Random Thoughts... [Automotive Edition]

*bites hand*
I am pretty sure when I go to the ford dealer to test drive focuses I will end up in a mustang instead. I am pretty sure the insurance will be rapetastic but ffffff. Still want.
 
Seriously, before you go shit in people's faces you should get your facts straight.

I did, per what actually appeared on my screen. Your first quoted post literally did not appear. For that matter, I'm still getting the occasional 502 Bad Gateway errors over here...

Millions bought them, you just missed out on the best family vehicle ... ... ... in the world.

Not over here we didn't. Maybe if VW had sent over ones that were powered by something other than an asthmatic gerbil. Even with more power, they were very tippy and didn't handle well. Plus they scored poorly on crash tests over here; the EuroVan/MultiVan got the lowest possible score for the driver in NHTSA crash testing. The fact that they went on fire regularly didn't help much either.

*bites hand*
I am pretty sure when I go to the ford dealer to test drive focuses I will end up in a mustang instead. I am pretty sure the insurance will be rapetastic but ffffff. Still want.

Ford works with insurance companies to keep the insurance rate low on the V6 Mustang low. Mostly because the primary driver for one is young and female, and the primary buyer is her parents, who are concerned with insurance costs. It's the GT model that racks up the high rates.

If the Mustang doesn't float your boat, don't forget about the Hyundai Genesis Coupe. A 10 year, 100,000 mile warranty says a lot.
 
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?

Agreed, doo ittt!!! :)

And the original poster was talking about the T4 sold in the US as well. You came out of nowhere with the Vanagon. Go read the thread again.

If you want to play the "Go read the thread again" game, I recommend you read the thread again.

I introduce my T3 Multivan as an example. Rickhamilton replies to that, citing the American Multivan. If there was any implicit switch of generations it happened there.


First post with Multivan content:


Second post with Multivan content:


Did I come with the T3 out of nowhere after everyone was discussing the T4? :no:
I really recommend you read the thread again.


Mom, Dad, stop arguing plz! It was my fault! :p *cries*

But seriously, in my rush to post in a quick moving thread, I misread T3 as T4. What's done is done. :)
 
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*bites hand*
I am pretty sure when I go to the ford dealer to test drive focuses I will end up in a mustang instead. I am pretty sure the insurance will be rapetastic but ffffff. Still want.


Let me remind you of your own words from a few pages back:
I live on a hill so steep the freaking plows skid out occasionally in bad weather (which we have had a lot of lately) and I am pretty sure you can't even do the sand bag in the trunk trick with the lack of trunk. :(

And you think that the Mustang will be better up the snowy hill than the Miata because...?
 
Snow tires and some weight in the back and it should be fine in the hands of a competent driver.
 
That's right. But I believe that was the reason she ruled out the Miata in the first place.
 
Millions bought them, you just missed out on the best family vehicle ... ... ... in the world.

Not over here we didn't. Maybe if VW had sent over ones that were powered by something other than an asthmatic gerbil. Even with more power, they were very tippy and didn't handle well. Plus they scored poorly on crash tests over here; the EuroVan/MultiVan got the lowest possible score for the driver in NHTSA crash testing. The fact that they went on fire regularly didn't help much either.

I actually like the Eurovan. It's biggest issues were price and power. It was gobsmackingly expensive at the 1999 relaunch until they started taking a haircut profit wise on them to price it competitively around 2001-2002 and the power was weak until the 1999 model year when it was reintroduced into the US market. By then though, it had even bigger issues. A lack of a driver's side sliding door, not so flexible rear seating (you had to use tools to remove the third row bench...not good when you could get an odyssey or MPV with a fold away third row, GM's lightweight "modular" seats, or Chrysler's "Easy-Out" roller seats) and that aforementioned safety record of early models. Granted those didn't have airbags, while the 1999-2003 models came with dual airbags. The Eurovan was the first van with standard ESP though, which is admirable.

