JHZR2
Staff member
The wife and I went to the Phila. Auto Show. A few interesting results:
-Audi A3: major disappointment. Very cheap and chintzy compared to the VW rabbit, given the price and status premium.
-VW Rabbit 4dr: very nice car, value appears excellent. Too bad the 2.0L isnt available, so it would get the same 32 hwy as the Jetta wagon will.
-Jetta Wagon: Nice lines, as great as we thought it would be... the rabbit and jetta MT TDIs are the reason why we've held off on buying the wife a new car. She really likes these two.
-Acura Line of cars: disapointment across the board. Felt way too cheap for their prices.
-Lexus line of cars: definitely the best overall quality feel, materials picks, etc. of the show. Disapointing how little usable space there is in some of their cars, given their exterior dimensions.
-BMW line of cars: 08 3-series is pretty nice inside. Definitely many steps up from my tried and true E30 318i. BMW rep had an attitude when I told him how happy I was with my E30, and what a great, simple car it was... as if simple means it is a POS junker.
-Smart: I thought the rear-engine thing was neat until I ventured into the "access panel". Good luck servicing this thing... maybe others know something I don't.
-Malibu: Definitely the best feel of the "leather equipped" cars in the sub-$70k class. Central switchgear is standard "gen III GM issue", and Ive never really understood the importance of "soft feel" materials as found in most imports (which offgas more and are more prome to cracking), but this car has it. I liked the lines well enough, the wife wasnt keen.
As it is getting late, one last observation:
The places where historically a chromed plastic or metal-look item would be used, e.g. grille trim, has been generally replaced with a flimsier, cheaper looking metallic-painted silver plastic trim. This isnt automaker specific... say it even on the Porsche Boxter in the side gills and a few other spots. It really cheapens things up, and it is sad to see such fake looking stuff showing up on even mid to higher level cars.
JMH
-Audi A3: major disappointment. Very cheap and chintzy compared to the VW rabbit, given the price and status premium.
-VW Rabbit 4dr: very nice car, value appears excellent. Too bad the 2.0L isnt available, so it would get the same 32 hwy as the Jetta wagon will.
-Jetta Wagon: Nice lines, as great as we thought it would be... the rabbit and jetta MT TDIs are the reason why we've held off on buying the wife a new car. She really likes these two.
-Acura Line of cars: disapointment across the board. Felt way too cheap for their prices.
-Lexus line of cars: definitely the best overall quality feel, materials picks, etc. of the show. Disapointing how little usable space there is in some of their cars, given their exterior dimensions.
-BMW line of cars: 08 3-series is pretty nice inside. Definitely many steps up from my tried and true E30 318i. BMW rep had an attitude when I told him how happy I was with my E30, and what a great, simple car it was... as if simple means it is a POS junker.
-Smart: I thought the rear-engine thing was neat until I ventured into the "access panel". Good luck servicing this thing... maybe others know something I don't.
-Malibu: Definitely the best feel of the "leather equipped" cars in the sub-$70k class. Central switchgear is standard "gen III GM issue", and Ive never really understood the importance of "soft feel" materials as found in most imports (which offgas more and are more prome to cracking), but this car has it. I liked the lines well enough, the wife wasnt keen.
As it is getting late, one last observation:
The places where historically a chromed plastic or metal-look item would be used, e.g. grille trim, has been generally replaced with a flimsier, cheaper looking metallic-painted silver plastic trim. This isnt automaker specific... say it even on the Porsche Boxter in the side gills and a few other spots. It really cheapens things up, and it is sad to see such fake looking stuff showing up on even mid to higher level cars.
JMH
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