= Cars Stalling today leads to crashes and lawsuites =

[Username1]

Last night on the news I saw some US negotiator go over to Japan I think, to try and negotiate for US cars going there and not meeting their safety standards....

I guess Japan's Gov. can't be bought by lobbyists like ours can.....

I know our MPG standards are the lowest, and I'm pretty sure our quality and reliability are pretty low, but are our safety standards also that low.....

I know GM has either recalled almost everything they make, and suspended the sale of the rest. And Ford now has several websites they would like removed having to do with most of their lineup.... I bet Dodge does too....?

Is the whole "US Cars are getting better" a complete PR scam...?


.

[dieseljeep]

Originally Posted by Username1

Last night on the news I saw some US negotiator go over to Japan I think, to try and negotiate for US cars going there and not meeting their safety standards....

I guess Japan's Gov. can't be bought by lobbyists like ours can.....

I know our MPG standards are the lowest, and I'm pretty sure our quality and reliability are pretty low, but are our safety standards also that low.....

I know GM has either recalled almost everything they make, and suspended the sale of the rest. And Ford now has several websites they would like removed having to do with most of their lineup.... I bet Dodge does too....?

Is the whole "US Cars are getting better" a complete PR scam...?


.

Most of the cars, I've owned recently, had several recalls. Many times, it was ECM, software changes. I'd take my vehicles to the dealer, for normal maintenance and see it connected to the internet, downloading software changes. The service writer would remark, BTW, there was a recall, but we already took care of it. If you get a letter, disregard it!

[Paul Knaack]

Originally Posted by Username1

Last night on the news I saw some US negotiator go over to Japan I think, to try and negotiate for US cars going there and not meeting their safety standards....

I guess Japan's Gov. can't be bought by lobbyists like ours can.....

I know our MPG standards are the lowest, and I'm pretty sure our quality and reliability are pretty low, but are our safety standards also that low.....

I know GM has either recalled almost everything they make, and suspended the sale of the rest. And Ford now has several websites they would like removed having to do with most of their lineup.... I bet Dodge does too....?

Is the whole "US Cars are getting better" a complete PR scam...?


.

Allright I did a little checking. Average 5 year old mid size sedan.
Hondas were very good in early 90's but according to this I would take a Ford. Chevy's not bad either. I don't own any of these so your results may vary.

http://www.carcomplaints.com/Honda/Accord/2009/
http://www.carcomplaints.com/Ford/Fusion/2009/
http://www.carcomplaints.com/Chevrolet/Malibu/2009/

[Jon A.]

Quality and reliability is constantly going down, and airbag count continues to go up. Yesterday I spoke with someone whose daily driver is a 1988 Volvo 240DL. A newer SUV ran into her car at an intersection IIRC a while back; her car only had minor damage whereas the "plastic" (in her words, and I agree) SUV was demolished. Shortly before speaking with her I saw the Volvo parked alongside an older Cadillac and referred to them to another worker as the only real cars out there.

[Username1]

I do agree KV, someone ran into the wife's 91 accord with a NEW nissan stanza and the honda popped off a string of plastic bumper rivets, the nissan had to be towed away.... Nissan front to honda rear hit. Wife's car was at the gas pumps parked as she went in to pay. Nissan guy pushed the wrong pedal, hit it at about 5-6mph from 10 feet away?? I donow I was not there, as described to me, the nissan was leaking a few fluids, and freon.... Plastic was all over the parking lot....

And I agree those old 80's Volvos were mini-tanks up until they began wind tunnel testing them.... Didn't Ford screw them up....
Nasser owned them for a while I think.... He was an idiot, less so then Billy though....

You know the old man was spitting nails in his grave when Grandson Billy started "working" for the company....

[Jon A.]

Originally Posted by Username1

I do agree KV, someone ran into the wife's 91 accord with a NEW nissan stanza and the honda popped off a string of plastic bumper rivets, the nissan had to be towed away.... Nissan front to honda rear hit. Wife's car was at the gas pumps parked as she went in to pay. Nissan guy pushed the wrong pedal, hit it at about 5-6mph from 10 feet away?? I donow I was not there, as described to me, the nissan was leaking a few fluids, and freon.... Plastic was all over the parking lot....

The 1991 Honda Accord, there's a car I almost never see around here. I do recall seeing a wagon version a little while back though, not sure if it was a '91 but it looked the part. Even though they have such a good rep for reliability, people around here keep buying the latest models, probably just to show off. Seems that most of the handful of older cars I see tooling around here are full-size 1980-85 Oldsmobiles.

