perfect vehicle for the gadget guru

[nosmohtac]

I don't know if any of you already have one of these (http://www.hondacars.com/models/model_overview.asp?ModelName=Odyssey&bhcp=1&BrowserDetected=True) or have test driven one, but I think that the Honda Odyssey is possibly the best designed car on the road IMHO. Just take a look at the features. :drool:

I have often taken criticism for my choice in cars, but even if I didn't have a family, I would want one of these. (A single guy that I work with bought a brand new cherry red one) I was touting what an awesome minivan this was to another co-worker, and he said " A mini-van? How do you look cool in a mini-van?" I told him that I was past that stage in life, where I want to pull up to a stop light, and show off what I'm driving.(Don't get me wrong, I would love to own a Mercedes 500SL convertible. But I suppose everyone has a dream car)

Maybe I'm too practical, but with cars these days costing as much or more than my first home, and being the worst sort of investment a person can make, I'm inclined to make my decision on more than just looks and status.

What do you guys (and gals) think? Care to share what you drive?

I test drove a 97 Odyssey earlier this evening, and even though the pre-99 models had back doors like a car(instead of rear sliding) I still fell in love with the ingenuity. It had 160,000 miles on it, but it was in great shape, and only $4900. If you know Honda, the mileage wouldn't scare you.

[maximus]

Well, I would like to present the true competitor the the odyssey: a mitsubishi chariot grandis (http://www.mitsubishi-motors.co.jp/PRODUCTSS/grandis.html). GDI mivec engine is well known for its awesome power and fuel efficiency.

As for the dream car, of course it is the Enzo Ferrari, a car that can do 0 to 200 kph, and back to 0, in 14.2 seconds. Next is the Aston Martin V12 Vanguish (my name is Bond, James Bond)
:rock on dude!: :drool: :scatter:

With regards to the 97 odyssey that you mentioned, make sure that all the legs (everything between the tire and the steering columns) are still in good condition. Honda's spareparts are known to be quite expensive, especially in the steering column division.

[CTSLICK]

I told him that I was past that stage in life, where I want to pull up to a stop light, and show off what I'm driving.

Ummmm...ok...I admit that I am still not past that stage in life. :oops: Neither is my wife. We will not argue the practicality and function of a mini-van...but we still won't drive one. So I am sitting here trying to figure out if I can afford to trade in my '02 WRX on a new WRX STi. This is my version of practical transportation. :twisted:

[Kati Compton]

I just picked up my new 2003 Passat yesterday. It's about as base as base can get, but that still means plenty of stuff. ;) :ppclove:

[Pat Logsdon]

I just picked up my new 2003 Passat yesterday. It's about as base as base can get, but that still means plenty of stuff. ;) :ppclove:
Oooh - nice! I was going to get a Passat last year but decided on the GTI instead. Both very nice cars, and very unique. I was surprised to find that the Passat had an air conditioned glove compartment. I guess it's handy for keeping chocolate cool? :wink:

I could NEVER drive a minivan - too stuffy. Give me a nice interior, good handling and SPEED. :mrgreen:

[Kati Compton]

Oooh - nice! I was going to get a Passat last year but decided on the GTI instead. Both very nice cars, and very unique. I was surprised to find that the Passat had an air conditioned glove compartment. I guess it's handy for keeping chocolate cool? :wink:
I noticed that. ;)

I was reading the manual - for the first 600 miles or so I'm not supposed to go above 3/4 of the top speed marked on the car. Since the speedometer goes up to 160, that means I can't go over 120mph. Boo-hoo. :roll: :D

[CTSLICK]

Give me a nice interior, good handling and SPEED. :mrgreen:

AMEN BROTHER! :rock on dude!:

[nosmohtac]

Well, I would like to present the true competitor the the odyssey: a mitsubishi chariot grandis (http://www.mitsubishi-motors.co.jp/PRODUCTSS/grandis.html). GDI mivec engine is well known for its awesome power and fuel efficiency.


The Grandis looks very close to the new Nissan Quest. I think they both did a nice job making a Mini-van look sporty. I don't need to look cool in what I drive, but that doesn't mean that I don't want something pleasing to my eyes. The Odyssey does this for me, but I would give Mits and Nissan a chance as well.

(the new Odyssey has a 240hp V6)

[Pat Logsdon]

I was reading the manual - for the first 600 miles or so I'm not supposed to go above 3/4 of the top speed marked on the car. Since the speedometer goes up to 160, that means I can't go over 120mph. Boo-hoo. :roll: :D

Yeah, I thought that was funny, too. I kept it uner 70 for the first 600 miles, which was VERY HARD TO DO. When the speedometer rolled over to 601, I found a nice deserted stretch of highway and did my best impression of a bat out of someplace hot. :twisted:

Did you watch the video yet? :roll:

[Pat Logsdon]

AMEN BROTHER! :rock on dude!:

Hallelujah! Nice car, by the way. I know what you mean when you start thinking about trading in your current car for the newer one. I've already started my drooling over the '05 GTI (http://vwvortex.rely.net/artman/publish/volkswagen_news/article_65.shtml). :oops: Kind of embarrassing, but it gives me something to do when I'm not lurking around here. :lol:

I like your tag, too. I swear, if I see one more Corolla with a "Type R" sticker on it...

[GoldKey]

For best bang for the buck in a sport luxury, I recommend the Infinity G35. We have had one for a few months and love it. Our other, more practical, vechicle is a Honda CRV. We've had that for a little less than a year and it is a great vehicle also, my only complaint is the low hp on the Honda and the lack of leather as an option.

[CTSLICK]

I know what you mean when you start thinking about trading in your current car for the newer one.

I started thinking about it 30 seconds after an "encounter" with a brand new BMW M3. Ouch!

I like your tag, too. I swear, if I see one more Corolla with a "Type R" sticker on it

Don't even get me started. :D :devilboy:

[Kati Compton]

Did you watch the video yet? :roll:
Video? I didn't get a video...

