Chronic Car Buyers Anonymous (Archived)

stickguy

well, over 50, got that covered. Far from 85 though!

Michaell

Quick trip to the Bay Area this week. This is my rental:



Fusion Hybrid. My first extended experience with a hybrid.

I'm pretty impressed. Have put about 100 miles on it so far, and its quiet and reasonably comfortable. I'm still getting used to the start/stop technology. I went into San Francisco for dinner last night and encountered major traffic.

I think I'm averaging 38MPG with mixed driving.

suydam

I really liked the one a friend of mine had. Good looking car too. I'm surprised the mpg isn't higher, given the city driving.

nyccarguy

Every time I enjoy driving my Prelude to work, I say to myself during the day:  "I drove stick every day for 9 years.  I could do it again with the right car."  Then reality hits when I have to take The Cross Bronx "Expressway" on the way home.

tjc78

The CBE may be the worst road in the US.   Schuykill Expressway through Philly is right up there too.   

roadburner

Mr_Shiftright said:

roadburner said:

stickguy said:

I am probably too old for the current Si (as I am sure my wife will remind me). I know I am too old for that atrocity (IMHO)! But as always, buy what you like, and YMMV

How old are you? 85?

Too old for that wing I think. No man over 50 should have to endure that box kite on his trunk.

stickguy was talking about an Si...
As forthe Type R, I almost bought a bright red STI, so the wing is a non issue. If the Type R was significantly faster than my 2er I'd consider it.

roadburner

nyccarguy said:

Every time I enjoy driving my Prelude to work, I say to myself during the day:  "I drove stick every day for 9 years.  I could do it again with the right car."  Then reality hits when I have to take The Cross Bronx "Expressway" on the way home.

It IS nice to lapse into geezer mode and let the ZF 8 speed auto to do the work when traffic gets heavy. Fortunately I don't run into much traffic congestion on my commute.

stickguy

tjc78 said:

The CBE may be the worst road in the US.   Schuykill Expressway through Philly is right up there too.   

I despise them both, and have way too much experience with each. Including commuting end to end on the Schuykill. But I still hate the CBE more. But doing it in a stick never bothered me really. Thankfully I don't daily commute any more so not an issue.

Michaell

As mentioned, went to dinner in SF last night. Had a vendor rep with me; he was doing the navigation. At first, we were being quoted 90 minutes for 33 miles on the 101. We managed to shave about 15 minutes off that time, but lord, SF city traffic was awful.

The fusion has less than 6000 miles on it; would the mileage get better as the engine breaks in?

corvette

Agree about SF traffic. It's best to walk or take Uber in that city! 

nyccarguy

This particular shot is traveling westbound on I-95 South (toward NJ).  It is uphill, not too far from the George Washington Bridge.  

stickguy

Been stuck here many times trying to get back to Jersey.

suydam

corvette said:

Agree about SF traffic. It's best to walk or take Uber in that city! 

If I drive there, I park it and take Uber the whole time.

stickguy

Poked around on toyota site. New Camry looks nice. Amazing MPG ratings. 203 HP now, and the nicer models are 28/39. hard to argue with that. A well equipped LE is even pretty cheap (about $26,500 including BLIS and moonroof Package). Only odd xclusion was no XM radio without adding an audio package to that.

Certainly more stylish too, in that modern Toyota design way. If it drives good (early tests say it does) should be a real winner. Next accord will have to step up its game.

Good for consumers. Play Toyota and Honda dealers off each other!

nyccarguy

While the traffic here in the NY/NJ/CT tri state area is bad, it pales in comparison to D.C. Metro Area, Northern CA, & Southern CA.

andres3

roadburner said:

stickguy said:

I am probably too old for the current Si (as I am sure my wife will remind me). I know I am too old for that atrocity (IMHO)! But as always, buy what you like, and YMMV

How old are you? 85?

