What sort of cars have you driven and how has that changed over time?
I'm asking because not having bothered to drive for 20 odd years, I'm out of touch as to what people typically drive, how big they are, what power and performance is like. Front wheel vs Rear vs 4 wheel drive. Petrol or Diesel?
My outsider's impression is that all cars now weigh close to a couple of tonnes have 200+ hp and are full of useless gadgets. :D
For comparison, excluding work's vehicles I've only ever driven petrol, non-automatic cars, with it split 60/40% front vs rear wheel drive.
A rough estimate shows all the cars I've owned have been in the 800-1200kg,curb weight range, ignoring a couple of outliers, like a 505 estate.
Too many variables. Please simplify your query and try again.
Meh - I'll bite.
First car: 1985 BMW 535i (bought in 1995) - straight 6 engine, 4 doors, manual transmission, RWD. Man I loved that car. Man I hated how often it broke down since I had no money as a university student. Sold it at a loss a year and a half later.
Second car: 1991 Ford Taurus (bought in 1996)- V6, 4 doors, automatic - I had a job in Flin Flon, MB, so I needed a much more reliable car. I grew to like that car as it was a reliable highway machine on the roads of northern Manitoba. Was crushed in a rear end accident in 1997.
Third car: 1997 Ford Escort (2 year lease from new) - 4 cylinders, 4 doors, manual. It was a screaming good deal on a lease. $199/month for two years. It was nice having a new car, super reliable for driving back and forth to university. At the end of the lease I gave up the car, deciding to use the money I was spending to move out of my parents place and live in the fraternity house near campus instead.
Fourth car: 2001 Nissan Sentra SE (bought new in 2000) - 4 cylinders, 4 doors, manual. I really liked that car. I had my first law job, so I bought a new car. It was the sporty version of an otherwise entry-level car - very peppy engine. Unfortunately not really suited to when I left the city and got a job up north again.
A new truck!: 2005 Toyota Tundra (bought new in 2005) - V6, 4 door mid-size pickup. Total change for me. Maybe my most favourite vehicle I've ever owned. Haul anything, tow anything - I towed a trailer from Whitehorse to Winnipeg and back when Timothy was born. My longest lasting vehicle ever - only sold it in 2015.
And from now on, vehicles are co-purchased with Tracy...
2011 Toyota Rav4 (bought new in 2011) - V6, 4 door AWD crossover (w/ optional third row seating). It's a pretty decent vehicle, V6 has lots of pep, but you see so many similar vehicles out there. There's been more than one time I've walked up to an identical looking silver Rav4 only to realize it's not my vehicle.
2008 Honda Odyssey (bought used in 2015) - V6 minivan, seats 8. Not as reliable as I would have hoped, but then again it's used. Had to trade in my truck to buy it. Wife looks after extra kids before and after school, so we needed a people hauler. It does the job.
Thinking back - really it just shows that what's changed the most over time is me - the vehicles I've owned reflected what stage of life I'm at. Peppy manual transmission vehicles are no longer a priority - hauling kids and hockey gear is.
Ideally, I'd like to buy a proper pick-up truck again as our next vehicle. Problem is our oldest vehicle is the van, and we need a van. Buying a truck would mean trying to stretch out the Odyssey at least to 15 years old. Other option is to just go and buy a new, or newer, van.
I think the car I had 12 years ago was a Fiat Uno. It cost £200 or so. This was the only important point.
Since then I managed to live car free.
My sister is going away in a few weeks and I could take over her car if I wanted... But it isn't worth the money. It would sit outside and only be used every other weekend.
Living somewhere I don't need a car has always been a priority when it comes to finding a place to live
I've never had a car.
But I do get to sit in one from time to time; they seem to be increasingly reliable and comfortable.
Quote from: Richard Hakluyt on March 19, 2019, 03:07:09 AM
I've never had a car.
But I do get to sit in one from time to time; they seem to be increasingly reliable and comfortable.
Never had a car? Jesus. Never needed one or personal choice?
Got my license at 28. First car was a Dodge Caliber. Then a Nissan Rogue. Then a newer Nissan Rogue and now a Nissan Versa. All 2-3 year leases, all automatics. I don't really like driving and am not a car guy at all.
I've never had a car, either. First I had no money for one, now I don't feel the need for one.
Quote from: Zoupa on March 19, 2019, 03:45:37 AM
Quote from: Richard Hakluyt on March 19, 2019, 03:07:09 AM
I've never had a car.
But I do get to sit in one from time to time; they seem to be increasingly reliable and comfortable.
Never had a car? Jesus. Never needed one or personal choice?
Got my license at 28. First car was a Dodge Caliber. Then a Nissan Rogue. Then a newer Nissan Rogue and now a Nissan Versa. All 2-3 year leases, all automatics. I don't really like driving and am not a car guy at all.
I like road trips but day-to-day leaves me cold. If I lived in NA I'd probably drive but in urban Europe its just not worth it.
Let's see:
First car: 1970 Dodge Coronet (bought 1980). 4-door sedan, 318 V-8, automatic, rwd. Didn't originally have air conditioning, but at some point had had an aftermarket a.c. installed. Surprisingly versatile car, even took it off-road a couple of times, sort of. Wrecked it after about a month.
