Cars

[John Galt]

I had not washed my truck for a month. Stopped for
lunch with my Dad, who opined "Man, that truck looks sharp!" My motorcycle is black, but I can wipe it dry in minutes.

John Galt

 

[sgeeeee]

For years I have owned only white vehicles.  They don't
show the dirt and when washed, no drying required as
they don't show the streaks.  I doubt I will ever own another color.

John Galt

Well, Arizona dirt must be different. All my cars are white . . . and dirty. When the summer temps are regularly well over 110 degrees, a white car stays cooler and the paint holds up better. Plus, you can seriously burn yourself on a dark car that's been sitting in a parking lot under direct sun for several hours.

 

[Cut-Throat]

Here in Minnesota the Silver color Outside with a Black interior is best. The Silver does not show dirt and the Black interior does not show dirt as much as a lighter color.

 

[haha]

I saw an absolutely beautiful Porsche 944 today. It was white, and the ugly black trim/spoiler that the white ones have had been painted over or removed.

These cars are good, and if kept nice I think they often appreciate, rather than depreciate.

Did I say I want one?

Mikey

 

[Whakamole]

My car is coming up on ten years old. I keep meaning to get something else with a bit more space, and I'm always looking, but my old car is reliable and gets 33mpg in city/highway.

I figure in a few years we'll see more fuel efficient cars, what with gas prices and people tired of monster SUVs.

 

[John Galt]

Our vehicles are 13 and 7 years old. Every so often
I think about updating, but I can't do it without some
boot (cash). As someone said, "He would rather eat
his children than spend money, and he loves his children!" BTW, I wouldn't count on cheap gas or the
end of the SUV love affair any time soon.

John Galt

 

[Whakamole]

BTW, I wouldn't count on cheap gas or the
end of the SUV love affair any time soon.

Have you seen the SUV sales numbers lately? Dropping like a rock - especially the big ones.

The mini-SUVs - RAV-4s and the like - are still selling well.

 

[KB]

I have a 1998 Honda Odyssey with 50,000 miles that I bought new 5 years ago. It is the older style with the car door style doors, not the sliding ones. I was thinking of buying a new Subaru Outback so I would have a smaller car, my kids rarely drive with me as they have their own cars now.

But after thinking seriously about it, I should just keep the van. Even though I'm tired of driving a van, it comes in handy when I need to haul things like landscaping plants, etc. I guess going to a smaller car would be a want, not a need. I'll think about it.

 

[unclemick]

Next week - doing the paperwork so I can drive the 'step daughter in spare room's' little 4 banger GMC pickup vs our 6 - Silverado to take advantage of the gas milage since her bum foot is going to take a while to rehab. Remains to be seen whether that's an improvement or a wash - budget wise.

 

[John Galt]

I noticed an article about mileage ratings. Not sure
how many vehicles they checked. Anyway, mine came in
dead last. Big Dodge Ram pickup with the largest V-8.
What can I say? I like to haul stuff.

John Galt

 

[arrete]

I'm not a car nut like some of you, but we do have too many cars. The youngest is 1992 Accord stationwagon (mine) because my mother-in-law wanted a Prius, and the Accord only had 45,000 miles on it. So she sold it to me for $50. Can't pass up a deal like that.

The others are my 1988 Acura Integra, which I love dearly inspite of its rust - 145,000 miles, and my husband's two Audi's - 1984, 1985 - 200,000+ miles and something like 185,000 - don't know because the odometer doesn't work and isn't worth fixing.

I know I should get rid of my Integra, but it isn't worth anything, and it makes me too sad when I think of it.

arrete

 

[bruce1]

In the gas crunch of the seventies I remember selling two gas hogs. A 1971 Chrysler New Yorker complete with 440 and a 71 Dodge Charger 383 magnum. I should have parked the Charger in the Barn and I would have had a good assett appreciation. I now have a 77 Chrysler Cordoba T top as a toy and I thnk it will go when I retire. Driving a 95 Lumina and may be switching to an S10 4 cyl

Unclemick LEt me know how you like the 4 cyl pickup.

