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My co-worker and I do the same 43 mile commute, most of it is 75-80mph freeway miles. He gets about 42 mpg with his Gen3 Prius, I get 33mpg with my 2012 Fit.
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Nov 2, 2016 17:23
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Zosologist posted:Also I can buy a Ford Flex and pretend it's a station wagon, right? I'm on my second Flex after the wife totaled the first one and I loving love it. The second row is like sitting on a sofa, it's so roomy!
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Nov 2, 2016 17:38
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The "issue" with the Prius highway mileage is that there is less benefit to the hybrid drivetrain. The gas engine is already efficient at load and there's limited opportunity for gaining energy via regenerative braking. I did have a coworker with what must've been a second-gen Prius at the time who did encounter reduced performance when they'd fully drained the HV battery while flogging it up I17 on the way out of Phoenix. But unless your commute includes a climb of ~800 feet over about a mile and a half, this isn't something you'll run into (and probably could've been avoided with a better running start, so to speak).
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Nov 2, 2016 17:40
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Mother-in-law wants to get a car because she's sick of borrowing ours to make trips around town. She's on a fixed income and lives with us so her budget is tight, but she won't be putting much mileage on it. Plus our uncle is a mechanic and can inspect/repair anything that comes up at cost. Proposed Budget: $2500 New or Used: Used Obviously Body Style: Mid-sized sedan. She's a big lady so compacts are out How will you be using the car?: Strictly to go from house to grocery to church and back. Less than 1k miles/yr, no freeway driving. What aspects are most important to you? Cheap and semi-reliable. Looking at used the Hondas and Toyotas have a minimum price floor above our range so they're probably out. ~100k miles we're seeing some early 2000s Ford Tauruses in our range that seem like decent buys (she had one previously), not sure what other models we should be looking at.
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Nov 2, 2016 17:43
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I'm kind of liking the Prius Prime but my commute would run the EV range out and I can't charge at work. I wish Toyota would step up with a real EV range Prius.
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Nov 2, 2016 17:43
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Ammanas posted:Those are great cars but they are huge, heavy, and thirsty as hell. Yup, I average about 15mpg in my 3.8L AWD G80 in the city. It absolutely guzzles premium. Of course I have a serious lead foot problem so that's not helping.
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Nov 2, 2016 18:21
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JnnyThndrs posted:My co-worker and I do the same 43 mile commute, most of it is 75-80mph freeway miles. He gets about 42 mpg with his Gen3 Prius, I get 33mpg with my 2012 Fit. Exactly the information I needed. Thank you.
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Nov 2, 2016 19:32
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What's the deal with buying used Nissan Leafs? My local market seems completely flooded with 2014 and 2015 Leafs for around $7k-10k asking price used. 1-3 year old cars with ~20k miles for $8k sounds pretty drat good, what's going on? Some of these are local, some involve shipping, but take a look: https://www.carvana.com/search/pages/1-to-3?SortBy=MostPopular&Models=aP&YearMin=2006&YearMax=2016 Twerk from Home fucked around with this message at 20:23 on Nov 2, 2016 |
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Nov 2, 2016 20:19
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New EVs have a lot of tax incentives and the leaf is no spring chicken, so they have to be priced low to compete with 500e leases.
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Nov 2, 2016 20:30
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Twerk from Home posted:What's the deal with buying used Nissan Leafs? My local market seems completely flooded with 2014 and 2015 Leafs for around $7k-10k asking price used. 1-3 year old cars with ~20k miles for $8k sounds pretty drat good, what's going on? Batteries are done. IOwnCalculus posted:The "issue" with the Prius highway mileage is that there is less benefit to the hybrid drivetrain. The gas engine is already efficient at load and there's limited opportunity for gaining energy via regenerative braking. The Prius gas engine is still more efficient than most cars because it runs on (a version of) the Atkinson cycle, which is more efficient than the Otto cycle that most regular cars use.
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Nov 2, 2016 20:31
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Throatwarbler posted:Batteries are done. Wait, what? 2 year old cars with 20k mileage on them have dead batteries? I know Leafs had very limited range, but that can't be true, can it?
