[jimjamuser]

Originally Posted by fcgiii

We bought a RAV4 5 years ago expecting our 2004 Toyota Sienna minivan to die. The left siding door wouldn't open, heated seats didn't heat, windshield washer wouldn't wash. Driver's seat ripped and patched with Duct tape. But the damn thing woudn't quit. Sold it at 240,000 miles for $1700 to CarMax before bringing our RAV4 and 1995 Miata here on the autotrain.

First car was a Red 1965 MGB. Fun to drive and all but a maintenance nightmare. Had to diddle with the distributor and balance the carburators constantly. Sold it at 25,000 miles to a red bearded hippie and the clutch was ready to go. He complained about it and I told him it's a sports car, fool. That's how these clutches are. Spun it out 3 times.

My 1995 Miata is a much better car, though it's beginnng to rust out.

Love the RAV4 hybrid. Continuously variable transmission is cool, and it gets 34 mpg. Stomp on the accelerator and the electric motors kick in with the gas engine and it really takes off.

Never will understand why US car makers can't make reliable cars. My Sienna was built in Tennessee.

Legend has it that all 3 American car makers made a decision about their 1970, 1980, and 1990 cars and trucks to design each part on them to fail after 3 years of wear. All designed to force trade-ins at the 3-year mark. Any part lasting more than 3 years on average was re-designed to be cheaper and less reliable.

[tvbound]

Originally Posted by jimjamuser

Legend has it that all 3 American car makers made a decision about their 1970, 1980, and 1990 cars and trucks to design each part on them to fail after 3 years of wear. All designed to force trade-ins at the 3-year mark. Any part lasting more than 3 years on average was re-designed to be cheaper and less reliable.

I think I will have to file that one in the same urban legend file of the 100 mile per gallon carburetor supposedly invented in the 70's, that would work on any gas or diesel engine. According to some versions of this false urban legend, this is what happened: 1. The inventor was assassinated by a hit man hired by the oil industry. 2. The oil industry bought the plans and patent for this non-existent carburetor, whereby they then destroyed the plans/drawings. 3. Various combinations of 1 & 2.

Along the same lines, here's another (much older) version.

Miracle Carburetor | Snopes.com

[Bay Kid]

Originally Posted by fcgiii

We bought a RAV4 5 years ago expecting our 2004 Toyota Sienna minivan to die. The left siding door wouldn't open, heated seats didn't heat, windshield washer wouldn't wash. Driver's seat ripped and patched with Duct tape. But the damn thing woudn't quit. Sold it at 240,000 miles for $1700 to CarMax before bringing our RAV4 and 1995 Miata here on the autotrain.

First car was a Red 1965 MGB. Fun to drive and all but a maintenance nightmare. Had to diddle with the distributor and balance the carburators constantly. Sold it at 25,000 miles to a red bearded hippie and the clutch was ready to go. He complained about it and I told him it's a sports car, fool. That's how these clutches are. Spun it out 3 times.

My 1995 Miata is a much better car, though it's beginnng to rust out.

Love the RAV4 hybrid. Continuously variable transmission is cool, and it gets 34 mpg. Stomp on the accelerator and the electric motors kick in with the gas engine and it really takes off.

Never will understand why US car makers can't make reliable cars. My Sienna was built in Tennessee.

I still have my '99 10th Anniversary Miata. Still after all these years so fun to drive.

[Topspinmo]

Originally Posted by jimjamuser

Legend has it that all 3 American car makers made a decision about their 1970, 1980, and 1990 cars and trucks to design each part on them to fail after 3 years of wear. All designed to force trade-ins at the 3-year mark. Any part lasting more than 3 years on average was re-designed to be cheaper and less reliable.

Legend in you’re mind.

[Topspinmo]

Originally Posted by Dr Winston O Boogie jr

My son was an auto mechanic for many years. He's now a subway train mechanic of the Boston subway system (MBTA).

After working on hundreds of cars of different makes and models for several years, it was his opinion that BMWs and Audis were over priced junk. In his opinion, Toyota and Honda make the best cars on the market today. The best US made cars, Ford.

We’ll see how long the Honda 1.5L and 2.0 turbos last? Why they would quit making the the best engine in the world 2.5L VVT is beyond me. Ming gets 24/35 MPG. 9 years old and still runs like new, don’t leak drop, don’t use Oz of oil, don’t rattle, and rides like new.

[manaboutown]

Originally Posted by Dr Winston O Boogie jr

My son was an auto mechanic for many years. He's now a subway train mechanic of the Boston subway system (MBTA).

After working on hundreds of cars of different makes and models for several years, it was his opinion that BMWs and Audis were over priced junk. In his opinion, Toyota and Honda make the best cars on the market today. The best US made cars, Ford.

I once had a 1986-1/2 Toyota Supra. It was an incredible car, drove like a dream and had very comfortable seats. Toyotas do last.

