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What do you think of your car?
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Luca
ಠ_ರೃ
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Minnesota
 
2006-07-13, 13:01

pscates and I started talking about this in another thread, so rather than veering off topic I thought maybe I'd ask how people like their cars.

I have a 1993 Saturn. It's the cheapest base model SL (not even an SL1), so it has a weak little 85 hp engine. To be honest there isn't that much wrong with it beyond normal wear and tear, but it's just a punishing car to drive. It's so underpowered I have trouble getting up to speed on the highway, and I have to give it a lot of gas to start it or shift gears without it shaking like mad. The turning circle is enormous at 37.7 feet, meaning I can't pull U-turns anywhere except on four lane roads (forget about turning around on a residential street, that's a three-point maneuver).

The problems it does have involve the air conditioning (doesn't work), a minor oil leak (doesn't seem to burn oil, just leaks it), the muffler (fell off, haven't gotten it replaced since I won't need the car in a month), and the radiator (overheats in hot weather when I'm stuck in traffic; turning the heat on or driving at normal speeds fixes it).

You know, it only has 143k miles on it, which really isn't that much. My parents have a Mercury Villager with 150k on it and it still feels almost new. But this poor old Saturn is just so bad. In fact, despite the lack of power, it still doesn't get great mileage... only around 30 mpg overall, with a lot of highway driving. It is old, though, much older than most cars with 143k miles, so that might be part of it. But something tells me this is one of those cars that Consumer Reports wouldn't recommend even if it got average or better reliability (and nearly every car they review with a decent reliability score is recommended).

I know scates said he loved his car. I want to hear some opinions! Thanks!
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Quagmire
meh
 
Join Date: May 2004
 
2006-07-13, 13:22

My family has had countless DCX( Chrysler and Jeep mainly) and GM vehicles. We got our minivans from Chrysler and my sisters and brothers vehicles were Jeeps. Then we also had a Sebring convertible. From GM we have had 2 Suburbans and an Equinox.

I must say DCX makes quite a bit of crappy cars. Most of the minivans have had a problem with the powertrain or electronics. My brothers Jeep Cherokee has radiator problems. The engine would overheat randomly. It began this problem at around 15K miles. My sisters Grand Cherokee blew a transmission after 6 months of owning it. It also has a faulty fluid sensor. It would say the cooling fluid was low, but it wasn't. Now, its current problems is due my sister leaving it out in a Hurricane and it getting trashed by trees, etc.

My dad did have a Toyota Corolla. It blew a manifold at 20K miles and my dad got rid of it. BTW, I am not trashing Toyota for that one bad experience as one lemon does not define the rest of the Corolla's and other Toyota's reliability.

We have had a 1996 Chevy Suburban, a 2002 Chevy Suburban, and a 2006 Chevy Equinox. The Suburbans have been problem free. The 1996 was problem free when we traded it in for the '02 Suburban when my parents took advantage of post-9/11 deals. So far at 52K miles the '02 Suburban is problem free as well. It returns an impressive 20 MPG highway( about 2-3 higher then EPA estimates). So far at 11K miles, the Equinox has been problem free as well. Turns out a 19( one higher then EPA) MPG city and 24-26 Highway(1-3 miles higher then EPA estimate).

My dad has a 2002 BMW 330xi. Only problem with it was a blown water pump at 45K miles. Besides that it has been problem free even though it has been a couple of accidents( my sister caused most of it). I must say even though the Inline 6 in the 330xi produces 225 HP, when my dad floors it, it feels like the engine produces 260+ HP as it just launches like a rocket.

giggity
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Yontsey
*AD SPACE FOR SALE*
 
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Cleveland-ish, OH
 
2006-07-13, 13:31

The 2006 Eclipse GT I bought about 2.5 weeks ago is a f'in dream! I love that thing. It has great pick up, an amazing sound system, and is surprisingly smooth for a sports coupe. The back seat is small, but it has bucket seats so you can still sit surprisingly comfortable, not that I ever have to sit back there. I only have about 1k miles on it. I get pretty good gas milage (about 23mpg, overall). I dunno what the city/highway difference is.

