Yes, there is a difference between American and Japanese cars

Reuters ^ | 06/20/11 | Bob Lutz

[KevinDavis]

A lot of words have been written in the past few post-tsunami weeks about the negative impact of the disastrous tragedy on the short-term future of Japanese cars in the U.S. market. In parallel, many articles proclaim this to be a “historical window of opportunity” for the “Detroit Three,” now able to deliver to waiting customers an abundant supply of new vehicles while, at Toyota, Honda and Nissan, the cupboard is bare.

[apoliticalone]

I agree. American sounding names are not necessarily US companies. I look and examine where products are produced, not based upon their name. Ford has many cars made in Mexico. There are few so called US corporations left. Most are out there to make a buck and a provide multi million dollar CEO bonus anywhere they can find it.

[He Rides A White Horse]

There is a difference between drivers who believe changing motor oil is a suggestion or a necessity. ;< )

[editor-surveyor]

I have three of them.

[Citizen Tom Paine]

GM kind of queered the deal for me with their diesels. Ford showed me what they could do with a 1967 Falcon with some unique properties. One of them was that the headliner would collapse when one was going about 70 mph obscuring your vision. I don’t even remember the Chrysler model, but I didn’t get it off the lot.

My first Honda Civic lasted for 358,000+ miles before the head gasket failed. Since then it has been Japanese cars all the way. My 1995 Acura has 258,000+ miles on it. I hope to get to 350,000 before it rusts away.

[goodwithagun]

I can't tell you how much I love my Nissan Titan. My husband still drives his 96 Nissan 4X4 pickup, but we are looking to replace it with a Honda Ridgeline in the next few months. We need something that he can still haul firewood with and yet fits two car seats. The only reason we're replacing it is because of the car seat thing. If we weren't expecting, hubby says he'd get another 15 years out of it easily!

[org.whodat]

Yes you need to stick to the gm blazer.

[bert]

For the price of a Corvette, you could have bought a sports car.

[Horusra]

My Honda Civic does quite well. Well priced and apportioned, gets great mileage and has a terrific resale value. I have never had any “big three” vehicle that held value worth squat, and some were downright lemons.

Were I to buy a big three auto, it would be a truck. F-150.

[spodefly]

My ‘97 Jeep Cherokee will keep getting new brakes, suspension, belts, tires, hoses and any other necessary parts until it falls into dust. Even if I end up putting 2 or 3K some years into it, that is preferable to spending money for a new vehicle.

[rintense]

I ADORE My 04 Grand Cherokee. 124,000 miles and still going strong. Just added a 2” lift and Bilstein shocks, too.

[SkyDancer]

Interesting how GM had to shutdown some line because parts weren’t coming into the US from Japan after the earthquake/tsunami. One wonders.

[Williams]

I’ve become quite a fan of Ford & Lincoln.

[gusopol3]

The legendary Bob Lutz was an outspoken automotive industry mover and shaker, so his book "Car Guys versus Bean Counters" (Portfolio Penguin, $26.95) promises to be the place where he unloads much angst. Lutz doesn't disappoint.

Lutz said the American auto industry's plunge into bankruptcy was more down to tunnel vision from business school graduates than union greed. He beats on the media for favoring foreign cars over domestic ones and politicians for not having the guts to introduce a European style gas tax, and he lauds Volkswagen's leader Ferdinand Piech for his tough but successful management style.

Lutz is also justly proud of perhaps his last big decision before he ended his career at GM - forcing the revolutionary Chevrolet Volt past the doubters.

From The Detroit News: http://detnews.com/article/20110614/OPINION03/106140318/Lutz-says-business-theorists-hurt-auto-industry-more-than-UAW#ixzz1Ps2dT56F

[editor-surveyor]

My first Ford Ranger PU went about 350,000 before losing its head gasket, the first internal repair of the engine, and I gave it to my son in law who drove it another 100,000 or so before selling it to his neighbor, who is still happily driving it.

[Pollster1]

Locale and country have much more to do with purchasing decisions, not ideology. I make it a priority to buy products made or grown by Americans, just as I also put buying from local businesses in my jurisdiction a priority. In the end it helps me and my neighbors.

Geography is not everything. There is nothing less American than nationalizing GM and Chrysler, violating existing (centuries old but still the law of the land and the expectation of those who were robbed) bankruptcy/contract/common law. There is nothing less American than stealing from the bondholders, the rightful claimants on the GM/Chrysler assets to give the loot to politically connected Dem donors including the UAW. I am pro-America, far more so than those who support the bailout, and I will never again buy any GM/Chrysler product. Those companies are dead to me. I have no problem with buying Ford, VW, Toyota, Honda, Kia, or any other brand unaffiliated with the criminal operations in Detroit, but I am boycotting GM forever in favor of more American companies - like Subaru.

[editor-surveyor]

Ford does the job, more so than any other manufacturer, in the long run.

[C. Edmund Wright]

I’m with you 100% on this. I proudly have an American made Hyundai and a pre bail out Suburban. Will be my last Suburban.

[CrazyIvan]

If you can break or wear out a 4.0 you should be ashamed of yourself.

[gusopol3]

That’s well-said, and that’s where I am too, having spent my entire life a Chrysler Corp buyer; I’d never look at another one. Ford? Still UAW and Obama thugs.

[Pollster1]

I’m with you 100% on this. I proudly have an American made Hyundai and a pre bail out Suburban. Will be my last Suburban.

I keep cars until they are dead, so I haven't had many even in my many years, but I have had two GM vehicles. As you said, never again.