Was lug bolts, now US vs. German engineering

[Cheapass Ron <rapieper@yahoo.com>]

(big breath)

Wow, that's a loaded statement.  But this is a discussion group and
this *is* discussion, after all...

I both agree and disagree.  Certainly your statement holds true for
BMW, Porsche, and Mercedes vs. The Big Three.  No argument there
whatsoever.

But we deal with Volkswagens.  These are mass-market, economy cars. 
Cheap cars, even.  Much as we love them, including me, let us recall
what we deal with.  

We complain about shaky transmissions, A/C that never works, bad
electrical systems, rattles, shakes, crappy shift linkages, cracking
unibodies (front engine/tranny mount, a-arms, strut towers).  Failed
heater motor resistors.  Cracked exhaust manifolds.  Horribly
underdesigned engine mounts (on the A1's...but has this truly been
fixed yet?).  Odometers that often don't work after maybe 100,000
miles.  Face it: these are NOT cars for those who aren't mechanically
inclined, 13+ years old or not.  You want to do nothing to your car but
change oil and tires and add gas?  Get a Toyota (yawwwnn).  Yes, the
bottom ends of our engines are fantastic.  As are the FI systems, if
you don't fuck with them.  But what about the incredible Chevy small
block?  Their straight six?  The Turbohydramatic 350, or god forbid,
the TH400?  Supremely good stuff.  

I've owned several American cars.  They have their pluses and minuses. 
My little '92 Saturn SL2 was the best car amongst the lot, hands down. 
In may ways it reminded me of a VW in its simplicity of design.  My
S10, well, I bitched about it, but it ran and ran and ran.  As did our
Explorer (yes, an SUV, we can argue that in a different thread).  Our
Chylsler T&C minivan, well, sucks.

My final analysis:  German engineering can be superb.  It can also be
merely adequate, as is the case with our VW's.  Frankly, the same goes
for American auto engineering.  Both examples aim at a broad-market,
"value" offering...neither is going to give you an overdesigned system.
 

I'm sure we'll discuss this more...

Ron


--- Chris DeLong <green536@hotmail.com> wrote:
> No offense Ron but comparing American car engineering to German
> engineering 
> is like comparing steaming pile of shit to a freshly mowed lawn
> (minus the 
> shit part) ;-)



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