About: Autolove

Overview:
This 2000 Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS is a bit of American space age design. Not too far out but definitely new especially in the rear end. Don’t get me wrong, General Motors hasn’t gone out on a limb with this but anything that’s a variation on the all too common theme of cars today is appreciated by me.

I was looking out the window of my hotel in Phoenix this past week end and couldn’t help noting that every car in the lot were so generic looking you couldn’t tell what make they were. They simply all looked the same. This Monte Carlo has a different look about it and I was aware of the increased number of looks or stares relative to most of the cars I’ve been testing lately.

This is a very capable car and the price must really tick off foreign competitors. I can just hear them in their board room meetings asking how those damn Americans can produce such good cars for so little Yen or DM’s.  Relying on  “Snob Appeal” just won’t work forever, will it? American buyers must eventually tire paying a premium for badges on the car that serve no other purpose than to broadcast the price they paid? Well, if you read my column very often you know that I have a bit of a bias toward American cars these days. I remain objective but I can’t ignore twelve years in the foreign car repair business I co-owned in La Canada, California. I experienced first hand the cost disparity in repairs of certain cars just because they were German or Italian, for example. I learned that BMW was terribly expensive to repair mostly because of the high cost of  replacement parts. Jaguar was great looking but they were in the shop too much. There was an old joke that when you went to buy a new Jaguar you first had to test drive the mechanics car because that would be the one you’d be driving most of the time.

Jags, Ferrari’s and other Italian cars tended to do utterly stupid things when it came to mechanical design. And all that stupid stuff complicated the repair process, which of course translated to higher repair cost. Fiat stood for Fix It Again Tony and other high maintenance cars were branded with similar tongue in cheek criticism.

On a positive note however there were foreign makes that were famous for low maintenance. Brother John convinced me to buy Toyota Cressida and I ended up with two of the ’80’s era models. Even though I liked both a lot, the best cars I’ve owned were still American, from Chevrolet and Ford. The styling was classic and remains so to this day. The 1955 Ford ½ ton pickup and the 1957 Chevrolet 2-door hardtop are as sought after today as they were back then. The Chevy even had an electronic ignition system my good friend Aldo built way back in 1962. I wonder why he didn’t patent it?

Well I don’t know if this Monte Carlo will become a classic too, but it has unique styling and I think it will appeal to a lot of people. It got a lot of looks and it also has all the comforts of its competition and more. And finally, you need to look at the competition to appreciate that you get a lot for the dough with this Chevrolet. It is definitely worth including in your search if you’re looking in this price range.

The competition:

1999 Acura CL $23,100 – $26,150, 2000 Dodge Avenger $18,940 – $21,185, 2000 Honda Accord $15,350 – $24,550, 2000 Pontiac Grand Prix $19,815 – $24,310, 2000 Toyota Camry Solara $18,938 – $25,838.

Good News:

American quality with lots of features, great pricing, fast and fun to drive, and lots of room inside and large trunk.

Bad News:

This Coupe is a pain to get in and out of the back seat, seat belts don’t store very well so they get in the way entering and exiting, long heavy doors are difficult in parking areas,

Standard Equipment:

3.8 liter V6 200 horsepower engine, 4-speed automatic trans with overdrive, front wheel drive, power steering, tuned 4-wheel independent suspension, 4-wheel antilock brakes, dual air bags, theft deterrent system, power steering, door locks, windows, trunk, dual power mirrors, remote keyless entry, tinted glass, air conditioning, AM/FM Stereo with cassette, bucket seats, cruise control, tilt leather wrapped steering wheel, SS package that includes computer information center, heated power mirrors and 6-way power driver seat.

Gas Stats:

20 City and 29 Highway MPG.

Pricing:

MSRP $22,471

Overview:
This 1999 Chevrolet Lumina LTZ is a pretty basic sedan, but it comes with a price to match at about $20,000. The model was introduced in 1990 to be Chevrolet’s high-value, six-passenger midsize sedan. They were aiming at the family market where nearly 75% of buyers are married and said price was the primary reason for their choice. The Lumina is available in a base, LS and this LTZ model.

Recently I tested a Mercedes S500 with electronic controls that I hated. This Lumina is the antithesis of that over complicated system. It has easy-to-use controls that provide everything you really need at literally one fourth the cost of the S500. It also hangs tough against its competition noted below. I’ve tested all and a lot of the reason to buy one over the other will depend on personal preference. Daughter Jenny think foreign built is better, but that ain’t necessarily so. In fact they just bought a Dodge Ram. It’s all the rage you know. Of all those noted here I tend to lean to the Toyota Camry, but I’m becoming more impressed with the fit and finish of American cars including this Lumina. US automakers have come a long way over the past 35 to get back at the Japanese auto industry who dealt such a blow our US autoworkers back in the 1960‘s. Detroit was set up by the fat cat union bosses when they pushed salaries so high US carmakers were unable to compete effectively with their hungry Japanese counterparts.

Historically, Unions did a lot of good after the turn of the 20th century, but outlived their usefulness by post WW II days. That appendage is yet to be cut out because too many people have come to depend on unions for their living. Such necessary organizations like laws of the land should both have “Sunset” clauses in them. Thus they go away after they’ve done their jobs. Gets complicated, eh?

In any case a new generation of American car buyers couldn’t be influenced to buy American. They were too many, and they didn’t have loyalty to the war veteran union workers who were making our cars. They bought foreign products in record numbers and had no clue it would ultimately hurt them by contributing to a failing economy decades later. The recent move back to American made cars wasn’t so much a conscious effort to shore up the economy as it was a renewed confidence in the Big Three who have earned their way back into favor. I also believe the revival was in part due to yet another generation of buyers who would reverse their parent’s exodus to foreign made – everything.

And yes, I’m guilty. I was in that exodus generation that abandoned the American carmakers. I had returned from the orient and Japan in particular where I found the enterprising, hard working Japanese people worthy of my support so they could rebuild their broken country. But then I wasn’t around to experience Pearl Harbor and all that followed during the war years. Even if I had been, seeing Hiroshima would still have altered my sense of duty to my own country. I was ashamed and felt guilty for something I had no control over. Plus I was a poor struggling student in the 1960’s and Japanese cars cost a lot less. I sold out for a little bit of what I thought should be the American dream. It was a matter of individual economics.

Bottom line: American cars are now the best value in the world. Nice job Detroit – or is that Germany and Japan. Who owns Detroit, anyway?

The competition:

Buick Century $18,855 – $20,225, Dodge Intrepid $20,390 – $22,085, Ford Taurus $17,560 – $29,115, Honda Accord $15,350 – $24,550, Mitsubishi Galant $17,357 – $23,757, Oldsmobile Intrigue $21,640 – $25,020, Subaru Legacy $19,195 – $24,295, Toyota Camry $17,098 – $25,058, Volkswagen Passat $21,200 – $28,150.

Good News:

Well priced, powerful engine, fuel-efficient, roomy interior and spacious trunk

Bad News:

Uncomfortable seats, plain wrap styling.

Standard Equipment:

3.8 liter 200-hp V6 engine, four-speed automatic trans, dual airbags, child safety locks, daytime running lights, anti-lock brake system, air conditioning, power steering, windows and door locks, cruise control, theft-deterrent system, tilt steering wheel and stereo with tape.

Gas Stats:

19 City and 30 Highway MPG.

Pricing:

MSRP $20,360.