My dad tried to convince mom not to buy the 1985 Nissan Maxima. That was the first year for the FWD Maxima, and the car was horribly unreliable.
Silly family car decisions
- Thread starter addyguy
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A follow-up one to keep this going:
Step-father through the 1970's drives a Buick Century (1974) and a Pontiac Parisienne (1976)...loves his 'big boat' cars.
1979/1980 hits, and gas prices spike, and he thinks the responsible thing to do is downasize...makes sense.
Now, if you drove large cars, a downsize back then would have been a Lemans, or one of the new Phoenix front-drivers, right?
Nope, he decides to go all the way, and buys a new 1981 Pontiac Acadian 4-door. From a 1976 Parisienne 4-door to an Acadian in one transaction.
Not suprisingly, he hates the car, and states from then on that "cars this small should be illegal...they are just not safe for anyone to drive".
Even to this day he doesn't know why he did it.
Step-father through the 1970's drives a Buick Century (1974) and a Pontiac Parisienne (1976)...loves his 'big boat' cars.
1979/1980 hits, and gas prices spike, and he thinks the responsible thing to do is downasize...makes sense.
Now, if you drove large cars, a downsize back then would have been a Lemans, or one of the new Phoenix front-drivers, right?
Nope, he decides to go all the way, and buys a new 1981 Pontiac Acadian 4-door. From a 1976 Parisienne 4-door to an Acadian in one transaction.
Not suprisingly, he hates the car, and states from then on that "cars this small should be illegal...they are just not safe for anyone to drive".
Even to this day he doesn't know why he did it.
Originally Posted By: Robenstein
My dad in 1971 sold one of his two Corvettes (a 1958) so he could buy a new Chevy Vega. Worst decision he ever made in hindsight.
This reminds me of selling my Challenger for my Chevy Cruze LOL. "More practical" they say.
My dad in 1971 sold one of his two Corvettes (a 1958) so he could buy a new Chevy Vega. Worst decision he ever made in hindsight.
This reminds me of selling my Challenger for my Chevy Cruze LOL. "More practical" they say.
In 1969 My Dad got my mom a 1964 Dodge Dart 4dr, white with red vinyl interior. The floorboards were rotted and with the rain in Vancouver the water would collect at the lowest point...the lowest points that were not perforated with holes.
As a kid, I remember my mom telling us to lift our feet as she accelerated and to lift them again with the brakes because the rusty water would rush back and forth - she didn't want our shoes to get stained. The exhaust fumes, the smell of mold, the soggy crunchy floor might have affected my health??
In 1975 I remember my Dad and I pulling it out of the mud in the back yard and driving it to the dealer to trade in on a 1971 Toyota Crown....another boring ride that eventually failed due to inability to get replacement parts for less than a ransom.
As a kid, I remember my mom telling us to lift our feet as she accelerated and to lift them again with the brakes because the rusty water would rush back and forth - she didn't want our shoes to get stained. The exhaust fumes, the smell of mold, the soggy crunchy floor might have affected my health??
In 1975 I remember my Dad and I pulling it out of the mud in the back yard and driving it to the dealer to trade in on a 1971 Toyota Crown....another boring ride that eventually failed due to inability to get replacement parts for less than a ransom.
Originally Posted By: exranger06
I don't understand how people can say all American manufacturers are junk, when they've had a bad experience with only one manufacturer. That's like saying, "I had a Honda that blew an engine at 30k miles. That means that Subarus are junk!"
Back in the 80s pretty much all of the American made vehicles were junk. Lucky for us they are building much better vehicles now...
I don't understand how people can say all American manufacturers are junk, when they've had a bad experience with only one manufacturer. That's like saying, "I had a Honda that blew an engine at 30k miles. That means that Subarus are junk!"
Back in the 80s pretty much all of the American made vehicles were junk. Lucky for us they are building much better vehicles now...
It seems to me that 1980's GM's were this way: the actual engines and tranny's were fine, but all the accessories attached to them had issues.
Lots of 1980's GM 4- and 6-cylinder engines will go 200k; but the rest of the car gives up around it.
