Help me buy a car!
- Thread starter SevenBizzos
- Start date
- Status
Originally Posted By: Pop_Rivit
Originally Posted By: JHZR2
Teach the wife to drive stick.
As dumbed down and simple as modern manual transmissions have become, that's not a bad idea. Driving modern manuals takes no real skill-pretty much anyone can do it.
A dumbed down manual transmission?
How would you do that? I'm not sure what you are trying to say.
Originally Posted By: JHZR2
Teach the wife to drive stick.
As dumbed down and simple as modern manual transmissions have become, that's not a bad idea. Driving modern manuals takes no real skill-pretty much anyone can do it.
A dumbed down manual transmission?
How would you do that? I'm not sure what you are trying to say.
Originally Posted By: bigdreama
Originally Posted By: Pop_Rivit
Originally Posted By: JHZR2
Teach the wife to drive stick.
As dumbed down and simple as modern manual transmissions have become, that's not a bad idea. Driving modern manuals takes no real skill-pretty much anyone can do it.
A dumbed down manual transmission?
How would you do that? I'm not sure what you are trying to say.
Fully synchronized, light weight hydraulic clutches.
Originally Posted By: Pop_Rivit
Originally Posted By: JHZR2
Teach the wife to drive stick.
As dumbed down and simple as modern manual transmissions have become, that's not a bad idea. Driving modern manuals takes no real skill-pretty much anyone can do it.
A dumbed down manual transmission?
How would you do that? I'm not sure what you are trying to say.
Fully synchronized, light weight hydraulic clutches.
When buying used, you'll typically get a lot more (less mileage, newer, etc) in a Fusion/Malibu/Impala vs. an Accord. That used to be the case. I have not shopped used in quite some time. You could also consider 300 or Charger. I assume you want AWD or fwd though? An AWD Charger/300 will be harder to find. It would be easier to find an AWD Fusion. Those only came with V6.
2005/2006 E46 sedan. (if possible with ZHP package)
biased, I know.
Subaru Legacy GT? (the gen. that was not bloated)
Mazda 6
Audi A4? A6?
Volvo S60?
biased, I know.
Subaru Legacy GT? (the gen. that was not bloated)
Mazda 6
Audi A4? A6?
Volvo S60?
Originally Posted By: Miller88
Originally Posted By: bigdreama
Originally Posted By: Pop_Rivit
Originally Posted By: JHZR2
Teach the wife to drive stick.
As dumbed down and simple as modern manual transmissions have become, that's not a bad idea. Driving modern manuals takes no real skill-pretty much anyone can do it.
A dumbed down manual transmission?
How would you do that? I'm not sure what you are trying to say.
Fully synchronized, light weight hydraulic clutches.
I would not call that dumbed down. Synchronizers are a good feature and there is nothing wrong with hydraulic clutch actuators, just as there is nothing wrong with power steering. When I was in my early 20s I drove a '77 F100 with no power steering, no power assist to the brakes, and fully mechanical clutch linkage. I liked it, but have to note that my elbows and left knee were having aches and pains after seven years of that. Sure, it takes a lot more skill to drive a non-syncro manual and I admit I have never done it, but for the non-syncro first gear in my first one, a '63 Chevy.
Dumbed down would be a light on the dash to tell you what gear you are in (or the common shift lights), but even then it's not the transmission that is dumbed down. The only way to dumb down a transmission is to make it shift for you and we already have those, they are called automatics. Besides that, why would a dumbed down transmission make it a good idea for one's wife to drive it? Women can do complex tasks.
Originally Posted By: bigdreama
Originally Posted By: Pop_Rivit
Originally Posted By: JHZR2
Teach the wife to drive stick.
As dumbed down and simple as modern manual transmissions have become, that's not a bad idea. Driving modern manuals takes no real skill-pretty much anyone can do it.
A dumbed down manual transmission?
How would you do that? I'm not sure what you are trying to say.
Fully synchronized, light weight hydraulic clutches.
I would not call that dumbed down. Synchronizers are a good feature and there is nothing wrong with hydraulic clutch actuators, just as there is nothing wrong with power steering. When I was in my early 20s I drove a '77 F100 with no power steering, no power assist to the brakes, and fully mechanical clutch linkage. I liked it, but have to note that my elbows and left knee were having aches and pains after seven years of that. Sure, it takes a lot more skill to drive a non-syncro manual and I admit I have never done it, but for the non-syncro first gear in my first one, a '63 Chevy.
Dumbed down would be a light on the dash to tell you what gear you are in (or the common shift lights), but even then it's not the transmission that is dumbed down. The only way to dumb down a transmission is to make it shift for you and we already have those, they are called automatics. Besides that, why would a dumbed down transmission make it a good idea for one's wife to drive it? Women can do complex tasks.
