Car reviews & car talk - today's cars

[Yinzer]

I never tire reading about NSX's, but as a car guy who enjoys reading car magazines & watching car shows on tv & the web almost daily, I'm curious what current-market cars are on people's minds - love, hate, or indifferent. Car, truck, van, whatever. I can be a picky and opinionated SOB and complain up a storm over some of today's silly (IMHO) design decisions but there's little doubt this is the best time to be a car person in the last 40 years with all the improved quality across the board, the ongoing horsepower wars, the refinement of electric cars, and the great shows on TV & online.

To start out, I watched Motorweek tonight (yes I still watch that show, corny cliches and all, lol) and was surprised to hear of the $45k base price for the new Chevrolet SS. I don't know about this one GM. Regardless of performance, it doesn't look very inspiring or any more exciting than the Pontiac GTO... Unfortunately, looks and weight matter. And at 4,000 lbs... Plus I can't help but view the gold Chevy badge as a sign of something cheap & unexciting, no matter how good their cars are getting. Though generally not a fan of obligatory corporate logo refreshes, here's one case where I think it's due...notice you never see a gold bowtie on a Corvette?

On the upside, this weekend while window shopping online for the eventual replacement for my 2002 accord DD - even though I've been thinking for a while now that a 2004-2008 TL would be the most likely suspect, I was excited to realize that the Ford Ranger looked so improved. I owned a '96 supercab for a few years when I lived in Detroit and loved it, but the Ranger stayed the same since then and was as exciting as a glass of warm milk. Check out the Ranger lately:

I was so excited by the pictures that I completely overlooked the RHD initially...! This one has to find its way to 'Murica so I can support my old team again.

http://www.netcarshow.com/ford/2012-ranger_wildtrak/

What other non-NSX non-super/hyper cars are on your radars, good or bad?

 

[jaja]

1. I'm a big fan of the BRZ/FR-S/GT86 Toyobaru.
It's a big enthusiast car, yet is inviting to someone who may have not considered a "sporty car" since it is 2+2 and gets decent fuel economy. It seemed like a bit of a drought since the 90's with exception to the S2K, Genesis, and Miata as small, RWD cars.

Its a breath of fresh air, and looks damn good in my opinion.

2. Another car I rather enjoy is the CR-Z. I love the fact that you can get a hyrbid with a stick! The rear end is questionable, and I wish it was 2+2 in North America, but I like that Honda didn't give up on the stick, even in a hybrid platform.

3. Last, but no way the least, is the new 2.3 L TURBO Mustang. I'm sure this car will get flack from the typical turbo guys since its a pony still, and will get flack from the pony guys since its now got a turbo in it. But for a certain niche, it'll be a wicked boosted domestic sportscar. I'm sure it will do well on the track.

Looking forward to this thread .

Lucas

 

[gleibig]

Nothing on my radar, but my brother in law wants to purchase one of these...
http://www.eliomotors.com/

 

[Coconut]

I don't think I'd go for it but I have been thinking about the C7 or RC-F as a daily driver. Those are the only cars that interest me at the moment. Not a fan of BMW's so I have no love for M3/M4's.

 

[Vega$ NSX]

Sadly my passion for cars have waned considerably. But here's the thing. I honestly feel that the age of actually driving cars is short (in a relative term) lived. Meaning, there are already cars that can practically dive themselves, with lane position sensors, adaptive cruise control and safety breaking. If you've ever played with apps like Waze, Google Maps, etc. we essentially have GPS tracking in every car/mobile phone. We are not that far off to where cars will have the ability to drive themselves to a location and interact with each other in autonomous ways so that it becomes a self driving system. Basically a network governed by individual sets of "rules" rather than a giant master computer trying to control everything. In that way, as long as a car knows its own rules (stay in lane, don't crash, etc.) and it knows it's position relative to other cars and their "rules" then it shouldn't be too create a network of self driving cars. Obviously it will be a gradual transition where cars will have to have both functionality but I can foresee very soon HOV lanes being converted over to self driving car lanes so that once you get into that lane, the car takes over. Once off, you would drive cars normally.

