What Do You Drive?

[curiositykilledthecat]

I drive a 2008 kia rio lx.

I like my little Killed In Action.

[Vic]

Myself, insane.

Peace,

Vic

[loopy]

It's not just the Ford lines. America hates diesels, so a lot of the cars available in the rest of the world aren't available here. Don't get me wrong, I love my Tacoma, but I really want a Hilux.

Yea its silly about the hating on diesel, since most diesels these days are more economical then a Prius. And everyone wants a Hilux, they're indestructible

And vic gets a +1 :X

[diapereddave]

I dont know if I agree with everybody in america hating diesels. Most of the pick-up trucks around here it seems are diesels. Not to mention about 95 percent of the vehicles in the fleet where I work. My chevy is a diesel and the next truck i get will be a diesel. Id rather have diesel over gasoline. More power, better fuel economy, I like the sound etc.

[beallucanb]

Right now I have 3 nd I'm looking for another, on sunny days during the week I drive a 08 Mazda Miata, and when it absolutly positivly isn't going to rain within 500 to 1000 miles from here I drive a 08 corvette coupe.

If it's raining or looks like rain or snow I drive my 09 Toyota Tacoma, after years of owning american trucks I'm trying one of these, and so far other than the radio having a mind of its own I like the truck, mostly because I can get great fuel mileage, while still having a truck.

[BabyDavey]

...My everyday car is a 2001 Mercury Sable station wagon. I am royally pissed at Ford for not building station wagons any more. I can't replace that car. Everyone seems to attach an "Ozzie and Harriet" stigma to driving a family station wagon, but they're practical...

My wife and I have an '07 Subaru Outback, but I believe it goes by the name sport wagon. We had a Chevy Optra Wagon, but when it got totaled we decided to upgrade. Since GM has nothing larger in a wagon format (unless you want to go with an SUV, which we did not), we went with the Outback. Great car - terrific handling and traction, and plenty of cargo space (for our 3 dogs - one a Saint Bernard, and our baby). Even though it's a wagon, it's got more ground clearance than some suvs/cuvs. Love it.

Our other car is an '03 Saturn Vue (4cyl 5speed). Not too bad of a car. With the manual transmission it works well.

[Flea]

'95 BMW 325IS

'07 GSXR 600

I'm soon going to sell the BMW so I can get a newer, '03 or newer, 3 series bmw of a lexus IS300. Still not sure which yet though.

[BabyJune]

It's not just the Ford lines. America hates diesels, so a lot of the cars available in the rest of the world aren't available here. Don't get me wrong, I love my Tacoma, but I really want a Hilux.

European Fords have better models and better quality control. Look at the European Focus: If you sold the European version in America, it would cost us $30,000. The "world" Focus comes with lots of options we can't get here, such as automatic climate control and a six-speed standard shift. Europe, Australia, and Japan (and Germany, too) have so many great cars that will never sell in the U.S., and it is a shame. Part of it has to do with meeting emissions standards in the U.S. as well as strict safety standards. Guess it's easier to legislate that cars be ultra safe instead of legislating unsafe drivers off the road. Go figure! A vehicle is only as safe as the person driving it.

As far as diesels are concerned, diesels are finally becoming clean-burning enough to be sold in America. My only concerns with the diesels I've seen are: cold weather starting (some diesel fuels "gel" when it gets really cold) and thermal efficiency--how well and how fast the interior heaters work. In the winter, (at least on the older diesels) the heater efficiency isn't good enough--at least not for me. That's why you see those semi trucks with canvas coverings over the radiators. And when a diesel is idling, it doesn't generate enough heat to keep the inside of the car warm.

[loopy]

Part of it has to do with meeting emissions standards in the U.S. as well as strict safety standards. Guess it's easier to legislate that cars be ultra safe instead of legislating unsafe drivers off the road. Go figure! A vehicle is only as safe as the person driving it.

Hmmm I'm pretty sure that the EU has pretty stringent safety and emissions standards. All through there will be a few things different meaning different versions for the US market. But its always confused me that the model lines are so different in the EU compared to the USA. Even if they need to change a few things surly its cheaper then making a whole different model :X

[Yvhuce]

Well... One major difference is that the europeans keep putting the steering wheels on the wrong side of the vehicle.

