Author Topic: Best American cars today... (Read 1013 times)

Tarmac · « **Reply #30 on:** August 22, 2006, 01:47:52 PM »

Manly American men like myself scoff at foreign cars. We don't need fru-fru interiors for the same reason we don't use "product" in our hair... because we are manly. We don't care if the interior is loud, because we are manly and drive with the windows down and the stereo turned up. We like to hear our engines, because engines are cool and manly. We don't care if something in our car is a little rough, because we are a little rough around the edges ourselves, and we know that anything in this world that works hard is a little rough too. We don't mind looking under the hood, and we like to see our engines and not some nancy plastic shroud to keep the dirt off and make changing the spark plugs impossible. We laugh at dealers and automakers who want us to believe that we are too helpless to work on our own cars. We think tachometers are cool, we know how to use them, and would never consider buying a car that doesn't have one.

Only American cars satisfy these criteria. Some see it as a shortcoming, but they're the same people that think "cowboy" is a putdown. There is no substitute for an American vehicle.

J_A_B · « **Reply #31 on:** August 22, 2006, 02:20:43 PM »

Skuzzy--The V6 made by Yahama for the mid 90's SHO's (you mentioned a V6) was a good engine. The 3.4 litre V-8 they made for a few years was known for camshaft failure. If you don't believe me, feel free to look it up yourself.

My father-in-law owns two Fords with close to 200K miles (a '93 Taurus and a '94 Ranger). If you take care of a car, it'll last, pretty much regardless of what name is stamped on the hood.

To those of you who love imports: show me all those Japanese family cars that are superior in all aspects to my Roadmaster. $45k luxury cars don't count, either--keep it under or around $30k (my car was $25k when it was new). Come on guys, link me a few Japanese-brand family cars built in the last 15 years that have all of the following:

more power/more torque/better performance/larger cabin/more towing capacity/larger trunk/better mileage

'Some' don't count. I want to see a Japanese car that's totally superior to my Buick. Heck, my car is just an ordinary yank-tank, so it sucks, right? If Japanese cars are so awesome, that should be easy for you guys to find a bunch of models which are superior in every way.

J_A_B

Iceman24 · « **Reply #32 on:** August 22, 2006, 02:24:53 PM »

Thanks Savage, I agree 100% with you on the Vette, its 1 of the absolute best sports cars on the market and has been for 50 years. There is no other car that you can buy stock off the lot for under 60,000 dollars that will even come close to the Corvette... In short, corvettes rock !!

lazs2 · « **Reply #33 on:** August 22, 2006, 02:25:26 PM »

ik.... LOL... "drifting" sheesh... we invented drifting in the 60's all them old muscle cars were "drifters".

Drive what you want. I won't own a front wheel drive car or one that doesn't have a frame under it and a V8 in front. That limits my choices.

I don't really like any jap cars. They are still as ugly as they can make em and 99% front wheel drive and sound just horrible.

I guess you could put up with that on a car you used to take the family around in but... they don't even ride nice still weigh close to 4000 lbs... they have no room in em and ya feel claustraphobic.

If you step up to the luxury ones they cost an arm and a leg.

I will stick with old detroit iron or mustangs and such for hot rods and a Lincoln or caddy for a cruiser.... maybe a hemi.

lazs

Sandman · « **Reply #34 on:** August 22, 2006, 02:37:45 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by nirvana
The truck market is still owned by American companies for the most part. The importers haven't been doing horrible with cars, why shouldn't they try to go for the gold with trucks and match the S-10s and Silverados?

I believe they've already made that move.

Toyota Tundra
Toyota Tacoma
Nissan Titan

I have a friend with a 2005 Tundra, my next-door neighbor drives a 2006 Tacoma, and my brother in law drives a 2006 V8 Titan.

They're all good trucks, comparable to any of the light duty pickups built by the big three, IMHO.

1K3 · « **Reply #35 on:** August 22, 2006, 02:42:24 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by J_A_B
To those of you who love imports: show me all those Japanese family cars that are superior in all aspects to my Roadmaster. $45k luxury cars don't count, either--keep it under or around $30k (my car was $25k when it was new). Come on guys, link me a few Japanese-brand family cars built in the last 15 years that have all of the following:

more power/more torque/better performance/larger cabin/more towing capacity/larger trunk/better mileage

J_A_B

ummmm

NIssan Altima with VQ35DE engine. VQ series is widely considered to be the world's benchmark V6 engine for its combination of smoothness, reliability and high power output.

