EVERYONE here has a preference for one thing or another... some will never buy an American car, some will never buy a Hyundai, etc. Some people prefer Honda, some people don't, etc. Also, what did you plan on getting before you got your current ride?

It it weren't obvious I have a likening to newer GMs moreso than other cars.... mainly the performance-oriented models. I like their value, the high-displacement V8s that are pretty good on gas (for what they are) and most of their styling among other things.

I don't really like Toyotas in general, at least recent ones. I like working on them.... usually pretty simple and it seems like they put a lot of thought into making it easier on their techs and their drivers. But lack of steering feel and weight across the entire range is kinda unnerving... feels video game-ish to drive my dad's Camry long distances.

Working on VWs and MBs is a pain in the ass at least newer ones.... nothing is easy to find, a lot of things are difficult to remove, and the bolt sizes are never the same... constantly have to switch to another tool to take something apart, like on a brake job.

I find myself to be pretty open about motor vehicles in general. If I had a buttload of money I'd have a really varied garage. I like SUVs and trucks that can go off-road, ATVs, dirt bikes, sport bikes, hell I might even have a cruiser. I like the Genesis coupe a lot. I like most VIP-style cars as long as its not overdone, I like old-school muscle cars, all sorts of Euro cars and I still like slammed imports - used to have an Integra. Sedans, 2+2s, roadsters... don't matter unless it weighs too much.

Before I got my current car, I was set on an MR2 Turbo, or a S13/S14, or an EK hatch would be nice.... then I thought about Mk IV GTIs and R32s (yeah right) then an E36 M3 sedan, then I wanted an AP1 BADLY, then I wanted a Mustang GT or SVT Cobra.... and finally ended up with a Z28!

I'm glad that my Honda > * days are over.... expanding your horizons is a great way to stumble on a car you really like but otherwise never would have considered in the first place.

 

Im still a bit scared of American cars...

 

To be fair - I had an 82 Ford Escort, and 89 Pontiac Lemans and a 2000 Dodge Intrepid....All of them pretty terrible...

 

my stereotypes:

toyota = reliable (although this is wavering)
vw/jag/saab = unreliable
bmw = cocks
bmw/merc/audi = not reliable enough
buick/mercury/lincoln/chysler = old people
ford = cheap
dodge = redneck
honda = boring
pontiac = ugly (mostly due to the aztek)
lexus = soft
nissan = uncool
subaru = lesbians (except the wrx which = boyracer)
mazda/mitsubishi = don't care
alfa = soul/passion/heartbreaker
aston = hot...


who did I leave out?

 

I'm relatively open to most brands of cars, but American cars in general suck ass so I will never buy one.

 

I bet you're a big fan of Daewoo's, Hyundais, and Kias!!

 

I don't think I could buy american yet. the only american car that kinda has me interested is the G8.

I always loved japanese cars just cause they always felt like they were made the best, and were the most reliable, but I am less impressed as all the factories move to america, and they are getting just as big as all the american cars.

I always put reliability as my #1 priority, so I always bought Japanese. But I am finding them to be more and more boring. But considering until last year, my NEWEST car i've ever owned was 15 years old w/ over 100k miles, and never had a car w/ any sort of warranty, that really molded my priorities towards buying something that would last easily that long. I think I'll care less about reliability in my next car if it is relatively new and as long as it's under warranty.

 

For me.

Honda/Acura- Overrated in reliability. Lousy automatic. Crappy brakes.
Lexus- reliable but boring. (luxury appliance- good for commute)
Toyota- reliable and somewhat boring (my opinion has changed after picking Camry SE V6 over Accord EX v6).
BMW- electronic challenged. Mechanically is bullet proof. Fun car to own.
Mercedes- unreliable piece of junk

 

go check out some new GMs youll be suprised

 

Unless I fall into some deep financial problems, I will NEVER drive a Hyundai or Kia...

Now that I know the reliability and quality of a good Japanese car, I'm not sure I'll ever want an American car...don't quote me on that though.

There are a lot of cool European cars, but many times they are expensive as hell to maintain/repair.


MY BIAS??? Audi's are the shizzzzzz

 

I have a bias towards utilitarian, cleverly engineered smaller cars. The more larger and more expensive a car gets, the more I say to myself "well of COURSE its better."

 

Foreign cars have ruled over American made for decades now, and though they are catching up I don't think they will surpass them. As someone else has said, go check out a few GM's. Another aspect that makes them superior is the materials they use. American cars still rely heavily on cheap plastic parts. The imports do as well but the quality of them is better.

