View Poll Results: So who will produce your next vehicle?

Voters
102. You may not vote on this poll
  • Who can afford a new car?

    31 30.39%
  • I'd never buy anything domestic in the first place

    27 26.47%
  • I'm a GM/Chrysler guy/gal for life

    13 12.75%
  • I used to drive GM/Chrysler, but will be looking at Ford products from now on.

    14 13.73%
  • I have no opinion

    9 8.82%
  • Why, what happened?

    8 7.84%
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Thread: GM vs Chrysler vs Ford vs imports

  1. #16
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
    Location
    Lewiston, Idaho
    Posts
    28,504
    Karl,

    Find some honest relibility reports, fuel mileage reports and make a decision.

    One thing to check out. What manufacturer will void the warrantee IF you drill any holes in the frame to mount a 5th wheel or goose neck hitch? Why would they be worried about that?

    You can put a hitch on that brand BUT in the recent past...I'm not sure about today......you had to use factory drilled holes in the frame or the warrantee on the truck would be voided.

    Ask that question of the dealers if you do any serious trailer hauling or any heavy hauling.
    Ken

    So much to learn, so little time.....

  2. #17
    Join Date
    Nov 2008
    Location
    Wilmington Island, Ga
    Posts
    654

    I only by USED

    Never have, and never plan on buying a "new" car. I think it's a bad money choice, who want's something that drops value so drastically just by taking it off the lot?

    I own currently 3 Fords, and 2 in the past. also in the past are to International Scouts, and a VW Type 3 Fastback.

    Don't care to much for the look of gm trucks.

    On the 3rd of this July I just bought a 97 F250 power stroke and I LOVE IT!!!

  3. #18
    I want to see the Chevy Volt (plug in hybrid), if and when it ever gets to the showroom. If they can make the Volt cost effective and reliable, GM could have a real winner on its hands.

    Mike
    Go into the world and do well. But more importantly, go into the world and do good.

  4. #19
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    Western Nebraska
    Posts
    4,680
    Quote Originally Posted by Paul Greathouse View Post
    If I were looking for a diesel truck I would look seriously at the Dodge but would probably still go with the GM.
    Wouldn't bother looking at the Mopar. There is a Cummins 1 ton dually Dodge around here, and two GMC 3/4 tons with Duramax and Alison. The Dodge really is pathetic compared to the GM's drivetrain. GM gets far better milage, and has a pile more power. I'm sold. Mine gets 20 mpg with no trailer on the highway, and will go from 55 to 90 in quicker than it takes to pass someone. It will also hit the 96mph limit in about a 1/4 mile! Oh, and the Alison make trailer towing a piece of cake. Love the engine braking.

    The only thing that the Dodge has over the GMC's is... hmmm...... well.... I give up. Oh, it's a nice color.

  5. #20
    Join Date
    May 2008
    Location
    Newport News, VA
    Posts
    852
    I am not in the market for a new car any time soon, but honestly, it will most likely be an import. I am relatively tall (6'4") while my wife is petite (5'2"). Trying to find a car that both of us could comfortably drive was incredibly difficult, and I stress that -- car. The Ford dealer didn't even bother, and tried to sell us a SUV, despite our saying we wanted a sedan. Same thing at the Chevy dealer, and at both they told us that we had no choice -- no Japanese car would be big enough to take care of my height.

    Nissan Altima, Mazda 6 and the larger Toyota Avalon all fit, along with a VW Passat and my dad's BMW 3-series all work perfectly. So, we now have a Nissan. And honestly, the maintenance on our Japanese cars has been minimal.

    So, we may be forced simply by the design of the car.

    Cheers,

    Chris
    If you only took one trip to the hardware store, you didn't do it right.

  6. #21
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Location
    Tallahassee, FL
    Posts
    722
    I would love to buy a domestic automobile. That said, until domestics can match the quality, mileage, aesthetics, dependability and warranties of imports (especially Japanese cars) at a reasonable price, I'm afraid I won't do it. That said, my wife and I do own a Pontiac Vibe, though it's really a Toyota Matrix. Pop the hood, and everything says Toyota inside.
    Browse through Consumer Reports, especially the used car guide, and it will tell you in no uncertain terms why Domestics are not on my list. Though I know that Ford has come a long way in the past few years, I believe it still has a long way to go. Chrysler need some real help. They have IMO some of the best looking cars out there, but not a single one is on the CR recommended list. Virtually all GM's and Chryslers are on the Used Cars To Avoid List. That speaks pretty strongly.

