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

[hornadylnl]

For the I would buy anything from government owned company. I pose this question; aren't they all government owned on some say or another. All of them get tax abatement's for building plants, they get workforce grants for training, and so on. IMHO they all take OUR money.

no, they are just keeping more of their money. Abatements and grants don't hold a candle to the taxes they pay.

 

[BloodEclipse]

Personally I own GM vehicles. Seeing how I have worked for GM for the last 16 years that would seem to make sense.
I have owned many vehicles.
Chevy Caprice
Olds Cutlass
3 Chevy Citations (2 X11s)
2 Chevy Malibus
Pontiac Fiero GT
Pontiac Grand Prix GT
Olds Achieva
Olds Alero
Chevy Extended cab 4x4
Geo Storm
Chevy Corsica
3 VW Hatchbacks
VW Rabbit GTI
VW Golf GTI
Ford Pinto
2 Pontiac Azteks
Pontiac Vibe
Chevy HHR

I'm probably missing a couple but that is off the top of my head.
Of these cars the only real junk one was the Storm.
The one that required the most maintenance was the VW Rabbit GTI.
None left me stranded.
The only one I would not have bought again was the Storm.
To me I think quality is a perception thing. I talked to many VW owners who just loved them and ranted about how dependable they were. However almost everyone of them had the same problems I had. I would not talk negative about the VW. I would mention the problems I had and they would say "Yeah I had that too".
For years the big three were not the sexy cars, it wasn't chic to own a domestic. During the 70's they did cause many of their own problems.

Today however we make world class vehicles and just within the last few years, the media has started to acknowledge it.
I understand the sentiment about not buying a "Government Motors" vehicle.
I was outraged when we took the first Government dollar.

So does that sentiment change if GM successfully pays back what it owes?
Does GM become an acceptable option once the Government is no longer involved?
I'm just trying to gauge what others are thinking.
Thanks for all the comments so far.

 

[mk2ja]

Today however we make world class vehicles and just within the last few years, the media has started to acknowledge it.
I understand the sentiment about not buying a "Government Motors" vehicle.
I was outraged when we took the first Government dollar.

So does that sentiment change if GM successfully pays back what it owes?
Does GM become an acceptable option once the Government is no longer involved?
I'm just trying to gauge what others are thinking.
Thanks for all the comments so far.

I agree that it really looks like GM is doing a good job at improving their products.
But my personal decision is that I won't buy a "Government Motors" vehicle, no matter how much I reeallly want a new Camaro. It's a tough situation, though: how can GM earn money and repay its debt if nobody wants to buy a .gov vehicle? I'm really glad that Ford was able to hold out and not take bailout funds. I'm even more glad to see they finally turned a profit. I think that's a good sign for all American automakers.
Yeah, if GM manages to pay back its debt, I'd be glad to put their models back on my list of possibilities.

 

[Fletch]

I understand the sentiment about not buying a "Government Motors" vehicle.
I was outraged when we took the first Government dollar.

So does that sentiment change if GM successfully pays back what it owes?
Does GM become an acceptable option once the Government is no longer involved?

I would certainly consider it, yes.

 

[Jstier]

I don't understand all the anti bailout feeling. Personally I would buy from GM. I could list reason after reason but it all comes down to one.

I want them to be able to pay US back.

 

[Fletch]

I don't understand all the anti bailout feeling. Personally I would buy from GM. I could list reason after reason but it all comes down to one.

I want them to be able to pay US back.

Loan Shark Larry steals from you to get the money to make a strong-arm loan to George. George tries to sell you his products so he can pay Larry back. Larry has no intention of EVER giving back your stolen money. So how does doing business with George get your money repaid?

 

[Joe Williams]

snip
So does that sentiment change if GM successfully pays back what it owes?
Does GM become an acceptable option once the Government is no longer involved?
I'm just trying to gauge what others are thinking.
Thanks for all the comments so far.

By "paying back," are you also including the share holders that had their stocks stolen from them, rendered worthless, and the value given instead to UAW?

It's not just the government that needs paid back before GM is halfway back to right, it's the citizens who had their savings and property nationalized and "redistributed."

Until that happens, I personally see no difference between GM and any of the companies owned by Hugo Chavez.

Sorry.

