picture of your car

[groovebuster]

As for the lower priced European cars (at least from what I can tell from movies and TV shows), all I can say is PUKE. Basically they look like recycled Yugo, Chevette, and Toyota Tercel designs--tiny box-like cars with little protection in a wreck and little comfort and little space for people or things. Yuck.

You really don't know what you are talking about... These cars are great if you want to spend your money on other things than just the car. A car is not a status symbol by definition, even though it seems to be for you. Big cars of course look better in most cases, because you have more dough to play with design-wise and a too sophicticated design would be expenisive to build which would be a contradiction to the goal of building an affordable car.

Our FIAT cinquecento is a really great car. Please keep in mind that 98% of the time just one or two people are in the car. So you drive around lots of metal and plastic for nothing. Try to find a parking spot in Berlin with your fugly LeSabre (sorry, but I really don't get why you think that this car looks better than the small european cars you were bashing), I wish you good luck. And your claim that a little car is uncomfortable just proves that you never sat in one, because it is not true. We were even going to Paris (from Berlin, two people) with it and it was a nice trip.

I know many people who have a small car now and if there is the need for a bigger car once in a while, they rent one. Overall it is still cheaper than buying a big one, considering all the extra money you have to spend for the bigger car (purchase, gasoline, repairs, insurance). You have to rent a car quite a few times before you reach the break-even...

And last time I checked you had a speed limit in the US even on the highways... so top speed shouldn't be concern for you anyway, right?

So what is it then? Protection? Most of the little european cars do way better than most of the US brand cars...

My cousin has a decent BMW and it is fine, but I wouldn't trade him for my LeSabre. Why? It costs a fortune to fix (and he has had to make expensive repairs), is not that roomy, has leather seats (yuck), and has a manual stick shift (no thank you--that is my RADIO hand).

Trying to find reasons why you don't like the car? For your information... You get BMWs also without leather seats, but if he likes them it should be OK... right?

BMW is an expensive brand. So repairs are expensive too. What exactly is the surprise? If you buy a BMW you know that in advance. If you don't have the cash, don't consider one.

A standard transmission has a lot of advantages. Besides saving gas it is better for the occasional sporty driving. I suppose you don't know how to use one? That's why you are bashing it... I always prefer a standard transmisson and I never had problems with my "radio-hand"...

To each his own.

I guess...

...Euopean cars ... age really quick...

What the hell are you talking about?

groovebuster

 

[dpaanlka]

This is my pride and joy. It replaced my 1996 Camaro Z28. It is a 2001 SAAB 9-5 Aero turbo, with a five speed transmission. Tis an exceedingly rare car and it took me over three months to find one in my price range (sub 12 grand) - in another state! I love having a car that nobody ever sees. High mileage but very good condition. It is way more reliable than my Camaro ever was, and almost as fast. And I often get 31 mpg highway driving between central Illinois and Chicago!

As a side note, this is the most expensive production four cylinder ever sold in the United States. Original sticker price $41,720 before taxes (I still have the sticker!). Fun!

SAABs have so many clever features that it blows me away. Everything, even simple things like the cup-holder and air vents, feels "advanced". I know of few cars, especially 2001s, that have front and rear heated seats, or refridgerated glove compartments. And, have to LOVE that Night Panel, which shuts off all lights inside the car except the speedometer.

 

[dpaanlka]

As for the Buick vs BMW thing...

Buick has some nice cars now (Lucerne, Lacrosse)... but the LeSabre? vs a BMW? You have to be kidding.

If you think European cars are so ugly, then you must hate the new Buicks that finally don't look like Buicks.

 

[gauchogolfer]

I win

 

[groovebuster]

I win

In what exactly?

 

[dpaanlka]

I win

Only in your opinion.

If somebody gave me a free one of those, I would sell it, buy a nice luxury sedan, then buy a much faster and sexier highly modded Camaro, then use the rest of the money to pay for college, buy a new computer, pay for gas for both cars for a year, and invest in the stock market.

