Crappy Cars

In the last few weeks, or even months, we have seen the struggle of the US car industry. Now I want to get this out from the start, I'm not saying that American's make crap cars, in fact I think they make the best cars (except for the Australian built beauties). But if their product was superior, or perfect, maybe they wouldn't be going through such tough times.

At a time where most consumers are more concerned about fuel economy when buying a car then safety ratings, the car companies can almost be forgiven for getting rid of the steal and substituting in some plastic.

What drew my attention to this was just a few days ago when I was travelling in my parents car. Now I don't think any benefit can come from naming the car's brand, as I think most car companies today would be doing the same. But it was an American import.

We were driving along, heading to the airport to drop my cousin off for her flight, when we heard an unusual sound coming from one of the wheels. We pulled over and found that a screw had became lodged in the tire.

With no time to change it, we thought we could make a run for the airport as it didn't seam to be leaking. Thankfully we made it. And Dad decided to change it at the airport car park, something my Mother wasn't keen about. “What if we get stuck here? $7 an hour is very expensive.”

Like most of the population in the Western world who grew accustom to driving a 4x4 during the cheap oil prices of yesteryear, they have down graded to a sedan. And this was their first non-4x4 probably since the sandman days. And their first tire change in the new car.

It caught us all by surprise when we saw the size of the tire. It looked like a bicycle tire. And looked quiet humours on a luxurious car with mags, to see a black skinny crappy tire. In big yellow writing on the black rim, it clearly reads 'Emergency only, don't exceed 80km/h'. And for my Dad driving home, that meant not going over 20km/h in 80km/h zones, and driving erratically all over the road to miss all pot holes and man hole covers.

But I guess this was the sacrifice that the car manufacture saw fit to allow more boot space, and only have to shell out for half a wheel and tire. As well as extra boot space. My Dad likes to comment to me, and quote the sales man. “Did you know you can fit 6 golf club bags in the boot?” To which I have never seen or heard of him playing golf, and the car can only hold 5 people.

It does raise questions though, 'What else are they sacrificing?' And straight away safety comes to mind. If they are skimping on the spare wheel, what have they done to my 5 air bags I can't see? My breaks? What about the rest of the stuff that I don't know about, but I assume should do a job? A mechanic I was once talking to, told me a fact that still sits in my mind. The axle of a car. You know the bar that holds the 2 wheels together and holds the wheels onto the car? Well the axle is as thick as a pen. The big casing around it is for other parts such as bearings. I can guarantee you that wasn't that case 40 years ago when cars were half the price.

Barney ;)