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

kyfdx · July 2005

The new one.. starting to see more of these.. IMO, much more pleasing to the eye than the Accord and Camry.. Exactly opposite of before...

Still... wouldn't buy one with your money.

bumpy · July 2005

I've seen a LaCrosse or three...probably more, but until last week I didn't know how to tell it apart from the flotilla of oval-grilled LeSabres and Park Avenues favored by the local chapter of the Cataract Squad (the LaCrosse has bug-eye foglights inboard of the regular headlights).

ateixeira · July 2005

I dunno, I think in profile it looks like a Camry and from the rear it looks like an Accord. The resemblance almost seems intentional.

I like the front view the best, that hood is well shaped.

-juice

kyfdx · July 2005

I don't see the resemblence from the rear... The Accord butt is... well butt-ugly..

I think the Sonata is a big improvement over that... and a big improvement over the old model... Before, they reminded me of the Kias and old Daewoos.... Copying the Camcords, but somehow coming off looking cheap..

Now, it looks like it could actually be a Honda or Toyota.. which, overall, is a good thing....

Still.. not on my short list... maybe some other list that starts with sh....

regards,
kyfdx

ateixeira · July 2005

Both have tail lights that look like they are upside down. That's what I noticed.

It looks OK overall, just kinda conservative.

The 2004 Sonata was the most reliable car on the CR survey. They've come a long way.

-juice

kyfdx · July 2005

While I hold CR's survey results in high regard... An '04 is a car that is less than two-years-old and is still in warranty..

I tell everyone my wife's BMW has been very reliable, and only left her stranded one time... but, the maintenance is free, and the dealer gives me a loaner.. When I really stop and think about it, it has about five times the average problems of the Accords she used to drive...

I think Hyundai will need about ten years of Honda-like reports to sway me towards it... The price advantage isn't as large as it used to be...

I try to keep an open mind...... If the '04 Sonatas still have good surveys in '09, I might change my tune..

regards,
kyfdx

ateixeira · July 2005

That's all Hyundai needs, IMO. In five years' time they would have shed their old image.

-juice

davem2001 · July 2005

I'm very impressed with the looks of the '06 Sonata but I'm still not 100% convinced of their long term quality/reliability/resale value, etc... I don't want to be the first on my block to buy one.....Maybe when it's time to get a new car later this decade...I have an open mind about it.... I'm not really a "loyalist" or "fanatic" about any particular brand.

lemmer · July 2005

It kind of reminds me of when a new Galant came out around 1999. I think it was C&D who had a Galant V6 beating a 4cyl Camry, 4cyl Accord, and everything else in a comparison test. A lot of people thought the Galant was better looking, too.

And consumers said "OK" and continued to buy Camry and Accords.

The new Sonata looks pleasant to me, almost if they took a mold of an Accord and revised the areas that were getting complaints. I would buy one with kyfdx's money, but not with my own. I would have to drive it myself, as my wife would not drive even a free Hyundai.

kyfdx · July 2005

Well... if you have to buy one with my money, then you are out of luck, as I don't have any....

However, if you want to use my credit, you could, unfortunately, buy a 911 Turbo...

I'm always on the edge... One little attack of CCBA syndrome, and I'm only six months away from bankruptcy...

davem2001 · July 2005

The new Sonata looks pleasant to me, almost if they took a mold of an Accord and revised the areas that were getting complaints.

I'd agree with that - what I don't like about the Accord is the nose, with the upside down headlights (the turn signals above the headlights)... The Sonata fixes that with it's Audi A4 nose.

jaserb · July 2005

The first one I've seen outside the dealer's lot. Pretty sharp looking little peoplemover - if we didn't already have an MPV we'd give it serious consideration. It's hard to move down once you're used to the extra space, though.

-Jason

jcat707 · July 2005

Today while driving on the freeway, I saw a silver Lincoln Zephyr. I didn't like the taillights on the back and it looked kind of small but look okay to me.

fintail · July 2005

Today I spotted a Range Rover Sport. I don't see where the "sport" is, it looks like a 4/5ths scale Range Rover. But I don't see the "sport" in most any SUV.

But here's the good one...a mile or so later, I pull into the gas station I always use, and pulling out of it is a FERRARI ENZO. I'd never seen one in person. It really looks like a F1 car compared to all the SUVs and minivans on the road. It's a car that cost as much as a house even here.

kyfdx · July 2005

Enzo.. an amazing spotting..

I thought the Range Rover Sport was just a supercharged Range Rover... I don't think it is a smaller vehicle, is it? (not that I follow Range Rovers).

Yesterday... on the way home.. E55 AMG.. I'm starting to think Cincinnati is the AMG capital of the world...

regards,
kyfdx

fintail · July 2005

I know that Enzo was my best new car sighting. I was stunned. It looked like something from another planet.