 

[true777]

Here are my two identical 2005 Mercedes C230 Kompressor Sports Coupes. Steel grey color - rare.

I got rid of one of them in the meantime, but still have the other.
Great car, absolutely love it, excellent gas mileage (regularly drive it at 30mpg), yet very zippy.

I'll probably trade up to a CLK 350 once I have a new job.

 

[groovebuster]

If somebody gave me a free one of those, I would sell it, buy a nice luxury sedan, then buy a much faster and sexier highly modded Camaro, then use the rest of the money to pay for college, buy a new computer, pay for gas for both cars for a year, and invest in the stock market.

I would do almost exactly the same... except for the Camaro... And university is over for me since a long time, so I could spend the money for something else...

groovebuster

 

[groovebuster]

Here are my two identical 2005 Mercedes C230 Kompressor Sports Coupes. Steel grey color - rare.

Do you mind me asking what the point is in having two identical cars? You can only drive one at a time anyway...

groovebuster

 

[mpw]

I win

A pity you can't ***king park!

 

[groovebuster]

A pity you can't ***king park!

groovebuster

 

[gauchogolfer]

In what exactly?

Well, since this thread is basically a pissing contest, I figured I'd just post a picture of the most expensive car I could. I was in St. Tropez a while back and this car (registered in Monaco) was parked in the same lot as me. It's not mine.

A pity you can't ***king park!

The lot this car was parked in was cordoned off for a kart race, so the lines didn't really apply. Also, see above.

BTW, the red car to the right of the Enzo was this:

I actually liked this one more.

 

[groovebuster]

I was in St. Tropez a while back and this car (registered in Monaco) was parked in the same lot as me. It's not mine.

Hey, on this picture I recognize the place. I parked on this lot myself once when I was in St. Tropez.

I figured out before that this isn't your car... I noticed the red and white stickers and the Monaco license plate right away.

groovebuster

 

[mpw]

...The lot this car was parked in was cordoned off for a kart race, so the lines didn't really apply. Also, see above...

I was only kidding, I never thought it was your car.

As for the parking I still feel sad when you see people with expensive cars like the Enzo that don't like to risk using it as a car, whether the line-marking was in use or not there's still enough room to the side of the car to park a small Fiat.

My boss used to have an F40 and when he got it at least he drove it like it was meant to be driven (although he shouldn't have done so on the public road). He shared my attitude that a car is a car not jewelery and it didn't matter that it was a F40 or 2CV, both of which he drove, he treated them the same.

He even let me drive his Porsche, Bentley and Lancia Delta Intergrale (to name a few) when I'd just got my license at 17years old, sadly the F40 had been sold by then I think

 

[gauchogolfer]

I was only kidding, I never thought it was your car.

Darn sarcasm filters....

He even let me drive his Porsche, Bentley and Lancia Delta Intergrale (to name a few) when I'd just got my license at 17years old, sadly the F40 had been sold by then I think

When I worked at a golf course in Austin there was a guy who would drop off his car at the bag drop and give the attendant 50 bucks to top off the gas tank in whatever car he was driving, and the rest was the tip. I got to drive his Acura NSX, Ferrari Modena and F40, and a sweet MB 600 SLK. The tip didn't even matter; the 15 minute drive to the gas station was worth it.

 

[Airforce]

I would do almost exactly the same... except for the Camaro... And university is over for me since a long time, so I could spend the money for something else...

groovebuster

Replace the camaro with the upcoming 2008 Corvette SS and I'd do the same 600+hp, decent gas mileage, and great looks. Oooh yea... Now that's a super car

 

[true777]

Do you mind me asking what the point is in having two identical cars? You can only drive one at a time anyway...

groovebuster

Long story... ex boyfriend gave me first one; after breaking up I didn't want to keep it, but loved the car so much I got exact same one. Ex didn't need car #1 back for another 6 months, so I kept driving it (liked #1 better since it had panoramic sunroof; #2 doesn't).

