I think the arguing here depends on what you consider a sports car. The corvette is an affordable american sports car and the viper can be too just not new. IMO I would never buy a NEW car because it loses a chunk of its value the second you drive it off the lot. I've got a buddy in the local club who bought a Yellow 04' Viper for 42k which is pretty affordable. Ford makes mustangs for god sake, look how many of those damn things are rolling around. I see over a hundred everyday I go for a drive. Chevrolet has the corvette and camaro, which has been affordable for much of its existence. Chrysler has the viper, challenger, and crossfire which are also affordable.
I can agree to both sides of this argument. Foreign companies, specifically the germans and nissan, make exceptional quality cars. I have no experience with the British companies and won't even touch that part. At the same time, Americans don't go to that level because:
1.)Chevrolet is owned by the government
2.)Chrysler is partially owned by Fiat
3.)Our economy has been a sink hole for the past 20 years
The great thing about American cars is that they are incredibly simple designs that work. They can be fixed by the average joe who has a decent set of tools. Problem with foreign cars is that you have to take off multiple things to fix one part and at the same time, if you cross connect one vacuum hose or have any kind of shortage, you are up the creek without a paddle. I would never touch a foreign car because it is so complicated and I'm 6'4" and my big arms can't fit anywhere in that engine bay. At least with my malibu or my dad's 85' dodge pickup, I can plop my a** down on the core support, put my feet on the upper control arms and do whatever I have to do to the engine.
As far as costs, that depends on what sources you use. IMO american cars are cheaper. Just my opinion though. I know I can build a small block chevy for a quarter of the price it would take to build a complete nissan engine.
I can agree to both sides of this argument. Foreign companies, specifically the germans and nissan, make exceptional quality cars. I have no experience with the British companies and won't even touch that part. At the same time, Americans don't go to that level because:
1.)Chevrolet is owned by the government
2.)Chrysler is partially owned by Fiat
3.)Our economy has been a sink hole for the past 20 years
The great thing about American cars is that they are incredibly simple designs that work. They can be fixed by the average joe who has a decent set of tools. Problem with foreign cars is that you have to take off multiple things to fix one part and at the same time, if you cross connect one vacuum hose or have any kind of shortage, you are up the creek without a paddle. I would never touch a foreign car because it is so complicated and I'm 6'4" and my big arms can't fit anywhere in that engine bay. At least with my malibu or my dad's 85' dodge pickup, I can plop my a** down on the core support, put my feet on the upper control arms and do whatever I have to do to the engine.
As far as costs, that depends on what sources you use. IMO american cars are cheaper. Just my opinion though. I know I can build a small block chevy for a quarter of the price it would take to build a complete nissan engine.
