New Car Time [Archive] - Off Camber Forums

RaceGrrl

03-19-14, 11:49 PM

With the Clubman soon to be paid off and my realization that I am not a hatchback girl, I'm looking for a sports sedan to replace it. These are the two cars I've narrowed it down to:

632

After a couple of weekends of test drives and looking at cars at the auto show I think it's going to be either the Mazda6 or the Ford Fusion. Sadly, the 6 isn't available in the Mazdaspeed version and the Fusion has no ST option. We were lucky to find one of each with a manual transmission. After 4 years of driving the MINI and getting accustomed to the stiff clutch and grabby brakes, test driving cars that require a softer touch on the clutch and heavier braking was an adjustment. I'm pretty much decided on the Mazda but I have mixed feelings because I really like the exterior styling of the Fusion. I just wasn't as happy driving it as I was with the 6.

Now to start the search for a deal. That's Richard's job. I hate haggling.

chop456

03-20-14, 02:05 AM

I like the 6 a lot. Not holding out for the diesel version? :D

WickerBill

03-20-14, 10:20 AM

My Fusion is now 15 months old. It is truly the best thing I've ever purchased for myself; solid, quiet, full of techy stuff. I have the 2.0L turbo, meaning I didn't have a manual transmission option. Considering I broke the "never buy a first-year car" rule, it has been surprisingly devoid of recalls and small problems. I had one piece of loose trim.

However, I did not compare to the Mazda6, so I can only give you one side of the equation.

SteveH

03-20-14, 10:23 PM

I like the new 6. What color Missy? I'm kind of disappointed that Mazda only has very basic colors available; red, white, black, grey and silver, right?

RaceGrrl

03-20-14, 10:46 PM

Steve, I think they have a dark blue available too, but of course I'm going with red. It's always about the bright colors for me, so unless they offer it in yellow, red would be my preference. Most manufacturers aren't offering anything except neutrals and a variation of red. Smaller cars tend to have models in color, but sheesh, most of the sedans are boring. I liked the sand colored interior in both cars but it is just not practical for us- with four dogs and the way I have to take boxes and cases for costume vending I need something that won't show dirt.

WB, glad to hear you haven't had any problems with your Fusion and that you like it. The tech stuff you like is one thing I didn't like. I want to be able to reach over to the heater controls without taking my eyes off the road and I felt like the Fusion's flat control panel would make that awkward. Did you adjust to that easily?

SteveH

03-20-14, 10:59 PM

Other than the red and silver, I think the other colors now are somewhat boring.

We have an 04 6s that has been an excellent car. My wife won't part with it. Great build quality, no mechanical issues. It looks brand new but the clock is ticking. It is pebble ash metallic which depending on the light looks like it's mainly silver or taupe or even some shade of green. Probably the most interesting paint on any car I've owned.

03-20-14, 11:15 PM

I like the new 6. What color Missy? I'm kind of disappointed that Mazda only has very basic colors available; red, white, black, grey and silver, right?

Steve, I think they have a dark blue available too, but of course I'm going with red. It's always about the bright colors for me, so unless they offer it in yellow, red would be my preference.

Wrap it in carbon fiber decals.

http://www.carbonfiberfilm.com/blog/3m-carbon-fiber-di-noc-now-available-in-7-different-colors/

:D

nrc

03-21-14, 04:20 AM

I prefer the looks of the Fusion from the front or the back but the 6 wins in profile. I also prefer the more traditional dash and instruments of the Mazda. On the Ford, for example, the tach is a digital display that has to be selected on one of the screens on the dash. The digital displays in the instrument cluster look more like a computer display than an instrument cluster. This, compared to the display in the Mazda instrument cluster which is monochromatic and could be mistaken for a regular analog fuel gauge until you notice that it has no needle. This is very much a matter of preference.

