Cheaper quality or just me?

[Emily172013]

Originally Posted by louielouie

I'm not sure I've seen which manufacturers are making their cars lighter. I feel models are getting heavier and heavier YoY. Which ones are reducing in weight?

Per EPA:
Attachment 3951278

Cars are heavier today because they are larger. Manufactures try and make up for some of it by light glass and thinner steel and aluminum panels, so they don't seem as robust as earlier, smaller cars.

[Emily172013]

It wasn't that many years ago when poor body panel fit, poor paint, exposed screws in the interior, and plastic dashboards were the norm. You bought a car and the dealer told you to bring it back in a few weeks to correct the bugs. Change oil every couple thousand miles, grease every thousand, starters and generators and major tune up every 20k along with cheap tires.
Cars are much better today.

[silvermanor]

I have owned a babied mint E46 M3 for the last 15 years and currently have a G80 M3 and if you think the E46 was better built you are completely insane.

[silvermanor]

Originally Posted by Emily172013

It wasn't that many years ago when poor body panel fit, poor paint, exposed screws in the interior, and plastic dashboards were the norm. You bought a car and the dealer told you to bring it back in a few weeks to correct the bugs. Change oil every couple thousand miles, grease every thousand, starters and generators and major tune up every 20k along with cheap tires.
Cars are much better today.

Yeah engines also needed way more maintenance and if they went 80k miles you'd be lucky even though they only made like 120hp and got 15mpg. People drive way more miles per year than they ever did, speeds are higher, engines make crazy power and get incredible milage and cars on the side of the road are not nearly as common as they were 20-30 years ago. Cars are so much better now and it's not even close.