Re: Packard versus the Rest

Posted by Mr.Pushbutton  On 2010/12/6 15:08:55

It depends on what vintage/model/series you are comparing. In the earlier years Packard was thought of as "the American Rolls-Royce" which is in part true, a dedicated, stand-alone manufacturer of high-end luxury cars. I might add that I feel that Packard's engineering was more to my liking and that they didn't to some cumbersome things that R-R liked to do in the name of silence. Through the pre-war and immediate post war era I would like to think that Packard designed and built a quality, solid, reliable car that gave good service to its owner. Some, like Peter from AZ (who goes by many names) has his very definite opinions on when Packard abdicated this place of quality and prominence.
Reliability with a Packard really wasn't much of an issue (they were quite reliable, especially when compared to some big 3 offerings) until the gear start Ultramatic/V-8 engine models, and even then, their competition was fighting a lot of the same issues, on a larger scale.
Styling is SO subjective that I don't quite know how to address that in a few words. In the 1930s and 40s Packard did quite well with styling in the eyes of buyers. They bought a lot of 22nd & 23rd series cars, with styling that was very much an acquired taste simply because they were buying anything with 4 wheels and a motor that they could get delivery on. The 24th series cars made their debut just about the time the demand was met, and again were a subjective call in terms of styling.
One thing that happened to many manufacturers in this era is that reliability alone did not sell cars. Flash (power+chrome) and features became more desirable. Rock steady brands like Dodge did battle with this, one year they were touting reliability and the nest it was all about power.
The question of build quality and value is a big bottom line in this discussion, many American firms that made a superior product has gone under, and many mediocre manufacturers have lived on.