Who Makes the Best Cars?

[Niels Bohr 72]

Sometimes I wonder what a regular person who has no prior knowledge of engineering analyzes a car, what would it be like?

As objective as a laymen can be, their analytical skills are only par with the pseudo scientists.

Not offending anyone, just giving some perspective on what I think.

[Ban Hammer 13,355]

why do you hate America (USA) ??

Are all your guns made in the USA?

not counting the war trophies, yes with one exception, which was made in korea.

[amberdima 6]

nissan. my new altima coupe w/ cvt transmission kicks butt.

[DEDixon 39]

My Honda Accord .. purchased new ... was sold at 168k. Drove the new Hondas and was shocked at the road noise. Subie's are not very popular in Houston. I've driven them extensively in the NE ... same with Toyoto. Most Toyoto dealers need to simply "get over themselves" ... arrogant azzholes.

I don't have to drive that often, because I work from home so the 10 year old Honda Accord sits in the garage still - no reason to buy another car. I liked this car for about a year, but road noise is awful and the front brake rotors turn wobbly very quickly after replacement due to an inadequate system for the wgt. of the car. I stuck with the car, because I hate shopping for cars new or used and because of the work at home thing.

Next car.... probably a Mercedes that is 4 or 5 years old. (buying new is a real waste of $$$)

[_Simpson_ 250]

Peugeot has my vote!

Edited March 11, 2009 by looking_up

[spookyturtle 9,466]

spookyturtle: "why do you hate america?"

Consumer Reports is a group of anti-American Japanese lovers.

why do you hate America (USA) ??

Are all your guns made in the USA?

Mine are.

We are looking for new vehicle .. if I want road noise ... I'll buy Japan.

Who want's to get out of the car after a long trip and have buzzing ears from road noise?

Yeah, but it's made in Japan so it's better.

We are looking for new vehicle .. if I want road noise ... I'll buy Japan.

Who want's to get out of the car after a long trip and have buzzing ears from road noise?

I'd recommend reading Consumer Reports before you decide...they test most cars thoroughly, including comfort issues like road noise. They are unbiased and reputable.

As long as you don't actually enjoy driving, they are.

I have a Subaru and Mazda. That Subaru takes lots of abuse and likes it.

I almost bought a Subaru.

I rode in one a few times.

[natty bumppo 297]

why do you hate America (USA) ??

Are all your guns made in the USA?

not counting the war trophies, yes with one exception, which was made in korea.

all but one is ... sold two that had matching numbers + holsters. got a very nice price for them too put the $$$$$$ into different types of firearms.

[Cherel & Bob 0]

Labor Unions and lazy American workers have destroyed the American car companies. Unfortunately the Japanese have started building many of their cars in America also and now the quality of those have started to slip as well. I had to buy a Camry Hybrid to get a Japanese car that was built in Japan.

Bob

[Scott & Lai 12]

why do you hate America (USA) ??

Perhaps a better question would be, why do the Big 3 US Auto makers hate America

why do you hate America (USA) ??

Are all your guns made in the USA?

Mine is made in Austria.

[Volkswagon 0]

Labor Unions and lazy American workers have destroyed the American car companies. Unfortunately the Japanese have started building many of their cars in America also and now the quality of those have started to slip as well. I had to buy a Camry Hybrid to get a Japanese car that was built in Japan.

Bob

Wow, that's harsh, lazy American workers. And now the Japanese cars are going downhill because they are made by these same lazy Americans? Pretty soon there will be no good cars at all. Hmmmm.....

[tallcoolone 102]

There was a time when Jap car were POS in USA

And the US Auto Makers just sit on thier #### and never tried to improve quality.

Back in the late 70's to early 80's if your American made car reached 100,000 miles it was a great car.

Japan kept pumping out cars and improving quality, and started making superior vehicles. On a jap car 100,000 is just starting to break in

Now of day USA automakers have came along way and almost caught up in quality of jap cars, but the problem is they let the market slip out of their hands and let the japs get a strong foot hold in USA.

I would love to see US automakers to improve quality and knock the foreign car makers back on thier asses

[NickD 203]

I believe CR just about as far as I can throw them, a true measurement would be the average cost per mile including both the initial cost of the vehicle and the required maintenance. They don't do that.

Most of the historical respondents don't know the difference between a power steering pump or an alternator. And while I did work for Honda for a couple of years, was only long enough to have my brains, and many more top USA engineers show them how to build a decent vehicle, they were the bad joke in the American market as well as Toyota. And since 1991 when the American buck was depreciated by the Japanese, they are no longer building that quality they once did.

In regards to all consumer vehicles, they are all trash in an engineering perspective, but I am still hanging unto my 1988 Toyota Supra Turbo when intelligence was used. Why don't they mention you can buy an OE domestic blower motor that last just as long as Honda or a Toyota for 50 bucks as opposed to paying 250 bucks, or 80 bucks for a fuel pump instead of 450 bucks? And those endless rubber band timing belts that cost a fortune to replace? Or whether an engine is either interference or a non-interference design where a slipped belt can cost you thousands?

Or that Japan is running to China just like our domestic automotive manufacturers are, or how the EPA and DOT is controlling the automotive market as well as the insurance companies. God, I hate OBD II, what a ripoff that was suppose to save us money, now hidden spy boxes in our vehicles. Also anti-thief devices that are costing the consumers a fortune in repair costs or making a crook stick a gun to your head. And those crazy air bags that are extremely overpriced and have killed just about as many kids as adults life saved who are too stupid or stubborn to buckle up. It cost the consumers 25 million bucks for each life saved, let the bastards die.

The trash we buy today should actually be cheaper then what vehicles sold for 30 years ago including inflation, that is what CR should be talking about.

[natty bumppo 297]

I believe CR just about as far as I can throw them, a true measurement would be the average cost per mile including both the initial cost of the vehicle and the required maintenance. They don't do that.

I'll add this additional info to my take on CR. They may be spot-on at times ... yet sometimes they do show a bias. I always take their reviews with a grain of salt and search out other sources ... which includes a trip to a store/ dealership to personally review the product. They tend to harp on a bad or good "feature" too much. It is up to the buyer to determine if the "feature" is really important, place a personal value on this feature, and determine if the "feature" is a deal breaker or not.

[NickD 203]

The eutectic piston is an American invention, adds about 15 cents to the cost of the piston and greatly increases the life of an engine, but again, the stockholders. Japanese let us use that, but at the same time our government whether you know this or not was paying the Japanese 10% on all their imports rather than adding a 10% tariff. Blame whom you want, but I blame our government more than anyone for selling out our country. Still don't like renting a DVD and seeing Sonys' name on it.

We also invented the integrated circuit and the microprocessor, but we have a great deal of greed in this country with only interest in short term profits with a little thought in the future.

Also the difference between American and Japanese manufacturers, an American engineer will be given a hundred problems to solve whereas in Japan, they would put in a hundred engineers to solve a single problem.

Engineers are overhead and costing the stockholders profits.

I installed eutectic pistons in a Buick V-8 engine, hardened valves, and a very careful static balance, sold that car with 280,000 miles on the clock and the engine was still running strong, that car ended up costing barely over a cent per mile. But hey, if everybody would do that, would be no reason to trade it in every couple of years. Major reason for trade-ins today, is the maintenance cost has become outrageous.

[EstebanTrabajos 7]

aaaamen to that,

That's why I'm going Nippon baby!