american cars suk!! - Striper Talk Striped Bass Fishing, Surfcasting, Boating

thefishingfreak · 02-02-2006, 04:24 PM

no wonder there going outta buisness

think they would learn from the japanese and the germans

mirror for ford 375 bucks and then you gotta pay to get it taken appart,painted,put back together, installed takes a friggin hour. 75 screws in the door to get it out.takes two days to get the parts.
you get a toyota. bingo 150 bucks it's allready painted. in stock. shows up in an hour 15 minutes to put it on and done!
my friggin sloburbans got 80,000 miles on it, it's falling appart rattlebox. everything starting to break.front end is junk. they can't even make a stupid power window switch last more than 5 years

i'm getting a foriegn car!! frig this!!
made bye, paid bye, and driven bye an american---> whoopie-frickin'-do...

fourty grand for a piece of junk no thanks!!

carry on

StripinLine · 02-02-2006, 04:48 PM

No realy, what do you realy think??? WOW

"uffah!!" · 02-02-2006, 05:01 PM

What do I really think? Well, lets put it this way,your the type of guy that will be blaming big business for moving your job over seas!!

StripinLine · 02-02-2006, 05:15 PM

Well, lets put it this way,your the type of guy that will be blaming big business for moving your job over seas!!
Reply With Quote

Realy?? Do you know me so well?? I didn't think so..

thefishingfreak · 02-02-2006, 05:55 PM

nope. trust me the way these things are made, my job is very seccure.

Jenn · 02-02-2006, 06:06 PM

Yep...I am with you 100%. Couldnt AFFORD to keep up with vehicle repair costs....been with toyota for about five years and dumped less into repairs in the last five years on TWO vehicles that we did on just one ford in one year! Sorry I dont make $100,000 a year....I need something I can afford and rely on to get me there every day if ya know what I am saying.

Jenn · 02-02-2006, 06:08 PM

oh and might I also add, how many "American" car companies have plants in Mexico these days??? bet more than many realize!

PurpelNoon · 02-02-2006, 06:23 PM

I read recently that car manufacturers are all using very sophisticated technology in their vehicles and the high-end German manufacturers as well as the Americans are having lots of problems with it. The article continued to state that the Japanese seem to be getting it right.

Whenever I can, I purchase American goods, especially if it means NOT buying something made in China. As far as American cars go, I think they have gotten better, but I still buy Japanese cars. I would love to buy an American car, but I'm not going to do so at my financial loss. Unfortunately.

MoroneSaxatilis · 02-02-2006, 06:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jenn

oh and might I also add, how many "American" car companies have plants in Mexico these days??? bet more than many realize!

That's certainly true. But let's not forget that many foreign cars today are so in name only and are actually manufactured right here in the U.S.
Perhaps it's the design and management that makes some foreign cars superior to American ones.

Pete_G · 02-02-2006, 06:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PurpelNoon

Whenever I can, I purchase American goods, especially if it means NOT buying something made in China. As far as American cars go, I think they have gotten better, but I still buy Japanese cars. I would love to buy an American car, but I'm not going to do so at my financial loss. Unfortunately.

Same here...

MoroneSaxatilis · 02-02-2006, 06:44 PM

So..
In June 2004, I bought a Chevy Silverado 1500 Xtended Cab 4WD. I've had very good luck with it. It still does not even have 12000 miles on it yet. A "rattle" developed in the front end that I could "feel" through the steering wheel. I brought it to the dealer and they replaced the steering shaft because it was worn.
Excuse me, but how does a steering shaft become worn in less than 12000 miles?
There are over 100 "service bulletins" for this particular truck. All stuff that they KNOW is gonna break, but hopes that it does so AFTER the warrenty expires (which, by the way, is one of the chinsiest in the industry: 3 yrs/36000 miles).
So then, I'm chatting with my wife's uncle who claims to LOVE Chevy trucks and owns a 2004 Silverado and a 2005 Colorado. He tells me that the rear end of his Silverado crapped the bed within 4 hours of leaving the dealership and that the Colorado is on it's third tranny!
And this guy LOVES Chevy trucks????

