Cars for Noobs

[murdoc]

I had an '84 S-15 and a '91 S-10. Still have the '91, but it's out at the parents farm and Dad uses it to bomb around the countryside.

[slog]

Few questions for you: are the follow cars an "American product" or a "Foreign Product

Ford Fusion - The Fusion is manufactured at Ford's Hermosillo Stamping & Assembly plant in Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico

Subaru Forester - The Forester is produced at the Gunma Yajima Factory in Japan.

Toyota Camry - Toyota Camrys are produced at Georgetown, Kentucky, USA; Aichi, Japan; Melbourne, Australia; St. Petersburg, Russia, and in China (for the Chinese market only).The Chinese Camry shares its front and rear design with the Australian 6-cylinder Aurion. On April 20, 2007, Camry manufacturing began at Subaru of Indiana Automotive, Inc. in Lafayette, Indiana USA, with an intended annual production of ~100,000 units.


And yes, many domestic autos are produced in USA and Mexico/Canada.

You're not going to convince me of anything, I'll never purchase a car produced by a foreign company. I just won't. I won't convince you that American cars are American, because they aren't anymore.

I'm not trying to convince you of anything.  I'm asking because I'm trying to figure out how you determine what's American and what is foreign.  For example, in my mind the Fusion is a foreign car because it's not made in America, while some Camrys are American made and others are not.

[Nebu]

You're not going to convince me of anything, I'll never purchase a car produced by a foreign company. I just won't.

I have to know why.  I promise not to argue or debate it with you.  I just need to know.  I know many people like this yet none have a reason for this belief. 

[Rasix]

You're not going to convince me of anything, I'll never purchase a car produced by a foreign company. I just won't.

I have to know why.  I promise not to argue or debate it with you.  I just need to know.  I know many people like this yet none have a reason for this belief. 

Also, as a Michigander, I'm not big on buying foreign cars. You can save the attacks on me and your reasoning why you love your Honda, I will continue to buy the best American product I can find. It's just the way, and place, I was raised. Growing up in Flint, if we saw a foreign car in our neighborhood it got fucked with. Bummer GM had to go to shit, along with my state.

[slog]

So is a Jeep an American car or an Italian one?

[Slayerik]

I'm not saying it is completely logical, but I'd rather support a company that had half of my town on their payroll for decades. People not from here might equate it to living in a fishing town, but buying imported fish. The fish may be better quality, and maybe even cleaned here, but you are screwing your own town by not supporting the company that is based out of that town (and providing jobs/economy).

Then the fish company at home shuts down cause you kept buying the imported fish, you lose your job cause you made knives for the fish company that shut down, and now you can't afford any fish anymore.

There you go Nebu, that's my reason. Born and raised in Michigan. Home of GM, Ford, and Chrysler.

[slog]

I'm pretty sure Chrysler is based out of Italy, not Michigan. 

[Nebu]

There you go Nebu, that's my reason. Born and raised in Michigan. Home of GM, Ford, and Chrysler.

Fair enough. 

See... no debate!

[Slayerik]

I'm pretty sure Chrysler is based out of Italy, not Michigan. 

Well they still have

here in Auburn Hills. I'm sure they still employ more Americans than Honda...though I have no real numbers to back it.

and quit fuckin' trolling. Your point is taken, we get it.

Maybe next time I get into this GM will be a German company.

[slog]

I'm pretty sure Chrysler is based out of Italy, not Michigan. 

Well they still have

here in Auburn Hills. I'm sure they still employ more Americans than Honda...though I have no real numbers to back it.

and quit fuckin' trolling. Your point is taken, we get it.

Maybe next time I get into this GM will be a German company.

Honda is around 35,000 Chrysler is anyone from 70k to 50k (and falling), depending how you define an employee.

[Jimbo]

Jeep factory is in Toledo, Ohio.