So, I guess you have my answer. The Honda division has my business now however I'm not bound to them. When it comes time to replace my car I will do the same thing I did when I bought the TL. Research the crap out of everything in the price range that I want to pay. The TL came out on top this time. Maybe not next time.

A few of the features that a car must have won't change regardless of who makes it. If I had to put them in order I'd say:

Climate control - This is a no brainer. Set it, and forget it.
Leather seats
Four doors - kids now, that may change when I'm an old fart.
Power everything
Heated Seats
Heated Steering Wheel (Audi rules here)
HF phone
Decent stereo - Almost all cars have them now though.
Nav system - Even though there are so many portable ones out there now I still like it built in. I use it daily.
Cruise Control - Adaptive would be the shit. Not too important though as I'm always passing people anyway.

 

i am biased to the foreign market, but GM has been grabbing my attention in the last year with the G8, CTS, and new hybrid Tahoe.

 

The only car I would never buy again is a Mitsubishi. I had tons of problems with mine and the dealerships were the worst I ever delt with and I tried every one in my area. I hear that both the dealerships and the cars have improved since the 90's when I dealt with them, but I am still bitter about how bad they were, and I won't go back.

Other than that, I have had pretty good experiences with all the cars I have owned so I have no real bias.

 

I will never buy a American car...all of my cars have been Japanese

 

None really....i'll never buy a ugly car...

...or korean....or indian...or an SUV..

I gotta say, the new CTS and Camaro have really changed my view on GM They used to make complete pieces of turd (excluding the vette) but it really seems like they're coming up. The build quality is still questionable though

 

I am biased towards foreign cars. Mostly Japanese cars. I have never owned anything other than a Japanese car. Neither did my parents. Can't say for sure I would not buy an American car, but I would lean towards Japanese.

Other than that, I have become very used to creature comforts in a car. I like the leather seats, heated seats, better stereo, sunroof, etc. I don't think I would buy a car without them. I spend a fair amount of time in my car and love enjoying it.

I tend to like coupes more than sedans, but for right now, I cannot afford to have a coupe because of family obligations. As soon as I am able, I would like to get another coupe.

I'm usually biased against silver cars. Both my current cars are silver. I mostly got them out of necessity. The color is growing on me, but I think my next car will not be silver.

 

oh and i hate almost ALL converts (minus exotics+SL)

 

My only hard bias towards color is that it should not be the same color as the road. Obvious reasons there.

Then gypsygirl went and bought a gray Honda, although I did participate in choosing which one she got.

 

It is really a safety issue....I never heard of such a thing....

 

From my track record i seem to like switching brands. So im not all that biased.

Even my first car was a Chevy.

I really itching for the new Camaro.

 

They are better and perhaps better than some Japanese cars but they don't have passion or soul like ze Gerrrrmanzs!

 

You really? LOL you shouldn't buy anything. Just rent by the hour.

 

Seriously, they need to lease cars for 6 month terms.

 

I've owned American, European and Japanese, I've also had the benefit of working in a garage that serviced all makes/models for 13 years and from that have drawn many conclusions. I will start by saying, currently there are very few, if any, truly "bad" cars on the market, everyone will manufacturer will have a lemon from time to time it comes with the territory, but those cases are rare and isolated. Most cars produced are decent, many people will have a bad experience with a single car or dealership and base there opinion on the entire brand on that single experience. With all that said I do have my biases, in terms of real world reliability it is just about impossible to beat the Japanese. I have said it before and I will say it again, if all cars were built like honda's I would not have been in the automotive repair business - yes they needed maintenance and basic repairs like all cars, but otherwise just simply would not break. Toyota's and Nissan's are both very good in this department as well, but from the cross section of vehicles I serviced I would say are a little behind honda, but not by much. European cars had lots of reliability problems during the late 90's into the new millennium, it seems they have gotten better recently and are working hard at shedding that reputation, in particular BMW and Mercedes. For some companies like VW, anything would be better then their reliability during the late 90's, so while they may be better, they probably still aren't close to where they were in the 80's. American cars a joke when in terms of maintenance, they were my bread and butter, once you learn what brakes on a particular model you can bet your ass it will happen to everyone you see. The real kick in the nuts is that American cars used to be cheap to repair, now that is not the case, more labor intensive and more expensive parts, when you pair that with a greater frequency in needing repairs it just seems like a poor proposition. With that said very few buy a car solely based on reliability, people have their prejudices against certain regions or makes, or will base the reputation of an entire brand on a car their father had 15 years ago, etc.... In short passion and human emotion comes into play, not to mention peoples desire for the ability to get a vehicle in a specific configuration regardless of what it requires being sacrificed. That's how brands like Audi have remained in the top tier, there interior and overall quality of materials used is much higher then its direct competition, so some of the reliability issues that plagued the brand can be overlooked. BMW on the other hand made what turned out to be a wise choice about the free maintenance, intervals are longer, the vehicles are more reliable and it salvaged the questionable reputation of the brand in a few years by offering peace of mind to buyers. All makes and models have much longer warranties then they did 10 years ago, which further supports my theory that "bad" cars don't exist anymore. Certain brands are more then likely trouble, Range Rover, Jaguar, Kia, etc... But even most of these brands are getting better and better, while at the expense of losing their soul. Now we come to American cars, they no longer have the better price, they no longer surpass the foreign competition in many, if any ways. They are not as costly to repair and still retain quality that is at best 5 years behind. Though they are striving to become a major player again it seems like a struggle. The C6 is almost a car I would want to own, if it had a higher quality and more stylish interior I would be in one right now and not a S2000, the other shortcomings I feel the car has could be overlooked or improved with a few bolt on's, but not the interior. Compare the interior of a 5 year old Caddy vs a comparable 5 year old BMW/Audi/Merc, you'll be able to better recognize quality when it is new when you see how poorly American cars age. Then you come into companies like Porsche, while very rare, are exceptionally well engineered, constructed with quality materials and very reliable. Sure they had a bad batch from time to time, early boxster engines were troublesome, early 986 and all 996's have questionable styling, but Porsche is quick to adjust and improve when they discover themselves building that reputation - probably part of the reason they are one of the most profitable brands despite their low(by comparison) production numbers.

