Ford vs. Chevy

This is probably the biggest argument among racers and race fans everywhere. Which brand of car is better overall, a Ford or a Chevy?

Real race cars don't have fenders!

This is probably the biggest argument among fatasses everywhere: which brand of burger is better overall, a Big Mac or a Whopper?

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Q: How do you keep a dog from humping your leg?
A: Blow him.

the one with Mercedes engine...=)
McLaren chassis and a Flying Finn at the wheel.

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Cogito Ergo Vroom
I think therefore I ride fast...

Hey Hannu ... care to wager on the points championship--Hakkinen vs. Schumacher? E-mail me.

Hey Hannu ... care to wager on the points championship--Hakkinen vs. Schumacher?

PatronAnejo....you are on!! e-mail to follow

Ford.

Toyota.

absoulutely FORD!!!!
1st to mass produce cars
1st to make a pickup truck
1st American car company to build airplanes
1st American car company to build farm iqipment.

Ford triton v8 engine, although it has 10 less horsepower than chevys vorctec, the Ford produces almost 30 more foot-lbs of torque.

Ford makes the Cosworth engine, one of the best Indy class engines made, it devlops over 800 horsepower out of a 190 cui v-8 with out using blowers or nitrous.

Ford trucks are offered in more sizes and configurations than any other brand.

Ford makes more comfortable interiors than chevy, and also has 4 doors, wheras chevy has 3.

Ever ridden in a F-250 Lariat XLT with a 7.4 liter diesle engine----if you have, you will never want to ride in a chevy agin.

Ever ridden in a 1985 F150 long bed with a 300 cui Straight-6 engine-------very durable---very comfortable

Ford Rules !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

quote:
absoulutely FORD!!!!
1st to mass produce cars
1st to make a pickup truck
1st American car company to build airplanes
1st American car company to build farm iqipment.
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Since when does first equal best?

i bet you drive a Saab or a toyota

Which is better, Big Mac or Whopper??? More like "Which is the worst?" :P

As in the Coke/Pepsi debates wher I injected the RC coalition, I'd like to add: MOPAR (Dodge-Chrysler-Plymouth)
When Mercedes bought Chrysler, they shoulda named it MOPAR-BENZ, not Daimler-Chrysler.

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"On the edge of sleep, I awoke to a sun so bright..."

[wolfstu]

Not to sound partial, (I'm sure there's really not much difference), but 'first' or 'best' or 'shiniest' aside,

I've got an '84 Chevrolet Cavalier 4-door with the following options: Power Brakes and Steering, Block heater, Rear Defrost, Two-speed wipers, and (originally) AM Radio. Bought it new.

I've got a '98 Ford Taurus SE wagon with everything imaginable, and some stuff I had never even imagined. Bought it used.

The Chevy: Is in excellent shape, is very solidly built, is very easy to do maintenace on, and is very reliable (even in winter). I've never had to do major body, supension or engine work. I've never had to replace a ball joint.

The Ford: Wasn't even put together right at the factory. The interior panels had been misinstalled, and some components didn't seem qiute to fit. The door seals are falling apart. If you let it sit, the onboard electronics drain the battery. The engine is installed such that you have to remove the wipers and the intake manifold to chage the plugs. I can't reach the fan belt. I can't even SEE the rad.

It took 3 days and 150 bucks to chage the plugs on the Taurus (V6-FI). It takes 30 minutes and 40 bucks to change the plugs on the Cavalier (L4-Carb).

I'm starting to form opinions.

[BunnyGirl]

Hubby had a Cavalier. Finally bit the dust at 250,000. Great car, cheap parts, comfortable and inexpensive to maintain.

Had a friend with an SHO Taurus. Hated the fact he even bought it. Moonroof was broke and cost him a bundle to fix, paint on roof was starting to crap out (only 3 year old car) and bits and pieces kept falling off. Said he'd never buy another one again.

