[SilverSVT]

I've been thinking about this....people bitch how bad the Big 3 cars are when it comes to quality, but yet these same people have no problems going out and buying an SUV or Truck from the Big 3. I don't see any imports leading sales when it comes to trucks or SUVs. I guess the point I'm trying to make here is that i think the masses are brainwashed into thinking that the big 3 can't build a car to save their lifes compaired to something thats imported.

Thoughts/comments????

 

[emulous]

Well, the truck part of your theory, doesn't hold up extremely well, since the foreign manufacturers have only just really begun building, big "real" trucks. Once Nissan get's into the game and Mercedes starts to import some of their non-commercial trucks most likely via Dodge, I think you will see a change if and only if they start building true workhoses that can haul crap and have the engines to back them up.

On the other hand, if I compare my old '03 Ranger to my old '02 SVTF, the truck never gave me any problems, with the exception of a bad design on the cigarette lighter where it kept falling apart, the SVTF was in the shop 34 times in the year that I owned it. However I never held the truck up to the same standard I held the car up to. I expected squeaks and rattles, non quiet ride, etc., but man that truck sure loved to play in the mud. I miss my truck, but I don't miss my car.

Now that trucks are getting more luxurious and used more as passenger vehicles I think you'll see the tide change on that too, because they are adding more non-essential items to them.

But that's just my theory.

 

[BUR_ZX3]

cars and trucks are in different categories.

Trust me... once people wake up and see things like Honda's new truck... things will shift. Mark my words.

 

[SilverSVT]

Trust me... once people wake up and see things like Honda's new truck... things will shift. Mark my words.

Well lets put it this way...Toyada has been making a large pickup for the past couple of years and it hasn't amounted to much. The new Nissan is FUGLY, but has a nice engine in it. I really doubt people are gonna flock to a V6 powered fullsized Honda pickup.

When it comes to pickups...people who buy Fords or Chevys are VERY loyal to their perpective brands...unlike people who buy cars. But also how do you explain why none of the imports are even coming close to domestics sales when it comes to SUVs?

I think it boils down to people are just brainwashed when it comes to imports and cars...just look at VW...they have a worse ratio of problems according to JD Power then Ford does, but you dont see people calling them a POS like you do have people who have Fords or what not. It also goes back to the ole saying...can do a million good things, but it could be all erased by one screw up. People remember your screwups more then they remember how good you where.

Another good exp is the Honada Element....its fugly just like the Aztek, but its selling since it has that Honada name attached to it. I feel that when it comes to utitly..the Aztek is a better vechicle then the Element. Also add in that Honada totally missed its mark when it came to age group that would buy the vechicle...it targeted Gen X group and who goes out and buys it? baby boomers...go figure.

 

[Wedge1212]

lets compare two cars in the same class:

Lincoln Aviator and the BMW X5

Both have relatively the same cost. However I can promise you the fit and finish is infinately better on the BMW. Linclon has made extreamly awsome improvement from the last gen navigator (which looked just as cheap as an expidition). The new navigators and aviators are very very very nice even to a european quality level. My parents own one, and i've gone over the car very well. Its still a ford. Places where BMW wouldnt use plastic, ford does. Places where BMW pannel fitting would be perfect (fords are not). American cars are produced on the theory of "build as many as you can" ALL three brands and their sub brands. However European cars are not. So w/ less numbers being produced the european brands have more time to pay attention to quality. Before I go. I will say this. Fords quaility is much closer to the quality of a european car than a GM or a Crysler. Crysler would have to be second in the race. GM, is such a distant thrid its not even funny. Those cars are the biggest piece of [censored]. I'm not talking about the engine or the sheet metal. I'm talking about the interior. They still use fake leather in their premium brands (caddy, buick). Their pannel fit is flat out god awful and it only gets worse when you stray from their "premium" brands. GM makes and has made [censored] cars for a very long time (hell they've even admitted it). To close w/ something a bit more on topic. We rule the truck world and the normal SUV world (mus GM because i can get pannel fitmet better than they can). However the european brands have much better fit and finish when it comes to luxury SUV's, normal cars, and "luxury cars".

 

[focusdchaos]

cars and trucks are in different categories.

Trust me... once people wake up and see things like Honda's new truck... things will shift. Mark my words.

Hondas truck will be unibody front/awd, no one will care about it.

 

[SyNRG]

cars and trucks are in different categories.

Trust me... once people wake up and see things like Honda's new truck... things will shift. Mark my words.

Hondas truck will be unibody front/awd, no one will care about it.

the new fullsize trucks from honda and nissan will hurt the toyota tundra sales more than they will damage the big 3...

 

[240ZX34V8]

lets compare two cars in the same class:

Lincoln Aviator and the BMW X5

Both have relatively the same cost. However I can promise you the fit and finish is infinately better on the BMW. Linclon has made extreamly awsome improvement from the last gen navigator (which looked just as cheap as an expidition). The new navigators and aviators are very very very nice even to a european quality level. My parents own one, and i've gone over the car very well. Its still a ford. Places where BMW wouldnt use plastic, ford does. Places where BMW pannel fitting would be perfect (fords are not). American cars are produced on the theory of "build as many as you can" ALL three brands and their sub brands. However European cars are not. So w/ less numbers being produced the european brands have more time to pay attention to quality. Before I go. I will say this. Fords quaility is much closer to the quality of a european car than a GM or a Crysler. Crysler would have to be second in the race. GM, is such a distant thrid its not even funny. Those cars are the biggest piece of [censored]. I'm not talking about the engine or the sheet metal. I'm talking about the interior. They still use fake leather in their premium brands (caddy, buick). Their pannel fit is flat out god awful and it only gets worse when you stray from their "premium" brands. GM makes and has made [censored] cars for a very long time (hell they've even admitted it). To close w/ something a bit more on topic. We rule the truck world and the normal SUV world (mus GM because i can get pannel fitmet better than they can). However the european brands have much better fit and finish when it comes to luxury SUV's, normal cars, and "luxury cars".

Amen.

BTW, GM has rebates on '04's already!!!

 

[silvasvtfocus]

The "quality perceptions" that have been mentioned in this post are just that - perceptions. It's no longer correct to say that brand X or brand Y makes $hitty cars. Car manufacturing has improved too much. Automakers have realized that in order to stay competitive, quality, performance, and innovation must be strived for. Back in the '70s and mabe even '80s people were more apt to only buy domestic brands. That's not the case now. You're no longer "unAmerican" because you drive an import.
I think that pricing has a lot to do with quality in many cases. There are exceptions, of course. Take my example of two Ford cars - a ZX-2 versus a ZX-3. The ZX-3 is so much better in terms of quality, design, and execution - both cost about the same.
I remember in another post, someone was harping on what they saw as Ford cutting corners on the SVT Focus in the way of certain underhood parts/pieces. To me, the SVTF is still a relatively cheap car - therefore, it shouldn't be held to the same standards as a $40 - $50 thousand dollar car. If Mercedes built the SVTF (for the same price), it would also have cheapening measures.

The preceding was just my opinion.

 

[ZX3guy182]

I had a nissan maxima that was a lemon, i spent 6k for the car, and 6k in repairs when all was said and done. I had a bronco II that i spent the money for a radiator on and the focus has been trouble free. I used to be an import car person, and while im still a nissan fan i doubt ill buy another import when my cheaper, more enjoyable to drive, focus (or other domestic) is running with little to no problems.