1965 Autocars Sussita from Israel

Summary:

Should be labeled The Untouchable

Faults:

The car had a Ford Anglia engine and transmission. Suspension was leaf springs all-around, live axle at the rear, dead at the front. Everything else was very simple, too.

Those components proved reliable, unlike Triumph components of later models.

I had no mechanical problems with the car. A relative of mine drove such a car until the 90's, with very few problems.

General Comments:

The car is quite tall with a high center of gravity, combined with crude suspension.

The result was overturning at quite low speed, finding myself upside down, but almost unscathed. The top of the car, though needed major rebuilding.

Drivers of the cars were mocked at by: "Don't drive to the south where camels eat the (glass-reinforced plastic) body."

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No

Review Date: 24th May, 2004

1966 Autocars Sussita 1.3L from Israel

Faults:

Almost everything!

It was a very cheap car made of a fiberglass body attached to a very simple welded pipes chassis, with a Triumph engine.

General Comments:

The car was very unstable, seriously dangerous, unreliable, and very badly built.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No

Review Date: 25th March, 2003

29th Mar 2008, 18:40

My boss had a Sussita in 1969 and I agree that it was made by amateurs. But purchasing Israeli-made products was considered very patriotic. Just after my Boss bought it, he took it back to the Dealership in Haifa because the drive shaft rubbed on the chassis. The Dealer said they all do it and as he waited, the shop adjusted it with hammer blows.

3rd Jun 2008, 21:31

Funny: here in North America, particularly in New England, when we hear "Autocar", many generally think of the strongest, toughest trucks ever made by anybody, anywhere. The only make that can compete with 'em in construction trucks is Mack.

Check the New England read-mixed concrete industry. Before the front-discharge jobs got popular, Autocar and Mack had all of 85% of that niche market. And for mighty good reasons: nothing else comes close.