Choose Your Ride!!!!

[Grim_Reeper7.0]

Ok, I was doing some thinking and because of a recent thread that was posted that I made some comments towards, I wanted to know everyone elses feelings. I tried to get some answers there but because of someones crying and complaining the thread was locked.... Whatever, doesnt bother me. My question here is this. If you were in the market for a new vehicle, would you buy a specific make out of loyalty or do you look at the hard facts and choose a vehicle based on performance, design, and reliability?

I guess I will start it out myself. I used to be a die hard GM fan....was loyal to the bone. Then about 2 years ago I woke up and realised that I needed to look at the bigger picture. When I was truck shopping I not only test drove all the major 1/2 tons (f150,silverado, tundra, titan, and ram) I looked at what was offered by the company and how well there product was built. In the end I was in a toss up between the Tundra and the Ram. Although the tundra had a much less powerfull engine, it was designed AWESOME! and rode a tad bit better then the ram but in the end I opted for the ram and for these reasons. 7/70 Factory Powertrain Warranty, Very Powerful gas engine, Tried and true dana axles and transfer case, and great ride quality....and of course the fact I had some toys courtesy of GS motorsports coming to me.

So lets see what you guys have to say here, Id like to know where people stand and if im really the only person out there that looks underneath the ram, bowtie or Ford emblem.......

[0TransAm0]

i voted chevy but it would be between chevy and pontiac but you dont have pontiac up thier..

[Grim_Reeper7.0]

By Chevrolet I am meaning all of General Motors.......there all the same.....

[Slow Joe]

Hrmmm We've heard your story now mine... I'm a huge Mustang fan, but when it comes to buying daily drivers and such I do look at everything.... My last daily drivers were as follows... '98 S-10, '02 Malibu, '98 Wrangler, '95 Grand Cherokee, '95 Neon, '95 Cutlass Cruiser, and the list goes on... I just go out and drive different vehicles, and see which one fits my needs best, and that I'm comfortable in... I also look at price and such when I look into a vehicle... Depending on situation... But for toys, I'll probably always have my Mustangs, and yes... That's my brand loyalty... But for drivers, it's what's comfortable and a good value...

[Grim_Reeper7.0]

Now that was a good answer, thats what im lookin for! I personally am NOT brand loyal at all anymore......Best product out there for the money is what I go for.......

[Grim_Reeper7.0]

I see ALOT of people voting for chevrolet yet no explanations? Now you cant call me a chevy basher.....I have a VERY nasty camaro ss that has sucked my savings dry over the past few years and I love it dearly but come on people.......tell me why? What is gm doing for ya?

[DirtyMax]

Best product out there for the money is what I go for.......

:thumbsup This is my new attitude.

My previous 4 trucks have been:
1998 F150
2001 F250 Crew
2004 F150
2005 Sliverado.

Now the order I preferred them:
2005 Sliverado
2001 F250 Crew
1998 F150
2004 F150

I was very pig headed about being brand loyal to Ford. Then GM came out with the "Discount" before everyone else made it a gimmick. I went and drove a Silverado and really liked it. Glad I did. With all the other trucks, I couldn't stop thinking "Wonder what I'll get next". Now it's more like "I hope this thing lasts me a long time"

[Nick]

Audi, Porsche or Mercedes :p

[Grim_Reeper7.0]

Keep Em Comin!!!!

[Grim_Reeper7.0]

Audi, Porsche or Mercedes :p

I guess i had trucks in mind when I posted this poll....sorry bro.....

[Crawlin]

Die hard loyal? NOPE.

I'll buy whatever I like that fits my budget. For new cars, when I was looking at trucks, I had settled on the Tundra. I lease new vehicles because I am in the business, and have a realization of negative equity and how much a "new" car depreciates(whether it's a GM or BMW). I also hate putting up money out of pocket for something that loses ALL that money instantly, so I lease. The LEASES on the Tundra were flat out better and honestly, it is a quieter ride. GM will be in trouble when the work truck versions of Toyota come out to compete with the 2500HD's and up. I also look at warranty. But for what I use vehicles for, since I don't drive them into the ground, and don't put a ton of mileage on, I only need a 36k mile warranty.

Am I brand loyal for performance vehicles? Nope, I'm buying a mustang this week. Will my heart stay true to the LS1 and F-bodies? Yep, otherwise I wouldn't have owned 8 of them so far.

It's all about DEALS at the time of purchase. To me, for a small daily driver car, a 2-dr Cobalt looks better than a 4-dr Corolla(that my sister just bought) and is about $25/month cheaper on a lease. It greatly outdoes the same Civic that just had a big MSRP boost. And the styling of the new jetta is horrible IMHO.

