I suspect that we’ll keep seeing people “advocating” for those vehicles that they have owned and had good experience with. That simple. And perhaps speaking against others for a bunch of reasons….some first hand, some hearsay. “I heard…..I read…..”
My personal thinking is that the nation of origin of the parent company is rarely a factor for these types of cars. For example the original, totally bombproof Highlander was built in Japan. The most bombproof vehicle that they make is still built in Japan. The newer Highlanders and Sequioas, and many others are built in Indiana. Same state that turns out a lot of the Subies to be sold in the USA. Check out what Subie models are still Japanese built. It’s interesting. They get a lot of love. Forester, Crosstrek, Imprezza, WRX, STI. I think that’s right.
KIA’s, a Korean company, are mostly built in Georgia. That German VW? Probably in Mexico. BMW’s biggest plant, worldwide, is in South Carolina.
When Acura launched it was all in Japan. Now, Ohio. Honda? I think they have six US plants and two in Mexico for cars to be sold in the USA.
Are “Japanese” cars Japan designed? Are the plants? Yes, I’d say for the most part. Sure.
But when we see “older”, say Toyota, cars and trucks still going strong, built in Japan, i don’t think you can jump to assumptions on the new cars.
Perhaps the most reliable vehicle that we ever owned was my daughter’s first 2002 Outback, H-6 w/VDC. Of course, it was nearly a $40K car new. Built in Indiana. The worst, most needly and costly, was a 2008 Outback XT. Again, their most expensive Outback. Built in that plant.
We have had great luck with recent VW’s. We have has great and horrible luck with other VW’s. A W8 Passat wagon and an early Toureag were great….when they ran. The W8 was legendary bad. The total repairs under the 100K mile warranty exceeded what I paid for the car, new!
So, I almost take that out of the equation. It all depends on the particular car. Close friends are CO based Subie family. They, among others, have two 2016 Outbacks. Bought the same day, same dealership. Same relative mileage, similar drivers, same dealer service. They joke that one is the best car ever, the other, the worst. Who knew?
Terrible time to buy a car. Dealers are just HOSING customers on any cars that have great reviews and large demand. Using all sorts of VERY LAME excuses and funky language for “onerous markup.”
Local KIA dealer is apparently fully on board on SUV’s, which consistently are killing the ratings. All sorts of markups.
I would NOT jump to the conclusion that the bullet proof older car directly translates to a future experience.
True Story. Around 1990, I had a coworker, really great, really smart woman who paid no attention to cars. She had an older, early generation Camry. She started to date her now husband, who IS a car guy. Shortly after things got serious, I was running our weekly staff meeting, and got word that she would be 15 minutes late. Car service. OK.
So she arrives and after the meeting, she apologizes to me {no need} and says they had some questions.
When she explained, I decided that I HAD to go with her to pick it up. Which BTW took two full days.
She bought it new. Went back to the dealer to get the break-in oil changed, and then again for her first oil change. Evidently she waited, and it took a lot longer than she felt it should. SO……she never took it back. Not once. Never.
She cruises into the dealership with something like 110K miles on it. Service writer pulls it up and gets the story.
Nothing….she did get brake pads at a tire store, when getting new tires. Because of noise
So original everthing. They ask if she has added oil. Nope? No warnings, no lights. I start it and if runs. Seems fine, right?
They dropped the oil pan, it had about and inch of sludge on it. Changed the plugs, filters, belts…..and took a lot of pictures. To “sell” that you could neglect it, with almost no consequences.
Not sure if a new one could take it? Maybe.
I am big on KIA. Not in this market. It’s NUTS, like so much else.
I bought two $100 sheets of birch plywood yesterday. Yikes. Up, up, up. Did they have cheaper ply? Yep. Looked sort of like bad cardboard.
Agree, BTW , with Phil. Seems like almost any new car should be fine for 150K, maybe 200K miles….IF you take care of it.
I think the days of generalizations about “German” and “Japanese” cars may be behind us. Sort of clouds things up for me.
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