[loopy]

Well... One major difference is that the europeans keep putting the steering wheels on the wrong side of the vehicle.

No, the UK puts the steering wheel on the right, the rest of Europe is almost exclusively left hand drive.

[DL_DB]

I dont know if I agree with everybody in america hating diesels. Most of the pick-up trucks around here it seems are diesels. Not to mention about 95 percent of the vehicles in the fleet where I work. My chevy is a diesel and the next truck i get will be a diesel. Id rather have diesel over gasoline. More power, better fuel economy, I like the sound etc.

Yeah, a lot of trucks are available in diesels, but smaller vehicles not so much. I don't know how the whole country is, but my state has excessive fees for diesels under a certain gross vehicle weight. People who want the commonly available diesel cars (VW's, Mercedes) generally just pay the premium costs.

Loopy - I enjoyed watching the gents on Top Gear torture the Hilux, crushing it, drowning it, setting it on fire, blowing up a building underneath it. I'm not sure my Tacoma could handle it, and I like it too much to try.

BabyJune - My environmentalist friend (who wants a diesel) tells me the emissions standards are different for diesels and gasoline engines, and that today's cleaner burning diesels are being held down by old and outdated standards. I don't know how true that is, but I still want a Hilux.

[loopy]

Loopy - I enjoyed watching the gents on Top Gear torture the Hilux, crushing it, drowning it, setting it on fire, blowing up a building underneath it. I'm not sure my Tacoma could handle it, and I like it too much to try.

BabyJune - My environmentalist friend (who wants a diesel) tells me the emissions standards are different for diesels and gasoline engines, and that today's cleaner burning diesels are being held down by old and outdated standards. I don't know how true that is, but I still want a Hilux.

That was a good episode, also the Hilux is the vehicle of choice for insurgents :X.

Diesels today are alot better, hell Audi used a diesel car to win Le mans. They burn cleaner, and are more efficient and best of all they don't sound like tractors like the old engines . I'm gonna be sticking to petrol for a while through, its cheaper in the uk :/.

[DL_DB]

That was a good episode, also the Hilux is the vehicle of choice for insurgents :X.

Diesels today are alot better, hell Audi used a diesel car to win Le mans. They burn cleaner, and are more efficient and best of all they don't sound like tractors like the old engines . I'm gonna be sticking to petrol for a while through, its cheaper in the uk :/.

Here in the US diesel prices and gasoline prices are usually comparable, although they fluctuate back and forth a bit. I work for an ambulance company, and american companies are starting to use the diesel Sprinters (under the Dodge logo, but they're the same as the Mercedes), and the difference is night and day. If you're standing among a group of Ford diesels, which are the standard right now, and a Sprinter rolls in you wouldn't be able to tell it's even running, it's so quiet. They also have more headroom and footroom than the Ford vans.

[babyvr6]

Coincidentally, I picked up an old jetta diesel earlier this week.

55 mpg FTW!

Honestly, there is almost no difference in driving this compared to our rabbit. Except that it gets nearly twice the mileage.

[loopy]

Here in the US diesel prices and gasoline prices are usually comparable, although they fluctuate back and forth a bit. I work for an ambulance company, and american companies are starting to use the diesel Sprinters (under the Dodge logo, but they're the same as the Mercedes), and the difference is night and day. If you're standing among a group of Ford diesels, which are the standard right now, and a Sprinter rolls in you wouldn't be able to tell it's even running, it's so quiet. They also have more headroom and footroom than the Ford vans.

The prices used to be comparable in the UK as well, in till they realized people where buying diesels to save money and upped the price :X. Its only a few more pence per liter, but there's no reason to charge it :/. Diesels probably still work out as cheaper on fuel in the long run just because they can get amazing mileage. The thing is, there is a performance difference, and petrol usually wins it :X. If you don't care about speed, and acceleration then by all means go for diesel (or just get an diesel audi and have the best of both :X)

[DL_DB]

Yeah, but I'm a low end torque (instead of horsepower) kinda person, and I'm pretty easy on the accelerator, so diesel wins for me. If too many people started buying diesel here prices would climb too, because we're not set up to produce enough for widespread passenger car use.