The problem is people say that the GM cars look too bland.

http://www.edmunds.com/media/news/column/letterstotheeditors/03.oct/04.chevy.malibu.500.jpg

VS.

http://www.canadiandriver.com/articles/pw/images/05camry_le_1-1.jpg

Come on now... they are both JUST as plain as each other. Everyone is afraid to go off the deep end and try something "different". I'll agree Chrysler did with the 300 and that's why it sold pretty well.

And "reliability" is just complete trash. I'm sorry, but I see the same complaints coming out of our Toyota store as I do for our Chevy, Lincoln/Mercury/Ford/Cadillac stores. The TOP FIVE cars in the midsize market in regards to problems per 100 cars sold, are Buick Century, Chevy Impala, Pontiac Grand Prix, Buick LaCrosse, and Honda Accord. When you see the listing for the TOP companies, it'll say Toyota, but then it goes into detail about it being LEXUS, not TOYOTA.

So let's see here....

Chrysler - 121
Chevy - 127
Ford - 127
Pontiac - 129
Dodge - 130

Jeep, Mercury, Nissan are all at 120(Nissan was 154 last year)

So you see what I mean? Everything is pretty damn close. It's not like one is at 85 and another is at 175.

But it's the news media playing this **** off. The MORE someone talks about it, the MORE people talk, the MORE people worry, the MORE people don't buy because they don't have confidence. Chevy and Ford were still competing to sell the most cars, and Chevy again would take the cake if they wouldn't be so stupid as to have the GMC lineup(although I agree that they should take the GMC designs on the trucks)

THE #1 reason I see people buy cars is BUDGET. Then they look at what vehicle has "the looks".

Brand Loyal, NOPE... But people who disregard a company based on media scrutiny and then dealership warranty based on being uninformed, just ignorance.

I FIRMLY believe that if you took EVERYONE looking at buying a Toyota Camry, and MADE them drive an Impala/Lucerne/Grand Prix/etc... half would switch and half would stay the same. And I firmly believe the opposite to be true as well. Why? people's ignorance and unwillingness to atleast TRY something out without being a "sheep"

Whew :)

[Nick]

I guess i had trucks in mind when I posted this poll....sorry bro.....

:durr

[Grim_Reeper7.0]

You are full of info.......much appreciated. Im starting to think you have more time on your hands then I do! Good choice on the tundra, It was my #1 pick and I would have gone for it if I didnt do alout of hauling. A friend of mine has one and it performed very poorly with a 5K load behind it. I agree though....people better watch out when they decide to come out with a HD line....... I know I will look at them very closely.

As ive said in the past though.....Im not brand loyal but I do look for the best deal. My next truck will most likely be a dodge as well. I do ALOT of driveing and ALOT of Hauling. that 7/70 warranty is a deal maker for me. Unless Toyota builds a Nasty diesel 3/4 ton for 07.....i think my mind is made up. Not to mention ive already been working some numbers and I can get a fully loaded Laramie big horn edition CTD powered 4x4 2500 dodge for 36K out the door from a local dealer when they hit the show floor. Thats sticker price of a mildly equipt half ton..... Now mabey this is because i have connections through work.....mabey its just because im a firm believer that sticker price means nothing and either does it when they say "there are no rebates" You can get a vehicle for what the dealer pays for it.......plain and simple.

[Slow Joe]

Here's to that Chris... I hated hearing people comming in looking for a $5000 Honda, and offering them a $4000 American car that's less expensive to fix when it breaks, and possibly more reliable and them running away becasue it's American... People just have it in their minds that Imports are better... We have Pontiac Buick and VW under the same roof, and I think I see the VWs back in for service more than the Pontiacs and Buicks... What I've realized is that with Imports and such people see MAINTINENCE as being more important than they do with the domestic cars... And the up keep is what's important when people look at reliability... A car that's never had an oil change isn't gunna go as far as a car that gets them regularly, obviously...

[Crawlin]

Oh jesus christ don't get me started on my land rover. Ignition Coil for a 94 GMC Safari - $25, same thing for land rover discovery of '95 - $200+, hahahha

You are right, sticker price is a good number to just ignore. And I'm with you on the Tundra and it's hauling capabilities, which is why i held off, even though i would only be hauling to GLD, not so much nationwide long distances. Sometimes, there are no rebates. Dealer discount off of MSRP is different than a rebate. But what happened was GM lowered their price on the vehicles, and gave up on the HUGE rebates that still seem to be out there for the other 2 of the big3. Would actually be a benefit since you don't have to pay sales tax on the MSRP lowering compared to having to pay for the $5000 rebate. Younger generation has no brand loyalty. Older generation does(like Steve's dad in that other thread). If i were wanting a small truck, then yes, i'd be looking Ford Ranger XLT because it's CHEAPER to lease than a Colorado but like $100/month, haha. Dodge I never look into because I don't have that franchise.

