Thanks for the new desktop wallpaper. I will use it as inspiration to work hard.
So that I never get to a point in life where I have to drive a Prius. lol
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Automotive Discussion Thread | OT2 | Zero to pointless fighting faster than a GT86
- Thread starter AlphaSnake
- Start date
Thanks for the new desktop wallpaper. I will use it as inspiration to work hard.
mmazurkiewicz
Member
You should also check out the new Volt.
If I didn't have a company car I'd get a Prius or Volt as second daily. I really like both cars.
You should probably compare price vs mpg for the two. The Volt is a bit nicer but the Prius may have better resale.
Audi make some awesome ads. Really liked their old R8 one where it was the car without the rear engine bay cover attached, and they just let rip on the dyno.
Side note, love the look of Yianni's new Aventador. Hat damn.
INSANE Skills On A LAMBO!
So Auto-Gaf.
I'm about to buy my first car. I've been sharing a vehicle for a good 5ish years now (and the primary driver on it for 3-4 of those), but now that I'm in a stable full-time job I wager it's probably time to get my own. I'm wanting to buy a newer/recent (as in 2014-2015 models) used sedan in the list price range of say 12-15.5k. Been doing a fair bit of research and kind of narrowed it down to about 3 cars I've been primarily looking at.
So far the three cars I've been eyeing -
Hyundai Elantra - The car I've been driving the past 5ish years has been a Hyundai. As such I'm familiar with how they feel/handle/etc which is a point towards it. Also I love how it looks (I know thats not the most popular opinion lol) and it seems to have a lot of nice features regarding stereo/gps/etc inside. It also looks to be the cheapest of these three cars in that range in my area. And I really like how it looks >.>
Ford Fusion - The middle of the road car between my three choices. Theres nothing that it seems to do exceptionally well over the other two but it does everything well enough. It looks to be fairly highly reviewed for recent models and just generally considered a great car. It's also available at a local dealership that my company has a partnership with and I may be able to get "fleet pricing" even on a used vehicle for myself. Whether that would actually beat haggling down the salesperson though is anyone's guess.
Mazda3 - Definitely on the upper limit of my range there to say the least. But everyone who has one seems to love it, its consistently considered one of the best economy class sedans in reviews I read, its apparently a very fun car to drive, and it looks to be the one of these three that would hold it's value the best, even though I'm hoping whatever car I buy to last me for 5-6+ years at least. It's not the fanciest when it comes to its electronic amenities inside but makes up for it pretty much everywhere else.
Any particular recommendations towards any of those three in particular? Any cars I should keep an eye on in that range besides those three? I'm in the Phoenix AZ area fwiw in terms of local values.
I'm about to buy my first car. I've been sharing a vehicle for a good 5ish years now (and the primary driver on it for 3-4 of those), but now that I'm in a stable full-time job I wager it's probably time to get my own. I'm wanting to buy a newer/recent (as in 2014-2015 models) used sedan in the list price range of say 12-15.5k. Been doing a fair bit of research and kind of narrowed it down to about 3 cars I've been primarily looking at.
So far the three cars I've been eyeing -
Hyundai Elantra - The car I've been driving the past 5ish years has been a Hyundai. As such I'm familiar with how they feel/handle/etc which is a point towards it. Also I love how it looks (I know thats not the most popular opinion lol) and it seems to have a lot of nice features regarding stereo/gps/etc inside. It also looks to be the cheapest of these three cars in that range in my area. And I really like how it looks >.>
Ford Fusion - The middle of the road car between my three choices. Theres nothing that it seems to do exceptionally well over the other two but it does everything well enough. It looks to be fairly highly reviewed for recent models and just generally considered a great car. It's also available at a local dealership that my company has a partnership with and I may be able to get "fleet pricing" even on a used vehicle for myself. Whether that would actually beat haggling down the salesperson though is anyone's guess.
Mazda3 - Definitely on the upper limit of my range there to say the least. But everyone who has one seems to love it, its consistently considered one of the best economy class sedans in reviews I read, its apparently a very fun car to drive, and it looks to be the one of these three that would hold it's value the best, even though I'm hoping whatever car I buy to last me for 5-6+ years at least. It's not the fanciest when it comes to its electronic amenities inside but makes up for it pretty much everywhere else.
Any particular recommendations towards any of those three in particular? Any cars I should keep an eye on in that range besides those three? I'm in the Phoenix AZ area fwiw in terms of local values.
djSyndrome
Member
Dynamically the Mazda 3 is the top of the class. If you look around you might be able to find an SV for $15k. It won't be fancy but it'll be new, and you'll have a 5 year powertrain warranty to boot.
