Register a SA Forums Account here!
JOINING THE SA FORUMS WILL REMOVE THIS BIG AD, THE ANNOYING UNDERLINED ADS, AND STUPID INTERSTITIAL ADS!!!

You can: log in, read the tech support FAQ, or request your lost password. This dumb message (and those ads) will appear on every screen until you register! Get rid of this crap by registering your own SA Forums Account and joining roughly 150,000 Goons, for the one-time price of $9.95! We charge money because it costs us money per month for bills, and since we don't believe in showing ads to our users, we try to make the money back through forum registrations.
 
  • Post
  • Reply
Something Offal
Jan 12, 2018

by FactsAreUseless

KYOON GRIFFEY JR posted:

this thread is a pretty safe space so I don't want to rag on you too hard but this is incredible to me

This misunderstanding is very common, among many other aspects of cars it is something that non-car people just don't think about unless they have to.

Adbot
ADBOT LOVES YOU

Something Offal
Jan 12, 2018

by FactsAreUseless
Check out the '18 Accord, it's a thread favorite. Wins in almost every category. The Camry is also a Good But Relatively Boring car.

Something Offal
Jan 12, 2018

by FactsAreUseless

Pick posted:

Ehhh but aren't they kind of weenie base cars? Like I want a sedan that's sort of trying to be more than just, hey [don't] look at me, I'm a sedan.

If by weenie you're referring to power, the '18 Accord Sport 2.0t has 252HP, it's very competent. If you want something cooler you'll have to look at Mazda or increase your budget, I really like the Audi A4, you may also want to look at a BMW 328i
or Mercedes C class but all of those will run up the MSRP real quick.

Something Offal
Jan 12, 2018

by FactsAreUseless

ScooterMcTiny posted:

I have a specific car feature question, apologies if this isn’t the right thread. I rented a Volvo XC-90 a couple weeks ago, and their adaptive cruise control/lane assist feature was a real game changer for me in California highway driving. Are there other manufacturers with similar feature sets I should be looking at as I dive into new car research?

I think ACC is the single most underrated new car feature. It's a total game changer, and as soon as you drive a car with stop/go ACC, it feels super clear that it is the future of driving and all new cars should have it, but it'll take a long rear end time for mass adoption. It's a big step towards connecting normal people with 'self driving' features.

Then again there are a lot of people including in AI that never use cruise control even on long drives, and they'd never use it.

Something Offal
Jan 12, 2018

by FactsAreUseless
I also had a poor prospective purchasing experience with Carvana. They won't take any money off the price no matter how much they screw up usually, and their prices are not competitive. Separate from my personal experience I think people value a level of convenience highly so I think they'll do well commercially. I don't think it's for me.

For those who didn't know it was created as and used to be a part of DriveTime which is like a crappier CarMax clone?

Something Offal
Jan 12, 2018

by FactsAreUseless
I highly doubt you would have ended up spending money on covered repairs higher than the amount that the warranty cost you and would encourage you to get a refund on that, but otherwise the GC felt like a really great car when I rented it. Nice job.

Some of Jeep's other vehicles are a crappy exercise in cost cutting to get a 'cheap CUV' out the door like the Compass but the GC is quite nice.

Something Offal
Jan 12, 2018

by FactsAreUseless
Why are you concretely committed to paying in cash? It's usually financially advantageous to use an auto loan, granted it's more advantageous with new cars but still valid for used.

Something Offal
Jan 12, 2018

by FactsAreUseless
The headlight without bumper removal requirement is pretty specific and funny. I'm sure there are cars where regular maintenance is quite easy but yes, you will need to remove the bumper for headlight fixture replacement. The CR-V is like that.

How often are you replacing headlight fixtures? I've never needed to. I imagine because of modern packaging sophistication most models will need the bumper to come off.

Something Offal fucked around with this message at 15:45 on Dec 20, 2018

Something Offal
Jan 12, 2018

by FactsAreUseless

IOwnCalculus posted:

Tesla AWD is a somewhat different story since they accomplish it by putting motors in both ends of the car, so there are reasons to get one (i.e. more power) other than just driving all four wheels.

