Again with the tail lights.
~ Chance
~ Chance
How easy is it to get spare parts for your car?
To me its one of the main worries of owning a car these days - that I can't get bits that I need. It seems that dealers no longer have all the spare parts that they used to out the back, and gone are the days when the storesman would have a rummage and get you on your way. I miss that. Online ordering is just a gamble, and what is shown in the photo is not often what you get.
I remember dealers often had a breaking car or two out the back and said 'help yourself' and then I showed what I took off the the stores manager and he said 'call it a fiver' and I was happy.
It made it so easy and made looking after the car do-able. Now the dealers are no longer like that and as I said, it is a worry. I just want a bit of expert help to get me the parts I need.
Where do you live? I live in California & aside from junkyards, it's basically never been like that. If anything parts are WAY easier to source between multiple local parts stores & the dealer + other dealers selling online at a nice discount if you need or want the OEM part. Granted you need to know what you're ordering but that's true of anything.
A simple question with numerous, hotly-debated answers.Why don't you guys buy US/Ford/GM cars anymore?
Why don't you guys buy US/Ford/GM cars anymore?
GM's list of discontinued cars, discontinued plants, discontinued employees:
For Japanese brands there's a factor that sad to say, just isn't there with American ones. To Japanese workers in Japan, it's not simply a matter of pride in making excellent vehicles; but a matter of Honor as well. Tough to describe, but that's just how it is. The concept of Shame and "Bringing Shame upon oneself and family" that's a very real thing to them. Just one factor why American car companies are having a harder time competing with Japanese ones. Even when the Japanese make critical mistakes, they bounce back very quickly.
The vast majority of Japanese branded vehicles sold in North America are made in North America. The Camry has the highest North American content of any car made in North America.
No doubt the Unions deserve a fair share of the blame. However, as you pointed out, many of the popular Japanese models are made here in America too. Toyota and Honda have to deal with Unions as well. Yet they simply don't seem to be having the issues with them that traditional American car companies are having.While lambasting executives, let's not forget arrogant unions.
Ford and Chevrolet are currently crushing Toyota and Honda in initial quality, and when you look at 3 year reliability, Chevrolet is now giving Toyota a run and the difference between Honda and Ford is not very big. Nissan who has slipped in initial quality, does okay in longer term studies. Poor MFG perhaps, but better engineering.
Japanese still seem to win in vehicle dynamics, but that is closing too. Overall better balance in their designs. Ford/Chevrolet seem to be 95% right, but then screw up 5% badly, though Ford of late I don't think can be accused of that.
Most of the concepts of reliability are based on long memories, not current realities. Unfortunately, NA car companies did not have the previously cheap labor of a Hyundai to continue to sell cars cheaply while they worked on quality. Hyundai quality is now world class, and their wages are right up there in the world too.
No doubt the Unions deserve a fair share of the blame. However, as you pointed out, many of the popular Japanese models are made here in America too. Toyota and Honda have to deal with Unions as well. Yet they simply don't seem to be having the issues with them that traditional American car companies are having.
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because they are not unionized nearly as much. Honda wont let unions on their property, and Toyota closed its only union factory in 2009. good riddance i say.
I live in a working class neighborhood. I see a lot of older cars. And I'm sorry but you simply will not see GM, Ford, or Dodge vehicles from a decade ago; here. You won't. You will see plenty of older Civics, Camrys, Corollas, and Accords. And in that order. Every GM, Ford, and Dodge are all newer models. .