Second car: 1975 Chevy Chevelle Laguna SS (bought 1984). 2-door coupe, 350 V-8, automatic, rwd. Ran it until it started burning oil real bad. Not as powerful as you might think, given the engine, because it was built right when emission controls were coming in, and they hadn't figured out how to do that without sucking the power out. Literally gave it away to one of my brother's friends.
Third car: 1986 Olds Cutlass Ciera (bought new). 4-door sedan, 3.8 V-6, automatic, fwd. Nice car, plenty of features. Totaled after a couple of years when some idiot rearended ime while I was stopped at a red light.
Fourth car: 1975 Olds Cutlass Supreme (bought 1988). 2-door coupe, 305 V-8, automatic, rwd. Not in good shape when I got it, but I needed a stop-gap after the Ciera was totaled. Engine caught fire late in the year; it still ran some, but just enough to get to work and back, and then it would stall. Just left it in the parking lot of my apartment when I moved in 1989.
Fifth car: 1979 Olds Delta 88 (bought 1988). 4-door sedan, automatic, rwd. Originally had had a diesel V-6, but at some point someone had replaced the diesel with a big-block, I think it was a 419 out of a 1971 Pontiac. Had a lot of problems, but more reliable than the Cutlass after the engine fire. Huge car--I could lie completely prone in the back seat. Still kept driving it some for about a year after I bought my 6th car (see below) but then it sat in my mom's garage for about a year until I finally sold it.
Sixth car: 1976 Plymouth Volare (bought 1989). 2-door coupe, 360 V-8 automatic, rwd. Had a beefed up suspension and cooling system as part of a towing package. Got surprisingly good gas mileage considering the engine. Broke down while I was in Tennessee on my way back from vacation, and I sold it there because it would have cost too much to have it towed home.
Seventh car: 1993 Chevy Lumina (bought new). 4-door sedan, 3.1 V-6, automatic, fwd. Probably my favorite of all my cars. Had a lot of neat options. More power than some of the V-8s I've owned. Kept it longer than any other car I've owned, finally totaled it after spinning on black ice. Had 380,000 miles on it; I had hoped to keep it till it got to half a million.
Eighth car: 2000 Chrysler Concorde (bought 2003). 4-door sedan, 3.5 V-6, automatic, fwd. Engine blew after a month. Not much to say about this one.
Ninth car: 2002 Kia Optima (technically given to me by my mom in 2006, but I'd had use of it since the Concorde died; she bought it in 2003). 4-door sedan, 2.3 I-4, automatic, fwd. Just basic transportation, but it gave us a lot of service; we put a lot of miles per year on it. Sold it in 2009 after it started needing repairs too frequently.
Tenth car: 2007 Ford Focus (bought 2008). 4-door sedan, 2.3 I-4, automatic, fwd. Bought for my wife, but titled in my name. Top trim package, some very nice touches, and I got a great deal on it. Unfortunately, my wife totaled it after about 3 months.
Eleventh car: 1996 Buick Century (bought 2009). 4-door sedan, 3.1 V-6, automatic, fwd. Bought for my wife, but titled in my name. I bought it without her having looked at it, and she hated it (I think not because of anything about the car itself, but just because I made the decision without her input), and I sold it after a week.
Twelfth car: 2005 Ford Focus (bought 2009). 4-door sedan, 2,3 I-4, automatic, fwd. Bought for my wife, but titled in my name. Starting in 2011, I was the primary driver. Not nearly as nicely appointed as the Focus we had previously. Sold in 2013 after it started having problems with the cooling system that couldn't be tracked down.
Thirteenth car: 2005 Hyundai Accent (given to me by my mom in 2011; she had bought it in 2006 after giving us the Kia). 4-door sedan, 1.6 I-4, automatic, fwd. Though a bit nicer than the Kia feature-wise, I still never regarded it as anything but basic transportation, and I hated driving it because the position of the steering wheel didn't suit me at all. I quickly traded with my wife for the Focus, though technically both cars were titled in my name until mid-2012. when I signed the Hyundai over to my wife. The transmission went out just before Christmas last year, and she traded it in right after New Year's Day.
Technically, I haven't owned a car since I sold the Focus in 2013, but I have the use of my mom's car. Cars I haven't owned, but have been own by a family member and I've had use of:
1975 Chevy Malibu (bought new by my parent). 4-door sedan, 350 V-6, automatic, rwd. Basically a land yacht. Might have actually been bigger overall than the Delta 88, but not quite as big on the interior. Got my driver's license in it, and drove it a few times before I got the Coronet, but after I graduated high school and went to college, I never drove it, even though my mom kept it until 1993.
1991 Geo Prism (bought by my mom in 1993). 4-door sedan, 1.6 I-4, automatic, fwd. Only drove it a couple of times in 2002 when the Lumina was in the shop, so I don't have much to say about it.
2012 Nissan Altima (bought by my mom in 2012, but not new). 4-door sedan, 3.5 V-6, CVT, fwd. In practice, this is my car, though it's in my mom's name (she quit driving in 2011). A nice enough car, but fairly bland, though the V-6 feels more powerful than its rating.
2017 Hyundai Elantra GT (bought by my wife this January). 5-door hatchback, 2.0 I-4, automatic, fwd. I've driven this one a couple of times. Nice little car, much nicer than the Accent.