How great would it be to be able to watch TV or do work while your car drives itself. However, that would mean the end of car aesthetics as we know it. Performance and looks will give way to functionality and efficiency. Cars will begin to look more like minivans or buses as what's inside the car becomes more important than what's on the outside or in the engine since you'll probably eating food, doing work, watching TV or possibly taking a shower, all within your "car" as it drives itself to work. I'm sure there will still be fancy performance cars, but more for luxury, pleasure and sport rather than actual transportation. Like how people now shoot at clay targets with shotguns as opposed to using them for actually hunting animals for food. In that sense, more and more I'm starting to see cars for their functionality rather than aesthetics and drive-ability.

*Come Debbie Downer, it's time for us to leave. Captain Comedown away!!! :wink: :biggrin:

 

[Yinzer]

Half of me agrees with you 100% (so is that 50% agreement?) while the other half of me thinks that if the world still has print newspapers in 2014 as well as probably MORE paper now vs. 20 years ago in this "paperless society" full of e-mail, digital magazines, ipads, etc, then we're pretty safe that the driveable car isn't going away anytime soon or within our or our grandkids' generations.

 

[Yinzer]

Speaking of %'s, I'm 90% sure that my 12 y/o Accord DD will need 100% replacement this summer. I've been windowshopping for mid 00's RL's, TL's, and MDX's for a while. Also I have a closeted curiosity about the Volkswagen CC and Touareg -- A Touareg would be a great compromise towards regaining some of the utility I had years ago with my Ford Ranger but VW's quality reputation scares me, warranted or not. I need to research them more. I also like the idea of an early 00's Mini in a "big girl/moped" kind of way. Don't see myself buying one but remain curious about how fun they'd really be. I'm pretty certain that I could live with an electric car as a daily driver and renting a dino oil burner for the eight times a year I road trip to Detroit, New York, or Canada, as long as it wasn't too compact car-looking or scream that I'm a smug Prius type. (Ford e-Fusion looks interesting...) Haven't done any window shopping at all for electric vehicles yet.

So, for a car loving guy in the engineering/tech industry who's pretty up to date on a lot of things, I'm completely behind on modern DD type of options. Is kind of silly that I know 100x more about an early 90's Acura 2-seater than about what's been manufactured after 2007 that's reliable, sporty, comfortable, smart/fun/adult-looking, and not too deep into overly trendy styling cliches and overbearing electronic driver aids. I'm not one to ask "what kind of car should I consider" but I am curious what others have been buying since 2005 or so for new and pre-owned DD's under $25k, and their experiences with them?

Thx. TGIF !

 

[docjohn]

your region for weather is similar to ours and I can tell you I'm disappointed in our 06 mdx in only one area...rust. Our car was bought new and there is rust around many edges of the hood and trunk.No trauma ...it seems to be the witches brew of crap pendot baths the roads in during winter.

 

[willabeest]

i am thinking a used cayman s might be in my future. i also want to buy a new big truck while they still have big V-8's in them, i do not want a turbo 4 or 6 or whatever they will mostly be 10 years from now.

 

[Yinzer]

your region for weather is similar to ours and I can tell you I'm disappointed in our 06 mdx in only one area...rust. Our car was bought new and there is rust around many edges of the hood and trunk.No trauma ...it seems to be the witches brew of crap pendot baths the roads in during winter.

I remain shocked how relatively rust free my 2002 Accord has remained, compared to others I've seen in parking lots. Only a little bit at the hood leading edge like you mention, where the seam is rolled over and salty water can get into the crevices and do its work. The car's spent all but 6 months of its 12 years parked outside on the street in the freezing weather amongst the salt and crap. Maybe its staying frozen for the majority of the winter and avoiding many thaw/freeze/thaw cycles that could happen with slight warmer garage parking actually helped keep the icy salt sludge "in suspension" and away from eating into and rusting the edges? Who knows!

Edit: I will say though that the winter salt has completely terrorized the alloy wheels. Wow. I've thought several times about investigating bolting up 4 of my 6 spare 15" front wheel fat fives to make the car look less like someone's college car. After a wash and wax, from 15 feet away my Accord looks like a guy wearing a new grey suit and a homeless man's Birkenstocks.

