question of opinion for those GP owners out there

[streetdreams]

I just started a new job, I got back into the trade (mechanics) at a big new union dealer and I noticed right away how proud everyone is to own and buy american cars. I mean its a pontiac dealer and new or old cars dosent matter EVERYONE here drives a GM. they give away free plate covers at the parts counter to anyone who wants them that say

BUY DOMESTIC! I am proud of my car and everything that comes with owning a nice pontiac but I was wondering..how many of you base some of your decision to buy on whether its domestic or not? theres alot of nice cars out there both import and domestic and even imports made in the U.S.A what do you guys think about all this? alot of people couldnt care less. personally I buy domestic because the cost of repairs,parts and the familiarty I have with them is up there and nothing is worst than needing a exotic part for your impreza or volkswagon when your on the side of the road. thanx again and looking forward to reading your opinion on this whole aspect.

[slick]

I buy domestic for a few reasons. First, they have style. Foreign cars (in the same price range) are very bland and boring. Second, they have power. So what if gas mileage is worse, doesn't bother me any. I like the raw power of domestic vehicles over foreign vehicles. Third, they just seem to have much better features and options than a foreign vehicle. Most domestic vehicles have many many choices and options when purchasing a vehicle. Many foreign vehicles just do not seem to have that many options and choices.

[Heza]

all imports that i can afford have already been looked upon by me as being overpopulated and ulgy as hell because of what people do to them. plus domestic parts are cheaper and very easy to come by both new and in a yard somewhere.

[Prospeeder]

I buy domestic, because it supports my country, i think they have more stlye, more power, and most domestics arnt styled by ricers and then u get made fun of for having a rice mobile

[DiscoStudd]

personally I buy domestic because the cost of repairs,parts and the familiarty I have with them is up there and nothing is worst than needing a exotic part for your impreza or volkswagon when your on the side of the road.

I agreee with your take on this. Myself, I'm a stubborn, diehard GM loyalist who enjoys owning, driving, and maintaining nothing but GM vehicles. When I was younger, I only liked GM's for their styling. Over the years, I've grown to appreciate the plentiful cheap parts, low resale value, and ease of maintenance now over their styling (hell, I drive a re-badged Malibu for crying out loud- it doesn't get much more bland than that!)

 

However, back in the early 90's, GM was where you went if you wanted style. Not really so today. Pontiac used to envoke a strong emotion (positive or negative, didn't matter.) Now that "Lutz The Putz" scrapped the body cladding away from Pontiacs, they aren't garnering any kind of reaction at all. IMHO, Chevy's gone the complete opposite. They have the "love 'em or hate 'em" type of styling nowadays, and coincidentally their sales numbers haven't been this good in years.

 

I really don't care "where the car was built," because that isn't really an issue anymore. If I were to only "Buy American," then you could argue that my friend's Geo Prizm is more "American" than my Buick Regal (Geo built in California, Regal built in Ontario.) Right now I only like GM, and there isn't much anybody can say to get me to change my mind (I'll probably be that way until I die...)

[Turbo231]

I buy North American GM because certain brands of cars follow a certain design or engineering. The front spindle on a 1982 S-10 is very similar on a 2wd 2003 S-10. A majority of GM cars are assembled the same way, so you learn one, you learn quite a few. That, and parts cheaper and available... I have setup places to get parts...either the local Napa which I know has my brakes or ball joints, or http://www.gmpartsdirect.com which as factory parts cheap.

 

That being said, now that platforms are becoming more global, domestic parts aren't as cheap as they used to be, things are changing. GM doesn't really make a small truck anymore for the US, the Colorado/Canyon is big parked next to a 1st Gen S-10. Fortunately, I'm not in the market for a new car.

[fastbird232]

I'll buy domestic 100% of the time, even if it means getting something not as nice or less powerful. First of all, around here, all the dealers and mechanics deal with domestics. Getting a timing belt for my Mitsubishi Galant took over two weeks if I remember correctly. It's easier to find junkyard parts for domestics, too. Second, I just like owning something American over something European/Japanese. Anyway, pretty much everything Turbo231 just said. I'll buy a ten year old Grand Prix over a brand new import under almost every circumstance.

[Guest TurboSedan]

the only thing that REALLY matters to me is that i like what i see parked in my driveway

[kknobl]

GM all the way for me. For all it's faults, GM can build a good car when it wants to. I'll never buy a foreign car as long as I live - they're bland and HIGHLY overrated.

 

My "toy" is a 1993 Grand Prix - who would think at 12 years old and 122k+ that this car would be as solid as it is. No squeaks or rattles and you can feel that this car has some heft to it. Built like an typical old-school GM - like a tank. Drive a Camry and you'll feel like you'll get blown all over the place. There's no personality to it and it is BLAND.

 

GM ALL THE WAY!!!

 

Kevin

[GP1138]

Getrag 282 is from Germany, Pontiac Vibe's engine is a Toyota, GTO is a rebadged Holden, and the Chevy Aveo is a rebadged Daewoo.