Motorweek reviews of Eurovan- 1993 intro model up top, 2002 refreshed van below.


[video=youtube;il1R6-mk2Xg]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=il1R6-mk2Xg[/video]

I'd take it over a Routan anyday. Not that the Routan is a bad van, not at all, but it's not unique like the Eurovan was.
 
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I actually like the Eurovan.

I am sure YOU do :p

In other news, my car is back from the shop - new radiator and new hoses installed along with some other minor things. Total bill: $580...Ouch!
 
Minis are LESS reliable than VW? D:
And they run on premium which fucks their mpg rate.

Fiesta and focus are on my definite test drive rate, especially since if something goes wrong the dealer is so close I could probably push it there. :lol:

Let me remind you of your own words from a few pages back:


And you think that the Mustang will be better up the snowy hill than the Miata because...?

I think it would do better because it has about 1000 lbs of weight on it. I am trying to talk myself out of it and know that could end badly.
Also miata is convertible which is a big huge strike against it.
 
Minis are LESS reliable than VW? D:
And they run on premium which fucks their mpg rate.

Fiesta and focus are on my definite test drive rate, especially since if something goes wrong the dealer is so close I could probably push it there. :lol:

A lot of people I know with MINI's end up experiencing sticker shock when something breaks, as they don't realize its essentially a tiny BMW....with maintenance costs to match! :eek:

The Fiesta and Focus are good options, take a look at the Mazda 2. Many say it's better handling than the Fiesta, who's handling was compromised (read: "adapted to American tastes") for ride comfort. The 2 isn't exactly a speed demon though....
 
If you can budget for snow tires, most cars should be acceptable in the winter. Worst case scenario, don't go out driving in the middle of a snowstorm :p

But if you're really worried about winter performance, why not AWD? Lancer Ralliart or WRX for example. Still firmly in the "fun" category.

Oh and if you're going to whip out the $200k figure, get a Tesla and you won't have to worry about premium fuel :tease:
 
I actually like the Eurovan.

:nod:

It's biggest issues were price and power.

Yeah, price was also an issue around here. However, I disagree about the power being a big problem. Yes, it was no sports car... but who cares about power when you can sleep in it, throw bikes in, carry a metric ton, haul a family of five with clothes, food, toys, windsurfing gear, bicycles, etc for a four week vacation?

A lack of a driver's side sliding door

I've never missed that - it's one of those features where everyone answers "yes" when asked if they want that, but nobody really needs it.
Also, you'd have to lose the table if you want another door there. Additionally, a door there would be pointless once you've plonked the kitchen unit in there.

not so flexible rear seating (you had to use tools to remove the third row bench...

That's probably a relic from the rear-engined times. Ours had a foldable rear bench. Lift up the bottom - access a storage area. Lift bottom, slide forwards, fold back bit flat - get a huge double bed. The storage area also housed the auxilliary heating unit, so removing it would be futile anyways.
Additionally, fold-away seats take up a lot of space. Undoing a few bolts is easy and frees up tons of room.


On the power, just get Jeremy's Van GTI from 8x8? No, don't ask about its price :p
 
Seriously, before you go shit in people's faces you should get your facts straight.



Millions bought them, you just missed out on the best family vehicle ... ... ... in the world.

Surely you must know by now that if Spectre doesn't already like something he will not accept any reasoning behind an alternate view. ;)

There is also the fact that the US has such a large tradition of providing ridiculously over powered cars ever since the 1950s it seriously limits foreign cars they could practically own. There is no reason a car should have a 0-60 time of less than 10 seconds other than enjoyment, but in the US this is required due to the historically inefficient cars they produce.

In regards Kat's car issue I still maintain a MX-5 with a hard top ticks all the boxes for a fun to drive everyday car. However I had about 2 hours worth of MSN argument over this fact and she refuses to accept it. :p
I maintain if the weather is bad enough that you are worried you need better grip you should either buy a 4x4 or not go out at all... A competent driver should be able to control their vehicle in adverse weather, if you are going to skid in an MX-5 it is very likely you'll do the same in a Mustang.
 
