22nd Sep 2009, 11:43

Okay, in case you didn't see my post, it was NOT the battery but the SYNC system in my Ford that caused the car to die. I could have put thirty new batteries in the car and it would have had the same outcome. SORRY but I will take an import that doesn't have faulty systems in it, leaving me stranded, over a domestic next time I purchase a car!

22nd Sep 2009, 12:04

Dear 21:21

Oh please! Do you really believe that Americans are out to destroy their country because they happen to drive imported cars?

You know that some of those imported car owners might just be veterans, family members of soldiers, widows of soldiers, congressional aides, federal employees etc.

You really need to find a safe hobby, rather than obsessing over what your neighbor drives.

22nd Sep 2009, 19:21

To comment 9:33:

If you took the time to read the comment about the dying battery, you would have realized that it WAS the cars fault. The SYNC system that Ford is raving about completely drained his battery. He DID NOT leave his lights on.

22nd Sep 2009, 21:02

To 09:33: You have to remember how import owners think. If a domestic has a cigarette lighter stop working at 250,000 miles, it is a "crappy domestic". If a Honda or Acura goes through 4 transmissions in 50,000 miles or a Toyota needs a new engine at 20,000, that is written off as "routine maintenance". You just have to understand "import speak".

23rd Sep 2009, 10:29

Well, the import owners at least read the posts. The SYNC system is obviously a major electrical drawing computer component that obviously can strand you if it decides to malfunction. Only a domestic car company would rely on a Microsoft product to run its entertainment and communication interface.

I've only had one transmission problem with an import, and it was an Isuzu that failed and was replaced under warranty with a brand new one at 58K miles. Honda?? No way. I've never had any mechanical issues with any other import I have owned. My worst car was an Olds that I was into about $6,000 in repairs by the time I got rid of it. That car did have transmission issues as well as many other failures of parts that should have gone a lot farther. Struts failed, wheel bearings, turn signal switch (that caused the brake lights to fail which was really safe!). It also needed a $900 brake job at 60K miles, which I thought was kind of excessive. I traded it in at 98K miles and it was done!

So, don't tell me domestics are so great. I think all cars have their issues. I can find just as many people on here that have gone 300K in their Honda with no major issues as in any domestic. I also see many more older Hondas and Toyotas on the road these days than any of the domestics.

23rd Sep 2009, 12:42

I switched to an Optima sealed battery and eliminated any acid dropping onto my wiring harness and killing my system. Again a better battery. Thank you.

23rd Sep 2009, 13:49

To comment 21:02:

You responded to my comment. I AM AN IMPORT OWNER. And I've never needed to replace any transmissions in any of my imports. No engine replacements either.

24th Sep 2009, 08:21

Once again, the battery had NOTHING to do with my problem. It was the SYNC system. Geez!!

24th Sep 2009, 09:24

10:29 go over to the Acura TL posts and see many many transmissions, some as many as 3 plus, same car...

I never went past 100k after seeing major outlays on my import's AC systems, front end work, timing belts, and heater cores start coming to mind.

You can pay a lot to keep cars going with high mileage, but if the car is worth 2-3K and you spend more at over 150,000 miles, what is that worth?

I can see if you have credit issues or like to chance it out perhaps. Repairs are not cheap... and all components have aged at 150,000 miles plus.

24th Sep 2009, 10:33

I don't care if they all had 10 transmission replacements on the Acura threads. I personally have never had any transmission issues with any import other than the one I described in the Isuzu. You can go on any thread or forum and find multiple problems with any car line or model. It has nothing really to do with my personal experience though.

I wasn't saying Acura did or didn't have transmission issues. The worst transmissions I have ever heard of multiple problems from are the Subaru 5-speed manual that is in the WRX and the Chevy 4 speed AT that has been used in their trucks and SUVs for years. I personally have owned multiple vehicles with both of these transmissions and never had trouble with any of them.

24th Sep 2009, 20:37

Acura and Honda are well-known for requiring multiple transmissions in the first 80,000 miles. The urban myth that Japanese cars are somehow more reliable (in spite of virtually every source saying otherwise) is hard to put to rest. Our Honda was totally worn out at 80,000 miles. Our current GM just hit 80,000 miles and has had one battery and two light bulbs. The brake pads haven't even needed replacing.

25th Sep 2009, 12:10

Yeah, and our Trailblazer completely fell apart making it unsafe to drive at 30,000 miles so what's your point? There are examples of EVERY type of car that has failed miserably before their time, and just as many of EVERY type of car that have gone to 100's of thousands of miles with little more than routine maintenance.

I am so sick of hearing the "my import was junk and my domestic went for a million miles", and vice versa! Everyone should have gotten the point by now. All cars are about the same in reliability and quality and don't vary a heck of a lot. There are about the same number of 300,000 mile Toyotas and Hondas as there are GM and Fords on this site. No one has beaten the million mile + Volvo that has been featured in multiple magazines... and guess what, that is an import so does that make imports better? Probably not since there were undoubtedly countless examples of that same exact model VOlvo that were in the shop or junkyard way before their time.

There are threads on forums across the net that complain about virtually every car on the road... as that is what these forums are mainly used for.

Get over it and just drive what you like, start a thread about it and let everyone know how good or bad your experience has been with your car. This bickering is pointless and really doesn't give anyone any useful information.

26th Sep 2009, 20:23

"No one has beaten the million mile + Volvo that has been featured in multiple magazines"

Two domestics (that I'm aware of, I'm sure there are more) have surpassed 1,000,000 miles on the original drive train. One was a 1936 Ford flathead V-8 and the other was a 1953 Cadillac that was used as a taxi in Atlanta. Both were featured on the news several years back. Also, several Mercedes diesels have made over 1,000,000 miles. No Japanese vehicle has ever managed that much.