Question of the Day: I'll Never Buy [Blank Brand] Again
One of our economy’s biggest engines is brand loyalty: both trying to keep it and trying to break it. If you’ve seen the first episode of the most excellent Mad Men, you’ll remember the scene where Don Draper is trying to figure out why his waiter smokes X brand of cigarettes, while simultaneously musing about what makes Lucky Strikes so damn special. I mention this not only because i’m a recent convert to Mad Men but because I’ve got to reattach the rear view mirror on my fiancee’s Focus. See, I grew up in a GM household. My dad’s dad was a Buick/Cadillac man and once my father got Renaults and Datsun Zs out of his system (i.e. my sister and I were born) it was Buicks, Chevys and Pontiacs to haul us around. Until he discovered Acura. But I digress. One of the big reasons we were GM-only, was because of my mom’s Ford Falcon. I can still see my dad’s eyes rolling back in his head while he says, “three valve jobs.” Never again. At least for my Mom. Me? I’d buy a Ford, despite this POS focus. But after how I was treated by Chrysler after my father died and I had to deal with his leased Jeep (nightmare), I can easily say never again. You?
Cleanup driver for Team Black Metal V8olvo.
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While I've heard and read numerous horror stories, I have yet to experience one firsthand. Cars I've owned or still own: * (used) 1979 Chevy Malibu: It got me through college with little more than the occasional new tire, brake pad and power steering fluid top-off (there was a leak that I never bothered to fix). * (used) 1987 Honda Accord: Replaced alternator at about 110K miles. * (used) 1990 VW Jetta: No problems with it that I can recall. * (new) 1994 Ford Mustang Cobra: The only problem I ever had with it was some paint de-lamination from the rocker panel after a year or so. Repainted under warranty. * (used) 1995 Ford Probe GT: No problems here either, but the discontinuation of the model didn't help the resale value any! * (used) 1997 Saab 9000CSE: No problems. * (new) 1999 Mazda Miata: No problems. * (new) 2001 Audi TT quattro: No problems. * (new) 2005 Subaru Outback 2.5XT: Developed a hole in the radiator around 30K miles; cause uncertain. * (used) 2005 Porsche Boxster: No problems. Sounds like my experiences with VWs and Audis in particular may be luckier than most!
Wow! Alfa is only mentioned twice. Memories are short.
I would purchase any of the marques that I've owned again and I've owned Chevys, Fords, VWs, Various ChryCo products, Olds (well I wouldn't buy one again...perhaps a Buick? why not), Datsun (and Infiniti), Toyota (don't like anything in the lineup either, Lexus included). Now driving a Volvo. Will likely buy/lease another. In the late 80s my sister gave me a 280z that her husband put a fresh engine in. Someone rearended me in my Mustang GT and it was in the body shop being repaired. I drove it for a bit until the crossmember that the engine bolts to rusted and rested on top of the suspension. After that, it was officially named Rotsun. Today, I have an Infiniti G35x alongside my XC90, son of Rotsun I call it. My 86 GTI had plastic shift rods and they broke at the worst possible time; on my way to a charter boat fishing trip in the Great South Bay. I loved that GTI though, and would consider a new one to commute in. JeremyR our car histories are similar. I won't list them all but I had an '80 Malibu, the aforementioned '86 GTI, an '87 Mustang GT, a '96 Probe GT. I would liken my 2005 Mazda 6 SportWagon to the Outback too!
Had two Ford Taurus (Tauri?) 88 and 92. I liked both to drive and in general was happy with them. I got them very cheap (er.... gotta love depreciation on US cars...), but it irked me that the clearcoat peeled, brake rotors warped, and the transmissions were lunch before 100K due to a bad design. Transmission shops loved the Taurus. The fact that they wouldn't issue for a recall for these known issues will make me forever steer clear of a company that doesn't stand behind its products.