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Car Guy
Cars That Died
They had it coming.
Over the past three years, more brands of cars — and specific car models — have been sent to the glue factory than at any time since the early '30s, in the wake of Great Depression 1.0
But did they deserve to die?
You decide!
* Saturn Sky
Based on
GM of Europe — AKA Opel’s — GT, the Sky (and its late lamented
Pontiac stablemate, the Solstice) was a stunning car to look at;
much more dynamic and stylish than, say, a Mazda Miata.
But unlike the Miata — which was a great car to drive — the Sky and Solstice weren’t great cars to drive.
For one, the engine sounded terrible — like a high-miles economy car four-cylinder equipped with a cheap aftermarket “fart can” muffler. While other sports car engines sang when revved, the Sky’s cleared its throat like a phlegm-laden old trucker.
Handling was clunky, too.
But the worst offense was the ‘69 MGB body integrity. The Sky’s convertible soft top fit poorly and leaked both air and water, which dribbled down onto the door side panels. It was impossible to hold a conversation without shouting at speeds much above 60 mph. The power window switches were located so far back on these panels it was almost impossible to use them while driving. Ditto the cupholder, which was mounted on the very rear of the center console, making it all-but-unusable while the vehicle was moving. The gas gauge was dime-sized and buried a foot deep in the gauge cluster, making it a guessing game how close you might be to empty.
Verdict: A pretty car whose comely exterior hid numerous unattractive flaws. Looks alone won’t cut it — and didn’t.
an>* Hummer H2
You could make a
case for the H1.
It was a civilianized version of the military Humvee — and if you needed an unstoppable off-roader, it fit the bill.
But the H2 was nothing more than a Chevy Suburban with a Tonka Toy Hummer truck shell draped over it. And thus, a fraud. A big, stupid, ugly, pointless, gas-guzzling, crappy-handling — and not even good for off-roading — fraud.
Circa 2003 I got one to test drive. I called up three buddies and we headed out to try the thing off road. At the entrance to the area where we intended to do some mud-bogging, there was a puddle maybe three or four inches deep and about three or four feet in diameter. I drove over it at a moderate speed. Immediately, multiple lights on the dash went off and the engine dropped down into “limp home” mode. It ran, but barely. Unable to get the H2 going faster than about 25 mph, we creeped it home on a very busy Northern Virginia highway, a half-mile of angry motorists stacked up behind us.
I wrote “I love global warming” with my finger in the dust on the liftgate glass.
The H2 was good at just one thing: Demonstrating (once again) that PT Barnum was right.
About the Author
Eric Peters is an automotive columnist and author of Automotive Atrocities: The Cars You Love to Hate (Motor Books International) and a new book, Road Hogs.
Letter to the Editor View all comments (51) | Leave a comment
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Richard Baker| 6.30.10 @ 7:28AM
Am a Ford salesman who agrees with most of these choices. Mercury sold about 92,000 vehicles last year and they'd become expensive me-too cars based on the Ford. The H2 was a fraud, as well. We had one taken in trade recently and it looked like a sheep in sheep's clothing (I know. This was Churchill's quote about Atlee but is appropriate here). To my mind, it was aesthetically unpleasing and seemed to be the drug dealer's car of choice in my area. Good list and good riddance to them all.
Old Soldier| 6.30.10 @ 7:36AM
I am hoping that Saab can make a comeback under their new ownership. I really liked our Saab - and appreciated the fact that my wife walked away from a horrific accident in it totally unscathed.
Then, the local Saab dealer couldn’t find a replacement. Why market them as Sports Sedans, then not make any with manual transmissions?
Curly Smith| 6.30.10 @ 8:41AM
Because the sport is futbol.
Purpleguy| 6.30.10 @ 9:44AM
I guess the guy doesn't like American cars. Nice support of America pal. It's all about you, isn't it?
Monty.Crisco| 6.30.10 @ 12:49PM
Typical prog troll... just want to be a dick so now you stand up for America. You hate everything that makes America great - and if the free market had been allowed to work we might still make decent cars, but thank your union buddies for disallowing that- and then you slag someone off for telling the truth about American cars? Did you support Bush? He was American! Troll douche...
The Big E| 6.30.10 @ 2:48PM
Well, he could have listed some Japanese brands which have gone under in the last three years like . . . uh . . . oh yeah, there aren't any.
Among the Europeans lost in the last three years, he listed Saab, and he could have listed . . . uh . . . oh yeah, there aren't any of them either.
Oh wait! Wait! There's one European - TVR! That's right, he forgot about TVR, the small English maker of extraordinarily weird sportscars. They went out of business in the last three years. Of course, they didn't sell TVR's in America, but still . . .
