speedemon90

IS 350, 335i, S4

CL6

Since I sell cars I've driven hundreds. A few that stood out:

Mercedes-Benz: CL65 Quiet and fast
Maserati Gran Turismo S: Fast and fun
Volkswagen Phaeton: Smooth and powerful; quiet
Lexus IS-F: Sucked horrible ride, bad seats but ton's of power
Mercedes-Benz SL Black: Fast and awesome handling
Mercedes-Benz CLK Black: Ride sucked but loud and fast
Acura NSX: Awesome in every way
Mercedes-Benz C43: One of my favorites
Mercedes-Benz SLK55: Fast as crap, cramped cabin but still cool
Porsche Cayenne Turbo S: Way too fast for an SUV
BMW M3: Fast and fun
BMW M5: So fast I got dizzy
Mini Cooper S: Fun with the M/T, great handling
CL Type S: Wish it hadn't been stolen... love that M/T
VW Bus: Glad it wasn't stolen... love driving it all mellow getting passed by everyone. Peace Sign all the time annoying.

I forgot the rest.

jchan2

Alright, here we go... I'll just review some quick ones that haven't already been covered.

1999 Honda Civic
Pros:

• nice handling
• easy to park, easy to drive. great learning car
• cheap to maintain
• dead reliable- very little problems in the 12 years we owned it

Cons:

• Manual windows (we had a Value Package)
• 4AT pretty much robbed the car of the little power it had
• no anti-lock brakes (see "Value Package")
• noise

Overall:
Beautiful daily-driver and great for new drivers. Sharp handling actually made it semi-enjoyable to drive, though the car was pretty loud all around. I'll miss this one.
2009 Chevrolet Aveo
Pros:

• high seating position
• took me home (free rental from Enterprise)

Cons:

• no feedback from steering
• low gas mileage (I averaged around 26 when I had it; expected much higher)
• weak engine combined with weak transmission
• car would shake violently above 55 mph; alignment/balancing issue?
• manual locks, windows, mirrors
• hard plastics everywhere
• low quality materials- everything felt like it was about to fall off in my hands when I touched it.

Overall:
GM Daewoo Fail. I went home ASAP and gave the '99 Civic a big hug.

I'll write a few more later...

crazyasiantl

iTrader: (7)

bump

anyone drive a new Insight? my gf is considering one

newbster

1978 AMC Gremlin (232 CI 3AUTO)

+ Surprisingly good off-the-line acceleration
+ Excellent maneuverability in tight spaces
+ Good high speed cruiser
+ Smooth engine
+ Practical, wagon-like cargo room with rear seats folded
+ Fuel efficient, Cheap to run
+ Good visibility
+ Drives like a normal car
+ Decent interior materials, fake stitched dash, realistically fake wood, not terrible as I anticipated.

- Extremely harsh ride
- Tepid braking power
- Harsh 'reverse' to 'drive' engagement (Typical of Torqueflite 727's)
- Loose steering
- Smells like a lawn mower after trips
- Must have a sense of humor when driving it around

I own this car now and it is actually a very ordinary car but with a strange shape. I originally wanted an Austin Mini which was very popular back home but here, they are hard to find. However, when I learned about the AMC, I knew I would get one!

2003 Toyota MR2 Spyder (6-SMT)

+ Compact
+ Excellent braking
+ Fuel efficient
+ Easy to operate convertible top
+ Good ergonomics
+ Sharp looks
+ Quickest steering of any car I've owned

- Glacial acceleration
- Exceptionally rough engine, think nails on a chalkboard
- Poor NVH insulation
- Raw ride
- Unimpressive handling in normal driving
- Bargain-basement interior
- Only car I've ever experienced snap-oversteer in (Mea culpa, I know)
- Long warm-up times

crazyasiantl

iTrader: (7)

driving a new Gallardo on 12/16 in Vegas.

will update.

anything new?

mmafighta

2011 Audi TT

*Sticks to the road like glue, <3 the quattro
*Impressive pull for a tiny 4banger, plenty of power!
*Good mpg, 23/31!!
*Sharp handling, especially when you hit the gas, steering tightens up
*Sits low..!
*Exterior/Interior
*Great fit/finish as with all Audi cars
*LED lights
*Easy to mod

-No push start
-Hard to see from rear
-No back up cam for tech
-back seats are useless, Audi should have just made it a 2 seater.

