What Kind of Car Do You Drive?

[Heidi Lemmer]

1998 ford suv eddie bower edition, lousy on gas, great family/dog car, works good on these dirt roads I now live on, lol. My last car was a chev s-10 truck, had it for 18 yrs. Like to get my money's worth

 

[Tyger]

@RenaissanceLady

Thank you for the details. I have to admit I have never been a detail-kind of person when it has come to purchasing cars. I do like new cars - and I like a sporty, peppy acceleration. I am also wanting some luxury - but I prefer small cars for no reason other than I like small cars. (The first car I ever owned was a Ford Falcon - and that imprinted me! )

When you say TDI - you are talking about the diesel models, correct?

Funny story (to me). Last summer I was test driving a VW diesel - may have been an Eos (very nice car - good feel, good handling - and fun with the top down). The salesman started mentioning that a diesel car would continue running in the face of 'electrical situations' - I'm hashing this a bit, I don't really recall how he was phrasing it - but it was at a time I was getting back into UFOs and thinking about joining MUFON and finding my way onto this chat site - and from what he was saying I immediately flashed: "ah, my diesel car won't stall out and I'll have a fast getaway from a flying saucer!"

How does one find these chat sites? I've never heard of them - though I have certainly built-my-own car.

Again, RenaissanceLady, thank you for the wealth of perspective. I guess I can safely assume you think a VW purchase would be a good bet.

 

[RenaissanceLady]

@RenaissanceLady

Thank you for the details. I have to admit I have never been a detail-kind of person when it has come to purchasing cars. I do like new cars - and I like a sporty, peppy pick-up. I am also wanting some luxury - but I prefer small cars for no reason other than I like small cars. (The first car I ever owned was a Ford Falcon - and that imprinted me! )

When you say TDI - you are talking about the diesel models, correct?

Funny story (to me). Last summer I was test driving a VW diesel - may have been an Eos (very nice car - good feel, good handling - and fun with the top down). The salesman started mentioning that a diesel car would continue running in the face of 'electrical situations' - I'm hashing this a bit, I don't really recall how he was phrasing it - but it was at a time I was getting back into UFOs and thinking about joining MUFON and finding my way onto this chat site - and from what he was saying I immediately flashed: "ah, my diesel car won't stall out and I'll have a fast getaway from a flying saucer!"

How does one find these chat sites? I've never heard of them - though I have certainly built-my-own car.

Again, RenaissanceLady, thank you for the wealth of perspective. I guess I can safely assume you think a VW purchase would be a good bet.

Yes, TDI stands for Turbocharged Direct Injection, which are all turbocharged diesel engines. When VW re-launched their TDIs in 2009 (after a short hiatus), the were given a "Green Car of the Year" award. These were designed to be compatible with stricter diesel emissions laws in California. Audi, which is owned by VW, shares most of its technology and released its own clean TDI the following year.

I could probably write a dissertation between TDI emissions and gas/hybrid emissions. Both sides insist that their engines are the best for the environment, and both sides make some very solid points. We could also add into the equation the whole bio-diesel option, but I'm just not up for that this late at night. I will say that B5 has been deemed suitable for virtually all diesel engines sold in this country and may even be blended into "regular" diesel options, at least in certain states. VW will honor the warranty of any TDI that's been using B5. My understanding is that Indiana is now requiring at least a B20 (20% bio-diesel) to be used in many or most diesel engines. VW has said it will honor all warranties on TDIs that are using B20s in Indiana, though it hasn't yet deemed "completely safe" for all TDIs, so certain warranties in other states are invalidated if this is being used. Still, there's no shortage of people who have been consistently running B20 in their TDIs for many years, without complaint. I'm hoping VW will pick up the ball and admit it's safe for use. I wouldn't use higher blends of bio-diesel in a TDI, as these can gel easily in colder weather and often require modifications to the car. At the same time, even the low, B5 fuel options seem to help extend engine life and offer better fuel mileage. Needless to mention, any percentage of bio-diesel will be better for the environment.