I can see going for AWD if they use it as a gatekeeper for other features. For example, the Honda Pilot / Ridgeline platform is rated to tow 5000lb in AWD, but only 3500lb in FWD.

On my CR-V? gently caress no. It adds nothing but weight. It's a system so gimped that realistically it's probably not any better than the FWD's traction control.

I don't have much snow experience but it's split about 50/50 between "AWD with snow-rated tires" and "2WD with summers or all seasons". I will admit that AWD and snow tires feels like god mode.

If you drive the CR-V in heavy snow you'd probably come around. I've managed to get FWD cars stuck (had to push them forward from the rear) even though the tires had good traction, particularly when the snow is so packed and frozen that no tires reliably make asphalt contact, on side streets that haven't been plowed. AWD is just god mode in those situations, although you have to have a good knowledge of throttle control etc.

Then again those situations are so rare in most US locations, few times a year at most that it's hard to argue the average person needs it. Those few times a year I'm glad I splurged though. Because I know from experience that I'd likely be stuck in FWD.

Something Offal fucked around with this message at 23:19 on Dec 28, 2018

Something Offal
Jan 12, 2018

by FactsAreUseless
I wonder how Audi's new system (used in everything now I think) does it. Maybe a larger diff than say a CR-V?

Also note that video is 5-6 years old and I bet if it was done with a new model, Honda has fixed that problem with software/diff iterations. That doesn't excuse how much it sucked back then, however.

zapplez posted:

You got it stuck with snow tires made in the past 5 years? Or all seasons

edit: The real problem with AWD is many people think because it helps them accelerate easier, it also helps turning and braking, and then they end up dead in a ditch.

They were all-seasons admittedly, but I know they were relatively new OEM and not cheap Chinese garbage. I know AI gets turned on by snows, but it'd surprise me greatly if snow tires alone would've saved me from having to push. Can't say for sure though. These modern all-seasons had plenty of tread and you could feel that they weren't rock hard or anything.

Something Offal fucked around with this message at 23:27 on Dec 29, 2018

Something Offal
Jan 12, 2018

by FactsAreUseless
Hmm I'm probably wrong then. If I ever own a FWD car again I'll get snow tires and try it out.

Something Offal
Jan 12, 2018

by FactsAreUseless

zapplez posted:

Its going to be tough to find any CUV/SUV at that price point in good condition. If you give me your zip code I'll take a look.

We always recommend CRVs, Rav4s, MX5 and Tucsons/Santa Fes in this thread. I'd avoid Nissan,Dodge and Mitsubishi as a rule. You will find a ton of 5 year old Rogues, but don't be fooled, they are junk cars and their CVTs will blow up any second.

Wildcard recommendation is Ford Flex. Its basically a minivan in a neater package and its very easy to get in and out of, and easy to see out of.

The Flex seems cool but I was honestly surprised to see Ford is still selling a 2019 model. The platform must be old as hell. I'll be very surprised if they don't cut it in 2020 without a redesign.



That's a 2019.

Something Offal
Jan 12, 2018

by FactsAreUseless

Trevor Hale posted:

The Flex has been axed, sadly.

Ah gotcha, funny how I could tell by looking at the thing. Then in that case I wouldn't recommend it, I tend to dislike buying discontinued modern cars. Exceptions made, S2000, etc.

Something Offal
Jan 12, 2018

by FactsAreUseless

Bape Culture posted:

:shobon:

The real best car was the friends we made along the way.

For real though, and this is controversial probably. The new Mini Cooper S with the dsg box is the single best all round car I’ve ever driven if you consider the following:

Cost, performance, quality, fun, nvh, package.

Over here they’re basically the same prices as a focus st though and half like a 140/rs3.

I may be mistaken but I believe the Mini Cooper S can come with a manual or 6-speed shiftable automatic, no DSG / DCT. Just being pedantic.