[Snickers]

Please--people, you want a real car? Buy a Honda.

As for CART racing (it's what I watch), buy a Honda. Or a Toyota. Or a Mercedes. Ask Michael Andretti how much he likes Ford (and Goodyear tires <giggle> ). Thank the heavens he now has Honda power.

For the love of all that's holy, avoid American passenger cars. My bro-in-law used to work as a Ford salesman and he wouldn't even recommend a Ford passenger car. Couldn't say anything nice about them, so he didn't say anything at all (he's so polite). Buy yourself a Honda. It'll last forever. With few problems.

All that said, the US of A can make some pretty stellar performance vehicles. Can't beat the 'Vette or Viper (although an NSX is also mighty fine, but lacks the rumble. Gotta have the rumble.) And the Viper's V-10...whosyadaddy!

Since I don't watch it, I'll leave the commenting about NASCAR to professionals.

Snicks

[zenith]

I generally prefer Ford; but some models, like Taurus, Windstar, and the last couple of model years of the old "square body" F-Series truck are crap. I would also
rate the Contour as crap compared to the Tempo, which was boring--but solid.(The same goes for the "cute-ute" Escape which uses many parts from the Contour bin--including that abysmally cheap interior and dash).

I currently own one vehicle from each of the Big 3, a '97
Ranger, a '91 Grand Caravan, and an '85 Buick Skylark.

Ford has an excellent small pickup in the Ranger. Their newer full-size is better than Chevy, not quite as "real-truck"-like as Dodge (though it has better interior amenities than Dodge). Their full-size sedans have very good
build quality, though they need to go to front-wheel drive
to compete with the Chevy Impala/Pontiac Bonneville/Buick
Le Sabre and the Chrysler LH cars in interior room.

Chevy has Cavalier. The old '80s models don't seem to age much; they seem to have held up better than Escorts in my
area (where the street department shovels snow with a saltshaker).
Chevy also had a good rear-drive sedan and wagon that were abandoned in favor of converting car factories to SUV production. I saw an El Camino version of that car at an auto show that drew far more attention than the SUVs on display. GM dropped the ball by not putting that one in production.

Neither Chevy nor Ford has gotten the front-drive minivan right. Ford had a superior rear-drive/4WD minivan in the Aerostar,but ceded that market to the Chevy Astro which is as crappy as the S-10 pickup it's based upon.

Since I generally buy used vehicles, I look for a Buick, Olds, or Pontiac version of a particular car I'm interested in since it's been my experience that the upscale versions have generally changed hands less often and have been given better care by their previous owners than have their Chevy couterparts. Chryslers and Dodges tend to be better buys than Plymouths for the same reason.

My '85 Skylark, bought as a "3rd car" 5 years ago for $500
has cost me about $500 to maintain in 5 years and is, indeed the only $500 car I've ever wanted to keep for more than a year or two.

[Mr2001]

I wouldn't call the Astro a minivan. We have one (2000, AWD) and it's about two feet taller and longer than most minivans I see.

As to Ford vs. Chevy, I can only add my observation that 90% of the time I'm stuck behind someone who's driving way too slow, he's in a Ford. I don't know whether that says more about the vehicle quality or about the people who buy Fords.

[heyjoe]

Owned a Ford, can't say much bad about it, other than it was too small (It was a probe, and I'm 6'3 210 lbs....not a good combination). My girlfriends Cavalier is oh so much nicer than it ever was.

I've driven my dad's 98 expedition and his new Suburban. I love the suburban and try to steal it all the time. When we had it, I wouldn't touch the Expedition with a ten foot pole. My father feels the same way.

At work, i've driven both Ford and Chevy trucks (new and old). The 75 chevy starts every time, the 82 ford takes about 4 tries, if it starts. And the bosses new 455 Chevy pickup.....hot damn.

When all is said and done, go with Jeep.

'You don't drive a Jeep, you wear one.'