Standard New Car Buying Tip: unless you're paying cash, make sure your credit is as good as it can be going in to get the best interest rate.
jongkookie
Member
Lol not everyone here drives a beast hahahaha
I wish I did lol. You could go for a Mazda 3, it's a great hatchback and gets good mileage and has great handling
Toyota to keep FR-S model name: http://japanesenostalgiccar.com/2016/02/03/news-say-hello-to-the-toyota-fr-s/
Septimus Prime
Member
What are you looking for in the Prius? Honda also makes hybrids that are comparable and far less ugly.
I didn't understand why they badged it a Scion to begin with so I guess I won't even bother thinking about why they wouldn't just call it a fucking 86! It's like they want to actively avoid evoking the legend of the hachi roku.
....or it's just cheaper to rebadge the front, rear, and airbag and not the sides, lol
lem0n
Member
Such a great video. I love how EVO reviews cars. They take the "feel" and "character" into account. Most people only do numbers etc.
My pick, I love the Mazda6 and was actually looking into an Mazda3 as a replacement car but I want to wait for the Mazdaspeed 3 before I decide.
If you buy at the end of the Fusion model year you can likely get a Fusion with the same features the the Elantra and Mazda 3. My Fusion was 29000 mrsp that I got for 23000. Can't beat a 23k midsized sedan that drives well with heated leather seats, backup camera, power front seats etc. The Elantra is newly redesigned and likely won't have heavy incentives. Mazda usually doesn't offer many incentives.
Test drove a Mazda3 recently and I couldn't stand the amount of road/wind noise at 60-70 mph on the highway. Deal breaker for me, as my wife really liked the car and it was a decent deal. Just my 2 cents.
If I was buying a car in that class, I would jump on the 2016 civic with the 1.5L turbo engine. What a fun practical car!
If I was buying a car in that class, I would jump on the 2016 civic with the 1.5L turbo engine. What a fun practical car!
DivineRage002
Member
I drove an Elantra GT as a replacement car while mine was in the shop. Good looking car, extremely reliable, good equipment, but it's not an "exciting" car by any measure. If you're looking for something fun and thrilling to drive, go for the Mazda 3 instead, but I'm pretty sure you'll get much less equipment for the price.
Can't speak for the Fusion, never drove one.
I also never drove one, but you could look at the Elantra's twin, the Kia Forte, see if it's competitive.
Hyundai's tend to be well equipped and well styled for the money. I believe the newer ones are also fairly reliable. The downside would be the overall driving feel is not going to up to the standard of the rest of the industry. Both the Fusion and the 3 would be more engaging to drive.
My wife's parents have a Fusion and I have spent a lot of time in it going various places. I don't hate it but I don't love it either. It looks nice and is comfortable enough and it drives ok. They have had a couple of minor issues with it that were covered under warranty and it makes a noise under acceleration that I don't care for (fuel pump, maybe?) at all but I don't think it would be a bad choice.
The Mazda 3 is certainly the "driver's" choice. Someone mentioned road noise and that is because Mazda's tend to be lighter and have less sound deadening material in them than other brands. If you spend a lot of time at 65mph + then that might be a factor for you but everyone has a different threshold of comfort so definitely try it out. That light weight helps everything else be better though- better handling, better breaking, better acceleration and better fuel economy. Of the three you have listed it would most likely be my choice.
oh I would love the Volt... I think it's a little out of our price range though. Aren't they around $30k after the government rebate?
I need to turn my lease in on June 1st... would the 2017 Volt be out at that point?
AlphaSnake
...and that, kids, was the first time I sucked a dick for crack
Not surprised, at all. It was a bad idea to dedicate one powertrain to a semi-halo vehicle and charge $75K for it, when it was all based on a $35K Chevy. Add to it an enormous and bloated curb weight and you have a terrible car. It helped when the ELR had its priced dropped to $65K and its power output increased considerably - it should've been how the car shipped initially. But the damage has been done - the consumer was turned off. In fact, the car should've cost no more than $55K.
Simply put, the ELR powertrain would've been better off in a 4-door compact sedan, or maybe even an ATS (which would be difficult, since the powertrain was bespoke to the configuration of the Volt's layout). Anyway, just another car to add to the ever-growing stock pile of horrible attempts US manufacturers have taken to market.
I'm not surprised they left it as FR-S. The American market would get too confused by the name change (enthusiasts aside), and the process to use an entirely new badge could likely be a DOT headache for corporate.
I do wonder if the iM will be rebadged as a Matrix again, though.
Thanks for the advice everyone. I am leaning more towards the Mazda3 at the current moment. Spoke with my bank today and got pre-approved for a possible loan for one and got insurance quotes for all three of those cars. Surprisingly enough the Mazda3 would have the lowest insurance for me. I figured it would be higher given the "sporty" nature of it, but nope, about $50 cheaper than the hyundai and $100 cheaper than the ford for 6 month payments.
jongkookie
Member
Do y'all think it's gonna be possible to get a new FRS close to $20K the closer we get to August?
