Automobiles

[DOOFUS]

craig, I'm not looking for a rally car that doubles as a bread van -- because I know that doesn't exist, and you can't have everything in one low-budget packgae (you can't have everything in one high-budget package, either). I've been looking for an affordable commuter with some pop and a slightly stiffer suspension (let no one kid themselves into thinking that even the ur-daddy GTI is stiff stiff -- it's a commuter, not a track car) that will hold up for a decade, which for my driving means 100,000 miles.

where I have been ignorant is about the care of a turbo -- yes, I know that the manufacturers test these things and that they are all designed as commuters with a bit of pop -- but I was weaned on normally aspirated V8s and one wonderfully stupid crx, and then I ended up with a series of pickups that were great for hauling bikes and painting equipment and band equipment and then bought a versa because I needed a car that week and it was cheap (dumb move -- I should have bought a civic then). I'm still trying to educate myself on the ins and outs of whether a turbo four-banger is a good choice for my driving, but I'm under no illusions that the "perfect" choice exists, not that I'm looking at anything other than commuters with a small bit of pop -- a market segment where there used to be a fair number of choices, but that fucking crossovers have all but killed.

all that said, I do think that direct injection and turbos and adaptive dampers are "unproven" in that we haven't seen how those things hold up for 100K -- we'll see in a decade, but yeah, I'd rather stay with less sophisticated, less capable, but proven reliable technologies.

all that said, that Fit is nuts!

[AngryScientist]

all that said, I do think that direct injection and turbos and adaptive dampers are "unproven" in that we haven't seen how those things hold up for 100K !

in 2019, 100k miles is nothing for a new car. this isnt the 80's where your ford station wagon's engine was clapped out as the odometer "rolled over". ANY new car, regardless of engine, turbo, technology will easily reach 100k miles on original driveline components (barring the few lemons that will always be out there...) if kept in stock form. VWAG has had direct injection turbo motors rolling for a long while now. they had a few hicups with high pressure fuel pumps and cam shafts early on, but those are resolved now. 100k is simply not the benchmark it was in yesteryear's thinking, if your goal is to drive a car for 100k miles, literally any brand new car you buy today will get there without major component failure. 250k is the new 100k as a milestone to shoot for IMO.

[robin3mj]

Timely discussion.

Anyone have any thoughts on when to cut bait with an older mileage car.

My '98 4Runner has become a bit of a money pit lately (new radiator, front end assembly, and just last week the alternator.)
I'm at 198K miles and only drive it around town (work from home), to the airport, and it's available to our au pair for same. I really don't want to sell it for $3k and go buy something slightly more reliable for $7k, but every time a $500 repair comes up I question my strategy. My thought is that as long as it runs and drives, and I consider it safe, then it's good to go.

I'd love to hang onto it five more years then get a used 4-door Wrangler when a) my kids are big enough to ride w/o car seats and b) certain LTIP/retention compensation is in the bank.

[AngryScientist]

Timely discussion.

Anyone have any thoughts on when to cut bait with an older mileage car.

My '98 4Runner has become a bit of a money pit lately (new radiator, front end assembly, and just last week the alternator.)
I'm at 198K miles and only drive it around town (work from home), to the airport, and it's available to our au pair for same. I really don't want to sell it for $3k and go buy something slightly more reliable for $7k, but every time a $500 repair comes up I question my strategy. My thought is that as long as it runs and drives, and I consider it safe, then it's good to go.

I'd love to hang onto it five more years then get a used 4-door Wrangler when a) my kids are big enough to ride w/o car seats and b) certain LTIP/retention compensation is in the bank.

how is the body/frame from a rust perspective?

in the situation you describe, you're almost certainly better off sticking with the 4-runner. it is >20 years old, so some stuff is definitely at the end of life, but the engine and trans in that truck should be reasonably bulletproof and repairs on the rest of the stuff, especially if you have had the front end gone through, should be reasonable. if you're not racking up big miles and the body and frame are solid, i'd stick with the toyota. you know it's service history and buying something for $7 grand is likely to be buying someone else's problem anyway.

[AngryScientist]

Volkswagen Is Ending Golf SportWagen and Alltrack Production

VW kills the wagon in 2019.

way to go @Saab2000...

VW says that more than 50 percent of its U.S. sales through the first half of 2019 have been SUVs, a bit higher than the industry average,

[Saab2000]

Volkswagen Is Ending Golf SportWagen and Alltrack Production

VW kills the wagon in 2019.

way to go @Saab2000...

Crossovers are probably way more profitable. Besides, these vehicles are on a soon-to-updated platform. There will be new Golf models soon and hopefully a newer, even better GTI soon.

I still say Doofus the Jason Musgrave need to seek out Rabbit Edition GTIs, new or Certified Pre-Owned. I drove one and loved it.

Meanwhile, my ultra rugged 2018 Tiguan is running circles around Land Cruisers and modified Jeeps and Range Rovers in extreme conditions like rain and potholes. I think I even saw a few hundred feet of a gravel road once. Th others turned back in despair.

