New Car

Catalo said:
You can always buy a prius.... jk don't do that to yourself
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Wrong! We have a 2012 prius V. Great car, rides nice, good pickup, roomy , 40 mpg. Will buy another when this wears out. Know two who have the straight sedan with same engine. Both have over 100 thousand with no problems. Also have owned a Tacoma pickup. Wonderful. Currently also have a new ES 350 lexus which is our second one. Also superlative.
 
I have also observed that the Prius actually has decent acceleration, but only from driving one.

Query: is there something in the interior of Prioids that compels their drivers to drive like they do? You know, oozing from the light at glacial pace, setting the cruise control in the go fast lane at 2 under the limit, that kind of thing?

I know, I stereotype, and the kind of driving I describe makes sense for a large proportion of the demographic to whom these cars are marketed. It becomes very frustrating, though.

And, everyone I know who has a Prius, loves it.
 
Depending on what type of driving you're doing, you may want a hybrid. If you're mostly doing town driving, the hybrid will save you a lot on fuel, and IMO is a much better traffic car.

I drive the plug in version of the Fusion hybrid, and it's so much more pleasant to drive in rush hour traffic than is a conventional drivetrain car. Ford, Toyota, Honda, and Hyundai all have hybrid models of their midsize sedans.
 
frfly172 said:
Just had a ride in the Mazda 6, very comfortable,however kind of a loud interior. Owner said car was getting a couple of gallons more than advertised. I'm also looking for the wife,all options on the table at present.
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All options? Pickup truck. Drive it until the bed rusts off the frame. Should last about 30 years.
 
Always been that the Germans have had OK engineers and the world's best marketing departments. Can't blame em, if I had to choose for my own company I'd take the best marketing guys and OK engineers over the reverse.:D
 
ClimbnSink said:
Always been that the Germans have had OK engineers and the world's best marketing departments. Can't blame em, if I had to choose for my own company I'd take the best marketing guys and OK engineers over the reverse.:D
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The problem is the Germans have somehow figured out how to build cars with great feel and fantastic ride/handling compromise. The Japanese and Americans have tried to emulate this and have come close on occasion, but the German cars just drive NICE.

Too bad most are utter crap after the warranty runs out. If you can afford to trade the Germans in for new every four years, go for it!
 
I bought a '14 ford focus this year. I love that car.. driving it from CA to vegas, i averaged 42MPG. The other day on my way to work, i averaged 53 MPG. It's comfortable, the fit and finish is as good as any japanese car, and the price was definitely right
 
sferguson524 said:
I bought a '14 ford focus this year. I love that car.. driving it from CA to vegas, i averaged 42MPG. The other day on my way to work, i averaged 53 MPG. It's comfortable, the fit and finish is as good as any japanese car, and the price was definitely right
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We own an F150, an Expedition, and an Escape. When I travel I've rented the new Explorer, an Edge, and a Flex. I found all of them to exceed the fit and finish the GMs and Dodges that I have owned, and were on par with the Land Rover I used to own. I would happily buy any of them.
 
nddons said:
We own an F150, an Expedition, and an Escape. When I travel I've rented the new Explorer, an Edge, and a Flex. I found all of them to exceed the fit and finish the GMs and Dodges that I have owned, and were on par with the Land Rover I used to own. I would happily buy any of them.
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Ford has found the magic that continues to elude GM. The quality of my F-150 and Lincoln MKS match that of my Lexus.
 
If you're looking for a quiet ride, both Chevy and Buick have added a lot of soundproofing/triple-seals to most of their line up. Much quieter than the competing vehicles. Keep in mind that there is often a lot of variation in how vehicle feels depending on exactly which tire/wheel/engine combo you have, and some model names span the range from basic hauler to near-performance sedan, depending on what package you get.
 
jesse said:
I have a 1998 Honda Accord with 223,000 miles and everything works on it. It's not exactly fun to drive by any means but I have no passion for driving so I don't care. I never have problems with the thing.

