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Post by Deleted on Aug 29, 2021 1:58:11 GMT
With so many downers.....political, virus, economics.....I thought it was time for a lighter topic - one that many of us regard as a pleasure rather than a weight in our lives.
So, since I haven't seen this topic raised, at least since I've been a member here, let's talk about what you drive. I've seen a brief mention of george's TA racecar, but it would be interesting to hear what your everyday driver is.
Since I raised the subject, I'll start, although it's nothing particularly special. When the engine in my Cavalier Z24 lunched itself two months after retirement, I had no choice but to buy a vehicle. Given my limited income to buy and maintain a different car, I bought the cheapest new car available in Canada at that time....a 2016 Nissan Micra. It's an absolute stripped down base model, chosen to give me the lowest monthly payment (165.00/month). It's been a great car, and I have no regrets, except that I really miss having air conditioning. However, since I don't do much driving (20K in five years), I don't spend enough time behind the wheel for it to be a big deal. Two more years, and it's all mine....I expect it to probably be what I'll drive till I die or get so damn old that they take my drivers license away.
So, how about you guys? What's your everyday ride, and also do you have any toys just for play?
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Post by zontar on Aug 29, 2021 2:03:27 GMT
I've been told I drive people crazy.
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Post by Sgt Rock on Aug 29, 2021 2:31:22 GMT
my everyday and only vehicle is a 2004 Chevrolet Trailblazer. it's a SUV type of vehicle. I bought it used/pre-owned. I've found that there are some good used vehicles out there. besides, I can't afford to buy a new car these days. also, the Minnesota Highway Department uses salt to help clear the roads/highways of snow and ice during the Winter months. there are a lot of rusted vehicles around.
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Post by george on Aug 29, 2021 2:37:28 GMT
Daily driver is this F150. Comfortable and a nice cruiser; it eats up the road: Gonna need a new truck soon but I've also been thinking about getting one of these:
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Post by infant on Aug 29, 2021 4:40:47 GMT
Here is my car….. ooops! How did that get in there? My buddy’s Ferrari…. Seriously, I’m driving a 2018 Hyundai Tucson that I bought used in August 2019 with only 26,000km on it. So far it’s been a great vehicle but then again, I’ve only put 20,000km on it over the last 2 years. I bought it to be my retirement car not knowing that 8 months later, I’d be forced into retirement. The ironic thing is that the company that I worked for made the heated steering wheel and heated seats for it.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 29, 2021 5:54:52 GMT
It's interesting to know that a car manufacturer's drawing on private vendors to supply specialty parts like that. Glad you like the Tucson.
Back in 1985 when my car audio job had me installing systems into Ponys and Stellars, I couldn't imagine myself ever saying anything nice about Hyundais, but over the last few years, I've come to have a real respect for what they're doing now.
I bet the heated wheel and seats are a nice thing to have when you're doing Ontario winters.
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Post by laristotle on Aug 29, 2021 9:02:56 GMT
'15 GMC Terrain
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Post by johnreardon on Aug 29, 2021 10:10:10 GMT
I have just about zero interest in vehicles. Yes, I would like a Ferrari, but to me vehicles are purely functional. I have always bought them for a purpose. My 'newest' vehicle is a VW Caddy Van, I bought new in 2013 when we reformed my 60s band. It was actually a late 2012 model that was a demonstrator, with a few hundred miles on the clock., so I got a good deal. It now has just over 37,000 miles, so not bad in 8 years motoring. You can see what I use it for below: The wife shares my lack of interest in vehicles, her only stipulation is that it must be automatic as she has bad knees. She has a 2006 Ford Focus hatchback.
