First American car that didn't suck
 

So I got back from my latest business trip to Silly Con Valley the other day. For once the car I got from Hertz didn't suck chodes.

Most rental cars (most American cars!) have large engines, but are considerably underpowered. The suspension is like a drunk Elephant walking on marshmallows. Or, alternatively, it feels like you're in a boat rather than on wheels.

Anyway, this time I got something called an Impala. I think it was a Chevrolet, but am not sure.

My reaction? Well, I could actually feel the road which was good. And it had a bit of poke in it. Not as much as I'm used to with my own car, but certainly a lot better than most of the junk I've driven over there.

Just thought I'd share the experience with you, as I once posted saying all American cars sucked (which of course isn't true, but was fun to argue about!).



Mr Mephisto

Yeah I love chevrolets ! I find they concentrate more on critical vehicule components rather than ergonomics... So we're safer in a chev but less comfy ;)

The local police around here drive a few unmarked Impalas.

I like their style, and I would drive one. They seem like nice cars, and I tend to be one that favors Hondas.. But Impalas do seem pretty nice.

Whenever I see one on the road I always check the back windows for lights, as that is where the unmarked have theirs; on the top shelf above the back seats..

I hate the current Impalas. That glorified Lumina should never have had the Impala nameplate placed on it.
And as far as peppy...eh...180 horses really doesn't qualify as being peppy in my book but whatever.

Hehe, I use to have a lumina "spaceship" van.

oh! and watch out for those unmarked ford expeditions (suv)

No wonder you don't like most American cars, if you base your opinion of them on rental fleet vehicles. Most of them are pretty much bottom of the line. The base engine on most American cars tends to be an antiquated low-output V6. Those engines are cheap to make since they've been in mass production pretty much since the dawn of man, and they're a selling point over import 4-bangers. Base suspensions are as you described because most sedan buyers care more about their kids not spilling their drinks on a bumpy road.

I probably wouldn't think too highly of Eurpoean cars if my experiences with them were limited to basic family hauler rental cars, either!

I didn't say I thought 180 was peppy, I said that it seemed to have bit more poke than other American cars I've driven before.

My own car is a 330BHP turbo-charged Ford, so you can rest assure that I am familiar with a powerful car.

But it was better than the others I have driven whilst in the US in the past.


Mr Mephisto

There's a reason they don't rent out Corvettes, you know. ;)

Back in the mid-nineties they used to rent out convertible Mustang GT's (5.0 liter V8's, ~240 HP, RWD) in Florida where I went to school. I rented one once, for a week. I've never been in more drag races, burned off more tire rubber, created bigger clouds of tire smoke, did more donuts or drove faster on the streets than I did in that rental Mustang. The tires were bald by the time I returned it, and I'm sure I put a ton of unnecessary wear on the rest of it as well. Makes no sense for rental companies to provide cars that people are going to abuse. By the way, you can get very nice cars like Jaguars, Cadillacs, Volvos, Saabs, but its gonna cost you $$$, plus limited mileage.

yeah, too bad they never rented out the Impala SS. As far as the suspension goes, I don't know about the land of Oz, but since half our country gets frost, the roads can really turn to shit and there are times when I'm willing to give up a little handling so my freakin' teeth don't get knocked out.

Newsflash! Like irseg said rental car fleets are basicly made up of cars the big three can't sell but need to produce to meet CAFE requirements. So the rental companies get them cheap. Generally they are base model strippers though any place big enough that the local airport doesn't have you walking onto the concrete to board your plane will have at least a one rental organisation with a few better class cars.

Like power clown I once got lucky enough to go to town on a fun rental car though mine was a 90's Impala SS. Vroom!

Around here (Atlantic Canada), the rental vehicules are usually the newest models with all the features. I was surprised to learn it's not like that in other places. hurray for atlantic Canada ! :|

And back in the 60's(or 70's) Hertz rented out Shelby Mustages the GT350 version with black paint and gold racing strips, very hot looking cars!