Fred the Moose| 6.30.10 @ 2:53PM
Don't forget the Trabant and the Wartburg, two perfect examples of what happens when gummint meets private transportation.
DG in GA| 7.1.10 @ 2:17PM
Big E: You might have mentioned Mercedes in with the European brands that have suffered in the past several years - AFTER they got in bed with Chrysler! Now that the two have divorced, I hope Mercedes can recapture it's tarnished reputation for quality.
Ryan| 6.30.10 @ 4:22PM
Ummm...that's not what the article was about.
GavInTucson| 6.30.10 @ 11:19PM
How ridiculous... if you don't like American cars, you don't support America? By the way, I suppose you didn't notice the Saab mentioned in the article.
By the way, all of those "foreign" cars are built right here in the U.S. by American workers.
DG in GA| 7.1.10 @ 2:14PM
It's not that the guy doesn't like American cars, it's that so many American cars SUCK!!! Is it any wonder that the American car companies, other than Ford, are in the miserable financial shape they're in? I can't believe there were no Chrysler products on this list - except that Chrysler hasn't made a good product since the 1960's and everybody knows it! It also makes it clear that even the best car brand, when put in American (union) hands, can be destroyed.
Filofox| 6.30.10 @ 10:06AM
Real Americans drive what they want, not what some purplescold tells them to.
loulou| 6.30.10 @ 11:58AM
Perplescold doesn't even own a car. He's on welfare.
Petronius| 6.30.10 @ 10:30AM
The auto industry is finished because they did it to themselves, and us. Instead of telling the Naderites and EPA to bugger off back in the 70's they got in bed with them and the motoring public got anemic underpowered pussymobiles instead of the high compression V8's we wanted. By the time I could afford a big block Mopar they had been legislated off the road, though I loved the Dart Swinger and owned 3. The Challengers and Chargers of today aren't bad but the RT's cost more than I paid for my house. If Americans want to drive American vehicles three things have to go: perfidious management, shoddy workmanship, and getting the EPA out from under the hood so that horsepower goes up and the cost comes down.
Thom Burke| 7.1.10 @ 12:18PM
Can't give Nader too much credit, Petronius. An oil embargo after the '73 Arab-Israeli War turned a lot of muscle car kids into tin can, K-Car adults. So reactionary, we got an even more intrusive EPA into the bargain. As per the current vernacular, "Never Let a Crisis Go to Waste."
Doctor Right| 6.30.10 @ 11:31AM
I recently read an article that said, among other things, the death of the American auto industry was due in part to the feminization of Amercia.
My first reaction was "Oh, gimme'a break!"
But then I read on. His point was that we were losing the critical market of males between the ages of 25-40, who were increasingly looking elsewhere, particularly to Germany and Japan, for their auto "thrills".
Where once Detroit churned out testosterone-driven machines with names like "Mustang", "Cobra", "Charger", "Javelin", "Laser", and "Baracuda", we now produce cares with limp-noodle names like "Cube", "Aveo", "Equinox", and "Enclave"...and (gag!) "Leaf".
..."Leaf"..?!?!?
These are the kinds of cars that the Euro-weenies drive...NOT AMERICANS!
Fred the Moose| 6.30.10 @ 1:40PM
You have the Leaf, we have the Mini Cooper. Who's the weenie now?
Appleby| 7.1.10 @ 7:42AM
Have you seen the original Italian Job? And did you know that people actually do race Mini-Coopers? They are not SmartCars; they are tough, fast little animals, the sort that beat the Spanish Armada in fact.
Do not diss the Mini-Cooper. They are real cars.
wolf| 6.30.10 @ 1:43PM
my city..santa monic..is banning cars systematically..and there is not one peep of protest...except from the car dealers-who have been told they cannot expand the size of the dealorship..and their lease will not be renewed-hint-get out...along with reducing traffic lanes on major arteries and making them SHARE with bikes...its hard to believe but true...
i hide my past ownership of a 1965 GTO w/tri-power -4-speen and a 3:90 rear..for fear i will be evicted from the city...
it cant happen here...can it
Ned| 6.30.10 @ 1:47PM
Too many years ago, in a college level marketing class the instructor asked for a show of hands as to what cars we up-and-comers would be buying when we finished B-school... there were lots of Jaguars and Porsches mentioned, but nobody even noticed that Cadillac was left out until the Prof pointed it out. He went on to elaborate, "Do you think Cadillac KNOWS what you guys want? And what are they doing about it?" - Short answer was that they knew, and chose to do nothing to attract my demographic. To this day, I've never even considered buying anything GM, and certainly won't now... and have to hold my nose to buy most Fords for the kids. Chrysler has been a joke since the 80's. The car I drove today is 30 years old, and British... sold my latest Porsche a couple of years ago....
