Are we the Last Generation?

[Tallboy]

Of American car guys, that is. Does it end with us? I'm talking to anyone who has never owned a foreign car, and never would. I guess I owe it to my Dad, who has never even considered owning a foreign car. I was brought up on, believe it or not, Buicks. I'll be buying a new car next year, and it will be an American car, probably a GM. It seems the trendy thing to do is buy a Toyota or Honda, and many of my generation do. But, I fear the American Car Guy is a quickly vanishing breed. :depress:

[Joe Walsh]

Of American car guys, that is. Does it end with us? I'm talking to anyone who has never owned a foreign car, and never would. I guess I owe it to my Dad, who has never even considered owning a foreign car. I was brought up on, believe it or not, Buicks. I'll be buying a new car next year, and it will be an American car, probably a GM. It seems the trendy thing to do is buy a Toyota or Honda, and many of my generation do. But, I fear the American Car Guy is a quickly vanishing breed. :depress:

That's understandable...most people appreciate a good, reliable appliance.

Just remember that many Hondas and Toyotas proudly display a USA flag on their bumpers....:o

[Tallboy]

That's understandable...most people appreciate a good, reliable appliance.

Just remember that many Hondas and Toyotas proudly display a USA flag on their bumpers....:o

Excellent point. After all, they are providing Americans with manufacturing jobs. A rare occurence these days. But, they're stamping Japanese Steel on Japanese presses, and sending the profits back to Japan.

[BAD MERC]

Camrys and Accords are for people who don't know how to shop for cars. I have owned several Toyotas but they were all pre-1985 RWD Celicas and a Supra. My '87 Supra Turbo (in 1992) was a bad-boy but was expensive to fix. As far as hybrid drivers - DORKS!!!! Consumer reports just did an article on hybrids VS. their comparable sibling (Corolla VS Prius), (Accord hybrid VS Accord). Hybrids cost between $5,000 and $13,000 MORE to own in a five-year cycle VS a regular gas version. Then comes the $8,000 battery in 8 years. Then being trapped in a seriously damaged hybrid at an accident scene because of nickel-metal hydride spillage that involves the EPA and HazMat cleanup before extrication of your body. No spank you, I will keep my American Hot Rod.

[djv5150]

Of American car guys, that is. Does it end with us? I'm talking to anyone who has never owned a foreign car, and never would. I guess I owe it to my Dad, who has never even considered owning a foreign car. I was brought up on, believe it or not, Buicks. I'll be buying a new car next year, and it will be an American car, probably a GM. It seems the trendy thing to do is buy a Toyota or Honda, and many of my generation do. But, I fear the American Car Guy is a quickly vanishing breed. :depress:
Chuck,I agree My Dad was the same way.I will continue to buy American,when it comes to automobiles.

[Logan]

Chuck... I hear ya buddy... I was raised a Ford man through and through...

I'm disappointed in Ford, they've got precious little to get a car guy excited. The reality is, most "car guys" have kids, and a mustang just doesn't cut the mustard. Interesting yes, but when I can paste a mustang with a Jeep that has a DVD system and easy entry/exit for the kiddo's, why would I ever bother with the stang... ...and never mind that the 300 SRT8, Charger SRT8 also fit that bill quite nicely. Ford has done nothing but alienate me as a customer in the last 3 years.

You know what though, I REALLLLLLLLLLLLLY like my Jeep. My Mom is moving down to Austin from Canada shortly, I'll be putting her in a new Jeep Compass.

The big pain point comes with the wife's ride. Even Ford's Family haulers SUCK. She drive's a 04 Monterey now, but it'll be replaced, definately by something else. Most likely contender? A Honda Oddessey. Followed up by Toyota Sienna and then a Grand Caravan. Don't ask me why, but the only thing she insists on is sliding doors, easier in the parking lots, otherwise, my options would open up considerably...

...I'll be rolling in my SRT8 Jeep for at least a year (An absolute ETERNITY for me), and believe me, have comtemplated making the wife drive the jeep so I can roll in a 300 SRT8 or Charger SRT8...

Since Neither of us owns a vehicle more than 3 years, I wouldn't hesitate to pick up a hybrid minivan... But they uh... Don't make one yet. :-)

Don't think I haven't looked at those hybrid Infinitys and Lexi though...

[Meteorite]

Of American car guys, that is. Does it end with us? I'm talking to anyone who has never owned a foreign car, and never would.
No way!

