Test drove a bunch of cars this weekend

[MikeMike]

Originally posted by: Maverick

Originally posted by: Fmr12B
The OP is complaining about bland interiors and boring styling......... yet he refuses to test drive anything from the ZoomZoom family or any American car which may actually have some personality.
Go buy your uninspiring Japanese car:roll:

I also care about reliability/quality. I'm sorry, but I just don't see that Mazdas or most American cars in my price range meet my standards for reliability.

and yet you are considering VW???

 

[Maverick]

Originally posted by: Maverick

Originally posted by: fbrdphreak

Originally posted by: Maverick

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus
Have you considered a Mazda or a Subaru? The Subaru Forrester with the 2.5l turbo engine is a pretty sweet car. So is the Legacy with that engine.

I considered the Legacy but the price was a little out of my range. Also the AWD would go to waste for me since I don't have to deal with snow in Texas.

Out of your range? The Legacy GT 2.5 Limited (turbo 250HP 19/25MPG) generally goes for around $26K after negotiation, the 2.5i Limited around $21-22K.

I'm gonna look into this now...earlier I was seeing the starting at $28K price on the website and instantly turned away.

Now it seems like they're in a model year end clearance on these so I might be able to get one more in my range. Also hopefully they give me more for my trade.

I'll update this thread after I test drive one tonight

Ugh nevermind...Subaru is out. Mileage sucks. 19 in the city, 25 on the highway. Everything I've seriously looked at is closer to 30 hwy (which is very important for me with my 60 mile roundtrip daily commute).

 

[thecritic]

DSG is a nightmare. That thing is really expensive to maintain. Though most automatics now have lifetime fluids (150K), the DSG requires service every 40K and the fluid/filters aren't cheap at all. Last time I checked, a service kit for that transmission was $200 in parts alone from ecstuning.com.

The 6-spd Auto, OTOH, should be reliable in the VW as its an Aisin-Warner unit.

 

[Strk]

Originally posted by: Maverick

Originally posted by: Fmr12B
The OP is complaining about bland interiors and boring styling......... yet he refuses to test drive anything from the ZoomZoom family or any American car which may actually have some personality.
Go buy your uninspiring Japanese car:roll:

I also care about reliability/quality. I'm sorry, but I just don't see that Mazdas or most American cars in my price range meet my standards for reliability.

VW consitently ranks lower than American brands.

 

[archcommus]

Originally posted by: MIKEMIKE

Originally posted by: Maverick

Originally posted by: MIKEMIKE

Originally posted by: Maverick
I need gas mileage so the gas guzzler cars like the Charger, Magnum, and Impala won't cut it for me. I rented a Fusion once and found the interior to be cheap and generic.

I'm not a big fan of the Korean cars or Ford so those are probably out too.

the impala isnt a gas guzzler...

here is your Jetta: Specs Fuel Tank Capacity: 14.5 gal.; EPA Mileage Estimates: 22 mpg / 30 mpg; Range in Miles: 319 mi. / 435 mi. More
here is the Impala: Fuel Tank Capacity: 17 gal.; EPA Mileage Estimates: 21 mpg / 31 mpg; Range in Miles: 357 mi. / 527 mi.

as you can see, your guzzler arguement is out the window.

and i said 500, not fusion, 500 is a great car.

Not interested in American cars in general to be perfectly honest.

the dodge/chrysler cars arent american

but just test them anyways, always keep your eyes open and test drive EVERYTHING.

the Hyundai sonata is a great vehicle as well as the subbies mentioned above

Just because they're all under the DaimlerChrysler umbrella now doesn't mean those specific makes are no longer domestic. Do you consider Land Rover and Volvo Ford products? Most likely not.

 

[Maverick]

Originally posted by: wanmichael
Do you need a Navi or Non-Navi vehicle?

The Acura TSX is a good car for about $25K plus TTL. It has a 2.4L, 200HP I-4, but power is a non-issue. It comes fully loaded, only option is Navi which adds around $2000. Though it stickers at $27K, people have been buying them for much less than that if you try hard enough. AcuraZine is a great forum for acuras.

I love the TSX...but my wife already has one...didn't really want to get the same thing.

Honestly its spoiled me so much...compared to the TSX, everything else feels like a compromise somewhere.