Anyone here have good luck w/reliability with a VW CC or Touareg, or is that just a nonsensical question?

 

[Yinzer]

No cheating and looking online - for those who don't know what model this is yet - who can guess the make of this 2015 model with the Bentley/Chrystler wing badge, the Ford Fusion hood, the BMW/everybody C-pillar, and the come-on-now-haven't-these-been-played-out-already Audi grille?

What does everyone think - will these grille bumpers be as completely innefective as a bumper and as expensive to replace as I sense they'll be, or will they do a good job as a bumper and hold up w/o the chrome & edges taking on rub marks too eaily after any light tap?

 

[NSXonwheels]

Nothing on my radar, but my brother in law wants to purchase one of these...
http://www.eliomotors.com/

I had never heard of these before, cool idea for only $6800, and a good way to squeeze another car into the little space I have left in my garage. I hope they are as good as they make them sound on the website.

 

[Ritesh]

Yinzer - Is that a revised Genesis? Sure looks like it would be.

 

[racer9x]

Is it the Chrysler 200?

 

[naaman]

Sadly my passion for cars have waned considerably. But here's the thing. I honestly feel that the age of actually driving cars is short (in a relative term) lived. Meaning, there are already cars that can practically dive themselves, with lane position sensors, adaptive cruise control and safety breaking. If you've ever played with apps like Waze, Google Maps, etc. we essentially have GPS tracking in every car/mobile phone. We are not that far off to where cars will have the ability to drive themselves to a location and interact with each other in autonomous ways so that it becomes a self driving system. Basically a network governed by individual sets of "rules" rather than a giant master computer trying to control everything. In that way, as long as a car knows its own rules (stay in lane, don't crash, etc.) and it knows it's position relative to other cars and their "rules" then it shouldn't be too create a network of self driving cars. Obviously it will be a gradual transition where cars will have to have both functionality but I can foresee very soon HOV lanes being converted over to self driving car lanes so that once you get into that lane, the car takes over. Once off, you would drive cars normally.

How great would it be to be able to watch TV or do work while your car drives itself. However, that would mean the end of car aesthetics as we know it. Performance and looks will give way to functionality and efficiency. Cars will begin to look more like minivans or buses as what's inside the car becomes more important than what's on the outside or in the engine since you'll probably eating food, doing work, watching TV or possibly taking a shower, all within your "car" as it drives itself to work. I'm sure there will still be fancy performance cars, but more for luxury, pleasure and sport rather than actual transportation. Like how people now shoot at clay targets with shotguns as opposed to using them for actually hunting animals for food. In that sense, more and more I'm starting to see cars for their functionality rather than aesthetics and drive-ability.

*Come Debbie Downer, it's time for us to leave. Captain Comedown away!!! :wink: :biggrin:

This is exactly how I feel, and probably the number 1 reason why I've noticed myself "converting" to the domestic market as far as late model cars go. The ONLY car that I "like" right now is the C7, even though it's far, far out of my price range, and I'm working toward an NSX anyway. Americans seem to be the only ones who make three pedal cars anymore. It's sad, but, oh well. Hopefully, I'll be able to afford an old NSX, an 04 or 05 NSX and maybe a late model Accord V6 with a 6 speed manual... oh wait... they don't make those anymore either...

 

[Yinzer]

Yinzer - Is that a revised Genesis? Sure looks like it would be.

Yes it is. All those generic nondescript styling cliches make it look (to me) as tasty as a dinner of boiled hamburger (w/o salt) and microwaved salad!

 

[dquarasr2]

I must admit I am bewildered by the technology in the latest cars. Not bewildered by the tech itself (although that may be true of SOME of it), but that 1. we need the tech and 2. it's actually in cars.

I mean, I NEVER need a lane departure warning system. I don't need a blind spot warning system (none of my cars have blind spots because I know how to position my side mirrors - and I use them). I probably don't need stability control (maybe I've been good AND lucky that I haven't needed to make an evasive maneuver in, well, forever, and I know what to do to gather up a car starting to go out of control). I don't understand why my automobile has to be a mobile entertainment system. I don't know why it has to be as connected as it purportedly needs to be.

