Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
The Car Thread ... !
- Thread starter D.T.
- Start date
-
- Tags
- car
- Sort by reaction score
Except you aren't saying anything new or hasn't been said before. There will be an upper limit and it won't be reached, and if it is, then a newcomer will have to fill in the lower spectrum. The Koreans have been trying for nearly two decades. They're still not worth financing versus leasing and praying the next person isn't killed in a fireball.
Cars have longer hoods/bonnets and noses to curtail pedestrian death and offer ample crumple zone so you aren't crushed into a messy, bloody pulp like you would with older cars in a front end crash that's powerful enough to send the engine block into the firewall and beyond. Doors have gotten taller because side impacts require stronger reinforcement so half your body isn't destroyed in a t-bone. Pillars have gotten bigger to support the car during high speed crashes and or rollovers. The type that would previously crush your or your kids heads.
Currently, the laws in the US allow you to drive an older vehicle provided it passes smog and roadworthy inspection (in some states). If you want, you can drive a 30 or 40 year old car as a daily. Nothing is stopping you apart from two things.
You've never lived in a busy metropolitan area before long term. The last time I had a manual was just over a decade ago, and a few hundred shifts due to shorter gears was the norm on a weekend. Major traffic. Don't get me started on traffic in the morning during a work day. 30 years ago, there was a fourth or even far less cars on the road here, and I didn't mind then. Even with a multiclutch, you'll find yourself constantly shifting unless you want the jerky automatic mode.
The cost is cheaper when you buy a 'cheaper' car. The price for repair or replacement get very close in more expensive cars. No idea what, but that's what I've been told by indies and dealer mechanics. Not all multiclutches are built the same. Can't really compare a Porsche unit (ZF) to say Ford's PowerShift, which has either been remedied or they're still terrible. In the same manner, the ZF8 is great for a regular auto while the ZF9 is terrible.
Except they already offer hybrids utilizing E-CVT over the regular CVT. Toyota's been offering hybrid systems with non-standard transmissions for a long time.
[doublepost=1543646833][/doublepost]
Enzo if I'm not mistaken.
Dammit! Yeah, you got it.
Not mine and I didn't even get to drive it, but still something to see (and hear!) in person.
Not mine and I didn't even get to drive it, but still something to see (and hear!) in person.
2020 911 Carerra S debuted at the L.A Auto show. 443 HP/390 TQ. (Top speed is about 190.) The wide-body really sets this car off nicely.
https://www.roadandtrack.com/car-sh...orsche-911-carrera-photos-info-specs-details/
https://www.roadandtrack.com/car-sh...orsche-911-carrera-photos-info-specs-details/
Yeah, looks great. Not feeling the interior on it though as I pointed out the other day. Very curious to see what figures the GTS and the Turbo/Turbo S will have. Though, and I say this as a Porsche fan and respectful man, Porsche ****ed up the center console. Crack addicts.
yesterday I attended the 15th annual Motor4Toys event in So Cal. it's a great foundation giving back to the local community in conjunction with the CHP, LAFD and Sheriff's Dept. I haven't heard the final tally from this year's toy drive, but last year they collected 400,000 toys. the event has turned into a pretty large gathering from car enthusiasts of all sorts. I rolled down with a buddy that just picked up a 2016 ultra violet GT3RS and another one with a yellow F430 Scud. just wanted to share whatever snaps I took with my phone. full album here: https://flic.kr/s/aHsmwSLTKQ
[doublepost=1543858731][/doublepost]
front angle looks great, whole rear end is whack, interior is horrible for a sports car.
[doublepost=1543858731][/doublepost]
front angle looks great, whole rear end is whack, interior is horrible for a sports car.
I have to say, I’m not hatchback enthusiast, but the 2019 Mazda 3 is stellar looking. AWD will be offered for various models, 6 speed manual/automatic, alongside the alleged ‘Skyactive X’ engine.
Last edited:
I am a hatchback enthusiast, I also think it looks sharp - almost more shooting brake than hatchback, like a Reliant Scimitar.
Looking back at the attachments I posted, It makes me think of an Infiniti Grill and headlight combo somewhat, and I don’t like comparing other competitors side by side, but it’s just reminiscent of certain design cues from Infiniti. But yes, it looks great and even though Mazda dropped the ‘Zoom-Zoom’ moniker, the new ‘3 Series’ interior looks clean from other pictures I viewed.
