Buying a car, what are your preferences?

Feb 6, 1998
11,667
Canadian Sailcraft 36T Casco Bay, ME
Stu,

As long as you don't get a ton of snow (like Maine BC varies a lot), or live on a dirt road, you may want to consider a Prius. With my 2010 we could drive from Portland, ME to Quebec City and burn roughly 10.5 gallons, for up and back, or just $25.00 to drive over 530 miles.... Last trip up there we averaged slightly under 51MPG. They drive beautifully and even if you're a lead foot you can easily average 42 MPG. The idea these are slow is only due to the knuckle-heads who drive them. In sport mode it is pretty damp zippy and they feel like a much, much heavier car to drive. If you do get snow you would definitely need snow rated tires (NOT all season).

The only reason I am not driving one today is because it required me to have two vehicles, a truck and the Prius. I was unable to drive it up to our ski place as we are on a dirt road, the driveway is also dirt and my daughter races and the car was just too low to the ground for most ski area parking lots.. I ripped the lower valence off it three times trying to treat it like my truck..

I loved that stupid little car, bought it for the technology, but even at 50 MPG +/- the financials don't make sense, for the fuel savings I was getting, when I really still needed two vehicles. These cars are also as reliable as it gets..... You can pick one up with over 100K for very, very short money then drive it another 300k....


KG, I hear you. We have a bit of a flip of that one: moved from SF to B.C. Almost same distance from house to boat. Canadian gas prices are $1.40+ per LITRE. Do the math. I'm trying to figure out how to levitate to the boat instead of driving. :)
 

DougM

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Jul 24, 2005
2,242
Beneteau 323 Manistee, MI
The only feature I hate is the Stop/Start/Accident waiting to happen feature.
That “feature” is an automatic deal breaker for me. I have walked away from a potential purchase of a new vehicle that I really liked because the stop/start function cannot be over ridden. I have visions of the vehicle quitting at an icy intersection on a cold winter morning, failing to restart. At least the BMW has a pushbutton that permanently defeats the stop/start process.
 
Sep 15, 2013
707
Catalina 270 Baltimore
Hopefully the engineer who designed it will be put in jail for criminal negligence.
AGREED! That is the dumbest feature I ever saw in a car. The first time it happened to me I thought someone rear ended me. I saw a very expensive BMW do that at an intersection. Looked like one of those gas golf carts. They do it as a cheat so they can make the federal mileage requirements. Totally stupid and unsafe. [rant over].
 
Oct 22, 2014
20,995
CAL 35 Cruiser #21 moored EVERETT WA
Stop/Start is a way of trying to minimize gas consumption. I agree it is a foolish decision.

While I am intrigued by the sensors and assists being built into newer cars, I am sure I will not get the Forward Accident prevention feature. Saw a new car trying to make a left turn, two left turn lanes across a 4 lane road, as traffic was approaching the red light on the opposite road side. Car locked up in the middle of intersection.

Driver was new to the car and panicked.
 
Jan 7, 2011
4,727
Oday 322 East Chicago, IN
AGREED! That is the dumbest feature I ever saw in a car. The first time it happened to me I thought someone rear ended me. I saw a very expensive BMW do that at an intersection. Looked like one of those gas golf carts. They do it as a cheat so they can make the federal mileage requirements. Totally stupid and unsafe. [rant over].
My Honda Civic Hybrid goes into auto stop once the engine is warm, and I come to a stop. I don’t have any issues with it. When it is cold, and the auto stop isn’t active, I hate watching the MPG drop as I idle away fuel.

Greg
 
Sep 24, 2018
2,549
O'Day 25 Chicago
I've bought the same warranty for the past 5 or 6 vehicles. It's paid off nearly every time. They've dumped 10k-20k into each vehicle.

I'm now on my third Xterra. I'm tired of them. They're fairly quick, they tow 5k lbs but they drive like crap. I want a 4Runner but no matter how I twist the numbers it doesn't make financial sense. I'd spend 10k less and have a bumper to bumper warranty up to 150k miles. Back to my old philosophy... Buy em cheap and let the warranty fix em!
 
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Nov 1, 2017
635
Catalina 25 Sea Star Base Galveston, TX
My grandfather recently bought a 2018 BMW M2 series, it's a fantastic car. Twin turbo spitfire six cylinder. 0-60 in 4 flat. Price? Only 52k.
 
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Jul 7, 2004
8,402
Hunter 30T Cheney, KS
My new used '18 Outback in front of Bella Luna on the trailer. I put my '03 Ford Focus wagon on Craigslist ( they charge $5 now!) and it sold for cash to the first looker. I thought maybe I didn't ask for enough. I paid $1800 five years ago and sold it for $1600. It had 192K miles on it.
DSCN0701.jpg
 
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Jul 7, 2004
8,402
Hunter 30T Cheney, KS
Car related: since we now have newer cars with unmolested paint, I'm looking in to keeping them that way. I added a "foam cannon" to my Christmas list. It works off of a pressure washer. I watched several reviews and tests on YouTube and decided that the $20 version on Amazon works as well as the more expensive ones. Get a good soap so the foam performs properly.
 
Dec 25, 2000
5,703
Hunter Passage 42 Shelter Bay, WA
Purchased our 1991 Vanagon Carat new (last production year). Has over 285K miles and still driving it. Shooting for 500K. No need for electric here.
 
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Sep 24, 2018
2,549
O'Day 25 Chicago
Car related: since we now have newer cars with unmolested paint, I'm looking in to keeping them that way. I added a "foam cannon" to my Christmas list. It works off of a pressure washer. I watched several reviews and tests on YouTube and decided that the $20 version on Amazon works as well as the more expensive ones. Get a good soap so the foam performs properly.
How does this differ from using soap through a syphon tube? More foam?
 
Jul 7, 2004
8,402
Hunter 30T Cheney, KS
How does this differ from using soap through a syphon tube? More foam?
Much more foam. I have a pressure washer with a siphon hose already. No comparison. And it lingers longer to lift dirt so as you go over it with a wash mitt the dirt doesn't scratch paint. Google "foam cannon" and watch the videos.
 
Oct 22, 2014
20,995
CAL 35 Cruiser #21 moored EVERETT WA
Looks like you can get similar results from all price points in foam cannons.

Never knew they existed.
The foam cannon challenge. :biggrin:
 

DougM

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Jul 24, 2005
2,242
Beneteau 323 Manistee, MI
Its a little quicker than the boat
44093159-3E98-4CF5-9FC4-8C78A86C96F9.jpeg
 
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Feb 17, 2006
5,274
Lancer 27PS MCB Camp Pendleton KF6BL
Wonder if that snow-foam would work on a boat in the water? Or is the foam a bio-hazard of sorts?
 
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