Recent Comments:
Jetta TDI = hotcakes, Tiguan, not so much {Autoblog}
Jul 14th 2008 11:33PM Here's what I was told by the VW dealership:
1) 3/36K maintainence...free.
Good, if you drive 12,000 miles per year...we drive 30-35,000..so by 13-14 months, this "free" stuff will be gone, and we would still have another 3 years, and 10 months of a loan to pay, Plus....the Exhuberant prices, see #2....
2)10,000 mile oil change intervals....(after the 3 year, 36,000 miles "free" everything...) will be 80 dollars for parts/oil change, and "inspection/rotate tires" fee, of aboujt 130-150 dollars... so expect, at a VW dealership, to pay around 230-250 dollars every 10,000 miles, for upkeep.
These oil change/tire rotation/inspection... 250 dollars?!?!
This is what we were told.
Ummmm.... Ford will change our oil for 23 dollars, and add tire rotation/inspection at 15K miles, that's 50 dollars...and at 30K, the "big" tune up(with air filter/cabin filter,tire rotation, oil change, inspection) is about the price of a 10,000 mile VW TDI oil change/tire rotation.
Same for Toyota.....
We have a Ford and Toyota.
Maybe if/when they build them in USA in 2 years.....the prices will come down some...then make it worth the price of maintainence/ownership?
Lutz chimes in on the Chevy Beat {Autoblog}
Jul 6th 2008 11:21PM That's ok. The Fiesta( 40 MPG hwy?) should arrive in 14-17 months?
http://www.autoblog.com/2007/04/27/next-gen-ford-fiesta-will-arrive-in-u-s-by-late-2009/
Wish it were in late 2008.....
Suzuki SX4 Special Edition gets TRIP navigation {Autoblog}
Jul 5th 2008 2:28PM #1) There are N0 3 Door Models of SX4 . If there is... please post the link.. would be interested in one, perhaps(if they fixed a few issues...see below).
They have a 5 door CUV sx4, which is about 162.7 inches total length(like my in-laws have, since October 06, with 65,000 miles already..work car......)and the sedan is 175-176 inches in length; 4 doors...143HP engine for both models... 30 MPG avg.
This is a FWD/AWD vehicle(the CUV version) ...and they have got around 32 hwy a few times recently... avg is 30, though, for daily use.
The Yaris(for comparison..not same class of vehicle, though).. is rated 33-34 hwy..so.. this is not too bad.
2) My gripe? We saw how Excellent the SX4 cuv is for the in-laws, and wanted the sedan version(really, wanted a hatch, like the Reno, but built by Suzuki, not GM-DAT)..
Problems:
a) No Tilt Steering Column available, even as an option.
b) No fold-down rear seats( it's not 1990 anymore..so....where's the fold-down rear seats at?).
c) No sunroof option(lot of other maker's offer this).
d) No center storage console/arm rest(well, they have an armrest, optional, it's a small, fold-down thing, hooked to the side of the seat, and only for the driver, iirc).
Nice car..But.. when you don't include a tilt-steering column, and other items.. why bother with Navigation?
You can find you way around, but be uncomfortable behind the steering wheel?
Suzuki used to load their cars up...guess electronics are cheaper than tilt-steering, folding (or fold flat)rear seats, etc?
Toyota adds 5-door Yaris to U.S. lineup {Autoblog}
Jul 1st 2008 1:06PM No Thank You, Toyota.
Why?
1) Never did, and Never will care for the Guages over the radio...IN FRONT of the driver..yes... behind the driver, in front of the passenger..pointed out the roof? No.
Drive one in the dark/night time..we did this Winter... when it got dark by 6pm, and the dealership was open(sales) until 9 pm.
2) Fiesta: might not be "a Toyota", but at least it looks good, and does not put the guages in the rear seat, or wherever they want..hey. ... Toyota changed the xA guages to In Front Of the Driver, when it became the xD, at Scion...so why don't they do the same now, for the Yaris? They might "lose" a few dollars, changing the dash for certain markets?( The dealership told us that, supposedly, Toyota makes few $$$ on these Yaris.. so they go with the center of the dash guages, aimed as is, to cost less, for left-or-right hand drive cars..to convert them....then why change steering wheels? You know what I am saying? That costs money to do...).
3) I will give this credit, it looks better than the 09 Minivan-looking Fit.
Chrysler's What's New 2008: uConnect web w/VIDEO {Autoblog}
Jun 27th 2008 2:38AM I am nearly 50, so all this stuff... I don't care about, or use, or need.
Don't have a cellphone(when I am off of work.. and fishing..I don't want to be bothered, or to pay the extra cost a month, of another phone, besides land line /phone hook up for internet..)
