The G8 GXP (another rebadged Holden) was a butt-kicker, as well.

 

The millions of people who did?

 

I know most on this forum have not owned or driven an American car in a number of years. It will take take at least 10 years of quality cars to convince them otherwise. I think some of the manufacturers have made huge strides but it will take years of quality to change views.

If you want to nit-pick. The IQS survey they reference is a measure based on the first 90 days of ownership. One would think all but the very worst cars ever made should be able to last 90 days without trouble. Secondly, if you look at the actual numbers the difference between #1 on the list and the very last one it is often only a point or two - typically very little. Sometimes cars get marked down for things that relate more to the driver than the car - if people can not understand how to operate their I-drive system (for example) they list that as a problem when the actual system make work just fine and as intended.

Through most of our married life I drove Japanese cars while my wife drove American cars. I know very well why opinions were formed as they are and in most cases it was deserved.

 

^I know, but I didn't think anyone would actually admit to it.

 

I had to vote that I'm unique and have my own answer because:

1) I'm torn between a)Not yet I want to see some history of reliability and b)Not yet because they don't make anything that interests me. Granted American cars are now probably better than they've ever been, but they really had a long way to go and I'm not convinced that they're there yet. Besides, I'm in the market for a car (or I will be at year end when Adam gets his license) and I can't find any American car that interests me.

2) I don't think that there have really been any changes at the management level or in the corporate culture of the American manufactures. Dealing with American car companies from corporate to the dealership has been a nightmare in the past, and I don't believe they've changed. My folks always bought American cars, Chevy's, Oldsmobiles and Caddys. Whenever they had any problems it was always a fight. They had a Chevy Vega (before lemon laws) and the first year of ownership was a complete nightmare. The nightmare only ended when they got rid of the car. I just don't think this has changed.

3) I've been totally satisfied with all of the Honda's that I've ever owned. Each one was better than the one that came before it. The one Toyota that I owned was absolutely bulletproof. I'm past the point in my life that I feel like taking a chance on a product that's almost there when I can have one thats all there. I might've thought that standing on the side of the road waiting for a tow was no big deal when I was younger, but I just don't want to do that anymore. Every Japanese car that I've ever owned started in the morning and got me home every night. Why take a chance?

 

You stated that so eloquently that it is now part of my sig.

 

I'm glad you like it. Feel free to use it.

 

^ Thank you Rob!

 

But Rob, I don't see this in my travels and when I had American cars, it never happened to me.

 

Bill,

Here are a few of the American car horror stories that I have. I have many more, my sister has a few and most everyone I know has some.

My folks had a 1970 Chevy Vega that was towed in 18 times in the first year of ownership. I refused to use it. The last straw was when my mother and father were on the Jersey turnpike and the engine warped. They sold it after that. In the course of that year, the people at GM refused to acknowledge that there could be anything wrong with the car. The told us (we had over 125 years of driving experience at the time) that we didn't know how to start a car, to drive a car or to maintain a car. With time they were proven wrong, but we paid the price for buying it. I had tried to convince my father to buy a Toyota at the time, but he was still sold on American cars.

I had a 1988 Jeep Wrangler. Quality control consisted of checking to see if it had all four tires when it got to the end of the assembly line. If it had all four, it passed. It probably would have passed with only three, but luckily mine came through with all four. Whatever auto mechanics I didn't learn working on my MGs I learned just trying to keep the Jeep running. Luckily it was my second car that we used to leave up in Woodstock so I tolerated the lack of reliability. When I brought it to Jersey I had to get rid of it. I was stranded more often that I care to remember. The only good thing to come out of the Jeep was that Adam was a very young boy and would help me keep it running. It helped him develop his love for cars and for all things mechanical. Between the Jeep and our garden tractor which he loves, he has developed a love for all things mechanical and wants to be an engineer. That, however, is the only good thing that came from owning the Jeep.

I do know that American cars are now better than they've ever been, and there has been a considerable improvement in quality, but until a few more years go by, and we start to hear from more satisfied owners, I'm just not willing to take a chance. Like I said, why should I take a chance when my own experience with both American cars and Japanese cars tells me I shouldn't? I know that some of my experiences are based on cars from a long time ago, but after you've had some of the experiences that I've had, it's hard to forget or to be willing to take a chance again. Once burned, you become reluctant to touch the stove again.

Besides, I really don't see any American cars that I'd want to buy even if I had faith in the quality. So because I don't, its not hard to look away.