Buying American Cars What Does It Mean?

7263 messages, Last post on May 27, 2009 at 4:31 AM

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What is this discussion about? Car Buying

With parts coming from everywhere, does "Buying American" have much meaning anymore? Is quality and price the bottom line?

Outline

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#3858 of 7263 Re: scape2 [lemonhater] by circlew May 14, 2007 (11:33 am)
Replying to: lemonhater (May 12, 2007 4:06 pm) I would by an Avalon in .01 seconds over the Buick. The trouble with Buick and Cadillac is fading image and terrible design, IMO. The Saturn Aura is a faint light but all of the others really look and feel and are, second-third rate. It just feels that way. The Avalon looks much more appealing than the US competition. If you want to save some cash you get the Camry which also blows away the looks of all Buicks and Caddies,IMO. Regards, OW Replies to this message: lemko (May 14, 2007 2:35 pm) daysailer (May 15, 2007 2:56 am) lemko (May 15, 2007 4:49 am)
#3859 of 7263 Re: scape2 [circlew] by lemko May 14, 2007 (2:35 pm)
Replying to: circlew (May 14, 2007 11:33 am) I'd buy a Buick in a nanosecond over any Avalon. The Avalon is an overpriced Camry Deluxe with faulty steering and tranny named after a mediocre early '60s singer. What the heck is wrong with Buick design? It's pleasantly conservative without the ugliness of the Camry that looks like a giant pig - snout and all - with an interior inspired by a 1965 Sears Lady Kenmore washing machine. The Camry not only fell out of the ugly tree and hit every branch on the way down. The ugly tree also uprooted and fell on it. The only image a Camry or Avalon has is that its owner is a sheep and afraid of his wife. Cadillac has a great image. I love Cadillac with the white-hot passion of a thousand suns. Shoot, just today a neighbor was complimenting my ride. Replies to this message: daysailer (May 15, 2007 2:56 am) lemko (May 15, 2007 4:49 am)
#3860 of 7263 Re: scape2 [lemko] by daysailer May 15, 2007 (2:56 am)
Replying to: lemko (May 14, 2007 2:35 pm) "What the heck is wrong with Buick design? " Good question? Why after so many decades in the car business is Buick still unable to grasp fundamental ergonomics? If the LaCrosse is representative, their anthropomorphic model must have three legs, each of a different length. After renting one for a ~300mi weekend, my Wife and I were both so uncomfortable that we'll not likely consider travel in a Buick again. Replies to this message: lemko (May 15, 2007 4:49 am)
#3861 of 7263 Re: scape2 [daysailer] by lemko May 15, 2007 (4:49 am)
Replying to: daysailer (May 15, 2007 2:56 am) Uh...I think people are just grasping now. My girlfriend is a petite woman - 5'1" 107 lbs. and I'm a rather stocky guy 6' 194 lbs. and the seats can be adjusted to make each of us comfortable.
#3862 of 7263 problems with buick by shadow99688 May 15, 2007 (6:10 pm)
Before I bought the car I have now I took cars from every maker for test drives. Looked for large sedan under $35,000 Buick has a very long stopping distance for its class and poor acceleration. (Amanti stops shorter on ice than buick stopped on dry road) Ford 500/Freestyle has reliability problems, almost didn't take one for a test drive when they towed that car I was looking at back from a test drive. Chrysler/Dodge gas mileage of their large cars SUCKS Chrysler 300/dodge charger test drive had to buy gas to get back to the dealer got 16mpg on highway. Toyota Avalon got good gas mileage but ride was a bit too stiff. Hyundai Azera, good gas mileage but ride also a bit too stiff. Kia Amanti good gas mileage and ride.(getting 26mpg average, almost all driving highway) Hyundai and Kia had best warranties, and least reliability complaints. Most new sedans have stiff suspension, the Sport sedan is the "IN" thing. Replies to this message: lilengineerboy (May 15, 2007 6:18 pm) fezo (May 17, 2007 11:43 am) british_rover (May 16, 2007 9:55 am) shadow99688 (May 17, 2007 8:25 am) bumpy (May 18, 2007 9:50 am) lilengineerboy (May 18, 2007 11:48 am) and 1 more... anythngbutgm (May 16, 2007 12:11 pm) daysailer (May 17, 2007 2:46 am) shadow99688 (May 17, 2007 8:33 am)
#3863 of 7263 Re: problems with buick [shadow99688] by lilengineerboy May 15, 2007 (6:18 pm)
Replying to: shadow99688 (May 15, 2007 6:10 pm) Most new sedans have stiff suspension, the Sport sedan is the "IN" thing. This cracked me up. I think all cars turned into soft wishy-washy Buick type suspensions. That was my main complaint with the Accord (vs the Altima and Mazda6, the Camry didn't even get test driven) its it feels like a rolling old folks home. My favorite car so far was my old Contour SE, with the sport suspension. 170 hp, a good 5 speed manual and a great clutch, awesome seats, why can't the "domestics" make something like that again? Replies to this message: fezo (May 17, 2007 11:43 am)
#3864 of 7263 Re: problems with buick [shadow99688] by british_rover May 16, 2007 (9:55 am)
Replying to: shadow99688 (May 15, 2007 6:10 pm) Whoa... You think the Avalon has a stiff ride. Man you want like a Citroen or something with the oil suspension if you think an avalon has a stiff ride. Replies to this message: shadow99688 (May 17, 2007 8:25 am) bumpy (May 18, 2007 9:50 am) lilengineerboy (May 18, 2007 11:48 am) british_rover (May 18, 2007 3:56 pm)
#3865 of 7263 Re: problems with buick [shadow99688] by anythngbutgm May 16, 2007 (12:11 pm)
Replying to: shadow99688 (May 15, 2007 6:10 pm) OMG, I think you're the first person ever to claim the Avalon suspension as "stiff"
#3866 of 7263 Re: problems with buick [shadow99688] by daysailer May 17, 2007 (2:46 am)
Replying to: shadow99688 (May 15, 2007 6:10 pm) "Most new sedans have stiff suspension, the Sport sedan is the "IN" thing." That sounds like a Buick owner of the '60s whose been asleep for the past 40 years. It is incomprehensible to me that a few actually LIKE the wallowy, floaty, underdamped ride of a Buick or its ilk. For them, I suppose, anything else is "too firm". The primary purpose of an automotive suspension is to keep the tires in intimate contact with the pavement, not to provide the occupants an alternate reality. Replies to this message: shadow99688 (May 17, 2007 8:33 am)
#3867 of 7263 Re: problems with buick [british_rover] by shadow99688 May 17, 2007 (8:25 am)
Replying to: british_rover (May 16, 2007 9:55 am) Have had a broken neck and currently have 4 blown disks in my back. Having smooth ride is very important.