Quantcast

Check out my new service loaner!

Toshi

Harbinger of Doom
Oct 23, 2001
38,262
7,703
I rented Toyota one a few days ago, had to be at least a '17 since rental companies never keep stock more than about a year, it had the ACC, but it was a watered down version of what I was used to. My parents got the subie less than 2 years ago too, similar thing, at zero it kicks off (and the car starts rolling forward under it's own power, surprising if you were expecting it to stop). With the subie though the lane-keeping is more aggressive and tends to work better, but that's not a feature I'd have or use (my BMW didn't have it anyway).
Toyota rolled out full-speed dynamic cruise on the 2016 Prius, iirc. Now that I delve into their site a bit more it looks like the full-speed variant (aka stop and go or how you describe it) is still only on the Prius, Prius Prime, Camry, and C-HR. The non-full speed version still seems to be on the Highlander, RAV4, Sienna, and Avalon. Lame.

I test drove a Prius Prime a week or two ago and verified that it will come to a stop and hold, taking off again with the resume button. I also drove a Mitsubishi that behaved like your parents' Subaru (which I'm guessing is an Impreza or Forester): comes to a stop, holds for a few seconds, then deactivates and creeps forward! I totally agree that that is a terrible behavior.
 

roflbox

roflborx
Jan 23, 2017
3,163
834
Raleigh, NC
buy old hearse, fill back with red LED lghts, LS swap with large supercharger coming up out of the hood, go to 55+ living communities in your area, do burnouts at night while blasting slayer
 

Sandwich

Pig my fish!
Staff member
May 23, 2002
21,067
5,976
borcester rhymes
I'm having trouble getting on top of this discussion. You need a tin box with four doors and four wheels, two of which provide directional control, and which is going to succumb to rust in roughly a decade. You're going to drive on paths filled with fools in similar tin boxes who will impede your journey, and some of whom will turn on flashy lights and charge you money if you drive with any joy.

Fuck the bling, get the minimal vehicle which will get you from point a to b and back, and spend the rest on bikes.
While I get what you are saying, and appreciate it as well, I spend 2 hours a day in my car. One hour a day, twice a day, I'm in this thing. I am rarely on any of my six bikes these days. With the new job, I will only spend ~1 hour a day in that car. I will still ride my bikes as rarely as I do now, until my son is old enough to not require constant attention.

SO, I would rather spend a little more on a car that makes that commute less painless, or even enjoyable, and certainly safer or more efficient. I don't need a car to impress my neighbors, but having something that I get to enjoy every single day will be remarkably valuable. Think of the things you use every day, doesn't it make sense to like using them?
 

jimmydean

The Official Meat of Ridemonkey
Sep 10, 2001
41,155
13,323
Portland, OR
SO, I would rather spend a little more on a car that makes that commute less painless, or even enjoyable, and certainly safer or more efficient. I don't need a car to impress my neighbors, but having something that I get to enjoy every single day will be remarkably valuable. Think of the things you use every day, doesn't it make sense to like using them?
And THIS is how I ended up buying a second Corvette (because the first was no longer an option) . I didn't spend a little more, it was a little less actually than a lot of good used cars. While it isn't the most practical for a lot of things, one thing it does well is take my solo ass to work and home again. The drive home via Skyline/Rocky Point takes a few minutes longer, but the payoff is worth it. It also fits enough gear for a week long getaway with the wife and pooch when the drive won't suck.

I won't bore you with the lack of issues I've had or the minimal maintenance it has required over 4 years and 80k miles I've had it.

<edit> One advantage of getting older is the lack of kids in the house. :rofl:
 
Last edited:

Sandwich

Pig my fish!
Staff member
May 23, 2002
21,067
5,976
borcester rhymes
the third gen CTS V-Sport is on my radar as a realistic option. Lots of horsepower, fits kids inside, RWD with a locking diff, could be fun, reliable, and at 28k it's affordable.
 

Jm_

sled dog's bollocks
Jan 14, 2002
18,979
9,638
AK
And I’m not sure you want a gen 1 CTS-V, those were kinda crappy 400-some HP, the gen 2 was the supercharged ~540hp model with much better dynamics. It’s on Gen 3 now (640hp).
 

