Will your next car purchase be from one of the "Big Three?"

[ecstatic]

The American cars I like are very expensive and/or gas guzzlers (the escalade, CTS, mustang, etc.). Then again, I feel uncomfortable knowing that if I buy another foreign car, I will be assisting in the ultimate demise of the UAW.

[IndianaJones]

1. yes. always has been. except for the one foreign piece of crap.nt

[polichick]

2. Well, I'd like to buy American but I like the Prius best so far - and I can't buy...

...that either because I'm boycotting Japanese products until they stop killing whales and dolphins.

[ecstatic]

4. I didn't know about that. Wow! nt

[polichick]

8. Maybe Detroit will build a car like the Prius and make it easy for me. :)

[Kalyke]

22. You LIKE that ugly piece of recallable crap?

Why?


Seriouly. I came across as rude, but they are ugly and they are recalled far more than any other car. So, I semi-apologize for the bluntness, but what's so special about them? They're tiny. They're ugly and they cost a full $10,000 more than other cars that get nearly the same mileage.

Just wondering. :hi:

[ecstatic]

25. LOL nt

[polichick]

41. I rented one on a recent trip and got 65 mpg - plus it was fun to drive...

...comfortable for me and my passengers, had good storage space ~ and I like the design.

[Honeycombe8]

44. What other comparable small car gets similar gas mileage? I'm lookin', so tips are 'preciated. nt

[Honeycombe8]

45. I think the Prius is cool looking. Hummers are ugly. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. nt

[Alexander]

92. You repeated "ugly" three times. Got any better reasons to trash the Prius?

Let me know what else can get 65 mpg, and I'll consider buying that.

[Nipper1959]

72. 2nd that!

[hulklogan]

3. I'd love to have one of those new Ford Fusion hybrids, but alas $27,000 is way too much for me.

I can't afford a new car now, but when I'm shopping for something new I'll definitely consider a Ford.

[Kalyke]

23. Take heart - the Fusion is still $5,000 less than the Prius.

And prettier!

[ecstatic]

30. OK. I'm beginning to think you have something against teh Prius

[hulklogan]

31. A Prius is actually cheaper than a Fusion hybrid.

But I can't fit my extra long legs in a Prius, as I found out after a long road trip in a friends Prius. Ouch!

[Name removed]

5. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[PeaceNikki]

7. You do know Ford needs no bailout, don't you?

[firedupdem]

9. such a lame attempt....what a troll...whats the matter bored?

[ecstatic]

10. It's not the UAW "idiots" who have bankrupted the automakers

It's 1) The big 3 not having a very diverse set of vehicles and 2) The American people flocking to foreign cars.

Welcome to DU! :hi:

[Kalyke]

26. Nice try to you, too, Truth!!

It's neither.

It's the Big 3 not having universal health care and subsidized R&D and tax off-sets and the American people flocking to trucks and SUVs.


Sorry - wrong on your accounts. :hi:


(Read November's car sales numbers. The Prius tanks, the F-Series kicks it's round butt.)

P.S. You laughed at my Prius joke, so you can't be all bad. ;)

[boppers]

6. I will not assist in the Big Three beating up the UAW.

Are the UAW forbidden from organizing in the other US plants?

[ecstatic]

11. I think the other plants are in the right to work red states

No unions :(

[boppers]

16. I was born/raised in a right to work state. (AZ)

IIRC, Unions are totally allowed, and exist, and went on strike, just not required membership for all workers.

Are some of the "right to work" states forbidding union membership, or is it a matter of the union's benefits being outweighed by not joining, in the eyes of the workers?

[LuckyTheDog]

12. Of course!

The U.S. needs a strong, UNIONIZED auto industry. And the Big 3 are putting out fome great cars.

[DesertFlower]

13. no. everytime we've bought american cars,

we got screwed. even hubby's corvette spent more time in the shop than on the road. i drive a mazda miata. hubby drives a porsche and we have a 2001 toyota tundra.

sorry if i'm un-american, but we work hard for our money and want cars that last.

