Cars, Trucks, and other forms of personal transportation
Posted: Thu May 19, 2022 10:22 pm
by jez
I've been casually looking around at vehicles that are for sale. Just for gits and shiggles I went and priced a new Audi with everything I could possibly want. Ended up over $90k. Yeah, don't think I'll be getting something like that.
I've been driving Chevy's for almost 30 years (if you count Saturn and Geo as Chevy products) with only a break for a company car that was an Olds. Anyway, I'm looking for something a bit different.
I want something that is bit roomier then what I have now, which is a 2007 Chevy Cobalt. It's a good car, still runs well with only a few minor issues that are just generally annoying but not safety issues. So, I have been looking a bit more in earnest the last few months and I think I've narrowed it down.
Jeep - maybe a Renegade?
Toyota - Rav4 or Corolla Crossover. Roommate has a Rav4 and it's a good drive.
Chevy - Of course. Maybe a Malibu (if they are still making them) or Impala. Also have looked at the Equinox.
Subaru - I've heard good things about them.
So, any opinions or thoughts? For the record, I drive less than 3000 miles in a year. I work from home and do mostly local driving. I've even considered a lease, but I prefer to own cars until stuff starts falling off while driving.
Re: Cars, Trucks, and other forms of personal transportation
Posted: Thu May 19, 2022 11:53 pm
by Phoenix520
If you’re considering the RAV, you might also consider a used Lexus, both made by Toyota. They’re reliable and cheap to maintain, esp if you can get an extended warrantee for it. Look for a lease return from a dealership. They’re generally well-maintained and only a couple of years old.
I bought my first one that way. Had it for 13 years and the hybrid battery lasted the whole time. I loved to drive it! It had a lot of power, the best turning radius of any car I’ve owned, comfortable.
Re: Cars, Trucks, and other forms of personal transportation
Posted: Fri May 20, 2022 5:58 am
by sugar magnolia
Check with rental car companies too. They usually sell them after 2 years or so and have good maintenance records.
Re: Cars, Trucks, and other forms of personal transportation
Posted: Fri Jul 15, 2022 11:40 pm
by RTH10260
Cars, Trucks, and other forms of personal transportation
Posted: Sun Mar 26, 2023 4:37 pm
by RTH10260
Jeep Cherokee rides into the automotive sunset
Stephen Williams
Thu, March 23, 2023 at 10:23 PM GMT+1
After making a name for itself nearly a half-century ago, the Jeep Cherokee, which has endured off and on through a number of iterations, has been chopped from the lineup. But the name will live on. Sort of.
What started life as a body-on-frame SUV in 1974 later morphed into the resilient XJ built from 1984 to 2001, when it was replaced by the Liberty. The Cherokee also lived on through licensed production in China through 2014, when Jeep reintroduced the Cherokee name back into its North American lineup with a midsize crossover. But the Cherokee by then had lost its luster.
On March 1, Stellantis idled the Belvidere Assembly plant in Illinois, where the Cherokee was made. There were suggestions that the plant be shuttered permanently depending on future negotiations with the United Auto Workers.
Cherokee watchers could divine the end coming two months ago, after Jeep product planners radically slimmed down the Cherokee lineup to only two and reduced engine choices to a naturally-aspirated inline-four and a 270 horsepower turbo. If the Cherokee reemerges in some form, it will likely be in zero-emissions form, as Jeep has made it clear that it will build electrified variants of all Jeep brands by 2025.
At any rate, the Cherokee’s legacy (and its name) live on the Grand Cherokee, a large, upscale SUV that was renewed with high-tech touches and a plug-in hybrid offering in 2022.
Cars, Trucks, and other forms of personal transportation
Posted: Wed Sep 27, 2023 10:23 pm
by John Thomas8
Ben Collins, "The Stig" from Top Gear, runs a 6-wheeled F1 car:
Cars, Trucks, and other forms of personal transportation
Posted: Tue Feb 06, 2024 5:48 pm
by jez
I believe I have made a decision. Thanks to the company I work for, the Subaru would be at Dealer Invoice. I'm not sure how much of a discount that is, because it varies from dealer to dealer. And if there is any holdback from the manufacturer. It doesn't matter. It isn't MSRP, and I know the stuff that is bull pucky when it comes to upselling.
