[Pc_Support] Wife's new car ...

[Homer Whittaker]

Brian:  I have owned nothing but a Cadillac for over 30 years.  
Never a bit of trouble.  All sorts of Sports vehicles if that is 
what you want.
Homer Whittaker


On Sunday 01 May 2005 10:44 am, Bryan J. Smith wrote:
> With the Prius out of consideration due to top-package/mark-up,
> my wife looked at a number of sedans and smaller/economy SUVs.
> We put Toyota on the back-burner in general, but my wife tried, 
and _hated_, the Rav4.
> 
> Honda has been going down in quality since '95 on sedans,
> they are not the quality of their late '80s models - especially 
'0x models now match Ford. 
> Don't get me wrong, Honda _still_ has very reliable cars, top 
3, definitely.
> But they are no longer #1, but too many Americans still want 
Civics and Accords as a result, artificially inflating the cost 
as well as resale.
> Sad because Toyota's equivalent models are better, but their 
resale is still lower because Americans think otherwise.
> I'm sure outsourcing to China 
> is making things worse, and I don't see those models improving 
as a result.
> 
> But some of the non-sedan models are Japan parts, US assembled 
and are still _outstanding_.
> The Honda CRV is unbelievable in this regard, and was easily my 
wife's favorite.
> The 2.4L gets good gas mileage, and should be enough to haul 
800lbs. Of cargo according to the reviews.
> And she didn't like the Rav4, which doesn't have the 
maintenance of even some US SUVs
> (seems like quality between Honda-Toyota is 180 degrees for 
sedens v. SUVs).
> 
> Even though her brother-in-law works for GM, we tried every GM 
model (just to say we did).
> We did it at Holler Chevy, who was also good to us because they 
sponsor the Florida Corvette Club
> (which my father basically runs**)
> 
> [ **NOTE:  People might assume I'm wealthy or was born with a 
silver spoon in my mouth.
> As my wife says, I grew up "upper poor" and it wasn't until we 
moved here in the mid'80s that my parents became middle class,
> and they struggled until my brother and I were out of college.
> Now my parents can enjoy themselves.
> My wife's family is poor, and was this is her first car that 
cost over $3K,
> she bought her first one herself when she headed off to 
college,
> and my mother handed down her Grand Am. ]
> 
> The Cobalt is even worse than the Cavilier at gas, safety, 
etc...
> The Impala, the only GM that hasn't been redesigned in years
> (and has a decent maintainence rating)
> was too big and inefficient.
> The Equinox is top-heavy and flips over.
> 
> We looked at the Mazda Tribute / Ford Freestyle,
> as well as the Mazda 3.
> Cory Fairbanks is where I bought my B2300 and they are still 
really nice.
> My wife didn't really go for the Tribute, although I liked the 
3.0L it shares with the B3000 truck,
> at gas mileage not much from the CRV.
> My wife still liked the CRV better though.
> Consumer Reports (CR) yanked their "top pick" on the Mazda 3 
after the IIHS side crash test.
> No dealer seems to have the Mazda 3 with the curtain airbags 
for under $19K (only 2.3L models).
> 
> Ford was our last interest, and my family has been Don Reid 
Ford buyers for pick-ups and Mustangs.
> 2005 is a good year to buy a Mustang, just like 1994, because 
of the redesign, but not why you'd think.
> We previously bought a 1993 in 1994 from Don Reid for a great 
price.
> And Don Reid had a 2004	Mustang Convertible, _loaded_ (leather, 
spoiler, power everything, etc...) that we got them down to 
under $20K.
> Consumer Reports recommended the 2004 Mustang, and the 
maintenance is still favorable.
> My brother has a 2000 - same design/parts as the 2004 - from 
Don Reid that is near 100,000 miles and has no major issues yet.
> 
> In the end, my wife admitted she liked it a bit more than 
getting the CRV.
> We had little success getting Honda to give us anything on the 
CRV - any year.
> If we had kids or were already expecting, I might have pushed 
her towards the CRV.
> But we don't, and would only plan to have the 'Stang 
Convertable for 5 years / 75,000 miles (the warranty we have on 
it, bumper to bumper), to get a good resale on it.
> 
> So we bought it and spent yesterday enjoying a rain free 
central/coastal Florida.
> 
> I'll probably by a CRV or Tribute myself when I go to replace 
my B2300 in 3-5 years as it hits 200,000-220,000 miles (I'm at 
150,000 and the sucker is great).
> Honda's Hybrids have been a half-ass disappointment.
> Ford-Mazda licensed Toyota's, but they have done little with 
it.
> But they are really leading on hydrogen in R&D, both electric 
(fuel-cell, possibly with some regen from Toyota) and ICE 
(hydrogen).
> 
> In 5 years, if Ford-Mazda has a solid hydrogen solution for a 
small Tribute/Freestyle, I might look towards it.
> Especially if I'm in Florida which is now building the first 
hydrogen fueling stations,
> pretty much leading the nation with their alternative fuels in 
state  vehicles short of maybe Cali.
> It all depends, and it might be farther off if R&D doesn't make 
ir feasible.
> 
> In any case, in 3-5 years, after seeing the Prius in 
double-production,
> you can be certain that _everyone_ will be taking Hybrids 
seriously.
> The big 3 offers nothing, and Honda's are half-ass from 
everything I've read.
> 
> Until then, the Mustang's 3.9L gets about the same gas mileage 
as my wife's previous 2.4L Grand Am, 30mpg highway,
> within 5mpg of almost every hybrid short of the Prius or a 
really ultra-compact.
> Just wasn't the best year to buy the only good hybrid,
> and we don't need a family SUV yet.
> 
> -- 
> Sent from my Treo
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