well, i got the idea for this thread when i was looking at the Impala SS. it's a very reasonably priced, good looking, large family sedan with a pretty powerful V8. it even has a very good quality and good looking interior, and it gets good mpg due to DOD (displacement on demand) technology which shuts off 4 cylinders when they aren't needed, as found in the Dalmer Chrysler Hemi. all good right? well, if you think 303 hp and 323lb-ft torque to the front wheels is a good things.

oh darn. ruined isn't the right word, but it would be a much better car had it not been for the drivetrain. same with the Monte Carlo SS. maybe even more so with the Monte Carlo, because it's a coupe and it weighs almost 300lbs lighter. i just think it's that good looking of a car, mainly because the back end is ugly.

so that's how i got the idea for this thread. initially i was gonna make it "cars ruined because they are FWD" or somehting of that nature, but i decided to make it a thread where people post their opinions about initially good cars "ruined" by one or two traits.

so if you have anything to say on the subject, i'd love to hear your opinions.

Ohhh the timing, I saw the Impala SS commercial last night with my g/f and she goes, "That's a cool car, and with that power you'd like it!"
Me-"Well, not really, it's Front-wheel-drive, so it's like my car when I nail the gas, a pain in the rear to drive...Now, imagine that, but about three times as bad, and in a bigger car".

Her-"Oh...you ruined my fun".

Point being, good idea man.

I don't mind that the Impala SS is bad because it's FWD. I mean, bobody is going to be road racing those things. They're made to go straight. It's a cheap thrill. It works for what it's trying to be. Plus, GM would have to spend tons of money and time to make a new chassis to handle RWD. Also, FWD provides room, and above all, the Impala is a car that provides room for the whole family. The SS just so happens to have a big engine.

There are tons of cars today that could've been so much more. Why aren't cars these days all they could be? A couple of factors, really. The three main factors are:

1. Hippie liberals who want to do crazy things like "save the ozone" and "protect pedestrians when they get hit". Jeez, why don't they just strap four wheels on a pillow and run it on hopes and dreams.

2. Old people don't want hardcore performance, they just want to plant their foot on the gas and have the engine make a cool sound. In reality, nobody road races. They just like to drive on the free way really fast. You don't need a car that has a manual or RWD to do that.

3. True car enthusiasts are becoming extinct. A good amount of people people who like cars just like them for rims or sounds sytems. Just watch an episode of that show "Unique whips", and you'll understand.

I'll find a couple of cars that I think could've made a huge difference. The Dodge neon is the first that comes to mind. Second is the Chevy Aveo (sorry Crossle). The last is the Mercedes McLaren SLR for obvious reasons.

i'm not going to reply to anything else you said because i agree with it.
I don't mind that the Impala SS is bad because it's FWD. I mean, bobody is going to be road racing those things. They're made to go straight. It's a cheap thrill. It works for what it's trying to be. Plus, GM would have to spend tons of money and time to make a new chassis to handle RWD. Also, FWD provides room, and above all, the Impala is a car that provides room for the whole family. The SS just so happens to have a big engine.
i don't really care how much money it would take for GM to build another chassis for the Impala, it would be a much better car with the new chassis. plus, even if they lost money last quarter, they are still a multi-billion dollar company. they can afford to make a new chassis. and besides, haven't you heard the saying "it takes money to make money"?

hopefully i made that clear enough to get my point through.

and, if you want a car for the whole family, why put in a big engine with the intent of making the car sporty?

I think that they would spend the money to make a new chassis but would not gain enough new customers to make a profit of that chassis. The people that would buy an Impala don't factor in the chassis and FWD or RWD. Don't know if it's true.....it's just what I think.

i'd hope the average consumer would learn about the car they are planning to buy. why would you want to be ignorant on something you are paying money for?

man, if people are accually like that, no wonder they are so easy to scam.

i have no faith in my fellow man.

i have no faith in my fellow man.Lol. Good point. Wait till you see a Mclaren F1 or a Bugatti Veyron then say that.

Limiters on german cars like M's and AMG's the autobahn's have no limit

Oh yeah and the 112mph limiter on imported skylines

Limiters on german cars like M's and AMG's the autobahn's have no limit

and Audis although there have been several reports of stock RS6's doing 180mph. Also I heard that that MB, BMW and Audi were having talks about scrapping the agreement because of which they place limiters on the top speed. Anyway limiters can easliy be removed by someone who knows what their doing.

but it voids the warrenty...

One car comes to mind when i read that title, the BMW 8 series. It was a good car but it could have been great, everyone has seen what McLaren has done with the engine. Its a pity there was never a true M8 but the 850 csi was a very good car.

I concur.
I liked the 8 Series and would buy one myself if I could drive. very nice car that had potential.

but it voids the warrenty...

the changes in programming they make are electronically invisible

i did not know that.

Car that could have been great? Corvair....

oh Ralph Nader, how I hate you...

how so?

really, no one else has any ideas?

Any of the honda accords with moderately powerful V6's..

or the Honda prelude..a RWD looking car on a frame that could have easily been RWD..but...was FWD..

ummm.....The Nissan NX2000..

lightweight as all hell with a SR20DE under the hood..it was just too ugly and people didn't want to drive it..

the Infinity G20, it had a good engine "sr20de" but had it had a SR20DET mounted in the front it could have been so much more than an overpriced Sentra SE-R

I'll find a couple of cars that I think could've made a huge difference. The Dodge neon is the first that comes to mind. Second is the Chevy Aveo (sorry Crossle). The last is the Mercedes McLaren SLR for obvious reasons.

If my older brother were to see this, he'd be really happy getting the car and having it for about a year. He's gonna get a set of rims for it

The Dodge/Chrysler/Plymouth Neon

it was a good attempt at trying to steal sales from civic/corolla but it just didn't happen. Poor quality and unreliable.


Land Rover Freelander (for the North American market)

they tried to sell this as a luxury car in North America but all it really was, was a utility vehicle with leather and a car for people that wanted a Discovery but couldn't afford one. First launched in 1998 with great success in the rest of the world where it was a great utility vehicle used by any profession imaginable from the forestry service to the local police department.

Only launched in 2002 for North America as a luxury vehicle years after its intial launch, good job on that one Land Rover!


Volvo S80

going up against the germans is hard when you've got a few cyclinders missing from your engine and technology missing.


Chevrolet SSR

a failure right out of the factory

.....

Chevrolet SSR

a failure right out of the factory

.....
oh i'd say it was a failure way before that.

Car that could have been great? Corvair....

oh Ralph Nader, how I hate you...
I could not agree more.
If that non-driving idiot had not written that stupid (error-filled book), GM could have been way ahead in the small-car market. I had two and loved them.

...........

2. Old people don't want hardcore performance, they just want to plant their foot on the gas and have the engine make a cool sound. In reality, nobody road races. .............

Heh - I wouldn't say nobody!!:D:D AMHIK!

Spyker D12. that car could have been cool, except for the fact that it is hideous.