I still miss that Charger. Drove a 70 440 last summer and I felt right at home

Thanks
Bruce

 

[gwix98]

Hi to all,

I would like to echo an earlier post regarding the reliability and value in Japanese vehicles. We have been
buying and driving these for years, and particularly the
Toyota line. I would have to say that the Toyota Corolla and the Toyota small pickup are two of the best buys in
vehicles around. My best buy ever:

1986 Toyota 1/2 ton with 22R motor bought
in 1992 for $2500 + $500 add on (rear bumper,bedliner)
driven 10 years with virtually nothing other than oil changes, and still sold for $1250 in one day.
Now thats cheap transportion..a bit no frills, but reliable and inexpensive. Sunset magazine out here in the west used to run an ad with Toyota p/u owners and their p/u's with 2,3,4,5 hundred thousand miles and more on these vehicles.

I guess the point could be, buy quality used, take care of them, drive them till they drop, and they still will be worth something toward your next used rig!

I am sorry to say that I have just not had great luck with
Chevs,Dodges, and others.

gwix

 

[trumpeting_angel]

Does this CARS thread have any life left in it? I have a car dilemma.

I had an accident and bought a new minivan last year. I was shopping for a used one, and stumbled across a 2002 with only 4,000 miles on it. (This was in 2003.) I bought it.

Two things have happened. My daughter is away at prep school, so the number of days I spend driving her to faraway destinations with her HUGE hockey bag and goalie pads and big stick have been dramatically reduced. And there are no more days of driving both goalies, which really did require an awful lot of room.

#2 - The van is much bigger than my last one, and I think its size is just over some sort of critical mass limit for me. I can't drive it right. It seats 8, is at least 1 1/2 feet longer than my old van, and wider. TWICE I have scraped the right side of it against something, so it now needs body work. I usually have to pull back out of a parking space for a second try. I hate driving it. And I really hate parking it.

It was my intention to buy it, maintain it, and keep it until it dropped dead of natural causes. But I hate it. I want a RAV-4 or Honda CR-V. I feel a strong need to be up high, largely because from the height in my minivans I can see well enough to pull out of my own street, and that's just not true from a car. (People can park on the street I'm entering, right up to the corner.)

I'm leaning toward selling this van while it is still a low-mileage vehicle and buying a used CR-V (if one can be found) or (2nd choice) RAV-4. I demand good gas mileage now that I don't need so much space, and I also need to be up high. But I detest the idea of getting rid of a car 1 1/2 years after I bought it. It seems like a stupid move, financially. Anybody want to weigh in?

Anne

 

[yelnad]

If you hate it as much as you say you do, then get rid of it now. You should drive something you're comfortable in. I hear good things about both of the cars you are looking at. You might also want to look at the Subaru Forester, although it's not as high (but is higher than a normal car).

 

[panhead]

Ahhhh, cars, I love this subject !

As far as reliability and toyotas are concerned, I really need to second this.  I had an 83' celica (22R motor) that did well over 250k miles, and an 86 4x4 xtra cab pickup (22R motor) that did well over 200k as well.  Both were manual transmissions, which I consider a must in these vehicles.  I now drive a 98 4x4 xtra cab toyota truck and I love it and will keep it until the connecting rods from the motor shoot thru the roof !

To bruce1 with the Charger.... I bought a 69 camaro convertible about 10 years ago to restore.  My career started picking up speed and it only got worked on rarely but I kept it.  It will be out of the paint shop in a couple of weeks.  I recently looked at what these things were selling for and I couldn't believe it.  I paid $1000 for this thing and drove it home, it's worth somewhere over $10,000 now !  Granted, with all the $$ and time I put into it, it's probably a break even sale, but still !  Oh yeah, and since you are a Mopar fan, you'll like this and it will make you feel better about selling the Charger.  When I was in High School, my best friend had a 1969 Roadrunner Convertible with a 440 six pack.  Non matching numbers, but it was a real Road Runner !  He sold it very cheap back then.  Do you know what a real Roadrunner convertible is worth today with a 440 + 6 even w/o matching #'s ?  Plenty !

Trumpeting Angel... Sell the damn van !  It's probably still worth some decent coin and although you will have to pay some $$ to trade up, I say it's worth it.  May I suggest a nice 1969 Camaro convertible ??!!  Seriously, dump it and get something you like.

