What are good maker/models?

Question

I'm planning to get a car in a few months. I'm curious, my mama says that Cheverlot is the best American made vehicle. What other American makers are on the market? What foreign vehicles are good? What models have good gas miliage?

Answer 1

If you’re patriotic, buy a GM product (Chevrolet, Pontiac, Saturn, Buick, Cadillac, GMC). They are the best American designed cars in terms of quality. Some are assembled in Mexico or Canada, but some are still made in the United States. They also use American steel, so you'll keep the residents of Cleveland, OH and Pittsburg, PA employed.

Chrysler products (Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep) were notorious for being lemons before they merged with Mercedes Benz. I don't know if the merger as improved quality. The revival of Hemi's are a marketing gimmick. Modern engines have much better cylinder head designs than hemispherical heads.

Fords (Ford, Mercury, Lincoln) --either love 'em or hate 'em. My parents rented a Mustang and a Taurus, and neither car impressed them. They didn't like the road noise of the Mustang. If you really want a sports car though, road noise wouldn't be an issue. Ford is economically hurting right now, so you could probably get a pretty good deal from the dealer. The Ford Motor Company is also an active supporter of the GLBT movement at home and abroad. Whether that will impact your opinion of Ford or not is of no consequence when it comes to the car, it's just where you want your money to go after you spend it.

Overall, though, and I hate to say it, but American cars are second rate over Japanese and German cars. American car designers seem to prefer style and toys over actual function and durability. Also it seams as if the American automobile industry and the American oil industry have an unholy alliance to keep gas mileage low. Manufacturing quality was notoriously bad. It *may* have improved in the last decade.

If you really want a well engineered and built car, buy German or Japanese. Hondas have the best gas mileage of any models in their class. German products as a whole have earned a reputation of being well designed and engineered, and Volkswagens are comparable in price to most American cars. Entry level BMW's also may not be out of reach if they are slightly used. Japanese cars like the Camry are built in the United States...but with Japanese steel.

So, if you want to go domestic, get a GM. If you want a good reliable car, get a Volkswagen or a BMW. If you want to save gas, buy a Honda.

Buying a car is a big finical decision, and if you are not careful you can get railroaded into spending too much for a car you don't want. You really want to do your homework before you set foot on a car lot.

Answer 2

I agree. In my opinion, Honda and Toyota are the best cars in the Philippines. Choose a Toyota if you want a relatively affordable car but choose a Honda if you want to add a little prestige but a bit expensive than a Toyota. We have a 2006 1.3 A/T Honda Jazz it looks and I think it performs great (I'm not a car mechanic).

Additionally, I noticed the trend that Hatchback cars are increasing in number due to its cool shape and practical uses as compared to a typical sedan.

Answer 3

I would purchase a Toyota or a Honda, over any other car. They are far more reliable, have good gas mileage, hold their resale value, are dependable, and a good overall buy. I can't say I would buy anything else, these two are so much better. Good luck and have fun with your new wheels!