Amazing. It's interesting to think about how much my opinion on some cars are still heavily influenced by my early years playing video games. It has created a bucket list of cars I'd love to see in the flesh, let alone drive. The Enzo being one of them, just after the R33 GTR I tinkered with in the original Gran Turismo.
On a side note, my A4 order is finally seeing movement! The online tracker shows it's reached the preparation stage, one ahead of assembly I believe. We'll see.
The new Mazda 3 does look interesting, but frankly, I'd rather get the 2019 Toyota Corolla Hatchback XSE instead. Either that or the new 2020 Corolla XSE sedan coming in March 2019.
The Toyota will have better resale, but the Toyota also comes with a CVT, I don't believe the Mazda will. The Mazda will be more enjoyable to drive given that it's a Mazda. The current Corolla reminds me a lot of the mid 2010s Civic. But by doing so they avoid the Predator grill.
I’m not sure how I feel about the 2019 Corolla Hatchback. I think Mazda’s hatch revision looks much more well ‘Put together’, looking at the Corolla Hatchback from behind, the rear bumper is unfitting, as it awkwardly extends out, where you literally could sit on it. I mean, the redesign from the front looks good, but the rear is obtuse. (The rear wing looks unnecessary in the first photo) However, I too would opt For the standard Corolla. But still, criticisms aside, Toyota has been on par with _most_ of their redesigns as of late.
Last edited:
Agreed. The new Mazda 3 is hideous.
When you factor in Mazda’s horrific rust issues and the new torsion beam rear suspension setup, the Toyota starts to look like a superior product.
I'm a dyed-in-the-wool fan of compact hatches, but that Corolla skews just a bit too far in the boy-racer direction for my taste. I like the overall package though. If it were offers with an optional drivetrain somewhere in the 200-300hp class with tweaked suspension and brakes it could be a serious competitor in the hot hatch market.
I actually researched this, and it seems like the ‘rusting’ dates years back, where 2.2 million vehicles with corrosion issues on various hatch lift supports, aside from that, there are loads of sub forums of others discussing rusting with the Mazda 3 and 6 series. Then six model years were recalled for the CX-7 for suspension rust. It seems this has plagued Mazda for quite some time.
The only remedy I can think of for rusting on the paint itself, would be anti-rust prevention treatments/also for the undercarriage, if you reside in a state where roads are treated with salt.
Last edited:
Speaking as someone who has lived in Ohio and Michigan for many years, winter driving is just destructive to cars when road salt is used and there is little you can do about it apart from not driving the car in the winter. Periodic washing helps but washing itself can accelerate corrosion so there is only so much you can do. Anti-corrosion treatments also help but can be expensive and they won't protect everything. For example, road salt -especially the liquid brine that is becoming increasingly popular - seriously reduces the lifespan of brake calipers and rotors.
I live in a very snowy part of the midwest, and our local/county governments actually lay down traction sand instead of salt - it won't melt snow and ice, but it continues to aid traction even at very low temperatures where salt is ineffective, and it does not bathe your car in a saltwater solution. Unfortunately the main roads are still plowed by the state and are thus covered in salt or brine solutions.
Expensive, yes, but that’s price to pay protect something you value/and or for future resale value. Salt is at its worst when the temperatures are above/at freezing, that’s when it really ‘Goes to work’ on the undercarriage/paint, especially if you have a heated garage with a vehicle full of salt, is probably the worst case scenario. One thing that helps with corrosion is at least waxing your car twice a year, preferably somewhere in the fall season. I also power wash my ‘Dailies’ in the garage when they are exposed to salt as ‘in between’ remedy.
As far as Paint treatment is concerned, It’s a small price to protect your vehicle, which I have found beneficial, the problem aside from the price (Which is generally labor), consumers generally don’t think much of paint protection for their vehicle paint, or they simply don’t make the time, as the car wash is the ‘Easier alternative’, but with enough spent on car washes, it easily could have paid for a full paint/undercarriage protection plan. Cost versus benefit in those situations, especially with car washes being increasingly more expensive over the years.
All great points, though many people can't easily afford some of the more effective anti-corrosion treatments, and corrosion treatments will give you less return on investment with less expensive cars. For those cars, the value is perhaps more in the hands of the owners who plan to drive their cars a very long time, since we have reached the point where autos no longer rust to death long before the mechanicals wear out.
