Before that, a 1990 Honda Accord. I learned to drive on a '71 AMC Javelin (my Dad's car) that looked a lot like this.
The best American cars architecturally came out from 1970-74. My favorite would be the 1971 Dodge Dart because my dad had 1 from 1974-79 when I was 4 to 10 years old & this car took us to many places from NYC to Los Angeles & the places the car takes you to leave memories. Other best American cars architecturally would be the 1971 to 1974 AMC Javelin, 1971 to 1974 Dodge Charger and the 1971 to 1973 Ford Mustang. AMC Hornets were good.
But since 1980 when American automakers started making cars in association with Japanese, German & so on, cars are often just not American looking. The 2013 Dodge Dart has nice techonolgy, but the problem is that it's not American looking as it's made in association with Fiat. They should make the Dodge Dart with the 1971 architecture, only that it has other technical advances.
Japanese make nice cars, but I wouldn't buy a Japanese car anymore. Americans buy many Japanese cars, but Japanese don't buy enough American goods. If the US wants to import Japanese cars, that's fine. But there's no excuse to import SUV or trucks. American trucks & SUV are better than imports. They must stop imports of SUV & trucks. If you want to buy a truck or SUV in the USA, then it has to be American. USA must stop importing SUV & trucks.
If you're going to buy an import car, then better to buy a German or Korean car, as both those nations have better trade. With German cars, if it were my choice, only Volkswagens (Jettas, Beetles & Bus if they bring this back) & Porsches (911, Boxster & if they bring this back the Caiman) would be imported to the USA. They must stop importing Audis, BMW & Mercedes to the USA.
They can continue importing Ferraris, Lamborghinis, Maseratis & Bentleys because those are luxury cars which most people can't afford. With motorcycles, they must limit or even stop imports. Harley Davidsons must be the only motorcycle in the USA & in India & Vietnam, they're going to build Harley Davidsons, though light powered when compared to what you get in the USA. Ford, GM & Chrysler must also look @ selling cars in India, because India would be a good place to sell American cars in Asia. Now I know alot of people will say that while my ideas are ideal, they're not practical. But what do you think of my ideas on cars? Which cars do you drive & what are your views? Again, the best American cars architecturally came out from 1970 to 1974.
import built in the USA
KIA
Figured since I’m living in Michigan, I should buy American and support my neighbors. (Especially, since a portion of their tax dollars helps to pay my salary)
I hope to learn here what to buy next. I am on my 11th Volvo, ‘05 XC90 bought new. No more Volvo after this one gets pssed on to my daughter. Now owned by China, TOO expensive to buy,drive and maintain.I want to move from Maine to Florida and get a convertable.
SUGGESTIONS? ...
‘94 Ford Explorer 175,000 miles
‘89 Ford F 150 56,000 miles
‘85 Toyota P/U 350,000 miles
2008 Passat Wagon. I love it.
I own a pristine 2003 Mercury Marauder. I no longer drive it as I live 18 miles outside of town and with alcohol gas it gets only 16 mpg. It costs me $12-15 to drive it into town and back.
I bought a 2010 Jetta Sportwagen TDI. It gets 40 mpg. It’s a tad on the small side and every surface is hard. It’s like driving while seated in a marble mausoleum. Other than that it’s relatively quiet (with Michelins, the Hankooks were LOUD.)
I would never own a GM or Chrysler because of what Obama did to gain control of them. They are dead to me.
Having said that, it’s unlikely I’ll ever buy a new car again because of the legacy cost. The amount of value you lose on signing is due to the retirement and medical costs of the people who are no longer working for the manufacturer but still on the payroll. (Communism.)
I have a Mustang and a Lincoln. I also have a Mitsubishi Gallant as my beater car, “from the people that brought you Perl Harbor”...
2010 Ford Focus
2007 Nissan Titan
1969 VW Beetle Convertible
One American - assembled in Michigan
One Japanese - built in Mississippi
One German - with enough replacement parts from the US, Mexico, Brazil, China, etc. to be considered a world car
In the past, I’ve had GM cars and trucks (from a 70 Buick to an 04 Chevy), one other Ford (76 Granada), A Dodge Dakota, a Mitsubishi-built Dodge Colt, 4 other VW’s (including a pos Mexican-built New Beetle), and the biggest lemon, a 74 Triumph Spitfire.
Chevy 1 ton 15 passenger van. I hate chevy especially since the bailout but with ten children still at home I don’t have a lot of options.
Unfortunately four cars right now,
2009 Toyota minivan safe and reliable
2001 Dodge 1500 pickup
2004 VW Golf for our 17 yr old
1987 Porsche 944S, for fun
A couple of Hondas built in Ohio.
Name one car that doesn’t have a large percentage of imported parts. I’d say that the line between “import” and “domestic” is pretty blurry or maybe nonexistent.
“what do you think of my ideas on cars...the best American cars architecturally came out from 1970 to 1974.”
I disagree.
2012 Ford Fiesta, made in Mexico. Rated at maybe 38-39 MPG highway, but driving a 5-speed manual and being careful, I can get 45 MPG with regularity. No hybrid, either.
You sound like a MOPAR fan trying to get sympathy and justify your poor choices ;-).
Consequently, you may have started a gear-head war.
Cletus drives GM and a “hybrid” (Geo Tracker)
I made the mistake of thinking that as long as something had one of the big 3 Japanese brand names on it, it was high quality. Mistake!! I am now the regretful owner of a 2004 Nissan Frontier and it is a total pile of junk. Average 17mpg(worst of any small truck in it’s class), very undeerpowered for v6, must replace serpentine belt on front of motor every 30K miles(half the interval time of most vehicles) cooling system issues that while hasn’t let me down, results in significant repair bill every other year. It’s geared way too low for highway use. RPMs are 3K on the tach at 70mph(too much for v6). I had a 4x4 Ford Ranger with 5 speed that didn’t run that high rpms and did much better on fuel mileage. Frame is rusting on it. I have to drive it atleast 3 more years, then I’m going back to Honda and not looking back or sideways(GM,Ford,Dodge) for that matter.
2013 Ford Lariat
2013 Ford Focus LE
1994 Toyota pickup with 74,000 original miles on it.
Before that, a 1990 Honda Accord. I learned to drive on a '71 AMC Javelin (my Dad's car) that looked a lot like this.
2005 Chrysler 300C, mint condition and low mileage.