I'm the Acura guy. I switched over to Honda and Acura after having EXTREMELY bad luck with several American cars.

My nearly-new F-150 pickup threw a rod right through the block on the Tulsa turnpike. My Mustang GT dropped a linkage in the transmission after only 50,000 miles and wouldn't shift into reverse. My Dodge Intrepid electronic control module had to be replaced at least four times over 80,000 miles -- then the transmission completely crapped out.

I won't even mention the huge gaps, wind noise, squeaks, rattles and other annoyances that I've noticed that Detroit includes in all their proiducts.

I always have all recomended maintenance performed on my cars, just like clockwork. Oil changes every 3,000 (5,000 if I'm using syntehtic), radiator flush, transmission fluid changes -- the works.

Just before I bought my RL, I was driving a Toyota Tundra, assembled right here in the good old USA.

By the way, I just retired from the Air Force after 21 years of service and five Middle East deployments. (Six months in Balad Iraq last year helped me make up my mind to retire early.)

I'd like to be patriotic and spend my money on American cars, but I just can't stand to get ripped off.