94 replies to this topic

[d4rksabre]

Alright Import drivers. Let's see it.

[billsrcursed]

350z Touring.

[Knightrider]

Audi A6 2.7T
Toyota Siena AWD
Kubota L3130
Polaris Sportsman 700EFI

We have a 600 foot driveway.  ;-)

The boys just got a Suzuki JR50 and a Honda XR50...

[d4rksabre]

Knightrider, on 10 May 2011 - 10:15 PM, said:

Audi A6 2.7T
Toyota Siena AWD
Kubota L3130
Polaris Sportsman 700EFI

We have a 600 foot driveway.  ;-)

The boys just got a Suzuki JR50 and a Honda XR50...

Mmmm A6.

Funny you mention bikes. I wonder how many motorcycle riders are on this forum?

[X. Benedict]

Knightrider, on 10 May 2011 - 10:15 PM, said:

Audi A6 2.7T
Toyota Siena AWD
Kubota L3130
Polaris Sportsman 700EFI

We have a 600 foot driveway.  ;-)

The boys just got a Suzuki JR50 and a Honda XR50...

Kubota  

[wonderbread]

I got a sweet little Toyota carolla. It's great.  

[d4rksabre]

Pretty close race between import and domestic at the moment. Interesting...

[Knightrider]

X. Benedict, on 10 May 2011 - 10:18 PM, said:

Kubota  

I think I spent more time in the Kubota blowing snow this last winter than I did the Audi.  Boston got pummeled this last winter...

[Punch]

X. Benedict, on 10 May 2011 - 10:18 PM, said:

Kubota  

I think I remember Kubota--- wasn't he a stay at home defenseman for Winnipeg in the late '80s?

[d4rksabre]

Punch, on 10 May 2011 - 11:18 PM, said:

I think I remember Kubota--- wasn't he a stay at home defenseman for Winnipeg in the late '80s?

He was paired with Husqvarna.

[DR HOLLIDAY]

Honda Accord 04  and Honda CR-V 09

[Spndnchz]

d4rksabre, on 10 May 2011 - 10:17 PM, said:

Mmmm A6.

Funny you mention bikes. I wonder how many motorcycle riders are on this forum?

Sportster 1200 custom.  Though riden once in 2 years.

[bills_fan_in_raleigh]

toyota prius and highlander been in toyotas since 1979

[R_dudly]

G37x and a Sienna.

I also ride a vintage 1981 Kawasaki KZ1000 CSR bought brand new in 1982, roughly 35k miles on it.

[korab rules]

2010 Ford Mustang GT convertible
2008 Chevy Tahoe
2009 Harley Davidson Sportster 1200C
2005 Four Winns Horizon 200.

Buy American, boys and girls.

And who needs a snow blower - I have a shovel!

Oops!  Just saw the other thread.

[korab rules]

spndnchz, on 11 May 2011 - 06:18 AM, said:

Sportster 1200 custom.  Though riden once in 2 years.

I'd give you rep for this if I could!

[dEnnis the Menace]

2011 Subaru Legacy, 6spd., 2.5 l

Just got it last night  

Major upgrade from the 1991 BMW 525i that had 215,000 miles on it (boy did she last though)

[shrader]

I've got a 2011 Hyundai Sonata.  I figured I should actually buy a car before I hit 30.

[5th line wingnutt]

2011 Hyundai Santa Fe
2001 BMW Z3

[Spndnchz]

korab rules, on 11 May 2011 - 08:05 AM, said:

I'd give you rep for this if I could!

See u have one too!  Mines a 100th anniversary edition.  Road a bunch the first two years when my friends were riding, not much anymore.  

Real fun to see the world without looking through a windshield.

My "almost got killed" stories are up to 10.  

[weave]

spndnchz, on 11 May 2011 - 06:18 AM, said:

Sportster 1200 custom.  Though riden once in 2 years.

*out of context giggle*

[d4rksabre]

spndnchz, on 11 May 2011 - 06:18 AM, said:

Sportster 1200 custom.  Though riden once in 2 years.

Well you're just full of surprises aren't you?

I want to see pictures of tiny little Chz on a giant Harley or else I'm not sure I could believe it.

R_dudly, on 11 May 2011 - 06:43 AM, said:

G37x and a Sienna.

I also ride a vintage 1981 Kawasaki KZ1000 CSR bought brand new in 1982, roughly 35k miles on it.

Very cool bike!

I had to sell my '73 Honda 350 when I moved into this apartment because the charging system requires it to sit on a trickle after pretty much every ride, and since the garages here don't have electricity there was no way I could keep it.

I want another bike though, and weather like this really gets me wound up. I miss it.  

