73 replies to this topic

[Ash]

Julie: In Reply to your post/assualt...

American Automakers tell their market where their cars are being exported to and imported from all the time. It is basically common knowledge to anyone American out there that their car isn't made and assembled in america. I might also add an example A to my argument: My Plymouth says "Made and Assembled in Canada" right on the door. If that's American automakers trying to be sneaky and underhanded... well, let's just say they do a shitty job of it and whoever their fooling is a mass of fucking morons who don't know what it means anyway.

And to further continue my earlier argument;possibly I wasn't clear. I meant to state that people don't care exactly where the car was built as much as who developed and designed it, and who's seeing the revenues from it. So when people "Buy American" their dollars are going mostly to the company who developed and designed the vehicle more than the people who assembled it (and I'm sure the assembly factories are owned by americans, just manned by canadians/mexicans). I think that's a little more important to your average consumer than where it was built, though maybe I am speaking for too many people here.

I still think that "nothing is built anywhere" argument is silly and pointless because truly nothing is built in the country you would expect. An American car is not built here, a japanese car is not built there, an american computer never has american components, american consumer electronics have all foreign parts as well. It's really just silly because everyone knows it and there's nothing we can really do about it besides support activists and the allmighty labor union who hasn't done jack shit about the problem besides get sweatshops mostly shut down. I think the only thing that I ever purchase knowing that it was manufactured and assembled in America is a damn cheeseburger. Of course, I can buy American guitars knowing that they are built here and are made up of 95% american parts, so I guess that's one other thing.. but for the most part, it's all mostly a facade.

I"m sorry I touched a sensitive nerve for you there Julie, but my point simply stated is: When I discuss car manufacturer's with the morons who come into my store for car stereos, they refer to cars as "American" and "Japanese" and "European" and 99% could give a shit where the car was actually build and/or assembled. I've gotten maybe about two customers ever who even mentioned the fact that their "American" car was built elsewhere, and both were older wealthy folk who could give a fuck about where their money is going. The rest of the auto enthusiast crowd simply uses those labels to differentiate between styles and trends used by the manufacturer's.

[Pineapple]

Wow. What an education in car origin this topic has been. And the topic starter, JT, is nowhere to be found. Probably out enjoying her Pontiac Sun-bird / fire/ I forgot.

Spoon and myself, well, we'll continue to dream about GTO's (which are indeed rebadged Australian GM Holden Monaro's with wicked exhaust systems), and while the debate was going on, I called the local auto shop to get a new exhaust system for the truck...Flowmasters. Vroom-vroom.

[Spoon]

Once again ignorance and mass media influences win out over logic and reason. Hooray for me!


I'll have you all know however, that I am blazing through "Auto Repair for Dummies", which is actually a really good book, and so I'll hopefully be able to CONTRIBUTE to the next heated automotive discussion.

So there.

[Ash]

A very nice and well thought retort, I thank you for the exhillirating debate.

[taber man]

Pineapple- you're right about the GTO being a model of the Maonaco, or whatever it was from Holden, but it is also a remake of the, like, 60's 70's GTO.

BTW, has anyone heard of the Saleen line of cars, and i know that they are like the SVT line, because they alter cars, and they also make them VERY powerful. i wish i could get a Saleen Mustang so badly!

[Ash]

Yeah, the only problem with the Saleen Mustang is that unfortunately it is still a Mustang, and still one of the slowest sports cars around.

[merlinski]

Yeah, the only problem with the Saleen Mustang is that unfortunately it is still a Mustang, and still one of the slowest sports cars around.

You find me a car under 40,000 with 350 hp. The SVT Cobra Mustang is remarkably fast for its cost.

The Saleen S7 has got to be one of the sweetest cars ever. Its not modified, its their own model.

[taber man]

you know, i saw that Merl, and i think it looks like a Formula 1 racer, but that isn't a problem. i like them. and Ash, well you can just kiss my butt, because i like mustangs, and in a Motor Trend test between an SVT Cobra Mustang, and a Chevy Corvette, the Mustang beat the Corvette by a mile. no kidding. and have you seen the SVT Lighting, Merl? oh, and BTW Ash, the Mustang is an incredibly fast sports car. and don't tell me otherwise.

