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Manufacturers: If you are reading this: I will HAPPILY exchange all of the electronic auto-dimming rear-view mirror crap (with 5 other useless buttons on it), for a whopping $5 worth of steel to raise the passenger seat!!!
'17 Chevy Volt Premiere
Correction - WE are more interesting in buying electronic gadgets with a car attached to it. Don't blame the mfrs - they're only building what we buy.
After loads of criticism, Ford is taking some of the touch out of MyFord Touch, its touch screen-based infotainment system.
It is restoring knobs to the controls, much as it has done all along in its F-150 trucks. The announcement comes two days before J.D. Power and Associates is due to announce its annual Initial Quality Survey, a closely watched industry measure. For the past two years, the survey has dramatically lowered Ford's ranking in overall quality, apparently largely because of the complicated and distracting infotainment system controls. Each time, Ford executives said they are fixing the problem.
Incidentally, while I appreciate the many safety features on my wife's Volvo, you need to take your eyes off the road for too many seconds to switch from FM, AM and Satellite
Ironically, Volvo was owned by Ford until 2 years ago ( as part of their Premier Automotive Group, which lost Ford mega $). Perhaps your wife's Volvo has a similar system? (just a guess).
I really like the way my dash is laid out. It is canted toward the driver and all of the controls are intuitive. Especially the radio. Everything works as it should, and you don't need the manual to pair your smartphone. The USB, I-pod (aux line in) and power ports are just where you would want them, with a little tray underneath to securely place your phone.
Speaking of the phone, the hands free voice activated system is awesome. The controls are on the steering wheel, along with toggles for the radio volume, source, and tuning.
Also, Pandora streams perfectly, and the radio automatically sets it as a secondary AUX source if you already have a thumb drive in the USB port. In other words, it has everything you could ever want out of a radio except good rear bass response, which I fixed with a $200 Infinity powered sub. Since the upper trim Optima's come with a factory Infinity sub, I liked the idea of keeping it as close to stock as I could in name at least. Satellite radio has 24 presets as we have discussed before. I listen to it when it is free, but feel no need to pay them for "80's heavy metal that I already have on my thumb drive. Also, my kids love thumbing through the music with the simple to use knob, getting from Audioslave to Zappa in about 5 seconds. :shades:
Enough out of me.
All of these cars had grey interiors, with the pictures suggesting the look a feel of a 94 Pontiac Grand Am.
Case in point, the new Impala's interior looks great (to me) in black and tan, but awful in grey. I am just not a grey guy I guess.
What do you guys like, and why?
For the last 10+ years, I've had Black interior in my cars. Before that, I had and Accord with Dark Blue interior and another Accord with 'Brown-Red' as Honda called it.
I've never liked tan/beige interior until recently. My 2012 Mazda CX-9 is the first car I've ever had with a beige interior. Mazda calls it "Sand" and the seats are two-tone leather. The dashboard and top of the door panels is a darker brown with the lower portion being the same 'Sand' color as the seats. But the carpet is Black, which I definitely like. The light-colored carpet and sea of bland beige was what I hated about light colored interiors for so long.
On the Hyundai Sonata Limited, if you choose Shimmering White or Midnight Black for the exterior, you can choose WINE for the interior color. It's hideous and I doubt they're selling many, but it's available....
'17 Chevy Volt Premiere
Any help appreciated.
I have 4 cars in the family fleet now (just added a 2005 Mazda6i Sport hatch), two are what would be considered "mid-sized" (although all are mid-sized per EPA interior specs) and the rundown is:
* Elantra GT: black dash + medium grey (leather)
* Mazda6: Black, but with faux aluminum on dash and white contrast on the seats, so not as dour as all black.
* Sentra S: Black dash, light grey cloth.
* Sonata GLS: Black dash and trim, light tan seats
See it, and the location of the probe here: http://www.justanswer.com/car/0isch-2006-sonata-outside-temperature-degrees-the-- - climate-control-work.html
However, you can just disconnect the battery to reset it, and see if it will work properly afterward before spending any $$$ FYI.
I had a 92 Saturn SL2 that was fully loaded with tan interior, and it was really nice for the time too, but the dash was just solid tan plastic. Not a soft touch to be found, but hey...it was a Saturn. Lol. Last GM I ever had. Bad valve seals were causing it to burn 2 quarts of oil a month, and GM wouldn't fix it as it was "within tolerances". This meant I could produce a black smokescreen at will, like James Bond, but in a not so glamorous way. More like a broke kid putting himself through community college kind of way.
