Getting a new vehicle...

[[AK]Hylander]

2004 Toyota RAV4 L Automatic 4X4.

This is going to be my wife's new vehicle. We are going to pick one out this weekend. I already have the funding in hand, insurance ready to go, etc so when I get to the dealer it's just a matter of finding one with all the options we want in a color we want (Titanium, Spectra Blue Mica, or Black) and then hammering them on price. $500 above KBB determined invoice (not including manufacturer holdbacks for the dealer), not a nickel more.

We were very close to getting a BMW 3 series coupe for her... but between the payments and the insurance premiums, I'd rather spend our cashflow on other things. (Like PC upgrades! )

My "turn" for a new vehicle was actually before hers, but since my car is still in pretty decent shape for 85K miles, I didn't see the need to get a new one to put so many miles on. But the 2005 Mustang sure is tempting! But we could really use a pickup truck... especially if I start racing again.

[[AK]Nuts]

Have you looked at the Kia Sorento? Great warranty, V6, 4WD, bigger and more standard options. Just a little bit more $$$, but perhaps worthy of a look. I just did three trips to Korea last year and they are very very popular.

-nuts

[[AK]Hylander]

I haven't looked into it much, as I'm not yet 'comfortable' with the Hyundai or Kia makes yet. Their warranties are superb, and their quality is improving, but with Toyota I pretty much know what I'm getting in terms of quality and service.

[[AK]Sonic Boom]

(sigh.)

You coulda had a Volvo...

[[AK]Nuts]

Ya,... I've got a sweet 1990 240 if you're interested. I'll cut you a good deal.

[[AK]Hylander]

I'm a former Swedish Brick owner! I had an 89 240 DL.

[HitMan]

Hmmm pickup truck eh?

IMO Best truck on the road right now pound for pound is the Dodge Ram with a Hemi. (also the best looking).

Oh if you need something for towing, the cummins turbo diesel is now gonna be 325 horsepower, with 600lb-ft of stump pulling torque .

Edit: I'm probably gonna trade in my truck fro one of 'em, especially if it's true that Allison's gonna have their Transmission in the Trucks in 2005 .

The Hemi also is a quick little bastard of a pickup!


Or then there's the SRT-10 Pickup, but it's over 45K...


I agree that new mustang looks killer. But on the other hand, with a new style of corvette coming out in the next year or 2 (depending on how fast they get the 2005 models out this year), the C5 corvettes (new ones are C6) just might sell for DIRT CHEAP. Kinda like what happened with the C4's when the C5's came out. (and right now, in dollar for dollar performance the C4 corvettes are considered one of the BEST deals out there).

Then there's that Nissan 350Z (But I want a performance car that has either a turbo with a 6, if not it's gotta either have 8 or more cylinders).

In other words, if your gonna get a car (for you), do you want something that's gonna be tuned up over time, or something that'll be used the way it came the majority of it's life. If it's to tune, C4 Corvette, Old 5.0 mustangs, Any year camaro, 300ZX Turbo, Mitsubishi 3000GT VR-4, Toyota Supra Turbo, etc... If you want brand new, I'd take a 350Z, or a slightly used C5 corvette (so I don't have to pay brand new prices) would be my choice.

[[AK]Sonic Boom]

Originally posted by HitMan
Hmmm pickup truck eh?

IMO Best truck on the road right now pound for pound is the Dodge Ram with a Hemi. (also the best looking).

I found myself laughing at Dodge's "Hemi" marketing that other day. What a load of crap. Virtually every high performance engine, and ALL four valve engines, made in the last twenty years have hemispherical combustion chambers... thus making them "hemi's" too.

While you're on the subject of cars with good bang for the buck, my S2000 is a helluva bargain to me. It's a pure sports car and you can get a good one for about $21k. I've owned and driven a lot of really fast cars, but my Honda is among the funnest. There isn't another car out there that you shift at 9000 rpm... which is certainly better than my '79 Volvo.

[[AK]Clay]

Toyota's a great car company, they last forever. Good call.

[[AK]StitchJones]

Originally posted by [AK]Sonic Boom
(sigh.)

You coulda had a Volvo...

Knock it off!

[HitMan]

Yeah but the reason I didn't include the S2000 is because you have to rev it to 9000RPM's to tap all that power .


