GM = bankrupt

[dead0man]

There's not much worth salvaging in the GM lineup. The only car that immediately comes to mind is the iconic Corvette, though the only good ones are the classic ones.

The last few generations of Corvettes are very good cars, but you can't keep a giant company alive because of one very good niche market car.  They need, and have needed for 30 years, a Camry/Accord beater.  Or at least a Civic/Corrola beater.

[dead0man]

There's not much worth salvaging in the GM lineup. The only car that immediately comes to mind is the iconic Corvette, though the only good ones are the classic ones.

The last few generations of Corvettes are very good cars, but you can't keep a giant company alive because of one very good niche market car.  They need, and have needed for 30 years, a Camry/Accord beater.  Or at least a Civic/Corrola beater.

I disagree about the most recent Corvettes.  My mother has a 1999, and there's a lot on the interior that looks just too "standard GM." For a $60,000 car, Corvettes need some higher-end finishes.

They look nice from the outside, though.

When you make as car as fast as a Ferrari for a quarter the price you have to cut corners somewhere.  I'd much rather they do it with the AC nobs instead of the suspension engineering.  You may have different concerns in your sports car/gran touring car.

[dead0man]

New Fords are among the most reliable vehicles on the road.  In comparison after comparison with Japanese rivals, Fords consistently come out equal to or above the competition. 

cite?


The Ford Fusion Hybrid looks to be a kickass vehicle at the perfect time.  Remember what the K-Car and the minivan sort of did for Chyrsler in the early 80s....this may turn out more impressive.....mainly because the Fusion isn't a piece of poo like the K-Car and Chyrsler minivans were.

[dead0man]

Ok, the "equal to" part is true (except for the trucks), but I'm still not seeing "above the competition". 

(and the Detroit News article was just a heavy spinning of the Consumer Reports conclusion)

(and I'm not being an ass just to be an ass.  I don't want people to think that Ford now makes more reliable vehicles than Toyota or Honda, equal to in a lot of cases sure, but not better...and if they really are better, I want to know.  I'm actually rooting hard for Ford here.  They own a good chunk of Mazda ya see.)

(and the best Fords are often redesigned cars from other makers...the Fusion rides on a Mazda6 chassis for example)

[dead0man]

Totally agree.

[dead0man]

lol

[dead0man]

You're so brainwashed your unwilling to even go out and observe your own community, deadman.

I'm brainwashed and unwilling to observe my own community?  Praise from Caesar!?

[dead0man]

Best engine, ever:

Beautiful.  3 moving parts.  THREE.  Smooth.  Sure it's weak at low RPM and it drinks gas like frat boy drinks beer, but get it above 5 grand and she'll sing.  They don't weigh anything compared to how much power they put out.  But they aint for everybody.

[dead0man]

and anecdotal experience is far more useful and accurate than anything you're going to get from something like consumer reports.

Now that is comedy gold.

[dead0man]

Have you ever even read a Consumer Reports......anything?  Do you have any idea what data they use or how they get it?  Your post makes me thinks you haven't and don't.


The part where you claimed CR "tend to value" handling and what not realy threw me for a laugh.

[dead0man]

There really is no need to keep reiterating that you know nothing about cars, your point has been very well made by this point.

Have you ever even read a Consumer Reports......anything?  Do you have any idea what data they use or how they get it?  Your post makes me thinks you haven't and don't.


The part where you claimed CR "tend to value" handling and what not realy threw me for a laugh.

Why is that?  Are you saying they make no value judgements?

On their "reviews" of new cars?  Sure.  And?  The part that is valuable about CR and cars is the "repair history" part.  You know the part where the millions of CR readers fill out surveys and questionairs about the various things they own, going back 6 or 7 years on cars (roughly the length of time most people keep a car).

I've always found their reviews of new cars a little laughable, but those reviews aren't aimed at me.  They are aimed at my dad and people like you.

[dead0man]

Unscientific, but still thread appropriate link. Ten cars that seem to last forever.

You must be logged in to read this quote.

[dead0man]

And you know your anti-conventional wisdom is correct because of all your years getting your fingers greasy?  All the years studying automotive theory at Uni?

[dead0man]

Thank you.  I rest my case.

[dead0man]

Like I said, they have NO balls at low rpm and they get sh**tty mpg.  The early rotaries had some longevity issues because of the some seals (Apex) on the rotor kept wearing out requiring a rebuild.  They had that fixed by 1979 and rebuilds on a rotary are very easy compared to a piston engine anyway.  THREE MOVING PARTS!  For the entire engine!  Even a 4cyl. piston has, at a minimum, close to 20.

The reason it (mostly) died was the fuel consumption issue and lack of power at low RPM (and emissions issues to a slightly lesser extent...some unburned gas makes it through the ignition process....which is one of the reasons for the sh**tty milage....but under the right conditions you can make fire shoot out your muffler....fun fun fun...sort of).  It's a great motor for a sports car (not a simulated one, a real one...rear wheel drive, just 2 seats and handles well, that's what sports car means) as they can spin to a higher RPM and they got gobs of power when they are up there AND they can stay up there all day at the track.  The engine weighs very little compared to similarly power piston engines.  1.2 or 1.3L (~80 cubic inches for you gear heads) is a very little engine...especially if you're getting 270 hp out of it.  Mazda still uses it in the RX7 (Japan and the Aussies) and the RX8.  Clearly not an engine for everybody, but it still has it's uses and advantages.


disclaimer:I've owned 3 RX7s...and honestly, none of them have been particularly dependable....but that's not why I owned them.  I like dependability and efficiency, but I love "fun to drive"...that's why my next car will be a Miata.

[dead0man]

Only if it's in a "boxer" configuration like all good hearted inline 6s.  (Subarus and Porsches)

[dead0man]

Only if it's in a "boxer" configuration like all good hearted inline 6s.  (Subarus and Porsches)

No, no, those aren't 'inline'.  Inline is the configuration where all the cylinders are in a line.  Then you also have Vee and boxer configurations.  The inline six is superior to the boxer or V

<snip>

And yes, jmfcst, your slant six is a great example of these - 'slant' just means its an inline six tipped over a bit.

...and "boxer" just means its an inline six (or four) tipped all the way over.