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Post by Die Bullen on Aug 29, 2021 12:03:34 GMT
My daily driver is a 2019 VW GTI 2.0T with a 6 speed manual. It is a fantastic car that is just old school enough to be fun with a few technology gadgets that make driving more enjoyable. If I baby it, it gets 40+ MPG on the highway. If I press it, it does 0-60 in the mid 5's. This picture is on the infamous Dragon route 137 in TN. We got caught in a torrential downpour partway through but they put professional photographers all along the route and some of the best pictures they took were in the rain Attachments:
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Post by Die Bullen on Aug 29, 2021 12:40:00 GMT
It's interesting to know that a car manufacturer's drawing on private vendors to supply specialty parts like that. Glad you like the Tucson. Back in 1985 when my car audio job had me installing systems into Ponys and Stellars, I couldn't imagine myself ever saying anything nice about Hyundais, but over the last few years, I've come to have a real respect for what they're doing now. I bet the heated wheel and seats are a nice thing to have when you're doing Ontario winters. I was very close to buying a Hyundai veloster N spec as my last car- it was a great car to drive. Hyundai has come way up in car rankings in the past 10 years or so. Ultimately the fact that it was a 4 seater killed it for me
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Post by infant on Aug 29, 2021 17:40:54 GMT
It's interesting to know that a car manufacturer's drawing on private vendors to supply specialty parts like that. Glad you like the Tucson. Back in 1985 when my car audio job had me installing systems into Ponys and Stellars, I couldn't imagine myself ever saying anything nice about Hyundais, but over the last few years, I've come to have a real respect for what they're doing now. I bet the heated wheel and seats are a nice thing to have when you're doing Ontario winters. They’ve come a long way in the last 10-15 yrs. I used to read Wards Autoworld magazine when I was working and I remember reading an article about 10 years ago from Nissan’s CEO stating that they weren’t concerned about Honda and Toyota but rather Hyundai and Kia who had made huge strides in quality and design. Auto manufacturers don’t make their own parts or they make very few of them. They rely on outside vendors to design and build all the switches, motors, hoses, seats etc that go into a vehicle. They just assemble them. When I was at TRW, we would get a drawing from the car manufacturer showing us where our switch had to fit and I would design a package that would fit in that space and house the electronics. It was exciting for me to see a new vehicle sporting a power window switch, mirror switch or many other dash mounted switches that I had designed. It was even more exciting to walk into the Ford design Center and see the styling bucks and prototypes for the upcoming vehicles 2 years before they are produced. The engineers would sometimes take me for a ride in one of the prototypes when I’d go down for a meeting with them. The 2011 Ford Fusion that my wife currently drives has a few of the parts that I designed in it…..and they still work!!!!
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Post by zontar on Aug 30, 2021 4:47:43 GMT
I know someone who pretty much only buys Toyotas--loves them.
He bought a Volvo once and regretted it.
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Post by infant on Aug 30, 2021 13:14:36 GMT
I know someone who pretty much only buys Toyotas--loves them. He bought a Volvo once and regretted it. In the last 40 years, we’ve owned GM(1), Ford(3), Mazda(3), Toyota(1), Honda(2) and now the Hyundai. The only car I’ve regretted buying was the GM (Pontiac). I bought it new and owned it for less than 2 years. Blew the head gasket, rebuilt the transmission, replaced the rear shocks, alternator and front end sway bar bushings. It also started rusting after a year. Never gave GM another chance after that. Best cars I’ve owned have been the Toyota Corolla, Mazda 3 and the Ford Fusion which we still own.
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Post by Die Bullen on Aug 30, 2021 17:33:09 GMT
I know someone who pretty much only buys Toyotas--loves them. He bought a Volvo once and regretted it. In the last 40 years, we’ve owned GM(1), Ford(3), Mazda(3), Toyota(1), Honda(2) and now the Hyundai. The only car I’ve regretted buying was the GM (Pontiac). I bought it new and owned it for less than 2 years. Blew the head gasket, rebuilt the transmission, replaced the rear shocks, alternator and front end sway bar bushings. It also started rusting after a year. Never gave GM another chance after that. Best cars I’ve owned have been the Toyota Corolla, Mazda 3 and the Ford Fusion which we still own. There are very few GM cars I would be interested at all. At this point they hardly have any products with a manual transmission except maybe the bottom of the line and the Corvette
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Post by highdeaf on Aug 30, 2021 17:46:42 GMT
I also own a Volks GTI, a 2017, loaded with all sorts of cool electronic gadgets, like distance sensing cruise control (works great).
