[sumeethaldankar]

Originally Posted by GTO

At the time of renting a car last December, the Philadelphia agent was pushing me into a Crown Victoria. Said "Drive her on the freeway, everyone will make way for you and no cop will pull you over" . It is, after all, the official cop car of American cops.

We'd love that!

Buick's and Ford's is what keeps America rolling. I once several years ago wrote to Edmunds.com who had then carried a article of the cars the editors themselves owned and drove. I was surprised to see most them had Japanese cars as daily drives and wrote to them why it was so.

Wardlaw, Christian replied to me saying the foll:

Hi Sumeet,
Let's cut to the chase. American cars are generally not as reliable, not as
fuel efficient, not as well assembled as the competition from Japan or
Europe. And because things have been this way for decades, American cars are viewed by many consumers to be of lower status.

For example, let's say you have 18,000 rupees (or whatever, just go with it)to spend on a new car. You could choose a Ford Taurus, a Chevy Malibu or a Dodge Stratus in full rental-car mid-grade trim regalia. Or, you could buy a refined Honda Accord LX with a low-emission, highly efficient engine that is generally known to be damn near bulletproof over the long haul.

If you come home with the Accord, the neighbors will think you're an
intelligent and practical sort. If you come home with the Chevy, the Dodge
or the Ford, the neighbors will think you're an ignorant spendthrift who
wants to know his service advisor at the local dealership by first name.
(Midwestern cities exempt from this rule -- bring an Accord home in Detroit or Chicago or Cincinnati or Cleveland and you could be strung up from the closest tree to your driveway.)

That's pretty much it. And if you want a Buick Century for the family, GM is practically giving them away right now in an effort to "Keep America Rolling."

Christian Wardlaw
Senior Editor
Edmunds.com


This was received by me on jan 1 2002.

Still give me an option if was in the US i would have gone in for a Crown Vic or Buick for a sedan.

[rchandan]

Originally Posted by akbaree

....After going thru an initial inertia towards deciding which Buick to buy, I finally went with a LeSabre Limited. It is a 2002 model......

Congratulations! I'm sure you will have this feeling of certain pride of owning an all American car and not owning another Accord/Camry.


I owned a new 2001 LeSabre LE for about a 1 and half years just after finishing college and I did close to 25,000 miles in it and it was just a fantastic experience. I drove a lot in and between Chicago and Detroit and not even once it gave me any trouble with the cold weather. This model came with en engine block heater for places up north where it gets even cold. You can plug it into the wall outlet for sometime in extreme cold to avoid any issues with the starting.

My love with the Buicks started when I rented a Chevy Impala on my trip from Detroit to Mackinaw and the car rental company in the last minute handed me over a Buick Century and that drive made a charming impression on me about Buicks that none of the Japanese cars ever came close to. When I was in WSU in Detroit, all I could see were Hondas and Toyotas and it was so overwhelming that I rented even Durangos and RAMs but never a Honda/Toyota.

As you already found out, LeSabre is very spacious and quite large a car but very easy to manoeuvre. I did very comfortable long hauls and also lot of my travel in this car was in relatively harsh conditions of heavy snow during nights due to my frequent travel between Detroit and Chicago and it never made me feel unsafe.

And it was one of the very first cars with the OnStar/HUD. At that time it came with a one year complementary free OnStar service.

An interesting fact was that LeSabre came with an un-lockable fuel tank lid. There’s no remote latch release to prevent someone from opening it. I tried hard to find an aftermarket lid with the key but didn’t get one but never had any issues either.

Check with the local state rules what the minimum age limit to make your kid sit in the front seat. I don’t remember that well, but I doubt if you can fix the booster seat in the front middle.

Happy to see you not go for Honda/Toyota. At the time of purchase, it costed close to $32,000 which was way pricier than the Hondas and Toyotas. Who cares, the feeling of exclusiveness is something you’ll never ever get from any of those Hondas and Toyotas.

Again, congratulations and happy to see another proud owner of a Buick LeSabre. After all, how often do you see a fellow Indian driving a Buick? I haven’t seen one in my days.

I owe my LeSabre one for my above average bowling skills. That’s another story for another day.

[akbaree]

Originally Posted by sumeethaldankar

Buick's and Ford's is what keeps America rolling. I once several years ago wrote to Edmunds.com who had then carried a article of the cars the editors themselves owned and drove. I was surprised to see most them had Japanese cars as daily drives and wrote to them why it was so.

Wardlaw, Christian replied to me saying the foll:

Hi Sumeet,
Let's cut to the chase. American cars are generally not as reliable, not as
fuel efficient, not as well assembled as the competition from Japan or
Europe. And because things have been this way for decades, American cars are viewed by many consumers to be of lower status.

For example, let's say you have 18,000 rupees (or whatever, just go with it)to spend on a new car. You could choose a Ford Taurus, a Chevy Malibu or a Dodge Stratus in full rental-car mid-grade trim regalia. Or, you could buy a refined Honda Accord LX with a low-emission, highly efficient engine that is generally known to be damn near bulletproof over the long haul.