I am working on the Next Generation as we speak. Here is my 12-year-old son, Eliot, with his 1963 Mercury Meteor.
He would walk before driving a Japanese car.
http://pics.livejournal.com/detroitfather/pic/000h9twh

[Shora]

To be honest, I hate that the middle class does not get to share the benefits if I buy different models from the big three. I could care less about the millionaires who run the companies. I care more about the middle class worker who puts in a hard days work for an honest days pay. Unfortunately, my Marauder money went to the Canadians and Mexicans. I have nothing against them, just that I feel like I help the middle class more by buying a Honda (for my mom of course) then buying a Marauder/Crown Vic for me.

Yes, I just graduated with an economics minor and I know that the big three need to stay competitive but there must be a way to build these cars here in the US. Like many, I prefer my stuff to say Proudly Made in the <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comhttp://www.mercurymarauder.net/forums/<st1:country-region><st1:place>USA</st1:place></st1:country-region>, because I know that it gives a job to a middle class worker. After that, I just don't care if Bill Ford gets the $$ or anyone else.

[chrish]

when a bunch of gear headed FORD nuts are moving away from the flag {ford flag that is } FORD is in a short turm or maybee long term Doom.......

[bigslim]

Excellent point. After all, they are providing Americans with manufacturing jobs. A rare occurence these days. But, they're stamping Japanese Steel on Japanese presses, and sending the profits back to Japan.
Working with steel I will say that Japanese steel is the worst. Very cheap.

[Smokie]

This is the sum total of the cars I have owned:
1967 Ford LTD
1970 Ford E-100
1970 Plymouth Duster
1970 Oldmobile Cutlass
1974 Ford Maverick
1975 Ford LTD
1986 Dodge Caravan
1994 Ford Mustang
1995 Crown Victoria
2003 Mercury Marauder

I think the list makes it easy to figure out what I won't buy.

[bigslim]

There is an article in my local Union paper stating how Ford wants us employees to buy their product but then they ship our jobs to Mexico where the employees still can't afford to buy the cars they make. As of right now all Ford is to me is a paycheck. I am glad for my job but I feel let down by what the upper has done to ruin a great company. Now Bill Ford steps down and puts a Boeing guy in to do the work. Great, another non-car-guy. Ford has no product for me. I really want my next car to be a Ford but it is really looking bleak.:depress:

[FastMerc]

Yes I was brought up blue blooded Ford.Dad had 45 yrs at Ford.But my first car was an Indian Pontiac vintage 67 wich I still owne and is undergoing restoration.I could never bring myself to owne anything from asia NO WAY!Ive owned a 68 Buick Sport wagon 400, a 79 camaro,a 68 Ranger pickup,74 Cuda,77 Cougar XR7.And a Mark 8 Lincoln for a short while.Plus a 1988 Cougar XR7 that I bought new 250.000 miles later had a 5.0 BUT BECAME STRUCTURLY UNSAFE to drive.But I am sure detroit will have something to offer for the future we will see,But my Marauder will be with me for some time:D

[TooManyFords]

Of American car guys, that is. Does it end with us? I'm talking to anyone who has never owned a foreign car, and never would. I guess I owe it to my Dad, who has never even considered owning a foreign car. I was brought up on, believe it or not, Buicks. I'll be buying a new car next year, and it will be an American car, probably a GM. It seems the trendy thing to do is buy a Toyota or Honda, and many of my generation do. But, I fear the American Car Guy is a quickly vanishing breed. :depress:

I couldn't agree with you more. We are the last of the line. The last ones who actually lived through setting points and condensers. The last to see and change drum brakes, to jet a carb, to have only a pair of idiot lights on the dash (Oil and Alt) and probably the last to know how to dial in the timing on the distributor by ear and feel.

Yes, we are the last. Technology has taken all the aches and pains, the pride and joy of really having to get the hands dirty, and knowing the engine will probably only run for 100,000 miles before we need to trade them in.

When out cruising on Saturday nights, the real muscle car guys have big blocks you can hear a mile away. And they all are about my age too. Kids only know the sounds of Pssst when their turbo blow-off valves make lots of noise and to them, everything is a "turbo this" or "turbo that".

Yeah, I'm still building my Marauder, but I'm trying to put as much Old School back into it as I possibly can. I guarantee you that in the not too distant future, I'll be looking back at these days and wondering where they all went.

See ya in the old racers home, my friend!

john

[Bigdogjim]

What you are suffering from is fuzzy logic.

We are not living in the same world our parents did.

My father sold L&M for well over 40 years and owned 3 dealership.

When my older brother got his new '68 vett my dad told him to park that "junk" in the far driveway over by the barn.

Ford and GM has seen the handwriting on the wall for years and just looked the other way. You can not point the finger at the "other" car companies for making what we Americans want to drive.

Chryslers only help came from German infusion just ask Dr.Z!

