Well, at least if I’m not totally responsible, it’s people with buying habits like me.
I haven’t owned a Ford product since 1971. It was a red ‘65 Mustang. It was wicked on slippery roads, and I wrapped it - and me -around a guard rail that winter, so that was the end of it.
The last Chevy product was a ‘72 Impala … yes, it replaced the Mustang. Had it until ‘77 when it was replaced with a VW Rabbit for a couple years. BAD! BAD!
Then I had a series of Nissan Z’s - which I LOVED - until ‘89 when I bought a Jeep because I got my first Dobie and he couldn’t fit well in the 2-seater.
I kept that Jeep until ‘98 when a guy on a motorcycle ran into me and nearly totaled it.
So I bought another Jeep - the WEENR-mobile, and I still have it. It’s been a great vehicle that requires very little costly maintenance, it’s paid for, the insurance is now low, it still looks good, it gets me through the snow and it’s perfect for hauling real estate signs. At 126,000 miles, I figure “it’s only broken in”.
So, other than Nissan, nobody has made much money off of me. I know this is silly, but I just have a real problem paying more for a car than my first house cost.
Plus, all the cars now look like jelly beans.
You other folks are going to have to be the ones to bail out the Big 3, as I’m sitting tight. I’d rather continue to drive my “shoe box” than a jelly bean.
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Elaine Reese
614-825-8860Real Living HER
4 responses so far ↓
Vance Shutes // December 2, 2008 at 1:50 pm
Elaine,
My dad is a Ford retiree, so I drove Fords until about 10 years ago. When it was my $$ going into all the repairs, it became my $$ to buy what I wanted. And my son still drives that Toyota Camry (built in Kentucky, I might add).
I once asked a senior auto company exec this question: Why is it that a Ford, designed in America by American engineers, built in America by American workers, out of parts built in America, will only last 40,000 miles before falling apart, when a Camry, designed in Japan by Japanese engineers, built in America by American workers, out of parts built in America, will last 250,000 miles? He was speechless.
Not sure when I’ll buy my next Ford, though.
Elaine Reese // December 2, 2008 at 2:17 pm
No offence to your Dad, but we used to refer to Ford as Fix Or Repair Daily.
Honda is another example of well-made cars built by Americans, just like the Toyotas. There’s just no comparison to them vs the American cars.
However, I must say my two Jeeps have been good but they were both built in Toledo if that makes a difference. I don’t recall if Chrysler owned Jeep when I bought the last one - a ‘98.
Brent Greer // December 8, 2008 at 1:27 pm
LOL….I love this post Elaine! Nice one. I, too, may be responsible for their problems. I have tried to punish the Big 3 in the past over their complacency by buying Japanese. But this time I bought a Jeep. And like you, I am driving the heck out of it and see no reason to buy new. 133k miles and still going strong. Have a great holiday!
Elaine Reese // December 8, 2008 at 5:37 pm
Brent, maybe we should add that sticker that I see on some Jeeps … “it’s a Jeep thing … you wouldn’t understand”.
I know it’s very handy for the residential side of the business. I would expect it to be even more useful for your commercial business.