The only thing is the Impreza or the Crosstrek. I'm leaning towards the Impreza RS mostly because it's within my price range fully loaded with all the gadgets, even at MSRP. I will have a down payment of about $3k cash. Still debating on whether to turn my car into them or not and get the $50 it's worth.
Either way, I should have a new car by the end of the month. And yes, I looked at used, lease buy backs, former rentals, etc. The cost of a used is almost the same as a new. And I'll be driving this car for the next 15-20 years, so not too worried about depreciation.
Cars, Trucks, and other forms of personal transportation
Posted: Tue Feb 06, 2024 5:53 pm
by AndyinPA
Cars, Trucks, and other forms of personal transportation
Posted: Tue Feb 06, 2024 6:13 pm
by sugar magnolia
jez wrote: ↑Tue Feb 06, 2024 5:48 pm
I believe I have made a decision. Thanks to the company I work for, the Subaru would be at Dealer Invoice. I'm not sure how much of a discount that is, because it varies from dealer to dealer. And if there is any holdback from the manufacturer. It doesn't matter. It isn't MSRP, and I know the stuff that is bull pucky when it comes to upselling.
The only thing is the Impreza or the Crosstrek. I'm leaning towards the Impreza RS mostly because it's within my price range fully loaded with all the gadgets, even at MSRP. I will have a down payment of about $3k cash. Still debating on whether to turn my car into them or not and get the $50 it's worth.
Either way, I should have a new car by the end of the month. And yes, I looked at used, lease buy backs, former rentals, etc. The cost of a used is almost the same as a new. And I'll be driving this car for the next 15-20 years, so not too worried about depreciation.
If it runs but isn't worth the time or trouble to sell or trade in, ask around to your friends and someone will know a single mother, struggling father, driven college student, other person who will get more than you could ever imagine out of it. And then just give it to them. The blessings flow both ways.
Cars, Trucks, and other forms of personal transportation
Posted: Tue Feb 06, 2024 8:02 pm
by Shizzle Popped
jez wrote: ↑Tue Feb 06, 2024 5:48 pm
I believe I have made a decision. Thanks to the company I work for, the Subaru would be at Dealer Invoice. I'm not sure how much of a discount that is, because it varies from dealer to dealer. And if there is any holdback from the manufacturer. It doesn't matter. It isn't MSRP, and I know the stuff that is bull pucky when it comes to upselling.
The only thing is the Impreza or the Crosstrek. I'm leaning towards the Impreza RS mostly because it's within my price range fully loaded with all the gadgets, even at MSRP. I will have a down payment of about $3k cash. Still debating on whether to turn my car into them or not and get the $50 it's worth.
Either way, I should have a new car by the end of the month. And yes, I looked at used, lease buy backs, former rentals, etc. The cost of a used is almost the same as a new. And I'll be driving this car for the next 15-20 years, so not too worried about depreciation.
We've got two Subarus in the garage. My 2020 Outback is 3.5 years old with 43k miles on it and has been flawless. My wife's 2022 Impreza Limited (previous generation from what you're looking at) had a problem with the right front airbag sensor not synching last year that took a few months to fix because the problem was the 4th thing down the list and they were still dealing with parts availability issues. Other than that it's been great and it's a lot of fun to drive. The RS has a retuned version of the 2.5l boxer that's in my Outback but in a much smaller car. It should be a real hoot to drive. They gave us a new Crosstrek to drive while my wife's car was in the shop and neither one of us liked it as much. It would probably be the better car in bad weather owing to the higher ground clearance and all terrain tires but it wasn't nearly as much fun to drive.