 

[John Galt]

Hello panhead. Interested in your comments about
Toyotas. I have lusted after a Toyota Tacoma 4 x 4
for years and never yet owned one. Not sure how many vehicles I have owned/leased (lots). But,
considering all factors (cost to buy, recovery at sale,
low maintenance and driving enjoyment) the Mazda Miatas did it for me (I owned 2 - none presently).

Biking season is about over here, unless I haul it to Texas again this winter. Doubt that I will. Had some real nice trips though.
The 2 best were weekenders up along the Mississippi
River between Wisc. and Minn. Near Cut-Throat
country

John Galt

 

[Hyperborea]

I saw an absolutely beautiful Porsche 944 today. It was white, and the ugly black trim/spoiler that the white ones have had been painted over or removed.

These cars are good, and if kept nice I think they often appreciate, rather than depreciate.

Don't count on it.  The FEPs (Front Engine Porsches) are in general the unloved children of the Porsche family.  They don't appreciate and don't even hold their value.  They are however inexpensive to buy and can be relatively inexpensive to own if you do much of your own maintenance.  If you are seriously considering one then there are a number of good web boards and email lists and I recommend the ones off of the RennList - www.rennlist.com  The Porsche Usenet newsgroups are worthless - full of flamers (i.e. 18 year olds trying to explain how their modified Civic toasts 911 twin turbos) and pretenders (i.e. 18 year olds masquerading as Hörst the Porsche factory mechanic with 30 years experience).

In fact except for certain special models most Porsches don't appreciate in value they are too common.  You need one of the much rarer and initially more expensive cars to have hope of reasonable appreciation.  The cost of the maintenance and presesrvation on many of these cars negates any of their appreciation too.  That in general means that you want to buy the best possible car that you can find short of buying a concourse winner (10/10).  The cost to bring a car up to 9/10 level far exceeds the price you can expect to sell one for.

Did I say I want one?

Just be aware that they are aging - the last one was made in 1991 and those ones were made in rather limited numbers.  The bulk of them come from the mid to late 80's.  That means that lots of stuff is now getting ready to fail and if you drive them as they were intended to be driven those aging components are even more likely to fail.  It's not quite the same thing as driving an old Honda Civic to work and to the grocery store.  You might want to consider a 968 (last descendent of the 944 line).  These were last made in 1995 and you can often pick up a good coupe for ~$15-18K.  The convertibles will go for more.  Expect all the records and be wary of modified cars.

Hyperborea
Ex-owner of ex-working 1987 Porsche 944 Turbo modified and used for autocrossing.  The timing belt went after 25K miles (Porsche recommends 45K) that caused lots valve damage to expensive sodium filled valves.

 

[trumpeting_angel]

Thanks for the good words, guys.

I think I am going to get rid of the van. Once I fix the scrapes and clean out the hockey drek, it will look again like a low-mileage, clean, gently-used car. no sense driving something up high to feel safe but not being able to handle it properly. Although I only have difficulty in parking and tight-squeeze situations, it bothers me that the car is simply bigger than I seem able to get used to.

It's snowing in Montana today!!

Anne

 

[rick strong]

8) I am still working but looking to bail next spring. I dirive a LOT; 23k since January when I grabbed an "04 Toyota Prius (hybrid) high 40's mpg in cold weather and over 50mpg in warmer weather. The car has the same interior space as a Camry and stuff such as voice recognition controls NAV system and airbags all around to protect all limbs and orifices. The car zipo alon very nicely and has great low end torque due to the elec motor and hugely exceeds all emission standards. Does it seem like I enjoy the car? The earlier version has been on the road for several years now and there has not been a reported battery pack failure (a bank of nimh's beneath the hatch area). The irony is that there is a diminishing yearly tax deduction (was 2000 and dropped to 1500 this year) whereas, I understand, Hummers owned by a business are eligible for much better tax treatment as they can be fudged into a tax break meant to help businesses with heavy vehicle requirements. Rick

 

[haha]

8)   The irony is that there is a diminishing yearly tax deduction (was 2000 and dropped to 1500 this year) whereas, I understand, Hummers owned by a business are eligible for much better tax treatment as they can be fudged into a tax break meant to help businesses with heavy vehicle requirements.  Rick

Sounds typical. "Buy a Hummer, send a soldier to death securing your fuel supply"

It's sometimes hard to figure people out.

