[geeks] car question

[Joshua D. Boyd]

My parents have never had major problems with the Cryslers they've owned.
I remeber they had:

* a Dodge Colt wagon. Don't rember much about it was too young
* a Dodge Cornet. Early 70s (72-73 maybe) I think. Kid bought it from them
	in late 90s to use as parts on his souped up cornet after my
	parents	got a japanese beater that later became my car.
* a Dodge Aspen wagon.  About the same age as the Cornet.  They drove that
	to the ground. I hated it cause it smelled awefull.  They got it
	for free from a farmer who had carried some really unpleasant
	things in the back, like cows and fertalizer.
* a Plymouth Gran Fury (mid eightys, 86 maybe).  They had it a year, sold
	it to a friend when the next car came from an Uncle for dirt cheap. 
* a Chrysler Fifth Avenue (88 I think).  Traded in on a Jetta (not my
	Jetta) after my grandmother gave us her Ford Escort (which was
	traded in on the next car).
* Caravan.  93 or 94 I think.  Too new to be revelvant to the poor quality
	years discussion.  Got it by trading in grandmother's escort.
	Pretty much an even trade.

Anyway, I don't know about the Aspen or Colt (too young remeber), but the
other cars were quite reliable.    Actually, come to think of it, I think
only the Granfury was from the years you listed as problematic.

Of the American car brands, my parents refuse to buy anything not made by
Chrysler.  This is probably influenzed by the fact that my parents didn't
any small Chryslers between 78 and 86 except that Gran Fury.  Don't know
what they will think of modern Chryslers.  My dad isn't a big fan of the
Caravan's engine compartment, but he liked it better than any of the other
minivans he looked at.

Personally, until such time as I'm much richer, I refuse to buy anything
that isn't a VW or Audi.  That is mainly because my mechanic is cheap and
honest, and refuses to touch anything but VW and Audi.  

--
Joshua Boyd

On Fri, 23 Mar 2001, Chris Byrne wrote:

> 
> 
> >hrm...can you guys own something and NOT mess with it? ;)
> >
> >--amy
> 
> Gee that's a silly question ;-)
> 
> Cars are a slight passion of mine as well, actually anything that beeps,
> buzzes, or goes bang, and of course a weel running car goes bang several
> thousand times a minute, so it's a natural atraction.
> 
> I stand by my original quality statements on chrysler products. In general I
> wouldnt buy an american car built between 1974 and 1987 except maybe a crown
> vic, caprice classic, mustang, or camaro, and the last two not because I
> expected them to be reliable, just fun. (this doesnt include light trucks.
> They were exempt from many of the regulations that made cars so shitty
> during that time period.)
> 
> Does anyone else remember when the biggest V-8 engine detroit had to offer
> made 180hp (1983 or so) because they still hadn't figured out how to do
> emissions without completely screwing up the power. I look back through old
> spec books and see 4000 lb cars whose standard engine put out 140hp,
> 120ft.lb, and I wonder why ayone ever bought thse things.
> 
> I still want to know who thought it was a good idea to power every car in
> the product line except the diplomat with the exact same four cylinder
> engine. They had to know what was underpowered and straining on a dodge colt
> or aries was going to eat itself from the inside out in a vehicle the size
> and weight of a caravan.
> 
> And the reliability and quality as a whole... jesus you would take a car off
> the lot, and stuff would be falling off in your hands. Those were the REALLY
> bad years for the american auto worker, and some seriously unsafe,
> unreliable, and poor quality vehicles were assembled.
> 
> That and no offesense to your dad, but chrysler dealers in the '80s had the
> lowest dealer satisfaction, the highest return rate, and the highest rate of
> lawsuits brought against them of any other car manufacturer.
> 
> 
> 
> Chris Byrne
> 
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