Cars are machines built by extremely imperfect humans, not transcended spiritual beings. Cars will never be defect-free.

 

LOL. I love the responses. Be happy, it was covered under warranty etc. You can all hate on me for my comment here. I've owned Dodge, GM, Subaru, and Honda autos. If this is a complaint for Dodge or GM, you get the responses you see here. If it were Subaru or especially Honda, people would ask "what the heck is going on?" less than 25K mi and you have some sort of issue????? I have new heads at less than 20K mi. While I'm told it's good cause it covered under warranty I've got a Subie with 150K mi that has had the weather stripping make whistling noises fixed twice. No comparison. When my drive train warranty runs out, as much as I love this van for what it is, I'm going back to Honda or Subaru.

 

Yes, please know we realize you are free to export $40K USD for a Japanese van because you're upset about the defective Japanese bearing they replaced for free in your $25K Detroit product. I indeed hate those who thoughtlessly kill American jobs and industry without considering the big cons. Please don't complain to me when you and your children have no job because so many idiots are running up the trade deficit sending money overseas. For the record, I am not one of them. Some industry remains here despite you, due to those of us who care about the health of our country. Dodge may no longer be American company but profit margin is slim and they are made on this continent by American workers. I would rather pay them to build me cars with bad water pumps than cover their unemployment compensation.


I invite you to proudly PM me when your subie has 230K mi like my 2001 Caravan. It has the original water pump and heads, by the way My 2008 Gen 5 caravan does too lol. The door squeaks but hey, it was a lease vehicle and I only paid $8K for it. By then my 2001 will have 300K and my 2008 will have 200k.


According to Consumer Reports and J.D.Powers, you are grossly exaggerating the difference in quality between US and foreign products. It is a few percent difference now, not 2x. I've seen plenty $3K Asian auto trannys fail at 140K mi and head gaskets blow at 50k mi. From a failure rate standpoint, they are marginally better than Dodge but absolutely no better than Ford. Why would you buy Dodge vehicles if you care so much about quality? Dodge has been a bottom-feeder with VW and BMW for the last decade in consumer reports. Ford is roughly rated equal to Subaru, Toyota and Honda now. GM is better than midpack and Fusion Hybrid is rated #1, above Camry, Honda and Subaru midsize....sorry but USA does not suk.


A $75 water pump failure would not bother me, especially after saving about 20% over an equivalent vehicle imported from Asia. Is an hour of your time to drop off your car for repair twice a year worth $5K upcharge for new vehicle purchase or what? That's almost what Mitt Romney makes per hour.

 

Sorry. I didn't realize you'd all be so sensitive to me posting my 2 cents. I also didn't realize it makes me un-American. You want to trade vans? I have less than 40K mi and new heads and a new switch for my rear ventilation. My tranny clunks into gear hard and I am praying it doesn't break. Sounds like you'd be very happy with this product.

My money will go to whomever builds the best product. I guess that means my 1/2 Japanese butt should move out of your country huh? I'm not sure how my poorly working van relates to Mitt Romney? Unless you are looking to bring politics into this. BTW, $25K Detroit van to $40K Japanese van isn't 20% upcharge and/or $5K. You should check your math. I know. I'm 1/2 Japanese. I'm good a math.

 

Your 2 cents is literally worthless today thanks to so many other's like you. The race card won't work on me either because I'm half German. We're all a bunch of half-breeds in the USA so try another angle. Unlike you, I try to buy products made in my country (in case it's not clear I mean USA, not Germany lol). Where in the heck do you actually live and work anyway? Do you need a job or know anyone who does? I am still waiting for that response, please. It may be "telling". Do you perhaps work at the federal unemployment office?? If that is the case, I can see how rising unemployment and deficits benefit you. If you are not a US citizen (and/or possibly import Subaru's) it would explain your position.

Now I'll try to answer your other question. Your post "relates" to Mitt Romney in a couple glaring ways and it's not about politics. I am not a democrat. If the reasoning below is not clear plz let me know:

1) Mitt makes over $10K/hour. That is the effective value of his time. You think it's worth an extra $10K for a Honda minivan over a Dodge GC to avoid the 1 hr dealer drop-off visit for warranty work. A water pump trouble (now repaired) was incredibly objectionable to you and that tipped the scale. Fine. The way I see it, you would rather pay an extra $10K or so to avoid a 1 hr dealer visit every year or so. From a time vs money standpoint, I see close parallels.

2) Mitt wanted to shut down GM, Ford and Chrysler in the worst way when the stock market collapsed and their balance sheets went bad. Did he not recall Lee Iacocca's Chrysler success story? This, despite the fact that his dad filled his inheritance money bag using Detroit's industrial might. His mouth is largely shut now, after our automotive manufacturers rebounded and largely repaid their debt. He speaks nothing about what we'd have today with 100K+ auto workers and related industry employees on welfare, health and unemployment benefits paid by you and me. Instead we have 100K taxpayers on payroll reducing the deficit creep, producing products we buy. Mitt just doesn't care about anybody but himself (and perhaps top 2% of the citizens). You exhibit a VERY similar attitude about American workers and industry based upon your vocal objection to domestic products and desire to invest your money elsewhere. This, despite the fact that your water pump bearing failure is likely limited to "Asian or German content". You blamed Dodge for not testing it lol.