WHY CAN I NOT BUY THIS. THIS IS THE CAR I WANT.
grumpplz.gif

They are ridiculously expensive over here since not many were brought in.
 
:nod:

Yeah, price was also an issue around here. However, I disagree about the power being a big problem. Yes, it was no sports car... but who cares about power when you can sleep in it, throw bikes in, carry a metric ton, haul a family of five with clothes, food, toys, windsurfing gear, bicycles, etc for a four week vacation?

Power's important in that stereotypical American way :p Alone, the power seems adequate..but compared to the vans closest to Eurovan's size at it's launch here it was outnumbered:

93 Eurovan: 108 horsepower
93 Grand Caravan/Grand Voyager: 142 horsepower minimum...you could get up to 162 hp depending on engine
93 Previa: 135 horsepower
93 Aerostar: 145 horsepower minimum...you could get a 160 hp engine
93 Safari/Astro: 165 horsepower minimum...you could get a 200 hp engine

I've never missed that - it's one of those features where everyone answers "yes" when asked if they want that, but nobody really needs it.
Also, you'd have to lose the table if you want another door there. Additionally, a door there would be pointless once you've plonked the kitchen unit in there.

It wasn't until 96 that the driver's side sliding door was thrust into the mainstream by Chrysler. Since they were the leader in minivans at the time (arguably still am) buyers expected at least the option of that door. Ford was caught flat footed by the driver's sliding door's absence and fought back with a "king door" on the Windstar, where the drivers seat could tip/slide forward like a coupe for 2nd row access. They claimed it allowed parents to control street side access, but it was a flop. GM was just plain lucky, having designed the U-body vans (Venture/Sintra, etc..) for global sales.


That's probably a relic from the rear-engined times. Ours had a foldable rear bench. Lift up the bottom - access a storage area. Lift bottom, slide forwards, fold back bit flat - get a huge double bed. The storage area also housed the auxilliary heating unit, so removing it would be futile anyways.
Additionally, fold-away seats take up a lot of space. Undoing a few bolts is easy and frees up tons of room.

Awesome! :cool: Yeah, the Aerostar's rear seats when optioned correctly, allowed for a similar bed transformation. Importantly, they were removable w/out tools. :p Toolless removal is important in this segment here, esp in the late 90s - early 2000's era that later Eurovan's competed in. The van that MotorWeek reviewed in 2002 was a GLS with traditional seating and no camping package....so the third row should have been removable without tools. :)

On the power, just get Jeremy's Van GTI from 8x8? No, don't ask about its price :p[/QUOTE]

Haha that sounds awesome...and no..I won't dare ask the price! :eek:
 
Minis are LESS reliable than VW? D:
And they run on premium which fucks their mpg rate.

Fiesta and focus are on my definite test drive rate, especially since if something goes wrong the dealer is so close I could probably push it there. :lol:



I think it would do better because it has about 1000 lbs of weight on it. I am trying to talk myself out of it and know that could end badly.
Also miata is convertible which is a big huge strike against it.
Test drive a Mini and see if any of that matters. It's just so much fun to drive that it doesn't need to be completely sensible. I had a Mini and had zero issues with it.

Like I told you the extra weight won't help on snow. If you get stuck in a heavy weight car it's just harder to get it unstuck.
 
No, the US market EuroVan was desperately underpowered to the point that it was unsafe. It was 'won't climb a mountain pass with four people and luggage if there's the slightest headwind' underpowered.

Anyone who lived in CA and got stuck behind one toiling up the Grapevine or the Cajon Pass can testify to this - the noise, the smoke, the fact that despite the driver clearly having the pedal mashed down a far as it would go it was only going 25mph in a 60 and was still losing speed...
 
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