Automobiles

[funcrusher]

In Columbia County NY (2-2.5hrs north of NYC) it is all Subarus and Volvos among the nomadic peoples. The residents all drive pickups and full-sized SUVs.

The XC70 seems quite popular. So does the Outback. I'd say if you have a college degree up there, you are pretty likely to be driving one or the other of those cars. If you are building houses for people with college degrees, you are probably driving a murdered out Ford or Chevy pickup with wheels off of a strip mining vehicle.

i went to college...does that mean i can't drive a raptor?

[j44ke]

i went to college...does that mean i can't drive a raptor?

Yes. If you want a truck, you have to drive a painfully stock Ford F100 in two tone light green and white with the most normal tires on it you can find.

[Tamu8104]

Yes. If you want a truck, you have to drive a painfully stock Ford F100 in two tone light green and white with the most normal tires on it you can find.

Somebody has never been to college down here :) A $70K King Ranch 350 is why a lot of guys go to college in these parts, so they can drive it to the office of course....

[j44ke]

I will readily agree that my sample size is limited to what I see plus a vivid imagination.

[robin3mj]

Seems like my wife's objections to the Volvo V60 wagon were a product of momentary insanity. She spent yesterday haggling to get the price down below $40K for a Platinum trim FWD in dark gray. We've been told by a friend who is a life-long Volvo nut that a V60 FWD + Hakkapeliittas will do whatever we need in the winter, so we skipped the AWD to keep the possible 35mpg the rest of the year. Hopefully we can pick the car up this afternoon, so we can drive it to Thanksgiving in the Catskills and join the long line of Volvos and Subarus going north for the holidays.

Now we just need to figure out a place to park it.

Jorn, any additional thoughts on your V60 now that you've had a few months behind the wheel?

We just scheduled our TDI wagon buyback, so it's time to actually start deciding on the next car. My wife is shockingly wavering on a manual transmission, finally beaten down by her DC area commute, so with a wagon/hatch being the only qualifier, our options have expanded.

For the price of the Alltrack (with stick is still my choice, but alas), we're also in range of a lightly used V60, A4, 3-Series, etc. The Volvo looks like the best mix of comfort, size, performance, and price, but will have to actually go and drive things soon.

[j44ke]

I still like it. I have turned off a lot of the automatic features, but I like the rear camera, the anti-collision and the climate control. Heated seats and steering wheel are nice too. I've heard complaints about the stiffness of the ride from others who have the same model, but to me it is just a European car, not a BarcaLounger. The car is very conservatively outfitted with electronic gizmos, which I like actually. There is a whole media/navigation/settings console but it feels like pretty analog stuff with an electronic interface overlay. I don't use the cruise control much because of the intense traffic around NYC, but on a drive down to Virginia in December it worked very well and I like its automatic speed control when approaching slower traffic.

My wife used to occasionally check my speed while driving the VW. Then she would tell me to slow down. Now when she checks my speed in the Volvo, she doesn't say anything because she thinks I am driving too slowly and then sees the actual speed is a lot faster than she thought. The car isn't a rubber burner, but it just drives really well. Super smooth, very confidence inspiring. And we're getting about 32mpg on average.

You should definitely drive one to compare, especially if you are looking at automatics. I thought the Volvo automatic was the smoothest of the cars we tried.

[Saab2000]

......My wife is shockingly wavering on a manual transmission, finally beaten down by her DC area commute, so with a wagon/hatch being the only qualifier, our options have expanded.

For the price of the Alltrack (with stick is still my choice, but alas).....

Don't worry about the loss of the manual. I've been driving them for 33 years so I feel I'm qualified to comment on this, and I'm over them, at least in that environment. I don't want them to go away, but as someone who has spent hours in Virginia traffic, both in the DC metro area and the Hampton Roads area, they wear you out. Even more so in NoVa with the terrain. Constantly sawing at the shifter and feathering the clutch is fun for a minute and then no more. My first Porsche or my next Mazda Miata (more likely) will have a manual, but forget it in rolling, urban traffic like DC exurbia. They aren't fun in the least in that setting. Just my $.02.

