I don't drive anything right now, actually, since I'm in Afghanistan and my 2007 Jeep Liberty Sport got totalled while I was here. I'm looking at replacing it with a Ford Flex.
My '02 Liberty Limited was stolen last year and as I raise the funds to get it fully repaired, I'm driving a 1997 Ford Escort, which has been a surprisingly awesome car. I should be finished fixing the Jeep in a couple months though
1990 Honda Civic... it has 204k miles on it but it still runs and all i do is drive from home to work everyday. I will be getting a newer car soon, I want a VW TDI... i drive about 30 miles each way to work. I would love a truck or SUV but not sensible. I have wanted a diesel for a long time and all we have here are VWs , BMW and Mercedes and I can not afford the later 2.
We should have a lot more choices for diesel vehicles in the US... Like they do in Europe. Thanks to the 1980s crappy GM Diesels Americans dont like diesel cars. My roommate in college had a Chevette Diesel... a high quality vehicle
I have 2 Honda Prelude Si's...a silver 1995 and a black 1991. The '91 was my daily driver until I got the '95 in November. Now whenever I drive it I feel like I'm in a go-kart. The '95 has 185k miles on the body but about 95k miles on the engine, while the '91 has 179k on both. In the future I want to get either an Accord or Acura TSX.
Quote from: jwolfer on January 06, 2012, 10:37:00 AM
We should have a lot more choices for diesel vehicles in the US... Like they do in Europe. Thanks to the 1980s crappy GM Diesels Americans dont like diesel cars. My roommate in college had a Chevette Diesel... a high quality vehicle
Definitely agree with you on the diesel cars. If Jeep still had a diesel Liberty or Grand Cherokee available, I'd be all over that. (Of course, I could always buy one used. 2007-8 Grand Cherokee Limited CRDs are approaching $20K again.) Larger car + smaller, more frugal diesel = win in my book.
Ford Flex? :eyebrow:
I've driven a Hyundai Sonata for 3 year now (2009 model).
Quote from: Master son on January 06, 2012, 11:02:23 AM
Ford Flex? :eyebrow:
I've driven a Hyundai Sonata for 3 year now (2009 model).
we had an 07 Sonata... Great car... my wife is a homecare nurse and she put 70K miles on it in 3 years... we traded in on a Toyota Sienna after we had our 3rd child... We resisted Minivans becuase they are not cool, but it is perfect for kids, pets, trips to the beach and bringing kids friends and stuff... 3rd row SUVs just dont have the same room unless you get a suburban
I've got a 2001 Ford Taurus. Got it on Sept 22 with 117420 miles on it, just rolled it to 131000 on the commute this morning.
These days I drive a borrowed 1994 Saturn SL2--fairly high-end for the time with aluminum alloy wheels, rear discs, variable-assist steering, traction control, ABS, and twin-cam engine. I love how it handles but it does show its age: discs are at their minimum refinish dimension (which means a future replacement not just of the rotors but also the wheel bearings), cooling system has a pinhole leak (probably in the radiator) and so requires periodic topping-off, and power steering system probably has a leak somewhere since I found just a thin slick of oil in the reservoir the last time I checked it (I subsequently topped it off). I would feel better about pushing ahead with repairs whose total cost would exceed the blue book value of the car if the transmission had more than four gears and allowed it to post 30 MPG or better on the highway. As matters now stand, I am content to spend a few dollars per week on replenishing leaking fluids.
We drive a 2004 Dodge Grand Caravan minivan with the 3.8L V6.
We bought it 4½ years ago, and have averaged more than 18 000 miles per year.
It now has more than 142 000 miles on the odometer.
It is now misfiring on one cylinder (for a week now); hopefully replacing the ignition coil this Sunday will fix that.
The radiator has a slow antifreeze leak, the engine intakes and gaskets leak motor oil rather badly.
In 2009, a friend of a friend replaced the catalytic converter, and installed it backwards, so the O2 sensor is broken.
It will need a front brake job soon, possibly rotors, who knows?
The rear ones were replaced about 7000 miles ago, and then the entire rear system AGAIN 5070 miles later :ded:
The tie rod ends are brand new also, done at the same time as the rear brake system.
We've also had the serpentine belt, transmission shift pack, and water pump replaced over the years.
The thing needs so much work, we were going to trade it in. But we still owe too much money, and they would only give us $1000 for it. So we just have to suck it up and hope it doesn't die in the next year and a half or so until we have more of the loan paid off. Our next vehicle will be another minivan. We are a family of four who still plans to have one or two more children, so a sédan just doesn't cut it, not to mention that we regularly haul stuff (we just came back from Minnesota with a deep freeze and TV stand along with our luggage).
Since buying the car, we have done the following trips (I'm sure I'm forgetting some):
Southern Illinois - Chicago - Southern Illinois
Southern Illinois - Wichita or Branson - Southern Illinois
Southern Illinois - south-central Minnesota - Southern Illinois
Moving from southern Illinois to Wichita
Wichita - south-central Minnesota - Wichita (countless times, maybe ten or so)
Wichita - Branson - Wichita (countless times, maybe eight or ten)
Wichita - the Michigan dunes - Wichita
Wichita - Des Moines - Wichita
Wichita - Kansas City - Wichita (a couple of times)
Wichita - Dallas - Wichita
Wichita - eastern Oklahoma - Wichita (a couple of times)
Wichita - northern México - Wichita (three times)
I own an '09 Scion xD, and it's um...different. Good fuel economy, fits anywhere, light, corners nicely with the right tires installed. Barely fits all of us, but for very short trips. Seats fold flat, hatch fits quite a bit of stuff.
My wife has a '12 Mazda 5 GT minivan. It's a squeeze with us and the two kids, but we managed on a 2000-mile round trip during the holidays, no extra stowage required. Handles great for such a large vehicle.
I also get whatever rental car they classify as mid-size, when on the road.
Quote from: Takumi on January 06, 2012, 10:45:46 AM
In the future I want to get either an Accord or Acura TSX.
I was thinking about a CPO Acura TSX, as you can occassionally find them in 6-speeds, but gave up and bought the xD outright.
1997 Honda Accord
2001 Chrysler Town & County, flex-fuel engine (though I've been running it on straight unleaded recently)
Purchased 5 years ago (when I was making more money than I do now), finally paid off - and I plan on keeping it as long as I can.
158000 miles - and most of that with me behind the wheel.
The main issue right now is the fact that the A/C is busted. I had to endure August without it, as it needed new tires at the time.
It has gone on trips to Denver (my only solo vacation), Dallas (Thanksgiving 09 with the family), and Louisiana (loaned out to the family)
Needless to say, on KC-area roadgeek meets, I'm the designated driver (TM)
I have a 2004 Acura TL and a 1988 Mazda RX-7 convertible; my wife has a 2003 Acura RSX Type-S. All three are manual-shift. I've never owned an automatic.
Regarding the comment about diesels, I concur, but I think a lot of the American population would have trouble wrapping their minds around the idea that diesel can cost you less even if the price per gallon is more. A lot of people are surprisingly ignorant and don't look any further than the number on the sign. Their loss, I guess. I drove a VW Passat turbodiesel in Scotland a few years ago and it was outstanding, even with a slightly odd shift pattern on the 5-speed.
Quote from: 1995hoo on January 06, 2012, 01:48:49 PM
Regarding the comment about diesels, I concur, but I think a lot of the American population would have trouble wrapping their minds around the idea that diesel can cost you less even if the price per gallon is more.
While its definitely the case for cars, the maintenance costs for operating a diesel pickup offset the fuel mileage gains (although their torque, and thus, towing capacity use greater). Diesel oil changes are $100 unless you DIY.
Quote from: 1995hoo on January 06, 2012, 01:48:49 PM
I have a 2004 Acura TL and a 1988 Mazda RX-7 convertible; my wife has a 2003 Acura RSX Type-S. All three are manual-shift. I've never owned an automatic.
When I bought my second Prelude I originally went to look at an RSX-S but it was gone. So instead I got something with 50 more horsepower and lower miles for less money :p
Cadillacs are my weapon of choice. The 1991 Brougham got rear-ended while I was stopped at a traffic light so I replaced it with a 1995 Sedan DeVille due to the 1995's having the last of the 4.9's, which are not as problematic as the Northstars. GM's aluminum block V-8 for Cadillac began in 1981 with the 4.1 and that didn't work out well to start but being typical GM, they did get the bugs out and wound up delivering a reliable engine out of this design, culminating in the 4.9.
I would rather have not had my Brougham get rear-ended. It had the LO5 350 V-8 and RWD so it was basically bulletproof and the car had well under 100K on the clock so it would have lasted me the rest of my life since I only average 3500 miles a year these days. The Brougham was bigger and more comfortable than the 1995 Sedan DeVille and it burned regular instead of premium but there were no quality Broughams out there to be had in Oregon after it was piled up, so I made the best of the situation.
Rick
Quote from: formulanone on January 06, 2012, 01:55:06 PM
While its definitely the case for cars, the maintenance costs for operating a diesel pickup offset the fuel mileage gains (although their torque, and thus, towing capacity use greater). Diesel oil changes are $100 unless you DIY.
How often do you have to change oil in the U.S.? I change it once a year, so about every 14,000 miles. I drive on diesel fuel too. Great mileage and they're not as noisy and slow as they used to be. The engine is only a 1.5 L but it's enough to get around on freeways and specifically in the mountains. I never had to shift back on long steep grades (6 - 7%) on freeways as I had to do with my gasoline-powered cars, just blasting uphill at 80 miles per hour.
My current car is a 2011 Ford Mondeo (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mondeo). I bought it last May when it was 4 months old with just 1400 miles on the clock. Since then I've put 25,000 miles on it as I use it for work. As with most cars over here nowadays it is a diesel and I opted for the largest 2.2 liter engine with 200hp which is considered a good amount over here. I would really like a 6 or 8 cylinder petrol engine with automatic transmission but the cost of gas over here simply makes it uneconomic. You will see from the link I posted that the engine in mine is the largest that's available - there being no V6 option. The only time I get to enjoy silky smooth V8's is when I rent Grand Marquis' when visiting the States. Saying that, the V6 in the latest Taurus I rented a couple of months ago was very smooth too.
And of course Chris, your comments are very true. The big engined American cars I've driven always downshift at the slightest hint of an uphill grade whereas I just leave my diesel in top gear and let the torque do the work.
Quote from: Takumi on January 06, 2012, 02:01:19 PM
Quote from: 1995hoo on January 06, 2012, 01:48:49 PM
I have a 2004 Acura TL and a 1988 Mazda RX-7 convertible; my wife has a 2003 Acura RSX Type-S. All three are manual-shift. I've never owned an automatic.
When I bought my second Prelude I originally went to look at an RSX-S but it was gone. So instead I got something with 50 more horsepower and lower miles for less money :p
<shrugs> She didn't like the Prelude. She liked the RSX. We were originally planning to test-drive a Mazda RX-8, but when she got into the driver's seat she decided she didn't care for it. Actually she originally wanted a Mini Cooper, and we test-drove one and both enjoyed it, but I insisted we look at other cars before making a final decision and when we found the RSX it was an easy decision to go for that one. The thing I disliked about the Mini was that the moonroof shade was not opaque–it was a mesh screen that still let the sun through. It was entirely too warm in the car in mid-May, so I was quite concerned about how hot it would be in August. (Car and Driver had the same gripe about the Mini when they did a long-term test.) Sure was a fun little car, but the RSX is nicer and more practical. That DOHC engine can be a lot of fun when you open it up.
Quote from: formulanone on January 06, 2012, 01:55:06 PM
Quote from: 1995hoo on January 06, 2012, 01:48:49 PM
Regarding the comment about diesels, I concur, but I think a lot of the American population would have trouble wrapping their minds around the idea that diesel can cost you less even if the price per gallon is more.
While its definitely the case for cars, the maintenance costs for operating a diesel pickup offset the fuel mileage gains (although their torque, and thus, towing capacity use greater). Diesel oil changes are $100 unless you DIY.
No disagreement with anything you just said, but on the whole, how much of the American population is looking to buy pickups for heavy-duty usage such as towing and the like?
2008 Jetta. My wife hates it because she can't drive a standard...her loss.
I own both a 2008 Prius (almost 100,000 miles) and a 2006 Nissan Titan pickup (about 65,000 miles).
The pickup is mainly for trips where I will need to camp and/or travel a lot on unpaved roads, or when I might need to deal with winter weather. Not only is the Titan's gas mileage awful, but most of the parking spaces where I live are a bit too small for a full-size pickup, plus the Titan is too tall for many parking garages (and would be even without the camper shell I had installed over the truck bed).
Quote from: Chris on January 06, 2012, 02:14:28 PM
How often do you have to change oil in the U.S.? I change it once a year, so about every 14,000 miles.
every 6000 (okay, more like 6500-6700 by the time I get around to it) with synthetic. I could probably get away with 10000, especially given that so much of my mileage is highway, but I may as well pay the extra 100 bucks a year or so for the marginal increase in engine reliability.
I currently drive a 2011 Infiniti G37. I bought it last fall after it came off of a 6-month lease. It had 17k miles (all highway), but was almost $10k cheaper than a new one and was in almost mint condition.
Before that I had a 2001 Honda Accord. I traded it in with 124k miles. It was in good shape and there was nothing wrong with it, but I wanted something more fun to drive.
I've driven a large number of cars as rentals due to frequent work travel. The most consistently awesome cars were Nissans, particularly the Altimas. That's what drew me to Infiniti. Hyundais are surprisingly nice, both inside and how they drive. As for American cars, Dodge makes a decent product IMO. I've driven a good number of Chargers over the past year and I like them. It's not the kind of car I wanted to own, but for a rental they were great.
I've yet to drive a rental Jeep that I liked, or any GM product. I had a Saab 9-3 Turbo rental a few months ago that was fun, but the interior was already falling apart at 5k miles. It was a nice car with a crappy GM interior. I've been stuck with Impalas more times than I want to count. They all suck big time. I don't know why people buy those things. They handle poorly, the suspension feels like it's floating down the road, and they have no power.
Mazdas are always really fun. They're not particularly fast, but they're a blast to drive.
Quote from: Chris on January 06, 2012, 02:14:28 PM
How often do you have to change oil in the U.S.?
My current car has a 7,500 mile maintenance interval for oil changes. With synthetics, I could easily go way past that with no issues. Before this car, I did it every 6 months regardless of mileage and had no issues, including a 94 Camry that was at 250k miles when I got rid of it.
Many Americans will quote you 3,000 miles as a hard rule, but that's a myth created by the oil change places like Jiffy Lube who put a sticker on your windshield with a "change at" mileage written on it.
I mostly drive minivans.
