From: smith@ug.cs.dal.ca (Sean Smith)
Newsgroups: rec.autos
Subject: Re: Do buy Japanese(WHY?)
Date: 8 Apr 92 22:27:44 GMT
Distribution: na
Organization: Math, Stats & CS, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada

In article <1992Apr8.030046.5161@news.unomaha.edu> CONSLT24@Zeus.unomaha.edu (Issa El-Hazin) writes:
(Stuff deleted)>
>Few things I like you to know about why Japanese don't buy many
>American cars are:
>	1) Japan drives on the left hand side of the road same as in England
>	   (steering wheel is on the right) and the US is trying to sell
>	   them the same cars they sell in The US (steering on left, so
>   	   lets see somebody try to sell you a Honda with the steering
>           wheel on the right hand side to drive in the US).

	Agreed.  Perhaps more effort could be made in this area.

>	2) Japan is very over crowded country and they usually drive small 
>	   compact cars, and who makes the best small cars (Americans?)

	"Best" is at best ;) subjective, IMHO.

>	3) When [large] American cars reach Japan they sell for more than
>	   twice the price you and I pay for them in the US, and also more
>	   than what an equivalent Japanese built car go for (they have
>	   no problem buying European cars, why?)

	I dunno - lower tariffs maybe?  This issue has been discussed on the
net before, and I believe that Japanese tariffs force the price of American
cars to twice what they are over here.

>I for one will buy the best car for the dollar and one that will not insult
>my intelligence (i.e. taking a Japanese car and putting an American name tag

	Well, Chrysler's pretty honest about it.  Most Colts I've seen have
"Imported by Chrysler" on them.  As for cars insulting intelligence, well, 
my car hasn't insulted me yet.  :)

>My family and I mostly drove American cars and we viewed Japanese cars as
>cheap. All that changed few years ago when I bought my first Japanese car.
>Since then I've noticed how much real pleasure a car can be to drive. They
>talk to you when you want to listen, they tell you what they can and what 
>they can't do and when you don't want to listen like a good friend they keep
>quiet. 

	Your car seems quite talkative.  :)

	But seriously, when my family last owned a Civic (1982), Honda was
downright insulting.  Unfortunately, my subsequent trips to Japanese dealers
have done little to alleviate this impression.  On the other hand, the North
American dealerships that I've visited have been courteous.

>I have nothing against people buying an American car if they are doing
>it for the economy but if they buying one because they are better I can't help
>but wonder what color is their neck? bright red, medium red or dark red.

	I bought a Plymouth Sundance in May 1991 because I believe that it was
the better deal.  And my neck is not red.  I am quite satisfied with my North
American car and would not hesitate to recommend it to anyone looking for a
car of this type.

>As an example this month's (April) Consumer Reports ...

	This subject has been hacked to death on the net - I won't touch it...

	Sean

-- 
  Sean Smith - Dalhousie University           "Nothing exceeds like excess."
  Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada     "Think?  I'm not paid enough to think..."
  01SSMITH@AC.DAL.CA or smith@ug.cs.dal.ca
  Disclaimer:  These ideas are mine...ALL MINE!!  'Cause noone else'd want 'em.
Xref: sparky rec.autos:11023 rec.autos.driving:2256