OT: buying cars

You didn't answer my question. Are you saying that a Porsche 911 isn't a sports car?

Reply to
Ron
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Of course, even military combat tanks slides out of control on ice, LOL That's why most Jeeps are in the ditch going up to ski hills in winter. idiot vehicle operators think 4WD is invincible.

Reply to
Tony Hwang

"SPORTS' CAR" so you're almost right! (? ?° ?? ? ?°)?

Reply to
bob_villa

Terrible advice, except if you only keep a car a few years then there's probably not much of a down side in buying a vehicle with poor long term dependability.

There are not only large quality difference in new cars when new, some cars age poorly and some age well. Some have known design flaws which require expensive repairs after the warranty has expired. Some have wear items that are extremely expensive to replace.

I.e. my friend with a Mini Cooper is unwilling to let her sons drive her car because they aren't experienced at driving a stick shift, even though they know how. Replacing the clutch on the Mini Cooper is about $2000 at the dealer, and even when it's under warranty they will insist that failure was due to "aggressive" driving and say that it is not covered by the warranty.

Late 1990's and early 2000's Hondas had automatic transmission issues and while many of them were eventually covered by recall campaigns, initially Honda insisted that there was no issue (the old "no one else has experienced this issue").

Some vehicles do poorly in terms of initial quality but actually last a very long time once the initial issues are resolved. I cursed my VW Rabbit for the first few years but sold it with 175K miles on it eight years later, and unlike Hondas of that era, the paint wasn't all peeling off! Could have probably convinced someone that it was really only 75K miles (back then there were only five digit odometers).

I hesitate to buy brands of vehicles where there aren't a lot of dealers around because we tend to go on road trips through and to areas where you're unlikely to find dealers for the less common brands. Even smaller areas will have Toyota, Honda, Ford, and Chevrolet dealers, but are less likely to have Mazda, Subaru, Volvo, Mini, Fiat, Nissan, Chrysler, BMW, Kia, Hyundai, etc., dealers.

Our current fleet has a 19 year old Toyota, a 14 year old Toyota, and 8 year old Toyota, and a 1 year old Toyota.

Reply to
sms

I just had a Kia Sportage as a rental and it was pretty nice. It was a diesel model and got very good mileage. Manual transmission, and the steering wheel was on the wrong side. This was in Ireland.

Reply to
sms

I carried a spare alternator around in my VW Rabbit. For some reason the alternator on my 1979 Rabbit was an odd model with a longer shaft than most of the Rabbit models used. It failed about every 25-50K miles. I would put in the spare and take the failed one in to a shop to be rebuilt.

Reply to
sms

I looked at a Golf a couple weeks ago, but just don't really like the body style.

Reply to
Muggles

ahh When you said Geo the only Geo I'm familiar with is the Tracker.

Reply to
Muggles

I'm with you, and don't trust those red lights. I'll always make sure the traffic is coming to a stop before I take off.

Reply to
Muggles

Back then when I was learning it taught me what not to do, but now many years later I've learned how to drive on slick roads. I still don't like it, but I can do it.

Reply to
Muggles

Okay, whatever that means. They are several sports cars that are 4 seaters.

Reply to
Ron

Around 1980-ish we bought a Rabbit and it might have been close to the model you had. It was a nice car for a while, but then it developed some electrical issues and would just quit running for not apparent reason. Had it fixed like 4 times and eventually just got rid of it.

Reply to
Muggles

Up here PU trucks carry couple sand bags in the box for winter driving...

Reply to
Tony Hwang

I sent both of my kids to defensive driving course(professional driver training, like cops take) and taught them how to drive stick shift.

Reply to
Tony Hwang

When we had our VW Rabbit it was a stick shift, and I learned how to drive it pretty well. I had fun with the clutch when I'd have stop for a light on a hill seeing how little I'd roll back when the light changed the green again.

Reply to
Muggles

Green and Grin?

Reply to
Tony Hwang

I'm not sure I'd agree. A 4wd has twice the traction - so has advantages is some conditions. Can'r stop any better, can't turn any (or much) better, but when the front wheels are in zero traction mode there is a good chance the rears can get a bite - particularly with limited slip differentials and interaxle lock capability. I've gone places with 4wd that I'd never dream of trying with front wheel drive. I've also ended up a LOT farher from help!!!

And personally, I prefer rear wheel drive over front wheel drive in many situations where I'd really rather have 4 wheel drive. With front wheel drive, if you get your wheels spinning trying to get a purchase on terra firma, you have no steering. With rear wheel drive you can have the rear end swinging around grabbing whatever it can grab, and still have full directional control.. With 4 wheel drive in the same conditions, you can often have enough traction, split between the front and back, that you can go through without much, if any, drama involved.

In LIGHT vehicles with the motor up front, front wheel drive has an advantage over rear wheel drive due to the engine weight over the drive wheels. However, a rear engine, rear wheel drive car of the same weight isn't leaving anything on the table either.

Reply to
clare

The Matchless would only be safer than the Spit if it didn't run.

Reply to
clare

If it was 1971-73, you're lucky it lasted the trip. 1974 was significantly better, and by 1975/76 they stood up pretty well to highway driving.

Reply to
clare

I drove a four door Chevette, for two or three years. After my Dodge Dart (which was a loser) and before my work van. (Dodge, also, which was also a loser.)

Overall, I was pleased with it. Got 24 MPG, and had some troubles, but that's to be expected.

Reply to
Stormin Mormon

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