Why ae Honda and Toyota selling so many cars in the US?

Think about it?

[jselander]

This is my car list:
1981 Chevrolet Citation
1984 Chevrolet Cavalier
1987 Chevrolet Celebrity
1988 Chevrolet Beretta
1990 Nissan Pulsar NX 2000 (Ex's car, signed title only!) Does it count?
1993 Chevrolet Caprice Classic
1996 Chevrolet Impala SS (Still Own)
1998 Chevrolet Malibu
2001 Chevrolet Venture Warner Bros. Edition (Still Own)

Chevrolet Man my whole life, but no one's perfect. Right?

[Mike M]

My brother had a 63 Meteor, it turns out to be an extremely rare car. I don't think I have seen one since he had his and he was 17 then and is 52 now.

Very cool!

[LILALLEYKATT]

I was born in Detroit in 1961 and moved to Alabama in 1977. Yes I street raced Woodward at nite. I am witnessing a new Automotive manufacturing area being born. Birmingham Ala. is really kicking economically with Honda Mercedes Benz and Hyundai. Yeah its bittersweet for me to witness this but these are american workers making american built vehicles. The taxes are cheap and I doubt a union will ever get in any of these plants. They'll just shut the plant down if one ever does. What hurts an american maker in Detriot is benefiting people in other parts of the nation. I am trying to help send as much $ as I can back to Detroit by ordering a Trilogy From Jerry today....3 week wait...Regards

[Breadfan]

If it helps, I consider myself to be of the "younger" generation still. I'm 25 right now, but don't subscribe to the same vehicle preferences of many of my peers.

While I see Honda's and Toyota's for what they are, I can't get myself to drive one. Or own one. Ever. The people in this area have too many of them. On the drive to work, I've found myself surrounded, 3 Accords and 2 Camry's. And then my Trilogy Marauder.

My car stands out so much it's not funny. :)

I could never go with the crowd, so I simply cannot own one of these cars.

I do have a place in my heart for older carbureted 4-cyl cars, but mainly the British variety.

But so far I've owned 3 V8 RWD cars, one FWD V6 American car, and then my 4cyl Spitfire which doesn't really count becuase honestly I have never driven in it and last time I even rode in it was 1989.

Around here if you're 25 and into cars it seems more often than not you own a Honda, Acura, or VW GTI. And with so many priviliged folks here it's funny to see how many BMW's and Audi's fly around. And the sadistic part of me still wants to temporarily mount a Benz "KOMPRESSOR" emblem on the back of my Marauder. :D

Not for me though. And there's plenty of us out there, and we'll pass the torch. :)

I think most of the younger car guys around here in the "rice" scene are simply misguided youth - most of them have non-car oriented parents so they never received the proper teaching about displacement and # of cylinders, instead they grew up in the back seat of an Odyssey.

[94_302]

I am a Ford/Domestic guy, I will always own a domestic. But if I was given or got a hell of a deal on an Evo, RS4, last gen M5, E55 or any other fun foreign sports car (it is a limited list) I would take it. However I will not own a foreign car over a domestic.

[hitchhiker]

:beer: to American Car Guys!

:D

[Motorhead350]

I all my cars are American, but I don't simply dismiss a car because it's an Import.... thats prejudice. I like all cars even ones with small displacements as long as they are fast. As far as new cars go I don't like much at all, but I'll tell you this I'd rather be in a SRX STI than a Chevy Aveo or at least thats what they are passing off as a Chevy these days. The current American cars I like are CTS-V's, Mustang GT's, Challengers (yes they are coming out) CV, GM, Town Car and any Diesel pickup truck. Not a whole lot to choose from.

Now as far as trends go it seems like our liking is coming back... RWD V8, but most of the cars look like crap to me such as the 500 and Charger not the Challenger. They all look ugly to me. Motor Trend or someone said it's great that cars like the Town Car and Vic are on their way out. I say "Screw you!" to them because those are the cars I like. I don't care about gas mileage, traction control or even handling for that matter. With a few exceptions I really don't like new cars at all, but their are some goodies out there and their not all from one country. It would be nice if people were more open minded about somethings. Afterall the others are trying to make money too just like us.

I will say this, my favorites are old American cars, but I like what other countries have to offer too. I don't discriminate. :twocents:

[Donny Carlson]

My Dad is definitely am American car kind of guy. He never owned anything except American made, and the foreign cars I owned in the past (in my misspent youth) he frowned on. Especially German cars. He HATED my VW.

I did own a Canadian built Honda once. He hated that, too.