If I could get a VW 4-motion that's also a TDI, I would in a heartbeat. Unfortunately, in this country, this limits me to a VW Touareg TDI which can run around $60K. As long as I'm living here on the mountain, it's more important for me to have an AWD/4WD even though I'd sadly have to give up some gas mileage. Still, VW tends to be solidly built and very safe. I forgot to mention that I once sold a new Beetle to a cop (I think a state trooper) who was getting it for his daughter. She had wanted one and he kept refusing, thinking all smaller cars would be too dangerous for her. Then he saw a Beetle that had been in a horrible accident, yet the driver was fine. Remember, these cars are meant to survive crashes at autobahn speeds. He got her a pretty blue Beetle, I think for her graduation. So, whether you get a TDI or any other VW, I honestly think it will be a good car for you. There can be problems, as Gene had mentioned, but a good dealer will stand by what it sells. If I were getting or leasing a new car (and I've leased many new cars), it's a safe bet I'd get another VW, even though I've tested more expensive brands. With all of the uncertainties in my life right now, I'm looking at a car which would be a cash purchase. All VWs hold their value rather well, so I'd either be getting a much older VW 4-Motion or another, newer brand of car. Some Suzukis, including the Suzuki Kizashi AWD, were shockingly well made (while other Suzukis really weren't). In my circumstances, being able to get a good, almost-new Suzuki for a relatively cheap price would make sense, though it's possible I might regret it at some later point. I could still trade it for something new once I finally get settled. If I head back into Denver or have been guilted my way into Oregon, it's a safe bet I'd be financing a new Passat TDI.

 

[Tyger]

Whad'ya think? CC V6 4-Motion Executive.....what does '4-Motion' mean? 4WD?

LINK: Configurator - volkswagen.com

 

[reptillian]

I haven't driven my own car in years because I sold my car and moved to So Cal. After living there for a while I moved to Denver and just use their car share programs if I even need one. So I guess I don't own a car anymore, but drive some real weird ones from the car share programs.

Whatever though. Haven't paid for insurance or gas or obviously a car payment or maintenance in years.

 

[manxman]

It will get there and more before we replace it.
We really need a bigger car but the little Honda is fun to drive even if it is front wheel drive oh and we got it in 2001 so most of the miles are from us.

I had one of these up until four years ago.

Not my one but that is very close to it. Nissan Silvia s14

Got stolen and wreaked, did not replace it as it was hell expensive to maintain anyway.

thats the reason its fun to drive, front wheel drive is the dog's dangly's.





late 80s to mid 90s
sierra cosworth [chipped]

mid 90s to 99
recently divorced [ pure vanity, receeding fringe mid-life crisis car, cheaper than a new ford escort at the time, had 40k on the clock]

banned from driving for 5yrs 2000 to 2005 [drink driving 2nd offence 3 months jail, served 6 weeks, liscence revoked late 99, never been drunk since, resat driving test 5 times, before i passed again, 5 TIMES [the 3 exanimers are all ex police], and all that because the pubs around here are a mile apart, and a couple of pints in each at tea-time with my lads, put me on the line on a daily basis, my own fault i knew it was automatic jail time for 2nd offence within 11 yrs, just such short distances and working habit's, teatime regulars, the pub is where alot of work come from ]

all during that 5 yr ban i had 3 x sierra estates 1 x corsa van [below] 1 x 14m 10 ton cherry picker, all company/works vehicles, and some days i had to get the bus home from the office, and a sobering end to a mid-life crisis..

2005 to 2011

now
renault megane

all colours are correct, megane slightly different model, they are the cars i kept for awhile, i had several investment cars short term during that time aswell, cars that i couldnt afford keep, but bought and sold quickly, cos i wanted to drive them alittle while..

and the porche 944 was bought at a bankruptcy auction, and the irony is it was sold at a coroners auction, as the vatman confiscated several of my assets, when my retail bussiness went belly-up.

lifes a funny old game, but your dead for along time.
anyone else looking back have a mid-life crisis car ?.

 

[boomerang]

Pic of a close cousin to my beloved little roller skate: The Honda Fit. Interior space is amazing considering the small size and weight of the car. If I had to find a criticism, it is that the front ground clearance is a bit close, so one is always extra careful of concrete stops and sharp dips in the asphalt. But overall, it's a great car.

 

[manxman]

my old man was a honda man, my old lady carried on with honda, when she died i drove her 4 yr old civic for a few months, then sold it on, it was a nice smooth drive [automatic], they do make a nice car, so do renault, does no-one do volvo's anymore i did most of my 20s in volvo estates.

 

[Angel of Ioren]

All that goes out the widow when you add a Quebec winter into the mix.