[TheFunGuy]

Well, I owned a Forf P/U. Thing was damn near indestructable, BUT it was limping. Blue cloud out the back, undefined alignment problems, mysterious speedometer quirks (are we going 45 or 25? the speedo is moving too far).

Owned a honda CRX. I would recommend to everybody who wants a first car. Small, 2 seater, great mileage, hit 500K before a bad repair (after the original timing broke when the original water pump gave up the ghost) killed it for good.

Owned a Chevy, no problems until the day it was stolen.

Got a Saturn. different. Leaking problem, rattling problem. My friend never changed the oil in his 91 until it died at 150K!


I'd go with Chevy, but Ford seats feel faster!


BTW--Zenith, an 85 Skylark? Weren't they Somersets? My Mom just got rid of hers, and it's the best cr she ever owned.

[EddietheDane]

Ford or Chevy? Don't know....guess it all depends on which looks better up on blocks behind your trailer.

How is this a great debate?

[longhair75]

if i may.....

the mid 80's s-10 blazer: possibly the most poorly designed, under powered, unreliable piece of automotive trash i have ever owned. (ask anyone who has ever owend one if they changed out the starter)

the late 70's malibu: problem prone from the start. what was chevy thinking with that tiny little v-8? the rear wheel drive and the weight to power ratio made it undrivable in the snow.

mrs. longhair drives a 2001 toyota rav4. a wonderful vehicle. in our most recent snow and ice storm, we passed 1 ford expedition and 1 chevy tahoe mired down and stuck.

oldest daughter drives a 1999 toyota corolla
younger daughter drives a 1996 toyota corrola

i drive a 1998 ford e-150 utility van. (company owned) at 40,000 miles, it rattles and groans, and has had two sets of front brakes. the wind whistles through the poorly installed weather stripping. the gas milage is horrendous, and it is a nightmare to drive when the roads are even slightly slick.

we have found consistant quality and performance in toyotas that, sadly, doesn't seem to exist in ford or chevy.

[ElvisL1ves]

Originally posted by Hannu
the one with Mercedes engine...=)
McLaren chassis and a Flying Finn at the wheel.

Erm, 'scuse me, but the only "Mercedes" aspect of the current McLaren engines is the nameplate. They're made by Ilmor in England, to a design by Mario Illien, an Italian.

And doesn't Mika live in Monaco, like all the highest-income F1 drivers?

Sigh ... the days when "Ford vs. Chevy" actually meant anything on the track are LONG over. There are no parts at all on a NASCAR machine that can be identified with either. Even the bodies are interchangeable, including the stickers printed to look like headlights.

[Krispy Original]

I've got a full size Ford Bronco and a full size Chevy pickup.

Love them both.

Well...maybe I love the Bronco a little more. The Ford handles more like a truck than does the Chevy, which drives more like a car...

[hischevygirl<3]

I can honestly say I like both under certain conditions.
In trucks I love that chevy power.
In cars a mustang is a must! ;]

[Frodo]

it's aliiiive ALIIIIIIIVE /me runs for the hills

[Algher]

Ford didn't need Uncle Sam to save their ass. For that they get my vote.

Chevy has the Suburban - and that is superior to the Expedition IMHO.
Ford put a Hybrid on the Escape - brave to Ford on that one.
The Mustang is better than the Camaro. I own a classic 'Stang and love every rumbling, knuckle scraping, greasy, dripping part of that engine block.
The F150 IS the pickup of America. Howie Long can piss off.
The Ford Fusion is what an American Hybrid sedan should be - nice, big, and a trunk that can hold a body.

[tomndebb]

If someone would like to open a new thread (in IMHO) to discuss this, linking back to to this thread, they are welcome to do so.

Opening up ancient threads is probably not a really good idea.
(For one thing, the fora have changed a bit since the earliest days of the SDMB and this is more an opinion thread than a dfebate thread at this point.)

Closed.