Re: Consider buying American!

Bob Jones wrote:
>> But you don't have to replace it after just a few years.
>>
> 
> Then don't.
> 
>> The main point was that a car designed and made in Europe a generation
ago 
>> is still better than most US made cars now.
>>
> 
> That is total non-sense. It depends on what car you are talking about.
> 
>> The corrolory would be that current EU mass market cars (e.g. Ford
Mondeo, 
>> Vauxhall Vectra etc.) are better than their BMW market equivalents (3
and 
>> 5 series) of the mid 80's.
>>
>> To put it another way the US is about 25 years behind Europe on car 
>> design, build and quality control.
>>
> 
> Then why do European cars have more problems than Japaness and American?
Not 
> to mention they cost a fortune.

I haven't heard of a lot of major problems for Mercedes Benz or BMW. but 
they are expensive to repair. I remember in my younger days, I took 
apart a MB engine, I think from a late 70s MB. The engine was much more 
complicated to disassemble than a US V8. There were more head bolts, the 
oil pan came in two pieces, and there were a lot more parts than in a US 
V8. I didn't see the bill for the engine rebuild, but I bet it was more 
than for a Chevy 350.

And in the old days, the electrical systems on Jags were just bad. I 
remember hearing about a metal rod that was supposed to conduct 
electricity in a Jag. It just stopped conducting electricity beyond a 
point on the rod. I don't remember what the rod was for, though.

VWs and presumably Audis have a lot of problems, though, according to 
the re****ts I hear. And they aren't cheap to fix, either.

Actually, I don't remember too many problems with Swedish cars. i don't 
remember if it is because they were better than the other or just less 
common.

Jeff
Jeff