[stevengerard]

I like and respect all cars - ok most cars - but buy and drive American. I'd have a hard time buying an SRT8 just knowing it is technically German owned. For some reason for me an Italian or German car seems easier to accept than a Japanese car - maybe it is because of the history of performance behind them. But even if the day comes that I have the extra cash to buy a Porsche or an M5 I'd probably buy an old Viper or hopefully one day GM or Ford will wake up and provide a modern muscle car for us fathers of 4.

[marauder307]

Of American car guys, that is. Does it end with us? I'm talking to anyone who has never owned a foreign car, and never would. I guess I owe it to my Dad, who has never even considered owning a foreign car. I was brought up on, believe it or not, Buicks. I'll be buying a new car next year, and it will be an American car, probably a GM. It seems the trendy thing to do is buy a Toyota or Honda, and many of my generation do. But, I fear the American Car Guy is a quickly vanishing breed. :depress:


I will, for my part, partly agree with you. Yes, the American Car Guy IS a vanishing breed...

...but can you tell me what an American car is, anymore?

The new-gen Chryslers are at least half German---fortunately it seems that they got the good half. I'm interested to hear Logan's review on the Cherokee SRT-8; sounds like a blast. I woulda reaaaaaaallllllly liked a Charger, but I got a wife now, and that means I'm no longer in control of the house anymore....:depress: "It's too big and too powerful...NO! you can't have one." Bugger me......

Hondas are in Tennessee. I think Toyotas are too. Hyundais and Mercedes-Benzes are doing a booming business in Alabama. The old factories in Detroit are mostly quiet---I haven't heard of a new American car coming out of Detroit in years. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think they're even thinking of tearing down the original Ford plant...

LILALLEYKATT is partly right about the car industry in Alabama---although I will point out that Hyundai is actually in Montgomery and M-B is actually in Tuscaloosa (well...Holt, if ya wanna get technical). That said, the logic behind the stance is still sound.

I myself have bought a GM within this last year; most of you have seen it in the online pictures that I posted. Just over 4k miles later, I've already fought a pitched battle with the dealership to get the DIC fixed (wouldn't reset; required whole new switch panel), and am girding my loins for TSB fights over the HUD and the foglight wiring harness (HUD shakes too much at speed; wiring harness is the incorrect gauge and can't carry the voltage), and the steering column is making some weird creaks/pops. I don't really have any choice---this turkey's gotta serve---but if I had it to do over, I'd 'a sneaked off to the Dodge dealer....

The world's a much different place than during the heyday of the American Musclecar. Foreign manufacturers have finally figured out what works and how to build it for the American consumer. The great heyday, if anything, probably led to the downfall of American-built cars. The Big Three got complacent, and figured that patriotism would carry the day even if quality sucked---they were wrong. Farming out jobs to Hermosillo and Canada isn't necessarily the answer---all that does is cheapen the quality still further and aggravate the situation worse by putting BigSlim and his coworkers out of work. The unions poured even more gas on the fire by pricing the American worker right outta the market. To carry the cost of a single American UAW employee must be staggering---after health care, dental, cost-of-living allowances (hey, Detroit ain't cheap), retirement, training, safety measures/equipment/training to make sure that Joe Six-Pack doesn't get hurt on the job (we can all thank Upton Sinclair for that), and a score of other bennies, the standard-issue assembly-line worker probably costs upwards of 100k/year. Now try filling a factory with Six-Packs...anybody else besides me see where this math is going?

I dunno. I can understand the reason for unions---without 'em, the workers are nothing more than targets for the management---but geez, do they have to take the hard-line stance?

I dunno. Glad I don't have to figure this one out...I don't know that I'd make the right call, on ANY aspect of the situation.

Good philosophical question...and one that SHOULD be asked.

[Bigdogjim]

The world's a much different place than during the heyday of the American Musclecar. Foreign manufacturers have finally figured out what works and how to build it for the American consumer. The great heyday, if anything, probably led to the downfall of American-built cars. The Big Three got complacent, and figured that patriotism would carry the day even if quality sucked---they were wrong. Farming out jobs to Hermosillo and Canada isn't necessarily the answer---all that does is cheapen the quality still further and aggravate the situation worse by putting BigSlim and his coworkers out of work. The unions poured even more gas on the fire by pricing the American worker right outta the market. To carry the cost of a single American UAW employee must be staggering---after health care, dental, cost-of-living allowances (hey, Detroit ain't cheap), retirement, training, safety measures/equipment/training to make sure that Joe Six-Pack doesn't get hurt on the job (we can all thank Upton Sinclair for that), and a score of other bennies, the standard-issue assembly-line worker probably costs upwards of 100k/year. Now try filling a factory with Six-Packs...anybody else besides me see where this math is going?


Good philosophical question...and one that SHOULD be asked.

