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Teleku
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Reply #805 on: November 22, 2017, 08:33:13 AM

I'd planned to be super cool local and just buy an electric scooter to get around with once I moved to SE Asia instead of a car.  But unfortunately, the year before I arrived, we had 8 different Americans at the embassy get in crashes and had to be flown to Thailand for treatment while riding their scooters.  So they banned all American personnel from riding them in country.

I remain slightly bitter, but all things considered, it probably will extend my life a lot longer.   awesome, for real

"My great-grandfather did not travel across four thousand miles of the Atlantic Ocean to see this nation overrun by immigrants.  He did it because he killed a man back in Ireland. That's the rumor."
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Tale
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Reply #806 on: January 25, 2018, 08:10:16 PM

Anyone driven a Subaru Crosstrek with a manual?  They are getting a redesign for 2018 and I wonder if 152 HP is enough for an AWD car.

After driving manual cars for 29 years, I've just bought the 2018 CVT version of the Subaru Crosstrek (which is called an XV in Australia and Europe). While it's not exactly a beast compared with my wife's BMW turbo diesel, the engine is fine for the vehicle. We have a sharp, steep driveway and my previous Mazda 3 manual hatchback struggled on it. The Crosstrek/XV barely notices it.

That said, I wouldn't buy a manual Crosstrek/XV. Two of the major features, Eyesight and X-Mode, work better with the CVT.
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Reply #807 on: February 15, 2018, 04:02:07 PM

How do you like the Crosstrek?

I've been eyeing one for over a year now, although I am leaning towards the Forester at the moment.
Sky
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Reply #808 on: February 16, 2018, 09:35:13 AM

Just as a note about vehicles...The pipe exiting the muffler on the FJ has begun rusting through at the joint and I'll need to replace it this spring. Only repair after 9 Upstate NY winters of salt. So I'd say it's a Toyota, as far as reliability goes.

No idea what I'll replace it with if she ever dies. Best vehicle by a mile without spending $$$.
rattran
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Reply #809 on: February 16, 2018, 03:06:35 PM

I'm about to spend $900 on my FJ. Rear axle seals are leaking, so new bearings on both sides! And the rear main seal is leaking again, but that's just a $90 fix at Toyota. Not bad for 190k
Selby
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Reply #810 on: February 16, 2018, 03:44:52 PM

If you can get 190k without needing head work or a tranny rebuild you’re doing well. Axle seals are a part of life on higher mileage cars, 190k is good life.

As for replacing the FJ when yours dies, I’ll say it again: low mileage car from out west. Just buy another! I’ve bought the same 2-3 car styles for almost 20 years. It consolidates the tools and spare parts you need to keep around to keep it running and you get to the point where you just know every nut and bolt on them.
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Reply #811 on: February 16, 2018, 05:03:41 PM

How do you like the Crosstrek?

I've been eyeing one for over a year now, although I am leaning towards the Forester at the moment.

I like my siilver 2018 XV/Crosstrek. I have what's called the S, which is the Limited in the US. I've owned it for about a month. I got the dealer to add cloth mats, a roof rack for a kayak, and a tint for the front two windows (only the rear two windows come tinted in Australia). I should have added scuff pads for the rear hatch and front doors - they're nice as they are Subaru branded, and I keep scuffing both those areas with dirt.

I wanted a vehicle that had good tech, Android Auto, and a point of difference from my wife's car. The point of difference is that mine is an AWD SUV with X-Mode (4WD mode). It is actually pretty good off-road. There's nothing that has this combination of features in this price range. We share driving duties, but I'm the main driver, so I get to speed around in her BMW too, and the extra turbo torque is noticeable there compared with my car. I think I would be okay with just the Subaru however - it's nice to drive. The accelerator (gas pedal) is lethargic at first, but if you really put your foot down it responds quickly enough. I've read from other drivers on forums that after a while the feel of the drive improves - they claim the car secretly goes into a "broken in" mode, having gained enough data on your driving habits or whatever. I'll see if that happens.