Overall - Loved it, fun to drive!

2011 TSX v6

*Decent power!
*Tighter suspensions and tighter steering compared to my model
*Easy to drive
*hd navi.harddrive (finally)
*Acuras fit and finish!

-Nose heavy in turns
-FWD
-fun factor from the 1st gen TSX is still missing :[

Overall - good car has its place in the market, but would probably look at the 3 series considering the price/drivetrain

2011 BMW 335i

*Silky smooth turbo engine! No lag at all
*Exceptional handling
*steering felt connected
*Easy to drive
*high res navi
*sensitive BRAKES!
*Warranty!

-Price starts to inflate quickly once you start adding amenities
-Most things standards on other cars, are not standard on this

Overall - Still one of my fav cars, but pricey!

2012 Mx-5

*Handling handling handling!!!!!
*fun to drive
*surprised how smooth gear shifts were and the transmission
*decent power for its size

-Not much, except that not a fan of the convertible. Great car for the price!

cjTL

iTrader: (2)

^Nice commentary. I really want to try out a TSX V6.

cjTL

iTrader: (2)

2011 Acura RDX SH-AWD



We've had this car as a loaner for the past couple days while my TL's transmission is getting worked on (whole 'nother story) and I've had the opportunity to drive it a bit. In short, I LOVE this thing. Never realized how good of a vehicle it was.

+Turbo is addicting. Really throws you back in your seat when you want it to.
+Feels very light weight in terms of handling
+SH-AWD is excellent, as expected
+Plenty of room inside with compartments and storage galore
+Appealing design (minus the grille)

-Somewhat cheap feeling interior
-Sometimes harsh ride
-Ho-hum steering feel, doesn't match the characteristics of the rest the car.
-Fuel economy

charliemike

I rented a car to drive from Baltimore to Charlotte, NC and back this week because flying to Charlotte is a fucking nightmare of out of the way connections I guess ...

Anyway, I ended up getting a Chevy Camaro convertible. I'm guessing it was some sort of quasi-1LT package V6 with an automatic transmission. When I picked up the car it had 8100 miles on it. I put almost 1,000 on it during the drive down and back.

My impressions:

Likes:

1. The car is actually well-manufactured. I had the misfortune of being in a 2006 Mustang V6 convertible and that car was a complete POS in comparison. But the car had no squeaks or rattles and everything closed properly. No obvious panel gaps.

2. The 6spd Auto is a good transmission. It's programmed well and doesn't immediately downshift or hunt around when you're driving.

3. The ride is comfortable and practical for daily use.

Dislikes:

1. The interior is kinda cheap. It's put together well in assembly but the materials are subpar. I don't like the silver painted plastic and some of the ergonomic decisions were odd (like the door handle inside and the lock/unlock button being in the center console).

2. The car wasn't loud but it was noisier than I think a $30k convertible should be. I don't think that the top was lined very well or the glass was thin ... Something to save weight I imagine and it made the car ride a little bit louder than I would have liked.

3. It's a big car. It doesn't necessarily feel like it at times but it's a big car you sit low in and with the top up some people might feel too confined. The engine wasn't overmatched but it definitely was right at the edge.

I would never buy one but I can say that I understand why people do buy Camaros and Camaro convertibles. It's not a bad car. In fact I'd say it's probably the best GM vehicle I've ever spent time driving.

If someone asked me what I thought I'd tell them it was a good car that just is not something I'm interested in owning. I think that for GM this is actually a win because now it's about personal preference and not quality.

