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I am tired of them bringing "world" market features to US cars.
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What? You mean you don't have fog in the USA? I beg to differ!
- I would love to change the world, but they won’t give me the source code.
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What like Proper Suspension? 240 HP from a 1.6 Litre? 6 Speed Manual Gearbox on the floor? Better Fuel Efficiency? Better Ride Comfort? Better Build Quality?
Seriously, I drove a Pontiac Grand Prix last time I was over there and it was like driving a whale with no sense of direction.
Big fat engine that produced no acceleration, went round corners reluctantly and bounced around like a kangaroo on a pogo stick, even on the few good roads in LA.
Gimme a Jag, a Beamer, an Audi or a Merc over anything made in the USA.
---------------------------------
Obscurum per obscurius.
Ad astra per alas porci.
Quidquid latine dictum sit, altum videtur .
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What are you talking about Dave everybody knows they don't have corners in the US.
When I was last in the US I hired a Mustang for the week that was good fun and even though I had to stop at every "Gas" station to fill it up it still cost lest than the weekly UK commute!
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We have corners in Alberta.
They surveyed a round Earth in square miles, so on north-south roads we have two corners at each 'correction line', except for the roads near the Meridian lines.
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Pontiacs of all varieties were discontinued.
BMW, Mini (BMW), Jaguar and Audi all rank below the industry average for reliability and they all rank below Ford, Chevy, Lincoln, Buick, and Ram. Based on your selections I'd guess the gal at the service desk at your local Audi dealer is really cute - you should be able to get her phone number by the 4th or 5th visit.
See Auto Reliability[^]
BTW, the very bottom of the list has Land Rover - which when it comes to reliability is approaching twice the number of problems per 100 vehicles as Chevrolet. At least we know why domestic makes really aren't an option for Brits.
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Maybe, although the survey you use was sponsored by the US automotive companies you mention... although I am sure there couldn't possibly be any bias. Surveys of this kind are always skewed by expectations. People expect the german cars to be perfect and so run complaining if there is any problem. On the other hand they expect Chevys to break down and have bits fall off so just don't say anything when this happens - it's just normal for US cars. This is why surveys of this kind can be skewed so badly. As for Landrover, they are very reliable except that the owners in the US push them to the limits all the time and expect them to be some kind of super rugged vehicle, which they are, but there are limits! Curiously, outside of the US, all of these cars are more reliable and the US vehicles are less... I wonder if we are only exporting the poor quality (Friday afternoon) ones that aren't good enough for the European market to the US?
For example, BMWs are supposed to be the uber-cars that never break down. I bought an old used one when I lived in Germany, drove it for six years both for extended high speed trips on the autobahns and also around town for the daily commute. In six years the only fault was when a Mercedes ran into the back of me and broke a tail light. It started every time both in sub-zero winters and hot summers. I drove up and down Austrian mountains and never had any problems or worries. Prior to that I owned an Audi in England; no problems the entire time. I and my wife also owned a total of three Fords in England, all three of which broke down more than once.
In the US, the most unreliable car I ever owned was a Pontiac. All others were Mitsubishis or Subarus, and worked great!
- I would love to change the world, but they won’t give me the source code.
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Just bought a Ford SUV: was a lot of car for the money with some great features and drives very nicely, thank you.
I've had a Jag and a BMW and driven the others (Mercedes and Audi reluctantly as I think they are overpriced piles of crap). Yes, they are great to drive (especially the Jag) but the roads here are very different from the UK and require a different car to survive.
BTW: the biggest negative on the Ford is a gas tank that only takes about 15 gallons on a vehicle that just about gets 22mpg on a good day. 
"If you think it's expensive to hire a professional to do the job, wait until you hire an amateur." Red Adair.
Those who seek perfection will only find imperfection
nils illegitimus carborundum
me, me, me
me, in pictures
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I am presuming you rented. I really don't understand why the rentals are so crap over here. However, cost is a factor in the States. We don't have unlimited money like the Europeans, at least as citizens, so we have to purchase a car that can do 200k miles and cost a relatively modest sum.
