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

tjc78

I like the styling of the Caravans best

The early 90s Caravans always cracked me up.

You could go from this disaster:


To this, IMO pretty decent looking (at the time) trim level:

fintail

My dad had a Grand Caravan, I think a 93. It was a medium blue with multi spoked hubcaps (I think) that did a fair impersonation of wheels. It had no troubles, but was traded for a T&C in 97 or 98, that one ate a transmission early on.

stever

My first one was an '89 Voyager shaped like that, sans the fake wood trim. Still about my favorite shape, even though it only had one slider and the sliding door track wasn't hidden. Had real rain gutters though.

The more curvy ones in purple (aka eggplants) weren't my favorites. Did like the curvy Previas but couldn't afford one when they came out. Otherwise I might still be driving one.

lemko

My Dad had one of these back in the day. It was more or less a Ford Ranger truck underneath:

tjc78

Someone in our family had one of those. I remember riding in it as a kid and you could plug headphones into jacks in the back and change the station. It must have been pretty loaded up for the time.

lemko

My Dad's van was like that too! Funny how he got a minivan at the time both my brother and I were already out of the house and my sister was a freshman in high school.

stever

Lots of those were good runners but drove more like a truck. Could get them in 4WD too. And access to the engine was okay, if you didn't mind crawling around the seats to get to part of it.

In topical news, I saw a new...oh what am I saying, until the tourists get here in a few more weeks I'm not seeing anything new. :-)

fintail

Not new, but saw a Ferrari 612 today. Also a new E wagon with pano.

ateixeira

Top was down, which surprised me. Then he put it up, which surprised me even more, given it's a nice day. We were not near any garage yet, so odd.

Also saw a 5 door Focus.

Then saw a new Impreza Sport. Don't say "Outback Sport" any more. Do like the dark gray wheels.

ateixeira

A dealer sponsored this event so I saw:

Sonic in that nuclear orange.

Cruze LT loaded up with 18"s and stickering for $27k.

Equinox facing a new CR-V. 'nox wins exterior, Honda wins interior.

Acura RDX - nice inside but $38k, didn't an MDX used to cost that?

Camaro convertible - white with orangish/red stripes.

Fiat 500C - white with red top. Too small and when I sat in it, didn't feel like a convertible at all. Way too enclosed for me, so it's officially off my shopping list.

Dealer-modded Jeep Wrangler Unlimited, it had a lift kit, big wheels and tires, fender flares, and a $43k sticker price. LOL.

No Malibu Eco oddly.

tjc78

Cruze LT loaded up with 18"s and stickering for $27k.

Does a Cruze really need 18s? Also, at 27K there are some serious mid-size contenders. Camry SE 4cyl comes to mind.

ateixeira

No, 18"s are ridiculous. There was almost no sidewall at all. The ride can't possibly be tolerable.

I can remember when Chevy toted the 17" on a Corvette.

This was fairly loaded, so a similarly equipped mid-sizer would probably be low 30s. Plus I'm sure it would carry a street price around $24-25k.

Lemme look...

OK, first a correction, must've been an LTZ, not just LT.

Yeah, sticker in the low 27s carries a street price of $25.5k.

Not too bad I guess. But these make much more sense:

base LS: $16,810 (that's not the 1.4T though)
ECO: $19,483

Prices from fitzmall.com.

anythngbutgm

Woman at the gym I go to has a BMW 1-series "E-drive".

I had to do some research on this one. Seems that BMW only built 700 of them so it is ultra rare.

anythngbutgm

Another CX-5, this one black, base model with a stick.

Couple of new Acura RDX's. One red, one white.

Mercedes CL550 coupe.

Aston Martin Vantage convertible.

very sharp Volvo S60 R-design in Black. Volvo really knows how to style a car, this thing was damn sexy for a sedan.

kyfdx

Electric?

Do you live in the NorthEast?

anythngbutgm

Yes.

ateixeira

In Black.

Doesn't stand out the way that traffic-cone-orange color does.

