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"I learned to drive on a Corvair Spider, a car that had a much undeserved bad rap.

You're absolutely right. It felt so solid and low to the ground people tried to drive it as if it was a sports car, which it wasn't. That's why they turned over. People were pretending they were driving Porsches. It also had terrific traction in snow (you didn't snow tires, let alone chains). There were no transmission humps. The foot room was great. On the bad side, it leaked oil. The rear grill was always getting knocked off. The fan belt kept coming off (it operated in two planes at right angles to each other). And the early models had gas heaters."

With all due respect the Corvair Spyder and the monza which I owned were marketed as sports type cars.
Though they weren't quite as bad as Nader made them out to be they did have serious defects. I can remember many times taking corners on two wheels at speeds less than 30 mph.The same corners and speeds that my parents Kingswood wagon took on all four tires. There was one benefit to those two wheel corners, because after ending up sitting in the passanger seat I have always used a seat belt. Because The exhaust system leaked like a sieve. It was
neccesary to leave the windows open year round. This wasn't as bad as it sounds because the heater stopped working as the ubiquitous chevy rust cycle had eaten that away. The car finally rusted off of its frame ending a love hate relationship that lasted through my senior year in high school.
The best thing about that car was the engine tranie match. for a rear engine car of that weight they were a perfect fit.
The bean counters that made them skimp on the (non)suspention should have been forced to attend every funeral money oney saving measure caused.

As for other cars i've had the Chevy Citation needs special notice. While it was under warrenty it was more often in the shop than on the road. The only good thing about it was it waited to die till i could buy a Mazda 323. That car went through it's first tranie before the warrenty was over,the second tranie waited till just after.

Buzzcook