[sonicw]

Volvo wagons are great, with the car's two rear seats down, and seatposts and front wheels removed, I can fit 3 bikes in the back while seating two passengers. No aerodynamic penalty from a roof rack either. There always were a lot of them where I'm from, but I'm starting to notice even more of the P2 generation XC70s, which makes me think they're shifting from soccer mom duty to more utilitarian uses in the used market.

[roseyscot]

325i xdrive wagon or 535i xdrive wagon? Used, 2006 - 2009 vintages, 100k mile range. Want all wheel drive, will be second car to the family SUV so size is not the most important. Discuss

[mmoore]

family wagon I would get the 5 series. interior space isn't to be forgotten about, especially If you take it for a week/weekend retreat with the family.
and the 3.5L engine should have more power....

[AngryScientist]

2006 - 2009 vintages, 100k mile range.

be careful. i have an 07 328 and the electrical demons are not to be ignored. i dont give a damn because the engine and trans (6-sp M) are bulletproof, but right now idiot light on the dash for

-adaptive headlights - out
-traction control - out
-abs - out

so i probably have a steering position sensor out of service as well as something in the ABS control circuit out of service. i've gone through 2 cam position sensors, which i replaced myself, which is a PIA.

great car. drives fantastically (mine is RWD), but man - the computer systems are a drag.

oh, and because it's on the same control loop as the ABS, i dont have cruise control. and because it's on the same control loop as the steering position sensor, my turn signals wont shut off on their own after completing a turn, gotta stop them manually.

[roseyscot]

be careful. i have an 07 328 and the electrical demons are not to be ignored. i dont give a damn because the engine and trans (6-sp M) are bulletproof, but right now idiot light on the dash for

-adaptive headlights - out
-traction control - out
-abs - out

so i probably have a steering position sensor out of service as well as something in the ABS control circuit out of service. i've gone through 2 cam position sensors, which i replaced myself, which is a PIA.

great car. drives fantastically (mine is RWD), but man - the computer systems are a drag.

oh, and because it's on the same control loop as the ABS, i dont have cruise control. and because it's on the same control loop as the steering position sensor, my turn signals wont shut off on their own after completing a turn, gotta stop them manually.

are those electrical demons shared by the 5 series?

[deano]

Welp. Sold my Ranger today and our TDI turn-in date is ten days out, so we've got to make two family car decisions pronto.

Budget 16-20k for two autos, 18 is the sweetspot. One needs 4x4/AWD, both need back seats & four doors and to be reliable. High on the list are '09-'12 RAV4s, 5-10 year old Subaru Foresters & Outbacks; & I'm oddly intrigued by 10-year-old Toyota Carollas and Sienna minivans all of a sudden. Friends in the know swear by the van. We have a very doggy, bikey, & ... growing ... kind of lifestyle when it comes to our travelling m.o..

What's the right pair of cars? Come at me, bros!

[sailor]

325i xdrive wagon or 535i xdrive wagon? Used, 2006 - 2009 vintages, 100k mile range. Want all wheel drive, will be second car to the family SUV so size is not the most important. Discuss

I drove both before buying my 325xi. 3 series is much sportier/fun to drive, 5 series is a cruiser and faster in a straight line (with the turbo). The sports seats in the 3 are awesome but it is small, you don't want to sit behind me unless you are short and the car seat only fits in the center. Luggage space is limited as well. Overall I like my car and it meets my needs while being fun to drive. It does suck gas, I average 21-22mpg in mixed driving.

[robin3mj]

Welp. Sold my Ranger today and our TDI turn-in date is ten days out, so we've got to make two family car decisions pronto.