Summing everything up, things change, the American manufacturers aren't foolish, they know where they stand are trying as best they can to catch up, cars like the Challenger and the proposed Camaro may have a lot of potential. If GM can make the improvements to the interior that they did from the rest of the car when they went from C5 to C6 in the creation of the C7, it will be a home run to reestablish the brands image, which the C6 has in a way done. The performance is great, don't fuss with it to much, sharpen the exterior lines with out pushing it to far and design a high quality interior that puts the competition to shame and then start trickling it down the line.

There is no perfect car, what one person dreams of another hates, what makes this even harder is that there is no "wrong" choice these days.


edit- sorry, didn't realize that post was the long

 

^^^^ Damm dude, paragraphs!

Seriously, good points.

I am an admitted Honda fanboi and longtime owner who is now loving what GM has to offer. I am ready to buy American. GM is the only American manufacturer that has learned to sell what we want as enthusiasts, and with great style. I truly hope it survives. Maybe Acura can learn some style tips from GM, and also buy their (bulletproof) transmissions.

I've owned Fords and Dodges too....the Ford Escort we had 14 years ago was quite reliable. Both Dodges were CRAP, no more Mopar for me. In one, the engine blew up. We traded for a Honda Accord the same day. In the other, the tranny crapped at 625 miles, the week after I bought it.

 

Honda/Acura - really good cars, although styling can be subjective.
Toyota - overrated, no style.
GM (all areas) - greatly improving in all aspects.
Ford - crap.
Dodge/Chrysler - crap.
Germans - trendy styling (as opposed to the classic styling of Japanese cars), ie. the old models look very dated as soon as new ones come out versus Japanese cars looking good forever. Bad reliablility, overpriced.
Nissan - no style, overpriced.
Mazda - decent cars, style improving a little.
Hyundai - great value.
Subaru - overpriced.
Lexus - old people cars.

 

I don't know. Just seems to make sense to me. I don't think there has ever been a study on that. Hey! maybe I could get one of them gov't grants to do one?

 

I didn't think it was going to be near that long when I started that post

 

I'm with the few here who touched on American cars. I don't like to use absolutes... so I won't say I'd never buy buy American, but as it stands right now I can say I'd be hesitant to ever buy American.

 

Silver's too boring a color, so whatever car I get in life will probably never be silver. Then again, I DO have a loudly colored car, could be why I don't like silver.

Not really feeling SUV's at the moment, I've been around them since I was born, I'd like something different.

As far as car brands, I'm really only interested in Pontiac's sport line [ GTO, G8 ] when it comes to domestic, otherwise I'll stick with the imports ..

 

American = 1 enterior spread throughout an entire lineup of cars....and tons of hard ass plastic.

 

i don't like any american cars. i think they're all unreliable and ugly. but i do like bmw,lexus,toyota,nissan ect ect. im still also a little iffy on the korean cars.

