Thanks, I am just sick to death of hearing how much better imports are. Yes, In the late 80's until the late 90's there were definitely quality control problems on alot of domestic vehicles, noone is denying that.....Even when I open up the daily paper and they have "reviews" eack week on cars, if they review 8 cars, 6 or 7 of them are imports. Why is the media and other people so brainwashed that imports are still better then domestics. I am a very proud canadian and if I can, like to buy things that are "MADE IN CANADA" or "MADE IN USA" At least keep the business within North America. The problem in Canada at least is that we have ALOT of immgrants from other countries that only know, Honda, Toyota etc, so naturally when they come here, thats what they buy. Yes alot of these cars are assembled in North America already, but the bottom dollar ends up back overseas at Honda Corporation or Toyoya Corporation. Guys, always, if you can, buy North American for whatever your purchase is.


You offer some very good advice here. Just don't forget our politicians have sold us out. They give price breaks or tax cuts to the countries who come here to sell their products. We have a large Honda plant nearby the city gave them like a 10 year tax abatement.

Panisonic got one too when they built a factory here.

Trouble is....... the plant was closed and sold off BEFORE 10 years was up. Guess who the city was relyling on for the extra tax funding to support say schools? Was it the parent companies of these off shore manufacturers? NO!

When this Panisonic factory was closed the city should have set it up if they closed before 10 years was up they paid any back taxes plus a penalty. Provided the city leaders got their heads out of their -sses and even thought of this to begin with.

Often people don't realize you make buy a car made in the US, but all too often components on this car were made overseas. So you're not really supporting the US like you think you are.

A couple Mopars I own have mitsubishi v6 engines in them.

 

That would make for one very interesting ride.

 

Might have to cut the city officials some (but only some) slack on this one. I'm sure the local economy improved considering the factory provided jobs and people might have moved into the area. The officials might also have thought - If someone is going to float the cost of building the factory from the ground up in the first place, they should be able to float the taxes when they come due.

Now Panasonic might also have given the city a bit too... if they can find some law loopholes. If Panasonic still owns the building they WILL need to pay taxes for the land that is still in use until they sell it. If the bank owns it, then they will have to pay. The city might be able to confiscate the building due to "not paying taxes" and sell it off to another firm and offer them a tax break as well to get money in the area.

Back to the topic though, the engines placed in the many of the Japanese imports are still better than American/Canadian yet... One just needs to look over statistics on warrantee replacement and after warrantee repairs and compare them to the amount of those vehicles on the road. Honda and Toyota still dominate there. I just don't like their styling at all and the upgrades available for the size engine I want. I will be the first to admit if I could also get a decent sized engine readily available and aftermarket parts I would attempt to do an engine swap.

 

2006 Motor Trend COTY Contender: 2006 Chevrolet Impala (Monte Carlo's Heavier Sister : ) 0- 60 MPH in 5.7 sec, same as Dodge Hemi Charger : )[align=center]One-trick pony[/align][align=center]
[/align]By Editors of Motor Trend
Photography by John Kiewicz, Brian Vance, Evan Wollenberg
[/align][align=center]Blink and you'll miss it: Chevy's sort-of-new Impala, available with a choice of two V-6 engines or the new SS-specific 5.3-liter, 303-horsepower V-8 with fuel-saving cylinder deactivation, is almost invisible. With its complete redesign inside and out, this Chevrolet won't offend anybody who finds himself at the rental-car counter looking for a large car--but GM should be aiming higher than lowest-common-denominator transportation. Whatever happened to the idea of a mainstream Chevy sedan with pizzazz and eye-appeal? It used to build 'em in the 1950s and 1960s, you know.[/align][align=center]The SS is a step in the right direction, but isn't a complete answer to cars like the Charger. While it may deliver the same 0-to-60 time as a rear-drive Dodge Charger R/T, no one will notice. And it's a lead-tipped arrow: Dial in any more than 90 degrees of steering, and you'll be sliding out of the unsupportive seat at the same time the front wheels begin to howl in protest. There are other cars in the marketplace--not necessarily wearing legendary performance badges such as SS--that are more fun to drive, although this one does make good noises.[/align][align=center]The cabin is either clean or bland, depending upon your view. It's curious that the shifter surround displays no markings to indicate what gear has been selected; consult the instrument cluster for that. We might be falling prey to our too-high expectations and from our rose-colored memories of past SS models. Yes, it beats the pants off the mid-1990s Caprice-based Impala SS, and it's better than the previous, ugly, V-6-only Impala, but that's not enough these days. If you think of the 2006 Impala SS as a car that keeps the old-school 1960s tradition of implanting a powerful motor in an otherwise sensible-shoes sedan, you'll be pleased. We'd like it with a bit more soul--and a whole lot more driving pleasure.[/align]2006 Motor Trend COTY Contender: 2006 Chevrolet Impala[align=center]2006 Chevrolet Impala