Karl F · 02-02-2006, 06:46 PM

they all suck, american, foreign, that's why mechanics and autobody guys have job security. new cars are overpriced, so if you can figger out which one will break down less, buy it, 'cause your payin' thru the nose, right up front, no need to continue the agony after.

that being said... How many purchase the extended warranty.. and is it worth it?

thefishingfreak · 02-02-2006, 06:51 PM

karl i bought it on my durango for close to 2 grand thank god. trans went. intake gasket.abs controller.a/c pump. and a host of other things. all under 60k miles.
if you don't just pray you get a wedsday made one. 'cause the monday and friday cars..........

vineyardblues · 02-02-2006, 06:53 PM

Karl , got the 7 years on my ford ...lol
It should pay for it's self......

VB

thefishingfreak · 02-02-2006, 06:53 PM

ohh try this too..
everyone go out to there car/truck.. right... open the drivers door and bend down to look at the bottom lip of the door, whear they fold the door skin over..i betya money there's allready rust there if it's more than a year old

Raider Ronnie · 02-02-2006, 06:58 PM

American auto engineers are some of the most brilliant people in the world !!!
Sure, Toyota can (and does) build a vehicle that will last forever !!!
But the way American car makers can design and build a car that will start to fall apart after the warrarty or length of the auto loan is up, so they can keep taking your money!
Now thats brilliant !!!

MoroneSaxatilis · 02-02-2006, 07:03 PM

We got the xtended warrenty on our 2004 Trailblazer, but I haven't got it yet on the Silverado. I can still get it and probably will, it'll just cost a bit more. I have a soliticitation from GM on my desk right in front of me asking me if I'm interested as we speak.

Quote:

Originally Posted by thefishingfreak

ohh try this too..
everyone go out to there car/truck.. right... open the drivers door and bend down to look at the bottom lip of the door, whear they fold the door skin over..i betya money there's allready rust there if it's more than a year old

Nope. Definately not here. We wash & wax these things VERY regularly, even this time of year. When we do, we detail them inside and out, and always take care to treat ALL the nooks & crannies.
Sure we want them to look good, but also NEED to protect our expensive, overpriced purchases (it cracks me up when people call a new car an "investment". It's NOT; it will make me NO money. It's a straight-up purchase).

Raider Ronnie · 02-02-2006, 07:06 PM

(it cracks me up when people call a new car an "investment". It's NOT; it will make me NO money. It's a straight-up purchase).[/QUOTE]

"straight up purchase"
More like a Necessary evil !!!!

Skitterpop · 02-02-2006, 07:12 PM

By American workers

Vectorfisher · 02-02-2006, 09:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thefishingfreak

ohh try this too..
everyone go out to there car/truck.. right... open the drivers door and bend down to look at the bottom lip of the door, whear they fold the door skin over..i betya money there's allready rust there if it's more than a year old

Well my Ford is 10 years old and I dare you to find rust under any of the doors(all 3) You gotta take care of them and they will care for you, how many people actually wash the salt off the bottom of there doors 1x a month??? I do and that probably why my truck looks new still with nearly 170k on the odometer and started as my work truck for my business and now takes me hunting in Maine and pulls the boats all summer

It is like anything else you get out what you put in, granted some vehicles have engineering prob's from the get go, you do your homework and avoid them. And before you tell me I got lucky and got a good one DONT because I can take you next door to my neighbors and show you the 93 E-250 van I sold him a year and half ago that had 276K on it and now has well over 300K and is driven daily :-)

Karl F · 02-02-2006, 09:18 PM

Mike... do many people, (rough guess, % wise), do the extended warranty, at time of sale.. where you are? Or, are most people figuring, I'll own it 3-5 years, dump it, get another?

It will be a while before we spring for a new car, but, if we do, it will be a long term ownership, and was just wondering, if it is worth it.

boot man · 02-02-2006, 09:20 PM

My Nissan truck is made in Mississippi. Before this I had a Ford that was made in Canada and a Honda made in the USA. It aint the labor, it's the parts and the design.

If i had a choice it's US made for me.

Pete_G · 02-02-2006, 09:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Karl F

that being said... How many purchase the extended warranty.. and is it worth it?