[Spoon]

My brother has a Mustang. It's pretty cool. He only has the V-6 variety though.

And yes, the 2004 GTO is a remake (in spirit anyway) of the popular GTO line from the late 60's, early 70's. I'd get one of those, but I want things like air conditioning, anti-lock breaks, and airbags. You know, frivolous things.

[VACC]

I heard the new beatles come with condom deposit slots so you don't clutter the car up fucking you gay lover in the ass.....isn't that interesting...

VACC
~I can say FUCK here~

[merlinski]

I heard the new beatles come with condom deposit slots so you don't clutter the car up fucking you gay lover in the ass.....isn't that interesting...

VACC
~I can say FUCK here~

Its a package deal, it comes with the Daisy rims and the rainbow neon underlights.

[Ash]

Oh yeah, the mustang is great... except that it's the slowest american sports car. The SVT now... hmm

Well, that Motor Trend test was raced against a regular corvette, now had they wanted to race to cars that were equal, they would have raced the corvette Z06 against it, which would have blown it the fuck away. They raced the Z06 against a Viper and they pretty muched measured up equal. The Z06 goes for about $50,000, so it isn't far off. A regular corvette goes for about $30,000 (depending), so it wasn't exactly an equal match up. Now don't get me wrong, the higher vipers would dust the Z06, but the bottom one isn't too fast.

Oh yeah, have I mentioned that Ford sucks cock yet? Well, If I haven't, I totally meant to. Ford must be the worst american car in production... absolute shit on every angle.

[Pineapple]

Maybe Ford cars suck, maybe they don't, but their trucks aren't half bad.

*starts up truck, smokes tires in driveway*

Yeah, not bad. Oops. Better not do that anymore or I'll need new tires, too.

[mr box]

My mom drives an Expedition...vroom!

[taber man]

well, ash, that's your opinion, and i have mine. but anyway, the super-duty f-350 trucks can tow about what, six tons? more? im not sure. could you enlighten me Pineapple? do you know?

[Pineapple]

Sorry, t-man, but I have an old ('91) F-150 Supercab (two door, back seat) longbed. It's a half-ton pickup but I've tortured it with loads twice as much. It can haul somewhere's around two and a half tons on a class III hitch, more if you do a fifth wheel and dually it. But the ol' fart-mobile does fine as is for me.

The recent Ford truck commercial sure uses visual cues to give the illusion of gargantuan loads...but that's market hype. I'm just jealous 'cause I can't afford neither a GTO nor an F-350.

[JT Nerf Girl]

I heard the new beatles come with condom deposit slots so you don't clutter the car up fucking you gay lover in the ass.....isn't that interesting...

VACC
~I can say FUCK here~

I don't even want to know how we got here...

[Ash]

Right, Ford trucks aren't bad... but then there are Dodge trucks. On Dodge trucks, your tires don't fall apart at 70mph and your transmission doesn't get recalled a year after you bought it because it is likely to fall out. Hmm...

[taber man]

Ash: you have a point there. but then again, there are some, like, 50's ford trucks that still run perfectly.

Pineapple: i read a few years ago that, in a booklet from a car show, the f-350 superduty could tow up to about six tons.

[Spoon]

I don't even want to know how we got here...

Hah. That's actually funny.

[Pineapple]

I read a few years ago that, in a booklet from a car show, the f-350 superduty could tow up to about six tons.

True dat, and that sucker is some BIG too. I pulled up next to one here on the island and my F-150 looked like a Ranger by comparison. I wouldn't be surprised if those things could haul six tons. (The one I saw was being converted to a tow truck.)

Okay, so I have a Ford truck, a Toyota truck, a Dodge van, and a Honda. With the exception of a Euro-mobile, I think I have a fair representation of global automotive unity (or lack of).

I think that if the car fits, wear it, enjoy it, and don't worry about what everyone else is driving...although it made for a lively debate.

[Ash]

Those '50's trucks that still run perfectly are restored and constantly worked on and taken care of. There are all kinds of old vehicles of the sort still in existence. It's because people restore them, not becuase they last that long.

[taber man]

you got me there...... damn.

[JT Nerf Girl]

Hah. That's actually funny.

Err... thanks... I guess...