Our preference for the 6 is a little disappointing for both of us I think because we'd kind of like to return to our Ford ways. Unfortunately, even though Ford is building more sporty cars than any time since the '60s they just haven't hit our mark with the Fusion. If you could get a Fusion ST with the 2.0 Ecoboost, manual transmission, and a dash and Recaros like the Focus ST, I'm betting that they would have our money by now.

636

635

Interestingly while I was looking for a dash shot of the Fusion I came across this more conventional dash configuration. This is the cluster you get if you don't get the "tech package". Still not as nice as the 6 dash but it might have gone over better. We drove three Fusions and they all had the tech package. Yes, that's us putting all those miles on your new Fusion, citizens.

634

Overall I just enjoyed driving the Mazda more. Since both cars could use a little more power, you have to stoke them a little to make steam and that's just more enjoyable in the 6. The Fusion is a little softer and more muted in it's ride and handling which a lot of people will prefer but when pushed the Mazda feels more refined.

Unfortunately with the last of the red manual transmission 2014 Mazda6s quite a distance from here and Mazda not yet acknowledging the existence of the 2015 model it will take some time to get leverage for a good deal. But we'll get there.

By the way, the other car that was briefly in the running was the Acura TSX. We were sort of wowed by the interior when we looked at it at the car show. Behind the wheel it felt kind of soulless. Maybe that's what some people call refinement. I want a sedan to be a lot more quiet than my Miata but I don't think a sports sedan should be that isolated from the road. It wasn't bad in any way but even though the dash was my favorite of the cars we considered, the rest of the interior and the exterior were kind of dated. Makes sense since this is probably the last year for the TSX.

WickerBill

03-21-14, 06:31 AM

Missy, I really like the My Ford Touch system; looking forward to the next update that integrates better with the iPhone (supposedly Google or Apple Maps directly on the screen, can change the steering wheel button to control Siri instead of the MFT lady, etc), but I *totally* understand it being bewildering and a turn-off for non-super-nerds. There are some general usability quirks that I don't like but I live with that may just drive a traditional car owner through the roof... the biggest one being a lack of dials to grab for and spin.

TravelGal

03-21-14, 12:43 PM

Other than the red and silver, I think the other colors now are somewhat boring.

We've been looking recently and found the same thing. I can't wait to purchase *something* until the next models come out but the current colors are sure a buzz kill. :irked:

RaceGrrl

05-17-14, 03:13 PM

Zoom Zoom.... :D:D:D

647
648

WickerBill

05-17-14, 03:50 PM

Oh....that is nice. Very nice.

RaceGrrl

05-17-14, 06:30 PM

Forgot to mention that I like the black wheels on Richard's Miata so much that I'm going to get them for the 6 also.

SteveH

05-17-14, 08:16 PM

Nice, best color also. Look forward to your impressions.

RaceGrrl

05-17-14, 11:47 PM

These are the two wheels I like:

649
650

What do you think?

Gnam

05-18-14, 01:56 AM

They are both nice, but I like the top one better.
Do either of them light up? ;)

http://s1.postimg.org/zdo6wcysv/motionlites.jpg

WickerBill

05-18-14, 01:29 PM

Top.

Dvdb

05-18-14, 01:41 PM

top

dando

05-18-14, 01:57 PM

What do you think?

It's darn close, but the top due to the higher front fender.

cameraman

05-18-14, 07:11 PM

top

nrc

05-18-14, 07:38 PM

Nice, best color also. Look forward to your impressions.

So far my impression is that it takes up more space in the garage. :)

Insomniac

05-19-14, 10:49 AM

If it's a lighting effect my preference would be affected.

I like the design on the bottom one better. But if I'm looking at the color shown, the all black (top) looks better than the black to silver (bottom).

RaceGrrl

05-20-14, 10:15 AM

Impressions- besides the one Richard mentioned about taking up more space in the garage:

Needs more power in 6th.

A-pillars are more in my sightline than they were with the Mini, but when I got the Mini I recall feeling that they were right in my face, so it's just an adjustment I need to make.