Family car : 2004 Pontiac Montana Long wheelbase, 155 000 mi. Awesome powerful vehicle, good fuel consumption (17-23 MPG) good storage, also used as a camper (when 3rd seat row down), «minibus» (8 seating) and pickup truck (can handle electrical appliances, a student (large) dormroom content, construction material (dozens of 4'x8' plywood or gyproc panels), etc. Excellent radio system, independant rear heating/vent control, good lighting (vs. Dodge), good electrical system.
Working cars :
-2003 and 2005 SWB Dodge Caravan. The V6 3.3 L is pretty weak, but has a good fuel consumption (17-26 MPG), ok storage. Made about 10-15k miles this summer with those vehicle and got a sore back, the seating lacks of lumbar support. My first choice.
-2009 Dodge Journey, which has a weak |4 engine, combined with inadequate 4-speed automatic transmission, poor rear visibilty and mediocre storage. Bad, very bad lever commands disposition (e.g. turning on the headlights makes you unwantedly almost everytime spread loads of winshield washer, among others). The radio is awesome. I already miss SWB Caravans.
-2005 Hyundai Accent. Excellent car in the city, for its incredible cornering and parking capabilities (I'm used to parallel-park full-size minivans). Good acceleration when entering the freeway. Rust resistance seems to be an issue.
@Truvelo : I wish we could have that Diesel version of the Fusion (American Mondeo) down here... In fact, I wish we had diesel Fords all the way, especially Transit Connect with that 1.8L turbodiesel engine. Would be a great work vehicle.
1999 Dodge Avenger, 163000+ miles. Owned it since May of 2005 with 72,000 miles on it then. It clinched most of I-80 en route to San Diego and most of I-10 en route to Tampa. Was doing 20,000 miles a year in it, but now it mainly sits in the garage now, as I rent cars for major road trips. Had to put $2000 of work into it at the end of 2007, tie rod replacement, etc. etc. Looking to replace it this year, but no real urgency to do so. Car still runs well, but needs some work on the rotors and such.
Have used synthetic oil for years, and the most recent change used the oil rated for 15,000 miles.
Before that I had a 1994 Cavalier that I drove til 152,000 miles, it clinched all of I-70 on the way to San Diego in 2004.
Quote from: 1995hoo on January 06, 2012, 02:28:18 PM
<shrugs> She didn't like the Prelude. She liked the RSX. We were originally planning to test-drive a Mazda RX-8, but when she got into the driver's seat she decided she didn't care for it. Actually she originally wanted a Mini Cooper, and we test-drove one and both enjoyed it, but I insisted we look at other cars before making a final decision and when we found the RSX it was an easy decision to go for that one. The thing I disliked about the Mini was that the moonroof shade was not opaque—it was a mesh screen that still let the sun through. It was entirely too warm in the car in mid-May, so I was quite concerned about how hot it would be in August. (Car and Driver had the same gripe about the Mini when they did a long-term test.) Sure was a fun little car, but the RSX is nicer and more practical. That DOHC engine can be a lot of fun when you open it up.
I can understand that. Preludes are more cramped than an RSX and harder to get parts for. I chose this Prelude because it has an engine from a Japanese Prelude Type-S (~220 hp stock) which was what i had in mind for a future project car. I am interested to see how this new
Integra RSX ILX turns out. If it's just an expensive Civic, I'll stick with my original plan, but if it pays homage to its predecessors, I may aim to get one.
As far as oil goes, I use synthetic as well. The extra cost is worth the higher quality.
Formerly I had a 2002 Chrysler PT Cruiser that I bought new and put well over 181,000 miles on with the A/T and the 2.4L engine. Now, I have a 2011 Dodge Caliber (also bought new) with the M/T and the 2.0L engine (yet it has more hp than the last engine - better mileage too).
I drive a 2009 Pontiac Vibe. It's a 2.4L with a manual transmission, has low-profile tires (though I am on the second set), and a sunroof. Most Vibe's come with an underpowered 1.8L engine, but my 2.4 is a blast to drive -- particularly since its a stick shift. Plus, it's roomy which makes it great for road trips. I can stick a tent, camping supplies and a mountain bike in the back with no trouble.
I rented a brand new Ford Fusion back in September and was really, really pleased with it. The interior finishes were fantastic, decent fuel economy, and really comfortable for the 1500km I drove per day. My only complaint was that the automatic transmission favoured fuel economy a little bit too much sacrificing some performance ... but I probably wouldn't have noticed if I didn't drive a stick shift normally.
The Fusion is a nice car- I've driven a couple different ones, including a 1500 mile trek through northern Wyoming. It's a good car, fun to drive, feels well-built. I got 36 MPG in it in entirely highway driving. If I can find one with a stick (they're out there but fairly rare), there's a good chance that's my next car.
It's perfect sized for my height (5' 10)to sleep in comfortably too- I spent 2 of 4 nights in it to save money on hotels. Just fold the back seat down, put your feet iin the trunk and your head in the back and it's a fairly flat floor without the obnoxious crevices and hard plastic pieces that can make car-floor sleeping uncomfortable.
I have a 2003 Dodge Caravan aka the War Wagon
1997 Chevy Tahoe (my wife has a 2004 Honda Accord)
I drive a 1997 Pontiac Trans Port minivan. My wife drives a 2002 Chrysler Town & Country. Both have about 125-1300,000 miles. I like the Chrysler van, it's been pretty good to us. My Pontiac, not so much. The thing drives like a tank. It has a broken sway bar, which wasn't disclosed to us when we bought it, so if I drive in any kind of crosswind, it's a major chore to control. It also doesn't corner well at all. I need to get that fixed, but it hasn't been a high priortity, as I mainly drive it back and forth to work which is only 7 miles. It also had to have a complete transmission redo about a month and a half after we bought it. I guess that makes up for the good deal we got on the purchase price. The dealer must've known something.
My favorite car I have owned was the very first car I owned. A 1991 Ford Escort. It was bare bones, didn't even have A/C. I added a nice stereo system to it. I love it becuase it was great for a college student at the time--great gas mielage, low maintenance, and best of all, it was a 5-speed manual. WHen it was time to replace it, I was forced to get an automatic so the wife could drive my car if she needed to, even though I had the car before her!
Quote from: realjd on January 06, 2012, 04:03:10 PM
Quote from: Chris on January 06, 2012, 02:14:28 PM
How often do you have to change oil in the U.S.?
My current car has a 7,500 mile maintenance interval for oil changes. With synthetics, I could easily go way past that with no issues. Before this car, I did it every 6 months regardless of mileage and had no issues, including a 94 Camry that was at 250k miles when I got rid of it.
Many Americans will quote you 3,000 miles as a hard rule, but that's a myth created by the oil change places like Jiffy Lube who put a sticker on your windshield with a "change at" mileage written on it.
Many auto manufacturers went to 3000 miles to prevent internal engine problems in the mid-1970s as a way to tout the improved emissions and reliability of their cars/trucks. And some manufacturers stuck with it for years...only recently, Dodge/Jeep/Chrysler ditched the 3K interval for 5K, same with Honda, Ford, and Nissan (3750 miles). Many of them switched to a 5,000 mile minimum interval for a "severe" schedule and 7,500 for a "normal" schedule. The problem was that almost all drivers are in the severe schedule based on those "one of the following criteria" exceptions (prolonged 90-degree temperatures, dust, snow, short trips, et cetera), whether they drive like a proverbial little old lady or a stunt driver. Many of them have since dropped the Normal Schedule, because soon people had lubrication-related engine problems again.
With the advent of synthetic oils and oil-monitoring systems, some manufacturers have allowed for prolonged distances between oil and filter changes, but not all. Many independent shops and even dealerships still take the old tack of offering the same interval to one and all, which is misleading, but there are also a handful of people who A) ignore the "stupid warning light", B) don't bother to read the owner's manual, and C) the excitement of maintaining your car falls somewhere between going to the dentist and cleaning out storm gutters. Yes, that leads to the two people I've dealt with that have destroyed their luxury cars' engines by pushing it 40,000+ miles
on the original oil and filter before they required a major customer-paid overhaul, thanks to their incompetence. It was only when they saw smoke, they figured there was a "problem".
There are actually people who will still ignore all the warnings, friendly advice, and coupons and
still sludge their engine. There's also those who believe the manufacturers are onto some sort of incomplete conspiracy because Mercedes-Benz lets you go 10,000 miles on a oil change (synthetic, with a pricey filter to boot), and Mazda wants it every 5,000 miles; thus, only a fool would change it at 5,000...right? They wait until the dashboard lights up like a Christmas tree to do anything about it, and they'll still bitch to the zone manager about what a crappy product they manufacture. So to protect their posteriors from the few people who don't take basic care of their car, many regulars get railroaded into just taking car of their car the old fashioned way...every 3,000 miles. You want protection? Do it exactly what the manual says to do it at, that's my best advice; if you have a problem, you have a leg to stand on, because they essentially have their written guarantee, warranty information, and name on it. When you think about it, few people actually ever bring anything else for warranty repairs others than automobiles, even though the Magnusson-Moss Act was designed for all types of products, and sets forth the differences between stated and implied warranties.
What irks me is that Toyota/Scion/Lexus all offer a warning system that says "Maintenance Required" every 5000 miles, yet someone in the service department just adds 3000 miles to whatever the odometer reads, which shows that dealers don't want to lose out on your service. Mazda did the same thing to us...they wrote 4000+ from the mileage I brought it in at. Mind you, they don't make much (if anything) on that basic $25.00 oil and filter change, after all the bills and payroll is paid out to the valet, technician, service advisor, manager, fixed-operation director, et cetera are given a cut of the profit (do the math, it isn't much unless you agree to some up-sells), so getting an extra couple of bucks out of you on a
completely separate visit is a traffic builder, but only if you have a few problems or require extended maintenance at major intervals (see the owner's manual again) do they actually stand to gain much from your visits.
So knowing this, why do I take it to the dealership? Because they have the right tools for the job...literally. The Scion has a wacky cartridge oil filter that requires a 64mm cap wrench, and because the screw-on housing with a hard-plastic 14-sided cap. I don't have one, and I don't want it stripped over time by someone who doesn't have the right part (surprise...64mm isn't standard). As for Mazda, their cartridge filter has a recessed incuse hex screw that is easy to accidentally leave only 90% torqued, which is enough for 90% of the oil to drain out in a very short period of time. I'd rather shift the burden of responsibility to the professionals, who have to step up to the plate when/if they goof up.
Anyhow, I work in the automotive service industry every day, and nearly every dealer does this sort of thing, because they want to protect their reputation, and save themselves from the handful of individuals who couldn't save themselves from a wet paper bag with both hands and a road map.
The truth is that engines are really like snowflakes, and they are all manufactured differently, put to varying usage throughout time, installed in different types of bodies/chassis, put through different types of abuse, designed with differing goals in mind (performance? quiet/low-NVH? reliability? sound?) and don't require the same sort of maintenance between one make/model and another, even if it's on a similar part of the automotive spectrum.
QuoteI'd rather shift the burden of responsibility to the professionals, who have to step up to the plate when/if they goof up.
That's the huge advantage of having a mechanic do work- I can figure out how to do most of the service myself,but unless the car is a piece of junk I'd rather pay $30 for the privilege of holding someone else accountable if something goes awry. I had a 1990 Dodge Colt for a couple years that I did everything on myself because it was only worth about $600 anyway (that car was like tchafe's Escort, totally basic, just a four on the floor and a tiny engine but it was a hoot to drive- I miss it), but beyond that I nearly always go to a mechanic.
I have a mechanic who's a friend of the family, with a shop within walking distance from my house. I've always preferred to have them take care of the cars, especially the fragile '91. The engine in it (Honda B21A1) is notorious for burning oil, so I always had it changed more frequently, about 2500-3000 miles.
Quote from: corco on January 06, 2012, 11:19:39 PM
That's the huge advantage of having a mechanic do work- I can figure out how to do most of the service myself,but unless the car is a piece of junk I'd rather pay $30 for the privilege of holding someone else accountable if something goes awry. I had a 1990 Dodge Colt for a couple years that I did everything on myself because it was only worth about $600 anyway (that car was like tchafe's Escort, totally basic, just a four on the floor and a tiny engine but it was a hoot to drive- I miss it), but beyond that I nearly always go to a mechanic.
I will say from experience, that once a car reaches a certain age or mileage, technicians will rarely offer to do much in the way of additional repairs, because everything inside the engine bay becomes weak and fragile, due to aging and wear-and-tear on the car (mainly, because nearly everything besides the short and long block are made of plastic).
Technicians are generally wary that one repair may lead to another, and then another, and possibly a mis-diagnosis to boot. While to the customer, it may sound like the "mechanic doesn't know what he's doing" or the "service rep is a thief", much of the underhood of a 10+ year-old car is akin to peanut brittle, and they have to remove a single peanut with the precision of a surgeon.
If the customer is aware of this, generally the older cars (say, pre-1996/2002 [ODB-II/CAN]) are also a lot easier to work on, and in many cases, the parts are a lot cheaper and availability is almost ubiquitous for popular models. There's a lot less sensors, computers, and other gimcrackery to mess up or allow to be left to chance.
Quote from: corco on January 06, 2012, 11:19:39 PMThat's the huge advantage of having a mechanic do work- I can figure out how to do most of the service myself, but unless the car is a piece of junk I'd rather pay $30 for the privilege of holding someone else accountable if something goes awry.
The other side of the coin is that if I have the time, skills, and infrastructure for the job, I'd rather do it to make sure it is done right, rather than chase someone else's mistakes after they have had time to do real damage. My last car was a 1986 Nissan Maxima with an air filter secured by six screws and since air filter inspection was always a standard part of an oil change at the quick-lube places, quite often the filter screws would turn up missing. I knew that my standard biannual tuneup regime would take care of the air filter and other things that are checked at the quick-lube places, and the Maxima had a very standard oil drainplug and external filter arrangement (no cartridge filters!), so I just changed the oil and filter myself. After the first few times I did it I was skilled enough at it that I could do it in less time than it would have taken me to drive to a quick-lube shop, and I could also do it on the road.
I drive a 2006 Nissan Sentra SE-R Spec V. I bought is almost 2 years ago and I love it. It's a blast to drive and is great on gas on the highway. Around town fuel economy is kinda poor. It corners exceptionally well with the summer stock tires (215/45/ZR17). In the winter I put on 15 inch snow tires. It's not nearly as fun to drive this time of year :-( But, atleast I can go places in the snow, since I can't afford a second vehicle.
I have a mechanic for major repairs. I haven't needed any so far, thankfully. Although, I will be taking it to him this week. My rear brake pads need replacing and the rotors cut. I noticed the thin rear pads when I was puting my snow tires on and I can feel the warped rotors when I apply the brakes. General maintenance I do myself. I just changed the oil this morning. I use full synthetic and change it every 7500 miles. The filter is a screw on type and easy to get at. I also changed the air filter and flushed the radiator a few months ago.
