Domestic or Import:
Is it really a debate?
By Alexis Carmicheal
The domestic/import debate has been plaguing the car scene for years. Care enthusiasts around the world are in
constant arguments about which category has the best or fastest cars. Before the argument is discussed, there will
be a few terms of frequent use. Horsepower and torque are just the first of many. Horsepower is a determinant of
how fast a car's engine can really be. The higher the horsepower, the faster the vehicle will go. Torque is the total
amount of pounds that the engine puts on the wheels. SOHC and DOHC stand for Single or Dual Over Head Cams.
A SOHC makes it harder for the engine to reach higher revolutions per minute, or RPM's since it only has one cam. A
DOHC gets twice the compression because both cams work together on the upstroke and down stroke. DOHC is
generally better because it lowers the tension needed to reach the higher RPMs since it pulls and pushes from both
sides. RPM is another term used often. RPMs tell the driver the amount of time it takes the engine to complete its
four stroke combustion* and is usually located on the left side of the odometer. The higher the RPMs can go without
the needle in the red zone, the faster you go more quickly. This is called redlining. When the engine starts to redline,
it's telling the driver that parts may begin to bend, stretch or break, so slow down. Hence the red color; red was
intended to give the notion of danger, or stop. The higher the RPM, the better air flows
through the engine; the better the air flows the engine, the better compression you get, which in turn, builds up more
horsepower. VTEC is Variation valve Timing and lift Electronic Control. At a certain amount of RPMs, VTEC kicks in
and makes the car speed up a little.
In general, import cars rule the scene in the matter of speed. They offer more of a variety when it comes to choosing
the vehicle. Domestics have less of a variety. Ford is the dominant domestic, while Honda, Acura,
Nissan, and Mitsubishi are among the imports; however, who is to say one is better over the other? Do these import
cars have better gas mileage? Is it true that imports are more fuel efficient and economical? Some say domestic are
just better quality. Both have merit and individual good qualities. This paper will investigate both domestics and
imports and determine which is more appropriate for what demographic. The comparison will include the main
players of each side. The end result will be informative, if not amusing.
Foreign vehicles, also known as imports, are as enjoyable as any other car on the market. What makes these cars so enjoyable? Well for starters, many of them are compact, as in tiny, and easy to drive. Handling is usually good due to the smaller size. Some take corners as if
the vehicle were on rails. The warranties are often better and more thorough. The engine type varies, body styles can
be altered to the consumer's liking, and they are priced reasonably cheap. Gas mileage is better, and a full tank of
gas that costs less than ten dollars tends to make customers happy. The engines in foreign cars are generally smaller
and faster than that of domestics. It is even rumored that Ford had to ask Honda for help when
designing the Focus engine. A major manufacturer of foreign cars, is Honda. Honda also makes Acura,
but Acura is simply another company created when Honda came to America. Acura does not exist in Japan. Keep in
mind, these are imported cars, they just have manufacturers and dealerships in America, as an extension. The cars
of Honda generally have a good Consumer Report rating. According to Consumer Report, customers of Honda are
on average quite satisfied, as are Acura owners. Nissan and Volkswagen have been participants also, but not as
popular with the public. As of 2002, Nissan and Volkswagen will be releasing their fury into the market soon. Let's
examine some of the most popular cars of Honda: the Civic and the Acura Integra. These two have the same
framework for the body, just a different exterior. These two come in two and four door varieties with the base models
starting at $23,995 and go up or down, depending on the consumer and the region. These cars come in automatic
and manual transmission, with the faster models being available only in manual transmissions. Both base models have about 110-120 horsepower.
The Honda Civic currently has many versions: DX, EX, HX, LX, and SI. The Civic has generally 120 horsepower and
comes with good safety ratings. It is a car that parents might purchase for a sixteen year old because of the ratings
and reasonable price. However, a Civic is the easiest car to modify and make faster. The SI is the one with the most
horsepower of the five. The 2002 Civic SI will carry a high output 2.0-liter, DOHC four-cylinder engine. This i-VTEC
("i" for intelligent) power plant produces 160 horsepower and 132 pounds of torque-the most ever for a Civic. The
base model Integra is right up there with the Civic: same frame, different body style. Three 1.8-liter DOHC fourcylinder
engines are available. A 140 horsepower version goes into the LS and GS coupes. The GS-R gets a 170-hp
variant, which uses Honda's variable valve timing and lift electronic control (VTEC) technology, borrowed from the
high dollar
NSX sports car. In the Type R coupe, the four-cylinder VTEC engine is rated 195 hp at a rapid 8,000 rpm. In the
Type R, modifications have already been made to engine so that the owner does not have to. It is
quick. The price tag of the Integra ranges from $19,000 to $30,000 depending on the dealer and the make of the car.
The Type R will have a higher price due to the modifications already performed on the car.
American made cars, also known as domestics, have a loyal fan base. On average domestic cars are cheaper. The
general opinion of the public was that domestics use much more gas when being pushed more and therefore, more
expensive to maintain. The Ford Mustang has a past and a future. The Mustang has made a name for itself in the
automotive industry. Ford has always had success with this car unlike some of the events in the past few years.
