# Speaking of bad car names: the Reliant! **URL:** \ **Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\ **Created:** [May 16, 2003, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/speaking-of-bad-car-names-the-reliant/175773 "2003-05-16T21:38:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2003, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/speaking-of-bad-car-names-the-reliant/175773/1 "2003-05-16T21:38:31Z")
“Reliant” seems like a terrible name for a car. I mean, the word does NOT mean “reliable.” Actually, it means “dependent.” People want a car they can rely on. But if a car is “reliant,” well, then whether it starts is dependent on a host of other factors. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2003, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/speaking-of-bad-car-names-the-reliant/175773/2 "2003-05-17T03:56:27Z")
I’m surprised no one has mentioned the Ford Prefect. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Coriolanus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/coriolanus/32/18769_2.png) [@Coriolanus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coriolanus)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2003, 8:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/speaking-of-bad-car-names-the-reliant/175773/3 "2003-05-17T08:03:29Z")
The USS Reliant is a science starship in 1982’s [Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan](http://www.acad.humberc.on.ca/~dymond/trek/movie2.htm) Then of course there’s the USS Delorean and the USS Iacocca. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![MrBoy1967](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5f9b8f/32.png) [@MrBoy1967](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrBoy1967)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2003, 9:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/speaking-of-bad-car-names-the-reliant/175773/4 "2003-05-17T09:21:15Z")
What about the USS Pinto, which collided with the USS Nova? Both were lost in the resultant tragic explosion. ---
**Author:** ![Arnold\_Winkelried](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Arnold\_Winkelried](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arnold_Winkelried)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2003, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/speaking-of-bad-car-names-the-reliant/175773/5 "2003-05-17T16:42:44Z")
Please include a link to Cecil’s column if it’s on the Straight Dope web site. To include a link, it can be as simple as including the web page location in your post (make sure there is a space **before** and **after** the text of the URL). Cecil’s column can be found on-line at this link: [Why do car makers come up with so many meaningless car names? (03-Dec-1982 )](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a1_189.html) The column can also be found on pages 189-190 of Cecil Adams’ book «[_The Straight Dope (1984; reissued 1986, 1998)_](https://securesite.chireader.com/cgi-bin/dopestore/buystuff.bat#tsd)». * * * moderator, «[**Comments on Cecil’s Columns**](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/forumdisplay.php?forumid=1)» ---
**Author:** ![PhiloVance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e19adc/32.png) [@PhiloVance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PhiloVance)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2003, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/speaking-of-bad-car-names-the-reliant/175773/6 "2003-05-17T20:42:36Z")
In Arnold’s link, Cecil says: “No wonder the Japanese are killing us.” Heh Heh Camry, an arkie pronouncing the word ‘camera’. Civic, originally Cvcc whatever that meant. Tacoma, a city in Washington (I’m sure they’re very proud.!) Celica, whatever. Odyssey, I’m sure Homer (the original one) is proud. Altima, the best altimeter in the world. Accord, According to us this is the best car. All deserve some :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Rieux](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@Dr.Rieux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Rieux)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2003, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/speaking-of-bad-car-names-the-reliant/175773/7 "2003-05-17T21:42:03Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Corbomite \* > **The USS Reliant is a science starship in 1982’s [Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan](http://www.acad.humberc.on.ca/~dymond/trek/movie2.htm)** The first time I saw that movie, one of the people I was with cracked, “Must be one of those new Plymouth ‘K-ships’.” ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2003, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/speaking-of-bad-car-names-the-reliant/175773/8 "2003-05-17T21:54:53Z")
> [@](#): > > Altima, the best altimeter in the world. Yes, the Ultimate Altimeter! ---
**Author:** ![Melanie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/35a633/32.png) [@Melanie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Melanie)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2003, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/speaking-of-bad-car-names-the-reliant/175773/9 "2003-05-18T20:20:56Z")
Speaking of worse car names… The Nissan Pajero (a 4 wheel drive) Pajero means ‘wanker’ or ‘one who masturbates’ in Spanish