2nd Apr 2007, 10:22

Hate to disappoint you, but I mentioned many posts ago that I have a 20-mile round trip. 10 + 10 = 20.

2nd Apr 2007, 11:36

Sales figures reflect the amount of money spent on advertising hype to consumer groups and car magazines, NOT the quality of the car.

The myth of Japanese car superiority is promoted so aggressively with millions of dollars in (untrue) propaganda and "perks" to automotive writers that many people are taken in.

As a mechanic, I can assure you the quality of ALL domestics is currently HIGHER than ANY Japanese manufacturer. GM and Ford are currently building the best cars in the world, while Toyota declines DAILY and Honda is struggling to remedy its "disposable" transmission image.

In a couple of years, the number of broken down Camrys will finally get the notice of the American public, who will be seeing great numbers of them broken down on the highways.

2nd Apr 2007, 13:31

GM is the worlds largest automaker. Toyota is number 3 behind the Ford F Series #1 in the U.S.A. A lot of sales are reflected due to fuel pricing for economy vehicles. In my opinion that is not necessary better or higher quality. I no longer buy imports... they cost more mechanically to fix based on first hand experience.

2nd Apr 2007, 21:11

Yeah, GM is still the world's largest automaker. But look at the direction they're going, and the direction that Toyota is going. Which would you rather have stock in?

3rd Apr 2007, 07:56

The 2002 was a Honda upscale sedan... Acura TL type S please read the reviews. I don't own, have owned or work for Buick... I had all new... 5 Accords, an Integra, Legend and TL models. I switched in 2004 to GM because of mechanical breakdowns. The old Hondas were outstanding and the Legend was my best. But they are not the same anymore in my opinion. They lost a great customer.

3rd Apr 2007, 11:30

I don't carry a portfolio or the stock page when I test drive a new vehicle. I look for performance, exhilaration, handling, room, features, warranty, cost to own and pricing. I do invest in stock, but not in the automotive industry.

3rd Apr 2007, 11:34

You forgot to say "as a mechanic employed by the Ford Motor Company"

Your post has no basis in reality and is proven untrue by every auto magazine, car survey, and reliability ratings out there.

3rd Apr 2007, 12:12

Anyone who would argue that the quality of GM or Ford vehicles is DECLINING has obviously not even looked at one, let alone owned or driven one. They are the best, most reliable cars currently made anywhere. Stop reading Japanese car brochures and Japanese-owned car magazines and go drive a new Fusion, Impala, Silverado or F-150 and then try to HONESTLY say they are not WAYYYYYYY ahead of anything Toyota, Honda or Nissan makes.

3rd Apr 2007, 12:20

Repairs and servicing of Japanese vehicles is always much more expensive than the same service or repairs on a domestic.

In addition, our experience has shown that the Japanese vehicles require more repairs in a given period of time than a domestic. That, coupled with the fact that domestics cost thousands of dollars less keeps us buying domestics.

A brief fling with imports taught us a much-needed lesson. They are NOT a better deal to BUY or MAINTAIN. Our imports all cost much more to maintain over 100,000 miles than several of our domestics cost us in over 200,000 miles. We have never had to replace an engine or transmission in any of our domestics.

3rd Apr 2007, 13:01

In response to the mechanic... I do know some mechanics that like domestic cars, but I know a fair share that like Honda better and they have been working on cars for 30 years. In what way are the domestic cars improving? Look at Chryslers new offerings? What about GM's new cars? What about Ford devoid of the Fusion? I do not get what you speak of when you say they are superior. Does using the cheapest materials make the domestics better? Well obviously you think the domestics are better quality when they only compare to the technology to a 8 year old japanese car and reliability.

3rd Apr 2007, 14:15

An interesting anecdote, if I may... I have been in the market for a clean, late model, used domestic car. While driving past a Toyota dealership, I noticed a section of the lot with clean, late model, used domestic cars. I stopped and inspected the section of the lot more carefully. I could not believe how pristine the beautiful Chevys, Fords, Pontiacs and Buicks were!!! It is obvious that the owners felt an enormous amount of pride in their cars. I tracked down a salesman and asked why none of the cars were priced. His face reddened as he stammmered an embarassed reply: "Ah, er, I'm sorry sir, this is the employee parking lot!" I guess that says a lot that the people who know Toyota's best don't own them!!!

3rd Apr 2007, 14:48

7.52 Like I said, thank God for GM, Ford & Chrysler. Reputable domestic manufacturers unlike Honda & Toyota.

Honda and their bogus odometers and Toyota, the all time recall champ.