    I do sincerely hope that the current situation makes the domestic makers get off their complacent rear ends and improve their lineups.

  7. #22
    Join Date
    Apr 2006
    Location
    Kansas City, MO
    Posts
    832
    Currently, I have a 92 S-10 pickup 2.8L V6 with 370K. I have had to replace the alternator, clutch, battery and the water pump. Got 25mpg when I got it and it gets 27 now, uses no oil. I am really amazed at how well this truck has performed. I have a 95 F-350 Crewcab Powerstroke with 375K. If you ignore the glow plugs, it has been pretty reliable but nothing like the S-10. It does pull the trailers better though and I am happy. I understand that a lot of the glow plug stuff was fixed in later years. My next car I would like to be a VW diesel, but I would love an electric if it would do 150 miles between charges. The way truck prices have gone up, I don't think I will be buying new any more.

  8. #23
    Quote Originally Posted by Karl Brogger View Post
    Has recent doings with the automakers effected your choice in who will produce your next new vehicle?
    No... just bought brand new Jeep Patriot. Love it.
    My favorite cologne is BLO

  9. #24
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Savannah, GA
    Posts
    4,422
    First car - '78 Trans Am (still miss her), followed by '84 Maxima, '90 Maxima.
    '96 Corvette - fought for a year to have it declared a Lemon. Dealer took it back and gave me a '97 Corvette. That one was totaled for me three months later by an uninsured motorist. He's probably still paying for that car. Got another '97 Corvette and had the transmission replaced at 16,000 miles. Three weeks later it left me stranded on the roadside. Had it towed to the dealership, repaired, and traded it for a '97 Maxima. I'd be driving it today (literally) except it has a broken strut I haven't gotten around to having repaired. "Sunday car" is an Acura. Would consider a Camaro if they're still producing them a couple of years from now. Other than that, no domestic for me.

    “Life is not so short but that there is always time enough for courtesy and chivalry.” —Ralph Waldo Emerson

    Everybody knows what to do with the devil but them that has him. My Grandmother
    I had a guardian angel at one time, but my little devil got him drunk, tattooed, and left him penniless at a strip club. I have not had another angel assigned to me yet.
    I didn't change my mind, my mind changed me.
    Bella Terra

  10. #25
    I recently (two weeks ago) was confronted with having to purchase a new vehicle. I was driving a Caravan, that has served me well. However, the closest Dodge dealer is thirty minutes away, for one.

    So I ended up purchasing a Honda Odyssey. Got a very good price, and the dealer is seven minutes away (important because I took the 6-year 100k warranty).

    It is substantially U.S. made from U.S. parts.

    My decision was influenced by Chrysler's decision to shutter a plant here in Wisconsin and move that production to Mexico. I had to decide whether I wanted to own an American brand that was produced elsewhere, or an elsewhere brand that was produced here. In the end I decided I valued the American bloke putting the car together most.
    Last edited by Phil Thien; 07-09-2009 at 9:18 AM.

  11. #26
    Join Date
    Apr 2004
    Location
    Geneva, Swisscheeseland
    Posts
    1,501
    My PT cruiser is 8 years old and has 110k miles on it and still drives like day 1. If Chrysler starts making cars of this quality again, I will probably buy from them again. Otherwise, I buy the best car I can afford that meets my needs.

    Dan
    A flute without holes, is not a flute. A donut without a hole, is a Danish.

  12. #27
    Join Date
    Feb 2003
    Location
    Doylestown, PA
    Posts
    7,551

    There's a way around the "hole" issue

    Quote Originally Posted by Ken Fitzgerald View Post
    Karl,

    Find some honest relibility reports, fuel mileage reports and make a decision.

    One thing to check out. What manufacturer will void the warrantee IF you drill any holes in the frame to mount a 5th wheel or goose neck hitch? Why would they be worried about that?

    You can put a hitch on that brand BUT in the recent past...I'm not sure about today......you had to use factory drilled holes in the frame or the warrantee on the truck would be voided.

