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Old 03-20-2009, 01:01 PM
 
Location: the D
347 posts, read 1,353,789 times
Reputation: 171

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Quote:
Originally Posted by Leilani Vasquez View Post
What's your opinion?

I had a Ford Windstar for several years. The transmission and head gasket were replaced, the tie rods were replaced twice, several issues with the traction control, and for some reason the interior light liked to stay on for a while if you opened the back hatch.

I'm now driving a used honda accord and love it. I will never buy another ford again.
Did you realize that you are comparing an old Honda Accord to a much older Ford Windstar?
Just a suggestion, get opinions from people you know about the same model year Ford vs Honda and then decide.
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Old 03-20-2009, 01:26 PM
 
Location: "The Sunshine State"
4,334 posts, read 13,628,245 times
Reputation: 3063
Sorry, but with my Dad being in the car business for many years when I was young I drove all the American cars. They all broke down and had problems. The quality was never there, nor the reliability. They all sucked gas also. I remember always worrying about getting from point A to point B without a breakdown. In 75 I bought my first new car and it was a brand new 1975 Toyota Celica. I think it was like $4500.00
That was it for me. Ever since then it was Toyota with a few Hondas thrown it. You cannot deny it, the *** cars have the quality, reliability and resale value. All I have ever done with my cars is oil changes, and replace the tires when worn and once a new clutch. I never even needed break jobs done! I can drive my Toyota's across country and know I will get there without the worry of a breakdown! That for me, is a huge, big deal! Plus I cannot afford breakdowns. Also since 1975 my Toyota's have all had great gas mileage! Something the American car companies never picked up on! I would drive by their dealers all over and see all huge trucks and sport utilities parked put in the front, while Toyota had tons of Corolla's and Prius's on the lot and their little Rav4. Honda had there lots full of Civics and their little CRV! So in the end who lost the battle in sales? Common sense tells you why! It all comes down to being a smart consumer and doing your research!
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Old 03-20-2009, 02:50 PM
 
Location: Wethersfield, CT
1,273 posts, read 4,148,908 times
Reputation: 907
Quote:
Originally Posted by DDevil View Post
Did you realize that you are comparing an old Honda Accord to a much older Ford Windstar?
Just a suggestion, get opinions from people you know about the same model year Ford vs Honda and then decide.
Actually the reason i bought the Honda was because my sister has had a civic since 1996, and had never had a major problem with it. I also have friends that won't drive American cars because of the reliability issues.

My Honda Accord is a 2005.

The Windstar only had about 118K miles before I sold it. I consider the problems I've had with the van major.
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Old 03-20-2009, 03:19 PM
 
Location: Louisiana
1,768 posts, read 3,401,371 times
Reputation: 604
I consider myself a patriot. Although I've owned foreign cars in the past, my last 3 cars have been American. I am at the point now that I consider it un-American for people to be buying foreign cars — even the ones made here since the profits go to other countries. Our economy owes much of its problems today to those inconsiderate people who would not support the work of their neighbors instead of some foreigner.

Besides that, the 3 worst cars in terms of repairs were all foreign: a Honda, an Acura and a BMW. (The Honda was the worst.)
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Old 03-20-2009, 03:51 PM
 
Location: Eastern NC
20,867 posts, read 23,422,787 times
Reputation: 18813
Rosinante, do you realise that many "american cars" are now made out of this country as are many of their parts? And that the profits you mention going overseas also pays the mortgage and puts food on the tables of good hard working Americans? You need to redefine the word "patriot".

I have owned 6 vehicles so far, 2 American, 2 Imports made in America, and 2 made in Japan. The 2 American were pieces of Junk, constantly had problems, I had each for no more than 3 years before getting rid of them. The 2 imports made here in American, One I had for 15 years and traded it in for the other which I have had for 4 years now, both were and are very dependible, never left me walking or calling. The Japan made ones includes one that I have had for 15 years now and still have, only let me down once and that was 12 years ago. The other is 4 years old and never had a problem. I will stick to my Toyotas and Hondas thankyou and I do consider myself a patriot.
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Old 03-20-2009, 06:45 PM
 
Location: Indiana
1,333 posts, read 3,211,984 times
Reputation: 975
My mom had a 1996 Windstar that blew a head gasket than had the tranny go out on it as well. The 3.8l in the van was a junky motor all together though. She actually traded in a 1993 Thunderbird with the 3.8l in it for the van, and it had headgasket issues (lol). She'll never but American again and is diehard Toyota now even though the tranny went out on her 2001 Camry at 20,000 miles. I am a diehard GM guy and would NEVER buy a Toyota/Honda simply because I find them to be rather ugly and underpowered. My wife and I are SUV/Truck drivers though so I guess I can't comment on domestic cars but we've never had any real issues with the bigger vehicles. With todays warranties, who cares? Your covered any way you go.
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Old 03-20-2009, 07:45 PM
 
Location: Southern California
15,083 posts, read 20,408,202 times
Reputation: 10343
Quote:
Originally Posted by truemuck View Post
Nowadays, I don't think there's really any quality gap between domestics and imports, rather a Perception gap between the 2.
Agreed. If there is a quality gap, I am not noticing it. Walk into any Chevy dealership and you'll see those are well-built cars - and this is coming from someone who has never owned a Domestic (but would buy a Z06 no problem or the Cobalt if I were in the market). Anyway, it is not very often these days that you'll see a disabled car on the side of the road that was built within the last 10-15 years or so unless a) the owner abused it , b) the car is now owned by a second or third owner and it has been abused , or c) it was in an accident .

Besides, there are a lot of foreign nameplate cars on the road that were built by Americans and built well. I know, I have a 1995 Eagle Talon TSi with about 150,000 miles and a 2004 Toyota Tacoma with about 105,000 miles. No problems whatsoever except those cause by me....
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Old 03-20-2009, 09:22 PM
 
Location: Phoenix metro
20,004 posts, read 77,154,977 times
Reputation: 10370
Quote:
Originally Posted by Leilani Vasquez View Post
What's your opinion?

I had a Ford Windstar for several years. The transmission and head gasket were replaced, the tie rods were replaced twice, several issues with the traction control, and for some reason the interior light liked to stay on for a while if you opened the back hatch.

I'm now driving a used honda accord and love it. I will never buy another ford again.
Well, while older Honda's were bulletproof, the newer ones are more trouble prone, and Ford's have now reached Honda and Toyota in terms of quality. The problem with Honda and Toyota is theye tried to get too complicated with things and theyre hurting themselves by doing so. THey ditched the wonderful simplicity that made them so attractive, and are cramming them with junk, and build quality has gone down. Ive recently driven a newer Camry, and to be honest, I think the latest American cars ride just as nice, and feel much more solid. Times have changed!
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Old 03-20-2009, 09:23 PM
 
Location: Chicago
38,707 posts, read 102,794,286 times
Reputation: 29967
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rosinante View Post
I consider myself a patriot. Although I've owned foreign cars in the past, my last 3 cars have been American. I am at the point now that I consider it un-American for people to be buying foreign cars — even the ones made here since the profits go to other countries. Our economy owes much of its problems today to those inconsiderate people who would not support the work of their neighbors instead of some foreigner.

Besides that, the 3 worst cars in terms of repairs were all foreign: a Honda, an Acura and a BMW. (The Honda was the worst.)
I don't consider it particularly patriotic to have lulled the American auto industry into a sense of complacency with "rah rah buy American" chest-thumping until their products were so God-awful that people just couldn't swallow the "patriotism" pill any more when it came time to make a $25,000 investment, the net result being they're now clinging tenuously to life.
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