I cross-shopped it with the Focus ST, Kia Elantra GT and a few other contenders. I bought the GTI largely because of the great DSG dual-clutch auto gearbox. The manual was fun too, but I wanted to try one of these newer designs. This is only the second auto I've owned and it's much better than the torque-converter paddle shifter I owned 20 years ago in an Acura.
My previous car was a Mazda 3. I loved that car, never had a problem with it. And it proved the hatchback configuration was the best for me, thus the list of cars I was shopping for. I'd love to have a truck, but I can rent one for $25 to $75 when I really need one. Hot hatches are much more fun to drive - and much more fuel efficient.
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Post by Die Bullen on Aug 30, 2021 18:09:13 GMT
I also own a Volks GTI, a 2017, loaded with all sorts of cool electronic gadgets, like distance sensing cruise control (works great). I cross-shopped it with the Focus ST, Kia Elantra GT and a few other contenders. I bought the GTI largely because of the great DSG dual-clutch auto gearbox. The manual was fun too, but I wanted to try one of these newer designs. This is only the second auto I've owned and it's much better than the torque-converter paddle shifter I owned 20 years ago in an Acura. My previous car was a Mazda 3. I loved that car, never had a problem with it. And it proved the hatchback configuration was the best for me, thus the list of cars I was shopping for. I'd love to have a truck, but I can rent one for $25 to $75 when I really need one. Hot hatches are much more fun to drive - and much more fuel efficient. Same as mine, but I guess you have the SE! I opted for the base model because I liked the plaid seats more and I got it very cheaply at year end from a dealer who had 10 of them on the lot ($20,000 brand new). Obviously you don't want a car like this for hauling gravel or plywood, but for me the GTI is a total "no guilt" car. Seats 5 in a pinch, I can put the seats down to cart gear to gigs if I need to. I'm not even sure how many VW Golf's I've had through the years and although I will always be a little nostalgic for the mk II's I drove in college in the early 1990's, the newer model is immensely satisfying.
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Post by Sinster on Aug 30, 2021 18:15:09 GMT
2015 Ford Fusion.. damn trucks are expensive AF... I wanted a truck and even used are expensive.
I also have a 2008 Ford Escape - our "dump(transfer station) truck". Wife has a 2019 Ford Escape, Oldest a 2019 Ford Hybrid Fusion, and youngest a 2013 Ford Escape. At one time before I got married I was a VW person, but that changed in 1994 when I purchased my first Ford.
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Post by highdeaf on Aug 30, 2021 18:37:06 GMT
I also own a Volks GTI, a 2017, loaded with all sorts of cool electronic gadgets, like distance sensing cruise control (works great). I cross-shopped it with the Focus ST, Kia Elantra GT and a few other contenders. I bought the GTI largely because of the great DSG dual-clutch auto gearbox. The manual was fun too, but I wanted to try one of these newer designs. This is only the second auto I've owned and it's much better than the torque-converter paddle shifter I owned 20 years ago in an Acura. My previous car was a Mazda 3. I loved that car, never had a problem with it. And it proved the hatchback configuration was the best for me, thus the list of cars I was shopping for. I'd love to have a truck, but I can rent one for $25 to $75 when I really need one. Hot hatches are much more fun to drive - and much more fuel efficient. Same as mine, but I guess you have the SE! I opted for the base model because I liked the plaid seats more and I got it very cheaply at year end from a dealer who had 10 of them on the lot ($20,000 brand new). Obviously you don't want a car like this for hauling gravel or plywood, but for me the GTI is a total "no guilt" car. Seats 5 in a pinch, I can put the seats down to cart gear to gigs if I need to. I'm not even sure how many VW Golf's I've had through the years and although I will always be a little nostalgic for the mk II's I drove in college in the early 1990's, the newer model is immensely satisfying.
Mine was a year-end cash deal that I did OK on. It has a few more options than I wanted but I enjoy them so no money wasted. It's a fun car to drive, while still being a good winter car and a good all-round hauler. Years ago, I had a Sirocco that was a great little car, too. Expensive when it eventually needed parts, though.
