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Automotive News & Views Buying American Cars What Does It Mean?
7263 messages, Last post on May 27, 2009 at 4:31 AM
You are in the Automotive News & Views Forum. Your Hosts are steve_ & claires
With parts coming from everywhere, does "Buying American" have much meaning anymore? Is quality and price the bottom line?
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Replying to: lemko (Nov 07, 2008 1:28 pm) On the subject of quality though, back in the late 80's and 90's, the Buick LeSabre consistently won awards from JD Powers for initial quality and such. But you never heard anything about the FWD Olds 88 or Pontiac Bonneville, which were the same car. When it comes to things like the engine, transmission, a/c, etc, though, they should all be the same for a given model year. Sometimes minor things can make a difference with those JD Powers surveys, though. Pontiacs back then tended to have junky interiors with lots of little pieces that would easily break and fall off. Buicks were much better in regard, and I'm guessing Oldsmobiles were, too. So it's possible that it was just little piddly defects that worked against the Bonneville, and possibly the 88 as well. If a Bonneville has three pieces of trim fall off, that probably counts as three defects, but if a Taurus dumps its transmission, but is fine otherwise, that's only one defect. It's also kind of curious that the Electra/Park Ave never got all that highly praised for its quality, in the same light that the LeSabre did. Oh, on that subject, something just popped into my mind. In my old 1985 Consumer Guide, they have a test of a LeSabre and a Delta 88, the last of the RWD models. They rated the LeSabre fairly high for its fit and finish, paint quality, interior, etc. But they trashed the Delta 88! I wonder if the LeSabre and Delta 88 were built on separate assembly lines? If so, that could have something to do with it. Another possibility is that quality was inconsistent enough in those days that maybe they just got ahold of a good Buick, but a sloppy Olds?
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Replying to: andre1969 (Nov 07, 2008 4:03 pm) |
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Replying to: lemko (Nov 07, 2008 1:31 pm) 
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Replying to: circlew (Nov 05, 2008 3:45 pm)
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Replying to: nvbanker (Nov 09, 2008 9:29 am) I'm sort of going through the same thing with the heat pump I had installed back in September. I made the decision back over the summer, when home heating oil hit $5.60+ per gallon. Now, I wouldn't be surprised if it was down under $3.00 per gallon. By the time you factor in all the ductwork, and the electrical upgrades my old house required, that sucker set me back $12,650. It's going to take a long time to recoup that initial cost. I averaged about 450 gallons of oil per year, although last winter was a bit mild. Plus I did some insulating and sealing, which helped a bit. My initial estimate was that my electric bill might go up around $500-600 total for the year because of the heat pump. It'll raise my bills in the winter, but in the summer, it'll probably lower them because the heat pump should be more efficient than the three window units I had been using. Also, the service contract for the furnace was running about $200 per year, and was going to go up to $300. So initially, I was figuring the thing might save me about $2200-2500 per year. More if oil prices rose. Or breakeven in 5-6 years, max. It might take longer now. But at least I'll have the comfort of central air throughout the whole house. Plus, now I have heat upstairs. The old oil furnace only had ducts downstairs, so heat rising up the stairwell was all that warmed up the upstairs, plus occasional space heater use. And I'll never again have to worry about turning off the window a/c in the kitchen if I want to use the microwave, for fear of tripping the circuit breaker.  And while fuel prices are suddenly low again (we would've bitched about these prices back in the summer of 2004), I'm sure it's only a matter of time before they go up. I just hope people don't get too short-sighted and start dumping their hybrids for guzzlers again! |
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Replying to: nvbanker (Nov 09, 2008 9:29 am) The best is the $70K Caddy Hybrid Escalade...why bother? Regards, OW
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Replying to: circlew (Nov 09, 2008 5:09 pm) $2000 per year in gas vs. $4000. Lots more in actual savings than a Camry vs. Camry Hybrid.
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Replying to: 62vetteefp (Nov 09, 2008 5:26 pm) I calculate the difference at a lower $1,300/year savingsand at $12K price difference, 9.4 years to break even. (20 MPG vs. 12 MPG). Not very effective but at least is a shade greener.  Regards, OW
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Replying to: circlew (Nov 09, 2008 6:05 pm) Going from about 10 MPG to 20 MPG on a huge SUV saves a whole bunch more fuel than the same on a Camry vs. Camry Hybrid. That is why someone should bother. Americans are going to buy the vehicles they want when they can.
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Replying to: 62vetteefp (Nov 10, 2008 9:00 am)  I hope the suckers are lining up to buy SUVs again...these gas prices are an anomaly, and the same people will regain their victim mentality when reality sets back in.
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