On Tue, 16 Jan 2007 12:12:19 -0500, clare at snyder.on.ca wrote:
On Tue, 16 Jan 2007 16:16:05 +1100, "Rod Speed"
wrote:
How many people who owned Chevy Vegas
bought a second one? THOUSANDS.
Bugger all that had one blow up their face.
How about under their ass?
You have absolutely no idea what you are talking about. Before I
stasrted innthe computer business I had 25 years under my belt in the
automotive service industry. Ten of those years as a service manager.
I was in the industry when the Vega was produced and sold. I saw them
fail. I saw the owners buying new vegas. I saw them buying no Chevies
after the vega was no longer made. They bought Chevy Cavaliers ten and
15 years later. They bought new ones when the head gaskets blew and
the heads cracked. Man, it takes a lot of bad Ju-Ju to get a died in
the wool Chevy man to switch brand loyalty!!!!!!
There's Chevy men and then there's Chevy men.
People who were ignorant enough to buy Vegas didn't know squat about
cars. I personally knew one victim.
They are now most likely Toyota and Honda men, which is good for them.
Some Vega "facts:"
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chevrolet_Vega
Keep in mind that *all* cars of that era were junk compared to most of
today's offerings. Toyotas, Datsuns and Hondas were also junk.
The only solid plus-100k engines were 350's and GM and Chryco straight
sixes, and the 350's heads weren't the best. I'll add the 318 as a
good one but I never had one. Besides, the cars usually rusted out
before the engine could test the 100k range.
You can still find junk in recent American car offerings. Can't point
them out as I'm not in the market now. But I've heard mentions.
Since I'm reading this in the "frugal" group I'll note that as a value
proposition (cost vs use) I recognize Chevy as Champion, but others
may see from a different perspective.
I do know how to buy cars, and have my own discriminations.
BTW, I only buy used cars which have a model/engine record.
I "pay" for that in my own way, which is where " Planned Obsolescence"
or MTBF may be relevant.
For instance, I plan to replace my Delco Chevy alternator long before
a Nippo/Denso would fail. Same with the GM water pump versus Jap.
This can be done very cheaply, whether I turn the wrench or hire it,
but you have know "stuff" about cars, wrenches and hiring.
Understandably, most people find it best for them to just get a
Toyota/Honda and pay a higher cost for less maintenance.
Too bad for the American car companies they kenned to that too late.
But I have confidence that current Chevys will serve me well when it's
time to buy them.
This is all outside of "handling" and "driving the twisties" issues,
which I have no interest in since the roads are easy wherever I drive
and I am a mundane driver with no need for speed or compulsions to
spastically jerk the steering wheel.
Now there ARE lots of people who will buy anything - don't mater who
made it - but in North America there are Ford people who will never
own anything BUT a Ford. There are Chevy people who would never buy a
Pontiac or a Buick. Make any sense? Nope.
You're right if the person is a "brand loyalist." And you're right
there are plenty of them still around,
But it makes perfect sense if they specialize in the marque with open
eyes and the marque provides models that suit their needs.
In terms of cost/reliabilty knowing a brand intimately makes used car
selection pretty easy on those terms.
Even people who quit buying Chrysler products when they could no
longer buy a Plymouth. Buy a Dodge? Not on your life.Old habits die
hard - particularly with old guys and cars.
Yep. Strange. Sometimes these guys seem to value their
"relationship" with the dealer service department. They're
"good guys" and "take care of me." "Excellent coffee."
Go figure.
I think the Chryco fans are the worst, then maybe the Caddy
guys. It could be argued that Chevy never had the same kind of
fanaticism. Since it's the "low-end" marque and sold more
cars, it just exposed more people to its "charms ".
Nobody much brags about Chevy except in terms like "hey, my Chevy
goes where your Lexus goes at 5% of the cost."
And how many who bought Vega bought another Chevy?
Thousands and thousands and tens of thousands.
A larger amount by far never bought a Chevy again.
I'd guess that most people (Honda-heads and Toyota-Hindus being
notable exceptions) aren't "brand loyalists."
Most of those who brag that what they have is the "best brand"
will turn on a dime, then brag about the new brand.
And many just like the looks of their car and care about little else
unless or until it proves a lemon.
--Vic