[Kalyke]

27. Pssst... Ford owns Mazda. n/t

[DesertFlower]

39. i just checked. looks like they own

33%. these days you don't know where you car or the parts are made. i know the toyota camary is made here.

[ieoeja]

51. Your Toyota Tundra is 99% American.

They lured American designers away from the Big 3 to design what is to date the only successful Japanese truck model.

So you could have bought an American truck and gotten pretty much the same thing. As already stated, the Japanese have failed miserably at truck design. Just not part of their emphasis, I guess.

[DesertFlower]

65. whatever. it's a great truck.

the tacoma is great too.

[Muttocracy]

14. I never buy new - how much of a difference does it make what used car I buy?

I guess if people buy foreign used cars more, it increases the value of new foreign cars?

[moriah]

34. I dunno, I am with you though, no point at all in buying a new car.

I bought my most recent car, a Honda Accord, at a little less than 60k miles and $4k under Blue Book. Paid much less than I would have for a new car foreign or domestic.

[tabbycat31]

15. my next car will be a Subaru Impreza

the car I've had my eyes on for about 3 years now. I almost bought one last year but I'm glad I did not because I lost my job 6 months later.

I had a Ford, and it was fun to drive, but it did not last. I'm not a "lease a new car every 3 years" type and drive the car from the lot into the ground. When the big 3 come out with a compact car that has a long-term reputation of lasting 200K+ miles (their trucks have this reputation) then I will consider them again.

[MannyGoldstein]

17. We Have A Ford Focus - It's Been Great

For 20 years prior we had only Japanese and German cars. Rented a Focus in Tuscany and was very impressed by power and handling, quite nimble. So we purchased a Focus wagon as our second car - it's been reliable and comfortable, with very reasonable performance and mileage.

I would definitely consider a Ford again.

[flvegan]

18. Potentially, yes.

See, I don't buy cars brand new. Never have. HOWEVER, were I to find myself in a year or so, flush with small Lotto winnings (under $5 million) I might see my way to a brand new Corvette ZR1. It's a brilliant car that Chevy should be proud of.

Now, if we're talking gun-to-my-head time and I had to buy brand new, I'd consider the HHR SS. Turbocharge that Saturn Astra, and I'd buy that, too. Otherwise, I'm just going to buy another Mazdaspeed3.

[Divine Discontent]

81. did you just say -

"were I to find myself in a year or so, flush with small Lotto winnings (under $5 million)"

is SMALL lotto winnings? haha..

Merry Christmas (hope we both hit 5 mil!)

[flvegan]

89. Well, small as opposed to

a BIG Lotto winning of $50 million, in which case I'm buying a Ferrari F430. It's about levels of insanity.

I hope we both hit 5 mil too (to be honest, I'd be okay with 1).

[Solon]

19. I drive a late 80s Buick, and my next car won't be new either, can't afford it. n/t

[Kalyke]

29. Oh, but according to the ToyHonNissanaDers, your car would have been on blocks!

It's 80s. It's American... and


....



....


it's still running (I don't know how well, but it is).

Merry Christmas, Solon! Happy Hanukkah. Happy whatever-you-celebrate-even-if-it's-just-time-off.

You are my best post of the day!

:hug:

[Solon]

36. Well, you'll probably hate me for this post, but the car is Canadian...

that's what the sticker on the door says, anyways. But close enough. :P

[Tarheel_Dem]

20. Absolutely yes. Sorry to say that wasn't the case before all the hoopla.

I was looking at the new Honda Accord, or the Nissan Maxima. I'm now looking at the Cadillac CTS, or the Buick Lucerne. My Pontiac Bonneville is 11 yrs. old, with 150k miles, and still going. So, I think I'll stick with "Made in America".

[Kalyke]

21. Always has been - why would it change?

Foreign cars are crap.

Yeah, yeah - throw Consumer Reports at me. I don't care. Everyone I know who has one has it in the shop far more than my Fords. I go by what's around me (doesn't everybody?).

