If Only One Car Maker Was Allowed To Make Cars From Now,Who Would You Choose?

[Tonitrus]

But to stay on the car topic...

I've owned three vehicles in my life:

Toyota - 2008 FJ Cruiser (owned 2008-present) Fulfilled all of my needs/wants.  No significant mechanical issues.

Saturn(GM) - 2003 VUE (owned 2003-2008)- Nice vehicle (miss the sun roof), which I rather liked.  It had no major mechanical issues while I owned it, but it had a CVT transmission, which was a new step for GM at the time, and from all accounts of other owners, a ticking time-bomb.

Ford - 1993 Explorer (owned 1993-2003)- Probably the biggest piece of crapola of any type of product I have ever owned.  Transmission "disintegrated" in the first 8 months of ownership...and again within another year.  Other numerous minor, but annoying defects.  It just managed to barely skate under Washingtons "Lemon law", much to my chagrin.  Pretty much sealed an eternal bias against Ford.

[mongers]

But to stay on the car topic...

I've owned three vehicles in my life:

Toyota - 2008 FJ Cruiser (owned 2008-present) Fulfilled all of my needs/wants.  No significant mechanical issues.

Saturn(GM) - 2003 VUE (owned 2003-2008)- Nice vehicle (miss the sun roof), which I rather liked.  It had no major mechanical issues while I owned it, but it had a CVT transmission, which was a new step for GM at the time, and from all accounts of other owners, a ticking time-bomb.

Ford - 1993 Explorer (owned 1993-2003)- Probably the biggest piece of crapola of any type of product I have ever owned.  Transmission "disintegrated" in the first 8 months of ownership...and again within another year.  Other numerous minor, but annoying defects.  It just managed to barely skate under Washingtons "Lemon law", much to my chagrin.  Pretty much sealed an eternal bias against Ford.

Clearly you've never owned one of every other British,French and Italian car made from the 1970s and early/mid 1980s.   

That's my area of specialist car knowledge.  

[viper37]

If only one car maker was allowed to make cars from now, who would you choose ?

(Topic shamelessly stolen from one of the Top Gear Presenters)

GM no doubt.  I own a Mercedes and they are way over-rated.  I was much more satisfied with my trusty old Camaro than this German import.  Now, I feel old&castrated driving some 4-doors automatic car.  bah

[mongers]

If only one car maker was allowed to make cars from now, who would you choose ?

(Topic shamelessly stolen from one of the Top Gear Presenters)

GM no doubt.  I own a Mercedes and they are way over-rated.  I was much more satisfied with my trusty old Camaro than this German import.  Now, I feel old&castrated driving some 4-doors automatic car.  bah

Yeah automatics aren't real cars and I hate the whole hermetically sealed box vibe of many modern cars.

[Sheilbh]

Citroen. And I'd only drive a DS or a CV

[fhdz]

Ford's finally gotten their shit together again, after such a long dry spell.

I vote Ford, with Honda a very close second. Those Honda engines are like perpetual motion machines.

[DGuller]

Those Honda engines are like perpetual motion machines.

So are Toyota cars.

[fhdz]

Those Honda engines are like perpetual motion machines.

So are Toyota cars.

They've taken a dip in quality in the last few years.

[Zanza]

I drove a Toyota and a Kia a rental cars recently and the Kia was definitely the better car. The Toyota just felt cheap. I never quite understood how they got their reputation as all Toyotas I drove so far felt at best average. Even rented Ford or Chevrolet cars felt better.

[fhdz]

I drove a Toyota and a Kia a rental cars recently and the Kia was definitely the better car. The Toyota just felt cheap. I never quite understood how they got their reputation as all Toyotas I drove so far felt at best average. Even rented Ford or Chevrolet cars felt better.

Toyota used to be the relatively undisputed king of long-running cars. I just sold my '01 Corolla this weekend; it's without question the least problematic car I have ever owned.

[CountDeMoney]

Those Honda engines are like perpetual motion machines.

So are Toyota cars.

They've taken a dip in quality in the last few years.

Back in the late '80s and early '90s, Toyotas trucks outpaced everybody except Ford's truck division.  Nowadays, not so much.

[DGuller]

 

[fhdz]

Back in the late '80s and early '90s, Toyotas trucks outpaced everybody except Ford's truck division.  Nowadays, not so much.

[Tonitrus]

Probably because they started making all their trucks in 'Merica.