First car: 1997 Chevy Camaro Convertible, V6, silver: Fun car with some real zoom to it. Decent mileage. Survived for a surprisingly long time with 0 maintenance after I gave it to my mother.
Second car: 2004 Chrysler Sebring Convertible, V6, red: Not quite as fun as the Camaro (and with slightly worse mileage). Frequent engine problems, including one blowup. Didn't survive as long with 0 maintenance after I gave it to my mother.
Third car: Dunno yet--don't need one where I'm living and working. It will probably be a used Tesla (if all goes well) or a used Prius (if I'm down and out).
I got my licence at 18, even missed part of my first day in university to take the test. :lol: In my life I've basically driven 4 cars (hell if I know their technical details):
- My first car (1997), in which I learned to drive, was my family's 2nd car, a really old Renault 5 that we must have had since the late 80s or so. It had no assisted direction (is that the name in English?) and handling the wheel was like a gym session. Only got to drive it for a summer doing practice in fields and dirt roads around our village. It was going to be my car once I got my licence, as a hand-me-down, but...
- My second car (1998-2003), and the one in which I really started to drive around, was an Opel Vectra, a far more luxurious car than I had any right to drive. It used to be my mom's company car and my family's main one, and she just got it updated when I got my licence, so instead of getting the old Renault I was handed down the Vectra, which was quite the whoah moment. I drove that almost every day for 3 years while I was in university, and then my brother drove it for a few more years, after which it was replaced by...
- My third car (2003-2010), a Volkswagen Polo. I didn't get to drive this one for several years, as it was bought while I was living away, so my brother was its main driver for its first few years. After I got back to my hometown in late 2005, it was the car I used for several years for work. It was great for urban driving, and really easy to park as it was quite compact, but it lacked power and was not really suitable for longer trips (for instance its gas capacity was not large enough to go from my hometown to Madrid on one tank, I always had to refuel at some point, which really annoyed me). At some point I decided that it just didn't cut it for me, sold it to a coworker and updated to...
- My fourth and current car (2010-now), and the first that is properly mine and not from my family, a Volkswagen Golf, which I got on a sweetheart deal from our usual dealership. It used to belong to a fleet of replacement cars from an insurance company, and after one year the company renewed its whole fleet and the dealership got to re-sell them, so I got a pretty nice discount for a car that was barely 1 year old and with very little mileage. Next year it'll turn 10, and the thought of changing it has crossed my mind already, but it works perfectly fine, it completely suits my needs and hasn't really showed any signs of aging. Besides, in the last few years I haven't really used it that much, it spends way more time in the garage than on the road, so sometimes I even wonder if I actually need it (mostly when I get the city taxes or the insurance payment), but I want to have the possibility of just taking it whenever I want, rather than do something more convoluted.
I've ocasionally driven my parents' car during all these years for family trips and so, which were mostly my mom's company cars that she got to buyat a reduced price when the lease finished. They were mostly Audis, A4s I believe. I remember a couple of them, mostly the one she kept when she retired that was my parents' car for several years.
At some point in the near future (say 2-5 years or so), what I've talked with my parents is that they might either quit or severely cut down on driving themselves, as they're putting on the years and their reflexes and reactions at the wheel are not what they used to be (mostly my mum, who turns 72 later this year and is the main driver of them, as my dad was never much of a driver, took ages to get his licence and never drove unless he really needed to), so they might give me their current car (another VW Golf, but a rather new model that they were convinced to get to replace the old Audi they drove from my mum's company car days) and just ask me to drive them around when they need to go anywhere.
Never had either license or car.
Jesus, people. Cars are freedom. Even in ancient countries like England where there's absolutely no space for them.
To answer Monger's original question, I think there has been a massive improvement of cars since he drove one and most of the gadgets are far from useless.
Quote from: Tamas on March 19, 2019, 06:01:29 AM
Jesus, people. Cars are freedom. Even in ancient countries like England where there's absolutely no space for them.
To answer Monger's original question, I think there has been a massive improvement of cars since he drove one and most of the gadgets are far from useless.
It totally depends on where you live. In many big cities with a decent public transportation network there's no real need to own a car. It's also expensive as hell to cover all its costs and if it's not worth it then it's not worth it.
I get what you mean about freedom, don't get me wrong. For my mom, who grew up in a small village in the middle of nowhere, getting her driving licence and a car meant the world to her, and she has admitted that it'll be really hard for her to eventually stop driving when she's not able to do it anymore, both of the implicit admittance of her decaying capabilities, but also for the loss of independence when moving around.
As for the improvement in cars, it's been massive in the last 5-10 years or so IMO, they're so much easier to drive nowadays. When my parents changed their car last year I insisted that they got one with assisted parking gizmos, and now they can't imagine doing it any other way.
Licence at 19, but after a few years of driving mostly during the summer and/or for the job, I don't drive anymore.
First car was the family car, a Diesel red 1978 (!) Ford Transit van. Mind you, this was in the second half of the '90s. :P
No air conditioning, manual of course. Old school Diesel, as in getting time to heat and not exactly nervous. Reliable though. Car had been somewhat upgraded in the '80s by adding a backseat (most important) and a new car radio and speakers, which never really got a lot of use. Ended up being sold to a handyman (Portuguese red van man? :hmm:).