The Range Rover Sport has to be different...the rear greenhouse is more angled. It looks smaller. Probably not pricewise anyway.

I saw a CLS55 AMG last weekend. I'd rather have an E.

jcat707 · July 2005

The Range Rover Sport is a smaller and slightly cheaper version of the regular Range Rover. Also, this morning I saw an orange G6 coupe for the first time. It looks good to me. It reminds me of the Honda Accord coupe.

ghulet · July 2005

....in the past week, I've seen the following:

Audi A3 five-door, silver, pretty loaded (fancy upgraded alloys, mirror-mounted turning indicators), very nice looking, not much smaller than an A4 Avant

Bentley Continental GT, in a strange kind of bright cobalt blue (I think this is the third Continental I've seen, though)

Maserati Quattroporte, charcoal gray with saddle tan interior, sitting in a valet lot in the Loop on a weekday

Maserati coupe (can't remember the name), also gray with tan interior, really didn't look too special, parked on Dearborn (I don't know if I could park a $100k car on the street if I had one; it's probably a good thing I don't, eh?)

derrado1 · July 2005

The Range Rover Sport is based on the Discovery platform... but with Range Rover looks. I only found out the other day, I kept wondering why a sportier version would cost LESS.

I'm not sure it's the greatest idea though. Ignoring the rakish glass at the back, it looks exactly like a normal Range Rover. It's like the red-headed stepchild.

nace818 · July 2005

A couple of days ago I spotted a new Mercedes CL500 I think it was. It's the swoopy one, the best way I can describe it It was so FINE! Dark blue with a tan leather interior,plus it was the AMG version. If I had a car this fine, I would be afraid to drive it because it might get dinged. I stopped at my local dealer to price one,way out of my league at $104,000.

fintail · July 2005

Must have been a CLS55...but I don't know about the price. They should be well under 100K, unless it had some odd performance upgrades.

I saw a yellow Elise today. They ae becoming a regular sight in this area

lemko · July 2005

...black 2006 Dodge Charger...pulled over by the Philadelphia Police Highway Patrol! I guess he couldn't resist trying out that Hemi!

ateixeira · July 2005

Already collecting tickets, eh?

Saw a couple of Mustangs, a Freestyle, some Avalons. The usual suspects.

-juice

lemmer · July 2005

I saw one of those yesterday. I don't really have an opinion on their looks. When I saw Chargers back in the day, I just thought of them as big cars with big V8s. I don't think I really even noticed that they were two-doors until the Duke boys started driving them. I see the new Charger and see a big car with a big engine, so what is all the fussing about doors about?

I saw two new Lincoln pick-em-ups. I don't get that at all.

ateixeira · July 2005

Also saw a new STS. Actually I thought I'd spotted my first Fusion out on the road, but it was the STS.

-juice

anythngbutgm · July 2005

Spent a week in London (standing on the steps of the Hotel Russell an hour before the bus blew up in front of it :surprise: ) and 2 weeks driving around Ireland.

Not much in Ireland but in London I saw probably a dozen Bentley GT's a few hot looking TVR's, Aston Martin's (my faves) aplenty. Peugot, Ford, MB own the market there, literally. They are everywhere, especially the Benzes... Toyota is pretty popular with the Avensis, Audi has a strong prescence and BMW does pretty well. But on the outskirts of London (we took a tour bus out of town) every other vehicle was a Vauxhal Vectra or Ford Mondeo. BTW, there is a Mondeo ST220 which is smokin hot, really nice car. I even caught a gorgeous '67 Mustang Fastback in Blue driving by B. Palace. There were a few Citroen's, Honda Accords (TSX) and CRV's and Mini's are very popular. All in all, London a was pretty cool place to see cars that we don't get here in the states

Side note, we rented a Toyota Avensis 4D4 (2.0 diesel) with a stick and I was quite impressed. Plenty of pep moving such a big car around and it returned 53 mpg!!! I am totally sold on the idea of diesels, this one was excellent. Had a little bit of Diesel patter on idle, but moving along it was unobtrusive and very smooth in operation. And the Avensis itself was a pretty nice vehicle IMO. A bit too much vehicle for the tiny Ireland roads, but a comfortable cruiser (when you could).

davem2001 · July 2005

Isn't that the car that the Scion tC is based on?

anythngbutgm · July 2005

It was a pretty big car, about the size of a Camry. Had a bit of style as well (for a yota) Drove really nicely and I probably could have parked my S2000 in the boot of the thing!!!

davem2001 · July 2005

It's smaller than the USA Camry, (just like the Euro Accord is smaller than the USA Accord)...I'm pretty sure reading somewhere that the Avensis "platform" is the basis for the Scion tC

andys120 · July 2005

what the plural of Prius is (Priuses? Pruisi? :confuse: ) because all of a sudden they are everywhere, I see at least three or four on my 20 mile drive to/from work and I even saw a first gen car today.