That said, I currently drive a 2014 BMW 550i and it is the nicest riding car I have ever had. Unfortunately, it is also the most expensive. The American options are definitely more value oriented. If the Fusion was RWD, had slightly better seats, and didn't have a touchscreen I would have probably gotten it instead.
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Who in hell thought rear fog lamps a smart idea?
Will Rogers never met me.
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I once accidentally left my high-brights on after the fog had cleared whilst driving on the autobahn in Germany.
The police stopped me and very politely asked me to turn them off.
That has stuck with me all these years and I now am very careful to make sure they are off except when necessary - I wish everyone else would as well; where are the German police when you really need them?
[edit]: For clarity "high-brights" are extra bright rear fog lamps, not high-beam headlights.
- I would love to change the world, but they won’t give me the source code.
modified 22-Apr-14 11:45am.
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Quote: I once accidentally left my high-brights on after the fog had cleared
You had high beams on in the fog? They claim that lowers your visibility because of reflections.
There are only 10 types of people in the world, those who understand binary and those who don't.
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"They" can claim whatever they want.
Is it actually true?
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When I have tried it, yes. Try it next time you are in thick fog.
There are only 10 types of people in the world, those who understand binary and those who don't.
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That's awfully rare here, but I'll try it at the next opportunity.
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Dry ice then perhaps?
There are only 10 types of people in the world, those who understand binary and those who don't.
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Depends how thick the fog is (or how heavy the snow fall is). In thin fog/light snow your high beams can still punch farther forward before being dissipated by reflections; in worse weather conditions you're just increasing glare.
Did you ever see history portrayed as an old man with a wise brow and pulseless heart, waging all things in the balance of reason?
Is not rather the genius of history like an eternal, imploring maiden, full of fire, with a burning heart and flaming soul, humanly warm and humanly beautiful?
--Zachris Topelius
Training a telescope on one’s own belly button will only reveal lint. You like that? You go right on staring at it. I prefer looking at galaxies.
-- Sarah Hoyt
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Not "high-beams", "high-brights", in others words, extra bright rear fog lamps.
- I would love to change the world, but they won’t give me the source code.
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Ah, I see. High-brights is not a phrase I was familiar with.
There are only 10 types of people in the world, those who understand binary and those who don't.
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Two words.
Hyundai Excel.
These cars seem to be fitted with a single rear fog lamp which (I assume) gives no indication to the driver that it is on. I also imagine the switch is difficult to see.
If I ever see a single bright red beacon in the distance on a clear day, I will have a bet with my passengers it is an Excel.
I'm doing well, financially.
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The older model Excels had the switch essentially unlabelled and down under the steering wheel on the right... On by default, and clearly not explained to people by the sales rep on delivery!!
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In the U.S. we're currently suffering through "Common Core" teaching methods (I'll leave it to you to google "Common Core".
Most of you remember the way we were taught to do subtraction:
32
-12
___
20
This is the way Common Core teaches the same problem:
12 + 3 = 15
15 + 5 = 20
20 + 10 = 30
30 + 2 = 32
____
20
I understand how they got there, but I DON'T understand how that's a better way to do it. 
Maybe it's because a minus sign promotes negative thoughts about math...
".45 ACP - because shooting twice is just silly" - JSOP, 2010
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You can never have too much ammo - unless you're swimming, or on fire. - JSOP, 2010
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When you pry the gun from my cold dead hands, be careful - the barrel will be very hot. - JSOP, 2013
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It is almost as though they are deliberately enstupidising children.
---------------------------------
Obscurum per obscurius.
Ad astra per alas porci.
Quidquid latine dictum sit, altum videtur .
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Quote: It is almost as though they are deliberately enstupidising children.
Good thing you are already educated.
There are only 10 types of people in the world, those who understand binary and those who don't.
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That's pronounced edumacated.
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