New England

[Sidcar]

Hi folks,
I'm in Newport ,Rhode Island at the end of a two week tour of New England. I started in Boston, went up the coast as far as Boothbay Harbor, across to Stowe in Vermont, down to Williamstown MA and then to here. Great tour but as a Cager, couldn't convince my wife it would be more fun on a Goldwing. Apart from rain in Boston the weather's been good. I didn't see many bikes, let alone Goldwings until I got to Stowe. I saw a red 1500 outside the Red Cup cafe, Boothbay Harbor, if the owner is reading this Hi.
When I got to Stowe it looked like every biker in the US was there, mostly Harley's but quite a few Wings.
Now here's a question for you all "What's happened to the American Sedan?"
Most of the sedans I've seen seem to be imports, though I assume Honda and Toyota have assembly plants in the US, some of the imports I've never heard of (Acura?).
Of the US cars The majority were Ford, then Chevy.
It's been about six years since my last trip to the US and I don't remember imports being so dominant then, I had a Dodge Maverick as a rental.
What did I have this time? A Jeep Compass, I can drive imports at home.

Sid

[thrasherg]

Sid, most of the japanese importers split their models to cater to either the average buyer, or the more expensive buyer.
Honda split and became Honda (For everyone) or Accura (more luxury)
Toyota split and became Toyota (For everyone) or Lexus (More luxury)
etc..
There are also a load of new low cost manufacturers, Kia, etc..

I still like full size American cars (Dodge, Ford, etc..) but for cheap small cars, the imports are hard to beat!!

Gary

[Sidcar]

We have Lexus in the UK but not Acura. I hope GM, etc are going to fight back.
Cape Cod tomorrow then home.

Sid

[redial]

The standard American cars are not what you would expect. I rented one out of NY, that was supposed to be a "full-size" model, but found we could not put our luggage in the boot/trunk because most of the trunk was occupied by the spare wheel; the back windows did not wind down; and you felt like you were sitting on the transmission tunnel without any padding if you sat in the back.

However, the last time I went to the USA, we rented a GM but Korean made six cylinder car that was excellent. Good fittings, good economy, and good comfort. So perhaps the manufacturers are starting to wake up, that you need more than a steering wheel and a stop and go pedal. With more and more cars being built in Asia, we need to go with the flow. I have a Subaru Forester, my 4th Subaru. (The Subaru Legacy of the USA, is the same as the Subaru Liberty. A big difference here is that they put the steering wheel on the correct side

I trust you had a good trip, and that you enjoyed your time, like I always seem to do. The scenery in the USA is a lot more varied than that of OZ, but you have a lot more water to help the plants grow, and a lot more cold to make the trees drop their leaves. I have been to 45 of the 50, and have some good friends there, and you never know, if I save my coins, I may make another trip next year - but there are a number of "ifs" before that happens.

[themainviking]

I may make another trip next year - but there are a number of "ifs" before that happens.

Is one of those ifs "If Oz freezes over" - oh no, wait, the correct version of that is "when hell freezes over". But Oz is hotter than hell, so that could never happen -

[wjnfirearms]

The entire thing of size categories changed markedly in the American automotive industry after they downsized cars. A full size now was merely a mid size years ago. The entire change actually started in 1979 when both Ford and GM downsized the LTD and the entire full size GM line. Eventually, it spread to every model from every manufacturer.

Nothing made the change more obvious than once a while back when we had the opportunity to ride in a 1961 Galaxie. You felt like you were riding in a mobile living room. I remember when I had my 1971 Plymouth Fury III. My friends loved to go on double dates in it. You could get lost in the back seat. And how they rode! Maybe handling was sacrificed to a degree unlike how modern cars handle, but who wanted to go that fast unless you had a muscle car. Even those rode better.

Ah, memories...............

[Sidcar]

I saw this near Boothbay Harbor. A bit to big to go as hand luggage, pity.
What we'd call a real passion wagon.

Sid

[twostrokes48]

You can thank the stupid left wing EPA (environmental protection agency) who is the illegal lawmaking body of the Administrative branch of our government. They set smog standards higher and higher, MPG requirements higher and higher every year. So, cars have to get smaller and smaller. Throw out the metal, add more plastic and bingo you now have a modern car. I think they used the Tonka and Matel toy car models as blueprints. These companies began by building copies (models of cars) for kids out of plastic. Car Mfgs. said, "why not...it works for them, why not for us". Not to worry though, as GM shifts its mfg to China won't have to worry much longer. There won't be any US car manufacturers, only dealers to sell more Chinese junk.

[WingAdmin]

Many many years ago, I had a girlfriend whose father bought her one of these as her first car:

A 1978 Mercury Marquis. It had a 410ci (6.7L) V8 in it, and got about 7 mpg. A huge rolling lump of steel.

[Sidcar]

And you didn't marry her!

Sid

[twostrokes48]

And you didn't marry her!

Sid

Sid,
You're making the wrong assumption. Many years and years ago was actually 1994.....and a 1978 Merc went for about $400 bucks, hehe.
I had a 59 Caddy in 1975 that got 10 mpg....But I was in SDiego, so I just jumped across the boarder and bought gas for about .70cents a gal. On our side it was about $1.25/gal if I remember right.

[Sidcar]

Oh dear, many many years ago for me is the 1960's and not too long before that one of my favourite toys was a pink Chevy Impala convertible. Wishful thinking hasn't worked yet as I've yet to own one.

Sid

[WingAdmin]

And you didn't marry her!

Sid

I was 17, and the first summer I was with her, I bought my first motorcycle. She was utterly uninterested in it, and I discovered quickly that my motorcycle was more fun than my girlfriend. End of girlfriend.

[Sidcar]

Can I remember seventeen? Just about. My girlfriend of the time was quite keen on bikes until the oil tank on my Bonneville split dumping a large quantity of oil on her right leg. My concern for the engine rather than her right leg, tights and shoes led to parting of the ways. Thankfully it was the age of the mini skirt so that remained oil free.
I miss that Bonneville .

Sid

[brettchallenger]

Ah mini skirts!

When I was seventeen I had a fifth hand bicycle. Needless to say, I remained girlfriendless. I had to wait until I was twenty to get motorised wheels, and even then it was an old East German MZ.

[WingAdmin]

Me, at 17 years old, on the motorcycle that replaced my girlfriend.

[Spook1800]

Me, at 17 years old, on the motorcycle that replaced my girlfriend.

Scott on Motorcycle.jpg

At 17 you had the best deal matey!

[HALBUDD]

Glad to see with age comes wisdom no more ridding in shorts.

[WingAdmin]

Glad to see with age comes wisdom no more ridding in shorts.

Never rode like that, that was just for the picture, trying to look cool.

[Sidcar]

I thought I'd got a picture of me and my Bonneville but a thorough search suggests otherwise.
On our way back up to Boston we stopped off in Plymouth and saw the Rock and the Mayflower. The sun was shining and it was pleasantly warm.
I'm now back in the UK suffering from jet lag and post holiday depression, the weather is dull, decidedly cool and threatening rain. Back to work tomorrow, ugh.

Sid

On the subject of imported cars I was glad to see a lot of Range Rovers and Minis. Nice to know the UK is actually exporting something even if Land Rover are owned by the Indian company Tata and Mini are owned by BMW.