Things that have impressed me so far:
- Much less road noise than my old Mazda. Inside the car is a very quiet environment while driving.
- We went onto dirt and climbed a rough, long, steep, dusty hill in X-Mode. It was really capable, like driving a true 4WD (obviously not a Toyota Land Cruiser, but it's actually quite good).
- Eyesight safety system is REALLY good on the freeway. It can see the cars around you and the lane markers, so it almost drives itself in cruise control, keeping a distance of your choice away from the car in front, braking or accelerating as needed.
- It's insanely stable. I wouldn't advise it, but you can go around corners at speeds where other cars would roll. It doesn't feel possible at first. The dealer did it on our test drive to show us, and we thought we were going to die :)
- It's just a 2.0L engine, but that's the same size engine as my former Mazda. The amount of power available has been fine so far. People said I would hate the CVT after driving a manual for so long, but I like it.
- My car connects to my wifi. No point other than a minor software update capability which hasn't yet happened, but it's kind of cool to drive into the garage and see the car go onto wifi. If I someday find out it's joined a botnet I will laugh and laugh.
- The rear seats are roomy as fuck and very comfortable. Sitting back there feels like a bigger car. This is one of the things that sold it to me.
- The rear doors open wide to almost 90 degrees. If you have small children, it will be very easy to buckle them into their child seat.
- Reverse Automatic Braking (RAB) very effectively stopped me reversing into our garbage bins when I was in a hurry to depart for work one morning.

Issues I have had so far:
- My Galaxy S7 connecting via Bluetooth began to clash with its Android Auto connection (via USB). Android Auto stopped working. I think it was a Subaru head unit bug. I deleted my phone from the car and reconnected it, which fixed it. Subaru's software is fairly new as it's a significant upgrade from what Subarus used to come with, and I think it may receive some updates.
- Eyesight once decided another car peeling off to my left (in an exit lane) was still in front of me and automatically braked. It wasn't dangerous, but Eyesight was wrong.
- Eyesight warned me about an obstacle ahead when I was going around a shallow left turn. It was seeing a road sign in the centre of the road that was not a danger as the road was turning left, away from it. I was also warned twice that the hill at the end of our street was an obstacle ahead. Fortunately these are just audible warnings, not automatic braking triggers.
- You can really feel the AWD... all four wheels respond when you steer. It's extremely safe, but the feeling freaks me out, having come from a FWD car.
- The rear cargo space is set too high, meaning you don't have as much capacity as a hatch (e.g. the Impreza). With the roomy rear seats laid flat, it's not much different than a hatch in the same configuration.
- Some of the dials and knobs are flimsy, which is at odds with the quality finish around the rest of the cabin. No danger of breaking them yet as far as I can see however.

The Forester has more room and a bigger engine. But the Forester has 6-month service intervals because it's built on Subaru's old platform (chassis). The Crosstrek has 1-year service intervals and is built on the new global platform. Less interruption to your life, hopefully it will hold onto some value.

Here is a review of the XV/Crosstrek that I liked.
« Last Edit: February 16, 2018, 05:37:39 PM by Tale »
Soulflame
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Reply #812 on: February 17, 2018, 07:58:38 AM

Thanks for the feedback.

Man, now do I wait for the 2019 Foresters, or go for the Crosstrek with smaller cargo capacity.  It's tempting to do the latter, because we're at the point where children are leaving the house.
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Reply #813 on: February 17, 2018, 08:24:53 AM

I'm about to spend $900 on my FJ. Rear axle seals are leaking, so new bearings on both sides! And the rear main seal is leaking again, but that's just a $90 fix at Toyota. Not bad for 190k
Yeah, not bad at all. I know you move around a lot, so that's impressive. Mine hasn't hit 52k yet  why so serious?

I do wish I knew more about working on vehicles myself, though. I've only ever done minor stuff like consumables or alternator/solenoid stuff.
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Reply #814 on: February 17, 2018, 02:13:43 PM

Thanks for the feedback.

Man, now do I wait for the 2019 Foresters, or go for the Crosstrek with smaller cargo capacity.  It's tempting to do the latter, because we're at the point where children are leaving the house.

Well done. We're at the opposite end of the story, trying to start a family. From past experience I'd have no worries about life with a small child or maybe two in this vehicle, but I'd be getting something roomier after that stage. Some differing opinions recently in this thread about whether or not the XV/Crosstrek is good for life with kids, though no mention of older kids.

