[BUMP]Start with the make - whose lot do you go to first?
Toyota?
Honda?
Lexus?
Jeep?
Kia?
Buick? (oh, no, just kidding on that one)
Serious question. I want to see how the foreign names are doing against the American stuff.
April 24, 2009
Say I'm giving you $25,000 to buy a car. Any new car you want. So what do you get?
[BUMP]Start with the make - whose lot do you go to first?
Toyota?
Honda?
Lexus?
Jeep?
Kia?
Buick? (oh, no, just kidding on that one)
Serious question. I want to see how the foreign names are doing against the American stuff.
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138 comments:
Toyota
See the film, Tucker. It totally predicts this.
Gov smashes individual innovation because of corp/union personhood.
actually, Buicks are pretty reliable. Smooth highway cruiser. Yah, not glitzy.
-evil
Honda
Keith,
I would get a White 2010 Chevy Camaro. But I will keep my BMW 5 Series Wagon.
RayNLA
VW or Audi TDI
Honda
Toyota
The MINI is a nice commuter & fun car. Excellent handling great gas mileage plenty of power and great reliability.
Toyota or Ford trucks are nice if you got to haul stuff.
Honda or Toyota MiniVans if you got a big family. On a recent 1200 mile trip my friend's Honda Odysse got 30mpg on the highway. Not bad considering be had 5 people in it.
Mini Cooper S. Good looks, good resale value and good gas mileage.
I'd buy 20 (twenty)stock (not tricked out) Honda CRX's. The HF's have the best mpg if you can find them...SI's are good too. I only have 2 now. 40 mpg, fun, agile and easy to maintain.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QzP-etuL6Y8
No Brainer.
Toyota or Honda.
Coin flip!
Honda or Mazda - looking for low price, low maintenance, high mileage. Both will be around to honor their warranties.
Toyota or honda. I like the hybrids. If i could get a diesel plug in hybrid, i would be a happy man.
bmw 1st
honda 2nd
I would buy 10 Tata Nano's. A different color for each day of the week and 3 left over as backups.
http://jalopnik.com/343003/the-2500-tata-nano-unveiled-in-india
another used 911
Toyota, I have a toyota truck and a honda CRV, both are great and are way above american made similar vehicles When working out of town and have to rent a car, I am amazed how crappy american cars are. My Toyota truck is awesome. I give others ride to job sites and it always starts out "oh a jap truck" about ten minutes into the ride they start asking questions. about how quiet, smooth and how quick it is. Then I turn the knife and say, more of this truck is made in american then ford or gmc. Unless WWIII starts the american car companies are over.
Another Lincoln please
Nissan. and then take the left-over 5,000 from the purchase price and cover insurance for 4 years.
Buy American? "American?" Chrysler is a German company, GM is basically a Mexican-Brazilian combine.
See that hummer? so obscenely big the moron owner parked it on the grass.
Typical hummer owner -disrespectful pigs from hell. Need a greedy car to match themselves.
Big Hummer, little tool.
And don't give me the 'freedom of choice' BS line. Sorry, 9 mpg is criminal. Just because corrupt congress on lobbyist take has refused to put a sin tax on them doesn't mean its right. Your greed and excess hurts others like just like second hand smoke hurts folks who have nothing to do with cigarettes.
Hummer owners reading this: screw you. No, you are NOT different. Like playing soldier? Tools.
Fiat! (hahahhaaa...lol!)
I'd get a Holden!!!!
I know you're thinking "WTF?" Who's ever heard of a Holden? FYI, that's the word for "GM" in Aussie. Started as an Australian company in the waybackwhen, but has been owned by GM for yonks.
If I had $25,000 of what I call "stupid money" -- something I could spend on any stupid thing because some guy named Keith gave it to me -- I'd buy a Holden ute!" That's short for "utility vehicle," what Americans think of as an El Camino (or if your memory goes way back, a Ranchero.)
Australia doesn't do cars well. Their designs from the 1960s through the 1990s tended to be squareish instead of aerodynamic. Most of their hotrod models were FOUR-doors! That's because it's a small market here, and the big sellers are family sedans. But there aren't enough gear-heads here to re-tool your factories to build slimmer, faster, two-door models of the family Commodore [i.e. Impala] or Falcon [i.e. Taurus]. So they put in a bigger engine, better tranny, sleeker sheet metal, but keep all those doors.
The one car Oz builds better than any other country is its two-door car/pickups. They are low-slung, streamlined and fast! The working-man's ethos of a pickup bed, with the aggro edge of 60s musclecar. Practical with balls.
If I was 20 years younger, and the world was not heating up as it ran out of petrol, and Keith gave me $25,000 (especially if that was in American dollars) I'd get a V-8 Holden SS ute. In one of the crazy colours that you only see on production cars in Australia. (Think of fluro green, pumpkin orange, metallic grape and other tones that a Mexican would be embarrassed to be seen in.)
But as it stands, we're going to buy another Prius if we move to Vancouver. Because I feel guilty. And it's practically the law up there -- everybody in the city drives one. At least the steering wheel is on the left side in Canada, where it belongs.
Lexu$, baby. They da bomb.
Toyota - All the way
Stripped down cargo van for camping, hauling the motorcycle, hunting, etc. (last year's model or older will do just fine) and a cheap Aveo or Yaris for doing the commuting to work. Don't know if two of that type could be done for $25,000 but with a dealer with the right attitude it might work.