2009 Ford Focus. Got it brand new in June of '09, currently has *checks notebook* 39,491.5 miles on it. It's been to 20 states and 2 Canadian provinces.
Since I've moved to Queens I'm not using it on a day to day basis anymore, though. Now I only use it if I need to go somewhere for work not accessible by the subway, or if I'm leaving the city.
I drive a 2004 Pontiac Sunfire with 179,790 kilometres (111,716 miles) on it. I bought it at around 80,000 km (~50,000 miles), during the summer of 2009.
My strategy was to call and make an appointment for an oil change after around 6,000 km, and tell them I'm not in a hurry, which usually ended me up getting an appointment about two weeks after the call. Now I have my brother change my oil and filter instead.
1997 Chevy Lumina. It's got about 230,000 on it and it's the better car than my wife's 2001 Pontiac Sunfire. That thing has been awful. It probably has half the mileage but it has given us so much trouble.
2000 Buick LaSabre, Gramma willed it to me. Grams only put 25,235 miles on it until I got it in 2010.
I've put an additional 22,234 since. :bigass:
26.5 mpg, I can live with it.
I hear you Nexus :0
Got a 1992 Brougham, 5.0 with 155K on, still runs strong, and is comfy as all get out. AND it gets better gas milage (17city, 26hwy) than either my:
1998 Grand Caravan with 130K
3.3 V6
or my
2003 BMW Z3 with 76K
Quote from: Sanctimoniously on January 06, 2012, 08:05:03 AM
I don't drive anything right now, actually, since I'm in Afghanistan and my 2007 Jeep Liberty Sport got totalled while I was here. I'm looking at replacing it with a Ford Flex.
First, thank you for your service. (I assume you're in Afghanistan on a military deployment. Please correct me if I'm wrong). Second, sorry to hear your Jeep was totalled. I think the Flex would be a cool replacement.
I drive a 2008 Dodge Grand Caravan SXT. Only real hiccup has been having to replace all the brakes at 16,000 miles but that was due to defective parts so no money out of my pocket. Interesting fact: my Dodge has heated leather power seats up front, a backup camera and an entertainment system that will play DVDs with the car in Park. My mother's Cadillac SRX has none of these....
For work, a 1999 Pontiac Grand Am, (95000 miles).
For enjoyment, a 1985 Pontiac Firebird (always garaged, original owner, only 56000 miles) and a 2002 Chevrolet Corvette (always garaged, National Corvette Museum member delivery, original owner, 9800 miles). I recently inherited my father's 1999 Mercury Marquis (always garaged, only 38500 miles).
Quote from: allniter89 on January 13, 2012, 06:40:38 PM
2000 Buick LaSabre, Gramma willed it to me. Grams only put 25,235 miles on it until I got it in 2010.
I've put an additional 22,234 since. :bigass:
26.5 mpg, I can live with it.
Gotta love the big cars that can hold their drink. I had a 2004 Buick LeSabre myself. There's a reason they made the 3800 V6 for over twenty years.
I'm definitely a Chevy fan. The primary cars I've had:
'87 Celebrity 4-door, white – 2000—03
'02 Cavalier 2-door, red/tan – 2002 (two cars loaned from the dealership in a car-for-good-grades deal)
(In the gap after the Celebrity died, I drove my mom's '93 Pontiac Bonneville when necessary)
'89(?) Corsica 2-door, red – 2004—07
'93 Beretta 2-door, red – 2007—10 (The first one that was legally mine, and the first one I didn't have until it died)
'00 Cavalier 2-door, red – 2010—present
Incidentally, red Krylon Rustoleum is a perfect match to my Cavalier's red paint, and red Duck brand duct tape is pretty close.
Quote from: Sanctimoniously on January 14, 2012, 04:22:24 AM
Quote from: allniter89 on January 13, 2012, 06:40:38 PM
2000 Buick LaSabre, Gramma willed it to me. Grams only put 25,235 miles on it until I got it in 2010.
I've put an additional 22,234 since. :bigass:
26.5 mpg, I can live with it.
Gotta love the big cars that can hold their drink. I had a 2004 Buick LeSabre myself. There's a reason they made the 3800 V6 for over twenty years.
No kidding. My first car was a 1995 Buick Riviera, with the 3800 engine supercharged. That car moved like stink. i put over 420,000 km on it before it finally bit the dust.
I have a 2007 Toyota Camry LE with about 52,000 miles on it. Got it when there were only 9 miles on it, too.
Quote from: AsphaltPlanet on January 14, 2012, 07:45:28 AM
Quote from: Sanctimoniously on January 14, 2012, 04:22:24 AM
Quote from: allniter89 on January 13, 2012, 06:40:38 PM
2000 Buick LaSabre, Gramma willed it to me. Grams only put 25,235 miles on it until I got it in 2010.
I've put an additional 22,234 since. :bigass:
26.5 mpg, I can live with it.
Gotta love the big cars that can hold their drink. I had a 2004 Buick LeSabre myself. There's a reason they made the 3800 V6 for over twenty years.
No kidding. My first car was a 1995 Buick Riviera, with the 3800 engine supercharged. That car moved like stink. i put over 420,000 km on it before it finally bit the dust.
How did it handle though? The few Buicks I've driven felt like they were floating down the road. I'm not a fan of that.
I'm continually amazed at how much power they can get from increasingly smaller engines. You can find 200+ hp 4 cylinders, and my G37 has 330hp with a V6, numbers that would have only been possible with a V8 not too long ago. And one of my coworkers has a sweet Cadillac that gets around 500hp with a modern V8.
It used to be that one needed to install a turbocharger or supercharger in their engine to attain those numbers, trading the extra power for shortened engine life. Nowadays, thanks to advances in engine development and valve timing adjustment systems like Honda's VTEC (which increase fuel efficiency and/or horsepower at high RPMs) make those numbers more common.
1990 Volvo 760 turbo wagon.
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi141.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fr60%2Fmr740ti%2F765%2FIMAG0453.jpg&hash=b45c39df5a8f9a1685623e95e131244b764ce90a)
Quote from: WillWeaverRVA on January 14, 2012, 12:41:01 PM
I have a 2007 Toyota Camry LE with about 52,000 miles on it. Got it when there were only 9 miles on it, too.
2009 Camry, got it with 6 miles, has over 100K now ;)
I got mine with 181k a little over a year ago and it's now at 223k. Does that count for anything?
1997 Honda Civic manual. I won't ever own an automatic again, even here in Houston traffic. It has 117,000 miles and all I have ever had to change (other than oil and clutch fluid) was the radiator reservoir when it cracked from old age.
I don't own it, but I use a 1996 Ford Explorer in my day-to-day travels for the time being.
My current vehicle, a 1994 Nissan Sentra, died on me. Torque converter broke.
Quote from: achilles765 on January 29, 2012, 05:17:22 AM
1997 Honda Civic manual. I won't ever own an automatic again, even here in Houston traffic. It has 117,000 miles and all I have ever had to change (other than oil and clutch fluid) was the radiator reservoir when it cracked from old age.
Few repairs up to 117k isn't surprising to me. It will probably start to fall apart between 150k and 200k.
My dad has a saying I really like: "A GM car will run
poorly longer than other cars run
at all."
Quote from: vtk on January 29, 2012, 11:23:28 AM
Few repairs up to 117k isn't surprising to me. It will probably start to fall apart between 150k and 200k.
Yep, especially on a Honda. Both of mine are in that range. The engine swap on the '95 will likely delay problems there for awhile longer, but I've had to get some sensors rewired/replaced. The '91 needs lots of work but still runs and drives.
Having said that, once the little stuff is fixed, you could get another 150-200k out of a Honda easily.
Black 1998 Chevy Cavalier 2 door post. It has almost 180,000 miles on it. I'm going to keep it until it completely wears out on me. If the engine ever blows, I'm considering turning it into a project and putting a supercharged Buick 3.8L V6 in it. Talk about a sleeper.
I also have 4 project cars: 2 1962 Ford Galaxie 500 2 door hardtops, one is white with a teal top and with a 390/300 HP and automatic transmission. The other one is black with no engine (it came out with a 223 six cylinder with a 3 speed on the tree) and no front seat. Plans for the black one include an FE big block engine (probably a 390, but a 406, 410, 427, or a 428 if I can find one) and a 3 on the tree with overdrive. The white one has highway gears, while the black one has low gears. The black one will be a brutal around town car that is quick off the line, while the white one will be more of a long distance cruiser.
The other two cars are just shells: a 1955 Chevy Bel Air 2 door hardtop and a 1966 Ford Mustang coupe. I haven't decided if I'm going to go with an old-school carbureted Chevy small block for the 55 or a modern LS engine (maybe a 427 Z06 Corvette engine.) I'll probably retain the 3 on the tree with overdrive. As for the 66 Mustang, plans include a 351 Windsor with fuel injection and a 6 speed manual with vintage style Hurts shifter. All that I need to do is to come up with the money to fix up my cars.
My dad has several other project cars that he would give to me if I wanted to fix them up. He has about 20 60s-80s Chevy trucks, a few old Ford trucks, and several old cars. If I ever win the lottery, I'm going on a restoring binge.
2007 Porsche Cayman (weekend/fun)
2003 Hyundai Elantra (daily commuter)
Quote from: relaxok on January 29, 2012, 07:23:37 PM
2007 Porsche Cayman (weekend/fun)
2003 Hyundai Elantra (daily commuter)
Cayman or Cayman-S?
They're nice cars. I looked into them when I was buying my new car, but decided on the Infiniti because I decided having 4 doors was important for when my wife and I have kids.
1998 Dodge Stratus 2.4L: bought in '99 with 24000 miles; it now has over 176000 miles. No major failures - just the standard stuff one would expect from a daily driver. It's worth nothing on a trade-in, it's paid for, so I'll just drive it until the cost to fix it makes no sense.
2002 Dodge Caravan Sport 3.3L: it currently has about 403000 miles on it - I bought it back in September 2011 with 397000 miles for $994. Plenty of folks thought me insane for buying it - but when we inspected it we found that the replacement parts were all Mopar factory parts - near as I can tell this was a company van with a service contract. It replaced a '99 Grand Caravan SE Sport 3.8L with 148000 miles that suffered an oil pump failure and subsequent oil starvation.
Wow, 397 000 miles is a LOT for a 2002 vehicle! :-D
It's funny, we switched from a 1999 Stratus to a 2004 Grand Caravan; different years, same models. The Stratus ended up being more work than it was worth, so we went for a van to accommodate the growing family. FYI, we just had the powertrain control module (read: one of the computers) replaced, as it was telling the coil to fire on 4 instead of 6 cylinders for about three weeks. Now that we've sunk so much money into it the past few months, and it's running OK now, I think we'll try and hang on to it until it's paid off and then some. The bad thing is, I'm paranoid now that it will start firing on 4 cylinders again for no apparent reason. Even thought it's running fine, I'm nervous about our two upcoming trips–Minnesota in February, and México in June. At least, after I replace the remaining five spark plugs and wires, it will have a whole new ignition system.
1994 Toyota Corolla.
My first car, too, as I didn't have a license until last fall.
Quote from: Central Avenue on January 31, 2012, 08:13:39 PM
1994 Toyota Corolla.
My first car, too, as I didn't have a license until last fall.
They are quite indestructible, parts and maintainence are cheap, and the car is easy to work on. Used to have a '93, but they are a lesson in automotive minimalism without sacrificing much of anything. The three-speed automatics weren't very thrilling, hopefully you have a 4 or 5 speed, but all those gearboxes are virtually trouble-free. About the only major issues those have are failed struts, as they aren't as cheap as shock absorbers (although that's a common issue with any 10+ year-old car).
Quote from: vtk on January 29, 2012, 11:23:28 AM
My dad has a saying I really like: "A GM car will run poorly longer than other cars run at all."
Well, as Dave would say, "You can always depend on your Buick."
My mom's current 1997 LeSabre was once driven more than thirty miles with the temperature gauge maxed out before it died. The 1993 Skylark she had when I was a kid spent a lot of time with that gauge at very obtuse angles, and even had five or six thousand miles put on it with a bad harmonic balancer. My 2004 LeSabre (fortunately) was trouble-free during the time I had it.
Quote from: realjd on January 30, 2012, 03:28:04 PM
Quote from: relaxok on January 29, 2012, 07:23:37 PM
2007 Porsche Cayman (weekend/fun)
2003 Hyundai Elantra (daily commuter)
Cayman or Cayman-S?
They're nice cars. I looked into them when I was buying my new car, but decided on the Infiniti because I decided having 4 doors was important for when my wife and I have kids.
It's a regular Cayman with a few options: S wheels, full leather (natural brown leather), bi-xenon headlamps..
Beautiful car that handles amazingly..
I barely have time to drive it and plan to trade it in toward a newer one in a few years.
2011 GMC Terrain, Carbon Black Metallic, 2.4L I-4. SLE trim.
Quote from: formulanone on February 01, 2012, 08:11:49 AM
Quote from: Central Avenue on January 31, 2012, 08:13:39 PM
1994 Toyota Corolla.
My first car, too, as I didn't have a license until last fall.
They are quite indestructible, parts and maintainence are cheap, and the car is easy to work on. Used to have a '93, but they are a lesson in automotive minimalism without sacrificing much of anything. The three-speed automatics weren't very thrilling, hopefully you have a 4 or 5 speed, but all those gearboxes are virtually trouble-free. About the only major issues those have are failed struts, as they aren't as cheap as shock absorbers (although that's a common issue with any 10+ year-old car).
Indestructible? The rust mites say otherwise. Corollas of that vintage are almost entirely gone from our automotive landscape in the Midwest as they've almost all rusted away. Toyota may have spent more in other places, but they skimped majorly on rust protection.
1999 Toyota Camry, which I bought in 2007 with 151,000 miles on it. It now has 249,000 miles on it, and I'd like to squeeze 300,000+ miles from it.
If you have the money, and still feel the need for a big SUV, I highly recommend the current Chevy Tahoe/GMC Yukon with the 5.3L V8. Has cylinder deactivation, which has made my mpg average around 21. Been driving a rental one around SE Wisconsin since 2/1, and since I'm going to need to replace my big truck pretty soon, I WANT ONE OF THESE!
Quote from: goobnav on February 04, 2012, 06:03:30 PM
2011 GMC Terrain, Carbon Black Metallic, 2.4L I-4. SLE trim.
My wife has a 2011 Equinox, gray, LE, same engine. It's probably really going to be my next vehicle, as we're most likely going to trade my truck in on something bigger for her. Not that I'm complaining, it's an excellent car, and the Eco mode on the transmission really seems to make a difference with the mpg.
That's better than the 19 (indicated on trip computer) MPG that a V6 Jeep Grand Cherokee that I recently drove got on the way to and from Dallas.
