> You could not pay me enough to buy a
> US-designed-and-built car, especially once they get over about 15,000
> miles.
Hmm, I don't rent or drive as much as I used to, but I've had exactly the same experience. After driving a budget-level Honda Civic around for years, the average Detroit rental (or just cruising around in friends' cars) just doesn't feel right -- the ergonomics are wrong. Awkward steering wheel, mirrors not quite where they should be, roof pillars interfere with field of vision, baroque panel design, etc. It's the same with sound: no rattles or bumps in the Honda, but lots of whines and thuds in US cars. Especially noticeable on long trips, where those little annoyances become major headaches.
-- DRR