[cdexchange]

I love buying older Japanese cars and then driving them forever - Hondas, Toyotas, and Subarus.   They simply cannot be beat for long-term reliability.  I could afford to, but I've never purchased a brand new vehicle and I probably never will...let somebody else eat the majority of the depreciation.  My goal is always to keep my cost of ownership under $1000/yr (not including gas and insurance).   Two years ago I purchased a 2002 Subaru Forester on Ebay, it was in Florida so I had it shipped up here.  Being a southern car it had never seen winter and was in mint condition.  Got it for $5500 and plan to drive it for at least 10 years, so $550/year and if the repairs are under $450/yr (they almost certainly will easily be less than that) then I'll be within my goal.  Also, being a Japanese car, it will still actually have some resale value when I get rid of it.  

I love cars, I really do...but I also love never having a car payment.  

[weave]

cdexchange, on 11 May 2011 - 12:13 PM, said:

I love buying older Japanese cars and then driving them forever - Hondas, Toyotas, and Subarus.   They simply cannot be beat for long-term reliability.  I could afford to, but I've never purchased a brand new vehicle and I probably never will...let somebody else eat the majority of the depreciation.  My goal is always to keep my cost of ownership under $1000/yr (not including gas and insurance).   Two years ago I purchased a 2002 Subaru Forester on Ebay, it was in Florida so I had it shipped up here.  Being a southern car it had never seen winter and was in mint condition.  Got it for $5500 and plan to drive it for at least 10 years, so $550/year and if the repairs are under $450/yr (they almost certainly will easily be less than that) then I'll be within my goal.  Also, being a Japanese car, it will still actually have some resale value when I get rid of it.  

I love cars, I really do...but I also love never having a car payment.  

You and I are cut from the same cloth.  I've worked in the auto industry for over 20 years and have never purchased a new vehicle.  Even with that shiny employee discount.  One of my vehicles is a 2003 Toyota matrix that I bought for the wife from someone who's lease was expiring and the other is a 2009 HHR that was in a wreck.  I don't care if the title is dinged, I'm running it into the ground anyway.

[rickshaw]

2002 Hyundai Accent

[Spndnchz]

d4rksabre, on 11 May 2011 - 11:53 AM, said:

Well you're just full of surprises aren't you?

I want to see pictures of tiny little Chz on a giant Harley or else I'm not sure I could believe it.

Tell me about it.  Lucky that the bike is lower to the ground than the other Sportsters.  The forward controls are a bit of a reach.  Nothing beats a hard mounted engine for giving a good massage.

[Knightrider]

korab rules, on 11 May 2011 - 08:04 AM, said:

2010 Ford Mustang GT convertible
2008 Chevy Tahoe
2009 Harley Davidson Sportster 1200C
2005 Four Winns Horizon 200.

Buy American, boys and girls.

And who needs a snow blower - I have a shovel!

Oops!  Just saw the other thread.

If a US company would build an all wheel drive vehicle I might have bought American.  OK, who am I kidding, after being burned by quality issues multiple times, I doubt I will.  I know, I should give them another try! They are much better these days!  

I've owned the Audi since 2004 (bought it with 47k and it now has 120k) and have had it in for a repair once.  Coolant was leaking into the turbo.  The fix cost ~$800, but was covered by warranty.  That's it.

I've owned the Toyota since 2005 (bought it on Ebay with 27k and it now has 135k) and have not had to repair anything.  This was the first year Toyota put AWD in the Sienna, mind you.  Oh, and it was built in Indiana.

When you say, "Buy American", I suspect you mean, buy UAW.  The UAW has destroyed the "US" car makers.  I will not buy any vehicle that an UAW worker has touched.

An interesting read.

cdexchange, on 11 May 2011 - 12:13 PM, said:

I love buying older Japanese cars and then driving them forever - Hondas, Toyotas, and Subarus.   They simply cannot be beat for long-term reliability.  I could afford to, but I've never purchased a brand new vehicle and I probably never will...let somebody else eat the majority of the depreciation.  My goal is always to keep my cost of ownership under $1000/yr (not including gas and insurance).   Two years ago I purchased a 2002 Subaru Forester on Ebay, it was in Florida so I had it shipped up here.  Being a southern car it had never seen winter and was in mint condition.  Got it for $5500 and plan to drive it for at least 10 years, so $550/year and if the repairs are under $450/yr (they almost certainly will easily be less than that) then I'll be within my goal.  Also, being a Japanese car, it will still actually have some resale value when I get rid of it.  

I love cars, I really do...but I also love never having a car payment.  

