Edmunds Members - Cars and Conversations (Archived)

andres3

snakeweasel said:

Saw a great bumper sticker yesterday that if I wasn't driving I would have taken a picture of it. It was on a minivan and all it said was:

"I used to be cool"

Kind of the same idea as my wanting a license plate frame that says "My Other Car is an Audi" on the Kia.

snakeweasel

andres3 said:

Saw a great bumper sticker myesterday that if I wasn't driving I would have taken a picture of it. It was on a minivan and all it said was:

"I used to be cool"

Kind of the same idea as my wanting a license plate frame that says "My Other Car is an Audi" on the Kia.

I think I might get a license plate frame for the Chrysler that says "My other ride is a motorcycle". 

I am playing around with vanity plates for the Honda. The SOS's website has a function to see if a plate is available or not. 

driver100

Mr_Shiftright said:

oldfarmer50 said:

This in my opinion is a crime against nature:



Slapping a Continental kit on a Continental AND a vinyl roof?

It would actually be a nice looking car.....without the vinyl roof and continental kit.

tjc78

They were a nice car... DOHC V8 with a really nice interior, selectable ride control and a full digital dash that looked analog.  

Bottom line was,  it simply was a glorified Taurus and was not a big hit for Lincoln.  It was light years ahead of the model it replaced.  That’s for sure.   I almost bought one but the dealer wouldn’t give me the price I wanted (it was a year or two old). 

qbrozen

andres3 said:

What year did the Camaro finally shed some weight? 2016?

yup. about 220 lb. hits 60 in 4 secs flat with the auto trans. Quick car.

tjc78

qbrozen said:

What year did the Camaro finally shed some weight? 2016?

yup. about 220 lb. hits 60 in 4 secs flat with the auto trans. Quick car.

Ha just barely adequate for @roadburner !!

oldfarmer50

andres3 said:

oldfarmer50 said:

driver100 said:

That Camaro has been deleted.
Either he sold it real fast or it was a flood car!

Probably was getting too much hate mail from other Camaro owners.

For anyone who missed it it was an ad for a2012 Camaro SS low miles $6500 who was selling it because Fords were being mean.

What year did the Camaro finally shed some weight? 2016?

Yeah, 2016 I believe. Don't know if most Mustangs would trash a current Camaro SS but the Stang is giving up over a liter of displacement. It's impressive that the 5.0 comes so close to the bigger Chevy engine.

qbrozen

tjc78 said:

Ha just barely adequate for @roadburner !!

Interestingly enough, even a lowly V6 Camaro holds a better Lightning Lap time than an M240i. It even beat out the Mustang GT.

tjc78

Didn’t know that.   Makes sense, probably a little lighter than the V8 and still a lot of power.   Heck the V6s make more power than the old V8s.  

explorerx4

VIR has a chicane in the halfway down the main straight to keep speeds down.

andres3

qbrozen said:

tjc78 said:

Ha just barely adequate for @roadburner !!

Interestingly enough, even a lowly V6 Camaro holds a better Lightning Lap time than an M240i. It even beat out the Mustang GT.

Well, as @roadburner has stated, the Mustang GT needs the right assortment of Ford options and add-ons to be a real true GT. At which point it costs about as much as an M2.

isellhondas

iluvmysephia1 said:

There is a new color (at least for the Impreza model) for 2018, it's called Island Blue Pearl. It's at AutoNation in Spokane selling for $140 more than the Venetian Red Pearl Impreza is. The Island Blue Pearl Impreza is a 2018 and it's selling for $19,355.

2018 Subaru Impreza sedan in the new color of Island Blue Pearl

That $140 pays for headlights that turn on when you activate the wipers. Wow. I could buy the 2017 red Impreza for $19,215 and not bother. But I really like this bright blue color for the 2018 Impreza. I like it also because it's interior is black, and we've got the two active pups that would probably dirty up the white interior of the 2017 Subaru Impreza I'm looking at in Venetian Red Pearl. Subaru calls the white interior Ivory - I'm sure it's nice but I don't think it would work for us. I'm switching my allegiance to this blue one in Spokane. Anyone dealt with AutoNation in Spokane before? Will they wheel and deal?

