Recycling, even good for american cars.

[Spec]

What's up with the "Bringing back old models" trend these last years. We all know that american cars these days, well, for the last 20 years, have been a bit crappy if compared to other countries. So, it seems that they are trying to bring back the good old days when american cars were in fact the better cars out there. Like they brang back the old mustang model, PT cruiser is old style, the charger....Now we will have the new Camaro in 2007 based on the 69 model, and others.

Now dont get me wrong, I hate american cars, but only from 73 up to today. Before that, I love those muscle cars. And my favorite one was the 426 hemi Challenger. And guess what, they are bringing it back to! In 2007.
Here it is.

I think it looks great and really mean. But I'm wondering, is there really a market for these cars these days. What with the price of fuel going up. Are they selling that many Chargers? Enough that you can add the cahllenger to the line up?

Thoughts?

Spec.

[Hot Mustard]

There's plenty of Boomers with more money than brains.

[rah]

Boomers aren't the only ones that have spent money to try to recreate/relive their youth. If they get pleasure from it, what else is money good for.

[Tattila the Hun]

Well, I wonder, are they carbon copies of the old cars, or do they employ the latest safety stuff, and other modern stuff? Maybe that car is infact hybrid...

[rah]

They incorporate the latest engineering. The body styles aren't even exact copies.

[Dinner]

Re: Recycling, even good for american cars.

Originally posted by Spec
What's up with the "Bringing back old models" trend these last years. We all know that american cars these days, well, for the last 20 years, have been a bit crappy if compared to other countries.

Spoken like someone who knows jack cheese.

Ignorance.

Here is J.D. Powers 2006 report on the most dependable new cars, about half of which are American brands.

http://money.cnn.com/2006/08/08/autos/jdpower_dependability/index.htm

And here is J.D.Powers 2006 report on the most reliable used cars. Not surprisingly about half of the most reliable cars are American, none of European or Korean.

http://money.cnn.com/2006/08/08/autos/jd_power_dependable_cars/index.htm

That ignorant people can continually slag American cars when statistically they are with in 1% of Japanese cars and way ahead of European crap or Korean junk is beyond me. This is one case where Asher just hasn't a clue abour what he is talking about.

[Dinner]

Originally posted by Tattila the Hun
Well, I wonder, are they carbon copies of the old cars, or do they employ the latest safety stuff, and other modern stuff? Maybe that car is infact hybrid...

Of course they're all new. The Feds wouldn't let them sell the old stuff since it wouldn't pass safety or environmental standards. All this is is a new car with sheet metal designed to remind people of an older car. Before you say anything realize that the Japanese, especially Toyota, have been doing this nestalgia play for decades in their home market. VW has done it with their Beatle. Just about every manufacturer who made a classic car which people look back foundly on has built new cars designed to envoke emotions in people who owned them when they were young.

[Dinner]

Here's the 2006 ranking for each name plate. The number measures the number of problems per 1000 vehicles so lower is better.

Top ranking brands:

1. Lexus (Toyota), Score: 136

2. Mercury (Ford), Score: 151

3. Buick (GM), Score: 153

4. Cadillac (GM), Score: 163

5. Toyota, Score: 179

6. Acura (Honda), Score: 184

7. Honda, Score: 194

8. Jaguar (Ford), Score: 210

9. BMW, Score: 212

10. Infiniti (Nissan), Score: 215

11. Lincoln (Ford), Score: 220

12. Ford, Score: 224

There are several dozen other brands but they didn't earn a high enough quality score to be mentioned.

[Spec]

Re: Re: Recycling, even good for american cars.

Originally posted by Oerdin


Spoken like someone who knows jack cheese.

Ignorance.

Here is J.D. Powers 2006 report on the most dependable new cars, about half of which are American brands.

http://money.cnn.com/2006/08/08/autos/jdpower_dependability/index.htm

And here is J.D.Powers 2006 report on the most reliable used cars. Not surprisingly about half of the most reliable cars are American, none of European or Korean.

http://money.cnn.com/2006/08/08/autos/jd_power_dependable_cars/index.htm

That ignorant people can continually slag American cars when statistically they are with in 1% of Japanese cars and way ahead of European crap or Korean junk is beyond me. This is one case where Asher just hasn't a clue abour what he is talking about.

Oerdin, did you see anywhere in my OP where I talked about reliability? I'm taking about handling, power compared to engine size, gas/mileage, lateral acceleration and so on.

I'm not Asher. I dont really care about reliability. I'm not the type that buys a car to go from point A to B. For me, it's how fun can it be between A and B.

BTW, never compare me with Asher. Please....

Thanks for a nice reply with unnecessary comments.

Spec.

[MMC]

Am I right in thinking that that is a US study about which US cars are best in the US?

[Asher]

JD Power is useless; American cars tend to suck in both reliability, design, and drivability.

I had to suffer with another 2006 Buick last weekend in Toronto. My God, the pain...the pain....

[Spec]

Originally posted by Asher

I had to suffer with another 2006 Buick last weekend in Toronto. My God, the pain...the pain....

You know, there is a seat in a buick, no need to sit on the hand-brake.

But, you like that, dont you?

Spec.

[Dinner]

Re: Re: Re: Recycling, even good for american cars.

Originally posted by Spec
Oerdin, did you see anywhere in my OP where I talked about reliability? I'm taking about handling, power compared to engine size, gas/mileage, lateral acceleration and so on.

What about this bit from the opening paragraph of the OP?

We all know that american cars these days, well, for the last 20 years, have been a bit crappy if compared to other countries.

[Spec]

Re: Re: Re: Re: Recycling, even good for american cars.

Originally posted by Oerdin


What about this bit from the opening paragraph of the OP?

Where, in that phrase do you see anything about reliability?

Spec.

[Dinner]

Originally posted by Asher
JD Power is useless; American cars tend to suck in both reliability, design, and drivability.

I had to suffer with another 2006 Buick last weekend in Toronto. My God, the pain...the pain....

J.D. Powers actually does a full statistical sampling and uses measurable and varifiable data unlike you precious consumer reports which relies upon nonstatical sampling (only the people who feel like writting in write in and typically it is only the whiners who bother to get out a pen and paper) and nonreproducable questionaires. Excellent, good, average, below average? Every person who fills out that crap survey has a different opinion of what those words mean so the results are not comparable. They don't use actual measurements or numerical data. They're just crap.

Everyone in the quality business laughs at them. Hell, everyone in the car businees laughs at them. They claim huge differences between identical models which come off of the exact same assembly line. It is so nonscientific that it is totally worthless.