 

[snapping turtle]

The one that required the most maintenance was the VW Rabbit GTI.
I talked to many VW owners who just loved them and ranted about how dependable they were. However almost everyone of them had the same problems I had. I would not talk negative about the VW. I would mention the problems I had and they would say "Yeah I had that too".

I try to rely on my local car guy. Has a lift and does good work on most cars.

The vw jetta I had completely confused him. Anti-freeze was special non detergent parts not available locally in the sticks. He had a US car experience and would not open up to the euro car. I bought a book from a VW nut and did things my self. It did cost me a set of good metric wrenches and such but up need that for any car now days. I sold the jetta at 150K but the guy who bought it had a drunk driver hit him 3 days after he bought it. I think it would have goten 250k easy.

 

[BloodEclipse]

I try to rely on my local car guy. Has a lift and does good work on most cars.

The vw jetta I had completely confused him. Anti-freeze was special non detergent parts not available locally in the sticks. He had a US car experience and would not open up to the euro car. I bought a book from a VW nut and did things my self. It did cost me a set of good metric wrenches and such but up need that for any car now days. I sold the jetta at 150K but the guy who bought it had a drunk driver hit him 3 days after he bought it. I think it would have goten 250k easy.

I use to do all my own work on the Rabbit GTI... until we moved to Massachusetts and I found a guy who only worked on VWs and he was cheap.
They are a fairly easy car to work on.

 

[snapping turtle]

The amount of VW sold in Indiana would make an all VW person a bit limited in scope. Two many ford and GM workers (used to be) with the discounts to have made the VW popular. Growing up the only people that drove VW were hippies, They just drove them till they broke and sold the hull for a bag of weed. Some local bought the bug fixed it and sold it back to the hippie at a profit. Try finding a vw for parts in a junk yard in Indiana. Not an easy task.

 

[hornadylnl]

I know a Chrysler worker who drives a Chevy truck and a VW car. I asked him where his Dodge truck was and he said he's tired of working on them. I guess someone at work was giving him lip about his VW and he told them that he wanted a car that would last.

 

[Bosshoss]

I know a Chrysler worker who drives a Chevy truck and a VW car. I asked him where his Dodge truck was and he said he's tired of working on them. I guess someone at work was giving him lip about his VW and he told them that he wanted a car that would last.

I wonder if he will "get it" when(if) Chrysler goes out of business? At least he will have a good car that will get him to the employment office.
Or will he be pissed and complain about how the company was run into the ground by a bunch of stupid managers? (maybe true but if he didn't do his part to keep the company in business he should STFU).

 

[Cam]

Wow, all this Ford bashing... I've owned Fords all my life. I can honestly say I've never had a single issue out of any we've had. Our 89 Ranger was bought new in early 90 and we used it for scouts. We had put 150K miles on it and it didn't have one single issue beyond normal maintenance. I got it as my first vehicle at 15 and drove it for another 2 years and put another 50K on it before it was totaled by an old woman who ran a red. In that time frame, it never gave us any grief and never let us down. Every ford we've owned have had similar stories.

I have to question some people who bash Fords. I've known people who do that but in turn, don't take a bit of care for their cars, yet every car they own they call a POS.

Ford might not be 100% American made, but it is made here, parts are made here, the Company's HQ is here, and it's roots are 100% American. I'll never own anything other than a Ford from now on unless it's a really nice older muscle car or vintage truck. (GM, Chrysler, Studebaker, etc) Also, I will not be buying a hybrid or full electric vehicle until they can make them self sufficient AND safe. If I wanted to ride around in a death-trap tin can for a car, I'd buy one of them smart cars or a Kia, or something stupid.

I don't care how many MPG's you get in them stupid little foreign cars, if you hit my F150 head on, I'm still walking away while you're getting wheeled away.

Guess you're just lucky. What about those of us who DO maintain our vehicles?

I know this won't be taken for what I'm saying, but have you looked at the safety features on those "stupid" Kia cars? My wife's Hyundai has 6 airbags standard. You won't typically start seeing that until you get into the upper end vehicles in many manufacturers. My Ford F250 sure doesn't have this. I see crashes nearly every day and I can assure you that our Ford trucks are NOT the Sherman tanks we feel like they are. Pickup truck drivers leave the scene of a crash via helicopter every bit as much as any other car.