Smug Bastard
Volkswagen Jetta TDi SportWagen with a manual transmission. When can I expect the check?
if i needed a car - honda.
fun car - 66 mustang convertable.
i bought a 91 mustang when they came out. about 2 years into owning it blew a head gasket...cost me like 800 bucks.
never again.
I would never buy a NEW car, it loses too much value driving off the lot.
.
But I was able to get a year-old fully-loaded Cadillac CTS for 25k; so that’s my choice.
Ever been sorry you bought a Toyota?
Me neither.
Toyota or Honda most Jap cars are OK
I stay away from European overpriced underperform crap.
hey keith...great visual that the boys over at itulip put together.
i think you will like it.
http://www.itulip.com/forums/showthread.php?p=93493#post93493
lexus IS
I have always gotten by with used cars, but if you gave me $25K and said that I HAD to spend it on a new car, then that car would be a Honda Civic.
You just can't beat a Honda for dependability; at least that is my perception.
Sorry, American carmakers, but your reputation for quality and reliability is tarnished beyond repair.
You know, I fondly remember the eleven-year old 1967 Pontiac LeMans convertible which I bought, then drove for another 13 years.
Loved that car - it was very reliable and I drove that thing all over the country.
When some idiot slammed into the rear end of this car and totalled it, it had racked up nearly 320,000 miles.
Mind you, this was mid-1960's technology, yet 20, 30, 40 years later the American automobile manufacturers are incapable of building cars that are this reliable?
Let the market decide GM's, Chrysler's, and Ford's fate - not the government.
-Mammoth
Keefer,
I’ll mail you a virtual quarter if you post a pic of the Iranian hostage with her hair showing.
I owned 2 VWs in the past 10 years, they were both only expensive headaches,
Never again will I purchase a German made car, they fall apart at the seams.
I drive Ford products. Before someone attacks me on that.... Yes I have owned a Toyota before. Toyota is great until it breaks.... then bend over!! No the first major breakdown was not at some really high mileage.... try 82,000 miles. Not all Toyota's are that way, but neither are Ford's. All companies make good products and bad products. By the way, the quality of Ford has risen dramatically in recent years. Read Consumer Reports if you don't believe me. And no i don't work for the auto industry.
Ford
Acura or Honda. I've owned both for years and will not buy anything else.
Someone please but a bullet in GM's head.......
Brand new? Toyota or Honda.
You can't buy a new Lexus for $25k.
Depending on what I needed at the time, a Tacoma, a Prius, or a Civic.
But if I was spending $25k cash on a car, I would probably by one that is one or two years old. Japanese make.
Two cars
1) Certified pre-owned Honda pilot for 15000
2) A good 4 wheeling Jeep Wrangler from one of the distressed sellers for 10000
- Andy Dufresne
I always buy a Toyota with about 100,000 miles. Keep it for another 200,000 miles, and save 15,000 of the $25,000
I always found that Nissan and Toyota cars last longer and are more economical. "If" you gave me the money, I would probably get one as cheap as possible and put the rest in the bank.
Rasbary
I have owned a honda, 2 nissans and 3 VWs. I generally find the Japanese cars to be ugly and uninspiring - they really are not much better than American cars.
That said, if I were looking for an inexpensive commuting type car, I would probably look at the Malibu or Ford Fusion before even looking at Honda, Nissan or Toyota. Of the Japanese cars, I personally think Nissans are the best looking and performing.
If I were looking for a truck or SUV, I would definitely go American.
Hybrid - honda or toyota
Honda.
Last 2 cars I purchased, were both Nissan 350z. Great cars, and really fun to drive. Decent gas milage for the power and can handle as well as my friends Cayman. My Z is acctually a little faster. My first one was a 2003, and I bought my last one back in September and is an 08 model with a lot of options.. I test drove everything the US can put out against it for the money and the only thing I found I wanted more was a Corvette, and that was quite a bit more for what I wanted. While the six speed Corvette gets good fuel economy on the Highway, it is horrible around town. Besides my wife does not drive stick shift to well so I went with the automatic. Sevice records are very good as well for the Z.
I don't expect everyone to like these cars, and they are not pratical if you have a family. If you want a good sports car that you can have a lot of fun with and stay out of the shop, they are great.
25,000 dollars and I would probably buy a new G37 coupe. Well I would find a decent used one or a return lease. I don't ever buy new because you can save a lot of money and still always find a great slightly used vehicle. It would not cover the full cost but I will make up the difference.
I am waiting for my check!!
Honda Civic Hybrid, probably.
Does the Acura TL come in hybrid?
BUT BUT BUT I would probably just put the money away--I haven't owned a car since Sep 2003, do just fine with my bike and a once-a-month-or-so ZipCar, I have my groceries delivered, and have no need or plan to get a car in the foreseeable future.
The several hundred dollars a month I save in fuel, insurance, taxes, loan interest, depreciation, maintenance and parking cost, I can put to a lot of other much better uses--like having a shorter commute (4 minutes by bike right now) which saves MORE energy, AND time, AND aggravation.
Is there a car that can disable the engine of idiot Hummers and other economy wrecking SUV status-mobiles when I drive by them? I want that one then...
Make mine a Harley.
Volkswagen Jetta TDI - but only because I drive 50K miles a year.
If i drove 10 - 15K miles a year like most normal people do it would be between a Ford Mustang GT or a Dodge Challenger R/T. They're badass!
Smart people don't buy new cars. They let the greater fool pay the depreciation.
I'd definitely take a new 2010 Toyota Prius if given a choice.