I want a small, 4 cylinder coupe with a manual transmission and 2 doors. RWD, AWD, or FWD would all be acceptable. Throw in a 300 HP turbo option. Back in the early '90s, these sporty 2 doors were very common. Now they've all but disappeared. I don't want a 4 door car for security reasons.
Quote from: bugo on February 09, 2012, 11:43:28 PM
I want a small, 4 cylinder coupe with a manual transmission and 2 doors. RWD, AWD, or FWD would all be acceptable. Throw in a 300 HP turbo option. Back in the early '90s, these sporty 2 doors were very common. Now they've all but disappeared. I don't want a 4 door car for security reasons.
I think the closest you'll come to that these days is a Scion tC, and you can probably add the turbo aftermarket. If Scion were part of Honda instead of Toyota, I'd probably like them more.
I've owned two cars - both of them Chevy Cavaliers.
My first car was Cavy, and she (yes, my cars have names and genders) was a 2002 red two-door cavalier. I bought her in May 2004 with 25,900 miles on her and gave her brain damage on 14 August 2011 when I hydroplaned her into a flood. At least she left with a bang - my ex boyfriend and I were on the news sitting on top of her in the flood. Some local mechanics got her runable and I drove her an additional 150 miles post-flood before I learned from my mechanic that she needed a new transmission, was totalled, and too dangerous to drive. I donated her to Wheels for Wishes at 149,500 miles.
Cavy was a franken car - she was a salvage car pieced together from at least three other cavaliers. I love my new car, but I grew up with Cavy, drove her through 14 states, did some zany things.
My current car is Emerald Emmaline, known as Emmie for short. She's an 03 green car. I purchased her on 26 August at 89,500 miles (yes, there's an obvious mileage pattern here...) and as of this morning she is at 104,500 miles. Hopefully I can go the distance with her, because I'm convinced that Cavy had a lot of life left and I'd like to think that I could take Emmie at least 200K if I don't do anything stupid.
Cavy and Emmie are the same car and run mostly the same, but they do have teensy differences. Cavy got slightly better MPG (28-32) than Emmie does now (26-30). Emmie's acceleration is much better and her gas and brake petals are more sensitive. I get pulled over less now that Emmie is green, but I can never find her in parking lots ever. At current, they both have the exact same bumper stickers in the exact same places. Also, Emmie has the ability to help create new memories with good friends :)
Quote from: bugo on February 09, 2012, 11:43:28 PM
I want a small, 4 cylinder coupe with a manual transmission and 2 doors. RWD, AWD, or FWD would all be acceptable. Throw in a 300 HP turbo option. Back in the early '90s, these sporty 2 doors were very common. Now they've all but disappeared. I don't want a 4 door car for security reasons.
That category was called the sport compact. The market for sport compacts shrank starting in the late 90s. The Nissan Silvia (240SX here) and the legendary Toyota Supra (which had a straight 6) were dropped outside of Japan in 1998 (and lasted until 2002 there), the Honda Prelude was killed in 2001, the Honda Integra/Acura RSX and Toyota Celica in 2006, the Honda S2000 in 2009, and the Mitsubishi Eclipse's shell of its former self was finally dropped last year. The only ~300 HP turbocharged 4 cylinder cars I know of right now are all 4 doors, but as wriddle said, you could add a turbo to a tC, or a Honda Civic Si coupe for that matter. A good turbo setup is fairly expensive, however.
I don't want aftermarket turbos. I want a setup that has been tried and proven on test tracks and in real life by thousands of cars. And that won't void your warranty.
Scion has a turbocharged tC, or at least they did. I know someone who has one and he ordered it from Scion like that. The inside of the gas door even says "Premium fuel only," the non turbo tCs just take regular. So, with that said, I know it came from Scion like that. An aftermarket turbo wouldn't have given you a premium fuel sticker for your gas door as a reminder of what fuel to use. Apparently it was not a popular option, as that's the only one I've ever seen. That's why I'm not sure if you can still order them new.
Laura's post made me realize I forgot to mention the names of my cars.
The Celebrity was White Lightning.
I don't remember if I ever gave a name to the Corsica or the loaner Cavaliers...
The Beretta was called Conan (named after a Conan that's probably not the one you're thinking of).
The Cavalier is Koyuki, as well as Double-O Shiny.
Finally, my boyfriend's '98 blue-gray Lumina 4-door (which I drive sometimes) has been christened Ol' Joe.
PS I also name my computers and a few other gadgets...
Quote from: wriddle082 on February 09, 2012, 10:37:24 PM
If you have the money, and still feel the need for a big SUV, I highly recommend the current Chevy Tahoe/GMC Yukon with the 5.3L V8. Has cylinder deactivation, which has made my mpg average around 21. Been driving a rental one around SE Wisconsin since 2/1, and since I'm going to need to replace my big truck pretty soon, I WANT ONE OF THESE!
Quote from: goobnav on February 04, 2012, 06:03:30 PM
2011 GMC Terrain, Carbon Black Metallic, 2.4L I-4. SLE trim.
My wife has a 2011 Equinox, gray, LE, same engine. It's probably really going to be my next vehicle, as we're most likely going to trade my truck in on something bigger for her. Not that I'm complaining, it's an excellent car, and the Eco mode on the transmission really seems to make a difference with the mpg.
I had to downsize from a 2007 GMC Sierra to the Terrain, it was a good choice as I was paying more for registration in NC due to them thinking the truck was a commercial vehicle even though it is registered for personal use, Gross weight caused the additional charge for those who are legal sticklers. The highway mileage is worth it though, went from Richmond, VA to Lancaster PA and all around there and back to Metro DC Maryland on 3/4's of a tank.
Quote from: bugo on February 09, 2012, 11:43:28 PM
I want a small, 4 cylinder coupe with a manual transmission and 2 doors. RWD, AWD, or FWD would all be acceptable. Throw in a 300 HP turbo option. Back in the early '90s, these sporty 2 doors were very common. Now they've all but disappeared. I don't want a 4 door car for security reasons.
can you get a used one? I see lots of Honda Preludes around; I'd imagine that is a testament to their longevity.
Preludes (or any Honda) never had a stock turbo. Honda uses its VTEC system to increase power in its higher-performance cars. A stock 5th generation Prelude (1997-2001) has about 200 horsepower.
I recall the Scion tC had a TRD supercharger option, but it was dealer-installed or perhaps a "port modification". The latter meant it was not technically factory-installed, but performed under the auspices of the manufacturer, and per local demand.
Wouldn't mind that new Scion FR-S; I think 200hp will be plenty enough for me, if the car remains as light as promised. When people used to ask me whether whether they should get the high-output motor or not, I'd ask them whether they have their choices as "do you prefer your driver's license suspended or revoked?"
Quote from: formulanone on February 10, 2012, 12:51:57 PM
Wouldn't mind that new Scion FR-S; I think 200hp will be plenty enough for me, if the car remains as light as promised. When people used to ask me whether whether they should get the high-output motor or not, I'd ask them whether they have their choices as "do you prefer your driver's license suspended or revoked?"
I believe its twin, the Subaru BRZ, had a turbocharged version shown at a recent car show, but it won't be a production option initially. Might be worth keeping an eye on.
Quote from: bugo on February 09, 2012, 11:43:28 PM
I want a small, 4 cylinder coupe with a manual transmission and 2 doors. RWD, AWD, or FWD would all be acceptable. Throw in a 300 HP turbo option. Back in the early '90s, these sporty 2 doors were very common. Now they've all but disappeared. I don't want a 4 door car for security reasons.
You aren't going to find many small 300HP turbo I4 coupes at all. In fact, I can't think of any small production coupe offered today that offers such an engine.
Sporty 2-doors might have been common - sporty 2-doors with 300HP turbo I4 engines? Not common at all.
Just looking at "small, 2-door, 4-cylinder coupe" - the selection is not all that vast - but that also depends on your definition of "small."
Honda Civic Coupe
Honda Accord Coupe
MINI Cooper
MINI Cooper Coupe
Audi A5
Scion tC
Nissan Altima Coupe
Kia Forte Koup
Lotus Exige
Hyundai Veloster (OK, technically it has THREE doors)
Hyundai Elantra Coupe (just announced this week)
You might be limiting yourself with the 2-door requirement. Security reasons?
The only 300 HP I4 Turbo cars I know of are the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution and the Subaru WRX STI, but they both have 4 doors.
Quote from: Stratuscaster on February 10, 2012, 06:25:26 PM
Quote from: bugo on February 09, 2012, 11:43:28 PM
I want a small, 4 cylinder coupe with a manual transmission and 2 doors. RWD, AWD, or FWD would all be acceptable. Throw in a 300 HP turbo option. Back in the early '90s, these sporty 2 doors were very common. Now they've all but disappeared. I don't want a 4 door car for security reasons.
You might be limiting yourself with the 2-door requirement. Security reasons?
What "security reasons"? Lock the flippin' back doors.
And enjoy having a FWD compact car with 300 horsepower.
Quote from: signalman on February 10, 2012, 03:45:55 AM
Scion has a turbocharged tC, or at least they did. I know someone who has one and he ordered it from Scion like that. The inside of the gas door even says "Premium fuel only," the non turbo tCs just take regular. So, with that said, I know it came from Scion like that. An aftermarket turbo wouldn't have given you a premium fuel sticker for your gas door as a reminder of what fuel to use. Apparently it was not a popular option, as that's the only one I've ever seen. That's why I'm not sure if you can still order them new.
I don't like Toyotas. They feel cheap to me and they are boring to drive, although some of them are pretty fast. If I were going to buy a Japanese car of that size, I'd buy a Civic coupe.
Post Merge: December 31, 1969, 06:59:59 PM
Quote from: formulanone on February 10, 2012, 12:51:57 PM
I recall the Scion tC had a TRD supercharger option, but it was dealer-installed or perhaps a "port modification". The latter meant it was not technically factory-installed, but performed under the auspices of the manufacturer, and per local demand.
Wouldn't mind that new Scion FR-S; I think 200hp will be plenty enough for me, if the car remains as light as promised. When people used to ask me whether whether they should get the high-output motor or not, I'd ask them whether they have their choices as "do you prefer your driver's license suspended or revoked?"
I'd rather have the Scooby Doo version. I'd be a lot prouder driving a Subaru than a Toyota.
Post Merge: February 12, 2012, 12:27:03 AM
Quote from: Brandon on February 10, 2012, 09:11:53 PM
Quote from: Stratuscaster on February 10, 2012, 06:25:26 PM
Quote from: bugo on February 09, 2012, 11:43:28 PM
I want a small, 4 cylinder coupe with a manual transmission and 2 doors. RWD, AWD, or FWD would all be acceptable. Throw in a 300 HP turbo option. Back in the early '90s, these sporty 2 doors were very common. Now they've all but disappeared. I don't want a 4 door car for security reasons.
You might be limiting yourself with the 2-door requirement. Security reasons?
What "security reasons"? Lock the flippin' back doors.
If somebody wants in badly enough, they will get in whether the doors are locked or not. And sometimes I forget to lock doors. I just feel safer in 2 door cars and I always will. And I don't like the styling of most 4 doors that were built post-1960.
My '95 Prelude, in case anyone was wondering what one looks like
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-iYHs_JXNBoA/TsgZxdeFPtI/AAAAAAAAAY0/w_JCQG46AMQ/s640/2011-11-14%25252010.39.38.jpg)
2007 Ford Mustang Pony Package convertible (Red Fire Metallic); 38,000 miles owned since August 2007
1997 Ford Crown Victoria LX, Handling & Performance Package (Deep Forest Green Metallic); 134,000 miles owned since November 1996
Quote from: Sanctimoniously on January 06, 2012, 08:05:03 AMI'm looking at replacing it with a Ford Flex.
Good choice. The Flex is my favorite CUV. Very roomy inside. If my Crown Vic ever died; a Flex would be a possible replacement among newer vehicles.
Quote from: bugo on January 29, 2012, 12:41:11 PM
I also have 4 project cars: 2 1962 Ford Galaxie 500 2 door hardtops, one is white with a teal top and with a 390/300 HP and automatic transmission. The other one is black with no engine (it came out with a 223 six cylinder with a 3 speed on the tree) and no front seat. Plans for the black one include an FE big block engine (probably a 390, but a 406, 410, 427, or a 428 if I can find one) and a 3 on the tree with overdrive. The white one has highway gears, while the black one has low gears. The black one will be a brutal around town car that is quick off the line, while the white one will be more of a long distance cruiser.
I, for one, am jealous.
Quote from: bugo on February 11, 2012, 12:31:58 AM
If somebody wants in badly enough, they will get in whether the doors are locked or not.
That's why I don't usually lock my doors when I park. If someonw eants to steal something from my car*, I'd rather not add a broken window to the loss. (*I also don't leave in sight anything worth stealing, and this is just another reason why I prefer a factory radio.) This is speaking from experience; a few years ago, someone stole hundreds of car radios from my neighborhood, breaking windows if necessary. I was glad my car was unlocked, and not sad to see the Sony Xplod radio (which came with the car) go.
Quote from: vtk on February 11, 2012, 01:01:15 PM
Quote from: bugo on February 11, 2012, 12:31:58 AM
If somebody wants in badly enough, they will get in whether the doors are locked or not.
That's why I don't usually lock my doors when I park. If someonw eants to steal something from my car*, I'd rather not add a broken window to the loss. (*I also don't leave in sight anything worth stealing, and this is just another reason why I prefer a factory radio.) This is speaking from experience; a few years ago, someone stole hundreds of car radios from my neighborhood, breaking windows if necessary. I was glad my car was unlocked, and not sad to see the Sony Xplod radio (which came with the car) go.
That's why I use the basic radio the manufacturer provided and leave nothing in sight when I lock and park my car. On the other hand, we've had a rash of things stolen from
unlocked cars here recently.
Quote from: bugo on February 09, 2012, 11:43:28 PM
I want a small, 4 cylinder coupe with a manual transmission and 2 doors. RWD, AWD, or FWD would all be acceptable. Throw in a 300 HP turbo option. Back in the early '90s, these sporty 2 doors were very common. Now they've all but disappeared. I don't want a 4 door car for security reasons.
Saab has some sporty, turbo charged 4 bangers. I don't remember if they offer 2-door versions though.
Why not get a 6 cylinder sport coupe? They're much more common.
Quote from: realjd on February 11, 2012, 10:29:43 PM
Quote from: bugo on February 09, 2012, 11:43:28 PM
I want a small, 4 cylinder coupe with a manual transmission and 2 doors. RWD, AWD, or FWD would all be acceptable. Throw in a 300 HP turbo option. Back in the early '90s, these sporty 2 doors were very common. Now they've all but disappeared. I don't want a 4 door car for security reasons.
Saab has some sporty, turbo charged 4 bangers. I don't remember if they offer 2-door versions though.
Why not get a 6 cylinder sport coupe? They're much more common.