[DesertFlower]

40. i beg to differ.

we've owned a few toyotas and they are great. i bought my 97 corolla in 97 with 14,000 miles on it. paid $12,000. i drove it for 7 years and sold it for $4500. the young lady i sold it to had mechanic check it out. he said "you're getting a great car". i'm sure it's still on the road. hubby still has his 2001 toyota tundra.

my ford mustang was 2 years old with low mileage. i was driving on the LIE when the exhaust system fell out. it was literally dragging on the ground.

[greguganus]

42. '94 Geo Prism (Made by Toyota, sold by GM) 268,000 miles and no problems

...except for a deer that side-swiped me, and I replaced the quarter panel. My other 2 vehicles are a 2000 Chevy Silverado (130,000 miles) and a 98 Cadillac Seville STS (123,000 miles). Both have given me problems.

[SoxFan]

71. Foregn cars are crap?

Yeah, right.

Worst POS I ever owned was a Chrysler. The damn thing chewed up CV joints like bubblegum, and burned oil constantly.

I've owned a Honda and a Nissan, and both were very solid, reliable cars that got very good mileage.

[Egnever]

24. Depends on what they build by the time i am ready for a new one.

Also on how firmly they stand behind it.

[davidpdx]

28. I am currently living outside the US and don't drive

and won't be buying a car (if I can help it) with the way they drive here (you'd have to be nuts to drive). I have owned an American car (Dodge Neon) and it was a good little car that gave me no problems whatsoever.

The only problem is, as they became more popular, the price of the car went up.

[KitchenWitch]

32. I have only owned one foreign car in my life.

I will buy either another Chrysler or another Ford. I have had bad luck with GM products.

[bulloney]

96. Bad luck or bad cars, KitchenWitch?

I've owned five GMs in my life and I've had major repairs with every one of them. I take care of my cars, service them and use preventive maintenance, but we've had four of those five vehicles require tearing the engine and/or transmission apart for repairs. The other had a defective EGR valve that the dealership refused to replace even though it was still under warranty. I ended up getting it diagnosed at another shop and had it replaced there.

I didn't want to buy my fifth GM, but my brother in law works for a GM plant and practically begged me to buy a Chevy Venture minivan through his employee discount. I reluctantly agreed. After only 80,000 miles, the transmission had to be taken apart and repaired at a cost of over $5000. less than 20,000 miles later, I see oil has been dripping on my garage floor. If we fix this, I'm sure it will be another repair in the thousands.

Until I see evidence that GM isn't cranking out shit that falls apart prematurely, then I'll consider buying Chrysler, Ford or foreign-based makes of vehicles. When you're investing $20-30,000 in a vehicle, don't beat on them and properly maintain this investment, they should not be costing you thousands of dollars in repairs.

Just my 2 cents worth.

[moriah]

33. I'm a pretty satisfied Honda customer.

Have a Civic and an Accord.

The Civic has over 220k miles and drives like a dream, we only bought the Accord because we needed two cars.

Oh, I never buy new cars either, bought both the Accord and the Civic used at about 60k miles each.

[floridablue]

35. Pontiac for sure.

[tammywammy]

37. I believe Pontiac is one of the brands GM is getting rid of n/t

[blue_onyx]

77. No, it will become a "niche" brand

That probably mean they'll will continue to take their Holden designs and slap on a Pontiac logo. They'll probably only keep a few modela (maybe 3). This will allow GM to keep the brand around but not put a lot of investment into the brand since it isn't considered a "core brand."

[tammywammy]

38. Probably a Volkswagen, since I work at a VW dealership n/t

[Condem]

43. Drive a big ,old (99) Buick LeSabre

30 MPG on the highway. With that 3.8 engine, the best car, by far, I've ever owned. Had Hondas and Toyotas, BTW.

[Honeycombe8]

46. I'll be buying this yr or next. So far, the Big 3 don't make what I want, which is....

I'll be looking for a smallish vehicle with a cargo area (doesn't have to be really large cargo area, but not a traditional trunk).

