How you like me now!!

Toyota could take a big shot in the shorts. Lets remember how they got to put those shorts on. They took the same approach (very effective) that Honda did with motorcycles in starting in the late 60's (I remember I was 22 then). Honda produced the 305 Dream, and a pseudo counterpart sorta off road scooter who's name escapes me. Honda also produced and imported a soup to nuts array of bikes, that totally undermined and outsold American and English bikes. Reason: They REALLY were cheap. Once the competition was virtually eliminated Jap bikes took over the mkt. and the prices rose dramatically. The same strategy has been applied to the U.S. auto industry by all the importers. Now that the idol has feet of clay, I can't say I wish them well. That said if used Toyota truck prices drop I'll dump my Colorado and buy a Tacoma. I've had a few Toy 4X4's.
 
cb 360.. I have fond memories of that one...scramblers...had a blast on those ...

today I drive a clasic Chevy Suburban...Lots of real steel and I knock down 22 mpg on the highway...them " Smart " cars don't seam so smart to me...

Jap bikes rock...if you like speed and turning
 
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davevand said:
Don't think your safe just because you have a SUV, I saw an accident like this a few years back that had a Suburban crunched between two 18 wheelers, the SUV was about the same size.
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I'll take my chances, which in an SUV are undeniably better.

WhyIDriveanSUV2.jpg
 
Yeah, I like trucks/SUVs. I have a Pathfinder now, and plan to buy a Toyota Tacoma/Rav4/Highlander/4Runner soon (well, maybe not REAL soon :D).

Bob
 
On Monday, my sister and niece got hit in an offset head-on collision by a guy in a Cavalier, who spun out of control on ice. They were in an Escape. The Escape is totalled, with the driver's side wheel pushed into the door. My sister and niece are ok, with just scrapes and bruises, as is the other guy. They're not going to replace the Escape with something smaller, you can be sure.
 
^^^^ That right there is the smallest thing I want to be driving if I'm involved in a wreck. I forget the exact numbers, but something like 85 to 90% of truck drivers involved in an accident receive nothing more than minor (read: no ER visit) injuries. Oh, and don't jump to blame me if it happens, either. AAA says 75% of car/truck accidents are caused by the driver of the car.
 
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I think the Prius (and most of the other so called Hybrids), are a joke. They lose their value faster than a purple Yugo with good reason. A few years down the road the batteries are shot, very expensive to replace and more expensive to dispose of. Have a 4 or 5 year old Prius? You can spend $4k to replace the batteries and you will have a car that is worth, maybe $4k. Don't replace them and you have a car that isn't worth spit. Lets not forget you paid $10k too much for that tinny little box to begin with.

If you still think Hybrids are a good value try and rent one. The folks at Hertz, Avis, Dollar etc., know more about buying cars and making money off of them than anyone on the planet. So how come you don't see hybrids on the rental lots? Hmmm, you mean they aren't a good buy???
Rant off...for now. (o;
 
I labeled the smart Car the "Not So" when I first saw one, as in Not So Smart Car.

Global warming is a scam, there's plenty of oil here if the eco freaks get out of the way and we drill for it.

DFI technology makes 2 stroke engines clean burning - I own one and they are far better on the ocean. More power right now when you need it and lighter with fewer parts and less maintenance.
 
The smart should get better mileage than it does... the CDI DOES get very good fuel economy.
And for a tiny car... its an absolute tank... and the body structure holds up better than anything else on the road... if you hit it with the same sized object as you sling at a smart.
The problem is that it is too small for crush zones, and the main structure is so stiff that it transfers the impact to the occupant via the belts.
They took a smart into a 45* angled concrete wall at 70 mph... and opened the doors on it.
On the car impact videos, look at the condition of the main structure.
In a squash incident like the one pictured, it wouldnt surprise me to see the main cage of the smart hold up better than a suburban or excursion.


Jim
 
"If you hit it with the same sized object". That's just basic physics.

The trouble is, 99% of the vehicles on the road are bigger than the Smart.

It does hold up well for its weight class because there are very few vehicles in the same class to compare it with and it's no 5-star by any means.

Safercar.gov



I'll be driving to Florida in 3 weeks. I'm taking my tank - the Mercury Marauder. I'm worth the extra gas money.
 
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Lawyers and doctors shouldn't be able to advertise-like it used to be,don't take on a vehicle note just to save gas,American & British motorcycles of the 60's weren't very good -not Japans fault,most truck/auto MVA's i have been to were the trucks fault-even the Smart car and Dodge PU didn't seem to cause the wrecks in the photos supplied,I have seen people walk away/die in all vehicles mentioned ,one or more drivers did something wrong/stupid in almost all I have responded to,99% of the 4x4's around here have never been off pavement,my 55 Chevy Belair was not safer than a current vehicle- it was heavy metal everything , no seat belts/airbags, front seats that folded forward without locks,even broke my toe kicking the heavy metal door when I ran the battery down because I left the AM tube radio on, I drive a Chevy truck & SUV and stretch the mileage figures,I can't see Russia-but I can see,hear & smell oil wells,drilling rigs and refineries from my back door and I bet my gasoline cost more than some who can't,all electric cars aren't the answer unless you wind or solar charge them,guns and ammo have gone up in price because of something that has not taken place,our money still leaves the U.S.A. even if the foreign companies build them here-BUY AMERICAN if we build what you need.
 
I've got an old bumper sticker that says,

"BUY AMERICAN THE JOB YOU SAVE COULD BE YOUR OWN"

Maybe just maybe we'll get the message before it's to late.
Then we can start producing instead of consuming.

That being said,We need fair trade agreements.

D.G.

Gotta go to work now and install some foreign s... and it makes me sick.
 
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DeathGrip said:
I've got an old bumper sticker that says,

"BUY AMERICAN THE JOB YOU SAVE COULD BE YOUR OWN"

Maybe just maybe we'll get the message before it's to late.
Then we can start producing instead of consuming.
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i agree- my Nissan was made a few miles from where my father in law lives in TN and my Toyota was made a few miles from where I live, by Americans. (BTW Toyota is shutting down the Fremont CA NUMMI plant, causing many job losses as well as stress to all the local companies that supply materials, last car plant west of the Missisiple river)

BMWs in the Carolinas i beleive and Mercedes is building cars in Alabama

tell me about your Ford Truck that was made in Mexico or your Chevy Truck that was made in Canada ?

I'd rather have an import name plate made in America than an "American" nameplate made overseas
 
Just wait 'til the Chinese cars make it over here........I think they're on the boats, already!
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You drive one and an hour later, you gotta go back out again.
 
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