Guy,
Without knowing the car they had, it's hard to answer your post.
Please know that there are many American made cars which are the equal
or better of anything from Europe or the Far East. However, they
usually don't end up in rental fleets.
Additionally, driving in the larger portions of America (away from the
right and left coasts) does not require your vehicle to rapidly
respond to the throttle. It requires a vehicle which is comfortable to
travel long distances in and one which is comfortable on relatively
rough roads (gravel and dirt). Here in the High Plains region, towns
of around 1,200 to 2,500 population average 50 miles of open road
between them with no intersections, lights or other forms of traffic
obstruction. It is also farm and ranch country here covering an area
which is likely larger than the UK and Western Europe put together. We
need big vehicles which can haul cattle, feed, grain, hay and many
other large and heavy loads. The big displacement V8 reigns supreme
out here and over a large part of North America. I want to be able to
comfortably haul a two horse trailer and 8 bails of hay in the bed of
my Chevy pick-up for a distance of 500 miles a day at 70 to 80 mph. I
don't care if it won't snap my neck when I plant my foot.
Point is - it is all in the use the vehicle is designed for. In
Europe, the UK and the Far East, you have much different needs from
your vehicles than what you encounter in most of America. Again - I am
not counting the heavily urbanized areas where the vehicle
requirements are similar to those in your part of the world.
You might get a different picture of things if European and Far
Eastern auto makers had to design, build and sell vehicles for rural
and farm use similar to what I have described above.
I have lived in Europe and America and driven extensively in both. I
found that you can't judge one's autos based on the other's.
Cheers!!
Jim - 68 Midget in Dodge City
On 7/10/07, Guy R Day <grday@btinternet.com> wrote:
> My daughter and boyfriend have just come back after a 'Disney' Holiday in
> Florida and one of the first things said was, "Aren't American cars
> horrible!" Approaching an intersection, lights began to change and he stuck
> his foot on the loud pedal. All that happened was he cruised across the
> junction at his previous speed, only starting to accelerate when he reached
> the other side. He said it was a 3 litre V6. (He knows the make, I didn't
> really bother listening - it was 5am when I had to get up to collect them
> from the airport!) The point is are there any European or far eastern cars
> with that engine capacity that would do the same without being defective?
> I too echo this gripe against your vehicles, the common or garden road
> variety is a slug. Your quicker cars are truly good. But put the average
> domestic US family car against an average rest of world car and you have the
> result below - <snip> they don't compete with the competition.<snip>
> (Not only that but the last two US hire cars I've used both had punctures.
> Grrr That clouds your mind a little!! <LOL>
>
> GRD
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