[rmplum]

Today's daily want:

Modified 1987 BMW 535is for sale on BaT Auctions - ending July 17 (Lot #2,985) | Bring a Trailer

[jerk]

craig, I'm not looking for a rally car that doubles as a bread van -- because I know that doesn't exist, and you can't have everything in one low-budget packgae (you can't have everything in one high-budget package, either). I've been looking for an affordable commuter with some pop and a slightly stiffer suspension (let no one kid themselves into thinking that even the ur-daddy GTI is stiff stiff -- it's a commuter, not a track car) that will hold up for a decade, which for my driving means 100,000 miles.

where I have been ignorant is about the care of a turbo -- yes, I know that the manufacturers test these things and that they are all designed as commuters with a bit of pop -- but I was weaned on normally aspirated V8s and one wonderfully stupid crx, and then I ended up with a series of pickups that were great for hauling bikes and painting equipment and band equipment and then bought a versa because I needed a car that week and it was cheap (dumb move -- I should have bought a civic then). I'm still trying to educate myself on the ins and outs of whether a turbo four-banger is a good choice for my driving, but I'm under no illusions that the "perfect" choice exists, not that I'm looking at anything other than commuters with a small bit of pop -- a market segment where there used to be a fair number of choices, but that fucking crossovers have all but killed.

all that said, I do think that direct injection and turbos and adaptive dampers are "unproven" in that we haven't seen how those things hold up for 100K -- we'll see in a decade, but yeah, I'd rather stay with less sophisticated, less capable, but proven reliable technologies.

all that said, that Fit is nuts!

i have more faith in modern car engineers than you i guess. they're not going to build cars that aren't going to hold up for 100,000 miles. the vw's have been using those turbos for a long time now and there's as much new and unproven on any new n/a car as there is on any new turbo car.

i still think you should get the Veloster N. it's got a warranty that will almost take you pretty damn far.

[rwsaunders]

Today's daily want:

Modified 1987 BMW 535is for sale on BaT Auctions - ending July 17 (Lot #2 ,985) | Bring a Trailer

Boy I wish that I never discovered the BaT Auction site...thanks a lot rmplum...

[rwsaunders]

I forgot about posting this gem that I spotted the other evening...in honor of le Tour of course.

[ron l edmiston]

Corvette C8 mid-engine unwrapped tonight....

ronnie

[Too Tall]

Corvette C8 mid-engine unwrapped tonight....

ronnie

No kidding? Will need a full report. That's going to be a great track car.

[rmplum]

Boy I wish that I never discovered the BaT Auction site...thanks a lot rmplum...

Think of it as educational reading...It's amazing the knowledge that comes out of the woodwork on some of those auctions.

[rmplum]

Corvette C8 mid-engine unwrapped tonight....

ronnie

And how neat that they are using the old zeppelin hangars in Tustin for this?!! Our west coast office is near there, and I frequently jog laps around it when I'm out there. I've always wanted to go see those ginormous wood beauties up close. Their size is still impressive.

Marine Corps Air Station Tustin - Wikipedia

[dgaddis]

Speculation I've seen is $65k for base model, which will have between 515-540hp. Higher end versions will be AWD hybrids. Should be awesome!

Introducing the Next Generation Corvette | 7.18.19

[jerk]

Corvette C8 mid-engine unwrapped tonight....

ronnie

this is really exciting. i hope i can convince my old man to buy one.

[rwsaunders]

Anytime that I hear the word Corvette, my mind is immediately drawn to this 1963 split window/fuel injected puppy that I saw last year...that's $46,743 in today's dollars.

RM Sotheby's - 1963 Chevrolet Corvette Sting Ray 'Fuel-Injected' Split-Window Coupe | The Don Davis Collection 213

[NYCfixie]

...VW kills the wagon in 2019...

I saw this thing on the street.
At first I thought it was a well kept Mazda 6 wagon.
As I got closer, I thought maybe a new Volvo V90.

And then I saw the badging, Buick Regal. What the heck is this thing?
Starts at 30k
Loaded at 36k
Both with AWD.




On the website I found that they even make a Regal Sportback (this is definitely not your father's Buick).

[Saab2000]

I saw this thing on the street.
At first I thought it was a well kept Mazda 6 wagon.
As I got closer, I thought maybe a new Volvo V90.

And then I saw the badging, Buick Regal. What the heck is this thing?
Starts at 30k
Loaded at 36k
Both with AWD.




On the website I found that they even make a Regal Sportback (this is definitely not your father's Buick).

That is a German-engineered and manufactured Opel. It is not your father's Buick. A few pages back I was mocked for touting this car but I think it would be a very nice option for a lot of folks.

I like the liftback version. Very similar to the Audi A5 or VW Arteon. It's a near-wagon in a sedan shape. If I weren't overstretched on a lot of things and if I hadn't foolishly purchased my Tiguan last year this would be a car I would actually go look at.

[AngryScientist]

yea, i kind of want one. i hope a lot of people buy them so they show up on the used market when i'll be ready to buy in about 5 years :)