European Cars Suck?

[GSpreeman]

AOL had "other" listings for cars not nominated for the "Best of the Franfurt Auto Show." Here is what one intelligent user had to say about European cars:

They are technological way behind American cars, they just promote their exclusiveness for the rich and famous, when they are just another hunk of European junk. They have poor rides, noisy, cold to the feel! Ask any English person what they think of Rover? They will laugh when you tell them they are hot in America.

Don't know if this is any indicator but his reply address is:

FarmlandTractor@aol.com

Maybe he's trying to compare his tractor to the Porsche GT?

[Bothari]

I can attest that, apart from the odd sportscar (Cobra, corvette, maybe viper) and from your god-damn-dzilla 4x4 trucks most europeans have a *very* poor image of u.s. cars. Daimler-chrisler has been trying to sell some chrysler & jeeps over here, but after the inital coolness factor wore off, the sales dropped like a rock, mostly due to perceived quality problems (plasticky is a word which comes up often)
Suspension is too soft for our tastes (one test i read complained of the suspension "poinging" up and down for miles after the bump )

Doesn't help that with import dues, a cherokee (for example) is competing with x5 bmw's...

[slakjaw]

at least he is wright about rovers, those things are junk where are thay made again??

Ask any English person why in the hell they would build a sprots car that will do 30MPH IN WATER

i gotta laugh at some of these car critics

[Paul Franssen]

If at least the purportedly "lousy" European cars had been compared to Japanese automobiles (which I expected to be the case before opening the thread to read it), then I could have given the matter consideration. But to compare European cars to American cars, well, I don't know. I remember, some 10 years ago, I went into a GM dealership (here in Belgium)(because I was thinking of buying an Opel) and went to have a seat in some American GM (just sat in it, didn't drive it!) and broke out laughing when seeing the little "gilded" plastic eagles on the smelly vinyl doorpadding. Talk about being corny. Another reason I didn't drive the car, is because I couldn't even consider purchasing this car: imagine buying a 4-cylinder American car. Guzzles gas anyway and doesn't have any go to it. Forget it. No, American cars are limited, in my mind, to Cobra, Corvette (and even then...), yes...the Mustang. All the rest are boats... BTW, I'm just back from seeing the first dozen laps or so of the 6 hours Spa Classic race: little Lotus pancakelike cars, 911's, three GT40's, a few Cobras...and a lonely 'vette (a Stingray): what an elephant. To think that's the car I wanted when I was seventeen!

[fryardds]

Yeah, what a joke. Can you imagine the average American vehicle being driven consistantly on the Autobahns of Germany? Now there is a scary thought.

[ksearles]

It's an amusing quote to say the least . Technologically ahead or not, at least I can appreciate the way a 20 yr old Mercedes sounds when the doors shut. I wonder what his 20 yr old "non-european" automobile sounds like when the doors shut...hell, I wonder if it still has doors!!!

[Dantilla]

During the gas crunch of the early '70s, a German transportation official was asked why Germany didn't put a speed limit on the autobahn to save fuel. His reply?

"Then we would build cars as miserably as the Americans do."

[ksearles]

Ed,
I couldn't agree more...most of us don't ever really "use" our SUV's as they were intended anyway. Never mind criteria such as towing/hauling capacity and off-road prowess, it's now only a matter of - do I sit higher than everyone else, or how many cupholders are there, or is there enough room in the cabin to swing my arm around, rest an elbow and hold a cellphone to my big-arse head for countless hours, cuz I don't know how else to pass the time while sittin' in my big-arse $40k SUV waiting for a wreck to clear. (note: wreck caused by someone unskilled in driving big-arse SUV while talking on phone, drinking 32-oz soda and fixing hair)....wheew, sarcasm release ; I feel better now.

Ed...glad to see you on this board. I enjoyed your write-ups about Porsche exhaust choices on the other board. In part, I think your praise of the Monty has swayed my decision. Why did you remove the 4" single-out and go back to a gutted factory muffler anyway?

[Yargk]

Originally posted by Ed Bighi
America will never build cars like Europe does. The average American driving habits and tastes are not condusive to building cars worthy of European consumption. Just how someone who does not eat lasagna, will never make an outstanding lasagna. In essence, a lot of the intrinsic advantages in European cars can never be fully appreciated by the average American. For example, the average American stupidly buys a new car every couple of years, so they could never fully appreciate a car that will easily last two decades under abuse. Europeans by comparison, are not as idiotically wasteful and keep their cars longer. Then there is the big difference in European and American driving habits. The American is quite content in driving some oversized boat all day at 60 mph. How, I don't know and will never understand. Feedback and handling are definetely not requirements. If they were, they would not be using suvs. These cultural differences make for excellent wasteful and boring American boats if you like that sort of thing, or fast, safe, good handling and economical European sedans and sports cars if you are an enthusiast. Or just an average European. Two very different continents with very different cultures.