Car must get as close to 30 mpg CITY (not highway). I may not be able to get 30 mpg, but I want to get as close to it as I can. Hwy mpg doesn't matter much to me, since almost all my miles are start and stop city driving.

I would like a couple of extra inches height from bottom of car to road, to make sure I don't hit bottom when going over bumps and dips (something that used to happen in my Honda Accord Hatchback years ago, but it may have sat kinda low).

A record of reliability of both the manufacturer and that vehicle. I'm open as to HOW reliable. But it has to score in the top 25%, I'd say. I'm single and it is difficult for me to take my car to the shop for repairs. I'm better off paying more for a car, if it gets me fewer trips to the repair shop years down the road.

I don't care much what it looks like. I don't fall in love with vehicles. I just require that it comes in white (I always buy white cars), and that the interior isn't totally ugly to me and will wear well (I have dogs).

I'm thinking a small SUV or short wagon, or maybe a hatchback if the cargo area is large enuf and easy to put stuff in and take out.

I've been researching on the Internets, and so far there I've found the Prius, the Honda Fit....and I think that's it. Ford Escape SUV has a hybrid, but I haven't researched the mileage it gets or the reliability. Hybrids may be very expensive to repair, and Ford used to have a reliability issue with its cars.

I currently have a Subaru Forester. I had no idea I was buying such a quality vehicle, when I got it. Here it is 11 years later, and you can barely hear the engine hum when stopped at a traffic light. But the body is pretty banged up....it's getting embarrassing to be seen in it, and I want to get a new car before I get hit with a big repair. The Forester, unfortunately, hasn't gotten any better on mpg in the 11 years since I bought it. It got about 19-20 mpg CITY (28 mpg hwy). It now supposedly gets 20-22 mpg city. Not good enuf.

[ecstatic]

56. I wish I could think of something, but I can't

I know someone with a car like that but it's foreign--a Suzuki Aerio?

[flvegan]

70. There's the new Saturn Astra.

Pretty brilliant, inexpensive hatch. Saw one in black on the road the other day.

[Honeycombe8]

83. I'll ck. that out. But word is that GM may get rid of the Saturn line.

So I don't know what that would mean for the warranties and those who own Saturns, or what.

[all.of.me]

79. I have a Ford Escape Hybrid.

Great mileage. Over the summer, I was getting 34.9 mpg in town - no a/c. It would go down to 32+ on the highway. Now that winter is here, I start it in the morning to warm it up, and the 4WD has kicked in a few times. The mpg is down to 30.5. That's in town and a huge improvement over my old 91 4Runner at 20 mpg in summer. I never even checked it once winter started......

I bought it last spring when gas was going up 10 cents every few days. I caved when it hit $3.85. I figured my car payment was about the cost of gas in the 4Runner. Even though gas is now 1.44, I don't care. I am in electric mode all through town giving off NO emissions, which I think is awesome!

Hope that helps! I have no complaints about this car! Plenty roomy for 5 people and stuff in the way back. Got a roof rack, too.

[Honeycombe8]

82. Wow! Very interesting! Thanks. I'm definitely going to test drive one of those.

This gives me hope that I could maybe buy from the Big 3 and STILL meet my goals.

I always find that people on DU know the MOSTEST!

[all.of.me]

84. You're welcome!

I think DU is one of the best reference libraries around! ;)

Good luck with your car shopping. After I reread your first post, I wanted to add that I needed the clearance, too, and the Escape gave me that. That's also why I couldn't even *consider* a Prius, even though I've been driving Toyotas since 1976. The Highlander also did not have the gas mileage of the Escape, and it was a lot more money. It wasn't as comfortable, either. I'd rented one just before that.

