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Subject: in defense of American made cars
Bart,
I'm on my third Explorer in the last fifteen years.
I average about 175,000 miles then sell them and buy another used
with less than thirty thousand on them. I work
utility construction and I HAVE to get to job sites regardless of weather
or location or distance. I also have a degree
in mechanical engineering, I hold a level II vibration analyst certification,
I worked in high energy physics engineering for
fourteen years, I've built experimental aircraft, I held ASE certification
as an automotive machinist, I restore and collect
American, British, Japanese, German, Italian and Russian motorcycles
and I still do most maintenance on our two Explorers,
2001 Honda Accord, 2001 VW Jetta TDI, 1966 Ford F250
and 1974 Plymouth Cuda. I'm a high tech motorhead.
I have not sold them or financed them but I've been into them
up to my elbows, literally.
All of these vehicles have needed normal "wear
related" parts like brakes, O2 sensors, a water pump, timing belt
etc.
but the only major component failure out of the
aforementioned vehicles was the Honda's transmission. It failed at
1700 miles. Honda towed the vehicle, left a replacement
loaner and had the transmission replaced in two days.
Great service. I paint "dotted" mounting
bolts to ensure replacement and the paint was broken. Five years later
there is little more than a technical service
bulletin (TSB) trail even though Honda replaced thousands of transmissions.
Bottom line: You didn't hear the words Honda
and Recall together on the NBC evening news.
Japanese quality is 'perceived' quality. If you
ask a person that thinks that their Toyota has superior quality what an
O2
sensor is, they are generally without a clue.
It's called uninformed bias. These are great cars but not superior to American
cars.
Consumer Reports? Take a close look at their "unbiased"
"studies". The Faux News for consumers.
They trashed a Pontiac G6 three months ago for
not having : A trunk lid liner !!!!
Honda, Toyota and Nissan are extremely adept at
making problems invisible. Honda didn't have to endure a recall,
they voluntarily replaced transmissions WHEN
THEY FAILED. No questions asked. Still pissed about your new
$25,000 Accord being gutted? No problem, Honda
will extend your warranty another 25K.
GM had problems with early Duramax diesels (Isuzu
design) and just flat out replaced engines BEFORE they failed.
Great service, but a machine broke down. Happens
all the time.
Go to ebay automotive and check used American
vehicles and the odometer readings on them.
There are thousands of these vehicles with more
than 150,000 miles on them. Some even more.
In a parting statement I'd like to present an
analogy to you and readers:
An outwardly normal and seemingly intelligent
person votes twice for Bush.
An outwardly normal and seemingly intelligent
person believes that their Toyota is somehow superior to a Buick.
Nuf said,
stilbo
Stilbo, I respect your right to have an opinion, but sometimes you have
to follow the money.
When you own a used car lot, you might buy and sell 50 cars a week.
If you've been in the business 10 years, you've owned 25,000 cars.
If you had good luck with 6 American cars in 10 years, more power to
you.
But don't tell a used car lot owner that he doesn't know his game.
Every car is like a poker hand.
A 2002 Honda Accord is a pair of Jacks.
A 2002 Malibu is a pair of fives.
This is real money, so how many thousands do you want to bet?
You can bet on the Malibu until you're out of business.
But if you bet on the better car you make money and your wife is happy.
It's not a tough decision.
Sidebar to Danny Detroit:
Pointing to the horse is the lead is not disloyal, it's
not anti-American.
If we say Iraq is lost, Bush and Cheney accuse us of being disloyal,
but we're just being honest.
Is it disloyal to say a Toyota has a higher resale value?