So true....that's why Nissian has 32% because they use to be so low...you couldn't even find a dealor, or get your car worked on.


And like someone else said GM just won't step out of the box. Foriegn cars have better looks a lot of the time. If GM wants to make a Cobalt....almost the same as the Cavalier go ahead...but people want something eye cathing nowadays....watch sales drop even more. Nissian Z and Mazda Rx-8....actually have some curves and design other than just another 4-door coupe...now those are some bad azz looking cars.....has GM even once tried a totally new body style??? They just slap a name and some different fenders on and call it the 2005 model........that's why they are losing sales. That is the reason they are losing sales--plain and simple....but they will try to blame it on other factors....this and that.....when it's their own fault. Heck just buy a custom bodykit from a manufaturer for a car they make slap it on there paint it...which would cost them like how much...nothing really...and it would sell nowadays. save people the time of putting one on anyway. Why are bodykit sales way high...people just don't like how they come from the factory....cause they suck

Take a look at the high selling cars......it's always something that's either super cheap or something that really catches your eye. GM needs to wake or they might just end up being on the bottom of the food chain. It's going to take some awesome car's for GM to gain some respect back.

 

I know... it's just my opinion and I realize that I put an unusually heavy focus on interiors compared to most other people.

Their motors are awesome for sure, and their exterior looks are definitely being well-accepted by the general public.

Overall they are going things right. I'm just frustrated that their overall quality control on small items (not just in the interior) has gone down dramatically over the past few years, and if you look, it's obvious why. They fired most of their engineers and QC people in order to make themselves more profitable. And that they have done for sure.

 

Where you put interior high on your totem pole, I put driving excitment (not Pontiac) and styling.

If Toyota would have offered something comparable to the G35 coupe, I would of bought it in a heartbeat. Toyota needs to have more exciting cars in their lineup in my opinion.

The G35 has been holding up well though.

Doug D

 

I agree. Toyota is the last place I would look if I were looking for an exciting/sporty car at the moment.

However I've just realized that I'd rather have one somewhat exciting but completely dependable/comfortable car for now until I can afford a second car. Then, believe me, unless I'm looking at a turbo Supra (which I probably won't be), Toyota is going to be nowhere on my list of cars to look at.

 

I test drove a G-35 sedan.. A little smaller onthe inside than I wanted, but an awesome car for sure.. One problem kept me from really wanting to buy the car... The damn power seat switch on the 4 door is on the damn seat, in the way.. After driving my friends for 1/2 hour, it bugged the living hell out of me.. Something that simple, yet that flawed will keep me from buying one..

Then looked at a ES 330.. The car itself is bland styling wise, handling is not terrific, but the interior was schweet, and felt it had great quality, ergonomics. I would actually buy a Es330 over a G-35 for those stupid reasons..

 

Everyone says the ES330's styling is so bland, but to be honest I prefer the looks of the exterior and interior on the ES300/330 (02+) over my GS4, which is a car that many people say is an exception to Lexus' rule of bland styling.

And yes, the ES330's interior is flat-out best in class in looks, feel, and quality... even better than some cars above its class.

However the drivetrain and handling are most definitely not engaging in the least. The handling is OK I guess, but the drivetrain just feels more like a very smooth/quiet appliance. Nothing more. Nothing less.

 

I truly don't think the G35 coupe will be a POS that will fall apart in a couple years. Up to par with Toyota, probably not, but by far not at GM/Ford. My 92 Accord is breaking little things left and right, and the GN, well thats for STRICTLY power (and some styling). But believe me, when I drive the GN all day and hop in the G35, it's night and day, and I could careless if it was Toyota or Nissan on the badge

Supra :drool That is next on my list (that or a Mastercraft)

Doug D

 

BTW... your wish may come true.

The current IS300 handles very well but seriously lacks in power and really doesn't offer the same comfort or feature content of most other Lexus models either. But it's getting a ground-up redesign here in the very near future along with a new 300 horsepower n/a V6 based on the same block design to be used in the new '06 GS300, and people suspect soon after we may see a factory turbo model, as that motor is very well-suited to boost.

 

That is good news.

I liked the IS300 till I drove one (had the Maxima at the time). I swear my Maxima stock was faster (I ran door to door with a few IS's) and the backseat was tiny and disappointing. But if you think about it, Kyle, look how many Toyota sold All because it was a sharp, exciting well performing car (manly handling).

I'm sorry to see the good ole I6 get replaced, but Toyota knows what they are doin.

Doug D

 

A lot of Chevy parts are subcontracted out to China. Look at the Equanox or whatever; Chinese-made parts. Civics are made in Kentucky and Camrys in Illinois, or something like that? So that's giving people jobs. Remember that GM doesn't just make crap cars, cause if they did they would go out of business. They make high quality cars for export and think that the consumers in America are patriotic to keep following even when their dashboards and door panels fall apart. GM is starting to realize quality is on the top 3 things people look for on a car now, and they're slowly but surely improving.

 

Once I read this quote, I got to thinking......

"Clearly the oil situation, gas situation, has had an impact on bigger SUVs," said Steve Lyons, president of Ford's core Ford division."

Why aren't our car car companies doing anything about oil prices? I mean, these are multi billion dollar companies, You would think they could persuade OPEC to pump out some more oil or something... I know it would help American vehicle sales, since our cars are always known more for being gas hogs...

 

Threxx, bud, you are a bright guy, but think about what you are saying. The US has about 3.5% of the world's population and uses about 45% of its resources. The only way to "go global" is to severely reduce our standard of living. Economics, as Thomas Malthus said, is the dismal science because it addresses the study of scarcity. I like my standard of living higher than the rest of world. Globalism sucks.

As for outsourcing v foreign makers doing some work here, this is really about power and control as much as anything. I want it all here--exec, workers, resources, plant, profits, etc., as I want my legal jurisdiction and my means of production to overlap, for obvious reasons. Also, historically, foreign makers really did only final assembly here from parts and subassemblies made in their home markets. I haven't seen a stat on this recently, however.

Regardless of this debate, GM and Ford are too important to go broke--our economy would permanently collapse, and if our big industrial companies go, we can forget about having a state-of-the-art military as well.

 

Actually, didn't GM recently surpass Nissan in JD power and associates quality test? I believe it was posted here before. I believe chevy has less problems per vehicle then Nissan did.

 

IIRC yes they did just barely pass them for 2004 in initial 90 day quality.

I still don't think that Nissan is going to be surpassed by GM in mid term or long term durability/quality.

 

Ahh, so it was initial quality. Well, it's a start.