I might actually bite if the prices go that low but if it remains at MSRP then I'll hold out longer for the new Miata instead lol.
Yep. The ELR is a sweet looking car but that's really all the compliment I can give to it.
Fun fact, according to my dad, my Miata was the cheapest car to insure among our stable of vehicles. Cheaper than the the other Mazdas and Toyotas we had lol.
I might actually bite if the prices go that low but if it remains at MSRP then I'll hold out longer for the new Miata instead lol.
Yep. The ELR is a sweet looking car but that's really all the compliment I can give to it.
Fun fact, according to my dad, my Miata was the cheapest car to insure among our stable of vehicles. Cheaper than the the other Mazdas and Toyotas we had lol.
djSyndrome
Member
That's a $6k drop, so I'd say probably not. I would expect them to be several grand below sticker as the '17s approach (especially since the '17 is a refresh).
Decided to hold onto mine. The resale is garbage anyway, and honestly as soon as the rain lets up I'll probably fall in love with it all over again. Still getting rid of those shit tires, though.
mmazurkiewicz
Member
Why 2017? I've seen the new one on the road already.
I think it's only being sold in some states now though.
On Monday, Chris Harris posted on Instagram that he was ending his Patreon campaign and thanked everyone who contributed. No reason given. He also said he had 4 more videos in the can and that he'd be releasing then soon.
This morning, Matt LeBlanc was announced as a new Top Gear presenter, alongside Chris Evans and a new Stig. The Stig in the photo isn't Chris Harris, though that doesn't necessarily mean anything. Harris has a pretty distinct build so maybe they used a stand-in for that photo as not to make it obvious.
Around the same time, I got an email from Patreon that Chris Harris had stopped taking contributions. And a second email from Harris praising Patreon, but added that while he would continue to release videos, he no longer needed donations for them.
So... what the hell? I don't think he's on Top Gear. Maybe he's doing something new?
This morning, Matt LeBlanc was announced as a new Top Gear presenter, alongside Chris Evans and a new Stig. The Stig in the photo isn't Chris Harris, though that doesn't necessarily mean anything. Harris has a pretty distinct build so maybe they used a stand-in for that photo as not to make it obvious.
Around the same time, I got an email from Patreon that Chris Harris had stopped taking contributions. And a second email from Harris praising Patreon, but added that while he would continue to release videos, he no longer needed donations for them.
So... what the hell? I don't think he's on Top Gear. Maybe he's doing something new?
SliChillax
Member
Rumor mentioned Harris, Sabine Schmitz and Coulthard. Coulthard could be the Stig and Sabine has already been photographed filming with Chris Evans. Harris though hasn't been spotted anywhere.
SliChillax
Member
No wonder he closed his Patreon.
Don't you love that feeling after a fresh oil change?
Got the first service done on my car at 6K miles, and I swear it feels like I gained 50 horsepower. The engine is even more responsive and revs smoother to redline.
Fun note: They said my front brakes had already been worn down to 70% in that amount of time. I told them I tend to drive "enthusiastically." lol
Got the first service done on my car at 6K miles, and I swear it feels like I gained 50 horsepower. The engine is even more responsive and revs smoother to redline.
Fun note: They said my front brakes had already been worn down to 70% in that amount of time. I told them I tend to drive "enthusiastically." lol
AlphaSnake
...and that, kids, was the first time I sucked a dick for crack
Online video content? Are they maybe looking to add to make the Top Gear YouTube channel gigantic?
Got a dumb question for you guys but again, first time buying my own car - For an average dealership, how long would a test drive be allowed for? Frankly for a used car I wouldn't mind my test drive be me taking it down to my normal mechanic to have them give a once-over, but the dealerships I'm looking at are a good 30-40 mins away from said mechanic.
AlphaSnake
...and that, kids, was the first time I sucked a dick for crack
Eh, 30-40 mins away is quite a bit of a stretch. Why dont you talk with the dealership to let you do that instead of a "test drive" lol or get the mechanic to come with you? My longest test drive was probably 3 miles
Skel1ingt0n
I can't *believe* these lazy developers keep making file sizes so damn large. Btw, how does technology work?
Eh, that's quite a few miles.
I've had several 30-40 minute test drives, but usually within a few miles of the actual dealership. I'll take it on the highway, enjoy the on-ramp a few times, cruise around town, take it to a gas station and mess with the dials and settings, and cruise back, typically.
u first bae
TheAbsolution
Member
Don't some dealerships do take home test drives? Where you get to take it home for the night and see how it works for like 24 hours. I think I've heard of that.
New video of the 718 Boxster S.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o2iVVt1kG2w
That rear Porsche badging in chrome looks ostentatious and has to go or at least be available in flat black.
Front end looks like a generic Chinese ripoff of the old one. Like if Rockstar had to model a Porsche for GTA.