The Larch complaining about the heavy steering wheel of a puny Renault 5 makes me laugh. :lol:
Felt pretty safe inside it, but not exactly great at speed. 4-speed gear box for a Diesel did not help. Upgrading to a 5-speed gear box was once considered by my father but was deemed too costly or unpractical.
Nice for small town/countryside driving where it may be freedom, or rather having no car means being a poor serf but hell in a big city if not for very good work reasons. Trying to park it in Paris would have been nightmarish.
PS: this was pre-GPS time area, so going to an unknown place meant planning the trip on a map and/or using it on the way, or asking the locals and getting into detours sometimes.
I've owned two cars. First was a 79 Honda Prelude I bought in 88 or 89. Two door, power sunroof, manual, busted radio. I made my Epic Transcontinental Journey in that car then around 92/93 it failed an emissions inspection then I sold it to a repair shop for $50 instead of paying the trillion dollars to get it up to spec.
The second is the car I own now, a 2017 Jeep Wrangler hardtop. 4wd (duh) automatic.
Quote from: Duque de Bragança on March 19, 2019, 06:26:27 AM
Licence at 19, but after a few years of driving mostly during the summer and/or for the job, I don't drive anymore.
First car was the family car, a Diesel red 1978 (!) Ford Transit van. Mind you, this was in the second half of the '90s. :P
No air conditioning, manual of course. Old school Diesel, as in getting time to heat and not exactly nervous. Reliable though. Car had been somewhat upgraded in the '80s by adding a backseat (most important) and a new car radio and speakers, which never really got a lot of use. Ended up being sold to a handyman (Portuguese red van man? :hmm:).
The Larch complaining about the heavy steering wheel of a puny Renault 5 makes me laugh. :lol:
Felt pretty safe inside it, but not exactly great at speed. 4-speed gear box for a Diesel did not help. Upgrading to a 5-speed gear box was once considered by my father but was deemed too costly or unpractical.
Nice for small town/countryside driving where it may be freedom, or rather having no car means being a poor serf but hell in a big city if not for very good work reasons. Trying to park it in Paris would have been nightmarish.
PS: this was pre-GPS time area, so going to an unknown place meant planning the trip on a map and/or using it on the way, or asking the locals and getting into detours sometimes.
:cool:
That's a rather neat, useful first vehicle to have. :)
Quote from: Tamas on March 19, 2019, 06:01:29 AM
Jesus, people. Cars are freedom. Even in ancient countries like England where there's absolutely no space for them.
To answer Monger's original question, I think there has been a massive improvement of cars since he drove one and most of the gadgets are far from useless.
Interesting, didn't expect the North American vs Europe divide to be that wide.
Also the age or generational difference is quite stark, I'm heard about the younger generation's declining car use, but this is an interesting demonstration.
Turn's out, Tricky, Yi and you to some extent are the outliers to the above two trends?
No license, no car.
It's been somewhat of a challenge in some parts of the US.
Quote from: Oexmelin on March 19, 2019, 09:23:14 AM
No license, no car.
It's been somewhat of a challenge in some parts of the US.
I can imagine.
I have enough trouble sometimes falling back on public transport and I'm only 100 miles from London.
Look, I am practically a public transit evangelist - I constantly extol the virtue's of Edmonton's LRT system, use it to ride to work every day. But I can't possibly imagine not having a vehicle for evenings / weekends. Bus service is not frequent, and often populated by sketchy characters. Obviously you can't purchase anything large or bulky and transport it on the bus.
Quote from: Barrister on March 19, 2019, 10:00:34 AM
Obviously you can't purchase anything large or bulky and transport it on the bus.
Back when we lived in Charleston, where there was a good bus system, on a couple of occasions when the car was in the shop and I had to ride the bus, just getting groceries home was a pain.
Quote from: mongers on March 19, 2019, 08:26:07 AM
Quote from: Tamas on March 19, 2019, 06:01:29 AM
Jesus, people. Cars are freedom. Even in ancient countries like England where there's absolutely no space for them.
To answer Monger's original question, I think there has been a massive improvement of cars since he drove one and most of the gadgets are far from useless.
Interesting, didn't expect the North American vs Europe divide to be that wide.
Also the age or generational difference is quite stark, I'm heard about the younger generation's declining car use, but this is an interesting demonstration.
Turn's out, Tricky, Yi and you to some extent are the outliers to the above two trends?
I have a car. It seems like you think I don't. :P
I presently own (and drive about 260 miles per week in) a 2006 Toyota Avensis. Automatic with a 2 liter petrol engine. Not ideal for long commutes fuel economy-wise I guess but oh boy was 146 petrol horsepowers was a big jump from my previous car (back in Hungary) a 1.4 diesel 2005 Corolla. :D
Sure it's still not a sport car but it is a good feeling to often be able just press down on the gas and quickly be out of a questionable situation (like joining a busy motorway for example).
The car itself is great, all things considered holding up very well mechanically. I am trying to keep it well maintained, althought not anymore in official Toyota garages, as that was just unreasonably expensive for such an old car.