Love the three-body sized boot...

Blind spot indicators are both helpful and annoying. They beep if the computer doesn't think you have space to change lanes when there is space and they also are a bit annoying because they beep if you signal too much in advance of your lane change when overtaking.

Rear camera is nice to check and see if anything is directly behind me but I won't get out of the habit of looking back myself. It's not good to become lazy.

I've already gotten used to the softer clutch but miss the grabby brakes that the Mini had.

Grip is good in corners and I haven't felt that it's going to break loose if I'm cornering exuberantly. :)

I'm still getting used to all of the controls, knobs and fiddly bits. I do like the dual temp control, push button start and push button locks. I'm sure I'll miss the butt warmer seats in winter.

Overall I'm happy with the car so far. Just wish they had it in a Speed-6 package. I'll probably go for the all black Avarus wheels. I like the Motegi ones in the closeup pic but think the all black wheels look better from a distance.

05-23-14, 12:47 AM

I'll probably go for the all black Avarus wheels. I like the Motegi ones in the closeup pic but think the all black wheels look better from a distance.

The all-black wheels are classier.

devilmaster

05-26-14, 12:16 PM

Love the three-body sized boot...
*whistling and walking away...

Tifosi24

08-04-14, 11:22 AM

Since there is a recent new car thread, I will bump it up instead of starting a new thread. The Jeep Patriot is reaching the end of its useful lifetime, and it is time to replace it with something a little bigger. Unfortunately, that means a minivan. It looks like the mid-20s is our price range, which opens us up to a large segment of lower end new and well equipped used models, so the task is daunting. The Dodge or Chrysler is a non-starter because of our experience with the Patriot. I don't hate that car, but if I didn't have the lifetime power train warranty I would. The wife has also vetoed the Mazda 5 because it is too small. I am personally intrigued by the Ford Transit Connect Wagon, but I think for the price new, it is not priced competitively. So, long story longer, I need sage advice on opinions between the Honda, Toyota, Nissan (I know the Kia is out there but it doesn't appeal to me, which says a lot because we are already discussing vans), and any other ideas that come to people's mind. I know the Honda is the best, but it is also priced as the best, although there are some entry level off lease in our price range. I like the "styling" of the Nissan the best of the bunch, but for this purchase I am interested in practicality, durability, and quality. Many thanks.

Gnam

08-04-14, 12:35 PM

I have not driven either of these, but they were in the $25k price range:

VW Routan minivan
*edit: it's a dodge minivan underneath http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/minivans-vans/1203_2012_volkswagen_routan_sel_first_drive/

Hummer H2 SUV

TravelGal

08-04-14, 03:19 PM

I was about to say Mazda 5 but I figured it might be a little small. I drove one as rental last month and fell in love it with. What a great ride. Literally. Large enough to move lots of stuff when you push down the 3rd row of seats. Sight lines and mirrors in all the right places. Mostly, it rode and handled like a dream. Wish I could buy one.

HOWEVER, I'm "stuck" with having to purchase a Honda. Hate the 2014 Civic styling. 2015 looks a little better but I don't know if ole bessie will hang on that long. 16 years old and definitely needs a few major repairs.

I'm trying to decide if I can cough up the dough for an Accord. Anyone have any thoughts as to whether the extra $4,000 or so is "worth it"?

Tifosi24

08-09-14, 02:33 PM

After a full week of looking and researching, and driving, it looks like the Mazda 5 is the winner. I am shocked! Mrs. Tif decided to drive it because of the price and really enjoyed it. Size is the only drawback, but loaded it is 5k less than a bare bones minivan. It also drives way better than a Sienna or Odyssey. I can see why minivan sales are down because the base Mazda CX-9 sells for the same price as a base Odyssey or Sienna LE and has more features, drives better, and isn't a van. The only advantage I can give a van is size. Since we plan on one more kid, the Mazda 5 will more than likely meet our needs while keeping the wallet happy. Plus, did I mention it is not a minivan.