And the flat four sounds like garbage compared to the N/A six.
Here's the 981 Boxster GTS for comparison
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CGed1H_AwdE
All of this while pricing it $6K higher than the outgoing model. That performance better be worth it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o2iVVt1kG2w
That rear Porsche badging in chrome looks ostentatious and has to go or at least be available in flat black.
Front end looks like a generic Chinese ripoff of the old one. Like if Rockstar had to model a Porsche for GTA.
And the flat four sounds like garbage compared to the N/A six.
Here's the 981 Boxster GTS for comparison
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CGed1H_AwdE
All of this while pricing it $6K higher than the outgoing model. That performance better be worth it.
TheBryanJZX90
Member
Oh damn Porsche is actually going to make the Panamera wagon? ...how long will it be before one of those depreciates to like under $35k?
New Top Gear news got me looking at old Sabine Schmidt of her driving the M5 E60 around the ring. The sound of that V10 had me wondering if the prices of those been going up?
I'm way too poor to afford one, but the M5 and M6 seem like a cars that could turn into collectibles with engine sounds getting worse and worse. Especially BMW engines. Maybe a bit too imperfect with the thirsty engine, low torque, SMG transmission and Bangle looks.
I'm way too poor to afford one, but the M5 and M6 seem like a cars that could turn into collectibles with engine sounds getting worse and worse. Especially BMW engines. Maybe a bit too imperfect with the thirsty engine, low torque, SMG transmission and Bangle looks.
SliChillax
Member
Well the E46 M3 has been going up in value again, don't know much about the E60. They're too unreliable to go up in value too much, fuel economy is laughable, transmissions is mediocre, looks are love it or hate it and not to mention the Bangle era BMW's had awful interior quality, especially the E60.
If I had crazy money I would take the S85 V10 engine only, contact Gintani which is currently making the V10 work with the DCT transmission from the E92 M3 (transmission fits like a glove with the engine they just need to properly code it), get the engine size 5.7 and then put it in any M car which isn't an E60.
They could have turbocharged a downsized flat 6 but oh well. The front looking like a GTA clone nails it. Man I hope the GTS doesn't go up in value after this.New video of the 718 Boxster S.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o2iVVt1kG2w
That rear Porsche badging in chrome looks ostentatious and has to go or at least be available in flat black.
Front end looks like a generic Chinese ripoff of the old one. Like if Rockstar had to model a Porsche for GTA.
And the flat four sounds like garbage compared to the N/A six.
Here's the 981 Boxster GTS for comparison
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CGed1H_AwdE
All of this while pricing it $6K higher than the outgoing model. That performance better be worth it.
mmazurkiewicz
Member
that sounds interesting. i kinda want an e60 M5 for the v10 scream.
New video of the 718 Boxster S.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o2iVVt1kG2w
That rear Porsche badging in chrome looks ostentatious and has to go or at least be available in flat black.
Front end looks like a generic Chinese ripoff of the old one. Like if Rockstar had to model a Porsche for GTA.
And the flat four sounds like garbage compared to the N/A six.
Here's the 981 Boxster GTS for comparison
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CGed1H_AwdE
All of this while pricing it $6K higher than the outgoing model. That performance better be worth it.
Is it having bowel issues here?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o2iVVt1kG2w&t=1m50s
Sounds rather poor.
Ah, didn't know if the reliability issues.
I totally understand a DCT, especially here in Europe where there were no manuals. The one jarring thing in the video were all the passengers jolting in their seats when it changed gears. There are still cars sold with SMGs in Europe (*cough* PSA) and I try my best to explain why those are shit. Nothing is worse than the car disengaging the clutch when you're unprepared and in the real world paddles never feel natural to use.
YuriLowell
Member
Not worth it.
AlphaSnake
...and that, kids, was the first time I sucked a dick for crack
I'm copping a new Jaguar XF next month. Got one on order. Rhodium Silver with black interior.
SliChillax
Member
It kinda is, but I still think that engine went into the wrong car. It's a high revving screaming engine and they put it into a heavy luxury sedan, makes no sense to me. I would love to put that engine in the E92 M3 but then it would probably make it too nose heavy, same with the E46 M3.
I lived in the States for 20 years now. Here's the top three problems with US auto enthusiasts:
3. Meaningless reverse order motorsport events where the first race of the season is more important than the last.
2. Over-adulation of horsepower over any other aspect, at the cost of quality and handling.
1. Wagons are inherently bad.
Wagons (or Shooting Brakes/Estates as they should be called to help get rid of the stigma) are amazing. American resistance to them is based on GM/Chrysler abominations from the sixties, seventies and eighties. GET OVER IT.
A gentleman needs a shooting brake for his crops, shotguns and elaborately-tipped walking canes. He also needs to go at 180mph to his lodge in Scotland.