U.S. made automobiles

[Onyx]

Hope I"m not opening up a huge ugly argument here - I'd really like an in-depth discussion on this though.

I don't even know if it's possible, but I would LOVE to see Detroit on top of the auto market again. I have always loved American-made cars because of the looks and the ride. Now if they would just get better gas mileage and not break down on me.

(snipped from Pomba's new car thread)

But unfortunately, it'll be years before the Big 3 catches up to the imports in the minds of the consumer.

You tell me, would you have piece of mind filling up a Chrysler boat with the new $2.99 pricing

when you're only getting 15 miles/gallon on a vehicle that has questionable reliability?

The fact that upstarts like Kia and Hyundai, which made pieces of tin just 10 years ago, are now putting out such a good product backed by a 5yr 60k mile bumper-bumper warranty certainly isn't helping any.

I have hope, though.

My .02

I would actually prefer a US made car myself because I just enjoy the way they ride. What stopped me is several things - In the past I had VERY bad experiences with tons of mechanical failures, inferior gas mileage and so I didn't really feel I was getting enough value for my money.

I'm going to be in the market for a new car next year likely. Any suggestions on a US made vehicle that isn't going to cost me as much as a house?

[Hellion]

Over half the parts of a US made car are made in China or somewhere else.and they say US made,but they are assembled here in the US

[Rayne]

I honestly don't have much faith in US made cars ... yet.

1. Ford has the MOST recalls ever, in the history of recalls. That scares me.

2. Chrysler is in the hole with their gas guzzlers. They focus more on SUV's and trucks than their cars (which look really neat, but don't preform very well).

3. Chevrolet, eh ... they are decent, but not my first choice ... although they are my preference of the three.

Imports have better MPG ratings than US cars, the US cars are slacking catching up ... not to mention ... (when I was pricing them out in 2007) your average loaded import costs about 15 - 20% less than your average base model of a US comparable car. I couldn't touch a Focus for under $20,000 and that had nearly no options.

[Hellion]

I honestly don't have much faith in US made cars ... yet.

1. Ford has the MOST recalls ever, in the history of recalls. That scares me.

2. Chrysler is in the hole with their gas guzzlers. They focus more on SUV's and trucks than their cars (which look really neat, but don't preform very well).

3. Chevrolet, eh ... they are decent, but not my first choice ... although they are my preference of the three.

Imports have better MPG ratings than US cars, the US cars are slacking catching up ... not to mention ... (when I was pricing them out in 2007) your average loaded import costs about 15 - 20% less than your average base model of a US comparable car. I couldn't touch a Focus for under $20,000 and that had nearly no options.

Very true,let alone our automakers pay broom pushers $30 an hour,and thats why US cars cost so much

[Fin]

I have somehow managed to stay in an American car since I became a licensed driver despite the nonsense they have demonstrated in every-day operations.

What angers me is the lack of feedback of the "big 3" to customer preferences.

(Disclaimer: This viewpoint is anecdotal & based on my own experience, not on mass studies & surveys).

Time & again the big 3 will say they offer the kind of vehicles they do because in one form or another "this is what the buying public demands of us."

I have personally written & called the big 3 asking why they continue to spend millions of dollars in lawsuits to keep MPG standards low instead of putting that money back into development so we can catch up/surpass foreign automakers in this regard, as this is what U.S. customers really want anyway. I think it would be hard to find an American consumer who wouldn't want their big SUV to have amazing, small-car type gas mileage.

So far, the response has been a proverbial pat on the head & go away (if there's been a reponse at all). I'm sorry, but even if you have no intention of listening to your customer base, you need service reps who can at least fake it. I'm going to have to consider a more practical choice for my next vehicle, which will most likely include foreign selections because the big 3 seem unwilling to lend an ear.

[Goth Brooks]

American auto makers are why I do not trust Unions period.

They whine and bitch and strike for more and more benefits, yet they make pieces of shit.

Stop making crappy vehicles and maybe americans will stop buying foreign cars.

[Rayne]

American auto makers are why I do not trust Unions period.

They whine and bitch and strike for more and more benefits, yet they make pieces of shit.

Stop making crappy vehicles and maybe americans will stop buying foreign cars.

I still have an issue with Ford.

