Two Tribes

Tribalism... it's a funny thing. It's this unswerving loyalty to one's tribe or tribal beliefs.
I have more than one tribe. There's the urban tribe that I hang with - there's a huge range in ages, walks of life, creeds, religions, ethnicity but we all seem to mould into one bunch of folk who largely get along with one another.

Then there's the other tribal thing. It's a fairly Australasian thing but has it's origins someplace else - it's a tribal thing about the blue oval and the red lion. You don't cross the line very often and you are conspicuous if you do. I have to admit I've been driving cars from the blue oval for years and I've rationalised it's come to price (it helps when you get a huge fleet discount from one and not the other) and the relative merits of the segments of the cars that I have purchased.

You see I bought a Laser TX3i (a rebadged Mazda) rather than an Holden Astra (which at the time was a rebadged Nissan) as at the time I wanted a hot hatch and there was no 'sports' version in the Holden. Then I bought the last of the Ford Escorts rather than Opel Astra (this time from Europe) because with a few tweaks it became a very swift and economical way to get my ski hill and back. Then it was a Mondeo ST vs a Vectra - a manual V6 with a sports suspension, big brakes, big wheels and low profiles versus an automatic V6 that simply failed to inspire. And I couldn't stomach an AU nor could I stretch for something more interesting in the Commodore range except maybe one of the family sedans...

And then more recently, it was a choice of my latest vehicle. I seriously thought about getting something else like an Accord Euro but bootspace and a lack of room/liftback coupled with a need to haul scuba gear and tanks, skis and other bits and pieces put paid to that idea. So I ended up with a Ford Territory rather than a XR or a SV something. I like it, it suits what I do and I've had very few issues with it. Sure the fuel consumption isn't great but someone else is paying for that and it could do with more speeds in the tranny but the engine's brawny enough to do the job.

Funny thing was I ended up driving a Commodore last week whilst touring round in the South Island. And it's back to back pedalling that you really notice the differences between the two things. First thing you notice is the nice multifunction screen at the bottom of the instrument panel - it's very useful including the digital speedo which in these days of hidden speed cameras, well you figure.

The seating position is pretty low compared to the Territory but this is a sedan not an SUV. This does mean you don't get as much legroom back in the cheap seats but hey I'm usually pedalling anyway. The thing handles pretty well but hasn't got AWD grip in slippery surfaces and it's surprisingly gruff - but I did have the old Buick based V6 onboard. That and the fact a lot of the surfaces that come to hand - like the shift lever and the park brake are shiny plastic compared to the matt vinyl in the Truck - prefer the vinyl especially when you jump into the car wet from the drizzle. And the fact that the pedals are adjustable in the Ford and not in the Holden.

Then it's the things that annoy. Like the cruise control lever with markings hidden by the steering wheel, the clunky old tranny and the microscopic markings on the HVAC controls. The steering wheel controls are for the stereo but they aren't well marked and you'd have to spend more time getting used to the cruise or the stereo controls before you could get intuitive. But then again it doesn't burn anywhere near the same quantity of gas either. I didn't like the sound of the Blaupunkt as much as the player in my truck but that's a matter of fine tuning I guess. I still don't know how to recirc the air and direct it to the windscreen with the A/C on either - plus with the fog and drizzle it didn't have a variable intermittent wipe.

And then there's the trunk release in the glovebox and the fact that the rear seats don't fold down either. I understand why but it ain't necessarily convenient either.

On the other hand, it handles and rides pretty well and it's still a roomy beast. The boot's massive and pedalling around it did the job pretty well but I guess it's tribal thing... I won't be putting my cash down for one quite yet but I'm waiting to see what's next in the pipeline.

this post made my brain swell. I will edit a better reply later after the swelling goes away. [/robot voice]

And then there's the trunk release in the glovebox and the fact that the rear seats don't fold down either. I understand why but it ain't necessarily convenient either.


:lol2:

Not sure why GM is so insistent to hang onto relics of their past, like pushrod engines and glovebox-mounted trunk releases :confused:

It's the little things like that which make me track towards the Ford store.