Very good insight.Well done Sir!

[Meteorite]

Why ae Honda and Toyota selling so many cars in the US?

Think about it?
Well, clearly it is because they are giving a lot of consumers what they want. But what most consumers (who view cars as automotive appliances) want is most definitely not what I want.

[O's Fan Rich]

Gigabytes--- RAM--- bandwidth and such are where it's at now.
Teenagers talk computer like we talk cars.
It's over.
The end of the World approaches quickly. Heads up!

[dwasson]

Excellent point. After all, they are providing Americans with manufacturing jobs. A rare occurence these days. But, they're stamping Japanese Steel on Japanese presses, and sending the profits back to Japan.


With the reports of how much money GM loses on every car, are we doing GM a favor by not buying one?

[Bluerauder]

Of American car guys, that is. Does it end with us? I'm talking to anyone who has never owned a foreign car, and never would.
American Car Guy

I guess that I am one of those American car guys. However, I really don’t know why. Not sure that I have ever thought much about it. I tend to buy what I like to meet my needs at the time within my affordable guidelines. Over time, I have been a Chevy man, a Dodge owner, and finally a Ford guy since the early ‘90s. In the 1980’s, I had two Buick Regals – both spent nearly as much time in the repair shop as on the road. When the driver’s door fell off my ’89 Regal, I walked away from GM and haven’t looked back. Not once in all my 55 years have I been in a “foreign” dealership. Just have never been interested enough to even look at what they had to offer.

As it happens, I am old enough to remember when “Made in Japan” was a joke. The term was synonymous with cheap, poor quality junk. Toy cars were plastic or pot metal with wobbly wheels that only lasted a couple of days. “What the heck is a Toyota?” was my reaction to the first dealer sign that I saw in 1968. The fact that “Toy” was prominent in the name didn’t help the image. “Datsun” seemed to be an equally funny name – like the little dog – this promised to be “almost a car”. Most European cars were “rollerskates” compared to the cars that I remember from the ‘50s and ‘60s. Small and underpowered was my impression. VW bugs were cute, Saabs were plain ugly. We didn’t see many (actually any) Mercedes, Porsches or BMWs in my neighborhood. At the time, a typical working class neighborhood generally had lots of Chevrolets, Fords, Plymouths, with an occasional Dodge, Pontiac, or Buick. Even Cadillacs and Chrylers were rare. So were Hudson, Studebaker, Nash, and DeSoto because they were on their way out of business. Foreign cars were even rarer. In fact, the term “foreign car” was really a put-down.

Back in the day, the business model for the automobile companies was to sell entry level cars (Ford, Chevy, Plymouth) and offer upward mobility for the owners. Eventually, the owners would gradually move up through the brand lines (ie. Mercury/Lincoln, Pontiac/Buick/Cadillac, Dodge/Chrysler). That was upward mobility. Folks driving a Cadillac Fleetwood, Lincoln or Chrysler Imperial had made it to financial success (or at least wanted to give that impression).

Things have changed considerably in the past 50 years. The business model of upward mobility no longer works. Brand loyalty is pretty much a thing of the past except for the few die-hard owners and car enthusiasts like many of us. “Made in Japan” has little or no meaning to anyone born after 1970 or so. And it is not unusual to see very young owners driving top of the line US and foreign cars whether they can afford them or not. And in my opinion, “Made in America” is no longer an unquestioned mark of quality. Very sad.

Craftsmanship and quality were the hallmarks of US businesses. Most people took pride in their jobs (at all levels) and it showed in productivity and sales and products that would last a while. Now it seems that stuff only needs to make it out the door. Management was in for the long haul and knew that their success depended on repeat sales within their product lines. Now it appears that it is all about the money. Upper management is rarely involved for more than a couple years. It doesn’t even appear that many businesses care about repeat business --- if you don’t buy their product – then someone else will. Lots of workers are doing just enough to get by and have a “Why bust my butt mentality”. Many are in it only for the paycheck and have absolutely no loyalty or vested interest in whether the company succeeds or not. Quality has suffered and for the most part – craftsmanship is gone. While I recognize that much of the above is a generalization that does not apply universally, there is enough shoddy work around to be of concern. But inexperience, incompetence, and “just getting by” seem to be prevalent in nearly every sector of the economy.

Sorry for getting on my soapbox :soapbox: and venting. I’ll keep buying American cars until they have nothing else that interests me. Or, when I no longer feel that I am getting the proper value for my money. But, if you see me driving down the street in a Camry or an Accord – the sold sign will be hanging on the door of Ford Motor Company and General Motors. :(

[jerrym3]

In general, I don't believe that automobile assembly line union workers cared that much about quality. (Of course, there are some that did.)