Let's not even go to brakes, suspension, and transmission because it will only put the buicks to shame.

the Altima 3.5 and even the SE-R is priced below 30K

Skuzzy · « **Reply #36 on:** August 22, 2006, 04:53:55 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by J_A_B
Skuzzy--The V6 made by Yahama for the mid 90's SHO's (you mentioned a V6) was a good engine. The 3.4 litre V-8 they made for a few years was known for camshaft failure. If you don't believe me, feel free to look it up yourself.

The Yamaha V8 you mention had camshaft issues, but the camshafts were supplied to Yamaha by Ford. It was a process issue with the, then new, design where Ford was pressing the lobes onto a hollow shaft, and the lobes were not holding in place. Ford had problems with these camshafts in other models.
The previous models of the SHO had a Yamaha V6 (3 and 3.2 liter).

Today, the Volvo XC90 uses the 4.4 liter V8 from Yamaha, as it is the only V8 they could find to fit, longitudinally, in the engine bay. And it is still from the Marine division of Yamaha. This engine is pure Yamaha and has been rock solid for Volvo.

J_A_B · « **Reply #37 on:** August 22, 2006, 05:13:40 PM »

"ummmm NIssan Altima with VQ35DE engine. "

1K3--The Altima is a decent car, but it has lower horsepower, much less torque, a smaller interior, and a much smaller trunk than my Buick. The top-end Altima is a little quicker in the 1/4 mile, but has lower towing capacity, and vastly less crash resistance owing to its weighing roughly 1000 pounds less. As I said, it's a decent car, but it's definately not superior in all regards. It seems like an even tradeoff at best, IMO.

J_A_B

nirvana · « **Reply #38 on:** August 22, 2006, 05:15:45 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by Captain Virgil Hilts
Drifting is a JOKE. Try SCCA, in any class. Try REAL road racing like Daytona or LeMans. Try Pikes Peak. Drifting is for ricers and "Fast and Furious" wannabees.

Amen

Import trucks still have nothing on Domestic's though. In my not so humble opinion, the Titan sucks, it's like the Chevy Avalanche and H2, all about big beefy looks.

The Tacoma and Tunda i'll give you as valid work trucks.

Captain Virgil Hilts · « **Reply #39 on:** August 22, 2006, 05:23:16 PM »

My partner's son-in-law works for Nissan, and bought a new Titan last year. It got WORSE gas mileage than my 1981 Chevy C-30 crew cab dooley with a 454, automatic, and 3.73 gears (no overdrive either).

The new GM trucks with the DuraMax or the 8.1L Vortec are the best towing and pulling light trucks on the market. Having driven every version of the Ford and Dodge in both gas and diesel, for towing and comfort, the GM trucks are the ticket, period. More power, better mileage, and better ride, not to mention more stable.

1K3 · « **Reply #40 on:** August 22, 2006, 05:27:28 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by J_A_B
"ummmm NIssan Altima with VQ35DE engine. "

1K3--The Altima is a decent car, but it has lower horsepower, much less torque, a smaller interior, and a much smaller trunk than my Buick. The top-end Altima is a little quicker in the 1/4 mile, but has lower towing capacity, and vastly less crash resistance owing to its weighing roughly 1000 pounds less. As I said, it's a decent car, but it's definately not superior in all regards. It seems like an even tradeoff at best, IMO.

J_A_B

You mentioned you got a Buick Roadmaster. What's the engine specs? Are they stock or upgraded?

J_A_B · « **Reply #41 on:** August 22, 2006, 05:41:36 PM »

I drive a 1995 Roadmaster sedan. The 'official' engine specs are: LT1 V-8 350 cid, 260 HP @ 5000 RPM, 335 ft-lb torque @ 3200 RPM. Interior space is rated at 115 cubic feet (sort of small for my preference), trunk is rated as 21.6 cubic feet.

In all fairness, this car isn't exactly representative of the "typical" US model, as when it was being built (along with its Caprice and Impala SS siblings) it was generally regarded as pretty much the best traditional car built by the US automakers in many years. I dislike imports, but I think most domestics suck too; just in my case, I think they suck more or less equally.

J_A_B

Grayeagle · « **Reply #42 on:** August 23, 2006, 08:51:53 PM »

umm .. I've owned a few different cars. Not gonna mention the ones I dint put a lotta miles on.