 

[Maverick]

Originally posted by: Strk

Originally posted by: Maverick

Originally posted by: Fmr12B
The OP is complaining about bland interiors and boring styling......... yet he refuses to test drive anything from the ZoomZoom family or any American car which may actually have some personality.
Go buy your uninspiring Japanese car:roll:

I also care about reliability/quality. I'm sorry, but I just don't see that Mazdas or most American cars in my price range meet my standards for reliability.

VW consitently ranks lower than American brands.

Yup...if you read my whole original post that was my #1 problem with VW...quality isn't up to my standards.

 

[Strk]

Originally posted by: Maverick

Originally posted by: Strk

Originally posted by: Maverick

Originally posted by: Fmr12B
The OP is complaining about bland interiors and boring styling......... yet he refuses to test drive anything from the ZoomZoom family or any American car which may actually have some personality.
Go buy your uninspiring Japanese car:roll:

I also care about reliability/quality. I'm sorry, but I just don't see that Mazdas or most American cars in my price range meet my standards for reliability.

VW consitently ranks lower than American brands.

Yup...if you read my whole original post that was my #1 problem with VW...quality isn't up to my standards.

And if you read up on cars, certian domestics rank extremely high compared to other cars (typically, Ford's that get rebadged tend to have very high reliability). The fact is, you looked at them, yet you simply dump on domestics.

 

[GreenGhost]

Originally posted by: GTaudiophile
What about a Subaru Legacy GT?

Bad ass car!

My thought, exactly.

 

[Maverick]

Originally posted by: Strk
And if you read up on cars, certian domestics rank extremely high compared to other cars (typically, Ford's that get rebadged tend to have very high reliability). The fact is, you looked at them, yet you simply dump on domestics.

I honestly don't like the feel of Ford cars...I don't like the interior styling or the way they drive. Is that such a crime?

 

[Dr. Detroit]

Originally posted by: Maverick

Originally posted by: Strk
And if you read up on cars, certian domestics rank extremely high compared to other cars (typically, Ford's that get rebadged tend to have very high reliability). The fact is, you looked at them, yet you simply dump on domestics.

I honestly don't like the feel of Ford cars...I don't like the interior styling or the way they drive. Is that such a crime?

Because all Ford's drive the same :roll:

Do you know the Ford Five Hundred is based on the Volvo S80 platform?

I'd have a look at the Volvo S40, while it is based on the Euro Focus/Mazda 3 platform it my waht your looking for. Great interior, excellent engine and a very nice manual trans. AWD is available.

 

[MustangSVT]

how can you say accord is same from 10 years ago? that's just amazing.

and from a test drive you could tell GLI's gas milage? :roll:

 

[CellarDoor]

If you love the TSX so much, I think you should try to get over the fact that your wife has one and just get one. If you really must, just get a different color and/or more options if possible. I mean, what's worse? Having your wife say how cute it is that you have the same car? Or having her gloat about her TSX that you love so much?

 

[Maverick]

Originally posted by: MustangSVT
how can you say accord is same from 10 years ago? that's just amazing.

and from a test drive you could tell GLI's gas milage? :roll:

I said it feels the same...you sit in a 10 year old one and you sit in a brand new one and relatively little has changed.

And I read the specs on the GLI to figure out its mileage. I test drove it to see how it rides.

 

[Tommouse]

My vote would be VW ... as I currently drive one as well. I would say Mazda6 or Scoobaru but that was already brought up. I am curious why you haven?t driven the new Passat. You have driving many other midsized cars but for VW you chose the smaller of their two volume sedans.

And no it's not a crime to not like domestic cars. They could well be more reliable than VW, but VW has a lot more appeal in style. Their cars look better inside and out, the trade off is reliability. If you want reliable go Japanese/Asian, you want cheap go domestic, and style/spunk you go European. Driving isn't point A to B for me, for others it is. It's just where your priorities lie.

 

[maddogchen]

that mazda 6 looks awesome on top gear....don't know about reliability though...

 

[Maverick]

Originally posted by: Tommouse
My vote would be VW ... as I currently drive one as well. I would say Mazda6 or Scoobaru but that was already brought up. I am curious why you haven?t driven the new Passat. You have driving many other midsized cars but for VW you chose the smaller of their two volume sedans.

