Is it me or are American cars rubbish?

[royleblue]

On a recent trip to the States I was given a Lincoln Town Car as a rental car. When I went to collect it from the car park you couldn't miss it. Over 18 foot long and nearly as wide it had retro styling but not from a good time. Under the bonnet was a 4.6 V8 but somehow Ford only manage to get 240 bhp out of it. Drive was through a 3 speed auto with overdrive. The column mounted gear change looked like it was from a 30's truck and you need the arms of a 30's truck driver to change gear. Acceleration was poor because the car changed up too early. I'm not sure if the steering wheel was actually connected to anything and the ride was so bouncy you needed sea-sickness tablets. Yet the Americans love them. There was apparently an outcry when Ford shut the plant that made them and they had to switch production to Canada. They seem popular with the retired Florida residents. What worried me was once driving into our hotel I got a cheery wave from another Town Car drive coming out
One reason for their popularity could be the price. $47000 (about £30000) is about the same as an A6 but for a car as big as a Bently. Still I know which I'd prefer.
Antone else had any exprience with Americans cars? Any good ones out there?

[turbine2]

I think the problem with Americans is they're not used to corners, so they have absurdly soft suspension, and they equate engine size to speed / power / refinement. So what you end up with is an absurdly soft ride, connected to an absurdly large and unrefined engine, through an automatic gearbox that's overengineerd to take into account the weight of the car (and the American driving it :-) ) and the engine.
I've been racking my brains to think of an American car that's good and I think I'm stuck. The only things I can think of are ones that have been modified so much that about the only part that comes from the orginal car is the cup holder.

[keithwigley]

The last time I was there, I drove a Ford Focus with (I think) a 4.5 litre petrol engine. Drove it for a week or so and filled the tank prior to handing it back. It was hardly worth the filling station collecting the 8 or so dollars (£5) for the petrol I had used. Yep, just as you describe it; difficult to drive in a straight line, yet alone negotiate a curve with a three speed auto box that was in third before you got to 20 mph.
Our US cousins love them. A cultural difference I guess.

[Borab0y]

What worried me was once driving into our hotel I got a cheery wave from another Town Car drive coming out

Was it a freindly wave or a

'please get out of the way, I cant feel the steering and I'm coming through'

[eob]

Yep, they are rubbish.
My brother-in-law was into American Muscle pre-kids and had some awful things.
Don't get me wrong, very powerful and quick in a straight line. But the interiors were terrible. I've seen better quality plastics on the inside of a biscuit tin.
Saying that, still emense fun to be had, except at the UK pumps!

[onzarob]

I had one of these, a Dodge Avenger. it was a 2.7L V6 ecomony Engine!!!! it was very nice to drive, But at Canadian speeds of 100KM/h on the highway and allot slower round town it was pleasent. not sure it would be fun hammering down the motorway here at 70mph

[Sam]

Late 70s early 80s Trans Ams, Pontiacs etc.

They're far from rubbish and I want one, so badly

[paul b]

I drove a Dodge Grand Caravan (Chrysler Voyager in our market) whilst in Canada and it was pants.

[ImCammers]

I was in Canada during the summer, with a Dodge Grand Caravan, which had 10k km's on the clock, before accidently striking the bumper against a brick wall. (it was only a rental) and i swear with the aircon on, and city driving that thing must have been doing barely out of double digits in MPG. But hell, some how that was cheaper to fill up out there, then my VW Golf is in England?

[s4-matt]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c9wbe2HNrAg

The best hey can muster, not bad but its not a lambo......