Has thumb drive/flash drive, for car.. works fine, in my Focus( and yes, I get 34-37 MPG..automatic...and it's as quiet as any midsized sedan, $22K MSRP, and less).has all the music (and electronics I used and) need.
Chrysler needs that Hornet here by Spring of 09, with at least Mid-30's mpg..then I'll be interested.
Under 17K msrp... 35-40 MPG... and not feel like something from 1970's small cars.
GM/Ford merger brought up in boardroom, immediately shot down {Autoblog}
Jun 25th 2008 3:32PM We bought a Ford, because of how shabby Chevy(GM) treats customers after the sale...us..15 years ago.
They still have a Honda-like" buy it or leave...we don't care..it will sell" attitude(well, where I live, there are no Chevy dealerships for another 25-35 miles,,, so, most people go for local buying..and they know they can sell the cars to most of the farmers out this way, w/o much effort).
Ford, otoh, while not the best, treats their customers with a shred of diginity, even after sales/service, etc..
plus, they will have finally have some nice little cars, 40 mpg, and not break your wallet, it sounds like, in 18 months, or so...like the Fiesta(3 door looks good).
Glad they didn't merge.
Report: Backup assist, blind spot detection hot; clean diesel not {Autoblog}
Jun 24th 2008 5:17PM VW dealership told me that , for a 10,000 mile oil change(and "check up")... the oil change on the 1.9 Diesel(old model) is 80 dollars.. for about 5.8(?) quarts of oil...and add the check up, add another 160-170 dollars= total at VW service of 240-250 dollars(before adding the taxes, even).With taxes...256-266 dollars.
Not good, especially when you drive 35,000 miles per year. Was told it would most likely be similar to clean diesel(these prices/miles for oil changes, etc).
Figure 750-800 a year...and they said a tune up(30,000 miles?) was 800 dollars?!?
So, 1,600 a year, plus extra money spent on diesel fuel, too, vs 87 Octane?
I like the Jetta...but not that much, to spend that kind of cash every year.
In The Autoblog Garage: 2008 Toyota Yaris Liftback {Autoblog}
Jun 8th 2008 12:05PM Put the guages Where They Belong(like they did with the xD, when they dumped the Scion xA...)In FRONT of the driver..and get 40+ MPG, then I'll buy one..for now..I'll wait for the clean diesel jetta numbers(after 6 months of testing from edmunds, motorweek, and this site, etc...) or the 40+ turboed(120-140HP as reported on autoblog, and numerous other sites)...chevy(coming out in 09).....
or the Fiesta(dump that name, Ford..Verve sounded soooo much better), 40MPG car.
It will be 3 doors, too(but cooler looking than the Yaris, andf more MPG, it appears... a Mazda 2 in disguise, basically).
And Honda is claiming a 15-18K hybrid soon, by end of 08?
Ummm..why buy this again?
If it's slow... it should get 45 MPG..but, oh, wait..then that would make the Prius look bad...wouldn't it?
Hyundai Elantra sitting pretty atop Consumer Reports list {Autoblog}
Jun 3rd 2008 4:36PM I'll tell everyone here this, like I do people I know, when they tell me how great their brand is, vs others:
"I'll drive whatever You tell me to drive, as long as You Make The Payments".
Sound good?
One guy was yammering on about his Aveo...also from South Korea..I told him, You buy it for me, give it to me free of charge, I'll drive it.
Pure and simple.
He never bothered me about buying an Aveo again.
Hyundai Elantra sitting pretty atop Consumer Reports list {Autoblog}
Jun 3rd 2008 1:58PM We owned 3. I have posted before here.
99 gls v6 sonata(we liked it).
01 Tiburon(base model)
04 Sonata gls v6(no choice, really).
99: issues: window regulators failed at 35K miles..replaced under warranty.
We paid for Alternator at 67K miles/3 years.
We paid for some fuel valve(vapor recirculation deal) 350 dollars, to be fixed, at 73K miles.
radiator at 105K and 115K miles.
01 tibby... 99K, (3.5 years)...new front ball joints(?getting old..correct terminology here)...wore out... paid under warranty.
2 months later, at 103K..tranny was thisclose to death..Lost 4,000 dollars on trade in (spouse was stuck on hyundai lot..in sept 04...I drove there, and we had a choice, get a new car, or push the old one off the lot).
04 Sonata.... felt like lesser car than the 99 did(99 felt more like the 300xg....just smaller engine and length in car).
04 felt like a "any other car" for the price, to us.
47K miles.... brakes and rotors Shot!
800 dollars to repair this at dealership.....we dumped the car(at a loss, of course)...for another brand.
No More.
Come back at 50, 60,100,000+ miles, and then tell me which car is best.