'87 CRX honda bought new right off the showroom floor .. it was just like drivin a go-cart. 87k miles on it when a v-dub totalled it in an intersection.
Light car .. the honda bounced.. it spun around, came to a stop on the other side of the intersection, engine still runnin.

'88 Honda civic hatchback replaced the CRX. Both were used for back an forth to work commuters .. the CRX saw weekend duty in C-stock SCCA aka 'Gymkhana' now an then. 187k miles on the civic when it spit a rod thru the side of the block IDLING in the Driveway .. grr.

'69 383ci Roadrunner .. owned for almost 9 years.. 120k miles on it when I sold it. I changed out the 383 to a 426 wedge about a year into owning it.. ran across too good a deal to pass up. The wedge was a '64 model year motor .. 11.1 compression, stock motor. With the 3.91's I had in the back, she useda cruise at 75-80 and get 17mpg. Had two carter AFB's on it ..750CFM each. It was our family car for a lotta years. The only thing I didn't care for was the steering .. they kinda wander a bit without much feedback. It never broke a thing .. was a blast to drive. Was a 4-gear car.. wore out a Zoom clutch plate about once a year ..and throwout bearing every 2 years like clockwork. (I just changed clutch-plate and bearing every year after first set wore out)

The 2000 model Durango is my 1st 4wd vehicle. It's a dodge truck underpinnings with SUV utility. 360ci, 3.92's in the back, 4.10's in the front,
the stock 'big tars' all around ..gets 17-18mpg on the highway at 70mph.
Driven some fire roads back in Virginia that would have been tough on a dirt bike .. was a hoot .. in first-Low-4wd that thing will go up anything as long as it has traction. (it kicks into 3rd gear at 10mph in 4wd-low)
I think if I parked it next to a building it would just dig a hole till it rested on the frame rails tryin to push the building

More room, more power, more truck than a Toyota Highlander. Only has 67k miles on it so far .. been run into by two Toyota Camry's ..totalled both of 'em .. 3 more and it's an Ace. Only major repair to date was the power brake booster . . went strange a month or so ago .. had to be replaced.
Towed a 4500lb trailer across country at 70mph .. -shakes head- .. I had to remind myself it was back there 'cause it did not effect the Durango at all except for longer braking distances and a little longer to pass on a 2-lane.

I agree that if you like it, you drive it .. take care of it and it will last.
(most of the time)

Those who think american cars are junk .. guess that Trans-Am/Z28/SS/'Vett that blew yer doors off left an impression eh?
Or you've never driven any of the above.

-GE (I took apart a '59 283ci chebby ..250k miles on it .. that had been taken care of ..regular oil changes etc .. it wasn't even burnin any oil.. intended to rebuild it ..LOL .. there wasn't even a ridge at the top of the cylinders ..it just needed to be honed so the new rings would seat. I chose to put 10.1 pistons in it ..and I put some 2.02 camel-hump heads on it, was gonna stuff it into my '64 nova stationwagon ..but .. guy offered me a rectangle-port head 396 motor for it so I did the trade .. the 283 went into his '57 chebbie 4-speed car with 4.10's inna back.. and it worked *great*)

lazs2 · « **Reply #43 on:** August 24, 2006, 08:30:16 AM »

the only jap car I ever bought was a datsun pickup for my first wife when they first came out. Really hated that car.

Have never rode in a jap car or front wheel drive car that I could stand but they are ok for other people I guess... good for people who don't like cars.

Haven't had many newer cars... 69 big block el camino and 55 small block chevy Healey.. and... A late model Lincoln Town car.

The Lincoln seems great. My son recomended it after he did a couple of years as a part time chaufer and said that the Lincolns were unkillable even as limmos... Seems to be about correct.

He is a tire and susspension guy and says that most jap cars have junk susspension... most of the jap cars on the road are really in need of work... most have bent or worn out susspension.

He says that the cars that come in with the best shape susspensions are the mustangs.. they never seem to wear out. The german cars last allmost as long but cost about 4 times more for parts.

lazs

Edbert1 · « **Reply #44 on:** August 24, 2006, 08:38:52 AM »

Name a Jap car that has 300hp, runs the 1,320 in 13.5 bone stock, and gets 22 (ACTUAL) mpg yet still costs only $25K. I'd consider buying one if you can.