I would never buy new, nor would I take out a loan for a vehicle.  What would have been a car payment becomes an investment that you cash out when you need another car.

I once bought a Honda Prelude with 125k miles for $1650.  After driving it for a year and 30k miles, it was totaled, and the insurance company paid $2500.  Before I bought the Audi, I had 4 Preludes.  They were great cars.  3 cost in 2k and were good for 30k, and the last was a little lower mileage, at 91k, which was good to 200k.

[weave]

Knightrider, on 11 May 2011 - 01:42 PM, said:

When you say, "Buy American", I suspect you mean, buy UAW.  The UAW has destroyed the "US" car makers.  I will not buy any vehicle that an UAW worker has touched.

An interesting read.

Just to preface what I am about to say.... I am not a UAW worker. I am not a union worker.  But I am in the auto industry.  I'll leave which company out of the conversation.

That article has a good bit of misinfornmation, whether on purpose or because the author doesn't have the whole story... I don't know.  

#1 Yes, Kaisan was an innovatiopn of the Japanese, but American automakers have been using Kaisan principles for years.  Continuous improvement programs and lean systems have been in place for at least 15 years.  I'll grant you the Japanese have been at it longer but when that article was written Kaisan was already old news at American auto maker facilities.

#2 Yes, GM was strangled by union contracts.  But not because of union wages as the author strongly suggests.  It was legacy costs from the gazillion retirees in GM's system that was strangling them.  GM had to run their business to maximize cash flow to allow them to continue to cut retiree checks each month.  It was a short term survival tactic that they used for long term out of necessity.  The recent restructuring shed GM of those legacy costs and left them better able to compete.

#3 The idea that the gov't was targeting the Toyota recall with more vigor than they went after American automakers becaue there was more of a gov't stake in the big 3 is unsubstantiated IMO.  Ford was doing fine financially when their recall came down.  The gov't didn't need to protect them and didn't have an ownership stake in them.  The bottom line is, the Toyota recall was for a highly publicized series of accidents.  The press lit the fire under the Gov't.  It had nothing to do with protecting American auto interests.

As for your anti-UAW sentiments.... there is a nugget of truth in your feelings, but it is much more complicated than "the UAW destroyed US car makers".  There is lots of blame to go around.  And when you choose to buy non-UAW you hurt non-union big 3 employees too.  Just sayin'...

[Knightrider]

weave, on 11 May 2011 - 02:12 PM, said:

Just to preface what I am about to say.... I am not a UAW worker.  But I am in the auto industry.  I'll leave which company out of the conversation.

That article has a good bit of misinfornmation, whether on purpose or because thaeauthor doesn't have the whole story... I don't know.  

#1 yes Kaisan was an innovatiopn of the Japanese, but American automakers have been using Kaisan principles for years.  COntinuous improvement programs and lean systems have been in place for at least 15 years.  I'll grant you the Japanese have been at it longer but when that article was written Kaisan was already old news at American auto mker facilities.

#2 GM was strangled by union contracts.  But not because of union wages as the author suggests.  It was legacy costs from the gazillion retirees in GM's system that was strangling them.  GM had to run their business to maximize cash flow to allow them to continue to cut retiree checks eachj month.  It was a short term survival tactic.  The recent restructuring shed GM of those legacy costs and left them better able to compete.

#3 The idea that the gov't was targeting the Toyota recall with more vigor than they went after American automakers becaue there was more of a gov't stake in the big 3 is unsubstantiated IMO.  Ford was doing fine financially when their recall came down.  The gov't didn't need to protect them and didn't have an ownership stake in them.  The bottom line is, the Toyota recall was for a highly publicized series of accidents.  The press lit the fire under the Gov't.  It had nothing to do with protecting American auto interests.

As for your anti-UAW sentiments.... there is a nugget of truth in your feelings, but it is much more complicated that "the UAW destroyed US car makers".  There is lots of blame to go around.  And when you choose to buy non-UAW you hurt non-union big 3 employees too.  Just sayin'...

I am not in the auto industry, so I bow to your insights on #1 and 2.  WRT to #3, the timing of this just stinks to me.  Whether it was spurred by the government or the UAW, the abnormal publicity on Toyota seems very artificial to me.

And I am not hurting anyone.  It is my job to get the best bang for my money for me and my family.

[nobody]

wonderbread, on 10 May 2011 - 10:35 PM, said:

I got a sweet little Toyota carolla. It's great.  

Is that a knock off version of the Toyota Corolla?  