It was fun though to choose one to drive everyday, and to have them both parked next to each other. Sometime I would take each to the car wash on the same day, and the people there thought I was nuts and was having the same car cleaned twice in one day.

 

[Platform]

I win

Nahh....it's yellow....who wants a yellow Enzo ?

 

[devilot]

Long story... ex boyfriend gave me first one; after breaking up I didn't want to keep it, but loved the car so much I got exact same one. Ex didn't need car #1 back for another 6 months, so I kept driving it (liked #1 better since it had panoramic sunroof; #2 doesn't).

Psh. Even if I didn't care about the sunroof, I would have kept driving his just to keep the mileage low on mine.

 

[spinne1]

You really don't know what you are talking about... These cars are great if you want to spend your money on other things than just the car. A car is not a status symbol by definition, even though it seems to be for you.

If cars are a status symbol to me, then why do I drive a 14 year old car that cost me $1500 US (less than almost anyone pays here)? If cars were a status symbol, I would drive something trendy (like a Mini Cooper) versus something I happen to love (like my LeSabre).

Big cars of course look better in most cases, because you have more dough to play with design-wise and a too sophicticated design would be expenisive to build which would be a contradiction to the goal of building an affordable car.

I understand your point, but I let others pay the $$$ and I buy them used when they are cheap.

When I talk of the small Euro cars that I don't like, I'm talking about cars like these:

Our FIAT cinquecento is a really great car. Please keep in mind that 98% of the time just one or two people are in the car. So you drive around lots of metal and plastic for nothing.

I don't know, grocery shopping, road trips, house supplies and group commutes are just a few reasons to need more space, all of which I use regularly.

Try to find a parking spot in Berlin with your fugly LeSabre (sorry, but I really don't get why you think that this car looks better than the small european cars you were bashing), I wish you good luck. And your claim that a little car is uncomfortable just proves that you never sat in one, because it is not true. We were even going to Paris (from Berlin, two people) with it and it was a nice trip.

The LeSabre looks great to me, which is the only person I can be worried about. As for parking in Berlin, I'm sure it would be tough because so many cars are small and therefore the spaces are probably painted smaller (the US parking space size has seemed to go down from what it was in the 60s and 70s). If I was there, I would probably have to have a smaller spare car for city trips or work commutes, even though I wouldn't like it. I have sat in many small cars and for me they are uncomfortable. I'm 6' 2 1/2" and around 200 lbs. Even with the seat back all the way it is often not enough in many smaller cars. The head room is sometimes to where my head is barely touching the headliner.

I know many people who have a small car now and if there is the need for a bigger car once in a while, they rent one. Overall it is still cheaper than buying a big one, considering all the extra money you have to spend for the bigger car (purchase, gasoline, repairs, insurance). You have to rent a car quite a few times before you reach the break-even...

Renting is not really an option is the US. It is expensive for a large car (about $40-$60 a day), and buying a used large car is very affordable here. The repair costs are not different based on the size of the car here, but rather the cost and/or the availability of the parts and the expertise of mechanics in this area for a particular brand of car. As for gasoline, yes you pay more for a bigger car, but it is not THAT bad. My LeSabre gets about 24 mpg on average (30 on freeway trips). Most smaller cars here get about 30-35 mpg on average (unless they are hybrids or rare gas-saving type cars, like the smallest Hondas). Yes, gas costs more, but not a crippling amount more. Insurance is more based on if the car is worth more (so an old LeSabre is cheap to insure), and if the car is on average in more wrecks than other cars (the LeSabre is in less wrecks than average).

And last time I checked you had a speed limit in the US even on the highways... so top speed shouldn't be concern for you anyway, right?

It isn't. I have never pushed my car to its top speed, although it gets up to 90 very smoothly and feels like it is not even working yet.