I used the Ford A Plan discount to buy my Mazda. Ford owns 33% of Mazda and has several plants in the US, including Mazda 6's Flat Rock plant, right here in Michigan.

Yet the big signs plainly say "NO FOREIGN CARS ALLOWED ON PROPERTY".

I supported Ford by buying my vehicle, even used their discount -- but if I worked for them, I couldn't drive my car to work?

[Head Wreck]

i'm car hunting right now.

i avoid fords, just not comfortable and "American" suspension set-ups just don't like UK roads, so a 5 hr blast would mean i'm usless due to driving aches and pains (never had them in a french car,even city runabout)

GM cars burn so dirty i have to pay 6 times as much tax due to emisions. thier engines are just stone age tech compared to europe and asia.

[Hellion]

One of the big problems with US automakers is most of the engineers like to design things on what they like and not what the customer wants,they always think the customer will like what they like.bad move IMO.

[n0Mad]

If you buy a Honda or a VW, you just might be getting an American made car. Sure, the company is foreign but they have a lot of factories in the US so they're American made. Ford on the other hand, while an American company, you'll get a car made in China and Mexico. So, what do you want? American company or American jobs?

[Rayne]

If you buy a Honda or a VW, you just might be getting an American made car. Sure, the company is foreign but they have a lot of factories in the US so they're American made. Ford on the other hand, while an American company, you'll get a car made in China and Mexico. So, what do you want? American company or American jobs?

There's a lot like that. A lot of the foreign car makers have assembly plants here to make destination charges cheaper and make more of a profit making more of the cars here and selling them instead of having to rely on how many they can sell shipping them here (with higher destination charges).

Take Mazda for example.

Phee's Mazda 6 was assembled here in Flat Rock, Michigan.

My Mazda 3 was assembled in Hiroshima, Japan and shipped here.

[Onyx]

Interesting stuff.

How about Saturn? I like the look of some of those.

[Hellion]

If you buy a Honda or a VW, you just might be getting an American made car. Sure, the company is foreign but they have a lot of factories in the US so they're American made. Ford on the other hand, while an American company, you'll get a car made in China and Mexico. So, what do you want? American company or American jobs?

And they last a lot longer,German engineering,and German machinists.

[Rayne]

Interesting stuff.

How about Saturn? I like the look of some of those.

Saturn is a GM vehicle. Their vehicles resemble another GM company in a lot of ways -- Pontiac.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saturn_Corporation

I've always been leary of Saturn's practice of using plastic body panels ... but I guess they aren't using them on as many vehicles as they used to, according to this.

Looking at Saturn's site ... I picked the Astra at random ... it's their small compact. It still only gets about 24 mpg city/30 mpg highway automatic transmission ... so probably around 26 average. Yikes. With an $18k sticker price.

[phee]

My wife knows cars..... a lot

[Der Nister]

I have only owned american made cars since I started driving and I agree with many of you on many issues.

Ford cars (imo) most just suck - period. The only decent ford I owned was an escort.

Chrysler (again - imo) sucks (and my grandfather is rolling in his grave) - I wouldn't recomend nor buy their cars ever again.

Chevy well, it seems to me Chevy is only interested in making trucks and I refuse to buy an overly large vehicle just to transport myself so I've stayed away from them.

Now GM (again, my opinion) has made far better cars than any other american car makers. I own a GM pontiac right now and it has put all my other cars to shame.

I also would like to see the big three back in the game but they have to realise that things have changed and they need to reflect that in what they make otherwise it's goodnight Sally.

Making SUV's (regardless of how popular they were) really hurt this country (and to all those that bought those suv's - shame on you). We need to live buy the motto that less is more, not over the top. Back in 2000 when I noticed that there were more and more large trucks and hummers 9ect. ect.) on the road I knew in my heart that it was a recipe for trouble.

Now the piper is here to collect and we are hurting for it. It's time to make real change and look at what the other auto makers are doing that will help us.

[Rayne]

Honda's Civic specs:

5-Speed Automatic (City/Highway/Combined) 25/36/29

... that's about a 10 mpg increase ... with a sticker price of $14k. And probably better insurance rates because of better safety reviews as well.

Toyota Yaris specs:

Mileage Estimates (mpg city/highway) 29/35

And that is with an $11k starting price. Wow.

Unfortunately US auto makers haven't come close to the MPG standard the foreign makers have ... nor the prices.

