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

Mr_Shiftright

Oh, no! Real Life. Quick, hide the children!

PF_Flyer

stever said:

Oh, almost forgot. We saw a BMW i3 yesterday.

On a flatbed - appeared to be getting towed.

Saw an i3 back in State College a couple of weeks ago. It was working a bit better than that one

tifighter

I test drove the i3 when they landed on lots. It was a pretty fun car. I was 6 months too early for decent inventory and needed a car then. Otherwise, it could have happened.

Michaell

tifighter said:

I test drove the i3 when they landed on lots. It was a pretty fun car. I was 6 months too early for decent inventory and needed a car then. Otherwise, it could have happened.

Folks have been getting some insane lease deals on the i3 ... under $300/mo in some cases, for a car that retails north of $40K.

tifighter

Yeah that sounds pretty good. The lease on the Leaf is up in July so I'll be looking at all the options. With the 16 Leaf having more range and things like the Bolt just around the corner, BMW is going to have to get creative with the i3 to compete next year.

Happy BDay, BTW.

stickguy

I saw an i3 out driving around a few days ago too. still odd looking.

PF_Flyer

In Santa Monica, CA with MI plates, a Buick Cascada

Mr_Shiftright

Ah, a topless Verano but really an Opel Astra. Kinda merely adequate engine--I dunno. We've have to see what buyers say.

fintail

MI plates = test car, cool.

Today I saw another newly styled not boring! RX and although not new, the Kia K9 (yes I know) is worth mention.

stickguy

That buick could work for me in a few years. Though a turbo engine would be nice.

ab348

Why anyone buys a convertible with a black interior never ceases to amaze me.

tlong

fintail said:

MI plates = test car, cool.

Today I saw another newly styled not boring! RX and although not new, the Kia K9 (yes I know) is worth mention.

Fin, in the same post you mention a Kia and also an RX that you like the styling of?!!! WTF! Who has taken over fintail? Lol.

fintail

I never said I liked it just that it has more styling - which is a Lexus selling point these days. I am sure it is an excellent vehicle for its purpose, and will be as reliable as one can imagine.

Kia K900 will be a future once in a blue moon car, if it isn't already - I appreciate the obscure

tlong said:

Fin, in the same post you mention a Kia and also an RX that you like the styling of?!!! WTF! Who has taken over fintail? Lol.

Michaell

tifighter said:

Yeah that sounds pretty good. The lease on the Leaf is up in July so I'll be looking at all the options. With the 16 Leaf having more range and things like the Bolt just around the corner, BMW is going to have to get creative with the i3 to compete next year. Happy BDay, BTW.

Thanks. Not sure how much longer the i3 deals are gonna last

PF_Flyer

I just wish I had noticed it sooner BEFORE it was moving away from me. I coulda had a lot more angles on it.

PF_Flyer

Prowling around the streets of Santa Monica this morning looking for cars, but just the usual crop of run of the mill BMWs, Maseratis, Benz and Porsches. I was reduced to shooting alternate rental transportation

stever

Spotted this ride this morning at the beach.

stever

And a closer look.

According to the label on the window, this car is known to the state of California to cause various ailments.

Sandman6472

Have seen a few new Civic's at the Honda store where we have our Hertz kiosk. They have one in the showroom right now, locked up tight, an EX-L I think which stickers for over $30K...absolutely nuts!! They do have a $1495 appearance package which I'd just ignore personally. Just haven't come to terms with the look of it though. Like the dash and the single digital speedo but the outside looks a bit to transformerish, at least to my eyes. I've only owned one Honda, my 2006 LX, and still don't get the whole "Honda thing". It was an adequate vehicle, ran pretty well except for a few recalls and problems that were anything but "Hondaish". Corporate only stepped up and paid for half of those "issues" which left me a bit unhappy to say the least since I had always heard how bullet proof they were...mine certainly was not! Got rid of it with just under 47K on the clock two years back and don't miss it all that much to be honest.
The only Honda that interests me now is the HR-V but until they put knobs back on their infotainment systems, they will not see any of my greenbacks! There are just too many other better vehicles out there now to be honest. Honda should really be keeping their eyes on Hyundai/Kia as they are doing some amazing things with their vehicles. Honda, and Toyota for that matter, should keep a very very close eye!!

The Sandman

iluvmysephia1

sandman, wow, you are one of very few on Edmunds who understands the value proposition of Hyundai/Kia vehicles. The more I look at the 2016 Scion iA and the upcoming 2017 Mitsubishi Mirage re-design, the more I think I'll just hold with my 2011 Kia Soul base clear white 5-speed stick. I've had a really good record with all three of my Kia's. For the money paid and IMO the body design, Long-Haul Warranty and engineering, Kia's are hard ta beat. I prefer Kia styling over Hyundai styling or I would totally include Hyundai in my argument.

tjc78

stickguy said:

That buick could work for me

I don't think I'd ever see you write that!

tjc78

ab348 said:

Why anyone buys a convertible with a black interior never ceases to amaze me.

Yes, If I had a convertible it would certainly have to be light beige or light grey. Black would just be too hot.

stickguy

Not many reasonably priced, not too large convertibles available that also gave a back seat and decent trunk room.

Besides, it's really an Opel!

PF_Flyer

Lesson learned. I need to get the camera out of the bag before I hit the street. Went out to take a morning stroll before the flight out and had just started walking up the street when a car pulled away from the curb and was pulling a U-turn. Then it hit me, it wasn't making much noise! Until I could get the camera out, lens cap off and turned on, my "Tesla in the wild" had almost gotten away!


Coming out the the Edmunds company party, I saw this Volt and Leaf at the watering hole, fighting for sustenance

fintail

Tesla in the wild? Come to Seattle!