I mean look at the numbers:

250.0 bhp @ 8300 rpm
153.0 ft lbs @ 7500 rpm

With a 9000 RPM Redline.



I mean that's a not a whole lot of torque, and you've gotta rev the shit out of this engine to touch it. I personally don't wanna rev the shit out of an engine just to get 153 lb-ft of torque...

Honda really must had advanced timing to an ungodly degree to have this engine this high strung.


Albeit it's a nice little car, it just could use improvement in the engine department IMO they made it slightly better for 2004 with a new engine, but again, needs to bring it all to a lower RPM.

Chalk it up to personal biases for not posting this in there


Also the RX-8 from Mazda will rev up to 9000RPM's

[[AK]Sonic Boom]

Originally posted by HitMan
Albeit it's a nice little car, it just could use improvement in the engine department IMO they made it slightly better for 2004 with a new engine, but again, needs to bring it all to a lower RPM.

Chalk it up to personal biases for not posting this in there

I suppose it's all in what you want. I wanted an S2000 *because* it's engine is so high strung. The motor set a world record for the most horsepower ever per cubic inch in a naturally aspirated engine. It is still the only production piston engine to ever rev to 9000. I disagree that it needs any improvement in the engine department.

The torque numbers are also deceiving. Because of the low curb weight (2800 lbs.) and the low gear ratios, the car really hauls ass... particularly on a racetrack. In fact, it comes darn close to the feel of a real race car, which is what I was after.

Regardless of our differing opinions, I certainly think it belongs on a list of best bang for the buck cars, particularly if you compare it to the target it was designed to compete with, the Porsche Boxter.

[HitMan]

Originally posted by [AK]Sonic Boom
I suppose it's all in what you want. I wanted an S2000 *because* it's engine is so high strung. The motor set a world record for the most horsepower ever per cubic inch in a naturally aspirated engine. It is still the only production piston engine to ever rev to 9000. I disagree that it needs any improvement in the engine department.

The torque numbers are also deceiving. Because of the low curb weight (2800 lbs.) and the low gear ratios, the car really hauls ass... particularly on a racetrack. In fact, it comes darn close to the feel of a real race car, which is what I was after.

Regardless of our differing opinions, I certainly think it belongs on a list of best bang for the buck cars, particularly if you compare it to the target it was designed to compete with, the Porsche Boxter.

The RX-8's rotary revs over 9 grand

[the wolffman]

rx-8's aren't as powerful as their ancestor rx-7, yet they both have about the same gas milage. it's a damn good looking car, but mazda's time away from rotary production does show. any rotary revs over 9 grand though. i saw a video where they took two rx-7s and kept them reving full throttle in neutral until the engines died. they went to 12.5 grand and stayed there for over fifteen minutes until the engines smoked.

as for the toyotas lasting forever, i can atest to that. i have a '81 fj-40 land cruiser with the stock four cylinder. engine still runs decently after so many years and miles. the body is rusted like hell, and i replaced the gas tank (as that rusted off) with a fishing boat's outboard motor gas container. i only use the cruiser now for plowing snow and pushing cars around due to its condition, but i'm saving up to throw in a chevy v8 and renovate this great car.

my personal sporty car i'd like to get is the subaru wrx sti. a friend of mine bought one, and practically no one can touch this car. it's easy to mod too.

[[AK]Palooka]

I just bought a 2004 Subaru Impreza WRX sedan, myself. It's not the STi, so it has about 73 less hp, but it still goes like hell and corners like a champ. I got it fully loaded with premium sound (6-disc changer, extra tweaters, improved speakers, and subwoofer) and the winter package (moonroof, heated seats, windshield wiper de-icer, and heated mirrors). You'd be hard-pressed to find more bang for the buck (under $30,000) anywhere else. It looks almost exactly like this (I haven't taken any photos of it yet):

[IMG]/assets/imprezawrx.jpg[/IMG]

If you have the money, it's hard to beat the Audi S4. The 2004 model sports a 4.2 liter V-8 rated at 340 hp and Audi's excellent Quattro all-wheel-drive system. It has the power of a pure sports car with the refinement of a luxury sedan. I almost bought a 2001 S4 with the smaller 250 hp bi-turbo V-6, but I decided that the money would be better spent on something new.

[IMG]/assets/audis4.jpg[/IMG]