Sandwich

Pig my fish!
Staff member
May 23, 2002
21,067
5,976
borcester rhymes
I do not need 400hp, and I certainly don't need over 500, as much fun as that would be. I wouldn't call 400hp crappy, but perhaps I would agree that the interior is inferior and the car had a shitty differential and transmission.
 

canadmos

Cake Tease
May 29, 2011
20,453
19,450
Canaderp
Remember the days when 400hp was crazy? hah

Most SUVs are now faster than the majority of 90's sports cars. :twitch:
 

stoney

Part of the unwashed, middle-American horde
Jul 26, 2006
21,599
7,245
Colorado

jimmydean

The Official Meat of Ridemonkey
Sep 10, 2001
41,155
13,323
Portland, OR
was thinking about a gen 1 CTS-V. Six speed, lots of HP, hopefully dumb american pushrod maintenance...
Way easier to change the clutch, just get the pinion brace if it doesn't already have one. My buddy bought his 3rd wife one, 2005, same year as his Vette. I loved it, that car was amazing. Not nearly the balance of the Vette, but holy hell it has plenty of power and not a slouch in the twisties by any means.
 

Westy

the teste
Nov 22, 2002
54,408
20,197
Sleazattle
A friend I met up with in LA last weekend rented a Camaro. He was supposed to get an SS but the only one they had stunk like weed. :D They ended up giving him an RS convertible. Holy hell what a disappointment. Even with the V6 is was pretty quick, more that fast enough for LA traffic. However it failed in every other category. For a large and heavy car the interior was cramped and tiny. My friend is skinny and of average height and his shins hit the dashboard. luckily his wife is 95 lbs and as flexible as gumby, otherwise the back seat is uninhabitable. It clearly weighed as much as garbage barge. The control buttons had a similar tactile pleasure as stepping on a cat turd in bare feet and the panel gaps were terrible. The transmission took seconds to respond to the flappy paddle shifters.

The exhaust did have a nice note but at idle the engine sounded more like $1.37 in change in a dryer. Both of us were hoping it was a fun car, it kind of was but only for mashing the pedal to the floor, was rather terrible in every other way. I was expecting a lot more from a modern GM product.
 

stoney

Part of the unwashed, middle-American horde
Jul 26, 2006
21,599
7,245
Colorado
A friend I met up with in LA last weekend rented a Camaro. He was supposed to get an SS but the only one they had stunk like weed. :D They ended up giving him an RS convertible. Holy hell what a disappointment. Even with the V6 is was pretty quick, more that fast enough for LA traffic. However it failed in every other category. For a large and heavy car the interior was cramped and tiny. My friend is skinny and of average height and his shins hit the dashboard. luckily his wife is 95 lbs and as flexible as gumby, otherwise the back seat is uninhabitable. It clearly weighed as much as garbage barge. The control buttons had a similar tactile pleasure as stepping on a cat turd in bare feet and the panel gaps were terrible. The transmission took seconds to respond to the flappy paddle shifters.

The exhaust did have a nice note but at idle the engine sounded more like $1.37 in change in a dryer. Both of us were hoping it was a fun car, it kind of was but only for mashing the pedal to the floor, was rather terrible in every other way. I was expecting a lot more from a modern GM product.
Shocked monkey is shocked. :no:
 

Jm_

sled dog's bollocks
Jan 14, 2002
18,979
9,638
AK
A friend I met up with in LA last weekend rented a Camaro. He was supposed to get an SS but the only one they had stunk like weed. :D They ended up giving him an RS convertible. Holy hell what a disappointment. Even with the V6 is was pretty quick, more that fast enough for LA traffic. However it failed in every other category. For a large and heavy car the interior was cramped and tiny. My friend is skinny and of average height and his shins hit the dashboard. luckily his wife is 95 lbs and as flexible as gumby, otherwise the back seat is uninhabitable. It clearly weighed as much as garbage barge. The control buttons had a similar tactile pleasure as stepping on a cat turd in bare feet and the panel gaps were terrible. The transmission took seconds to respond to the flappy paddle shifters.

The exhaust did have a nice note but at idle the engine sounded more like $1.37 in change in a dryer. Both of us were hoping it was a fun car, it kind of was but only for mashing the pedal to the floor, was rather terrible in every other way. I was expecting a lot more from a modern GM product.
I’m 5’11” and have no problems, he didn’t jack the seats all the way up first did he? The gen 6 is definitely a smaller car than the gen 5, but you can put the seats way back and low. If you are making the same driving position as your minivan, yes it’s going to fail. And yes, the back seats are even more useless than before.

It always annoys me when I get in our fleet vehicles at work and every single time (SUVs) the seat is jacked up as high as it can go and the side mirrors are adjusted do you can see the rear or the vehicle, which is dangerous as hell.

I too rented a low end one a few months ago, the interior is nothing like my 2SS 1LE and the driving experience is sublime. Just watch randy probst bust out laughing while driving the thing, that was a lot of what did it for me.

I’d like to drive the V6 1LE, but otherwise I have no interest in the V6, this 2SS 1LE has an interior every bit as good as my 4 series, better actually when you consider the ventilated seats and interior trim lights.
 

