civics are alright

Winters98GT said:

who mine?

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Yup. Very nice

first of all, I always like how someone brags that a v8 gets 30 mpg on the highway, especially when they were going light on the go pedal to get the best mpg to brag.

Take that same v8 and sit in Chi-town stop and go highway traffic and then tell me what you get.

I believe the focus to be a good little car. Ford never took it to the next level without going to the SVT. This latest 2008 car appears to be really nice so perhaps it will fair better in the long run.

Until I actually bought an import, I remained ignorant to the fact that an RSX-S with Hondata and full exhaust could bang a mid to low 13 in the 1/4 mile.

I owned two ford trucks before going to a Nissan car. I was tired of how crappy and unresponsive the truck transmissions were, especially coming from vacum modulated, tv cable controled C4's.

I looked at the SVT focus, honda Civic SI was butt ugly in 2003, the RSX-S was out of my price range and also the Jetta 1.8T.

Jetta had the nicest interior and the best overall ride; 110 mph and not a bit of wind noise and it would be 21500 out the door with tax and title. The SVT focus was fun if you like to zing a little engine into the stratosphere, but anything under 4G on the tach and it felt like a turd in traffic this was 19,970 out the door with tax. So I looked at the Nissan, 180 ftlbs of torque at a very usuable RPM no need to constantly shift the 6 speed, 4:13 factory limited slip and some factory sponsored bolt-on goodies. 16, 700 out the door for a car that got 33 on the highway, a lousy 27 in down town traffic and could bark the tires going into 3rd at 60 mph. Car weights in at 2800lbs.

Is it the best car ever... noway. Has it been dependable with enough gusto to keep me satisfied; certainly.

If I need faster, I've always got the Notch.

As far as the Pearl Harbor comment, I can see your point and here's my rebuttil, If Ford built it, I would buy it. I've always said that Ford is the fat kid who's late to the party.

AWD direct injected 263 hp Focus is what they should have brought to the states.

WRX killer, would have been a SRT4 killer, but nope, we don't get any of that technology until it's too late. Ford has some beautiful cars across the pond and yet they give us the septic tank back up crap.

Another example, why not put the new mill into the Escape? Rav 4 3.5 v6 has 269 hp, why not equip the Escape with Fords new 3.5? The Rav can claw it's way to 60 in 6.3.

Then if you read this they are bragging about how Ford's 3.5 is beats out imports.

Umm last time I checked Nissan's 3.5 it was making 306 hp on premium, but I garuantee that it still makes more on 87 than Fords mill.

http://media.ford.com/newsroom/release_display.cfm?release=23109

I love the new body style and the interior is nuts they are a totally different car these days. hell, when we go out the new 07 GT sits in the driveway and I take the Super Civic.

Notchbck93 said:

Another example, why not put the new mill into the Escape? Rav 4 3.5 v6 has 269 hp, why not equip the Escape with Fords new 3.5? The Rav can claw it's way to 60 in 6.3.

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I think in this case ford decided to put more effort into it's hybrid platform - fuel efficiency and economy over straight line and towing performance. The Escape Hybrid is the most fuel efficient hybrid SUV on the market right now, has super low emissions, and it's a great little truck to boot! It's JMO but in this case ford made the right decision on working a hybrid platform into the mix before a "big power gas guzzler". The Escape hybrids are selling so well in places they can't keep them on the lots, dealers are buying them in fleets and end up sold out within the week. Hell, I should know my mom just bought one and took her almost two months to find one (granted she was looking for a fully decked out AWD hybrid model with sat nav and all the goodies).

For sure Ford and other US manufacturers have missed some trends and subsequently produced vehicles that leave something to be desired. They should have learned from their mistakes in the 70's and 80's, as far as quality and performance go...but of course that isn't always the case.

All in all, imports good, but so are good ol' American made junkers- err cars

BennyBlown2v said:

I think in this case ford decided to put more effort into it's hybrid platform - fuel efficiency and economy over straight line and towing performance. The Escape Hybrid is the most fuel efficient hybrid SUV on the market right now, has super low emissions, and it's a great little truck to boot! It's JMO but in this case ford made the right decision on working a hybrid platform into the mix before a "big power gas guzzler". The Escape hybrids are selling so well in places they can't keep them on the lots, dealers are buying them in fleets and end up sold out within the week. Hell, I should know my mom just bought one and took her almost two months to find one (granted she was looking for a fully decked out AWD hybrid model with sat nav and all the goodies).

For sure Ford and other US manufacturers have missed some trends and subsequently produced vehicles that leave something to be desired. They should have learned from their mistakes in the 70's and 80's, as far as quality and performance go...but of course that isn't always the case.

All in all, imports good, but so are good ol' American made junkers- err cars

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Ford paid for the technology and bartered a trade with toyota who owns 23% of Aisin Seiki (who currently supplies Ford) hybrid technology. Aisin Seiki has captured the market as being the first and only to offer this special transmission.

Ford had to barter diesel and direct-injection technology.

The world has definitely gone global. I especially like how the toyota 5.7 uses a GM bell housing pattern; how convenient.

http://detnews.com/2005/autosinsider/0508/08/A01-272872.htm

the98stang said:

any car will last a long time if you take care of the maintenance

Honda/Toyota just brainwash people into thinking their cars are the "most reliable"

4.6 motors go FOREVER...taxi cabs and police interceptors go like 300K miles + no problem.

Just my .02 on "reliability"

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My engine has 150,000 miles and I beat the **** out of it and It still runs great!

I dont think everyone is looking at it the right way, If you buy a car cheap (any make) and take care of it , it will run better. Most people I see with nice cars and can afford to buy a new big suv or car american made, they really dont give a **** how it runs and sell it. If you buy a car and dont take care of it, in the end all cars will be in the same spot. Oh by the way the lest reliable car on the market is an import KIA.

My cousins got a brand new Civic and there having an issue with the manual tranny. Apparently theres a TSB or something about using Amsoil or a similar synthetic because of problems staying in gear. Suprising given Hondas past reliability.

$5 says a newer civ will take your NPI Mark

Seriously though, there are quite a few of the import cars that I would get rid of my mustang for. I really dig the 3.5 Maximas.

Winters98GT said:

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civic beating on your poor mustang?