It is one of the last 4x4's around, it doesn't have IFS, it has a real transmission and a real transfer case, along with some of the best axle's available for its size.

It is kind of ironic, the US Military dumped the jeep and went with the GM crap of independent suspension and automatic transmissions, then after they get blown up easy, go looking for high stance vehicles with solid axles (and had manuals sluice boxes until Uncle Sam had to change it).

Dodge sold out and made the powerwagon automatic.

Ford F-250 & F-350's can get some decent 4x4 action.

Chevy sucks...no manual transmission and shitty IFS.

Of course it seems that all the companies that buy the Jeep brand go under.

[Khaldun]

Let's suppose you were going to get a used pickup truck that was just going to be for hauling wood from the lumber yard back to the house and maybe a few other things of that kind (say, a pallet of stone, plants from the nursery). Or heck, some other vehicle good for hauling heavy and/or awkwardly shaped stuff. What would you get? And how much would you expect to pay?

I've rented in the past for hauling stuff, but if I'm seriously going to keep making bookshelves, a stone wall, a treehouse and other projects, it's really going to mount up. I'd probably drive the truck to work, too, but my work is about five minutes from the house. Yes, I can walk or bike, but the road in between the house and the campus has no shoulder and people drive like raging asshats along it--I don't want to be trying to walk it or bike it at night, and the roundabout way is really quite roundabout. Plus: snow and rain and cold. Plus: I have to pick up the kid from school some days.

Also both of our cars are well over 100k miles so the time is probably coming where we've got to get a new family car. Next big breakdown or repair issue, probably. Got to be big enough that we can take our camping gear + dogs + 3 people in the summer. I like our Subaru Forester, so maybe I'd look at their stuff again.

[slog]

Let's suppose you were going to get a used pickup truck that was just going to be for hauling wood from the lumber yard back to the house and maybe a few other things of that kind (say, a pallet of stone, plants from the nursery). Or heck, some other vehicle good for hauling heavy and/or awkwardly shaped stuff. What would you get? And how much would you expect to pay?

I've rented in the past for hauling stuff, but if I'm seriously going to keep making bookshelves, a stone wall, a treehouse and other projects, it's really going to mount up. I'd probably drive the truck to work, too, but my work is about five minutes from the house. Yes, I can walk or bike, but the road in between the house and the campus has no shoulder and people drive like raging asshats along it--I don't want to be trying to walk it or bike it at night, and the roundabout way is really quite roundabout. Plus: snow and rain and cold. Plus: I have to pick up the kid from school some days.

Also both of our cars are well over 100k miles so the time is probably coming where we've got to get a new family car. Next big breakdown or repair issue, probably. Got to be big enough that we can take our camping gear + dogs + 3 people in the summer. I like our Subaru Forester, so maybe I'd look at their stuff again.

I would buy a Utility trailer for $500 bucks and put a hitch on my Subaru.

[Numtini]

Leaving aside the nationalism debate and going back to Ford and Hyundai, from memory, both of them have the same issue. Half their cars are at the top and half their cars are at the bottom. Have to look at CR or something to get beyond that, though from memory in both cases, the new designs are pretty good and the old designs are pretty bad.

[Khaldun]

The trailer is a good idea, though not perhaps as much right now as the Subaru is still the workhorse car that my wife uses most of the time.

[Slayerik]

The trailer is pretty good idea as long as you aren't hauling stuff all the time. The other part about a truck is being able to hop in and do the shit you need to do without the trailer hassle.

So, I guess it depends on how much you will use it.

[Sky]

I need a trailer for the FJ, anyone haul regularly? I've borrowed a couple and they have such tiny wheels I worry about running a load of wood from the Adirondacks on one and it seems anything with a normal axle/wheels is $$$.

[Viin]

Now that I got rid of my Dodge Dakota, a trailer would be nice .. if only I had a place to store it at the house.

If I had to buy a truck again, I'd probably buy a 2000+ turbo diesel of some sort (probably a Ford) for under $10k.