If it's a toaster you want...consider a 2005/06 Camry LE...
Kitacamry's manual transmission is buttery smooth and easy to shift, but the AT is, well, automatic...easy-peasy and reliable...$6k with under 100k miles....I get 24-25mpg in town, 34-36mph on the highway depending on your taste for speed....
Kitacamry's manual transmission is buttery smooth and easy to shift, but the AT is, well, automatic...easy-peasy and reliable...$6k with under 100k miles....I get 24-25mpg in town, 34-36mph on the highway depending on your taste for speed....
Last edited:
Originally Posted By: nitehawk55
Nothing wrong with the fact the Fusion is made in Mexico , they are doing an excellent job on them .
They are now making some of the newer ones in the US because demand for them is so high .
My Chrysler was made in Mexico. I just found it ironic that the "Import" was made just south of Detroit and the "Domestic" was made in a foreign country.
As far as the comparison between the 6 and the Fusion? Same Mazda platform. Ford made some uhhh.....interesting choices in what they changed. Usually not for the better. It is a quieter and smoother riding car but they cut a lot of the enthusiast out of it.
Originally Posted By: kkreit01
When buying used, you'll typically get a lot more (less mileage, newer, etc) in a Fusion/Malibu/Impala vs. an Accord....
You can get a lot of Malibu at that price. Decent LT model with well under 100,000 miles. Same thing with the Malibu as the Fusion. Epsilon platform is used in some very good enthusiast cars but they toned it down a lot. I still like the car. Good car. Just not fun.
You can get a lot of Sebring for that price too.....but it is a Sebring.
Best buy is probably a 2009-2010 Kia Optima. It's the previous model. Not a looker. It was debadged and used in a competitor's ad as the "generic Asian sedan". But mechanically it is a Hyundai Sonata.
Nothing wrong with the fact the Fusion is made in Mexico , they are doing an excellent job on them .
They are now making some of the newer ones in the US because demand for them is so high .
My Chrysler was made in Mexico. I just found it ironic that the "Import" was made just south of Detroit and the "Domestic" was made in a foreign country.
As far as the comparison between the 6 and the Fusion? Same Mazda platform. Ford made some uhhh.....interesting choices in what they changed. Usually not for the better. It is a quieter and smoother riding car but they cut a lot of the enthusiast out of it.
Originally Posted By: kkreit01
When buying used, you'll typically get a lot more (less mileage, newer, etc) in a Fusion/Malibu/Impala vs. an Accord....
You can get a lot of Malibu at that price. Decent LT model with well under 100,000 miles. Same thing with the Malibu as the Fusion. Epsilon platform is used in some very good enthusiast cars but they toned it down a lot. I still like the car. Good car. Just not fun.
You can get a lot of Sebring for that price too.....but it is a Sebring.
Best buy is probably a 2009-2010 Kia Optima. It's the previous model. Not a looker. It was debadged and used in a competitor's ad as the "generic Asian sedan". But mechanically it is a Hyundai Sonata.
Thread update:
The 06-07 Accord V6 market is crazy. The cars are gone 24-48 hours after being put for sale or traded in. I missed on four of them by hours or a day.
I looked at a couple of Mazda 6's and I just wasn't feeling them
I drove a 2008 Altima 3.5 SE and was really impressed. I was about to put an offer down on it until....
A dealership an hour away took in a 2006 V6 EX-L in Graphite Pearl (dark gray) with 65k miles I was test driving it the next morning.
I give a slight edge to the Altima in performance, but more of an edge to the Accord for looks and longevity.
I worked out a fair deal and bought the Accord.
While the wait and frustration got old, it worked out. I hope I won't be going through it again any time soon.
Now the unfortunate part - car payments! (albeit for not too long)
The 06-07 Accord V6 market is crazy. The cars are gone 24-48 hours after being put for sale or traded in. I missed on four of them by hours or a day.
I looked at a couple of Mazda 6's and I just wasn't feeling them
I drove a 2008 Altima 3.5 SE and was really impressed. I was about to put an offer down on it until....
A dealership an hour away took in a 2006 V6 EX-L in Graphite Pearl (dark gray) with 65k miles I was test driving it the next morning.
I give a slight edge to the Altima in performance, but more of an edge to the Accord for looks and longevity.
I worked out a fair deal and bought the Accord.
While the wait and frustration got old, it worked out. I hope I won't be going through it again any time soon.
Now the unfortunate part - car payments! (albeit for not too long)
- Status
