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From: levy@ttrdc.UUCP (Daniel R. Levy)
Newsgroups: net.auto.tech
Subject: Re: Re: saving door seals (really Foreign Cars) (and I add Consumer Reports and Do-It-Yourselfing) (long article)
Message-ID: <812@ttrdc.UUCP>
Date: Sat, 29-Mar-86 18:35:25 EST
Article-I.D.: ttrdc.812
Posted: Sat Mar 29 18:35:25 1986
Date-Received: Wed, 2-Apr-86 01:52:27 EST
References: <1490@wucs.UUCP> <3050@ut-ngp.UUCP> <2958@sunybcs.UUCP> <1067@whuxl.UUCP>
Organization: AT&T, Computer Systems Division, Skokie, IL
Lines: 78

In article <1067@whuxl.UUCP>, keith@whuxl.UUCP (TITUS) writes:
>Foreign cars are better huh???   That is the biggest piece of bull that is
>still believed by so many but seems to me that it just is not so any more.
>Back in the old oil crisis days of the early 70's when US manufacturers were
>still pumping out the big cars and all of a sudden the demand slumped due to
>the shortage and the price per gallon increases, habits virtually changed
>overnight to the small cars.  Since US makers did not produce these, the
>public bought from Japan and Europe where those cars had been the norm for
>years.  And when GM,Ford and Chrysler did begin to produce these, I agree,
>they were definitely not up to par.  But now I we are making those cars
>with the same types of skills the foreign makers are and I think our cars
>are every bit as good.  It all depends on what you are comparing.
>I have a 1977 Chrysler Ner Yorker, 1982 and a 1984 Cadillac Fleetwood.  All
>three cars are in excellent shape and the rubber door seals on all of them
>are in excellent condition.
>Obviously I am not a small car driver.  But I must say that the Cadillacs
>get excellent mileage (27mpg on a long drive, 20 around the area).  Can't
>really complain. Before there are any flames, I did not buy the cars for
>mileage, because I really don't care if they get 8, 15 or 50!!
>Keith Titus
>Bell Labs

I note that the consumer product testing magazine Consumer Reports (New York
based) generally thinks otherwise, be that for good or bad.  Quite frankly, I
don't know how much validity their survey samples have (they at least have
the manifestations of conscientious study) but they generally give American-made
vehicles a worse-than-average ranking and Japanese-make vehicles a very good
ranking on troubles.  Looking through their latest issue on automobiles,
I see that most Japanese-born autos have a ranking of at least "better than
average" (many "excellent") for troubles, while the highest kudos given to
American autos are almost all "average" (with just one or two models rated
"above average").  To be fair, I must say that the C.R. people's "bumper
tests" (supposed to be similar to a 5 mph collision with an immovable object)
come out with very little or no damage on a good deal of the American cars
which are otherwise rated worse than average in troubles, while a lot
of the otherwise meritorious Japanese makes crumple quite expensively.  So
there are weaknesses and strengths in both options.  Sometimes an "average"
trouble rate comes with a "better than average" repair cost for the American
makes, I suspect because many American auto parts are cheaper and easier to
purchase and install.

Note that I focus on Japanese makes here.  The C.R. people have found some
other foreign makes (e.g., the French Renault) to be wanting in reliability.
Other auto makes are too new for the necessary data to have been collected
(like the Ford Taurus) and the C.R. people have no ratings yet for them.
(Though they generally suggest waiting until the new makes have had a chance
to get a reputation before choosing.  Trouble is if everybody waited, then
the new makes never WOULD have a chance to make a reputation, because they
wouldn't sell.)

I wonder if anybody else has any comments on the Consumer Reports approach to
the auto quality question?  They certainly don't take a wimpish stand on the
issue, but I'm curious what else there is to be considered; they're surely not
the only people in the world concerned with investigating this question.

As for me, I am beginning to look for something that will be easy to fix myself.
I am no newcomer to do-it-yourselfing with auto adjustments and repairs (though
leaving the big jobs to the commercial shops) and I can see no better way to
cut costs than to change those fluids, check those settings, and replace those
small parts myself, rather than having to go through the awkwardness of leaving
my car at a repair shop I barely know, to make choices as to repair based on
what I am told over the phone by a stranger, and to pay a big markup on things
that I know how to handle and would were it not for needing to raise the car
over my head to get at them or having to take out ten jillion other parts to
get at what I want to repair.  Having been "spoiled" by the highly accessible
layout of my aged (don't laugh) Vega, and noticing the jam-packed underhood
compartments of the new automobiles, I wonder if the do-it-yourself routine is
even feasible any more.  I would welcome opinions on this issue; how many of
you are successfully do-it-yourself-maintaining your late model cars, and what
late models are proving the easiest to work on (and to get parts for)?
-- 
 -------------------------------    Disclaimer:  The views contained herein are
|       dan levy | yvel nad      |  my own and are not at all those of my em-
|         an engihacker @        |  ployer or the administrator of any computer
| at&t computer systems division |  upon which I may hack.
|        skokie, illinois        |
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