Like this:

http://denver.craigslist.org/ctd/1629258962.html

[Selby]

If I had to buy a truck again, I'd probably buy a 2000+ turbo diesel of some sort (probably a Ford) for under $10k.

Eh, stay away from the Ford diesels of the 2003 and up vintage.  Major major design problems there.  Go with the previous generation for a bullet-proof engine and drivetrain.

That said, right now I am looking at the 80's vintage diesel GM suburban for the fuel economy (18-20MPG vs the gas 8) and simplicity (no turbo == no blown head gaskets), because I dislike having an open bed, I want something to haul people around in when they come to visit, and I can work on it if it breaks.

Once again, where you are in the country depends on what your selection is and how much you are going to expect to pay.  Any place with rust is going to rule out vehicles more than 10ish years old unless you really want a rusty pile of crap.

[slog]

I need a trailer for the FJ, anyone haul regularly? I've borrowed a couple and they have such tiny wheels I worry about running a load of wood from the Adirondacks on one and it seems anything with a normal axle/wheels is $$$.

[Sky]

That's actually a great idea, slog. I know a pretty good welder, would just have to find the parts for him.

[slog]

I've also  seen Old Camping trailers converted as well.

[KallDrexx]

Not that anyone really cares, but I'm excited so I'm posting it anyways.

After looking at what people were saying about Fords in here I gave them another look and really liked what I saw.  After seeing all the glowing reviews for it, and the packages/accessories being better than Hyundai's (and cheaper than Honda), I just brought home my brand new 2010 Ford Fusion.   :D

[Nebu]

When I bought my GTI, I test drove a Ford Fusion SVT and was pleasantly surprised.  It's a very fun car for the money that handled well and was pretty quick.  I totally understand why you'd enjoy one.  Congrats on the new purchase!

[Abagadro]

I've been mulling over the Fusion to be included in my next car search.  I drove one as a rental and found I liked it.  Keep us updated on how you like it over time.

[Evildrider]

I love my Mustang!   

[KallDrexx]

Awesome.  So I have my car for 2 days, and out of all the 20 cars parked on the street some douchebag decides to smash (not just side-swipe, but literally smash) into my car.......

I fucking hate people

[Abagadro]

Awesome.  So I have my car for 2 days, and out of all the 20 cars parked on the street some douchebag decides to smash (not just side-swipe, but literally smash) into my car.......

I fucking hate people

Oh man, that really sucks dude.

[Abagadro]

Anyone have personal experience with Volvos they would care to share?  I'm looking at getting an S80.

[Engels]

Had two volvos. My first at 17 a 1970s all-steel frame car of doom. Then I inherited my mom's 1984 DL. Nothing since then, sorry. Good cars, but about as glamorous as a nun's habit.

[Selby]

Good cars, but about as glamorous as a nun's habit.

This.  Every single person I know with one (from the 1970's vintage to modern) has been nothing but absolutely satisfied.  A few models here and there had some issues on the higher miles with poor or no maintenance or the occasional design flaw (nothing *too* serious or recent, goofy stuff like a late 1970's OD model that didn't like to tow, etc), but beyond that they are a pretty reliable brand to get into.  Very little to get excited about other than feeling "safe."

[NowhereMan]

Actually I think the latest round of Volvo designs are pretty cool, perhaps not awesome but certainly not the same old boring Volvo look. No idea what they're like to drive though aside from the fact you'll feel safe and turn into a terrible driver.

[Sky]

I used to date a fashion designer who flipped one (late 80s model) and walked away with a couple bruises. They're safe.

That woman used to go through cars. Loved her vodka.

[slog]

Anyone have personal experience with Volvos they would care to share?  I'm looking at getting an S80.

Does this one share a platform with Ford?

[Abagadro]

It's based on the Ford EUCD platform but they apparently juice it up for the Volvo.