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The Official Car Thread
Topic Started: Aug 19 2008, 09:51 AM (859 Views)
Cy-FoxPosted Image Aug 19 2008, 09:51 AM Post #1
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We are still watching
 Figure we have a few gearheads among us, besides me. ;)

Anyways, this is the official car thread of =SB=, where you can discuss things like what your favorite specific model/make is and why, upcoming brands or past ones and so on. You can also swap questions and answers regarding issues regarding to repairs and performance.

I'll inaugurate it with a little bit of happy news.

Some of you probably (scratch that, DEFINITELY) know that I'm one of the strangest people around here. Besides being our resident hardcore RoboCop fanboy and weaponry/military robotics and history buff, I also have a little thing for cars. I have several of the Need for Speed games (Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit, High Stakes, Porsche Unleashed and Hot Pursuit 2) and I use fan-made cars in those games (Yes, they're mainly cop cars =3)

Strangely enough, I don't have my driver's license, or a car. I have an outdated permit which I'm going to renew sometime later this week. And on a better note...

I'm finally getting a car.

My sister (having gone through about all of Ford Motor Company's finest in their fleets (including a few Mercurys) >_<) is going to pass to me a late-1980s Chrysler New Yorker for the all-time great price of 0 dollars and 00 cents if I watch her kids for awhile while darling boyfriend does about a few weeks for his second DUI.

Some of you probably know the New Yorker. For those that don't, here's a few things. The New Yorker is a luxury sedan, much like Ford's LTD and its 1990-onwards incarnation, the Crown Victoria, as well as the Lincoln Town Car. However, it has a few bells and whistles that make it stand out more than the others.

First off, it gets at least 20 miles per gallon (very important these days). Second, it's got some cool electronic features that definitely say 1980s. Any of you Knight Rider buffs? Well this car talks too. It has a thing called the Electronic Voice Alert which tells you if there's a seat belt undone or if a door's open. What's also great is that it has a digital dash (Hey, it's like a DeLorean!.)

Posted Image - From Wikipedia, so you guys know what I mean.

There's all kinds of other luxury features that are typical on such a car. Leather steering wheel. Reclining seats. Wood trim interior. But overall, it sounds like it's going to be a great car. I'll have yet to decide that on its entirety when I get it.

But I take it as a good sign that it's blue. Perhaps it's Sonic blue. XD

More photos:
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-An '87
Edited by Cy-Fox, Aug 19 2008, 09:54 AM.
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Neo MetallixPosted Image Sep 8 2008, 05:22 PM Post #16
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~Doomsday Overlord~
Nail Strafer
Sep 2 2008, 01:10 PM
Hi Neo... I actually test drove a '09 Pontiac Solstice recently.

Because I like my little yellow car so much I'm pondering getting a second car meant purely for fun. You know, instead of just buying a car meant to replace my Tracker.

But I was rather disappointed with the Solstice to be honest. It didn't feel that much faster than my current car and I didn't think it was that remarkable on a country lane either. Plus, for its sticker price, I could get a Subaru Impreza WRX easily. It would be far more practical and speedier to boot.

Then again, I was only driving the base model. There is that GXP model with the turbo and all...although I think $30,000 is a bit excessive for an impractical car like a convertible. Regardless, I do enjoy test driving cars, so I'll take a Saturn salesman's offer to try out their turbo Saturn Sky, since it's basically a mechanical twin of the Solstice.

Still though, it'd have to be a real good drive to win my heart. You can buy a lot of different kinds of cars for $30,000, and many of them would be a lot more practical to own than a convertible.

Also, since I'm looking for a low-priced convertible, I'm definitely giving a Mazda Miata a try sometime too. It's widely reputed to be the best convertible for the price, so it wouldn't be right if I didn't give it a shot.
The Miata is good, although the Solstice can beat it around a track. ;) For 30k, I'd get a Camaro though. lol

Also the Solstice may not be the fastest, but it looks damn good. Even though the Cobalt SS has the fastest lap time on the Nring for any econo car(Impreza, Evo, SRT4, etc), I'd still take the Solstice over it. Handling and speed don't cancel everything out for me.
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The Grey Wyvern Sep 8 2008, 05:47 PM Post #17
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Hydrocity Act 1
 How the hell can anybody under the age of about thirty afford to insure anything sportier than a Ford Fiesta, anyway?
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Neo MetallixPosted Image Sep 8 2008, 05:56 PM Post #18
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 I want a Diesel Fiesta. 67 MPG! Not in America though. :(
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Lord Master of Darkness™ Sep 8 2008, 07:31 PM Post #19
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 I WAS gonna say, you can get the Fiesta in America? XD Then I remembered Nail told me this on MSN a while back, so there went my original point...