The gages are a beautiful. At night they have a beautiful blue glow to them and are trimmed with brushed metal I believe, if my memory serves me correctly.

The console is actually quite big for being a car of its size. It also has 2 cup holders that can double as a mini console too that also closes up.

All and all, I am very very pleased, especially with the price I got it at.

Die young and save yourself....
@yontsey
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psmith2.0
Mr. Vieira
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Tennessee
 
2006-07-13, 13:48

I think a huge part of my satisfaction and joy regarding it all was the buying experience itself, both times. Saturn was - and, IMO, still is - like no other car lot. I've been to enough Saturn dealerships in all parts of the country (west coast, southwest, midwest, south, DC area) and they were all friendly, accommodating, did what they said they would do (regarding a repair, callback, etc.).

Whatever it is they're doing in their training/dealership programs, it's working and it's right.

I'm not good at that whole haggling/back-and-forth thing, nor do I enjoy it. I don't want to do it and I don't want to deal with your typical car dealership type, etc. (those of the "oily, fake-friendly and full-of-shit" variety anyway...and I've encountered them plenty over the years, at other dealerships and car companies), etc.

I had to do none of that with Saturn, so that went (and goes) a super long way in my overall impression and so forth.

YMMV but I've had nothing but courteous, helpful and honest dealings with them: from initial browsing, purchasing, ordering/delivering a particular model, maintenance, questions being aswered, etc. They aren't pushy, they don't do the hard-sell thing, etc. And I like that a lot.

As long as they are that way, I'm happy to give them my business every 5-8 years and recommend them to friends and family.

It doesn't hurt that an old high school buddy of mine is one of the higher-ups in the maintenance department at my local dealership. He's thrown a few discounts my way over the years, and I know from firsthand experience that he's gone above-and-beyond and "the extra mile" for me on a couple of occasions. I always know I'm well taken care of, talked to straight, etc. Being that I'm mostly a clueless nimrod when it comes to cars, I appreciate that aspect as well.

BUT, beyond all the above, the car itself...I really enjoy it. Solid, dependable, attractive and just "fits me". Sportier than a sedan or "grown up" car (Impala, Camry, Taurus, etc.), yet it's not any of that "Fast and Furious" type crap.

Sporty and fun to drive, but conservative and sedate in appearances and vibe.

It's a silver 2001 three-door coupe (the third door is behind the driver, and opens backwards...you've seen them, I'm sure). You wouldn't believe the crap I've managed to fit into the backseat of this thing, with that door design and no vertical bar in the doorway area!



Bookcases, large amps, guitars, small desk, 30" CRT television, etc.

Last edited by psmith2.0 : 2006-07-13 at 13:57.
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World Leader Pretend
Ruling teh World
 
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Boston, MA
 
2006-07-13, 13:51

I (being 16) have been given the family compact car, a 1990 Acura Integra GS (sport edition) Sedan. I love the car to death! It gets anywhere between 25 to 40 mpg, and everything works correctly. My family has been the original owners since we bought it, and my dad has treated it well. Currently it has 180,000 miles on it, and still runs well. It's a manual transmission, and I love shifting through the gears. The engine is a small, 4 cylinder 120HP DOHC with electronic fuel injection. The handling is good and you can make sharp corners with it. The car is responsive, but it won't jam you back into your seat when accelerating. I use it as a town car, and try not to do too much stop and go driving with it. 8/10


My other car is a 1995 Land Rover Discovery, but I don't drive it personally too much. It gets bad gas milage, leaks some oil, and the anti-lock brakes don't work always, but other than that it's fine. If you want an off-road car that you can take literally anywhere, forget jeeps and hummers, Land Rovers are the only way to go. 7/10

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bassplayinMacFiend
Banging the Bottom End
 
Join Date: Jun 2004
 
2006-07-13, 14:07

I have a 2003 PT Cruiser Turbo which I bought new (my first new car ever). I has great get up and go (240 ft. lbs. torque), the turbo is fully kicked in at 2600 RPM and I managed 10 flat on an 1/8 mile track at 100+F and 90+ humidity.