Mustangs are also available in numerous variations: the Mustang LX, the Mustang GT, the Mustang Cobra, and the
Saleen Cobra. The Mustang Coupe has a standard 3.8 Liter V6 engine with 190 horsepower at the wheels. The
Mustang GT has a 4.6 Liter V8 with 260 horsepower at the wheels. The Cobra has 320 horsepower in a V8 engine.
The Mustang is Ford's counterpart to the Civic, only it offers a lot more power. The GT starts at $17,820 and the
Cobra starts at $23,360. The Cobra is limited and rare, as is the Saleen, since Ford produces only so many every
year. The after market for the Mustang is limited, although they are probably fast enough as it is. Mustangs are good
for people who desire speed at a low price.
The Ford Focus is another way Ford is tryin g to keep up with the times. Miscellaneous reviews rave that it stops
with authority, responds without hesitation, and, with the upgrade 2-liter Zetec engine, delivers enough punch to stay
close to the leaders of this pack, notably the Honda Civic EX, and the Acura Integra. The Focus price range,
including destination charges, opens at $12,280 for a basic ZX3 hatchback. In 2002, Ford will release the SVT
Focus, which has 170 horsepower and redlines at 7,200 RPMs. This is a highly anticipated newcomer simply
because the base model Focus was a bit slow, and left enthusiasts hungry for power.
All in all, which car is purchased all depends on what the consumer wants and needs. Different companies offer
better warranties and certain companies claim to have better drive train. Over the years, the public had formed a
general opinion of which cars were better. Foreign cars seemed to have an
edge over American made muscle cars. Besides guzzling gas and having numerous defects, Americans became
sick of muscle cars and all their glory. After turning to imports, customers realized that imports required just as much
care as domestic. Both imports and domestics still have their loyal fans. There will always be Ford fans and their will
always be the import fans. So which one is better? Who knows. Once again, the consumer decides what he wants.
As of right now, imports dominate the market, and the after market. It all depends on the wants and needs of the
future vehicle owner.
*The process of an RPM works like this: Air goes into the intake. As the cam opens, and the as
the piston is going down, it will fill the cylinder with a combination of gas and air. The valve then closes, then the
spark plug fires, and the gases inside the cylinder explode. The piston starts coming back up and compresses the
gases, turning the crank causing the exhaust valves to open and release the gases to the exhaust manifold. This is
one RPM. For the slower readers, engines basically go through 4 strokes: suck (the intake of air), squish (the
compression), bang (the spark plug igniting the gases), and blow (gases out the exhaust).
Is it really a debate?
By Alexis Carmicheal
The domestic/import debate has been plaguing the car scene for years. Care enthusiasts around the world are in
constant arguments about which category has the best or fastest cars. Before the argument is discussed, there will
be a few terms of frequent use. Horsepower and torque are just the first of many. Horsepower is a determinant of
how fast a car's engine can really be. The higher the horsepower, the faster the vehicle will go. Torque is the total
amount of pounds that the engine puts on the wheels. SOHC and DOHC stand for Single or Dual Over Head Cams.
A SOHC makes it harder for the engine to reach higher revolutions per minute, or RPM's since it only has one cam. A
DOHC gets twice the compression because both cams work together on the upstroke and down stroke. DOHC is
generally better because it lowers the tension needed to reach the higher RPMs since it pulls and pushes from both
sides. RPM is another term used often. RPMs tell the driver the amount of time it takes the engine to complete its
four stroke combustion* and is usually located on the left side of the odometer. The higher the RPMs can go without
the needle in the red zone, the faster you go more quickly. This is called redlining. When the engine starts to redline,
it's telling the driver that parts may begin to bend, stretch or break, so slow down. Hence the red color; red was
intended to give the notion of danger, or stop. The higher the RPM, the better air flows
through the engine; the better the air flows the engine, the better compression you get, which in turn, builds up more
horsepower. VTEC is Variation valve Timing and lift Electronic Control. At a certain amount of RPMs, VTEC kicks in
and makes the car speed up a little.
In general, import cars rule the scene in the matter of speed. They offer more of a variety when it comes to choosing
the vehicle. Domestics have less of a variety. Ford is the dominant domestic, while Honda, Acura,
Nissan, and Mitsubishi are among the imports; however, who is to say one is better over the other? Do these import
cars have better gas mileage? Is it true that imports are more fuel efficient and economical? Some say domestic are
just better quality. Both have merit and individual good qualities. This paper will investigate both domestics and
imports and determine which is more appropriate for what demographic. The comparison will include the main
players of each side. The end result will be informative, if not amusing.