 

Meanwhile a lot of japanese car manufacturers have taken on American styling and are starting to move production over to America!! :shock:

 

Buy domestic?

[DiscoStudd]

Pontiac Vibe's engine is a Toyota

That's not the only thing "Toyota" about the Vibe. The Vibe is the spiritual succesor to the Geo Prizm. It's a rebadged Toyota built at the NUMMI plant in California alongside the Toyota Matrix...

[Justin]

The new Sonata is built stateside, with a 230some hp V6. We're a Hyundai dealer as well, and it's a damn nice car, I really like the looks of it. The lines are definitely getting blurred between domestic and import.

[Bossman429]

I was relatively un biased on import vs domestic until I started working on cars relatively professionaly.

I drove an 86 Nissan Sentra hatchback as my first car, and loved it. It was unique, none like it on the road. It was slow though, my step dads 92 Euro seemed balls to the wall fast after driving it.

After the Nissan got wrecked, I decided to buy the Beretta, because I liked the two that my grandparents drove when I was a kid. I had also been working on multiple brands of cars at a quick lube, and decided that GMs, specifically the 3.1 was easy to work on. So I bought my Beretta.

Now that I continue to work on multiple brands of cars, I still only really like working on GM's. Any GM I pull in I can't wait to see what I'm going to it.

It's strange, I'll get more excited about driving a Grand Prix SLP GTX than driving an Acura NSX, or Lotus Esprit.

It's a sickness really.

 

FYI:

Many japanese manufactures have assembly plants in the US, Toyota, and Nissan to name a few.

[digitaloutsider]

I'll get more excited about driving a Grand Prix SLP GTX than driving an Acura NSX, or Lotus Esprit.

I agreed with everything this thread had to say.. until I got here.

[SigEpCutlass]

I buy domestic, because it supports my country, i think they have more stlye, more power, and most domestics arnt styled by ricers and then u get made fun of for having a rice mobile

 

You took the words right out of my mouth.

[streetdreams]

well I'm proud I started such an active thread!!

cars are becoming more globalized, 1 good chassis these days will spill over into 4 or 5 totally different makes and models. we have toyota working with gm, ford with mazda, dodge with mitsubishi etc etc it has been this way for over 20 years. I live in oshawa which for those that dont know is THE MOTOR CITY of canada. I'm proud to own a pontiac I thought it was the best american car co even before I owned one. no other manufacturer cooks up youth and performance like it. today many times we can say well this car came come overseas from a different subsidary of GM or was partnered with an import but in the end we gotta remember where it all started and where all that money goes to and if GM owns 20 percent of subaru than we gotta say "see how great GM is, we did that, all of us in these great nations did that" " we as a people deseve to be proud of what we have and like any nation we should stand up for our history. and we have the greatest history in building great cars that keep on going. thanx everyone for puttin up how you feel

 

someone mentioned how the parts carry over for long periods of time/designs so learning the chassis/powertrain mechanics of it all really comes handy down the road workin on domestics and I LOVE THIS

every year porsche comes out with a better version of theyre flat 6, nissan has theyre straight 6's and honda theyre 4cyl's. I love that we stick with what works and it all carrys over so well into our projects and every year we get a better offereing for our rides and the various combinations we can concoct with them for years to come. I can talk to someone who dosent know cars and explain the 3.8 or 3.1 history and whats in theyre new 2005 and they sit goggle eyed jaw on the floor like REALLY?!?

yes and that what I love about them, we really can mod and swap with these cars between all these models,makes and many years

I mean the 3.1, 3.8, 4.3

 

P.S I cant believe all the responses in a 3 hour time period

[Euro]

i only buy domestic just because i think all (well 95%) of the foreign market is cheap and ugly...My parents never owned anything but american and it sticks with me....Ive always been a car nut for american muscle and american cars in general. THe older american cars actually have character and style..unlike todays imports that are all the the EXACT same as the next one in line

 

 

plus my car's hella more reliable than a good majority of imports..toyota ads that most their cars get 30+mpg on the highway....well with my car being 11 years old with 114k miles it gets over 35mpg on the highway.. lol what now!!!

[Guest Anonymous]

I first got a GM becuase it was cheap.

[GutlessSupreme]

I personally hate GM and am a Chrysler fan at heart but nonetheless I wouldn't base a buying decision over where the car was made/company was based (Hyndai, Daewoo, Suzuki etc need not apply...). I am quite the fan of the 3.1 and general 60* lineup in general though, very tough/sometimes powerful little engines

 

A good chunk of today's "domestics" are being built in Mexico and Canada these days anyway, while a lot of foriegn cars are being assembled here in the US.

 

I know there are a lot of well made, great performing import cars out there, the problem usually lies in the price (compared to American cars in general which hold no resale whatsoever).

 

The only real reason I would buy domestic over import is because of parts cost and American designed cars tend to be easier to work on. But there are a lot of really fun, decently/very reliable imports out there I'd love to have a go at if I could afford them. Chrysler Conquest/Mitsu Starion, Dodge Stealth/Mitsu 3kGT, Nissan 240s etc.

