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<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(malorn @ Apr 13 2006, 10:57 AM) [snapback]239082[/snapback]</div>

Funny you mention that... I see those here and there, and always end up thinking: "Holy crap, those things are still around???"

Oh, I'll throw out another interesting perspective that is somewhat relative:

My uncle's GF's Honda Civic effectively crapped out at 13x,xxx miles, and is seriously beat (think "poor" condition per either NADA or KBB). My 147,xxx mile 11 year old Mustang STILL runs like the day I bought it, and is in overall FAR better shape, and still turns heads (no rust either)... It's moments like these where you could say there is a fair amount of "hype" regarding various foreign built cars...

Actually, analogous to the Lumina, other OLD SKOOL vehicles I see all the time, are either mid-80's Sierra's, or F150's...

 

Why are we still debating this with this Malorn? He has his tinfoil beanie on and apparently has forgotten to take his meds. You can prove all you want - eg fuel economy dot gov, etc - but he won't believe you.

I'll say it again: GM et al are in the shape they're in due to CLUELESS INCOMPETENT MANAGEMENT.

After my pricey POS 2000 GMC Sierra SLT I'll never believe anything GM tells me again. They also promised in 2000 they were making great high quality vehicles, and they actually were.

Except for the Piston Slap ... and the oil burning ... and the leaking rear pinion seal from the factory ... and the useless Drum In Hat "parking" brake ... and the leaking axle seals that oozed gear oil over the fragile Drum In Hat assembly ... and the four defective Mode Select AutoTrak switch clusters ... the Clunk Clunk front driveshaft they wanted to replace instead of just greasing the damn splines .... fah

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(jayman @ Apr 13 2006, 11:11 AM) [snapback]239088[/snapback]</div>

You know, you, of all people jayman, seemingly statistically minded, choose to repeatedly cite the example of YOUR ONE truck in many of these arguments....

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Mystery Squid @ Apr 13 2006, 10:21 AM) [snapback]239096[/snapback]</div>

According to CR, my problems are normal. As far as the Piston Slap, check out:

http://www.pistonslap.com

 

I think that the domestic automobile manufacturers are 'cheapening ' their products to compete with foreign imports. One example is my step-son, who is a auto mechanic, at one time replaced the front ball joints on my wife's Blazer (she owns a Prius now) after 20K miles. He refused to put 'GM' made ball joints on because they were cheap and he could get after market ball joints for $10 more that would NOT crap out after 20K. He said the shop that he works for routinely replace front ball joints on Blazers after 20K.

GM and Ford have fuel consumption problems but that ISN'T their only problem.

 

I used to be strictly a chevy buyer. My mind was changed forever when I bought a 96 Monte carlo, new. We had so many issues ended up being a lemon. Fine get another (same car) a lemon. My wife and I delt with 3 lemons from GM. I had a 2000 Silverado loaded, at 60,000 a lot of problems. Got rid of it. Bought a Yukon (new) within the first year it was in the shop 13 or 14 times. I was sick of the crap and dealing with the garbage that was coming from GM. I went to Toyota and will forever stay with Toyota, I own a 2005 Sequia Limited and just purchased a 2006 Prius. We have owned a Tucoma, Solara, Supra. My Solara got me 29.4 on the highway, it was a 6cyl. Comfort, styling, mileage, and the biggest thing to me is history of durability.

I have never had a GM product last over the expected 100,000 mark. I know there are some out there but not with me. All of my services where done at the dealer. My father has always been GM till I told him of our Toyotas. He switched.

If you would like my full name and check all the complaints through the years I filed at HQ's and with the BBB, PM me.

By far My Sequia is the best SUV I have ever owed. People pay alot of money for cars and trucks and I want to know that I getting something that will last a long time. GM just doesn't have it. If GM goes under and there's no more, I wouldn't shed a tear because they did it to themselves.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(malorn @ Apr 13 2006, 10:29 AM) [snapback]239099[/snapback]</div>

Odd, those federal government officials were voted in. So I suppose you have to blame the folks who voted them in, sometimes by a very slim margin

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(malorn @ Apr 13 2006, 10:29 AM) [snapback]239099[/snapback]</div>

How about the effect of the Military Industrial Complex and the nudge-nudge wink-wink of allowing "domestic" companies to export all those jobs, yet still claim to have "domestic" products?

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(malorn @ Apr 13 2006, 10:29 AM) [snapback]239099[/snapback]</div>

Ah so it IS the fault of the American people. Perhaps you Chevy dealers can get Congress to dream up a H.R. to ban all imports and force the public to buy a Chevy, Ford, or Dodge. No wait, not a Dodge they're German now.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(malorn @ Apr 13 2006, 10:29 AM) [snapback]239099[/snapback]</div>

Yes, my POS GMC Sierra left me stranded quite a few times at my cabin when the AutoTrak fu**ed up. They kept claiming they had it fixed and it still kept conking out. The Service Manager finally told me "you have to expect some problems with all new vehicles" like that was supposed to justify it.

My Prius conked once and hasn't hiccuped since.

 

The siverado was trans issues, I did no towing. I got tired of taking time off of work and staying at the dealer. This went on for a month or two.

Yukon was exhaust, the cat and then it was electrical and then the computer had to be replaced. A leackin intake manifold with less then 20,000miles.

I commute 110 + miles a day. It's all highway. I do not 4wheel off road I maintain my vehicle's to the max.

I've had 2 with over 200,000. One 145,000 miles.

All of my Toyotas have been a dream and what people should expect for there money. You couldn't give me a GM product. I put to much money down the drain over the years for all that GM crap.

 

I read a quote recently - I believe it was in one of the news articles posted here - "Winners go to market. Losers go to Washington."

-The Prius is Toyota's third best selling vehicle in the US

-You said yourself that people buy different cars from different markets - well the hybrid SUVs created a new market - top performance and top fuel economy. You can't apply yesterday's rules to today.

 

I think the web is the greatest tool for the people. Because they are able to vioce. I think the web is hurting automakers. People now can search and search before buying and have better info before seeing the dealer.

 

I believe the sales figures were that 23% of of Highlander/RX were hybrid models. Right as expected.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(malorn @ Apr 13 2006, 01:27 PM) [snapback]239199[/snapback]</div>

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(malorn @ Apr 13 2006, 01:27 PM) [snapback]239199[/snapback]</div>

Hybrids on that level, make far less sense. I would never spend 40K on a hybrid SUV that gets a depressing low thirty-something mpg under optimal conditions. Non-optimal conditions lessen the spread to where it's comparable to any other non-hybrid SUV, and you'll likely get far more bang for your 40K....

 

That's certainly no flop. I think that goes right in line w/ SUV sales drops.

http://priuschat.com/Toyota-Lexus-US-hybri...ory-t17936.html



<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(malorn @ Apr 13 2006, 02:14 PM) [snapback]239230[/snapback]</div>

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(malorn @ Apr 13 2006, 07:27 AM) [snapback]239034[/snapback]</div>

I thought about it ... and you're right. I forgot that Consumer Reports was in on the conspiracy. Sheesh.