[d4rksabre]

It should also be noted that the first American foray into Kaizen was this:

 86Nova.jpg   35.02K   8 downloads

[weave]

Knightrider, on 11 May 2011 - 02:38 PM, said:

I am not in the auto industry, so I bow to your insights on #1 and 2.  WRT to #3, the timing of this just stinks to me.  Whether it was spurred by the government or the UAW, the abnormal publicity on Toyota seems very artificial to me.

I just wanted to make the point that given how much error the author had in points 1 and 2, I wouldn't put much credence in his 3rd point (the recalls) unless you find something else independent from this guy to back it up with.  This author was writing just to be read cuz he's not terribly informed from what I can see.

Quote

And I am not hurting anyone.  It is my job to get the best bang for my money for me and my family.

Agreed.  I took it that you were avoiding UAW cars because you had it out for the UAW.  IMO that would be counter productive.  But your response here indicates otherwise.  As a consumer you should always look for the best value, I can't argue that.

[weave]

d4rksabre, on 11 May 2011 - 04:41 PM, said:

It should also be noted that the first American foray into Kaizen was this:

86Nova.jpg

Those were ugly, terrible, awful cars from an ugly, terrible, awful time in US car making history.  

[d4rksabre]

weave, on 11 May 2011 - 04:57 PM, said:

Those were ugly, terrible, awful cars from an ugly, terrible, awful time in US car making history.  

A time period which by my standards extends from the 74 Mustang to the 2005 Mustang. A very dark 31 years. I still find most late model cars to be ugly as sin. But it's hard to beat the Ford Taurus and the Chevy Lumina for pure-bred awful. Or the C-body DeVille.  

Or this!

 81_Seville.jpg   134.13K   7 downloads

[UncleWally]

d4rksabre, on 11 May 2011 - 05:21 PM, said:

Or this!
81_Seville.jpg

Step back, that Seville is sweet.

[Assquatch]

Buying a 2012 Impreza when they come out in the fall.  AWD and 36 mpg.

[notwoz]

nobody, on 11 May 2011 - 04:04 PM, said:

Is that a knock off version of the Toyota Corolla?  

[Mox]

http://i39.photobuck...r4/IMG_0342.jpg
2011 Subaru WRX

http://i39.photobuck...r4/IMG_0290.jpg
2008 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X GSR

http://sphotos.ak.fb...8_1821357_n.jpg
2008 MINI Cooper S

I'd buy an American car if they built a Sport Compact that was as fun to drive on a road course or autocross course like the WRXs and EVOs are. There are American cars that get better MPG than my MINI, but none are more fun. Have to make my hour and a half drive to work as much fun as possible.

[SwampD]

Knightrider, on 11 May 2011 - 01:42 PM, said:

If a US company would build an all wheel drive vehicle I might have bought American.  OK, who am I kidding, after being burned by quality issues multiple times, I doubt I will.  I know, I should give them another try! They are much better these days!  

I've owned the Audi since 2004 (bought it with 47k and it now has 120k) and have had it in for a repair once.  Coolant was leaking into the turbo.  The fix cost ~$800, but was covered by warranty.  That's it.

I've owned the Toyota since 2005 (bought it on Ebay with 27k and it now has 135k) and have not had to repair anything.  This was the first year Toyota put AWD in the Sienna, mind you.  Oh, and it was built in Indiana.

When you say, "Buy American", I suspect you mean, buy UAW.  The UAW has destroyed the "US" car makers.  I will not buy any vehicle that an UAW worker has touched.

An interesting read.

It's funny.  I've had the exact opposite experience.  Every foreign car I've owned has been a way more unreliable and more expensive to fix than my U.S. made cars (I had a Mercury Villager that went well over 200K and I don't drive that far to work).  I will now only buy American.  Plus, being 6'4", foreign cars just don't fit right.

[cdexchange]

Knightrider, on 11 May 2011 - 01:42 PM, said:

I once bought a Honda Prelude with 125k miles for $1650.  After driving it for a year and 30k miles, it was totaled, and the insurance company paid $2500.  Before I bought the Audi, I had 4 Preludes.  They were great cars.  3 cost in 2k and were good for 30k, and the last was a little lower mileage, at 91k, which was good to 200k.

Awesome.  

Before my Forester, I had an old Civic that I drove into the ground.  It was a 5-speed stick and had ZERO options - no AC, no ABS, not even power steering (lol) and the body was quite literally falling apart.  I could easily rip chunks of the wheel wells off with my bare hands it was so rusty.  Despite the lack of options and the horrible body condition, I still managed to sell it for $1200.

Damn Buffalo winters.  I swear if I lived down south I would buy a low-mileage Camry or Accord, maintain it religiously, and drive it for the rest of my life.  Since I work at home and only put about 4k miles per year on my vehicle, I could probably get 30 years out of it easily.