However, if it had to be American, I'd take the Ford Escape Hybrid or the new Ford Fusion hybrid.
Jymkata
New Civic Hybrid, Altima 3.5 or slightly used Pilot depending on what you need. If you didn't give me the money I'd get a regular Civic or a moderately used Pilot.
If you gave me $25,000 then I would buy a nice American made car, probably a Ford Focus. A very sharp looking car and a reliable brand that would leave those Japanese brands eating it's dust!
Also, the government should give a $7500 gift card to anyone who buys an American made car made by Americans in Michigan. They really need our help folks. The government needs to do something to stimulate the auto industry before GM and Chrysler go bust.
Toyota Prius. The 2010 model with the solar panel roof as std equipment. No special packages other than the safety package.
No leather seats, DVD naviation, etc. Ultra clean emissions. 50 mpg. What's not to love?
"Say I'm giving you $25,000 to buy a car. Any new car you want. So what do you get?"
I would buy one of those cars they make in Ohio. What's the name again?
Oh, yeah, HONDA. Great car and at a great price.
Kenduffelsniffenspotzen
If you gave me $25,000 then I would buy a nice American made car, probably a Ford Focus. A very sharp looking car and a reliable brand that would leave those Japanese brands eating it's dust!
Your must be joking!!! They are a huge POS. My MIL has one (unless it has blown up) it has less miles then my honda and it fun to ride in. You get in and once it starts moving it rattles, shutters and surges. I make sure that I get at least on ride when I'm visiting so I know why I buy hondas
I tend to agree with some here and avoid the so-called uber-engineered German made cars,
BMWs and Mercedes represent the gory McMnansions of housing boom era, fancy labels with zero content.
Then you got VW and Audi which are pieces of shit, everyone I know that owns them is frustrated with how often they’re in the shop and the low quality of the basic components.
Stick to Japanese made cars and you’ll get the most value for your buck.
VW Jetta TDI.
1) Toyota (18 essentially trouble-free years)
2) Honda (very similar feel and equally good reputation)
A no-brainer. But let's open up our minds and see where that prejudice came from:
Among American cars? Let's see--do I want the brand where the windshield leaked (think "Shower Message")?
Or the brand that pushed the envelope for the number of times AAA will come bail you out in one month?
Or the brand that failed to start for several important appointments and whose vague problems evaded detection by excellent mechanics in 2 states?
Nope, can't make this a challenge no matter how hard I try.
I've already got a practical car. I'd go for a Lotus Elise.
I have had a honda civic hybrid for years now..2004 edition...it has run FANTASTIC without problems. Gets 42 mpg on average...great car. Bought it used and got a nice discount on it. Bought it when gas was 1.59 or so and gas zoomed up ever since..never noticed the prices :-)
I must sau that a prius is about the most worthless car ever. The carbon footprint is horrible before it even hits the showroom floor. i stated that a corvette with a six speed manual transmission gets good milage. I have been waithing for somone to flip on me for that. It is true. the sixth gear brings the RPMs down to a low that allowns the eight cylinder beast to get close to 35 mpg on the freeway.
Now if you think the Prius is such a great hybrid watch this video of the carbon footprint just the battery leaves before it is even put in the car. I work in the "green" industry of CA. I have been to many "green" tradeshows. I also see how evryone in SF that drives a prius thinks they are saving the planet. Complete bullshit!
Keith, have you been to a taping of Top Gear. It has to be one of the TV best shows ever.
Here is the video.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dKTOyiKLARk
3 new Cervelo P3 Tri bikes.
One for me, the wife, and the girlfriend.
LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
A VW "green diesel" Jetta. I think they cost about 25K or so.
I drove a diesel powered Passat station wagon in Germany last year. Loved it! - 45 MPG on the autobahn and nice power too.
Unfortunately, only a few "new generation" diesel powered cars are available in the US right now, the VW Jetta being one of them. The others (BMW, Mercedes, Audi, Jeep) are 25K budget busters.
Aptera
2009 Honda Element EX w/ Navi - Citrus Fire Metallic
Almost bought one last week, but instead went for a 2007 Honda Civic LX for $12500 (KBB $17000).
Honda Ensight
"I'm giving you $25,000 to buy a car."
This sounds like an up-and-coming stimulus program...
Keith, are you doing marketing research for the Big Three??
Keith,
Why are we not discussing the first 100 days of Obama. "Supporters insist he is the greatest President ever."
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0409/21605.html
$25k for a car won't buy much new. But see some pretty good used car deals in South Florida, though.
Would go back to the Honda or Audi....I hate my Toyotas, especially the 05. Weird freaking vibrations between 35 and 45 mph.
Would take an H3 at $5k or below in price with some rattles but great engine. H3s won't age well.
HONDA!
Two Words: Hon Da!
toyota
Why is the stock market up? Oh yeah, Chrysler's filing for bankruptcy.
So I bought a used car, so I could travel in Eastern Europe this summer, to places unserved by mass transit (and hopefully unvisited by American tourists).
Anyone wanna guess what I bought?
"Anyone wanna guess what I bought?"
A Subaru for all those eastern European roads.
You left out Hundai, great value car, get allot for not so much.
Tell us Keith. You are going to reveal much about yourself when you do.
I am pretty sure it is not American made.
I'll give you a hint.
It's funny.
Yet oh, so practical.
Remember, I haven't had a car for years, since leaving the US. Haven't wanted one. Haven't needed one.
And also remember, gas here is like $6 a gallon. And there's nowhere to park.
Guesses?
