Flappy Paddle is the one true shifter. [Car] Thread.

RUNN1NGMAN

Six wrote: »

I thought it was specifically problems with California. Since most diesel's have trouble passing California's standards, they're not sold in the US.

I may be completely wrong, but that's what I remember reading from someone in the last car thread.

Pretty sure the regulations are a non-issue now with low-sulfur diesel. Its more a public perception thing now--Americans still think diesel means dirty, noisy, and low-powered.

Gooey

CommunistCow wrote: »

Gooey wrote: »

Noquar wrote: »

All these fancy cars and all I am worried about is whether I want a 2.5 or 3.6 Outback, or a new Equinox or Traverse. Gogo family rides!

My brother has a new Outback, my mother has a new Traverse

they are both great cars

I would probably just pick the engine with the best gas mileage unless you really plan on driving your outback all sporty like. The 2.5 engine should provide enough power for the outback.

In a completely unrelated topic does anyone happen to know the specific EPA regulations that keep most diesel cars out of the US? I want to see some damn 3 cylinder diesel VWs that get 74mpg.

According to my brother, the CVT in his Outback is the antithesis of "sporty"

It has "selectable gears" by which it gives you the vague feeling that you are locked in an approximate "gear" when you have it in sport mode.

But the CVT does accelerate smoothly and is really nice for driving stop-and-go, which is exactly what his wife wanted.

I believe he has the 2.5 engine, which gets good gas mileage and has more than enough power for the car.

Gooey

RUNN1NGMAN wrote: »

Six wrote: »

I thought it was specifically problems with California. Since most diesel's have trouble passing California's standards, they're not sold in the US.

I may be completely wrong, but that's what I remember reading from someone in the last car thread.

Pretty sure the regulations are a non-issue now with low-sulfur diesel. Its more a public perception thing now--Americans still think diesel means dirty, noisy, and low-powered.

I would kill a man if it would bring clean diesels here.

Jeep uses the Fiat 2.8l turbo diesel overseas. It gets ~170 hp, ~330 lb/ft, and 35mpg

DO WANT

Six

I personally really dislike the feel of CVT cars, but I imagine that performance isn't really your primary concern

1ddqd

I'm having the same dilemma as RUNN1NGMAN - I have a 2010 2.0L iTouring 3 and while it feels sporty, it's not sporty enough.

Also, the speed3 I saw in the store the other day was auto. Mine is a stick and given the gate delays from 1st to 2nd, I'm not sure I'd want a stick in the Speed3.

CommunistCow

I found some on it.

First, U.S. emissions standards, especially for particulates, are tougher than European ones. All but the smallest diesels have to be fitted with even more expensive after-treatment equipment than Europe requires.
One variants of the Mercedes-Benz BlueTEC system, for example, includes two catalytic converters and an “AdBlue” urea-injection system to clean the nitrous oxides and particulates from the exhaust.
And that gear has to be added to an engine that's 10 to 15 percent more costly to build than a gasoline engine of the same power. Even without U.S. equipment, the [European] Ford Fiesta Econetic[63 mpg] costs $31,000 in Europe; the U.S. 2011 Fiesta[30/40mpg] costs $14,000 to $23,000.

from http://www.greencarreports.com/blog/1039689_why-cant-we-buy-small-european-diesels-in-the-u-s

RUNN1NGMAN

1ddqd wrote: »

I'm having the same dilemma as RUNN1NGMAN - I have a 2010 2.0L iTouring 3 and while it feels sporty, it's not sporty enough.

Also, the speed3 I saw in the store the other day was auto. Mine is a stick and given the gate delays from 1st to 2nd, I'm not sure I'd want a stick in the Speed3.

Really? I was under the impression they were manual only.

JustinSane07

They are according to Mazda's website.

Fiziks

Car threads are awesome.

If I ever get to drive one of these:

it'll be the happiest day of my life.

RUNN1NGMAN

Too bad they won't throw a DSG in there--I'm seriously considering a GTI just so that I have a hatchback with a quasi-manual transmission that the wife can still drive in an emergency.

Dance Commander

Ok car thread: I'm an outdoorsy type who knows jack-all about cars and is planning on a year long road trip across the country where I'll be living out of my car. I'm currently driving a '94 Mazda 626 that's been totalled by the insurance company and is worth less than the roof racks on it. Great car, but I'm looking to buy a new used car before my trip. My priorities, in order:

1) Reliability
2) Mileage
3) Storage space
4) Manual transmission

I'll have camping gear but the option to sleep in my car in an emergency would be nice--I'm thinking, basically, the most reliable and best mileage wagon I can find. Price range would be... let's say 10 grand at the very most.

I've only ever owned one car and don't really know how to shop for them. Looks like consumer reports is a good place to start; I'll get a sub going there this weekend. In the meantime, do you fine folks have any suggestions as far as models I should be looking at? The Outback is kind of the classic choice; how do those stack up? Would a Legacy be better?