[TreasonousBastard]

104. Ford's reliability issues are past history, and...

the Escape is also known as the Mazda Tribute

there's also:

Nissan Versa (my personal favorite of the lot)

Chevy HHR (comes in a panel truck version, too)

Toyota Matrix/Pontiac Vibe twins

Toyota Yaris and its Scion twin (and some other Scions)

Dodge Caliber (but only if you can get the lifetime warranty)

[WeDidIt]

47. IT all depends on how it goes

I'll be interested in purchasing a new car at some point in the next six to twelve months.

I won't buy a car from a company in bankruptcy, so it depends upon how things go.

[high density]

48. I'll see when it's time to buy a new car

I'd seriously consider buying something like the Chevy Malibu, but the base model seems overpriced by about $6k. The fact that the base model comes with a 4 speed auto shows they're still dumping stale technology and old designs into these cars.

[8 track mind]

49. Yes sort of......

My neighbor down the street has a 1978 Chevy van going to waste. Im going to see if i can pick it up for $500. It runs and drives and it's in good cosmetic condition. I have a fuel injection system and a overdrive transmission that i want to put on it from a 1992 chevy truck.

I did a similar conversion on my college vehicle, a 1972 Chevy C-10 Pick Up. It's fully fuel injected with an overdrive automatic. Before the conversion it would get 8MPG, less if you used the A/C. Now it gets 17 MPG and i still haven't finished tuning it yet.

The cool thing about GM's is that you can endlessly tweek on them or mix 'n swap till the cows come home.

Case in point: I have converted my 1995 Chevy van to run on E85. I lost a bit in the fuel economy Dept, but it runs like a scalded dog due to the higher octane rating. I have also noticed my oil is MUCH cleaner as well as my spark plugs compared to running gasoline. All i had to do was bump the fuel pressure up a bit and give it slightly advanced ignition timing (required reprogramming the computer). Can't get away with that on a foriegn car.

[TrogL]

50. I've owned all "big three" cars at one time or another - nothing but trouble

I'll drive my Subaru until the last bit of rust drops off (just like I did my Hyundai) then I'll buy another one.

[mtnsnake]

52. Yes, absolutely

even though I'm not a fan of any bailouts.

I will be trading my Chevy pickup sometime in the next 2 months for another Chevy pickup. When the time comes, my wife and I will consider trading our Subaru Forester for a Chevy Cobalt.

As far as pickup trucks, I love Chevy's product and have had good luck with them over the years. I need a full size pickup for my business, and Toyota's equivalent is way too expensive and even worse on gas than the Chevy. I love my Chevy and want to see them stay in business, and I hope they get their act together on their own.

As far as the Subaru Forester, we love it, but are going to consider "downsizing" to a Chevy Cobalt to save on initial cost and on fuel costs.

[KansDem]

54. I rented a Chevy Cobalt on a trip to San Fransisco earlier this month...

I was quite impressed with it! Good gas mileage and just the right size for me.

I hope to buy another car in a year of two and will seriously consider the Cobalt.

[ecstatic]

55. LOL @ your sig! nt

[mtnsnake]

57. Thanks, I appreciate the feedback on the Cobalt!

Happy Holidays, KansDem :)

[specialed]

53. Nope...

My experiences with owning Ford and GM products have left me firmly on the side of never buying from either of them again.

[roody]

58. Just paid off my 2004 VW Golf TDI.

It only has 32,000 miles on it because I made the decision to live close to where I work. I have to thank GW Bush for my having bought the car. I bought it when he "won" reelection so that I could get off oil. What else could I do? I already had solar electric at home. The car has run on mostly recycled veggie oil biodiesel produced in my town. I expect to be driving it for 15 more years since I ran my 1982 Mercury Lynx for 18 years.

[marimour]

59. nope. They make inferior cars.

[Shiver]

60. I don't have a license

And I'm terrified of driving... :scared:

[ecstatic]

62. That can be overcome

I had a phobia before I started driving. What I came to realize was that my anxiety was based upon the horrible driving of the people I would ride with. It's so much better to be in control yourself, and if you do get your license, you will be a much safer driver than most people on the road. :)

[Shiver]

66. That's what I've been told

I plan to get my license come summer, but it'll probably be a lot longer before I ever get my own car. I'm mostly worried abou my tendency to a) overreact to everything I see on the road just as a passenger and b) fall asleep, no matter how short the trip.

