Buy Chevrolet See the USA remember?

[oil4kids]

If your thinking about buying a car better make it a Chevy or they may be just a history lesson





http://www.dailywealth.com/archive/2007/mar/2007_mar_17.asp

 

[oldimpala]

Mark-

Maybe this is where I sound like a prick; and I apologize if I do, but....

Produce something, other than trucks, and a Corvette, that's worth $20K+. The last few GM's I owned were horrible; and they were late 90's vehicles; not ancient history. Think a '96 Cavalier (Bought new, on my urging, beacuse Chevy's were good cars) that had a tranny R&R'd 9 times in it's 100K miles with me; 6 times in warranty, to solve a service engine soon light. (Tranny ended up a broken harness, causing a poor voltage/signal; causing tranny pressure solenoid to burn out after a few K miles)

Add 2 fuel pumps; a gas tank, 3 or 4 water pumps, 2 A/C compressors, an alternator, a starter, an ECU, and shoddy fit/finish (Like door panels sooo thin, they crack when it gets Buffalo cold), all in 105K miles, and you get an unhappy owner... Most of this hasn't happened to my '63 Impala, or '71 K-10.

Then to add insult to injury, the General made us feel like trolls whenever we brought it in for warranty service. Actually lied to my wife about the ECU being covered under warranty...

You wonder why she bought a VW in 2002 instead? And is negotiating on an '07 now?

I had an '03 DTS (Bought a year old). The Northstar weeped at the block seam from 10K miles on, 2 A/C Compressors, an alternator, electrical glitches galore, a window that dropped out of it's track, and exploded in the door... The interior was beautiful; the exterior was beautiful...

Like Yogi Bera said.. Dejavu all over again... At least Cadillac was nice; but still... $60K cars shouldn't do that stuff....

I sold that earlier this year; and narrowed my purchase decisions to an SRT/8 Magnum, and a Volvo Cross Country before buying the Volvo.

Wanna ask me about a buddy who walked in with he keys to his '06 GMC 2500/HD, and his wife's '05 Envoy, and walked out with a Tundra and a Highlander? And his old man is a GM retiree? Lifelong GM guy... Still wrenches on his '66 Tempest on weekends...

Or, my Father's Aurora. Both of them. (Also, lifelong GM guy, no longer a GM buyer. Now, Mopar)

Call me and my buddies yuppies, traitors, whatever...

I love American cars; but we stopped making those years ago, and have been hell-bent on making poor replicas of Japanese Cars...

We need to get back to making what we do best; Front-Engine, Rear Drive, attractive, reliable cars... Period.

Remember the 300's when they came out a few years back? People lined up to buy an AMERICAN car. The first one this country produced in probably 2 decades.
Profits will fall in line after that...

Everytime I hear this, it makes my blood boil. Step out and buy an overpriced, under-quality product, because it's patriotic... People forget the root cause for American car manufacturers demise; We made bad products for 25+ years, apathetically, and we're paying for it now... Like a lot of other US industry...

Sorry for my disorganized rant; I know it'll draw ire, and I apologize, but this boils my blood everytime I hear it..

GM screwed me, repeatedly, for lots of $$, and now they want me to bail them out, all warm and fuzzy, by buying more of their cars? Doubt that's gonna happen... They can give me the "But things have changed" line a million times...

I doubt GM will go under; but this major, major restructuring will cause them to remember their product, and their customers. If so, maybe we can get back to the GM we knew and loved from decades past....

-Andy/Oldimpala

 

[Fathead Racing]

I hear your complaints and you have every right to feel the way you do. I have been a loyal GM owner buyer for years. I have had good luck with my vehicles but buy only used about every 10/11 years. I have a 96 Silverado 4X4 that I have owned since 98. The truck had 25000 on the clock when I bought it and has 68000 on it now. Pickup before that was a 1984 full size 4X4. I do most of my service work. I have just bought a 2005 GMC diesel dually and will be picking it up in FLA. in a few weeks. I can only hope that I will have good luck with this truck and did not buy a lemon! I have not lost faith in USA car manufactures but agree that we are getting our pants beat off by foreign manufactures. I do not know the answer. I guess greed would be a good guess with bad managment a close second. If my latest purchace turns out to be a rolling nightmare I may be on the same page with you. Untill then I will try and support made in USA but it makes me very sad.

