American cars – what’s wrong with them?
The vast majority of American cars imported into Poland have their bodywork damaged. Among the brands, this defect most often occurs in the case of BMW, Ford and Chrysler. Other German brands are also high in the ranking, but there are also Japanese brands, as well as the Swedish Volvo.
Polish enthusiasts of American cars – is this right?
The United States, along with China and Europe, is one of the largest automotive markets in the world. The high availability of cars and attractive prices thanks to the huge competition make it a popular destination for importing cars to Poland for years. American cars have in Poland enthusiasts, who appreciate their spaciousness and comfort of driving, even at the expense of less precision of handling or possible higher malfunction and more difficult availability of some parts than in the case of vehicles manufactured in Europe or Asia.
However, it is worth remembering that the vast majority of American cars imported to Poland are damaged – most often in a specific way. Which?
According to the autoDNA statistics collected in 2022, most often, as it is in over 90% of cases of all defects of vehicles from the USA, it has to do with damage to the bodywork.
The most common car damage in the American cars
Almost half of the defects (47%) include damage to the front of the car, which means, for example, a crushed bumper, broken headlights or even a damaged radiator. The next elements by “popularity” in this ranking are the back, the side as well as the left and right sides. Next are the left and right front, and at the end of the list there is the damage to more than one area. This type of damage, due to lower labour costs, is worth repairing already in Poland. After that, you can proceed to resell the car.
Which brands imported from the USA are most often have a post-accident past? BMW is the first in the ranking, followed by Ford and Chrysler. Interestingly, Poland also imports damaged Audi, Mercedes and Volkswagen vehicles from the USA. Mazda ranks sixth, and when it comes to the Japanese brands, Toyota and Nissan are popular. In eighth place of the brands in which there is damage to the bodywork, the Swedish Volvo was ranked.
Most of these cars were produced in the USA and these are the vehicles intended for this market – they usually have large engines (basically only gasoline, possibly a hybrid drive) and a larger wheelbase than their European equivalents, making them more spacious (e.g. Volkswagen Passat).
The exoticism of the cars from the USA also means that it may be difficult to resell them in some time. It will certainly take more time to find another enthusiast for this type of car than its European counterpart, e.g. Volkswagen Passat produced in Germany.
When buying a car from the USA, it is worth checking the VIN number in the autoDNA database, where you will receive a comprehensive set of information about the vehicle history It is possible that the vehicle history report from the USA will contain photos of the vehicle before repair, so you can check how serious the damage was.
Why are American cars so bad?
The perception that American cars are “bad” is not universally agreed upon. In fact, many American brands are considered among the most reliable. The quality of a car can depend on many factors, not just its country of origin.
Are any American cars made in America?
Here is a detailed list of cars made in the USA:
- Toyota Camry Hybrid: This hybrid sedan is built in Kentucky.
- Honda Civic: Available in sedan and hatchback models, it's built in Greensburg, Indiana.
- Honda Accord Hybrid: Built in Marysville, Ohio, it's one of the highest-rated models in hybrid cars.
- Tesla Model 3: Built in Fremont, California, it's Tesla's original high-volume manufacturing facility.
- Honda Accord: Also built in Marysville, Ohio, it's the top-rated model in midsize cars.
- Honda Odyssey: This minivan is built in Lincoln, Alabama.
- Tesla Model S: Another Tesla built in Fremont, California.
- Ford Mustang: This sports car is built near Detroit, Michigan at Ford's Flat Rock assembly plant.
- Lucid Air: This electric car is built in Casa Grande, Arizona.
- Chevrolet Corvette: Built in Bowling Green, Kentucky, it's the only car built in the U.S. where you can specify factory delivery.
Why are American cars so big?
Many Americans prefer larger vehicles like pickup trucks and SUVs for their versatility and comfort. This preference is reflected in the size of many American cars.
How did cars change American life?
The advent of the automobile brought significant changes to American life since the 1920s. It transformed rural life, urban landscapes, and the nature of work and leisure, among other things.