Toshi

Harbinger of Doom
Oct 23, 2001
38,262
7,703
It always annoys me when I get in our fleet vehicles at work and every single time (SUVs) the seat is jacked up as high as it can go
Au contraire, it annoys me when I see people driving down the road who can barely see over the top of the wheel. Those who have learned to use the seat height adjustment deserve plaudits.
 

Jm_

sled dog's bollocks
Jan 14, 2002
18,979
9,638
AK
Au contraire, it annoys me when I see people driving down the road who can barely see over the top of the wheel. Those who have learned to use the seat height adjustment deserve plaudits.
Short people?
 

Westy

the teste
Nov 22, 2002
54,408
20,197
Sleazattle
I’m 5’11” and have no problems, he didn’t jack the seats all the way up first did he? The gen 6 is definitely a smaller car than the gen 5, but you can put the seats way back and low. If you are making the same driving position as your minivan, yes it’s going to fail. And yes, the back seats are even more useless than before.

It always annoys me when I get in our fleet vehicles at work and every single time (SUVs) the seat is jacked up as high as it can go and the side mirrors are adjusted do you can see the rear or the vehicle, which is dangerous as hell.

I too rented a low end one a few months ago, the interior is nothing like my 2SS 1LE and the driving experience is sublime. Just watch randy probst bust out laughing while driving the thing, that was a lot of what did it for me.

I’d like to drive the V6 1LE, but otherwise I have no interest in the V6, this 2SS 1LE has an interior every bit as good as my 4 series, better actually when you consider the ventilated seats and interior trim lights.

Seat was all the way down because the windshield was so low on the convertible that the wind would blast you in the face.

When I sat in the rear seat the top of the windshield was in line with my neck.

I would hope that the hardtop was a lot more functional.
 

Jm_

sled dog's bollocks
Jan 14, 2002
18,979
9,638
AK
Seat was all the way down because the windshield was so low on the convertible that the wind would blast you in the face.

When I sat in the rear seat the top of the windshield was in line with my neck.

I would hope that the hardtop was a lot more functional.
Convertible? Well there's your problem right there. There are a few convertible sports cars that are worth it, this is not one, you generally don't get a convertible for performance. That and the auto transmission.

Anyway, 5'11"....and I'm no hobbit.

I can't fathom how you would have this set up to smash your knees into the dash.

IMG_4627.JPG
IMG_4629.JPG
IMG_4631.JPG
IMG_4634.JPG
IMG_4636.JPG
 

Sandwich

Pig my fish!
Staff member
May 23, 2002
21,067
5,976
borcester rhymes
well, not that anybody cares but I spent all day monday shopping for cars. My thoughts that nobody cares about:

1st gen CTS-V: Didn't get to actually drive it since the dealership is a disaster. Felt like the car had been through hell and back, despite 70k on the clock. Shifter feels like complete garbage, and despite being a 2007, the car felt like it came out of 1998. Not for me.

Kia Stinger AWD Base: Awesome car for 35k. A good mix between econo and luxury. The nav system was the best I tested. Pretty fast for such a large car and only 250hp. Not eye-watering fast, but would be fun enough. Tiny visibility out of the rear window. Trunk space is small despite the hatch- the floor is very high. Lots of rear legroom. Kia dealership was awful though- was upfront that I was test driving and they still came back with "look at what your monthly payment could be". Was clear that I won't negotiate on monthly payment. Oh well.

Hyundai Genesis 3.8 AWD: What a car. Big, felt solid, but didn't feel big. Handled great, very flat. Awesome interior that had some cheap touches and expensive touches as well. Nav felt good, quick response time and simple layout. Didn't feel fast despite 300hp, but it's like a 4500lb car. Loved the luxury touches like sun screens and power rear sunshade. Panoramic sunroof was cool, and the car is super quiet inside.

Infiniti Q50h: decent car, infiniti build is solid but no-nonsense. Lacks that fancy german feel when the door closes, but it also starts when you ask it to, so there's that. Car felt like it had a ton of torque off the line but then fell kind of flat. Steering feel was fine, despite DAS. Didn't get the opportunity to play with it and change the feel. More space in the rear than I remember in the g35.

Looks like the CTS V-sport I had my eye on came back on the market, so I'll make another trip to test drive that, an M35H, a q50h sport, and potentially actually test drive a second cts-v 1st gen.
 

canadmos

Cake Tease
May 29, 2011
20,453
19,450
Canaderp
I saw a Kia Stinger the other day. Cool concept and pictures of it look decent, but as with all other Kia's.....they just look weird. They at least have a unique design to them, I guess.

https://www.carmax.com/cars/lexus/is-f :brows:

Hyundai's look pretty nice actually. I guess it helps that they look like Audi's now.

Probably not even a consideration due to the age of it and FWD, but I saw a 2008 Acura TL Type S this morning. 10/10 would bang. Almost forgot about that car.