes, I know that German cars break often and that they are exepensive to fix. I stay away from them myself
vbdenny 2 years ago
"complexitiy of the design?" tell your mechanic to buy a book and learn. German cars are the most reliable and best engineered cars in the world and are worked much harder in Europe than over there. That american mechanics are not up to their level of expertise is not really their fault
cesnitry 2 years ago
I was in the auto parts business for a number of years. I called on numerous new car dealers and independent shops. The consensus of opinion is that German cars do break down more often. Independent evaluations by Consumer Reports and J.D. Power state that Japanese cars are at the top in the reliabily charts. Lexus may be the finest car on the road.
Also, I did not state that he could not fix German cars or did not have the expertise. He has over 30 years experience.
michael112254 2 years ago
fair enough, but in Europe we drive cars harder and they don´t break down. I had renaults, peugeots, opel, seat, bmw and none of them have ever brake down and I average 100mph when travelling on higways. I sell them after 100,000km with only the dealer maintenance done to it. But I lived in the US, owned a 70000miles civic and the first time I went over 120mph it broke down after a mere minute. Then I found out that the same car has better components when is european spec. So maybe is that
cesnitry 2 years ago
The conditions over can be extreme with some of the coldest temperatures in the winter and extreme heat in the summer. This depend of where in the USA one lives in. My impression is that out of the European cars, the Volvo line seems to be very well made. I have had good reviews of their products.
Also, the Korean cars seem to be rapidly improving after a poor start 15 to 20 years ago. They are also gaining market share.
Are the Japanese and Koreans are making inroads in Europe?
michael112254 2 years ago
fully agree. Koreans are steping up their game, and they have better products everytime and the longest warranties of the lot. Volvo is considered unbreakable around here and the safest cars...but a car for old grandpas too :)
It is true that weather can be much more extreme there (I lived in Texas and Florida and experienced tornados and hurricanes and floodings which never had before)
cesnitry 2 years ago
The thing is I believe the cars have worse components over there. Even the european versions of american cars are beef up, with bigger brakes, harder suspensions and shorter gear ratios. I think american automakers have been living of "buy american" too much, you need something more than that for a product nowdays
cesnitry 2 years ago
Japanese cars are very good, so good indeed that we have quotas for them and lots of taxes to make them very expensive so ppl go for european product :) they have awesome engines (specially Honda) and Toyotas are just the best in customer satisfaction here. Haven´t owned one myself, but the thing seems undestructable...but not too sporty
cesnitry 2 years ago
Toyota and Lexus also have very high customer satisfaction ratings in the US market. Has Lexus had any success in the European market? I would consider buying one over any other luxury car. They are an excellent buy on the used car market.
The US car market is still a mostly open market market until now. I do not know if Obama will keep the market open now that he is putting government's hand in the marketplace.
michael112254 2 years ago
well, Lexus is considered a brand for old ppl here and american biased tase, so, no, they dont sell that many. For the price ppl just get a BMW or Mercedes or Audi...very few ppl would go for Lexus. But the real difference is that European cars like theVolkswagen golf for example have very good chassis, very efficient engines to go up to 150mph in the sport version and roomy enough to travel long distances for more than 100000miles with no trouble and american brands just cant match that
cesnitry 2 years ago
Even though right now is supposedly a "great" time to buy a new car, I'm sticking with my '98 Civic that just passed 151,000 and still runs like new for all the reasons listed above. I don't mean to sound ignorant as I'm not a mechanic, but some of the "problems" people talk about resulted from them driving their cars improperly and not doing the maintenance. My brother trashed his '01Civic because of this, and everyone says you can't kill those cars. Well you can.
megatop412 2 years ago
so true. Any car can be killed by poor PM. What bothers me is when you do everything according to schedule and things till break. Keep your Civic, you can't kill them :)
vbdenny 2 years ago
I've never understood (as an outsider) why the US had / has such a love affair with large cars? My country (in land mass) is larger than the US, and we have the opposite attraction and go as small as possible.
drivinginsa 2 years ago
A most interesting perspective. Gasoline has always been pretty cheap here, even today. There is something in the sound of a powerful V-8 in a big car that is just music to the ears. I had a couple Buick Eleectra 225's and a Cadillac Sedan deVille, all well over 2 tons. The Buicks had 455CID engines (0.007456 m³) and sucked the premium stuff at around 8-12mpg in town, On the highway, anything over 16mpg was a cause for celebration. Big cars are (or were) the American Dream.
vbdenny 2 years ago
I drive a 2001 Toyota Sienna with 186K miles- 23-25 mpg-not bad for a minivan. Not too many problems except the AC has quit and I had to replace the catylitic converter to pass inspection ~~expensive~~
DistractionCascade 2 years ago
A guess 7.5 times around the Earth would put some wear on the old Sienna. What made the cat go bad?
vbdenny 2 years ago
LOL, I hope, pray, it goes around at least another 7.5 times. The mechanic said something to the effect that the cat was used up or saturated. Its interesting that a Nissan Sentra and a Grand Am I owned previously went to their heavenly rests with 244K and 230K miles respectively with their original cats. Of course the Sentra ate alternators, and the brake light would come on in the Grand Am when i reached exactly 68 mph. If I drove a 1,000 miles and only reached 67 mph, no brake light.