Funny thing is, I live in an exurban area where there isn't much advantage in gas mileage for hybrids over an efficient gas-powered car (they're relatively best in stop-and-go city traffic).

PF_Flyer · July 2005

Prius is like moose and deer, the plural is that same as the singular... at least according to an article I found.
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=10000080&sid=asahuwSpo4XA&refer=asia

"...The carmaker sold 8,200 Prius last year. "

teds1 · July 2005

A couple of good odd one's recently:
Weirdest was an Alpina 7 series (previous body style) right hand drive in the middle of manattan

SLR Mclaren, just the back end turning a corner

Quattroporte in my neighborhood owned by a artsy looking guy in his late twenties (just not the demographic I imagined for them)

Range Rover Sport, which looked nice I guess but performance SUVs are stupid... there really shouldn't be any debate on this

nice 80's M6 one of my all time faves

a couple of Maybachs ( I work on Park avenue)

A ton of bentley GTs and cls mercs, only one AMG cls 55 though

and this morning the A6 wagon which was stunning. what a good looking car just wait till you see it. Best looking vehicle out of all the above... seriously

fintail · July 2005

NYC must be a great high end spotting town

ateixeira · July 2005

* new Mustang
* 2 BMW 3 series
* Jetta
* black Tribeca

-juice

ghulet · July 2005

....Mercedes SLK 280? I'm almost sure, I was walking by it and it was parked, but I didn't think any 280s were sold here; I was under the impression that we'd either have the SLK 230 or SLK 320 (or both).

guss · July 2005

going in the opposite direction. At first I thought it was an MPV, until I see it from behind and it has the tuner tail lights. Nobody puts metallic tail lights on an MPV.

Alot nicer than I thought it would be.

jcat707 · July 2005

Today I saw a new Jeep Commander (about the third one that I've seen), an Escape Hybrid, and the new Acura RL.

ateixeira · July 2005

On the way to work today.

Also saw a Lexus GS on the way home yesterday, much improved styling over the old car.

Commander? I've only seen those at the auto shows.

5 looks sharp, doesn't it? You can get a manual tranny in a people mover, finally.

-juice

merc1 · July 2005

No more SLK320 and 230, as a matter of fact there are no more 4-cylinder MBs sold in the U.S. anymore from the 2006 model year onward. The SLK now comes in 280 and 350 guise. The 280 is a 228hp 3.0L V6 and the 350 is a 268hp 3.5L V6.

M

fintail · July 2005

I've heard that 350 is a fairly sweet unit, too.

Good riddance to those rough 4cyl cars.

lemko · July 2005

...silver Buick Terrazza - the first one I've seen outside the dealership.

merc1 · July 2005

Good riddance to those rough 4cyl cars.

Amen to that!

M

fintail · July 2005

That reminds me...when the current C class came out, I went and looked at the first one the dealer had. This guy was somehow anxious to get me into it (it was purple! puke) although I was still in school and couldn't really buy any new car, and he went and started it for me. It was that 4cyl unit, and it sounded very bad. I actually asked him if it had an exhaust manifold leak.

merc1 · July 2005

Yeah I remember that color, it was called Amethyst. I didn't hate it, but I wouldn't a Benz in that color either. I too was shocked to hear the I4 for the first time in the C as well as the original SLK230. Sounded like a John Deere.

M

jcat707 · July 2005

I agree about the original 2.3 liter four cylinder but the newer 1.8 liter used in the 2003 and up C-Class vehicles sounds and feels alot better.

fintail · July 2005

That's good to know. I honestly felt that old unit was embarrassing. It should remain in strippo non-NA markets in cars with cloth interiors and no amenities.

MB makes some excellent 6s and over the past 15 years some world class V8s...but that 4 was just not a premium product.

ateixeira · July 2005

I was about the say the same thing.

Also, I've driven this engine back-to-back with the 240 (2.6l V6) and much preferred the supercharged 4. It was not related to the old 2.3l S/C unit, and a whole lot smoother. I'm sad to see it go, actually.

The SLK350 is a hoot, plenty fun and fast. In fact I'm sure the SLK280 is more than adequate, but I haven't sampled that engine yet.

-juice

teds1 · July 2005

Last night I saw an Orange Murcielago on a trailer go by on amsterdam avenue... just stunning. We have a lot of nice cars in NYC but no Lambos that I've ever seen... It had New Hampshire plates "7seven7," which seemed odd to me. One would think California or Florida with a car like that

andys120 · July 2005

It's only about the third I've seen in 6 months (including a Canadian variant) , they're rally not selling well.

rcc8179 · July 2005

I saw a silver Chevy HHR on the way to work this morning. The front-end looked like a miniature version of the squared-off GM minivan front end, and it had a huge Silverado-sized bow tie in the middle of the back liftgate (just in case you didn't realize it's not a PT Cruiser). I didn't care for it, but then I am not a GM fan.

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

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