Budget 16-20k for two autos, 18 is the sweetspot. One needs 4x4/AWD, both need back seats & four doors and to be reliable. High on the list are '09-'12 RAV4s, 5-10 year old Subaru Foresters & Outbacks; & I'm oddly intrigued by 10-year-old Toyota Carollas and Sienna minivans all of a sudden. Friends in the know swear by the van. We have a very doggy, bikey, & ... growing ... kind of lifestyle when it comes to our travelling m.o..

What's the right pair of cars? Come at me, bros!

The funny thing about Toyotas is that once you start thinking about them, you notice they're everywhere, all model years. They just seem to last and last.
I can't speak to Sienna longevity, as we bought a new one less than a year ago, but I love ours. You could get one of those and a decent RAV4 or similar for that kind of scratch, and know you'd rarely have to worry about expensive repair bills.

[deano]

Yeah, you are a Toyota guy aren't you? I was a believer in my 92 4x4 pickup for sure. At one point I heard that some ridiculous percentage, like 90% of all camrys and corollas ever built were still on the road. That was a number of years ago but still.

[nahtnoj]

Welp. Sold my Ranger today and our TDI turn-in date is ten days out, so we've got to make two family car decisions pronto.

Budget 16-20k for two autos, 18 is the sweetspot. One needs 4x4/AWD, both need back seats & four doors and to be reliable. High on the list are '09-'12 RAV4s, 5-10 year old Subaru Foresters & Outbacks; & I'm oddly intrigued by 10-year-old Toyota Carollas and Sienna minivans all of a sudden. Friends in the know swear by the van. We have a very doggy, bikey, & ... growing ... kind of lifestyle when it comes to our travelling m.o..

What's the right pair of cars? Come at me, bros!

Get a Matrix and a 4th gen 4Runner or 100 series Cruiser. You'll have change on that 18K for sure.

[deano]

Get a Matrix and a 4th gen 4Runner or 100 series Cruiser. You'll have change on that 18K for sure.

I like Crusiers but have had a hard time finding one that didn't have 250k miles and still cost a pretty $0.01. "Last forever" is a nice figure of speech, but in my experience it's a throw of the dice on any 20 year old car and reality eventually chomps down. You got a nice one to sell me? :D

[robin3mj]

Get a Matrix and a 4th gen 4Runner or 100 series Cruiser. You'll have change on that 18K for sure.

This is good advice- my brother has had zero issues with his ’03-ish 4Runner. Also have multiple aunts and uncles (and their kids) who live up the mountain in NW NJ and they've driven nothing but Corolla and Camrys for years.

Another nice one to look out for would be the Venza. Though there’s not a ton out there, I’m guessing because when people looked at it side by side with the Highlander, they’d choose the “tougher” looking one more frequently. Shame though- a mid/full size wagon from Toyota (or Honda even) would be a nice option in today’s marketplace.

Yeah, you are a Toyota guy aren't you? I was a believer in my 92 4x4 pickup for sure. At one point I heard that some ridiculous percentage, like 90% of all camrys and corollas ever built were still on the road. That was a number of years ago but still.

I have been a VW guy for 20+ years but am slowly (maybe) becoming a Toyota guy. The minivan was the first step- basically my wife and I both like it better than the Honda, and we had no appetite for expanding our search to other brands. There’s a reason they sell so many Siennas and Odysseys, right?
My recently acquired ’98 4Runner (for $4K) is a low mileage commuter that can haul my bike to the MTB trails and on my split wintertime drive/bike commute. It’s a lot of fun, but could easily have been an older Passat or Volvo wagon.
Still need to turn in our TDI Wagon, and the replacement is really up to the wife- she prefers European cars.

[Blue Jays]

"...Another nice one to look out for would be the Venza.
Though there’s not a ton out there, I’m guessing because when people looked at it side by side with the Highlander, they’d choose the “tougher” looking one more frequently..."

It is indeed unfortunate that Toyota discontinued that vehicle. It was truly HUGE and utilitarian once inside the car.
Given sufficient time and patience by manufacturers, I remain convinced station wagons can gain marketshare.
They have LOTS more advantages on the road. Buyers must accept 99% of us won't be doing extreme rock crawling.