Originally Posted by 930gt-40r (Post 5201676)

As I sit here and listen about the gas peddal drama with Toyota and how it is going before a grand jury and such, I can't help but think about the inherent conflict of interest here... The American government now owns part of some of the American car companies and who are they targeting with all of this legal crap? Toyota. Now I understand and appreciate the problem (a rather big one) but I am sick of hearing total idiots say now that Toyota's are bad cars because of one bad defect just because they hear it on the news. Now I am not partial to Toyota (except 4th gen Supra...) but as a mechanic and someone who understands production, I know that they are still far superior products to the American variants. This is also coming from the mouth of someone who also loves American muscle but also understands that our new automotive products have been junk for many years. I am just wondering if anyone else out there can't stand listening to the propaganda being blurted out about an otherwise very respectable company and the governments b.s action towards them. Hell, who remembers the Firestone/ford exploder incidents? The media and government didn't get nearly as involved in that...

Originally Posted by m21sniper (Post 5201974)

Say what? The media was all over the Firestone debacle when it happened.

Originally Posted by strupgolf (Post 5201774)

All you have to do is -------TURN OFF THE IGNITION KEY-------, OR PUT FOOT ON BRAKE, it's that simple. Car stops, your're safe. Case closed.

Originally Posted by Rick V (Post 5201698)

As a fellow mechanic I agree 100%, just look at my sig. I wouldn't own a new (ish) American car. They are all substandard. IMO

Originally Posted by dd74 (Post 5202349)

Really? All of them? Care to apply that to the Cadillac CTS which beats out all "foreign" competition, except the BMW 3-series?

And let's talk about Ford's Ecoboost engine that has the horsepower mavens smiling, and the govt very pleased with Ford's increased CAFE standards.

Now if you want to talk about American assembly instead of American engineering, I can say we have perfectly good late-model Mercedes that was assembled in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, by American workers who did a damn fine job, I must add.

I could go on, but facts are boring, if not in some cases, humiliating.

Originally Posted by dd74 (Post 5202349)

Really? All of them? Care to apply that to the Cadillac CTS which beats out all "foreign" competition, except the BMW 3-series?
And let's talk about Ford's Ecoboost engine that has the horsepower mavens smiling, and the govt very pleased with Ford's increased CAFE standards.
Now if you want to talk about American assembly instead of American engineering, I can say we have perfectly good late-model Mercedes that was assembled in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, by American workers who did a damn fine job, I must add.

Originally Posted by 930gt-40r (Post 5202553)

The Cadillac CTS is fast, Ok- but it is still a bargain basement built pile of crap that is not going to stand the test of time. It doesn't matter how much they charge for it or who it competes with- there are always going to be things that don't fit right, rattles, and more plastic than rubbermaid. Yes they made the car perform, but so what? If it isn't going to be worth anything in ten minutes whats the point? Now if you talk to me about a 70' Chevelle or 69' Charger- those are real cars that ar here 40+ years later- not these "recyclable" and unsustainable junks they make today. America fired all of its engineers and replaced them with accountants (no offense to accountants, you guys just shouldnt design cars...)

As for the labor- the shops that build the German stuff do a great job- I agree with you. Reason? Non-U.A.W and German design and German expectations.

Originally Posted by dd74 (Post 5202899)

It's time you emerged from the 1970s and 80s. There have been Cadillac models in our extended family for the last 25 years, and not a single one has caused undue mechanical, electrical or otherwise engineering issues. The CTS I know of has over 60,000 miles and has never had an issue. On a day-to-day driving, it easily compares with anything any German manufacture produces.

Consumer and car magazines continually test the CTS (as an example) in comparison with the C-series Mercedes and the 3-series BMW.

Others to consider: the Ford Taurus SHO, the Impala, the Fusion and dearly departed Pontiac G8.

You're missing out because of your myopic vision of American cars as less than par. It seems now that the race track is the only place that distinguishes BMW from American sedans (the CTS, Taurus SHO and Pontiac G8, have already eclipsed the M-B C-series in performance driving). But really; a 4,000-pound family sedan at the race track? Get a Formula Ford for that sort of driving.

Originally Posted by Rick V (Post 5203130)

Coming from someone who makes a living with a wrench, and has for over 20 years, I would not own one. I would also put one against my C-Class for fit finish and repair history and how well they compare after 100k each. As with any product there is good and bad, I just find that there is more bad from the big 3 than anywhere. I am also tired of domestics constantly, year after year building stuff that we are told that we want.
I should also mention that I quit racing a few years ago, so my opinions are based on a daily driving point of view and a repair opinion.