"And also remember, gas here is like $6 a gallon..."
Is it anything like this?
http://www.2sportscars.com/funnytaxicab.shtml
Keith,
did you get a "Smart Coffin?"
25k eh?
Well my last new car purchase was a 1998 Ford Escort. 5 spd, air, no power windows, basic commuter car. EPA sticker was 34/39, Only way I get worse than 39 is during the summer months when I run the A/C. I have achieved a repeatable 40-44 mpg in mixed commuting traffic. 175K miles and counting. Unless this car gets blasted I will continue to drive it. If the motor were to die I would give serious consideration to just replacing the motor and continue on.
Any new car would have to meet or beat that. Living in the "great" state of CA (for another couple of years anyhow) other considerations would be the increased sales tax, insurance, registration and after the grace period - smog checks. Tell me again why I would buy a new car?
The powers that be don't realize the full ramifications of frugality that is being unleashed.
Given all that my own short list would be VW TDI, Mazda 3 or 6, Ford Fusion (possibly the hybrid although I am not sold on the whole hybrid thing) or Taurus and lastly maybe, BIG maybe a Prius.
An aside to the Hummer hater earlier in the post. Amen brother. Everytime I see one of them I can't help but think what a worthless (other than some kind of effed up status thing) POS. I get better fuel economy (11-14) towing my 12k pound four horse gooseneck trailer with my 3/4 diesel truck than they get running around empty. WTF.
Better to put this as a poll on the sidebar.
Anyway, I would pick an Acura, Lexus or BMW.
yuGo
no, better yet, a little fiat
Gotta love the crook-traders on Wall Street, who are manipulating this hilariously fake rally to pump their bonuses. Here's a serious headline today, among several ones out there:
April 21 (Bloomberg) -- Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac mortgage delinquencies among the most creditworthy homeowners rose 50 percent in a month as borrowers said drops in income or too much debt caused them to fall behind, according to data from federal regulators.
The number of so-called prime borrowers at least 60 days behind on mortgages owned or guaranteed by the companies rose to 743,686 in January, from 497,131 in December, and is almost double the total for October, the Federal Housing Finance Agency said in a report to Congress today. And the market rallies with the news...bwahahahaha...Folks, that's a 50% jump in a month and the market rallies?
Oh and BTW, as per my Corporate Finance class at B-School, it's the easiest thing to cook the books in order to bring numbers that either beat or are on par with the crooked analysts' rigged-low bar forecasts. We did in class several times, from warehouse manipulation of inventory to sales at loss and beyond. All those rosy earnings that you see have been cooked!
Seriously, what can you buy with a mediocre $25k these days? One of those teen-toy cars from Toyota or Honda, I guess.
BTW, Mazda is a POS.
You left out Hundai, great value car, get allot for not so much.You must be very young.
Actually, it's smart to buy one of those 1984/85 Mercedes Benz 300D for $1,500, and then contract with a few restaurants for grease p/u. The smart money knows what I'm talking about.
If you see one in good condition, buy it.
I want to buy my own personal saucer-shaped hovercraft. I want to sit legs crossed with arms folded like some magical genie passing hundreds of cars below me in a traffic jam on the 5 Freeway (southern Cal). Yeah, I want one of those.
My first 3 cars were American. I got tired of breaking down. Bought my first Toyota in '92. There is no comparison. Tried Honda but hated 'em. The only thing I've ever had to do on my Toyota's is change the oil, the brakes and the tires. My car is 5 years old and runs perfectly. Plus they're made in America. If GM could make a car as reliable as my Toyota - I would gladly buy one.
Lets see. When I married my wife she had a Honda CRX. After it stranded her for the 3rd time in 6 months we ditched it. Not to mention the plastic interiors just disintegrate. Then there was the Hyundai that replaced it. If it dropped below freezing (I live in CT so it does), the door would freeze shut and if you grabbed the door handle and pulled it would break off in your hand. After that happening twice we sold that POS.
Then there was the Toyota Tacoma she had that was just bought back last fall by Toyota because apparently the frames rust out and it becomes a deathtrap. Yeah, those foreign cars are GREAT! NOT! I have only owned American cars myself, and now my wife does too.
I would buy a Chevy Silverado truck. 21 MPG and plenty of power to blow by the idiot in the Prius going 15 under the speed limit in the fast lane. Never a foreign model. I am an American, I buy American when I can. There are plenty of GOOD American cars out there. Get over yourself and your anti American loving ways. Support this country! Or watch it disappear.
Anonymous Anonymous said...
If you gave me $25,000 then I would buy a nice American made car, probably a Ford Focus. A very sharp looking car and a reliable brand that would leave those Japanese brands eating it's dust!
Your must be joking!!! They are a huge POS. My MIL has one (unless it has blown up) it has less miles then my honda and it fun to ride in. You get in and once it starts moving it rattles, shutters and surges. I make sure that I get at least on ride when I'm visiting so I know why I buy hondas
April 23, 2009 6:20 PM
Listen, when are you going to "get it"??? We Americans need to start supporting good union paying jobs. I don't know why so many of you people on this board love to look down on working people. You all act so snotty and think your job won't be exported too. My niece is studying to be a nurse and she has to compete for jobs with nurses from India, Nigeria and the Philipines. How unfair is that? When the hell are you folks going to wake up and take back your country?
Fiat Cinquecento
Yes, Keith, do tell. They say you can tell everything you need to know about a guy from the car he chooses to drive. It's an extension of his soul. LOL.
