O/T: Talking Cars Tuesday: What are cars missing?
I'm currently in the process of replacing my Five Hundred. She's been a good car but has gone critical in the past 3 months; AWD failing; major rust holes showing up like sink holes appearing; and now the steering rack is going bad. 13 years and 200K are enough.
This has led me to test drive alot of different cars. I'd like a Taurus but they are a bear to find up here. The 300 is nice, and may be my next car, but the trunk is a bit small. I've test driven and/or sat in Kias, Fusions, Toyotas....
And honestly I'm 'Meh'.
What I want is a car with decent power, good comfort, decent mileage, and a ton of room. I don't like SUV's anymore, and no amount of infotainment can replace a comfortable driving position.
For me what's missing is the basics all in one package: Good road feel; easy to read informative gauges; lots of passenger and trunk room. But I realize I'm an outlier, or they'd make me a car I like (maybe a new 500 with 300hp...).
So, in this platinum age of autos, what is missing for you, if anything? What is one thing you wish automakers would do better? Interior design? Styling? Handling? Lightness? What?
for awhile Ford had those horrible capacitance (sp?) touch 'buttons'. They went back to 'button' buttons, thank God.
For the life of me, they still haven't made a flying car and it honks me off. Is it too much to ask?
Also, a car that doesn't sound like I'm hitting air rumble strips when I only open up the passenger windows in the back
Take a look at the Charger. Great driver set up, several engine sets to choose from. Backseat room is decent but not great. Trunk is deceptively large, and if you need to go oversize, rear seat back flip down. I rent a lot on business, and for a sedan style gives the best performance
I'm a big fan of the Charger. The SXT Rallye is a really cool car.
Take a look at the Chrysler 300 or Dodge Charger. Right around 300hp (might be 295hp or 305hp depending on configuration). The 3.6L V6 and 8-speed transmission combo is solid and should be able to push near 30mpg highway. AWD is available and so is the Hemi V8 (370hp/395lbft) but on current models those are mutually exclusive. Big car, big trunk, the Chrysler is probably the smoother ride of the two.
I'm looking at pulling the trigger on a 300s AWD. The problem is that its trunk is 16 cu ft. My Five Hundred's trunk is 21 (!) so I'm having second thoughts. :-)
Fair point. ~25% less space is a significant reduction.
I think someone else mentioned it, but if you don't require AWD the Impala has a larger backseat and trunk than the 300. I'm pretty sure its FWD only.
The only people taking sedans seriously these days are German car makers. They keep advancing the cause of the sedan. If you can't swing the $$ for a BMW or Audi, Volkswagen has some reasonable options.
I helped my son buy a new vehicle about a month ago. He's 31 years old, unattached, and wanted a CX-5. It's very nice, but it's an SUV. I've always been a car guy. The Mazda 6 looks very nice and feels pretty roomy. Just didn't do anything for my son.
I saw the Honda Accord at the auto show last winter and it struck me as a great car for the $$. The Sport model actually looks good and not a bit whack like the Civic does.
Sounds like you should check out the Toyota Avalon. It's a large sedan and that sounds like your body style of choice.
I'll be the outlier, but I'm not a fan of German sedans. I flat out don't like the interiors, and while I haven't owned one myself the members of my family that have just end up having endless niggling issues with sensors and tweaks that had to *constantly* be done. I had one cousin (in law) who had to have his M3 into the shop 4 times in two months. It just seems like if a job needs one sensor and a valve the Germans have four sensors, two valves, and a complex add on to the OBDC to manage them; all of which can turn on limp home mode.
Someone mentioned the Avalon, and it is a neat car, I'd go for it. But I can't afford the resale on them. :-)
I want a tiny pickup. Maybe slightly larger than the old Datsun's, VW's. I want one of these for my old age.
The perfect car for me would be less. Less gadgetry that I don't need, especially things like automatic parallel parking and really complicated tech packages. Top of the list: great acceleration and handling and a hatchback. AWD a close second.
Yeah, I'm 100% on board with this. I can live without a screen. I'd like a nice radio, but I want buttons and knobs, and I want them to be intuitive so I can use them easily. A stick is primo but I can live with a reasonable automatic. I don't need a manumatic.
Blind Spot detection/Lane departure warning (STOP SHAKING MY WHEEL!), automatic parking, HVAC and radio controls in the screen, hell navigation.... enough already.
I’m actually surprised that with all the safety features now (lane keep assist, blind spot monitoring/alert, rear cross alert, collision notification, etc) that there isn’t a feature that disallows the car to be moved from park if the seatbelt isn’t fastened. It’s so simple. I’m not sure if I would support such a feature, though I wouldn’t mind it in my car. My point is merely I’m surprised that doesn’t exist.
More cars with LESS tech please. I don't need 15 cameras, lane assist, parking assist, etc.... Give me an bomb proof engine, tranny and suspension with crank windows and Im set.
Also, cars with 4cyl diesels. There are a few now, but need many more. Especially trucks.
I was feeling you until you got to the crank windows. I need auto locks, windows and cruise at a minimum.
For next week I think the topic should be best land barge you have ever driven - Buick Electra 225 (deuce and a quarter), Mercury Marquis, Lincoln Continental, Cadillac? Something there you can put your XC skis across the backseat without touching the doors.
Driven? '79 LTD II. Not much power out of a 351 but somehow could cruise at 80 while loafing and making it feel like 50.
Been in? '78 Lincoln Town Car. Opera windows. Factory CB (matched to the body color!)
Skip the new car and go to Bringatrailer.com to find a late model used car from this website. There are a number of enthusiasts on there with some cool-ish cars for reasonable prices - granted it's an auction site. I think you can avoid the meh feeling while keeping the costs reasonable.
If it was just me, that would be an option. But I have mgowife who doesn't want something like that.
991.2 manual GT3. No regrets.
Personally, I've had great success with Honda accords. Owned 3 of them and they're comfortable, get solid gas mileage and the newer ones are big enough to fit what you're describing. My wife won't let me get rid of her 2005 that has 220,000 on it because she loves it. Runs great; given us very little trouble and will probably kart at least 300,000 miles.
Simplicity. Working on my wife's 59 Sprite is a joy. Thinking about working on her 2016 Subaru gives me an instant migraine.
My car is missing James Bond style rocket launchers which emerge from behind the grille so I can take out morons hogging the left hand lane.
Vibrating back seats!
Manual transmissions