I've got almost 31K on it now and pretty much only drive it on weekends as I take the bus to work and my wife picks me up on the way home. It's also built like a tank, with a 3300 lb. curb weight. The only minus is I get barely 20 MPG on 93 octane gas. The engine is tuned to run on 91 octane or better, the CPU retards timing on 87 octane so there's no point running on regular gas.
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spotcatbug
Veteran Member
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Clayton, NC
 
2006-07-13, 14:14

1997 Jeep Grand Cherokee. Biggest piece-of-crap car I've ever experienced (not simply owned).

It's not only the shoddy workmanship which has required many repairs. That would be enough, on its own, to call it a POS. In addition to that, I'm constantly amazed by little niggling things about the design that just make me go, "What were the designers of this POS thinking?!!?!?" (I'm always kinda mad at the car which is why the exclamation marks )

Simple example that comes immediately to mind: you can't flip-up the wipers on the windshield. You know, like when you want to clean the windsheild, you flip them up so they aren't actually on the windshield, in your way? Also useful when you need to clean the snow off. Oh, the wipers are hinged, as if they should flip-up, just like on every other car in the world, but the top edge of the hood blocks them from being flipped up. They can travel about an inch away from the windshield before hitting the hood and then, when you let go... plop! Back down on the windshield.

That's just one example of many things like this that I've discovered over the years. It feels as if they designed the car one week and then immediately put it into production the next week, without any sort of usability testing. Seriously. That's what I always think when I discover some new strangness: "There is no way they tried this out before making a million of these things!!"

edit: Oh yeah, I will never buy any sort of Chrysler again in my life. Just because I'm mad at my Jeep. Writing this post has made me mad.

Ugh.
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Matsu
Veteran Member
 
Join Date: May 2004
 
2006-07-13, 14:19

Luca, you mentioned turning circles. If you want a tight turning circle, get a Yaris. I drove a friend's and though it was simply amazing. You can turn that thing anywhere. It's like a more practical, more conventional, Smart Car, essentially. Great mileage, amazing manouverability

.........................................
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patrickatm08
Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: College Station, TX
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2006-07-13, 14:19

I have a 2000 Ford F150. It's a love/ hate relationship. Everything on it works fine and I keep it in immaculate condition, but I hate filling this thing up with gas. It has some 265 BFG A/T that make the ride a little rough and I'm sure contribute to its poor gas mileage, but it's paid for, so I can't argue with that. I would like to be able to trade it straight up for a more fuel effecient vehicle, but haven't found the right opportunity.

White Macbook 2.0, 1gb RAM, 60gb HDD
1gb Shuffle, 4gb 2gen silver Mini
Shure e4 headphones
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Robo
Formerly Roboman, still
awesome
 
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Portland, OR
 
2006-07-13, 14:43

Quote:
Originally Posted by Matsu
Luca, you mentioned turning circles. If you want a tight turning circle, get a Yaris. I drove a friend's and though it was simply amazing. You can turn that thing anywhere. It's like a more practical, more conventional, Smart Car, essentially. Great mileage, amazing manouverability
Was that the "Liftback" or the sedan? I fell in love with the Yaris Liftback the moment I saw it.

I'm in the process of moving to Vegas, and I need a new car, so I'm looking at getting a "fun" car. (I already technically have an old Buick to drive, if I need room or whatnot, but if I don't want to touch it with a ten foot pole otherwise.) I'm looking at a soft-top Wrangler (any car that lets you remove the doors is fine with me!) or maybe an early Miata (given gas prices, probably the latter). You know, summer cars. Which is winter in Vegas.

But I would love a Yaris.

and i guess i've known it all along / the truth is, you have to be soft to be strong

Last edited by Robo : 2006-07-13 at 16:27. Reason: clarity
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Sauvblanc
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Mel-Bun!
 
2006-07-13, 14:50

I inherited a 1986 Volvo 240 from a friend. It has about 230K miles on it. Volvo made a big mistake putting a puny 4 cylinder engine into that tank of a car-it takes me days to get up to a decent speed. And the transmission is a bit of a worry, when goes to 2nd gear, the tranny sure lets you know-there's a "thud" that makes the whole car shake. Been looked at a million times and nothing they can do without replacing the entire tranny which is really not worth it, IMHO. A/C is shot (not nec a good thing is SoCal) and the fuel mileage is pretty awful. But I only generally use it to drive the 5 miles or so to work and back.