[Pat Logsdon]

Did you watch the video yet? :roll:
Video? I didn't get a video...
No video? Mine was on the little shelf in the glove compartment. It was fairly cheesy, and had a guy in a sweater pointing out things about the car. Maybe they don't have videos for Passats? Do you have a shelf in there? If so, maybe the dealership just forgot to give you one...?

Not that it's really worth watching, mind you - but it is slightly amusing if you don't have anything better to do. :D

[Don Tolson]

Well, speaking as the 'family guy' (just look at the avatar -- and it's about 8 years and another kid old)...

When we were in the market for a new minivan, we looked at the Odyssey. The ride is just perfect -- the most 'carlike' of any minivan we tried. We didn't like the fold-down back seat arrangement, as it didn't give us enough configuration options, and Honda still isn't providing the financing of the American dealers (0% for 72 months, now!). It also didn't have all the features we wanted, and was amongst the most expensive.

So, we settled on a Dodge Grand Caravan ES. After a year, we're still very happy campers.

[nosmohtac]

For best bang for the buck in a sport luxury, I recommend the Infinity G35. We have had one for a few months and love it. Our other, more practical, vechicle is a Honda CRV. We've had that for a little less than a year and it is a great vehicle also, my only complaint is the low hp on the Honda and the lack of leather as an option.

Infiniti makes an awesome car, and the CRV is a very nice SUV.
I was reading an article though(don't remember the source) that was comparing minivans to SUV's. There are a lot of people who would rather own an SUV than a minivan, but the article does a good job of comparing the functionality of the vehicles. They say that a minivan offers you everything that a SUV does, except in many cases 4wd or AWD, but then usually offers more in the way of room and versatility.

[Kati Compton]

Do you have a shelf in there? If so, maybe the dealership just forgot to give you one...?

Not that it's really worth watching, mind you - but it is slightly amusing if you don't have anything better to do. :D
No shelf. No video. ;) I'll be okay. Though I didn't know that you can't lock the driver's side door using the "lock all doors" button when the driver's door is open. Which is how I used to lock my Altima. So I accidentally left the driver's door unlocked for a few hours in our condo's garage. 8O

I'll just use the ultra-cool key fob instead to lock the car.

Do you have a "switchblade" style key also?

[Kati Compton]

lack of leather as an option.

Eeek. Leather? In Florida? I'd have 3rd degree burns on the backs of my thighs. It was a bit of a challenge to find a car I wanted WITHOUT leather. (I had wanted the Passat GLS, but ended up just getting the GL, because the GLS's in the colors I wanted had leather).

[nosmohtac]

I didn't know that you can't lock the driver's side door using the "lock all doors" button when the driver's door is open. Which is how I used to lock my Altima. So I accidentally left the driver's door unlocked for a few hours in our condo's garage. 8O


Try this. I don't know if this works the same on your car, but on the Honda's, if you hit the door lock button while the door is open,it will lock the doors, but only momentarily, then they unlock automatically to prevent accidental locking. If you hold the door handle in the release position while hitting the lock button, they will stay locked. I really like this feature, even though I have never accidentally locked my keys in my car. I know a lot of people that have though.

[nosmohtac]

I know that I won't have the same taste in cars as a lot of people, but with so many different manufacturers,models,styles,and options, There is a car for everyone's taste and budget. (Well.......almost everyones budget)

Of course, we all have a car in mind that is likely out of reach because of finances.

I wish that there were some more models and options in the PPC arena, like there is in the automobile industry. Of course, in the accessories area were doing quite well, but It would be nice to have that perfect PDA that might be more than you want to spend, but you're alway's drooling over it at the store display, and putting a few dollars away every payday for that long awaited day. (not counting those of you that have the cash to plop down for anything that you want) :)

[GoldKey]

Infiniti makes an awesome car, and the CRV is a very nice SUV.
I was reading an article though(don't remember the source) that was comparing minivans to SUV's. There are a lot of people who would rather own an SUV than a minivan, but the article does a good job of comparing the functionality of the vehicles. They say that a minivan offers you everything that a SUV does, except in many cases 4wd or AWD, but then usually offers more in the way of room and versatility.

I agree with that article, we have no kids (and don't particularly want any). Minivans say family vehicle while SUV's don't. Plus I get more ground clearance in the SUV. I don't do any heavy off-roading, but I like to at least know I can drive over the curb or down a dirt road when needed.

[GoldKey]

lack of leather as an option.

Eeek. Leather? In Florida? I'd have 3rd degree burns on the backs of my thighs. It was a bit of a challenge to find a car I wanted WITHOUT leather. (I had wanted the Passat GLS, but ended up just getting the GL, because the GLS's in the colors I wanted had leather).

Leather does not seem anywhere as bad as I remeber vinyl being when I was a kid. Plus I have underground parking at work and keep a sunshade up most of the other times.

[nosmohtac]

lack of leather as an option.

Eeek. Leather? In Florida? I'd have 3rd degree burns on the backs of my thighs. It was a bit of a challenge to find a car I wanted WITHOUT leather. (I had wanted the Passat GLS, but ended up just getting the GL, because the GLS's in the colors I wanted had leather).

Leather does not seem anywhere as bad as I remeber vinyl being when I was a kid. Plus I have underground parking at work and keep a sunshade up most of the other times.

It won't be long before all cars with leather interiors follow the Lincoln Navigator. It has perforations in the leather that allow the A/C to blow through and keep you from burning or sticking to the seat.

[Pat Logsdon]

Do you have a "switchblade" style key also?

Yup. That's still one of the coolest things about it - that and the dash and gauge lights at night. 8)

One of the first things I did when I got the car home was to use the key in the door to open and close the windows. I did it for about 10 minutes until my wife made me stop.