What sucks a bit is just the amount of usage it gets, and that I don't have a garage. 2 flat tyres so far (one I heavily suspect was due to a knife-stab), windshield had to be replaced once and I've just had a previous tiny chip develop a small crack after the hail that hit the country, so second windshield change is probably happening in the foreseeable future.
Also its back rear side looks fugly after I wrecked it against the bloody parking lot entrance of my office. :P But in my defense I was the third person to do so and not the last. :P
Overall I love it.
Before that I drove a 2005 Toyota Corolla hatcback, which some of you people had seen and a couple of you even rode in. :) It had been in the care and use of my parents until very recently. My brother in law just got his license and now uses Precious to carry around my sister and their kid when needed. Which is great and far better than to see it wither away in unuse.
In parallel and before that I regularly drove my parents' 1991 VW Passat estate (nice car but it was near the end of its life when I got to it and it wasn't ideal for a fresh driver I think, as it had developed a bit of sensitive soul by then), then its replacement a 2008 Hyundai Tucson, both manuals.
Quote from: Tamas on March 19, 2019, 10:13:15 AM
Quote from: mongers on March 19, 2019, 08:26:07 AM
Quote from: Tamas on March 19, 2019, 06:01:29 AM
Jesus, people. Cars are freedom. Even in ancient countries like England where there's absolutely no space for them.
To answer Monger's original question, I think there has been a massive improvement of cars since he drove one and most of the gadgets are far from useless.
Interesting, didn't expect the North American vs Europe divide to be that wide.
Also the age or generational difference is quite stark, I'm heard about the younger generation's declining car use, but this is an interesting demonstration.
Turn's out, Tricky, Yi and you to some extent are the outliers to the above two trends?
I have a car. It seems like you think I don't. :P
I presently own (and drive about 260 miles per week in) a 2006 Toyota Avensis. Automatic with a 2 liter petrol engine. Not ideal for long commutes fuel economy-wise I guess but oh boy was 146 petrol horsepowers was a big jump from my previous car (back in Hungary) a 1.4 diesel 2005 Corolla. :D
Sure it's still not a sport car but it is a good feeling to often be able just press down on the gas and quickly be out of a questionable situation (like joining a busy motorway for example).
The car itself is great, all things considered holding up very well mechanically. I am trying to keep it well maintained, althought not anymore in official Toyota garages, as that was just unreasonably expensive for such an old car.
What sucks a bit is just the amount of usage it gets, and that I don't have a garage. 2 flat tyres so far (one I heavily suspect was due to a knife-stab), windshield had to be replaced once and I've just had a previous tiny chip develop a small crack after the hail that hit the country, so second windshield change is probably happening in the foreseeable future.
Also its back rear side looks fugly after I wrecked it against the bloody parking lot entrance of my office. :P But in my defense I was the third person to do so and not the last. :P
Overall I love it.
Before that I drove a 2005 Toyota Corolla hatcback, which some of you people had seen and a couple of you even rode in. :) It had been in the care and use of my parents until very recently. My brother in law just got his license and now uses Precious to carry around my sister and their kid when needed. Which is great and far better than to see it wither away in unuse.
In parallel and before that I regularly drove my parents' 1991 VW Passat estate (nice car but it was near the end of its life when I got to it and it wasn't ideal for a fresh driver I think, as it had developed a bit of sensitive soul by then), then its replacement a 2008 Hyundai Tucson, both manuals.
No, that as a younger European you DO have a car, seems to be in a minority for Languishites under 40.
My first car was a 1978 Firebird - just like Rockford. I saved up all my money and bought it in 85 from a rep team coach I had. I loved that car and so did the girls.
When that died, a few years later (didn't have the money to put into the repairs it required to keep it on the road), I went without a car until after I was a lawyer and married. We decided we needed a vehicle for a family so we got the signature family vehicle of that time - a dodge mini van.
Then we purchased a Mitsubishi SUV primarily for ski trips and a Toyota Camry hybrid for getting the family around the city.
Now I have a Kia Soul electric for the city. We still have the SUV for the odd long range trip into ski/wine country. But when the new generation of electrics with greater range come out that will be replaced with an EV.
looking at my list, one thing that's obvious in how cars have changed over time is the shift from V-8 powered rwd cars to fwd cars with V-6s or I-4 engines. Something that's not obvious, though, is that all the cars I had that were manufactured in the 70s had column mounted shifters, something you rarely see nowadays.
Quote from: dps on March 19, 2019, 11:46:22 AM
looking at my list, one thing that's obvious in how cars have changed over time is the shift from V-8 powered rwd cars to fwd cars with V-6s or I-4 engines. Something that's not obvious, though, is that all the cars I had that were manufactured in the 70s had column mounted shifters, something you rarely see nowadays.
But that's a shift that happened back in the 1980s.
The big shift of the last 10-15 years is really the rise of cross-over vehicles, and demise of the sedan.
I started driving in my very late 20s, as a result of a career change to automation engineering. Until then I used my bike or public transport to get around.
I've only ever owned my first and only car, a Kia (diesel, manual, FWD). It's closing on 15 years old now, but still works. I could easily afford to replace it, but why would I do such a thing?
I did drive a lot of km in my employer's Passat SWs in the two years I spent travelling around Central Europe. Those were nice cars. Comfortable, ample, with enough power to get easily past 200 kph and a big enough tank to get to Poland at full throttle.