In that respect I might want to keep the red Impreza in mind, because I'd think they'd wheel and deal moreso with the outgoing 2017 Impreza to clear it off their lot. AutoNation gets 4 1/2 out of 5 stars after hundreds of reviews - I may have found me a decent Subie dealer. Wenatchee's Subaru store has Impreza's starting at $23,295 - I don't even feel like going there with prices starting that high - I don't think they stock a single stick shift Impreza.

I'm hunting and gathering information for that single extra piece of data that pushes me in to the deep end to go test drive. As usual, the Mrs. will not even want to get close to this, so, as the breadwinner and single driver, I will have to pursue the trade-in. Also, our '11 Kia Soul 5-speed just crossed 90,000 miles. It's running well, but we owe $7,500 on it still. Trade-in will probably not be much more than $3,000 - $ 4,000. The trade-in time will be the sticking point no doubt, the point where I may have to just walk outta the dealership if they freak out at my trade-in. I would demand $4,000 - $5,000 for my Kia Soul. If they don't, I don't have to deal with an unhappy wife. If they go for it, I'm ecstatic and we've got ourself a new car. The car would suit us fine - I am pretty sure the Mrs. would love the car once we get in it and drive.

And...it will handle eastern Washington's snowy roads better - she's aleady telling me to stop off in Entiat (which is the halfway point of my commute) to take a cat nap at the city park there if I get tired. Now, guys, if I'm really sleepy and the roads are slippery, wouldn't it make good business since to drive a symmetrical AWD like the 2018 Subaru Impreza 2.0i sedan has? Wouldn't it? The more I think logically about it the more I like the idea. Our payment (72 mo.'s) will go up at least $100 a month - that works against my plan. But we can afford it - I wouldn't even consider this if we couldn't afford it. I've brought my calculator out at least a dozen times to do the math. 

In the 31 years we have lived here I can count the times snow was an issue on probably four fingers!

I drove to work for eight years in our 2003 CRV and I think one time I was glad it had 4WD. Even then I could have made it into work. Winters here are pretty mild just RAIN!

oldfarmer50

tjc78 said:

They were a nice car... DOHC V8 with a really nice interior, selectable ride control and a full digital dash that looked analog.  

Bottom line was,  it simply was a glorified Taurus and was not a big hit for Lincoln.  It was light years ahead of the model it replaced.  That’s for sure.   I almost bought one but the dealer wouldn’t give me the price I wanted (it was a year or two old). 

But it had that 4 valve 4.6 Cobra motor same as the Mark VIII only slightly de-tuned for FWD.

isellhondas

graphicguy said:

Haven't driven an ‘18 Accord, yet! But, when I drove the ‘17 Accord Touring, I came “oh so close” to buying it. So, if the the ‘17 was really good, I suspect the ‘18 is better. Compared to Altimas, Camries, Fusions, Malibus, the kind of cars I’ve driven (mostly as rentals), I’d take the Accord, without much thought.

I’d be interested in test driving the 6-speed 2.0T. I expect those would be quite hard to fine, but would like to test one out.

Hondas/Acuras have a well deserved reputation for making high quality and sporty vehicles that last a long time. So, I understand the Accord’s appeal to the trade rags.

I'm surprised Honda would offer a 6 speed turbo. They should have learned their lesson that sticks simply don't sell!

isellhondas

oldfarmer50 said:

This in my opinion is a crime against nature:



Slapping a Continental kit on a Continental AND a vinyl roof?

So, they probably spent 5000.00 on that Continental only to devalue it 10,000! UGH!

isellhondas

driver100 said:

Mr_Shiftright said:

oldfarmer50 said:

This in my opinion is a crime against nature:



Slapping a Continental kit on a Continental AND a vinyl roof?

It would actually be a nice looking car.....without the vinyl roof and continental kit.

Don't stop there! Get rid of the tint and those hokey chrome wheel lip mouldings, those side mouldings and the mud flaps!

jmonroe

andres3 said:

snakeweasel said:

Saw a great bumper sticker yesterday that if I wasn't driving I would have taken a picture of it. It was on a minivan and all it said was:

"I used to be cool"

Kind of the same idea as my wanting a license plate frame that says "My Other Car is an Audi" on the Kia.