Cars, Trucks, and other forms of personal transportation
Posted: Tue Feb 06, 2024 8:14 pm
by Frater I*I
If all works out, by the end of the month I will be the proud owner of a V8 police interceptor...
Cars, Trucks, and other forms of personal transportation
Posted: Tue Feb 06, 2024 9:43 pm
by raison de arizona
Frater I*I wrote: ↑Tue Feb 06, 2024 8:14 pm
If all works out, by the end of the month I will be the proud owner of a V8 police interceptor...
Does it got a lot of pickup?
► Show Spoiler
Cars, Trucks, and other forms of personal transportation
Frater I*I wrote: ↑Tue Feb 06, 2024 8:14 pm
If all works out, by the end of the month I will be the proud owner of a V8 police interceptor...
Ford 428?
No it won't be that old, it'll be a Crown Vic....but if I can pull together enough cash I might go for a Charger....
Cars, Trucks, and other forms of personal transportation
Posted: Sun Apr 07, 2024 10:25 pm
by RTH10260
Toll bill too high? Your windshield might be to blame
NBC Bay Area
29 Mar 2024
Is your car's windshield making you pay when you're carpooling? The windshields on some cars are keeping drivers from getting toll tag discounts. Chris Chmura reports.
Cars, Trucks, and other forms of personal transportation
Posted: Sun May 12, 2024 7:58 am
by HoperUp
Hey there! Switching things up sounds like a great idea given your situation. Since you don’t drive much, the Subaru models might really suit you—they’re known for being reliable and have a comfortable ride, which seems to align with what you're looking for. Subaru's crossovers are particularly roomy and might be a nice transition from your Cobalt without jumping into full SUV territory.
Speaking of vehicle changes, I recently bought a new Audi RS Q8 and was quite stressed about its shipping. A friend suggested I check out https://www.a1autotransport.com/new-car-shipping/ , which turned out to be a lifesaver. I had so much going on and definitely couldn't handle the logistics myself, so having a reliable company handle it was a huge relief. It might be worth considering for peace of mind if you end up buying a vehicle that’s not local.
Cars, Trucks, and other forms of personal transportation
Toll bill too high? Your windshield might be to blame
NBC Bay Area
29 Mar 2024
Is your car's windshield making you pay when you're carpooling? The windshields on some cars are keeping drivers from getting toll tag discounts. Chris Chmura reports.
https: //youtu.be/qKey5T0vL68
Yet another argument against auto-pay.
Cars, Trucks, and other forms of personal transportation
Posted: Sun May 12, 2024 11:19 am
by much ado
So every car crossing the Bay Bridge should stop at a toll booth to pay?
Cars, Trucks, and other forms of personal transportation
Posted: Sun May 12, 2024 11:26 am
by bill_g
That may seem awful, but that's how it got done back east. OTOH there's nothing stopping them from mailing you a bill.
Cars, Trucks, and other forms of personal transportation
Posted: Sun May 12, 2024 12:15 pm
by jez
I had a toll tag when I lived in Dallas. Hated the thing. They would always glitch out my autopay information (I would have it put $X on it ever month, or if I hit 0, it would pull that amount), which lead to me owing money. Rarely got notified I owed money until it was way overdue and they started calling. Would check the app, and payment method was there, money was in the checking account, etc., but it would always mess it up.
I think when I left Dallas, there may or may not have been a balance left on the toll tag.
Which is still pasted to the window of the Cobalt, which is probably now at auction.
Cars, Trucks, and other forms of personal transportation
Posted: Sun May 12, 2024 12:18 pm
by jez
By the by...
Been driving the Subaru Impreza for 2 months now. Have a whopping 200 miles on it. I am LOVING this vehicle. Drive is smooth. Everything is quiet. Good radio. Works with my phone. Was able to get the garage door tuned to the button the on rearview mirror, so I now have a garage door opener and don't have to fight with the stupid keypad.
Only thing that bugs me a little is that shut off the engine when at a full stop for a few seconds thing. I know I can turn it off, but I'm going to give it a bit more time, see if I can get used to it.
