3rd May 2016, 14:41

The anti pollution, smog devices and 5 mph bumpers were a low point after 1972. Insurance pressure affected HP as well with manufacturers. Great seating, performance and ride control settings make it hard to select a brand new upscale domestic model. As far as performance, there are cars out today that have incredible power. The bleak period of the past is total history. Buying an import today with great handling and performance is no guarantee of increased reliability. I didn't keep mine when the warranty ran out.

4th May 2016, 11:20

I was referring to a 1986 LeSabre, Electra, or Park Ave. Which in reality were unbeatable cars in the 1980s, and not bad today if you can actually find one in good shape.

My point is, that instead of refining and improving them in the 1990s, GM continued with ridiculous things like Dynaride, the Quad 4 engine, cheaper dull plasticky interiors, badge engineering, and not standing behind their products is what killed Olds and Pontiac. The last Pontiac Grand Ams and the Oldsmobile Alero were some of the most terrible, ugly, unreliable cars ever produced. I rank them right up there with the 1st year Chevy Citation and Chevy Vega.

A 1996 Buick Roadmaster would wipe the floor with most of the old full sized/rear wheels drive cars from the 1980s and 1970s as far as performance... why was it so ugly and prone to rust? And sitting in a 1984 Park Avenue is like sitting in a Presidential Limo compared to a 1996 Roadmaster, which is like sitting in a cheap, plastic, Fisher-Price designed, oversized ox cart with leather seats.

GM didn't learn its lesson from the 1970s and went right back to building big, ugly garbage... they didn't take Honda and Toyota seriously as competition and suffered dearly for it. I used to be a die hard "Buy America" guy, but GM today continues to think that people will buy whatever ugly contraptions they come up with.

I agree with you that all modern cars are far too complex; if I hang onto one for more than three or especially 5 years, I get an extended warranty.

You continue to tout cars like the Grand National and Hurst or 442 as such great cars, and while I agree they were diamonds in the rough, they are even more scarce today, and were and still are the exception and not the rule.

My original argument still stands that the Olds 307 V8 is a laughing stock after 1984, and I would know because I own a '85 LeSabre with that ill fated engine. It won't die, and is built too strong yet powered too weak to destroy itself; that is probably the only good thing about that engine.

The Dodge Charger/Challenger/Chrysler 300 and Ford Mustang and maybe the Chevy Camaro are the only things that are built somewhat decent today; while I will admit they are not without their problems, these are what the big three should have focused on in the 1990s.