Growing up, I was a GM guy, and hated Fords to the core. No reason, just all the other kids did too. Bought my first Ford, started working for a Ford dealer (and have since worked for a GM dealer as well), and now the General has to do a lot of convincing to do before I'd go back.

Also, it seems to me that often Ford people know "their" car is a bit better, whilst GM people have merely convinced themselves otherwise (and want to convert the world to their side!). In my experience, the GM is nearly always the faster car, the grippier car, the more stylized, etc. In all the traditional magazine have-nothing-to-do-with-real-life-driving tests, the GM wins. However, nearly always, the Ford seems to be the better thought out, better balanced, better engineered, and more simply styled.

Though I evaluate each individual model of car rather than casting a brand blanket over any manufacturer, I don't think there is currently any GM model (American, European, Australasian or otherwise) which I prefer over the equivalent Ford model...

By the way, I've had a ride now in both the BA Falcon and VY Commodore - I like the fancy displays in the Commodore, but the Falcon seemed to function better, both mechanically, and in the interior controls.

Damnit, I thought you were talking about the massive dance music festival. :(

True what you have said though. I think both marques need to lift their standards further before I will touch.

i can't even bother attempting to squint at that tiny font you used.

i can't even bother attempting to squint at that tiny font you used.
at least I'm not the only one...I'm just to lazy to go find my glasses or put my contacts in

Ford and Holden are probably at the top of thier game, especially compared to Toyota and Nissan.


I briefly drove the new Maxima ST last night (2004 model) and while Nissan have clearly got the better powertrain and transmission, I was baffled at WHY they felt it neccesary to plaster the interior of the car in plastic "wood" trim that looked like it came off a cheap early 90's TV cabinet, so it's definitely not just GM that are sticking to thier roots, Toyota and Nissan still think that it's still 1993 (Yes Toyota as well, the Camry 2.4 is about the worst car you can buy, it shows that the Japanese are still capable of benchmark mediocrity).

If I were to buy a Holden though, I'd definitely be waiting for the new VE platform, the existing V Body is pretty sloppy. The BA Falcon is still awesome though, I'd buy an XR6 Turbo if I had the money.

Damnit, I thought you were talking about the massive dance music festival. :(


:lol2: That's what I initially thought as well.

it shows that the Japanese are still capable of benchmark mediocrity

So true! The Japanese do well at making A->B cars that go forever, but I can't think of a truly exciting new Japanese car since the early 90s...

The Americans still haven't figured out what they're doing yet, the Japanese have gone boring, the Germans have gotten too electronic, the Italians have gone too mainstream, the Swedes just never had it, the French have become plastic, the Koreans are still a generation away from being tops, and the Aussies could use a paradigm shift. IMO, it's the Brits (MG Rover excepted, of course) showing the most promise (for the first time in ages).

:lol2:
The Americans still haven't figured out what they're doing yet, the Japanese have gone boring, the Germans have gotten too electronic, the Italians have gone too mainstream, the Swedes just never had it, the French have become plastic, the Koreans are still a generation away from being tops, and the Aussies could use a paradigm shift. IMO, it's the Brits (MG Rover excepted, of course) showing the most promise (for the first time in ages).

That has some goodly trueness..er...ess.... :uhoh:

There I've changed the font... Apparently Viagra is associated with premature blindness... can't think why...


I did drive one of the Colt's during the week - I have to say it was a good little runabout but the foot parking brake and that weird column shift CVT takes some getting used to.

I also spent a day driving thru the Catlins in a Corolla (mainly because it was the only manual I could rent) - the hatch is a better drive than the sedan... for reasons I can't fathom in the handling. The wheel only adjusts for rake and not @#$%^& reach, the footrest is too high so the driving position is flawed and it skitters over dirt road crests but it responds nicely to the handbrake/scandanavian flick... something you wouldn't try to do in the Colt (@#$%^& foot parking brake).