Of course, people who own exotics / luxury cars absolutely can and should take these measures if they live in a harsher climate.
Last edited:
That's one benefit of living in a temperate area. The drawback for us is the harsher summer time which can damage just about anything over time. The Corolla rearend isn't very nice at all. The color is too loud, too. Based on looks alone I would expect that hatch to have a few hundred horsepower and not the measly 180-200 it may have.
I recently had a chance to test-drive a 2019 Corolla XSE hatchback. It's actually pretty good, especially with the "launch gear" for the CVT eliminating the somewhat sluggish feel of most CVT's. Handling is not bad, either.
I took delivery of a new truck yesterday. I had leased a Jeep Wrangler, but that lease was coming to an end. I some had time left on it, but with Chevy's promotion employee discount for everyone, I didn't want to let that pass. Horrible time of year, in terms of timing, i.e., right before Christmas.
I opted for another lease, which I'm not really a fan of, but it keeps the payments low. I can't predict what the future will hold, but I opted for a trim package that makes sense if I choose to buy the truck at the end of this lease. The jeep was too expensive to buy, and while it was a fun vehicle to drive (it's the best 4x4 in the snow), I really wanted something that had more carrying capacity. That's the other reason why I opted to not get a jeep again; newer jeeps were just too expensive to justify. It was fun while it lasted but it didn't make sense for me where I am in my life right now. I think Jeeps have gotten wildly popular, and so the demand is pushing the prices higher.
Chevy was on my short list, which also included Honda Ridgeline (owned that before), and Toyota Tacoma. After doing a fair amount of research, I opted for the chevy, primarily because of the price. I get more bang for my buck. For instance the Ridgeline was around 40k and they had no rebates occurring (not just now but since August), where as the Chevy's price was in the mid/high 20s thanks to the rebates.
The ride is much smoother Then the jeep, kind of surprising. The Chevy feels solid, and well made, I opted for the WT trim package. The WT has the everything the LT has except the Chevy entertainment, OnStar, Sirius/XM, more speakers, etc. Thanks to CarPlay, which is a game changer, I have Apple Music, and Apple Maps, so I have everything I without additional monthly subscriptions. I'll be looking to get a bed liner very soon
Addendum:
In comparing the different trucks (Honda/Toyota/Chevy) they were pretty close feature wise. The Honda was my favorite with the trunk in the bed of the truck and a composite bed. It seemed to have the most leg room in the front and back, but at 40k as I mentioned it didn't make sense. My goal was to keep the monthly lease payment the same. It inched up a bit, but not much, with the Toyota and Honda, the price was significantly higher.
I opted for another lease, which I'm not really a fan of, but it keeps the payments low. I can't predict what the future will hold, but I opted for a trim package that makes sense if I choose to buy the truck at the end of this lease. The jeep was too expensive to buy, and while it was a fun vehicle to drive (it's the best 4x4 in the snow), I really wanted something that had more carrying capacity. That's the other reason why I opted to not get a jeep again; newer jeeps were just too expensive to justify. It was fun while it lasted but it didn't make sense for me where I am in my life right now. I think Jeeps have gotten wildly popular, and so the demand is pushing the prices higher.
Chevy was on my short list, which also included Honda Ridgeline (owned that before), and Toyota Tacoma. After doing a fair amount of research, I opted for the chevy, primarily because of the price. I get more bang for my buck. For instance the Ridgeline was around 40k and they had no rebates occurring (not just now but since August), where as the Chevy's price was in the mid/high 20s thanks to the rebates.
The ride is much smoother Then the jeep, kind of surprising. The Chevy feels solid, and well made, I opted for the WT trim package. The WT has the everything the LT has except the Chevy entertainment, OnStar, Sirius/XM, more speakers, etc. Thanks to CarPlay, which is a game changer, I have Apple Music, and Apple Maps, so I have everything I without additional monthly subscriptions. I'll be looking to get a bed liner very soon
Addendum:
In comparing the different trucks (Honda/Toyota/Chevy) they were pretty close feature wise. The Honda was my favorite with the trunk in the bed of the truck and a composite bed. It seemed to have the most leg room in the front and back, but at 40k as I mentioned it didn't make sense. My goal was to keep the monthly lease payment the same. It inched up a bit, but not much, with the Toyota and Honda, the price was significantly higher.