If I were to get a custom plate frame for the Subie it would say...People Have Mistaken My Other Car For A Bentley. I think that can be made to fit on a plate frame.

jmonroe

tbirdmarco

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=2L4ecz3hYuw

dino001

isellhondas said:

graphicguy said:

Haven't driven an ‘18 Accord, yet! But, when I drove the ‘17 Accord Touring, I came “oh so close” to buying it. So, if the the ‘17 was really good, I suspect the ‘18 is better. Compared to Altimas, Camries, Fusions, Malibus, the kind of cars I’ve driven (mostly as rentals), I’d take the Accord, without much thought.

I’d be interested in test driving the 6-speed 2.0T. I expect those would be quite hard to fine, but would like to test one out.

Hondas/Acuras have a well deserved reputation for making high quality and sporty vehicles that last a long time. So, I understand the Accord’s appeal to the trade rags.

I'm surprised Honda would offer a 6 speed turbo. They should have learned their lesson that sticks simply don't sell!

Well, Craig - I had a six years old manual BMW 328 wagon. Got two offers near the asking price after two days on Autotrader. Actually, three, third one was a $3k lowball. After I sold it, I had to contend with at least ten more phone calls inquiring about the car. People called from across the country (Virginia, California) or even abroad Canada. You could hear that disappointment when I said it was already sold.

So perhaps it's more about the dealers and manufacturers no longer knowing how to sell them - by that I mean how to properly configure them for current market and get people excited. I made peace with the automatics and my current 430i is one, first AT in 15 years (as a poor grad student I owned an AT 1997 Ford Escort for 3 years, bought used of course - my first and only AT till now), cause they don't even sell one with manual, but in the past I have cross-shopped multiple vehicles. The story was always the same - a manual transmission was either not stocked at all, or when it was, it was a low end trim, which was a no-go from the start. Sometimes it was restricted already by the manufacturer, (case in point - Civic "Sport Touring" or EX, EX-L you get only CVT), sometimes it was the dealer getting unwanted "stripper" loss leader. That's why they wouldn't sell.

Both manufacturers and dealers treat MT cars as only ones for "economy customer", which is exactly wrong target today. Those people moved on to ATs long time ago - ATs are more economical, more convenient, easier to use, not requiring additional skills. MTs are now for enthusiasts. It's admittedly a small market, but one that creates some decent brand awareness buzz and I would risk to say, it's much bigger that anybody gives them credit, but it's suffering from chicken and egg problem (no cars available, if available at all, they are scant and have wrong configurations, so they of course "don't sell"). Today's MTs should be attempted to be sold as top trims, not bottom trims. It's no longer a value proposition, it's a "luxury" item. You can actually see it in real high end sports cars, where MTs are still alive and well. I would not be surprised if Honda would sell more Civic manuals if they restricted them to the top trims, not bottom trims (mind that they probably sell many more low trim overall than EX, or Sport Touring). You're right - in current setup they won't sell, indeed.

driver100

But, there are very few Honda buyers who want a manual....if you are going to try and well one it best be a BMW, and even then it will only appeal to the enthusiasts, but, they will be eager to buy. They don't come up too often so if you want one better get it while it is available.

driver100

Made my day

imidazol97

dino001 said:

Both manufacturers and dealers treat MT cars as only ones for "economy customer", which is exactly wrong target today. Those people moved on to ATs long time ago - ATs are more economical, more convenient, easier to use, not requiring additional skills. MTs are now for enthusiasts. ... I would not be surprised if Honda would sell more Civic manuals if they restricted them to the top trims, not bottom trims (mind that they probably sell many more low trim overall than EX, or Sport Touring). You're right - in current setup they won't sell, indeed.