I had another problem with Android Auto and the head unit yesterday. I pulled over and unplugged the phone to look up a street address in email. When I reconnected the phone, both it and the Subaru screen locked up. The Subaru actually rebooted itself - display went black for 30 seconds. Worked fine after that, but it shouldn't happen.
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Reply #815 on: February 19, 2018, 07:21:50 PM

it's not much different than a hatch in the same configuration.

This is true of pretty much all crossovers.  They're just hatches/wagons with some black plastic cladding and a lift kit.  I drove an Escape for a couple of days while my ST was in the shop for weird gremlins, and it was just a much slower, way less fun to drive version of my car that Ford charges $5k more for.

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Nebu
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Reply #816 on: February 19, 2018, 08:23:27 PM

Man, now do I wait for the 2019 Foresters, or go for the Crosstrek with smaller cargo capacity.  It's tempting to do the latter, because we're at the point where children are leaving the house.

I test drove the Forester and the Outback and noticed that the Forester is MUCH lighter and less stable in high wind.  I preferred the Outback for stability and think the Crosstrek may be more stable as well.  If you're going to be using this offroad and in places with harsh weather, I'd consider how light the Forrester is in your decision process.

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Reply #817 on: February 19, 2018, 09:29:27 PM

it's not much different than a hatch in the same configuration.

This is true of pretty much all crossovers.  They're just hatches/wagons with some black plastic cladding and a lift kit.  I drove an Escape for a couple of days while my ST was in the shop for weird gremlins, and it was just a much slower, way less fun to drive version of my car that Ford charges $5k more for.

My comment was about the cargo space with the seats down, not the vehicle in general. But I generally agree.

However the XV (Crosstrek) still makes sense because all Subarus are AWD and this "Impreza with a lift kit" adds the reasonably capable off-road X-Mode (test video), which the other crossovers like the Escape do not have unless you pay through the nose for a 4WD version. Extra lift makes sense if you're going to use that.

In the other brands, adding lift to a 2WD car is about nothing more than people wanting to look at the road from SUV height.
« Last Edit: February 19, 2018, 09:49:34 PM by Tale »
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Reply #818 on: February 20, 2018, 10:11:25 AM

It's actually debatable whether we need a Crosstrek over an Impreza.  We're interested in the extra clearance for those days where the damn roads aren't plowed in our neighborhood, but if we can go about 200 feet we'll be on plowed roads.

Of course, that's about 2-3 days a year, every few years.  So, perhaps a bit ridiculous.

On the other hand, I would like to take some trips in the area that would involve near-offroading conditions, so something like a Crosstrek would be ideal for that.
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Reply #819 on: May 14, 2018, 12:19:38 PM

Been thinking for a while about replacing my decrepit (2004) Civic and going for a bit of an upgrade -- I have a financial windfall coming in a few months and need to get something fun for myself.  Tesla isn't quite ready for me yet I don't think (too expensive and I'm not confident that they'll be able to patch in autonomous driving).  So I want something to tide me over that is:

1) manual transmission
2) easy to park
3) decent fuel economy

I took a Mini for a test drive yesterday and dug it.  More comfortable and more peppy than my Civic (and that was the base model, not one of the souped-up ones).  Anyone want to warn me away?  Is the maintenance outrageously expensive, anything like that?   I'd be looking for a used model in either in the classic hardtop or the Clubman line.

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Reply #820 on: May 14, 2018, 12:28:58 PM

1) manual transmission
Head scratch

Quote
Is the maintenance outrageously expensive, anything like that?   I'd be looking for a used model in either in the classic hardtop or the Clubman line.
Maintenance is going to be more expensive than you are used to since they use BMW parts. Reliability is all over the place with certain model/years being better/worse than others. You'll need to do some research on that.

Edit: Found a Reddit thread with some comments about reliability:

https://www.reddit.com/r/cars/comments/49aase/thinking_of_buying_a_mini_are_they_reliable/
« Last Edit: May 14, 2018, 12:34:20 PM by Trippy »
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Reply #821 on: May 14, 2018, 01:51:11 PM

Some good tips in there, thanks!  One sentiment I see come up a lot is that the base models are a lot more reliable than the S+ models ("no turbo, no problems") so my instincts to go for the cheap version were dead on.   awesome, for real  Definitely going to research the specific year on any car I consider getting; sounds like it's as fraught with peril as picking a random Star Trek movie to watch.