[Rockholm]

61. I would buy a Chevy Volt when/if it comes out.

If GM is still around.

[Dulcinea]

63. Possibly.

I hope Saturn survives. I had a '97 Saturn 2-door that I loved. It ran well, was great on gas, & never gave me any trouble. I traded it in for a Chrysler Town & Country (my current car) when the kids came along. As far as minivans go, it's pretty good, not clunky like so many minivans. Saturn wasn't yet making minivans in 2001, or I might have bought one.

I had a Mustang when I was in my 20s. It was pretty good too, fun to drive.

But I really want a Volvo when I finally need a new vehicle. I want something I can drive for 20 years!

[here_is_to_hope]

91. Volvo...

Our 1987 has 255k and gets 32 on the highway, never a lick of trouble though the interior is getting bad.

Our 1981 has 400K and whiles its no longer a looker, it gets 20 in the city and 29 on the highway.

Both wagons, you can sleep in the back, both will carry 7 people too.

Build that GM, Ford and Chrysler.

[bklyncowgirl]

64. Sure, if one of the big 3 produces an affordable hatchback that gets over 35 miles to the gallon

If they produce a car that meets my needs I'll be happy to take a look at it. Right now I'm driving a Toyota Matrix. I love the Prius but can't afford one.

[blue_onyx]

74. They do have the Pontiac Vibe

which is the exact same car as your Toyota Matrix. GM also has the Saturn Astra, which starts at $16,495 and gets 24/32 mpg (the same mpg rating the Vibe/Matrix have).

[LWolf]

67. Other: I don't know. It depends on the purpose.

It also depends on what is out there when I'm in the market.

I don't expect to look at buying another car for many years, unless it is a used truck, which would be American made.

If I could afford to buy today, I'd buy an American-made full-sized diesel 4wd pick-up, to do the heavy stuff my little 'yota can't do. It wouldn't be for regular transportation, though. Only for hauling firewood, hay, and horses.

I hope that, by the time I can think about another vehicle for general transportation, I have some greener choices.

I need a higher profile and 4wd. I would have been stuck at home, unable to go anywhere for the last 10 days if I didn't have those 2 things to get me out to the highway.

I'd like to see a little Rav-4 or something similar in a hybrid diesel for day to day getting around. Something with a high enough profile that I won't get stuck getting out my 100 yard driveway and down my 2 miles of private and county dirt roads when there is a heavy snow load. Something that is not "all wheel drive," but will switch in and out of 4wd as necessary to save fuel. Something small and economical that will do those things. And, of course, have the same record of reliability that my 'yotas have had over the years: Never leaves you on the side of the road, keep the oil changed, new tires every few years, new brakes, hoses, and belts every 100K miles, will go 300K, and no down time in the shop.

If an American manufacturer will offer me those things, I'll jump on it.

Given the money to do so, of course.

[Vinca]

68. First they've got to make something I want to buy and can afford. nt

[sakabatou]

69. I'm not sure

I might not have the money to buy a new car so it'll be used most likely. And even then it might not be from the Big 3.

[blue_onyx]

73. Whenever I buy a new car it will be...

a Saturn Aura, Vue, or Astra (assuming the brand is still around) or possibly a Chevy Malibu. I might look into the new Fusion Hybrid too.

[Sebastian Doyle]

75. So far, all of my cars have been American

And even most of them don't fit me. You would think that car makers would know by now that half the male population (and even some of the females) are well over 6 ft tall these days.

[Midwestern Democrat]

76. Absolutely - I won't even consider a foreign car. It'll be a while before

I'm in the market for another car, but when that time comes I'll definitely be looking at Buick's offerings and the Mercury Grand Marquis. I would love to own a Cadillac or a Lincoln, but their price tags are a little too steep for my wallet.

