Gearhead Thread

[Susquehanna Birder]

Don't forget the neon lights and flame stickers.

[shorebird]

Also, since Daimler took over Chrysler the quality has been going up.
All that said the wife will probably "convince" me to get the Honda.

That is true about the quality of Dodge going up since the Germans took over. They've brought the Hemi back, and it has more power and gets better gas milage than most other engines per cubic inch. But, it's hard to argue against a Honda. I bought my ex a Civic 5 years ago and that thing has over 200,000 miles on it and still runs like a clock. And it's not just the engine either, the whole drive train is tough as anything. You just can't tear them up. Those Japanese really know how to build a car that lasts, you can't argue that.

[PhillyPhreak54]

Dodge would have to improve impossibly to even merit consideration compared to Honda.  that is incredibly accurate.

Then there's this little bonus:  you can totally hot up the CRV with a kick ass exhaust tip and Phreak will want to hump you.

[PhillyPhanInDC]

Yeah. So I got home and spoke to the missus, and the CR-V it is. No shtein about the Honda reliablity. I still have an 88 Accord I bought of an elderly couple when I first got out the military. It has 224,000 on the clock now and just sailed through it's last emission and inspection. Still gets above 30MPG on the highway too. Shame it looks like a flying turd.

[Sgt PSN]

Dodge would have to improve impossibly to even merit consideration compared to Honda.  that is incredibly accurate.

Then there's this little bonus:  you can totally hot up the CRV with a kick ass exhaust tip and Phreak will want to hump you.

Pimp Yo CR-V! Yeeeeeaaaah Booooyyyeeeee!  Bling Bling Bling!!!!

[PhillyPhreak54]

Disgusting.

[Sgt PSN]

You want it. 

[Susquehanna Birder]

Yeah. So I got home and spoke to the missus, and the CR-V it is. No shtein about the Honda reliablity. I still have an 88 Accord I bought of an elderly couple when I first got out the military. It has 224,000 on the clock now and just sailed through it's last emission and inspection. Still gets above 30MPG on the highway too. Shame it looks like a flying turd.

FWIW, my CR-V (2004) gets something like 17c/23h. Not as good as it should be for a 4-cylinder engine, but as long as you have good driving habits, it isn't too wasteful.

I was recently lusting after the Lexus RX400h (hybrid). It has all the cushiness of a Lexus, it's still a reasonable SUV, and it gets 30+ mpg. The only drawback is that you could probably buy two CR-Vs for the price of one Lexus.

[Diomedes]

As far as new, semi-affordable cars go...I'm in love with the Acura TL.  I can't keep my eyes off 'em.  Classy car.




edit: image too big

[PhillyPhreak54]

Here's a shocker.

That is one of the very select few import cars I like. I would drive one.

[Diomedes]

I can't think of a "domestic" car I would buy.   Not one.  There are literally dozens of "imports" I'd rather have.  Honda, Toyota, and Nissan kick the shtein out of American cars. 

Now, as far as old, hobby whips go..there are plenty of American cars or trucks I'd love to have.  But not as a daily runner, of course.

Incidentally...our "domestic" cars are chock full of foreign parts, and the "imports" are often made here.  There is no such thing as a U.S. car any more.

[PhillyPhanInDC]

Incidentally...our "domestic" cars are chock full of foreign parts, and the "imports" are often made here.  There is no such thing as a U.S. car any more.

My old man is a die hard domestic guy. He gets pissed if I even think about buying a Japanese car.  When we were kids he used to tell us that every time someone buys a Japanese car, and American looses his job.

After I got married, I sold my Buick, and started looking for something more "sensible". I looked at just about everything out there, compared and compared. What I found surprised me, and changed the way the old man thought dramatically. The Honda Civic, which I wound up getting, was built in Illinois, the Chevy Cobalt, which was one of his favorites going in, was built in Mexico. New World Order.

All that being said, if I had to buy a truck, there isn't any doubt in my mind that it would be a Ford, Dodge, or Chevy. They haven't caught us in that department yet, but they're getting close.

Disgusting.

Yeah, that paint job is pretty nasty looking. I do like the idea of the turbo though. If that thing is all wheel drive, it could surprise you from stoplight to stoplight.

I used to hate the import guys, well some of them anyway, it's hard to hate on a dude who knows what he's doing and runs a 9 second Supra on the street, but when you step back and look at it, the kids are doing the same thing our grandparents did when they were young and getting back from WWII. People used to say the same kind of stuff I hear coming out of "Car Enthusiasts" mouths these days. What sixteen year old kid could afford a new Camaro? Mustang? Not many I know of. They take what they can get, Civics, Integras, Eclipses, what have you, and make them their own and make attempts to improve the performance. There are a lot of them who do amazing things with them. I would wager the turbo kit on that CR-V is almost all custom, not like a Mustang where you can flip open a catalog and buy any number of systems that will bolt right on.  I don't imagine it's easy, but I have seen kids Honda CRX's with puny sub-two liter motors ripping off nine second passes in the quarter mile. Good for them. Face it, the Honda Civic is the new Chevy Deuce.

Now, the little assbag that puts a fart can and some stickers on his mom's Accord, then revs the thing at me at stop lights and rides my ass, he needs to get stomped.

[Diomedes]

^^^^
True talk right there

on this point, I disagree: 

All that being said, if I had to buy a truck, there isn't any doubt in my mind that it would be a Ford, Dodge, or Chevy. They haven't caught us in that department yet, but they're getting close.

Toyota makes great small trucks.  I loved my Tacoma.  Don't know how their full size model is first hand, but I've heard nothing but raves from owners on them.

[Susquehanna Birder]

Incidentally...our "domestic" cars are chock full of foreign parts, and the "imports" are often made here.  There is no such thing as a U.S. car any more.

You're right, the lines have blurred beyond recognition. I bought a Pontiac Vibe a couple of years ago, which is still a great car. Actually it's a Toyota Matrix with a Pontiac shell. I went the Pontiac route because I work next door to a Pontiac dealer, and I can get all the service done there without having the hassle of getting to and from work. (The same dealer also handles Hondas, so I bought my CR-V through them, as well.)

[PhillyPhanInDC]

Toyota makes great small trucks.  I loved my Tacoma.  Don't know how their full size model is first hand, but I've heard nothing but raves from owners on them.

I should have put a not in there about the midsized or smaller trucks. The Toyota from back in the 80s, just think it was called a "Toyota Pickup". If anyone ever watches Top Gear on Spike and sometimes the Discovery Channel, they did a special on the Toyota. Really a testament to how tough those things really are/where. Overseas they're call the Hilux.


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