I also had a 94 Ford SHO that had grey leather interior, my least favorite part of the car. It was really nice for it's time, especially since I got it for $2000 and everything worked. It was really really fast for a 3200 lb sedan.
http://mazdausa.com/MusaWeb/displayPage.action?pageParameter=modelsMain&vehicleC- ode=M6G&campId=17129&providertag=mazdamedia&servicetag=M6G_RET_NATL#
My 2002 Explorer Eddie Bauer is kind of a light coffee with medium butter color seat inserts.
Prior to that was my 1992 SHO, which had a mocha/light coffee combo.
I am one who also likes brown and dark brown hue's in an interior as well. Basically, if it isn't totally grey or black I am happy.
Do you have the 6 speed stick or the auto? BTW, the SX is listed at $17k fully loaded with Navi etc.
The Azera has a unique and very attractive Chestnut Brown interior option with some exterior colors. It also offers Camel and Graphite Black interior.
The new Santa Fe Limited has Beige, Gray, Black and Black/Saddle interior choices. The Monaco White and Becketts Black exterior offer all four options. The Black/Saddle is very upscale looking. The Santa Fe Sport 2.0T also has all four including the Saddle (in leather only).
The Elantra GT has a Blue interior color option, but it is only available with the $2750 Style Package.
At any rate the only thing that happened was the mileage indicators in the speedometer "zero-ed" out, but nothing else happened, even the presets for the radio stayed. So unfortunately, did the higher temperature, indicating a reading of 119 degrees, in the area of 80-82 degrees.....so I guess without driving it around to see if anything changes that what I did didn't solve my problem, but this tsb may work for the shop people, even if it is $$$$ which I may not even bother with unless it is affecting the operation someway. I will let you know what happens.
Again thanks. van
2013 Kia Rio5 SX = MSRP 17,900. Invoice = $17,070
Now, when I selected "price with options", just to be sure Edmund's wasn't quoting a stripper, all the options listed were for little stuff they gave me for free anyway, like floor mats, cargo tray, and a cargo net.
Here is the Edmunds link:
http://www.edmunds.com/kia/rio/2013/options.html?sub=hatchback&style=200419057
BTW, the SX is listed at $17k fully loaded with Navi etc.
Fully loaded with Navi, and floor mats (I don't know about you, but I gotta have floor mats), the MSRP is $21,115.
Now, I was a math major in college, so I am pretty sure that $21,115 is NOT equal to, or anywhere close to, $17k.
http://www.edmunds.com/kia/rio/2013/options.html?sub=hatchback&style=200419057
However, you can get the SX base, nicely equipped, for $17,900 with the automatic and a touch screen Microsoft UVO infotainment system, and then buy a Garmin Navi for $50 at Walmart. That's what I would buy!
At least familiarize yourself with the procedure AND the price of the temp probe, so that your local shop doesn't try to tell you they have to take the whole engine out or some other nonsense.
I think there is a a repair forum here on Edmund's, and maybe that would be a more appropriate venue on repairdiscussions and info. FYI
van-lightfootfl
Good luck on Mazdas!
I'm just basing this off my my personal experience with people I work with. The lady with a camry...purchased another camry...The guy with the 15 year old Accord wants another accord. It doesn't matter that 15 years has seen a huge shift in vehicles; he doesn't even want to test drive to compare competing models...just go with what he knows. The VW guy bought a new VW (Passat TDI...pretty nice), the Hyundai lady is looking at a new Hyundai...
btw, that 15 year old Accord has horrible NVH and power compared to anything new.
If it had been available when I bought my Optima, I might have bought it. Really.
We ended up with the mid-level 6, no navigation package. She really wanted a sunroof, but unfortunately could not get it at that trim level. Almost a problem, but didn't want to move up to the next level at a $5,000 jump in cost since it wasn't worth it to us. Although the touch screen is small compared to other makes, simply having a back up camera screen is amazing since we never had one in any of our older cars. Image is very clear and surprisingly works well in dim light. The month before we bought the 6, we were given a Garmin Nuvi with the lane assist function and grew to really like the unit. Not having the built in Tom Tom unit in the 6 was not a big deal to us.
So far we love the car both for its performance and the incredible way it looks. Actually hit 37mpg on the highway to NC last weekend (not even broken in yet). Note that this was calculated and not an instantaneous reading. City driving gets about 29mpg, but I think my wife takes the Zoom Zoom thing to heart!
Oh well.
