what vehicle around Atlanta,GA?

Status
Not open for further replies.
P

pandus13

Joined
Aug 12, 2011
Messages
4,111
Location
IL/GA ,USA
Hi BITOGers,

first anyone driving mountains, please don't laugh of this poor plain-lander.

What would you find usable on GA's hills?

probably used
good AC
some degree of utility space (hatch/wagon)
no, i'm not going to do off-road.

i'm leaning mazda cx-5/mazda3 hatch/ford focus wagon/chevy hhr/toyota xb/venza

still thinking if i should go another mazda5...

please tell me the yay/nay or other alternatives.

much appreciated
 
Last edited:
Not familiar with the area, but won't most vehicles just drop a gear and go, once you step on it? Which makes me wonder: are you after something that won't sound like it's shifting all the time? Something torquey, so as to avoid the constant gearshifting and winding out the engine?
 
I grew up in NW Georgia, learned to drive stick out in hay fields at 9 years old. Lived in Atlanta for 5 years while going to Georgia Tech until I graduated and moved to Chicago at 23. Atlanta is not that hilly, even compared to Chicago. I drove an '85 Jetta, a '95 Neon & '96 Volvo, all of which were manual transmissions without issue and without having to replace a clutch prematurely.

Any of the vehicles you listed will be fine, as long as the A/C works well. It can be murderously hot & humid eight months out of the year. Light colored vehicle with strong A/C and window tint would be on the top of my list. However having driven most of those, I would not, under any circumstances, recommend a Chevy HHR. Your existing 2013 Mazda5 or 2008 Toyota Yaris would both be fine. We drive our Mazda5 down to Atlanta several times a year to see relatives and it (also with a manual transmission) works well.
 
A budget or at least new/used would help with suggestions.

Lots of hills? Get a stick.
 
What kind of hills are we talkin here? When I drove down south last July I know I needed the A/C running alot, and encountered some hills around the deals gap area. I was thankful for 300+ hp with those conditions. Climbing hills using A/C often, I would opt for something with a little more pickup. Maybe an older Ford Fusion with the 3.0 engine? They can be had in FWD or AWD. Not hatch I know.

I will say I've been in a scion xb a couple times (the older original style) and that engine would be pretty scary running A/C up some hills. Add a passenger or two, and you'll be flinstoning that thing (pretty cool city car otherwise).
 
Last edited:
I live in nortwest GA and, due to my limited physical mobility, much of my entertainment is driving the roads north of Atlanta. Australians go walkabout, I go driveabout. Your options ascto vehicles are many but unless you have a crying need for offroad ability you should leave an SUV, van orother high CG vehicle off your list. Not that they are dangerous or won't get the job done, they just will rob you of driving satisfaction that a better handling vehicle will provide. I still use my '92 SE-R for those missions although if my clutch leg is AWOL that day I'll take something else. I regularly cover east to Clayton to visit friends and then down to Helen and over to Ellijay and most points in between before coming home via Dalton. On the west side of I75 are the beautiful and slightly more challenging roads around Lookout Mountain and the TN, GA, AL border. All are beautiful, none are really difficult. You're going to enjoy yourself. Welcome!
 
The A/C has to work really well. Same with the windshield wipers. When it rains in the area it rains really hard. Take that into consideration when choosing tires.

Most every modern car have enough power to keep up with traffic anywhere.

I've lived and worked in Buckhead and Kennesaw. I miss the 4-wheeling and motorcycle dirt riding in the rural areas especially north toward Tennessee. I also miss friends and weekends camping and getting muddy and just plain having fun in the outdoors.
 
Originally Posted By: Kuato
A budget or at least new/used would help with suggestions.

Lots of hills? Get a stick.

I'm not afraid of both (new/used); if new, probably i want 10-15 years out of the vehicle.
used, probably 2008 up (i live in rust territory, but my 2008 yaris and my sold 2004 elantra look/looked good)
 
Originally Posted By: DeepFriar
On the west side of I75 are the beautiful and slightly more challenging roads around Lookout Mountain and the TN, GA, AL border. All are beautiful, none are really difficult. You're going to enjoy yourself. Welcome!