JustinSane07

Aside from Consumer Reports, there's also Edmunds.com which will give you all the specs of any vehicle. A Mazda 626 is pretty standard sized sedan. If you're looking for another 4 door Sedan there's plenty of options out there from all the car manufacturers.

Dance Commander

I'm not--I'd much rather go with a wagon this time since I'll be hauling all my possessions with me. Granted that isn't going to be much, basically just climbing and camping gear, but I really want to get something with more space than a sedan.

Michael H

Six wrote: »

I thought it was specifically problems with California. Since most diesel's have trouble passing California's standards, they're not sold in the US.

I may be completely wrong, but that's what I remember reading from someone in the last car thread.

If the manufacturer is willing, you can have different versions. For example, I could have a California market AwesomeMobile and also what would be called a 49-State AwesomeMobile. The only difference would be that the California version would have a different exhaust system. (Cats, etc)

Jealous Deva

Michael H wrote: »

Six wrote: »

I thought it was specifically problems with California. Since most diesel's have trouble passing California's standards, they're not sold in the US.

I may be completely wrong, but that's what I remember reading from someone in the last car thread.

If the manufacturer is willing, you can have different versions. For example, I could have a California market AwesomeMobile and also what would be called a 49-State AwesomeMobile. The only difference would be that the California version would have a different exhaust system. (Cats, etc)

There are a few other states that specifically use California's system, New York I believe is among them.

Trucks have been doing that for years, the reason cars don't is that it's a lot more economically feasible to make a truck that can be sold mainly in the south and midwest than it is a car.

Michael H

Jealous Deva wrote: »

Michael H wrote: »

Six wrote: »

I thought it was specifically problems with California. Since most diesel's have trouble passing California's standards, they're not sold in the US.

I may be completely wrong, but that's what I remember reading from someone in the last car thread.

If the manufacturer is willing, you can have different versions. For example, I could have a California market AwesomeMobile and also what would be called a 49-State AwesomeMobile. The only difference would be that the California version would have a different exhaust system. (Cats, etc)

There are a few other states that specifically use California's system, New York I believe is among them.

Trucks have been doing that for years, the reason cars don't is that it's a lot more economically feasible to make a truck that can be sold mainly in the south and midwest than it is a car.

It probably varies by vehicle type, I know for motorcycles California is the only oddball for now regarding emissions, New York has the same requirements as the rest of the country. Trucks and cars could definitely be different.

Slider

1ddqd wrote: »

I'm having the same dilemma as RUNN1NGMAN - I have a 2010 2.0L iTouring 3 and while it feels sporty, it's not sporty enough.

Also, the speed3 I saw in the store the other day was auto. Mine is a stick and given the gate delays from 1st to 2nd, I'm not sure I'd want a stick in the Speed3.

I picked out a 2009 Mazda6 GT for my parents a few months ago. It's fast, it looks nice...leather seats, a little alarm that sounds if you are about to change lanes into another car...

Last month, I was driving it and got a speeding ticket doing 80 in a 50. Meh.

Good car, though.

Spoiler:

CommunistCow

Fiziks wrote: »

Car threads are awesome.

If I ever get to drive one of these:

Good luck finding a running one without reliability issues.

Gooey

If this actually happens this may be one of the most beautiful cars ever made.

TehSloth

Hey, so I got a little Check Engine Light today and figured it was a great time to pick up an OBD-II scanner. Anybody have any recommendations, part of me wants to get something that'll hook up to a PC since I plan on getting a netbook soon that I could look at all sorts of nifty info on, but in the mean time if I got a PC only one I'd have to steal my roommates in order to check codes. I also saw this guy on Amazon and figured it would be useful to have now, and if that's serial on top of the unit, I could just later use a serial->USB adapter and plug it into a PC.

desc

It's 111 degrees right now in Long Beach.

I wonder which car has the most powerful a/c unit in all of automotive history.

TehSloth

desc wrote: »

It's 111 degrees right now in Long Beach.

I wonder which car has the most powerful a/c unit in all of automotive history.

I think this should do the trick

Spoiler:

iguanacus

I'd put good money on Howard Hughes Chrysler New Yorker with the airplane air circulation system installed would probably do you fine.

Noquar

Well...we pulled the trigger. Slightly used 2010 Outback 3.6R Limited. Just about the only option it did not come with was the Navi, which is fine since Subaru's Navi is universally regarded as a piece of crap.

Doodmann

I just found out about the Subaru Impreza 2.5rs. It is old enough that it should be in my price range. I was bummed when I figured out they were rare enough that I probably wont find one. Oh well, my search continues.

CommunistCow

Doodmann wrote: »

I just found out about the Subaru Impreza 2.5rs. It is old enough that it should be in my price range. I was bummed when I figured out they were rare enough that I probably wont find one. Oh well, my search continues.

