Originally Posted by chet

while i like any car that is fast and reliable...my dad has made a few interesting comparisons between japanese and american autombiles.

he used to work exclusively on american v8 powered chevy's/fords etc and did so until he purchased an 86 honda crx. after working on the honda (it needed a head) i remember him talking to one of his friends about the quality of materials and the closer tolerances found in the honda motor.

at this point i think the gap is closing between the japanese and americans. however, when you look at the history of american automakers (relying heavily on very reliable v8 platforms which didn't require the same tolerances) they are simply playing catch up to a market the japanese have dominated for quite some time.

the sport compact market has also made these differences more and more apparent. car enthusiasts will gravitate towards the vehicles that are most reliable and best designed. say for example, one were to choose a turbo setup for a particular car, it isn't hard to see why most would elect to build a b-series honda motor over a 95 cavalier motor. the b-series motor flows better, has a stronger head, more advanced design and will allow for more potential over just about any mid 90's american 4 cylinder engine.

now...i haven't forgotten about the late 80's turbo dodge 4cyl cars and the american muscle cars which offer great performance...and i'm sure there are other examples which i'm forgetting although i'd say the japanese tend to make a better overall product.