If you come home with the Accord, the neighbors will think you're an
intelligent and practical sort. If you come home with the Chevy, the Dodge
or the Ford, the neighbors will think you're an ignorant spendthrift who
wants to know his service advisor at the local dealership by first name.
(Midwestern cities exempt from this rule -- bring an Accord home in Detroit or Chicago or Cincinnati or Cleveland and you could be strung up from the closest tree to your driveway.)

That's pretty much it. And if you want a Buick Century for the family, GM is practically giving them away right now in an effort to "Keep America Rolling."

Christian Wardlaw
Senior Editor
Edmunds.com


This was received by me on jan 1 2002.

Still give me an option if was in the US i would have gone in for a Crown Vic or Buick for a sedan.

The American cars may have seen bad years and earned a reputation of not being reliable but IMHO the reliability of Japanese cars is overrated. And cars are not just about an engine that goes on and on. I have nothing against any car brand. Actually I love some of the Japanese cars like Evo or Subarus.

What's really sad is that even most of the Americans have now this impression about their own brands. I am sure many would be aware that all GM cars are selling with a 60 day money back offer - Let the best car win!!!

An extract from the news item
Frustrated that many shoppers won't even consider its cars, General Motors says starting Monday, buyers of new GM models can bring them back within 60 days, no questions asked, and get back the price of the car.

Let me share a short email as well. It is from my car salesman who sold me Buick

Anant,

I would love to be your guest, ...
How do you like the car? It's a little nicer than that rental isn't it?

Thanks,


This guy believes that I was driving a Nissan Versa as I went to the dealership in that car. Now can you believe that he is comparing a Versa with a Le Sabre. And this guy has won Best Salesman award for last 12 years in a row and is quite smart gentleman and is in this industry for 20 years.

I am sorry folks for going so off-topic. I will stick to the purpose of the thread and we can discuss Japanese v/s American v/s Eurpean cars in a dedicated thread.

[akbaree]

Originally Posted by sujaylahiri

You're doing way better than my Impreza, where the 2.5L 4 cyl. boxer motor gives me similar mileage in similar conditions. And that too with a manual transmission.

Impreza is great car though. But I don't know how Indians manage manual transmission here. I cannot even think of changing gears with my right hand as I am so used to changing them with my left hand. Perhaps one just get used to it like left hand wheel drive.

Originally Posted by rchandan

Congratulations! I'm sure you will have this feeling of certain pride of owning an all American car and not owning another Accord/Camry.

Thanks rchandan. I indeed feel very good.

I owned a new 2001 LeSabre LE for about a 1 and half years just after finishing college and I did close to 25,000 miles in it and it was just a fantastic experience. I drove a lot in and between Chicago and Detroit and not even once it gave me any trouble with the cold weather. This model came with en engine block heater for places up north where it gets even cold. You can plug it into the wall outlet for sometime in extreme cold to avoid any issues with the starting.

I am glad to know that you had no issues and enjoyed your ownership. I am looking forward to a trouble free ownership as well.

My love with the Buicks started when I rented a Chevy Impala on my trip from Detroit to Mackinaw and the car rental company in the last minute handed me over a Buick Century and that drive made a charming impression on me about Buicks that none of the Japanese cars ever came close to. When I was in WSU in Detroit, all I could see were Hondas and Toyotas and it was so overwhelming that I rented even Durangos and RAMs but never a Honda/Toyota.

Out of the three Buicks I drove, one of them was a Century LE. And that too drove like a dream. It's smaller engine and smaller size doesn't take away any of the pleasure that one get out of driving a Buick.

And it was one of the very first cars with the OnStar/HUD. At that time it came with a one year complementary free OnStar service.

Even this 2002 LeSabre came with one year complimentary OnStar service.

An interesting fact was that LeSabre came with an un-lockable fuel tank lid. There’s no remote latch release to prevent someone from opening it. I tried hard to find an aftermarket lid with the key but didn’t get one but never had any issues either.

Yeah, that's actually convenient. The car is so much convenience packed - for example - the music system continues to play music after I stop the engine or even remove the key. It stops only when I open the door - so you can enjoy your music till the time you gather everything and actually get down from the car and you don't have to bother about shutting that down.

I owe my LeSabre one for my above average bowling skills. That’s another story for another day.

Looking forward to that story on team-bhp...

[PVS]

Akbaree, congrats on your purchase of the LaSabre - a welcome departure from the usual Honda Civics/Accords or Toyota Camrys/Corollas or the Nissan Sentra/Altima/Maxima that the majority of us go in for (including me, I drive a 99 Mitsu - Gallant ES).

American built cars are comfortable to drive in and the Buick is no exception.
The Lincoln Town car (expecially the Signature Series) is still preferred by Limo operators over its more expensive Japanese/European counterparts.