Tip: You might want to put clear nail polish over the VW emblem on the key. It's just painted metal, so if you're anything like me, it'll be all scratched up within a month or two. :(

[nosmohtac]

Well, speaking as the 'family guy' (just look at the avatar -- and it's about 8 years and another kid old)...

When we were in the market for a new minivan, we looked at the Odyssey. The ride is just perfect -- the most 'carlike' of any minivan we tried. We didn't like the fold-down back seat arrangement, as it didn't give us enough configuration options, and Honda still isn't providing the financing of the American dealers (0% for 72 months, now!). It also didn't have all the features we wanted, and was amongst the most expensive.

So, we settled on a Dodge Grand Caravan ES. After a year, we're still very happy campers.

I would say you made a good choice, and until recently, I didn't even like the styling of the Odyssey (it has grown on me). I think the styling and ergonomics of the Dodge Caravan and Chrysler Town and Country are pretty tough to beat. The only thing I have against them, ( I have owned a couple of them) is the Powertrain. Both of mine had bad transmissions, and 2 people I work with bought theirs brand new and had to replace the transmission within 30,000 miles. I had heard that this wasn't a problem with the newer models anymore, but a family that I know from church bought a 2003 Town and Country, and the transmission went out at 22,000 miles. They lost use of their car for 2 weeks because Chrysler told them that there was a nationwide back order on tranny's.

IMO Chrysler/Dodge have the nicest looking line-up of cars and trucks on the road. But, from the experience I had and others I've heard about I can't bring myself to go through that kind of trouble again.

[Pat Logsdon]

Try this. I don't know if this works the same on your car, but on the Honda's, if you hit the door lock button while the door is open,it will lock the doors, but only momentarily, then they unlock automatically to prevent accidental locking. If you hold the door handle in the release position while hitting the lock button, they will stay locked. I really like this feature, even though I have never accidentally locked my keys in my car. I know a lot of people that have though.
I don't think that'll work with VW's, but I'll have to try it. As far as I know, the only way to lock your keys in a newer VW is to close the driver's door, open the passenger door, hit the lock button on the remote, toss the remote inside the car, and then close the passenger door. :mrgreen:

[maximus]

I told him that I was past that stage in life, where I want to pull up to a stop light, and show off what I'm driving.

Ummmm...ok...I admit that I am still not past that stage in life. :oops: Neither is my wife. We will not argue the practicality and function of a mini-van...but we still won't drive one. So I am sitting here trying to figure out if I can afford to trade in my '02 WRX on a new WRX STi. This is my version of practical transportation. :twisted:

The STI, how does it differs from the regular WRX ? Cosmetic changes or engine changes ?

I have a 2003 Lancer Evolution 8 parked safely in Singapore, and last week mitsubishi launched the Evolution 8R, basically it is a regular Evo 8 with better interior. It is priced $10000 more expensive than the regular Evo 8. What a dissappointment. The letter R means 'higher speed' in my dictionary.

What I need from a car like Lancer Evolution: torque, grip, ABS, brembo brakes, speed and speed and speed. We do not need those imported leather stuffs.

I missed driving. duh. Since I got assigned in Jakarta, I have been taking cabs between hotel and office. boring boring boring.

[GoldKey]

One of the first things I did when I got the car home was to use the key in the door to open and close the windows. I did it for about 10 minutes until my wife made me stop.



On the Infiniti, you don't even have to put the key in the door. You can just hold down the unlock button on the remote and after a few seconds, the two front windows roll down. Roll down the windows while you are walking to the car and most of the heat is out pretty quickly.

[CTSLICK]

The STI, how does it differs from the regular WRX ? Cosmetic changes or engine changes ?

I have a 2003 Lancer Evolution 8 parked safely in Singapore, and last week mitsubishi launched the Evolution 8R, basically it is a regular Evo 8 with better interior. It is priced $10000 more expensive than the regular Evo 8. What a dissappointment. The letter R means 'higher speed' in my dictionary.

What I need from a car like Lancer Evolution: torque, grip, ABS, brembo brakes, speed and speed and speed. We do not need those imported leather stuffs.

I missed driving. duh. Since I got assigned in Jakarta, I have been taking cabs between hotel and office. boring boring boring.

The STi brings the Brembo brakes, upgraded exhaust, better seats, 6-speed transmission and the engine is the 2.5 liter flat 4 versus the 2.0 in the regular WRX...the horsepower jumps from 227 to 300! Torque jumps to 300 as well. 0-60 in 4.8 seconds, thats a full second faster than my regular WRX. YYYEAAHHHH BABY...sorry :wink:

[trachy]

On the Infiniti, you don't even have to put the key in the door. You can just hold down the unlock button on the remote and after a few seconds, the two front windows roll down. Roll down the windows while you are walking to the car and most of the heat is out pretty quickly.

Yeah, my 03 Accord does that too - except it opens all four windows. I just traded my Passat in for this car (Loved my Passat. Never used the climate controlled glove box, but I do miss the switchblade key), and so far my favorite feature is the climate control system. I love that I don't have to constantly adjust the airflow. It just automatically adjusts to my preset temperature.

If I could have my pick of cars within my price range it would definitely be an Alpha Romeo 156 (http://www.alfaromeo.com/cgi-bin/pbrand.dll/ALFAROMEO_COM/models/models.jsp?BV_SessionID=@@@@1799002462.1060824990@@@@&BV_EngineID=ccccadcimjjgkeecefecejgdfiidfno.0&categoryOID=-1073751142). I rented its predecessor, the 2-litre T-Spark, a couple of years ago, and the ride was unreal. Shoes and automobiles (except the Fiats, of course) are Italian specialties. Unfortunately, they're not easily available in the US, and I wouldn't want the maintenance hassles is something went wrong.

[Pat Logsdon]

The STI, how does it differs from the regular WRX ? Cosmetic changes or engine changes ?
Quoting from Edmunds.com : "300 horsepower and trick features like Brembo brakes, an intercooler water sprayer and a driver-controlled center differential". I believe the "old" WRX has 227 hp.

I have a 2003 Lancer Evolution 8 parked safely in Singapore, and last week mitsubishi launched the Evolution 8R, basically it is a regular Evo 8 with better interior. It is priced $10000 more expensive than the regular Evo 8. What a dissappointment. The letter R means 'higher speed' in my dictionary.
Personally, I think the Evo needs a better interior, but I think that's a bit too much to charge for it. :roll: I am spoiled in the interior department by my nifty VW. :mrgreen:

I missed driving. duh. Since I got assigned in Jakarta, I have been taking cabs between hotel and office. boring boring boring.
If I was imprisoned in cabs for weeks on end, I'd be reduced to making "vroom vroom" sounds in the back. It would not be pretty. I get twitchy when I go on vacation for 2 weeks and have to leave the GTI behind. An SUV is just not the same. Especially when that SUV is a Hyundai Santa Fe. Nice truck, just totally and completely gutless and boring.

[Pat Logsdon]

One of the first things I did when I got the car home was to use the key in the door to open and close the windows. I did it for about 10 minutes until my wife made me stop.


On the Infiniti, you don't even have to put the key in the door. You can just hold down the unlock button on the remote and after a few seconds, the two front windows roll down. Roll down the windows while you are walking to the car and most of the heat is out pretty quickly.
Nice! I was seriously thinking about the G35 when I was shopping last year, but decided that I needed a bit more versatility. It's nice that it can haul a bunch of stuff when it needs to, and haul a$$ the rest of the time. :mrgreen:

My dream car before I got the GTI was a GMC Typhoon (http://www.typhoon-link.net/CD/GMCTyphoon.html). I'd STILL like to get one someday...

[Kati Compton]

Try this. I don't know if this works the same on your car, but on the Honda's, if you hit the door lock button while the door is open,it will lock the doors, but only momentarily, then they unlock automatically to prevent accidental locking. If you hold the door handle in the release position while hitting the lock button, they will stay locked. I really like this feature, even though I have never accidentally locked my keys in my car. I know a lot of people that have though.

The manual states clearly that the button won't lock the driver door if the driver door is open.

[maximus]

The STi brings the Brembo brakes, upgraded exhaust, better seats, 6-speed transmission and the engine is the 2.5 liter flat 4 versus the 2.0 in the regular WRX...the horsepower jumps from 227 to 300! Torque jumps to 300 as well. 0-60 in 4.8 seconds, thats a full second faster than my regular WRX. YYYEAAHHHH BABY...sorry :wink:

So, Subaru finally has a model that has more power than the 280hp Evo 8. Nice. 300 Nm/rpm torque is still kinda low though (compared to Evo 8's 400 Nm/rpm) ...

[Kati Compton]

Do you have a "switchblade" style key also?

Yup. That's still one of the coolest things about it - that and the dash and gauge lights at night. 8)
Yeah - my husband refers to it as "submarine mode". ;) It's *awesome*. Went well with the Rush's "Tom Sawyer" that I was listening to tonight. Also - normally I'd want a grey interior, but because the dash was *so cool*, I decided to get black.

Tip: You might want to put clear nail polish over the VW emblem on the key. It's just painted metal, so if you're anything like me, it'll be all scratched up within a month or two. :(

Hmm... I'll take a look at that - thanks!

[dh]

Any VW Group car has great style, performance and quality.

Mine is an A4 Avant, best looking station wagon of all time. Well apart from an RS6 maybe.

[GoldKey]

Nice! I was seriously thinking about the G35 when I was shopping last year, but decided that I needed a bit more versatility. It's nice that it can haul a bunch of stuff when it needs to, and haul a$$ the rest of the time. :mrgreen:


The Infiniti FX45 (you either like or hate the styling) would cover both of those needs. I almost traded the CRV on one when we bought the G35, but that would have put our total car payments as more than our mortgage and the CPA in me said that would be a bad idea.

[redifrogger]

I guess I'm partial to Hondas b/c they've never let me down. The engine passes 200,000 and keeps going - I'm on my 5th Honda now. I would love to have an Odyseyy (I can't remember how to spell it), but I have 4 kids (3 girls and just had my baby boy), so $$ is tight, and we got a used Ford Windstar 3 yrs ago. I can't complain though - it's treated us right so far. :)

[nosmohtac]

I guess I'm partial to Hondas b/c they've never let me down. The engine passes 200,000 and keeps going - I'm on my 5th Honda now. I would love to have an Odyseyy (I can't remember how to spell it), but I have 4 kids (3 girls and just had my baby boy), so $$ is tight, and we got a used Ford Windstar 3 yrs ago. I can't complain though - it's treated us right so far. :)

I have never owned a honda, but have heard nothing but good things about them. I have also seen several on the used car lots with well over 200,000 miles and they still look good and run well.

The thing I always loved about the odyssey, it the way the seats fold down. The rear seat folds down flat in to the floor, and the middle seats (captain or bench) fold flat and then forward toward the front seats. This is awesome for hauling stuff somewhere, and then when you unload. the seats are still in the vehicle, instead of in your garage at home. You could also use this in reverse. If you go somewhere and find out when you get there that you need to take something large home, you don't have to leave your seats behind.

Up until recently The Honda minivan was the only one to do this. I was out looking at minivans today though, and the new Toyota Sienna is definitely going to give the Honda a run for the money.
1) The Back seat and middle seat both fold down into the floor (except the toyota split the back seat, so you can fold just half of it away in the floor)
2) The Toyota Sienna incorporated roll down windows into the 2 rear sliding doors.
3) The Toyota Sienna is available in AWD! (And, It has the ground clearance to make the AWD useful)

I like Honda, but Toyota has always had excellent quality in their cars and trucks.
I may have posted this here before, but I always find it humorous.

