What NEW cars have your attention?

[Benzadmiral]

Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
Benz, I know. I am just saying, the gas prices aren't yet high enough for people to seriously turn away from gas guzzlers here. It's a cost they're willing to swallow.


Oh, I agree. I think the reason, though, is easy credit. If these clowns had to shell out actual green each time at the pump, they'd begin to see what a drain it is on their wallets. Instead it's "Stick the card in, pump the gas, drive away" -- then squint at the bill 3 weeks later, say, "How'd I run that up," and pay part of it. No pain.

In contrast, when the stuff doubled in price from .25 to .50/gal. in the early '70s, people actually began to buy more efficient cars -- reinforced by the doubling again from .50 to 1.00/gal. in 1979.

Back then, most people paid cash for gas. (Remember when the oil companies encouraged you to pay with a credit card by charging a nickel less per gallon if you used their card?) By the time the stuff doubled again and then tripled after Katrina, the hoi polloi were used to using credit cards. It doesn't seem like "real money," and so it doesn't bother them.

 

[Benzadmiral]

Not many. They're all too pricey when new.

I like the new (retro) Mustang, but wish they'd have a coupe model with the formal, squared-off roofline instead of just the fastback and convertible.

Retro works. How about a slightly-smaller version of the 1961-66 Lincoln Continental, or the 4-seater 2-door T-Birds? But this time, price the T-Bird reasonably and introduce it in a timely fashion (unlike the pricey 2-seater Ford brought out a few years ago, which took too long to get to the dealers).

 

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted By: Benzadmiral
Oh, I agree. I think the reason, though, is easy credit. [...] It doesn't seem like "real money," and so it doesn't bother them.

Amen to that. Couldn't have stated it all better. The whole "buy now, pay later" mentality has a lot to do with it. The manufacturers and financial institutions figured out how to make a sale even to those that can't afford it. This goes for the housing market as well.

 

[Panzerman]

I agree somewhat. I started using a fuel card before they were cool. I like the idea of one fuel bill. Before credit cards became the norm, I remember people haveing accounts at local gas stations, you would sign the receipts and motor on. I buy big engines, because I buy big cars, that just happens to be what they put in them, I really like 4.6 Ford Modular motor, I think this is a good, well built motor that gives reasonable fuel milelage.

 

[kargo27]

This is sad, but I like the looks of the Ford Fusion.

What a loser I am!

I didn't say Porsche or Lamborghini or Corvette.

I pick a Ford and not even the Mustang!

I think because I had such a run of bad luck with my wife's old 2000 Contour that I secretly want to recoup my losses with another Ford car. Madness, simply madness.

Oh, and I do like the new Camaro that's coming out.

Karl

 

[kargo27]

I've had my eye on this one.....

 

[Panzerman]

I think the Ford Fusion is a nice car. My Sisterinlaw rented one when she visited and I went with her on a trip in it and I was impressed.For a lower end car its nice.

 

[gtx510]

Originally Posted By: BarkerMan
It looks like we are in an age where there are a lot of good choices, one for anyone's budget and taste. Besides all the stock choices the custom car market is boombing. We did a twin-turbo installation on a V12 7 Series BMW for a gentleman that had an obscene budget and no taste. We did the conversion at less than a thousand miles. The engine work was not the bad taste part. It was the offset 13” diameter wheels with spinners added. You can change the speed of the spinners to suit your mood. Also you can change the neon lights on the spinners and in the wheel wells, too. The home entertainment center and video screens were a little over the top, too. The car has air suspension with two titanium strips underneath. When you lower the car all the way down on the freeway you have a 6 thousand pound sparkler. A lot of weight was added with the scissor doors and the trunk lid with the build in screen, bullet resistant glass and interior panels.. The base car was about $120k and the add-ons were about $250k more. The alpaca fur carpeting is really cool but I think it will be difficult to keep clean. It’s white. The Connolly glove leather on the seats and door panels and the head liner looks and feels great. You really sink into the seats. I did not like the purple leather inserts but the guy that did the leather thought is was a good idea because it doubled the cost of labor. The interior was completely gutted and done over. One good idea was putting the navigation system on a 23” touch screen, made it really easy to see. This car may not be available at your local BMW dealership but it’s proof that you can get anything you want if you can afford it.
pics please...

