Dirty Dozen: Biggest Auto Busts in the Last Decade

[gargamel]

Originally Posted by COGENT

I was also surprised by the Insight. Again, I don't own a hybrid but I thought there was a good market for this type of vehicle.

I have the old 2-seat manual version of the Insight and love it, but I wasn't surprised to see it on the list. It's great for highway driving and I think it's fun to be about to floor it without speeding, but there isn't a big market for a tiny car that can barely make it over mountains.

[Hevishot]

Originally Posted by Table 5

Why did they drop the dent-resistant panels? Was it the shattering in the cold thing?

The panels usually shatter when its extremely cold and you are involved in an accident or when some donkey decides to take a baseball bat or hockey stick to the side of someones car.

[COGENT]

Originally Posted by Table 5

I agree that it's way too much money. It should be a car that hovers around the 20k price point....in the end, people who can afford to pay 30k will most likely just get an SUV anyway. This thing should be "a Civic with a bunch of doodads added on" type of solution.

This is exactly why I didn't end up buying one... that and the design on the interior is the most awful thing I have ever seen (looks like barb wire) and once you get over 100 km/h, the road noise is a bit much.

Originally Posted by gargamel

I have the old 2-seat manual version of the Insight and love it, but I wasn't surprised to see it on the list. It's great for highway driving and I think it's fun to be about to floor it without speeding, but there isn't a big market for a tiny car that can barely make it over mountains.

Interesting. I have never actually known anyone that owns one so all I hear about is the fuel economy... never how it actually drives.

[COGENT]

Originally Posted by Barnes

No PrettyTerrible Cruiser?

Rented one in Vegas (not by choice). Simply the worst driving experience I have ever had.

[FurnaceFace]

I'm waiting for Aeneas to defend the Aztec....

[Aeneas]

Originally Posted by FurnaceFace

I'm waiting for Aeneas to defend the Aztec....

Ha ha. I love the Aztek. Great vehicle for me. I camp in the tent thing, use the built in air compressor. I like the way it looks. Tons of room inside for me. Functional for two kids and dog. In short, perfect vehicle. Maybe not for others.

"POS" ? Not in my mind. I like something that is different. Had very few troubles with it, and it's coming up to 9 years old.

I hope to have the last Aztek on the planet.

[Table 5]

Great old Car and Driver review from 2001:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vy_Xs...layer_embedded

love the "rave party" introduction....

[Bill Bumface]

Originally Posted by Aeneas

Ha ha. I love the Aztek. Great vehicle for me. I camp in the tent thing, use the built in air compressor. I like the way it looks. Tons of room inside for me. Functional for two kids and dog. In short, perfect vehicle. Maybe not for others.

"POS" ? Not in my mind. I like something that is different. Had very few troubles with it, and it's coming up to 9 years old.

I hope to have the last Aztek on the planet.

Now it's obvious you are joking...

And seriously, are you the one person in the world that owns that GM 3.4L V6 that hasn't had a head gasket or lower intake manifold gasket leak?

[Nufy]

[COGENT]

Originally Posted by Table 5

Great old Car and Driver review from 2001:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vy_Xs...layer_embedded

love the "rave party" introduction....

The concept actually didn't look terrible.

[DrPepper]

the Ssang Yong Rodius is just as bad as the aztec and it looks so similar.

[Table 5]

Originally Posted by COGENT

The concept actually didn't look terrible.

Your right, it was just on this side of decent. It's a pretty fine line though. I remember the 1990s Hyundai Tiburon concept being pretty good too, and then when the real deal came out it looked like it had more ass lumps than a biggest loser contestant.

[Table 5]

Originally Posted by DrPepper

the Ssang Yong Rodius is just as bad as the aztec and it looks so similar.

Not sure what's worse, that ass, or the blatant Mercedes ripoff styling cues.

[COGENT]

Originally Posted by Table 5

Your right, it was just on this side of decent. It's a pretty fine line though. I remember the 1990s Hyundai Tiburon concept being pretty good too, and then when the real deal came out it looked like it had more ass lumps than a biggest loser contestant.

The early Tiburon's were hideous... The first time I saw one I think my face resembled the one I made when I saw 2 girls 1 cup.

[automaton 3]

Originally Posted by Sliver

?

I just compared it at this site: http://www.fueleconomy.gov/ to the F-150, Sierra and Ram (all 2009 4WD and base V-8s) and they all returned a 15 MPG combined city/hwy fuel economy, with the exception of the Sierra at 16 MPG.

Why do you single the Tundra out as being a guzzler? They're all terrible, but it isn't worse.

And the ugliest truck, hands down, is the Avalanche. It's the truck version of an Aztek:

I think its moreso the 5.7 in the Tundra that has been labeled as the gas guzzler at a combined 14 (13 City-17 Highway).

Not at all surprised to see this truck on the list. It is downright unpleasant to look at and has had some (uncharacteristic for Toyota) quality problems.

[T@T]

Toyota has no business building full sized trucks, Can the friggen designers even see over the dash?

j/k

[Sliver]

Originally Posted by automaton 3

I think its moreso the 5.7 in the Tundra that has been labeled as the gas guzzler at a combined 14 (13 City-17 Highway).

Not at all surprised to see this truck on the list. It is downright unpleasant to look at and has had some (uncharacteristic for Toyota) quality problems.

Well I think you'll have to back that up with some proof like I did. I'm sure as the engines in the domestics get bigger they don't get any better on fuel lol.

Do you really think a Tundra is worse looking than the Avalanche? If so, that boggles my mind.

[sclitheroe]

Originally Posted by Aeneas

Ha ha. I love the Aztek. Great vehicle for me. I camp in the tent thing, use the built in air compressor. I like the way it looks. Tons of room inside for me. Functional for two kids and dog. In short, perfect vehicle. Maybe not for others.

"POS" ? Not in my mind. I like something that is different. Had very few troubles with it, and it's coming up to 9 years old.

I hope to have the last Aztek on the planet.

I currently drive a PT Cruiser, and hope to have an Aztek as my next vehicle, both are models I really like.

I find it reassuring that so many people hate both models - it means my sense of style is internally consistent, and I can live with the fact that I like ugly vehicles.

[sclitheroe]

Originally Posted by COGENT

Rented one in Vegas (not by choice). Simply the worst driving experience I have ever had.

Hugely successful vehicle for Chrysler - one of the few successes they really had during the time it was manufactured.

It's a super versatile car - with the back seats removed, there is an absolute ton of cargo space. Only real issue is that its not that good on gas, and doesn't have much range, but otherwise I like it.

[Aeneas]

Originally Posted by hulkrogan

Now it's obvious you are joking...

And seriously, are you the one person in the world that owns that GM 3.4L V6 that hasn't had a head gasket or lower intake manifold gasket leak?

Nope, I think it looks fantastic.

I guess I must be the one person, I seriously have had no major problems.
I'll check with my mechanic, but definetly no head gasket. My memory isn't completely intact (too many blows to the head) so maybe I'll check into it.