A post in the other thread concerning tires reminded me of a conversation I had with my wife the other day. With GM and Chrysler being run by the Obama administration and Ford telling him to stick it as far as bailouts go, I've decided that any new vehicles that we will by in the future will be Fords. In the driveway right now sits a GMC diesel pick up, a Jeep Liberty, a Chevy Monte Carlo, and a Ford tempo. At the time the Tempo was a cheap panic buy to be used as a 4 cylinder alternative to $4 a gallon diesel fuel. I will now commute in the Tempo with a little more pride.

I don't intend to buy a new car any time soon, and when I buy used the make matters very little. I probably won't be switching to Fords. I like working on GM products.

Forgive me father for I have sinned...after twenty-five years of driving Cadillac, Saturn, Jeep, Chrysler, Oldsmobile, and Chevy (sorry Ford) I have for the past three switched to a Toyota Sienna and a Toyota 4-Runner - without question two of the finest, low maintenance, vehicles I have ever owned.

I'm as American as apple pie but until I can own an American made vehicle that does not need to go in for service every 6 months I will stick with Toyota - perhaps this is the wake-up call that the US Auto industry needs; if I am going to spend $35k on a new vehicle I want something that looks good and is truly dependable.

It's the same reason I'm driving a Honda. I've had less visits to the mechanic in the last 5 years than I had in the 6 months before that when I drove a Dodge.

-Mark

Last new pickup I bought spent more time in the shop than I could handle.

No new trucks or cars for me any more. I'll buy used.

My '93 Chevy Z-71 currently has just shy of 232,xxx miles on the clock and still running strong. My '97 Olds Aurora has just over 100K miles on it. Both vehicles have been pretty dependable since I bought them. Other than regularly scheduled maintenance, they've had only minor problems.

Another plus to owning 'older' vehicles is, parts are readily available without raping your wallet (usually).

I'm the same way. I have owned Pontiac, Chevy, Ford (2), Dodge (2) and a Buick in the past. One day my wife decided she needed a new vehicle and she wanted Toyota Sequoia. I fought that as hard as I could but in the end I lost and she got her Toyota. I was so impressed with it that 3 years later when I wanted to buy a truck I bought a Tundra without even considering anything else. We have 160,000 miles between the two and I can't remember any repairs that they've needed, other than the Sequoia needs a new antenna mast.

I almost always buy broken so I don't really worry about brand. On the other hand I saw one of the new Camaros at a dealer in Prescott the other day and am trying to not look that way anymore on my way to work. What made it worse is I read the comparo in Car and Driver which said the SS version has a 426hp 420 lbs ft torque small block and all of them have 6speed transmissions and IRS suspensions. The base engine is a 320hp V-6. I would loose my license with in 6 months , not to mention the tire bill because I would have to autocross it.

Funny, my 2003 and my (traded up for) 2005 Chevy Cavaliers have had no issues due to design - I've blown a few tires (Hitting the U-Joint off a semi will destroy the tires, no matter HOW thick they are) but never anything that needed shop work due to manufacturer's failures to design.

I plan to run this one into the ground, I'm at 49k on it now.

Well, now that I think about it, one thing DID fail. The little plastic snap on the driver's side seat belt, that prevents the belt latch from sliding all the way to the floor.

They wanted $35 for a pair of 'em.

My belt latch sits on the floor.

First "Coconut Charlie" now "Ford vs Chevy"

It's the end of the world as we know it...

...and I feel fiiiiiinnneee!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/It%27s_the ... _Feel_Fine)

Mrs. B. has only seen 'newspaper-quality' pictures of the new Camaro but is seriously lusting for one.

Bear in mind that we're talking 52-year-old grandmother here. She had a '67 GTO and a '68 Camaro for a while and has wanted to restore an early Chevelle for quite a long time.

If ther local dealer gets one in, I have no doubt she'll make nose-prints on the windows of the showroom.

jb

I sat in the Camaros at the Auto Show and I was impressed. Tons of power, decent fuel economy, and a fairly reasonable price.

They've got them in Buffalo.

Stop that, damn it! You're making it harder to ignore things I lust after. Soon after getting one I'd end up with a racecar and then be selling my guns to pay for tires. Shortly after that I would be getting divorced for the second time over a hobby (addiction).

It's always been Ford trucks for me, and I was just about to go purchase a new one because the I think the deals are so good right now that they just can't be passed.

Alas the new truck is out of the picture right now because I went out this weekend and bougtht a brand new Harley to add to my growing collection.