They look much more conventional than the regular Prius. Even down to the shifter. Also 500 lbs lighter, supposedly.

Decent little city car.

robr2

Woman at the gym I go to has a BMW 1-series "E-drive".

I had to do some research on this one. Seems that BMW only built 700 of them so it is ultra rare.

I saw one yesterday as well in the Chateau Restaurant parking lot in Waltham, MA. White with all IC graphics.

lemko

...black Chevrolet Sonic near Knorr and Rising Sun Avenue in NE Philly.

kyfdx

You had to apply to get one, I think... sort of like when the MINI - E, came out... early adopters only, need apply.. leases only, too, I think.

I think it was restricted to the NE and California..

qbrozen

I think some dealers may have been skirting that. Freehold BMW (NJ) had one out front a couple of weeks ago when I drove past. (unless it was a customer's car they were using for advertising till it was retrieved.)

kyfdx

Yeah... I may be thinking of the MINI - E, that had the application process...

I'm often wrong... lol

robr2

The BMW ActiveE is being called a field trial. 700 vehicles leased for 2 years at $499 a month and the drivers report back their findings through on board telematics and smart phones.

New York, Boston, LA, San Diego, San Francisco and Sacramento are the test areas.

It's a 100% electric with lithium ion batteries.

explorerx4

I'm pretty sure Hartford, CT was on the list too.

lemmer

Somebody that lives very close to me has decided to make a Nissan GTR their daily driver. I see it constantly.

robr2

Saw at the dealer this AM an all black Explorer PI with dealer plates. Looks mean and scary.

Changes I could see were the 18" steel wheels, Explorer labels deleted, shifter moved from console to columna and the rear seat deleted.

Based on the paperwork sitting on the front seat, looks like it's a show piece.

kyfdx

A friend of mine has ordered one.... ETA in August... :surprise:

ateixeira

Plain silver color, I prefer their blue.

Looks better in person. Features don't seem as exaggerated as they look in photos.

ateixeira

Losers (days' supply, from cars.com)

2012 Porsche Boxster: 250 days
2012 Infiniti M35h: 174 days
2012 Infiniti EX35: 134 days
2012 BMW 650i convertible: 128 days
2012 Nissan Murano CrossCabriolet: 120 days
2012 Volkswagen Eos: 115 days
2012 Mitsubishi Outlander: 115 days
2012 BMW 750Li xDrive: 114 days
2012 Nissan NV cargo van: 113 days
2012 BMW 640i coupe: 111 days

Boxster is low demand, but looks like they made way too many.

M35h - I'm guessing hybrid shopper don't even enter their store. Also the whole performance hybrid thing is an oxymoron since they're so heavy.

EX - told ya it's too small. It's new-ish, too, so that's really bad news.

CrossCabrio is also on there, looks like Nissan overestimated demand for ugly/expensive.

Source:

http://blogs.cars.com/kickingtires/2012/05/aprils-fastest-and-slowest-selling-ca- rs.html

tjc78

I've seen exactly one Murano CC (thank God) and I didn't even know they still made the Eos.

The powers that be at the office actually looked at the Nissan NV, no comparison to a Sprinter.

I don't get those hybrid luxo-barges. I mean who are they kidding?

robr2

The powers that be at the office actually looked at the Nissan NV, no comparison to a Sprinter.

I've been seeing more and more of these. They are ungainly but I think many small mom and pop shops are leery of the Sprinter. We here wouldn't blink at it but Mrs. Smith might not like the idea of her plumber showing up in a vehicle with a 3 pointed star on it.

I think the new T series from Ford will be the one that gets the Euro style van accepted into the US marketplace.

tjc78

We are on our second Sprinter. The first one was a Dodge branded model and aside from a sensor or two it was bullet proof. The new one is Freightliner branded.

I had to take a trip in it once and I was amazed at the gas mileage. I can't remember exactly but it was low 20s at 75-80. It also was packed to the gills.

explorerx4

I was just going to write that the most interesting thing I saw in my 1600 miles in 50 hours was a carrier loaded with 3 Interceptor Utilities.
1 was all black, the other 2 had white doors.

fintail

Is the current Z-car direct injection? There's a 4 month old one that parks a couple spaces away from me, and it made terrible noises at cold start yesterday, if it isn't the DI clatter, something is wrong.