 

[1958 delivery]

My last few drivers:
1994 1/2 ton GMC-1 alternator in 140K miles, sold at 150K( a definite keeper)
1997 GMC Surburban-1 tranny at 39K, sold at 47K (in spite of the trans good truck)
2002 Avalanche-nada sold at 65K(should have kept this one)
2003 Hummer H2-nada, sold at 40K (gas hog)
2005 SSR-nada current driver
2004 VW new beatle convert-You name it, it went bad! Thank God it was a lease
2006 Caddy CTS-nada, current driver
2006 2500HD Duramax-1 water pump at 25K, current driver


I feel I've had pretty good luck with all my GM vehicles. A few items went wrong but mostly good. That VW was a quality control nightmare. I really feel it's a mater of "luck of the draw" so to speak. I do agree that I would never buy any of those strange looking passenger cars though.

 

[oil4kids]

Yes I have to agree. One of the best Chevrolets I ever owned was not available to the general public. I bought a used 1996 Caprice unmarked 9c1 car for work at an auction with 100k on the clock and now over 200k for about $4000 back in 98. Unbelievably great fast great handling and riding car that still needs nothing but the usual tires and brakes interval service. I even raced it in a local scca race. It seems they can make great cars for a reason but not for the public.

My friend owns a Mitsubishi junk yard, i go thru the yard looking at these junkers and wonder why people buy this crap and better yet why they restore them and put 3 or $4000 into the motor rebuilding the turbo motors to street race them

The american car companies try to copy the foreign cheap ideas and they got what they deserve instead of continuing on there original american ingenuity path of making fine cars. Detroit car companies are in big trouble on the west coast becasue all our foreign invaders do not believe in Buying American.

I will tell you that if I was running for office, all of these illegal aliens would have to purchase american made vehicles to show there solidarity with our country or splitsville.




you cant make a better product if you dont have the R&D money from the sales of vehicles.

And by the way Please thank a veteran for saving our AMERICAN way of life even if it was only for a few decades.

 

[oldimpala]

Mark-

You purchased the last GM I actually wanted... I loved, and still love, the '94-'96 Impala SS as essentially the perfect American musclecar. Big, fast, FE/RWD, handled respectably well, got good mileage, quiet, smooth.... I could go on.

I was 21 in '96, couldn't afford it then, as a poor college student, and strangely enough, they haven't depreciated much since then. Wonder why? Maybe it's a good car!

I still mourn December 15th; the last real B-Body, a Black '96 SS rolled off the GM line. To be replaced by.... Tahoes. December 15th is also my birthday; kinda a crappy thing to have happen on your B-Day..

There is hope at GM. They have, by far, the deepest, and best engineering staff in the world. Period. They have some potentially good stuff in the works. They just need to execute on it. Look at the LS motors, Eco-Tecs, Allison trannies, Delphi Magna-Ride, etc for proof of outstanding R&D....

I agree, no sales equals no money equals no R&D. But, GM has nobody to blame but themselves.....

I live in a union and GM heavy town, and I'm 31, middle-management in a Fortune 20 union telephone company. Wanna ask how many of my peers/friends/employees even look at Domestics? And, how much crap I caught when I bought that Caddy?

I'm afraid for GM now, I'm terrified for it's long term growth. Most of my friends remember such gems as Citations, Firenzas, and 6000's as their points of reference. GM has sown it's seeds pretty deep; let's hope the harvest isn't too bad...

I would consider a GM for my next car; it just stings a bit too much now.. Ford PMG/Volvo seemed a better choice this go around...

-Andy/Oldimpala

 

[Ronnie Russell]

Mark, I will vote for you if you include " all Americans" with illegal aliens". oldimpala, we share the same birthday, but from different generations. In 98 I wanted a new car. GM had already deserted from V8 rear wheel drive , so I bought a Merc. 4,000 lbs V8 rear wheel drive. If it ever burps, I will buy another just like it. I refuse to buy the argument that American car mfgs. do not make a quality car. Differance between big Merc and little Jap junk 25 mpg to 30-35 mpg. I will pay the extra to drive American. And most importantly..... Thanks to all veterans, today and everyday for their sacrifice. :

 

[dq409]

Untill then I will try and support made in USA but it makes me very sad.

HAAA HEEEEEE !!!!!!
Then you better buy a Toyota !!!!!