Driving I-10 and I-40 between CA and NM two or three times a year 20 -30 years ago on two separate occasions I saw terrible wrecks where Honda cars were literally cut in half. They appeared back in the 1980s and 1990s to be so fragile I would not consider buying one although their reliability and performance were good. I would like to survive an accident.

Although I am not sure I think it was Honda which at one time offered to supply the US with free vehicles for safety tests which offer was initially accepted. It was discovered the Japanese company had specially constructed the donated vehicles to perform well in crash tests, double welding floor pans and more. Afterwards the government agency then bought the vehicles to be tested randomly off car lots. Here is a more recent cheating from Suzuki. Suzuki is recalling 2 million cars in Japan after cheating on safety tests

[wereback]

Not sure if it will be good or bad but just bought a 2021 Buick Envision. I know is was made in China but what isn't and some of the newer things are quite superior to others. Looked at all the others and it seemed better. On a side note the sales person Blake Kelly at Phillip's Buick was by far the best of all the other ones I saw some salespeople made me feel I was taking up their time hope the car is good as the deal.

[jebartle]

My husband's favorite SUV was a Hummer, he has owned every car under the sun, I'm sure he would trade me in for another Hummer, he loved that car, sensible, not, but a man's love for his cars, never makes sense. I'm more a point A to point B girl.

[bobdeb]

If you're looking at an initially expensive used vehicle such as a Cadillac, Jaguar, Land Rover, BMW, etc., and the sales price is dramatically lower than the original sales price, run and hide! It's not a good deal unless you absolutely got to have it and cost of ownership and time spent on repairs is of little concern.

These vehicles have depreciated dramatically because they are near or beyond their warranty and their reliability is suspect. Careful with drive chain warranties as they don't cover auxiliary components that are what actually go bad.

[bobdeb]

Originally Posted by jimjamuser

I would drive an AMC pacer around. It is such an unloved outlier that I find it "COOL"!

The AMC pacer. Quirky car for sure. I got stuck with it... augh.

However it was a tank. A guy blew through a stop sign and I T-boned his passenger side at about 25 mph. He told the policeman it was totally his fault due to sun blindness.

Thankfully he and I were both alone and no one hurt, but his car was a mess and the pacer had a couple of fender scuffs. Amazing.

[tvbound]

Originally Posted by jebartle

My husband's favorite SUV was a Hummer, he has owned every car under the sun, I'm sure he would trade me in for another Hummer, he loved that car, sensible, not, but a man's love for his cars, never makes sense. I'm more a point A to point B girl.

".....but a man's love for his cars, never makes sense."


With all of the cars I've owned in my life, so far, I've heard that same sentiment from my better half more than a few times. She was never fooled either, when I tried pointing out that my "hot-rod" - at least had 4 doors for hauling the kids. lol

[Garywt]

BMW is a vehicle that I would not buy along with a few others as I have my own opinions about them. My wife loves her Murano every day of the week. I will stick with my F350 though.

[Topspinmo]

Originally Posted by manaboutown

I once had a 1986-1/2 Toyota Supra. It was an incredible car, drove like a dream and had very comfortable seats. Toyotas do last.

Driving I-10 and I-40 between CA and NM two or three times a year 20 -30 years ago on two separate occasions I saw terrible wrecks where Honda cars were literally cut in half. They appeared back in the 1980s and 1990s to be so fragile I would not consider buying one although their reliability and performance were good. I would like to survive an accident.

Although I am not sure I think it was Honda which at one time offered to supply the US with free vehicles for safety tests which offer was initially accepted. It was discovered the Japanese company had specially constructed the donated vehicles to perform well in crash tests, double welding floor pans and more. Afterwards the government agency then bought the vehicles to be tested randomly off car lots. Here is a more recent cheating from Suzuki. Suzuki is recalling 2 million cars in Japan after cheating on safety tests

Any unibody vehicle going crumple like tin can, they are designed to do so up to certain speed. Just cause you spend more don’t mean it will crumple less. Just look at recent Audi crash behind the square. Ripped the famed Germany car apart. All compact cars from 50’s on are and were death traps. Now shall we take bout VW cheating? Maybe we should try to name one manufacturer that didn’t cheat at one time or another?

[bobdeb]

I believe I read that both Audi and Volvo have also diminished in quality.

Remember when Volvo was like bullet proof back when?

I believe that Volvo is the official State Car of Vermont. Don't be surprised. Vermont has a State Frog and a State Turtle. I kid you not.

Rumor has it that they're leaning towards Birkenstock being the official State Sandal. Except you gotta wear socks with them cause, hey, it's cold up in Vermont.

They have a popular bumper sticker that reads, " Keep Vermont Weird". Dead serious.

[bobdeb]

I know, I know, we got a State Turtle too. And don't forget the Aligators.

Are Flip Flops far behind? How can you wear those thing?!