Cars were built better back then because they didn't have to compress all the fancy electronics, creature comforts, and marginally useful features into the car like they do now. Can anybody seriously imagine the operating costs of a tech-heavy car like the GTR in 10-15 years? Or any of the turbo'd BMW's that are already seeing problems? I don't even want to think about it.

As long as cars keep going the route of more and more extravagant features, and consumers/government keep demanding increased performance with a decreased environmental footprint, they are going to last shorter amounts of time. Cars these days aren't built to last, they are built to please the consumer now, at the expense of long term reliability.

 

When cars start to look like Back to the Future 2, i am going to buy one. I am pretty sure that's where the future is going to lead

 

If you really want to talk about tank-like construction, consider my 1986 Mercedes 300SL. The engineering team within Mercedes back then actually nicknamed the car Der Panzerwagen ('the tank') because of it's solid build. It combines precision engineering with hand craftsmanship and nothing built today compares with, certainly not the new Mercedes.
That said, I'm lovin' the G. I actually had test driven the Lexus IS250 and found it a very nice car indeed until I test drove the G, which can tow the IS down the road faster than it can go under its own power. I didn't used to be a power freak, but now I'm drunk with......well, you know!

 

yes you will be hard pressed to find better build cars then pre about 98 Mercedes. You really used to get what you paid for, those things keep going forever.


about about the comment of no imports, uh that sounds horrible...

 

I give mine a 6. Too many problems, still has some. But love the way it looks and perform!

 

A lot of people driving other makes, accept costly mechanical problems over having small issues like an interior rattle. Priorities are *** backwards. But then again the 3rd generation G (G37 sedan) I would say is a solid 8-10 on everything.

 

From what I read the interior rattles on the GS 350 have been bad. Pulling off the whole dash and then the problem isn't fixed or comes back. That was one reason I didn't go for a GS. Wasn't many other reasons but that and price was.