Dirty Dozen: Biggest Auto Busts in the Last Decade

[Julio]

I'm a bit suprised that the Ion is on this list...not a bad entry level car and definitely an improvement on the predecessor cars. I'd say more of a problem than the car was GM completely abandoning the brand at that point than the car itself.

[Table 5]

Originally Posted by Sliver

You know I'm not really surprised they've been a bust in terms of sales because they are overpriced. I looked at one once and almost fell out of my chair when the guy gave me the price with a few options. This was a couple of years ago but it was close to $30K which is ######ed. I bought a Sienna for about the same price and it's 10x the vehicle.

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.

[Table 5]

Originally Posted by Julio

I'm a bit suprised that the Ion is on this list...not a bad entry level car and definitely an improvement on the predecessor cars. I'd say more of a problem than the car was GM completely abandoning the brand at that point than the car itself.

The ION just feels like a car completely drained of any personality whatsoever. Atleast the old Saturns, like them or not, had a quirky 90's gay cosmohippie thing going for them. This model was more bland than Ned Flanders enjoying bread with some water on the side for dippin'.

[Sliver]

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.

I completely agree.

Hey Honda...what do we want?

LOWER PRICES

When do we want them?

NOW!

[Sliver]

Originally Posted by Table 5

The ION just feels like a car completely drained of any personality whatsoever. Atleast the old Saturns, like them or not, had a quirky 90's gay cosmohippie thing going for them. This model was more bland than Ned Flanders enjoying bread with some water on the side for dippin'.

lol. Yeah and speaking of Ned what ever happened to Geos?

Did Saturns have those dent resistant polymer body panels right up until the end or was that just a 90s thing? 'Cause that was a cool idea that didn't catch on at all.

[burn_this_city]

Those panels are still on vehicles. See the Corvette and other GM products. They're pretty crappy though, they shatter in the cold and if you do get a sizable impact the paint spiderwebs. I had a 96 Firebird that had plastic panels everywhere except the quarter panels.

[Bill Bumface]

Originally Posted by burn_this_city

Those panels are still on vehicles. See the Corvette and other GM products. They're pretty crappy though, they shatter in the cold and if you do get a sizable impact the paint spiderwebs. I had a 96 Firebird that had plastic panels everywhere except the quarter panels.

Not true at all. Even saturn dropped them by the end.

The Corvette does not have those... sounds like someone takes Top Gear a little too seriously when Clarkson pushes in on the back end. That is one panel that has very odd contours so it's made of plastic, just as all bumper covers are.

[burn_this_city]

Originally Posted by hulkrogan

Not true at all. Even saturn dropped them by the end.

The Corvette does not have those... sounds like someone takes Top Gear a little too seriously when Clarkson pushes in on the back end. That is one panel that has very odd contours so it's made of plastic, just as all bumper covers are.

Actually I didnt see that Top Gear. It's the same material, black plastic which the hoods, fenders, and doors are made of. Its dent resistant because its plastic, it was never anything special.

[burn_this_city]

By the way the material is called ABS. Bumper covers are usually made of urethane.

[Barnes]

No PrettyTerrible Cruiser?

[Bill Bumface]

Originally Posted by burn_this_city

By the way the material is called ABS. Bumper covers are usually made of urethane.

I thought lots of older ones were ABS? Or was it just that when Urethane is cold enough it will still shatter?

And corvette hoods are plastic?? I thought they always had to go aluminum because plastic wasn't strong enough for a hood without a metal frame to support it anyway.

[burn_this_city]

Originally Posted by hulkrogan

I thought lots of older ones were ABS? Or was it just that when Urethane is cold enough it will still shatter?

And corvette hoods are plastic?? I thought they always had to go aluminum because plastic wasn't strong enough for a hood without a metal frame to support it anyway.

I'm not 100% sure with the ZR1 but most Corvettes, Camaros and Firebirds have ABS hoods, and body panels. I'm pretty sure the hoods have steel or plastic frames. Even my Sierra has ABS hood and fenders. Urethane definately shatters when cold, and ABS depending how thick is the same. Aluminum is coming into use more, but its expensive to fix when you need a clean room to work on it.

[thesmugger]

I'm surprised the Tundra is on that list. Everyone I've known that owns one loves it. Pretty nice looking truck with good performance too..

Not shocking POS' like like Crossfire, Aztek, Ion are on there though. I wouldn't wish one of those upon my worst enemy.

[Table 5]

Originally Posted by thesmugger

Not shocking POS' like like Crossfire, Aztek, Ion are on there though. I wouldn't wish one of those upon my worst enemy.

It drives like crap and has that overt plasticky look that all Chrysler products have these days, but I always thought the Crossfire was somewhat of a promising design direction.

In general, it wasn't that long ago that Chrysler seemed like it was putting out some cars that were looking pretty good, or at least had some personality. Back in the day, the original Neon, Stratus, Intrepid were all hailed for their fresh styling (although I don't know what it is about Chrysler, but the design/styling of their cars seem to age REALLY fast). It sure has gone south very quickly though. Minus a few exceptions, their cars these days are painfully bland and cheap looking (and from what it sounds like, cheap being)....everything feels like a vanilla ToysRUs version of a real car. I can't wait till Fiat gets in there to muck things up and brings some style back.

Btw, how the hell is the PT Cruiser still around???

[VladtheImpaler]

Was the Hummer line considered so beyond bad that this list was too good for it?

[Table 5]

Originally Posted by VladtheImpaler

Was the Hummer line considered so beyond bad that this list was too good for it?

I doubt the Hummer was a bust from a sales point. Despite what they are, there are a ton of them on the road.

[VladtheImpaler]

Originally Posted by Table 5

I doubt the Hummer was a bust from a sales point. Despite what they are, there are a ton of them on the road.

Either that or the author was scared because this guy owns one...

[MJM]

Originally Posted by burn_this_city

Those panels are still on vehicles. See the Corvette and other GM products. They're pretty crappy though, they shatter in the cold and if you do get a sizable impact the paint spiderwebs. I had a 96 Firebird that had plastic panels everywhere except the quarter panels.

Saturns have not had the dent resistant panels for a long time. In fact, my cousin used to sell Saturn's and he told me that once the new Saturns stopped having the panels, their sales dropped dramatically, and people would often come in looking for the prior year's model.

[Table 5]

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

[habernac]

Originally Posted by Table 5

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

My Nissan has them. I've been shatter-free for 4 years.