Something Offal
Jan 12, 2018

by FactsAreUseless

Bape Culture posted:

Mine is a 7 speed dual clutch steptronic

Aha you know what, this is probably because you're not in the US. We get different transmissions here for whatever reason. Sad!

e: missed my ninja edit sorry bud

Something Offal fucked around with this message at 19:49 on Jan 7, 2019

Something Offal
Jan 12, 2018

by FactsAreUseless
Gotta keep the budget in mind broskis. It depends how highly you prize new vs. used. If new then Prius is just outside your budget, but the Corolla fits in, and the Corolla is a pretty nice shitbox. You're looking at low trim levels, though.

Something Offal
Jan 12, 2018

by FactsAreUseless

Synastren posted:

So it seems like Corollas are not very well liked

I mean, it's not a Bad Car, but it's the 2nd cheapest model Toyota makes so virtually every effort is spent towards cost cutting. In 2019 they've done their best to innovate and it has a nice design and thought-out interior, but everything is cheap. The plastics, seating, drivetrain, chassis, everything will feel cheap.

The exception: it is a class leader in standard equipment because that is a push Toyota is making, so it has auto climate and adaptive CC on the cheapest trim, which is very unique not only in the class but across the industry. If you do a search on cars.com for anything with ACC, and sort by lowest price, Corolla will always be at the tippy top.

Something Offal fucked around with this message at 01:21 on Jan 25, 2019

Something Offal
Jan 12, 2018

by FactsAreUseless
I've said it before and I'll continue to be annoying, good adaptive cruise (working down to 0 MPH and starting up again) is A+++++++ and once you use it you'll immediately wish every car on the road had it. You'll instantly know that it is the future of driving. If every car came equipped and idiot drivers used it, it'd single handedly reduce traffic jams in cities by a huge margin. Not to mention the many other benefits to not having to focus so much on the speed of the car in front of you, which is a large portion of the attention required during driving.

I work in the tech industry in a different space than cars, but if I was in the automotive sector I'd aim to spend a ton of my time making ACC tech cheaper, more accessible, easier to use, and finding ways to encourage buyers to use it. No doubt many new car buyers have it but will never care to read their car's manual or be aware that the feature is there.

Something Offal fucked around with this message at 00:08 on Feb 12, 2019

Something Offal
Jan 12, 2018

by FactsAreUseless

Nocheez posted:

This was a very welcome surprise on my Camry. I had no idea it existed, and the first slow crawl on I-77 through the tunnels of Virginia made me a believer. A+++++++ does not contain enough plusses.

I'm glad you liked it on the Camry, I could be wrong but unfortunately I believe Toyota still uses a poo poo-tier system that shuts off at ~20 MPH, which eliminates a huge benefit that is ACC in stop/go city traffic.

I used it on a new Jeep Grand Cherokee, so the Chrysler system, and it was totally awesome. Stops a perfect distance from the car in front of you too, exactly the same distance I'd leave myself, room to get out of a situation without backing up. You don't even have to tap the accelerator if the car in front starts up again within a minute or so.

It's very similar to the feeling I got when I used my first smartphone. It was just like, "oh, so this is clearly the future then. awesome"

Something Offal fucked around with this message at 20:15 on Feb 12, 2019

Something Offal
Jan 12, 2018

by FactsAreUseless

Nocheez posted:

My Camry goes to 0 mph. You have to press the resume button or tap the gas pedal to get it moving again after stopping.

Gotcha, that sounds like the Correct Way. My knowledge on Toyota comes from Corolla, either they updated it recently across the line or the cheaper models get the crappier system. Camry is a great car.

Something Offal
Jan 12, 2018

by FactsAreUseless

KillHour posted:

Does anyone know what the hell is up with this? Why would DMV regulations have anything to do with showing an estimated value? And you DID show a value - just slightly blurry but completely readable (and copyable).