PS. From my limited test drives, if you have to get a minivan, the Quest is the most enjoyable driving experience. Unfortunately, it got hit with an ugly stick.

TravelGal

08-14-14, 02:10 PM

I'm tickled because I thought the Mazda 5 I drove was the cat's pajamas. I loved everything about it. This week not so much: I had a Nissan Versa. Honey, they shrunk the car. LOL. At stoplights the engine lurched about every 30 seconds. Even TravelMom felt it. Weird.

We begin our quest this weekend. Wish us luck. Sigh.

TravelGal

08-30-14, 01:33 PM

I never thought I'd be replying about my own new car but here I am. TravelGuy's ride has been a perfectly fine 1998 Civic EX. Last December the Honda repair guys got $$$ in their eyes and told him it needed $8,000 worth of repairs. I replied in the negatory. 150,000 miles and nearly 17 years old? I don't think so. They lost our business after 25 years at the same dealership.

A small leak developed but nothing serious. I posted about looking at Civics vs. Accords but I wasn't seriously looking. We drove the Silver Bullet until early last week when the locks started going hinky. Electrical problems? No thank you.

Enter the Labor Day sales. We drove a Civic EX, then an Accord EX. More than one. Underwhelmed. Then the EX-L. Whoa Nellie. A completely different feel. More money but I knew in the first 40 feet (before I even left the dealership's driveway) that I'd be buying it. To counteract the buzz-kill colors, I got "Basque Red Pearl." That would be a dark burgundy to you and me, or, as we like to call it Black Cherry.

Since we keep all our cars forever (my Acura is 2001 and has only 49,200 miles on it), we stretched our budget and are very happy campers so far. It's going to take me this entire weekend, owner manuals in hand, to figure out even half of the bells and whistles but I like it!

nrc

08-30-14, 03:12 PM

Love that new car smell. :) Good choice on the color.

WickerBill

08-30-14, 03:51 PM

Would love to see a pic of the car :)

chop456

09-01-14, 01:40 AM

Since we keep all our cars forever (my Acura is 2001 and has only 49,200 miles on it),

:cool: That's awesome. I bought my car a year ago Saturday and have 33K on it.

Congrats on the new car. Can't go wrong with an Accord. :thumbup:

nrc

09-01-14, 02:13 AM

Tifosi24

09-01-14, 12:14 PM

I'll be keeping my '13 for a while but Mazda is unveiling the next generation Miata on 9/3. They've done an amazing job of keeping it under wraps with just one brief sighting of a camouflaged prototype.

679

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

I am trying to talk my dad into a Miata, or some other sort of small roadster, since he is thinking about selling his BMW 1200rt. I just like that the guy who shot the video was listening to Country music.

chop456

09-05-14, 02:41 AM

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-99bnO27lRXY/VAfBM1gEJlI/AAAAAAAAFSc/2OhOovxhHAs/s1600/2015-Mazda-MX-5-100.jpg

Not bad, but I think I liked some of the speculative renderings better.

nrc

09-05-14, 09:39 AM

I like it a lot. A lot of the speculative renderings had a Mazda6 grill pasted onto a roadster which was horrible. The actual car has a really gorgeous shape that is maybe a touch overdone in a couple of places. Still the best looking Miata ever.
http://filecache.drivetheweb.com/mr5mr_mazdausa/202620/14.%29+2016+MX-5_Rear3qtr_White_JP.jpg
And major kudos to Mazda for making the new model smaller and lighter than the current model. I hope those weight savings don't melt away before production.

TravelGal

09-05-14, 12:57 PM

Would love to see a pic of the car :)

I just took a picture of my Accord yesterday so I could post it. I was surprised at how hard it was to get the whole thing in one picture. Really put into perspective (literally) how big the Accords have gotten. After seeing those shots of the snazzy, sleek, and small new Miata, I think I'll wait a bit to see if I can post it, however. :laugh:

nrc

10-09-14, 04:03 AM

Time to pull the trigger Grrl's black wheels. Here are the finalists. Click to enlarge, opinions welcome.