Foreign vehicles, also known as imports, are as enjoyable as any other car on the market. What makes these cars so enjoyable? Well for starters, many of them are compact, as in tiny, and easy to drive. Handling is usually good due to the smaller size. Some take corners as if
the vehicle were on rails. The warranties are often better and more thorough. The engine type varies, body styles can
be altered to the consumer's liking, and they are priced reasonably cheap. Gas mileage is better, and a full tank of
gas that costs less than ten dollars tends to make customers happy. The engines in foreign cars are generally smaller
and faster than that of domestics. It is even rumored that Ford had to ask Honda for help when
designing the Focus engine. A major manufacturer of foreign cars, is Honda. Honda also makes Acura,
but Acura is simply another company created when Honda came to America. Acura does not exist in Japan. Keep in
mind, these are imported cars, they just have manufacturers and dealerships in America, as an extension. The cars
of Honda generally have a good Consumer Report rating. According to Consumer Report, customers of Honda are
on average quite satisfied, as are Acura owners. Nissan and Volkswagen have been participants also, but not as
popular with the public. As of 2002, Nissan and Volkswagen will be releasing their fury into the market soon. Let's
examine some of the most popular cars of Honda: the Civic and the Acura Integra. These two have the same
framework for the body, just a different exterior. These two come in two and four door varieties with the base models
starting at $23,995 and go up or down, depending on the consumer and the region. These cars come in automatic
and manual transmission, with the faster models being available only in manual transmissions. Both base models have about 110-120 horsepower.
The Honda Civic currently has many versions: DX, EX, HX, LX, and SI. The Civic has generally 120 horsepower and
comes with good safety ratings. It is a car that parents might purchase for a sixteen year old because of the ratings
and reasonable price. However, a Civic is the easiest car to modify and make faster. The SI is the one with the most
horsepower of the five. The 2002 Civic SI will carry a high output 2.0-liter, DOHC four-cylinder engine. This i-VTEC
("i" for intelligent) power plant produces 160 horsepower and 132 pounds of torque-the most ever for a Civic. The
base model Integra is right up there with the Civic: same frame, different body style. Three 1.8-liter DOHC fourcylinder
engines are available. A 140 horsepower version goes into the LS and GS coupes. The GS-R gets a 170-hp
variant, which uses Honda's variable valve timing and lift electronic control (VTEC) technology, borrowed from the
high dollar
NSX sports car. In the Type R coupe, the four-cylinder VTEC engine is rated 195 hp at a rapid 8,000 rpm. In the
Type R, modifications have already been made to engine so that the owner does not have to. It is
quick. The price tag of the Integra ranges from $19,000 to $30,000 depending on the dealer and the make of the car.
The Type R will have a higher price due to the modifications already performed on the car.
American made cars, also known as domestics, have a loyal fan base. On average domestic cars are cheaper. The
general opinion of the public was that domestics use much more gas when being pushed more and therefore, more
expensive to maintain. The Ford Mustang has a past and a future. The Mustang has made a name for itself in the
automotive industry. Ford has always had success with this car unlike some of the events in the past few years.
Mustangs are also available in numerous variations: the Mustang LX, the Mustang GT, the Mustang Cobra, and the
Saleen Cobra. The Mustang Coupe has a standard 3.8 Liter V6 engine with 190 horsepower at the wheels. The
Mustang GT has a 4.6 Liter V8 with 260 horsepower at the wheels. The Cobra has 320 horsepower in a V8 engine.
The Mustang is Ford's counterpart to the Civic, only it offers a lot more power. The GT starts at $17,820 and the
Cobra starts at $23,360. The Cobra is limited and rare, as is the Saleen, since Ford produces only so many every
year. The after market for the Mustang is limited, although they are probably fast enough as it is. Mustangs are good
for people who desire speed at a low price.
The Ford Focus is another way Ford is tryin g to keep up with the times. Miscellaneous reviews rave that it stops
with authority, responds without hesitation, and, with the upgrade 2-liter Zetec engine, delivers enough punch to stay
close to the leaders of this pack, notably the Honda Civic EX, and the Acura Integra. The Focus price range,
including destination charges, opens at $12,280 for a basic ZX3 hatchback. In 2002, Ford will release the SVT
Focus, which has 170 horsepower and redlines at 7,200 RPMs. This is a highly anticipated newcomer simply
because the base model Focus was a bit slow, and left enthusiasts hungry for power.
All in all, which car is purchased all depends on what the consumer wants and needs. Different companies offer
better warranties and certain companies claim to have better drive train. Over the years, the public had formed a
general opinion of which cars were better. Foreign cars seemed to have an
edge over American made muscle cars. Besides guzzling gas and having numerous defects, Americans became
sick of muscle cars and all their glory. After turning to imports, customers realized that imports required just as much
care as domestic. Both imports and domestics still have their loyal fans. There will always be Ford fans and their will
always be the import fans. So which one is better? Who knows. Once again, the consumer decides what he wants.
As of right now, imports dominate the market, and the after market. It all depends on the wants and needs of the
future vehicle owner.
*The process of an RPM works like this: Air goes into the intake. As the cam opens, and the as
the piston is going down, it will fill the cylinder with a combination of gas and air. The valve then closes, then the
spark plug fires, and the gases inside the cylinder explode. The piston starts coming back up and compresses the
gases, turning the crank causing the exhaust valves to open and release the gases to the exhaust manifold. This is
one RPM. For the slower readers, engines basically go through 4 strokes: suck (the intake of air), squish (the
compression), bang (the spark plug igniting the gases), and blow (gases out the exhaust).