Here you go, after some google fu:

How CarGurus resolved the legal claim by removing IMV (Instant Market Value) in TX: https://www.fi-magazine.com/321663/texas-dmv-closes-case-against-cargurus

The original complaint by Texas: https://www.fi-magazine.com/321639/texas-dealers-could-face-fines-over-cargurus-business-practices

So apparently IMV constituted a 'discount or savings claim'. Hence it's now removed for TX vehicles. Pretty funny that it's still readable, please post a link :)

A key paragraph from the complaint article:

quote:

“Another thing I don’t like about CarGurus.com is the site rates dealers and their deals,” Ziegler wrote, in part. “Labels, from my understanding, include ‘Great,’ ‘Good,’ ‘Fair’ or ‘Bad’ dealers. What gives the site the right to do this? And what standard is it using to rate these deals?”

I mean this seems like a completely asinine quote. Why is he suggesting that a company doesn't have the right to rate products or businesses? How would Consumer Affairs be around? Stupidity nonetheless it is a law on the books in Texas and the dealer lobby successfully used it against CarGurus. Yet another point in the 'please abolish dealers' column.

Something Offal fucked around with this message at 03:36 on Feb 15, 2019

Something Offal
Jan 12, 2018

by FactsAreUseless
e: hmm nevermind. That fd-warranty site seems sketch as hell but I suppose it's just a reseller of the same Audi CPO plan and it is a real option.

Something Offal fucked around with this message at 22:14 on Feb 15, 2019

Something Offal
Jan 12, 2018

by FactsAreUseless

Nitrox posted:

Just because it's sold by Hertz or Enterprise, doesn't mean it's an ex rental. In fact, most of their vehicles are bought at the auction, just like any other used car dealership

Wait what? Pretty sure this is completely wrong lol, what are you smoking.

Something Offal
Jan 12, 2018

by FactsAreUseless
Yeah the keyless start accuracy is impressive. On my car it is accurate to literally an inch inside or outside the doorframe as to whether or not it will start the engine. As far as unlocking, it'll say in the manual the range, I think for mine the fob has to be within a foot or so of a door handle.

If there is any building structure (like a wall or even a window) between your driveway and keys inside, the signal would probably never be strong enough to allow touch unlocking.

Something Offal fucked around with this message at 01:52 on Feb 20, 2019

Something Offal
Jan 12, 2018

by FactsAreUseless
just a kazoo, as Motronic said the $20-30 / hr does not take into account any expenses including taxes. In reality it is much closer to minimum wage if not below depending on a number of factors, none of which carry an element of certainty like you find in a non-gig economy job.

Something Offal
Jan 12, 2018

by FactsAreUseless

big crush on Chad OMG posted:

Don’t forget the special insurance endorsement you need for ridesharing or else you’ll have no coverage for your car or yourself in the event of an accident.

Oh what’s that? It costs more?

Buying a car to drive for uber or lyft is a losing proposition. Its similar to the awful lease setups taxi drivers get stuck with because they’re poor and naive.

This is also an important point. Driving with normal insurance without an endorsement probably means you are driving with zero coverage when the app is OFF, according to the letter of your insurance policy. In practice most drivers will probably lie and say their car is not being used for rideshare if they were to get into an accident with the app off, and in most small/medium claims insurance companies won't investigate further. I guess if the other party or the police mentions your rideshare emblems you'd be screwed.

If you get into an accident with the app on, the rideshare company does provide insurance, but with the app off you have a big gap because most/all policies will mandate the car is not being used for rideshare.

VVVVV Yeah deductible is high at $1k for Uber.

Something Offal fucked around with this message at 21:24 on Feb 20, 2019

Something Offal
Jan 12, 2018

by FactsAreUseless

Casu Marzu posted:

All of them are going to be reliable enough and safety across the board is decent. You'll probably get bluetooth and a backup camera included, but any sort of adaptive cruise control or newer tech is going to be at least one trim level up.

Corolla starts at 18.7, some consider it subcompact, however it includes all that stuff.

e: your budget is a bit puzzling because there are no midsize cars that have a starting MSRP lower than your max budget.

