I’m not sure why that’s ironic, but yes, South Korean manufacturing has come a long way in terms of quality in the last few decades, virtually on par with Japanese manufacturing.
My other half got a Veloster. It drives like a 2nd generation CRX - I know because I’ve had 3 and still have one. It appears to be built like one too - nothing overly fancy (unless you count the nav system) but everything works, and works well. Having driven several Hyundais when she was shopping for this one, including the frankly amazing Genesis Coupe, I’d say Hyundai/Kia are right up there with where Honda was in the 90’s, which is arguably a better place than Honda is today.
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There were some complaints concerning difficult to access parts but I have found that on many different vehicles. We have no rust problems. That would be major.
What is the model year of your Datsun Fairlady/SPL-310/SPL-311?
If it is from the '60s, how easy is it to replace the air filter?
I never owned a Datsun roadster a couple of guys I went to high school with did. They were 1.5L so would have been early to mid 1960s 310s. I’m not sure but the hard to work on complaint could have involved the air filter. I think the carbs were on the opposite side of the engine than MGs.
Yep, function over form any day…though function would include road-gripability and good steering in a cross wind. But if I was a plumber, electrician, etc. I would be glad for the few minutes standing upright, inside my own van…I probably would spend enough of my time down on floors, face up doing my job.
@shadowfax; As I have already mentioned, I have the 6 speed, Veloster Turbo and couldn’t agree more. It is probably the only car that hasn’t caused buyer’s remorse in me (I am cheap and always feel I have overspent).
It was supposed to be my commuter car but now we also use it for all road trips/etc. The small SUV is just sitting in the garage.
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That was one of them. The geniuses who designed that Datsun apparently never thought about how an owner would go about changing the air filter on the twin side-draft carbs. There was so little space between the inner fender liner and the air cleaner cover that it was impossible to remove the cover unless you disconnected the carbs from the intake manifold. The result was that–probably–95% of these cars never had the air filter replaced.
While I don’t recall the actual details, our mechanic used to complain about the disc brakes. While he was used to working on Jags and other makes with disc brakes, he said that the front brakes on these Datsuns worked differently from every other disc brake with which he was familiar, and that they were a PITA.
Oooh… Another candidate for an Aztek. 
I think Mercedes Benz makes a model called the Kompressor. The name implies it is unsafe in a severe collision.
That’s a stretch.
Kompressor is MB’s term for a supercharged engine.
Not a model name, see shanonia’s post.
Hyundai Equus and Veloster. How are those names pronounced? If you pronounce it “wrongly” in the presence of someone who “knows,” you can be embarrassed. Names like that just make for discomfort and unease. For that matter, how many except for some Americans beyond a certain age know how to pronounce Tucson?
How about Kia Sportage? Is it SPORTidge or sportAAJH? If SPORTage, I’m sorry, that is an awkward sounding word that lacks a clear meaning. It somehow suggests something secreted or leaked from who knows what.
(sorry, above incomplete)
If sporTAAJH, it sounds French, which makes sense, because the word looks French, and seems to refer to something sporty. I prefer sporTAAJH, but who is the authority?
How about Toyota Prius? Long or short i? For that matter, long or short u? And Prius V. Is that V pronounced like the letter V, or does it stand for Roman numeral five, and so is pronounced “five”?
Names that are awkward in the reading or saying cast a negative aspect on the product, especially if they inspire an in-group and out-group situation.
I read that Apple wants their soon-to-be-released Iphone X to be called Iphone ten.
This reminds me of a BBC comedy named Keeping Up Appearances. The main characters are a social climbing wife and her henpecked husband. Their last name is Bucket, but she insists on pronouncing it as “Bouquet”. A very funny show. Anyway, pronounce it any way you want. If someone wants to give you a hard time because you mispronounce the name, they are the one with the problems, not you.
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And another thing:
There is a local Hyundai dealer advertisement I saw yesterday. They prentend it is a news conference. One reporter pronounces the name Hyun-day and another Hyundai-eye. If a dealer uses two pronunciations, why should we worry about car name pronunciations?
I haven’t seen “Keeping Up Appearances” in years and it was very funny. Didn’t they drive a Rover sedan?
Yes, a Rover 216.
No, it was a Rover 213, which was really a Honda Civic with different badges glued onto it.
