Yes, I'm a traitor- I bought a foreign auto

[PiKA2001]

So I sold my Ford SUV and bought a 08 Volkswagen MKV GTI, due to mostly high gas prices and the lightning fast depreciation on the Ford. It was a pretty tough decision between the VW and a Volvo S40, but since the salesman at VW was better, he got the sale. I gotta say I love this little car. The gas milage is much better, it's a lot faster than anything I've owned so far, and the quality of the car far exceeds the Ford that it's replacing. It sucks too because I had the "Limited" trim, all options and the basic trim VW GTI has better options included with the car. Being born and raised in Detroit I always thought I would buy only American cars, but since most American cars are built in Canada or Mexico, does it really matter?

[AGDee]

Originally Posted by PiKA2001

So I sold my Ford SUV and bought a 08 Volkswagen MKV GTI, due to mostly high gas prices and the lightning fast depreciation on the Ford. It was a pretty tough decision between the VW and a Volvo S40, but since the salesman at VW was better, he got the sale. I gotta say I love this little car. The gas milage is much better, it's a lot faster than anything I've owned so far, and the quality of the car far exceeds the Ford that it's replacing. It sucks too because I had the "Limited" trim, all options and the basic trim VW GTI has better options included with the car. Being born and raised in Detroit I always thought I would buy only American cars, but since most American cars are built in Canada or Mexico, does it really matter?

Yes, it still matters. I'm disappointed in you.

[Fleur de Lis]

Many "foreign" cars are actually made in factories in the US, so I don't feel too guilty. Subaru has a plant in Indiana, Nissan in Tennessee, etc. I would ideally like to buy American, but I've had my Honda Civic for 5 years and had ZERO problems and great gas mileage. If American cars start competing with that, I will consider switching.

[jon1856]

Originally Posted by PiKA2001

So I sold my Ford SUV and bought a 08 Volkswagen MKV GTI, due to mostly high gas prices and the lightning fast depreciation on the Ford. It was a pretty tough decision between the VW and a Volvo S40, but since the salesman at VW was better, he got the sale. I gotta say I love this little car. The gas mileage is much better, it's a lot faster than anything I've owned so far, and the quality of the car far exceeds the Ford that it's replacing. It sucks too because I had the "Limited" trim, all options and the basic trim VW GTI has better options included with the car. Being born and raised in Detroit I always thought I would buy only American cars, but since most American cars are built in Canada or Mexico, does it really matter?

And the faster one goes, the faster the gas goes
And yes, it still does matter.
And the "better the salesperson", generally the better they are in getting into your pocket
I personally stay far away from the show room until I have a done deal.

[dekeguy]

I am begining to think I might have to get something to relieve my old XJ6. That 4.2 L is one thirsty bastard. I figure I'll keep the Jag until hell freezes over but use it a lot more sparingly. Now the trick will be to pick something that won't drink up the national reserves every week and still not be too damn boring.

[SoCalGirl]

Welcome to the dark side. Where you rarely have to speak to your mechanic again!!!

[Kappamd]

Originally Posted by SoCalGirl

Welcome to the dark side. Where you rarely have to speak to your mechanic again!!!

Ditto. I drove a Toyota Camry for 3 years and now drive a Honda Civic. Between those cars I have only had to go in for service ONCE in five years. The only reason I got rid of the Camry was because my brother got his license and needed a car.

On the flip side, my dad had a Ford Explorer and then a Lincoln Aviator.......lets just say they knew him by name at the dealership. He only kept the Aviator two years before getting fed up and trading in for a Toyota.

So we may be traitors, but at least we're saving money.

Originally Posted by Kappamd

Ditto. I drove a Toyota Camry for 3 years and now drive a Honda Civic. Between those cars I have only had to go in for service ONCE in five years. The only reason I got rid of the Camry was because my brother got his license and needed a car.

On the flip side, my dad had a Ford Explorer and then a Lincoln Aviator.......lets just say they knew him by name at the dealership. He only kept the Aviator two years before getting fed up and trading in for a Toyota.

So we may be traitors, but at least we're saving money.

I've had my Honda Civic since senior year high school (11 years), and I've only had to bring her in once when the A/C kicked the bucket. By that time she was already 9 years old. As long as I make sure her oil's changed when it comes time for that, she stays faithful.

My BF drives a Toyota Matrix, which surprises me because he is from Michigan as well.

My sister drives a Ford Escape, and I've lost count as to how many times she's had to go in in the last 2 years. I won't be surprised if she'll be trading that car in soon.

I probably have a few more years left on the Civic before I'll have to buy a new car. Like Fleur de Lis said though, once American cars start performing better, I may consider them for the next purchase.

[jon1856]

Originally Posted by SoCalGirl

Welcome to the dark side. Where you rarely have to speak to your mechanic again!!!