I drove a Saab extensively over the last year or so and I wasn't impressed at all. And from what I have been reading, Saab is likely history. And if it does survive, I would be leery of purchasing one because of possible parts shortages if the company implodes in a few years.
As for V6s, I prefer 4 cylinders. They're just more fun, and I love revving them. Most V6s are boring to me.
If you think a V6 is boring, you're diving the wrong cars! Go test drive one of the Altima coupes with the 3.5L engine.
I've driven some nice cars with V6 engines ('91 SHO for example.) But I generally prefer 4 bangers. I like the sound better and I like high RPMs. I like turbo 4s because turbo lag is fun.
Turbo lag is fun. :D
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fyakra.dyn-o-saur.com%2Fimages%2FIMG_8409.JPG&hash=cee9ac7380956ef62a6a7d2b5511e658e3168054)
But I am partial to a well-tuned six!
I drive a bright orange Bugatti Veyron.
Quote from: bugo on February 19, 2012, 01:40:43 AM
I drive a bright orange Bugatti Veyron.
Yeah, and I just won the Illinois Powerball and bought a mansion and an LS9 to swap into the wagon.
Quote from: yakra on February 18, 2012, 10:35:32 PM
Turbo lag is fun. :D
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fyakra.dyn-o-saur.com%2Fimages%2FIMG_8409.JPG&hash=cee9ac7380956ef62a6a7d2b5511e658e3168054)
But I am partial to a well-tuned six!
Oh jeez, the D24T... Straight pipe it and drive around laughing hysterically at the fact that your car sounds like it could rip the pavement off the roadbed but really can't even get out of its own way.
In all seriousness, however, a guy I knew awhile back had a D24T-powered 240 sedan that was hopped up and could do 13.9 in the quarter, no lie.
You know, I didn't think much of Volvos until I saw this:
(language warning)
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FA6Azy.jpg&hash=64eb5f7a9d0af2f54b1f8224da92db3ab1f37c29)
^^ That's just a wee bit aggressive. Using two to box him in would've been better.
It looks to me like the police vehicle was already barreling towards the civilian vehicle without being able to stop.
Looks to me like the ditch helped overturn the civilian.
Quote from: formulanone on February 19, 2012, 04:53:29 PM
You know, I didn't think much of Volvos until I saw this:
(language warning)
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FA6Azy.jpg&hash=64eb5f7a9d0af2f54b1f8224da92db3ab1f37c29)
:-D :spin: :rofl:
Show me the link to that. I'm begging you!
I did a reverse image search; didn't immediately find anything other than just the image; no further info or back story.
Yeah, it was doing the car-forum circuit a few months ago, but nobody had any source. Just looks like a PIT-maneuver which suddenly went World Wrestling Federation.
Kind of forgotten about it until a buddy of mine bought a Volvo and an Audi last week...
Quote from: Crazy Volvo Guy on February 19, 2012, 06:03:42 AM
Quote from: yakra on February 18, 2012, 10:35:32 PM
Turbo lag is fun. :D
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fyakra.dyn-o-saur.com%2Fimages%2FIMG_8409.JPG&hash=cee9ac7380956ef62a6a7d2b5511e658e3168054)
But I am partial to a well-tuned six!
Oh jeez, the D24T... Straight pipe it and drive around laughing hysterically at the fact that your car sounds like it could rip the pavement off the roadbed but really can't even get out of its own way.
In all seriousness, however, a guy I knew awhile back had a D24T-powered 240 sedan that was hopped up and could do 13.9 in the quarter, no lie.
The wagon pictured
has said
well-tuned six! ;)
Maximum overbore, D24 cam, thinner head gasket and maybe some other tricks (early D24 cyl. head?) for better compression, and some extra boost on the turbo. Oh, that baby moved... I kinda dig it a little more than my dad's B230FTIC. (He had another D24T wagon back in `05 that could outrun it.)
So, I believe the story of your friend's D24T-powered 240, easily. (Do you visit the TurboBricks forums; is he "TDi244"? I'd be interested in knowing the mods involved in his specimen.)
I got that car in Spring `04, last rebuild was in Q1`06 @~262k mi. Sadly, as of the end of last July the body was too rusty to keep on the road, and I parked it with 335173 mi on the clock. Replaced it with a similar-looking `86 (http://yakra.dyn-o-saur.com/images/IMG_8822.JPG). Stock engine though; @181k never rebuilt AFAIK, and yes: won't get out of its own way. :(
Both are automatics, but that didn't seem to hold back the `85 much, performancewise. Just sink the pedal down and spin up that turbo, y'got all the torque you need! The standards are really nice -- I like being able to bury the diesel pedal and not go into kickdown. They get a little bit better mileage in my experience. That red 745 you can see reflected in my tailgate? Rebuilt at 300k mi, and even with head gasket trouble, it's never gotten under 30 MPG since. 4 months & 2k mi before that, it did 483 mi from Rochester to Portland on one tank. 32.5 MPG, w0ot!
I said in my OP that I wanted to get a Ford Flex, but I guess I caved a little bit to the allure of having a hatchback.
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fsphotos.xx.fbcdn.net%2Fhphotos-ash4%2F423402_10151334708540554_744550553_22961436_274169499_n.jpg&hash=b74f042f6d50260e9eee38291b08abba600ce80f)
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fa7.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net%2Fhphotos-ak-ash4%2F402637_10151334708940554_744550553_22961437_631986971_n.jpg&hash=77f7364f49f570b3fe0cc3e6a175cdb8bffb6a25)
2012 Ford Focus SEL. MyFordTouch, Sync, alloy wheels, etc. Great little car, I love it.
Huh. Either they've really jazzed up the interior, or it's that you have a higher end model, but my '09 Focus doesn't have any LCD screens in it!
The Focus was redesigned for the 2011 model year. The new ones look pretty snazzy.
Quote from: Takumi on February 26, 2012, 09:46:21 PM
The Focus was redesigned for the 2011 model year. The new ones look pretty snazzy.
Although it was introduced early; the redesigned Focus (like the one shown) is of the 201
2 model year. The 2011 models were the last of the previous generation.
One area of concern with many of the newer-designed Fords (the 2012 Focus being one of them) is the MyTouch system. It's been reported that many people have had operating 'issues' with the system while driving. Supposedly Ford will have an improved system for the 2013 models.
Quote from: PHLBOS on February 27, 2012, 05:33:34 PM
One area of concern with many of the newer-designed Fords (the 2012 Focus being one of them) is the MyTouch system. It's been reported that many people have had operating 'issues' with the system while driving. Supposedly Ford will have an improved system for the 2013 models.
I actually haven't had any problems with it yet, other than that it's occasionally slow to react to inputs and there is a little bit of a learning curve with some features. I also don't particularly like that the buttons on the steering wheel switch between presets rather than scanning, but if I've been working with a knob for this long, still using one isn't that big of a deal.
Quote from: Takumi on February 11, 2012, 12:35:13 AM
My '95 Prelude, in case anyone was wondering what one looks like
....
I always liked the second- and third-generation Prelude (mid- to late-1980s). Thought it was a nice-looking car. Too bad I wasn't able to afford one in the 1989—91 period, although I wound up being pretty damn happy with the 1982 Accord 5-speed my father sold me in 1991. Loved that car and I was devastated when it succumbed to undercarriage rust in 1995.
Found this picture of the 2G Prelude online. I assume it's not a US-spec car since I don't ever remember seeing the rear wiper on the 2G here.
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.japanesesportcars.com%2Fphotos%2Fd%2F132296-2%2F1987-honda-prelude-2.jpg&hash=f82b41185e593f0a62518dfc532ccefdf265da93)
Cool! That's actually a 3G, maybe an artist's rendering thereof. The 2G and 3G look very similar, but the way the word "Prelude" is written on the trunk (smaller and light grey) was only used in '88 and '89, the first two years of the 3rd Gen. On the 2G it was much larger and written in black, and in '90 and '91 it was also in black but about the same size. My '91, for comparison:
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fa6.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net%2Fhphotos-ak-snc6%2F170734_1844562955066_1270395589_2201652_5130113_o.jpg&hash=31ac0d6f5095cbd9afd7ff0e42d8784b7af81503)
As for that rear wiper blade, you're probably right about it not being a US-spec car. They were only offered on JDM and European Preludes throughout the car's history. In fact, on a Prelude forum I'm on, there's a thread that's just about accessories on 4th gens that Europe and Japan got, and the rear wiper appears on most cars in it. I'd like to get one for my '95, but doing it right would involve installing a JDM windshield and things to operate it, so it would be more of a headache than it's worth for practical purposes.
It's weird, I still have dreams that I'm driving my first car, an 1988 Accord...haven't owned it since 1994.
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.formulanone.org%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2011%2F09%2FAccordRamblewood1992June2a.jpg&hash=10b03fb9b2338d5bbc007c567a3fcc85c7081551)
...Honda's well-creased looks form the mid-1980s to about 1993 are lessons in automotive design minimalism.
I have to say I haven't been a fan of the MyFordTouch thing and found bugs in my friend's as we were driving to Gaspésie (of course it was minor and didn't prevent the vehicle from operating normally.) Actually, despite being a computer technician, I'm not too happy with the idea of cars having more and more electronics in them. I miss the time when I could drive my car with a faulty electric system (one of the ground cables had snapped, rendering it unable to start with no booster cables, making the dashboard cluster function abnormally and radio not working, but the rest was okay).
Do they still make the Focus without it?
Quote from: Dr Frankenstein on February 29, 2012, 11:35:08 PM
I'm not too happy with the idea of cars having more and more electronics in them.
I totally agree. More computers = more things that can go wrong. I'm fine with technology that improves the way the car runs and drives, but it seems like more and more modern amenities in vehicles are just entertainment.
Quote from: formulanone on February 29, 2012, 04:41:08 PM
...Honda's well-creased looks form the mid-1980s to about 1993 are lessons in automotive design minimalism.
Also agree, seeing as I have both ends of the spectrum when it comes to Honda design. The 4th gen Prelude is sometimes treated as a pariah because of its styling, which was
extremely radical for the time and it looked nothing like the 2nd and 3rd gens. Honda made the 5th gen (1997-2001) look like an updated version of the classic styling, but the damage was done. The 4th and 5th gen Preludes
combined were produced in lower numbers in 10 years than the 4 years of the 3rd. (There were more factors than just the body style, but it sure didn't help.) The still-popular H-series engine (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honda_h_engine) was used in these Preludes, and a small amount of 5th gens had the predecessor for SH-AWD (the Type SH in North America and the more powerful Type S in Japan).
(Edited to fix Wiki link)
I still dream about my 1980 Mercury Cougar, which I haven't had since 1993 or so.
I don't like those huge screens in car dashboards. There's no reason to have such a potential distraction just to turn the radio or heater on. I want a car with a simple radio with knobs, and a HVAC setup with knobs or levers. No need for a navigation system that will be obsolete in 2 years. If I want navigation, I'll buy an aftermarket unit.
Quote from: bugo on March 01, 2012, 07:59:48 AM
I don't like those huge screens in car dashboards. There's no reason to have such a potential distraction just to turn the radio or heater on. I want a car with a simple radio with knobs, and a HVAC setup with knobs or levers. No need for a navigation system that will be obsolete in 2 years. If I want navigation, I'll buy an aftermarket unit.
There seems to be two differing camps on navigation; one is going with a Google-based or other web-based map supplier, so that information
could be updated as necessary. On the other hand, the old DVD disc is an non-compulsory "maintenance item" that some automakers tout as an upgrade. BMW is big on that as of late, probably because they offer free maintenance with the purchase price of the vehicle.
While we have probably each found at least a dozen glaring Google errors apiece, even my coworkers who travel the nation grind their teeth that various nav systems of all stripes have their errors...having a web-based system would probably be the biggest safety net for consumer confidence
and therefore give automakers/suppliers more navigation system sales.
Unless you're a real estate agent, you don't need the intricacies of every newly-built neighborhood (never mind that there's no guarantee that information will be available for a few years). When I worked at a Lexus dealership, the complaints were thick and fast about how
this neighborhood was included, and
theirs wasn't - the former newer than theirs, of course - but I think there were many reasons why that was the case, which had nothing to do with the manufacturer. I think for most of us on this board, there's not that many major new roads created to justify a navigation data upgrade but every 10 years or so, if at all (I'm guessing more than a few here would prefer a 30/40/50-year-old disc, if such a thing existed). The rest we'd figure out on our own.
Quote from: Dr Frankenstein on February 29, 2012, 11:35:08 PMDo they still make the Focus without it?
I believe one still can with the lower-trim models; similar is true with other Ford-branded models. OTOH, I believe MyTouch is standard on ALL Lincoln models; however I'm not 100% sure if ALL the models offer the 2011 and later design (which is the one having the most issues). If that's the case, then only the MKX might be the only one with the newer-plaqued version.
Ford models with the issues-related MyTouch
might only be the models that have been introduced, revamped/redesigned since 2011 (Fiesta, 2012 Focus, 2011+ Edge, & 2011+ Explorer)
I'm sure in the wake of the MyTouch issues being reported; the non-MyTouch equipped (or ones equipped with the older variant) Fords have probably been selling better.
Quote from: bugo on March 01, 2012, 07:59:48 AM
I don't like those huge screens in car dashboards. There's no reason to have such a potential distraction just to turn the radio or heater on. I want a car with a simple radio with knobs, and a HVAC setup with knobs or levers. No need for a navigation system that will be obsolete in 2 years. If I want navigation, I'll buy an aftermarket unit.
Why I Love My Camry.
The only thing I have that isn't standard is A/C. I have a manual transmission (automatic is boring), no rain detector, no automatic headlights, no electric locks/windows/mirrors/seats, no backup camera/detector, no cruise control, no navigation... and honestly, I almost forget these things exist. I wonder if the reason for that is just that I haven't really gotten used to these things. And one of the plus sides, as mentioned earlier, is that nothing breaks on that car. Oh, and seats take 3 seconds to adjust, and windows take 2 seconds to pull down. :p
Quote from: formulanone on March 01, 2012, 09:11:23 AM
Quote from: bugo on March 01, 2012, 07:59:48 AM
I don't like those huge screens in car dashboards. There's no reason to have such a potential distraction just to turn the radio or heater on. I want a car with a simple radio with knobs, and a HVAC setup with knobs or levers. No need for a navigation system that will be obsolete in 2 years. If I want navigation, I'll buy an aftermarket unit.
Unless you're a real estate agent, you don't need the intricacies of every newly-built neighborhood
Oh, quite to the contrary. Any contractor has much need of map navigation for newer neighborhoods. I work in the dispatch office for a cable installation contractor, and I get calls all the time for directions to houses. If it's a new neighborhood, it's hit or miss even with thorough Google searching; I've had some luck with bookmarking specific towns' city maps, but online availablility is also hit or miss.
