Bob, I have two data points on EU cars. I have owned three Volvos in
the past 30 years, and all three were fine cars. I still drive a 2007
Volvo V70.
I bought a used 2000 Cadillac Catera, a GM "program car" from the
Detroit area, and which was a rebadged Opel. Though it handled nicely
on the road, the passenger-side air conditioning never provided the
necessary control to keep my wife comfortable, and, as I attempted to
work on that problem, I could see that others had tried to do the same,
with no improvement. Also, the extremely heavy doors with strong spring
action made exiting very difficult for older folks. In some British TV
series that I have watched, I have seen them used as police cars, and
they may be fine for that. Frustrated, I traded it for another Volvo.
Jim Nichols
Tullahoma, TN USA
On 6/9/2015 10:20 AM, Bob Benson wrote:
As Chris said:
I know that it?s not the point of your photo, Chris, which I like, but I
cannot understand how Americans can like American cars. I remember
Walt?s last car; I recognised his right to buy it and to enjoy what
turned out to be his last fling, but I thought that machine pretty vile ?
as well as impractical.
Yeah, well.
I have rented perhaps two hundred European and a few Japanese cars while I
have worked/taught in Holland and other northern European outposts. Not
high-end cars of course, but mid-sized. And I respond to the point in this
way, "I cannot understand how Europeans like European cars . like many of
the Renaults, Fiats, Peugeots, most of the (yes, GM's) Opels" etc. Some of
the Japanese cars fell into this category as well. What do I mean?
Little things like poor visibility, bad seat design, incomprehensible
consoles, poor lighting, awkward access to storage spaces. Several cars
were real difficult to simply point in the right direction. I recently
took one back to Hertz and remarked, "this is an awful car." The Hertz guy
said yes, it is, "I'm surprised they let you take it out."
So what? A lot of this is personal taste of course. And rental cars
aren't the best source of experience. But that comment was pretty broad
brush, and I suggest it goes both ways.
Bob
(And I must apologize for going so OT)
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