The Worst American Cars - POLL

Forbes ^ | 10.21.02 | Michael Frank

[Airborne Longhorn]

Hey, man, I clicked on this thread with the express intent of dogging the AZTEK! You read my mind! ROTFLMCO!

ps: for new FReepers: the "C" stands for Clymer. Get it?

[iceskater]

Probably because the Taurus was the #1 best selling car for 5 or 6 years straight, which means few people would agree with you. I've never heard anyone who owned one complain about the quality.

I loved my Taurus. Never had any trouble with it. Comfortable for me to drive. Got rid of it and got a Volvo. What a money pit that has turned into. It's days are numbered.

[Petronski]

Someone here more clever than me absolutely nailed it: Paul Bunyon's Nikes. ;)

[G4D]

You are absolutely correct.
I have had 9 Chevy Caprices.
ALWAYS exceeded 175K Miles every single one of 'em.
Easy and inexpensive to diagnose repair, very safe, they ride very nice (they ain't supposed to be a race car anyhow -I have an E-Type for that!).
Anyone slagging these cars doesn't know anything about cars! They are still one of the best vehicles/values on the road. Take a look around, How many other vehicles (that old) are still crawling (they are like tanks !).
G

[AWyseGuy]

I agree AMC had a design team that was working blindfolded; but how can they list the Gremlin, and not the Matador, or the Concord, or the Hornet. The Gremlin and the Spirit 4x4 were about the only thing besides the Jeep that AMC even went the right direction with.

[AWyseGuy]

And let us not forget LeCar; enough said.
In thier original listings; they bring up certain bodies and pick on the platform, GM X-Body.. evolved into Ciera & clones.. And the Fox which ended up being one of the best selling Mustangs ever.

[geege]

I think my dad's Corvair was a "62"....it was silver blue and he loved it....I was an infant at the time but I never rememeber him complain about it later on.....He said the worst car he ever had was a Renault!!!!!

[geege]

What's wrong with it???? I have a 2000 Accord and the only problem I have with it is that I keep getting flat tires.....

[Smokin' Joe]

I saw the grille and mistook it for a Hawk at first. Fun car, but when the motor mounts got weak, it would accelerate as the engine torqued over a little. Really had to be careful not to peel out, especially in front of the gendarmes.

[capitan_refugio]

Ivan, facinating entry. I don't even think the Allegro was imported into the U.S.

However, the equally stylish Metro did make the rounds here from 1954-1961. It too was an Austin product, sold by Nash Rambler (American Motors)

[AnAmericanMother]

Hmmmm . . . I know that dad had the two front motor mounts replaced at one time. The engine is so huge that you can't fit a dime under the hood with it, and that means the radiator is too small and the master cylinder is hidden down under the floor somewhere . . . !!!!!!

Even though the rest of the car is kinda rough, the engine is still perfect. You turn it on and it just purrs . . . gotta be careful not to let it overheat though.

[al_c]

[Darnright]

>AMC never did better than the Javelin, which was also a piece of crap.

You obviously never drove the AMX with the 390 Go-Pack option. It's got a stellar reputation among muscle car aficionados. It wasn't much for body integrity, but it was manufactured for the drag strip.

[Andy in Ohio]

The upcoming GTO is more like the original in idea, than any of the 'other names that have been dragged through the dirt'.

The original GTO that many of us gear heads love, and even man of the non-gear heads understand and evewn respect, came about from a normal looking family car.

All the complaints that the new GTO looks "too much like a Honda" kinda hit the nail on the head. The best selling cars look like this GTO, so in essence, they took a popular body, (the popular looks anyways) and turned it into a hot rod.

This is the exact formula of the original GTO. If GM were to try and re-make the original GTO, it would probably be a huge flop. Personally, i am suprised that the New Beetle is still being bought. It was neat when they came out, but I figured (and hoped) that the 'neatness' would go away and the car would die.

The GTO is gonna be a smash, and the only thing I see that will hold it back will be its price. IRS, 4 wheel disc brakes, leather seats... Most of the people who buy $30,xxx and up cars, are not looking for a hot rod, hence the death of the F-body cars. Not to mention the fact that they are starting this car off all loaded up and no where to go. There is very little room for improvemnt, and therefor, unfortunantly, will be a short lived model here in the states.

I hope I am wrong. We need more hot rods.

[car nut]

I purchased a 65 Corvair new in 64, It was a Corsa with the turbo. It was fast. It had a 140 MPH speedo. I took it up to 135 late one night and the faster it went you could feel it suck itself down. Great automobile, should have never got rid of it.

[car nut]

I purchased a 65 Corvair new in 64, It was a Corsa with the turbo. It was fast. It had a 140 MPH speedo. I took it up to 135 late one night and the faster it went you could feel it suck itself down. Great automobile, should have never got rid of it.

[painter]

"Some chevettes were made with 1.8L Isuzu diesels, you talk about something unable to get out of its own way..."

My brother had one of those.It was dependable and got 48 miles to the gallon.

[stevio]

I had a '80m AMC Spirit. I guess it was built off of the Gremblin frame. Aside from burning up brakes,(at least by today's standard) quite often, it was a great car. It took me through Florida twice, Canada and back to Pa. in the mid '80s.
It also reminded me of Mad Max's car.

[Ronaldus Magnus]

I had a Fuego, and what a pig (speaking of Rosie)!!!!!

Say it ain't so! My Turbo Fuego was one of the best cars I ever had. I paid $400 for one with about 110K miles on it and just beat on the poor thing. I don't recall ever accelerated with anything less than full throttle. I still can't explain how it would go from 60 - 120 mph so quickly. I was never passed against my will. The only problem I ever had was a chronic stiff neck from the low roof line. After almost a year and 25k miles of this trouble free abuse of a good car, I sold it for the same $400 I had paid for it. If they would import them again today, I'd buy two.

[painter]

"I had the misfortune of owning a Chevy Citation. What a total piece of %*%#!.

"NO KIDDING!! I had one too.