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My major issue now is that I often try to depress the clutch pedal when coming to a stop, but only at toll booths or when I'm going through the security checkpoint on the way into work. Must be due to the fact that I am usually concentrating on getting change together or pulling out my badge at the time.
What's bad about this is that the "clutch" pedal that my left foot finds is really the left edge of that wide brake pedal you get on auto cars. So, I think I'm depressing the clutch but instead I slam on the brakes! Talk about confusing!
Patti: sounds familiar! I bet your husband would have been OK with the WRX if you just brought it home, and said "too bad, here it is", go have fun. I can't imagine anyone who would say no to that, especially after it's too late!! I used a similar tactic when I bought an iBook for my wife -- I brought it home, endured about 15 minutes of "I can't believe you spent all that money", and then watched her fall in love with it. Now, she uses it all the time, it's become indispensible in the kitchen for recipes and stuff, and I am the computer hero of the house! Well, that's my warped perception of it anyway . . . . she probably still thinks I am a knucklehead.
Craig
Another solution: 5 speed automatics. Give them a tall 5th gear for ultra-high mpg on the highway. GM uses that trick, and some 3.8l engines get 31mpg highway EPA (not real world).
Wife's car just got back from the shop. The whining was not the same axle again, it was the left front wheel hub and wheel bearing. $820 later it's back on the road.
Gotta say, I'm sort of disappointed in her 626. It was good for about 5 years, then we had the fuel system problem ($500), then the O2 sensor and axle boot at the same time ($720), and now the hub and bearing ($820). That's over $2 grand in repairs in the last 2 years. Not good.
-juice
Bob
http://www.bonforums.com/jaguar/jag_typexeditorial.htm
Bob
http://www.edmunds.com/news/autoshows/articles/48583/page035.html
Ken
This is of course my opinion only!
Jim
I noticed the how the names Expedition, Excursion, and Escalade are quite similar to "excess", so that's been my nickname for any of these road hogs.
Craig
Jim
Jim
Yes, for most people it's (still) too large, but for those who do need a full-size SUV, this should be on their short list of vehicles to look at.
Bob
But using FWD in a Jag will be a huge mistake. It's like selling your soul for short-term profits. Just make a bunch of them with no options, at $30k it's a strong value (though a bit tight inside).
Expeditions are really popular around me. One of my wife's friends has one, and she fits the stereotype perfectly. Soccer mom, 2 kids, never goes off road, never uses 4WD, and has damaged it 3 times while parking by braille.
But Ford is merely selling what people want to buy. And making it more car-like is what owners want. Power folding side mirrors (a la Trooper) would have prevented 2 of the 3 "accidents" she had.
-juice
-juice
Ross
-juice
:-) :-) :-) :-)
AN had an article on what Lutz is doing, but lots of it involves cost cutting. He said he'd get rid of things like vanity lights, power outlets in the rear, and nicer carpeting. I'm not sure if that'll do anything besides cut costs.
I guess if they put that money on better powertrains and stonger structures, OK.
-juice
The new VW SUV will be called the "Tuareg", which must be the ugliest name I've ever heard. Half Tuarus, half regular? Are they kidding?
Apparently it's some nomadic tribe in the Sahara, but Colorado was a much better name.
-juice
PS One DCX exec hinted that the Chrysler Crossfire would be under $50 grand. Are they nuts? Try $30 grand. Isn't it supposed to compete with the TT?
It may be the hottest seller in the Sahara, not so sure how it will fly in Des Moines. VW seems to have a thing for the Sahara; the (VW) Scirocco is the name for a warm gentle desert breeze.
Bob
Oops, that's right, VWs are supposed to be softer, to compete with M-B, not BMW (Audi does that).
What a goofy name, though. Check out the Forester topic for a few 2003 sketches that look, um, interesting.
-juice
H6 availability is definitely a step in the right direction for Subaru. Maybe they won't mess up like they did with the Baja. There's hope!
--Bart
Sorry, just couldn't resist.
Jim
H6 would be cool, I just hope they offer it with a manual tranny. I'd even settle for a 5 speed auto at this point.
And hurry it up, before the 626 breaks again!
-juice
see http://biz.yahoo.com/rf/020115/t76784_1.html
"Tuesday January 15, 1:27 am Eastern Time
Fuji Heavy sees 2002 sales up 1.6%, to make hybrids
TOKYO, Jan 15 (Reuters) - Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd , the maker of Subaru cars, said on
Tuesday it expected global sales to total 580,000 units in 2002, up 1.6 percent from
2001, as a revamped model boosts sagging sales in Japan.
Fuji Heavy, 20 percent owned by General Motors Corp (NYSE:GM - news), also
said it plans to develop and begin selling environmentally friendly hybrid vehicles
by March 2006 as part of a new mid-term business plan set to be unveiled this
May.