As for my info and time... I like being VERY informed when it comes to this business. Over-informed is a good thing. Then again, i honestly do about 15 minutes of ACTUAL work per day out of the 12-13 hours I'm here, haha, so alot of research time. Especially when it's someone bashing the brand you work for(not saying you, i see it on every board, even ls1tech.com)

[Slow Joe]

Then again, i honestly do about 15 minutes of ACTUAL work per day out of the 12-13 hours I'm here, haha, so alot of research time.

Bwahahha I do a bit more than that, but I'm gettin close some days... :rolf

[TwIzTiD Si]

I had to go Chevrolet since Honda wasn't a option.

[Pantera99GS]

I never understood why people get all rabid about brand loyalty. Do you think the corporate guys give a flying **** about making you happy and proud? Hell no, they want your damn money!

Go on the import boards and they'll foam at the mouth about how domestic cars are terrible (bullshit) and go on a diehard domestic site and anything not from here is just rice. Facts and common sense have no place with a lot of these people. I'm surprised when I meet anybody who's not a blind fanboy of something....

[nismodave]

I love my 240....My moms Altima is a great car. I will buy a Nissan when Im ready for a new daily.

[H8RADE]

Can I vote for your mother...or are you trying to avoid a landslide victory? :thumbsup

[theavenger333]

like i said man, I personally am not that brand loyal, my dad is. i totally agree with what you are saying, based off WHAT i want i would definatly go different directions. i've have used considerably 2 chevy blazers, a chevy pickup, a malibu, a honda accord, camaro, nissan pickup, neon, GTP, an escort, and a Cummins Dually. all had their traits, some good, some bad. overall if i was forced to go for a basic brand, GM wins. my family has driven them my whole life, and we rarely have major problems other than our own stupidity. If i were to buy a pickup right now, i would be pressed between a Cummins and a Duramax. probably would go with the Duramax. but i totally agree with what you were saying, and what chris is saying, i buy based off the best choice out there. the reason for the other thread problems were that i didnt ask for anyone's input, i asked a different question, and got a thread full of non answers.

[Rocket Power]

I went with Ford.
I used to be a solid GM guy and still am a solid Olds guy, but when I was looking at trucks I just liked the looks and feel of the F-150 more than the GMC/Chevy. I had lots of seat time in GM trucks since my family and work have them.
I've never been a mopar guy, but they are making more interesting stuff. Even my wife who has always hated mopars, likes the magnum.

[Flicktitty]

I voted Nissan. I Have a 300ZX turbo. there are alot of good performance cars out there with the Nissan badge out there. 240sx,300ZX,350Z as well as the other Zcar's As for trucks the titan is a awesome truck and they have some great SUV's as welll as family cars. They even have family cars with some kick the "SE-R" series. so that's why i picked Nissan.

[MoreTorque]

I buy whatever I can get a good deal on. Chris works at Heiser and was able to get me a good price on a new Duramax Silverado 2500HD so that is what I ended up with this time around. Am I happy with the truck? Sure. I bought it becuase it had the Duramax diesel which responds extremely well to computer tuning and the Allison transmission which can be upgraded to handle tons of power. The interior rattles like a 25 year old car, but I don't really care. I wanted a diesel truck that is fun to play with.

I would have bought another Powerstroke Superduty Ford, but they use the 6.0L now which is the worst diesel anyone has put out in over 20 years. Everything about the Ford is better, but the drivetrain mattered most to me so I went with the Chevy,

Dodge has good everything, but nothing that is great or a standout. The Cummins is cool, but isn't what it used to be. They use a crappy transmission and I just don't trust Dodge trucks anymore.

It really comes down to what you are looking for in the vehicle. It is impossible to use a blanket statment and say that one is always better than another for everyone.

[Yooformula]

For me, I love the reliability and quality of Nissan cars(3 Maximas), the build, power, features and price of Dodge trucks(2 trucks and 1 big SUV) but I like the variety that GM offers and the ease of their banks(3 full term leases). I guess it depends on what mood I am in if you ask me but I am really not brand loyal except the only Ford thing I like is the new Mustangs. Other than that they dont have too much that appeals to me or that I have had experience with.

[Silver350]

I choose Chevy no suprise. I am a fairly big truck guy and I own two chevy pick ups and both of them have been good to me. Course now my truck is getting up there in miles and I have to keep replacing minor things but the engine is still running strong. I will probally hang on to mine untill it goes were I cannot fix it or when engine parts keep going constantly. knock on wood but I dont think it will be any time soon.

[Karps TA]

I used to be very GM loyal, Pontiac specifically. But GM doesn't offer anything that appeals to me anymore. So my next car will be something other then GM. Most likely a Charger. But I'll only lease new cars now.