I bought a bumper to bumper 6year/100k warranty for my Tacoma and I've actually had occasions to use it. Several times though, imo, something that should have been covered was denied. Starting this past summer, I've had to be careful with the truck on warm days since it will occasionally overheat. When it was brought in for diagnosis they said it had poor coolant flow, yet they wouldn't replace anything suspect such as the radiator, water pump or t-stat. They just left me hanging. The ultimate kick in the nuts was that the next step in finding out what is wrong would be on my dime, pulling the radiator for a flow test to the tune of $600. This is a '01 truck with 70k warrantied to 100k. I was ready to blow stuff up at that point. The additional bonus is that in a couple cases some of the dealerships acted as though it was a huge chore, complete with an eye roll in my direction, to contact Toyota to get clearance for a warranty item.

Overall customer service has been a disappointment nevermind that the truck hasn't exactly been a Toyota. Now that I'm thinking about it here's another little gem. I bought the truck as a "Used Certified Vehicle" with the whole "bumper to bumper 115 point inspection" they brag about. A week after I drove it off the lot the brake pads were scraping the discs. Some inspection. Later I discovered it had an aftermarket windshield that was leaking water into the inside of the truck. I had to pay to have it resealed, they wouldn't cover that either. Only "the best of the best used vehicles" my ass. I love Toyotas but at this point they probably won't be getting any more of my money unless I really fall in love with that new FJ.

On the customer service front I may be forced to buy another Mercedes just so I can enjoy service visits at Viti Inc. again. That company BY FAR understands customer service and the concept of repeat business more then any other business, automotive or otherwise. I always left with an empty wallet, but I always felt it was worth it. I even had a few unrelated small things fixed for free that I didn't even ask to have fixed while my car was in for service, and this was on an out of warranty car. I honestly model SWE customer service after that place, it's that good. 90% of it is the way they treat you, which was with respect, something seriously lost in most of my recent automotive experiences. I really don't care to be treated like my warranty service visits are a chore for the dealership after I drop 25k on a vehicle...

ok, that's enough ranting for tonight. I'm sure I'll have something new to be fired up about tomorrow.

thefishingfreak · 02-02-2006, 09:30 PM

american cars=lease
foriegn cars=own

mikecc · 02-02-2006, 09:32 PM

I have a 97 Chev 1500 only replaced a water pump on rust no rattles.
regular oil with Mobile 1
my fathers 97 Totota T100 has had the top end redone (recall)and front end done 3 times. Steering box(recall)also the bed is rotted thru at the wheel wells & replaced the rear bumper

I think I'll stick with the American

Pete_G · 02-02-2006, 09:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thefishingfreak

ohh try this too..
everyone go out to there car/truck.. right... open the drivers door and bend down to look at the bottom lip of the door, whear they fold the door skin over..i betya money there's allready rust there if it's more than a year old

Yep. And I'm more meticulous then almost anybody out there when it comes to car care. Anybody who's been to the shop has seen the shiniest silver paint ever on my truck in the lot. A few have even been treated to me yelling at a tourist opening their door into it. My door jambs get waxed regularly, nevermind the rest of my truck. I'm up in the wheel wells with a brush and everything (especially the bottom lip of the door since it rusts there) gets dried carefully after a wash. The truck, top and bottom, gets hand washed almost weekly even during the winter. Yet there's rust...

thefishingfreak · 02-02-2006, 09:43 PM

squirt PeNaTrating oil in there from day one, with the straw

Vectorfisher · 02-02-2006, 09:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thefishingfreak

squirt PeNaTrating oil in there from day one, with the straw

Yep an ole trick I learned from watching my Dad take care of the sand sled when I was a kid

Skitterpop · 02-02-2006, 10:44 PM

and used/new car warranties

There is good and bad stories for both foreign and American
but the stats show certain foreigns to rate considerably better on average. Toyota and Honda are tops but none is perfect. Read MikeCCs post...there you go.

I have bought them and will only buy ones from the manufacturer...NO 3rd Party ! And I`d only buy if planning on long term ownership. Its the year or mileage whichever comes first remember.
You figure your mileage and time and buy accordingly. Plus they have a cost and an MSRP which is negotiable.

Karl F · 02-02-2006, 10:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Indanite

and used/new car warranties

There is good and bad stories for both foreign and American
but the stats show certain foreigns to rate considerably better on average. Toyota and Honda are tops but none is perfect. Read MikeCCs post...there you go.

I have bought them and will only buy ones from the manufacturer...NO 3rd Party ! And I`d only buy if planning on long term ownership. Its the year or mileage whichever comes first remember.
You figure your mileage and time and buy accordingly. Plus they have a cost and an MSRP which is negotiable.

Thanks Mike, good info.