691
690
693
692

The plan is to put summer tires on these (Continental ExtremeContact DW) so she'll only get to enjoy them for a month or so before the all seasons go back on for winter. Next winter we'll look at getting full snows for the stock wheels.

WickerBill

10-09-14, 05:34 AM

Love them both. You can't go wrong.

Insomniac

10-09-14, 09:41 AM

I like the top one personally. The splitting/uneven spoke look is odd. The only draw back on the first is you may not like the silver ring on the outer edge.

dando

10-09-14, 11:08 AM

I like the top one personally. The splitting/uneven spoke look is odd. The only draw back on the first is you may not like the silver ring on the outer edge.

Ditto.

TravelGal

10-09-14, 12:07 PM

Looking at the wheels only I really prefer the first one. However, looking at the wheels on the car......the smoother lines of number 2 complement the curves of the vehicle much more. Very helpfully yours, TravelGal

Gnam

10-09-14, 12:26 PM

#2 is more better.

Are the nominations closed?
How does Grrl feel about the industrial look of plain steel wheels?

http://s15.postimg.org/w398xow8b/steel_wheel.jpg

Pilgrims Drop

10-09-14, 01:51 PM

Ditto.

Tritto!

RaceGrrl

10-10-14, 01:06 PM

The silver ring on the first one was what I liked about it until I saw the all-black wheels. But, as some of you have said, I'm not wild about the spoke config on the second one. I'll probably go with my first choice, the Avarus wheels.

RaceGrrl

11-18-14, 11:40 AM

712

I think I made the right choice. Now that we've had the first snow, the old wheels are back on for the winter.

Insomniac

11-18-14, 11:57 AM

712

I think I made the right choice. Now that we've had the first snow, the old wheels are back on for the winter.

Looks good!

nissan gtp

11-18-14, 07:57 PM

712

I think I made the right choice. Now that we've had the first snow, the old wheels are back on for the winter.

looks nice !

indyfan31

11-27-14, 03:36 PM

Well, it's been 16 years since I last did this but I found one I liked and pulled the trigger. 2014 loaded XLT.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-OuXBNxsCdhU/VHdvsTPWB-I/AAAAAAAALZA/1BPP8ahxV7o/w2236-h1258-no/14%2B-%2B1

My buddy asked when I'm getting a dalmation :D

WickerBill

11-27-14, 04:26 PM

Jealous!

TravelGal

11-27-14, 08:20 PM

Wowee-do. I'll look for you on the road!

chop456

11-28-14, 03:21 AM

I like how they've moved the front license plate off-center to offset the weight of the antenna. Always thinking. :thumbup:

nrc

11-28-14, 03:26 AM

Congrats on the new vehicle! How are you going to toss empties in the bed with a lid on it?

Gnam

11-28-14, 03:52 AM

Yep.

http://s27.postimg.org/gyi59ip0z/6a00d83451b3c669e20148c690605a970c_800wi.jpg

RaceGrrl

11-28-14, 07:13 PM

Now THAT'S a truck!

indyfan31

11-29-14, 01:13 AM

Congrats on the new vehicle! How are you going to toss empties in the bed with a lid on it?
Really HUGE back seat area.

Thank you all, I'm lovin' it.
My previous truck is 16 years old, I forgot what a joy is it to drive a new vehicle.
Also, I'm not missing the V8 so far, that V6-turbo really scoots!

nrc

12-15-14, 04:52 PM

Dissatisfied that their new MINI Cooper was not ugly enough, BMW went back to the drawing board to create something that would really resonate with customers who want something truly unpleasant to look at. And so, the Mini Cooper five door was born.