There is no doubt, when and if that car gives up, I will spend about $3,000 on the nicest Honda Accord I can get for that money. Really the cheapest way to drive.

That said, I personally don't think Honda's quality today is what it was in 1998, and I think the American cars have came a long ways as well. They truly built junk in the 90s.
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Similar Honda success here...

2004 Element
270k miles. Hope to hit 300k within the next 12 months.
Mobile 1 every 10k
She's been pretty trouble free. Some minor issues like anti-sway bar bushings, but otherwise just tires and brakes.
Even with WI winters, I think the exhaust is just starting to get a hole now.
I did have some rust above the windshield recently and that started a crack, but got it fixed. Cheaper than a car payment....
 
jhausch said:
Similar Honda success here...

2004 Element
270k miles. Hope to hit 300k within the next 12 months.
Mobile 1 every 10k
She's been pretty trouble free. Some minor issues like anti-sway bar bushings, but otherwise just tires and brakes.
Even with WI winters, I think the exhaust is just starting to get a hole now.
I did have some rust above the windshield recently and that started a crack, but got it fixed. Cheaper than a car payment....
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I used to always run Mobile 1 in all my vehicles, but when I bought this car at 200,000 miles the original owner told me they always just used conventional oil. That kind of swung me and at this point I'm not so sure it's worth the money anymore so I only use it in my motorcycle and run whatever conventional oil is on sale in the car/trucks.
 
Jay Honeck said:
Ford has found the magic that continues to elude GM. The quality of my F-150 and Lincoln MKS match that of my Lexus.
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My C6 six speed Vette would beg to differ :yes:
 
Our 2005 Honda Element with manual transmission is approaching 170,000 miles.

Most reliable vehicle to date.

Compromise and do oil changes every 10k with whatever synthetic blend is on sale.

Brake pads first replaced at 131,000 miles (!) and were not completely worn out then. I think downshifting helped there.

Couple minor repairs/replacement of accessories. One clutch failure not related to wear.

Anyway, we plan on driving it until the wheels fall off, then replacing it with whatever plug-in hybrid might be available then and somewhat comparable.

Anyway, Jake loves it and we sometimes even let him drive!

11564535514_70e5480167_z.jpg
 
Bill Jennings said:
I've driven multiple Subaru vehicles and have never really understood all the Kool-Aid drinking fanboyism about them. The never ending head gasket problems do nothing to sway me as well. Seems like an average Japanese economy car to me.
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Jay Honeck said:
When we lived in snow country, our Outback was terrific. Snow and ice just didn't matter. Once we moved to the Sunbelt, it became our courtesy car.

After two pilots had the hood flip up on the highway, shattering the windshield, and the interior sun rotted out, I sold it to an employee for next to nothing. That damned thing is still running strong, two years later.

But, yes, when it was fairly new we had to replace the head gasket. That was a real design flaw that should have been fixed for free, but wasn't.
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G-Man said:
Big Mazda fan - on my ninth.
I like Subarus, but if no need for AWD, then why? Head gasket issues largely dealt with post-2005. Less precise than Honda or Mazda, a feeling of greater durability.
Hondas are most expensive, and perhaps a bit more fragile than the Mazdas. I enjoyed all of mine. Hardest to work on.

Can't go wrong with any of them, really.

I like a small wagon, which makes Mazda3 and the Impreza top choices. (All new Subarus have bloated ridiculously, but the Impreza is still the size of the old Outback.)