And no it's not a crime to not like domestic cars. They could well be more reliable than VW, but VW has a lot more appeal in style. Their cars look better inside and out, the trade off is reliability. If you want reliable go Japanese/Asian, you want cheap go domestic, and style/spunk you go European. Driving isn't point A to B for me, for others it is. It's just where your priorities lie.

Passat was a little bit out of my range. Also the new Jetta is quite a bit bigger than the previous generation.

I guess after driving Japanese cars for years, my expectations as far as reliability goes are pretty high.

I agree that driving isn't about getting to point A to point B for me either. Probably I will wait till I can afford something better than the cars I've looked at so far and step up to the Acura, Infiniti, Lexus line in a couple of years.

 

[archcommus]

Been there done that? What do you expect, something that thrills you and sends you to unchartered lands?

 

[foghorn67]

Originally posted by: Maverick

Originally posted by: Tommouse
My vote would be VW ... as I currently drive one as well. I would say Mazda6 or Scoobaru but that was already brought up. I am curious why you haven?t driven the new Passat. You have driving many other midsized cars but for VW you chose the smaller of their two volume sedans.

And no it's not a crime to not like domestic cars. They could well be more reliable than VW, but VW has a lot more appeal in style. Their cars look better inside and out, the trade off is reliability. If you want reliable go Japanese/Asian, you want cheap go domestic, and style/spunk you go European. Driving isn't point A to B for me, for others it is. It's just where your priorities lie.

Passat was a little bit out of my range. Also the new Jetta is quite a bit bigger than the previous generation.

I guess after driving Japanese cars for years, my expectations as far as reliability goes are pretty high.

I agree that driving isn't about getting to point A to point B for me either. Probably I will wait till I can afford something better than the cars I've looked at so far and step up to the Acura, Infiniti, Lexus line in a couple of years.

Unless you stick with a Camry, Accord or any import/domestic truck. You are not going to get a zero problem car (most likely).
I can't believe you like the Camry, that car went ugly. So now it's uninspired AND ugly.
Ford 500 interior rants??? ptttth. Do you honestly think the Camry has that great of an interior. That looks cheap to me too.
Go buy a Mazda and be happy it can't be confused with a rent-a-car like Accords, Camrys, 500's, etc.

 

[Cobalt]

Used 3 series?

 

[brtspears2]

The only great thing about the Mazda right now is huge discounts. You can get $2500 in rebates and usually haggle $3k or more off the sticker.

 

[krunchykrome]

Originally posted by: cobalt
Used 3 series?

How reliable are they? I know they have phenomenal resale value but what about their reliabilty?

 

[Nyati13]

Originally posted by: Maverick

Ugh nevermind...Subaru is out. Mileage sucks. 19 in the city, 25 on the highway. Everything I've seriously looked at is closer to 30 hwy (which is very important for me with my 60 mile roundtrip daily commute).

Was that a Legacy GT? If you go with the non-turbo mileage is better. I can average 25 to 27mpg mixed city/highway in my Forester X (ie non-turbo).

 

[OS]

Originally posted by: Maverick
2006 Honda Accord V6
Pros: Great quality and good ride/suspension.
Cons: Price was high and it had an uninspiring interior. I used to have a 1994 accord and this car felt exactly the same. Nothing has changed about this car in 10 years. Its still the same old accord. Been there done that.

accords go for invoice now, don't go by sticker.

do you have any other serious complaints about the accord otherwise? You say it feels the same as your old accord, but at the same time you don't want to stray too far because you are happy with the past.

 

[Maverick]

Originally posted by: OS

Originally posted by: Maverick
2006 Honda Accord V6
Pros: Great quality and good ride/suspension.
Cons: Price was high and it had an uninspiring interior. I used to have a 1994 accord and this car felt exactly the same. Nothing has changed about this car in 10 years. Its still the same old accord. Been there done that.

accords go for invoice now, don't go by sticker.

do you have any other serious complaints about the accord otherwise? You say it feels the same as your old accord, but at the same time you don't want to stray too far because you are happy with the past.

No I really don't have any "rational" complaints about the accord, it just gave me a very familiar feeling when I was hoping for something new.

There really is nothing wrong with an accord and it is a great car. I just got a very strong "been there, done that" feeling when I sat in it.

And for the record, I am willing to stray from the past, but at the same time I want to continue to use my past experience as my benchmark for my expectations with a new car.