Further to a recent post on driving in the USA I thought I'd to post my observations about the cars there (and all things automotive).
In no particular order :-
1.Why do Americans buy those hideous black plastic "noses" to stick on the front of their cars? I know they're for preventing stone chips but they look awful.
2.The Honda Accord we have here is an Acura over there (i.e. a luxury version). They have an ultra bland three box saloon selling as their Accord. Gadzooks! it's dull!!! blasphemy removed
3.I saw a Toyota Yaris saloon. It looked awful.
4.I also saw what looked like a 3 door coupe version of the current Lexus IS. Didn't seem to work to me. Looked awkward.
5.I noticed an almost complete lack of low profile tyres. Even things like the Mustang have deep tyre walls. Why, particularly when their roads are so much smoother than ours?
6.I saw an advert on telly where one of the main selling points was that the car could achieve 31mpg on a long run!!! I nearly cracked a rib laughing.
7.The Golf R32 is $33000 new. That's just not fair.
8.They are getting quite seriously into cars with better fuel economy now that petrol is a dizzy $2.70 a gallon!!! Small cars are the only sector of car rising in sales at the moment. Then I saw an article in USA Today claiming small cars were unsafe - "you can't argue with the laws of physics if one runs into a Hummer"!!!! I thought the irony of these points was hilarious. By the way they class small cars things like a Mazda 3 or a Honda Civic!!! Even a VW Jetta!!!
9.I ended up with a Hyundai Sonata as a hire car. Utterly bland auto saloon but also perfectly competent transport. I saw loads of them. Yet most of us over here wouldn't touch one with a barge pole.
10.Jeep/Dodge/Chrysler are doing a lifetime warranty on the powertrain of their cars there. I wonder if I walked into a British dealer and said I'd buy one as long as I got the same warranty the Americans get what response I'd get!!!
11.I've decided I seriously like the Ford Mustang and the Dodge Charger. They might not be much cop but they're so much more intetresting to look at than the bland German stuff that proliferates here. In fact a friend has just impoorted a Mustang recently and it's pretty awesome.
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5.I noticed an almost complete lack of low profile tyres. Even things like the Mustang have deep tyre walls. Why particularly when their roads are so much smoother than ours?
Perhaps they are not so much into bling as we are? ;-)
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On tyres, I noticed a lot are advertised with 50 or even 80K mileage guarantees. You do see customised cars with *very* low profile tyres, but as you say, they don't seem to be widely used.
Car prices aren't quite as cheap as they seem - they always qute prices without sales tax, initial registration etc. Those things add a few K $. Still cheaper than UK but our cars would look a lot cheaper without VAT.
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>>6.I saw an advert on telly where one of the main selling points was that the car could achieve 31mpg on a long run!!! I nearly cracked a rib laughing. <<
US gallons are smaller than imperial (UK) gallons.
The US pint is 16 fl. oz against an Imperial pint at 20 fl oz - both use an 8 pint gallon.
So the 31 MPG would become about 39 MPG here; not bad for a petrol car - and probably automatic transmission.
Same goes for the cost of gas over there - multiply the price by 1.25 to get price for an imperial gallon, also their cheapest price gas is typically lower octane rating than ours
Lease prices for cars in the US seem good compared to here also - but again may be missing several options that would be included here.
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Don't just compare UK motoring with US motoring - you'll get frustrated!
Fuel is far cheaper there.
Cars are cheaper in absolute cost.
Warranties are much longer [5 years for most - upto 10 years for some]
AFAIK, no yearly MOT thing
No idea about labour cost though.
On a different note, inter city journeys are really boring - you'd take days to reach your destination :)
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as for the fat tyres ....the yanks are all about comfort, theyd rather ride along eating and drinking and not spill any , plus ive come accross some pretty rough roads out there
agreed on the massive warrentys...when i was there they also did intrest free credit , so there wasnt much reason not to buy a new car really
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when i was there they also did intrest free credit so there wasnt much reason not to buy a new car really
I thought that, yet, bizarrely, you can look at a US BMW or Merc dealership and the used prices seem ridiculously high.
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I thought that yet bizarrely you can look at a US BMW or Merc dealership and the used prices seem ridiculously high.
About 18 months ago I was looking at a US equivalent of the auto trader web site and was looking at older used mercs. I was staggered to see that many early 90's models like the 190E were still being offered at up to £5000 in our money. What this brought home to me was that we must have the most rampant depreciation of cars of any country in the world (anyone who has lived/worked abroad got any thoughts on this), thanks to the oversupply due to company cars I guess.
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It may be cheaper, but:
2 days holiday a year, no irony (except pockets of New York maybe), scary parochialism, Bush, cars that don't handle...
: )
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i find their cars handle just fine over there...suited well to the roads
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I am being TIC a tad, Steveo... but, even given that, there must be some twisties in the States, and how annoying would it be to wallow around in some barge wishing you were in a decent car?