I have two things that aren't standard: antilock brakes (because I insisted on having them) and the VIN number etched in the windows (because the savings on insurance more than makes up for the cost of it).
Power windows apparently are standard, and are a welcome convenience. I don't have cruise control but I'd never use it if I did. And, nav system? Pfft, who needs that? It's actually amusing, given how much driving I do and how often I go to places I don't frequent, people are at times surprised to learn I don't have a GPS device or any such thing. :)
Quote from: Duke87 on March 01, 2012, 09:04:48 PMAnd, nav system? Pfft, who needs that? It's actually amusing, given how much driving I do and how often I go to places I don't frequent, people are at times surprised to learn I don't have a GPS device or any such thing. :)
Same here. Friends saying "you're the first one to get here without a GPS and without getting lost the first time." That's roadgeekery right there.
My biggest beef with the consumer nav systems is I can't update or correct the map data myself, and "upgrades" for newer data often cost more than the hardware. Not that I would use such a system myself, but friends and family could benefit from a nav system that I can correct for them. I'm surprised nobody's making an "economy" nav system with freely updateable data derived from OpenStreetMap. True, there's no residual revenue from data updates, but there's no cost in licensing from traditional data providers, and marketing as "the cheapest overall" nav system should be an incredible advantage in a down economy.
Quote from: vtk on March 01, 2012, 10:32:15 PM
My biggest beef with the consumer nav systems is I can't update or correct the map data myself, and "upgrades" for newer data often cost more than the hardware. Not that I would use such a system myself, but friends and family could benefit from a nav system that I can correct for them. I'm surprised nobody's making an "economy" nav system with freely updateable data derived from OpenStreetMap. True, there's no residual revenue from data updates, but there's no cost in licensing from traditional data providers, and marketing as "the cheapest overall" nav system should be an incredible advantage in a down economy.
No duh. I just bought updated nav discs for my car...$199.
Bought updated nav discs for my previous car three years ago...$199.
Grrrrr...
Quote from: bugo on March 01, 2012, 07:59:48 AM
I don't like those huge screens in car dashboards. There's no reason to have such a potential distraction just to turn the radio or heater on. I want a car with a simple radio with knobs, and a HVAC setup with knobs or levers. No need for a navigation system that will be obsolete in 2 years. If I want navigation, I'll buy an aftermarket unit.
My Infiniti has the big screen like that, but it has physical HVAC and radio knobs/levers also.
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.smartcarsreviews.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2011%2F12%2F23.jpg&hash=94edaacce1bead5adcbba619cb88882d7ce9d697)
The nav system upgrade is usually expensive, but includes more than the nav system itself. In the case of the Infiniti, if I had purchased the nav system upgrade it would have also come with a higher resolution, touch-screen LCD screen, video playback in-dash, a built-in HD to store digital music, voice control, and the ability to stream audio from my iPhone over bluetooth (as opposed to the USB port I have to use now). That said, the in-dash nav systems are very nice. The screens are usually much bigger than an aftermarket Garmin, and it's much better integrated with the rest of the car.
^Oh God, I miss my 2006 M45 Premium...complete with entertainment center, backup camera...the absolute bomb. Had to go to Atlanta to get it, was absolutely worth it...until some (expletive) in a 2002 Ford Explorer pulled in front of me in Pensacola Christmas 2010 and totalled it.
Yes, I'm still in mourning.
That's why I'm driving a 2006 BMW 750Li right now-I couldn't find anything to replace my M45 within 500 miles of Orlando, and I wasn't going to do that out of town thing again. I'm an old fart who needs his creature comforts...on the last day of my rental I found one with 40K miles with 14 months left on the CPO, so I bought it (on my birthday no less).
Wow, I leave home for a few days and look what happens. . .
The Focus does have physical knobs for the HVAC and the radio (I can still change station and adjust the volume without the touchscreen). I personally like it, the normal screen looked kinda cheap and didn't fit its allotted space very well. I drove two top-of-the-line Buick LeSabres, then went into a base-model Jeep and it was like living in the dark, so I'm glad to have some comforts again.
Quote from: DeaconG on March 02, 2012, 08:12:10 PM
^Oh God, I miss my 2006 M45 Premium...complete with entertainment center, backup camera...the absolute bomb. Had to go to Atlanta to get it, was absolutely worth it...until some (expletive) in a 2002 Ford Explorer pulled in front of me in Pensacola Christmas 2010 and totalled it.
Yes, I'm still in mourning.
That's why I'm driving a 2006 BMW 750Li right now-I couldn't find anything to replace my M45 within 500 miles of Orlando, and I wasn't going to do that out of town thing again. I'm an old fart who needs his creature comforts...on the last day of my rental I found one with 40K miles with 14 months left on the CPO, so I bought it (on my birthday no less).
M45? Drool....
I absolutely love my G37. BMWs are awesome to drive, but the interiors feel stuck in the 90's IMO. My wife loves my G so much that she's looking at picking up a used FX35 for her next car, which I like because the FX can tow a boat (which I want) while my G can't.
Backup cameras are an absolute unnecessary luxury, but I find that's the primary feature I miss when I travel and get a rental car.
Quote from: Duke87 on March 01, 2012, 09:04:48 PMI don't have cruise control but I'd never use it if I did.
I use cruise control as often as possible. It gives me one less thing to think about, cuts down on the possibility of speeding tickets, and also increases my fuel efficiency. I even use it on arterials, setting it for 40-50mph or so... and I definitely use it in small towns: 28 in a 30 very much discourages police interference.
I rolled 140000 on my Taurus not too long ago. I believe I've put 26000 miles on it since I got it in September.
1986 Toyota Camry. 180K miles, 35K of which are mine over 3 years. Runs like a charm.
Quote from: agentsteel53 on March 02, 2012, 10:12:19 PM
I use cruise control as often as possible. It gives me one less thing to think about, cuts down on the possibility of speeding tickets, and also increases my fuel efficiency. I even use it on arterials, setting it for 40-50mph or so... and I definitely use it in small towns: 28 in a 30 very much discourages police interference.
This. I find when I'm on the highway, I rarely use the brake to control my speed, just the accelerate and decelerate buttons. Makes it much easier to decelerate two or three miles per hour to keep my distance from a car and accelerating back to my previous speed afterward is much more efficient.
Quote from: realjd on March 02, 2012, 10:10:33 PM
BMWs are awesome to drive, but the interiors feel stuck in the 90's IMO.
Wasn't my first choice-when I couldn't get a matching M45 I wanted a used MB C-Class (I really wanted a used CLS), but the prices for a 4-year old MB were just beyond my reach. Same for the Audi A8. That left the 750Li...and I found one in Ft. Pierce.
Besides, the seats are evil (14 way power plus heating/cooling and butt massager for the driver)...and believe me when I tell you it will flat out MOVE, especially in Sport mode.
Quote from: realjd on March 02, 2012, 02:19:43 PM
My Infiniti has the big screen like that, but it has physical HVAC and radio knobs/levers also.
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.smartcarsreviews.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2011%2F12%2F23.jpg&hash=94edaacce1bead5adcbba619cb88882d7ce9d697)
The nav system upgrade is usually expensive, but includes more than the nav system itself. In the case of the Infiniti, if I had purchased the nav system upgrade it would have also come with a higher resolution, touch-screen LCD screen, video playback in-dash, a built-in HD to store digital music, voice control, and the ability to stream audio from my iPhone over bluetooth (as opposed to the USB port I have to use now). That said, the in-dash nav systems are very nice. The screens are usually much bigger than an aftermarket Garmin, and it's much better integrated with the rest of the car.
Set the way-back machine to 1989:
Oldsmobile Toronado Trofeo
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I've seen similar dashboards in old Nissan 300ZX's, back to at least '86.
Quote from: vtk on March 01, 2012, 10:32:15 PM
My biggest beef with the consumer nav systems is I can't update or correct the map data myself, and "upgrades" for newer data often cost more than the hardware. Not that I would use such a system myself, but friends and family could benefit from a nav system that I can correct for them. I'm surprised nobody's making an "economy" nav system with freely updateable data derived from OpenStreetMap. True, there's no residual revenue from data updates, but there's no cost in licensing from traditional data providers, and marketing as "the cheapest overall" nav system should be an incredible advantage in a down economy.
Garmin's latest NAVs appear to now have a "Lifetime Maps" option on at least some of the SKUs. If I recall, Garmin changed map data sources recently, too - might have something to so with it.
(I may or may not be aware of a fairly easy method to obtain map updates for some Garmin nuvi models at no charge, but that may require obtaining an SD or microSD card to use it. Anyone with some Google-fu can find it as well.)
Having said that - I do agree - leveraging OSM's maps could make it cheaper. My concern would be making sure that edits and such are confirmed and verified, lest we get folks sending people where they ought not be going.
Actually, to me the biggest problem with OSM in consumer nav systems is that, at least in most of the US, OSM currently lacks the data necessary for geocoding addresses. Intersections could work, but not everyone knows what is the nearest cross-street for their destination or how to obtain that information. Lat&lon are another issue altogether, from a user standpoint.
Personally I think there are problems inherent with identifying locations solely by the same information one uses to send mail to those locations. But I'm getting way off-topic...
1997 Ford F350 4-wheel pickup. No options, and loving it.
My travel vehicle is a 1977 Dodge B200 full-sized van.
I don't like cruise control because I need the tactile feedback of my foot on the pedals. If my foot isn't doing anything I feel like all of a sudden I'm not in control anymore and that freaks me out.
Which is funny, because I don't and can't drive manual transmission. But I grew up with every car always having automatic so it doesn't feel "missing".
Funny you mentioned cruise control and a manual transmission. Those were two musts in my book when I was car shopping. I like cruise control for long trips. It allows me to not worry about maintaining speed while I look for cool license plates and signs. The manual transmission I wanted for a more hands on driving experience, however, I'll be the first to admit they suck in stop and go traffic.
I'm not big on cruise control, but they aero helpful when you have to:
1) Scratch your foot, ankle, toes
2) Maintain some absurdly low speed limit for several miles in a construction zone with no work.
Quote from: Sanctimoniously on March 02, 2012, 10:57:47 PM
This. I find when I'm on the highway, I rarely use the brake to control my speed, just the accelerate and decelerate buttons. Makes it much easier to decelerate two or three miles per hour to keep my distance from a car and accelerating back to my previous speed afterward is much more efficient.
I actually do the opposite. I tap the brakes to disengage cruise control, and use accelerator and brake/coasting to set a new desire speed.
I would be perfectly happy with a one-button cruise control ("lock speed at current")... my car has something like five (!) buttons for it, most of which I never use. Just "on" when turning on the ignition - force of habit, just after disengaging the e-brake - and "set" to lock in when I want it engaged.
Quote from: signalman on March 05, 2012, 03:42:21 AM
Funny you mentioned cruise control and a manual transmission. Those were two musts in my book when I was car shopping. I like cruise control for long trips. It allows me to not worry about maintaining speed while I look for cool license plates and signs. The manual transmission I wanted for a more hands on driving experience, however, I'll be the first to admit they suck in stop and go traffic.
I rented a car with manual transmission and cruise control in Europe, and several times after preparing to get off the highway, or stop at a toll booth, I nearly stalled the car because I found myself confusing my pattern of "take car out of gear" with "disengage cruise control". I had figured I had to do precisely one thing to get the car to coast to a stop... nope, when cruise control was set, I had to do two things, so invariably I forgot one and the car would start lugging and that's when I'd remember "oh! still in gear!"
(my manual-transmission driving style tends to involve a lot of taking the car out of gear when preparing to stop - it adds fuel efficiency at the cost of brake pad wear, as I'm not using engine braking. for a rental car, this is a very good trade-off.)
Hmm..so depressing the clutch and taking the car out of gear didn't disengage cruise control? I usually shut off cruise just before I enter the deceleration area of a highway exit and coast down in top gear to 50 or so, then in neutral with using little (or none on ramps I use frequently) brakes. Even if I do forget to shut the cruise off, it disengages when the clutch is depressed. (Perhaps a US-spec thing?)
Quote from: signalman on March 06, 2012, 04:02:33 PM
Hmm..so depressing the clutch and taking the car out of gear didn't disengage cruise control? I usually shut off cruise just before I enter the deceleration area of a highway exit and coast down in top gear to 50 or so, then in neutral with using little (or none on ramps I use frequently) brakes. Even if I do forget to shut the cruise off, it disengages when the clutch is depressed. (Perhaps a US-spec thing?)
no, my explanation was unclear. the one thing I did do was tap the brake to disengage cruise control... keeping the car in gear. about 30mph slower is when I realized that there was a problem. (this was more pronounced at the beginning of the trip, when I was unfamiliar with how the car decelerated when it was in gear vs. out of gear)
I never found out experimentally if tapping the clutch disengaged the cruise control. my guess would be "probably", because with the clutch depressed, a naive cruise control algorithm would just rev the engine into oblivion.
another clutch question... I drove a friend's stick-shift car a few days ago, and to turn on the ignition, I had to depress both brake and clutch. it was a mid-90s Mazda pickup. I remember my 1989 Escort had no such interlock (just brake, if I recall correctly), and rental cars in Europe had no such interlock either. (I remember this well, as when JeffR and I switched drivers, I would immediately and consistently observe his tendency to put the car in gear when parking it!)
is clutch-ignition interlock a US-only safety feature introduced in the 90s or so?
Quote from: agentsteel53 on March 06, 2012, 04:25:13 PM
is clutch-ignition interlock a US-only safety feature introduced in the 90s or so?
I'm guessing it started with Asian makes. My first car was a 1990 Toyota Camry and the clutch had to be depressed to start it. My second car, a 1994 VW Jetta had no such switch at the bottom of the clutch. (I'm assuming by now they do)
My experience is with Toyota:
1985 Corolla
1987 Corolla
1988 Camry
1995 Corolla
1999 Camry
In all four of these stickshift cars my family has owned, it was required to depress the clutch.
In other stickshift cars I've driven, I never even thought to try starting without depressing the clutch, as that's not how I was taught to drive.
My dad's '94 Ford Ranger is like that as well.
Quote from: kphoger on March 06, 2012, 06:29:55 PM
I never even thought to try starting without depressing the clutch, as that's not how I was taught to drive.
I was never taught to do that. in fact, I was taught to park with the car out of gear, hand brake engaged, unless on exceptionally non-level ground, in which case push it into reverse gear (as that had the lowest gear ratio), hand brake engaged, tire against a curb if possible.
generally speaking, when I start a stick-shift car, I put foot on the brake, wiggle the stick to confirm that it is out of gear (and, if in gear, take it out!), start the ignition, disengage the hand brake, and now I am basically idling as though stopped at a traffic light, so I can worry about the exact minutiae of this particular clutch-and-gas combination.
so, for me, having to push the clutch before starting in definitely breaks my flow!