Very true. Times have changed as to who buys MT's. The auto makers haven't found the cheese (Who Moved My Cheese)
https://amazon.com/dp/0399144463/ref=sxts_sxwds-tsp_1?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_p=3155180962&pd_rd_wg=89McO&pf_rd_r=6GDRYZETBNX6641XR9GF&pf_rd_s=desktop-sx-top-slot&pf_rd_t=301&pd_rd_i=0399144463&pd_rd_w=zyotV&pf_rd_i=who+moved+my+cheese&pd_rd_r=15209304-ae12-11e7-80a2-a744ac947f59&ie=UTF8&qid=1507677834&sr=1

imidazol97

Marcothecarguy1986 said:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=2L4ecz3hYuw

Very interesting video. VW is going to start selling cars online to make up for future cuts in the numbers of stores to compensate for losses due to criminal diesel fraud.
GM's using San Francisco for automated vehicle testing because it's so full of challenges.
Their Volt is doing shockingly well at adapting.

berri

Driver - the guy in the truck should have parked his right side much closer to the Vette More polite than a key job!

Michaell

@dino001 - I think there is a typo in your signature block - you have a 430i, right?

dino001

Yes. Oops. How long did I have that and where was my mind?

driver100

Michaell said:

@dino001 - I think there is a typo in your signature block - you have a 430i, right?

That change was probably worth about $4000!

driver100

berri said:

Driver - the guy in the truck should have parked his right side much closer to the Vette More polite than a key job!

Berri, I think he is closer than he looks...but, unless the guy in the Vette is a narcissistic moron, he will learn his lesson :@

roadburner

tjc78 said:

Didn’t know that.   Makes sense, probably a little lighter than the V8 and still a lot of power.   Heck the V6s make more power than the old V8s.  

One thing that hurts the M235i/240i is the lack of a LSD- it's hard to put down the power once you clip the apex. Add a locking diff and a mild tune and the car will be turning in lap times close to those of the M2. And as was noted, VIR isn't really a horsepower hungry track like Mid-Ohio, Road Atlanta, or Watkins Glen.
For some reason I never see Camaros at HPDEs; the Bowtie Brigade's usual weapon of choice is a C5-C7 Z06. And while I've seen a 2004 Mach 1 and a couple of Boss 302s, I have yet to see a 2015-up Mustang GT.
Actually, I could easily see myself owning a new GT350, but not so the Camaro; while it's an entertaining car to drive, the styling inside and out leave me cold.

Michaell

dino001 said:

Yes. Oops. How long did I have that and where was my mind?

Well, it doesn't look like it's been fixed, yet, based on your most recent post.

I've been scrutinizing signature blocks recently - found one in a lease thread from a salesman who posted both his phone number and email address.

That's a big no-no.

qbrozen

I like the looks of the camaro but pretty sure I could not live with the awful visibility and seating position.

driver100

qbrozen said:

I like the looks of the camaro but pretty sure I could not live with the awful visibility and seating position.

How could they design a car.....and not think anyone cared about those features?

nyccarguy

qbrozen said:

I like the looks of the camaro but pretty sure I could not live with the awful visibility and seating position.

My best friend's Dad recently traded in his mint condition (10/10) 2005 SL 500 in for a 2016 Camaro V6 Convertible. My friend had an opportunity to drive it and said it feels like you are sitting in a bath tub that you cannot see out of. He said visibility with the top down is terrible and basically non-existent with the top up.

ab348

nyccarguy said:

My best friend's Dad recently traded in his mint condition (10/10) 2005 SL 500 in for a 2016 Camaro V6 Convertible. My friend had an opportunity to drive it and said it feels like you are sitting in a bath tub that you cannot see out of. He said visibility with the top down is terrible and basically non-existent with the top up.

The fellow who bought my '64 Skylark convertible recently got out of the old-car world and after selling everything off bought a new V6 Camaro convertible with just about every option. He says visibility is an issue but since he doesn't drive it every day and mostly has the top down he can live with it. I don't understand how it reached production with such poor visibility though.

oldfarmer50

driver100 said:

qbrozen said:

I like the looks of the camaro but pretty sure I could not live with the awful visibility and seating position.

How could they design a car.....and not think anyone cared about those features?

They designed it for kids who don't care but forgot that only old farts with bad backs can afford them.

oldfarmer50

ab348 said:

nyccarguy said:

My best friend's Dad recently traded in his mint condition (10/10) 2005 SL 500 in for a 2016 Camaro V6 Convertible. My friend had an opportunity to drive it and said it feels like you are sitting in a bath tub that you cannot see out of. He said visibility with the top down is terrible and basically non-existent with the top up.

The fellow who bought my '64 Skylark convertible recently got out of the old-car world and after selling everything off bought a new V6 Camaro convertible with just about every option. He says visibility is an issue but since he doesn't drive it every day and mostly has the top down he can live with it. I don't understand how it reached production with such poor visibility though.

Camaro is an extreme example but every modern car has terrible visability compared to cars 15 years ago. Perhaps if they had better visability they wouldn't need all those electronic nannies to prevent you from crashing into everything.

imidazol97

Thinking of buying a Hyundai? Might want to wait a few months until this program rolls out across the country.

Hyundai will take back car for 3 days after purchase in future.

Also might be a good opportunity to buy a slightly used vehicle with CPO warranty with under 300 miles.

http://www.cincinnati.com/story/money/cars/2017/10/10/hyundai-shopper-assurance/749759001/

With the new program, dubbed Hyundai Shopper Assurance, customers will be allowed to return their vehicles for any reason for a full refund as long as there's no damage and the vehicle hasn't accumulated more than 300 miles.

houdini1

Mr_Shiftright said:

oldfarmer50 said:

This in my opinion is a crime against nature:



Slapping a Continental kit on a Continental AND a vinyl roof?

Oh, the Full Florida with oak leaf clusters!

OF, when you are that owners age and living in FL., they will be saying that about your Stang.

graphicguy

isellhondas said:

driver100 said:

Mr_Shiftright said:

oldfarmer50 said:

This in my opinion is a crime against nature:



Slapping a Continental kit on a Continental AND a vinyl roof?

It would actually be a nice looking car.....without the vinyl roof and continental kit.

Don't stop there! Get rid of the tint and those hokey chrome wheel lip mouldings, those side mouldings and the mud flaps!

isellhondas said:

graphicguy said:

Haven't driven an ‘18 Accord, yet! But, when I drove the ‘17 Accord Touring, I came “oh so close” to buying it. So, if the the ‘17 was really good, I suspect the ‘18 is better. Compared to Altimas, Camries, Fusions, Malibus, the kind of cars I’ve driven (mostly as rentals), I’d take the Accord, without much thought.

I’d be interested in test driving the 6-speed 2.0T. I expect those would be quite hard to fine, but would like to test one out.

Hondas/Acuras have a well deserved reputation for making high quality and sporty vehicles that last a long time. So, I understand the Accord’s appeal to the trade rags.

I'm surprised Honda would offer a 6 speed turbo. They should have learned their lesson that sticks simply don't sell!

Craig....I think Honda knew that putting a manual trans in the Accord (regardless of whether you could actually find one), would definitely get the attention of all the trade rags. Probably a good PR move, even if they don’t sell many.

stickguy

With 2 brand new models out, expect a family sedan shootout comparison soon from MT and CD.

Michaell

stickguy said:

With 2 brand new models out, expect a family sedan shootout comparison soon from MT and CD.

With all the also-rans, or just the Camry and Accord going head-to-head?

driver100

If I was looking for a car in the Accord's segment I would seriously look at the 2018 Accord. It seems to have the features I would want, and, from what I am reading, they have really studied and improved the engineering and design of the car. The manual transmission makes it appealing to more segments of the market, and it will capture some enthusiasts who still want a manual. It says something about the brand....we know enough about the thrill of driving to offer a stick!


Read what the have done for 2018.
They even lowered the hood and made narrow front roof pillars so the driver has a better view.
In the article it says the nicest design since the one's with hidden headlights in the 80s.. That was my favorite design too!

andres3

dino001 said:

isellhondas said:

graphicguy said:

Haven't driven an ‘18 Accord, yet! But, when I drove the ‘17 Accord Touring, I came “oh so close” to buying it. So, if the the ‘17 was really good, I suspect the ‘18 is better. Compared to Altimas, Camries, Fusions, Malibus, the kind of cars I’ve driven (mostly as rentals), I’d take the Accord, without much thought.

