The Car Discussion Thread

[Popeye_Card]

I owned a Jeep for a while. It was fun to have, but not preferred as a daily driver or any significant highway driving. The reliability is always an issue, but the good news is that they are one of the easiest vehicles in the world to find parts for and work on.

In hindsight I wish I would have held on to the one I had. I'd get another, but I already own a couple toy vehicles and my daily commute is less than a mile. Tough to justify the cost and the parking space. I know--first world problems.

The Jeep pickup is tempting though.

[cardinalkarp]

one of the easiest vehicles in the world to find parts for and work on.

What year did you own?

I figure anything built within the past 5 years at minimum wouldn't be that easy to work on unless you're fairly adept w/ working on cars.

[Popeye_Card]

one of the easiest vehicles in the world to find parts for and work on.

What year did you own?

I figure anything built within the past 5 years at minimum wouldn't be that easy to work on unless you're fairly adept w/ working on cars.

I had a '99. They were still incredibly simple--just the standard Jeep 4.0L, and a wide open engine compartment. I haven't seen what is under the hood on the newer Jeeps.

Speaking of Jeeps, if anyone finds one of these for sale, please let me know.

[Swirls]

I owned a Jeep for a while. It was fun to have, but not preferred as a daily driver or any significant highway driving. The reliability is always an issue, but the good news is that they are one of the easiest vehicles in the world to find parts for and work on.

In hindsight I wish I would have held on to the one I had. I'd get another, but I already own a couple toy vehicles and my daily commute is less than a mile. Tough to justify the cost and the parking space. I know--first world problems.

The Jeep pickup is tempting though.

I would consider getting a Wrangler (actually a Wrangler Unlimited for the additional storage space), except it's just so hard to believe they get such godawful gas mileage. I drive over 40 miles each way to work every day - about half on the interstate and half on two-lane highways hugging the Mississippi River - so a daily driver that gets 15ish mpg is just brutal. If it rode like a cloud, then I could maybe consider it, but Wranglers have never been a smooth highway ride. I manage 25 mpg in my Ram 1500, and that's with me being a pretty aggressive driver.

I love my truck but am looking at trading it in this fall for a smaller more economical vehicle and paying for it outright to finally get away from car payments (at least temporarily).

[IMADreamer]

Jeep is coming out with a wrangler pickup next year that I am intrigued by. That and the new Bronco.

Those concept Bronco's (which at this point should be pretty close to what the real thing looks like) are sweet. Of course I love the old school Bronco's from the 70's too.

Expect a hefty price tag for those new Bronco's though.


In the past, I was unfortunately always kind of an anti-American car guy just because of the cheap finishes and constant unreliability, but they've come a long way over the past decade.

The Big 3 put out some pretty solid cars these days and the fit/finish rival that of their European and Japanese competitors (when it comes to vehicles that don't push the 80k + threshold) for the most part. There's the flagship vehicles for those companies that top out for those automakers but they are few and far between & the European market just outclasses most American cars in that arena.

One new car I just love the styling of is the new Lexus LC 500, and it sure seems to have the performance numbers to match.

I kind of like the LC500 but I just can't get into Lexus. I think I would have always wished I bought an AMG, CTS-V, or even a Vette. Admittedly the Vette is less of a luxury vehicle though.

[cardinalkarp]

Jeep is coming out with a wrangler pickup next year that I am intrigued by. That and the new Bronco.

Those concept Bronco's (which at this point should be pretty close to what the real thing looks like) are sweet. Of course I love the old school Bronco's from the 70's too.

Expect a hefty price tag for those new Bronco's though.


In the past, I was unfortunately always kind of an anti-American car guy just because of the cheap finishes and constant unreliability, but they've come a long way over the past decade.

The Big 3 put out some pretty solid cars these days and the fit/finish rival that of their European and Japanese competitors (when it comes to vehicles that don't push the 80k + threshold) for the most part. There's the flagship vehicles for those companies that top out for those automakers but they are few and far between & the European market just outclasses most American cars in that arena.

One new car I just love the styling of is the new Lexus LC 500, and it sure seems to have the performance numbers to match.

I kind of like the LC500 but I just can't get into Lexus. I think I would have always wished I bought an AMG, CTS-V, or even a Vette. Admittedly the Vette is less of a luxury vehicle though.

Agreed, I'm not a big Lexus fan at all.....but I can still appreciate a what looks to be a very well designed car. A two seater (I'm guessing, I guess they might have a 2 + 2) n/a car w/ 450+ HP is gonna be one hell of a car I would have to think. You also have to give Lexus credit for the LFA which was a supercar ahead of its time when it first came out.

I'd definitely take certain AMG models over the Lexus w/o any doubt, but I think it be a toss up between this and the CTS-V (and don't get me wrong, I really, REALLY like the CTS-V).

[IMADreamer]

Jeep is coming out with a wrangler pickup next year that I am intrigued by. That and the new Bronco.

Those concept Bronco's (which at this point should be pretty close to what the real thing looks like) are sweet. Of course I love the old school Bronco's from the 70's too.

Expect a hefty price tag for those new Bronco's though.


In the past, I was unfortunately always kind of an anti-American car guy just because of the cheap finishes and constant unreliability, but they've come a long way over the past decade.

The Big 3 put out some pretty solid cars these days and the fit/finish rival that of their European and Japanese competitors (when it comes to vehicles that don't push the 80k + threshold) for the most part. There's the flagship vehicles for those companies that top out for those automakers but they are few and far between & the European market just outclasses most American cars in that arena.

One new car I just love the styling of is the new Lexus LC 500, and it sure seems to have the performance numbers to match.

I kind of like the LC500 but I just can't get into Lexus. I think I would have always wished I bought an AMG, CTS-V, or even a Vette. Admittedly the Vette is less of a luxury vehicle though.

Agreed, I'm not a big Lexus fan at all.....but I can still appreciate a what looks to be a very well designed car. A two seater (I'm guessing, I guess they might have a 2 + 2) n/a car w/ 450+ HP is gonna be one hell of a car I would have to think. You also have to give Lexus credit for the LFA which was a supercar ahead of its time when it first came out.

I'd definitely take certain AMG models over the Lexus w/o any doubt, but I think it be a toss up between this and the CTS-V (and don't get me wrong, I really, REALLY like the CTS-V).

The LFA is incredible. I'd love to spend a little time in one, obviously never will. I also like the IS-F they did. It certainly did what it was supposed to do. I suppose the only downside of it was when you compare it to it's closest competitors it was missing something. I don't know how to explain it exactly but it was 95% there, but there was that extra 5% of something that was a no deal for me.

The CTS-V is definitely not for everyone and while the new one is maybe the perfect car it's missing some of the character of the last generation.

[Freed Roger]

It seems Audi has gained traction with the upper end. Is that merited?

[ThatGuy]

It seems Audi has gained traction with the upper end. Is that merited?

Are you making a Quattro joke?

And yes, I think it's warranted. I've preferred Audis to Mercedes and (especially) BMWs for a while now. Maybe not across the board, but Audi has been putting out excellent products for a long, long time.

[cardinalkarp]

It seems Audi has gained traction with the upper end. Is that merited?

Are you making a Quattro joke?

And yes, I think it's warranted. I've preferred Audis to Mercedes and (especially) BMWs for a while now. Maybe not across the board, but Audi has been putting out excellent products for a long, long time.

Agreed, their RS models will run w/ the best of them.