Car Talk

[Kristel]

This is what I used to obsess about:

Fast facts:

- 2002 model (still the best Clubsport R8 in my opinion)

- 255kw V8

- Top speed before I chickened out: 190 km/hr (thank you to the NT government for the speed limit unrestricted highways)

We sold it when my daughter was about 18 months. There was something wrong about having a babyseat in the back of this car.

[Lasse D]

That's odd. Mine never says "iQ" on the center display. It just gives you some warning about not to take your focus off of the road when driving.

[rriggs]

That's odd. Mine never says "iQ" on the center display. It just gives you some warning about not to take your focus off of the road when driving.

Is the iQ any good? See a lot of them about but wonder if they're too small to live with?

Cheers

Rog

[Lasse D]

Is the iQ any good? See a lot of them about but wonder if they're too small to live with?

Cheers

Rog

I can only speak for the iQ here in Denmark. Here the iQ is extremely rare, selling single digit numbers every month, and there's a reason for that. It makes no financial sense. You can get two Aygos (larger than the iQ) or a Yaris for the same price and the fuel economy and upkeep is pretty much the same as in the Yaris. The engines are the same as Yaris as well, although you can't get a hybrid iQ (and the electric iQ was scrapped).

That being said, I have a fully equipped 6 MT diesel and it's a modern sleeper. Pretty much everyone gets surprised at how this car launches, and with the excessive width and expensive suspension setup, it's a really nice travel companion at high speeds (although it tops out at 180km/h).

Unfortunately I seem to have liked the acceleration a little too much. Last month the engine crapped out and the car is still at the shop waiting for a new engine.

While waiting I am driving my city car, a CT. This car is selling between 0 and 1 unit a month, so it is even more rare :)

Edited June 3, 2013 by Lasse D

[BigRedGoat]

This is what I used to obsess about:

Beautiful car, I'm lucky enough to be one of the few thousand Holden owners in the USA.

It's a 2004 Pontiac GTO/ Holden Monaro, currently making 400hp at the wheels, best quarter mile was 11.9 seconds.

And here's a quick video of it in action:

Edited June 22, 2013 by BigRedGoat

[Kristel]

Beautiful car, I'm lucky enough to be one of the few thousand Holden owners in the USA.

It's a 2004 Pontiac GTO/ Holden Monaro, currently making 400hp at the wheels, best quarter mile was 11.9 seconds.

Nice! I hope tyres are cheap over there given the rate at which you're burning that rubber.

[LEGO Guy Bri]

These made my little fleet:

1992 Isuzu Trooper LS. I had it for 6 years, on top of the 8+ my dad owned it, until a Chevy Aveo pulled in front of me at a stop light 9/11/11. Chevy lost, but my frame cracked, so she is gone. Really wish I would have taken better/more photos of it. Greatest 5spd SUV IMO; crazy crawler gear.

This is my 2007 Hyundai Tiburon SE 6spd. Though not very quick, it's pretty fast for a V6 with 170+ HP. Bought this new in Jan. 07 while waiting for a new trans for my Trooper. Has a few aftermarket parts, but sound like a weed whacker on steroids. Really wanting a muscle car now, no automatics, please. Love my Tib, but not enough get up and go.

Finally, this was my Suzuki GSX-R600. I wanted to learn how to ride a motorcycle, wanted a 4 cylinder, saw this at an auction, bid, won; $2800. By coincidence it was the same Candy Blue as my Specialized mtn bike. Love every minute of riding it. After 3 riding seasons, 2 tires, muffler, some mirrors, and finally getting my endorsement, I put it up for sale. Sold for $3000 in 2011.

Edited June 25, 2013 by LEGO Guy Bri

[prateek]

New car time!

Got a great deal on an ex-demo model and it's a holiday weekend in the UK so lots of time to play with it!

Cheers

Rog

Is that an A Class or a CLA? My father is really interested in the CLA. How has it been so far?

[Legogal]

My dream car is a Tesla S, an all electric sedan with a range of about 400 miles. No way I would pay over 30K USD for a car; we own two Toyota Prius hybrids, which are great fun to drive.

So the Tesla (at around 100K out the door) will remain my dream car.

[eurotrash]

I'm reading this thread and there's some fantastic looking cars, but only a few that I could use on my roads. I live in very rural Missouri and with seven miles of dirt track to get to town and the probability of getting snowed in during the winter (and flooded out during the rest of the year) I drive a beat up '99 Chevy Silverado (4WD).

225,000 miles on the clock, 16 miles per gallon, no straight panels, two careless owners

"Apple Maps said this was a road"

[Legogal]

Eurotrash, This makes me laugh! Reminds me of driving 12 years in Alaska, often either stuck in ditches or helping others who were, and sitting on a pillow while wearing a hardhat to keep my skull from splitting every time my head hit the roof.

Ever notice how hard is it to get a huge 4WD unstuck? And your mileage is great for those conditions...our GMCs like this baby used to get 4MPH when it was below minus 40F. We had to stop on the way home from town during breakup if it was dark and wash off our headlights because there was so much mud that they were useless. Until the brilliant Swedes and Germans came up with washers and wipers for the headlights. Conditions like this do make dream cars seem a bit dreamier, don't they!

[eurotrash]

Ever notice how hard is it to get a huge 4WD unstuck?

Yes! In the picture I'd hit a mud filled hole and every attempt I took to get the Truck out just took me lower and lower. In the end another 4WD tried to tow me out and failed and eventually we had to use another 4WD chained to the first one to give me enough ooomph to pull free.

