2015 Chrysler 200

Non-Suzuki related topics. Anything can go here.
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KuroNekko
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sx4rocious wrote:I have a friend that drives only Toyota products. He now owns a Scion TC (a 2007 I think) and a 2012 Toyota Corolla S. He really started his love for Toyota products with a 1988 Camry he was given when he was in his early 20's. We actively tried to destroy this car with everything we could think of much the way Top Gear tried to destroy the Hilux pickup about season 4 of the British show. We made several near-oil-free 100+ mile trips to the next state at more than just a bit above the speed limit. We had it airborn several times. We even took a long curve about 40mph faster than we should have in the winter and ramped a ditch with it. The point to the story is that we COULD NOT DESTROY this car no matter what we did. He eventually fell in love with the car and began to meticulously maintain and care for it. I remember him even disassembling the entire interior panel just to clean it. It took him SEVERAL hours. He even states the new Toyota products he owns are nothing in comparison to the quality of the 88 he was given with over 200K on it...
Toyotas used to be famous for their durability thanks to their over-engineering of critical parts. Now, they are more interested in selling cars and remaining #1 in global sales. Quite frankly, I'm not interested in a Toyota made outside of Japan. Look at the models that they make outside Japan vs. in Japan. The halo cars are all manufactured in Japan while the cars for the masses are made in the US. Not surprisingly, nearly all the Toyota recalls involved US-made Toyotas and not the Japanese-made ones. There was a recall out last week about flammable seat fabric used in Toyotas. EVERY SINGLE MODEL affected was made outside Japan, namely the US.

I will give the Toyota Land Cruiser all the respect it deserves for its durability and reliability, however something like a Camry is no longer worthy of any special regard. This made in USA appliance has been subject to more recalls and scandals that any car in recent memory. In the past, I was never really sure if an Accord or Camry was better. Now, it's very clear that an Accord is the better choice in so many ways.
This downfall of Toyota's quality is also the reason why people really need to consider other brands that they often favored Toyotas for. Personally, I favor Mazdas, Subarus, and Suzukis. Domestics and Korean cars have also caught up by a huge margin.

"Where's your crown, King Nothing?"
2011 Suzuki Kizashi Sport GTS 6MT (Black)
SamirD
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sx4rocious wrote:He even states the new Toyota products he owns are nothing in comparison to the quality of the 88 he was given with over 200K on it...
And that's why I'm a bit sad each time I see one of these cars living a tough life with no care just because it's 'old'. Old is gold! Give me a brand new 1990 Accord and I'll be as happy or more than I am with the Kizashi. 8-)
SamirD
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bootymac wrote:I remember my 1993 Corolla. Never let me down once in its 20 years of service. It only died after I sold it to a friend who promptly totaled it :(
And that's how many of these wonderful cars finally die--by accident. My cousin's 1990 Accord met that fate after outliving their meticulously cared for Taurus. :cry:
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KuroNekko
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Saw my first one in the wild last week. It was obviously a rental car given the touristy family that was getting out of it and that it had the give-away rental car bar code sticker on the window.

This is the first 200 I've seen on the road. The first real one I saw was on a display platform at an auto show earlier this year.

Every review I've read on the new 200 makes it sound like it's a vast improvement over the lackluster car it replaces and now is finally a competitive sedan in the segment.
It's also offered in AWD with the V6 that makes 295 HP.

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2011 Suzuki Kizashi Sport GTS 6MT (Black)
murcod
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Looks nice. (I can't help but suggest it would look 1000x better without that monstrous Chrysler badge on the grille!)
David
bootymac
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Wow, that looks sharp. I might request one next time I'm out doing field work
Stodge
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It looks good but if only it handled like a Kizashi!
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KuroNekko
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Stodge wrote:It looks good but if only it handled like a Kizashi!
It's probably not Kizashi-sharp, but the reviews I've read say that it's among the better half of the segment in terms of handling.
2011 Suzuki Kizashi Sport GTS 6MT (Black)
sx4rocious
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There are several on dealer lots in my town. I'm really half tempted to go test one and write a review since it's really the most appealing offering from Chrystler I've seen in over a decade!
bootymac
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Looks like a nice place to be
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