Buy a Chevy!

3rd Apr 2007, 15:12

The only way to read these posts is to read "all comments". Otherwise they are out of sequence... and don't make sense as far as responses to previous comments.

3rd Apr 2007, 17:51

A mechanic who works on both types of cars told me that the cheapest made car was the vaunted Saturn models. He said those things are designed to fall apart.

And then there was the report of how Toyota took apart a Dodge Neon to see how it was made and was shocked how inferior the components were. They said they could never build such a car made of 100% inferior components.

But as long as it has an "American" badge on it these people will buy anything. The irony is as the American automakers continue to offshore everything the only American involved with the car will be the dealer.

3rd Apr 2007, 17:55

So you don't care if the workers that made your car are disgruntled, whether the manufacturer is so hard up for cash it cuts corners on everything, or that the manufacturer will even be here in a few years?

Also, a manufacturer that is struggling isn't going to bend over backwards to honor warranty claims and will demand its dealers strong arm customers into not making them. Just look at Kia stories on this site.

Funny, that would be my #1 concern.

3rd Apr 2007, 18:41

It's very obvious that anyone who refers to domestics being built "cheaper" has NEVER worked on ANY car or truck. ALL domestics (trucks especially) use much larger structural components, more rigid frame structures and more steel in ALL vital areas than Japanese companies do. Take a quick look at a Tundra and an F-150 and you'll find the axle shafts of the F-150 are fully TWICE the diameter of the pencil-thin shafts of the Tundra. The F-150 uses fully boxed, rigid framing whereas the Tundra is especially flimsy and prone to flex more in rugged use. The springs of the Tundra are likewise far weaker and under-engineered compared to the F-150. Also, I am only using the F-150 as an example. ALL domestic trucks share similar, much stronger construction than Tundra. In all fairness the little Tacoma is the best vehicle Toyota makes and, frankly, it is a far better and more rugged truck than the Tundra. Toyota really should have simply built an upscale version of the Tacoma rather than designing a poorly made, full-size wannabe. The Tacoma is as rugged and reliable as the nearly bullet-proof Ford Ranger.

You might also take a look at the TINY brake pads (and linings on those without rear disc brakes) of recent Honda Civics. I was amazed at how small the pads and linings were on one I did a brake job on. At the time I rode a 1000cc MOTORCYCLE that had LARGER BRAKES!! It's no wonder the brakes on that particular Civic wore out at just over 30,000 miles. NONE of my personal domestics has EVER required a brake job before 80,000 miles. They have pads TWICE (or better) the size of the Civic's.

ALL Japanese companies cut corners in EVERY AREA of construction, from the frame (or unibody) all the way through to the interiors. To refer to "cheaply built" domestics is really exactly the opposite of reality. For decades Japan has gotten rich marketing the very LEAST in acceptable construction standards in its vehicles. A popular science magazine in the late 80's (I think it was Omni) carried a story about how Japanese companies used such flimsy steel construction in major frame components that the very frames themselves were in danger of warping or breaking after 150,000-200,000 miles or so. No domestic EVER BUILT has had such inferior construction in vital areas. There are 60 year old domestics that have over a million miles on them with no frame sagging. In some countries, such as Cuba for instance, there are 50's American cars still in daily use. No Japanese car will, or even COULD last 50 years in daily use. Even the body and frame members would long since have collapsed of their own weight.

As for newer GM cars being superior to Japanese company's vehicles, there is no argument. They ARE better because corners ARE NOT cut in engineering them. As for engines and drive trains, no domestic need make any apologies for their products. The new Trailblazer and Envoy use modern technology to pull 275 horsepower out of an inline 6 whose heritage goes back to the 1930's (when it produced 60hp). It not only beats Honda's 240hp V-6 in power and performance, but beats it in fuel mileage as well. Our family's Envoy got 24.2mpg on the highway on our last vacation running 75mph with the air on. A respected automotive magazine recently reported getting only 17mpg out of the new HYBRID Highlander!! God only knows what a NON-hybrid would have gotten!!

As for the subject of this review, the VERY well built LaCrosse, it is one of the best cars in its class in the world. Buick hasn't topped J.D. Power's owner satisfaction surveys for years without good reason. Buicks are, and have been for decades, one of the best built cars made anywhere in the world. My family's 1977 LaSabre with 270,000 miles on it could almost pass for new if it were cleaned up and waxed. No, domestics, ARE NOT "cheaply made". Just the contrary, they are VERY well made, VERY reliable, and when they do break, they are MUCH CHEAPER TO REPAIR than imports.