"...Why are we not discussing the first 100 days of Obama..."Cuz you've been whining and blubbering about it for the last six months at least; why add another Blinding Glimpse of the Obvious?
Anyone wanna guess what I bought?
Hybrids are a lot of hype. I wouldn't buy one. They are way too pricy and you don't do the environment a favor either. They're simply a marketing gimmick to get at people's money. 7 or 8 years down the road when the battery fails and you're looking at a $4K repair you know why. The life span of the battery is too short for you to make up for the extra initial cost. Turbo Diesel is the way to go but of course they don't get sold in the US.
I've owned two vw jetta's (one regular one sport) in the past ten years (one I bought one the wife brought to the marriage). NEVER AGAIN!!!! Definite P.O.S. I try to laugh not to cry b/c I'm stuck with her vw right now while she drives my Jeep (which knock on wood has over 150k and runs like a charm). The vw... well you touch something on it and it falls apart. German engineering my arse!!!
Keith, is it an Alfa Romeo?
A funny Eurotard Wannabe with a funny car.
Smart Car Keith?
Gut reaction was Honda Prius. Followed by whatever Toyota's Hybrid is called.
If I had to buy today, I'd buy a nice Scion. Great mileage, great reliability.
If I could wait a little bit, I'd take the 25K, invest it in gold, oil, food and China and wait a couple year because I think we are a couple year away from really viable produceable technology.
keith did you buy a bmw isetta?
rich in fl
Toyota
Why not a turbo diesel hybrid? I heard it gets 70mph. Why are we so limited with our current options?
http://www.treehugger.com/files/2008/03/vw-golf-diesel-electric-hybrid-tdi-geneva.php
It's a disposable car - just needed for a few months. And if it gets stolen in the backwaters of Ukraine or Moldova, I walk home. Take something nice where I'm going it wouldn't last a day.
In America FYI, Lexus all the way. Best cars in the world, bar none. After that Toyota, then Honda. Nissans and Acuras are alright. But Lexus has not only the reliability, but design, fuel efficiency and performance too. I would never buy anything else.
The most important thing about a car before design and performance is reliability in my book. And I would never, ever, not even if I was loaded, buy a new car. No reason to. 2-year or 3-year old is the way to go.
Also, anyone ever buy a car on ebay? That's how I just bought my new disposable car. Great way to buy, get exactly what you want, at a great price. As long as your seller has perfect feedback, and lots of it.
And one last thing - anyone know why are there no pickup trucks in Europe? It's strange - when I see one it's like seeing a ghost. Yet in America it's like half the cars on the road. I just don't get it.
Wait til the depression is in full swing,
you will be able to by Any car for pennies on the dollar.
I used to have a Fuji, but now I ride an American K2 I got at REI. And the total cost of both bikes put together, plus all maintenance and parts for the last few years amounts to a single trip to the auto repair shop. If you gave me 25,000 and I had to spend it on a car and was not allowed to sell it, I'd buy a foreign car so as to not support Detroit, then just wait till the next 0.50 cal machine gun shoot event and blast the shit out of it there. Fuck cars. seriously.
BIG AMERICAN CARS with WINGS!!!!
YES back then the envy of the world who drove small pieces of shit such as,
Fiat,VW,Morris,Skoda,Datsun,Honda,Citroen,Trabant,Taunus and many more crap the Europeans and Japanese car manufacturers produced.
USA YOU made real CARS back then.....WHAT happened? Why did you have to become like them so badly.....Why? Why you still keep wanting to please the rest of the world----Screw them and stay true to yourself-----PLEASE.
Unfortunately you are becoming more like them ----I came from "them"----take it from me, it stinks----America you must do better, get of your ass and show them again!!
dont wanna pay the higher insurance cost...............
will they still charge us for new calipers rather than just replace the seals when they become leaky and then someone else replaces the seals for a few bucks while they charge us hundreds when the new calipers are just resealed old ones? or remanufacture all those parts? when all they needed was the few dollars in rubber seal replacement...rich? or/ ripped off..
??????
Toyota. I've driven one for a decade and it's given incredible reliability.
Probably Toyota or Honda, I'm not much of a car person though. OTOH, I do like pissing people off, so maybe an H2 or something?
From all the comments here a lot of you must own rice cookers with all the rice burners you like to drive.
I like the drivability of Audi A6 4 motion or VW or BMW. Sure the repair record sucks. But you said money was no option. They make the best feeling stick shifts. That's the biggest problem with Jap made cars- the manual transmissions totally suck and the sporty cars that have them (Acura NSX) require you to revv the shit out of the engine. No god damn low engine torque like in German cars. That makes you either drive like a total spaz if you want performance or the car feels very underpowered.
Tell me I'm wrong on this.
-Mike
One more thing, for all you Honda fans...
Do you know what HONDA stands for???
Hold
On-
Not
Done
Accelerating
!
Enjoy bitches.
-Mike
Never, ever, going to buy a new car - I work too hard for my money to see that depreciation curve that drops like a rock. The closest I ever came to buying new was buying a 2 yr old Dodge Ram from a dealer: Bought for 20K, after 3 years, 25k, and being in the same excellent condition as I bought it, was lucky to get 10K. Never make that mistake again!
As for buying used, would recommend a Volvo. Owners take care of them,they are rarely abused, and they can be had for cheap. If I'm looking for more performance, Porsche fits the bill pretty good, although you have to be savvy about repair costs.
anyone know why are there no pickup trucks in Europe? It's strange - when I see one it's like seeing a ghost.Well, they might need to start buying p/u trucks soon to carry all those rats:
April 24 (Bloomberg) -- For British rats, the worst of times has turned out to be the best of times.
