New Car

imoldernu said:
For car buffs who might not have had the joy of automobilia in the early years, try this...
Fwd: For Car Buffs...this is good
Our second car in the early years was the '60 Chrysler Valiant (shown in the link, and the same color)... Our first real love. :)
Click to expand...

Thanks for the fun quiz. Didn't do very well, but loved the history lesson.

I'm old enough to recall a lot of car technology coming of age (alternators, for instance). I still recall the switch from 6 volt to 12 volt systems. (Bummer trying to start a 6 volt with a 12 volt battery, but it can be done if you have a willing helper - who isn't afraid to die - Who was afraid back in HS, heh, heh?)

I recall the terrible decision to go with "flow through" ventilation instead of the old "vent wings". Those vent wings were the next best thing to AC (back when AC was for "rich" folks.) Also, it made it a lot easier to break into your car when you left your keys inside (or when my dad did, anyway.)

I used to be able to find a curb and use it for my "jack" to crawl under a car to change the starter motor or solenoid.

But I digress, again.:cool:

Between our 3 cars (one on the mainland), I think we did 10K last year. So, new cars make no sense. Still, if I bought a new car it would probably be some kind or sports car (5 speed) like a Miata. If I still lived on the mainland, I would actually consider another Vette. I can afford it now (if I don't ask DW). I'd never try to work on it like I did (and could) on my old '69 back in the day. Sigh, we get old too soon.

Average age of our 3 cars is now 15+ years. When the time comes to replace a car, I'll likely go with a 10 year old Honda or Toyota (hoping that's old enough to have limited electronics - don't like the stuff and just paranoid enough to think it's a good way to collect "data" on us.) YMMV
 
aja8888 said:
Night and day between the early Rabbit diesels and these new ones.

New ones are turbocharged and have lots of low end torque.

New ones are 1,000 times cleaner (the 2009 Jetta TDI won Green Car of the Year Award).

Quieter...you can't even hear the engine as the traditional engine knock is tuned out with better, very high pressure injection and multi-phase injectors.

Way more efficient than a traditional gasoline engine due to diesel having more energy per pound than gasoline.

No diesel fuel odors with the extremely high fuel pressure (common rail) injection.

You can have a full size ride with 40+ MPG and it's not like driving a kitchen appliance, like a Prius.

Diesel is the engine of choice in most other countries.

The Passat I bought is American made in the new (2012 built) plant in Tennessee. Plus, I get about 800 miles to a tank of fuel (18 gallons).

These are very sophisticated machines and a pleasure to drive. Note all the Mercedes and Audi diesel offerings (and BMW).
Click to expand...



Like Hybrids, the diesel does not pay for the extra cost with the fuel savings for the vast majority of people...
 
Patience....learning how to edit with the mobile app!

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using Early Retirement Forum mobile app
 
Last edited:
martyb said:
Last week, I traded my wife's 2007 Camry for a new 2014 Chevy Silverado 1500 LT pickup. First new truck I've ever owned, but have had a few used ones. Now that I'm retired I will be doing a lot of fishing and need a good truck to drag a boat around Louisiana and Texas. I expect to keep this truck for a long time. Good chance it could be the last one I'll ever buy. Sticker was $38,900 but I paid $28,000.plus the trade, minus tt&l so bottom line is I now owe $26,000. Will decide in January whether to pay it off or make payments at 3.5%.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using Early Retirement Forum mobile app
Click to expand...



Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using Early Retirement Forum mobile app
 
Last edited:
Good deal on that new truck, Martyb! It sounds like a perfect choice for a retirement/fishing/boating truck too.
 
On the subject of new trucks - I was so disappointed to discover that manual transmission is no longer available as an option. I guess I will continue to drive my 28 year old F-150 until forced to make the change, sigh.
 
bjorn2bwild said:
On the subject of new trucks - I was so disappointed to discover that manual transmission is no longer available as an option. I guess I will continue to drive my 28 year old F-150 until forced to make the change, sigh.
Click to expand...
:) My dad said something similar in the 80's when he could no longer buy a new car without a radio. He got over it.
 
bjorn2bwild said:
On the subject of new trucks - I was so disappointed to discover that manual transmission is no longer available as an option. I guess I will continue to drive my 28 year old F-150 until forced to make the change, sigh.
Click to expand...

I think manual transmissions might soon be a memory from the past. I learned to drive on one, but that was a half century ago. I had a stick shift car back in 1984, but could it be that they are becoming rarer and rarer in recent years? Maybe that's just my perception. I do prefer an automatic for me, at this age. As a teenager, driving a stick shift was such a thrill.
 