So what is it then?

Personal taste.

Protection? Most of the little european cars do way better than most of the US brand cars...

I would rather be in this in a wreck

than this

A standard transmission has a lot of advantages. Besides saving gas it is better for the occasional sporty driving. I suppose you don't know how to use one? That's why you are bashing it... I always prefer a standard transmisson and I never had problems with my "radio-hand"...

You suppose wrong. I learned to drive stick on a very temperamental mid-70s VW bug with a clutch sweet spot of about 5 mm. It was very hard to learn on because it stalled so easy unless you very slowly released the clutch within those 5 mm of play. I eventually got good at it. Going to a regular stick like my parents' 1985 Toyota Tercel wagon was very easy. I just don't like to have to shift. If others prefer a stick, great.

PS This is one of the coolest cars I have ever seen. It was not a production vehicle, but I wish it had been (it is a 1950 Buick LeSabre concept car):
http://www.madle.org/elesabre.htm

 

[mpw]

First up I'm not arguing with you and defend your right to choose a car that's right for you where you live.

...When I talk of the small Euro cars that I don't like, I'm talking about cars like these:

...

That Golf must be at least 10years old and the FIAT's probably near 20years old.

...As for parking in Berlin, I'm sure it would be tough because so many cars are small and therefore the spaces are probably painted smaller...

Standard spaces here would be 4.9m long and Buick Lucerne is 5.16m long a UK Ford Focus is 4.3m long

...I have sat in many small cars and for me they are uncomfortable... ...The head room is sometimes to where my head is barely touching the headliner.

Buick Lucerne headroom = 100cm legroom = 108cm
UK Ford Focus headroom = 100cm legroom = 111cm

The bigger cars available in the US are often, not always, examples of poor packaging the extra space is often in the trunk or under the hood cabin space is rarly sacrificed in ‘small’ European cars.

The Focus, other cars in this class, are the big sellers in Europe because they offer good space in a small package, European streets are simply smaller than US.

…Personal taste.I would rather be in this in a wreck

than this

…

That Subaru is Japanese not European.

 

[chriswan]

I really like your car! Is it the 250 or 350? I'm in the market, I was thinking this, or a Mercedes... obviously you like the lexus better, what made you like it over anything else? driving thoughts? THANKS

edit... you clearly have the GS, not the IS as I was thinking... still nice tho

Yeah I have the GS300. It's a decent car. Rides smoothly. I guess my only gripe is that the suspension is too soft and steering wheel isn't responsive enough. Ive driven the IS250, but never the IS350...and the IS250 is under powered if you are looking for a sports car. In terms of the interior..it's nice inside and comfy. The BMW 530i is a good car that handles well. In terms of mercedes I will only like the E55 but I am too poor to afford that right now.

 

[®îçhå®?]

American cars are so ugly (apart from the Dodge viper and the Corvette). As well as this, don't any of you have any cares that theclimate is changing because of co2 emissions??? At least get a fuel economic car.

I know some Americans do not need to listen but the majority do

 

[spinne1]

That Golf must be at least 10years old and the FIAT's probably near 20years old.

When I watch the World's Worst Drivers or World's Wildest Police Chases and they show European clips, the mass majority of cars look like those.

Buick Lucerne headroom = 100cm legroom = 108cm
UK Ford Focus headroom = 100cm legroom = 111cm

Point taken. The Focus gets it right. Maybe many more are in the same boat. Maybe cars are now almost uniformly roomy inside. I am not really sure because I haven't been inside a new small car lately. Having a large trunk is not wasted space however, especially if you use it. And having extra space under the hood does wonders for the ease of working on a car. I appreciate that as I do all my own mechanical work.

That Subaru is Japanese not European.

True, but the point of comparison for this example was the size of the car, not the origin (they make very small cars in the US as well, and I don't want to drive one of them either).

 

[jaydub]

Beautiful Mk2!

Anyway, my car is this: