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I spotted a NEW (insert make/model) today!

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  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    SX4 is roomy up front, sure, but the back seat is a little tight, and the cargo area with 4 seats in use fits maybe one large suitcase. He definitely needs more room since our parents/friends travel often, and he's the airport shuttle.

    Bummer Subaru no longer sells a Legacy wagon in the USA. The Outback is tarted up and costs a bunch more than the Legacy, pushing it out of his price range.

    He had a roommate with a Volvo that nearly bankrupted him, so no go no matter what, even if it was a free car.

    I suggested Audi. Oddly the Audi guys told me the V8 was the most reliable engine, so we looked at used S4s. Problem is, 13mpg city on premium fuel. Lovely, lovely car, I've done a road trip in one, but doesn't really meet his FE wants.

    Used RAV4 would be an option. Toyota dropped the manual for the current generation, though.

    Rogue only comes in CVT, I believe.

    Used CR-V, yeah, but I think he'd rather have something that is a current model, at least. Our other brother has a new CR-V and he wouldn't want to be upstaged. ;)
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Actually when I included trucks, a few more appeared - Wrangler, XTerra, and FJ all come in manuals. They're a bit expensive, though, so it would have to be used, and then the FE numbers were poor, as well. He drives TONS of miles. His 04 had 123k IIRC.
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,415
    Surprised you aren't blacklisted :shades:
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    edited February 2011
    Me too!

    And what a coincidence that the guy works for the only dealer group in town that has a manual SX4 and a manual Legacy. We went to another Subaru dealer first!
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,415
    I don't know if they even sell manual non-Imprezas here...can't remember the last time I saw one.

    Now it would have been funny if he had been test driving a Bentley or something :shades:
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    I wonder if the guy still would have attempted the pass?

    Maybe only to ask for Grey Poupon! :D
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,415
    If I get hit by someone at fault, I want it to be against something like that :shades:

    The passer probably would have done the same thing, some people are hopeless.
  • fushigifushigi Member Posts: 1,459
    I'd say an Evo as a manual and AWD are standard and a sunroof is available. But if the Outback is priced out of his range then the Evo would be as well. And on the inside it's not particularly spacious or luxurious.
    2017 Infiniti QX60 (me), 2012 Hyundai Elantra (wife)
  • anythngbutgmanythngbutgm Member Posts: 4,277
    Impreza with the Premium pack or an outback Sport. :shades:
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Yep, meets the criteria, though it would have to be used to fall in his price range.

    He found the Kizashi a bit small, though, so I imagine he'd feel the same about the Lancer/EVO.

    Ralliart model - does it come with a true manual? When I searched I only found dual-clutch ones.

    Impreza also fits but again, he's sort of leaning toward something bigger now. He liked the Sportage, but the manual only comes in FWD. He'll drive a Forester this week if he can find a manual Premium model.

    Manuals are rare, it's ridiculous! Demand is there, just no supply.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    2 Mini Cooper Clubmans. Though I guess they're not exactly new any more, since the Countryman is out and I've seen one of those in the flesh.

    New Benz C class with the 7 LEDs in the front. I'm not sure I like it when you can count the number of LED bulbs. They should be close together enough to avoid that.

    Brand new Ford Explorer as well.

    When I went to test drive the Escape with my brother, the dealer told me those are in short supply, and that most are pre-sold before they even arrive.
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,415
    Saw a Leaf last night parked at a grocery store...I assume the same I have seen before, all have been blue.
  • lemkolemko Member Posts: 15,261
    ...Lexus HS250 hybrid travelling west on Levick Street near Montour in NE Philly.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Not enough "hybrids" in there, you gotta say it like this:

    Hybrid Lexus hybrid HSD hybrid HS250 hybrid hybrid.

    Oil over $100 a barrel so get used to seeing more of those.
  • lemkolemko Member Posts: 15,261
    Somebody did have an old-school Honda Insight out the other day. This little "bullet car" has a lot more character than the Prius clone that now passes for an Insight.
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,415
    CR-Z tries to be both a super hybrid and a new era CRX. Good luck with that.

    I see an old Insight now and then on my street too.
  • anythngbutgmanythngbutgm Member Posts: 4,277
    Seen a couple of Sonata Turbos, really sharp looking car. One of the sleekest in its class IMO.

    Also while not new, it was quite hilarious I saw Government Motors symbol of ridiculous excess this morning, a Hummer H2 in the slow lane on the highway doing about 10 mph under the speed limit... Hypermiling? :D
  • anythngbutgmanythngbutgm Member Posts: 4,277
    Spotted a couple of those new Explorers. Word is they are sold before they even hit the dealer lots...

    Another great success story for Ford. :shades:
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,415
    Not to defend GM, but hasn't the Hyundai conglomerate been aided and coddled by the South Korean government for eons?

    I guess it's ok as long as it is on someone elses dime.
  • lemkolemko Member Posts: 15,261
    Heck, KIA would've even be here if S.Korea's govt. didn't foist it onto Hyundai.
  • anythngbutgmanythngbutgm Member Posts: 4,277
    edited February 2011
    Actually no...

    2 things:

    First, Kia was created under a partnership with Ford, Nissan, I think maybe Mazda? and 2 or 3 other companies which I don't recall at the moment. It has been operating since the 80's/early 90's and was even behind the original Ford Festiva and/or Fiesta subcompacts.