I paid much less than what US makers are asking for their base models and mine is loaded for my car and average about 35 mpg (anywhere between 32 and 37, depending on if I've been driving mostly freeway or not -- I get AWESOME gas mileage on the freeway).

[Fin]

I paid much less than what US makers are asking for their base models and mine is loaded for my car and average about 35 mpg (anywhere between 32 and 37, depending on if I've been driving mostly freeway or not -- I get AWESOME gas mileage on the freeway).

Your Mazda-3 averages 35? Mixed City/highway?

Hmmm. If so, I'm gonna have to put that one on my test-drive list.

PS--I hope you two come to CC 2nite

[Rayne]

Your Mazda-3 averages 35? Mixed City/highway?

Hmmm. If so, I'm gonna have to put that one on my test-drive list.

PS--I hope you two come to CC 2nite

Yep as long as I upkeep it (change the oil on time, get it checked by the dealer every 5,000 miles and rotate my tires every 5,000 miles). I have had it for about a year and a half and have about 32,000 miles on it ... without one serious issue ... and I've paid about half in gas than I have with every other car I get. I drive A LOT of freeway, but about 35 is my average. Sometimes I can get as much as 37.

PS -- can't do CC tonight. I have 4 kids and no sitter. :(

PPS - this is the second Mazda 3 I've had. The 2006 I had averaged about the same -- so it's no fluke.

[Hellion]

"Crapality Is Job One",Ford that is,LOL!!

The foreign car makers know their stuff,IMO

[Msterbeau]

Hope I"m not opening up a huge ugly argument here - I'd really like an in-depth discussion on this though.

I don't even know if it's possible, but I would LOVE to see Detroit on top of the auto market again. I have always loved American-made cars because of the looks and the ride. Now if they would just get better gas mileage and not break down on me.

(snipped from Pomba's new car thread)

I would actually prefer a US made car myself because I just enjoy the way they ride. What stopped me is several things - In the past I had VERY bad experiences with tons of mechanical failures, inferior gas mileage and so I didn't really feel I was getting enough value for my money.

I'm going to be in the market for a new car next year likely. Any suggestions on a US made vehicle that isn't going to cost me as much as a house?

What do you need it to do besides get you places? Do you want a minivan? Small wagon? hatchback? Etc.. What attributes are most important?

I'm still not totally sold on American car quality. Granted, The last car I owned was a Ford Focus and it was pretty decent. I wouldn't touch a Chrysler product. GM does some good things and some stupid, short-sighted cost cutting goofs. The American's still won't consistently spend what the Japanese will for the right materials and parts that feel truly refined and high quality. There are exceptions. The Europeans get most things right but it costs more and they have their fair share of quality issues. VWs in particular.

Whatever you decide on... Check both professional reviews and sites with consumer reviews. Take the consumer reviews with a large grain of salt but look for issues that come up consistently. Those are things to either avoid or check further.

[Msterbeau]

Saturn is a GM vehicle. Their vehicles resemble another GM company in a lot of ways -- Pontiac.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saturn_Corporation

I've always been leary of Saturn's practice of using plastic body panels ... but I guess they aren't using them on as many vehicles as they used to, according to this.

Looking at Saturn's site ... I picked the Astra at random ... it's their small compact. It still only gets about 24 mpg city/30 mpg highway automatic transmission ... so probably around 26 average. Yikes. With an $18k sticker price.

Saturns are largely re-badged Opels these days. (Opels are made in Europe) They're nicer cars then they used to be but I'm not sure of Opel's rep in Europe. The Astra seems like a sweet little car.

[Goth Brooks]

In Ford's defense, I do have to say that I had (and my ex now has) a 97 v6 TBird, the engine is a work of art. Never had any trouble with it, and it gets 30mpg.

I look at all the "fuel efficient" 08/09 models only getting 30-36MPG and just laugh. You're getting hosed.

[Gaf The Horse With Tears]

Are they using the new system to figure MPG yet? I thought it was this year that we were going to get accurate ratings but I am not sure when exactly they start reporting them.

[Msterbeau]

Are they using the new system to figure MPG yet? I thought it was this year that we were going to get accurate ratings but I am not sure when exactly they start reporting them.

They started not long after they announced the rules. 2008 model year, which is almost over.