These are your top 10 worst-selling vehicles of 2012
01-09-13, 07:21 AM
#16
Out of Warranty
The i-MiEV achieving last-place in sales, IMO, is not suprising at all. How many of you would want to drive something that looked like this? The Nissan Leaf, IMO, is a whole lot easier on one's eyes.
(No offense to those of you who may like the design, but, to me, it is an eyesore)
(No offense to those of you who may like the design, but, to me, it is an eyesore)
01-09-13, 07:31 AM
#17
Lexus Fanatic
iTrader: (20)
01-09-13, 08:30 AM
#18
Lexus Fanatic
Last edited by mmarshall; 01-09-13 at 08:34 AM.
01-09-13, 08:43 AM
#21
Lexus Fanatic
I agree with you that the Equinox is not the world's most exciting vehicle to drive, but its fit/finish, assembly quality, assembly-precision, and overall refinement, like a number of latest-generation GM/Chrysler products, is worlds ahead of what it was just a few years ago.Hard to say just what caused Suzuki's demise here in the American market, but one factor that definitely played a role was that their auto dealership-network was allowed to shrink down to almost nothing. Several years ago, there are 4 or 5 Suzuki auto-dealerships (as opposed to motorcycle shops) within reasonable driving distance of my home.....today, there is just one. The fact is....you can't sell vehicles without places to actually buy them.
Last edited by mmarshall; 01-09-13 at 08:48 AM.
01-09-13, 09:02 AM
#22
Lexus Champion
The i-MiEV achieving last-place in sales, IMO, is not suprising at all. How many of you would want to drive something that looked like this? The Nissan Leaf, IMO, is a whole lot easier on one's eyes.
(No offense to those of you who may like the design, but, to me, it is an eyesore)
(No offense to those of you who may like the design, but, to me, it is an eyesore)
01-09-13, 09:06 AM
#23
Lexus Fanatic
....there, so far, just hasn't been much of a market with any depreciation-price data.
01-09-13, 01:21 PM
#24
Out of Warranty
See what happens when I get up too early? 
Shoulda known better, have driven both, preferred the rather pedestrian-looking Renault, but the Citroën 2CV ("deux chevaux", or two-horse) always drew stares - at least in the US. It was mercifully put down 13 years ago, having survived from the late post-war period and over fifty years with few changes. It was THE minimalist family car. Because it was designed around the emerging European tax laws of the day, the 26 hp, air-cooled engine that made it into late production models was near bulletproof, if only because like the rest of the car, it was so simple.
With roots that, like Volkswagen, extended to the pre-war days when developing a car for the masses was a noble goal, it was simple, cheap, and easily maintained, but possessed of a peculiarly French engineering logic (weird) that would still be reflected in its larger brethren many years later. The prototypes offered seating that consisted of canvas hammocks suspended from the cabin ceiling by wires. Fortunately for us, those features never made it into production.
It joined a number of post-war "peoples cars" that included the VW Beetle, and the Fiat 500 "Topolino" - and later the original Mini. Designed for the displacement taxes of the day, they sold by the thousands. While Messerschmidt and BMW sold tiny cars in the same market, they were more motorcycles than cars and not produced in huge volumes.
Fiat 500 Topolino
Messerschmidt
BMW Isetta
They weren't bad cars - in fact they were quite good - in their intended market where they were designed as cheap family transportation for the ordinary European. The Isetta and the Messerschmidt were early urban vehicles that were meant to be cheap to purchase and operate. Those that made it to this side of the pond failed spectacularly when pressed into service in our motoring environment.
Shoulda known better, have driven both, preferred the rather pedestrian-looking Renault, but the Citroën 2CV ("deux chevaux", or two-horse) always drew stares - at least in the US. It was mercifully put down 13 years ago, having survived from the late post-war period and over fifty years with few changes. It was THE minimalist family car. Because it was designed around the emerging European tax laws of the day, the 26 hp, air-cooled engine that made it into late production models was near bulletproof, if only because like the rest of the car, it was so simple.
With roots that, like Volkswagen, extended to the pre-war days when developing a car for the masses was a noble goal, it was simple, cheap, and easily maintained, but possessed of a peculiarly French engineering logic (weird) that would still be reflected in its larger brethren many years later. The prototypes offered seating that consisted of canvas hammocks suspended from the cabin ceiling by wires. Fortunately for us, those features never made it into production.
It joined a number of post-war "peoples cars" that included the VW Beetle, and the Fiat 500 "Topolino" - and later the original Mini. Designed for the displacement taxes of the day, they sold by the thousands. While Messerschmidt and BMW sold tiny cars in the same market, they were more motorcycles than cars and not produced in huge volumes.
Fiat 500 Topolino
Messerschmidt
BMW Isetta
They weren't bad cars - in fact they were quite good - in their intended market where they were designed as cheap family transportation for the ordinary European. The Isetta and the Messerschmidt were early urban vehicles that were meant to be cheap to purchase and operate. Those that made it to this side of the pond failed spectacularly when pressed into service in our motoring environment.
Last edited by Lil4X; 01-09-13 at 01:25 PM.
01-09-13, 05:55 PM
#28
Lexus Fanatic
Get some of that Starbucks Christmas Blend coffee, if they still have any left (they only sell it once a year during the holiday season). That's good stuff...sure to wake you up. 
Don't feel bad, Bob. You must be refrerring to the Renault 4CV. Lots of people (momentarily) confuse the Renault 4CV with the Citroen 2CV. I've done it a few times myself. The 4CV, of course, was overshadowed by the more ubiquitous Dauphine.
Good or bad, I buckle over with laughter every time I see an Isetta (I can still remember when some of them were brand-new). The Messerchimitt KR-200 is also goofy-looking...but it is the Isetta that really tickles my funnybone.
Of course, in objectivity, I realize that the post-WWII conditions in Europe, rebuilding after the war, with scarce and expensive fuel, necessitated the production of microcars that, today, we would consider little more than four-wheeled motor-scooters. In fact, the first Isettas had three, not four, wheels.
Shoulda known better, have driven both, preferred the rather pedestrian-looking Renault,
Messerschmidt
BMW Isetta
They weren't bad cars - in fact they were quite good - in their intended market where they were designed as cheap family transportation for the ordinary European. The Isetta and the Messerschmidt were early urban vehicles that were meant to be cheap to purchase and operate. Those that made it to this side of the pond failed spectacularly when pressed into service in our motoring environment.
BMW Isetta
They weren't bad cars - in fact they were quite good - in their intended market where they were designed as cheap family transportation for the ordinary European. The Isetta and the Messerschmidt were early urban vehicles that were meant to be cheap to purchase and operate. Those that made it to this side of the pond failed spectacularly when pressed into service in our motoring environment.
Of course, in objectivity, I realize that the post-WWII conditions in Europe, rebuilding after the war, with scarce and expensive fuel, necessitated the production of microcars that, today, we would consider little more than four-wheeled motor-scooters. In fact, the first Isettas had three, not four, wheels.
Last edited by mmarshall; 01-09-13 at 06:03 PM.
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