Originally posted by eskimo2
Interesting. Here are the cars that you can't find for sale from dealers in the US (I think):
5. Peugeot ??? They were available; are they still?
7. Renault ??? They were available; are they still?
8. Citroën
9. Opel ??? They were available;are they still?
10. Fiat ??? They were available; are they still?
15. Skoda
19. Seat
26. Lada-Vaz
29. Fiat-Dethleffs
I know almost nothing of these bottom four.
eskimo
Bought a
Peugeot 307 three years ago; can't say a bad word. Peugeot's new
407 seems to be nice car (not the best pic).
Renault Megane and bit larger
Laguna sells well too, Laguna is also very nice car to drive.
Citroën C5 is about same size as Laguna and 407, biggest difference is its Hydro-Pneumatic suspension like in classics like Citroën ID (idée, idea)
DS (déesse, Goddess), CX (Cx, air resistance unit) and few others (like Citroën SM with Maserati's engine). Suspension was/is so comfortable that even Roll's Royce used it before BMW bought it and new models were designed.
Opel... well some like them, I don't

Fiat... Not much to say. Cheap but I wouldn't buy.
Skoda & Seat: First was Czech manufacturer before VW bought it, glorious history as "Laurin & Klement" from the beginning of last century to the thirties.
Seat manufactured Fiats in Spain before building its own models but was bought by VW quite soon. Seat Ibiza with VW's 130hp turbo-Diesel is a real pocket-rocket... And Ibiza Cupra-R is even nastier.
Both manufacturers cars are sharing parts with VW and Audi and the quality is just as good. I've heard nice things about new
Skoda Superb. Only issue is with the name, "Skoda" still carries the burden of being a brand from eastern block even if the car is more or less VW/Audi.
Lada-Vaz... cheap. Russian. crap.
Fiat-Dethleffs... mobile-home built in Fiat light-truck/pickup/van's chassis.