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Nov 2, 2016 20:53
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nm posted:New EVs have a lot of tax incentives and the leaf is no spring chicken, so they have to be priced low to compete with 500e leases. The Fiat 500e is only available in the state of California, so I don't think it's really a relevant competitor in most of the US.
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Nov 2, 2016 21:00
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Its because the Leaf is not a good car and the 'thrill' of an EV wears off super fast. There's a reason Tesla started with a luxury car.
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Nov 2, 2016 21:02
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Internet Explorer posted:Wait, what? 2 year old cars with 20k mileage on them have dead batteries? I know Leafs had very limited range, but that can't be true, can it? It looks like they would have typically lost at least 15% of the battery capacity at that point, maybe more in hot climates. So it's not "done", but if your commute was already close to its max range when new then it's not going to be an attractive buy. Nissan will replace the battery under warranty if you lose more than 3 bars out of 12 (actually about 30% of the battery capacity, the bars are not all the same amount) over 5 years 60k miles.
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Nov 2, 2016 21:10
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Throatwarbler posted:It looks like they would have typically lost at least 15% of the battery capacity at that point, maybe more in hot climates. So it's not "done", but if your commute was already close to its max range when new then it's not going to be an attractive buy. Nissan will replace the battery under warranty if you lose more than 3 bars out of 12 (actually about 30% of the battery capacity, the bars are not all the same amount) over 5 years 60k miles. I didn't know that. That makes these 2 year old 20k mile cars look even more attractive, you've got a guaranteed minimum battery health over the next couple years. If most of them hit that number here in Houston, those cars are a steal. $8k for a 2 year old Leaf, and you get a free battery replacement in 3 years? Hot drat.
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Nov 2, 2016 21:16
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Proposed Budget: 10-15k New or Used: Used Body Style: Hatchback How will you be using the car?: Commute, the occasional road trip What aspects are most important to you? I'm pretty set on getting a Japanese or Korean car, fuel economy and dependability come first but it would be nice to get something marginally fun to drive. I test drove a Veloster, a Versa Note, and a Yaris today. Right now I'm leaning Yaris just for Toyota dependability, but it's a pretty boring car. I liked the Veloster except for the ridiculously bad rear viability. I feel like I would have liked the Note better if the salesman hadn't been so drat pushy about how drat wonderful they are. I wanted to make it to the Mazda dealership today but I'm pretty burned out on telling people I'm not buying a car yet. Any models I shouldn't miss before I make my decision?
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Nov 2, 2016 21:20
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Caseman posted:Proposed Budget: 10-15k I was in the same boat you are and ended up with a Honda Fit Sport. They're hard to find used at a decent price, but they're a lot more fun than a Note/Yaris, especially with better tires. Reliability and resale value is phenomenal.
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Nov 2, 2016 21:34
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You really really should look at a Mazda3
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Nov 2, 2016 22:50
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Yes if "fun" is on your list for a small cheap economy car Mazda3 is the answer.
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Nov 3, 2016 00:02
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FCKGW posted:Mother-in-law wants to get a car because she's sick of borrowing ours to make trips around town. She's on a fixed income and lives with us so her budget is tight, but she won't be putting much mileage on it. Plus our uncle is a mechanic and can inspect/repair anything that comes up at cost. Ford Crown Vic or Mercury Grand Marquis. Possibly Chevrolet Impala.
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Nov 3, 2016 03:53
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KYOON GRIFFEY JR posted:I'm not fully convinced that you need a minivan or similar sized vehicle for two kids. Not when they are small, you just throw two carseats in the back, and shovel it out with a manure fork every so often. But when you've got junior-high age kids, they've got friends, and you'll be swapping rides/carpooling/taking people to do poo poo with your family a fair bit, and then a 3rd row is going to get weekly use.
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Nov 3, 2016 05:00
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Ammanas posted:Its because the Leaf is not a good car and the 'thrill' of an EV wears off super fast. There's a reason Tesla started with a luxury car. Tesla started with a sports car, not a luxury car. It was an electric drivetrain swap Lotus Elise any by all accounts it was hilariously fun to drive.