 

[Cogito]

Originally Posted By: badtlc
2008 Ford Focus with gas mileage on par with Civics and Corollas. Build quality is up and the prices are good.

I was looking at the Focus. It looks fairly nice, but one thing struck me as kind of cheesy; on the base model there is no standard spare tire, not even one of those temporary things. You apparently get some kind of "fix-a-flat" pump thing. No jack or tire iron, either, they are options also. I think this is pretty stupid. Some folks who don't notice this until they are stranded someplace and can't figure it out, could potentially get themselves into a dangerous situation. It can't cost that much to put a spare and a jack in the car.

 

[oilyriser]

I've been seeing more and more Scion Xb's in Toronto lately, with local plates. But I've never seen an official Scion dealership in Canada.

 

[Cogito]

Originally Posted By: oilyriser
I've been seeing more and more Scion Xb's in Toronto lately, with local plates. But I've never seen an official Scion dealership in Canada.

I've never seen one here either. I thought they were sold through Toyota dealerships.

 

[lovcom]

Toyota Yaris
Nissan Versa
Honda Fit
Honda Civic
Toyota Corolla
Toyota Prius
Any and all of the Hybred vehicles.

Lets get REAL America! Lets start buying what we need instead of what we want.

$4/gallon gas is coming very soon.

Flash cars to increase one's "standing" in our society is so over-rated, yea?

 

[88Dakota]

Originally Posted By: lovcom
Toyota Yaris
Nissan Versa
Honda Fit
Honda Civic
Toyota Corolla
Toyota Prius
Any and all of the Hybred vehicles.

Lets get REAL America! Lets start buying what we need instead of what we want.

$4/gallon gas is coming very soon.

Flash cars to increase one's "standing" in our society is so over-rated, yea?



"Need" is a relative term.

 

[lovcom]

Originally Posted By: 88Dakota
Originally Posted By: lovcom
Toyota Yaris
Nissan Versa
Honda Fit
Honda Civic
Toyota Corolla
Toyota Prius
Any and all of the Hybred vehicles.

Lets get REAL America! Lets start buying what we need instead of what we want.

$4/gallon gas is coming very soon.

Flash cars to increase one's "standing" in our society is so over-rated, yea?



"Need" is a relative term.


I meant "need", like in what would a mature responsible person need in a car, to keep a balance with his future, the needs of his children/family, retirement, contigency plans should crisis arise, cost of on-going education and self improvement for himself, and his family, dangers of materialism, the dillusion that buying toys will make one feel better.

Surely you'll agree that America has gotten the words "need" and "want" mixed up, yea?

Could it be that the combined mentality of the United States is 15 years of age?

It's so obvious, and that is the sad part.

 

[01rangerxl]

Man, lay off this "bury all your money in a hole" [censored]. If you want to do that, that is cool. I am young, and I will not be young again, so I'm going to have some fun now when I can make the most of it. I'm going to buy trucks I can beat the snot of, I'm going to modify them because I think it is fun, and I'm not going to be afraid of going out and getting what I want. And you know what? That is my choice. I do have some money stashed away in high yield accounts and whatnot, but I'm not going to deny myself things I WANT so I can die with a lot of money later on.

I think I'll go waste some gas driving the Explorer through some mud holes this afternoon...I guess my retirement will be FUBAR after that.

 

[lovcom]

Originally Posted By: 01rangerxl
Man, lay off this "bury all your money in a hole" [censored]. If you want to do that, that is cool. I am young, and I will not be young again, so I'm going to have some fun now when I can make the most of it. I'm going to buy trucks I can beat the snot of, I'm going to modify them because I think it is fun, and I'm not going to be afraid of going out and getting what I want. And you know what? That is my choice. I do have some money stashed away in high yield accounts and whatnot, but I'm not going to deny myself things I WANT so I can die with a lot of money later on.