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In New England for example: the roads are pretty tight, and the steering of the Chevrolet v6 designed for easy parking..... Absolutely no feedback, so the barge had to be punted along very carefully. Apart from Boston, no-one walked so it was quite creepy near Salem (and Swampsco) with no living soul in the suburbs. Think they were all behind the proverbial curtains with hand-guns ready. As was our Vietnam veteran host, he was pleased to tell us......
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Certain parts of the US also have the wonderful Lemon Law, which would stop a lot of the usual 'they all do that sir' comments if they were introduced here :)
www.lemonlawamerica.com/
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Whilst I agree it has it's uses, I would say that in many respects it favours idiocy.... and I work in the industry, with experience of our delighful American cousins and their consumers. The word Lemon could often be aimed at the people invoking it, that's all I am saying. This is a race, let's remember, who have to be reminded that coffee is hot....
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The comfort/handling thing is spot on.I've been 3 times to Florida where all the roads seem to be straight and the sharpest turn I've ever made is into my parking space. This Hyundai Sonata thing I had was just like the American cars (Ford Taurus and Dodge Intrepid) I've had in the past i.e. there was no steering feel whatsoever to the point where you coan move the steering wheel seemingly miles on the motorway before the car moves. Surely these Sonatas aren't like that over here are they? - I'd hate to drive one on our twisty roads, or, indeed, on a twisty American road (when I eventually find one of course)!!!
They have all been very comfortable though and I'm sure I wouldn't have spilt any of my coffee whilst driving!!!
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Whilst I agree it has it's uses I would say that in many respects it favours idiocy.... and I work in the industry with experience of our delighful American cousins and their consumers. The word Lemon could often be aimed at the people invoking it that's all I am saying. This is a race let's remember who have to be reminded that coffee is hot....
On YouTube there is a video of some halfwit who had bought a Merc CLK GTR (the road going Le Mans racer), who was kicking up a hell of a stink on a US news show about how he was going to sue MB etc basically because the car could'nt be used like an everyday E-Class, from what I could make out. They really are daft it would seem!
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Alas all is not what it seems! I too was seduced by these seemingly low prices but the other costs far outweigh the advantages. Health care costs are crippling and Uncle Sam takes a lot of money off Mr average. Americans wince at the prices we are charged for somethings but you need to study the other living expenses etc to make a fair judgement. Talked to a young bloke last year over there and he had about $40 a month left after he'd paid for health care and mortgage and food and he had a dacent job.
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"after he'd paid for health care.."
That's the problem. Luxuries are cheap, but the essentials are expensive!
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I have relatives in the US. An aunt and uncle who have recently retired. You would not believe what they pay in health costs, its most of what they receive in pension and its increasing at a rapid rate as they get older. They struggle, even though he had a relatively good job. The cost of new cars is the least of their worries.
I think its the health and social security costs that is driving GM and Ford into financial difficulties, they can no longer meet the health and pension costs of their current and retired employees. I believe that on a per capita basis the US health system is around 16 itmes as expensive as ours and is becoming unaffordable.
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In very simple terms, it is demand and supply. There are two many car manufacturers and not enough doctors. The glut of cars drives down their price whilst the shortage of doctors increases their prices.
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Mustang: nice from the outside ... horrible inside.
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In USA/Canada, one simply can't live without a car (unless stays in New York/Vancouver etc.) because they have nearly zero public transport. Railways is almost non-existent. Airfares are not cheap. So, the car has to be cheaper.
In UK, one can easily live without a car.
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In UK one can easily live without a car.
Maybe OK where you live, but if you live in a rural are, not having a car makes life very difficult.
MTC
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Maybe OK where you live but if you live in a rural are not having a car makes life very difficult.
My parents live in a suburb of Liverpool and are really struggling since Dad stopped driving.
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The glut of cars drives down their price whilst the shortage of doctors increases their prices.
Haha! Its not quite as simple as that. Cars and car parts can be made cheaply in places like Mexico and freely imported into the USA. There are lots of doctors in Mexico, and loads of other countries, who would love to work in the US and that would help keep medical bills down. But the US only allows in a very restricted number of foreign doctors and dentists. Hence a lot of US citizens traveling to other countries for medical work.
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Referring to USA JBJ said
"That's the problem. Luxuries are cheap, but the essentials are expensive! "
whereas in UK
"Luxuries are expensive and essentials are either expensive or unavailable!"
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It's not the shortage of doctors but abundance of lawyers! If people can sue on trivial matters, insurance cost will go sky high.
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Good one movilogo. You are clearly someone who really understands modern economics!
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Only been USA once - & that wasn't real, 'cos it was Vegas!!
BUT...maybe it being a tourist place, but was surprised at just how courteous the drivers ALL were, letting other vehicles out & more so, letting people cross the roads, with plenty of time. & no bad mouthing.
Agree the Mustang is now a good looking car, once more. Desireable too!
& all those Chrysler 300 Estates, made me want one more!!
VB
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