May I ask....Why all the foreign vehicles? (Durango: rental car, buyers)

[missionhome]

Originally Posted by COflower

What you They are probably the most reliable vehicles on the market.

The new Camry hasn't faired so well. The Accord is still an excellent vehicle, but the Camry has fallen in rankings, yet people don't really notice because they have so much trust in Toyota. Here is what they say about the 2008 Camry:

In years past, Toyota has had a strong reputation for nearly all its models, but some recent reviews report that gold standard is tarnished. Toyota fell from first place to fifth in Consumer Reports' annual reliability survey, and the V6 Camry specifically received a "Below Average" rating. Consumer Guide lists the Camry as one of its Recommended Picks, but also reports a few mechanical issues with previous Camry models that range from improperly inflating or deploying air bags. Reviews are split between those who still uphold the Camry as a dependable model and those who express disappointment with inconsistent build quality in more recent models.

http://usnews.rankingsandreviews.com...y/Reliability/
http://money.cnn.com/2007/10/16/auto...lity/index.htm

[FrozenShores]

Originally Posted by I_Want_Snow

Korean cars?? Are you serious? A KIA is better than Ford, GM, or Chrysler?

The Ford Focus has been on Car and Drivers top 10 list 5 times in 8 years. That's not bad if you ask me. It's got a great ergonomic feel.

Panel gaps?? So the Domestic cars gaps are not good? Funny I have never read anywhere about any automotive magazine talking about panel gaps being a problem.

Fuel economy?? Did you see my earlier post?
Taken from site fueleconomy.gov for 2008 models:

Toyota Corolla
26 city 28 city
35 Hwy 37 highway

Honda civic
22-25 city 26 city
29-36 hwy 34 highway

Chevy Cobalt XFE
24 city 25 city
30-36 hwy 36 highway

Ford Focus
24 city correct
35 hwy

Okay, let's make this comparison more objective. You pulled your Corolla numbers from the automatic version of the car and put it up against a manual Ford Focus; not very fair. I took the liberty of putting the manual transmission numbers in red above. In checking these numbers, I did find that the Cobalt XFE is decently comparable in fuel efficiency to the Corolla. However, when you compare the Focus to the Corolla: 24mpg vs. 28 mpg; a 2000 mile per month example leaves your wallet $600 lighter each year with $4.00 gas. Factor in Ford's much higher depreciation rate and you'll be rueing your choice in five years.

[Ticky909]

Alot of it depends on how you drive. For example many people beat the hell out of their japaneese cars, never change the oil, burn the clutch every shift, crash it daily, and seem to do fine, which is important for all the new drivers all the time and the low rate exams to get a license. I'd definately buy an American car, but I'm not sure how many are even made in the U.S. anymore. They have plants in mexico and canada, and are always shutting down plants in the U.S. They also have plants overseas and the only reason they don't import them from their asian plants is because of some trade deal, they sell those in europe. Yet Toyota is opening up plants in the U.S. to build the Tundra. Anybody have any numbers of how many 'american' cars are built in the u.s.? v.s. over the border and over seas?

[COflower]

Originally Posted by missionhome

The new Camry hasn't faired so well. The Accord is still an excellent vehicle, but the Camry has fallen in rankings, yet people don't really notice because they have so much trust in Toyota. Here is what they say about the 2008 Camry...

I'm a Honda fan and never have purchased a Toy...My Hondas are as follows:

1979 four door (sedan) Accord
1987 CRX HF
1983 Civic hatchback (that thing survived a wreck by my bro and they had to remount the engine and it still worked)
1993 Honda Accord EX - sedan

I held onto that 79 Accord for a year and a half after I bought the CRX, I just didn't have the heart to give it up. I finally did sell it and wish I hadn't. She was a dang good vehicle.

I just know many are very loyal to Camrys but didn't know they were having issues with them...huh. Odd that.

[denverian]

Originally Posted by mimomof2

I guess coming from MI, the "automotive capital" is why I ask this question. I have been here a couple of months and love it. I just can not believe how many Toyota's, Honda's etc. I would say at least 8 out of 10. I know automotive is not the industry here, but I can see why MI economy is horrible. GM, Chrysler or Ford for me!

Just a little vent.

Our house is home to a Mercedes and a Toyota. The reason we don't have a GM, Ford or Chrysler is that we've owned those brands in the past and don't care to re-live the nightmare! Especially GM! My god, they build a horrible car. I remember thinking it was normal for the car to cost you as much in repairs as the car payments had been once it was paid off! Then I got a Japanese car and was shocked that it just kept going and going with no problems.

[McGowdog]

Originally Posted by I_Want_Snow

Here is the list of the NEW cars I have bought: The 3 Mustangs I have bought new were was built in Dearborn MI, My Jeep was built in Toledo OH, my Tempo was built in Kansas, my Bronco II was built in Louisville KY, my Taurus was built in Chicago IL, and the 2008/09 Focus I looking to buy next month is built in Wayne, MI.

The Focus I am driving now that I bought used was unfortunately built in Mexico. So yea, the Mexican auto workers are getting rich off of the cars I am buying ....

Taken from Automotive News: Ford will be building the Focus at the company’s Wayne, Michigan and Louisville, Kentucky plants. The current Ford Focus is only built at Ford’s Wayne facility.

What about all the injection molding and electronic and electro-mechanical sub-assemblies? I guarandarntee you most of that stuff is outsourced to border-town Mexico. Specifically a company called Alcom/Alps in Reynosa, Mexico is making parts for GM, Ford, Chrysler, Toyota, Nissan, Mazda, etc. They have a subdivision; Alpine. Yup. They make stereos down there too. Remember that brand name used to mean a pretty good stereo? I wouldn't use it as a boat anchor now. It's junk from what I've heard.

I've heard the wiring assemblies for Harley-Davidson have been assembled in Mexico for how long now?

I do know that some of these assemblers/techs down in border-town Mexico were making $40.00-$80 per week to do what our American workers did for how much? How do you compete with that?

What's more, how many of our used American cars and perhaps foreign used cars are being driven down I-25 daily to Venezuela I believe. Who's gonna profit long-term on that deal?

[eminko]

LOL I love this thread. I came here from the armpit of Ohio and I can't believe the amount of Subarus I see here... I always thought they were pieces of crap because nobody in the midwest buys them. They always reminded me of a lower end version of Saturn... My hometown created Jeep, so I get uber excited whenever I see someone with a Jeep which probably came from Toledo!!

I have a 99 Pontiac with 83,000 miles and I will be keeping my baby until the motor falls out!

[FrozenShores]

Originally Posted by eminko

I have a 99 Pontiac with 83,000 miles and I will be keeping my baby until the motor falls out!

which probably isn't that far off

[chilaili]

Well, everyone's experience is different and you can't really generalise, but my personal experience is that my first car in the US was a Dodge Neon which was a total lemon from day one and convinced me never to buy American again (sorry, but a car whose brakes need total replacement after just 12 months is, to me, a POS that shouldn't be allowed on the road). After that I had a VW which ran just great for over 6 years and most recently a Korean which is doing just fine.

[movementarian]

There was a guy in another post (the one asking about what kind of cars Suburbanites have) who drives three Hummers - the 3 big military ones! So he's obviously buying American. USA! USA! USA!