Drove the Mazda5 with luggage, 2 adults + 2 kids on Jan 1st .... in 1/2 hour got sunny, rainy, 25ft foggy...and all going up on the curves...

What can i say, mazda5 reacted well and Cooper RS3-A Zeons 1 year olds stick really well to pavement

Much appreciated
 
Originally Posted By: OneEyeJack
The A/C has to work really well. Same with the windshield wipers. When it rains in the area it rains really hard. Take that into consideration when choosing tires.

Most every modern car have enough power to keep up with traffic anywhere.


Thank you

Originally Posted By: OneEyeJack
I also miss friends and weekends camping and getting muddy and just plain having fun in the outdoors.

...and watching the sunset (while cell's shut!)
I knew it, whe're not right in the head both of us.
 
I owned a CX-5 with an auto and I will say it will downshift but it really wants to be in 6th gear most of the time. This weekend I took my manual transmission Mazda 6 to the Texas Hill Country and I shifted quite a bit. The car isnt under powered, but its not powerful. It works to get up those hills.
 
All cars are tested to meet the max 32% grade found on registered roads. The max is found on one of the hills in San Francisco. So really, any car should do fine. In Georgia, I'd pick a white one.
 
Originally Posted By: pandus13
Originally Posted By: supton
Something torquey...

Please,
more details?


Bigger engine. Sorry, can't advise past that, it's just a gut call. Something that doesn't have to rev to make power. Like a Chevy small block instead of an imported I4. That sort of thing.

Not that it's required, mind you. I don't consider any of my fleet torquey. Adequate for what is needed. But all of three of them need to rev to get out of their own way. Which can be annoying to some. Me, most of my hills are sedate, and as such I don't have to drop gears that often.
 
Two other drives I will recommend to you - just barely north of the GA-TN border is the road that tracks with the white water Ocoee River over to Murphy, NC. That's some good driving. A bit north of there is the famous Tail of the Dragon. You'll have to do that at least once!
 
Originally Posted By: OneEyeJack
The A/C has to work really well. Same with the windshield wipers. When it rains in the area it rains really hard. Take that into consideration when choosing tires.

Most every modern car have enough power to keep up with traffic anywhere.

I've lived and worked in Buckhead and Kennesaw. I miss the 4-wheeling and motorcycle dirt riding in the rural areas especially north toward Tennessee. I also miss friends and weekends camping and getting muddy and just plain having fun in the outdoors.


Hey, my Atlanta daughter (she of no oil fame) lives in Buckhead and my very good friend that I joined the Air Force with is in Kennesaw so I'm down there frequently. Still buddies after all these years. Were you a Lockheed type while you were here?
 
Pretty much any modern car will be fine. There are no "hills" of any consequence, east of the Rockies. Any modern car will have been tested on the steepest and highest elevation roads in the USA, all of which are in the Western States.
 
Pandus13, anything over 100-125 hp will be ok. Would suggest more as you need it for the Interstates. ATL is not that hilly: an hour north of ATL is hilly and gets mountainous.
DeepFriar and Scurvy, I grew up in Rome / Summerville / Menlo in hayfields with manuals and tractors. Graduated GT in 85 with a new 5 speed Celica GTS: last year of the RWDs. Now in the really flat lands of northeast SC. I dont miss 75/85 traffic. I do miss the Lime Light in Buckhead (was next to the Disco Kroger).
 
Pretty much any modern car will handle most anything here... if you can get it here through Chattanooga you’ll be fine here... I mean I can find some gravel roads around Dahlonaga or Raburn Gap that you’ll need 4wd for but unless you live around them you wouldn’t need to be on them.

In Atlanta proper you see pretty much the same thing you see in Chicago just not as rusty...
 
V6 Ford Fusion SE with the handling package. Ought to fly up them hills
smile.gif
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

P
  • Locked
Mama wants a hatch!
2 3
Replies
51
Views
10K
pandus13
Back
Top Bottom