HONDA: Hallmark Of Non-Destructible Automobiles
TOYOTA: Too Often Yankees Overprice This Automobile
PORSCHE: Proof Of Rich Spoiled Children Having Everything
FIAT: Fix It Again Tony
BMW: Bought My Wife
CHEVROLET: Can Hear Every Valve Rattle On Long Extended Trips
VOLVO: Very Odd Looking Vehicular Object
SAAB: Shape Appears A-- Backwards
HYUNDAI: Hope You Understand, Nothing (is) Dependable And Inexpensive
and the list goes on...

[Pat Logsdon]

I have never owned a honda, but have heard nothing but good things about them. I have also seen several on the used car lots with well over 200,000 miles and they still look good and run well.

I've never really liked Hondas. I think they're good cars and everything, but they've always seemed really vanilla and bland to me. Too conservative - try to please most people while offending as few as possible.

Now if I absolutely HAD to have a minivan, I think I'd wait for the VW Microbus (http://www.edmunds.com/news/conceptcarspotlight/articles/46186/page1photo.html) to be reintroduced...should be out sometime in the next few years. 0X

[nosmohtac]

I have never owned a honda, but have heard nothing but good things about them. I have also seen several on the used car lots with well over 200,000 miles and they still look good and run well.

I've never really liked Hondas. I think they're good cars and everything, but they've always seemed really vanilla and bland to me. Too conservative - try to please most people while offending as few as possible.

Now if I absolutely HAD to have a minivan, I think I'd wait for the VW Microbus (http://www.edmunds.com/news/conceptcarspotlight/articles/46186/page1photo.html) to be reintroduced...should be out sometime in the next few years. 0X

That does look very interesting. I do have to agree with you about Hondas conservative,vanilla look. I guess I'm conservative, when it comes to buying cars. I can't even bring myself to buy a new one. I always buy one that is at least 2-3 years old, with lower miles, just because the depreciation is so high in the first few years. That, and since I do have kids, and they tend to be hard on everything(back me up on this parents) I don't get so upset when a crayon gets left to melt on the carpet, because there are already stains on the carpet. Then I just take the car to a detailer every year or two to keep it somewhat nice.

I do have a taste for the more luxurious and exotic cars, but unless I become filthy rich (yeah right) I could never actually bring myself to buy one.

I am mostly attracted to the imports, but I also live in a rural area, with few imports other than the major Japanese ones. The nearest VolksWagon dealership is 80 miles away. I don't want to drive 160 miles just to service my car. Although, I stopped to look at a Kia Sedona minivan, (also 80 miles to nearest dealer) and the owner said that they come and pick it up for oil changes and service, and leave them with a courtesy car until it's returned. Not bad, but I don't like the looks of most of Kia's cars.

BTW I am looking for a newer vehicle, because right now (showing my conservitive side) I drive an 89 Cadillac, and a 95 GMC Safari AWD. Both have been excellent cars, and have given me no problems. The Safari's drive train is excellent, but the styling,(interior and exterior) leave a lot to be desired.

[Pat Logsdon]

That, and since I do have kids, and they tend to be hard on everything(back me up on this parents) I don't get so upset when a crayon gets left to melt on the carpet, because there are already stains on the carpet. :mrgreen: I suppose that's an excellent thing to take into consideration. I have the luxury of looking at what *I* want, since I don't have kids and don't plan to. I think I would probably be rather upset if someone left a crayon to melt in the nice stylish, leather-clad interior of an '05 VW Microbus. Something along the lines of an Xterra (which can be safely hosed out) would be much more practical.

I stopped to look at a Kia Sedona minivan, (also 80 miles to nearest dealer) and the owner said that they come and pick it up for oil changes and service, and leave them with a courtesy car until it's returned. Not bad, but I don't like the looks of most of Kia's cars.I think the Kia is a good car, and the Sedona gets great reviews. I'm just not sure I'd buy one after my 3 year experience with a Sportage. Perfectly fine for the first 2 years and 11 months of the lease, and then it started having electrical problems. The lights would fade and flicker, and the locks would go up and down by themselves. Not so good. :roll:

BTW I am looking for a newer vehicle, because right now (showing my conservitive side) I drive an 89 Cadillac, and a 95 GMC Safari AWD. Both have been excellent cars, and have given me no problems. The Safari's drive train is excellent, but the styling,(interior and exterior) leave a lot to be desired.Have you seen the new Nissan Quest (http://www.nissanusa.com/vehicles/ModelHomePage/0,,29706,00.html?Site=N04QSTB0703PBJ06&Area=02&Creative=12)? Should be able to get a decent price if you lease. That's what I always do - no need to worry about deflation, everything's covered under warranty, and you get a new car every 3 or 4 years. 8)

[nosmohtac]

Yes, I have been watching Nissan closely. I really like what they've done for 2004.

I see a lot of benefits of leasing for someone who wants to drive a new vehicle all of the time. There's just one thing that really bothers me about leasing a car....Paying interest. I figure leasing a car is just like leasing an apartment or condo. You are renting it. How can they charge you interest, when you aren't borrowing money to pay for it. I know, I know, they don't do it that way. I think what they do is figure the vehicles worth at the end of the lease, then you're borrowing the difference.

My parents used to lease all of their vehicles, because they owned a business, and could write off virtually the entire payment and interest.

[Christian]

Do you have a "switchblade" style key also?

Yup. That's still one of the coolest things about it - that and the dash and gauge lights at night. 8)

One of the first things I did when I got the car home was to use the key in the door to open and close the windows. I did it for about 10 minutes until my wife made me stop.

Agreed. I've driven a Golf for the past four years and the dash lights and key still make me smile :D As an aside, I'm anxiously waiting for the R32 to come out end of the year...