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Nov 3, 2016 13:41
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Motronic posted:Tesla started with a sports car, not a luxury car. It was an electric drivetrain swap Lotus Elise any by all accounts it was hilariously fun to drive. You know even I forget that Tesla's first car was the Roadster. They've held value pretty well too.
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Nov 3, 2016 15:38
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Motronic posted:Tesla started with a sports car, not a luxury car. It was an electric drivetrain swap Lotus Elise any by all accounts it was hilariously fun to drive. Yes the roadster is absolutely hilariously fun to drive. I don't comfortably fit in them with the roof on though. If I were shorter or lived somewhere it was sunny all the time I would have bought one in summer 2013. They took in a bunch of them as trade in on Model S, and were briefly blowing them out to employees at really reduced pricing. But yeah, they are like driving a go-kart that does a 3.8 second 0-60.
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Nov 3, 2016 16:43
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Was the Roadster really that good? I feel like the weight would take away a lot of the fun.
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Nov 3, 2016 17:16
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KYOON GRIFFEY JR posted:Was the Roadster really that good? I feel like the weight would take away a lot of the fun. I mean I only drove them on public roads, maybe 5 or 6 times from 15-30 minutes at a go. I enjoyed it a lot but I have never driven the Elise to compare it to. Almost all of my fast driving and track driving in my life has been in various police cars. It is heavier and I think the COG is higher than the Elise but I felt it handled pretty well.
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Nov 3, 2016 17:28
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Ammanas posted:Those are great cars but they are huge, heavy, and thirsty as hell. Here's hoping the custom license plate "LND YCHT" is available. The BMW 550i was a hell of a car to drive (and plenty thirsty when you drove it with any enthusiasm), but I need a little more space (should never have gotten rid of my 750 in hindsight) and the Genesis (either of them really) is a hell of a value. I would have just bought it but for some reason they weren't giving $10k+ discounts on purchases like they are for leases... (this is a rhetorical question). To the guy thinking about a Flex: just get a minivan. The sliding doors really are nice and if you have a spouse and two kids: what happens when you want to drive parents/friends/kid carpool around? You don't need extra seats for the four of you in your family, you need extra seats for the other people you end up wanting to drive around. (I'm getting Mrs Mango a minivan next, that sweet sweet BMW money is burning a hole in my pocket)
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Nov 4, 2016 05:00
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Ultimate Mango posted:To the guy thinking about a Flex: just get a minivan. The sliding doors really are nice and if you have a spouse and two kids: what happens when you want to drive parents/friends/kid carpool around? You don't need extra seats for the four of you in your family, you need extra seats for the other people you end up wanting to drive around. (I'm getting Mrs Mango a minivan next, that sweet sweet BMW money is burning a hole in my pocket) Alternatively, don't listen to this and get what you want. The Flex gives up a little bit of convenience in exchange for a what might be a boatload of style depending on your aesthetic/emotional/style preferences.
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Nov 4, 2016 17:14
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KYOON GRIFFEY JR posted:Was the Roadster really that good? I feel like the weight would take away a lot of the fun. Ever driven a supercharged Lotus? It's like that but with more torque.
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Nov 4, 2016 19:08
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I've got a dealer down to $22075 out the door (so far) on a 2016 Civic EX-T. Are there any significant differences between the '16 and '17 models? I can't find a whole lot online regarding whether the '17 had a better ride, fewer issues, etc.
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Nov 4, 2016 19:48
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I would be inclined to buy the 2017 because it is very likely that there were a lot of incremental improvements in the model year refresh that don't really make headlines but will significantly improve overall reliability.
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Nov 4, 2016 22:02
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KYOON GRIFFEY JR posted:I would be inclined to buy the 2017 because it is very likely that there were a lot of incremental improvements in the model year refresh that don't really make headlines but will significantly improve overall reliability. They changed the windshield wipers to parallel left-to-right for some reason and I can't stand that they switched from the much cooler both-spring-upward method.  Also, wife finally decided on the Fit and got the package with paddle shifters and holy poo poo that is a fun, responsive automobile!