Mr_Shiftright

I see at least one a day on the road, some days 3 or 4. Fun car to drive if you get the chance.

texases

2 Teslas in my parking garage at work, in TX (no dealers) no less.

Michaell

I saw two the other morning on my way to breakfast!

Colorado has some of the highest incentives in the country for electric cars.

fintail

I might see 10 a day, no kidding. The novelty has worn off, the trickle down incentives, not so much.

Kind of on that idea, I saw an electric motorcycle this morning, kind of a pseudo-sport style. Those should have a Tesla incentive too.

tjc78

stickguy said:

Not many reasonably priced, not too large convertibles available that also gave a back seat and decent trunk room.

Besides, it's really an Opel!

I wonder how the last generation Solara Convertibles drive? I had a 2000 V6 Coupe and it was a fantastic car.

stever

I saw my first one in the wild leaving Santa Monica on I-10 this morning. It was in the HOV lane and I didn't have the camera handy. We passed it.

Also saw a nice black MB ES 350 (I think). It had these wheels:



Arrived in Palm Springs and have spotted another i3.

tlong

fintail said:

Tesla in the wild? Come to Seattle!

Or California!

tlong

I saw a CLA 250 Hatchback today. I didn't realize they came in a hatch - is that new? It was much better looking IMHO than the sedan; I had to take a closer look. I presume it's still kind of unimpressive like the sedan? Or is it generally though of in a better light?

texases

I think that's the GLA.

Michaell

texases said:

I think that's the GLA.

 The GLA is the mini CUV version of the CLA sedan 

fintail

Must have been a GLA. There's an A hatch and a CLA shooting brake, but neither are sold in USA or Canuckistan. Mexico does get the A hatch.

That reminds me, I saw a GLA45 AMG .

tlong

Thanks for the clarification guys.

iluvmysephia1

All this Tesla-talk has me thinking the $6,800 Elio Motors 84mpg rig. Under development for many years and pretty much struggling ta get off the ground, it'll freak thousands of people out if they actually get delivered to any of those who put money down on one. 3 Wheels of Fortune for ya there!

explorerx4

In the parking lot at work, a GLA and couple of RAV-4's.

PF_Flyer

fintail said:

I might see 10 a day, no kidding. The novelty has worn off, the trickle down incentives, not so much.

Kind of on that idea, I saw an electric motorcycle this morning, kind of a pseudo-sport style. Those should have a Tesla incentive too.

We've had electric motorcylces for the campus police here at Penn State for a while now

stever

iluvmysephia1 said:

All this Tesla-talk has me thinking the $6,800 Elio Motors 84mpg rig. Under development for many years and pretty much struggling ta get off the ground!

Low gas prices will kill them if nothing else. Even California gas is under $3 a gallon at lots of stations.

iluvmysephia1

Even California gas is under $3 a gallon at lots of stations.

That freaks me out!

laurasdada

No dearth of Teslas in the Boston area. And, leavin' on a jet plane tonight for LA. Hope to go to the Peterson. But, first, Frozen on Ice!

fintail

That's a maxi-scooter

I am pretty sure the one I saw was a "Zero", like this:



Cool, but ridiculously expensive compared to gasoline bikes.

PF_Flyer said:

We've had electric motorcylces for the campus police here at Penn State for a while now

ab348

Those electric bikes are a bit dangerous in that they make virtually no noise, so they can sneak up on other vehicles and pedestrians who are unaware of their presence. We've had a few accidents here attributed to that.

fintail

Or is the real problem vehicles and pedestrians not paying attention? Any bike should have headlights on while moving, so past that, someone else needs to take responsibility too. It touches on the "loud pipes save lives" theory, which isn't supported by any data.

Sandman6472

Saw a new 2016 Rav4 at the new rental car intake area yesterday. Liked the front and the alloys on the LE model. Was typical white rental car but they tweaked it nicely for this mid year refresh. Have liked all the Rav4's I've driven at work and they seem to be pretty popular down here in South Florida along with the Mazda CX-5, Hyundai Tucson and the Kia Sportage. For some unknown reason, cuv's are particularly popular down South here and hey, even I was bitten with the bug for a little more than a year back at the end of 2013 before I came back to my senses and went back down to a small vehicle.

The Sandman

iluvmysephia1

For some unknown reason, cuv's are particularly popular down South here and hey, even I was bitten with the bug for a little more than a year back at the end of 2013 before I came back to my senses and went back down to a small vehicle.

I agree, sandman. I am going to lightly research this new Mazda CX-3, mainly because I was really wanting their new Mazda 2 hatchback. And yes, that is exactly what the new CX-3 is. But I won't give Mazda $25,000 or over for the cool little hatchback. I do like how they designed the little zoom-zoomer.

But the larger rigs are for someone else, my rigs need ta be small, maneuverable rigs. Them are me favorites.

Mr_Shiftright

ab348 said:

Those electric bikes are a bit dangerous in that they make virtually no noise, so they can sneak up on other vehicles and pedestrians who are unaware of their presence. We've had a few accidents here attributed to that.

Those of us who ride BMW motorcycles are used to that stealth quality

Michaell

iluvmysephia1 said:

For some unknown reason, cuv's are particularly popular down South here and hey, even I was bitten with the bug for a little more than a year back at the end of 2013 before I came back to my senses and went back down to a small vehicle.

I agree, sandman. I am going to lightly research this new Mazda CX-3, mainly because I was really wanting their new Mazda 2 hatchback. And yes, that is exactly what the new CX-3 is. But I won't give Mazda $25,000 or over for the cool little hatchback. I do like how they designed the little zoom-zoomer.

But the larger rigs are for someone else, my rigs need ta be small, maneuverable rigs. Them are me favorites.

@iluvmysephia1 - I test drove the CX-3. It's not really large inside, but you do sit up higher than in a regular car.