Quote from: agentsteel53 on March 06, 2012, 04:25:13 PM
another clutch question... I drove a friend's stick-shift car a few days ago, and to turn on the ignition, I had to depress both brake and clutch. it was a mid-90s Mazda pickup. I remember my 1989 Escort had no such interlock (just brake, if I recall correctly), and rental cars in Europe had no such interlock either. (I remember this well, as when JeffR and I switched drivers, I would immediately and consistently observe his tendency to put the car in gear when parking it!)
is clutch-ignition interlock a US-only safety feature introduced in the 90s or so?
It started in the US around 1990; Chrysler got it some hot legal water when kids left in cars managed to move the lever, and make the car roll from a rest, so I've heard.
It's not in Europe at all, so the gearheads over the pond tell me.
Shift-Interlock - a NHTSA requirement on all cars. Recall that it was only maybe a decade or two ago where they made it so you HAD to press the brake to shift out of park on an automatic-equipped vehicle.
Plenty of other rules and regs for the US that don't apply to Europe or elsewhere.
Then again, some countries require that rear red fog light that's not required here in the US.
Quote from: formulanone on March 06, 2012, 07:54:37 PM
It started in the US around 1990; Chrysler got it some hot legal water when kids left in cars managed to move the lever, and make the car roll from a rest, so I've heard.
wait, aren't those entirely different issues?
1) clutch pushed in inadvertently causes car to roll because hand brake wasn't set
2) require clutch to be pushed in to start ignition
also, I appear to call it a "hand brake", even as in my current car the parking brake is engaged with one's foot. shows that I learned to drive growing up in Hungary, where the literal translation is "hand brake", as opposed to "emergency brake", "e-brake", or "parking brake".
No, you're right, I was thinking of automatic transmission interlocks. But sometime around 1990 or so, the clutch-engagement-to-start interlock became mandatory.
The "other brake" has many terms world-wide. I think it's because some cars have it in the center console via a hand lever (100+ years ago, throttle and brakes were indeed lever activated), while many cars have a foot-operated pedal. Usually, performance cars that are available with a clutch have a hand-brake; I'm not aware of any "four pedal" cars.
Some of the luxury automakers have gone with a parking brake switch next to the gear selector. Audi, BMW, and Mercedes-Benz spring to mind on some of their classy models.
Quote from: formulanone on March 07, 2012, 11:34:51 AM
I'm not aware of any "four pedal" cars.
I don't think that would be particularly ergonomical, for those who use the hand brake to assist in starting up a hill.
Quote from: formulanone on March 07, 2012, 11:34:51 AM
No, you're right, I was thinking of automatic transmission interlocks. But sometime around 1990 or so, the clutch-engagement-to-start interlock became mandatory.
The "other brake" has many terms world-wide. I think it's because some cars have it in the center console via a hand lever (100+ years ago, throttle and brakes were indeed lever activated), while many cars have a foot-operated pedal. Usually, performance cars that are available with a clutch have a hand-brake; I'm not aware of any "four pedal" cars.
Some of the luxury automakers have gone with a parking brake switch next to the gear selector. Audi, BMW, and Mercedes-Benz spring to mind on some of their classy models.
My '62 Ford Galaxie 500 has 4 pedals.
In cars where the clutch must be depressed to start the engine, is this true regardless of whether the transmission is in neutral?
Quote from: bugo on March 07, 2012, 06:06:49 PM
My '62 Ford Galaxie 500 has 4 pedals.
is there a hand release for the emergency/hand/parking brake?
Quote from: vtk on March 07, 2012, 07:30:50 PM
In cars where the clutch must be depressed to start the engine, is this true regardless of whether the transmission is in neutral?
It can be started in any gear, or neutral.
Some people leave it in a gear, and some keep the lever in neutral. Either way, you use the parking brake.
Personally, I'm a "neutral-parker", because I live in a mostly flat state. If parking on a hill, leaving it in gear is also highly recommended.
Quote from: agentsteel53 on March 07, 2012, 07:43:55 PM
Quote from: bugo on March 07, 2012, 06:06:49 PM
My '62 Ford Galaxie 500 has 4 pedals.
is there a hand release for the emergency/hand/parking brake?
It's the knob on the dash on the far left. The knob is identical to the other knobs on the dash.
This car can be started with the clutch disengaged. It is useful when pulling the car when the engine has died.
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Here's a picture of the dash of my other '62. This one is an automatic.
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Quote from: vtk on March 07, 2012, 07:30:50 PM
In cars where the clutch must be depressed to start the engine, is this true regardless of whether the transmission is in neutral?
Yes. There is a switch under the clutch pedal that must be pressed in order to complete the ignition circuit.
Quote from: agentsteel53 on March 07, 2012, 07:43:55 PM
Quote from: bugo on March 07, 2012, 06:06:49 PM
My '62 Ford Galaxie 500 has 4 pedals.
is there a hand release for the emergency/hand/parking brake?
I discovered that a lot of pickups have this setup. And lots of Euro-spec Mercedes-Benzes and box trucks. Some 1950-60s Detroit iron have this setup too.
QuoteSome of the luxury automakers have gone with a parking brake switch next to the gear selector. Audi, BMW, and Mercedes-Benz spring to mind on some of their classy models.
I worked as a valet for a good while when I first moved to Tucson (and still do occasionally) and this was one of the best things about getting into a newer manual transmission luxury car was trying to find the damn parking brake release- especially since I worked almost exclusively at night.
Regarding manual in traffic... I've been frequently driving through Montreal's traffic since 2009, and by now I don't even realize I'm shifting and pressing the clutch pedal, even in stop-n-go traffic.
Quote from: Dr Frankenstein on March 08, 2012, 11:33:36 PM
Regarding manual in traffic... I've been frequently driving through Montreal's traffic since 2009, and by now I don't even realize I'm shifting and pressing the clutch pedal, even in stop-n-go traffic.
I put about 40K on my '89 Escort in the nine months I owned it, and after about two months I barely registered that I was driving manual... the toughest city I ever drove in was - nope, not San Francisco! - it was Quebec City, with its major boulevards located on 10-11-12% hills! That car had 59 horsepower, so it definitely took effort to not roll back more than an inch or two while powering it up those hills.
Quote from: Duke87 on March 01, 2012, 09:04:48 PM
Power windows apparently are standard, and are a welcome convenience. I don't have cruise control but I'd never use it if I did. And, nav system? Pfft, who needs that? It's actually amusing, given how much driving I do and how often I go to places I don't frequent, people are at times surprised to learn I don't have a GPS device or any such thing. :)
I
do have cruise control, but I don't like to use it. At best I find it boring, and at worst I find it dangerous, either when you end up approaching a slow driver, or being the slow driver.
As for GPS devices, I got one as a gift, but I've never used it, or at least I was never able to. My parents got one as a gift and they used it; I was better than their GPS.
Quote from: D-Dey65 on March 10, 2012, 11:56:33 PM
Quote from: Duke87 on March 01, 2012, 09:04:48 PM
Power windows apparently are standard, and are a welcome convenience. I don't have cruise control but I'd never use it if I did. And, nav system? Pfft, who needs that? It's actually amusing, given how much driving I do and how often I go to places I don't frequent, people are at times surprised to learn I don't have a GPS device or any such thing. :)
I do have cruise control, but I don't like to use it. At best I find it boring, and at worst I find it dangerous, either when you end up approaching a slow driver, or being the slow driver.
As for GPS devices, I got one as a gift, but I've never used it, or at least I was never able to. My parents got one as a gift and they used it; I was better than their GPS.
GPS has it's uses. It's great for directions to specific addresses in unfamiliar cities, and great for warning about upcoming traffic so I can reroute. I use mine mostly when I'm traveling. Getting from the rental car place near the airport to my hotel to the office I'm visiting is much easier with the GPS, at lease the first time I drive it.
Quote from: yakra on February 21, 2012, 12:32:43 AM(Do you visit the TurboBricks forums; is he "TDi244"? I'd be interested in knowing the mods involved in his specimen.)
Not too often. I only have damn nearly 13,000 posts logged there (http://forums.turbobricks.com/member.php?u=8048)... :happy:
I'm almost certain I remember a guy that went buy TDI244 having a 13.9 sedan a few years back. I used to have videos of it doing a burnout. Still do, actually...they're just on a dead hard drive. I'm going to attempt a platter-swap once I find a good identical chassis to see if I can't rescue all my old Volvo videos.
Quote from: signalman on March 05, 2012, 03:42:21 AM
Funny you mentioned cruise control and a manual transmission. Those were two musts in my book when I was car shopping. I like cruise control for long trips. It allows me to not worry about maintaining speed while I look for cool license plates and signs. The manual transmission I wanted for a more hands on driving experience, however, I'll be the first to admit they suck in stop and go traffic.
It's funny, while I've always found cruise control helpful on long trips, lately I've come to like it more and more for LOCAL driving when the traffic permits. It helps me keep my speed down on roads where I might otherwise be inclined to go faster. For example, coming back from downtown DC after a Caps game at night in the I-395 express lanes the speed limit is 65 and I often just get in the right lane and set the cruise control to 70 to keep myself from approaching 80 because anything over 80 is grounds for a reckless driving ticket in Virginia. On the 25-mph street that leads in and out of my neighborhood I sometimes set the cruise control at 30 mph to keep myself from going faster–and it majorly pisses off some of my neighbors who want to go 40 to 45 or faster.
Incidentally, I've always liked the way Acura's cruise control controls (that's awkward) are configured. Honda vehicles have long had (at least since 1982; I used to have an '82 Accord) a master switch for the cruise control and then on the steering wheel you have buttons for "Set" and "Resume." Those two buttons also let you decrease and increase, respectively, the set speed. Acura cruise controls have a third button: "Cancel." It lets you deactivate the cruise control, but retain the set speed, without tapping the clutch or the brakes. It's very useful in various situations, perhaps the most common being if there is a cop coming up behind you and you want to slow without being too obvious. In Honda vehicles hitting "Set" and "Resume" simultaneously does the same thing as "Cancel," but I know I've always found hitting those two buttons together to be much more awkward.
Regarding GPS devices, my Acura has one built-in and I find it useful as an aid, but it's not something I rely upon. On a long drive I sometimes activate the guidance even when I know which roads I want to use simply because it displays distance to the destination and an estimated travel time. Of course that's not foolproof, but it's useful to have the information at a glance. I like having the "Find nearest gas station" type feature as well, especially since I tend to try to go as far as possible on a tank before looking to fill up. My sat-nav is integrated into the car in terms of having voice control that operates both the navigation system and the radio and climate control systems, which can be useful at times (example, if I want to turn on the radio to get the traffic report but don't want to look at the display because of traffic, I just hit the button on the steering wheel and said "Radio 103.5-FM" and it turns it to that station). So I guess in my case it's the overall functionality of the system more than the mapping per se. My wife has a Garmin and one thing I like better about mine is that it has a joystick for panning the map around. When I'm stuck in stopped traffic in an unfamiliar area, the joystick is a lot easier to use to search for alternate routes than a touchscreen is.
(The mapping can zoom in a lot more than it was when I took this picture. BTW, the cruise control buttons are visible on the steering wheel. The master switch is above the "Cancel" button.)
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Quote from: formulanone on March 07, 2012, 11:34:51 AM
.... I'm not aware of any "four pedal" cars.
....
The first car I owned was a 1977 Ford Granada that had a manual transmission (four on the floor), a pedal-operated parking brake, and a foot-operated high-beam switch; the latter was sort of like a button located down around where the dead pedal is on most modern cars. So I guess you could say that car sort of had "five pedals," although the high-beam switch wasn't a "pedal" in the truest sense.
Quote from: agentsteel53 on March 06, 2012, 01:05:16 PM
Quote from: Sanctimoniously on March 02, 2012, 10:57:47 PM
This. I find when I'm on the highway, I rarely use the brake to control my speed, just the accelerate and decelerate buttons. Makes it much easier to decelerate two or three miles per hour to keep my distance from a car and accelerating back to my previous speed afterward is much more efficient.
I actually do the opposite. I tap the brakes to disengage cruise control, and use accelerator and brake/coasting to set a new desire speed.
I would be perfectly happy with a one-button cruise control ("lock speed at current")... my car has something like five (!) buttons for it, most of which I never use. Just "on" when turning on the ignition - force of habit, just after disengaging the e-brake - and "set" to lock in when I want it engaged.
You'd love my cruise control, it has setpoints for six different speeds and you can go between them by either pulling the cruise control stalk forward or back to step through the setpoints. It's a bit of a PITA to delete/change specific points, but once they're set you're good to go.
I can also set a speed limit alarm that warns me when I've reached a certain max speed limit.
Quote from: 1995hoo on March 15, 2012, 09:45:38 AM
Those two buttons also let you decrease and increase, respectively, the set speed. Acura cruise controls have a third button: "Cancel." It lets you deactivate the cruise control, but retain the set speed, without tapping the clutch or the brakes. It's very useful in various situations, perhaps the most common being if there is a cop coming up behind you and you want to slow without being too obvious.
My car has the Cancel button as well, and I find it useful for the same reasons.
As far as my touchscreen controls go, all the infotainment functions actually have three ways to control them. There are physical buttons (radio has them on the center stack and the steering wheel), the touchscreen, and voice command. I usually only use the voice command to operate the phone functions, because I like to use the physical controls for the radio and AC. I usually keep the touchscreen on the Sirius screen. I always thought the RDS feature my second Buick had helped me expand my musical preferences since I could finally put a name and artist to some of my favorite songs as a kid, so I definitely like having those features again, and the large print of my LCD screen all but eliminates the scrolling my Buick had. I also have three Sirius bands that I can set presets for, and I can set it up to alert me when certain tracks come on.
Quote from: 1995hoo on March 15, 2012, 09:45:38 AM
(The mapping can zoom in a lot more than it was when I took this picture. BTW, the cruise control buttons are visible on the steering wheel. The master switch is above the "Cancel" button.)
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Add a USB and Auxillary jack or two to that thing, and you
might make me jealous.
There have been a few aspects of GPS's that make me consider using them anyhow, even if I don't need them. One is the dual use as speed trap detector, and then there's the fact that you can get specialized voice programs for them.
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The inside of my car, a 2011 Honda CRZ. Awesome little thing it is. A few of the dashboard pics made me think of mine, especially that Oldsmobile with the digital everything :crazy:
I like the look of the CR-Z, but I'm not buying one unless they make a high-performance version (~250-300 HP) of it.
I love my car. I think it does what it needs to. I could use a bit more power but i like it haha I can't complain. I just love that its got a look like its from the not to distance future. Its like a mini Insight.
Quote from: Sanctimoniously on February 26, 2012, 02:38:27 PM
I said in my OP that I wanted to get a Ford Flex, but I guess I caved a little bit to the allure of having a hatchback.
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2012 Ford Focus SEL. MyFordTouch, Sync, alloy wheels, etc. Great little car, I love it.