Quote from: Barrister on March 19, 2019, 11:54:33 AM
Quote from: dps on March 19, 2019, 11:46:22 AM
looking at my list, one thing that's obvious in how cars have changed over time is the shift from V-8 powered rwd cars to fwd cars with V-6s or I-4 engines. Something that's not obvious, though, is that all the cars I had that were manufactured in the 70s had column mounted shifters, something you rarely see nowadays.
But that's a shift that happened back in the 1980s.
The big shift of the last 10-15 years is really the rise of cross-over vehicles, and demise of the sedan.
Well, the question was about cars we've owned, and we've never had a crossover.
We have a 2018 Lexus RX 350 and a 2008 Civic Hybrid. I drive the Civic. :blush:
I don't really care though, since my commute is 3 miles long and it's so fuel efficient I fill it up like once every six weeks.
Quote from: mongers on March 18, 2019, 09:23:51 PM
What sort of cars have you driven and how has that changed over time?
I'm asking because not having bothered to drive for 20 odd years, I'm out of touch as to what people typically drive, how big they are, what power and performance is like. Front wheel vs Rear vs 4 wheel drive. Petrol or Diesel?
My outsider's impression is that all cars now weigh close to a couple of tonnes have 200+ hp and are full of useless gadgets. :D
For comparison, excluding work's vehicles I've only ever driven petrol, non-automatic cars, with it split 60/40% front vs rear wheel drive.
A rough estimate shows all the cars I've owned have been in the 800-1200kg,curb weight range, ignoring a couple of outliers, like a 505 estate.
I have my license at 16 and 3 months. I managed to go behind my mother's back and have my father sign some paper for school that I couldn't attend some outdoor activity because he needed me to work with him, so I could go and get my license with one of my friend.
I bought my first cast at 17 years old. In between that, I drove my parent's car, a Oldsmobile Regency and some pickup trucks, diesel and gaz.
Pontiac Sunbird 1990Nice little red car, 4 cylinders. Totally trashed the car by colliding with a snowplower on the highway during a snowstorm. I only had 6 more months left to finally pay that damn car :cry: There was a huge problem on these models in that one of the engine gasket was defective and it was leaking oil. I kept telling the dealer there was a burnt smell after riding for a while, but of course, anytime I'd go to the dealer, their mechanic would try it for 5 minutes and declare there was no smell. I think it took them 2 years to finally find the problem.
Automatic car, as my mother was theoritically 1st driver and she didn't drive manual.
Chevrolet Cavalier 1993Good, reliable car, 4 cylinders. No major problem on this one. Manual transmission. There was a weird problem I kept having in that my ABS light kept flashing and I would lose the ABS breaks. Finally discovered that the place I worked at, the dog was chewing some cables underneath the car <_<
Chevrolet Camaro 1998 :wub: Manual car, no major problem, except I drove over a railroad crossing a little too fast and broke the oil pan. Cost me 800$ to repair dammit.
Not much room in the back seat, not very comfy on the passenger side, most people complained it was too low, but I loved it that way.6 cylinders, 200hp, gave it some ooompf for the start.
Mercedes C-230 2008First used car I bought, hybrid auto/manual transmission, 6 cylinders. What a piece of shit. Constantly had to find some place to repair it, I think I went to the dealer 3-4 times while it was still under warranty, and then, of course, living in a small town, no one here really knew how to repair problems. And problems there were. Too many to list, but I tilted in the end and made an almost compulsive buy after I got the same problem for the 2nd time. Finally sold it for 5000$ to some African dude from Montreal who tried to hussle me out of some money. Didn't really work, but at some point, I really felt like I was in some gangster movie :P
I parked it at my friend's garage and publish an online ad. I got a hit from some foreigner from Montreal. I was asking 6000$, we settled for 5500$ and I wouldn't have to make any repairs on it he would take care of it. That piece of shit (the car) had again a problem when I showed it to the guy and I promised him I'd pay the repairs (400$, in the end).
Anyway. He came with his wife, his cousin and a friend. 3 black dudes looking like gangsta rappers. Guy tried to haggle for the convened price saying he had no more money to pay for his licence plate. Didn't work. But I had 5500$ cash on me. And we had to go the license registration office together for the transfer. I asked to stop at the bank first to deposit the money. Fine. But so we go. And I'm being followed. Who's that guy following me? I asked. "Oh it's only my cousin coming with me, making sure everything is ok". Wait. I'm the one carrying the cash, he has the car keys, what is it he's risking? Are they trying to rob me and leave with the car? He's in my new car with his wife and there's two strange dudes following me.
Anyhow. I was suspicious. So I stopped at the bank, asked a teller to check the bills to make sure they were legit. She showed me some hack to check for fakes in the future and told me the ATM should detect fake bills from real ones. But really, I wasn't in any mood to trust a machine...
Everything turned out allright, the bills were legit, so up to the vehicle office. There, he tried again telling me he had no money to pay. In Quebec you have to pay provincial sales tax when you register a used car, plus, obviously, the costs of licensing the vehicle. Nope, ain't paying for you, even if you promise me a refund "very soon". I'll drive you to the nearest ATM. "Oh, no, it's ok, I'll ask my cousin". So cousin has no money. Wife decides to pay, but she only has Visa and they don't take credit card. He tries to haggle with the clerk, saying he'll pay the full amount once he's in Montreal. I could feel she was two steps away from calling the police...