I didn't work on an assembly line, but my biggest concern in my job as a Ford Motor Company picker-packer was to do just enough work to get by, to keep watching that clock, and make it to the end of my eight hour shift.

Quality in the cars of the 50s, 60s and beyond wasn't that great.

Just as a few samples, here were some of my problems on my vehicles.

1955 Ford (used) door kept swinging open, severe oil (engine and trans) leaks
1968 Merc Cyclone (new) motor wouldn't run on day one; went back to the dealer three times before they did some major engine work; rear end "clunked"
1985 TurboCoupe (new) drivetrain vibration; Ford refused to fix it because it occured at speeds over 55 mph
1972 Ford LTD (new) drivetrain vibration
1981 fairmont wagon (used-18,000 miles) motor always ran rough

In general, cars of that era rusted out early and could be found in the junkyards soon after hitting 60-70,000 miles.

It's possible that union workers such as plumbers, electricians, carpenters, etc did commit to doing quality work, but in pure labor type jobs, we knew that we really had to really **** up in order to get fired, so we just didn't care.

The joke was never accept delivery on a car that was built on a Friday or Monday. Workers either goofed off on those days, or stayed home "recuperating".

[Merc-O-matic]

Plenty of "Amercian" cars through the years........
1948 Mercury
1953 Ford Crown Victoria
1955 Packard Carribean
1957 Ford Country Sedan
1960 Ford Custom Tudor Sedan
1961 Ford Galaxie
1964 Ford Galaxie 500 Hard Top
1964 Ford Falcon Sprint
1965 Mercury Park Lane
1970 Ford Pinto
1972 Buick Skylark Sport Coupe
1973 Ford Maverick
1973 Ford Torino
1979 Ford Granada ESS
1984 Dodge Van B250
1985 Mercury Grand Marquis LS
1991 Ford Explorer XL
1994 Lincoln Town Car
1997 Mercury Grand Marquis LS
2003 Mercury Marauder

Still driving the last FOUR on the list....and like the cars,
the LAST of a dying breed!

Gotta Love It!:rasta:

[prchrman]

Are we the Last Generation?...........YES WE ARE.........

[jimlam56]

At least in my family, the blood runs Ford Blue.
My three boys wouldn't think of buying a ricer.
2 have svt Contours, and the other a CV Sport.
Yes Rich, they are also into computers, but a V8 American car means something to them too.
In fact, the ultimate car to them is a MM!

[Breadfan]

Gigabytes--- RAM--- bandwidth and such are where it's at now.
Teenagers talk computer like we talk cars.
It's over.
The end of the World approaches quickly. Heads up!
I can out-talk them all in both areas. :)

At one point in time I had 13 computers running in my house with 9 different OS's. I still have my server rack in my living room, just less computers running to save energy costs --- more money for car mods!

But I still know how to rebuild a carburetor, and I'm at the point where I think modern EFI systems are simple.

I really should spend more time getting into PCM code...

So yeah those kids can build servers, I'll just hack 'em, and they can build turbo's and I'll just outrun 'em.0 WOHOO!

Oh, and car guys will exist for a long time, computers won't take over fully in that respect. Let's just put it this way - it's a lot harder to "get the ladies" writing a new C compiler than it is cruising in a hot car.

[baltimoremm]

I'm 25 years old and part of this dying breed. American muscle car fans my age are few and far between. I am determined not to let it die with me though, my first child (boy) is due in December, and the muscle car themed nursery is well under way.

[mr.continental]

Now as far as trends go it seems like our liking is coming back... RWD V8, but most of the cars look like crap to me such as the 500 and Charger not the Challenger

Hey genius, I don't know if your realize this, but the 500 isn't V8 powered or RWD.

[the_pack_rat]

(puting on flame suit)

I'm not sure how I really feel anymore .....

I'm begining to think it doesn't matter much these days, as much as it pains me to say that.

Bottom line ...

I will spend my money with whomever makes a decent quality vehicle that fits whatever my needs may be & doesn't make me barf when looking at it, in or out.

The line in the sand that once seperated cars labled as American & foreign has become almost non-existant.

It's bad enough a good number of the parts of US made vehicles, have been anything but US made for quite some time ... but now GM & Ford seem hell bent on making stuff that looks just like their foreign competition. While I'm not in love with the Charger or 300 ... at least they are somewhat unique & you know what thay are when you see one. I can't stand so called "American" cars that look like nothing more than foreign wanna-bees.

I can remember my days as a teen before I even had a license ...

I could spend HOURS riding around on my bike to different dealers looking at American cars I found appealing.