I really love this. Its the first Focus I've ever liked. I dont mind old cars but I like that cars are starting to look like futuristic space ships and what not haha
Quote from: bulkyorled on April 13, 2012, 12:40:31 AM
I've ever liked. I dont mind old cars but I like that cars are starting to look like futuristic space ships and what not haha
I hate the way auto design is heading. The Hyundai Sonata is a good example. It's supposed to be a bland middle of the road car but it is grotesque looking. Same for lots of other modern cars. The best styling era was from 1954-1972. Is it any coincidence that the best looking modern cars (Mustang, Challenger, Camaro) are built to resemble cars from this era?
Quote from: D-Dey65 on April 06, 2012, 04:11:28 PM
Quote from: 1995hoo on March 15, 2012, 09:45:38 AM
(The mapping can zoom in a lot more than it was when I took this picture. BTW, the cruise control buttons are visible on the steering wheel. The master switch is above the "Cancel" button.)
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi31.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fc378%2F1995hoo%2FSpring2005cardetailing039.jpg&hash=621afa82cd9a9d4583699343ede57e4a63ad84da)
Add a USB and Auxillary jack or two to that thing, and you might make me jealous.
....
I've never felt the need for a USB or AUX connector because that stereo plays DVD-Audio discs and I have the software to burn my own. That means that in addition to DVD-A being a high-rez format, I can also use it as a means of storing large quantities of CD-quality audio without using crappy lossy compression like MP3–for example, I fit the Beatles' first ten albums (
Please Please Me through and including the White Album) onto a single disc, which is a lot more convenient than having the same material on 11 CDs. I know some people say "with an iPod you'd have even more stuff in less space," and that may be true but it doesn't matter to me. I almost prefer NOT having that amount of music in the car because I'd waste my time thinking about what to listen to, not to mention I prefer not to mess with iPod controls while driving.
Quote from: bulkyorled on April 13, 2012, 12:30:08 AM
I love my car. I think it does what it needs to. I could use a bit more power but i like it haha I can't complain. I just love that its got a look like its from the not to distance future. Its like a mini Insight.
I'd like to see Honda use a retuned version of the original RDX engine (2.3L Turbo, 240 HP, 260 tq) in some of its cars. That engine in a base model CR-Z would be amazing to drive. Unfortunately, Honda killed it; the new RDX has a J35 V6.
Quote from: 1995hoo on April 13, 2012, 11:48:46 AM
I almost prefer NOT having that amount of music in the car because I'd waste my time thinking about what to listen to, not to mention I prefer not to mess with iPod controls while driving.
Assuming the car's software is up to par, it fully integrates with the iPod to the point where the song data is pushed to the car's screen, and you can use your car's radio interface to select songs. It may or may not be easier depending on how good the car's radio interface is. Plus, even the non-Siri iPhones have an excellent voice interface. I can just hit the home button and say "Play artist Beatles" for instance.
As for the sheer amount of music to choose from, I usually just keep it on shuffle.
I don't like Hyundai at all really, but the rest I love. I'm glad we're finally getting cars that look like the future. Not the same old boring designs over and over that we use to see. It hit about 5 years ago. It changed from mostly cheap shitty looking things to a new style.
Quote from: bulkyorled on April 14, 2012, 07:31:31 AM
I don't like Hyundai at all really, but the rest I love. I'm glad we're finally getting cars that look like the future. Not the same old boring designs over and over that we use to see. It hit about 5 years ago. It changed from mostly cheap shitty looking things to a new style.
How can anyone dislike the Hyundai Equus? Such an awesome car!
Do I spot a cassette player in that Acura? When did I last drive a car that had one of those :hmmm:
Quote from: Truvelo on April 15, 2012, 02:25:19 PM
Do I spot a cassette player in that Acura? When did I last drive a car that had one of those :hmmm:
Prior to the advent of iPod interfaces (and/or AUX IN jacks) in factory and aftermarket stereos, I actually preferred a tape deck, so I could use my iPod in the car with one of those cassette adapters. That was right up until 2005 or so.
I also preferred the cassette adapters if a car did not have an AUX (auxiliary) port. The FM transmitters are usually woeful for any long trips, because you're always hunting for a blank station. I'm no audiophile, but there's also a huge sound quality difference between playing your music directly versus over the sonic limitations of a broadcasted frequency, for which fumbling over an extra cord is worth the trouble, in my opinion.
The problem is that fewer and fewer cars have cassette decks in them, since roughly 2005 or so, they've been phased out. I haven't had a rental car with one installed since 2007, although this probably varies on a model to model basis.
Edit: Just found out the 2010 Lexus SC 430 was the last vehicle produced for North America with a cassette deck; granted, most of its buyers are retirees, but that model also barely changed since its debut in March 2001. My guess is that Panasonic finally had to twist Toyota's arm a little!
I drive a 2003 mercury sable now.
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi624.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Ftt327%2FSteveG1988%2FP1010073-1.jpg&hash=4d7be8881efa099c4076cbb7afd8c824cd4e2041)
Quote from: Truvelo on April 15, 2012, 02:25:19 PM
Do I spot a cassette player in that Acura? When did I last drive a car that had one of those :hmmm:
I noticed that as well, but never bothered to ask. I was shocked to see it in a relatively new Acura, if that is infact what it is.
Quote from: realjd on April 13, 2012, 01:30:30 PM
Quote from: 1995hoo on April 13, 2012, 11:48:46 AM
I almost prefer NOT having that amount of music in the car because I'd waste my time thinking about what to listen to, not to mention I prefer not to mess with iPod controls while driving.
Assuming the car's software is up to par, it fully integrates with the iPod to the point where the song data is pushed to the car's screen, and you can use your car's radio interface to select songs. It may or may not be easier depending on how good the car's radio interface is. Plus, even the non-Siri iPhones have an excellent voice interface. I can just hit the home button and say "Play artist Beatles" for instance.
As for the sheer amount of music to choose from, I usually just keep it on shuffle.
<shrugs> It's a 2004 TL and I don't believe such inputs were common back then (although to be fair, DVD-Audio compatibility has never been all that common either and it plays those).
Edited to add: That is indeed a cassette player. I've used a few times, not very often (usually when I have an old mixed tape that I haven't transferred to CD because it won't fit on one disc). You have to remember that with the TL, Acura/Honda wasn't chasing the 20-something demographic.
Quote from: realjd on April 14, 2012, 10:52:19 PM
Quote from: bulkyorled on April 14, 2012, 07:31:31 AM
I don't like Hyundai at all really, but the rest I love. I'm glad we're finally getting cars that look like the future. Not the same old boring designs over and over that we use to see. It hit about 5 years ago. It changed from mostly cheap shitty looking things to a new style.
How can anyone dislike the Hyundai Equus? Such an awesome car!
It looks like a knock off Mercedes to me :wow:
Quote from: formulanone on April 16, 2012, 06:30:10 AM
Edit: Just found out the 2010 Lexus SC 430 was the last vehicle produced for North America with a cassette deck; granted, most of its buyers are retirees, but that model also barely changed since its debut in March 2001. My guess is that Panasonic finally had to twist Toyota's arm a little!
Wow, I had no idea that model was still around in 2010. I never see them on the roads anymore.
The Equus is not the best example of a Hyundai- it looks like any late-2000s Japanese luxury car (which look like knock off Mercedes). Hyundai has their own design language- they should express it and not build 2008 Lexus knockoffs
Quote from: corco on April 16, 2012, 04:45:09 PM
The Equus is not the best example of a Hyundai- it looks like any late-2000s Japanese luxury car (which look like knock off Mercedes). Hyundai has their own design language- they should express it and not build 2008 Lexus knockoffs
Quote from: bulkyorled on April 16, 2012, 04:13:43 PM
It looks like a knock off Mercedes to me :wow:
It is generic looking, but it's a damn fine automobile for the money. I'm not too picky about the exteriors of my cars though. I'd much rather have an ugly, fast, full-featured car with a nice interior than a nice looking car that's uncomfortable. And while the Equus is hardly unique looking like you guys pointed out, it's hardly ugly.
Quote from: corco on April 16, 2012, 04:45:09 PM
The Equus is not the best example of a Hyundai- it looks like any late-2000s Japanese luxury car (which look like knock off Mercedes). Hyundai has their own design language- they should express it and not build 2008 Lexus knockoffs
It's kinda sad, too, the Equus is supposed to be their $60K+ flagship. I think that the new-generation Sonata is probably the best-looking of Hyundai's models. I guess they should just stick with spicy beige instead of trying to go after Lexus.
Quote from: formulanone on April 16, 2012, 06:30:10 AM
Edit: Just found out the 2010 Lexus SC 430 was the last vehicle produced for North America with a cassette deck; granted, most of its buyers are retirees, but that model also barely changed since its debut in March 2001. My guess is that Panasonic finally had to twist Toyota's arm a little!
You mean the last Crown Vics and Grand Marquis' didn't have them?
Edmunds says they did
http://www.edmunds.com/mercury/grand-marquis/2011/
QuoteThe 2011 Mercury Grand Marquis is a full-size sedan that seats six people. Standard equipment includes 17-inch wheels, rear air suspension, automatic headlights, foglamps, keyless entry, automatic climate control, a 50/50 split front bench with six-way driver and passenger power adjustability, power-adjustable pedals, leather upholstery, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, a tilting leather-wrapped steering wheel and a CD player stereo. Options include heated seats, a leather-wood steering wheel and a cassette player.
Huyndai should have made Genesis a marque and made everything from the Genesis sedan in the Genesis lineup. The Genesis coupe could have gone either way. That would have been a way to make their cars seem more premium. Who wants to pay $40K or more for a Huyndai?
Note that the new Equus is completely devoid of Hyundai badges. That said- you're still buying a car from a Hyundai dealer, and even if they may try to make the dealership experience for those buying Equuses more similar to a Mercedes dealer than a place that sells Accents, I can't imagine it's going to be that much better. They're not dealing in enough volume of premium cars to justify the cost of a premium dealer experience.
Actually when I said I didnt like Hyundai at all I lied, they look way better than they use to. Newer ones look a lot nicer. The Genesis Coupe & Veloster are awesome. But other than those I wouldn't get one based on design.
Quote from: formulanone on April 16, 2012, 06:30:10 AM
The FM transmitters are usually woeful for any long trips, because you're always hunting for a blank station.
87.7 should be available everywhere now, as that was formerly the audio of analog TV channel 6, and that channel isn't considered particularly suitable for digital TV. As far as audio quality, this is a limitation of the transmitter rather than FM radio in general (note commercial FM stations sound fine) – I usually get acceptable audio by turning down the volume on the music player and turning up the volume on the radio.
Quote from: bulkyorled on April 17, 2012, 05:07:02 AM
Actually when I said I didnt like Hyundai at all I lied, they look way better than they use to. Newer ones look a lot nicer. The Genesis Coupe & Veloster are awesome. But other than those I wouldn't get one based on design.
I agree with you on the Genesis coupe. It reminds me of the aborted 2010ish Honda NSX, which eventually became this race car. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honda_HSV-010_GT) The Veloster, on the other hand, seems to be one of those cars with a "love it or hate it" design, and after seeing a few in person I find it ugly, but at least Hyundai is making it fun to drive, especially with a turbo option in the near future. Can't say that about the CR-Z.
Quote from: corco on April 16, 2012, 11:14:24 PM
Note that the new Equus is completely devoid of Hyundai badges. That said- you're still buying a car from a Hyundai dealer, and even if they may try to make the dealership experience for those buying Equuses more similar to a Mercedes dealer than a place that sells Accents, I can't imagine it's going to be that much better. They're not dealing in enough volume of premium cars to justify the cost of a premium dealer experience.
I've only worked on Hyundai dealer, so I can't say for sure if they'll roll out the red carpet to Equus and Genesis owners. But many different brands have loaner cars, and after that and a good warranty with responsive personnel, owners don't really care much if the waiting area has great coffee and a dozen TV sets (but it helps the waiting customers feel better).
QuoteI've only worked on Hyundai dealer, so I can't say for sure if they'll roll out the red carpet to Equus and Genesis owners. But many different brands have loaner cars, and after that and a good warranty with responsive personnel, owners don't really care much if the waiting area has great coffee and a dozen TV sets (but it helps the waiting customers feel better).
I think it does make a difference- my parents bought a Lincoln recently (they got an MKX- meant to get an Edge but they found a new MKX that had been sitting on the lot for a year at an insanely good price) after exclusively owning Fords, Jeeps, and Oldsmobiles for the last 25 years, and they say the dealer experience is incomparable. They get better loaner cars, service is completed more quickly, the coffee is better, and just the overall attitude of the dealership is a lot better- they don't feel like they're being hoodwinked when they walk out the door.
It's that feeling that the dealer actually cares about you as a person and doesn't just want to get you in and out and charge as much as possible. I'm not sure how they do it, but it's important to a lot of people.
Oh, certainly...I think Hyundai still has somewhat of a stigma attached, but when you're undercutting the competition by 20k, there's a reason for that. Typically, a service manager is going to give preferential treatment to the buyer of a top-end car/truck or even more to one who bought one with all the bells and whistles. I think sales of Hyundai's top products are just going to take time to sell in this market; Acura and Infiniti found the luxury market a bit slow-going at first as well...ironically, I think the runaway success if their Excel back in 1986 cemented their initial legacy.
On the other hand, at least it isn't as bad as VW's Phaeton experiment...
Well, I got a replacement car last night. Another 4th generation Prelude, this time a 5-speed S (base model) in black. It came with a bunch of spare parts.
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fphotos-d.ak.fbcdn.net%2Fhphotos-ak-ash4%2F424718_4468976883774_1794757180_n.jpg&hash=0b15619596c6088c26012e6f7c2a0ff392a67a65)
I still have the wrecked car. I haven't decided whether to sell it or keep it for parts since the new one is almost identical. I need to put it under a car cover, but last time I did that, someone thought the cover was a toy...
(https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-jGTuB4YOOBU/TsgZw6_xVDI/AAAAAAAAAYs/VFY9kEAU9XU/s640/2011-11-07%25252009.15.03.jpg)
Quote from: Takumi on September 01, 2012, 01:13:07 PM
replacement car
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That's some oil stain on the driveway! :-o Way to go!
Quote from: Takumi on September 01, 2012, 01:13:07 PM
I need to put it under a car cover, but last time I did that, someone thought the cover was a toy...
(https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-jGTuB4YOOBU/TsgZw6_xVDI/AAAAAAAAAYs/VFY9kEAU9XU/s640/2011-11-07%25252009.15.03.jpg)
Need spouse upgrade...
Quote from: kphoger on September 01, 2012, 02:11:23 PM
That's some oil stain on the driveway! :-o Way to go!
It's from the wrecked car. When I got hit, a quart of oil in the trunk got punctured by something. I appreciate your concern, though.