I'm a big fan of European hatches, myself. Hell, I've owned enough.

MkII VW Golf Ryder 1.3 - not bad, a bit ass-heavy but damn good for ferrying friends around, and packing out with musical equipment.
MkII or II VW Polo Coupe(THE BEST CAR I'VE EVER DRIVEN) 1.3, exactly the same engine as the Golf so it made working on it easier, plus it was much lighter. With suspension, decent tyres and a aesthetically pleasing spoiler I was sold. Only a 1.3 engine but in a car that weighted bugger all, it was enough. The power to weight ratio was DAMN good!
Phase 1 Peugeot 306 XSI 1.4 - this was my first 5-door car, but also one of the most powerful I've owned. The extra weight of the doors meant it didn't like corners too well, but in a straight line it was capable of quite a bit.
Ford Fiesta XR2i 1.6 - a special hatch released by Ford in the UK, based on the MkIII I believe? The front end was way too lively for my liking, but it sounded utterly gorgeous with the standard exhaust on it! <3

My next purchase? Probably another Polo. I fell in love with that car, and would happily do so all over again. The only reason I got rid was because I hadn't re-enforced the engine, and it blew when I was beating a Corsa filled with chavs. That moment was heart-wrenching...
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Neo MetallixPosted Image Sep 8 2008, 08:45 PM Post #20
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 Actually not now, but in 2010 the Fiesta will be coming to America. Sadly, I doubt the 67MPG diesel will. We have strict regulations and it would probably be illegal to sell that diesel here.... I'm not sure.
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Neo MetallixPosted Image Sep 8 2008, 09:42 PM Post #21
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 New Camaro SS pics!!

http://imageevent.com/face440/ssatspringmountain
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Nail Strafer Sep 9 2008, 05:21 AM Post #22
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How the hell can anybody under the age of about thirty afford to insure anything sportier than a Ford Fiesta, anyway?


I’m guessing you’re in England Grey? 30 is when the insurance drops over there, correct? Because in America, your car insurance can drop like 20% after you turn 25. You do have to keep a clean record and have several years experience though. Fortunately though, I do have both of those. So I’m planning to buy my next car after Feb 2, 2010, which will be my 25th birthday. I probably could afford a Miata or a WRX right now (since I have a well-paying job despite my age), although the insurance would probably be crushing.

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The Miata is good, although the Solstice can beat it around a track. ;) For 30k, I'd get a Camaro though. lol


I would choose the Miata any day over a Solstice. It's more comfortable to sit in, it has more space, it's lighter, it handles better, its interior is nicer, it felt more energetic, and it was more fun to drive (very important in a car like this).

Meanwhile, the base Solstice looks cooler and it's faster in a straight line, but those are the only things it beats the Miata on...plus I hear they have a reputation for unreliability. And since it’s a GM vehicle, it’s liable to have higher depreciation too, which is usually your biggest expense when you buy a new car. Yeah, you can get a turbo on the Solstice to give it 260 HP, but like you said…by this point it would cost like $30,000…almost as much as the new Camaro. So you may as well get that instead.

The Solstice and the Sky are a good effort at giving the Miata some rivals, but Mazda’s been building and refining the Miata for almost 20 years now, and it shows. GM needs to get more experience at building this type of car.
Edited by Nail Strafer, Sep 9 2008, 05:29 AM.
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Lord Master of Darkness™ Sep 9 2008, 07:52 AM Post #23
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Neo Metallix
Sep 8 2008, 09:42 PM
Transformers ftw, boss.
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Neo MetallixPosted Image Sep 9 2008, 09:24 AM Post #24
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 Actually, Nail Strafer, the Miata does not handle better. I've watched comparison videos where they drove both with the same driver and the Solstice got a better time. If you mean in the city, it handles better, then I don't know about that since I haven't driven them and don't plan on doing so. I guess it all depends on your tastes though, because I've heard many people say the Solstice was more fun to drive.

And unreliability? Where have you heard that?! Probably from someone that knows nothing about cars and thinks Toyota has the best reliability. lolol Maybe not, but I've never heard anything like that.
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Cy-FoxPosted Image Sep 9 2008, 09:54 AM Post #25
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We are still watching
 No love for McLaren?
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Nail Strafer Sep 9 2008, 10:01 AM Post #26
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Actually, Nail Strafer, the Miata does not handle better. I've watched comparison videos where they drove both with the same driver and the Solstice got a better time. If you mean in the city, it handles better, then I don't know about that since I haven't driven them and don't plan on doing so. I guess it all depends on your tastes though, because I've heard many people say the Solstice was more fun to drive.