"I have not actually recommended many games, and I'll go on the record here saying my track record is probably best in the industry." - schild
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Reply #822 on: May 14, 2018, 01:58:41 PM

Clutch units are unfuckinggodly expensive. Just a heads up. They use a specialty pressure plate that runs about 1200 bucks, unless prices or parts have changed for newer models. Fun car tho.

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Reply #823 on: May 14, 2018, 02:00:12 PM

You could get a Kia Soul.

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Reply #824 on: May 14, 2018, 02:57:23 PM

Man I was able to rent a mini once. Was all excited about it and got in it and was very disappointed, just felt tinny and cheap for the most part. My RSX-S was better all around.

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Reply #825 on: May 14, 2018, 05:17:19 PM

Ooh... Minis... Ex girlfriend owned one. They aren’t kidding about repair costs. Her best friends husband did her clutch for $1500 after it left her stranded. While they’re fun cars they really aren’t cheap to own.
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Reply #826 on: May 14, 2018, 09:49:56 PM

Hm, more research tends to agree.  I'm fine with spending some money ever year to keep a car running (my current heap of rust requires something to be replaced on a regular basis so I'm completely desensitized to that), but the horror stories I'm reading about relatively new cars literally bursting into flames on the freeway do not sound like fun.

The Kia Soul has good reviews but browsing cargurus in my area doesn't turn up a very good selection when I filter on manuals.  The VW Golf looks a bit more promising in that regard and I understand that VWs have a generally good reputation for reliability.

"I have not actually recommended many games, and I'll go on the record here saying my track record is probably best in the industry." - schild
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Reply #827 on: May 14, 2018, 10:17:19 PM

Miatas are fun and easy to work on, but kinda a chick car unless you are doing autocross.  The BRZ or FR-S might be fun cars too.

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Reply #828 on: May 14, 2018, 10:54:13 PM

Those have appeal along the "zippier than my Civic" axis, but in a nod to practicality I think I need something with some amount of cargo space.  Having to arrange to borrow an SUV whenever I need to move something larger than I am is a pain.  The compact hatchbacks strike a pretty nice balance of being able to haul more shit while still fitting in tight parking spaces.

"I have not actually recommended many games, and I'll go on the record here saying my track record is probably best in the industry." - schild
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Reply #829 on: May 15, 2018, 07:05:47 AM

The fiancee likes her Golf in general, but it's oddly shitty in winter driving. I'm not sure if it's the weight she has in the back seat/cargo area (she's a borderline hoarder) or the stock tires. I drove it a few times to be sure it wasn't just her lack of winter driving skills, and there seems to be a lack of friction, so I'm leaning toward cheap stock tires.

She complained all winter, so I encouraged her to get some new tires, so change out for winter tires. But she's stubborn to the point of stupid and refused to buy new tires for a new car because she 'shouldn't have to.'

Ok.
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Reply #830 on: May 15, 2018, 07:08:47 AM

She complained all winter, so I encouraged her to get some new tires, so change out for winter tires. But she's stubborn to the point of stupid and refused to buy new tires for a new car because she 'shouldn't have to.'

Ok.

Uhm, you don't use dedicated summer and winter tire sets? In an area with (presumably) snow?

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Reply #831 on: May 15, 2018, 07:47:31 AM

To be clear, "winter driving" where you are means snow, not rain, yes?  My main winter driving concern around here is that it needs to not slide off the Bay Bridge sideways when it's wet and there's a strong cross breeze.

"I have not actually recommended many games, and I'll go on the record here saying my track record is probably best in the industry." - schild
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Reply #832 on: May 16, 2018, 06:43:55 AM

All seasons have always been enough for me (Michelin Latitudes, though I forget which exact kind). We're not in the high passes or anything. When we got 3' of snow overnight this past winter, I had to pull her out of the road she had driven into (foolishly, again, stubborn to the point of stupid) and then went and did some errands for her and her mom. It was fun as hell, almost never get snow cresting up onto the hood of the FJ! It was also a very rare moment when I had to use 4WD L to get through the end of my driveway when they actually got around to plowing my dead end.