But it was a free car, it runs, it's OK, I'm happy with it. But am saving up for another car because I'm a little worried.

My wife's car is a 1996 Nissan Sentra. Manual. Again, basically a functional car good for getting from point A to point B. We nearly lost it a few months ago when the mechanic who did the servicing didn't put the rad cap on properly and it was leaking coolant all the way to Palm Springs. We were about 5 seconds away from a blown engine when my wife turned off the engine.

But I was recently in a Prius. Nice!!! So quiet. And it gets about 50 MPG. I want one!
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kretara
Cynical Old Bastard
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: The Hot, Hazey, Humid South
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2006-07-13, 14:51

I've got a 1996 Volvo 850 Wagon (damn those kids of mine) that I bought (for my wife) used in 1999 with 36K on it.
It now has 100k on it and is running strong. The only problem has been the A/C. I had to replace the compressor last summer.
The car became mine last summer when I sold my 1991 Dodge RamCharger. Now that was a fun truck, but since it only got 8 MPG I just could not live with it.

My wife now has a 1996 Buick LeSabre that we bought used. It had 48k on it and was literally driven by the little old lady. It came with an amazing amount of receipts/records. Really, she had recorded every thing that was done to it, down to every fill-up with gas. I added up all the repair bills for it and she had spent $10,000 keeping it running over 9 years!!! Me thinks that the Buick dealer was taking advantage of someone.
Anyway, it is now ours. The car is mediocre in every way. Cheap plastic, loud engine, poor gauge placement and bad gas milage (15 MPG). The 2 phrases that best describe this car are: cheap and 'poorly thought out'.
Needless to say, this will be our last GM EVER!!!!

I'm now on my 11th car in 21 years of driving. My all time favorite was my 1991 Audi 100. What a fabulous tank that car was.
I'll go ahead and list my cars because I'm a car nut, even though I have never owned a 'great' car to go nutty over.
1. 1978 Honda Accord LX -- my parents made me buy this car for $2000 instead of the 1970 240z that was down the street for $2200 -- DAMN THEM!!!!. Rusted to hell and the front half was a different color than the back half. Stolen and killed in 1988.

2. 1980 Audi 4000s -- bought this for $2000 in 1988. Blew the engine 2 months later trying to see how fast it would go.

3. 1988 Mazda 323 hatchback -- my first new car. It was lots of fun and very reliable.

3a. I bought a 1970 VW Bug for my girlfriend. I was the owner for 4 weeks until I signed it over to her.

4. 1991 Honda CRX -- another new car. Perhaps the most fun to drive car I have ever owned. Also another super reliable car. Sold it when I moved to Boston in 1995.

5. 1990 Audi 100s -- bought used in 1996. Ran over some junk that fell out of a pickup truck on the interstate. Punched a fist sized hole in my oil pan. This led to some very quick engine damage. Traded this in the next week. Damn, I only owned it for 4 months.

6. 1996 VW Jetta GL -- such a fun car. Sold it to go back to school. This was the car that as soon as my friends rode in it they immediately wanted one.

7. 1991 Audi 100s -- my most loved car. It could plow through the Boston snow without issue, rode like a dream and was beautiful. I (stupidly) sold it because I wanted a car that got ~30 MPG instead of 14 MPG and didn't drink Super.

8. 1996 Honda Accord LX Coupe -- the less said about this car the better. What a frigging horrible car. Tons of road noise, bad ride and just plain blah! Even my wife hated it.

9. 1999 Ford Crown Victoria LX -- my freeway cruiser. My daughter keeps asking me when I will get another one.

10. 1991 Dodge RamCharger -- fun to drive, but 8 MPG The engine was very modified, but it would only run on Super. Man was this truck fast!!! Oh, I miss it.

11. 1996 Volvo 850 Wagon

Last edited by kretara : 2006-07-13 at 15:01.
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Kraetos
Lovable Bastard
 
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Boston-ish
 
2006-07-13, 14:56

I absolutely love my car. Its unquestionably my most prized possession.