Something Offal fucked around with this message at 06:42 on Feb 21, 2019

Something Offal
Jan 12, 2018

by FactsAreUseless
That's a hilarious story, please see if you can get photos, otherwise I guess you should assume the dealer is a creative liar. Is someone's first thought upon having an SO cheat on them really 'go get paint, pour it on their car, use an ice pick on their tires' or does it seem embellished? I don't know the answer but would like to find out.

e: plus, is repainting, new mirrors, plus a painted hood enough damage for a salvage title on a 2017 Mazda3...? That doesn't seem like $10k worth of repairs. $5k maybe?

Something Offal fucked around with this message at 17:35 on Feb 21, 2019

Something Offal
Jan 12, 2018

by FactsAreUseless

Nitrox posted:

It's not hard to make a hose-able interior, it's just hard to make it work in a street car. I rhino-lined base metal interior in my race car and left drain holes in all corners. If course it had no carpet, just rubber mats. It's pretty much how a truck bed works.

Would it be more expensive or louder or something to do it in a street car?

Something Offal
Jan 12, 2018

by FactsAreUseless

Chunjee posted:

This struck me as odd because I've never paid more than $200 for a new windshield. I googled a little and it seems like if you communicate that your Subaru has eyesight they can make sure they get you the right glass.

This depends on several factors, including whether it's aftermarket or OEM. From what I understand there's a fairly wide quality variation in replacement windshields depending on the price point. This seems no different than the eternal debate about OEM vs. non OEM for other car parts.

Driver assist features like eyesight or rain sensing wipers I believe need different windshields plus additional labor applying special optically clear glue, as they are bonded to the glass from inside. Could very well end up above $200 installed in most cities.

Something Offal
Jan 12, 2018

by FactsAreUseless

zapplez posted:

Why does every goon want a hatchback? I swear its 90% of the posts here but only 3% of the car market in the USA.

Do all goons need extra space to put funko pops in the back? Is it a 20 something male IT guy thing to have room for hobbies and RC planes?

I have also wondered about this. That and loving wagons. The answer you'll get is "practicality while retaining sportiness / low seating position".

Personally I'm ok with a sedan. I think a hatch might be significantly louder, plus the only benefit I'd get personally is being able to carry a bike maybe without taking off the front wheel.

Sedans and sedan hatches are dying I know, but I'd prefer to be shot before I own a Nissan Rogue.

Something Offal fucked around with this message at 02:50 on Feb 28, 2019

Something Offal
Jan 12, 2018

by FactsAreUseless

Tab8715 posted:

General question,

I had a convertible for work as a rental a few weeks back and thoroughly enjoyed it - a Mazda Miata. I'm kind of thinking maybe this summer I'd purchase a convertible but I'm curious is there anything I am going to hate after owning it for a few months? I won't be in a state with much rain and little to no snow. The only thing that did bother me was the road noise occasionally making it difficult to talk a passenger, slightly higher auto insurance (I'm 33) and it seems that I'd lose badly against any other car especially if it's a roadster.

Thoughts?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gE6cz4cR5zw

Doesn't seem to do terribly. I'm not sure why there's such a lack of crash test results for the MX-5 online.

Something Offal
Jan 12, 2018

by FactsAreUseless
I don't see any obvious huge red flags taking that deal. If I were in a position to comfortably spent 35k on new wheels, and my use case comfortably supported owning an EV, and I had a garage etc. for the purpose, then I'd probably take the deal.

I would also check out the competing EVs like Volt, Bolt, Leaf, etc. and be prepared for the possibility that Tesla won't exist in its current form in 5+ years.

One big difference I see spending 35k on model 3 vs. another new car is resale value, which is very important to me when I buy a car. I expect residuals to be very low compared to any ICE vehicle due in part to the rate of innovation in EVs.

Something Offal fucked around with this message at 17:05 on Mar 1, 2019

Something Offal
Jan 12, 2018

by FactsAreUseless

FCKGW posted:

I thought the $35k Model 3 didn't exist but it looks like they finally brought it back to the website today. They removed most of the premium features and gave it a smaller battery, getting a range similar to a Leaf or Bolt.