Most of GM`s line up are made outside the US,, Canada and Mexico,,,
My girlfiends American made HHR is made by beeners

 

[oldimpala]

DQ-

You forgot:

Nissan (Sentras, Altimas, Titans, Pathfinders)

Hyundai (We EXPORT US Hyundais to Asia)

Honda (We Export Civics, CR-Vs, Accords, and Elements to the world)

Mercedes (All SUVs; again Global)

BMW (All SUVs, Global, except X3 Diesels)

Kia (Building a GIANT plant in WV)

The only companies offshoring right now are Americans; my friend's '06 Hyundai Elantra was only a few percent down on my '03 Cadillac for Domestic content, and made in Kentucky, I think... Not half bad for a "Korean" car...

Ronnie- I don't think Americans make bad cars; I just think we need to change the type of cars we make. Stop trying to be Honda and Toyota, and just be American cars again.... People will, and have responded. I'll cite any of our specialty cars we've made; look at the new Mustangs, and the response to that. Or the 300/Charger/Magnums, or the PT Cruiser when it came out, or any of that genre.

My generation isn't really that different than you guys; we want the same things you wanted when you bought a car in the '60s, a fun, stylish car, with the best technology and reliability on the market. Bad part is, we are making MUCH better cars now; they're just bland (Look at the '08 Taurus/Ford 500 I just rented last week. Great car; boring as heck).

I like the Crown Vic's, but unless it's a Maurauder, it's not really my style...

Now, the 300/Charger/Magnum, now we're talking!

 

[Ronnie Russell]

" I like the Crown Vics but not really my style" .. Exactly !!! Crown Vic and Gran Marquis have hugh knobs, controls and labels. 4 big doors ......Engineered that way for the targeted consumer. Old people like me ......

 

[PAINTJOHN1]

I'm a life long GM junkie as well.Other than my 64 Impala and my 73 Corvette,I've owned a few.1979 Olds Delta 88,absolutely one of the best cars my wife and I ever owned.She drove the living H%%$LL out of that car,no problems until about 160,000 miles(timing chain) In 1986 we bought a 1983 Olds 98 ,which again was a unbelievable car.Car was problem free for years,just basic service.In 1976 I bought a 76 Chevy Beauville window van with a 350ci ,3 speed on column.I drove that for almost 400,000 miles only doing basic maintence,1 water pump and a timing chain.Gave this vehicle to my cousin who was building a house,he patched it up and drove it for another 30,000 miles before rebuilding the motor and selling the truck.I presently have a 1986 GMC Window Van,that has going 290,000 miles.Only problem its used 2 transmissions up.Other than that no other problem,other than normal mantainence.I've had 3 work vans for my business,1997 Chevy Astro Van over 200,000 miles only problem was a transmission in all that mileage,a 1991 Chevy Astro Van,no problems at all with 140,000 miles.My current work van,2002 GMC Savannah has 100,000 miles no problems except brakes and air condition condensor(Rock hit into it and punctured it),other than normal maintenance.My current car is 2005 Cadillac CTS-V.Car is absolutely one of the best cars I've ever owned.This car has the Corvette ZO6 Motor with 6 speed manual Transmission,rear wheel drive.The car has about 19,000 miles has over 400hp ,gets about 25-27 miles per gallon on the road.Only problem I do not like about the car is that it has those darn run flat low profile tires.They only last about 17,000 miles and cost about $1400.00 for a set.Other than that the car is incredible.My wife has owned 3 Cadillacs also.Her first was 1997 Cadillac Seville STS.Nice car,no real problems except it used about 2 quarts of oil every 7,000 miles.Other than that the car was perfect.As a matter to fact my father in law is still driving that car with 150,000 and still running great.Her next car was a 2002 Cadillac Seville SLS,which was also a excellent car,just basic maintinance oil changes and brake work,1 tune up and tires,had 120,000 on that,and is still driven by My Wifes Brother.Andrea(my wife) just bought a 2006 Cadiilac SRX wagon 3 weeks ago and I'm expecting the same out of it.I do not know if we were lucky to get good cars,but I truely believe in GM.
I work for a large number of the car dealers in my area,I talk to the mechanics all the time.I don't care if its GM,Ford or Chrysler the mechanics are all complaining that the cars are not breaking the way they used to and they are not making the money that was made in the business years ago(which is good for the consumer,bad for the mechanics) .The mechanics all say the cars are being made better,therefore there is less service required because the cars aren't breaking as much.I really believe GM,Ford and Chrysler are really making excellent cars,problem is the public has been brain washed by the news media,magazines and the foriegn manufacturers.Read any car magazine that rates new cars.If the car is made by a foriegn manufacturer ,they always get the great ratings.Instead of the writers pumping up USA owned car companies they always sem to put them down.The USA Cars are never good enough for these guys. One other item that really grips me is "CAR RECALLS".All USA owned companies announe every recall.The foriegn companies never announce the recalls unless they can be life threating recalls.But go on line and pull up "Honda,Toyota,Nissan,Hyandi,or KIa Recalls" and you will not believe what you see.Their recalls are done on the sly at the dealership where the general public is not made aware that they exist.Only the car owners find out about them. Anyway,this is just my opinion and I think I'm sticking to it. John

