OT: buying cars

Emma D. · 2015-08-05T19:00:42+00:00

I read it was OK to ask about other stuff here if I put it to OT first, so here goes. I recently test drove a Fiat 500L and loved it, but then I went to looking for customer reviews, and all I'm seeing are mixed feedback. Some love the car, others have problems from the get go. I'm getting frustrated trying to figure out how to get a car that doesn't have something wrong with it, and the reviews I read were on the new Fiat500L's. Any advice? thanks!

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clare 11 years ago

Or a big wash-basin full of "pickled sand". Whatever you put in the back of a kickup TIE IT DOWN WELL. You do NOT want it coming through the back window of the cab if you get "out of shape".

On my 57 Fargo I bolted a roughly 3X4 foot 1/2 inch steel plate under the box behind the axle. That was just to get traction in the SUMMER!!!.

On my ranger it's got a heavy fiberglass cap and a box liner - I've had no traction issues so far with 205-70/15 graspics - should be better yet with 235-70/16 Hak R2s on all 4 corners.

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clare 11 years ago

No condo on the back?? My kid brother always had his condo with him when he drove his. He actually spent 8 days at home one year - the rest of the time he was in his "sports car"

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clare 11 years ago

Technically, it was a cowl leak. In the windsheild flange crimpweld area on most of the cars produced in a certain time-span.

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Tony Hwang 11 years ago

Bimmer M6 won't fit your bill?

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clare 11 years ago

Yes - cracked windsheilds were a common fault on them too. And a small problem turned ito a bigger problem pretty quickly on the leakers up here in ice country.

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rbowman 11 years ago

I put a fiberglass cap on my F150 when I bought it in '86 and it's been accumulating crap ever since. No traction problems, but the acceleration with the old straight six ain't what it used to be.

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rbowman 11 years ago

No, I was a company driver and they didn't go for the condo models. If you whined they referred to another local company that was known for it's luxurious trucks -- and never getting the drivers home.

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Emma D. 11 years ago

Haven't driven a Kia Soul yet. I think I'll give it a try in the near future. You said they have good warranty's, how do you think they compare to an average warranty?

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Emma D. 11 years ago

I drove a couple of Subarus some time ago, and almost bought one, but the dealership wanted too much for it and wouldn't come down on the price, so I walked out the door and didn't look back.

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Emma D. 11 years ago

I'm glad I asked about Fiat's because they wouldn't tell me about all the jokes at the dealership.

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Emma D. 11 years ago

That's too rich for my blood. I still have to buy food every week!

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notbob 11 years ago

It does in my book.

The term "sports car" was --at least in CA, in the 50s-- applied to any foreign import car. A "sports car" could be a Volvo 544, a German Borgward sedan, a Hillman Minx, etc. Almost any import sedan was granted "sports car" status and welcomed into the fold. VW bugs were kinda dismissed as not being "sporty" enough, despite being able to blow off an early Volvo 544. All "sports car" drivers usta wave to each other. It was a show of solidarity amongst foreign import drivers, much like motorcyclists, today.

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bob_villa 11 years ago

"Emma" are you "maggie"? Have to ask! ¯\_(?)_/¯

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Ed Pawlowski 11 years ago

The Borgward is the only can I know of that had a 4 speed column shift but there may be others. Never thought of it as a Sports car though.

Borgward is going back in production though, Grandson of the original owner and the Chinese. No US sales planned yhet.

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Ed Pawlowski 11 years ago

Double or Triple what most cars offer Kia 10-year or 100,000-mile warranty program.

The Kia 10-year/100,000-mile warranty program* consists of:

10-year/100,000-mile limited powertrain warranty 5-year/60,000-mile limited basic warranty 5-year/100,000-mile limited anti-perforation warranty 5-year/60,000-mile roadside assistance plan Each provides coverage until either the yearly or total mileage figure is reached?whichever comes first.

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clare 11 years ago

The Borgward was FAR from a sports car. Or even a "sporty" car.

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clare 11 years ago

My 204 Peugeot had 4 in the tree. I think some Mercedes did too? The early Chevy/GM HandiVan was available with 4 in the tree - and some Euro and Japanese vans have 5 speed column shifters even today, and japanese taxis - (Toyota Crown and Nissan Cedric) had 4 speed column shifts up till about 1990 when automatic transmissions took over the Taxi world.

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notbob 11 years ago

A Hillman Minx offered a 4 sp on column. It's the first time I ever saw that shift configuration.

Not my call. I was jes a wee tad. As I sed, more of a cultural thing than anything else.

OTOH, my '87 Civic Si sqr back (4 seats) would run rings around an early Triumph TR3 or MGA (roasters). I know damn well it woulda smoked my 60s Triumph Spitfire, by any metric. My first rides in "sports cars" were an MGA and a Jag Mk I. Hard to say which was more "sporty". Both were infinitely more sporty than any US iron of that time. ;)

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