Question for those who swore to never buy another American made Car

[jsharmon7]

I have always heard (prior to this recall) that Toyota was best-built car you could buy for the money. The few people who I knew that owned Toyotas never seemed to have issues with them either. That said, I have owned two Chevys and they have been great. My 1989 Corsica would leave most cars in the dust until the fuel injectors quit a few years ago at 147,000 miles; you could also bury it in a snow drift and it would fire right up and run like a champ. My current Silverado has also been a tank, even after a drunk driver tried to kill it. Based on my experience, I think Chevy trucks are the way to go from here on out.

 

[rhart]

More media hype

I happen to drive a ford truck but would have prefered a Toyota, it was just more money. I go out of my way to NOT sponsor to Obama lovin, democrat *** sucking, corrupt Union whenever I can

 

[XMil]

I swore off American cars 20 years ago*. I think they are junk.

I wouldn't hesitate to buy a Toyota. The problems are probably being blown out of proportion by the Gov to bolster the car companies they own. I currently drive a Subaru (which is made here in Indiana), and a 20 year old Toyota truck that I bought new.




*I did buy a '02 Mustang a several years ago, but I replaced nearly everything with after market parts that weren't crap.

 

[bwframe]

I'll be taking a close look at the F150 equivalents (Tundra? Ridgeline?) when the time comes, Toby Keith notwithstanding.

Might want to research before you buy. Toyota's truck frame rust recall has been overshadowed by the small car break recall.

 

[Griffeycom]

@ OP , You mentioned Honda having recalls/problems? I have not seen them, please post them.

@Fletch, Ridgeline is a good vehicle my uncle has one and loves it, but even as a Honda fan, I'd choose a Tundra for a "real truck" especially if you need a V8 (Honda does not make V8...yet)

I absolutely love my Honda, excellent quality, reliable, holds value and surprisingly cheap maintenance costs. My next car purchase, will be an Acura (honda). GM will never get my business, Ford would be possible, but definitely not GM.

 

[Fletch]

Might want to research before you buy. Toyota's truck frame rust recall has been overshadowed by the small car break recall.

I don't buy anything these days without Consumer Reports as part of my arsenal of information, and I certainly wouldn't get into it if there were a serious problem. I'm also aware that the recalls and problems vary from model year to model year.

My main point is that it'll be an F150 or a functionally equivalent (for me) Honda or Toyota model. Dodge and GMC aren't even in the running. I love my current Sierra, but I'm not rewarding the government for trying to control the market.

 

[Hoosier Gun Coat]

I will buy a horse and ride it to work before I buy a government motors vehicle.

 

[hoosiertriangle]

Here is the link: Statement by American Honda Motor Co., Inc., Regarding Expansion of Driver's Airbag Inflator Recall - Honda.com

@ OP , You mentioned Honda having recalls/problems? I have not seen them, please post them.

@Fletch, Ridgeline is a good vehicle my uncle has one and loves it, but even as a Honda fan, I'd choose a Tundra for a "real truck" especially if you need a V8 (Honda does not make V8...yet)

I absolutely love my Honda, excellent quality, reliable, holds value and surprisingly cheap maintenance costs. My next car purchase, will be an Acura (honda). GM will never get my business, Ford would be possible, but definitely not GM.

 

[Kirk Freeman]

Big fan of Japanese vehicles. Other than changing oil and new tires my Mitsu SUV had no issues with 265K on the clock. I was very happy as the machine ran like a sewing machine.

I am very happy with its Toyota replacement.

I remain convinced that the Obama administration is helping fan the flames with the minor problems Toyota has had. (Anyone else remember the Audi "sudden acceleration" problems? It was American drivers putting their clodhopper shoes on the wrong pedal and were not used to European control standards). I suspect driver error being blamed on design.

If I were Mr. Toyoda I would tell fed.gov to stop immediately or I close every single Toyota factory, fire all American employees and then dynamite the buildings.

 

[amboran]

Ford has been a good brand for me.
My used 98 Taurus now has 147k miles-cam sensor has been only problem-$70 to fix,95 F150(bought new)now has 150k miles-has Never been in shop-still has original clutch and still use it to haul my classic car on trailer. 07 Focus(bought new)52k miles-so far trouble free(and great gas mileage).
I do my own maintenance,use synthetic oil,buy manual trans.exclusively(if I have a choice-wish Taurus was available with man.) and wash and wax on a regular basis(my vehicles haven't had any salt corrosion issues).
IMHO -too many drivers don't see their ride as anything other than an "appliance" and then ***** when it doesn't offer bulletproof performance.
No bailout $$'s for Ford further earned my respect.YMMV

 

[snapping turtle]

Here is my pre goverment take over van from GM.

It has a dent on every side, the tire in the picture is the spare. I have driven it since it had 15 k miles and for a work truck has never left me stranded or late do to mech issues.

It now has 265k not bad. I had to do a little electrical work (coil distributer cap ect) lately as It did not want to start if it was wet, Regular 5k oil changes and coolant every fall. Gm does not make the astro any more which I think was a mistake. The astro cargo is a nice hunting rig also.

GM cars normally suck. I like the VW's. Good old germany engineering. Wife needs a new one when the economy picks up. I think the golf/GTI is next in line. Maybe a Turbo diesel. If I could afford it the Gm car I would get is the new camaro SS.

 

[Cam]

I was a technician in several GM dealerships before realizing that a person has to work way too hard to make money as a technician (plus I got real tired of the tool trucks)

There were, and I'm sure still are, recalls on GM vehicles CONSTANTLY. And they didn't make the news. I firmly believe that our democratic media is making a mockery of a good auto maker to benefit the two companies we unwillingly now own. I find it sad that they are willing to do this to a manufacturer who employs thousands (right here in Indiana too) of workers. If it keeps up, you will see them pack up and leave. What will be said about them at that point? Oh, that's right! The rise in jobless Americans will be THEIR fault! We are sometimes our own worst enemies.