[Username1]

Originally Posted by KV-1926R

The 1991 Honda Accord, there's a car I almost never see around here. I do recall seeing a wagon version a little while back though, not sure if it was a '91 but it looked the part. Even though they have such a good rep for reliability, people around here keep buying the latest models, probably just to show off. Seems that most of the handful of older cars I see tooling around here are full-size 1980-85 Oldsmobiles.

There are about 5 in our crappy little town, and I have talked to about 3 of the owners, and they have all had one before the one they have now.... And each tell the same story, over 400K with no trouble, so they got another. And the funny thing is, they use it to commute 50+ miles a day each way towards the city... Up till 7 years ago, the wife did the same with her car. Only ours is treated like we just paid $13K for it, and expect to keep it another 15 years....

[tvtimeisfun]

When my brother went to buy his first new truck the dealership told him that the rear bumper was not included with the truck his face turned beet red whenthey said that a bumper was an option so whats up with that

[dieseljeep]

Originally Posted by tvtimeisfun

When my brother went to buy his first new truck the dealership told him that the rear bumper was not included with the truck his face turned beet red whenthey said that a bumper was an option so whats up with that

I saw a few S-10's, without rear bumpers. They weren't much of a truck, anyway.
Way back in 1982, I needed a truck. I priced a pickup and I found that the spare wheel and the rear bumper was optional. IIRC, the chromed front bumper was also an option. NUTS!

[bgadow]

They may have finally gotten away from optional back bumpers-at least I haven't seen one in a while, though it used to be very common. Nowadays it's hard to find a plain-jane model even if you want to. Increasingly, power windows & locks are standard.

I don't know the details about Japan's rules but they must be about the most strict in the world. It is very, very difficult to drive an older vehicle, from what I've read. Remember, too, that there are a huge number of cars made in Europe/Asia that don't meet US standards. One issue is that different nations often have different but similar regulations, and for lower volume models it isn't worth the cost of certifying everything.

I can tell you this: out of all the mechanical/electrical issues we see at work, most are on GM products. Just all kinds of electrical/electronic glitches, and increasingly the only solution is to send the customer 20 minutes down the road to the nearest dealer.

[hi_volt]

I own 3 cars, none of which has an automatic transmission. One is a 53 year old VW bus, the second is a 48 year old VW type 3 Fastback, and the third is a 2012 Fiat 500 that I use to commute to work in. Never have major problems with any of them.

I read recently that cars with manual transmissions are many times less likely to get stolen. The reason?....the young car thieves don't know how to drive a car with a manual transmission.

[Username1]

yah.... being stupid should be very painful....

[Username1]

Hi Paul, I know Honda's hit their peak in quality in the 90's. Toyota did too.
But my point above, was the current rash of recalls after the GM ignition key quagmire that is just coming to light after a 10 year life. Add to that there just seems to be more of these US nameplate recalls lately.... If you really want to know how good a car is today, you really have to look at youtube, and self made websites for people who are really disgusted with their cars, and others who can say the same thing. Although poor driving habits can make all cars look bad... And for this its usually the big ticket items that show up, like the Honda CVT, the Ford/GM 6 speed transaxle, Nissan's CVT, Transmissions, and engines on all pickups, etc.

Now before you get on me for the Honda's, I wouldn't own a new Honda for all the problems I read about in their new Accord with its subframe alighment troubles, or their CVT's. That front end subframe looks like the dumbest thing I've seen anyone come up with..... It's just that for the past few years that blond twit on the ABC world News, daily, has all this hype about how the US is booming making Bunt Pans, and making up for poor wages recycling our old cell phones, making shoe laces here, flags, all those things driving up the GDP by enormous, just enormous amounts. Included is US cars are making a comeback in quality.... But ford is now at the bottom in quality, where it use to be Dodge, and Jeeps. (consumer reports) So, I'm just wondering is it all hype.... Is it Product Endorsement AKA Product Placement, but the tv news version...? Before they make up the news about the cars do they check CR first...? at minimum...?

As for power steering, I don't know if GM, or Dodge made the pumps.... Maybe a better way of saying it is:

"Chrysler had, in my opinion, the best power steering driving experience".

I remember rear bumpers as an option on PU's too..... Big to get a chrome aftermarket bumper in some areas....

[Rod Beauvex]

I had three cars with carbs, and one without power steering.

1980 Datsun 720. Carbed. Never stalled. No PS, and it wasn't even noticeable once you were going at least 10 miles an hour. I loved that thing.

1983 Ford LTD fox. Carbed. Would shudder and occasionally stall going around hard turn, but only on one side. I think it was left turns.

1989 Honda Accord. Carbed. Never stalled. Nice ride, but car had been owned by ricer types previously. Had a nightmare smog system, and was hard in general to work on.

[Jon A.]

I like those fox LTDs, especially the wagons. I would like to retrofit one with a stick shift.