I sure don't mind being questioned, but can assure you I'm not just being fanatical about my stance. I want NOTHING more than to be able feel good about buying Ford or Chevrolet again. But as someone mentioned earlier, they "don't buy new ones because it's a bad investment". They are exactly right and I've gotta wonder why... Ever price a used Honda?

I'm not an advocate for "not buying American", in fact, quite the opposite. But at some point I have to do what's best for my family, myself, and my wallet.

 

[SavageEagle]

Oh I'm not saying that trucks, especially newer ones, are completely safe. However, my chances are better in a truck than a honda civic. Also, I can work on my truck pretty easily. You can not say that about today's cars. In my RamCharger, I can get in the engine compartment and sit and work on the truck. If someone were to shut the hood, I'd be fine. You can't do that with today's cars and trucks.

It's funny you should mention airbags as a God-send-type safety feature. I've known people, including myself, who would have been better off without them. I know that's not the standard, but even safety features backfire.

I would much rather drive a vehicle with a full steel body that I can work on and that is big enough that getting t-boned at 30mph isn't going to end my life.

 

[hornadylnl]

I wonder if he will "get it" when(if) Chrysler goes out of business? At least he will have a good car that will get him to the employment office.
Or will he be pissed and complain about how the company was run into the ground by a bunch of stupid managers? (maybe true but if he didn't do his part to keep the company in business he should STFU).

So he should pay the same money for a lesser quality vehicle that eats him alive on maintenance costs just because he works there?

 

[lovemachine]

Buy a Jeep Wrangler. Their tanks. Can take anything you throw at them. I have an '05 with a 4 inch lift kit, running 33x12.5 on them. And I offroad at the badlands all the time. Had a headon collision 3 years ago, and its still running awesome. Can't go wrong with a jeep

 

[Ogre]

Oh I'm not saying that trucks, especially newer ones, are completely safe. However, my chances are better in a truck than a honda civic. Also, I can work on my truck pretty easily. You can not say that about today's cars. In my RamCharger, I can get in the engine compartment and sit and work on the truck. If someone were to shut the hood, I'd be fine. You can't do that with today's cars and trucks.

It's funny you should mention airbags as a God-send-type safety feature. I've known people, including myself, who would have been better off without them. I know that's not the standard, but even safety features backfire.

I would much rather drive a vehicle with a full steel body that I can work on and that is big enough that getting t-boned at 30mph isn't going to end my life.

I hold the same opinion, unfortuantely those are the same vehicles that get 5mpg...

 

[Cam]

Oh I'm not saying that trucks, especially newer ones, are completely safe. However, my chances are better in a truck than a honda civic. Also, I can work on my truck pretty easily. You can not say that about today's cars. In my RamCharger, I can get in the engine compartment and sit and work on the truck. If someone were to shut the hood, I'd be fine. You can't do that with today's cars and trucks.

It's funny you should mention airbags as a God-send-type safety feature. I've known people, including myself, who would have been better off without them. I know that's not the standard, but even safety features backfire.

I would much rather drive a vehicle with a full steel body that I can work on and that is big enough that getting t-boned at 30mph isn't going to end my life.

I can't agree on the airbags, but I'm with ya on the rest of it! As I mentioned earlier in this thread, I used to work on them (GM stuff) for a living and things have changed soooo much I can't do it much anymore. Very frustrating to pay someone to work on my car!

 

[Cam]

Buy a Jeep Wrangler. Their tanks. Can take anything you throw at them. I have an '05 with a 4 inch lift kit, running 33x12.5 on them. And I offroad at the badlands all the time. Had a headon collision 3 years ago, and its still running awesome. Can't go wrong with a jeep

My wife had a 1996 Cherokee Sport. GREAT vehicle. I'd buy another one of those without hesitation!

 

[mk2ja]

Buy a Jeep Wrangler. Their tanks. Can take anything you throw at them. I have an '05 with a 4 inch lift kit, running 33x12.5 on them. And I offroad at the badlands all the time. Had a headon collision 3 years ago, and its still running awesome. Can't go wrong with a jeep

I've *always* wanted Jeep Wrangler. Someday...