Auto Execs Fly Corporate Jets to D.C., Tin Cups in Hand

[PeppyGPhiB]

First: Honda builds most of its American-sold cars in the U.S. now. The Japanese aren't taking as many American jobs as you think - the jobs are just moving to Alabama and other places where Honda, Toyota and such have factories.

Second: I actually find my Honda perfectly sized and comfortable for me, compared to American cars with seatbelts that cut me at the neck, have gas pedals so far out of reach that I have to sit an unsafe (short) distance from the air bag, and have awkward seat pitches. But the real reason why I love my Honda is that it has 102,000 miles on it now and it has only been in the shop ONCE for a repair, and that was to replace the catalytic converter which the dealership decided to cover under warranty! I have never doubted my car's reliability, and I know it was a great investment. I'm not going to spend more for an American car and get less reliability and more pains in the butt; I don't have the money to replace dash boards or seats or engines every 50-75k miles. My boyfriend, who drives a Ford Mustang and can't wait to get rid of it, marvels at the way my Civic is constructed under the hood - unlike his car where everything is hidden and unreachable to someone wanting to do simple things like change out the spark plugs, Honda smartly put everything within reach. Not only does his car have constant problems, he can't fix any of them despite his knowledge of cars - when he takes his car in to the mechanic, it's an easy $300-$500 for simple fixes. And even though he's a former Ford intern and U. of Michigan grad, this is the last American car for him. The poor quality of American cars - then or now - was enough to turn off generations of U.S. consumers, most of which feel that a car is too big of a purchase to be left up to chance.