(Click for bigger pictures)

2004 Audi A4 1.8T. 15,000 miles on it. Tan interior on silver, its just a gorgeous car. 170 HP engine, turbocharged. But the best part is the 6-speed transmission. Theres nothing like driving a car with a clutch and having complete control over the car. Its a joy to drive - turns tight, accelerates very fast, stops on a dime. And the all-wheel drive makes it able to brave harsh New England winters. And it even gets decent gas mileage, around 24 MPG.

My car is mine, I am taking it with me to college, because even though I probably wont need it too much, I can't even imagine not having it with me. I feel safe, and at home in my car, and I love it to pieces.

Logic, logic, logic. Logic is the beginning of wisdom, Valeris, not the end.

Last edited by Kraetos : 2006-07-13 at 15:07.
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murbot
Hoonigan
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Canada
 
2006-07-13, 14:57

I parked my '93 Ford Explorer and its 15 mpg ass for the summer. I'm zippin' around on a '06 GSX-R750, and surprisingly it has been getting 50 mpg (and I ain't easy on the throttle, believe me).

It only has 130hp, but then again it only weights 376 pounds.

I also just realized that I only need the first 2 gears. First gear redlines at 132km/hr (82mph), and second gear will run me to 187km/hr (116mph) before hitting the rev limiter. Fun, fun. heh heh

Of course I'm pretty much limited to what I can carry in a backpack, so it's 12 cans or less at a time. It hurts passing up the 24 can cubes.

As for actual vehicles, we have a '99 Toyota Sienna we bought brand new. It's got 152,000km on it now and has been great. The only problem was a new set of struts last year. Other than that, it's in for oil changes and routine stuff, and that's it. Our next vehicle will probably be another one of these.
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kretara
Cynical Old Bastard
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: The Hot, Hazey, Humid South
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2006-07-13, 14:59

Quote:
Originally Posted by Kraetos
I absolutely love my car. Its unquestionably my most prized possession.
2004 Audi A4 1.8T. 15,000 miles on it. Tan interior on silver, its just a gorgeous car. 170 HP engine, turbocharged. But the best part is the 6-speed transmission. Theres nothing like driving a car with a clutch and having complete control over the car. Its a joy to drive - turns tight, accelerates very fast, stops on a dime. And the all-wheel drive makes it able to brave harsh New England winters. And it even gets decent gas mileage, around 24 MPG.

My car is mine, I am taking it with me to college, because even though I probably wont need it too much, I can't even imagine not having it with me. I feel safe, and at home in my car, and I love it to pieces.
Damn, that is one nice car.
Enjoy the hell out of it.
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alcimedes
I shot the sherrif.
 
Join Date: May 2004
Send a message via ICQ to alcimedes  
2006-07-13, 15:04

I've owned a few cars, but of the cars now.

I have a beater Saturn SL1 wagon. It burns oil, starts like shit in winter, has no power, no power locks, windows etc, and gets about 27mpg. It was dirt cheap ($1,000) and just keeps running. It's nice to haul crap around that won't fit in other cars. Has 175k miles on it so far, and seems to still be plugging away.

Also have a 2000 Protegé with about 75k miles on it. Gets about 30mpg with my wife driving it, and the only work I've had to do on it were brake jobs and oil changes. That thing is a champ. I might replace the starter some day because the stock one is weak, but that's about the only problem with it.

Then the RX8 is just fun. No real problems to date other than the AC is weaker than I'd like, but it gets terrible gas milage. 20 would be a good tank.

Google is your frenemy.
Caveat Emptor - Latin for tough titty
I tend to interpret things in the way that's most hilarious to me
  quote
Robo
Formerly Roboman, still
awesome
 
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Portland, OR
 
2006-07-13, 15:08

Yeah, I'm a huge Audi fan, so I'm jealous. But glad for you, too. Enjoy it.

Meanwhile, I have some change to go put in my "Audi TT" jar. Just a sec.

and i guess i've known it all along / the truth is, you have to be soft to be strong
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Kraetos
Lovable Bastard
 
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Boston-ish
 
2006-07-13, 15:08

Quote:
Originally Posted by kretara
Damn, that is one nice car.
Enjoy the hell out of it.
Thanks!

