3rd Jun 2011, 20:38
You know it's funny, I've owned both domestics and imports, and had about the same luck with both. I currently own 2 domestics, a 1999 Chrysler Cirrus and a 1997 Saturn SL2, and 1 import, a 1996 Toyota Corolla. My Chrysler has 86,000 miles on it, and the only repair it's ever needed was a brake master cylinder.
I purchased my Saturn with a blown engine (the previous owner let it run out of oil), and replaced the engine with a used engine with only 81,000 on it. It has a little over 82,000 on it now, and has been fantastic so far.
My Corolla has 193,000 miles on it. It's only given me one serious problem (a heater core at 187,000); that's it.
I've owned 2 complete pieces of junk from both domestics and imports. My '95 Dodge Neon was dead at 90,000 miles, and my '95 Subaru Legacy rotted so badly the entire rear end punched through the trunk floor.
Overall, I wouldn't really base purchasing a vehicle on what country it was made in. All of my cars have been flawlessly maintained, and all perform flawlessly. Each one is a perfect example of how taking care of any vehicle will make it last.
3rd Jun 2011, 11:58
"The wheel was shaking so violently, and so much was rattling around under the front of the truck"
This is caused by one minor part (a stabilizer bar fitting) in the front suspension on the Trailblazer/Envoy/Rainier. It is a very minor and well-known problem. The "so much" rattling around was simply the end of the stabilizer bar flexing in the fitting. Yes, it makes noises, and yes, you can feel it in the steering wheel. It often occurs in these vehicles after 80,000-120,000 miles, or possibly sooner under cases of major abuse. It is not dangerous, just annoying, but should be fixed. Even my GM dealer warned me that I might have this problem at some point. We take good care of our vehicles, and it has never been a problem.