Did the course have a lot of straightaways and easy corners? If so, it probably got a better time because it had slightly more power and torque…so it’s faster in a straight line. However, the Miata weighs about 400 pounds less (2478 lbs VS 2860 lbs). That is a big difference in weight. For reference, the SUV I own now weighs about 2950 lbs or so. In any case, lower weight contributes to better cornering.

When I drove the Solstice, it felt a bit vague on steering...like it took half a second for the tires to catch up to what I was doing with the steering wheel. In the Miata, I felt like I was in a go kart. The steering felt very direct. This works better in city traffic and tight spaces…while most race courses are much more wide open and have fewer obstacles. Performance on a racetrack does not equal performance in the real world.

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And unreliability? Where have you heard that?! Probably from someone that knows nothing about cars and thinks Toyota has the best reliability. lolol Maybe not, but I've never heard anything like that.


Edmunds.com says so, according to their review.

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Cons

Tiny trunk with reverse-opening lid, lack of interior storage, awkward soft-top operation, low-quality interior plastics, reputation for poor reliability.


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As before, the soft top 2009 Pontiac Solstice's chief competitor is the Mazda MX-5 Miata. The Solstice (as well as its twin, the Saturn Sky) may have the advantage when it comes to looks and straight-line performance, but the Mazda still beats the Pontiac in day-to-day enjoyment thanks to its more athletic personality, quicker-revving engine, a more polished demeanor and an effortless drop top (including an available retractable hardtop). The Mazda is also more practical and enjoys a vastly superior reputation for reliability.


I would consider them to be a trustworthy, unbiased source on cars. And I would also trust the most trustworthy witness I know too...myself. During the Solstice test drive, I was saying things like "This cornering reminds me of my SUV," "I definitely can't picture myself buying this car," and "Better scratch this one off my list." While in the Mazda, I had this big stupid grin on my face throughout the entire test drive. The salesman didn't have to say anything. It just appeared automatically, without me even thinking about it. I wanted to take that Miata home that day.
Edited by Nail Strafer, Sep 9 2008, 10:21 AM.
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Lord Master of Darkness™ Sep 9 2008, 03:37 PM Post #27
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 We call the Miata the MX-5, don't we? I'm with Nail, it's renowned over here in the UK for being perfect for our roads - because we have this wonderful thing called corners... ;) I'm sure the Solstice is faster in a straight line, but stick the pair on a B-road and the MX-5 will absolutely kick its ass.
If I ever owned a rear wheel drive car, it'd be that beast. It's small enough for my liking.
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Nail Strafer Sep 10 2008, 11:16 AM Post #28
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 Hehe...hardly a beast in America though. It's a tiny gnat in the land of giants here. But that's why I love it so much. Although if I could I'd love to take the next step up for pure lightness and go get a Lotus Elise...but that's kind of obscene there. $45,000 for a car where sun blinds are optional, anyone? For that price I could just go buy myself a BMW or a really sweet STI or Evo...plus $45k is just a few k away from my annual gross salary.

But damn does that car look awesome. Although I bet with how low it is to the ground...and with the third world quality of most Arkansas roads, the bottom would be covered with scratches in no time.
Edited by Nail Strafer, Sep 10 2008, 11:24 AM.
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Lord Master of Darkness™ Sep 10 2008, 03:26 PM Post #29
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 Of course, if fuel wasn't a problem over here I'd happily scout out a Challenger. Pony car for the win! I think the Charger is WAY too big for our roads...

Alas both of those are pipe dreams. If I wanted a decent rear-wheel drive car over here, I'd have to go for the Corvette C6 or the Audi R8... So long as the 'Vette comes in red or the Audi in white, I would happily have either.
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Nail Strafer Sep 11 2008, 07:24 AM Post #30
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 The Challenger...I've seen a few of them so far...all have been in bright orange. Good luck finding one at a Dodge dealer though. They seem to disappear as soon as they're on the lot. Oh, and I think for the moment, you can only get them as an automatic >_>;;;

Did you know that 90% of new cars sold in America are automatics? It's staggering...I thought there'd be a higher percentage of manuals out there. Manual isn't even an option in many cars here (especially with American brands). You HAVE to take an auto. I guess it surprised me because most of the cars I'm thinking of purchasing are European or Japanese in origin. I'm not even giving half a glance to most American cars.

Oh, and Neo...I found an an article on the Fiesta you were talking about earlier. It sucks indeed that it's not looking like we'll be getting this vehicle anytime soon... They are right though...diesels are snorted upon here and the taxes are bumped up high to take advantage of all those trucker fleets out there...so the average consumer gets a bum deal in the process.

Edited by Nail Strafer, Sep 11 2008, 08:48 AM.
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