New car options, opinions

[Elie]

Don't buy Hyundai or KIA, everything else is ok.

[Gurm]

I'm not shooting off again. I'm just commenting on Kia's build quality. Hyundai's seem to be just fine... but don't have the longevity of a Honda or Toyota...

But then again, Honda and Toyota are really going downhill, too.

And last but not least as I said before all bets are off because we're talking about the UK, a place where the Ford Focus is considered a "good car"!

- Gurm

[Brian Ellis]

I ran Toyotas from 1971 to 1998, when I left Switzerland. I needed 4WD when I came here (many dirt roads then and, on the odd occasions it rains, well...) and I narrowed the field down to RAV4 and Honda CRV. Despite my 20-odd years of excellent experience with Toyota, I finally plunked for the Honda because of better comfort and, above all, handling. The RAV-4 was terribly unstable on cornering, especially on dirt roads, compared with the Honda. Now that most of the roads are hard-surfaced, I could forego the 4-WD, which is why I would opt for a Toyota Prius, if they only sold the damn things here.

[GT98]

Originally posted by Gurm

And last but not least as I said before all bets are off because we're talking about the UK, a place where the Ford Focus is considered a "good car"!

Yeah it such a good car that the new Volvo S40 is built off the Focus platform

[Gurm]

Actually it's built of Ford's "unified platform", hardly the same thing. Also, the European Focus is built from the same platform, and it's a GREAT little car from what I hear. The fact is that Ford uses CRAP parts on their American cars, especially the cheap ones.

- Gurm

[gt40]

Originally posted by Gurm
The fact is that Ford uses CRAP parts on their American cars, especially the cheap ones.

- Gurm

Expect to see more of this, a great deal of tooling for many car makers (not jus the North American companies) is going to China. (1/3 the cost - cheaper labour, cheaper materials, government subsidized businesses)

[DukeP]

Hmm. Isnt the Ford Focus build on the same old "push valve" 1972 (or 1968?) engine? Just slightly overhauled with electronic injenction. I think so (or it might only have been the Ford Ka).

GM made a really lovely 1.5L engine around 1988-92. They should have used that one instead.

~~DukeP~~

[KvHagedorn]

Originally posted by gt40
Expect to see more of this, a great deal of tooling for many car makers (not jus the North American companies) is going to China. (1/3 the cost - cheaper labour, cheaper materials, government subsidized businesses)

Well, since all american megacorps are hell-bent on doing this, and the government doesn't care about stopping it, who wants to take bets on how many years it will take for a communist revolution to happen here?

[DukeP]

Lots of years, KV.


USA have survived outsourcing in all kinds of areas before.
Havent stopped you (as a country) from being very real rich.

Same goes with programmers ("The Indian Curse").
Ask how the textile industry dealt with it.
They still make a hell of a lot of money, I gather (even though you cant have "Sweatshop" printet on your Nikes).

Tough for the people in the middle, but society adapts, the money flows. New inventions demand new jobs - who in the end will be outsourced to cheaper labor yet again.

Ah. Im ranting.
/ignore, please.

~~DukeP~~

[Fat Tone]

The Focus *IS* a good car, great handling, good kit. BUT, it isn't a family car unless you get the Estate (station wagon) version. I've had two (hatch versions) as holiday hire cars recently.

And I think the engine is generally the modern Zetec. The 1.6 petrol has plenty of go, even when loaded.

T.

[gt40]

1.6litre???pushrod motor???

I thought they all came with a 5.0litre 420hp normally aspirated overhead cam motor and rear wheel drive.
Focus Rs-8

[Gurm]

Fat Tone, you ARE in the UK, yeah?

Over here, the Focus is a pathetic piece of plastic that falls apart when you glare at it.

- Gurm

[gt40]

Gurm, really these aren't bad cars for the money.
not everyone can afford a Vulva or a BMW

[lAmerZ]

gt40: a VULVA?

[Chrono_Wanderer]

what's a Vulva?

edit: and where can i buy one?