Hummm-Between SAAB, Audi, Honda, Lexis, Pontiac, Murkur, and Mercury ( Family and my own), take a guess which had the least amount of problems?
Mercury and Pontiac.
All truly depends on so many things and parts.
And reading reports over the past few years, US manufacturers are in many cases doing as well if not even better than imported companies.

However, as I posted in another thread, the US Big Three lost at least two "car buying" cycles. All some people know is what their family and friends bought and what they have been told about the past. And now they have to fight that.

[honeychile]

Originally Posted by SoCalGirl

Welcome to the dark side. Where you rarely have to speak to your mechanic again!!!

The only American car I've ever owned was such a lemon, I traded it in with only 26,000 miles on it - mostly back and forth from the dealership. I even had a technician come in from Detroit to show him that the transmission was horrible. We drove around in it, of course the car didn't act up, and then we pulled up to the dealers' again, with him saying, "I told you the transmission was in perfect shape!" He put it in park, the car went into reverse and hit four other cars! That was THE day I knew I was trading that car in ASAP!

I went back to Subaru and haven't had trouble since.

[aephi alum]

When I was growing up, my parents went through a string of Oldsmobiles. There was the Delta 88, the Omega, and then the Ninety-Eight From Hell. We took said Ninety-Eight on a cross-country drive. In Oklahoma City on the way out, the transmission completely crapped out. We finished our planned itinerary, but only after five more pit stops - I swear that car was held together by spit, baling wire, and a whole lot of prayer by the time we limped back into New York. My dad immediately swore off American cars and made a beeline for the nearest Acura dealership.

I inherited my mom's Acura Vigor when she gave up driving. It had nearly 100K miles on it when it finally crapped out. I replaced it with a TL (which was made in a plant in the US). DH drives a Nissan Murano.

Until there are American cars that I feel comfortable driving into the ground (must last at least 100K miles), I'll stick with Japanese cars.

[DeltAlum]

I've had a bunch of American and a bunch of foreign cars, and my experience has been that the foreign ones have been more dependable, lasted longer (more miles) and needed less major services. My dad was a Chevy mechanic most of his career.

At the moment, we have an Olds Alero and a Mitsibushi Eclipse.

Truth is that with all of the cross-ownership between foreign and domestic companies and outsourcing of parts as well as foreign companies opening assembly plants in the US, I'm really not sure how much difference it makes.

The only company I stay away from is Chrysler because I've owned three of their products and have not had good luck with them at all.

It was a little strange when I moved to Detroit some years ago. We had an MGB and a Lincoln Mercury Capri (imported and sold by Ford, but built in England and Germany). While there, we bought a "new" Capri which was by then built in the US. That last Capri came to Denver with us along with a Ford station wagon.

You can bet I wouldn't have parked the MG at Solidarity House -- the headquarters of the UAW.

Here's our list or our cars, as best as I can remember...in close to chronological order...

Austin Healy Sprite (British) in high school.
Triupmh TR3 (British) in College
Chevy Corvair US)
Mercury Capri 4 Cyl. (Anglo German)
Mercury Capri V-6 (Anglo German)
MGB (British)
Mercury Capri (US)
MGB (British)
Ford Station Wagon (US)
Ford Sedan (US)
Dodge Caravan (US)
Dodge Sedan (US)
Mazda Protogee (Japan)
Mazda Miata (Japan)
Saturn Sedan (US)
Olds Alero (US)
Mitsibushi Eclipse (Japan)

Generally speaking, I've driven the smaller (roadster) cars and Mrs. DA has driven the bigger sedans, etc. The two that lasted the longest (mileage), by far were the Triumph (140K) and the Miata (170K).

[AGDee]

My mom's first car (which she got when I was 6) was a Corvair convertible..used, with a hole in the floor in the backseat. It was by far the coolest car she ever had (even with the hole).After that she had a Vega (ACK!) then a Chevette (Double ACK!) and she finally put her foot down with my dad and said "no more of this crappy cars!" and she got a Camaro. That elevated my cool factor tenfold when cruising Gratiot in it, but it wasn't quite as cool as that Corvair!

[Jill1228]

Originally Posted by SoCalGirl

Welcome to the dark side. Where you rarely have to speak to your mechanic again!!!

Yeah that!
I drive a Honda Civic
DH got rid of his Grand Am (lemon) and drives a Toyota Tundra
He just got his son a VW Jetta

I understand driving American but I also understand having a dependable ride and not going broke with repairs

[TrojanWoman]

I'm with OTW and Fleur de Lis. My family used to only buy American and now my parents own a Mini and I'm in an Audi. These two cars have performed amazingly and only go in for routine oil changes, which by the way, are few and far between!

When they start making American cars like that, I'm sure we'll go back!