I know. I was just messing with ROC chill. We studied many of these cases in my ethics class this semester. I havent heard about the cavalier though. The reasons for these mishaps ill call them is mostly due to money and people not caring to listen i can tell you that.
Didn't think you were old enough to remember the pinto....The 73 pinto hatchback was the car to have, put a set of wide tires, hang a pair of dice, great gas mileage....gas was expensive, hitting about 40 cents a gallon...course that back seat would fold, to become a regular chick wagon.........ahhh, the good old days..change in the pocket, 2 bucks for the drive-in......
was 4.8 billion for a fire from a seventeen year old Malibu being rear ended when stopped at a light by a drink going an estimated seventy miles per hour. The lawyer convinced a jury that GM was responsible because the fuel tank was ONLY eleven inches from the rear bumper. A Cougar or a T-Bird from the same era has the fuel tank in the same loacation, and even closer to the bumper. The "Classic" Mustangs use the gas tank as the trunk floor, and are still (because collectors still drive them) burning people when rear ended. The Pintos were recalled for this design problem, but the mustangs were too old.
If lawyers who sue for contingency were legally considered a party to the suit, and liable in a counter suit, things would change. A car company couldn't stand the negative publicity from counter suing a burned family, but a rich lawyer . . . ?
I agree and I'm also peeved when a vehicle/company passes whatever safety rules are in effect and the company is sued because of someone elses negligence.
Respectfully disagree on the Pinto. It's design "flaw" was too long of a mounting bolt(seat?) that penetrated the gas tank during pretty decent rear end collisions.
was also prone to dropping off the vehicle upon rear impact, splitting open on the ground and so literally providing fuel to the fire.
oldharry, how did that drink happen to be flying down the road at seventy miles per hour?!? I find speeding alcohol to be problematic, though probably a very rare occurrence.... ;-)
I worked on one once, and the bumper bracket(I think that was it) bolts were long and POINTED (were they insane!?) and were about an inch or so from the tank, all it took was a minor hit to push them into it. It's one thing to narrow them down to make them easy to get started, but putting in sharply pointed bolts pointed at the gas tank, and have them close enough to almost certainly puncture the tank in a wreck is just nuts, and they deserved to get sued bigtime. Actually, I always thought the exec that approved it should have gone to jail for at least manslaughter if not worse!
Chevrolet and GMC trucks rule! Ford's are not as safe because they use less materials and cheaper metal when building these trucks. General Motors and Chrysler use better stuff. All you have to do is take good look at each of these trucks and you will see what I am talking about. Also Ford's are way over priced for what you get. Cheap! Cheap!
My girlfriend's family owns a snow plow business and their manufacturer recommends not installing a plow on new Ford F-150s due to an extremely weak frame. The only way to install a plow is to reinforce the frame. The Chevy/GMC 1500 needs no such mod. But I had already settled on the GMC over the Ford because of the AutoTrac system, the more powerful engine, the dynamic proportioning brake system and the standard ABS, just to mention a few things. I also didn't want to deal with the Ford dealer's service dept, since it has a really bad reputation. Those of you who bought Fords from the guy who stands on his head and has a dog named Spot will understand. I now have 2200 miles on my 2001 GMC and I have no regrets whatsoever. It is an incredible truck that performs in an outstanding manner on snow and ice.
than drive a GM product!! GM products just don't seem to hold up with the friends and family that I know that have owned them or presently own them. I can't tell you how many people I know wish they would have opted for anything else but a GM vehicle. Fact is GM is too heavy, to big to compete against smaller car companies. They have so many duplicate models its crazy. GM needs to loose a few divisions and restructure to become more flexible with the market place, offer quality not quantity then things would be better for GM. Bashing Ford seems to be the thing to do. Yet 5 of the top best sellers are Ford products here in the U.S. for how many years? Ford may pass GM in vehicle production in the near future also. Fords over priced?? When comparing what models? A co-worker just bought an F250 over a Silverado. He claims the Silverado was about 2K more for like optioned vehicle.
Comments
- Tim
Ryan
A Cavalier is big enough to fit a family?
People in Florida can play 15 Bingo cards at once but can't punch a simple ballot?
oh, sorry....
Ryan
AWww Ryan, you have to get deeper than that! Now does the Fiero count for GM?
BTW: I thought DOdge led in recalls.
Dodge should have teamed up with HARLEY...
Am going to check out the F series trucks and
see what all the fuss is about.
seems the front end parts may come apart while driving!
- Tim
If lawyers who sue for contingency were legally considered a party to the suit, and liable in a counter suit, things would change. A car company couldn't stand the negative publicity from counter suing a burned family, but a rich lawyer . . . ?
Harry
Respectfully disagree on the Pinto. It's design "flaw" was too long of a mounting bolt(seat?) that penetrated the gas tank during pretty decent rear end collisions.
oldharry, how did that drink happen to be flying down the road at seventy miles per hour?!? I find speeding alcohol to be problematic, though probably a very rare occurrence.... ;-)
http://popularmechanics.com/popmech/auto3/0011AUTKWFCP.html
looks like there is rising attention to quality. The engineer in me wonders what are they going to do with vehicles they find with a squeak or rattle.
Bashing Ford seems to be the thing to do. Yet 5 of the top best sellers are Ford products here in the U.S. for how many years? Ford may pass GM in vehicle production in the near future also.
Fords over priced?? When comparing what models? A co-worker just bought an F250 over a Silverado. He claims the Silverado was about 2K more for like optioned vehicle.