Bias Against Domestic Cars

I'm with you there!

Reply to
Ray O
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Mine was the 2300 engine ( 1972) which I switched to dual carbs and it towed a heavy "rainbow" tent trailer to Sydney Nova Scotia and back, and climbed mount washington without ever going below second gear - It was no race car, but it's performance was decent and it NEVER let me down except for when the timing belt broke just south of Sydney in 77? when it was almost 6 years old. Fixed it on the side of the road. The clutch pedal gave out about 2 or 3 years later - the part was only $7 - and it failed in such a way as to warn me before it became undriveable.

Reply to
clare

I have been trying to help a friend find one for his wife for the last month or so. Within a 200 mile search radius, there has been nothing on the market recently.

He wanted a minivan or SUV for her. There are of course Chrysler products and some GM.

Reply to
hls

This has been the case in our family. The 1996 Camry with only 140,000 miles is becoming the daughter-unit's car. She really wanted a 2010 red Porsche, but she'll settle for a Camry.

Ditto with Hondas. When a sister-in-law bought a CR-V, she gave her old Accord to two nieces that are new drivers.

What's surprising is just how much those 10-15 year old Accords and Camrys still fetch on the private party used market. You'd think that a

15 year old car would sell for under $1000, but that's not the case. Those third generation Camrys (1992-1996) are selling for as much as $5000. That was a very good generation, before a lot of the decontenting started. That's what it's like in Northern California anyway. My brother in law is a mechanic and he gets people bringing in private party used cars for a check before purchasing them. He asks how much they're paying for the used car and is amazed at the high prices for 10 year old Acuras, Toyotas, and Hondas.

Remember that the nearly all of used Toyotas and Hondas that you see on the Ford or GM dealer's used car lot did not come from trade-ins for new cars from that dealer. They were brought in from other dealers or purchased from fleets like rental car fleets.

Reply to
SMS

Really? You mean like all those banks who returned all the money they got from the gov't already?

Reply to
dr_jeff

Go look at a PT cruiser. You can get them new cheap and they are quite nice inside. Has all the utility of an SUV. You save enough money on the purchase price to more then pay for an extended warranty if you want one.

Reply to
Ashton Crusher

Got one of those as a rental once. What a horrible vehicle.

Reply to
SMS

I like mine, but for a little 2.4 4banger it is a bit thirsty.

Reply to
clare

Horrible how? Love mine.

Reply to
clare

Mine is great except it's only got modest power. Just was in a Camry today and frankly, except for the wonderful V6 in the Camry there was nothing nicer about it then my PT. The second Gen PTs (2005 and up I think) are noticeably better then the first Gen.

Reply to
Ashton Crusher

I think "modest power" is somewhat of an understatement. Compared to a 4 cylinder Camry it's a dog. Accelerating onto I-95 in Florida was terrifying.

Reply to
SMS

with 4 adults and luggage it was Not fast - but it handled the hills of Cape Breton and Vermont very capably Flprida is Nothing - it's FLAT

Reply to
clare

Camry is about 10 seconds 0 - 60, the PT about 11

It's adequate for it's purpose and in what I consider "normal" driving I'm the fastest away from the light almost all the time, not because I'm trying to race, I just don't like starting up slow. I'm not saying the other vehicles couldn't beat me if we were racing, but very few people ever accelerate faster then a sloth and the PT can easily keep up.

Reply to
Ashton Crusher

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