 

[1958 delivery]

Around here if you go to a Toyota or Honda dealer the service bays are quite full. My mother in law's Toyata V-6 needed an engine rebuild at 40K, rod knock.I also agree that people have the "perception" that the Jap cars are better. Probably was true in the 70's-80's but I doubt it now.

 

[1958 delivery]

HAAA HEEEEEE !!!!!!
Then you better buy a Toyota !!!!!

Most of GM`s line up are made outside the US,, Canada and Mexico,,,
My girlfiends American made HHR is made by beeners

What's a "beener" dq409?

 

[Dick MacKenzie]

What's a "beener" dq409?

Well.....according to

it's......

 

[1958 delivery]

Well.....according to

it's......

Oh, I think that's spelled "beaner".
Too bad you guys have nothing better to do than come up with ethnic slurs.

 

[NASCAR FAN]

" I like the Crown Vics but not really my style" .. Exactly !!! Crown Vic and Gran Marquis have hugh knobs, controls and labels. 4 big doors ......Engineered that way for the targeted consumer. Old people like me ......

Ronnie: The 2008 Crown Vic is only available in fleet orders (police & taxi)

Rick

 

[Ronnie Russell]

Thanks Rick, but I don't drive a cheapy Crown Vic. Mercury Gran Marquis. The lots are full of 2008s. Can't give em away. $17,995. I have been waiting on the announcement from Ford that they are dropping the big car, but so far it hasnt come. Will probably buy a 2008 after the first of the year. Ford is on the brink of bankruptcy so I/m sure 2008 will be the last of the big Ford. (Mercury)

 

[oldskydog]

I bought an 89 3/4 ton extended cab shortbed 4wd 5.7 TBI when they first came out. The truck got 17mpg on the highway from day one. No probs until around 60k when I had to replace the air compressor, about 120k an alternator, and about 160k another compressor, never used any oil but smoked on start up since day one. My son is still driving it at about 240k. He had to replace the in tank fuel pump last week.

My other son has an 89 Astro 4.3 that I bought for him in 2002 with about 200k and new engine at 95k. I paid $500 for it in Seattle, flew up there and drove it to Salt Lake City with no probs. He still has it with about 230k.

My 2003 1/2 ton 5.3 gets 20mpg on the highway, 13 pulling a car trailer . I have 80k on it (thanks to my recent 4,600 mile trip) and the only problem I have is an oil pressure guage that sometimes single-phases itself to offscale high...usually with temps over 100 degrees. At first I thought I had a real problem but learned to live with it. I just shut it off and click the start switch without engaging the starter and bump it down to zero, then it's Ok.

We had an 82 Buick Electra that was a great car also. I drove it until the wife decided she wanted something newer .....95 Isuzu Trooper, but that's another story......She tried a 2000 Honda Accord and didn't like it. She now drives a 2001 Suburban with only 32k on it, still smells new.

Overall I think we are all in love with what was, not what is....but I'll have to say I have been really happy with my GM vehicles and am already thinking about a new truck someday now that mine is paid off. How dumb is that?

 

[Brian Thompson]

the only problem I have is an oil pressure guage that sometimes single-phases itself to offscale high...

Cecil-

I just received a recall from GM on my 2004 Yukon for the gauges. I had to change mine out about 6 months ago, but if you are having problems, you may want to call the dealership. They are honoring the warranty for 7 years from production date.

 

[bobs409]

The newest car I own is a 1972. I think that sums up the way I feel about new cars.