718

dando

12-15-14, 05:42 PM

Meh. White Fusion + Mickey antenna topper == goodness. :) When I had the white bimmer 328i, the Mrs. called it the Storm Trooper. And yes, it was...over 100 mph on I-76 in Eastern PA (don't tell Elmo). ;)

Elmo T

02-20-15, 06:12 PM

New work truck time. The Durango went to wherever they send old crappy Dodges. :thumbdown:

Replacement is a 2015 Ford "Utility Police Interceptor AWD Vehicle" - read that as the PD Explorer. :rolleyes::)

For those gearheads:

3.7L High Efficiency Police Calibrated V6 305HP
6 Speed Pursuit Transmission
HD Suspension
Brakes - Pursuit Specific 4-wheel large mass disk for high thermal capacity
18" Steel Rims (I hear you can hit a curb at 45MPH with no damage)
P245/55R18 A/S BSW Tires
Aux Oil and Transmission Cooler

The tires are crap in the snow. I want to upgrade to something more aggressive ASAP.

Still waiting for all the striping to be installed.

http://i57.tinypic.com/fmhuuu.jpg

http://i58.tinypic.com/w07487.jpg

Gnam

02-20-15, 07:01 PM

That what the California Highway Patrol drives.

It's got a cop motor, a 226 cubic inch plant, it's got cop tires, cop suspensions, cop shocks. It's the new Elmomobile.

http://s23.postimg.org/u8kvbmacb/1388408642_elwood_blues.jpg

dando

02-20-15, 09:17 PM

Meh. New Honda Odyssey time. ;)

nrc

02-22-15, 04:17 PM

dando

02-22-15, 04:42 PM

Looks like the Explorer may pick up where the Crown Vic left off. At least there's some competition now. The Taurus is doing well and the Charger is still popular within the "gotta have a V8" market. Spotting the authorities is a lot harder than it was when any non-yellow Crown Vic going over 45 was sure to be an officer.

Please don't state Crown Vic again. Please. I was gifted an 'aircraft carrier with wheels' many years ago by the parental units. Stuck throttle, icy road (Bethel Rd. going downhill, BTW), and fun ensued. :saywhat: :irked: Thankfully my PT instincts took over. :gomer: ;)

WickerBill

02-22-15, 04:49 PM

Spotting the authorities is a lot harder than it was when any non-yellow Crown Vic going over 45 was sure to be an officer.

Watch out for unmarked Explorers and Mustangs in Indianapolis... :eek:

Elmo T

02-22-15, 08:29 PM

Watch out for unmarked Explorers and Mustangs in Indianapolis... :eek:

I am seeing quite a few "blacked out" Explorers. All black everything and running as slicks (no external lightbars). Some are even using special blacked out reflective striping now. Hard to see in daylight but reflects at night.

http://i58.tinypic.com/33vyvxs.jpg

indyfan31

02-23-15, 11:16 AM

. . . . isn't that a Chevy? ^

Elmo T

02-23-15, 11:36 AM

. . . . isn't that a Chevy? ^

Yea - hard finding photos of the black on black striping. But you get the idea.

http://i61.tinypic.com/2w2r23s.jpg

And it was recently pointed out to me - this is NOT an Explorer. :saywhat:

It is a purpose built PD vehicle. NOT an Explorer. It's not. Seriously. It isn't. :D

Kiwifan

02-23-15, 02:27 PM

Have any of you lot owned/hired a Jeep Grand Cherokee, later model? We drove a wee Jeep Patriot down from Seattle to SF and loved it. Driving a Mazda CX9 at the mo, grandkids/baby seats/prams etc. :D

dando

02-23-15, 02:40 PM

Have any of you lot owned/hired a Jeep Grand Cherokee, later model? We drove a wee Jeep Patriot down from Seattle to SF and loved it. Driving a Mazda CX9 at the mo, grandkids/baby seats/prams etc. :D

What the heck is a pram? Oh wait, that's a baby carriage that collected dust for years in our closet for years. :gomer: :saywhat: ;)

Anyway, we had two gens of the GC. The first was great, but the Mrs. decided to upgrade. We got one with everything...even had a kitchen sink. ;) It was utter crap. :irked: We had so many problems with that POS, I couldn't get rid of it sooner. :\ That being said, they have been redesigned, so I assume the flaws have been fixed.

