What happened to quality cars?

[Natsumi]

One thing I miss about home is the over abundance of japanese cars that Americans are fond of..(Not the Toyota Recalls) When I grew up in Japan I was raised by my grandparents and grandpa always say "you're getting a toyota and nothing else" So my first car in 1997 when I was about 16 was a 1992 Toyota Hilux Surf. They are the same as the Toyota 4Runner here in the U.S. that thing ran forever and I beat the **** out of it! and it would just not break!

by the time I sold it when I used that money to move here to the US I then purchased brand new in 2006 when I moved to the US a brand new Pontiac GTO 6 Liter V8 it's black with red leather and supercharged..there is only 11,000 miles on odometer..its a garage queen I admit..I wont dare drive it in the winter months.

I have an old beat up 1970 Datsun 510 I am piecing together at a gradual pace as a new daily driver. I have found lots of parts so far..I have a friend who is helping me and my brother is sending me parts from Japan! Im excited because I am rebuilding this car all on my own..it's definitely going to be a challenge but I am looking forward to it! If it wasn't for my grandparents being there for me I wouldn't be able to do this!

 

[Cerberus]

Thats very impressive. And I wish you the best of luck putting your car together like a jigsaw puzzle. I wish I knew how to build cars. I always wanted to learn that, but never had the time. I guess I will stick to building computers

 

[Panache]

That's great that you can build your own cars! That is an impressive skill to have.
I don't own a car myself, but I hear that Japanese cars are of great quality, and the engines run forever. My mom's jeep, while the car itself is not Japanese, runs on a Suzuki engine, and has been for over 16 years now- still runs almost perfectly.

 

[Monster]

Good luck with assembling the Datsun car, that's awesome that you can do that on your own!!

I have an American car too, it's an old used ( '98 ) Chrysler/Dodge Stratus LX, and I bought it once when I needed a car with automatic gear. I drive it all year round (it has Winter/all-weather tyres). Although the car appears very robust (even more so than a Benz lol), it has been in the workshop a number of times for (long overdue) repairs. The only real problem I have with it is that American cars aren't built for short distances, and so I'm resorting to detours now to keep the battery charged (instead of manually recharging every couple of months). Distances are so short over here in Germany!

I never had a Japanese car, it's definitely on my list of things to do. If I can find one that I fit into, that is, I'm pretty tall!

 

[Natsumi]

Good luck with assembling the Datsun car, that's awesome that you can do that on your own!!

I have an American car too, it's an old used ( '98 ) Chrysler/Dodge Stratus LX, and I bought it once when I needed a car with automatic gear. I drive it all year round (it has Winter/all-weather tyres). Although the car appears very robust (even more so than a Benz lol), it has been in the workshop a number of times for (long overdue) repairs. The only real problem I have with it is that American cars aren't built for short distances, and so I'm resorting to detours now to keep the battery charged (instead of manually recharging every couple of months). Distances are so short over here in Germany!

I never had a Japanese car, it's definitely on my list of things to do. If I can find one that I fit into, that is, I'm pretty tall!

I am also fairly tall for a Japanese at 5'9" They make Chrysler/Dodge vehicles in Germany? Wow I didn't know that. I knew at one time though that Mercedes did own them though.

 

[Natsumi]

Thats very impressive. And I wish you the best of luck putting your car together like a jigsaw puzzle. I wish I knew how to build cars. I always wanted to learn that, but never had the time. I guess I will stick to building computers

Being this car is 40 years old, it is fairly easy to work on - No computer or PCM equipment! But its not knowing how work on it for me, it's having the equipment readily available. Which I dont have. Right now it does run too. It has a Nissan 300ZX VG30DETT engine with turbo and front mount intercooler under the hood..so computer and wiring harnesses needed to be installed unfortunately..but my friend who has diagnostic equipment is helping me with that as we piece it together. It is just a kick in the pants to drive..it's a cute car that is just primered for now. I will also do some of the bodywork before it will get painted that way I can save some money when it goes to the bodyshop. Im thinking maybe this bright red color or silver I might paint it

 

[Monster]

I am also fairly tall for a Japanese at 5'9"

Me too, at 6' 1/2"

They make Chrysler/Dodge vehicles in Germany? Wow I didn't know that. I knew at one time though that Mercedes did own them though.