[blue_onyx]

78. My parents have owned several Buicks and have been happy

The Enclave is a very nice vehicle. I've seen pictures of the new Buick mid-size car (I think they're keeping the LaCrosse name) and it's nice looking too. It has a front end similar looking to the Enclave. I see a lot of potential for Buick.

[tammywammy]

95. The Enclave is really nice

My brother & SIL just bought a new vehicle this week, and contemplated the Enclave for a long time. They ended up going with the GMC Acadia, which is the same vehicle as the Enclave.

Buick does have a lot of potential, I hope GM doesn't scrap it.

[nico818]

80. If one of the big 3 makes an affordable ELECTRIC CAR. Definitely Yes.

Whatever company american or not makes an affordable/reliable electric car first, they will get my money.

[emilyg]

85. Nope.

[MrSlayer]

86. My next car will be my first.

I've never owned a car. But if I do buy one it will probably be a pickup from one of the big 3. It's unlikely but possible.

[IDemo]

87. I'm only putting 3 thousand miles per year on my current vehicle

I'll be worn out long before it is.

[Vinca]

88. In case anyone wants to race out to their local GM dealer,

I saw an ad for a "red tag special" on nonhybrid Cadillac Escalades. You can get one for a mere $55,000. Such a deal.:sarcasm:

[HughBeaumont]

90. Whenever my 1997 Cavalier collapses and dies, I'll replace it with it's Cobalt sibling.

However, at 240,000 miles and counting with very little difference in driving quality, that probably won't happen anytime soon. For all this talk about how junky GM cars are, this one's done me quite well. Of course, it's a stick, which generally are better on gas and maintenance.

[sundog]

93. most likely

yeah, i will be making an effort to do that

[Brooklyns_Finest]

94. Honda Accord

I bought an 09 Honda Accord last month. No regrets here. I have no doubts that I will have this car for the next 10 years.

[elleng]

97. Will be from my DAUGHTER!

Been staying 'in family' in recent years, whatever they've got! Driving parents' '93 Toyo wagon, and will drive daughter's '04 Toyo ? next time. They LAST!

[elleng]

98. DUPE

Been staying 'in family' in recent years, whatever they've got! Driving parents' '93 Toyo wagon, and will drive daughter's '04 Toyo ? next time. They LAST!

[HeraldSquare212]

99. Ford Focus wagon, is what I'm planning on.

Better mileage and same emissions as a Prius.

[Deja Q]

100. If the parts are made in America, sure.

A relative told me that the only company that fits that suggestion is Toyota, ironically. (the big 3 using parts imported from you-know-where, purportedly.)

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

101. I have always regrettted purchase of ANY American made car

its just a shame. I try to buy a good used foreign car for myself and daughter, but we ended
up with a Saturn for her this year.

Disaster.

I have spent about half of what I paid for the car on repairs so far.
I can't believe the different and expensive things wrong with a car that was treated fairly
well by previous owners and that hasn't been wrecked.


With foreign cars, there are far fewer problems and its just less expensive to own them.

I think the American made cars are flimsier and less durable.

Sorry.

[Roland99]

102. My '96 Sebring convertible was the last "American" car I'll ever have.

That one needed an engine rebuilt at 60,000 miles. Transmission rebuilt at 72,000 miles (and that rebuilt one went out at 120,000 miles)

Not to mention the number of brake pads and rotors it wore through. Rattly windows.


I bought a Mazda 6 about exactly 5 years ago. 105,000 miles and all I've ever had to do was replace the brakes/rotors one time (at 80,000 miles) and replaced some tires (the factory Michelins were crap...wore out in no time...horrid tire).

[supernova]

103. It'll be a gently used new to me car

low miles but still not as expensive as a brand new car.

It will also be a hybrid, or preferably completely electric. It will also have to fit me ergonomically. I'm a smaller adult, and you'd never believe what we go through to find appliances, including cars that are the appropriate size for us.

It may be an American car; it may not be.

We'll see what's around in 2016 or so, when I will be ready for a newer car.