Saw a base looking new A6 this morning.

tjc78

Is the current Z-car direct injection

Yes it is.

You should have heard my V6 Genesis at start up it was bad too. I had a co-worker who is into cars ask me if I was low on oil.

anythngbutgm

The wife's Outback rattles like a diesel upon startup. But I don't think it's DI, it's got to do with the SUL Emissions equipment on board. My Impreza with essentially the same motor doesn't make the same noises.

fintail

That explains it. If either of my cars made that racket, I'd panic. I remember my rental Regal sounded clattery for the first few seconds, too. There must be some way to mask that noise.

A few new cars out at mid-day - saw a Veloster. a new MB badged Sprinter cargo van with a 36K "Costco member" MSRP, and a late model C-class in the nicest color - quartz blue.

ateixeira

Black one. They sell every one they can make, but gas prices are dipping so let's see if they can sustain the demand.

tjc78

Funny thing is my DI Buick (3.6) doesn't clatter on startup. I was actually expecting it.

The Genesis clatter wasn't DI it had something to with the oil draining out of the top mounted filter and taking a few seconds to build pressure.

andys120

I was at the Vintge car races at NH Speedway yesterday and a new Five Series parked next to me with a "535d" flash on the trunk, the front bore a plaque that read "BMW Advanced Diesel" in place of the front license plate.

All very curious since AFAIK there's no such model in the current BMW lineup.

bhill2

All very curious since AFAIK there's no such model in the current BMW lineup.

Well, there isn't (so far) in the US, but there sure is in Europe. I wonder if BMW is planning to bring it in. I personally think that it should have been a no-brainer from the start.

kyfdx

Definitely driving distance from HQ in NJ... maybe, a corporate car for testing?

andys120

Doh! I didn't make note of the tags but I think I'd have noticed if it had a Jersey "Mfr" plate.

Yeah, I should've said there's no 535d in the US lineup, I'm well aware there are lots of models we don't get here that are sold in Europe.

lemko

Red Hyundai Veloster on Borbeck Street between Rising Sun Avenue and Verree Road and blue Mustang GT convertible with the top down travelling east on Rhawn Street near Tabor in NE Philly.

ateixeira

I prefer the ones with dark gray wheels, the Sport models.

fintail

Saw a new (facelift) CL63 sitting way too high - these cars have adjustable suspension, either malfunction, or more likely, owner error. Looked goofy, like a big AWD coupe.

odie6l

was it the sedan or the sport wagon version. the SW looks alot better than the sedan IMHO.

I saw one of the new CoD Wranglers today. Nice.

Odie

anythngbutgm

Through the sea of new CRV's I spotted a couple of new Acura RDX's, one red, one granite and one in white. The white was actually a good color for the profile.

Also looks like Infniti may have a hit with the new JX. Saw a few of those as well.

fintail

Saw 2 new X3 this morning, one with the silly body cladding. Also a Veloster, and a new style 5er debadged and with the full [non-permissible content removed]/mafia "blackout" package - black car with windows tinted to a point that has to be illegal, black headlights and taillights.

New CRVs are almost a daily sight here now. Also saw a Lexus CT doing loaner service, hope this doesn't mean sales are slow, as for loaners, the dealer previous used the hybrid HS250h hybrid h that barely anyone bought.

stickguy

The CRV does hit a sweet spot for many people (which is why we might end up getting one!). Far from exciting, and no rocket, but it does a lot of things well (mpg/performance/comfort/etc.), and is a nice size (compact but plenty of room) and is loaded with neat features. Combine a reasonable (for a new car) price, and the Honda badge, and not surprising it is selling well.

my wife found it comfortable and nice to drive, and it felt "right" to her coming out of an Odyssey. Honda may have lost their way a bit lately, but they still know how to do ergonomics (at least when they keep the button count down).