    Second, Hyundai does not own Kia, this is merely a rumor. Actually up until recently, I believe Kia was a separate entity that was on it's own or had very little influence from Hyundai motor.

    At the moment, I believe Hyundai has 30 or so % interest in them. True, they do share a lot of commonality but they are not "owned" by Hyundai per se.

    I may be wrong in all this, so I apologize in advance. My Hyundai knowledge is kinda limited... :D
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    edited February 2011
    I dunno, while Hyundai/Kia have thrived, Daewoo (now GM-DAT) and Daihatsu have done miserably.

    Hyundai's doing something right...
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,415
    Maybe the best cronyism? It's not exactly a business culture free from ethical issues. HyunKia has a virtual monopoly of the market at home. It's received plenty of pampering from the homeland.

    Daihatsu is Japanese with large scale Toyota influence, I'm pretty sure.
  • lemkolemko Member Posts: 15,261
    Daihutsu's not Korean. It's Japanese and under the umbrella of Toyota. I do remember the short-lived Charade and Rocky in the early 1990s. Does Ssangyong still exist? Does Samsung still make cars?
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,415
    Looks like some kind of help was needed once...it's all OK though, so long as it's not my money
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Sorry, I meant Ssangyong, and yes they're still around. They sell cars in Brazil, at least.

    They have a "ute" they sell there, a car-based pickup a-la-Subaru Baja. Funky looking thing.
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,415
    Saw a Chrysler 200 today, on the lot. A world nicer than what it replaces, but you don't have to squint hard to see where it comes from.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    For me it only went half way.

    Chrysler has hit some home runs lately, but the 200 is a bunt.

    Funny thing is they had to use it in the Eminem ads because it's one of the few new cars they actually build in Michigan.
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,415
    I look at the Sebring as so offensive, anything has to be light years ahead. Re-introducing the 2001 model would have been a leap forward.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    But the 200 is a face-lifted Sebring. I bet the doors are interchangeable.

    I think the Fusion and Malibu became competitive years ago, 200 still isn't.
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,415
    They made do with what they could. A facelift from that awkward hoary thing is a relief. I am shocked when I see Sebrings that aren't rentals.

    Chrysler isn't really competitive in most passenger car segments right now anyway.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Agreed.

    Maybe Fiat can help them.
  • andys120andys120 Member Posts: 23,670
    Maybe Fiat can help them.

    Maybe they can but when I see Chrysler 200s being rebadged as Lancias, that's not a good sign.

    They should offer a Fiat Diesel in the Jeep Wrangler.

    2001 BMW 330ci/E46, 2008 BMW 335i conv/E93

  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Now you're talking...

    My brother briefly considered a Wrangler and then saw the deal-killer (to him) gas mileage.
  • kyfdxkyfdx Moderator Posts: 265,617
    I'm a little queasy, now... :sick:

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  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,415
    Saw a newish Yukon today. Not remarkable for anything but that it was broken down in an intersection, hazards on. Driver was cranking and cranking but it wouldn't start. Appears to have stalled out at a light.
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,415
    edited February 2011
    And everywhere else also gets the much nicer looking Touring...BMW knows what some want...some with more money than sense.
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,415
    Spotted what I am pretty sure was a Lexus CT at the dealer this evening. Weird kind of ugly light/bright green.
  • anythngbutgmanythngbutgm Member Posts: 4,277
    Fuel pumps have been a big problem for those as well as the smaller Terrains and Equinoxes...
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    I saw a Panamera's rear view and I feel about the same way you do.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Baby diarrhea metallic green?

    They probably want colors that remind you it's a hybrid.
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,415
    edited March 2011
    It was kind of a bright yellow green, or at least it looked that way from a distance. That color will be a tough sell, I don't know if the tapwater bland average Lexus buyer would be into that.

    On the new car front, saw a new Elantra this morning, couldn't tell if it was fleet or not
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    I had to look...yuck.

    Daybreak Yellow Mica. Definitely out of character for a normally conservative brand.

    It's not quite baby diarrhea green, though. More Mountain Dew-ish.
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,415
    That would be it.

    I guess it's their idea of edgy.
  • tifightertifighter Member Posts: 3,785
    So on Sunday, I saw one of the autonomous Google cars. Top that :P

    25 NX 450h+ / 24 Sienna Plat AWD / 23 Civic Type-R / 21 Boxster GTS 4.0 / 03 Montero Ltd

  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,415
    I see driverless cars on the road here every day, and they have no connection to google :shades:
  • lemkolemko Member Posts: 15,261
    ...a really nice looking Chevrolet Cruze in a beautiful dark blue a Rising Sun Avenue near Tyson in NE Philly this morning.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    I know what we can call that color:

    Mountain Dew-Doo.

    Saw a Sonata with temp tags today. Of course nowadays I see about 874 per day so only the temp tags tell me it's actually brand new.
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,415
    I might actually stop and look at the CT at my local dealer when I am by there again on a free day. Newest thing L has had in some time.

    I see many new style Sonata too, although I'd say at least 1 in 4 or 5 is a rental.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    If gas stays at $4 the CT will do fine.

    It gas goes back to the old "free" levels then it won't.

    It could make the HS redundant. In fact the HS had its worst month ever probably because Lexus customers know the CT is coming and may have post-poned their purchase.
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