American Cars get a lot of flack from the media and on social sites. What is really wrong with them?

I have scratched most of my car itches (German, Japanese) and I really want to fulfil my American car itch.

Is there anything catastrophically wrong with American Cars?

Personally I'd love to own something based on the Ford panther platform. A full sized American land yacht. Crown Vic, grand marquis or town car. These can be gotten really cheap now and I'm sure body on frame will fare better on our roads.

Anyone have any experience with these or other cars?

Most American cars are not fuel efficient and majority of their engine configurations hardly includes the inline four plugs design.

Lol! Money pit, unreliable crap, fiddly interior, bogus size utter rubbish build quality, fuel guzzler without appreciable resale value, dearth of parts... The list is endless. Lol

Frm little i knw... They got high cost of maintainace

American cars consume fuel alot

lol
they are very nice
Reliable to an extent
at least i used my chevrolet venture for like 5yrs plus
until it had an issue some months back
major faults
Fuel pump
Propeller ( differential issues AWD DIASBLED)
ABS
Issues from the inner part of the engine cant remember tho
Slow response (Had to replace the plugs)
Automatic doors failed between a year of usage.

Small issues sha
will post pictures of tomorrow
she is dirty and dusty , she's been parked since october

You can get an honest deal on an American car if you shop with you eyes wide open. We need to be clear when we say American cars and we need to fully define because Hondas are also now made in America.

My VW Jetta was built in Mexico (of this I lament daily but it's my fault for not doing enough due diligence). Fords are built in Canada and Mexico also.

You can get sweet deals on 2 year old lease returns or rental returns.

Your average cars like Ford Mustang, Taurus, etc are good values IMHO.

Hi CityNG, I mean an honest to goodness murican car. Did or GM. Jeep/Chrysler is not on the cards as I'm not sure about them.

For the sporty category, I Did consider a GT mustang of 05 - 09. Midsize category, maybe a Cadillac CTS or Lincoln Ls. Full size, definitely one of the panther platform cars (mercury marauder or P71 Police Interceptor).

From all readings on the net. Due to the previous use of crown victoria as taxis, parts are cheap and abundant. Despite being as ugly as sin one would have thought they would have found their way to Africa.

If you got the money, i reccomend lincoln mecury. Most of the above mentioned cars were used 4 public service tho.

lungwun:
Hi CityNG, I mean an honest to goodness murican car. Did or GM. Jeep/Chrysler is not on the cards as I'm not sure about them.

For the sporty category, I Did consider a GT mustang of 05 - 09. Midsize category, maybe a Cadillac CTS or Lincoln Ls. Full size, definitely one of the panther platform cars (mercury marauder or P71 Police Interceptor).

From all readings on the net. Due to the previous use of crown victoria as taxis, parts are cheap and abundant. Despite being as ugly as sin one would have thought they would have found their way to Africa.

So the worst thing you can do is buy an Ex Taxi cab.

Ex Taxi cabs are usually Ex Police cars.

A city police car will spend an inordinate amount of time while looking for speeders. It will then go from that idling to redline to pursue a speeding motorist. Some of them do not get their engines turned off during a 10 hour shift so that they can quickly respond to an emergency.

A highway patrol car or detective car is a much better buy. The detectives are usually not involved in high speed pursuit and mostly sit in the office and occasional drive. The highway patrol cars are usually driving on the freeway which is vastly better than city driving.

So the key is to find a Detective car as a first choice and then a highway patrol car as a second choice.

In any case props on identifying the P71, it is the ultimate sleeper car.

Here's a good one.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Ford-Crown-Victoria-WHOLESALE-2006-crown-vic-p-73-police-detective-s-under-cover-car-loaded-lx-/151519682044?forcerrptr=true&hash=item234746ddfc&item=151519682044&pt=US_Cars_Trucks

[img]http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/NDgwWDY0MA==/z/nroAAOSwkNZUkwip/$_4.JPG[/img]

CROWN VICTORIA P-73

DETECTIVE'S CAR

LAW ENFORCEMENT UNIT FROM THE PALM BEACH COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE

COMPLETELY PRE-SALE INSPECTED AND ALL SYSTEMS IN PROPER FUNCTIONING FORM

CityNG:
Here's a good one.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Ford-Crown-Victoria-WHOLESALE-2006-crown-vic-p-73-police-detective-s-under-cover-car-loaded-lx-/151519682044?forcerrptr=true&hash=item234746ddfc&item=151519682044&pt=US_Cars_Trucks
[img]http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/NDgwWDY0MA==/z/nroAAOSwkNZUkwip/$_4.JPG[/img]
CROWN VICTORIA P-73
DETECTIVE'S CAR
LAW ENFORCEMENT UNIT FROM THE PALM BEACH COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE
COMPLETELY PRE-SALE INSPECTED AND ALL SYSTEMS IN PROPER FUNCTIONING FORM

Man, I'd love to get me that Crown Vic! Got a thing about stately cars.