The vermin more associated with the Dickensian era than modern Britain are thriving, with shuttered shops and half-built housing sites to live in, rotting piles of uncollected garbage for dinner and fewer exterminators sent out to kill them.
“Sometimes I drive into the car park and there are at least 20 of them in the bins,” said Paul Hood, 46, a north London resident. “You see them running away in the headlights. During the day, they just sit in the bushes sunbathing.”
As the biggest economic bust in 60 years fostered a boom for rodents, municipalities were called an estimated 700,000 times to deal with infestations in the last 12 months, compared with 650,000 the previous year, said Peter Crowden, chairman of National Pest Technicians Association Ltd.
The rat population has swollen by 13 percent this year to more than 50 million, one for every person living in England, according to an industry consensus cited by Crowden. Rats and mice are capable of spreading more than 35 diseases, including a fever inducing nausea and muscle aches passed to humans either via a bite or the rodent’s urine.http://tinyurl.com/c3s9uy
Good luck with that black plague!
Bukko, the land down under bloke- let's face it... you'd buy a Proton. Piece o' shite, Malaysian made car that is exported to you Aussies. Other cars you get are the Japanese cars after 5 years (because Japan requires re-inspections and costly repairs) and Toyota's made in Thailand.
Sorry, 20 million people don't qualify as a mass market and you have to get the Asian leftovers.
The only group in a worse position are the Kiwi's who have to take the Aussie leavings. At least they have sheep to work off their frusteration, though.
Bukko, you're a real ripper. Now go bugger off mate.
-Mike
PS: Do you ever feel like a poseur, acting all like a native Aussie when all your neighbors are calling you yank when you are not around? Can't you just be yourself in the Land Down Under. Then again, my aunt and uncle have been living Down Under for 20 years and now they are practically natives....
Toyota if I don't get to keep the change. Hyundai if I do keep it.
Keefer,
Here are my guesses on your disposable car, in order of probability from knowing your persona:
1.) VW Beetle (not the new Beetle, but the Old Style VW) Substitute would be Kharmin Ghia.
2.) Old style Mini Cooper
3.) BMW 2002.
Am I right?
Only thing you have to watch out for is that in Eastern Europe they may target you as a smuggler. Be careful my friend.
-Mike
The first car I bought was a 1987 Nissan Stanza, bought for $2850 in 1990 when I started going to college. Had 92K miles on it but was in good condition. 5 speed manual, no air conditioning. I drove it for 3 years and sold it with 120K miles on it for $3100. Best deal I ever got on a used car. Negative depreciation, baby!
I've owned a Ford Probe, Chevy Camaro (POS given to me by my Dad)- then bought a 2000 VW Golf GTI as the first new car I ever bought.
Paid $19K for it. It was a 5 speed, fully loaded and it was fun as anything to drive. It had a ton of problems though (automatic window literally fell into the door about 4 differetn times, distributor went bad, sensors went bad, master engine chip went bad). Lots of stuff. I managed not to lose my shirt on repairs by becoming familiar with the VW forums on the internet (like vwvortex.com) where there were lots of tips on how to fix the car yourself or coerce the dealer to cover it even if it's off warranty. If you are a VW owner you should check it out to save big money on repairs!
Sold the car in 2006 when I moved overseas for $7200 with 73K miles on it. So a little more than $0.15 cents per mile depreciation.
Once I moved overseas my company provided the car, along with driver and all expenses. First job out here got me a BMW 525i- it was from the previous General Manager but less than 1 year old. It was slow to accelerate with a 2.5 liter engine but it could get up to 200 km/hr once you were on the highway. 125 MPH to the US folks. In Thailand there are no speed limits that are enforced- however if you crash you are responsible to pay so you must be careful. No point buying a fast car in the US because you can't ever use it. Remember that folks. I've always had a chuckle at the mullet heads that buy 'z' rated tires that can go up to 130 MPH only to never exceed 90 MPH. What's the point?
Anyway, I digress. The BMW 5 series had amazing braking power that gave me a lot of confidence in the car. By the way, in Thailand the BMW 5 series is 3.5 million Thai Baht or $100K USD. $25K USD won't buy you much out here, maybe a Civic or a pickup truck. The US has the cheapest cars in the world.
Anyway the BMW had a ton of problems- always requiring very expensive repairs that I didn't pay for- the company did. So I didn't care. I just would never buy one for myself - waste of money! I did enjoy using it though, as I did enjoy using all the free gasoline.
Next job I had out here allowed me a company car budget equal to a Volvo S40. Trouble is, I don't like that car much (too boxy) so the nicest thing I could get was the new Honda Accord 2.4 Navi, has a built in screen with GPS, and it drives smoothly. Not nearly the driving stability at speed as the BMW which just got more stable with increasing speed... but the Honda is an overall OK car. Top speed I feel comfortable driving is 180 kph or about 115 MPH. No more than that- starts feeling like it will get unstable. This car cost 1.7 million Thai baht or $50K USD- again, way more expensive than the US.
My wife has a Honda City- a model smaller than a Civic. It's cool because it's a 4 door but the back seats can fold up or fold down. So you can create a lot of cargo space. Nice innovation with the Hondas in this regard. The car is ok but I can't drive it faster than 160 kph (100 mph) and even at that speed don't trust the brakes to stop fast so will only drive like this when the road is absolutely clear. 140 kph is more like it.