Quote:
Originally Posted by Roboman
Yeah, I'm a huge Audi fan, so I'm jealous. But glad for you, too. Enjoy it.

Meanwhile, I have some change to go put in my "Audi TT" jar. Just a sec.
Yup thats what Dad drives. We're an Audi family.
  quote
kretara
Cynical Old Bastard
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: The Hot, Hazey, Humid South
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2006-07-13, 15:09

Are all you Saturn lovers under 6 feet tall?
I'm 6'2" and can't comfortably fit into the drivers seat of any Saturn to save my life.
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alcimedes
I shot the sherrif.
 
Join Date: May 2004
Send a message via ICQ to alcimedes  
2006-07-13, 15:13

How have you found the reliability of the Audi's? Have any of them needed service other than standard oil/break stuff?
  quote
kretara
Cynical Old Bastard
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: The Hot, Hazey, Humid South
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2006-07-13, 15:19

Quote:
Originally Posted by alcimedes
How have you found the reliability of the Audi's? Have any of them needed service other than standard oil/break stuff?
I have 4 friends who own 'modern' Audi's (3xA4 and 1xA6) and they all rave about them. So far, no one has had any major problems. The only Audi that I owned for more than a year was an old one but it was very reliable.

My friends went from BMW and Mercedes to the Audi's and say that the Audi's are more reliable than the BMW's and Merc's they had.

YMMV
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Windswept
On Pacific time
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Moderator's Pub
 
2006-07-13, 15:20

Quote:
Originally Posted by Roboman
Was that the "Liftback" or the sedan? I fell in love with the Yaris Liftback the moment I saw it.

I'm in the process of moving to Vegas, and I need a new car, so I'm looking at getting a "fun" car. (I already technically have an old Buick to drive, if I need room or whatnot, but if I don't want to touch it with a ten foot pole otherwise.) I'm looking at a soft-top Wrangler (any car that lets you remove the doors is fine with me!) or maybe an early Miata (given gas prices, probably the latter). You know, summer cars. Because there's a lot of summer in Vegas.

But I would love a Yaris.
Um... I don't know how much time you have spent living in desert conditions, but believe me, Vegas has way, WAY *too much* summer. Driving without a top on a frequent basis: you will get your skin fried and will start on the path to skin cancer.

Plus, a soft top is just asking to get slashed by vandals and car thieves; and soft tops, used on a continual basis, deteriorate rapidly in the killing desert heat and sun.

If you could get a vehicle *with a powerful air-conditioning unit*, an easily-removable hardtop that can be replaced on an occasional basis with a nice soft top, *then* you'd have all your options covered.

Believe me, most desert-dwellers eventually do everything they can to stay *out* of the sun for routine, everyday, around-town driving.

Having 'no' top would be great fun for stunningly gorgeous desert winters (5 months of the year, Nov-March); but you need the hard top (and a powerful air-conditioner) for the other seven months.

(The four months of June-Sept. have absolutely *killer* heat - literally.)
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Artap99
Totally awesome.
 
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Charlotte, NC
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2006-07-13, 15:26

I have an '03 Pontiac Vibe. I was looking to buy a Matrix and found that the Vibe was basically the same car (engine, drive train, etc) with more standard features and much cheaper. I love it. Highway miles yield something around 42 mpg and city is always in the 30's.
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Partial
Stallion
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Milwaukee
 
2006-07-13, 15:34

Quote:
Originally Posted by Kraetos
I absolutely love my car. Its unquestionably my most prized possession.


(Click for bigger pictures)

2004 Audi A4 1.8T. 15,000 miles on it. Tan interior on silver, its just a gorgeous car. 170 HP engine, turbocharged. But the best part is the 6-speed transmission. Theres nothing like driving a car with a clutch and having complete control over the car. Its a joy to drive - turns tight, accelerates very fast, stops on a dime. And the all-wheel drive makes it able to brave harsh New England winters. And it even gets decent gas mileage, around 24 MPG.

