Should I be afraid to buy an american vehicle?

[GWARGHOUL]

Re: Should I be afraid to buy an american vehicle?

Should you be afriad to buy American huh??

Afriad to support your economy...
Afriad to support one of the last major us employers that offer more than $9 an hour?

Buy American, you commie.

[thebisch]

Re: Should I be afraid to buy an american vehicle?

I am usually a die hard Honda guy, so don't ask me. That said, if you want to buy MIA, then the lines are very blurry IMO. It seems to me that most "Japanese" cars marketed in the US are actually made in the US. On the other hand, many "American" cars are made in Canada, Brazil, Mexico and now even China! I don't even know what to call my car. It is a Pontiac Vibe, which is a restyled Toyota Matrix, made in a US GM/Toyota joint factory with a Pontiac badge! WTF? Is it American or Japanese? The lines are very blurry indeed in this age of global economics.

[Chuckracer]

Re: Should I be afraid to buy an american vehicle?

My Mom's new Toyota Camry was built in America.

[Hyperfuzz]

Re: Should I be afraid to buy an american vehicle?

My Nissan Frontier was built in that foreign country named Tennessee. I was a little dissapointed when it didn't come equipped with a banjo as a standard feature....apparently that's extra.

[Tetsuo]

Re: Should I be afraid to buy an american vehicle?

[ QUOTE ]
H1 is a real Hummer.
H2 is a 3500 K series Suburban with a different suspension.
H3 is built on the Colorado platform and uses the same inline 5 cylinder engine. Doesn't deseve the title of "Hummer" in my opinion. Kinda reminds me of the old Daihatsu Rocky. I think I spelled that right.

[/ QUOTE ]

I have been to a few Hummer competions in a H1 and the H2's held up in almost all the tests amazingly. H1's are teh real mans car but are uncomfortable and far from practical.

[buzzsaww]

Re: Should I be afraid to buy an american vehicle?

Hey Gwarghoul
You do realize that most foreign manufacturers have plants here in the US. Hyundai just opened an enormous one as a matter of fact. Cars are built from parts sourced all over the world. The big 3 have large shares in many foreign car manufacturers.

[axeman81]

Re: Should I be afraid to buy an american vehicle?

so can anyone explain to me why "bigger is better"?
I read your posts, and some people have maybe a Suburban and then a Yukon for their wife, or whatever, and I think "what the hell?" [img]/images/graemlins/scratchhead.gif[/img] do you really need all this space?

don't get me wrong, I'm not a greenpeace activist or trying to offend you, I'm just trying to understand here [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

I live in one of the smaller nations of the world, which also happens to be one of the biggest oil nations, and yet we have pretty high gas prices. The U.S.A have always had pretty cheap gas prices (you complain about $3 per gallon, over here it is $2 per litre of $8 per gallon if you will), and it seems to me that almost every middle-class household have at least two big V8 powered cars.
Whilst here it is more often than not the japanese or swedish 4-cylinder car...one per house.

A lot of german cars here as well, Audi BMW and Mercedes.
Recent developments in engine technology means the US philosophy of bigger displacement as the only way to power is ridiculed.

"if it ain't broke, don't fix it" also seems to me to apply very strongly in this regard to the US auto industry's big three.
I mean, pushrods, 16 valve V8's, carburetors, leaf springs and cheap plastic interior?? what the hell? [img]/images/graemlins/scratchhead.gif[/img] (again)
For example, the inside of a 2003 Tahoe looks like a 1981 Suburban if you ask me. Infinitely inferior to german interior quality and "feel".

I think the "life expectancy" business policy is very much alive and well in the US auto industry.
But I do applaud your wish to support your own industry, as more and more companies everywhere in the world are outsourcing their businesses for more profits.
Still, that doesn't mean you shouldn't demand quality on par with japan/germany, better mileage etc.

However, US trucks are very good workhorses, I've tried the 2005 Dodge Ram with 325bhp cummins diesel which was very comfortable and very strong. This is fine if you need a utility/work vehicle. But SUV's fail in every way of their "concept", horrible mileage, lousy offroad capabilities, handles like a super-tanker. (on twisty roads)

To cut it short, what's with you guys? [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]
let the flames begin,

- Rune

[Mr. Poon]

Re: Should I be afraid to buy an american vehicle?

3 reasons we own a Yukon-

1. We have horses and need to haul the horse trailer often.

2. I feel better knowing my wife is safe considering all the morons on the road these days.

3. I fucking wanted one.

[img]/images/graemlins/headbang.gif[/img]

[axeman81]

Re: Should I be afraid to buy an american vehicle?

1 and 3 is valid. does she wear a seat-belt? you may be a bigger fish in the pond with a SUV, but what if you would get hit by an 18-wheeler? then you're still not on the top of the "motoring food-chain"...

[Shawn]

Re: Should I be afraid to buy an american vehicle?

I seem to be focusing on a Yukon XL Denali...Gonna drive another tonite...



Shawn

[Mr. Poon]

Re: Should I be afraid to buy an american vehicle?

Yep- she always wears a seatbelt. It also has eleventeen airbags and Onstar. Doesn't help much against an 18 wheeler, but it sure does against 95% of the other cars on the road. A friend of mine, years ago, was killed when she was hit head-on by a drunk. He was in a big Oldsmobile Delta 88, she was in a VW station wagon. I'm just trying to improve the odds.

[Razor]

Re: Should I be afraid to buy an american vehicle?

I'm going to skip a lot of replies and reiterate what Cleveland said as I also sell transmission and driveline repairs for a living.

[ QUOTE ]
I work on car transmission and AWD drivetrains for a living. If you got that sort of dough, spend more and buy the Sequoia.

[/ QUOTE ]


Sound advice. Domestic vehicle driveline quality the past several years has been for shit. I'll give a +2 to Cleveland recommending the Sequoia. If not a Toyota, then a Nissan or Honda. The Nissan Armada is a damn fine vehicle too.

There is a reason my wifes 2002 Buick Rendevous has a General Motors Protection Plan on it until 2010 or 90,000 miles whichever comes first. It's because I don't know which one is worse, the 3.4L motor, or the 4T65E tranny. I do know that I will get a significant return on my investment between now and then. Cleveland, you'll enjoy this, at 48,000 I just had a front wheel bearing hub replaced on it, wiring repair to the passenger heated leather seat, and the rear windshield wiper arm assembly replaced. Only cost to me was my deductible, GMPP ate the rest. [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

[RacerX]

Re: Should I be afraid to buy an american vehicle?

[ QUOTE ]

H2 is a 3500 K series Suburban with a different suspension.

[/ QUOTE ]

Correction: Tahoe

[hgsmith]

Re: Should I be afraid to buy an american vehicle?

Shawn, I have a 02 Z71 Tahoe. No problems and the thing is built like a tank. Incredible turning radius too. Bought it new and has been the best truck/SUV I have ever owned. I have a 03 Toyota Tacoma and it’s the biggest overpriced piece of Shitake Mushrooms I have ever had. Can’t wait to pay the piece of shit off so I can buy something else. Good Luck.

[Cleveland Metal]

Re: Should I be afraid to buy an american vehicle?

Yeah Razor, I went through some front hubs on my S-10 Blazer, just put a set on my Yukon, at 128k and 12k later, the passenger one is starting up roaring again! bah.

And US vehicle heated seats are notorious for failure, esp the GMs. Sad, I wanna get a pair and put them in the Yukon too. Doh!