Mikey

 

[haha]

Just be aware that they are aging - the last one was made in 1991 and those ones were made in rather limited numbers.  The bulk of them come from the mid to late 80's.  That means that lots of stuff is now getting ready to fail and if you drive them as they were intended to be driven those aging components are even more likely to fail.

Thanks for a very detailed and well informed reply. My son has an '01 911 Twin T, but he has the money to care for it.

My father -in-law has an old 944 in nice shape, but since he is 91, I don't think he really "drives it like it is supposed to be driven." For him, it's more of a girl catcher. (Not that I have any clue what he does with the girls he catches.)

I think you have mentined good reasons for me to stay away from these cars, or anything similar. Although I still have a garage full of mechanics tools, I no longer get much pleasure out of using them. But I don't want to take on the expense of paying someone to do it.

Better I stick to rice-burners

Mikey

 

[panhead]

Geez, you guys like Porsches eh ? I saw a really nice one today. Brand new Porsche Carrera Gt. I think this is about $500K yes ? Beautiful, black, and a sound like I've never heard coming from a porsche motor before. I'm still in Germany, and I saw it in downtown Munich. Very good place for it here with the autobahns and such.

Hey John Galt !! Yeah, I've actually owned 3 toyota 4x4 trucks, the Tacoma being the latest. I absolutely love em'. I tend to buy fairly stripped down models, no toys, just AC. Roll up windows, no power locks etc. I still don't trust European automatics and probably never will. They don't know how to make em right, b/c they don't make em to sell anywhere but in the US. I'll recommend the toyota all day. 4x4 is excellent. Payload seems good, I've had the 700lb harley in it with no problems, and lots more stuff as well. Pulls a 1700 lb boat/trailer w/o trailer brakes and does well at that as well. The 4 cylinder is notoriously underpowered, but if you're not in a hurry and you use the gears, she's fine. I also prefer jap 4 cylinders for the same reasons as the standard trannys, they know how to make em'. The rear area of the extra cab has seats, and you can stick a pretty good sized guy back there, but not for long. Let me know if you have any specific questions and I'll fill in.

Trumpeting angel, good call and good luck. Maybe you should consider the porsche carrera I saw ? I could retire now if I just had one to sell !

regards,

-pan-

 

[John Galt]

This is for Anne. I love Montana, also Idaho, Wyoming,
Michigan, Wisconsin, but not the winters, Where we
are now (Northern Illinois) winters are relatively mild
usually. The thing is, I hate the cold weather and not
working makes the winters awfully long for me. My
dear wife is okay with me heading south but I feel guilty,
plus I would like it if she came along with me. I tell you,
it's a real conundrum. Cabin fever is already setting in
and the river is not even frozen yet. As Homer
Simpson would say Doh!!!

John Galt

 

[trumpeting_angel]

And you don't fly, right, John? She has to stay in IL to work? What a mess! How long are you two apart?

I have had relationships which were improved by time apart, and those which suffered from it. The better relationships, believe it or not, improved. In the not-as-good relationship, time apart caused me to let the veil drop from my eyes and see reality more clearly when we were back together. Not good!

My favorite time of loving winter was in Vermont in college. I'm convinced it was because (1) I didn't own a car, (2) didn't have a job and (3) someone else was in charge of the plowing. We walked everywhere, just putting on several more layers than normal people usually wear, and were reasonably comfortable.

I started feeling just as unhappy as everyone else about winter in Vermont after I had to go to work. Getting up an hour earlier to clear off the driveway and the vehicle, bring in extra wood for the wood stove, and return to the driveway after breakfast to clear the pile of snow left by the plow was no fun. Leaving earlier than usual so I could drive slowly to keep from sliding off the road was no fun. Putting boots and snowsuits on 25 kindergarteners TWICE in a half-day class (once for recess, once again for the bus) and repeating the process for the afternoon kids was no fun. Winter was just too much work! But I loved the Vermont winter in college. The silence, the beauty of the pine woods, the clean snow, the Northern lights - it was incomparable.

Snowshoes improved winter. As does ice skating.

Anne