    Ask that question of the dealers if you do any serious trailer hauling or any heavy hauling.
    Years ago my brother wanted to install a 5th wheel towing setup without screwing with the bed. The trailer used a large ball, not a flat plate semi type attachment. There was 1" between the bed and the frame. We inserted a steel plate 1" thick about 12" wide under the bed. 8 good sized (3/4"+) bolts with bars on the bottom of the frame to form U clamps. The only thing above the bed was bolt heads & ball. No holes in the frame. It seemed to work well and I'm pretty sure we could have picked the truck up by that mounting and shook it without a problem or failure. There are of course considerations about towing capacity.

  13. #28

    30 years and no new car

    I've never owned a new car and have only bought 3 cars over 30 years of driving age (1976 Datsun King Cab, 1981 Mazda RX-7, and 1991 Mitsubishi Galant (with roof rack = truck)).

    Maybe someday I'll have that new car experience but I don't take care of cars that well except for my wife's 2000 Toyota Echo. It's a rather ugly car but at 100,000 miles it has had very little maintenance required and gets great gas mileage. Roomy enough for our little family and with a roof rack, I've hauled plenty of lumber and furniture.

    The answer to your question is that the recent doings would make me want to avoid GM. I think Ford has presented itself with a good image by not begging for money and my sister-in-laws Ford Focus was impressive to drive. If I were truck shopping (and I wish I could), I'd take a hard look at Ford first.

  14. #29
    Join Date
    May 2008
    Location
    Southern Minnesota
    Posts
    1,442
    Quote Originally Posted by Steve Rozmiarek View Post
    Wouldn't bother looking at the Mopar. There is a Cummins 1 ton dually Dodge around here, and two GMC 3/4 tons with Duramax and Alison. The Dodge really is pathetic compared to the GM's drivetrain. GM gets far better milage, and has a pile more power. I'm sold. Mine gets 20 mpg with no trailer on the highway, and will go from 55 to 90 in quicker than it takes to pass someone. It will also hit the 96mph limit in about a 1/4 mile! Oh, and the Alison make trailer towing a piece of cake. Love the engine braking.

    The only thing that the Dodge has over the GMC's is... hmmm...... well.... I give up. Oh, it's a nice color.
    Steve,

    I have worked on and been around both the trucks you talk about since they have been around. What you just wrote is completly false. The dodge will out pull, out race, and get better mileage loaded or unloaded than the duramax. Plus the cummins motor will last 3 times longer. If the dodge is pathetic compared to the duramax I will be willing to wager that the lift pump is not working. The truck will still run and do everything you would expect but with much lower power when the LIFT pump (not to be confused with the injection pump)quits. Most people don't realize it until they go to replace the fuel filter than it is very hard to restart. How many heads have been replaced on those duramaxes, how many injectors have they burndt up, Wait till they get over 100K then the pistons start breaking. I would take a duramax over a 6.0 ford, but I still wouldn't like it. The dodge/cummins is superior in every way.

    I forgot to add the camry I owned. Was a 1 owner bought new from the dealer I bought it from. The previous owners were an older couple in their 60's. As I stated before I bought it with 75k on it. With in 10k miles I have replace one of the evap purge solenoids ($85), and the evap canister ($380). Shortly before the rod bearing started knocking the cat converter started throwing the check engine light due to an efficency failure. That would have cost me another $1200, then the motor started knocking. Before I got around to replacing the motor I dumped the car and went back to something reliable like and american car.

  15. #30
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
    Location
    Lewiston, Idaho
    Posts
    28,504
    Paul,

    Talk to Dodge about drilling holes in their frames to install a 5th wheel hitch and whether it voids their warrantee.

    I suggest while the Cummins engine might be strong, the frame on the Dodge is designed with little extra relief and therefore they did, a few years ago, warn my neighbor about drillijng holes in the frame. He ended up finding the only hitch that would use the existing holes in his brand new nearly $40K. That hitch was a gooseneck and thus he had to drill, mount and weld a kit to the trailer to tow it with his new truck.

    I know of a contractor that has several Cummins diesel Dodges. His comment....strong engines...weak frame.

    I suggest that Toyota outselling GM suggests that your experience with your Camry may have been a little different than others experience.
    Ken

    So much to learn, so little time.....

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