Hey, it's a free country though, you are free to behave like that...and I will gladly point it out!!!!!!

You are surely not alone......and please don't feel singled out. Many posters get negative feedback when visiting domestic automotive forums and make troll-like stereotypical comments against domestic products while offering endless praise to imports.

If Subaru & Honda is so much better you really should not be here. That I don't understand. I suggest cutting your losses to avoid wasting another hour or two at your dealership.


Last Q for you: When your neighbor sells Girl Scout cookies, do you buy any? I am thinking you would totally snub her to buy something elsewhere. That isn't the American way, imo. I would buy the cookies from her DESPITE KNOWING they aren't the tastiest. See any parallel??????????


I will trade vans with you, if you're interested but remember it isn't a Honda or Subaru. I would be delighted to own your van.

ausgespielt

 

You win. You are smart. I guess I didn't know the grand caravans built in Canada are part of the US. Canadians may beg to differ. But I'm sure their 2 cents don't matter either. How about the fact that some of the pentastars are built in Mexico? Also part of the US? The Accords built in Ohio.... Is Ohio no longer with us here or does Honda import foreign workers to build them in the Ohio plant?

You are so knowledgeable about the global economy. Please educate us ignorant people. Please also educate us on the Ford bail out. Per Ford, that didn't happen. But I guess you know better than them. They also were upset with the bailout as it could have given an unfair competitive advantage to GM and Chrysler. Guess that makes Ford exec Un-American in your view.

 

Boy oh boy this is a heated argument! Lol Well all cars foreign and domestic have their ups and downs! Quality control has got much better from 20-30years ago on all manufacturers. Just look at the Japanese vehicles from the 70s and 80s, they had good engines and trans' but rusted out in a few years and American vehicles the big full sized were good and lasted long but the small compact American vehicles in direct competion with the Japs were mostly junk. Today they are all pretty good and reliable with better quality control. The issues that are most common now a days on newer vehicle are usually electrical due to the fact that there are way more computers and sensors devices etc... But even that they are getting better with quality.

 

OK. You are smart to buy a Honda if you are trying to strengthen the Japanese economy and weaken ours. Please feel free to make countless silly arguments how your preference in buying imports from foreign mfrs with little domestic content helps our economy. You must know it will not convince me that you care a bit about the USA worker or economy.


My Grand Caravan was built in St Louis which is still a city in the USA. It may be primarily owned by China or Germany now, I don't know. I realize Windsor, Mexico and countless other countries produce parts and assemble Ford, GM and Chrysler product. However the fact remains that "content" is largely US for the Dodge Grand Caravan, even as it is assembled in Windsor and owned by Fiat. I don't care if the body parts are spot-welded together 2 miles from Detroit, across the bridge. Our economy and US automotive mfg has been closely tied to Canada since the 1960's, long before the first Honda 600 car was sent here for consumption. The US relationship with Canada is quite open, as opposed to protective. This allows us to better collaborate to produce a win-win. Cheaper labor in South and Central America is keeping domestic product profit margins at acceptable levels so they can remain viable in the global marketplace. Domestic content remains. It also helps people fed and US borders under some control.


In 2008, both Toyota and Ford were teetering on the need for governmental bailout. Neither knew whether they had sufficient funds to ride the storm until years later. As this was happening, Romney was talking trash about US mfg as a whole and suggesting we close shop. As if that would fix something; unemployed didn't need to eat. His broad-brush comments included Ford. At the time, they were bleeding money at an alarming rate as the recovery and final outcome was not known until years later.

Summary: American mfg primarily benefits the USA. Japanese mfg primarily benefits Japan. German mfg primarily benefits Germany. Stupid US citizens act in a manner which serves to import more than export, period. We need to decide whether to be smart or stupid. It's your call, I made my choice. I own four domestics. The assembly of some Hondas in Ohio has not fixed the US trade deficit and buying one will only make it worse. The content of those Hondas comes from Japan. They are using loopholes to define content in a favorable way. The US automotive industry is not about Swedish spot-welding machines in Ohio assembling imported Japanese components into a car.

 

Fabian4
I understand the problem was fixed under the powertrain warranty. I have seen that water pumps go bad on all the dodge products, This isn't new. The way I understand form the factory, its a vendor problem. I remember when the A604 came in the 1989 minivan's and has soon as they came off the carrier we had to repair the transmissions. I was also working for Ford and Dodge lines at that time and Ford had transmission problems and walking crankshafts on their new 4.6 engine. Toyota had recalls on their exhaust systems and crankshaft seal too. GM had head gaskets that would leak. All the manufacturers have their problem, even Honda. Fabian was just making and asking if anyone else have seen this problem, And yes I have and I'm sure the other dodge techs have too. I do not want see any more heated argument about defective parts. If you wish to have to continue to have this discussion take it to the off topic section.

 

Thank You! Enough said! Lol it's starting to get into a Japanese and American car arguement over politics. Haha...