I believe the 90+ year old in my former condo complex ended his life on a Toyota Camry Hybrid, which replaced a Sonata Hybrid, which replaced an Azera, which replaced a Buick. He'd get a new car every 2-3 years as his golden year perk, but man, he liked those old man cars.

andres3

roadburner said:

stickguy said:

I am probably too old for the current Si (as I am sure my wife will remind me). I know I am too old for that atrocity (IMHO)! But as always, buy what you like, and YMMV

How old are you? 85?

I believe the 90+ year old in my former condo complex ended his life on a Toyota Camry Hybrid, which replaced a Sonata Hybrid, which replaced an Azera, which replaced a Buick. He'd get a new car every 2-3 years as his golden year perk, but man, he liked those old man cars.

Mr_Shiftright

roadburner said:

nyccarguy said:

Every time I enjoy driving my Prelude to work, I say to myself during the day:  "I drove stick every day for 9 years.  I could do it again with the right car."  Then reality hits when I have to take The Cross Bronx "Expressway" on the way home.

It IS nice to lapse into geezer mode and let the ZF 8 speed auto to do the work when traffic gets heavy. Fortunately I don't run into much traffic congestion on my commute.

Oh you have to do the "third pedal heel rocker" maneuver, or the "1st gear creep"--making sure of course you have enough distance from the car in front of you. Having a soft, short-travel clutch pedal helps, too.

stickguy

My accord was perfect for it

Sandman6472

I remember that stretch driving up from the city to Westport and it could be brutal both ways but, ya'll really need to do the Miami to West Palm Beach run on I-95 some week day during rush hour. Just getting out of Miami is something especially when there's an accident. Took me almost 2 hours to go maybe 10 miles a few weeks back going from Miami to Hollywood...sheer hell!
Yes, driving in Miami is a real experience as no one uses a signal and folks just seem to speed up on ya if you do. Sheer chaos every day on the streets of Miami!!

The Sandman

nyccarguy

When I spoke to @xwesx on the phone before I went to go look at a used Forester for him, he couldn't believe it took me over 2 hours to drive 70 miles.

fintail

2 hours to drive 70 miles is 100% ordinary for a Seattle commute.

roadburner

Mr_Shiftright said:

roadburner said:

nyccarguy said:

Every time I enjoy driving my Prelude to work, I say to myself during the day:  "I drove stick every day for 9 years.  I could do it again with the right car."  Then reality hits when I have to take The Cross Bronx "Expressway" on the way home.

It IS nice to lapse into geezer mode and let the ZF 8 speed auto to do the work when traffic gets heavy. Fortunately I don't run into much traffic congestion on my commute.

Oh you have to do the "third pedal heel rocker" maneuver, or the "1st gear creep"--making sure of course you have enough distance from the car in front of you. Having a soft, short-travel clutch pedal helps, too.

I put a UUC Motorwerks "Big Boy" Clutch Stop in my Club Sport. It's amazing how much difference it makes...

roadburner

I love Alfas but...
The Alfa Romeo Giulia Is The Perfect Unreliable Italian Car We've Always Dreamed Of

Mr_Shiftright

fintail said:

2 hours to drive 70 miles is 100% ordinary for a Seattle commute.

Whoa! That's good time by Bay Area standards. (no, I'm not kidding).

Mr_Shiftright

roadburner said:

I love Alfas but...
The Alfa Romeo Giulia Is The Perfect Unreliable Italian Car We've Always Dreamed Of

Sad, really. Prior to Alfa being sucked under by Fiat, they made some of the very best cars in the world.

There's no excuse for this. It takes just as much time, money and labor to make a bad car as a good one.

stickguy

Ouch

fintail

It's the first 50 miles or so from home where you can make good time, but the remaining distance is the problem. A 15 mile commute from my office averages an hour or so.

Mr_Shiftright said:

Whoa! That's good time by Bay Area standards. (no, I'm not kidding).

tifighter

Mr_Shiftright said:

fintail said:

2 hours to drive 70 miles is 100% ordinary for a Seattle commute.

Whoa! That's good time by Bay Area standards. (no, I'm not kidding).

Yeah, I remember taking 90 minutes to go from Richmond to Emeryville on the 580. Which is maybe 10 miles tops. I don't miss that at all...

