Help a brother out!

first off, i know this isn't the right spot, but it's hard to get non biased responces in the ford and celica and honda forum.

I'm doing a speech on "import vs domestic" *yes i know, it's old and overdone, but my teacher wants me to do it*

now i'm not choosing sides, but i do need some info to help me out.

1. the price new of a 2000 mustang Gt and SVT Cobra
2. What you believe the pro's and cons of both import and domestic are
3. Why you think one is better than the other. (pls also incorporate it with street racing at least for some of it)

stuff like that.

moved to non specific. Normally this should belong in car comparo but we have rules against domestic vs import comparisons.

I'll leave this open here as long as it stays clean and people realise that in to days global economy the lines between domestic products and imports are very blured (eg. camaros were imported from canada while civics are made in the US).

thanks neutrino, i wasn't sure where to post it.

Just to get started, but by no means complete:

Good about domestics:
Get a good deal on (especially GM)
Parts are usually cheaper
Generally faster in straight line

Good about imports:
Hold value much better
More reliable
Generally handle better
More economical

I think if you have to talk about domestic vs. import you should blow your teacher away. If you do alittle research you'll see there really isn't anything that is pure domestic or import, but just a way of telling were a mfg. originally came from. You'll find Ford's, Dodges and General motors products made in Canada, Mexico, Japan and other fareast countrys. The same holds true for the so called imports. Mercedes, VW made in Mexico, Honda, Mutisubshi and Nissan made in the USA. Granted there is a few cars made in the country of origin but not many.
Do some homework and show them how uninformed we as a people are.

Well, personally, I'll take an import over a domestic just about any day. IMHO, Domestic cars, becuase of unions, have just gone down the shitter. Compared to imports, build quality is down, reliability (and this comes from expierience, not a magazine article) is crap, and its just not worth buying a less expensive car. I'd support the American car market if they made cars that really made me want to support it. The only reason we have to pay more for imports are protective taxes placed on the market so that people would be more willing to buy an American car only becuase its cheaper. For me, its worth paying a little more to get a better product.

As for racing, well, you can't deny that big displacement American V8s are powerfull and fast outa the box. But at the same time, you have to ask yourself if they are worth it? I read somewhere (not sure, I'll see if I can find the article again) that with big displacement engines, that what you are getting is cheap power, and that small displacement, high compression or FId engines are more efficient with their power. After all, there's no replacement for displacement...except turbos and technology. But hey, thats just my .02

well basically people class imports as cars designed originally by a company outside of America yet many are built on American soil, hell why we do we call 90-99 (I think those were the years) eclipses/talons/lasers dsm's.

Look at a dodge stealth for instance. The stealth holds the same japanese powerplant as the 3000GT does as they are the same car but with different styling. So would you class a DODGE stealth as an import or a domestic in such a case? Sure its 'made' or 'put out' by an american company but the engine is basically of japanese design.


I see the both sides of the spectrum. Basically when it comes down to good, affordable power people for the most part turn either to a v8 American designed car or a japanese car with a smaller engine but equipped with forced induction of some sort.

What exactly will you be comparing when you pit the two against each other?
Potential power output?
Power efficiency?
Cost?
Gas mileage?
stereotypical domestic muscle vs. stereotypical japanese muscle?
You could compare and contrast that as far as place of origin domestics should not really be considered domestics and japanese cars should not be necessarily always considered to come from japanese origin.

There is a lot to cover with a speech like that, good luck.

Just to get started, but by no means complete:

Good about domestics:
Get a good deal on (especially GM)
Parts are usually cheaper
Generally faster in straight line

Good about imports:
Hold value much better
More reliable
Generally handle better
More economical

Pretty much what he said. Plus the usually smaller engines and lighter bodys of imports and the heavier bodys with bigger engines of most domestics.

I'd focus mainly on build quality since IMO just now are american car companies upping their standards. I'm especially impressed with daimler- chrylser. The 300c, crossfire, and srt-4 all seem like huge leaps from former chrysler products.

Once Chyrsler got bought up by Benz, my respect skyrocketed for their cars. It used to be that I would only by Ford (was all but engaged to a girl whose dad owned five Ford dealerships in Texas), to the only American car I'd get would be a Chevelle 454SS, to now where I wont touch a Ford with a 10foot pole, I'd take a Chevelle or TA WS6, or just about any Dodge/Chrysler.

well she brought up the fact that i race in class (i tend to talk too much in class) and was like "i want to know about import and domestic cars. Billy, you do it." so i'm actually on the borderline here... what do you think will get me a more interesting approach? muscle vs tuner? (it has to be a persuasive speech i must add) or should it be more leaned toward street racing a "domestic" vs racing a "import"

they didn't make a cobra in 2000.