The BRZ is one hot set of wheels, for sure.
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It took Subaru that long to figure out how to build an engine that didn't eat head gaskets? That was a problem every 50,000 miles or so in the 1974 Subaru we bought new in college. And it wasn't just a matter of pulling the heads to fix. Sleeved cylinders with the sleeves sitting on crush washers at the bottom of the block that had to be replaced anytime the heads came off. A complete tear down and rebuild each time. It was a good car, otherwise, but I don't miss it at all. Sold it back around 1982/3 to a former Subaru mechanic who should have known better. No sympathy for him. :D

I rented a Mazda 3 on the big island in August. What a gutless hunk of junk. I was really glad to give it back to Dollar at the end of the week. My 2013 Ford Escape with the 1.6 liter Ecoboost engine would have blown its doors off. The Escape is now a bit over a year old with about 22,000 miles on the clock. Runs fine. Averages around 27-28 mpg combined city/highway. Comfortable for cross state trips. The downside is that it's been in for one recall and there's another one coming. Oh well, my wife's 2006 Jeep Commander has a recall pending, as well. At least the manufacturer pays for those, unlike when something is found to need fixing in the aircraft fleet.

Have fun looking. I think the advice to find something you like and to not worry about reliability is generally good today.
 
N801BH said:
GM must employ some really BAD engineers and quality control specialists..:rolleyes:
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GM has the same problems with suppliers as everyone else has been having lately, especially with airbags. It could be argued their QC is working much better, as they are holding cars to get fixes before they get to consumers.
 
Jeff Oslick said:
GM has the same problems with suppliers as everyone else has been having lately, especially with airbags. It could be argued their QC is working much better, as they are holding cars to get fixes before they get to consumers.
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It SHOULD be argued that as they receive shipments from suppliers, proper QC tests MUST be performed to uphold GM''s high standards.......:yes:
 
Jay Honeck said:
Ford has found the magic that continues to elude GM. The quality of my F-150 and Lincoln MKS match that of my Lexus.
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Profitability without trashing bondholders and no bailout? ;)

I think Karen's Ford (Lincoln Mark LT) has average fit and finish.

You should see what it takes to replace a heater core on it. The entire dash and steering wheel come out to get to it.

Lexus is just a Toyota, right? :)
 
denverpilot said:
Profitability without trashing bondholders and no bailout? ;)

I think Karen's Ford (Lincoln Mark LT) has average fit and finish.

You should see what it takes to replace a heater core on it. The entire dash and steering wheel come out to get to it.

Lexus is just a Toyota, right? :)
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Lexus is just an amazing car. Ours ES300 is now our courtesy car for fly in hotel guests, and -- even though it is 13 years old, with 120K miles on it -- it doesn't have a single squeak or rattle. I don't know if they put teflon sheets between the plastic pieces, or what, but EVERY car (even my new Lincoln) has plastic/leather squeaks on rough or uneven roads.

But not my Lexus.

That said, I'm very, very happy with my Fords. Even my (ancient) '93 motor home is built on the Ford E350 chassis, and it runs like a top. And the Lincoln MKS is simply in a class of its own WRT comfort.

WRT maintenance, however, I sure as heck am not looking forward to all that fanciness getting old and breaking. The list of weird/bizarre luxury features that can (and will) break includes headlights that track the steering wheel, automatic bright lights, automatic windshield wipers, proximity radar, air conditioned seats, yada yada yada. I wouldn't even know where to begin to fix ANY of those things! :lol:
 
Probably going to get flamed for this, but a couple years ago I picked up a 98 Audi A4 Quattro with only 75k miles for a song. It had the A/C compressor locked up when I got it and I did the timing belt replacement at the same time (2.8l 30-valve V6 5-speed). I love how this car drives. It sticks to the road like hot bubblegum in the summertime and makes child's play of driving on icy roads with the full time AWD. It definitely requires its scheduled maintenance done diligently, but the powerplant and drive train seem to be a juggernaut. When the time comes to replace it, I'll definitely consider another Audi. I've always heard lots of horror stories about Audis, but my experience so far with this one does not fit that stereotype.
 
Jay Honeck said:
Corvette is the ONLY GM car I would buy.
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I'm a complete truck guy, as you saw from my list above, but I think the new Camaro is pretty good looking. Is the muscle car back?

