19th Oct 2011, 16:09
And once again, if it's a brand that somebody prefers, then who cares where it is made.
20th Oct 2011, 08:31
I doubt you had the Pontiac 3.8 engine. I had that problem with my Legends with the plastic as well.
20th Oct 2011, 16:52
Your mechanic must be really good if he replaced 2 transmissions in your Caravan without opening the hood.
21st Oct 2011, 08:35
It does not matter where something is built. However cars are built to manufacturer's specs. Engines, trans are approved by the parent company and built to their specs. That's why I now drive a new Ford vs a Honda. I have 43000 miles in a year. At this same point in time I was nearing trans 2 on my Honda. Who gets the blame; the city in which the trans was made in the world... or the parent company's spec?
23rd Oct 2011, 12:42
I just got through watching the second "torture test" of a new Ford engine, and I'm impressed. The new F-150 V-6 engine was put through the equivalent of 150,000 miles of full-throttle driving with the engine being alternately cooled to minus 20 degrees and heated to 230 degrees. It was then installed in an F-150 and used to haul logs (each weighing 6000 pounds) out of a logging site by DRAGGING them (NOT hauling them on a trailer). After that, the truck was taken to an oval track in Florida (Daytona I think) and was driven for 24 hours at speeds of up to 100 mph while pulling two Ford Fusions on a flatbed trailer. Then the engine was removed, given nothing but an oil change and placed in a Baja racing truck to compete in the Baja 1000. It won, largely due to the fact that it was getting such high fuel mileage that it was able to skip every other fuel stop. Finally, the engine was put on a dyno and found to be still producing the exact same horsepower and torque that it did brand new. It was torn down and found to have virtually no detectable wear at all after 165,000 miles of sheer torture. That is why there are now two Fords in my garage.
25th Oct 2011, 07:51
Hold your pride F-150 horses!!... I am a mechanic foreman for a transit commission in Canada, and we have hundreds of buses in 7 maintenance facility garages, and each garage has their pick-up trucks.. 7 or 8 for each... And the "torture test" you are referring about is not the REAL torture test... Let me explain!
Our pick-ups are modified, like front customized bumpers and hydraulic tail gates, to push, pull, jump start, hauling, stuff and our buses, and they're all driven by our employees, that so many of them have lead feet, because it's not theirs and they don't really care, all they watch is if there's gas in the fuel tank, and I can confirm to you that the best and toughest pick-ups were and still are Tundras and Tacomas from Toyota.. GM, Ford, Dodge, Heavy or Super Duty, or not, were and still are most of the time in one of our little maintenance garages for blown head gaskets or turbos, many transmissions or differential issues, or simply maintenance like fluids, tires change etc (except the ones equipped with Allisons), and more times than expected, a completely worn/finished engine. And all these while pushing or pulling our buses weighing around 11500 kilos. We had to sell them to a wholesaler before the critical 50000 km mark, because we know that after that kilometer mark, it will be too costly, and they were a lot less reliable or tough enough...
You may have 2 Ford trucks in your garage.. We, too, Fords are in our "torture garages", and many times in our maintenance/repairs garages!
26th Oct 2011, 19:28
I'd love to see any Toyota pull a 6000 pound log along the ground (uphill at that) to load a log truck. I doubt it would even be able to budge it!!
27th Oct 2011, 07:15
Let's hook up a Tundra and pull against Ford's F250 and up. See who gets dragged away. Won't be any comparison. Probably a Ford tow truck or flat bed can haul the Tundra away.
27th Oct 2011, 10:20
I knew it!.. Pride Ford horses crankin' up!...
You can compare any F-Fords you want, they are very solid and cranky when NEW, and many of them ARE stronger than Toyotas, but "Yodas", Tundras AND V6 Tacomas, all 4X4, get the jobs done, and for a longer period of time/KMs.
I can assure you that ours or the wholesaler Ford's flatbeds trucks are more than often used to transport an F-Ford on its flatbed for any kind of repairs or maintenance, and to conclude, these F150-250 or F350, have many times been pushed/pulled by a "Yodas" to our maintenance garages.
Don't get me wrong, Fords, GMs and Dodges (Hemiiiiii!) are really nice pick-ups when NEW! And I never wrote that Toyotas are stronger.. But for sure they are tougher!
19th Oct 2011, 12:55
I must say I find this entire import vs. domestic argument pointless, since most vehicles are made up of parts from around the world, and assembled in various countries as well.
I have owned approximately 30 vehicles for business & personal use in my lifetime, and have owned almost as many imports as domestics (though domestics hold a slight numerical advantage); needless to say it is very close to an even split. I have no real difference - it all comes down to preference.
Currently we own a Jeep Liberty (built in the USA), a Saab 9-7x built in the USA (based on the GMC Envoy & Chevy Trailblazer) and a Chrysler Sebring Convertible. I recently sold a Saab 9-3 Convertible and replaced it with an older Sebring. I must say, the Saab was assembled with higher quality parts, however the Sebring is a more structurally sound (no chassis flex/cowl shake) and appears to be holding up well considering its age. The Saab with it's 2.0 liter turbo and the Sebring with its (much maligned 2.7 liter V6) compare favorably in MPG's (both very good). The Saab might have a slight edge in handling where the Sebring has a smoother ride. The Saab had a very slight edge in acceleration, but the Sebring is no slouch, and is smoother & quieter. Again, it all comes down to preference.
As far as the SUV's go - I prefer the Jeep, and I'm sure my wife prefers the Saab 9-7 (again all comes down to preference.
I can honestly say - I have some very reliable imports and some equally reliable domestics. I've also had a few of each that weren't as reliable as I would have liked.
(A couple of used VW's and an brand new Opel were probably the least reliable) and it is hard to say which vehicles were the most reliable - However most of the vehicles I purchased brand new (with the exception of the Opel) were very reliable. However I maintain my cars religiously.
The most miles I got out of one vehicle was a 1987 VW Jetta, which lasted about 228,000 miles before injector issues made it no longer worth keeping.
In any case, I really believe people need to lighten up on this topic, and just drive what you prefer, and allow your neighbor to do the same.