Do the tuner vs. muscle debate. There are too many loose ends to clean up considering that imports and domestics make similiar cars. With tuner vs. muscle atleast your comparing different cars instead of comparing cars soley on the origin.

If you want to do a performance debate then use domestic vs. import. If your looking to do a paper on who makes a better car for the average consumer choose domestic vs. import.

yea i decided muscle vs tuner

here's what i need now... how do you get a 160hp 05 civic si up to 300 hp? and how much would it cost?

built motor. huge turbo. lots of money.

haha how do i put that on my report though... i know u gotta do alot to the motor, and i found the turbo... but what would you recommend be done for it (spare no expense)

There's a civic si wondering around the streets of sydney with a shit load of money gone into it. It's got a JDM K20A engine conversion from the JDM DC5 integra type-r. It's said to put more power out than a wrx before the VTEC kicks in so I'm guessing it's around 250bhp. It did a 12.886 @ 106.04mph (12.886@ 106.04mph) 1/4 mile as the fastest of 4 pretty consistent runs.

It just goes to show, it doesn't always have to be turbos. I for one, am a big fan of the lightweight NA theme. This car has carbon fibre all over and is pretty much gutted of everything e.g. air con, power steering etc.

If you're interested this is a brief of what's gone under the bonnet.
Car: EG Honda Civic Si hatchback
K20A 2L DOHC i-VTEC long motor and gearbox
K20A shifter
K20A wiring harness
Hybrid Racing conversion harness
Hasport billet engine mounts
DSS driveshafts
Golden Eagle fuel rail
K&N typhoon intake
Hondata K-Pro ECU/Mugen N1 ECU (I think they put either one in depending on the purpose of the car for the day)
AEM alternator pulley
Aeromotive fuel pressure regulator
DTR three-piece header
Custom 3-inch exhaust
PWR alloy radiator
Odyssey lightweight battery
ORC Super Single 309Ds clutch
Braided clutch hoses

...Must of cost a pretty penny

Here's an article I wrote for the newspaper on turbos/superchargers:
http://www.jekylhyderacing.com/StorySuperTurbochargers.htm

If you check that out, you will get a clear understanding as to where I stand on the import vs domestic thing :)

wow. 106mph is a high trap for 250fwhp.

Here's an article I wrote for the newspaper on turbos/superchargers:
http://www.jekylhyderacing.com/StorySuperTurbochargers.htm

If you check that out, you will get a clear understanding as to where I stand on the import vs domestic thing :)
You failed to mention the smaller pulleys which increase the amount of boost for superchargers.

You failed to mention the smaller pulleys which increase the amount of boost for superchargers.

I think you missed the point of the artical. It was a good way of showing the difference between large and small engines.
I would bet my last peso the both Jekyl and Hyde are well aware of what changing the pulleys well do. So I don't think they failed at anything, just didn't have the room and wasn't needed to make his point.

wow. 106mph is a high trap for 250fwhp.

That hp figure was just a guess on my part. They dudes won't say exactly how many horses are coming out of there. The only thing they will say is that it has a higher power to weight ratio than both a Skyline GTR and Evo8.

no offense, but that article lost its focus near the end.

wow. 106mph is a high trap for 250fwhp.

Nah, not really. Depends on how much weight reduction he has.

You failed to mention the smaller pulleys which increase the amount of boost for superchargers.
... did I mention anything about boost controllers for a turbocharger?

no offense, but that article lost its focus near the end.
No offense taking. I am always open to critique.

The focus of the article was on what turbos & superchargers are, how they work and why you would want one (benefits). Where are you suggesting that I lost that focus?

I would bet my last peso the both Jekyl and Hyde are well aware of what changing the pulleys well do.
Of course. I have enough friends that dropped the HKS pulley into their MKI MR2scs to be aware of that game ;)

...Of course. I have enough friends that dropped the HKS pulley into their MKI MR2scs to be aware of that game ;)

I wasn't putting you down...I really don't know ifhis statement was ment for you or about the writeup.

Originally Posted by clawhammer
You failed to mention the smaller pulleys which increase the amount of boost for superchargers