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In '73 Consumer Reports tested a Plymouth Valiant 225-6. Months later they also tested a Dodge Dart 318-V8.
The Dart was Canadian built, the Valiant was not
Both the Dart & Valiant were tested with optional extra cost sound insulation packages
Both were 4 door sedans
The Canadian built Dart offered impressive ride comfort for a compact (Darts often delivered impressive ride comfort even before '73, the '68 Dart actually rode better than the Cadillac Sedan De Ville under full load)
The Valiant rode no better than its competition
The Canadian built Dart also rated "fairly quiet", impressive for a compact. Some of its sound level readings were actually lower than many of the mid sized cars tested that same year
The Valiant with its sound package showed some improvement but it still rated "fairly noisy" as it always did in years past. These compacts were noted for their harsh ride and road noise
take a look at the differences:
quiet road at 30 mph; noisy road at 30 mph; highway at 60 mph, highway at 70 mph
Dart: 20; 35; 35; 41
Valiant: 25; 40; 42; 52
so is it being Canadian built that made the Dart a more comfortable rider or the Dodge nameplate or the extra weight (Valiant-3100 lbs, Dart 3300 lbs)?
These sound measurements would seem to indicate that was one noisy slant six.
Consumer Reports had an idiosyncratic definition of ride quality. They seemed to prefer vehicles that rode like stake-bed trucks to those that provided isolation from potholes.
My experience with the 225 slant six was that as long as the valves and lifters were clicking, the thing would go on forever. The largest cab fleet here in Toronto in the 60's had a whole fleet of them.
thanks usa for your "compliment"- being different keeps me from conforming and being like every other idiot out there. i like to stand out from the crowd. the more i do it the more respect i get from others
and canadian citizen thanks for actually answering my question
I actually thought it was an interesting question you asked. I would like to know if their quality was better in Canada than in the US?
Does anyone know what the quality numbers were between US and Canadian made vehicles?
GM Canada has had a long history of better customer ratings, on the cars and light trucks that they build in Oshawa, Ontario. Same thing for Chrysler, at their plant in Brampton, Ontario.
When GM was considering which plants to close, a few years ago, the Oshawa plant stayed open while some in Michigan were closed. Another contributing factor is the lack of strikes in the plants that are represented by the Canadian Auto Workers union, now known as Unifor.
One contributing factor that most Americans don't know about..........In Canada, a company like GM has a built in advantage over the US based operations...... Universal health care. The company knows that in Canada, everyone who is either a citizen, or a legal immigrant is covered, and the union negotiates a benefit package that takes that fact into consideration. The individual union worker in a Canadian auto plant has a 100 percent universal health care package, that is NOT tied to their employment status. The additional benefits that are negotiated by the union have to do with the things that the Provincial health care plan does not cover, like dental and glasses.
This results in a more satisfied and more productive work force, in the Canadian plants.
I do not know how Consumer Reports measures sound levels today, but I remember reading how they ran a tape recorder in the car, and then analyzed the sounds. This does not seem like an accurate method, as you are at the mercy of the tape recorder's ability to record sounds at accurate volume and frequency response.
Car and Driver has said their sound measurements cannot be compared from year to year. Also, they (and others) measure sound with the heater motor turned off. This would be an accurate test only if you never needed heat or air conditioning. I always have the fan on to bring in fresh air, but keep the speed as low as possible, due to the noise.
Are you posting this because you think they are moving it to Michigan because the quality of Canadian built vehicles are inferior to American made vehicles, or because GM is consolidating all their RWD platforms under one roof?
Are you posting this because you think they are moving it to Michigan because the quality of Canadian built vehicles are inferior to American made vehicles, or because GM is consolidating all their RWD platforms under one roof?
(Hint: It isn't because of quality)
Not all Rwd the new caddilac for 2015 will be built in there Poletown plant outside of Detroit the same plant that builds the volt. This is the cars that are made were the camaro will be built starting in 2015. So the quality issue exist no longer between canidanin and American built cars. If it did why would GM move the camaro it's one of their top selling cars.
Last edited by Vannort54; 11-25-2014 at 06:12 AM..
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