Regarding our black pleather, I was pushing for the ivory color (lighter and not as heat absorbent), but wife didn't like the color. Since they are 100% synthetic, I would expect that it could be easily washed and wear well (I hope). So far, they seem to be holding up, but of course the car is still new. They seating surfaces don't seem to get as hot as leather and appear to be more sticky and not as slippery as leather. I never liked the feel of sliding out of your seat when braking. These almost feel like a brushed suede or micro fiber. I can tell you that they don't breathe as well as cloth, since I still feel like I stick to them during our humid VA summers, especially with shorts and t-shirts. I know that leather that is not treated often eventually dries out in time and cracks along the bolsters. I guess time will tell if it holds up.....
I'm not really a fan of the VW "pleather" as it seems to feel rubbery to me. Maybe after some use it smooths out some but it seemed like they could be very sticky in the summer. Are you familiar with the VW stuff and how it compares to the Mazda? I guess I just need to get to a Mazda dealer and check those seats out. I do wish you could get the touring version with cloth seats though.
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
Besides my BMW, I've got a 2001 Honda Prelude Type SH (bought new in April 2002) with 149K+ on the clock and my wife's 2011 Honda Pilot EX-L w/ Navigation (bought new in May 2011) with over 37K on the odometer. If I end up shopping in the Mid Sized Sedans category, I might take a look at the Mazda 6, but would most likely end up with an Accord Sport. Although I do with Honda would offer a sunroof & lane watch with the Sport. I just know what makes Hondas "tick" and how they are supposed to drive. The dealer where I service the Pilot (Honda of Westport, CT) couldn't be better. I don't want to write anything else off before a test drive, but this does seem inevitable.
2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2022 Wrangler Sahara 4Xe, 2023 Toyota Tacoma SR 4WD
I have 2 Acuras at the moment (down from 3 as of a week ago!), but when we were looking to replace the Odyssey last year, I was never expecting to get another Honda product. Just ended up being what the wife wanted (and good thing she still loves it, and goes out of her way to mention it quite often, because my wallet still hurts...). the other one is my son's TL that was a family "inheritance" .
when he finally gets a job and can get a new car, it could be another Acura (no chance a Honda). But, quite possibly not. And the Integra was just a used car I happened to stumble upon (not at all planned)
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
'17 Chevy Volt Premiere
This is a very competitive segment for sure & there is no clear "winner." I'll do more narrowing down at the NY Auto Show next year, then put a more definitive short list together.
I'm actually parked next to a relatively basic fusion (small wheels, no sunroof) & peeked inside to check out the interior. Looks very well designed & laid out.
2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2022 Wrangler Sahara 4Xe, 2023 Toyota Tacoma SR 4WD
2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2022 Wrangler Sahara 4Xe, 2023 Toyota Tacoma SR 4WD
What I find a bit discouraging so far, in the relatively few posts that have replied on the topic, that no one (until now), has mentioned exercising any form of boycott of the brand that has cost them the most grief in the past. My guess is that all of us have probably had difficulty at some point in time or another even with our favourite brand...but that surely over the years a brand or two/three etc stands out as being the one that left such a negative long-lasting memory that the only way the little guy can fight back and try to keep some of these brands (some, who seem to exhibit almost a type of effrontery towards their brand) in check, is to take the boycott to a new and sustained level. One with conviction. I did this with Ford since my 3 short year experience with an 88 F150 whose (among other issues) paint fell off very prematurely. Ford did not do the fair and non-rocket-science right thing and basically called my bluff. I had spent so much money with them over the years (one purchase was a $90+k heavy truck in 84) that when confronted with a scenario of gross unfairness (and utter stupidity on their part), pure principle entered the equation.
The reason I said I was discouraged at the beginning of this post, is that if people don't stand up to what is right and wrong, then the manufacturers discover they can get away with unfair business practice and only end up correcting wrongs when forced or pressed against the wall to do so, either legally or after much exasperation of the consumer.
Some random examples:
- Honda's (Acura) auto trans in Odyssey etc
- Honda's ill-designed (for longevity) A/C in CRVs
- Ford's leaky head gaskets on all 3.8 litre V6
- Ford's auto tran in many models...Taurus, Aerostar, etc etc
- Ford's faulty paint
- GM's faulty paint
- GM's leaky plastic intake manifolds
- Subaru's leaky head gaskets..altho to be fair..I think Sube stepped up 3x quicker/easier than many other brands would have
- Subaru's weak A/C and sound systems
- Mazda's rust on early to mid Proteges
- Nissan's brittle exhaust manifolds on V6s..altho again...like Sube, did step up quicker than some
- Hyundai/Kia auto tran in Santa Fe/Sorrento
- Toyota's sludge issues V6 and others
- Chrysler's sludge issues on 2.7 V6
- Chrysler's infamous 318 V8 oil burners
- Chrysler's infamous 4 sp auto tran issues
etc etc etc