[N-4K0]

In the end another 4WD tried to tow me out and failed and eventually we had to use another 4WD chained to the first one to give me enough ooomph to pull free.

Haha, 4WD convoy the hole must have been deep and muddy if it took 2 4WDs to pull you out.

[eurotrash]

Haha, 4WD convoy the hole must have been deep and muddy if it took 2 4WDs to pull you out.

Yep, I reckon I was driving a 12-Wheel Drive Truck!

Oh, and we've got a bunch of sinkholes around here. I was lucky that I hadn't driven into one of them

[dhc6twinotter]

If I had enough money to buy any car, it would probably be the Aston Martin Vanquish:

And either a 4 door or troop carrier 70 series Toyota Land Cruiser:

Or some sort of classic. I love cars from the 30s, 40s, and 50s.

But honestly, I like my 2000 Toyota 4Runner that I have now. I spent 2 years looking for one with a manual transmission, and this has been a fantastic vehicle. It doesn't have as much power as I'd like, but I've been able to go everywhere that I've wanted to.

My 4runner at nearly 12,000 feet in Colorado:

[N-4K0]

I like my 2000 Toyota 4Runner that I have now

I was looking at a Toyota 4Runner when I was hunting for my first car, but it was too expensive for me, and there was not enough space behind the wheel for my long legs.

When I sat behind the wheel and the door closed, my left knee was "trapped" between the wheel and the door. Besides that, I prefer cars with a short front. Gives me a feeling of better overview.

[dhc6twinotter]

I was looking at a Toyota 4Runner when I was hunting for my first car, but it was too expensive for me, and there was not enough space behind the wheel for my long legs.

When I sat behind the wheel and the door closed, my left knee was "trapped" between the wheel and the door. Besides that, I prefer cars with a short front. Gives me a feeling of better overview.

The 4Runners hold their value pretty well, but they are also good vehicles. I don't mind paying more up front if it saves me from doing costly repairs later. My first car was a 1990 4Runner that I bought from a friend. I got a good deal on it, but it was in rough shape. It was a good vehicle though, and lasted me all through school. I learned how to repair vehicles on that 4Runner and did all my own work. I sold it to a friend with over 224,000 miles on it, and now he's been driving it for a while. It still had the original automatic tranny in it too.

The 2000 4runner I bought 3 years ago with a bit over 81,000 miles on it. It was a bit more than I wanted to pay for a vehicle, but when I saw that it had a manual transmission, 81k on it, and had the sport package, I jumped on it. I recently did a nearly 25,000 mile road trip around the US, and it now has 124,000 miles on it. I did the 90k recommended maintenance on it (timing belt, water pump, idler pulleys, etc) and a new clutch, and it has been flawless. The 3rd gen ('96-'02) 4Runners have some known issues, but they are mostly cheap repairs. Otherwise, they are very solid vehicles.

The older models are a bit smaller, but the newer models ('03+) are larger and have a bit more space.

[charlieboy]

I used to be a bit of a drift nut a couple of years back, my weapon of choice was a Bmw e30 325i Touring-

I've had more old Bmw's than hot dinners! Anybody else into the older models? Currently I have a 1998 e39 528i with plans for another track/drift toy very soon!

[VBBN]

Firstly do mind that this car is running a temporary plate, I'm getting a new plate and they wanted me to use the temp one which is just a piece of paper instead of my old plate

(The dealer took it. Some Ford dealerships handle the plates instead of making you go to the Secretary of State.)

Anyway here is my new car, 2013 Ford Focus SE. All pictures are done by me, I brought out my DSLR to take some of these photos, experimented with some effects, the interior shots were with an iPhone.

Some notes;

-The paint is a metallic black. In these photos it looks black, but it has multiple colors of "sparkles" embedded in the paint which shines really nice under the sun; it's also impossible to match, so this car will always be parked in the middle of nowhere in parking lots, I do not want this paint damaged. I'll try to get a decent picture of the metallic paint, though I need a sunny day for that, something that is refusing to happen in Michigan right now

-It's the SE, so it has some nice additions that the standard ones don't. The center console isn't as nice as the Titanium one. It also doesn't have the fog lights.

-Roughly 25mpg city, and it's supposed to be able to get 40mpg highway though I don't commonly drive highway so i cannot confirm that.

-It has SYNC, so it had hands free as well as the ability to play music off of my iPhone

-I'm not a huge buff on the technology of car engines so I'll sound stupid if I attempt any knowledge of it, this car is pretty zippy; That's the best I can say regarding performance

-Yes, I put on all of the decepticon add-ons.

-VBBN

[dr_spock]

VBBN, interesting that your center console looks a bit Decepticon-ish.

[dvsntt]

That e30 touring is so sharp. I love that. I have a 1996 E36 328i. I raced it against the corvette club this weekend at the CSP track, came in 4th out of 20 in my class. Rather embarrassing for the corvettes I imagine to lose to a vehicle with 185 HP.

Edited July 17, 2013 by dvsntt

[prateek]

That E30 is looking nice. I wish I could obtain an older 3 Series estate here in Canada. VBBN, I prefer the hatchback, but your Focus is looking sharp! Congrats man!

[VBBN]

^Thanks! And sedan was cheaper, so it's what I stuck with.

And decided to dip my rims, just as a test to see how it looks

I mean I did name my car Decepticon Shade, so i guess this is a bit more fitting. Thoughts? I may gloss them up as well

[prateek]

Nice! The Plastidip really makes the rims look a lot better. Any other mods planned?

[dr_spock]

Nice. Maybe glossy them. I need to paint my rusty drum shoes.