[Pat Logsdon]

Agreed. I've driven a Golf for the past four years and the dash lights and key still make me smile :D As an aside, I'm anxiously waiting for the R32 to come out end of the year...
I know! I got all excited about that, and then I saw the pics of the Golf V, and I don't know what to do! Decisions, decisions... 8)

I have a feeling that the GTI version of the Golf V is going to be pretty amazing, especially if the base model Golf has the option of a 2.0l turbo. 8O

[Mitch D]

Not much into small cars myself, give me my 84 Dodge Ramchager anyday... well maybe a new Hummer H1 :wink:

[Pat Logsdon]

Not much into small cars myself, give me my 84 Dodge Ramchager anyday... well maybe a new Hummer H1 :wink:
I used to be a truck guy - I had an '83 Chevy Blazer S-10 4x4 for a long time. Great truck, but I was done after that. It's all about small and fast now. :) Not too small, though - I need to have room to haul my computer stuff around from time to time. :mrgreen:

[qmrq]

To all of you who mentioned owning a Volkswagon or Audi: I LOVE YOU ALL.

Do you have a "switchblade" style key also?Yup. That's still one of the coolest things about it - that and the dash and gauge lights at night. 8)
Yeah - my husband refers to it as "submarine mode". ;) It's *awesome*. Went well with the Rush's "Tom Sawyer" that I was listening to tonight. Also - normally I'd want a grey interior, but because the dash was *so cool*, I decided to get black.
Pictures! :D

[Kati Compton]

Pictures! :D
OK - here's a couple pictures of the lighted dash and stereo. There's fluorescent lighting in the garage where I took them, so it doesn't look quite as good in the pics as it does in real life. Also, there's another red display that comes on in the middle on the dash that tells you thinks like how many miles left you have on your current tank of gase, the outdoor temperature, average mpg, etc.

http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/kati/car1.jpg

http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/kati/car2.jpg

[Pat Logsdon]

My dashboard looks almost exactly like this one:

http://www.vvm.com/~brentes/nightjetta/Img_2377.jpg

Except that I have a 3 spoke steering wheel and a manual transmission.

I LOVE driving at night. 0X

[CTSLICK]

Not much into small cars myself, give me my 84 Dodge Ramchager anyday... well maybe a new Hummer H1 :wink:

Ahh those were the days. I had a '75 Ramcharger with a 4" lift, 36" tires and a 360 CI V8 makin' noise through a custom exhaust and Thrush GlasPaks. Man I had a lot of fun in that thing. :twisted:

[maximus]

Ahh those were the days. I had a '75 Ramcharger with a 4" lift, 36" tires and a 360 CI V8 makin' noise through a custom exhaust and Thrush GlasPaks. Man I had a lot of fun in that thing. :twisted:

Wow. What is the fuel consumption ratio on that beast ? :D

[jkendrick]

For best bang for the buck in a sport luxury, I recommend the Infinity G35. We have had one for a few months and love it. Our other, more practical, vechicle is a Honda CRV. We've had that for a little less than a year and it is a great vehicle also, my only complaint is the low hp on the Honda and the lack of leather as an option.

The G35 really is a nice car. I'm on my second Infiniti and they are top notch. The clincher for getting my Q45 was the 340 hp under the hood- it really really moves! :D

[Mitch D]

Not much into small cars myself, give me my 84 Dodge Ramchager anyday... well maybe a new Hummer H1 :wink:
I used to be a truck guy - I had an '83 Chevy Blazer S-10 4x4 for a long time. Great truck, but I was done after that. It's all about small and fast now. :) Not too small, though - I need to have room to haul my computer stuff around from time to time. :mrgreen:

Speed has never been a big thing to me lately, I owned a 84 (WARNING my spelling sucks today) Caravel with a 360 and the police pursuit package which got me into more trouble than I care to admit. Now I go for the "if your not going to move then I am going to drive over you" vehicles. Cuts down on the need for speed...

:wink:

[Mitch D]

Ahh those were the days. I had a '75 Ramcharger with a 4" lift, 36" tires and a 360 CI V8 makin' noise through a custom exhaust and Thrush GlasPaks. Man I had a lot of fun in that thing. :twisted:

Wow. What is the fuel consumption ratio on that beast ? :D

Fuel consumption? I think you just have an 18 wheeler with a fuel tank follow you around with a hose permantly attached to the fuel spout!! LMAO

:rofl:

[CTSLICK]

Ahh those were the days. I had a '75 Ramcharger with a 4" lift, 36" tires and a 360 CI V8 makin' noise through a custom exhaust and Thrush GlasPaks. Man I had a lot of fun in that thing. :twisted:

Wow. What is the fuel consumption ratio on that beast ? :D

12 miles per gallon on the road, 8 miles per gallon off road. And at the time I just didn't care...it was just too much fun. :D

And this wasn't the biggest engine mind you, you could get the '75 with a 440 cubic inch behemoth...what a monster :devilboy:

[CTSLICK]

Ahh those were the days. I had a '75 Ramcharger with a 4" lift, 36" tires and a 360 CI V8 makin' noise through a custom exhaust and Thrush GlasPaks. Man I had a lot of fun in that thing. :twisted:

Wow. What is the fuel consumption ratio on that beast ? :D

Fuel consumption? I think you just have an 18 wheeler with a fuel tank follow you around with a hose permantly attached to the fuel spout!! LMAO

:rofl:

HEHEHEHE...never met a gas pump I didn't like.

[Pat Logsdon]

Now I go for the "if your not going to move then I am going to drive over you" vehicles. Cuts down on the need for speed... :wink:
I have to admit that that's one thing I miss. People tend to get out of your way if you're moving fast in something significantly larger than them. :D

I still miss the Blazer - it was stolen by a bunch of joyriders about 6 years ago and it ended up in a canyon in the mountains up to its axles in mud. 4 wheel drive only worked in 1 wheel, and they broke all the windows. Not really worth salvaging after that.