28firefighter

My commute from Ballard to Downtown (~6 miles) used to average 40 minutes but could spike to 1:15. Now I work from home and my commute takes about 2 minutes of dawdle too much with the secretary (dog). 

thebean

So, here's a hypothetical - would you let someone cut off one of your pinky toes (quick, like with a band saw) if you would never have to sit in traffic ever again?  I heard this on a sports talk show yesterday.  Since I'm retired and don't have to commute any more, I'll just keep my toe.  What say ye?  

xwesx

fintail said:

2 hours to drive 70 miles is 100% ordinary for a Seattle commute.

Fin, don't exaggerate! It is nothing close to normal for Seattle. You wouldn't make it that far in only two hours!

xwesx

thebean said:

So, here's a hypothetical - would you let someone cut off one of your pinky toes (quick, like with a band saw) if you would never have to sit in traffic ever again?  I heard this on a sports talk show yesterday.  Since I'm retired and don't have to commute any more, I'll just keep my toe.  What say ye?  

Depends! If it was *my* commute? No. I enjoy it; it's good down time for me. If it was anything like the horror some of you are describing? YES! Sign me up!

tjc78

No, because I would be the one in a thousand that something goes wrong and I get an infection, that spreads and I would loose 2/3 or my foot.  Anyway, even though I live in NJ my commute is a breeze completely against traffic flow.  

fintail

My hypothetical commute is living in Cle Elum, working in Bellevue

If you have to use 405, 167, or 5, all bets are off. For that, I use the 15 mph rule of thumb.

xwesx said:

Fin, don't exaggerate! It is nothing close to normal for Seattle. You wouldn't make it that far in only two hours!

Mr_Shiftright

maybe when I'm 85 and just riding around Walmart in an electric cart, then yeah, you could cut it off. But right now, I need my toes for balance.

tbirdmarco

@sandman_6472 nice nice that your wife had sutch nice fokes!

tbirdmarco

@graphicguy those forames everyone alwas gets so bent out of shape! did get in to back and forth in the past don't bother anymore. everyone hase there pointes of view and everyone likes what they like! as you no peapol are crazy! they used to attack me when told them that I am visually inpared how can you like cars. and attack me on my spelling there wher an few that are nice and came to my defence was on hear years ago forget witch bord was in love it in hear how we can have different pointes of you but we respect one another and all get along so whell!

tbirdmarco

@stickguy nice car you posted from ebay!

tbirdmarco

@xwesx agreed on that brand of car!

tbirdmarco

@breld nice type r will be in your garage soon!

tbirdmarco

@Michaell nice rental car have to look at one of those interesting!

tbirdmarco

man all these trafick storys glad don't drive! lol lol

tbirdmarco

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=h2MFN4cJZmw

tbirdmarco

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=hLnsOmMfWos

nyccarguy

Marcothecarguy1986 said:

man all these trafick storys glad don't drive! lol lol

That makes 2 of us!  Lol!  Although, you could probably do better than a percentage of the people behind the wheel (notice I didn't refer to them as drivers).

iluvmysephia1

Marcothecarguy1986, man, you know that Edmunds forums used ta be at times...umm...volatile! And human beings just are never gonna agree about everything.

Take mlb, for instance. The NY Yankees are a lot of people's favorite baseball team. Are they mine? 

Pfft. Give me a break. See what I mean? We know differing amounts about cars and we have different upbringings, and, we've all had different events happen to us and happen because of things we've done.

Where am I going with this, you probably wonder? You are more than welcome here. I like your enthusiasm for automobiles. I like your pics and vids posted. Don't worry about who doesn't like you or who opposes your spelling or choice of words. Just enjoy the Edmunds ride, man!

fintail

Hey Iluv, I found your car

iluvmysephia1 said:

Marcothecarguy1986, man, you know that Edmunds forums used ta be at times...umm...volatile!

corvette

marco, I like having you here, too, and appreciate your viewpoints!

roadburner

corvette said:

marco, I like having you here, too, and appreciate your viewpoints!

Ditto!