His cousin comes and ask me to lend him money. Nope, I'll drive you the nearest ATM. We go to the ATM, he gets the money, comes back, pays everything, we go back the the mechanic's shop, and I leave him there.
I later learn they both tried haggling for some of the used cars on sale there. But I have my money, dammit! :D
So, that stupid car was problematic from day 1 to the bitter end of its life with me.
Acura TLX 2016 Elite Tech A-Spec :wub:
I got a really, really good offer in Montreal (yes Grey Fox, Brossard is not Montreal, but it's close enough for me :P ).
Some insurance broker just got a promotion and wanted to buy some almost discontinued BMW sports car. The dude, really, really, really wanted to sell the car instead of returning it to the dealer (it was a rent) and pestered Honda Financial and the credit manager at the dealer for an entire week to expedite things. It was very obvious she was pissed off to see us on a Friday pm, and I don't think she even tried to hide her disdain of me and him. Or just me because I didn't look like the kind of guy who could afford an Acura. Totally snobb, as expected for any above middle class Montrealer ;) :sleep:
Anyhow. It took the major part of day. Our appointment was for 12:30, I got out at 16:45.Just in time for Montreal's traffick.
But what a wonderful car it is. Way too many gadgets, lots of stuff I could live without, but I like the shape and the acceleration. BB will be happy to know that no police radar have been hurt in the process of retrieving my car. ;)
There is no way I will be able to afford buying the car next year, at the end of it's renting period. There is no way I will be able to afford buying this exact same model for fall 2020. But I'll do my best to look for any options that let me have something very similar albeit not "Elite" so I could save a few bucks and afford it. It's not like the Elite brings anything useful anyway. And it's very similar to a Honda Civic, except the Civic is only front wheel drive while this one is AWD. Maybe if there's an AWD Civic I'll buy this instead.This one has 6 cylinders and a turbo. The transmission has 4 different modes, Economy, Standard, Sport and Sport Plus. I usually drive in economy mode, I get around 8L/100km. Sports Plus is insane, it's like Turbo Boost on K-2000 :P
Not a recommended mode if you want to keep your driver's license.
Quote from: viper37 on March 19, 2019, 02:34:32 PM
Maybe if there's an AWD Civic I'll buy this instead.
Honda CR-V is the Civic platform with a crossover bodystyle, and you can get it with AWD.
Quote from: Barrister on March 19, 2019, 02:42:28 PM
Quote from: viper37 on March 19, 2019, 02:34:32 PM
Maybe if there's an AWD Civic I'll buy this instead.
Honda CR-V is the Civic platform with a crossover bodystyle, and you can get it with AWD.
My cousin has this. But it's closer to a SUV and I don't really like that, I find this too big for my tastes.
Quote from: viper37 on March 19, 2019, 03:19:05 PM
Quote from: Barrister on March 19, 2019, 02:42:28 PM
Quote from: viper37 on March 19, 2019, 02:34:32 PM
Maybe if there's an AWD Civic I'll buy this instead.
Honda CR-V is the Civic platform with a crossover bodystyle, and you can get it with AWD.
My cousin has this. But it's closer to a SUV and I don't really like that, I find this too big for my tastes.
It absolutely is closer to a SUV - that's why it's called a crossover - a cross between a car and a truck-based SUV. It's no longer than a Civic, since it's the same car underneath. It's just taller.
But if you want a Civic with AWD, the only option is the CR-V.
Quote from: Barrister on March 19, 2019, 03:50:05 PM
It absolutely is closer to a SUV - that's why it's called a crossover - a cross between a car and a truck-based SUV. It's no longer than a Civic, since it's the same car underneath. It's just taller.
But if you want a Civic with AWD, the only option is the CR-V.
There's also the HR-V, which is between a Civic and a CR-V and can come with AWD.
Quote from: frunk on March 19, 2019, 03:55:54 PM
Quote from: Barrister on March 19, 2019, 03:50:05 PM
It absolutely is closer to a SUV - that's why it's called a crossover - a cross between a car and a truck-based SUV. It's no longer than a Civic, since it's the same car underneath. It's just taller.
But if you want a Civic with AWD, the only option is the CR-V.
There's also the HR-V, which is between a Civic and a CR-V and can come with AWD.
Huh - not familiar with it. You're right, it might be what Viper would like. It's more like a 4 door hatch.
Out of curiosity I looked up the most powerful car I ever owned, drum-roll ..... according to wiki it had all of 109 bhp. :D
Quote from: mongers on March 19, 2019, 04:38:07 PM
Out of curiosity I looked up the most powerful car I ever owned, drum-roll ..... according to wiki it had all of 109 bhp. :D
Tell me it wasn't the same type of car Mr. Bean owned. ;)
Quote from: Malthus on March 19, 2019, 04:46:10 PM
Quote from: mongers on March 19, 2019, 04:38:07 PM
Out of curiosity I looked up the most powerful car I ever owned, drum-roll ..... according to wiki it had all of 109 bhp. :D
Tell me it wasn't the same type of car Mr. Bean owned. ;)
It was a Lancia Beta, which on the plus side was a light 1000 kg and got noticeably lighter as it aged, what with it being made out of Italian 2nd hand washing machine 'steel' :D
is that the car Ali G ends up with?
