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The Detorit 3 hasn't built a decent car since 1970. They are now better, but nowhere near the quality of Asian makes, except for one, the Ford Fusion.
Ford was smart to build the fusion in Mexico so the UAW couldn't screw it up. I heard the Fusions are selling so well, they will be building some in Michigan. I expect the quality of that new vehicle to be lacking.
The Detorit 3 hasn't built a decent car since 1970. They are now better, but nowhere near the quality of Asian makes, except for one, the Ford Fusion.
Ford was smart to build the fusion in Mexico so the UAW couldn't screw it up. I heard the Fusions are selling so well, they will be building some in Michigan. I expect the quality of that new vehicle to be lacking.
No, there were some good ones built after 1970 (mentioned earlier). Not as many as pre-'70s, but some. Also, the '90s Ford Crown Vic were solid, reliable cars (which is why they were used in many cities as taxi cabs and police cars). The Lincoln Town Car and Mercury Marquis were also good. And various models of '90s Olds, Buick, Pontiac and Cadillac.
BTW, I wouldn't want to own a car built in Mexico. Fortunately, my 4 cars were not.
I had a 1975 Nova LN in 1996. It had 97k on it when I bought it. I drove it until it had 108k on it when it got t boned and totaled.
It did have a hesitation in the 2 bbl carb when it was cold, but other than that it ran good. It drove good, shifted good, etc. It had the 350 V8 with TH350. It was bone stock.
As I recall it did have a leak in the windshield that let rain water drip on the pass side seat, and it had a few rot holes in the lower quarter panel and driver side floor board, but it was an Indiana car and it was 21 years old at the time. So i guess that's really only fair for what it was.
Also the rear filler panels had cracked and broke out of it, but that is common.
I did have a few other 70's cars but they were severely worn out when I got them.
So IMO that Nova was a well built car. Heck it would even start in the dead of winter at sub freezing temps.
I do know of one friend of my dads who had a 1977 Trans AM Smokey And The Bandit, and he commented on it had door sagging issues. He sold the car sometime before 1986.
This doesn't include trucks. Did Ford, Chrysler, and GM make a well built car during this time period? What cars I remember from the time squeaked, rattled, rolled (when making a turn quickly), prone to quick rusting, slow (even the sports cars), and thirsty. Vehicle speed and efficiency improved in the 80s but still slow and thirsty by today's standards.
I think it depended on the cars. The big cars seemed to be pretty good during that era.
After the Nova was wrecked, I owned a 1981 Delta 88. It had 153k on it when I got it. My mother had owned it since it had 60k on it.
It was a 2 door, big as a Caddy, had the 307 Olds V8 with 200-4R.
I drove it until it had I think 175k on it. That was in late 1998 when I joined the military.
It was a good solid car. I did have to have the carb rebuilt when I got it at 153k. But it ran and drove good other than that. it didn't have much power though. Other than the headliner that fell down and the paint was checked. It was 17 years old at the time.
Mine must have been good. Otherwise they would not still be on the road after 30+ years. Some have less than 100,000 miles, some don't. Previous owners must have maintained them well, so do I. In fact the newest car I have is a 88 Taurus MT-5 and it has way more problems than any of my 70's cars. I like the fact they are simple and parts are still very available and inexpensive. Plus the fact I bought them for cheap helps. I'd rather have the 12 I have (total investment $6480) than one pre 70's for 10,000. I like having multiple choices. I guess I picked well!
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id the big three make a good car from 1975 to the early 1980s?