Tifosi24

02-23-15, 03:20 PM

Have any of you lot owned/hired a Jeep Grand Cherokee, later model? We drove a wee Jeep Patriot down from Seattle to SF and loved it. Driving a Mazda CX9 at the mo, grandkids/baby seats/prams etc. :D

I rented a new Grand Cherokee for work about a month a go. I didn't like it at all. Too many electronics and I didn't think it got around particularly well in the snow (not an issue in most of New Zealand I imagine). It was also weak on interior space. My wife's Mazda 5 has more interior room. A buddy of mine from high school is leasing a new one and he can't wait to get rid of it. He has already had it in the shop for warranty electronic issues three times I think, so they haven't fixed the problems dando speaks of. The wife and I owned a first year Patriot and it was alright. It turned into a money pit and it also had terrible design issues with the front suspension. Toward the end, I think I had replaced somethings in the front end three times. I also had a transmission and oil pan go bad, but seeing as I had the lifetime powertrain warranty I didn't care. Bottom line, I would recommend avoiding Jeeps like the plague.

Mazda CX9, the wife would be driving that right now if the Mazda 5 weren't significantly cheaper, fully loaded, than the base all-wheel drive CX9. It drove better than any SUV I have ever driven and was much nicer than the mini-vans I test drove.

Gnam

02-23-15, 03:48 PM

Anyone look at or heard stories about the Chevy Cruze diesel?

DagoFast

02-23-15, 06:23 PM

There is a long running thread here (http://advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=861534) about them. It sounds like they are holding up okay so far. But IMO, you would have to driving serious miles every year to justify the price premium for the diesel engine and fuel.

cameraman

02-23-15, 07:04 PM

Or towing something ginormous..

SteveH

03-08-15, 07:21 PM

Tomorrow evening I'll pick up a 2015 Infiniti Q50S. Graphite Shadow as shown in this picture.

http://i.imgur.com/ajY3OGs.jpg

chop456

03-09-15, 03:23 AM

Does your Vettel fanboi status know no bounds? :D

Nice wheels.

Insomniac

03-09-15, 09:03 AM

That looks nice!

indyfan31

03-09-15, 09:36 AM

That is an absolutely fantastic color, and a nice car to boot. :thumbup:

nrc

03-10-15, 02:48 AM

Congrats on the new wheels. What attracted you to it over the other cars in the class? :thumbup:

WickerBill

03-10-15, 07:42 AM

There are certain cars on which a specific color really just makes the car, its lines, the profile, etc. I think you've found that color for that car. Beauty.

SteveH

03-10-15, 08:02 AM

Congrats on the new wheels. What attracted you to it over the other cars in the class? :thumbup:

better value, slightly less expensive than comparable Lexus, BMW, Audi and Mercedes (I priced out a C class for kicks, that was as far as that went)
style, love the lines
328 hp/AWD
loads of technology

nissan gtp

03-10-15, 08:17 PM

nice Datsun :D

gjc2

03-11-15, 06:18 AM

I get to drive a lot of new cars; the Q50 is an excellent choice. Enjoy it.

nrc

03-12-15, 05:59 PM

better value, slightly less expensive than comparable Lexus, BMW, Audi and Mercedes (I priced out a C class for kicks, that was as far as that went)
style, love the lines
328 hp/AWD
loads of technology

All good points. I'm not a fan of the grimace on the Lexus front end and for the same price you probably get deluxe vinyl and an AM radio in the German brands. :)

dando

03-12-15, 08:27 PM

Fusion. You know...NASCAB fetish. ;) Just spent $130 on oil change, etc. today. :gomer: :p 'twas amazingly less expensive than when my father 'taught' me how to *NOT* change the oil in our '80 Accord. Turned the oil filter the wrong way. Fun ensued. ;)

08-06-15, 08:56 PM

What's a good website to get an idea of what kind of deal you could expect?