I used to say that I would resist becoming nostalgic and becoming irrelevant, but I also must admit that at almost 59 years old, I am becoming exactly that. I long for the days when driving a car like the NSX, with connected-to-the-road steering, brake feel, management of the four corners, etc., meant something. I get that some of the latest systems (torque vectoring, independent braking of each corner, adaptive cruise, car-in-front-of-the-car-in-front monitoring and braking, cross-street impact warnings) are there in the interest of safety, but really? Just think how better off we would be if we invested in not only the technology but the nuts that hold the wheel? How about SERIOUS attempt at driver education, and not settling for the lowest-achieving as the standard? How about REALLY investing in THAT?

This should be taken with a grain of salt since I am privy only to the vehicles in my .sig below. None of those cars have the latest tech, no nav, no info-tainment screens, no connectivity. And I'm not sure I'm worse off because I don't have that stuff. But it might be a case of not knowing what I don't know.

Geez, I sound like the old fart I had hoped to not become. And I am starting to embrace the old fart in me. That part seems to be inevitable and kinda scary.

 

[Yinzer]

I must admit I am bewildered by the technology in the latest cars. Not bewildered by the tech itself (although that may be true of SOME of it), but that 1. we need the tech and 2. it's actually in cars.

I mean, I NEVER need a lane departure warning system. I don't need a blind spot warning system (none of my cars have blind spots because I know how to position my side mirrors - and I use them).
.

Well said! I admire the person who buys 5 year old barely-used Ping golf clubs in 2006 that are built to his req'd length, shaft type, and lie angle specs for $200 and then uses them for 10 years and pay $500 for 10 lessons every few years instead of paying $1000 for the year's latest clubs with all the adjustments and tech. So I'm drinking your kool aid. I don't think I've listened to the radio in my NSX yet!

 

[naaman]

I must admit I am bewildered by the technology in the latest cars. Not bewildered by the tech itself (although that may be true of SOME of it), but that 1. we need the tech and 2. it's actually in cars.

I mean, I NEVER need a lane departure warning system. I don't need a blind spot warning system (none of my cars have blind spots because I know how to position my side mirrors - and I use them). I probably don't need stability control (maybe I've been good AND lucky that I haven't needed to make an evasive maneuver in, well, forever, and I know what to do to gather up a car starting to go out of control). I don't understand why my automobile has to be a mobile entertainment system. I don't know why it has to be as connected as it purportedly needs to be.

I used to say that I would resist becoming nostalgic and becoming irrelevant, but I also must admit that at almost 59 years old, I am becoming exactly that. I long for the days when driving a car like the NSX, with connected-to-the-road steering, brake feel, management of the four corners, etc., meant something. I get that some of the latest systems (torque vectoring, independent braking of each corner, adaptive cruise, car-in-front-of-the-car-in-front monitoring and braking, cross-street impact warnings) are there in the interest of safety, but really? Just think how better off we would be if we invested in not only the technology but the nuts that hold the wheel? How about SERIOUS attempt at driver education, and not settling for the lowest-achieving as the standard? How about REALLY investing in THAT?

This should be taken with a grain of salt since I am privy only to the vehicles in my .sig below. None of those cars have the latest tech, no nav, no info-tainment screens, no connectivity. And I'm not sure I'm worse off because I don't have that stuff. But it might be a case of not knowing what I don't know.

Geez, I sound like the old fart I had hoped to not become. And I am starting to embrace the old fart in me. That part seems to be inevitable and kinda scary.

Well, sir, I am 33 years old, and I am singing the same tune. In fact, I started teaching driving for the very reasons you mentioned. I will hold on as long as I can to cars that are fun (for me) to drive. Some of the "new" tech I like, but only the stuff that makes my driving life simpler/less cluttered. For example, I replaced my head unit with one that can read USB devices, so now I can have 16 gigs of music in 1cm sq. instead of 200 CDs or having an iPod with wires and junk all strewn about my front seat. I'll be "upgrading" my rear view mirror to one that has a compass and outside temperature display, and will also eventually get some HIDs or projectors, since my 17-year old headlights are fogged over and need a replacement.