Now we're looking at getting a Jeep Liberty, and I'm looking forward to rock hopping again! 0X

[maximus]

12 miles per gallon on the road, 8 miles per gallon off road. And at the time I just didn't care...it was just too much fun.

12 miles per gallon ... 3 kilometer per liter ... a big hole in the wallet, I presume ? :D

[Fzara]

I just picked up my new 2003 Passat yesterday. It's about as base as base can get, but that still means plenty of stuff. ;) :ppclove:

I don't understand how people can buy Volkswagens considering how they have such an unreliable record. I've heard soo many people who have had Volkswagens break down on them, and my friend who owns a 98' Audi is having trouble with gas/oil leaks within the car. In addition, a friend took a look at a couple reports (not sure where), and he said the manufacturer Volkswagen had many problems prior to 1998, and although there are less, there are still a considerable amount with the newer models.

As for a couple of the people who have the Honda's, Nissans, etc., i'd be curious to know how long their car would last vs my older 94' BMW 318i in terms of engine reliability and which car would last longer. I know Honda lasts pretty long, but i've also seen some extremely old BMW's which have lasted pretty long as well.

I'm currently thinking the BMW M3 fully loaded, or the Porsche Boxtster S for my 2nd year of college. Both are equally very fast, but the Porsche seems vastly overpriced. I may go on with a BMW M3 however. I'll tell you this; if you're driving a Japanese car, you should really take a spin in a German RWD car-no comparison.

[GoldKey]

I'm currently thinking the BMW M3 fully loaded, or the Porsche Boxtster S for my 2nd year of college. Both are equally very fast, but the Porsche seems vastly overpriced. I may go on with a BMW M3 however. I'll tell you this; if you're driving a Japanese car, you should really take a spin in a German RWD car-no comparison.

I think most of us can only wish we had those kind of choices, much the less while still a college student.

Regarding the German RWD, the Infiniti G35 is RWD. And most of the reviews say it compares favorably to the German cars that cost $20,000 more.

[Kati Compton]

I don't understand how people can buy Volkswagens considering how they have such an unreliable record.
I don't know - the stats at consumer reports were very good for the Passat...

I'm currently thinking the BMW M3 fully loaded, or the Porsche Boxtster S for my 2nd year of college.
Uh... yeah... that's out of my price range.

I'll tell you this; if you're driving a Japanese car, you should really take a spin in a German RWD car-no comparison.
RWD = Rear wheel drive? No way in hell I'm getting rear-wheel in the midwest.

[CTSLICK]

...I'm currently thinking the BMW M3 fully loaded, or the Porsche Boxtster S for my 2nd year of college. Both are equally very fast, but the Porsche seems vastly overpriced. I may go on with a BMW M3 however. I'll tell you this; if you're driving a Japanese car, you should really take a spin in a German RWD car-no comparison.

No doubt the M3 is a really excellent automobile but the price is very steep. Drove one...wanted it desperately but the payments were WAY out of my league. Personally, I think the M3 is at least $10k overpriced but supply and demand seems to control the price.

So for FAR fewer dollars I got my Japanese buzzbox. Not nearly as nice as a BMW but it has sent several BMW 3 series owners back to the shop to see what was wrong with their cars. :wink: Not the M3 mind you, got my butt kicked by one of them. :oops: Shoulda known better but I tried anyway. :twisted: And all wheel drive is really fun once you get used to it. Now...an all wheel drive M3...that would really be something!

[CTSLICK]

RWD = Rear wheel drive? No way in hell I'm getting rear-wheel in the midwest.

Oh come on...its not THAT BAD. :)

Heck I did 3 winters in Minnesota in a '95 Camaro Z28. Granted I had to put it on snow tires but it was really pretty well behaved. I even did one winter here in an '87 Dodge Diplomat (don't ask), it was fine.

Personally, I've never gotten on very well with the way a front wheel drive car handles in the snow. Maybe its because I learned to drive in the snow with a RWD car. Maybe its because I love throwing the back end of a RWD car out and drifting it around a snowy corner (as long as there's no one around mind you) :wink:

[nosmohtac]

As for a couple of the people who have the Honda's, Nissans, etc., i'd be curious to know how long their car would last vs my older 94' BMW 318i in terms of engine reliability and which car would last longer. I know Honda lasts pretty long, but i've also seen some extremely old BMW's which have lasted pretty long as well.

As I said before, I like minivans, and I prefer the Honda or Toyota Sienna, but as far as the engines go, I read an article a couple of years ago (I believe it was in motertrend) where the Nissan 3.0 engine had rated as the best engine of all motor vehicles (including German) for 6 years in a row. I Have a coworker who bought a new Maxima in '95. He drives 160 miles round trip to work every day. By the time he had paid the car off, he had over 300,000 miles on it. He told me he had never done anything to the engine and only had replaced wear-out parts like brakes and alternator. I think he retired the car from his daily drive with over 360,000 miles.
I'm sure that the 1.8L motor in the 318 is an excellent motor, and of all the BMW's the 318 is the most affordable, but it sure must be nice to be looking at an M3 for your second year of college. If I could afford cars like that I would probably still go for the Odyssey or Sienna AWD.

[Kati Compton]

RWD = Rear wheel drive? No way in hell I'm getting rear-wheel in the midwest.

Oh come on...its not THAT BAD. :)

I don't know - I've driven past a few sports cars stuck in the middle of an icy parking lot... And when I was a kid, I remember my mom having to put big bags of sand in the trunk of her car to weight it down enough to get traction.

[Fzara]

Alright-that deal changed a day ago.

Heres the story-I'm transferring from a communcations school, to a technology related school (NJIT). However, I was debating which car to get with my dar, that would mostly be for me. I was looking at the Lexus IS300, but for some reason the car didn't "feel" right.