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Reply #833 on: May 17, 2018, 10:54:18 AM

If her golf has the Dunlops on it then it is definitely the stock tires. My GTI handled like garbage in wet/snow until I bought new tires, bought a set of BF Goodrich tires that were highly rated and it was like night and day. And the tires I bought were 30% less expensive than the Dunlop tires would have cost. If there is less than 2” of snow my GTI handles pretty good now. Anything deeper and I have ground clearance issues, heh.

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Reply #834 on: May 17, 2018, 11:36:33 AM

I wish I had taken pictures of how she just plowed into the snowbank street. It was hilarious and a good example of why college degrees are no metric for intelligence/wisdom (she has three degrees, I have zero).

And she apparently doubled down, because she managed to push herself far enough in she couldn't back out or even rock it loose.  DRILLING AND WOMANLINESS
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Reply #835 on: May 18, 2018, 08:27:31 AM

Welp. My Prius is off to the scrap yard after 130,000 miles of functional transport. I just got t-boned, spun and rolled on the way to work this morning. Everyone is fine, or at least no worse off than before the accident. I suspect the lady that hit me might have a preexisting condition that caused her to black out before the accident, but I have no proof.

Soooo, car shopping.  I loved the practicality and usefulness of the 5-door hatch. I called it my hybrid truck as I hauled all sorts of stuff in it, including bags of dirt and mulch, bricks, pavers, field stone, lumber, 15 ft trees, 65 inch TV, etc.  I also liked the hybrid system well enough, though the mileage was dropping as the battery pack aged (all the way down to 41mpg OMG LOL). And I have a strong distaste for Toyota and especially the local dealership for several reasons pretty much common to all makes and dealers but freshest right now with them.

So, I'm looking at Honda again. Their hatchbacks are tiny, the hybrid options are minimal if there even are any anymore, and their style designers have apparently recently switched from Quaaludes to acid. But they run forever (the Countess' 2000 Accord has been running on 5 cylinders for 3 years now and my stepson is still driving my old 2002 Accord with slight annoyance that it just wont die already so he would have an excuse to get something newer). The CR-V looks pretty sweet. I don't need true off-road capability but I do long for the ability to handle the occasional gravel or dirt road or curb or even driveway hump without worrying about losing my undercarriage.  Mostly though, I need low total cost of ownership including decent mileage, the ability to carry stuff like boxes and bags of dirt and lumber, and a comfortable ride for my 20 mile each way daily commute and fairly frequent 800+ mile round trips.  Any pros, cons or alternate considerations?

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Reply #836 on: May 18, 2018, 09:20:02 AM

Not that I'd advocate for one, but every friend my wife and I have in common owns a Fit. It's basically Honda's Prius without the hybrid battery. That said, it is similar to a TARDIS in that you can fit stuff that you really shouldn't be able to in it. Not as big or versatile as the CR-V (or the smaller HR-V) but still - runs forever.

If you are checking out the CR-V, check out the smaller HR-V.

 

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Reply #837 on: May 18, 2018, 10:45:39 AM

I'm going to second the Honda Fit.  I like mine, but I don't LOVE it the way I did my 90's Accord or my VW Passat.  It's a perfectly functional and supremely practical car.  I miss a lot of the creature comforts way more than I thought I would.  The only thing I really hate is the 9 gallon tank -- soooo many fill-ups.

But "01101010" is right, it will haul a positively obscene amount of stuff.

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Reply #838 on: May 19, 2018, 12:43:29 PM

Probably going to get another Accord after all. I commute every day. I take a long road trip every month or two. I may want to haul more than I can get in a sedan once or twice a year. And I was wrong about the hybrid options. Honda has regrouped and the 2018's offer very nice hybrid packages with the Accord for slightly less than the larger engine option.

Meanwhile waiting to hear from the insurance company if the 8yr old Prius is totaled. What do you think?   Ohhhhh, I see.





Pardon the clutter in the car, my self-propelled purse just got turned upside down and shaken out.

The good news is I don't have to worry about the rust spot forming in that ding under the driver side door any more.   why so serious?

Yes, I know I'm paranoid, but am I paranoid enough?
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Reply #839 on: May 19, 2018, 01:02:50 PM

The good news is I don't have to worry about the rust spot forming in that ding under the driver side door any more.   why so serious?

Holy crap... I'm glad that you're ok.

"Always do what is right. It will gratify half of mankind and astound the other."

-  Mark Twain
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