The biggest problem I see is that when new tech comes out, the government decides to mandate it, and that's where the spiral begins.

 

[Lostbuckeye]

Sadly my passion for cars have waned considerably. But here's the thing. I honestly feel that the age of actually driving cars is short (in a relative term) lived. Meaning, there are already cars that can practically dive themselves, with lane position sensors, adaptive cruise control and safety breaking. If you've ever played with apps like Waze, Google Maps, etc. we essentially have GPS tracking in every car/mobile phone. We are not that far off to where cars will have the ability to drive themselves to a location and interact with each other in autonomous ways so that it becomes a self driving system. Basically a network governed by individual sets of "rules" rather than a giant master computer trying to control everything. In that way, as long as a car knows its own rules (stay in lane, don't crash, etc.) and it knows it's position relative to other cars and their "rules" then it shouldn't be too create a network of self driving cars. Obviously it will be a gradual transition where cars will have to have both functionality but I can foresee very soon HOV lanes being converted over to self driving car lanes so that once you get into that lane, the car takes over. Once off, you would drive cars normally.

How great would it be to be able to watch TV or do work while your car drives itself. However, that would mean the end of car aesthetics as we know it. Performance and looks will give way to functionality and efficiency. Cars will begin to look more like minivans or buses as what's inside the car becomes more important than what's on the outside or in the engine since you'll probably eating food, doing work, watching TV or possibly taking a shower, all within your "car" as it drives itself to work. I'm sure there will still be fancy performance cars, but more for luxury, pleasure and sport rather than actual transportation. Like how people now shoot at clay targets with shotguns as opposed to using them for actually hunting animals for food. In that sense, more and more I'm starting to see cars for their functionality rather than aesthetics and drive-ability.

*Come Debbie Downer, it's time for us to leave. Captain Comedown away!!! :wink: :biggrin:

I'm old enough to remember that engineers, Popular Science Magazine and science fiction writers in the 60s and 70s promised us flying cars by the year 2000. WTF!! I want my flying car!!:biggrin:

 

[naaman]

Here's a take I generally agree with:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L_Rg4njkqKo&list=TLEB5abgyHsmCgkPFzGRO7GRkyyhLMRTLB

 

[Yinzer]

naaman, great video, and I agree with what you're saying. Some, but not all, "progress" is good IMHO. In honor of the 1 year ownership anniversary of my GPW, here's a video of a white car that caught my eye today and follows the topic of today's car styling vs. older car styling. I'll define older in this case as pre-2002, since that's around the time that Audi introduced its badge grille that seemed to start the lemming-like "progress" of auto design where automakers started shamelessly copying anyone else's unique styling cue to the point where it's really hard to differentiate marques from afar. This Diablo looks so clean & classic compared to today's extreme lambos IMHO...

<iframe width="640" height="360" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/PyAUxLFR04Q" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

And I disagree with Jay where he says that few cars look good in white. Any car with great lines looks fantastic in white IMO.

 

[Yinzer]

IMHO, automotive styling has officially jumped the shark. Or at least styling at the Lexus campus, that is.

www.cnet.com/pictures/lexus-rx-350-gains-new-styling-and-more-power-pictures/

I didn't think the spindle grille could look any less attractive, and I was wrong. Pin-striped cup holders, truly unnecessarily deviated C-pillars, more random creases and indents in the sheetmetal than used aluminum foil...more of the multi-tone 3D swoopy wheels.... Wow so this is the future eh?

 

[jond]

I must admit I am bewildered by the technology in the latest cars. Not bewildered by the tech itself (although that may be true of SOME of it), but that 1. we need the tech and 2. it's actually in cars.

I think they're putting so much tech into cars to try to attract the new generation.
There's a big percentage of teenagers who don't care about cars and don't want cars.
They have no where to go, their life is on the internet.
Turning a car into an iPhone accessory makes it cool to them.

 

[Yinzer]

Anyone else think the new Lexus RX looks like a Pontiac Aztek that got really bad plastic surgery?

Actually the more I look at the Lexus, the better the Pontiac looks, especially the grilles. ????