Subaru Forester SX here

The Outback is a nice car, but ive heard on the forester forums that buying one second hand is a dodgy proposition
The story goes that many owners treat them like an offroad 4WD and bush bash in them, but they dont have the undercar clearance for rough terrain and as a result its common to see a bit of damage underneath on the second hand ones

Be sure to check out

Subaru Outback - Subaru Outback Forums

Ive found the Forester forums really helpful for minor repairs and maintenance

Nice - we looked at the Forester as well, but we ended up liking the longer trunk space of the Outback more - we bought it brand new and we will treat it well. The 2014 Forester and Outback have the same 9 inch clearance, which comes in handy with Canadian winters.
Also, that site is fantastic - I went through it quite a bit when we got the car and still check it out!

 

[Angel of Ioren]

The best time to purchase vehicles from dealerships, new or from their used lots, is at the end of the month. They all have to make quotas at the end of the month for bonuses and they will cut great deals in those last two days.

For a super roller coaster ride regarding car sales check this out, widly hilarious:

129 Cars | This American Life

This is what I found out last month when I got the car. I have such a great experience at the Subaru dealership. I was able to negotiate winter tires on rims, as well as a remote car starter.

 

[Angel of Ioren]

Thanks for sharing everyone! It's fun to talk about this stuff. It's interesting to see the different needs in different locations. Here we always have to think about winterizing our cars - it puts such a strain on vehicles. AWD has become really popular. The AWD/snow tire combo really increases the safety factor.

 

[manxman]

your lucky angel, that car is near twice the price in the uk as america, im guessing its the same with canada, subaru over here is prestige motoring, at prestige price, they run at basic 30k stirling, its the same with computors, twice the price.

 

[Angel of Ioren]

All told, I paid 32k for the car, with everything I wanted included. My budget was 35k and I'm glad I came in under.
The best thing about the whole experience is I did not leave the dealership feeling like I got screwed and at the end of the day, that makes me happy.

You can see a picture of the car, along with my fun winter at my instagram: Instagram

 

[manxman]

sheesh looks cold all that snow, but thinking about it, it was april when i was in canada, and it was still pretty deep 2001, we went to an outdoor market, in a full snow storm, they are hardy men those guys, apparantly that winter was a longer than normal one.

 

[RenaissanceLady]

Whad'ya think? CC V6 4-Motion Executive.....what does '4-Motion' mean? 4WD?

LINK: Configurator - volkswagen.com

VW's 4Motion is its permanent 4WD system, compared to most driver-operated 4WD systems (such as on the Infiniti QX4) or an AWD system. Most people don't know this, but 4WDs and AWDs are not the same technology, even being confused in car articles on forums. For that matter some cars listed as 4WDs can actually be AWDs in denial - but more on that, later.

4WD is a system which allows for the engine's power to be (or can be) evenly split among all four wheels to help give the wheels a better grip on the road, especially during adverse driving conditions. 4WDs are also the vehicles which are best designed for going off road, including on terrain which would get most AWDs stuck. (Think of many of Jeep's vehicles, most of which probably could go off road and have certain models which are designed just for that purpose.) A good 4WD vehicle will also have Low 4WD option which is designed for the most severe conditions, including going off road on ragged terrain. A regular 4WD is normally something which can be driver-operated between "regular" driving and 4WD driving. The "regular" driving option can improve mileage in normal driving conditions, and is usually all or mostly powered by the rear wheels until the driver switches it to 4WD mode. (The 4Motion stays in 4WD all the time, thus removing the opportunity for a driver to be "surprised" by a sudden change in driving conditions, such as unexpectedly hitting an icy patch of road.) A few 4WDs are front-wheel drive unless the 4WD option is selected.