I swore off the UAW made vehicles after 2 transmissions on a 2001 GMC truck, a transmission on a 2003 Ford Windstar, and my current 2002 F250 that I've had to have the heads pulled and sent to a machine shop to drill out the rusting away exhaust manifold bolts that literally decayed to the point I had only 4 (of 20) that were holding these manifolds on. I've had to replace the ball joints, the rear end had to have clutch packs replaced, and the doors are already rusted through at the bottoms. All of these vehicles were purchased new and not used. My truck has a whopping 72k miles on it with all of this having been done between 38k and now.

The Windstar broke down south of Louisville, KY while on vacation and while sitting on the side of I-65 with my wife and two small kids I called 5 different Ford dealers around the area and NONE of them would help me. The best I got was "It will be a week before we can even look at it". Even after explaining the situation (out of state, on vacation, kids sitting here on the side of a 4 lane interstate, it wasn't even a warranty job but customer pay) the answers were the same. I called the customer service line that is in the owner's manual to talk with someone at Ford and was told that there was nothing they could do if the dealerships were just busy. She did tell me that 'We are very sorry this is happening to you, however'. I ended up having to tow it all the way back home to the dealer I bought it from. That was a $755 tow bill for those playing at home. It was at this point I said, "Never again".

I now own a Toyota Corolla and a Hyundai Sonata in addition to my F250, which will be replaced with a Tundra when the other two are paid off. The Hyundai is one of the nicest and smoothest riding cars I've ever driven and I've driven the best Cadillacs GM made up until 1996 when I left the business.

Sorry for the long rant!

 

[LEaSH]

BOTH of the Fords I had were Taurus's. On one of them, the right front spring broke while it sat in my garage.

Weird. My girlfriend's Saturn coil-over (left front) broke overnight in our garage, too.

I'm so glad it didn't happen out on the open road or freeway.

 

[silentvoice71]

ya and how about bailing gm out and them moving more indiana plants out of country????

 

[TheLoneRaider]

I will only buy Hyundai. My car has never been recalled. 10 year 100,000 mile warranty and parts are not that much.

 

[DHolder]

NEVER, will I buy another GM product!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I have wrenched on cars, trucks, heavy equipment, farm equipment for 30 years, and I have NEVER been lied to, told so much BS from anyone else in my life as GM. The crap they were trying to tell me about problems with my Suburban, were just beyond real, "inherant design flaws" well if thats the way they design them, they can drive them (or not), if they design a turd they should be able to fix it, or REDESIGN the turd they screwed up to begin with.

 

[theweakerbrother]

I would gladly buy a Japanese vehicle... especially a Toyota... if only I could afford it. DOH!

 

[infidel]

I would buy a pre-government owned GM vehicle.

I need a big truck for on the farm. 1 ton, probably a dually, diesel, and a transmission to hold up to it. GM fits that perfectly. I just love the duramax/allison combination. I would not buy a new or used one that the government produced however, due to ethics. I would probably be stuck with a Ford if I got a new/post .gov buyout truck.

Note: so far my 2003 Chevy 2500 8.1L/Allison has 120000 miles on it without any problems.

 

[Bubba]

I've always owned some form of GM vehicle, but never again. The government takeover has only added moral conviction to my "informed consumer" choice. My 2002 Saturn has been buggy from day 1. It's a budget car so I'll cut it a little slack, but I've had multiple issues with its fit and finish.
-The switch to my fog lamps stopped working around year 3. This doesn't prevent my fog lamps from operating, however, as they have about a 10% chance of turning on when I start the car.
-The driver's side mirror stopped working about 6 weeks after I purchased the car. This was the only time I received acceptable service from a GM shop, but required replacement of the entire pod.
-When the temp is below freezing, 1st gear doesn't synchronize until the car has warmed up. I took the car to the dealer's shop 5 times over its first 3 winters and every time was told either my floor mat was blocking the clutch pedal (even after I removed the floor mats) or that they couldn't replicate the problem (because they didn't wait until the car was cold before test driving like I asked). It still does it to this day and it's pretty embarrassing to be "that guy" grinding his gears at an intersection.
-It's a tiny detail, but the auto-rolldown of the driver's window stopped working at year 2. The windows work fine manually. The shop's answer without even looking at the car? "Sometimes you have to push pretty hard."
-My biggest problem was when the engine quit on Christmas day, year 4, in BFE, central Illinois. The closest dealer was 120 miles from my home. First, they tried to duck out on the warranty by saying the engine was completely out of oil, and that I must have never changed or added oil since it was purchased. After I informed them I had topped up the oil a week previous and told them I would be happy to fax the receipt, they admitted that one of the pistons had cracked, and that it wasn't the first time this problem had been observed. Then they were waiting for parts. After 4 weeks in the shop I threatened to complain to their local CoC and the BBB if they didn't fix the car or give me a rental. Mysteriously, 3 days after I picked up the rental car, mine was done. I will never own another GM product even if they kick .gov out and return all the money plus interest. I don't think the cars are of particularly bad quality, but I loathe the thought of ever being forced to deal with GM warranty service.

I respect Ford trucks but have never liked the feel of their controls. I am exclusively looking at foreign makes for my next car, and Toyota is still on the wishlist.

 

[Ogre]

It's a bit ironic that the Japanese mfg.'s didn't start having these problems until they started building their vehicles here...