Lots of 1980's GM 4- and 6-cylinder engines will go 200k; but the rest of the car gives up around it.
Lots of 1980's GM 4- and 6-cylinder engines will go 200k; but the rest of the car gives up around it.
A lot of them never made 100k.
A lot of them never made 100k.
No real bad family car decisions, just typical 80's/90's pre-SUV cops turning a blind eye to clearly broken laws.
4 kids, 2 parents. First family car was a '86 Caprice Classic, that was at least legal as it has the 3 person front bench. Living in the snow belt my mom didn't want to drive it anymore after a 360 degree off ramp spin. Next up was a '92 Chevy Corsica that was an absolute tank, but us 4 kids had to get real cozy in the back seat. Last they saw it it had over a quarter million miles on it. Finally once we were all about to leave the nest they got a '96 Plymouth Grand Voyager that was right sized for a family of six so us kids could finally be comfortable. I loved and hated that van, I was relegated to the back row with my stepbrother being the youngest. Unfortunately my parents couldn't afford much beyond the base SE so no rear heat, It would get freakin cold in the back during the winter and long trips would be us begging for more heat in the back.
4 kids, 2 parents. First family car was a '86 Caprice Classic, that was at least legal as it has the 3 person front bench. Living in the snow belt my mom didn't want to drive it anymore after a 360 degree off ramp spin. Next up was a '92 Chevy Corsica that was an absolute tank, but us 4 kids had to get real cozy in the back seat. Last they saw it it had over a quarter million miles on it. Finally once we were all about to leave the nest they got a '96 Plymouth Grand Voyager that was right sized for a family of six so us kids could finally be comfortable. I loved and hated that van, I was relegated to the back row with my stepbrother being the youngest. Unfortunately my parents couldn't afford much beyond the base SE so no rear heat, It would get freakin cold in the back during the winter and long trips would be us begging for more heat in the back.
Growing up in the 1970s, the youngest of 4 kids (family of 6), Dad always seemed to buy used Impalas or Caprices. I remember going on family vacations with Gramma, where I had to lay on the back deck or sit on the rear floor. We'd be pulling a hoopty of a boat too and would almost always loose the exhaust system from all the strain on the drivetrain. Dad was not much of a car guy, but he did appreciate nice, new ones in his later years.
ls1mike
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My dad had a couple of Tempos, a couple of Horizons.
They were horrible. The fit the family but didn't work well.
They were horrible. The fit the family but didn't work well.
My folks bout a 77 Accord, other family members likewise.
My Unlce talked my father into it, it was car of the year [censored].
What a steaming pile of junk, sad part is we had a nice low mileage Dart with a slant six he traded in.
within 2 yrs the fenders rusted through, camshaft lobes wore and cam had to be replaced, head gasket blew, rotors warped and to replace you had to bust the front wheel bearings, and a bunch of other stuff. The market should of booted Honda out permanently and told them not to come back!
sad part is he ordered it, got scrrewed sticker and waited 8 months for it and took what ever color came in!
I always reminded my Unlce never to recommend a car to us again!
My Unlce talked my father into it, it was car of the year [censored].
What a steaming pile of junk, sad part is we had a nice low mileage Dart with a slant six he traded in.
within 2 yrs the fenders rusted through, camshaft lobes wore and cam had to be replaced, head gasket blew, rotors warped and to replace you had to bust the front wheel bearings, and a bunch of other stuff. The market should of booted Honda out permanently and told them not to come back!
sad part is he ordered it, got scrrewed sticker and waited 8 months for it and took what ever color came in!
I always reminded my Unlce never to recommend a car to us again!
Silly car decision. Special ordered 1966 Dodge Dart with 273V8 upgrade, disc brakes, four-speed transmission, handling package and more. SPOS. Looked like it had been assembled by Hamtramck monkeys. Backup switch was cross-threaded into transmission and leaked. Ball joints had to be replaced, back-up lights didn't work because wiring wasn't in the bundle and on and on and on. Fifty years gone by and still chaps my a**. Haven't had a Chrysler product since and not planning to ever have one again. Look at what CR says about Chrysler/Fiat products in the April issue. Bah Humbug
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