These days ...

Dealership hopping is no where near the fun it once was. And it certainly doesn't take you hours & hours to drool over everything you would love to take home with you ... even if I were to ride my mountain bike & leave one of my cars at home. The pickings these days are just too slim for my tastes.

There are plenty of new cars that can get you from "A to B" in reasonable comfort & power .....

But most don't have the old school personality & looks I really admire.

I will say this ...

There has yet to be ANY foreign car, that made me think to myself ...

"I hope I still own this 20/30 years from now".

With any luck Ford won't axe the Panthers & change them to much. Maybe they'll even make the Town Car look like something once again .....

But I'm not holdng my breath.

[RedMerc04]

I think most of the younger car guys around here in the "rice" scene are simply misguided youth - most of them have non-car oriented parents so they never received the proper teaching about displacement and # of cylinders, instead they grew up in the back seat of an Odyssey.
I couldnt agree more, Most kids my age (18) are absolutely clueless about anything that has to do with cars, Probably couldnt even tell you what a cam does... and Its definately because the parents arent car people and all they know about cars is what is currently popular with the "fast and furious" crowd.

[Meteorite]

Hey genius, I don't know if your realize this, but the 500 isn't V8 powered or RWD.
What's the 500? Do you mean the Five Hundred? I think Motorhead350 meant to type "300", especially given the context ...

[Hotrauder]

The consumer is much better educated than ever in the past and he or she also has access to an amazing amount of information regarding the products they are planning to buy. I think that most buyers want the most value for their investment. It is obvious they are getting it more and more from outside Detroit. Seems that PT Barnum was right. You can't fool all the people all the time. Dennis:cool:

[mr.continental]

What's the 500? Do you mean the Five Hundred? I think Motorhead350 meant to type "300", especially given the context ...

I meant exactly what I wrote, 500, or as you put it, Five Hundred. If Motorhead350 meant "300", he should go back to school and learn a little thing the teach you there.

It's called proofreading.

[sweetair]

I am all for American cars. I have an Expedition, Marauder and yes a Jetta. That is my wife's car. I do have a soft spot for German auto's though. Since I am part Swede, there might be a volvo in my future as well. Who knows. I do not and will not buy any of the Asian makes. Hyundai, Honda, Toyota, Nissan, and their more expensive partners as well. Lexus, etc. I do believe the wiring, metal, etc, is not as well made as US stuff. I will admit they seem to run well. But I still won't buy Japanese. Just my .02.

[2003_MM_FYRE49]

Here's a run down of my metal past and present:

1970 Olds 442
1973 Pontiac Catalina Safari
1973 Buick Electra 225
1978 Ford Thunderbird
1979 Chevrolet Vette...Chevette that is :lol:
1986 Oldsmobile 442
1979 Pontiac Formula 350
1992 Chevrolet S 10 Blazer
1996 Ford Explorer XLT
2000 Ford Crown Victoria LX
2003 Mercury Marauder
2004 Mercury Mountaineer Premier
2006 Mercury Mountaineer Premier

I'll only drive Detroit Iron and if the good Lord blesses Lizi and me with children you can be sure they will deive it too. Otherwise they better have their tenny runners on cuz I'm aiming a 12 guage at their a$$es.

[Meteorite]

I meant exactly what I wrote, 500, or as you put it, Five Hundred. If Motorhead350 meant "300", he should go back to school and learn a little thing the teach you there.

It's called proofreading.
I just thought it was funny that while you were ragging on him, you got the name of the Ford Five Hundred wrong. There is no number "500" on that car, just the text.

I'm just messing with ya.

[mr.continental]

I just thought it was funny that while you were ragging on him, you got the name of the Ford Five Hundred wrong. There is no number "500" on that car, just the text.

I'm just messing with ya.

Actually, I didn't write it wrong, I wrote it as he did. A 500 is a Five Hundred, no matter how it's typed.

By the way, my mother has one and I am well aware Ford spells it out on the vehicles.

EDIT* Meteorite, I apologize for any hostility taken from the above post. After posting i noticed your "I'mjust messing with ya" comment.

A little jumping the gun on my part.

[Shora]

I meant exactly what I wrote, 500, or as you put it, Five Hundred. If Motorhead350 meant "300", he should go back to school and learn a little thing the teach you there.

It's called proofreading.

Mr. Continental, this is not my fight but maybe you should "proofread" your own comments.

I sure hope that all of this is a joke.:confused:

[TAF]

As an "X-Gen"/MTV-Generation member...I owned foreign cars in the early mid 80s... 'cause I challenge you to mention ANYTHING American that was built during that time that was even worth owning. And don't say "fox-body Mustang" to me... 'cause I HATE those.

