Car opinions please! - Page 2

honeychile · #16 03-01-2006, 01:56 PM

I have a 1992 Subaru Outback that runs so well, I hate to get rid of it! That car has been abused, off the road to my brother's farm, into the mountains, etc - and it still runs really well. It would be sheer vanity for me to get a new one (but I'd like to, in a way!).

Rudey · #17 03-01-2006, 02:55 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by DeltAlum
They were tough, but not as hard to get parts and service as they were reputed to be. There were pretty good dealers in Columbus. And, I was a kid then, so I really didn't mind that the heaters barely worked and the Lucas distributor caps and other electrical parts seemed like they were made out of paper mache' and would quit operating sometimes in the rain.

It was a surprise that you had to add 10 weight oil to the SU Carburators every month or so.

My first Austin Healey Sprite had a piece of plywood instead of a floorboard in the passenger side. The car cost a princely $850 used.

One of my favorite old lines is:

Q) Why do the British drink warm beer?

A) They all own Lucas refrigerators.

On the other hand, you could fill the gas tank with "high test" gas for less than $2.00.

But, boy were they fun. Great days!

ETA -- the second list is different than the cut and pasted one. Are they different years?

I'm confused. Which is different?

And I am so damn happy that I don't have to put an additive into my gas because they modified the engine. Carbed cars are a hassle but I'm always amazed at how many things change in a car. I only have lap belts and the steering wheel looks like it may kill me if I ever got into an accident.

-Rudey

DeltAlum · #18 03-01-2006, 09:50 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Rudey
I'm confused. Which is different?

The second list has Chrysler, but the first doesn't. It also has Porsche as number 2 and the first one doesn't have it at all. Lots of other differences.

Are the lists about the same thing? I'm confused, too.

Nightly News had the Consumer Reports survey for this year, and the US cars did very poorly.

The guy's comment is that at eight years of age, the average Japanese built car has about as many problems as a two year old American car.

For surveys to be that different, methodology's gotta be different doesn't it?

JenMarie · #19 03-01-2006, 10:06 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by texas*princess
I've narrowed down my new car search to 3 models....what's your fav?

Right now I'm looking at the Mazda RX8, Nissan 350Z, & Pontiac GTO.

I'm leaning towards the RX8 b/c I like the mini door to the back seat

My bf had an obsession with the RX8. He finally test drove one and didn't like it. Said it left him feeling cold. He's now getting a MINI. (YEah I don't know either but it's his money.)

I'm getting a 2004 Nissan Sentra 2.5S getting sent up from LA to the Carmax up here. The value of the car is accurate and it's something I can make monthly payments on. My insurance will also be resonable as well. (STart looking at quote now.)

Look into credit unions for low interest rates for outside financing. Dealers will always throw in random ass fees so be sure to have some good negotiating skills or bring someone that knows the sales process.

georgewallace3 · #20 03-01-2006, 10:38 PM

Not paying for your car in full, in cash, is NF. And why would any rightminded human pay to drive a mini.

Rudey · #21 03-01-2006, 11:33 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by DeltAlum
The second list has Chrysler, but the first doesn't. It also has Porsche as number 2 and the first one doesn't have it at all. Lots of other differences.

Are the lists about the same thing? I'm confused, too.

Nightly News had the Consumer Reports survey for this year, and the US cars did very poorly.

The guy's comment is that at eight years of age, the average Japanese built car has about as many problems as a two year old American car.

For surveys to be that different, methodology's gotta be different doesn't it?

Oh sorry. OK the first is selective but they should have the same scores for the cars. Look at the column on the right. JDPower is a great guide.

As for other guides, I read religiously Consumer report and consumer guide for this year. They both gave American cars pretty high scores, but still gave higher scores to manufacturers like Toyota. I definitely didn't see anything in there saying US cars did badly and an 8 yr old Jap car = 2 yr old American. The article with the pic of that list I posted actually talked about how well American cars did in consumer report also. I don't think the surveys are very much different.

It really is amazing how much they've improved in quality control. I think it's mainly from the globalization of ideas and processes.

-Rudey

honeychile · #22 03-02-2006, 12:17 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by georgewallace3
Not paying for your car in full, in cash, is NF.

Never have, never will (Lord willing!).