The maker of rugged all-wheel-drive vehicles expects its overall sales, including 660cc
minivehicles, in Japan to fall 0.9 percent to 287,000 vehicles in 2002. But it forecast
sales in the more profitable registered vehicle segment, which excludes minivehicles, to
rise 8.1 percent.
Fuji Heavy President Kyoji Takenaka said he believed a revamped version of the Forester
sports utility vehicle set for release in February would help boost sluggish domestic sales
and push U.S. sales past last year's record-high level.
``This year we will be introducing our long-awaited model changes...and despite all the
tough numbers coming out about the condition of the domestic and foreign markets, we
are forecasting (around) two percent growth,'' he told a news conference.
Fuji Heavy expects 2002 U.S. sales to rise 2.2 percent to around 190,000 vehicles from
2001, when they posted record sales of 185,944 units.
The maker of Legacy station wagons in November cut its group operating profit forecast
by 17 percent for the year to March to 70 billion yen ($531 million) due to concerns
about a price war in the U.S. market.
The company said Subaru of America, which accounts for about two-thirds of its group
global auto profits, said it planned to offer sales incentives of around $850 in 2002,
compared with $784 last year.
The automaker did not say how many hybrids it would develop and for which
models, but said it was interested in developing hybrid versions for vehicles of all
sizes.
Hybrid cars are powered by a small gasoline engine and an electric motor.
Fuji Heavy would be following Japanese rivals such as Toyota Motor Corp and Honda
Motor Co Ltd , which have been aggressively developing the fuel-efficient vehicles as
demand for them rises worldwide in the face of tighter environmental rules...."
The Kernel
GO ENOVA SYSTEMS!!!
190k sales forecast seems pretty optimistic. The market overall will be way down. Note they said incentives would increase - I had mentioned they would bring back the $750 incentive again, maybe more.
That bodes well for the LL Bean buyers. I doubt it would apply to the Forester, unless it's left over 2002 models.
-juice
RDX: stands for RiDiculuX. If the 2.4l can make 200hp, why does the CR-V settle for 160? Put the 6 speed clutchless tranny in something.
Rendezvous Touring: isn't the Buick a raised minivan to begin with? So, you lower it again, and you end up where you started! The engine is coarse and needs more power, but a S/C will only make it more coarse. It needs the smoother 3.8l to replace the 3.4l, not a S/C.
Cien: looks cool. Only the C-pillar isn't well sorted out, but I like it.
Bel Air: I don't get it. The front looks exactly like a Suzuki Esteem, especially the headlights. Retro styling is OK, but do people really want a column shifter and a bench seat? Also, the 3.5l would make 224hp scaled down from the Blazer's engine (proportionally), and the turbo boost button is silly. Who wouldn't rig it so that it's down all the time?
Pacifica: grew on me a little since I first saw it. Still a little bloated. Chrysler has too many big sedans overlapping with each other. Drop the Concorde and LHS (already gone), and sell only the Intrepid, the 300M, and this. 6 seats? Why not 7? And a 4 speed auto is less than expected at this price level.
Bob - any comments? I'm looking at the next five or so models now.
-juice
The Toronto show web site does mention the new Forester, and that starts on February 15th. Is there an earlier show in Japan?
--Bart
More concepts and comments...
M80: cladding puts the Baja to shame. M80 is to the next Dakota what the Power Wagon was to the new Ram.
Ram SRT-10: don't those wheels give a white-wall effect? People will buy these ridiculous things, despite the 3mpg they'll get. 24" wheels has got to be a record, though.
Razor: doesn't it look like the Crossfire, especially from the back? I bet they share a platform, only the Razor has a shorter wheelbase and a 4 banger. So it's a decontented Crossfire.
Forty-nine (ragtop): not bad. Much nicer than the Bel Air. Ford could build it because all the hardware already exists. Let it replace the Crown Vic.
GT40: Ford needs a halo car. The Mustang limited editions have been crushed in comparisons. Take a shot at it, in very limited numbers, for racing only.
Tonka: Power Wagon, part II. Way overdone, I'm sure the real F-350 will be much more mild.
T-Bird custom: yawn. What, no 6 speed manual?
-juice
FX45: bummer for Infiniti that it looks just like the Pacifica, right down to the D-pillar. Seats just 4, who will buy this? Inside it's nice.
Axiom XSR: like a VX-02 updated with an Axiom front end. Power hardtop? Wow. The space-age styling actually fits better on a 2 door than it does on the 4 door.
Axiom XST: nice switchgate, but if they put it into production it's probably just a tease. ;-) Diesel hints at the next Rodeo engine. Also, the front looks space-ace, but the rear is boxy and just does not match. Use the Trooper's front end for this boxy vehicle. Integrated bed extender is neat.