I'm real picky about stuff that others probably wouldn't care about. For instance, climate controls integrated with the stereo. I won't buy a car that has that, cause I'm someone who replaces the stock stereo in a week after I get a car. GM seems to be really getting into that, so they may have lost me for good. Especially if they continue to only offer XM sat radio.

[Cjburn]

I'll agree with Tom when it comes to "perception" of reliability in the automotive market. The late 90's V6 and 4 cylinder Camry's and V6's from Lexus's have problems sludging and nobody will talk about it. If you're not perfect on your oil changes, most likely, that is a sludged motor waiting to blow. The new 2zzfe in the Corollas and Celica GT's have soft oil rings and it's not uncommon for them to consume or burn oil. You will never hear this info outside of a dealership, mainly because press is anti-American manufacturer and I'll readily admit this, while having a brand preference for Toyota/Honda/Nissan. Having said this, I'd seriously consider getting a used Taurus for like 5 bucks since they're cheap and you get quite a bit of car for your money.

[Grim_Reeper7.0]

I am putting up another post for this but here it is. Ive decided to trade in my truck and am stripping it back to stock this weekend. Ive been wanting a nasty multi purpose truck for a while but after test driving the truck i drove today, i found my new toy. As much as I wanted a diesel, they do not and will not offer it in a diesel due to weight issues......so here it is.

NEW!!! 2006 Dodge Power Wagon
2500 Chassis Quad Cab
Hemi
4:1 Low range transfer case factory
Front and Rear 4.56 Gears Factory
Front and Rear Electronic Lockers Factory
Electronic Sway Bar Disconnect Factory
33" BFG's Factory (crap.will be being replaced with bridgestone dueller A/T Revo's)
12000lb Warn Recovery Winch Factory
Full skid plates and rock rails Factory

The only other vehicles i can find that will rival this truck is the Hummer H1 Alpha at $125K and the Land Rover LR3 at $65K. And although the LR3 would do as well off road the H1 Alpha is the only one that would have the same load capacity.

The one I test drove belonged to a employee at a local dealer, mine is currently on order.

[deciuss]

Although I have not had any major problems with my Honda I have to say that I like my gfs Toyota a lot better, it seems to be put together a bit better, its more comfortable, gets better mpg, and has a better ride. Plus when we where buying her car the people at the dealership where she got her car treated us great and went out of there way to get her what she wanted. The Honda dealers and tecks have treated me like junk and are just not helpful.

[Stangman98]

Ford
I may buy a Dodge truck in the future, but no chevy's after '73

[H8RADE]

I am putting up another post for this but here it is. Ive decided to trade in my truck and am stripping it back to stock this weekend. Ive been wanting a nasty multi purpose truck for a while but after test driving the truck i drove today, i found my new toy. As much as I wanted a diesel, they do not and will not offer it in a diesel due to weight issues......so here it is.

NEW!!! 2006 Dodge Power Wagon
2500 Chassis Quad Cab
Hemi
4:1 Low range transfer case factory
Front and Rear 4.56 Gears Factory
Front and Rear Electronic Lockers Factory
Electronic Sway Bar Disconnect Factory
33" BFG's Factory (crap.will be being replaced with bridgestone dueller A/T Revo's)
12000lb Warn Recovery Winch Factory
Full skid plates and rock rails Factory

The only other vehicles i can find that will rival this truck is the Hummer H1 Alpha at $125K and the Land Rover LR3 at $65K. And although the LR3 would do as well off road the H1 Alpha is the only one that would have the same load capacity.

The one I test drove belonged to a employee at a local dealer, mine is currently on order.

Nice.
Revos are a great tire, and I run them on my Durango.
For load and stability issues, though, stick with the BFG A/Ts for a bit.
I can tell you that they are amazing in snow, and will wear better on the bigger chassis than the Revos.
Wait until you see the offorad rock and skid protection under the Power Wagon.
I was seriously impressed, and I build crap like that.
:headbang

Also:The LR3 relies on computers and ABS for traction control, and has an IFS axle.
The PowerWagon will walk all over it offroad.
I have personally seen it.

[pOrk]

I buy chevys all day long. Not because they last, or because they are practicle, but because they are chevys and thats what I like. Well, more old stuff then new stuff obviously but hell :-P And you dont have cadillac up there! ( yes, I know its still gm )

[Grim_Reeper7.0]

I was impressed as well. As far as the LR3 goes though, ive seen that thing in action, a friend of mine in san diego has one and I cant say anything bad about it. Even with those non agressive factory tires we couldnt get that thing stuck.....its beast in my oppinion. the only thing it has over the powerwagon is the shorter wheelbase not sure about the approach and departure angles or the RTI score on either of them......