brightredmtn
Well-known member
What people forget when they say hold their value is the net cost. You generally pay more for the Toyota/Honda up front so when you trade it in it looks like your vehicle held it's value better then say an American but with the American brand you paid less upfront. All vehicle depericate the same % each year if they are comparable all around (same condition, same options, same mileage, etc...).
This isn't true. It's a fact that the depreciation percentage of a Hyundai is greater than a Honda or Toyota. I don't have hard numbers for the depreciation of an American car vs. Honda or Toyota but it's very true that some brands depreciation faster than others. Yes I do understand that some cars cost less to begin with.
As for reliability American vehicle are just as reliable as any other brand on the market. I crack up when I hear this b/c I hear many of you say this then complain when your vehicle is in the shop. But, Here I sit with an '05 Tahoe that has only been in the shop for routine maintance in the 3yrs we have owned it (it has 43K on it).
According to Consumer Reports 2006 reliability projections there was only one American car that made the "most reliable" list. It was a Chevy Monte Carlo in the sporty cars/convertible/coups category. ALL other most reliable cars were Japanese. The least reliable lists were made up of European and American cars. No Korean cars made either list.
http://www.carlist.com/autonews/2005/autonews_204.html
The vehicles I recommended all got 5 star crash ratings. How is that not just as safe as the Honda Accord when they both got 5 star all around?
I never disputed your report of crash tests. I wrote that I was leaning towards an Accord over a Camry b/c the Accord's safety rating was better.
I owned an '03 VW Passat. They are the biggest hunk of junk on the road. We owned it for 18mths and it was in the shop 21 times for multiple major problems even some repeatable problems but VW wouldn't buy it back. Heck it spent 1mth in the shop when they couldn't figure out where an oil leak was coming from. They wouldn't even pay my car payment that month. Traded that POS in for my Tahoe and have been happy ever since.
ITA. When I was born in 1977 I came home in my mother's 1970 VW camper that she bought in German to tour Europe. She had that car until 1982 when she got a diesel VW Quantum. This car she had until 1998 when she got a diesel VW Jetta. In 2003 the Jetta had just had so many problems she finally gave up. Her mechanic said it had a terminal problem that he had seen quite often and VW wouldn't own up and recall the car. She was a LOYAL VW owner but in 2003 she bought a Civic Hybrid and has never looked back. Our family is done with VW.
I just wish some would look outside the box and see there are other good products out there then just Honda/Toyota. Not saying they are bad vehicles.
I already wrote that I should get over my stigma against American cars and consider them.
I am just for keeping my hard earned money in American pockets and making our dollar stronger.
There are plenty of foreign car manufactures who have factories in America. So in many cases you can buy a foreign car and still keep money in American pockets.
Thank you for your two suggestions I will definitely check out the Saturn.