KillarneyRose · #23 03-02-2006, 12:53 AM

I agree that the RX-8 is gorgeous! I'd always, always, always wanted an RX-7 but, such as life, by the time I could conceive of affording one they quit making them

The RX-8 doesn't go with my Mom duties at the moment, but I'm hoping sometime down the road I may finally scratch that Mazda itch!

As for the BMW 5 Series, I must respectfully disagree with the governor. I bought one brand new about, oh, two years ago. Let me just say that, within 6 months we had a nickname for that car: "Christine" (yes, after the possessed car in Stephen King's book!) Some examples from a very long "why we should never have gone near this thing" list include: The seatwarmers quit working, the sunroof only closed halfway so until I could get her to the dealer we had a heavy duty garbage bag taped over the gaping hole in the roof. Can you say "ghetto", little kids??? The trunk would not lock and it would happily spring up whenever we hit a bump. Unworldly smells would fill the car when I let the engine heat up. My husband and I would be looking at each other like, "I didn't do that; did YOU do that?" "Nooooooo, wasn't me." One more thing off the top of my head is that the drivers door would not open. So while we were waiting to have it fixed, the whole family exited through the passenger side door. We looked like a big group of clowns piling out of a tiny VW Bug.

We got rid of that thing and I was THIS CLOSE to having a priest come in to bless our garage but I'm not Catholic so that may not have done anything anyhow.

So much for my one big chance to be trendy. My husband just laughs at me as he gets into his nice, sensible Nissan Altima and he calls this "Tracy's $25.000 Ooops" Because that's all we got for the evil thing when we traded it in for my sweet, if unsexy Volvo, whom we've named Sven.

So, here I am back in another mom-mobile: a trusty, boxy, Volvo with a "Save the Chesapeake Bay" tag. Not sexy, but it gets me from point a to point b and, gee, it fits the lacrosse, softball, basketball and field hockey gear so nicely in the back

KillarneyRose · #24 03-02-2006, 12:56 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by georgewallace3
Not paying for your car in full, in cash, is NF. And why would any rightminded human pay to drive a mini.

Do you mean the Cooper Mini? I think they're adorable!!! Definitely not a guy car, though.

georgewallace3 · #25 03-02-2006, 01:37 AM

yeah, i meant for a guy to drive a mini cooper......size alone would rule it out for most guys.

allthough the are pretty good for nice looking girls

KillarneyRose · #26 03-02-2006, 08:35 AM

Oh, ok. I agree with that; there are cars I don't feel guys should drive and a Cooper Mini is definitely one. Also the Miata, the VW Bug and the jury is still out on the Porsche Boxter although my gut feeling is that it is a Trophy wife mobile.

ETA: For some reason, I feel like Alfa Romeo Spyders, Austin Healeys, Fiats and MGs are all acceptable guy cars but not the Miata. I'm not exactly sure why I feel that way, but I do!

Optimist Prime · #27 03-02-2006, 09:47 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by KillarneyRose
Oh, ok. I agree with that; there are cars I don't feel guys should drive and a Cooper Mini is definitely one. Also the Miata, the VW Bug and the jury is still out on the Porsche Boxter although my gut feeling is that it is a Trophy wife mobile.

ETA: For some reason, I feel like Alfa Romeo Spyders, Austin Healeys, Fiats and MGs are all acceptable guy cars but not the Miata. I'm not exactly sure why I feel that way, but I do!

You're absolutely right. No miatas for guys. Del sols either.

I want the Honda Civic Si. That would be nice.

HotDamnImAPhiMu · #28 03-02-2006, 02:08 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by KillarneyRose
we traded it in for my sweet, if unsexy Volvo, whom we've named Sven.

That's so hot. I LOVE Volvos. Which one do you have?

I used to have a 1993 Volvo 240 in college. So hot. The plate read VLVO PWR.

I mean, then I wrecked it, but still.

KillarneyRose · #29 03-02-2006, 02:22 PM

It's just a run-of-the-mill V70.

Hey, if you had to wreck it's good you did it in a Volvo. I feel a certain amount of comfort when I'm driving in traffic; like I have my own little tank or something.

HotDamnImAPhiMu · #30 03-02-2006, 02:27 PM

It's EXACTLY like you have your own little tank.

In the '93 year of the 240 model (the last year they made it) the sedan weighed 4,000 lbs and the station wagon (which was the exact same length as the sedan, just with the roof extended) was 4,300 lbs.

That jersey wall didn't stand a chance!