I still miss driving the VW stick shift. Not many performance cars with stick shifts in Thailand. Plus Bangkok traffic is a nightmare so the left foot would get a workout every day.
-Mike
I'd go straight to Buick and nowhere else (no, I'm not kidding!).
I Have one and its the best vehicle I've ever owned inculding serveral Japanese brands that you lemmings worship. Anyone bad mouthing Buick has not owned one.
Buick gets a bad rap because just the name brings to mind "old". Old car company, old people driving them (I'm not so old though). To me a company that has provided millions of Americans with a good job over the course of 100 years is something to be proud of and support.
It makes it easy that at 130k miles my Buick has never had to visit the dealer for a a repair, not ONCE, and its still drives, sounds and looks new.
My Buick SUV seats 7 and gets 24 MPG so its the second best mileage of any 7 seater by ANY make (for its model year). So the arguement about reliability, technology and economy go out the window.
So, yeah I know its hip and cool to bash American companies and American workers, but that will change. One day we will fight for our jobs (like they are doing in Europe) instead of fighting to eliminate the other guy's job.
GT Charlie
Mike - 0 for 3
I don't think they'll target me as a smuggler. I think they'll target me as an American.
That's why any American who gets kidnapped for ransom, we need to say under NO circumstances will any ransom EVER be paid for ANY American, and if you take a yank, you die.
I bought a crap car because I don't want to be targeted or draw attention. If I could I would have bought one of those old soviet cars. That would have been sweet.
But I do like this new crap car. I look at it in my parking space and just laugh, and laugh. And it's a ton of fun to drive.
It's never what you pay for something. It's if you enjoy it.
So I bought a used car, so I could travel in Eastern Europe this summer, to places unserved by mass transit (and hopefully unvisited by American tourists).
Anyone wanna guess what I bought?
April 23, 2009 9:04 PM
_________________________________________
A Hummer H1 for an easy getaway when the sh*t hits the fan!!!
RayNLA
Keith,
I think you are on to something with this post - 121 comments and counting, plus I am impressed with the numerous collector/sports car references. Ever consider changing to Soot and Ashes and Automobiles?
Acura MDX, FTW:
http://www.acura.com/ModelLanding.aspx?model=MDX
While attending college and trying to make ends meet (stupid me, I should have joined an union, become Realtor or mortgage broker), I worked as a messenger in Los Angeles for 2 years, delivering packages from Lancaster to San Diego and everything in between with my 10-year old Toyota, averaging 200 miles per day.
Trust me, buy Toyota or Honda.
I had an Audi decades after that, when I wanted to be a poseur (like Bukko and Frank), which almost made me homeless in a matter of 3 months. Audi is the biggest POS on earth!
I was out in my new disposable car today. Driving on the left hand side of course.
Man, after not driving for so long, it sure is fun.
Especially when your car can fit in your pocket. And you never have to stop for gas.
Keith,
Damn you. You want us to guess and you are making us think. Let's see: cheap, small and fuel efficient. And you are going to Eastern Europe.
(Thinking, thinking, thinking...)
You bought a Skoda, maybe a Skoda 110R right?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C5%A0koda_S100/110
Looking at this photo, this is a truly disposable car. I guess you would have paid no more than 300 GBP for it.
If I am right let me know. And if you think my sleuthing skillz are good, you should also believe me when I tell you WTC 7 was brought down by controlled demolitions. If you follow the physical evidence to its logical conclusion you will come up with the same notion.
-Mike
If you buy and air cooled 911 and buy right you'll never lose a dime in depreciation.
87-89's (not the 89 C4) are some of the most reliable cars out there and built like a tank.
73's are fun to drive but a little too "light". You have to know how to drive.
964's are ok.
95-98 993's are the ultimate although maintainance can be expensive. This will be the collectors 911 of the future...especially the 97-98 C2s
996's and 997's feel like the Germans quit building them and the Japanese took over. There is no soul left. The 996TT is rocketship fast but in a ho hum way.
And yes, there are times and places you can enjoy a car such as a 911. If you want fast, go to the track or on a back road. If you want twisties, there is nothing better than a 911 on Mulholland drive but you'd better know how to drive.
I hope you bought a Trabant Keith.
But if you can find an 83 or 84 VW Rabbit GTI you'll have a friggin blast. I know I did in college!
PS: Bukko, do you ever feel like a poseur, acting all like a native Aussie when all your neighbors are calling you yank when you are not around? Can't you just be yourself in the Land Down Under.Heya Mike -- What gives you the impression I try to pass for an Aussie, aside from your imagination? I'm the walking, talking, overt representation of America in exile wherever I go. At work and in society, people are always asking me questions about American politics, news events, culture. People in Oz are unendingly curious about the land Up Over, as your aunt probably knows. I always make sure to talk shite about George Bush, which people love down here. He's universally despised.
You should ask your rellies to tell you more about the Aussie car market. I think Malaysia tried to float the Proton here in the early 2000s, but it was a flop because it was so poorly engineered. Holden and Ford have auto plants in Oz, plus Toyota, and Mitsubishi used to make cars here but their plant in Adelaide closed in the current downturn. Lots of Hondas, Subarus, Kias, Daewoos, Ssanyongs and other Asian marques, many of which are made in Thailand.
Where do you get ideas like "Australia gets 5-year-old cars from Japan"? Please provide evidence. It's weird when people in the U.S. tell me apparently bogus things about the place where I live.