Manual transmission is more than sentimental for me. I travel to wild places as my avatar implies. The ability to bump start has saved my bacon on more than one occasion.
 
We downsized to one car over a year ago. No issues but we are close to good public transportation.
 
We are moving towards Direct Shift Gearboxes (DSGs):

Twin Clutch (DSG) Transmission - What It Is and How It Works

"The twin clutch/DSG is a development of the sequential manual transmission (SMT), which is essentially a fully-automated manual transmission with a computer-controlled clutch, intended to deliver stick-shift performance with automatic convenience. The advantage of an SMT is that it uses a solid coupling (the clutch), which provides a direct connection between engine and transmission and allows 100% of the engine's power to be transmitted to the wheels. (Traditional automatics use a fluid coupling called a torque converter, which allows some slippage.) The chief drawback of the SMT is the same as that of a manual: In order to change gears, the engine and transmission must be disconnected, interrupting the flow of power."

vw_dsg_cutaway_lg.jpg
 
REWahoo said:
Right.

I give up. You're screwed. :)
Click to expand...

Macguyver would have a back-up plan.
I noticed on my Honda CR-V (with auto trans) that the engine could be turned over with an impact wrench (and appropriate socket), inserted through a port in the wheel well - just like indy. :)
 
bjorn2bwild said:
Macguyver would have a back-up plan.
I noticed on my Honda CR-V (with auto trans) that the engine could be turned over with an impact wrench (and appropriate socket), inserted through a port in the wheel well - just like indy. :)
Click to expand...

Yep, just make sure you have an air (or power) supply and crank it in the right direction. ;)
 
W2R said:
I think manual transmissions might soon be a memory from the past. I learned to drive on one, but that was a half century ago. I had a stick shift car back in 1984, but could it be that they are becoming rarer and rarer in recent years? Maybe that's just my perception. I do prefer an automatic for me, at this age. As a teenager, driving a stick shift was such a thrill.
Click to expand...

I had this one friend bug me about driving one of our older vettes. We were having pics taken of the cars in the backyard and I gave him the keys to my '71 to bring it out. He came back and handed me the keys and said "It's a stick, I can't drive that." I forget that most of my friends that are my age, never drove stick. We have older friends that are giving up their antique and classic cars because they can't drive stick any more. :(
 
It wasn't till 2005 that I got my first non-stick-shift car (a hybrid - so variable transmission). I strongly prefer stick shift.

And as mentioned - it's the standard (along with diesel) in Europe.

As far as annual mileage. My car (which is used for road trip vacations and was my commuter) was logging about 10k miles/year... a little less. I lived close to work (although it was a horrid, traffic filled drive.)

My husband's truck has about 5k miles put on it/year.

But we tend to bundle car errands, combine close errands with walking the dog, etc... so we don't hop in the car for things like returning library books.

Our biggest mileage adder is the days we drive the kids to school (vs the school bus)... That's a 20 mile round trip. We try to limit it to 5 trips max/week... and make them ride the bus the remainder. We have to on days they have after school activities due to timing.
 
I love sticks. I hate driving, but when I have to I want a manual transmission. Our car purchase history includes:

82 Nissan Sentra - 5 speed manual
87 Dodge Caravan - 5 speed manual (that's right! a Manual transmission in a mini-van.)
92 Geo Metro - 5 speed manual
96 Mercury Sable - Auto
2002 Hyundai Sonata - Auto
2002 Hyundai Elantra - 5 speed manual
2010 Hyundai Elantra Touring - Auto

Guess which cars were DW's!
 
After having 2 trucks with sticks, I wanted to get a stick when I bought my vette 13 years ago. But it didn't feel right. The vette stick is a lot shorter than most sticks. So I bought the automatic. But I wish I would have bought the stick now.


Sent from my iPad using Early Retirement Forum
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Chuckanut
Buying a New Car
2 3
Replies
50
Views
3K
sdtech
S
M
New Car Dealer REQUIRES Financing
2 3
Replies
61
Views
4K
brucethebroker
B
S
The Blues (music)
2 3 4
Replies
78
Views
2K
Mr._Graybeard
Mr._Graybeard
Qs Laptop
When Friends Claim They Need to Keep Working...and You are Doubtful
2 3
Replies
59
Views
4K
TheWizard
TheWizard
Ronstar
Should we get a new garage fridge?
2 3
Replies
50
Views
2K
Music Lover
M

Latest posts

Back
Top Bottom