Tow Vehicles

Originally posted by rawellman Buy a domestic older truck as a near throw away, given the former Big 3's poor reliability record, and hope it doesn't break down for 6 months ?

You've been reading the wrong material. Many, many vehicles, both foreign and domestic easily go 100,000 miles/10 years these days. It's kind of the standard by which vehicles are measured these days.

That said, my brother-in-law is still driving the 1985 Nissan King cab that we gave to him over 10 years ago. It had around 200,000 miles on it when we gave it to him for $1. It could barely get out of its own way, but it was still running.

Vann

Can't refute your experience with your F-15. That said I'd limit my dusk/dawn and nigh time driving before you get unlucky and have a deer crash through your windshield -- hope it never happens.

My last domestic was a '72 Dodge Charger, 318, 2 brl, 225 hp; it had rust thru at 88K miles above  both front fenders when I bought an '80 Honda Accord.

Since that I buy only Honda and Toyota.  I have NEVER replaced an alternator, power steering pump or starter not to mention rock solid drive trains. Earlier Japaneese vehicles did rot away long before they failed mechanically. My 2003 Camry 5 speed and 2004 Sienna both have around 210 K miles and little to no rust.

Were it not for the Japaneese GM would still be selling inline 6 cylinders getting 18 mpg on a good day. I owned a '64 Pontiac Tempest so I speak from experience.

So say what you want about buying American (most "imports" now are made by American workers) but the Japaneese did the former Big 3 a favor by pushing them to build better vehicles. They incidentally have been savy enough to avoid states where the UAW holds sway and workers don't call the shop steward if they are asked to turn on a light switch that they claim is the electricians job.  If the UAW ever gets into Toyota I will have bought my last Toyota. I'm not anti union and understand that the UAW had an important role at their beginning. I certainly support unions for underpaid and over worked hospitality industry workers; I'm sure there is also a long list of other workers who deserve better pay and benefits.

The root cause of the issue is a difference in cultural values. The Japaneese practice "Continuous Improvement" in all they do. American corporations only worry about how they can make things cheaper to improve the next quarter's balance sheet starting with fat cat CEO multi million dollar salaries.