[Breadfan]

As an "X-Gen"/MTV-Generation member...I owned foreign cars in the early mid 80s... 'cause I challenge you to mention ANYTHING American that was built during that time that was even worth owning. And don't say "fox-body Mustang" to me... 'cause I HATE those.

How about the "Fox-chassis" Mustang, cause we all know they didn't have Fox bodies. :)

You have a good point though, but I kinda extend that blanket over all things from about 1975-1990. Kinda like the dark ages.

I have a stack of old Road and Track magazines from '75-82...it's funny to read them. They'll review a car and go on and on about how great it is becuase it ran "OK" on startup.

Anyone who wonders how Honda and Toyota got where they are today and why American cars are where they are should read these. While Cadillac was trying to sell the Cimarron which was a velour seated Cavalier with bad shocks and did 0-60 in 13 seconds (if you were lucky) foreign cars had respectable reliability and build quality.

I'm not sure if it was the oil crisis, insurance companies, and emissions regulations that did it, but something turned Detroit upside down and for nearly 15 years most everything they churned out was junk.

Now some of that junk is becoming classics. Look at say, the Olds Cutlass of the mid 80's. Now they're being restored, tricked out, etc.

But isn't that the point? Most are being rebuilt with new motors, more hp, etc.

I'm sure one can defend cars from this era, and there were some gems in the rough.

But who can say great things about an era where Corvette's didn't even make 200hp and Mustangs and Camaros were running around with big stickers on them and 125hp engines as top of the line?

I'm sure Smokey and the Bandit fans were disappointed when they picked up the Bandit's car new at the Pontiac dealer just to find out it sucked.

It wasn't until the latter half of the 80's that things began to really pick up and the pony cars finally got over the 200hp mark again.

American cars went on a rollercoaster ride, high hp to super low hp, and back to high hp.

BTW, I'd still much rather have that Cutlass than an '84 Accord. And I must say, I do still like my Fox-chassis. ;)

[bryanthomas]

As an "X-Gen"/MTV-Generation member...I owned foreign cars in the early mid 80s... 'cause I challenge you to mention ANYTHING American that was built during that time that was even worth owning. And don't say "fox-body Mustang" to me... 'cause I HATE those.

How about a Buick Grand National?

And believe me it took me about 10 minutes to come up with that answer! I gotta agree with you though on the whole fox-body issue... those things are hideous!

[TAF]

How about a Buick Grand National?

And believe me it took me about 10 minutes to come up with that answer! I gotta agree with you though on the whole fox-body issue... those things are hideous!

An anomaly...for sure for that time period. At least I made you have to think for some time to come up with something. ;)

[Breadfan]

Ah, yep, the GN's, per my post on of the diamonds in the rough. :)

[jerrym3]

Mid/late 80's TurboCoupes were fun cars and worth owning.

My 85 had the best seats straight from the factory that I've ever sat in.

Even the side bolsters were power operated as was the lumbar supprt.

It had a manual adustment for a seat extension under your calves, but I thought that was uncomfortable, at least for the driver.

Car got over 30 mpg on the highway, and still felt like a mid size V8.

Totaled it with 90,000 miles on the OD (combination of light snow and stupid driving), still had the original clutch, and had just completed the car's first brake job.

[TooManyFords]

Yep, last weekend at the All Night Street Drags, we had a pair of GN's running 9.75 and 9.68 with DOT street tires.

The one always wins the Quick 8 competition by just dialing up enough boost to be faster than all the rest. Only way he looses is if he red lights, and with an instant green that rarely happens. It's just fun to watch that car run!

John

[mr.continental]

Mr. Continental, this is not my fight but maybe you should "proofread" your own comments.

I sure hope that all of this is a joke.:confused:

Yes, for the most part this all a joke.

But being you brought up proofreading. It's not "Mr. Continental", it's "mr.continental". And as far as the "THE" comment goes, don't you know Detroiters have their own language.:D

[Shora]

Yes, for the most part this all a joke.

Good:D .

But being you brought up proofreading. It's not "Mr. Continental", it's "mr.continental".

I thought that I was fixing another goof.

And as far as the "THE" comment goes, don't you know Detroiters have their own language.:D

One really does learn something new every day!!

..........

[Meteorite]

Actually, I didn't write it wrong, I wrote it as he did. A 500 is a Five Hundred, no matter how it's typed.

By the way, my mother has one and I am well aware Ford spells it out on the vehicles.

EDIT* Meteorite, I apologize for any hostility taken from the above post. After posting i noticed your "I'mjust messing with ya" comment.

A little jumping the gun on my part.
No problem.:beatnik: