<VV> The fall and rise of the American Car - Limited Corvair

[jvhroberts at aol.com]

 Yep. Amazing what happens in a free market economy when car companies don't believe they're in a free market economy!! 

Detroit was notorious for dictating what the markets would offer. The Japanese decided to listen to what the market wanted, and the rest, as they say, is history. 

 

John Roberts
 

 

-----Original Message-----
From: Vairtec Corporation <Vairtec at optonline.net>
To: virtualvairs <virtualvairs at corvair.org>
Sent: Sat, Dec 31, 2011 10:18 am
Subject: Re: <VV> The fall and rise of the American Car - Limited Corvair


On 12/30/2011 9:52 PM, jvhroberts at aol.com wrote:

> The Vega, the Pinto, and the Gremlin ALL sold a lot of Datsuns, Toyotas and 
Hondas. The Japanese cars were simply better cars, especially for the money.

Yet it was subtle.  People were not yet rejecting Vegas and Pintos 
out-of-hand; these cars sold reasonably well.

In 1974, I was driving a Corvair, and decided that it was time to buy my 
first "new" car.  So I used that as an excuse to test-drive EVERY car in 
my price range.

Going in to this, I was expecting to buy a Vega; after all, I came from 
a "Chevy family," I was driving a Corvair, I was on excellent terms with 
the local Chevy dealer from whom both my father and grandfather had 
dealt before me, and I liked the Vega's styling.

But I had this excuse to drive a lot of different cars.  And I did.  The 
Vega, of course, and its sibling, the Monza.  The Pinto and the 
Maverick.  The VW Beetle, Squareback, and 412 wagon (the latter evoking 
my first car, a '62 Corvair wagon).  The AMC Gremlin.  Datsun 510.  
Toyota Corolla and Corona.

I was still thinking "Vega" when on a whim, since I was driving 
"everything," I traipsed across the county to the lone dealer for a 
funny little car, the 1974 Honda Civic.  Once around the block sold me 
on the Civic and it is what I bought.

It proved to be an excellent choice but I kept it for a mere two years 
because in 1976 the Accord hit our shores.  I bought the sixth Accord 
the dealer received, $3995.00.  THAT car blew the domestic offerings out 
of the water.

I remained in Japanese cars until the Chrysler minivans appeared.


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