Personally, I read the Elon Musk thread so I often see so many people with assembly issues with their Model 3 and people who need service on them taking weeks or months just to get basic parts that I would never buy one. But that's also just selection bias and me personally hating the man.

Nah it was in the plan and in this case was never thought to be Tesla vaporware. Their plan was always to sell the more expensive one first, although I expected them to bring the cheaper one to market faster than they did.

The concerns you bring up are real, their QC seems a little less sophisticated than other makes, and parts supply chain issues can be significant in case of repairs. That being said customer service seems good, if there is crap wrong with your new Tesla they're probably going to fix it, even if it's tiny paint chips / excessive orange peel.

Something Offal
Jan 12, 2018

by FactsAreUseless

TheReverend posted:

What do you all think about barely used Continentals?

Looks like they depreciate hardcore and I loved my town car (believe it or not).

Can't be too bad a deal. They're a lot cheaper than their European competitor full-size cars.

Something Offal
Jan 12, 2018

by FactsAreUseless

Motronic posted:

It is entirely fine to light money on fire for an extra car to extract both fun and marginal utility out of it when you can afford to do that.

RE can also hire me to whisper this sentence into his ear once or several times a day.

Something Offal
Jan 12, 2018

by FactsAreUseless

FilthyImp posted:

hate large cars (parking, MPG) and don't think we can afford gassing up something like that.

She's going to rent a Pacifica Hybrid for a few days to get a feel for it, but is there no comparable SUV/Crossover that might dissuade her?

Don't mean to be pedantic, but are your feelings about fuel economy financials in line with your actual costs? The FE differential between most newer ICE vehicles today is minimal unless you drive something super gigantic or super tiny, and the price premium of hybrid vehicles tends to outweigh the fuel cost savings over the vehicle's time in your ownership outside of corner cases like taxi service.

https://www.autotrader.com/car-tips/hybrid-car-worth-extra-money-215304

The average gas price in this 2014 article was $3.52 compared to $2.81 today, so note it would take even longer than the article's numbers. If you do a lot of highway driving, the article's math says a hybrid vehicle could do 400k miles before you make up the difference in purchase price.

Something Offal
Jan 12, 2018

by FactsAreUseless
Jesus KillHour well done man. Enjoy buddy. That dark blue is really, really nice.

Something Offal
Jan 12, 2018

by FactsAreUseless

SimplyCosmic posted:

Looking towards a fall new car purchase. What are the least expensive cars in the US that have decent driver assist packages? Adaptive cruise control, auto-braking, lane assist, blind spot warning, that sort of thing.

Is it the Honda Fit and not really anything else until several thousand higher? It feels like there's a number of cheaper cars that have many from that list but skip on adaptive cruise control.

Corolla.

Adbot
ADBOT LOVES YOU

Something Offal
Jan 12, 2018

by FactsAreUseless

Xelkelvos posted:

I'm looking for car buying advice.

My car recently got stolen (the 4th) and I'm looking into getting a used car as a replacement as this is the second car in ~4 years that I've lost to outside circumstances. This is also gonna be the first time I'm going looking to buy a car on my own and I'm a little paranoid about getting taken for a ride by a bad dealership.

Putting that aside, I've been looking through CarFax for used cars and I've gotten a few suggestions on models like Mazda6 or an Accord. I've also looked at Corollas, Civcs and Mazda3s (those last two were my previous two cars, '08 and '15 respectively and owned in that order). Idk if I've been limiting myself, but I've largely been looking at Japanese sedans from the last five model years with under ~80k miles and under ~$13k. Also I'm in Florida if that matters at all.

I've shortlisted about 10 cars on CarFax at this point without also noticing that Current year Versas also just barely squeak in at that price range. Should I post all 10 or are there things I should look at that I might have missed to pare that top 10 down further?

So your 2015 Mazda3 was stolen? Do you know how, was it street parked?

I know some theft rings have sophisticated engine immobilizer defeating devices but I've so far thought stealing a modern vehicle without a key is fairly difficult.

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  • Post
  • Reply