From the list, I would be leaning toward either the Talon or the Grand Prix. All are good cars, but I would make the descision based on the condition of the actual car you are going to buy (not the model).

If American car companies are suffering from foreign imports then clearly they are not making the cars the public wants. Maybe if they made a small, economical city car then they might have some success.

Woodlouse2002 wrote on Dec 12^th, 2006 at 9:45pm:


To this, I agree.  American car companies have shown to make an attempt at this, but its not seeming to catch on.  For instance, GM's new 100,000 mile warranty has taken roost.  Ford Motor Company has just cashed in ALL of there north american assets in order to fund there turn-around program.  If this fails, they are gone. (from the US at least)


expat wrote on Dec 12^th, 2006 at 10:17pm:



Hmm...  People do have different views.  My grandfather owns a Jag.  Very nice car, comfortable, can't even feel the roads. And...       ITS FAST

Realy though, what's wrong with Jaguar??  I believe, as much as I may disagree with any topic, that a person deserves to be listened to.  Sooo.. ?

Woodlouse2002 wrote on Dec 12^th, 2006 at 9:45pm:


To this, I agree.  American car companies have shown to make an attempt at this, but its not seeming to catch on.  For instance, GM's new 100,000 mile warranty has taken roost.  Ford Motor Company has just cashed in ALL of there north american assets in order to fund there turn-around program.  If this fails, they are gone. (from the US at least)


expat wrote on Dec 12^th, 2006 at 10:17pm:



Hmm...  People do have different views.  My grandfather owns a Jag.  Very nice car, comfortable, can't even feel the roads. And...       ITS FAST

Realy though, what's wrong with Jaguar??  I believe, as much as I may disagree with a topic, that a person deserves to be listened to.  Sooo.. ?


P.S.  Sorry elite,  for dragging this post off topic!

It's basically impossible to buy a purely American car anymore. The Corvette may be the exception? Chevrolet partnered with Toyota as far back as the 80's. Ford has had ties with Mitsubishi and others. The Ford Courier pickup was manufactured in and imported from Japan by a company I never heard of. Chrysler has ties with both German & Japanese automakers. Blah, blah, blah...................

Just have all vehicles you are interested in checked over by a reputable mechanic and do your homework. I'll take reliability and affordability over status any day. 

Giteen wrote on Dec 12^th, 2006 at 11:51pm:




Nothing is wrong with a Jag, I only pointed out that it was not American as listed in the original list of American cars to buy.

Matt

elite marksman wrote on Dec 13^th, 2006 at 5:07pm:


Just a bit of advice, airbags or not...thos old Tempo's are junk.  My family has a 1989 Ford Tempo and...although reliable so far, it truly is a piece of crap.  If you have $2-$3000 to play with, you can get a much better car than that I'm sure.

Mushroom_Farmer wrote on Dec 13^th, 2006 at 2:32am:


  The Ford Courier was a Mazda B-series rebadged back when Ford only owned 25% of Mazda. Now the Mazda pick-up is a rebadged Ford Ranger now that Ford owns Mazda.  Ford also had a limited partnership with Nissan throught it's Mercury brand but, not with Mitsubishi.  Mitsubishi has had a long time partnership with Chrysler.

Who owns Who?

BMW owns:
-BMW
-Mini
-Rolls Royce

Daimler/Chrysler owns:
-AMC
-Chrysler
-Dodge
-Eagle
-Hyundai
-Jeep
-Maybach
-Mercedes-Benz
-Plymouth
-Smart

Fiat owns:
-Alfa Romeo
-Ferrari
-Fiat
-Lancia
-Maserati

Ford owns:
-Aston Martin
-Ford
-Jaguar
-Land Rover
-Lincoln
-Mazda (Ford owns 33% of Mazda)
-Mercury
-Volvo cars

Fuji Heavy Industries owns:
-Subaru

General Motors owns:
-Buick
-Cadillac
-Chevrolet
-Daewoo (GM owns 44%)
-Fiat (GM has decided to divorce itself from Fiat as of Feb '05, but will retain 10% ownership.)
-GMC
-Holden
-Hummer
-Oldsmobile
-Opel
-Pontiac
-Saab
-Saturn
-Suzuki (2.5%, from 20%)
-Vauxhall

Honda owns:
-Acura
-Honda

Hyundai owns:
-Hyundai
-Kia

Isuzu owns:
-Isuzu
(Mitsubishi Corp., Itochu Corp. and Mizuho Corporate Bank owns part of Isuzu.)