Yeah to get the good cars you have to shell out some dough to rent a nice ride. There are some suprisingly American vehicles you have yet to experience....

There is a city in B.C. that rents out high end cars like Lexus Benz and also Harley's....anything high end you can think of they got it....thats if they are still open!

Here in SoCal, you can rent a Farrari for ~$3000 a day. Pocket change...

When you are near the beach, car rental companies will have Dodge Vipers (my dream car), Lambos, Bentleys, Porsches, Z06 Vettes... whatever you want, as long as you've got the dough.

They have a place like that in Vegas as well were you can rent exotics for the day. Pretty nice way to really live the life...go rent yourself a Gallardo and a then go rent some tail. :)

Hell yeah the 95-96 SS Impalas..LT-1 powered RWD and mean looking as hell. I wanted one of those things so bad when I was in high school. THAT is what they should have kept the Impala as not the FWD weenie mobile they turned it into. I cry inside when I see a new SS Impala and think about the underpowered engine they stuck in those things.

I was looking for a 95-96 for like 3 years, couldn't find one so I gave up, such a nice looking car when you lower it and have it running on 18's :D

NEWSFLASH!


You miss the point of the post. I didn't say all American cars sucked (apart from in jest in a different post a long long time ago), but that the car I rented was the first one I've driven that didn't suck. Of course America makes some great cars. The Corvette for example.

But I believe, in general, they are sub-par. And rental cars are at the lower end of those available. There, they are even more likely to be crappy.

But, this Impala was the best of a bad bunch.

Seems like some people here are a bit touchy.


Mr Mephisto

I just made a pointless trip to Orlando before Jeanne (don't ask) and ended up driving my rental car back to Atlanta. But I have to admit, it was not a bad ride. It was a new Bonneville with the upgraded interior. National has a program called "Emerald Isle" where you basically just walk out and pick a car and that's what I picked. They are heinocerous on the outside but it drove and rode very nicely. I made it back to Atlanta in 5.5 hours. I paced an M3 at 95mph for an hour and a half. :D

Yeah I know those things are holding their value like crazy as well. Everytime I spot one it's typically like around 17-18k for a relatively high milage car but once a week I pass this beautiful black one with an aftermarket exhaust...pure heaven.

amercian cars suck goat ass

In the '80s, too. Back around '85, somebody sideswiped my econobox and the insurance company sent me over to Budget (I think) for a subcompact rental. I showed up at the appointed time and they didn't have any subcompacts on the lot. But they were obligated to give me _something,_ so I got a Mustant GT (5.0 liter V8 for a week, no extra charge. It didn't handle for shit, but it sure could go in a straight line.

thank for your productive and insightful addition to this thread.

Most people have the way wrong opinion of american cars. They base what they say on stuff that may have been true a decade ago, but american cars are a FAR better automobile these days.

Absolutely. Some of the more reliable cars on the road today are American.
They do still have a ways to go in besting Toyota and Honda but for the most part reliability speaking they are definately up there.
The only thing I think American car makers need to really concentrate on is keeping their fit and finish up to par and improve the looks of their commuters.
If I can get a car that's on par with Honda in reliability, on par with Toyota's fit and finish with the pricing of a Ford, and with wonderful styling then I'm sold.

One problem there dude, when you pay the price of a Ford, the only thing your gonna get is a Ford :lol:

Not really but had to take a crack at Fords :D

Eh of the two cars I own a Nissan and a Ford the Ford gives me fewer problems and my pops has never had a problem with his truck. The only cars I'd take over a Ford would be Honda,Toyota, and Chevy(if we are just talking boring commuters). Now if we are talking performance or trucks...gotta go with the blue oval.

Sure they do :rolleyes:

I would like to see a Honda make 300+ hp stock..with out a supercharger or Turbo!

Oh ya thats because they can't!

They could do the 300 horsepower...it would be bumping the torque rating above 230 that would give them fits. Ahhh the torqueless wonders of the auto world.