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Date:   Sun, 7 Apr 2002 22:38:27 +1200
Reply-To:   Andrew Grebneff <andrew.grebneff@STONEBOW.OTAGO.AC.NZ>
Sender:   Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:   Andrew Grebneff <andrew.grebneff@STONEBOW.OTAGO.AC.NZ>
Subject:   Re: American Knowhow vs German engineering vs British electrics
In-Reply-To:   <bd.1ee45b37.29e15930@aol.com>
Content-Type:   text/plain; charset="us-ascii" ; format="flowed"

><< Ha! US-market (and Canadian, I thihk) cars have detuned suspensions. >Every single one. Policy based on a market where the majority of >buyers are lazy slobs who want soft rides over all else, so those who >want better suffer... without even knowing it! >> > >What is better? The American car evolved to satisfy the bulk of the market; >those who live in that great expanse called the Midwest between the >Appalachian Mountains and the Rockies. There, you just point the car, stuff >your foot to the floor and eat up the miles. For better or for worse, >America is defined by the Midwest, not by some Yuppies in Connecticut or San >Francisco.

So the entire country suffers.

>So, what is important when the roads are smooth, level and straight? >Certainly not body roll and skid pad performance, but comfort.

I wonder how many Americans and Canadians have DIED because they and the cynical US car manufacturers believe that?

> Formerly, the >American car was ideally suited to the job. They achieved their epitome with >the big boats from the 50's through the 70's, the REAL Land Cruisers. Any of >them could take you from Pittsburgh to Chicago at over 100 mph and your >biggest concern would be where to set the A/C.

Until a cow ran out on the road... these barges couldn't even go in a straight line! I've experienced Broncos and US Ford vans, which weave all over the place on a windless day on a straight road. I couldn't believe it when I drove the first one!

> Even one of the greatest cars

WHAT???

>of all time, the Dusenburg, appears to have been designed to fulfill all of >the desires of the lazy slobs who drove them. > >Before you judge what is better, you have to spend a day loafing along in a >Buick Deuce-and-a-Quarter with Booker T and the MG's.

A car which cannot get out of its own way is a deathtrap. Add tuna-can-sized brakes and a 2-ton-plus mass and it's a recipe for disaster. Keep seeing these "Hairiest Police Chase"-style TV programs, where US cars are seen wallowing and crashing nastily where a car from a nonUS market would have avoided the accident entirely.

Unsafe at any speed... anywhere. -- Andrew Grebneff 165 Evans St, Dunedin 9001, New Zealand <andrew.grebneff@stonebow.otago.ac.nz> Seashell, Macintosh, VW/Toyota van nut


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