Carraway

I test drove four cars yesterday. My brief impressions.

All with manual transmissions:

2007 Accord Coupe EX-L V6
Pros: solid, as always, great feeling shifter and clutch, plenty of torque and pep with the V6, responsive steering with good feedback (which is getting increasingly more difficult to find), quality materials everywhere.
Cons: Not much in general, it is a midsize coupe, so it’s not quite as nimble as some compacts nor as practical as sedans. Brakes could be better, as with all Hondas I’ve driven.
Summation: I was looking for a sedan over a coupe given I left my 20s some time ago, but this almost swayed me. If there weren’t some issues with the specific car I drove and the treatment by its previous owner, it would be tough to pass on it.

2012 Hyundai Sonata GLS
Pros: This is an impressive car. Gobs of room (I’m 6’2” and habitually move the seat all the way back before getting in most cars. I wound up moving this one back up.) It looked and felt solid everywhere, and the engine felt fairly strong and responsive. After getting used to the clutch and shifter, it felt reasonably good.
Cons: Only the base model is available with a manual, and the salesman said it was the first one he’d seen. Steering lacked feedback, and the car felt tuned more for comfort than sharp handling. Shifting wasn’t as involving as in the Hondas, Mazdas or Subarus I’ve driven, and it took a bit to get used to the clutch engagement. It felt a little large.
Summation: This would be an excellent mid-sized sedan for most people, kind of like the Camry was a few years ago. I personally prefer something more sporty and fun, but this is an impressive family car. Given that, it’s more surprising to me that they offer a manual.

2012 Mazda 6 iSport.
Pros: Very good handling. (I was surprised it was the largest of these four cars; it did not feel like it.) Quick steering, the chassis felt solid, as did the brakes, and it had a nice turning radius. The shifter and clutch felt pretty good. While it was the least powerful car driven on the day, it didn’t feel too bad, probably for its nimbleness. It’s a roomy, mid-sized sedan that likes going around curves, and I think it may have the best looking exterior in this segment.
Cons: I would have liked more steering feedback. Only the base model is available with a manual, some questionable quality materials in places, albeit somewhat out of typical sight/touch places. Mazdas tend to have rust issues where I live. (I asked the salesman about this. He said that was true a few years ago but not any more. I thought about arguing the logic that you don’t know if a car has rust issues until it’s at least a couple years old, but I let it go).
Summation: A very nice, well handling sedan at a comparatively inexpensive price. However, I suspect that if you’re an enthusiast who doesn’t need the room of a midsized sedan, you may be happier with a Mazda 3. At least when you’re driving it rather than looking at it.

2006 Subaru Legacy GT. The one I drove had some modifications, at least the air filter (and I think intake) and wheels.
Pros: A lot of power and a lot of torque. I think I laughed when I first accelerated hard and felt it pull. When doing so, it makes a pretty wicked sounding whooOOOOSSSHHH when the turbo kicks in. The manual transmission and all wheel drive felt great, and it was a lot of fun pushing the car through curves after a rain. The car felt solid, had pretty nice materials (not quite to the 2007 Honda level, but pretty nice) and was responsive. Good steering feedback, as well.
Cons: The clutch had a fairly long takeup, at least on the one I drove. It’s not as roomy as the other cars and may even be closer to a Civic or Mazda 3 in interior space, but with more headroom. The salesman, who seemed pretty forthright, said that I should expect 17-18 MPG, and it takes premium.
Summation: The most fun car of the day, certainly the most powerful, but also the thirstiest with a somewhat smaller cabin. The one I drove had some wear, but it appears to have been well maintained. It’s a serious contender, especially given that I live in a snowbelt.

crazyasiantl

iTrader: (7)

I wanted a LGT before i got my MS3, but i couldnt find one with the equipment i wanted.

i kinda want one still. good sleepers