 

There are few GM and Ford products that I would consider:
Any Caddy
C6 Z06
G8 V8
Mustang V8
Mercury Milan

However (and particularly with respect to relative pricing), I am not certain I could commit my hard earned funds into those models versus their Honda or Nissan counterparts:

Infiniti
GT-R
G35S 6MT
Accord V6 6MT
Accord

And as it stands now, I would NEVER buy a Chrysler product of ANY sort....even SRT8s with deep discounts. MOPAR fans.

 

Chevy

 

I have to admit I have a preference to German engineering in general. They're good at what they do. I've owned three 3-series in a row and I've never looked back.(I get a fair discount every time I buy one ) I'm on my fourth BMW and I love it. However unlike many BMW "cocks" like they call them here, I'm open to almost every single brand. I have to admit that I really like what Infiniti is doing right now. They have stylish, powerful and decently priced cars. I could see myself buying a V8 Genesis sometimes in the future too, it's an amazing effort from Hyundai. When I had my MDX I loved it as well, we weren't ready for an SUV at the time, that's all. GM, I had a ride in the new CTS and Escalade, those cars were pretty good as well.

Often people are so biased towards the brand they own or a bad experience , it blinds them and they fail to see or even try a car a model from the competition.

 

I really don't have any. I find something cool about every car, whether it be bang for the buck, etc.

 

Honda/Acura - Reliable, great styling, lack of build quality in the last few years. Although, I'd take a Honda / Acura over any german competitor.

Toyota - Reliable, slow.

GM (all areas) - My dad has owned a 1994 Chevy 1500 pickup for about 8 years now w/ 215,000 miles on it and he JUST replaced the clutch. The truck itself has had minor issues but nothing major.

As of late, I think GM can hold their own. I'm curious to see how their newer vehicles will hold up in 5 - 10 years.

Ford - Awful.

Dodge/Chrysler - In my personal experience, we had a Dodge Caravan last us about 8 years w/ 115,000 miles on it with 0 problems.

Germans - Bad reliability, overpriced, awful depreciation, and high maintenance costs.

Nissan - Hit or miss on styling, overpriced, but a motivated auto company. Hopefully the other line of vehicles will be a success .. similar to the GT-R hah.

Mazda - I've always though of Mazdas being somewhat reliable. I say they think of something a little faster than the RX-8.

Mitsubishi - Awful reliability. Mitsubishi makes a car as good as a car can be ... briefly (TG Fan, couldn't resist)

Hyundai - Great value, great reliability, decent styling in these past few years.

Subaru - Overpriced, bulletproof, (This Statement only applies to WRX / STi Drivers) gives you the ability to pickup women who aren't classy ... teeny boppers if you will.

Lexus - Horrible handling, great reliability, and old people drive it.

Wow, that felt good.

 

I will only own an Acura/Honda simply because of price/quality/packaging. The cars are good at everything, and require only basic maintence. The dealership goodwill most breakdowns if slightly out of warranty. The cars look good even 10years after they are made (not outdated) They will always be my "main" car.

As far as toys, I'd own a newer Pointiac GTO. I love the older muscle cars as well. Chevelle SS, Cutlass 442. Then again I want an NSX as a toy as well. Toyota toys such as the Supra are money pits. I want something thats easy to modify, maintain, and work on myself.

I will never own a BMW, Mercedes, Saab, Audi. They do nothing for me at all, and anyone I know that has one always call me up telling me what's happening to their car and if I know what it might be. None of my honda/acura friends, or family give me that call. I'm big on reliablity and cost of ownership.

 

I'm pretty much open to any manufacturer. Quality, reliability, and driving enjoyment are paramount when it comes to choosing an automobile. Many times I find price not always a reflection when it comes to automotive quality. My Accord was purchased to replace a BMW 540, which was one of the most troublesome cars I have ever owned starting when I picked it up from the dealer. The Accord is my first Honda manufactured car, and it likely won't be my last. I've had good luck with the Japanese based manufacturers, and will likely continue looking in their direction when purchasing future cars.

There is one area, in my opinion, where the Japanese cannot touch an American based car: A large bore performance V8 driving the rear wheels. Crude at times? You bet. Not always screwed down with the best of care? No argument here. But for sheer unadulterated, burn off the rear tires fun, who can resist the appeal of an American performance car. The sound of Chevrolet performance V8 at idle or the wail of a Ford high performance modular at full throttle is truly a wonderful thing.

In short, if I'm considering an elegant, refined, tasteful, and quality automobile, a Japanese or in some instances a European automobile will continue to be my first choice. If I'm looking for unabashed, unapologetic fun, a Domestic performance car will always be considered.

Terry