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She's been driving Volvos for about 20 years now and she likes them (I've had 3 during that time and they're OK.)
I have a BMW. - Actually I have two - and between them they've got 4 wheels. One lives in Bavaria (Not a bad place for a Bavarian Motor Works bike) and the other lives here.
I've driven/owned some 'absolute junk' US made motor vehicles (I had a Ford Explorer truck for 18 months- worst vehicle I ever owned.)
I also drove a Ford Escort and it would be hard to beat that. A brilliant little car.
Some US-made cars are good, some are not.
Where are Toyotas (fairly popular) and Honda's made?
If someone's paid $7 bucks an hour how could they hope for anything better than a used Bronco? Unless they live with their parents, and spend all of their income on car payments.
New Chevys, Cadillacs, and Fords seem to be status symbol for new money types and republicans who want to buy something that will go back into the American economy.
I used to fear considering imports because I thought I was shipping money overseas. It's amazing, many "imports" create more US jobs and use more US parts than domestics.
To the original question, every make has great vehicles, import and domestic. It does seem that import luxury is more high-class than domestic luxury, but I try to look at each vehicle on its own merit rather than country of origin.
It seems like in the U.S. foreign cars are the cars that mean "I've arrived". All of the yuppies drive Subaru's, Hondas, entry level BMW's,etc.....
It seems like American cars represent blue collar and working class folks. I wonder if all the people complaining about losing jobs to China drive American made cars?
Does driving American made cars equal poor/blue collar?
What is American made anymore ? Some Japanese cars are made here in America. And who knows where some of the American cars come from?
Maybe what you say is true for the newer American cars (and who cares if it is what is wrong being blue collar ? ) but I know the older American classic cars seem to be in demand by just about everyone. I bet if you ask American men what cars they admire, most have at least one classic American car on their love list.
Not sure that I equate American versus European as poor versus wealthy.
But I do equate many of the behaviors of the people who drive the (leased) European imports as part of the group who think their excrement doesn't stink.
Get into a bind...and need someone's help (let's say a flat tire out in the country) and who is going to stop to help? Little twinkle toes in his rented BMW whose pretty hands have never done a lick of work in their life; or a man driving a solid Ford pickup (which can easily cost as much as juniors little fairy car) who doesn't want anything other than to be a good citizen?
Yes, there are stereotypes.....but they are NOT what the twits driving their Benz with the lights flashing to "get out of my way, I'm important" think they are. Quite the opposite, in fact.
But here's a news flash for you twinkle toes types: we enjoy taking your money if it makes you feel good to drive an overpriced import.
This is an odd question by the OP but it does have merit.
Most of my fellow real estate agents drive foreign cars, Lexus, Audi, BMW, Mercedes and they make no excuse for it. Last Fall I saw a couple of fellow realtors get out of a very sporty Ford Focus and I asked them if they got a new car, "yes" but then they started making excuses for it citing "gas mileage" etc.. I wasn't judging them, I thought it was a nice looking car but they felt the need ot defend it?
It seems like in the U.S. foreign cars are the cars that mean "I've arrived". All of the yuppies drive Subaru's, Hondas, entry level BMW's,etc.....
It seems like American cars represent blue collar and working class folks. I wonder if all the people complaining about losing jobs to China drive American made cars?
Does driving American made cars equal poor/blue collar?
No. American brand (I don't use the term American made because then we have to decide what that means. Do you mean assembled in America or parts made in America? Toyota is a very American-made company, in some interpretations) cars are simply too expensive for many. I've never owned a new car (can't afford it) but I have owned Chevy, Ford, Toyota and Honda cars and SUVs and the best deals I received were, by far, the Toyota and Honda.
This is an odd question by the OP but it does have merit.
Most of my fellow real estate agents drive foreign cars, Lexus, Audi, BMW, Mercedes and they make no excuse for it.
I know this seems to be a status symbol among realtors, but out here in the real world it screams "stay away". I think realtors do this to send a message that says "I am successful; hire me".
What it really says to those of us who are shopping for a realtor is "this person is profligate with their money and will not be frugal with my (limited) resources". (Yes, I understand that these luxury cars are leased and the cost is a write off, so why not?)
The realtor who shows up in a sensible automobile with comfortable seating for four adults sends a much stronger message of sanity and soundness.
Old expression: "where are the customer's yachts?" Think about it.
My mother is basically an elderly princess. She was driving a Mercedes until she announced one day that she was buying "American" and going with a Ford. I fully supported her more practical turn of mind (the Escape is better for her needs), but I gently reminded her that the car company has little to do with where the jobs were that produced it. She shrugged it off and derives a great deal of (unearned) moral satisfaction from the fact that she "bought American."
I'm happy with my Subaru. I don't care where it's made (does it matter if it's bought used anyway?) - it's the best car for my needs.
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