<VV> The fall and rise of the American Car - Limited Corvair

[Vairtec Corporation]

On 12/30/2011 9:52 PM, jvhroberts at aol.com wrote:

> The Vega, the Pinto, and the Gremlin ALL sold a lot of Datsuns, Toyotas and Hondas. The Japanese cars were simply better cars, especially for the money.

Yet it was subtle.  People were not yet rejecting Vegas and Pintos 
out-of-hand; these cars sold reasonably well.

In 1974, I was driving a Corvair, and decided that it was time to buy my 
first "new" car.  So I used that as an excuse to test-drive EVERY car in 
my price range.

Going in to this, I was expecting to buy a Vega; after all, I came from 
a "Chevy family," I was driving a Corvair, I was on excellent terms with 
the local Chevy dealer from whom both my father and grandfather had 
dealt before me, and I liked the Vega's styling.

But I had this excuse to drive a lot of different cars.  And I did.  The 
Vega, of course, and its sibling, the Monza.  The Pinto and the 
Maverick.  The VW Beetle, Squareback, and 412 wagon (the latter evoking 
my first car, a '62 Corvair wagon).  The AMC Gremlin.  Datsun 510.  
Toyota Corolla and Corona.

I was still thinking "Vega" when on a whim, since I was driving 
"everything," I traipsed across the county to the lone dealer for a 
funny little car, the 1974 Honda Civic.  Once around the block sold me 
on the Civic and it is what I bought.

It proved to be an excellent choice but I kept it for a mere two years 
because in 1976 the Accord hit our shores.  I bought the sixth Accord 
the dealer received, $3995.00.  THAT car blew the domestic offerings out 
of the water.

I remained in Japanese cars until the Chrysler minivans appeared.