From: qazi@csd4.csd.uwm.edu (Aamir Hafeez Qazi)
Newsgroups: rec.autos
Subject: Re: Worst Car Award
Date: 25 Jan 1993 04:46:51 GMT
Organization: Computing Services Division, University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee
NNTP-Posting-Host: 129.89.7.4

In article <1993Jan24.141549.16369@cronkite.ocis.temple.edu> zorro@picasso.ocis.temple.edu (John Grabowski) writes:
>
>I'd like to conduct an informal poll here: what do the gentle readers of this
>group think is the WORST car being made today???  (And why?)  It must be a 
>car still being manufactured, so a 1975 Dodge Dart doesn't count.  :-)


--I really think that none of the cars sold here today are truly awful.
  Some really missed the mark, however, due to the short-sightedness of
  the manufacturer.  In this light, my vote goes to the Acura Vigor.  
  First of all, it offends the eyes; this car represents old-school 
  Japanese design.  Second, it is probably one of the most space-inefficient
  cars around.  They installed a 2.5L five longintudinally, which severely
  limited the length of the passenger compartment.  The driver/passenger
  footwells are very tight.  Rear seat room is inferior to every car
  in its class, even to the Accord, the car which it is based on.
  Effectively, here is a $25,000 sedan with Civic-sized rear seat legroom.
  Everything was sacrificed to create a car with "exceptional" driving
  characteristics.  In the end, they were any thing but exceptional.

  Compare it to the Volvo 850 GLT.  It too has a 2.5 litre five cylinder,
  but the Volvo's is mounted transversely, not longitudinally.  The Volvo
  has much more interior space, as a result.  Funny thing is, the Volvo
  rides AND handles better than the Acura Vigor, exposing Honda's failure
  to make use of its "superior" layout.  Even the first-generation Legend,
  which is about the same size as the Vigor, and had a larger, six-cylinder
  engine, is much more efficient with its use of space.

  The competition also completely annihilates the Vigor.  Usually, Hondas
  are very competitive during each model's 4 year life span.  However, the
  Vigor was left far behing only a year after it was introduced.  Toyota 
  gave it a double blow with the Camry SE and the Lexus ES 300.  Nissan's
  Maxima SE has a far superior engine (in fact, almost everything else
  about the car is superior, too).  Volvo's 850 GLT is a better sports
  sedan all around.  The list goes on and on.

  My point is that sedans in this price class are either good sports sedans
  or good family sedans.  The Vigor fails to distinguish itself with its
  performance and driving characteristics, something its longitudinal
  engine mounting and stretched wheelbase were supposed to provide (i.e.
  better weight distribution).  Yet, it fails as a good family sedan also,
  due to its severe cabin space deficiency.  Combine this with its awful
  styling, and you have a loser of a car.

  --Aamir Qazi


-- 

Aamir Qazi
qazi@csd4.csd.uwm.edu
--Why should I care?  I'd rather watch drying paint.
From: tristan@hp-ptp.ptp.hp.com (Tristan Colson)
Date: Thu, 21 Jan 1993 04:22:01 GMT
Subject: Bedliner Recommendation
Organization: HP Pacific Technology Park - Sunnyvale, Ca.