I'm surprised what I've been able to get in the back. That limited both the Focus ST and the Civic Type-R, which both had tighter load-in openings and smaller hatch space. I bring a tape measure to make sure I can get my Mesa LSS comfortable in the back, cover down with room to spare.
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Post by infant on Aug 30, 2021 19:28:34 GMT
My previous car was a Mazda 3. I loved that car, never had a problem with it. And it proved the hatchback configuration was the best for me, thus the list of cars I was shopping for. I'd love to have a truck, but I can rent one for $25 to $75 when I really need one. Hot hatches are much more fun to drive - and much more fuel efficient. My wife had a 2011 Mazda 3 hatchback until my daughter hit a deer with it last year. That was a fun car to drive and I could fit all my band equipment in it. I carry the PA system, monitors and lighting system along with my own guitar equipment. It should be noted that I could fit all the stuff in my 2011 Fusion before I bought my Tucson. The other band members couldn’t believe how much stuff I could fit in that sedan.
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Post by zontar on Aug 30, 2021 20:32:31 GMT
I know someone who pretty much only buys Toyotas--loves them. He bought a Volvo once and regretted it. In the last 40 years, we’ve owned GM(1), Ford(3), Mazda(3), Toyota(1), Honda(2) and now the Hyundai. The only car I’ve regretted buying was the GM (Pontiac). I bought it new and owned it for less than 2 years. Blew the head gasket, rebuilt the transmission, replaced the rear shocks, alternator and front end sway bar bushings. It also started rusting after a year. Never gave GM another chance after that. Best cars I’ve owned have been the Toyota Corolla, Mazda 3 and the Ford Fusion which we still own. Well let's see--over the years I've owned--(some not for very long) Chevy, Pontiac, Ford, Oldsmobile, Saturn, Dodge. All but one used.
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Post by Die Bullen on Aug 30, 2021 20:34:43 GMT
My previous car was a Mazda 3. I loved that car, never had a problem with it. And it proved the hatchback configuration was the best for me, thus the list of cars I was shopping for. I'd love to have a truck, but I can rent one for $25 to $75 when I really need one. Hot hatches are much more fun to drive - and much more fuel efficient. My wife had a 2011 Mazda 3 hatchback until my daughter hit a deer with it last year. That was a fun car to drive and I could fit all my band equipment in it. I carry the PA system, monitors and lighting system along with my own guitar equipment. It should be noted that I could fit all the stuff in my 2011 Fusion before I bought my Tucson. The other band members couldn’t believe how much stuff I could fit in that sedan. The Mazda 3 was hot in the running for my wife's car replacement, although ultimately we got her a 2019 VW Golf sportwagen with AWD, which was also an amazing deal at $19,500 off an MSRP of $28,500. Not a popular car at all and I think they might even be discontinued. It is what I usually take for the band gigs because I can fit an amazing amount of stuff in there.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 30, 2021 21:29:01 GMT
There was a time when I was younger when I traded cars like some people change their clothes...Some I traded because I was a kid and got bored quickly, some were flippers, and some just died.I finally started to hang onto vehicles about thirty years ago, but there haven't been many since. I drove my Sprint Convertible for almost ten years, and then my wife's Cavalier that I inherited when she passed for ten years. In the last five years, it's been the Nissan Micra that I own now.
The Sprint convertible was the best band hauler I owned for many years. My bi-amp bass rig was a Peavey Mk III head, a Peavey 2x10" amplified cabinet and two Peavey 1 x 18" cabinets. By unbolting and removing the passenger seat, I could put a 1 x 18" cabinet across the back of the interior and another in place of the passenger seat. I could stack two of my basses on top of the cabinets. The head fit between the interior and the trunk in the spot where the folded top would store, and the trunk carried the 2 x 10" cabinet, my mike stand and the suitcase with all my cords and accessories. Loved that car and it was super-cheap on gas, but it had 200k on it when I inherited the Cavalier with 47K on the odometer, so I did the sensible thing and got rid of the convertible.