[Dannymik]

I buy domestic, because it supports my country, i think they have more stlye, more power, and most domestics arnt styled by ricers and then u get made fun of for having a rice mobile

 

You took the words right out of my mouth.

 

ditto, plus my dad worked for GM which influenced me. He always had a thing about someone pulling an import in our driveway :x

[THe_DeTAiL3R]

I buy domestic because the cost of repairs,parts and the familiarty

 

That's also how I feel in a nutshell. The first car I drove when I had my licence was a 1989 VW Jetta. That thing was a super slow POS. Probably about as fast as a 4cyl w-body. Lots of shit was broke on that car.. however it did make it to ever 300,000km (the speedo/odo broke so don't know exactly how much).

 

 

 

I'm GM 90%... that is to say I would look what Ford or Chrysler has to offer. I've driven many more GMs than Ford/Chrysler, but among Ford I do have to say that the Focus feels like a good car (better than Sunfire anyways), and with Chrysler the Caravan and Sebring are very nice to drive.

 

Among "import domestic" I once drove a Eagle Talon and loved it.. but the cost of insurance and expensive repairs keep me away. The cost of those vehicles themselves arent really that much these days.

 

As far as Imports go Nissan looks like they have some kick ass vehicles, unfortunatly I haven't got a chance to drive a Maxima or G35 yet...

 

 

Pontiac Vibe's engine is a Toyota, GTO is a rebadged Holden, and the Chevy Aveo is a rebadged Daewoo.

 

Those are some vehicles I would NEVER buy. The Vibe/Toyota Matrix are exactly the same to drive, and if you covered the bading inside it's damn hard to distinguish the interiors. I LOATH the Vibe.. it's noisey and uncomfortable, with horrible ergonomics (sp?). The shifter is up in the dash and makes it hard to adjust the HVAC controls, and there is no armrest (no place to rest your right arm!!). GHey. I HATE the Corolla too!

GTOs aren't sold in Canada, and they're $$$ I'd likely buy a Stang instead.

Aveo... I don't even need to explain myself on that one.

[Prospeeder]

why buy a Mustang over a GTO? becuase of them money, i wouldnt expect u to go out and buy a base model mustang, loaded there as much as a loaded GTO, plus the GTO is GM and has 400hp, compared to the mustands wimpy 300, lol. And the reason there not sold in canada is because they have much stricter ruled on some saftey and emiisions shit that the GTO didnt pass, and gm doesnt care

[FreakingGomer]

I am a larger guy, over 300 lbs and just over 6 ft tall, so a lot of imported cars are not comfortable just because of size, also I like the layouts of the GM stereo controls, windows/locks better, the seats are more comfortable, controls more logically layed out.

 

having said that there are some imports that are just plain nice, the new eclipse is one, but I would probably take on of the 2 door GTP G6's over it,

 

The only problem I can see with the domestic cars are the dealerships. They all suck, I have never been in a domestic dealership other than a high end one that I liked, they are all so impersonal, you drop 40k on a car and come back in a week later and no one even knows you were a customer.

 

If I were going to buy a car I would only be looking at German cars right now, because I want to lease a high end car for a couple years, so much a better deal than buying any car, because of the depreciation on American cars especially. You go into a Bnez dealership, and you throw down to buy a clk350, they respect you especially at 19. BMW dealerships are not as nice, very skeptical at someones ability to purchase a car.

[Prospeeder]

The dealer in a semi big town over is great, they will come out, and say are you looking to buy a new car? you say no, just looking, they say well if you have any questions just ask, and they walk off. Unlike all the fucking honda and dodge dealers thats follow u around annoying the crap outa you untill u get sick of it and leave

[streetdreams]

I was really surprised when I started working at this new GM dealer, I can agree even from an employee side that the usual GM dealer is lacking in customer service. but at this dealer its amazing. first off soon as you pull into the 12 car service area your immeadiatly taken care of by 1 of 6 professional (I mean these guys are GOOD with customers) your car is bagged and tagged and off it goes, we have a 90% deadline approval, which means if they say 12 o'clock than thats what it means and trust me we have many people watching over such things. 5 shuttles on hand at anytime of day even if its an oil change. soon as were done with it. it goes to a finish area where someone else takes it into a brand new car wash for every vehicle leaving service.the techs do not really have to ever enter

the service intake area as the cars are immeadiatly parked in a waiting area. but if you want to watch there are many windows into service. the lounge is wide open with big flat screen tv's and leather. its more comfortable than my living room REALLY.we than take them in and the shop is brand new. shining white floors 32 bays with all matching tool chests and work cabinets every bay has its own supplies hanging overhead (10w30,5w30,power washer, window washer fluid etc, the parts department is HUGE and I havent seen them be out of stock for anything yet. all our warranty work is handled properly and prompt.I find it funny this is the only dealer I've ever seen where we get alot of non brand cars just because people know we stick to the time promised and everything is done properly GUARANTEED. its really amazing and coming into this 1 dealer I can say it was a once in a lifetime opportunity. anyways just trying to say if a dealer is sub par leave it ASAP there ARE people out there who are working hard for your business bro.