It's a US-built car even!

Where I live, there's Mercedes' European truck plant (my father used to work there). And when Mercedes merged with Chrysler, I thought it'd be a good idea to get a Chrysler to avoid waiting for spare parts (at that time, Chrysler was the only US automaker with a large service network over here, thanks to Mercedes; nowadays we also have Chevy and other brands).

Whenever I was in the US I was amazed at how commonplace automatic gear seemed to be ... so I decided to go with a US car with automatic gear. I had driven many German cars with automatic gear (most often from my employer's fleet) and I wasn't too convinced of them. My current car's automatic gear shifts just as I would if I'd drive a manual.

 

[Natsumi]

Me too, at 6' 1/2"



It's a US-built car even!

Where I live, there's Mercedes' European truck plant (my father used to work there). And when Mercedes merged with Chrysler, I thought it'd be a good idea to get a Chrysler to avoid waiting for spare parts (at that time, Chrysler was the only US automaker with a large service network over here, thanks to Mercedes; nowadays we also have Chevy and other brands).

Whenever I was in the US I was amazed at how commonplace automatic gear seemed to be ... so I decided to go with a US car with automatic gear. I had driven many German cars with automatic gear (most often from my employer's fleet) and I wasn't too convinced of them. My current car's automatic gear shifts just as I would if I'd drive a manual.

Yeah I got to agree with you there, I won't drive anything that's an automatic..My GTO is a 6-speed manual and my Datsun a 5-speed. I like to "be in control" when I drive

 

[fokerss]

GTO are great

 

[Freshfroot]

I have never been found of american cars.. well as of the last few yrs. Back in the day the mustang supercharged ruled! Then when honda and toyota came out.. they made some good quality and long lasting stuff. I'd pick honda over any other brand anyday.. I know its worth the investment and won't die out on me anytime soon :D

 

[White Wolfe]

Me too, at 6' 1/2"



It's a US-built car even!

Where I live, there's Mercedes' European truck plant (my father used to work there). And when Mercedes merged with Chrysler, I thought it'd be a good idea to get a Chrysler to avoid waiting for spare parts (at that time, Chrysler was the only US automaker with a large service network over here, thanks to Mercedes; nowadays we also have Chevy and other brands).

Whenever I was in the US I was amazed at how commonplace automatic gear seemed to be ... so I decided to go with a US car with automatic gear. I had driven many German cars with automatic gear (most often from my employer's fleet) and I wasn't too convinced of them. My current car's automatic gear shifts just as I would if I'd drive a manual.

Here in the US, it is getting hard to find a new manual transmission car or truck. I was set on getting a Ford F350 DRW PSD ZF6-650 trans, but they stopped production of the 6 speed when they dropped the 6.0 diesel 3 years ago. Same with chevy, it has been 2 years since they had a full size pickup with a manual trans.
Dodge, however has the truck that I want, a RAM 3500 with 6.7 Cummins engine and NV5600 6 speed. IMO, the last of the real trucks.

 

[Freshfroot]

Here in the US, it is getting hard to find a new manual transmission car or truck. I was set on getting a Ford F350 DRW PSD ZF6-650 trans, but they stopped production of the 6 speed when they dropped the 6.0 diesel 3 years ago. Same with chevy, it has been 2 years since they had a full size pickup with a manual trans.
Dodge, however has the truck that I want, a RAM 3500 with 6.7 Cummins engine and NV5600 6 speed. IMO, the last of the real trucks.

Ya it is hard to get manual shift cars. It's all about demand and people really have no use for a manual car. I mean how can you drive a manual car when the traffic is going 5-10 miles/hr LOL... you'll be lucky to shift into 2nd gear...