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Nov 5, 2016 04:10
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Caseman posted:Proposed Budget: 10-15k I took a hard left and ended up with a 2010 Honda Accord EX-L with 46k miles for $1k more than the 2014 Yaris. The mpg and reliability were close enough to trade up in comfort. Thanks for the help, goons.
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Nov 5, 2016 04:13
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Bill NYSE posted:Also, wife finally decided on the Fit and got the package with paddle shifters and holy poo poo that is a fun, responsive automobile! I've been pimping the Fit in this thread for exactly this reason - well, that and it's anvil-like reliability. If you don't need the extra 30% fuel mileage of the Prius and you have enough $$$ so that you don't have to buy the cheapest possible econobox, the Fit is a pro-tier choice.
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Nov 5, 2016 14:40
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berzerkmonkey posted:Ok, I was reading on some posts saying that people were seeing drops down to the low 40s (which is obviously still good mpg,) but there were also hypermileing maniacs in the mix, so I didn't know how much information was true, and how much was "I heard from a friend who saw a spreadsheet..." I took a 10 hour road trip in a rented Prius C and averaged a hair over 49 mpg going between 65 and 75 mph most of the way.
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Nov 5, 2016 17:54
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Does anyone have any thoughts and/or serious reservations about using a site like Carvana.com or Vroom.com to buy a vehicle? I understand you can't actually test drive or inspect the vehicle, but is that a deal breaker for folks here? I'm looking for a 2012-13 CR-V with a reasonable amount of miles ~50-70k in the $15-16k range, if that influences anyone's response. Thanks, thread!
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Nov 5, 2016 19:05
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I've wanted to use Carvana but it seems overpriced. You're right that you can't inspect ahead of time but they have a money back guarantee. If you're financing that seems like it could be a pain to deal with, but cash sounds like it would be a reasonable affair.
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Nov 5, 2016 19:08
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big crush on Chad OMG posted:I've wanted to use Carvana but it seems overpriced. You're right that you can't inspect ahead of time but they have a money back guarantee. If you're financing that seems like it could be a pain to deal with, but cash sounds like it would be a reasonable affair. Thanks for the reply! I think that's a fair point about the price. Although, my thinking is that you're essentially getting a certified used vehicle (warranty might not be as good as a dealer) for a very close price when it comes to the CR-Vs, at least. When it comes to financing, they offer pretty competitive rates. Compared to the best local credit union around me their rates are right on par. I would probably go through them for the financing, but maybe I'm missing something when you mention it might be a pain.
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Nov 5, 2016 19:30
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berzerkmonkey posted:I've got a dealer down to $22075 out the door (so far) on a 2016 Civic EX-T. Are there any significant differences between the '16 and '17 models? I can't find a whole lot online regarding whether the '17 had a better ride, fewer issues, etc. FYI, the 2016 Civic is the first civic consumer reports hasn't recommended since the early 80s due to reliability issues. Maybe they've fixed the 17s, but I would avoid the 16s.
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Nov 5, 2016 19:46
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I've got my 2 back (update coming soon) but I'm thinking of making it pavement only. Thus I'm looking for something to run for the winter until it's cycle weather again. I'm trying to keep it under $5000, as well. Commute is a little freeway, some mountains, and then a long as dirt road that turns into a mud/ice bog for the winter with 6 inch standing water and slick mud. So far, the best two things I've found have been a 1998 Frontier 4WD, manual, with 103k on it and a 2004 Liberty 4WD, manual, with 142K. I don't know much about the Frontiers other than that they have a reputation for slowness and offroad ability. I did the test and development work on the JK, so I have a LOT of offroad miles in them, and I like their dynamics. But I'm not sure about their long term reliability. I'm also looking into Suzuki Grand Vitaras and XL-7s, since there seem to be a lot for sale, but they're all autos. Same with the one good CR-V I found. Thoughts?
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Nov 5, 2016 22:42
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