Margie| 6.30.10 @ 6:06PM
I know where you can find a great Baracuda ...in Alaska.
TC | 6.30.10 @ 11:56AM
You forgot the Pontiac Aztec, maybe the ugliest small SUV/crossover ever concieved. It made the Edsal look gorgeous.
Forever Marine| 6.30.10 @ 12:47PM
These were the absolute first words out of my, then, 10 year old nephew's mouth when he saw that hideous thing. But he said "ugliest CAR ever". When you can't sell a 10 year old, you're finished.
RacerJim| 6.30.10 @ 12:20PM
That the convertible soft top of a '69 (et al years) MG-B fit so poorly that it leaked both air and water, and that it was impossible to hold a conversation without shouting at speeds much above 60 mph, was part-n-parcel of its' allure. What power window switches? Ditto the cupholder, both of which detract from performance due to their weight and the latter of which, if in a position to be easily used while the vehicle is moving can cause driver distracted accidents. It didn't matter that the gas gauge was half-dollar sized and in plain view, Lucas "Prince of Darkness" electrics made it a guessing game how long the fuel-pump would work.
Verdict: A pretty sportscar whose allure was "Safety Fast". Flaws alone won't cut it -- and didn't.
L. Ross| 6.30.10 @ 12:25PM
Well, I own a Saturn Sky Redline. It's turbo-charged, intercooled, and has the same horsepower to displacement ratio as the latest Ferrari. I do have an aftermarket exhaust and intercooler, so it sounds good. The cupholder is virtually inaccessible. There is no spare tire. The top is sound and does NOT leak. It is noisy. There is barely room in the trunk for enough luggage for an overnight with your mistress. All that said, I DON'T CARE. Of all the cars I have had, this is hands down my favorite. The Sky will be missed.
BA Cyclone| 6.30.10 @ 2:50PM
Thanks for the positive comment on the Saturn Sky!
I drove some early prototypes and thought it was a solid car and a fabulous drive. Some of the tradeoffs match the target market - and frankly the price.
And I do think it's a wonderful car to look at - even though I am biased! I was sad to see it get the hatchet along with the Saturn brand - although I certainly understand the reasoning behind it.
Datsun Mark| 6.30.10 @ 3:46PM
The last time the American Taxpayers bailed out a car company in the 70's. What we got was from a fat pompass a'ss big headed fool, Lee Iacocca's brain fart of a car...the Kcar. What happens to car companies on the doll...Toyota gets government subsities...prius's start running wild. GM builds crap no one wants and invests billions in the *Volt* car which will never see the light of day. Cash for Clunkers programs borrow money from China therefore people bougth Japanese cars in order to save Detroit...makes sense to me. Ford at least still makes Mustangs with 300hp under the hood.
Just two cents from a guy who owns a 69 Datsun Sports roadster.
somnolence| 6.30.10 @ 5:48PM
I have a 1997 Mercury Grand Marquis just now approaching 100,000 on the odometer. It was bought new and continues to run like a charm.
WilliamInWien| 6.30.10 @ 5:58PM
Really cannot opine on autos these days! Chevrolet: Interested in V6 Manual Camaro: Test Drive in a 35 MPH zone, barely got into 3rd gear and they want to sell these cars! Audi A5, manual transmission, none available. Audi S5, salesperson did not know if they came with a manual, no cars available to drive because they are "low mileage" cars (whatever that means). Result: Just put 1,200 USD of excellent rubber on my current ride and see if "they" come to their senses a year or two out!
Margie| 6.30.10 @ 6:13PM
My first car was a late 60's Plymouth Fury III. Light green with a groovy black top. Boyfriend's father at the time got it thru an ins. co. as it was a repo. Was like new. Those were the coolest days. Sigh... now when you see an old car like that on the road you just smile and give the guys a thumb's up. Yep. I do.
guo | 7.1.10 @ 5:02AM
www.wmvconverterformac.com
chester arthur| 7.1.10 @ 9:26AM
I know someone with a Pontiac Solstice,they say it's the best car they've ever owned,and they've owned quite a few foreign and domestic models.I hear the same about the v-8 G-8 and GTO(except for the styling).I love the look of the Challenger,but not the price for a new one with a v-8.I guess I'll stick with my 50's and 60's cars and truck and 70's pontiac.No EPA approval,cheap to fix and use,and most of the nanny laws don't apply.Just the way it should be with modern vehicles.