[Lorenzo-SC79]

America will never build cars like Europe does. The average American driving habits and tastes are not condusive to building cars worthy of European consumption.

Just imagine to raise US taxes on fuel up to european level, and then you'll soon have "european" cars instead of your greedy whales (SUV).

What is more obvious is that european as american cars will never reach japanese price-technology-quality, i guess.

[Lorenzo-SC79]

America will never build cars like Europe does. The average American driving habits and tastes are not condusive to building cars worthy of European consumption.

Just imagine to raise US taxes on fuel up to european level, and then you'll soon have "european" cars instead of your greedy whales (SUV).

What is more obvious is that american (and european) cars will never reach the japanese price-technology-quality, i guess.

[k9handler]

Originally posted by fryardds
Yeah, what a joke. Can you imagine the average American vehicle being driven consistantly on the Autobahns of Germany? Now there is a scary thought.

Yeah I can...and I see it!

No big deal, here in k-town or also known as the KMC (Kaiserslautern Military Community) there are thousands of american cars that are on the autobahns every day with no problems. I drive my Ford E-150 conversion van just about anywhere I could take the 911, so the US spec land yacht is plenty capable here in Europe.

And I am first to say that BMW does not have the same perspective to me anymore...I look at them like Chevy Cavalier and Impala in the US as they are everywhere and nothing special.

my .02 worth.

[Jim Richards]

Yes, European cars suck. Feel free to give me your authentic 73RS tourings and lightweights. You shouldn't have to drive such junk. I'll dispose of them properly. Always glad to help.

[RANDY P]

They should've held a poll asking the Brits where they would rather have their cars made - Something from the USA? Or a Euro car. Bet the response will not be too favorable.

rjp

[Britwrench]

As cars are now made all over the world now (US-spec Honda CRV are made in Britain and the new Honda TSX is basically a Euro Accord) it's not really a fair question. Some of the better US cars (Cadillac STS or Olds Aurora) will go on forever with minimal maintenance and aren't too bad for long distance driving. British cars have improved considerably in the last few years in reliablity and can compare with some of the Euro cars. It really depends what vehilces you are actually comparing.

BTW, the Euro Jeeps and Voyagers are made in Austria, Dodge Rams are made in Mexcio, so where does anything come from nowadays?
I can certainly seen the styling and design differs from Euro to US, again the whole cultures look at things differently, I don't think a Caddy Escalade with chrome wheels would go down to well in Paris, but you never know..........................................

[tab tanner]

BE AMERICAN BY WHAT YOU WANT

[MFAFF]

BMW Z3s are American cars.....
so are the Merc SUV, Euro models made in the Us for Export back here......and dynamically they are not the most appreciated. ho hum.

I loved US cars in the US, they are great for what the majoirty of people want ot do with their cars...go places easily and in comfort.

With the mainly straight and empty highways the handling and braking are not tested and usually not needed. The same with driving thro massive LA traffic, if you pay attention and stay in lane then its all pretty irrelevant.

With gas being so cheap economy is not the same priority as over here. It should be but it isn't to many consumers and certainly not to the industry.

BUT the US has huge influence over European car design, witness the rise of cup holders, a/c in everything, electric everything, parking aides etc etc. All adding weight and complexity where it is not necesaarily needed but required by consumers.

Hell the US consumers choices even made Porsche decide to build an SUV, how much more influential can a single market be.......

My guess is than in a few car generations then the US cars will be more European and the European ones more US-style.
We'll hopefully have the best of both but knowing life it may be the reverse.

[CamB]

Ask any English person why in the hell they would build a sprots car that will do 30MPH IN WATER

That was a (wacky) New Zealander. Don't blame the british this time

[Bothari]

Originally posted by Britwrench
...so where does anything come from nowadays?

Well it's not so much a question of where it's built, but the way it's designed to work and look.

Even the so-called "world-cars" are usually setup really diferent from US-> europe.

For example, the nissan 350z, i read somewhere that what they set as standard suspension in europe has actually stiffer shocks than the us-market Sports optional suspension...

You go to a nissan bbs with mainly american posters and it's all about the AC, auto-radio, cruise-control, wheels and aero-kits. the discussions in euro-based (usually ok) bbs are ususally about suspension, tires, road-holding and "feel".... 'nuff said.

[smithH]

the difference in roads is immense, UK = narrow, bumpy, twisty roads (on the whole), USA wide, smooth, straight roads. Going to a good car that does both really well.