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

boomchek

Been away for quite some time but looking to hop back into the chat slowly.

I've seen about 5 Velosters in Vancouver already. Kinda oddball looking car but there isn't much choice in that sporty affordable price range category.

fintail

Hey nice to see you back.

Veloster is easily the most interesting Hyunkia product right now. It's odd looking, but inoffensive, not a copy of others, affordable. Cheap and cheerful.

ateixeira

I'm sure they either reduce drag or noise, or both.

Ugly happens for a reason.

(joking)

ateixeira

A couple of Civics.

A Juke, with a rear spoiler and all.

S4 - old and new. I kinda prefer the old one. Newer Audis all look the same. They should form the LEDs in to a 4/6/8 just so we can tell them apart.

boomchek

I'm not a big fan of the new Civics. The proportions are odd and the coupe looks like a triangluar wedge with not many good lines in it.

ateixeira

I think Honda perhaps didn't change it enough. It stood still while competitors made big strides.

They will still sell well based on momentum alone.

fintail

Or maybe a certain amount of bulbs for each model. Good idea. The LEDs that turn off when the signal is actuated look very dumb to me.

ateixeira

I can't tell an A4 from an A6, or an A6 from an A8. Not that they look bad, they just all look the same.

boomchek

They are selling well. My friend who works at the Honda dealership where I used to work says they're on short supply with new Civics. that tells you that most people only care about fuel economy and safery, not so much about styling or sportiness. Boring sells these days.

texases

"I can't tell an A4 from an A6, or an A6 from an A8. Not that they look bad, they just all look the same. "

True, and that's been the case (more or less) for, what, 15 years? Audi sure gets the most out of it's designs...

ateixeira

Supply is short, so it's hard to gauge.

explorerx4

My sister is about to replace her 04/05 Prius with a V.
Good choice for her.

explorerx4

Hi Boom, Good to see you are posting again.
Don't forget to give some updates on your collections.

stever

Is she in snow country by any chance? Just last week I saw another guy get into a Prius sedan but he zoomed off from the post office parking lot before I could get his attention and ask how his did in the snow around here.

Of course the weather has been so mild here, I was riding my bike at the time, so maybe it's not going to be much of an issue down the road if we wind up with a V. Still buying a ski pass though. :shades:

boomchek

Thanks ExplorerX4, I miss this place but I've been away because I was busy with work. Right now I caught up on my workload and have a few minutes free here and there where I can peek in and contribute a bit.

ateixeira

Ford - new Focus hatch. Looks nice. Not yet common around here.

GM - new Regal sedan. Also looks nice, but they're selling slowly, I've only seen a few.

Chrysler - new Jeep Grand Cherokee, two of them actually. Ironically it seems by far the most common of the 3, yet it's the priciest.

ateixeira

Fat cat in an X6, smoking cigar, windows closed! Can't imagine the stench inside.

Maybe it's good that he's not sharing that stench.

texases

Cigar-stunk X6...just cut the resale market from 10 to, what, 2 folks?

slorenzen

Steve,

How's the skiing compared to Idaho?

I would imagine the mountains/ski runs are much longer in Idaho/PNW than the UP, but i've never been to the UP.

:confuse:

lemko

Once that crap gets in the A/C ducts, resale goes in the crapper. Dogs and smoking destroy a car's resale value.

stever

Haven't been yet - took last winter off. But the snow last year was all powder around town. Just need to find a big enough hill. :shades:

boomchek

Aston/LR is in my area where I work so see ">new rides all the time. Actually had a chance to attend their release party a few months ago.

I love the design but at about $75k CDN loaded (full glass roof, wireless touch pad climate and multimedia pods in the back, etc), it's a but pricey I think.

fintail

Down here that's RR Sport money, I think.

Local dealer has an Evoque, haven't stopped to look at it - I'll be seeing them ambling down to the cosmetic maintenance clinic on my street soon enough.

boomchek

I thik the RR Sport starts at about the same here. I was quite impresses with the Evoque though. Perfect for those that want the newest and latest in luxury features without the bulkiness.

stickguy

lot's of new foci popping up in my 'hood. a hatch and sedan have recently appeared within 2 houses of me. Both seem to belong to the kids that live there (early/mid 20's guys that I believe just finished college recently). Might help that the father of the one kid is the SM at the local ford dealer!

Then yesterday saw another one with a temp tag drive down my street, so must live in the back of the neighborhood someplace.

Sharp looking.

robr2

I'll be seeing them ambling down to the cosmetic maintenance clinic on my street soon enough.