So here's wishing you a happy ownership experience driving your Buick on the interstates, the state highways and on your daily home to work commute.

Your post has now lured me into checking Craigslist Chicagoland area for used Buicks or Dodge Interpids!!

[blackasta]

Originally Posted by rchandan

An interesting fact was that LeSabre came with an un-lockable fuel tank lid. There’s no remote latch release to prevent someone from opening it. I tried hard to find an aftermarket lid with the key but didn’t get one but never had any issues either.


After all, how often do you see a fellow Indian driving a Buick? I haven’t seen one in my days.

Even my Mazda 626 came with an unlockable fuel lid. Guess these are the cars meant for neighborhood with gentlemen, not hoodies!


I also have never seen any Indian drive an american car, save for a guy in our apartment complex driving a chrysler sebring convertible.

Originally Posted by akbaree

I am sure many would be aware that all GM cars are selling with a 60 day money back offer - Let the best car win!!!

An extract from the news item
Frustrated that many shoppers won't even consider its cars, General Motors says starting Monday, buyers of new GM models can bring them back within 60 days, no questions asked, and get back the price of the car.

60 day money back offer - No questions asked
i wonder what would happen if they launch this scheme in India - our 'aam junta' will reap the full juice out of this scheme by ripping the new cars and retun them to RIP. Lolz!!

[rchandan]

I sensed a tone in this thread referring to American cars are cheap which I think was not true. I understand that the resale value is less but these cars are certainly not cheap. When purchased, it costed me close to BMW 3 Series at that point of time and was 70 – 80% costlier than the Camry and Accord of that time.

Originally Posted by akbaree

Even this 2002 LeSabre came with one year complimentary OnStar service.

OnStar can run remote diagnostics on the car to let you know, to a good extent, what the issue with your vehicle is. Once the caution lamp came on and after failing to figure out what it was, I connected to OnStar call center who ran the diagnostics and told me that the fuel cap was not fixed correctly. As embarassing as I felt with the result, the inner geeky kid in me couldn't be happier.

Originally Posted by akbaree

Looking forward to that story on team-bhp...

I always have a habit of poking my nose into the workshop anytime I take my car for servicing. During these visits, I befriended one of the technicians there and it turned out that he worked part-time at a local bowling alley we used to frequent. We used to get free visits there from time to time and before I realized it, we were spending lot more time at bowling alley than at home. In fact, this habit helped me a lot with get priority servicing (discounted labor costs) at the Advaith Hyundais in Bangalore.

Originally Posted by blackasta

Even my Mazda 626 came with an unlockable fuel lid. Guess these are the cars meant for neighborhood with gentlemen, not hoodies!
I also have never seen any Indian drive an american car, save for a guy in our apartment complex driving a chrysler sebring convertible.

I rented a Sebring convertible once on my trip from Chicago – Hocking Hills (~450miles). While I enjoyed the drive with my friends, I just couldn’t shake off the feeling that I’s driving a girls car.

[svsantosh]

1) You must be missing something here.




2) Please educate us on the 3rd pedal. It looks like a Auto Tranny to me, but whats the 3rd pedal? Doesnt look like the dead pedal.

[vishalrao]

third pedal is parking brake

edit: you press it and it clicks into place to lock, then press again to unlock/release... like a ball point pen

[vivekiny2k]

about the front seat for kids, in most states it's allowed if rear seat is not available. the kids are really at a higher danger while in front seats.

@akbaree, I have to see your car this weekend man!

[sumeethaldankar]

Originally Posted by vishalrao

third pedal is parking brake

edit: you press it and it clicks into place to lock, then press again to unlock/release... like a ball point pen

What if somebody presses the pedal while in motion wou;dn't it cause the brakes at the rear to lock up and cause the car to skid.Is there a safety feature to prevent such mishaps ?

[vivekiny2k]

these are similar to your hand brakes. also work as emergency brakes if the regular brakes fail. As far as I know, they are not connected to the ABS, so yes, they will cause it to skid.

how do you think people skid their rear end, showing off their skills.

[unknown]

akbaree
Congrats mate, Nice car !

[prasadee]

Originally Posted by sumeethaldankar

What if somebody presses the pedal while in motion wou;dn't it cause the brakes at the rear to lock up and cause the car to skid.Is there a safety feature to prevent such mishaps ?

Why would anybody press anything with their left leg? Also, the parking brake is not in the same level/line as the other two pedals. One would have to bring their left leg back, then raise it, and press for it to engage. Bench seats, steering mounted auto trans lever are popular among these full fledged ships built by GM.
-Prasadee

[blackasta]

Originally Posted by prasadee

Why would anybody press anything with their left leg? Also, the parking brake is not in the same level/line as the other two pedals. One would have to bring their left leg back, then raise it, and press for it to engage. Bench seats, steering mounted auto trans lever are popular among these full fledged ships built by GM.
-Prasadee

Experienced the same type of steering mounted shift stick and floor pedal parking brakes on a chevy uplander.