14th Aug 2009, 05:29

Sometimes people whom you are paying realize the emotional attachment you have with your car. It makes you feel good and you return to them. I take the domestic import car repair shop owners comments with a grain of salt. I have a family member that owns a service station who makes most of their money now from the mini mart, and less from repair work.

14th Aug 2009, 07:45

If you keep it for a while, the lousy warranty may haunt you too. My wallet has benefited selling our last two. The ad hype was strong; we were foolish to buy twice.

14th Aug 2009, 22:30

Go to the Acura CL and TL reviews, and read how great the top of the line Honda is. Who wants to have all the issues listed?

15th Aug 2009, 10:55

True. Honda has become notorious for disposable transmissions. Tundra and Camry are building a reputation for disposable engines. Domestics long ago surpassed all Japanese brands in warranty, build quality and reliability. Just drive a Ford Fusion and compare it to the tinny, poorly built Accord.

15th Aug 2009, 19:36

Back in 1990, my husband bought a used 1983 Honda Accord for $200. It didn't run, but a $200 car was just to good to pass by. So we brought it home and changed the oil, put in new spark plugs and wires, and put in a new battery. We turned the key and it started right up and purred like a kitten. We were amazed! We didn't think we would get it started on the first try!

After that, we gave it a proper tune up, changed all the fluids, and replaced all the filters and belts. It ran beautifully after that.

My husband drove it for a 3 years, taught me how to drive a manual in it, and then passed it on to me, I used it for about 2 years and then passed it on to my father-in law, who drove it for another 5 years. By the time he finally sold it, it had racked up over 450,000 miles. During that time, all that was done to it was regular maintenance. It never had a major repair.

I now drive only Honda's and have not had a single problem with any of them.

16th Aug 2009, 08:42

19:36 that's common with Toyotas and Hondas.

Of course, Ford and Chevy fans will counter it with some story about a Honda they once heard of that broke down. Smart buyers know better than to listen to a word of it.

I can't understand why Ford, Chevy, or Dodge never caught on to this after the imports started kicking their a**es in sales and quality build - if you build a car with the intent of making the best car you can (for the price) ; one that lasts for years, then people will keep coming back to you (the manufacturer) again and again. Instead, they built Escorts, Cavaliers, Neons, S-10's, Dakotas, Rangers... crap that rattles apart and blows up in the first 4 years or less.

Meanwhile, Honda and Toyota were building Civics, Tercels, Tacoma's, etc. and they're still on the road running fine.

I see SO many old Civics and Toyota trucks with tons of miles still going, while the American garbage of the same model year has been in the junkyard for the last 9 years or so.

16th Aug 2009, 08:45

Typical story over how a minor problem creates good buys.

I have seen a number of cars locally that are typically great buys as people cannot afford to have unreliable transportation to work. Newer cars are difficult to diagnose and people do not want to insure multiple cars today.

I bought a car once that was just tapped on the rear bumper and shut off the electric fuel pump. An average person would come back to their car that was parallel parked and think their car was shot and not start.

Lately I see overheated late model imports that are almost giveaways. Maybe it's cheaper to make a new payment than fix is my guess of what people are thinking. If a car is the least bit unreliable it seems making it to the employer comes first.

I know a short import warranty on the second most expensive purchase (after your home) is not what appeals to me. I have more faith in a 100000 mile warranty that I feel should be standard from any manufacturer.

The 2010 models are coming out...should be a standard item and not letting the manufacturer off the hook by saying it's not needed and people buy anyway.

My opinion; maybe others feel they can absorb a major repair with no ill effect to their budget. I cannot see a $3-4K major repair on drivetrain issues that can and do occur to some hard working people.

17th Aug 2009, 05:32

00:32...auto parts supplier. I am sure in any major town there are probably a thousand businesses utilizing more domestic trucks. In all my travels I have see one place with Tundras. I am sure there are probably some more, but they pale in comparison to the small and large businesses who have had domestics for decades.

My employer alone has at least 6 domestics from 3/4 ton to stake bodies delivering industrial equipment. Requires strong frames and are very dependable. We bought from a dedicated new Ford truck dealer that does not sell economy or passenger cars as well, and specializes in strictly new truck expertise for our needs.

17th Aug 2009, 14:45

Me too! The older versions are still on the roads today. Most of the Tacoma's I've seen have been the mid 90's models. I've seen many late 80's Accords still driving around just fine. I also recently saw 3 cars broken down in a row, about a mile apart from each other, along the highway yesterday. The first one was a Chevy Blazer with the hazard lights on and the passengers all standing on the other side of the guardrail, staring at it. The next one was a Dodge Intrepid with the hood wide open and a guy bent over the engine looking at it dumbfounded, and the next one a Ford Focus. I didn't see anyone there for that one, they had probably had somebody come pick them up and left it for dead. By the way domestic owners, none of these were flat tires if you're going to try to bring that argument up.

17th Aug 2009, 20:28

Our company uses only Ford, Chevy and Dodge full sized trucks and cargo vans and Ford Rangers for light duty hauling. They are all virtually indestructible. 300,000 miles on the engines and transmissions is typical, especially with the Rangers and F-150's. If we used Tundras or Titans we'd be out of business due to taking them to the dealer's for repairs. No one I know with a Tundra or Titan has ever made 36,000 miles without NUMEROUS trips to the service department. We can't afford that. We buy domestic and help our own country in the process. I've personally made the mistake of buying Japanese cars. Neither made 100,000 miles without major repairs. My personal vehicles are also now all domestic and will continue to be so.

18th Aug 2009, 21:43

20:28... your 'observations' are the complete opposite of the true state of things. As is well documented by countless sources, and backed up in reality, imports, specifically Toyotas and Honda's, are, and always were, of higher quality and far better reliability than any domestic cars or trucks. period. They come out on top every single year, both in review and in reality. Things are as they are, not as you type them or wish them to be. Not a single statement was accurate other than (until you realise the truth) YOU will always buy domestics. That's fine. Just don't say they're as good or better than a Toyota, because they are worse (in reality) and always have been. You may favor domestics, but they are inferior in quality to Toyotas.