Dano| 7.1.10 @ 9:59AM
To Eric Peters:
Saab didn't die. It was purchased from GM and continues to make cars. Volvo was bought by the Chinese. Your misinformation renders your article a farce.
maanders| 7.1.10 @ 11:30AM
Yes, Saab is still alive, but the comments about what GM did to the brand are fairly accurate. But....Saab has a brand new 9-5 sedan out that is getting good reviews. A wagon (or SportCombi) version of the 9-5 comes out as a 2011 model and a new 9-4x crossover is on the way. A new redesigned 9-3 is targeted as a 2012 model, with rumors there will again be a hatch version. As an independent company, Saab wants to get back to its roots that made it an up and comer in the '80s.
MikeVT | 7.1.10 @ 11:46AM
Eric Peters automotive columist and author...ppfft. In case he's wondering, ALL of Pontiac is dead, not just the Vibe, All of Saturn is dead, not just the Sky, All of Hummer is gone. SAAB is alive and well introducing four new models from now till 2012, and I belive Merkury is alive also. I think Mr Peters is woefully misinformed.
Trevor L| 7.1.10 @ 11:54AM
As mentioned by other commenters, Saab is still around, so this guy doesn't seem to be very well informed. He also refers to a 9-3 convertible of the mid to late 80s, a car which was not introduced until 1999.
James| 7.1.10 @ 12:00PM
Saab is not dead. Saab is now an independent company looking to regain it's appeal of the 1980's. With a new 9-5 just released + a 9-4x crossover SUV to be released in a year, Saab is far from dead + is currently increasing production to meet demand. GM did dilute the brand over the past decade (and strangled it near death over the past 2 years), but it's hard to kill a brand with that much loyalty, innovation, and character ingrained... even the most GM bean counter influenced Saabs were extremely safe, fun, comfortable, fuel efficient, cars with lots of low end torque for their class... reliability has improved (2010 JD Powers lists Saab middle of the pack, ahead of BMW, Volvo, Audi, and VW)... and only a fool paid anywhere near BMW sticker price for one!
Most of those who build up strawman arguments like this against Saabs have never driven one!
Wankel| 7.1.10 @ 12:31PM
I still lament the passing of the Citroen D-series...
Pete| 7.1.10 @ 1:00PM
"Cars that died".... SAAB is still a going concern, saved at the 11th hour by fiercly loyal SAAB owners pushing GM to let it be sold instead of being shut down. I expect it will bounce back to become a niche auto manufacturer that it once was.
Noley | 7.1.10 @ 1:14PM
Reality check time!
Saabs are still being made and a new version of the 9-5 will be released in a few months. Saab has new money, new management and a biz plan to succeed, first with core customers and then to expand. New models are in the pipeline, including a crossover and a retro model along the lines of VW's New Beetle and BMW's Mini.
Saab has been on the ropes, thanks to GM's inept management, but it is not gone by any means. Will it succeed? I hope so. But I've been driving them for 26 years and we have 4 of them in our family.
RAMII| 7.1.10 @ 2:07PM
Many of you missed the main point of the article. "You decide . . ."
GM had so many "brands" of exactly the same car they were bound to fail. Does anyone remember the Cadillac Simmeron? It was a "fancy" Chevy Cavalier - hah what a joke. American Car companies have not listened to their customers for decades (Ford has seemed to have turned a corner). Now the government own Chrysler and GM. Good luck getting them to listen now. They will try to shove their cars down your throat and make you pay for them too.
Beth Mahoney | 7.1.10 @ 5:10PM
The Saturn Sky deserved to get the axe. One of my friends had one and she hated it. That car would break down all the time, acceleration was terrible, and the inside of the car came across as extremely cheap.
Paul| 9.12.10 @ 8:17PM
I have sky redline with the GM factory power upgrade. The car was fast off the showroom floor, it is now FASTER with the GM power upgrade. Acceleration isn't even terrible on the non-redline Sky, but most Skys are turbocharged and are not dogs in the performance department.
Jay P.| 7.1.10 @ 6:25PM
Clunky handling? Geez, if the SKY is a clunker, I would hate to see clunky the BMW M3, Nissan 350Z, and the Lotus Elise rate.....considering the Kappa has smoked all three in SCCA T2 three years in a row!
Larry | 7.1.10 @ 7:03PM
Jay P. is right, and the normally aspirated version has done the same in SSB. Neither class allows significant suspension changes - so little that I use the same Z0k option on my street car. We have a Miata, too, and build Miata Spec racing engines. It's fun, but it's not miraculous. There's nothing wrong with Solstice/Sky handling or "structure".
Robert| 7.2.10 @ 2:29PM
SAAB is not dead. Did anyone mention that yet?