FWIW, there are a higher proportion of European cars here than I saw in the U.S. Renault and Peugot have dealerships, lots of Mercedes, Audis, VWs and Porsches, Fiats and Alfa Romeos too. Alfa makes a nice 2-seater that I like. On top of it all, I've seen more exotics like Ferraris, Lamborghinis and Aston Martins here than I saw anywhere outside of L.A. I don't know where Aussies come up with the money to buy such stuff.
But really mate, you need to drop your misguided ideas about Australian motoring. The reality is more interesting than your pinched little fantasies.
BTW, my guess for your used car? One of those car-share programs. You're big on renting, so why would you want to be a "cardebtor"? The membership card would fit into your pocket, eh? Do they have dedicated parking spaces around town for the car-share corp., allowing you to laugh? And if the share corp. takes care of the fuel, you wouldn't have to worry about gas. Especially if it runs on diesel.
Bukko,
I first went to Australia in 1995 followed by 1999, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006 and finally last September. I always thought that Aussies generally had to pay more for cars. I can't recall if it was substantially different when I was there in September. Was in Hobart and rented a small Toyota there to drive. Then Brisbane to visit my rellies, then Sydney. My rellies drive really old clunkers (nothing wrong with that) and they told me that a lot of Japanese used cars come to Oz.
However when I do an online search I can't corrobrate this, besides this barely relevant link:
http://www.japaneseusedcars.com/japanese_used_cars/australia/australia_why_import.htm
I do know that after 5 years a new car has a lot of tests to undergo in Japan and therefore the value drops a lot. Often these cars are exported and I had thought Australia was a big receiver of these. Maybe I've got my facts wrong based on a few anecdotes.
I go to Malaysia often and ask about the Proton which I find to be a total P.O.S. Ususally people tell me there is a big export market into Australia and India. Protons generally aren't around in Thailand. I live in Thailand and a lot of Toyotas & Hondas made here go to Oz.
Didn't realize the strength of the domestic auto industry. Seems strange to do this for a country with half of CA's population, but hey- why not?
I ragged on your as being a poseur because you throw around the Aussie lingo like you speak it everyday. Maybe it's not the same as a face to face conversation so I can't guess the context in which you do this. So I interpreted this as you being a wannabe Aussie. Sounds like this isn't the case and you are just trying to bring some Aussie slang to S&A.
I guess I can try to bring Thai Engrish to the blog but it would get ord damn fast.
-Mike
Keefer,
No feedback on the Skoda guess? Does that mean I'm on the mark or you want people to keep guessing?
-Mike
Mike - thought about a Skoda but couldn't find a decent left hand drive one here in the UK
The disposable car I bought is German...
Bukko - I did a 120 day rental last year when I was tooling around europe - the peugeot open europe programme. It was pretty cool - they give you a brand new 307 and you essentially lease it and then sell it back. If you're gonna do europe for more than a couple months, that's a good way to do it - comes with zero deductable insurance, etc. But the insurance is only good in the EU. I handed it back with 10,000 miles or so probably, and some pretty good dents and scratches (hint - leave a car on the street in europe it's gonna get whacked a few times)
In this case I'm going outside the EU, and don't know how long I'll be able to stay on the road, so figured I'd buy something cheap for cash, then sell it when I get back. And if it gets stolen or damaged when I'm on the road, I'll just buy something else, or hitch a train.
That much money would pay a new bike every 7-10 years and for all the taxis, buses and airplanes I want to use for the rest of my life. I don't have a car, don't need one and don't want one. Come on Keith, the car is the problem, the car... oil... global warming. Get a clue, get a bike.
Mike -- the reason I use Aussie slang is because I think it's cute, and because I'm trying to educate people about Oz a little bit.
They have a lot of funny phrases down here like "spit the dummy" and "crack the shits." It's like speaking a different language when I'm still talking English. I enjoy speaking to Aussies in my obviously Yank accent, then saying "toe-MAH-toe" or spelling out some word with an "haitch" sound when I say the letter "H". I do it with a bit of emphasis on the Aussie pronunciation, a way of letting them know "Yeah, I can do your lingo even though I'm not from here."
My wife, who hates Australia, rags on me when I use Aussie pronunciations or slang terms like "rellies." She makes a big point of saying words like "BAZZ-ill" for "basil" and says "y'all" a lot more than she did when we lived in Florida. I think that's rude, because it's more polite to show that one is trying to fit in.
By all means, drop some Thai slang. One of the reasons people read blog comments, instead of just writing stupid shit while paying no attention to what anyone else said, is to learn stuff. You might impart a little ray of info about Thai culture to some of us.
Oh, and Keith -- if you bought something disposable and used and German, then I'd guess it's a second-hand Smart, made by Mercedes. They sell those here too -- there's a tower with six of them on top of each other at the German car dealership off St. Kilda Road.
Mini or mini clubman.
Bukko wins.
The big hint was the photo on this thread.
Little 2-seat black one. And a blast to drive - those little things got some pep, since there's no weight.
But one Ukrainian pothole and I may be walking... we'll see
Nice job Bukko
oh, here's my favorite british:
Bob's your uncle
cracking
chav
gutted
keep your pecker up
naff
on the piss
slapper
sod off
Freshen your drink gov'ner?
bladdered
pissed
bollocks
bloody hell
fags
Bukko,
Well done. I actually wrote the Smart car the same day as the Skoda post but it didn't go thru. Ah well.
Most popular Thai slang:
"Same, Same" Like Bush vs Obama.
-Mike
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