I’d be interested in test driving the 6-speed 2.0T. I expect those would be quite hard to fine, but would like to test one out.

Hondas/Acuras have a well deserved reputation for making high quality and sporty vehicles that last a long time. So, I understand the Accord’s appeal to the trade rags.

I'm surprised Honda would offer a 6 speed turbo. They should have learned their lesson that sticks simply don't sell!

Well, Craig - I had a six years old manual BMW 328 wagon. Got two offers near the asking price after two days on Autotrader. Actually, three, third one was a $3k lowball. After I sold it, I had to contend with at least ten more phone calls inquiring about the car. People called from across the country (Virginia, California) or even abroad Canada. You could hear that disappointment when I said it was already sold.

So perhaps it's more about the dealers and manufacturers no longer knowing how to sell them - by that I mean how to properly configure them for current market and get people excited. I made peace with the automatics and my current 430i is one, first AT in 15 years (as a poor grad student I owned an AT 1997 Ford Escort for 3 years, bought used of course - my first and only AT till now), cause they don't even sell one with manual, but in the past I have cross-shopped multiple vehicles. The story was always the same - a manual transmission was either not stocked at all, or when it was, it was a low end trim, which was a no-go from the start. Sometimes it was restricted already by the manufacturer, (case in point - Civic "Sport Touring" or EX, EX-L you get only CVT), sometimes it was the dealer getting unwanted "stripper" loss leader. That's why they wouldn't sell.

Both manufacturers and dealers treat MT cars as only ones for "economy customer", which is exactly wrong target today. Those people moved on to ATs long time ago - ATs are more economical, more convenient, easier to use, not requiring additional skills. MTs are now for enthusiasts. It's admittedly a small market, but one that creates some decent brand awareness buzz and I would risk to say, it's much bigger that anybody gives them credit, but it's suffering from chicken and egg problem (no cars available, if available at all, they are scant and have wrong configurations, so they of course "don't sell"). Today's MTs should be attempted to be sold as top trims, not bottom trims. It's no longer a value proposition, it's a "luxury" item. You can actually see it in real high end sports cars, where MTs are still alive and well. I would not be surprised if Honda would sell more Civic manuals if they restricted them to the top trims, not bottom trims (mind that they probably sell many more low trim overall than EX, or Sport Touring). You're right - in current setup they won't sell, indeed.

I agree with this. The reason red cars don't sell is because there are none on the lot as well, and most don't want to order a car and wait 3 months.

There is a market for sporty manual transmission cars! Some people just really love their manual transmissions.

In fact, one guy in the Audi Club has a license plate for his modded S4 that reads "3PDLAUD"

28firefighter

Sorry for being so MIA folks. We were getting the current house prepped for sale and going through the inspection process for the new house. So far, so good.

Our home gets listed today - I'm slightly terrified that we will be the only house in Seattle that gets no interest and no offers...

berri

No matter how many times you go through the process, it is always a bit nerve wracking. Then when it is all over there can a be a period of "did I do the right thing". But it all tends to work out.

stickguy

It's been a long time (20 years) for us. But I'm still looking looking forward to the next excitement of a change.

andres3

stickguy said:

It's been a long time (20 years) for us. But I'm still looking looking forward to the next excitement of a change.

Oh I hate moving. Each time I do it I outsource and pay for more "help."

stickguy

I'm paying movers. THats for sure. Depending on how much junk I unload, and where going, I may just rent a uhaul and hire people to load it. I'll do the driving! Sadly, my idea of what to purge, and my wife's, don't seem to match.

berri

Stick - you've got Florida sunshine on your mind

andres3

oldfarmer50 said:

driver100 said:

qbrozen said:

I like the looks of the camaro but pretty sure I could not live with the awful visibility and seating position.

How could they design a car.....and not think anyone cared about those features?

They designed it for kids who don't care but forgot that only old farts with bad backs can afford them.

Funny, the old guy at work that traded in his fun looking Mustang GT for a Ford Edge blamed the move on his bad back.