I have almost only driven American cars. From my dad's 89ish suburban, to a '99 suburban 1500, to my present commuter, an '03 Ford Focus SE. They are awesome on the road, especially when cruising on the highway. My Focus Wagon is well buttoned down on the road and is mountains more fun to drive on curvy roads than the Corollas and Camrys I have driven. The ones I've owned are pretty reliable as well. I must admit their interiors can suck though.

I think the present mentality of American cars are based on the terrible crapbuckets made from the 60s even up to the 90s like the 60s chevy corvair and 70s Ford pinto. But then it's all good- keeps second hand prices nice and low.

That doesn't mean my dream of owning a black escalade suv with rims is shattered

billy187:


Man, I'd love to get me that Crown Vic! Got a thing about stately cars.

I have almost only driven American cars. From my dad's 89ish suburban, to a '99 suburban 1500, to my present commuter, an '03 Ford Focus SE. They are awesome on the road, especially when cruising on the highway. My Focus Wagon is well buttoned down on the road and is mountains more fun to drive on curvy roads than the Corollas and Camrys I have driven. The ones I've owned are pretty reliable as well. I must admit their interiors can suck though.

I think the present mentality of American cars are based on the terrible crapbuckets made from the 60s even up to the 90s like the 60s chevy corvair and 70s Ford pinto. But then it's all good- keeps second hand prices nice and low.

The P71 Police Interceptor also has a lot of subtle upgrades that makes it more powerful, faster and safer.

lungwun:
American Cars get a lot of flack from the media and on social sites. What is really wrong with them?

I have scratched most of my car itches (German, Japanese) and I really want to fulfil my American car itch.

Is there anything catastrophically wrong with American Cars?

Personally I'd love to own something based on the Ford panther platform. A full sized American land yacht. Crown Vic, grand marquis or town car. These can be gotten really cheap now and I'm sure body on frame will fare better on our roads.

Anyone have any experience with these or other cars?

American cars suck badly. It cos the US Govt $21 BILLION to bail them out (even Ford was going under and the took theirs 1 year before GM and Chrysler).

Chrystler has been rated worst car brand 4 years in a row by consumer reports. The resale value after 5 years is at an average of 40% ( Toyota is at 63%).

Class for class they had to drop prices in their luxury brands so as to compete with Lexus, MB, Volvo, Infiniti, and Acura. (Yeah Audi and BMW are as Unreliable).

The only reason these companies exist is because of brand loyalty and the bail out money other that that it would be owned by Lifan, Dongfeng, Geely, GAC or some Chinese company.

icemann:

American cars suck badly. It cos the US Govt $21 BILLION to bail them out (even Ford was going under and the took theirs 1 year before GM and Chrysler).

Chrystler has been rated worst car brand 4 years in a row by consumer reports. The resale value after 5 years is at an average of 40% ( Toyota is at 63%).

Class for class they had to drop prices in their luxury brands so as to compete with Lexus, MB, Volvo, Infiniti, and Acura. (Yeah Audi and BMW are as Unreliable).

The only reason these companies exist is because of brand loyalty and the bail out money other that that it would be owned by Lifan, Dongfeng, Geely, GAC or some Chinese company.

I disagree completely and without any reservation on everything that you wrote.

American cars are one of the best to own, esp fords. You can't be wrong with a Ford. It uses same parts with Mazda, mostly. Everything available in ladipo. I am over two years on an escape now and cruising like crazy. My favorite journey auto now.

Personally, I hate those Japanese cars. They are too common.

Go for it if that is where your heart is.

In my opinion if you want a stately car you will have to buy either a Lincoln Towncar which offers the best ride reason why most Limousine use it or a Cadillac STS. Those are the last body on frame platforms anything more recent use the antibody frame type.

Parts are always available on Amazon and the most replaced service parts are belts brakes rotors and hoses a set of these will last five years easily.

sultaan:

Parts are always available on Amazon and the most replaced service parts are belts brakes rotors and hoses a set of these will last five years easily.

Oga sultaan,

Pls how can I get parts on Amazon or eBay without having any shipping address in the US? Or do they ship to Nigeria directly.

Thanks.

Peacefullife:
American cars are one of the best to own, esp fords. You can't be wrong with a Ford. It uses same parts with Mazda, mostly. Everything available in ladipo. I am over two years on an escape now and cruising like crazy. My favorite journey auto now.

Personally, I hate those Japanese cars. They are too common.

Go for it if that is where your heart is.