Quote from: Admiral Yi on March 19, 2019, 05:00:54 PM
is that the car Ali G ends up with?
No idea, I seriously doubt any have lasted that long.
They were quite nippy were the Lancia Betas, but they decomposed into a pile of rust with incredible rapidity, so you didn't press the pedals too hard in case your foot went through the floor :P
How on Earth do I know this :hmm: ?
Quote from: mongers on March 19, 2019, 08:22:04 AM
That's a rather neat, useful first vehicle to have. :)
I was not too thrilled back then, but if one manages to get a hold of that kind of cars, nowadays cars seem like toys. :P Even big German sedans/saloons. :D
Quote from: Richard Hakluyt on March 20, 2019, 01:56:32 AM
They were quite nippy were the Lancia Betas, but they decomposed into a pile of rust with incredible rapidity, so you didn't press the pedals too hard in case your foot went through the floor :P
How on Earth do I know this :hmm: ?
You could clearly see the fall of communism in my Dad's Ladas. :D The first he got at the end of the 70s survived well into the late 80s before he would start seeing the road from the rust holes. The second Lada we didn't keep long enough for rust becoming a problem, but the third one (early 90s already), a Lada Samara lasted around 3 years before it started having all kinds of problem including extensive rusting. :huh:
The first one we kept seeing on the road (as a local guy bought it) for about a decade after he sold it.
My first car: a Chrysler K-car, I bought from my father in law, when I got tired of backpacking groceries and laundry. It was a terrible car, but it took an amazing amount of beating and kept going - including being crushed, in our driveway, by a turning bus. :lol: Eventually it rusted past the point of safety.
Second car was a used Ford Taurus. Seemed okay, certainly a lot larger inside. My wife totaled it on the highway (fortunately no-one was hurt).
Latest car, first one I bought new, is a Subaru Forester. Very good car for what I use it for - in particular, with its drive, I don't get stuck in snowbanks while going cross-country skiing, which tended to happen with the previous two cars.
Quote from: Barrister on March 19, 2019, 04:01:10 PM
Quote from: frunk on March 19, 2019, 03:55:54 PM
Quote from: Barrister on March 19, 2019, 03:50:05 PM
It absolutely is closer to a SUV - that's why it's called a crossover - a cross between a car and a truck-based SUV. It's no longer than a Civic, since it's the same car underneath. It's just taller.
But if you want a Civic with AWD, the only option is the CR-V.
There's also the HR-V, which is between a Civic and a CR-V and can come with AWD.
Huh - not familiar with it. You're right, it might be what Viper would like. It's more like a 4 door hatch.
I might buy a Subaru next. I just don't like these crossovers/hatchback/SUVs.
I like small cars with a lot of oomph! in the engine.
I really don't need a computer to hold the steering wheel for me, and anyway, it's useless as soon as there's snow.
I don't need auto-dimming mirrors, I can live without the constant collision alert but the adaptive cruise control is real nice though.
Basically, lots of useless tech for me on this car. But I got it for less than an inferior model, so, I got it. It gives me a small taste of the rich&famous :P
1973 Plymouth Duster 340: Molar A-Body with their best small block v8. Still wish I had it.
1984 Dodge Colt: workhorse
1984 Dodge W150 SWB Currently contemplating restoring
1995 Mazda Protege: decent car
1977 Aspen RT: currently tore down
1991 Mustang LX 5.0: fun car with manual 5 speed and 4.10 rear gears
2002 SS Camaro LS1: Sweet ride
2005 Dodge Neon SXT 219k miles and still going strong
1980 Dodge Mirada: fair weather car. Converted it to fuel injection a couple of years ago
2015 Ford Focus ST: Quick and fast
still owned
Where do you keep them?
Quote from: Threviel on March 23, 2019, 12:04:21 PM
Where do you keep them?
(https://dodgeforum.com/forum/attachments/off-topic/121611d1501477876-redneck-yards-cars002.jpg)
:P
None of them in cinderblocks? :P
Quote from: 11B4V on March 23, 2019, 11:27:15 AM
1973 Plymouth Duster 340: Molar A-Body with their best small block v8. Still wish I had it.
1984 Dodge Colt: workhorse
1984 Dodge W150 SWB Currently contemplating restoring
1995 Mazda Protege: decent car
1977 Aspen RT: currently tore down
1991 Mustang LX 5.0: fun car with manual 5 speed and 4.10 rear gears
2002 SS Camaro LS1: Sweet ride
2005 Dodge Neon SXT 219k miles and still going strong
1980 Dodge Mirada: fair weather car. Converted it to fuel injection a couple of years ago
2015 Ford Focus ST: Quick and fast
still owned
:cool:
Some nice characterful cars there, 11B4V.
Is that a '49 Caddy there, too?
I'm surprised by the number of Dodges. Dodge always seemed like the least gearhead brand.
Quote from: Admiral Yi on March 23, 2019, 10:51:22 PM
I'm surprised by the number of Dodges. Dodge always seemed like the least gearhead brand.
Actually the opposite.