Were American cars ever good?

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Terry

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Car I learned to drive in
MG 1100, sort of like a Mini Cooper
First car with my own money, 1959 Pontiac for $200
Heavy and large.
1963 Pontiac Grand Prix, I loved how it looked, but I was selling real estate, and only got 10 mpg
1971 Fiat 124 sedan, Drove if fast, tires squealing on every bend. It would get 30 mpg on the highway. Pretty good for those days. And it was four door. Bought this one new for $2100
MGB Roadster, Rebuilt the engine on this, and then found it drove like a truck.
Datsun 411 wagon, Not fun
Renault R-8 this was fun. A poor mans BMW
Renault R-10
Renault R-16, Put a Pinto Weber carb on it, and it would lay 10 feet of rubber. Pretty good for front wheel drive. Smoothest riding car I ever drove. It was all torsion bar suspension.
fiat_600.jpg

Fiat 600 sedan

Fiat 600 sedan, Top speed must have been 65
The one I had, the doors opened the opposite way, suicide doors. I also rebuilt the transmisson.
Fiat 800 Coupe
Fiat 800 Sypder, fun to drive, but not fast. Churning through the gears would only keep up with cars that had no idea I was racing them. It was that slow.

fiat_124_spyder.jpg

Fiat 124 Spyder

Fiat 124 Spyder, The interchange from Microsoft to I-405 South, I would enter the cloverleaf at fifty and exit at 80 mph.
I would watch my mirror to see if I could get the guy following to spin out.
By the time I merged onto I-405 they were a 1/4 mile behind me.
Fiat 131, A middle income BMW
Fiat Brava, this was fast, I could drift corners at 90 fully loaded with kids and camping gear on mountain roads.
Chevrolet Impala Wagon, Black, red pin strips with wire wheel covers.
I put new speakers and deck in, it had killer sound.
Ford Taurus, corners very well, after a while too many things were breaking.
Chev pickup, Camper special with pipe rack and tool box
Ford Taurus 1998,
Mitsubishi 2003 Outlander XL all wheel drive, Very good on snow and corners well.
Toyota 2008 Highlander Limited, four wheel drive, Big, smooth, maybe too fast.

highlander_1.jpg
 
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Ian Gills

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God, that's a lot of Fiats (Italian) and Renaults (French) to go through before you reach the reliability of a Toyota. My first Renault was my last!

The Italians build beautiful cars that break down.

The French build cars with the best ride, that also break down.

America builds cars...that just break down!
 
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Redwood

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I always liked the reliability that Lucas provided for the british cars and bikes I've owned...

Here's a great link dedicated to Lucas The Prince of Darkness...
http://www.mez.co.uk/lucas.html

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Damn Terry, Ian is right thats a lot of Fix It Again Tony's to go through...
 

Cass

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Ian...can you install a Cadet in one of those cars and make them more reliable...

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How about one like this for people on the go....

 

Ian Gills

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I think so. An American Standards Cadet 3 is certainly more reliable than an American car.
 

Terry

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I think so. An American Standards Cadet 3 is certainly more reliable than an American car.

Mexico, are their cars good too?
I don't care much for the plumbing in Mexico.
But they make good cars?

I love Italian cars.
They don't bring Fiat in anymore though, except maybe Chrysler is thinking of bringing in the Fiat 500
 

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Ian Gills

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Nah, my AS Cadet 3 was hand-made by craftsman in Brazil using only the finest materials.

master-potter-otto-heino-1915-2009-m.jpg


Right next to the factory where they make Fords....

fordbrazil.jpg


The Cadet 3 is a quality toilet for the discerning young professional residing on the East Coast.
 
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Redwood

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I like that Brazilian Ford that comes with a bike to get you home when it is in for it's Fix Or Repair Daily... :D
 

Ian Gills

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attachment.php


I can see 6 foot Terry in one of these with a Toto in the back.
 

Terry

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I can see 6 foot Terry in one of these with a Toto in the back.

Weaving between cars on a mountain road,

My Mitsu Outlander can hold two Toto Ultramax toilets in back, the Highlander can take three.
This 500 looks like it would fit one.
 
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