An AWD system tends to stay permanently in an AWD mode without needing to throw any switch, but even then, the AWD system tends to have around 90% of its power going to the front wheels, with any power going to the rear wheels only when a wheel is slipping. Subaru, as well as most other CUVs or compact/sub-compact SUVs, are AWD or at least have that option. While AWDs will still do better on snowy roads than their FWD or RWD counterparts, especially when good snow tires are also used, they still won't compare with a true 4WD vehicle. I'd make the argument that VWs 4WDs are designed with driving on pavement rather than going off road, but this isn't to say that their taller 4Motions might still get out out of a bad off-road situation should one arise. Clearly, use your common sense. I've shown potential clients that the Touareg can do some off-road driving (which wasn't exactly met with enthusiasm by my managers, though they were fine once the clients bought that SUV). I've also driven up Lookout Mountain during adverse conditions in a Touareg, just to show how well it can do on steep icy/snowy pavement. Still, luxury sedans and SUVs aren't designed with the intent of going on rugged, off-road terrain. The Passat 4Motion was once VWs only 4WD sedan (in this country), though now the CC 4Motion is the leader of 4Motion sedans. Both the Passat and CC, regardless of the version you buy, have won awards and are solidly good cars. The Tiguan 4Motion is also an extremely good SUV, which may even get slightly better mileage than the CC's 4Motion. Still, you know your driving needs far better than I. All of the 4Motions feel like luxury cars when you're behind the wheel, though the Tiguan has slightly more of a sports handling than the 4-Motion sedan or Touareg models. While the Tiguan is a compact SUV, it will run a little pricier than others in its class, though it tends to have more features. My only complaint about the Tiguan is that you have to upgrade to its top model before a leather interior is standard. I'm also unaware of any Tiguan models which have the rear-view camera, which is something you can find in other, luxury, SUVs and CUVs.

For whatever reason, I'm unable to make the link for your configurator work at this time (though I've found the VW.com site is down for maintenance right now, which is probably why). Still, the CC, especially when going to their executive models, totally rocks. I personally think the CC is the sharpest looking sedan VW makes and will definitely turn heads on the road. It's a VERY luxurious and reliable car.

 

[bbridges]

1998 ford suv eddie bower edition, lousy on gas, great family/dog car, works good on these dirt roads I now live on, lol. My last car was a chev s-10 truck, had it for 18 yrs. Like to get my money's worth

I leased a 2012 VW cc about two and a half years ago and I gotta say, it's a great ride. With the 2.0 turbo it has plenty of torque all the way through the gear box and believe me, I like to play on the canyon roads here. Very refined and predictable handling for a front wheel drive setup-with little plowing in tight turns if you set up the the apex correctly. It's tight all around-great seating and steering wheel positioning, long wheel base makes for a smooth, quiet freeway ride. I put a lot of miles on my cars and negotiate up front for 18k/yr. Just got the 40k service, most of which I did myself. The air filter was still clean enough to not need replacing. all it needed was the required synthetic oil and filter change that cost me a smidge over $100.00. Gotta turn it in this November, and I may get another (or not), if I decide to tolerate the payments. Wish they would work out a retractable sunroof, though. My wife, Gloria, owns a 2008 Rav with the V-6--we both tend to like power without winding up the rpms to get it. My cc averages about 23 mph, which I can live with, but if a TDI is offered, I'd probably give that a shot. She had a 74 alfa spider when we met in '79, and I have gradually restored it with an upgraded interior. SoCal is easy on cars-dry, little rain, and no salted roads to worry about. The alfa is great for those warm Santa Ana days, cruising PCH or winding through Mulholland on a weekend drive.

 

[pixelsmith]

2004 PT Cruiser is my main driver with 160,000 miles on it. gets about 25 mpg.
1947 Plymouth Business Coupe is my "green" car. It still runs like a champ, you can barely hear it running when you stand right next to it. 57,000 miles, flat head 6, 3 on the tree, about 80 hp and gets about 25 mpg on the highway, same at my PT. It has NO back seat and a HUGE trunk, it is a 2 seater designed for traveling business men, this one was owned by a school teacher.
The Green car in the background is Dads 1947 Plymouth Special Deluxe 4 door with 170,000 on it. It was his first car.

 

[Schuyler]

1. Acura RL, 2004, 150,000 miles, drives like a new car
2. 2007 Silverado Duramax Diesel.

 

[SoCalGNX]

I was driving a 1987 Buick GNX (A Grand National that had been upgraded by McLaren) among other things but spouse sold it. Currently, I have my choice of 3 turbo Buicks, including a WE4. My spouse bought me a 2013 Impala -quick but would not be my weapon of choice. I also have a Silverado truck (love). I have had many different kinds cars including a Mustang and a Honda Prelude the same body style as shown in this thread. My best value for a car was a 1992 Nissan Sentra I drove 100 miles each day to work. I sold it at 239k miles and it still ran well. Spouse is a car genius and we have many different cars and trucks.

 

[pickles]

So, this is on my mind because I just traded in my Honda Civic. I loved that car and it was running well, but it was way too small for a family of four. I bought a brand new 2014 Subaru Outback and I am really happy to have the AWD in the garbage winter weather we get here in Southern Quebec.

So, what do you guys drive?

2011 GMC Acadia and 2013 Volvo XC60. No Prius poons here.