CommunistCow wrote: »

Doodmann wrote: »

CommunistCow wrote: »

Doodmann wrote: »

Hey a car thread, what do you guys think of Honda Preludes?

VTEC was a cool technology back in the day but is becoming slightly more common. My friend had one and it was pretty nice but not a ton of room in the back seat. *shrug*

Edit: It is a ok car. Nothing spectacular I can think of and nothing horrible. What are you looking for in a car? Price range?

I currently drive a piece of shit 2002 Ford Escort. Not saying the car is bad but mine was a lemon. As a student I don't really have the stable income to get an auto loan so I'm looking for something that is cheap but a good platform to have some fun tinkering with. I liked the look of the prelude and it seemed like a better starting point than a civic or something from around the same time.

Define cheap and how old you would be fine buying. Is RWD fine in your area (ie no snow)?
Other possible tinker toys
Subaru 2.5rs ~2800lbs 165hp decent torque AWD*,
Integra ~140-170hp and ~2600lbs FWD,
miata ~130hp and 2,300lbs RWD,
late 90s nissan 240sx 155hp and ~2800-2900lbs RWD,
mid to late 90s bmw 3 series (will cost more with upkeep) RWD,
etc

*Not a great platform for turbo if you want to do that later on. The engine apparently doesn't like boost and likes to detonate. On the other hand it handles pretty damn well with just the addition of a larger sway bar which can usually be yoinked from wrx owners who get rid of theirs. (Stock 13mm. WRX 17mm). Also the auto version has weird torque split from front/rear but the manual version is 50/50 all the time.

Are you blind? This was my response to you back on page 4. I also made another 2 or 3 posts about the 2.5rs because I own one
You even responded at some point and said subarus were out of your price range.
Am I talking to a wall here?

CommunistCow

adytum wrote: »

I still see tons of 2.5rs on the road around here.

Do you see many of the 98-01 2.5RSes?

It looks like this. (me autoxing)

CommunistCow

That you?

I've been meaning to try rallyX or the ice races but I haven't gotten around to it.

japan

adytum wrote: »

oh hai rally pictures

Now that I can get behind

Six

I like the imprezas, but I get tired of all the hood scoops.

Scooooooooooooooooooooooooop

CommunistCow

What a land rover? Screw that

japan

It's a Bowler.

The only Land Rover parts are those lamps and the grille. Maybe a few drivetrain bits and pieces.

CommunistCow

Six wrote: »

I like the imprezas, but I get tired of all the hood scoops.

Scooooooooooooooooooooooooop

Well after '01 they stopped putting hood scoops on non-turbo cars where the hood scoop wasn't functional.
If you really don't like the hood scoop you could get one with a front mount IC and then take a '02+ 2.5rs hood and slap it on there

CommunistCow

adytum wrote: »

CommunistCow wrote: »

That you?

I've been meaning to try rallyX or the ice races but I haven't gotten around to it.

No, but I took the photos. I also rode the course in the passenger seat of one of the WRX's.

I did do an autocross in my old Legacy though. I finished 3rd to last, above two people that were disqualified.

I bet that was fun riding around in the rally. Did you finish 3rd to last in your class or out of everyone?

If I haven't said it before autox is fun just for the fact that you get to ride along with people who have really really nice cars and who can drive a lot faster than you. Bonus points for getting to ride with people who have a car that is shittier than yours but is still a lot faster than you.

Six

CommunistCow wrote: »

Six wrote: »

I like the imprezas, but I get tired of all the hood scoops.

Scooooooooooooooooooooooooop

Well after '01 they stopped putting hood scoops on non-turbo cars where the hood scoop wasn't functional.
If you really don't like the hood scoop you could get one with a front mount IC and then take a '02+ 2.5rs hood and slap it on there

I'm just prejudiced against silly adornments like non-functional hood scoops. Most spoilers fit into this category, too.

japan

The scoop is to feed the intercooler right?

I always thought it was odd they sat that right on top of the engine, but then I've never poked around under a Scooby bonnet.

CommunistCow

Six wrote: »

CommunistCow wrote: »

Six wrote: »

I like the imprezas, but I get tired of all the hood scoops.

Scooooooooooooooooooooooooop

Well after '01 they stopped putting hood scoops on non-turbo cars where the hood scoop wasn't functional.
If you really don't like the hood scoop you could get one with a front mount IC and then take a '02+ 2.5rs hood and slap it on there

I'm just prejudiced against silly adornments like non-functional hood scoops. Most spoilers fit into this category, too.

Except most of the hood scoops you see today are functional because the intercooler is sitting right behind it. o_O

edit: japan

Six

Well those are obviously fine.

JEEZ

CommunistCow

So you are complaining about the pre '01 2.5rs and outbacks?
Silly Goose.

Six

I'm just complaining.

It's my manner.