I used to use Edmunds.com True Market Value, but they seem to have changed it into something that doesn't piss off the auto dealers. Is the Total Cost of Ownership thing still use the TMV as the basic cash cost? They imply that it does.

I'm looking for a site that lets you add and subtract options from the cost. What we're looking for (a Chevy Traverse, with specific equipment - not a common configuration) is probably going to have to be ordered, swapped, bartered, etc., so the dealer isn't going to have tons of incentive to move it...

SteveH

08-06-15, 09:24 PM

You might find some help here
https://www.reddit.com/r/askcarsales

TravelGal

08-08-15, 02:39 PM

We can only buy Honda products so we built the car we wanted on their website. Then they let you email those specs to as many dealerships as you want. Those guys email back with their price and/or pitch. It gives you a starting point. Since you have narrowed it down to a specific car maker, it might work for you also. PS, we eventually bought a completely different model/accessories but that's an other story. You clearly have it figured out. We didn't. :gomer:

nrc

08-08-15, 02:46 PM

The last time I was coming up with a target price I used trucar.com as a sanity check on my offer. I don't recall my exact sources (Edmunds, KBB, etc) but once you dig around and have invoice, holdback, and incentives it mainly becomes about inventory.

02-21-16, 12:58 AM

Did you know that there are several threads here titled "New car time" or some variant. :cool:

Picked up a new Chevy Traverse - first GM car since my first car ever - 1970 Chevy Malibu.
As an SUV, I like it. Feels big though.

We needed a light-colored car, so we got it in white. Well, pearl, actually.

It's already got the little orange dots on the paint. Light shade, about 1/4 the size of a pencil eraser. Like this, :irked: only smaller.
Do the orange dots in the paint really come from tiny iron particles that embed in the paint, then rust?
I thought it was total BS, but there are a boatload of sites that claim this this is what it's from. You can only see the spots on white, and some silver finishes, apparently.

Anyone see this before?
Anyone use Iron X?
Anything available that will prevent them?

Gnam

02-21-16, 02:10 AM

02-21-16, 03:47 PM

Can you remove the spots by rubbing them with a fingernail, like pollen that spot welds itself to paint?

nope.

The dealer told us specifically to not try that, and to bring it in, so they could do all sorts of investigative investigations. The real reason was to get the wife in the shop to sell her undercoating/wax. #shouldaseenTHATcoming :irked:

Since then, we have looked at the spots closer - they are into the paint.

A quick google states that you need to clay bar the particles out, then use Iron X. iron x (http://www.autogeek.net/carpro-iron-x-cleaner.html)

I'm just surprised that I've never heard of this before - either the orange problem or the solution. I had a white car before, and never noticed these spots, but it was quite a few years back.

Too much of this story sounds like BS, but there are a boatload of web hits that agree. I'm wondering if any of you have seen this? Used Iron X? Does a particular brand/type of wax help this?

Thanks.

DagoFast

02-22-16, 01:27 AM

We have 4 white cars in the family. (It gets HOT here in AZ) They range from 1988 through 2013. One of them (mine) is a pearl white, the other 3 are a simple gloss enamel white. Mine is almost 5 years old and these orange spots have never shown up on it or any of the others. Maybe it is a location issue? Are you in the rust belt?

FWIW, I wax our vehicles twice a year, usually in the spring and again in the fall. Never with anything fancy. However, the last couple of times were with a product called Collonite Liquid Insulator Wax 845. Someone online recommended it and it seems to work well enough. We bought it on Amazon, it wasn't expensive.

I hear there is a guy in Indiana that sells some fancy yuropeon wax out of the trunk of his car. You could always get in touch with him. Rumor has it he can fix anything. Real good. As in permanently.