I was in France and London over our Christmas vacation and, although I didn't
have my own Peugeot at the time, had friends and family who did. I was
observant of what I saw and the majority of the cars were older (from the 80s
it looked like). Many of these cars appeared, by American standards --
exterior condition, to be in poor maintenance. However, I didn't see one car
blowing blue smoke from the tailpipe or and disabled vehicles. As a matter of
fact, while in a coach traveling very quickly I saw many cars pass us going at
least 20 mph over our speed. I believe the Europeans keep their cars in good
mechanical condition.
A note I might add, I saw only one Peugeot 505 (wagon) during my stay. Nearly
half the cars were Peugeots, but cheaper models (105, 205, et cetera). I guess
the 505's are considered to be really nice cars over there.
-Alan
Call it a mid-life crisis if you like, but I'm dealing with the issue of
keeping my Peugeots drivable and loveable for another ten years.
What I'm finding interesting is how often the issue of keeping the car
clean comes up. It seems to be a truism - the cleaner you keep your car
the longer it lasts.
Like most Americans, I've always thought keeping a car clean meant
washing and waxing the exterior and vacuuming the interior. But it's
quickly becoming apparent that keeping a car "well maintained" for the
long haul means keeping the engine compartment, underbody and fluids
clean as well.
This lack of attention to anything other than the car's superifical
looks, seems to be endemic in American culture. When was the last time
anyone was ever overheard to say "Well it's springtime, time to change
my car's fluids, and have the underbody and engine compartment steam
cleaned". We just don't do it and then we're surprised when the body
starts to rust and components fail.
I'm not sure if this is a result of the way Americans think, or if it was
just lazy thinking on my part, so a I thought I'd throw it out to the
group and get your reactions. Are Americans generally guilty of poor car
care? (Since our prevailing mentality seems to be - keep a car for 7
years and then trade it in) Are Europeans any more diligent than
Americans in keeping their entire cars clean?