DistractionCascade 2 years ago
I'm sorry but my Buick Regal GS runs and drives like brand new with 115k on it, same with all our American cars. My friend bought a new Accord and had a bunch of problems with it in the first few years they owned it. I guess it's subjective, but everyone I know with GM and Ford vehicles have had minimal problems. I'll always drive American.
stanbernadino 2 years ago
Consider yourself lucky. My neighbor has a Buick Regal and just had the transmission replaced last year. I don't consider 115,000 to be very much milage. The longest running US car I had ws a Cadillac that made it to 300,000. Of course it has had a transmission, 2 AC compressors, wheel spindle, body plastic and several other things replaced along the way. Before you say you will always drive American, go drive a Lexus and you will see what I mean.
vbdenny 2 years ago
I hate seeing people express their opinions about subjects they have no knowledge about. Can you please do your research before you speak?..I'm an ASE Cert. Technician since 1991 and currently work at a Foster Chevy dealership in Houston,Texas..The fact is that the domestic cars have wayyyyy more problems compared to imports, ranging from premature gaskets and sensors failure, Underbody fittings wear as early as 40000 miles..and those are just a few things to mention..I see this everyday.
GTnumber1 2 years ago
Lol, I'm just talking about my personal experiences here. I've also heard many mechanics say they've seen more problems with Japanese cars than American, it's all in the eye of the beholder. My American cars have always been reliable so I see no reason to send my hard earned money to another country when I could be keeping it here.
I have a right to my own opinion, stop getting so bent out of shape about it.
stanbernadino 2 years ago
first things first. I very much appreciate your opinion and your decision to make a contribution defining your position, so thank you. Next, the issue at hand... My best experiences with cars has been with American cars. I love a big V-8 with 3" duels and a 12 bolt posi. Throw in a big old M-21 (or 22), a fat quadrajet and some L-60's I have a 66 Cutlass in the garage (and a video called 66in around (or something like that) where I take it out. more...
vbdenny 2 years ago
While both my heart and wallet agree with you, my time and aggrevatation level can't. The Nissan dealer that I bought 3 cars from, jacked me around on a simple brake issue and lost me for life.
vbdenny 2 years ago
I'll have to check out that video, sounds like a great car =).
The reliability has gone way up recently on many US cars, Consumer Reports had an article about how the Ford Fusion/Mercury Milan twins outscored many of their Japanese competitors in reliability. There isn't a huge reliability gap like their used to be, and even if American cars are a LITTLE less reliable, I'd rather spend less on a car and pay a bit more for maintenance, and keep my money in America
stanbernadino 2 years ago
it is too bad that US automakers have ignored the wants and needs of the people and produced junk for so long that they drove people away. They MIGHT have improved their reliablity but I will let someone else figure it out. When I look at a 5 year old Chevy, Ford or Dodge and then look at a 5 year old Toyota or Honda, there is no comparision
vbdenny 2 years ago
"When I look at a 5 year old Chevy, Ford or Dodge and then look at a 5 year old Toyota or Honda, there is no comparision " yep, that is the best test you can make. The japanese still look new while the americans look like trash...a real shame.I still remember the first time I drove a Camaro...I thought: what a piece of junk (engineering wise)...nice looking car with very torquey engine on an awful chassis with awful brakes and suspension setup....what a dissapointment
cesnitry 2 years ago
My friend has a early 1990's toyota with half a million km's on it. It looks like it'll fall apart any minute but the thing still drives like a dream.
wimpie25 2 years ago
yeah, my 90 Lexus still runs great and is rock solid.
vbdenny 2 years ago
I like the location.
localdriver 2 years ago
This is a neighborhood in Virginia Beach called Church Point. Pretty nice neighborhood which was built about 10 years ago. At the time, it was the Parade of Homes or Homerama (whatever) neighborhood. They sold then for around 200-400, now you can't touch them for under 3/4 of a bill.
vbdenny 2 years ago
Toyota's are always really good quality.
04smallmj 2 years ago
I'm sure that you have been on the road a lot longer than I have, so I haven't purchased cars from all the same eras as you. I remember horror stories about my parent's 76 Dodge Aspen rotting out and never staying in alignment. My dad's 78 Ford pickup also rusted away within a few years. More recently my sister had a 97 Cutlass that was the definition of a lemon. Personally, I have had nothing but good experiences with the Ford products I have owned (87 Tempo, 02 Focus, 06 Fusion).
llnesinthesand 2 years ago
of all the US auto companies, Ford seems to have been much faster to respond to the situation. I have owned 3 Fords, an Econoline, a Torino, and a Cortina. My neighbors minivan that just lost the transmission at 120,000 was a Ford. My girlfriends parents has a 76 Apen, and the front fenders rusted through in less than 2 years. My aunt has a 07 Fusion and loves it.
vbdenny 2 years ago
That's probably because of Ford's expertise in Europe.
EuroFords used to have rustproblems in the 80's era (especially the vans) but alot brands had the same problem in that time.
Now EuroFords are one the most reliable cars found in Europe, and probably in all the markets EuroFords are sold.
Luckily for you guy's, some of them will be crossing the Atlantic soon enough.
The funny thing is, the Ford Fiesta was announced as a concept car while it has been on the market in Europe for a year now.
wimpie25 2 years ago
Ford has always been a powerhouse around the world, selling their own design cars in a different market. Obviously, Ford wasn't going to send any Crown Vics over there, and an Excursion? not a chance. I suspect that you are correct and that Ford's survival will be because of their diversification throughout the world. I had a Ford Cortinia years ago.
vbdenny 2 years ago
Nice commentary.
Bryant5493 2 years ago
thanks B
vbdenny 2 years ago
No problem.
Bryant5493 2 years ago