Base price range
$21,990-$27,790

As-tested price
$29,980 (SS)

Vehicle layout
Front engine, FWD, 5-passenger, 4-door sedan

Engine
5.3L/303-hp/323 lb-ft OHV 16-valve V-8

Transmission
4-speed automatic

Curb weight, f/r dist
3756 lb (62/38%)

Wheelbase
110.5 in

Length x width x height
200.4 x 72.9 x 58.7 in

0-60 mph
5.7 sec

Quarter mile
14.3 sec @ 97.7 mph

Braking, 60-0 mph
134 ft

Lateral acceleration
0.78 g avg

600-foot slalom
60.5 mph avg

MT figure eight
27.6 sec @ 0.61 g avg

EPA city/hwy fuel economy
18/28 mpg

To sum up
More like a water buffalo than an Impala
[IMG]local://upfiles/714/1A3B1EA458AD49B697AD880C91C079E0.jpg[/IMG] [/align][align=center][:-]Click below for complete MTCOTY test [:-][/align][align=center]http://www.motortrend.com/oftheyear/...006/index.html[/align][align=center][/align][align=center]Monte's are faster & better Look'in[/align][align=center]`Space[/align]

 

i hear that alot around here that honda cars are the best they last along time you cant kill the motors every body argues with me but the problem with that argument is that i here that form a bunch of older guys that takes it eazy on there cars i have to of my close friends that are honda guys and they bought there 95 civic the same time that i bought my 88 Z24 and they changed there motor a good 5 times within 1 1/2 years and then a other guy that i know that bought a new 2005 acord has changed the motor on his 3 times allredy so dont tell me that hondas are any better then any other when you drive them hard they let go like the rest of them

 

I feel the same way, but I can't give up my coupe - I know the accord comes in one and I like the idea that they are starting to make avaliable AWD on the cars but I too don't think I could buy an import. I will stick to the big 3 American car companies![sm=americanasmiley.gif]

 

If you let them go I'm sure they will, but between the Camary and the Civic I've seen them win pretty much every brush run around here. If you are not familiar with a brush run, picture a dirt motor cross track with less turns, smaller and fewer ramps, but a bit larger in scope. There is the occational big three vehicle that will win, but mainly the Japanese engines. Same goes for the Hot Run - a bunch of 4 cyl cars have all the oil drained from them and then race.Once again theJapaneseimports are where the safe money is. I don't like seeing it, but it's just a fact. The latest racewas usingmid 90's vehicles.Good Times.

You could argue that more responsible people drive the imports with better driving habits, but there really is no decent way to prove it unfortunately. =<

The other thing is I've seen a lot more people that have high milage engines 150,000 plus still driving without problems and not as many of the big three. These people range from brokers and bankers to welders. It doesn't seem to matter which lifestyle they lead, the imports seem stronger.

BUT - they are still ugly

 

Also I have felt the interior isn't that nice... how shall I put it... too industrial. Not enough curves and flow. Everything seems boxier and the seats have always been uncomfortable.

They have been improving them lately though....

 

well not to start anything but the 06 monte carlo was recorded to hit 0-60 times in 5.2 seconds if i remember correctly i heard that on nascar xm chevy came wit a commercial and stated that....... so if the camry is running 0-60 in 6 seconds good for them but the monte is runnin 5.2-5.5 seconds in 0-60.....not only in that commercial i heard that but me in my dad test drove the monte many of times and did it and we hit 5.3 seconds 0-60 that was our best time

plus im sure the camry weighs lesss than the monte carlo

 

this is a monte carlo site isn't it??? lol...so why do we care about a camry?? :-p lol