My brother in Law owed a Cadillac and it always broke down on him, My
friends Ford Explorer needed a new tranny after just 6 yr when the
warrenty ran out.

I have to admit the best memories and the coolest car I ever owed was an American car. It was a 87 Chevrolet IROC. It was a 5 speed 305 tune port injection.  I had 2 twelve inch sub woofers in the back and a kick a$$ stereo.

The thing is, it was always in the shop. Oil Leaking, hoses leaking. RPMs did not drop when I shifted gears.

Since that car I have owed a 93 Honda Civic Del Sol, Then a 99 Honda Accord. Both cars were great no problems at all. In 01 I bought a 01 Acura CL s. Which I still have. I have been very partial to Honda, but a few months ago I bought a 08 Lexus IS250. It is a little underpowered but it gets 21 mpg and 29 freeway and I love driving it.

I don't have as much confidence in an American car, but I will not complain if somebody buys me a Corvette ;-)

I have a love affair with almost any Mopar product from 1968-1971.

All others are not worth mentioning.

45 Communist Goals for America http://www.nationmakers.com/com_goals.htm

I owned several Alfas...a 1974 GTV 1750...a Alfa Sud and a Alfetta....such fun...sssssooooo sexy......excuse my French but real snatch catchers...OOPS!!!

Now I am older..I have a VW TDI Golf//turbo diesel which get 50 mpg and my wife has a Passat TDI ..43 MPG

Both great cars...I drive mine 1,800 miles per week..it has 300,000 miles and nothing goes wrong

Paarl of Rhodesia

Well, I think we're approaching parity on cars. Plus, nailing almost any model to a certain country is getting harder and harder. Honda builds cars in Ohio, but with more American parts than a Pontiac Grand Prix. Final assembly plants for the "Big Three" are scattered into Canada and Mexico. Ford owns Land Rover, Jaguar, and a 30% stake (last I heard) in Mazda.

I think it all depends on what you're looking for. Big, roomy highway-cruiser? The Ford Crown Vic is hard to beat for the money. Mileage and reliability? Lots of foreign options, although Chevy's Aveo seems popular. Towing a big camper or boat? Expedition or Tahoe or something like that. If you want torque and power, American V-8s still pretty much rule the roost. I've owned two Accords, and they're tough to beat for a family sedan. But they've gotten pricey.

But American cars have come a long way from the pits of the 80s and 90s, IMO.

   I have an 87 IROC Z, a 97 Silverado 4x4, a 98 Grand Prix GT, and a 06 Envoy. I rarely have any trouble with any of them. The IROC only has 30,000 miles and is a sunny day car. But the truck has 155,000, runs great, no rattles, starts every time. I put a fuel pump in it and had to have the tranny worked on at 117,000 miles. I would jump in it and take it cross country and back on a moments notice. Thr Grand Prix has 90,000 miles on it and I put an alternator and new rear struts. The Envoy has about 40,000 miles and I have never had a single issue with it. It's a great vehicle. The Wife loves it. It's her main transportation and goes through the snow like the roads are bare.

---

Sen. John McCain (2003):
"...I am proud to say that I was born in your country.&

There really is no such thing as a best car maker, there are only best cars.  My sister bought a Honda as she heard they were the best quality cars on the market, and her car was always in the shop for one reason or another.  I worked at a Ford dealership for a year, and I saw SUVs coming in with tranny issues at less than 60,000 miles and I saw the same year an model going for 200,000 without a hitch. 

I think the real factor is the driver.  People who take care of their cars, change the oil when they should, tune-up when they should, flush the tranny, etc., will have a car last as long as they own in regardless of who made it.  People who buy Hondas, Toyotas, Lexus, or any other make and don't take care of it will have problems just like the similar owner of a Ford or Chevy.

For me, the only cars I have driven since 1992 are police-package Ford Crown Victorias.  These are rated for 300,000 miles because they come with special coolers for the tranny, oil, and power steering fluid that greatly extend drivetrain life.  Plus these cars usually get regular and professional maintenance through the first 70,000 miles or so of their life, and are cheap to buy.  I'm on my fourth retired police car, and my current one has a skosh over 160,000 miles on it.  The other three I drove until they rolled 300,000 miles and then sold them.

Now, if you would have asked who makes the best trucks it would be the US hands down.  Japan can try, but they just don't get it.  We want size and torque.  If I could, I would have a crew extended cab (crew cab with an extended cab) one ton diesel pick up.

"Always remember that you are unique.  Just like everybody else." --despair.com

Now if the Question is about who Engineers the Best Cars.....I find the Germans are very Good, but the AMericans are the most Imaginative.

Copy cats abound, but Americans innovate.

The Republican Revolution will not be Televised

I've had three Hondas and my favorite is my 2008 Accord. Looking at sticker, it was made in the US, so is my Honda Japanese or American?

Totally unrelated, but since we're talking cars...I think Chrysler would boost sales by re-introducing for a few years, new versions of the AMC line. I think America is ready for a new Pacer or Gremlin! America needs an Eagle station wagon with monster truck tires and wood trim. And, in homage to my father, I want to see a new Hornet, complete with non-functioning heater! :-)

Husbands first truck was a 87 Ford F150 4x4

Then he had a 97 Chevy 2500

and now he as an 07 3500 HD Chevy (my 19 year old son drives it)

So he'd vote American for the truck

I said Japan. I have LS400 runs like a top

My oldest son just purchased an Audi A4 2.0 T

The English and the Italians make the most coveted automobiles.

As for my favorite passenger car, BMW. My brother-in-law just came to the same conclusion made by my wife & I over a decade ago, and he dumped his new Mercedes for his second BMW.

Currently driving a 2003 Honda Civic, purchased new 5 years and 1 month ago, has 110,000 miles on it, gets typically 33mpg with A/C on, 36mpg without A/C around Portland mixed driving, saw 40mpg on long road trips.  No repairs or unscheduled maintenance, except had to replace the windshield last year, and it needs new pads on the brake and clutch pedals.  Could do with smoothing out some dings here and there and scratches in the paint.  Great car.

Lee T.

"Democrats, there is one reason Obama is your party's nominee, and it's not because he's black -- it's because he's not Hilary Clinton." -- Rush Limbaugh, 6/2/08

Just because of the great variety of fabulous cars that have been designed and manufactured here over the years.  I mean, do any of you watch Barrett Jackson?  The parade of beautiful American vehicles is endless, and I know I'd love to own each and every one I see.

As for cars I've owned, the first was an Opel GT (poor girl's corvette), que'lle disaster...a bastard of a car with no mother or father, part german, part french, but it was cute!  For a while we were on a Mazda kick, had a 626LX & a 929LX, both great cars that never stranded me.

A Jeep Grand Wagoneer (super tow vehicle) that was a PITA and would drop dead frequently, but I still miss it. 

A cherry 450SL that I still miss, R.D. is right about the kraut cars, but the parts for Mercedes cost almost as much as airplane parts.

I love my 50th Anniversary edition t-bird, it is sweet and hasn't given me an ounce of trouble.  It's perfect for me as my height is all in my legs, but if one's height is in the torso, duck upon entering!  I'm thinking of buying a gas-sipping commuter (like I should complain, by round trip is only 14 miles) but I think I'm going to park the bird and drive it on special occasions, I want to keep it forever.

David Gregory, do you know which damn network you lie for? ~ Uncle Jimbo, @Blackfive