Mitsubishi Corp. owns:
-Isuzu (13.6%)
-Mitsubishi Motors Corp (13%)

Nissan owns:
-Infiniti
-Nissan
-Renault (Nissan owns 15%)

PSA Peugeot Citroen owns:
-Citroen
-Peugeot

Porsche owns:
-Porsche
-VW (20%)

Renault owns:
-Nissan (Renault owns 44%)

Toyota owns:
-Daihatsu (~51%)
-Fuji Heavy Industries -- Subaru (Toyota owns ~20%. Toyota bought this from GM in late 2005. )
-Isuzu (5.9%, announced 7 Nov. 2006)
-Lexus
-Scion
-Toyota

Volkswagen owns:
-Audi
-Bentley
-Bugatti
-Lamborghini
-SEAT
-Skoda
-Volkswagen

So, about as inbred as some parts of East Anglia and North Carolina 

Matt

And hehe...

Murphy Motors Corperation owns:  

- Murphy Motors
- Murphy Recreational and Equipment, planes
- Lujo Motors
- I-car
- Silver Star
- Golden Star
- MRC
- Alero
- Toyota Virtual (Murphy owns 33% of Toyota Virtual's pizza =P)

Murphy is my fake virtual company!  

Yeah, because in Japan they have emission laws. Also, you really don't need a car anyways.

Woodlouse2002 wrote on Dec 15^th, 2006 at 10:34am:


Also with todays oil prices you will get better mileage with any car that is not American. Don't misunderstand me, if I could afford a nice V8 big or small block I would, but when ever I am in the US and take a look at the gas mileage that is advertised on the window of a car for sale, I don't know if I should laugh or cry for you guys. The average mpg for an American car is 24.5 mils. The average for a European/Japanese car is 40 mpg. Think of the Christmas present you could buy at the end of the year with the petro dollar you saved. Not only that, but us Europeans could only dream of paying what the US driver pays for gas.

Matt

BMan1113VR wrote on Dec 17^th, 2006 at 3:17pm:

Actually, Daewoo is now known as Chevy everywhere. It's called polishing a turd.

expat wrote on Dec 14^th, 2006 at 5:51am:


The NEW mini isnt a car, it is a piece of LEGO

Mark

Yeah, ex-pat you have a better point there.  LOL.  I never want a new "Mini" ever.  As for your first car elite.....it may be better for insurance to get a smallish, economical diesel care.  build a no claims bonus (if you have that in the usa) and use it on a good car in the future.

Thats what I am doing...just an opinion really,

Mark

I've completed the first step to getting a car... being allowed to drive it. Passed my road test today, so now I can drive without a supervisor in the car. 

It's been tough finding a car in good shape for the price I'm willing to spend, but there are some out there. Currently on the list are a '98 Avenger, '95 Stealth, and a '94 SC2, just need time to go look at them. I'm on autotrader.com, edmunds.com, and the classifieds almost every day, I'm bound to find something sooner or later.

It's not like the test was all that hard either...
All I had to do was pull out of the parking lot, parallel park, drive around the block, and park back in the MVC's parking lot.

And yet I know of 2 people that failed the written test 6 times each and the road test twice. I will not be getting in a car with them unless I'm driving.

expat wrote on Dec 22^nd, 2006 at 12:43am:

You're given more challenges than that in an English test before you even leave the test centre car park.

Apparently, if you follow the rules in the test then you're not supposed to be asked to do a manuvere in the first 5 minutes of the test. In the Cambourne test centre 95% of tests start with a drive to halfway down the carpark, then a bay park within a minute of starting. I was given a minor for not checking my blindspot whilst in the car park aswell. He was a nice man. Really had it in for me.

elite marksman wrote on Jan 27^th, 2007 at 5:58pm:


That's the way to go, if you know what your doing, if you have time and are looking for a project. I could have easily bought a 87 300zx non turbo, which had been in a front end accident, the only problems that could be found were a lost front bumper, hood and flip up lights and damaged radiator, the alignment had also looked great. I could have bought the car for $350, and replaced a number of the parts for around $400 or the same amount of the car using used parts with a salvage title and it would drive practically flawless. Well, only go this way if you really want to and have time available and you know what your doing! with time and patience!

Ivan wrote on Jan 28^th, 2007 at 3:47am:


No, Mexico has basically zero emmisions requirments. If it were true there would probably be more '57 Chevys and Volkwagon Beetles on this side of the border.

elite marksman wrote on Jan 28^th, 2007 at 3:45pm:


Yes, I realize that, but Mexico produced the the Beetle from 1964 into 2003, so those would fall under whatever EPA regulations were applicable for those years. It was also on the USDOT's hot list of gray market imports after 1978 as it also didn't meet safety regulations. I suppose a pre-'78 model might be snuck across the border without too much hassle.
I'm starting to think I'm in error on the '57 Chevy being produce in Mexico post-1957.

Lucky guys, hardly anything is allowed in the People's Republic of California

Ivan wrote on Feb 4^th, 2007 at 3:40am:
to California's Green Dictatorship (C.A.R.B.) diesel=death