Quote:
Originally Posted by Old Mechanic
After the founder died in 1991 (I think) the company lost its direction and their products porked up while fuel economy suffered.
They need to get back in the direction of their roots, or the Koreans might hand them a few hard lessons.
Both Toyota and Honda have become GM like in their product line.
regards
Mech
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Nail -> head in that post I think.
Honda traded on two things in my mind - super efficiency and super reliability. Both were based on superb engineering and production but nowadays there is no reason for me to consider a Civic, Accord or indeed anything else Honda vs any other car. I may be looking at a CR-Z but if the local VW people offered me a close deal on a Scirrocco TDi or the PSA people a nice 3-door Citroen C4 I would take those instead.
I remember a shudder going through me in the early 70s as my dad struggled with yet another unreliable Mini at the roadside and a brand new, yellow S1 Honda Civic buzzed past, all of the occupants talking and smiling. I remember thinking that the Japanese basically owned car production and that Leyland were done. That car worked. Ours didn't.
After 20 years or so Rover Group (the last clingers on to the remains of BL) made Hondas under licence and pretended they were British. And tried to sell them for too much money and well past their sell by date.
Wind on 35 years from that original encounter and my neighbour has a brand new European Accord but to be honest I assumed it was a Hyundai until I got close to the back end a few days ago following him down the street.
Nothing special about it at all. In fact too much south korean plastic chrome.
And my neighbour who's 80 year old wife likes to get naked has a Civic Hybrid - which buzzes its (Petrol) engine constantly as he lets her out at the front door each time they come home.
Some Hybrid.