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I'll post my favorite and will throw up my shields for the stones coming my way.
I was on call 24 X 7 and had to have a dependable vehicle even in the dead of winter. I settled on Honda because of the discussions with several co-workers. No Honda has ever failed me and I put some grueling miles on those cars. The worst cars I ever owned were Chrysler products.

I do put many miles on my Packard and it has given great service. The last two months of summer I put on over 2,000 miles, but did have a problem with two T-L bolts.

I put 300,000 miles on my '97 Honda Civic in 10 years (30,000 per year average). It was a very dependable car expect for a blown head gasket at about 225,000 miles that was caused by a piece of wood going through the radiator and the motor over heating.

Honda makes a dependable car. You have to give it to them.

Never had a Honda but did get good use from an 89 Mazda PU. 100K with no problems at all. Honda, to have the top ratings they do, must be doing something right. Like I said, luck of the draw on Chrysler products -- or any other I guess. I never had a good GM product but others swear by them and wouldn't have anything else.

After many years of used vehicles; two MGAs and a TR3,47 and 52 Chev trucks, Willys Wagonner, two IH Scout IIs and a K5 Blazer I finally bought my first new vehicle in 1993. A wonderful Chevy S10 2WD Tahoe short box with the 2.8 V6 with 5spd. I put 366,330 miles on the truck in 15 1/2 years with one clutch and two fuel pumps. Didn't use a pint of oil between 3,000 mile oil changes. I used Kendall Super D3 15-40 exclusively. Truck finally started to rust around 200,000 miles. Only thing I can figure was that I wasn't paying attention one night when I pulled into a gin mill parking lot and parked next to a F150. The rust jumped onto the S10.

Special ordered my 09 GMC Canyon WT with 2.9 and 5spd in March 2008. Brought it home from the dealer just after the air show and the S10 refused to ever start again. Finally I called the local junk yard to come and get it. Pulled my new tires and battery, they gave me $175 cash for it. Was really sorry to see it go. Like the Canyon a great deal, just wish GM would have had a Muncie to put in it instead of this crummy shifting, beat the synchro Japanese manual. Never have had any use for Japanese cars, have gone out with several women who have owned Toyotas. Rented a Mazda once which had a lot more cabin road noise than the S10 at 250k. Recently had a two hour ride in a friends new BMW, was struck the plastic was more obvious than the Canyon and again much more cabin road noise.

If anybody wants to tour a Kahn designed car plant that is still in almost full use come to Buffalo. The Pierce Arrow plant is still being used by many small businesses.

i think All brands of cars are luck of the draw! Chrysler products are the only american car i have ever had any luck with besides packards. my 89 lebaron coupe has at best guess over 350k on it now. but the odo quit so i don'y know the exact figure. i am just now starting to have to replace worn out parts. but it never fails to start, and on the highway every weekend back and forth to my parents which is about a 200 mile weekend it averages 52 mpg. so i'm sold on it. however i will say that there are very few chrysler products built after 94 that i care for.

Never owned a japanese car. A few used J motysickles here and there but no cars nor trucks nor any other kind of J vehicle. Had a few VW's along the way but that's about the only foreign made i've ever owned. Currently 4 licensed and street legal (as many as 6 at one time) US made cars and 2 US made motysicles.

To GM and the UAW for which i am completely disgusted and to all of u younger set that know no better and to all of the older set too damned senile to remeber i'll give u all a little reminder:

Dec 7th, 1941, a day that will live in infamy.

My next car will be an Altima most likely. Let the UAW and GM get real good and hungry. Especialy the UAW candy asses.

Have 200k on my '98 Trooper and it still runs like new, I'll still drive it 6 hrs each way almost every w/e to my place in VT. I'd buy another but they don't import Isuzus any more, so now also have a near new Nissan Xterra and I expect it to be every bit as good. We had great luck with full size C-body Mopar wagons and sedans: two Fury III, Newport, two Gran Furys etc from the late 60s to early-mid '80s when my kids were growing up, and I'd buy one again if I only could, they were as reliable as the Japanese cars are today. Batteries, mufflers, tires, hoses, belts, that's about all they ever needed.

Hi

Nothing fades away slower than old multi-story auto manufacturing plants.

On the question of what happened to the Studebaker plants, some continued in use as the parts depot SASCO, Avanti production continued until 1987, the administration building was used by the South Bend City School offices (is in the best condition and currently vacant), the Chippewa plant was taken over by AM General.

But the remainder languished, deteriorated and have been demolished. The City of South Bend is currently razing the old engineering building to redevelop the site.

When the River Rouge complex opened, all other multi-story plants days were numbered. GM was fortunate to get Willow Run, not only because of the urgent need in the aftermath of the fire, but also it was one-story, efficient space.

Consider this: imagine if one of Nance's first decisions was to buy Willow Run in 1953 and move Packard body and complete assembly there......your thoughts?

Steve

My family always had good luck with Ford products. Although my first rig in High School was a '75 Datsun Pickup King Cab. Good little truck. Than I had a '92 Toyota Pickup with I think was the 22R engine which was great. I than got a 92 Thunderbird Super Coupe with the 3.8 v-6 Turbocharged and like clockwork, needed headgaskets at 100,000 mile intervals. I racked up 280,000 and sold it. Next I drove a 98 Mercury Sable and put 285,000 miles on it, replacing the water pump and radiator every 75,000 miles (3 sets!). Than I got an '02 Lincoln Town Car and love this car. Never had a problem with it and an approaching 215,000.

My family always had Ford or Mercury Wagons while growing up. Dad's cars were different variances of Grenadas, Fairmonts, Crown Vics, and Thunderbirds. Except for when he bought a Honda Prelude during his midlife crisis. But I don't count that as it was well after all the kids left the house. That car was like riding on the ground with no shocks. OUCH. I was so happy when he got over it and bought a Mercury Grand Marquis.

The only time my parents deviated from the Ford line was in 1984. They bought a brand new Plymouth Reliant Wagon. What a nightmare. It was always into the shop. The dealership allowed my parents to get out of it by trading it in for another Chrysler product. Mom went and got a'85 Country Squire, and dad traded the Reliant in for a used 1984 Dodge Rampage (Basically a Reliant El Camino). He used it for 2 years and got rid of it. It had this high pitched whistle that no shop could ever figure out.

Needless to say, our Chrysler experiences were not great.