So how often are you there for your botox touch ups?? :P

C'mon you can't blame me for swatting at a that hanging curve ball.

fintail

Yep, I insulted the affluent and idle, shame on me. I live about a block from one of those places, it's like a parade of Lexus and BMW SUVs with an occasional MB or Volvo thrown in. I'll be among the first to see the next X5 anyway :shades:

robr2

It's a joke son.

fintail

And so was (most of) my reply

fintail

Recent sightings on the road: C-class mini-me Accord coupe, Optima EX GDi with pano roof and no plates, and my first Evoque in motion, seems weirder when moving - how can you see out of that thing? Not made for tall people.

ateixeira

New style Cayenne in pale yellow. Must match the Under Armor work out gear.

Also the new Jag sedan. The two-toned C-pillar doesn't bother me as much as it used to. I still don't like the greenhouse, but the rest of the car has grown on me.

ateixeira

New Jetta, then a new Passat.

From the profile I can hardly tell them apart, but the taillights are a give-away.

boomchek

The new Passat is much bigger and has an extra window between the rear door and the C pillar.

I see a few Passats on the road as well. They look a bit plain and boring in photos, but have a little bit more presence on the road. Not as stylish as last generation, but then I considered those to be odd looking as well when they first came out.

The new Jetta is a great bang for the buck I think, even though it has the base 2.0L engine dating back over a decade, and a cheap interior.

For those that just need a commuter, it's not a bad entry level car with some style to it. My wife and I were considering leasing a base one, but then we decided that she'll just drive our 07 328i while I play with cheap older commuter cars and avoid montly payments. So far it's working out ok.

fintail

Funny thing, with the new Passat being made in the US, I think it is a NA only model - the current German model is just the old one with a new nose. I don't know if I have seen a new Passat on the road yet, but the Jettas are everywhere here, I think there's at least one in my building alone.

Saw a new IS with the wannabe Audi LEDs.

robr2

Funny thing, with the new Passat being made in the US, I think it is a NA only model

That is correct. The NMS is North America only.

the current German model is just the old one with a new nose.

Also correct - it's a refreshed B6 and it has been dubbed the B7.

ateixeira

First one in the wild. Looks like something heavy smashed the roof on a Range Rover Sport. The result looks better than you'd think, though.

Also saw a Focus sedan, a white Veloster, and a dark gray Camry.

I have yet to see a Camry in beige - a conspiracy by Toyota?

kyfdx

Acura ZDX...

Not growing on me...

boomchek

Newish black McLaren SLR Roadster - very cool car. I see quite a fe exotics though because of where I work but not many of these.

fintail

I saw an SLS roadster a couple weeks ago. I prefer the coupe.

For the SLR, really don't love any version.

stickguy

my comcast home page usually has little slide shows about one topic or another. today was, 10 ugliest cars (maybe 12, yet I digress).

And yes, one of the top ones was the ZDX (followed closely by its cousin the cross tour.)

hideous, and not all that functional, yet overpriced and overweight. Nothing there to get me excited!

kyfdx

Maybe, if they turned it into a convertible? lol..

mz6greyghost

... saw a Veloster this morning on the way to work. Front end is sharp, but the tail looks like an afterthought.

ateixeira

And for an encore after winning last year with the Tau V8 from the Genesis and Equus sedans, Hyundai was awarded again by Wards for the 1.6l GDI engine from the Accent/Rio/Veloster:

http://www.motorward.com/2011/12/wards-10-best-engines-for-2012-announced/

Big win because they usually award 300+hp engines.

boomchek

I see a lot of SLS coupes stop by here, but no roadster yet out in the wild. The SLS is in my opinion a sperctacular car. Something about childhood memories of gullwing doors that makes me like them a lot. Maybe it's from seeing the C111 in pictures when I was little that made me fall in love with gullwing doors.

fintail

The doors do it all. Without them, the SLS wouldn't be so special. It's not really a new 300SL, but it is cool in its own right, and I would take it over a bottom of the line Ferrari or a Audi-Lambo for similar money. The car is also beautifully trimmed and comfortable. Although if you are even tallish, you'll hit your head on the door upon exit - I did.

explorerx4

Yes, she's in snow country, but I think she had snow tires for the Prius she traded in. For some reason Nokian's ring a bell.
I'll have to ask her over the holidays.

stever

My mother in law slid through that PO intersection in her sedan shortly after I asked you about the Prius tires and t-boned someone who saw her coming and couldn't stop. Both vehicles probably had all seasons on them. Winter came. :-)

fintail

Not brand new, but saw an S400 hybrid this afternoon - maybe the 4th or 5th one I have ever seen. Rare bird, in the luxoboat class only eclipsed by the LS600H of which I have seen exactly one.

explorerx4

First encounter with snow for the season usually the toughest one.

andys120

First encounter with snow for the season usually the toughest one.

How true. There are a number of reasons-

-Early season snows are generally moisture laden, creating very slippery roads.

-People have forgotten how to drive on snow and have to relearn, sometimes the hard way.

-Even those sensible enough to put on winter rubber may not have gotten round to it.

Late season snows are tricky too, those are moisture-loaded too and everybody is sick of driving on tiptoes all winter so they get careless.

Good luck everybody.