The Micra carries more gear than it's got any right to for the size of it. I haven't had occasion to carry it all at one time yet, but with the seats down, it'll carry my Twin Reverb head and 15" Altec Lansing cabinet, my Rumble bass head and Ampeg 2 x10" Portaflex cabinet, my Fender Passport PA system and speaker stands, mike stand, suitcase full of cables and a guitar and a bass.
Funny how the amount of musical gear my vehicle will pack has become one of the more important aspects of what I drive, lol.
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Post by laristotle on Aug 30, 2021 23:51:34 GMT
I was a used car guy all my life. The best deal that I ever had was a '71 Charger ($200) that only required new rubber, power brake booster and 10 lbs of bondo to certify. Unfortunately, I wrapped that around a phone pole due to a belly full of beer. lol I was mostly a GM man though. Went through three caprices. I love land yachts, like driving a couch. lol
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Post by Die Bullen on Aug 31, 2021 0:10:09 GMT
I was a used car guy all my life. The best deal that I ever had was a '71 Charger ($200) that only required new rubber, power brake booster and 10 lbs of bondo to certify. Unfortunately, I wrapped that around a phone pole due to a belly full of beer. lol I was mostly a GM man though. Went through three caprices. I love land yachts, like driving a couch. lol Look at you with the cop cars! Nowadays I always buy new cars because of the warranty and then I will replace the cars on a 6 year cycle. I have a feeling that will change because the cars I would buy are simply disappearing. I have no interest in an electric car at all. Maybe it is time for me to bite the bullet and buy that one car I will keep forever, while I can still buy it!
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Post by Die Bullen on Aug 31, 2021 0:12:01 GMT
There was a time when I was younger when I traded cars like some people change their clothes...Some I traded because I was a kid and got bored quickly, some were flippers, and some just died.I finally started to hang onto vehicles about thirty years ago, but there haven't been many since. I drove my Sprint Convertible for almost ten years, and then my wife's Cavalier that I inherited when she passed for ten years. In the last five years, it's been the Nissan Micra that I own now. The Sprint convertible was the best band hauler I owned for many years. My bi-amp bass rig was a Peavey Mk III head, a Peavey 2x10" amplified cabinet and two Peavey 1 x 18" cabinets. By unbolting and removing the passenger seat, I could put a 1 x 18" cabinet across the back of the interior and another in place of the passenger seat. I could stack two of my basses on top of the cabinets. The head fit between the interior and the trunk in the spot where the folded top would store, and the trunk carried the 2 x 10" cabinet, my mike stand and the suitcase with all my cords and accessories. Loved that car and it was super-cheap on gas, but it had 200k on it when I inherited the Cavalier with 47K on the odometer, so I did the sensible thing and got rid of the convertible. The Micra carries more gear than it's got any right to for the size of it. I haven't had occasion to carry it all at one time yet, but with the seats down, it'll carry my Twin Reverb head and 15" Altec Lansing cabinet, my Rumble bass head and Ampeg 2 x10" Portaflex cabinet, my Fender Passport PA system and speaker stands, mike stand, suitcase full of cables and a guitar and a bass. Funny how the amount of musical gear my vehicle will pack has become one of the more important aspects of what I drive, lol. Truth is a hatchback, even a small one like your micro can really fit a lot of stuff if you are not carting passengers. It is an incredibly practical design
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Post by laristotle on Aug 31, 2021 0:13:38 GMT
I wouldn't go electric either.
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Post by Die Bullen on Aug 31, 2021 0:39:41 GMT
I wouldn't go electric either. Yeah, not to mention the toxic chemicals that go into making the batteries...
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Post by george on Aug 31, 2021 1:16:29 GMT
And I think a lot of the stuff that they use in the batteries comes from places where they don't like us very much .. lol
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Post by Deleted on Aug 31, 2021 1:22:52 GMT
It's all well and fine to tell people they should be switching to electric vehicles, but given the number of large multi-family apartments, none of which has any facility for charging electric cars, it'll be a snowy day in hell before they'll convince a lot of people to be environmentally conscientious.
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Post by Die Bullen on Aug 31, 2021 1:29:18 GMT
And I think a lot of the stuff that they use in the batteries comes from places where they don't like us very much .. lol You mean like Canada? (just kidding)
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