I think I'll go waste some gas driving the Explorer through some mud holes this afternoon...I guess my retirement will be FUBAR after that.


Your sense of delayed gratification is non-existent ;-)

And it is sad you have the dillusion that planning for the future now means having no fun now. This could not be further from the truth! Those that plan for a great bright future now can, and DO have a heck of a lot of fun NOW.

I think what is sad that some equate "fun" with waste, spending too much on toys, and buy into the dillusion that one cannot have fun in their youth unless they mortage to the hilt their future. I know at least 5 young people under the age of 25 that already have $15,000+ in credit card debt, which they accumulated so that they can "have fun before I die"....at my age 48, I know many others older that had your mentality, and today are washed up renting a tin can apartment in a [censored] part of town with only their memories of the "good old days" behind them.

Have fun playing in the mud! ;-)

 

[01rangerxl]

Actually, I have no debt at all. I pay everything on time, and I do watch my spending to an extent. I do have money stashed away. However, I don't think I should have to drive an econobox now, or never buy something just because I want it and don't need it.

For me, toys are fun. They do bring me happiness. I can beat on the Explorer more than I ever could with an econobox. Modifying it and working on it is fun too. That is fun for me.

 

[Panzerman]

I wouldnt get too worked up 01rangerxl, I have noticed most people that would use gas like crazy because it was $.39 a gallon and smoke thier tires off in bigblock chevies, now have converted to people who think anything that doesnt get 30 mile per gallon and goes over 70 mph is wasteful. They deem themselves as much wiser now. I dont see too many young kids driving Yaris's , but I sure see alot of kids in Mustangs and Hemi's. Just be glad you have so many old people willing to save the planet for you and your kids it means we dont have to. Everytime I see a hybrid, I think, Good, more gas for me.

 

[Chuck1986]

Kinda late, but my picks:

Nissan Altima Coupe 3.5L SE - very close to the speed of a 350Z, sexy, very practical, lotsa goodies come standard, and you're paying less than $100 per horsepower! Gas mileage is also very good for a car this fast.

Infiniti G37 - AWESOME, AWESOME interior and exterior (no car comes close to the sex appeal factor in my opinion)...Has blinding speed and a ride that rivals the BMW 335i, yet with Japanese reliability and a lower price..but still $10k more than an Altima coupe which compares reasonably well to it.

Hyundai Elantra SE - absolutely beautiful interior (resembles an Acura TL) w/ incredible gas mileage, low price, good safety ratings - but a slow car.

 

[Chuck1986]

Originally Posted By: lovcom
Originally Posted By: 88Dakota
Originally Posted By: lovcom
Toyota Yaris
Nissan Versa
Honda Fit
Honda Civic
Toyota Corolla
Toyota Prius
Any and all of the Hybred vehicles.

Lets get REAL America! Lets start buying what we need instead of what we want.

$4/gallon gas is coming very soon.

Flash cars to increase one's "standing" in our society is so over-rated, yea?



"Need" is a relative term.


I meant "need", like in what would a mature responsible person need in a car, to keep a balance with his future, the needs of his children/family, retirement, contigency plans should crisis arise, cost of on-going education and self improvement for himself, and his family, dangers of materialism, the dillusion that buying toys will make one feel better.

Surely you'll agree that America has gotten the words "need" and "want" mixed up, yea?

Could it be that the combined mentality of the United States is 15 years of age?

It's so obvious, and that is the sad part.


I don't plan on getting married or having kids, I am going to grad school to become a physican assistant or pharmacist (will make a 6-figure income assuming all goes as planned) and I've been incredibly frugal with my spendings while I've been in college. Heck I've seen people on food stamps or have big student loans, yet are less frugal than me. Since I don't have the taste for an expensive house/apartment I'm going to treat myself and buy a very nice car to reward all my efforts to get as far as I've gone. I'm getting rid of my Galant but I will keep my 2001 Eclipse even after I buy my next toy, so I will hopefully have two "mid-life crisis" cars while I'm still in my 20s.

Where else will I spend my hard-earned $$? Money was not made to be inherited.