Then I suggested to my dad, if I keep my older BMW, he could buy me a Porsche Boxster or BMW M3 after graduation of college (he made terms with me-I would have to keep up my current clean record of no accidents and speeding tickets, and I would have to have exceptionally well good grades). However, I was able to convince him to "try" to buy one for me right now, and to garage it.

Heres the thing though-I went to take my placement exam for the school-the area (Newark, New Jersey) seems to be one of the "ghetto", bad areas of NJ (similar to the Bronx in NY). As my dad and I are weary about the area and taking a brand new car (+30k car) to the area, we have basically decided for me to keep my current car. (Don't even ask me what i'm going to do in the winter time though-i'm totally scre***)

On a sidenote, Kati, I talked to someone at my placement exam who's 24 and just bought a VW Passat. I told him I heard the reliability of the car was rather low, and many people were reporting problems with their cars on the Edmunds forums. I told him many people with the Jettas, etc, lower scale cars were having problems and he agreed-he didn't agree with the Passat though.

I took a look at the Subaru WRX STI-Its basically a normal car with a high performance engine in it-without the HP/torque/speed its basically a Hyundai base; the car doesn't even come with a radio!

[Fzara]

And when I was a kid, I remember my mom having to put big bags of sand in the trunk of her car to weight it down enough to get traction.

Bleh. I put about 5 big bags of soil in the back of my car for my traction during the winter time.

[Mitch D]

Now I go for the "if your not going to move then I am going to drive over you" vehicles. Cuts down on the need for speed... :wink:
I have to admit that that's one thing I miss. People tend to get out of your way if you're moving fast in something significantly larger than them. :D

I still miss the Blazer - it was stolen by a bunch of joyriders about 6 years ago and it ended up in a canyon in the mountains up to its axles in mud. 4 wheel drive only worked in 1 wheel, and they broke all the windows. Not really worth salvaging after that.

Now we're looking at getting a Jeep Liberty, and I'm looking forward to rock hopping again! 0X

Jeeze I really hate people who steal vehicles, I figure we ought to do what some countries do and cut off a hand or two when they are caught. It would cut down on the repeat offenders.
:twisted:

[Pat Logsdon]

I don't understand how people can buy Volkswagens considering how they have such an unreliable record.
On the contrary. :wink: As Kati said, Consumer Reports and a bunch of other publications have picked the Passat as the best Sedan for a few years in a row now, if I remember correctly. And they picked the Passat over the Toyota Camry and the Honda Accord.

In addition, the available 1.8t engine in the GTI, Jetta and New Beetle is the exact same, award winning engine (http://subscribers.wardsauto.com/microsites/Newsarticle.asp?newsarticleid=2666858&srid=10088&instanceid=29125&pageid=5991&magazineid=1004&siteid=26) that's been in the Audi A4 and Audi TT since 1998.

Volkswagens also have the nicest interior of any car in their class - other manufacturers are just starting to catch up.

My GTI has been great - the only complaint I have is with the dealership, and the fact that the manual transmission is a little mushy. Other than that, it's been a perfect car. YMMV, of course, but everything's subjective, right? :mrgreen:

[qmrq]

I don't understand how people can buy Volkswagens considering how they have such an unreliable record.

Not to be mean or anything.. but ... ehm.. in all seriousness. Are you on crack? :razz: An unreliable Volkswagon.. :rotfl:

[Fzara]

Volkswagens also have the nicest interior of any car in their class - other manufacturers are just starting to catch up.

My GTI has been great - the only complaint I have is with the dealership, and the fact that the manual transmission is a little mushy. Other than that, it's been a perfect car. YMMV, of course, but everything's subjective, right? :mrgreen:

Nicest interiors!? The only thing nice about them IMHO is their flashy lights. You click on any of the buttons and you hear clicks! Everything about the interiorsis cheap plastic!

About the consumer reports-I don't know, and I probably can't argue about stats, but the Toyota and Honda names have been prominent through decades. Volkswagen is making a comeback using their name after the "Bug", and using it the have customer loyalty to their higher entry sedans.

I've sat in the 2001 Passat-Its an awesome drive-very smooth, comfy, but the controls are just too poorly designed for me.

[Fzara]

I don't understand how people can buy Volkswagens considering how they have such an unreliable record.

Not to be mean or anything.. but ... ehm.. in all seriousness. Are you on crack? :razz: An unreliable Volkswagon.. :rotfl:

As I said, my friend has a 98' Audi A6 and he's had tons of problems with that. (oil and gas leaks, alarm goes haywire, passenger door gets stuck sometimes, etc.)

To be honest, theres no way anyone can argue with VW fanatics; not even me. :lol:

[Kati Compton]

Nicest interiors!? The only thing nice about them IMHO is their flashy lights. You click on any of the buttons and you hear clicks! Everything about the interiorsis cheap plastic!

<snip>

I've sat in the 2001 Passat-Its an awesome drive-very smooth, comfy, but the controls are just too poorly designed for me.
Yes - I just did shopping, and I'd say they're the nicest interiors for ~20-24K. I think perhaps your standards are much higher than those of us praising the Passat's interior, as you happen to have at least $10K more available to spend on a car. That is not an option for everybody.

[maximus]

I took a look at the Subaru WRX STI-Its basically a normal car with a high performance engine in it-without the HP/torque/speed its basically a Hyundai base; the car doesn't even come with a radio!

Actually the WRX STI is no normal car. It is not only the engine that is special, but also the all-terrain 4 wheel drive system, combined with rally-grade suspension.

Awesome monster. Properly tuned, it will eat a BMW M3 for lunch.

If WRX STI is not enough for you, try the newly released Lancer Evolution 8RSE. The whole 350 hp engine, 480nm Torque, 6 speed, 4 wheel drive with active traction control, rally-grade independent suspension, 18/17 inch brembo brakes on front/rear ...

You only need to add four 260ZR20 tires, and you are set.