Ok, Asian: Datsun 510 sedan, ate head gaskets for lunch, and snacked on universal joints in the independent rear suspension, Stuck in a Hyundai Sonata for 2 weeks in 2004, had 6,000 miles on the meter when I rented it. I've driven model A's that handled better, and the engine sounded like a thrashing machine at 70 mph, passing trucks made it squirrelly as hell. Only good thing is I wasnt paying for the rental.
German cars: 74 Mercedes 300SEL, while stationed there for 4 1/2 years, rot bucket, hydraulic clutch issues, wiring problems(made me wonder how the cabbies stayed in business as the 280 and 300 series seemed to be their car of choice),72 Simca 1500 Special, lousy oil system, and a hardened piece of carbon instead of a throw out bearing, but held the road great, nice interior, weird feature, 5 spd manual on the tree, Simca mid engine Bagheera, not a bad ride, capable of running the autobahns with the best of them, and this was when they didnt have speed limits except in the built up areas. 71 Ford Escort Mk I, 1.3 litre engine, rear wheel drive before the Americans ever heard the name, bare bones econo box, Opel Admiral, bought soley to aquire the 283 small block and 5 speed tranny in it for my 73 Vega GT Wagon. I lived there from early 1976 till late 1980. Did you know that in 56 Opel had a car that was about a 1/2 size copy of the 55 chevy, the Opel K-40. service members loved it, but they were rare when I was there. Rust is not tolerated on cars, its grounds for failing the annual inspection, an inspection that makes one in California look like a joke.
Family owned before I went in the service, a 69 Opel Kadette wagon, ecno box, nothing spectacular about it, heater stunk, lights so so, ate brakes. Engine gutless, but ran well, sloppy shifter on the 4 speed.
English cars: MG Midget, gutless wonder, but amazing leg room for such a small car, MGB another gutles wonder, both with weak engines, only three main bearings. Triumph Spitfire, loved the look, the handling, same lousy engine and wiring as the MGB. 74 Jensen Healy MK II 2.0 Lotus engine, 5 speed(not an over drive box), this one I should have kept, run like the dickens handled well, body rot an issue in door sill areas which were structural compnenet of car, and of course a lousy wiring system, but any one who worked on English cars knows all about Lucas the Prince of Darkness, why do English men drink warm beer, because Lucas manufactures the coolers too. Did you know that Rolls switched to using Delco electronic ignition systems and Fridgidare AC systems in the late 70's. I've driven many Jags, love the early models, hated the junk of the 80's. Also took care of an MG TD for a gentleman for years, I think the Morgan was a better car.
Family owned: Sunbeam Imp, fun car, king pins went to hell, sold to a guy who raced it on ice for three years in upstate NY.
How can you rate Mitsibishi a POS, and then rave about the Hyundai, its the same drive train between them for years The Mitsibishi Precis and the Hyundai Excel were the same car. Both of them suffered from soft crankshafts, the keyway groove would waller out and then let the bottom timing belt gear move almost 20 degrees. But the media never reamed them for such issues, or the cover up of defects across the mitsi's line up of cars, and especially the medium duty trucks, be very afraid when you see a Fuso in the rear view mirror, they have had problems with the stub axle snapping of the spindles, and hub bearing failures. Mitsi/Hyundai/Chrysler world engines, you cant rave about one and ditch on the others, they are one and the same.
I do see them on the road ever day.some like one customers Butterscotch 71 rag top Cougar 351 Cleaveland I would love to have. she'll drive it till she dies, 12 years ago in '94 we pulled the four speed and put a C-6 in it for her, at 60 years old she was tired of shifting it in our lousy traffic. She kept all the parts. My neighbor just parted with his 72 Buick 225, gave it to his grandson, wont last long, all ready has a few dents now. The number of late 60's early 70's chevys I cant count, Corvairs, Chevelles, Novas, Impalas, Caprice, 1/2 trucks the entire line. and 80's models are so common you sometimes forget they are all 20 years or better old. The Chevy Celiberty/Olds Cutlass Ciera Wagon bounced back and forth with the Crown Vic/Mercury Grand Marquis as the number one selling vehicle in Florida for
10 years, untill GM dropped the line, and the ball by not coming out with a replacement wagon, and some times it seemslike they are all still on the road. See another flub, Ford Focus wagons selling like hot cakes, where is the Cobalt Wagon?Whitelightning