My car is mine, I am taking it with me to college, because even though I probably wont need it too much, I can't even imagine not having it with me. I feel safe, and at home in my car, and I love it to pieces.
how did you afford that before college?
  quote
Wrao
Yarp
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Road Warrior
 
2006-07-13, 15:50

I drive a 2005 honda Civic. It is everything I need in a car. It is also a wholly unexceptional car with nothing that particularly stands out. I do get excellent mileage, and the stock sound system is actually really good(it's not super hi-i audiophile or anything, but it sounds nice, way nicer than most stock systems I've heard) additionally there is a little shelf for putting change conveniently located next to the steering wheel. Yes, it's that sweet. I got it new, as a sorta half-present from my folks. I am paying for most of it, but they did pay for some. But, despite that, and the fact that the car could probably last another 15 years. I may very well be selling it to my little brother in a few years when he gets his license, so that I can get something a little bit more fun and exciting.

The only un-fun thing about my car is that it is Automatic. I have a lot more fun driving stick, but ultimately, I use the car to get around, not have fun. heh.

Last edited by Wrao : 2006-07-13 at 16:44.
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alcimedes
I shot the sherrif.
 
Join Date: May 2004
Send a message via ICQ to alcimedes  
2006-07-13, 15:55

I also keep whatever car I buy at least 10 years. Access to a lift and some mechanical knowledge means I can keep and run cars for a lot less than if I had to bring them to a shop.

Google is your frenemy.
Caveat Emptor - Latin for tough titty
I tend to interpret things in the way that's most hilarious to me
  quote
Partial
Stallion
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Milwaukee
 
2006-07-13, 15:58

Quote:
Originally Posted by alcimedes
I also keep whatever car I buy at least 10 years. Access to a lift and some mechanical knowledge means I can keep and run cars for a lot less than if I had to bring them to a shop.
amen. Gotta milk that investment for all its worth. It amazes me how much shops charge for labor.
  quote
Robo
Formerly Roboman, still
awesome
 
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Portland, OR
 
2006-07-13, 15:59

Quote:
Originally Posted by Windswept
Um... I don't know how much time you have spent living in desert conditions, but believe me, Vegas has way, WAY *too much* summer. Driving without a top on a frequent basis: you will get your skin fried and will start on the path to skin cancer.

Plus, a soft top is just asking to get slashed by vandals and car thieves; and soft tops, used on a continual basis, deteriorate rapidly in the killing desert heat and sun.

If you could get a vehicle *with a powerful air-conditioning unit*, an easily-removable hardtop that can be replaced on an occasional basis with a nice soft top, *then* you'd have all your options covered.

Believe me, most desert-dwellers eventually do everything they can to stay *out* of the sun for routine, everyday, around-town driving.

Having 'no' top would be great fun for stunningly gorgeous desert winters (5 months of the year, Nov-March); but you need the hard top (and a powerful air-conditioner) for the other seven months.

(The four months of June-Sept. have absolutely *killer* heat - literally.)
I know. It wouldn't be my only car - I already mentioned I had a "real" car. But I was talking about getting a fun car. I guess I shouldn't have said "summer car," because I know I'm not going to drive it in July. But saying I wanted a drop-top Jeep for a "winter car" would have probably gotten a weird response.

(I don't know who could stand a Miata for their main car, anyway.)

I despise the heat of Nevada summers. Minnesota summers are too hot for me, although I know it's really the humidity that makes me feel sick. Believe me, I'll be in a airtight sealed car, with the beefiest AC around.

Editing original post now...

and i guess i've known it all along / the truth is, you have to be soft to be strong

Last edited by Robo : 2006-07-13 at 16:28.
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torifile
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Join Date: May 2004
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2006-07-13, 16:41

I'm currently driving an 06 VW Golf TDI. I love it except for one thing - it's an automatic. If it were a 5 speed, I've love everything about it. But with gas prices what they are, and only increasing, I love the fact that I can run it on 100% biodiesel, if I want, and not be affected by the oil craziness.
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sirnick4
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Join Date: Mar 2005
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2006-07-13, 17:02

Quote:
Originally Posted by Wrao
I drive a 2005 honda Civic. It is everything I need in a car.
My sister just bought a 2006 Civic and she loves it. I think Honda's are great.

I received her old 2002 Ford Focus. I couldn't be happier. My first car

Deal with it.
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