I hope the young guys that buy them laugh their asses off at the other young guys who try to muscle up their little Honda Accords with loud mufflers and fancy lights, and fail miserably.
 
nddons said:
I'm a complete truck guy, as you saw from my list above, but I think the new Camaro is pretty good looking. Is the muscle car back?

I hope the young guys that buy them laugh their asses off at the other young guys who try to muscle up their little Honda Accords with loud mufflers and fancy lights, and fail miserably.
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Even funnier are the guys who try to turn pickup trucks into sport cars. Or, funnier still, when they spend $70K on a pick-em-up truck and try to turn it into a semi-tractor truck wannabee.

We have a neighboring business owner who has (I kid you not) an $80,000 PICK UP TRUCK. It's the funniest thing I've ever seen! :lol:
 
Jay Honeck said:
Even funnier are the guys who try to turn pickup trucks into sport cars. Or, funnier still, when they spend $70K on a pick-em-up truck and try to turn it into a semi-tractor truck wannabee.

We have a neighboring business owner who has (I kid you not) an $80,000 PICK UP TRUCK. It's the funniest thing I've ever seen! :lol:
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:needpics:
 
N801BH said:
:needpics:
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Hmm. It's sorta dark here now, and I suspect he's gone home. But I'll try to draw the picture:

  • Big, black, dually wheels, with a Texas star on the hub...
  • TWO big chrome exhaust pipes, at least 8" in diameter, sticking up through the bed of the truck, rendering it (mostly) useless.
  • An enormous diesel engine that runs through those (mostly straight) pipes. It sounds like a detuned semi-truck using a Jake brake -- ALL THE TIME.
  • An 8" (at least) lift kit. The little feller can barely get in it.
  • Two giant metal bull testicles hanging from the (never used) trailer hitch.
  • Special LED and HID lights.
  • After market differentials, front and rear.
  • The required chrome reclining nude women appliques, one on each side of the lift gate.
  • All sorts of aftermarket accessory company stickers in the back window, with (of course) the Confederate flag.
  • An after market stereo system that can overcome the noise of the engine and exhaust, usually playing rap music.

Like I said -- it's hilarious. There are trucks like it EVERYWHERE down here.
 
Surprised nobody has mentioned the Mustang yet. They're good all around 2 door sports cars with a much higher fun factor than most imports I've driven in that price range.

Also, a word on trucks. If you're not doing any serious off-roading, towing, hauling, etc... just don't get one. I have a full size pickup and it's a pain to get around in for any every day driving. Hard to park, tight fit on narrow streets, relatively poor gas milage. But, Mustangs suck at pulling horse trailers and hauling hay and especially suck at getting around in foot deep WI snowstorms so I have a truck.
 
cowman said:
Surprised nobody has mentioned the Mustang yet. They're good all around 2 door sports cars with a much higher fun factor than most imports I've driven in that price range.
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I tested a few sporty cars (cheap and expensive) before settling on my Mustang GT 5.0 (coyote). It's a really nice car and the performance is unreal. The V-6 cars are very good as well, and get 30mpg on the highway. I test drove: Toyota/Subaru BRZ twins, VW GTI, Mazda Miata, Nissan 370Z, BMW 335i, Mercedes C350, Focus ST. The BMW, Mercedes, and Mustang were a clear cut above the rest as far as overall execution and feel of quality. The Mustang was #1 as far as performance as you need to buy the $70k M3 or AMG versions of the Germans to have similar performance.

Also, a word on trucks.
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I also have a truck, a 13yr old F-150 Supercrew 4X4. It WILL NOT DIE! Durable as an anvil, I've towed and hauled countless things with it and drive the crap out of it, and it just doesn't care. Set the cruise at 70 on the highway and it's still as smooth and quiet as the day I bought it. No shakes, shimmies, squeaks, or rattles. Tough vehicle. If it ever does die, I'll go back to Ford and buy another.
 