Ford escape? Cruising like mad after two years?
Nah fat lie.
No deceive Ppl enter enter the same wahala wit u o

chuka5000:

Ford escape? Cruising like mad after two years?
Nah fat lie.
No deceive Ppl enter enter the same wahala wit u o

@Chuka5000
I wonder why you called another person a liar. It shows how irresponsible and immature you are.

Did he manufacture the car or what does he stand to gain from lying?

If you have had a contrary experience, share it, instead of insulting people.

I have seen so many american cars with very high mileage here in Canada contrary to the believe that their engine die early. A lot of them now have excellent fuel consumption too.e.g the new dodge darts and ram trucks.

Peacefullife:
American cars are one of the best to own, esp fords. You can't be wrong with a Ford. It uses same parts with Mazda, mostly. Everything available in ladipo. I am over two years on an escape now and cruising like crazy. My favorite journey auto now.

Personally, I hate those Japanese cars. They are too common.

Go for it if that is where your heart is.

Ford escape sha. U know that car will not stand against a rav 4 or crv or even hyubdai ix35 of the same year in terms of build quality and reliability unless u are just using it because it is cheaper and less common. TRUTH.

abatically:

Ford escape sha. U know that car will not stand against a rav 4 or crv or even hyubdai ix35 of the same year in terms of build quality and reliability unless u are just using it because it is cheaper and less common. TRUTH.

Different strokes for different folks. I respect your opinion, but I have colleagues using Rav4 and crv of similar years and I see the performance of these cars. Its also true that escapes are cheaper. I also don't understand what you mean by build quality, cos for me, rav4 is damn too short a car. Also, I prefer the interior of an escape to a crv.
Don't know much about the ix35, so can't comment.

Personally, I think it is the craze about Toyota and Honda in Nigeria that has made people overlook the escape. Otherwise, I think it should be ranked higher than rav4 and crv.

Peacefullife:

Different strokes for different folks. I respect your opinion, but I have colleagues using Rav4 and crv of similar years and I see the performance of these cars. Its also true that escapes are cheaper. I also don't understand what you mean by build quality, cos for me, rav4 is damn too short a car. Also, I prefer the interior of an escape to a crv.
Don't know much about the ix35, so can't comment.

Personally, I think it is the craze about Toyota and Honda in Nigeria that has made people overlook the escape. Otherwise, I think it should be ranked higher than rav4 and crv.

Bros, I said year for year. Rav 4 is short because it belongs to the group of compact CUV, so is crv and Ford Escape. A 2000 CRV is still well built and reliable than a 2000 ford escape, likewise a 2005 Rav4 dusts the 2005 Escape.

@ the bolded, can u explain what u mean? Nigerian mentality is just a cheap tactic bro. Even in USA which is the country of FORD, Rav 4 and CRV still beats it in terms of sales, so are Americans also crazy about Toyota and Honda that they ignore their own home-grown brand? The only Ford Escape that are worth buying are the new models as they have greatly improved. Still the Ford Escape does not rank higher than a CRV in the compact CUV section.

See where ur Ford Escape is ranked in USA in the compact CUV section.

Based on the quoted online review which supports the view that crv and rav4 are ranked higher than the escape, I accept your opinion and you win.

But when you consider the uniqueness that an escape offers, coupled with reduced cost, people like myself may still want to stick to the escape. Perhaps this explains why the escape is increasing in number recently.

Thanks for the online resource.

Peacefullife:
Based on the quoted online review which supports the view that crv and rav4 are ranked higher than the escape, I accept your opinion and you win.

But when you consider the uniqueness that an escape offers, coupled with reduced cost, people like myself may still want to stick to the escape. Perhaps this explains why the escape is increasing in number recently.

Thanks for the online resource.

All is good bro, its different strokes for different folks. We buy whatever suits us. Its just not right to think Nigerians that buy Toyota and Honda are inferior. Those cars sell even more in north America, are those people also inferior? If Toyota and Honda are not doing something right, then they wouldn't get that much sales.

The idea behind my choice of American cars is that if I can save N400k buying American models over Japanese models and we both decide to resell in 2 years like on the mindset of our people

You pay N1.8m , and I pay N1.4m.

After 2 years both used in Nigeria how much are you going to see the N1.8m naira car that is going to get you well ahead of me? If I sell N1.1m you have to sell at N1.5 to break even anything less and you are losing more money than I had save at initial purchase if we own it for 3 years not sure if you will still have yours with all those armed robbers

If you know what to buy and where to buy for a lot less then you will clearly see that its good to save as much money as you can on your liabilities or get better value for your expendables.

Or for the price of your 2007 RAV I will prefer a 2010 Equinox or 2007 Ford Edge.

The value of a car is not from how much you pay for it but what you expect it to do for you. Toyota and Honda will get you from point A to B but the cars you really pay for are the ones that gives you a smile between those two points. Try driving a Cadillac CTS Vsport you'll see thing different after .