Compass: hey, folks, Jeep re-engineered the 2 door RAV4! Does that not look the same, especially from the rear view? V6 and AWD, no low range, on a Jeep? Will purists accept it? I think it's pretty cool, actually.
-juice
Many of us here would like to see a 2.5 Turbo since it would offer better low-end power compared to the current 2.0T.
Ken
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
Jeep Compass: I like it. It's built off the Liberty platform, and is inspired by rally cars. It needs an IRS though. Interestingly, there are a couple of Jeep boards that I frequent. Most of these folks absolutely hated the Liberty, but don't seem to mind the Compass that much. I guess it's because the Liberty replaced the much-loved Cherokee, whereas the Compass, if it ever gets produced, doesn't replace anything.
Ford GT 40: Again I like it, even if it is just a new take on a 35+-year old racer.
Dodge M80: I like this too—especially the fold-out rear fender step, located between the rear of the cab and the rear wheel. I think that's an ingenious idea!
Expedition & Navigator: Even though the "Crew" is a somewhat "hostile" audience for these types of vehicles, I think Ford did an excellent job with the updates that these two got.
Chevy BelAir: Enough already! As I've said before, nobody has done a better retro than Chrysler did with the Prowler. IMO, every other retro has been a me too affair.
Chevy SSR: The best feature about this vehicle—and it is a great feature— is that the folding hard top stacks vertically behind the rear seat. This is a much better solution than that found on the MB SLK and Lexus SC430. Those models have the folding top over the luggage area, which greatly reduces space and limits access. While the SSR is another retro, this top idea is the most advanced folding roof solution that I have seen to date.
Other than that, I didn't get too excited by what I saw. Maybe I'll go back and really look at some of these cars, and get back with additional comments.
Bob
-mike
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
Happy towing!
-mike
A general question, though: what's wrong with retro? Lots of concepts use nostalgic hints but don't want to be labeled as "retro". But look at the hits from the past years - New Beetle, PT Cruiser. Clearly those are retro. So is the T-bird, Forty Nine, Bel Air. Why is retro a bad word?
paisan: I really think GM took away all of Isuzu's R&D budget and forced them to focus on diesel production instead of the trucks. I read that once again they are increasing production on those (520 lb-ft may explain why).
I think they said they took 10" off the Axiom wheelbase to do the concept.
-juice
-mike
It's not bad per say. In fact, I strongly believe that "heritage" is vitally important to the success of any brand. Look at Mercedes for example, or the Chevy Suburban. There's a direct link between the current models, and those produced 60 years ago. That I think is good.
My problem with it is that it has become the "trendy" thing to do. Most of these vehicles do not advance the automotive "state-of-art" as I interpret it. The Prowler, was the first—and it was fun. Most likely, none of the other retro concepts would even exist, if the Prowler wasn't such a hit. I think the Ford '49 was dumb. I think the Chevy BelAir is dumb. I think the new Thunderbird is dumb. I think the Chevy SSR is dumb, except for its vertical folding hard top—which is brilliant. Another big problem (for me) is that many of these cars celebrate an automotive era (the 50's -'80s) that I would just as soon forget.
The only other retros other than the Prowler, that I like, is the PT Cruiser, because—even though it looks like a '37 Ford bread van—it has moved the automotive state-of-the-art forward a notch or two. besides looking cool, it's a very practical and useful vehicle, unlike most of the others I've mentioned. I also like the the Audi TT and the Beatle, only because they are so neat looking. The styling is so outrageously good, that in my mind, it overrides whatever other faults they may have.
Bob
Not that I would buy one. The seats are really spongy and it's not my type of car.
The Forty Nine could be produced for very little cost, since it's mostly parts-bin. Why not? Are Crown Victoria owner passionate? Hardly. Make it practical and roomy inside, but keep the retro styling outside.
The SSR would sell in small numbers, like the Prowler did, and draw people into showrooms.
I guess I allow a little leeway for stylish, trendy cars that might be seen as collectible later. It's something for the faithful fans of the marque to celebrate.
It may not bring in new buyers, and that may be the point you are making. But I think that's OK for low volume niche cars.
-juice
-mike
But they are functional for small families, and CR actually rates them as reliable (I think the only Chrysler product that is).
Give is the SRT turbo 205hp engine, and AWD, and price it at $20k max, and it's a good value.
-juice
Mike, the PT Cruiser was never mean to tow. Have you sat in one? There's plenty of room for four people. I just think it's a neat "twist" on the traditional small automobile.
Bob
I dunno, I've sat in the PTcrapper, and it's not that roomy. I'm all for function, not "neat"
-mike
Bob
-mike