Bill Jennings said:
I tested a few sporty cars (cheap and expensive) before settling on my Mustang GT 5.0 (coyote). It's a really nice car and the performance is unreal. The V-6 cars are very good as well, and get 30mpg on the highway. I test drove: Toyota/Subaru BRZ twins, VW GTI, Mazda Miata, Nissan 370Z, BMW 335i, Mercedes C350, Focus ST. The BMW, Mercedes, and Mustang were a clear cut above the rest as far as overall execution and feel of quality. The Mustang was #1 as far as performance as you need to buy the $70k M3 or AMG versions of the Germans to have similar performance.

I also have a truck, a 13yr old F-150 Supercrew 4X4. It WILL NOT DIE! Durable as an anvil, I've towed and hauled countless things with it and drive the crap out of it, and it just doesn't care. Set the cruise at 70 on the highway and it's still as smooth and quiet as the day I bought it. No shakes, shimmies, squeaks, or rattles. Tough vehicle. If it ever does die, I'll go back to Ford and buy another.
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You compared a 370Z, BRZ, GTI, 335, C350....to....a focus?

That's like comparing my Nikon DSLR to a deposable kodak camera from a gas station.
 
Bill Jennings said:
I would like to own a Corvette at some point.
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GREAT cars, my only half regret is not spending the money I spent on the C6 to get a decent C1 or 2, maybe even a 454 C6 chrome bumper.

Still my C6 gets about 30mpg freeway and can smoke most anything I encounter on the road. Plenty stable up to the top end of its 200mph speedometer.
 
Jay Honeck said:
Lexus is just an amazing car. Ours ES300 is now our courtesy car for fly in hotel guests, and -- even though it is 13 years old, with 120K miles on it -- it doesn't have a single squeak or rattle. I don't know if they put teflon sheets between the plastic pieces, or what, but EVERY car (even my new Lincoln) has plastic/leather squeaks on rough or uneven roads.



But not my Lexus.



That said, I'm very, very happy with my Fords. Even my (ancient) '93 motor home is built on the Ford E350 chassis, and it runs like a top. And the Lincoln MKS is simply in a class of its own WRT comfort.



WRT maintenance, however, I sure as heck am not looking forward to all that fanciness getting old and breaking. The list of weird/bizarre luxury features that can (and will) break includes headlights that track the steering wheel, automatic bright lights, automatic windshield wipers, proximity radar, air conditioned seats, yada yada yada. I wouldn't even know where to begin to fix ANY of those things! :lol:
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Bring it out here to the washboarded dirt and I'll guarantee we'll break something expensive on it in six months or less. And everything will squeak. ;)

Doesn't really matter the manufacturer though.
 
Bill Jennings said:
Focus ST, not the regular Focus.

http://www.ford.com/cars/focus/trim...28029&ef_id=VCrMUAAAASbqk8hP:20141001130638:s

252hp turbo 2.0L, sport tuned suspension, 0-60 in 6sec, top speed in the 140's, a viable contender to the GTI and other hot hatches. Good enough to be on Car and Driver's 10 best list.

http://www.caranddriver.com/ford/focus-st
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Still a focus. You take the cheapest car ford sells and hop it up, under it all its still built a focus, its just a OEM way of doing with teenagers do to their economy cars, put a turbo on a economy car, it still an economy car.

I've always viewed car and driver as a manufactures advertising platform anyway.

It's like what they say about winning the special Olympics... even if you win.... :wink2:
 
James331 said:
Still a focus. You take the cheapest car ford sells and hop it up, under it all its still built a focus, its just a OEM way of doing with teenagers do to their economy cars, put a turbo on a economy car, it still an economy car.
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And I feel the same way about WRX lovers, same crappy Impreza underneath. The only one of that ilk that seems to transcend it's economy car origins is the GTI. But then again, the Jetta/Rabbit/Golf is a better platform (chassis wise) than most cheap cars. If only VW could fix their reliability problems.

I liked the Mustang the best, it is a solid car and feels expensive like the German cars.
 
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