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  1. #31

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    Re: The most important factor when choosing a car

    I’m a pickup truck guy but I do have a beater car.
    The vehicle has to look good and drive good (to me that is)
    Preferably not too many bells and whistles
    Also a good engine and trans that has a good track record
    Thats why I bought the Tundra
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  2. #32

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    Re: The most important factor when choosing a car

    For me:

    Manual Transmission (No manual, no buy)
    Black paint (if its black, i`m not buying it)




    Quote Originally Posted by m54daboll View Post
    Just wanted to have a discussion on what you all think is the most important factor you take into account when choosing to buy a new car. I just recently got my newest car (1 month ago) and being back in the market for a car made me think about all the different things people consider when buying a car: Price, fuel economy, performance, options, financing rates, brand value, etc. Personally, I have three big things that I look for when buying a new car (or a new to me car):

    -Fun to drive--for me this means the car likes curves. I don`t have to be fast in a straight line, but you can bet your butt she`ll be fast in the corners
    -Manual transmission--Yes, DC automatic transmissions are faster on the track and give better lap times, but there`s just something about being connected to the car and driving a MT
    -Parts available for the car--I don`t keep my cars stock for very long, so this is an important consideration for me when choosing a new car

    For context, I am an immature 21 year old kid who`s nuts about cars. So when choosing a new car or new project car I don`t really have practicality or fuel economy or safety in the top of my mind. I`m curious to see what you all think is the most important factor when choosing a new car (or new to you car). What factor made you say "Yup, this is the one". Could be anything! Share away!
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  3. #33
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    Re: The most important factor when choosing a car

    Quote Originally Posted by Accumulator View Post
    I`m wondering whether others care about being able to operate controls without the driver needing to look away from the road. That`s simply crucial to my wife and me and it`s hard in some newer vehicles even after studying the manual.

    Used to be the automakers kept all the controls in the same places and working the same way.."learn one Audi and you know `em all"..but not so much these days, and *so* many things require conscious interpretation that distracts from driving. Use a *touchscreen* while driving?!? To me, that`s Darwinism waiting to happen.
    It`s funny you mention that Accumulator - Just yesterday I was thinking that with steering wheel controls, I look away from the road a lot less than I used to and was glad for that. 2016 Tahoe here. Paddle switches for audio make a difference for me.

    For the rest of the post, it`s what I can afford, 4wd or AWD (have to get to work when weather chunks out), and some cargo space for my equipment for side gigs.

    Gordon
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  4. #34

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    Re: The most important factor when choosing a car

    gordonjaun- Yes indeed, once you memorize the Steering Wheel Controls you`re all set for those functions. Just not having one hand far from the steering wheel can make a diff in those moments that "never happen" until they do.

    Similarly, and I`m certain in in the extreme minority with this one, I prefer my automatic transmission cars to have a column shifter instead of a floor/console shifter. I vastly prefer the column shifts in the Crown Vic and Tahoe over the console shifters in the Jag and Audis and in some (admittedly infrequent) situations I do drive them a lot better (enough to matter). I wouldn`t *HAVE* the Crown Vic with a console shifter, it`s another reason why I was never interested in a Marauder.

    Sure, manuals are different, I never got comfortable with console shifters when rowing my own.
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  5. #35

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    Re: The most important factor when choosing a car

    4x4, 8ft bed, compression ignition, turbo charged.

    In all reality though manufacturer, price, options, color.

    Currently I’m eyeballing 2019 F350 crew cab long beds. I refuse to own a truck I can’t have a toolbox it and still have room for a 4 wheeler or gooseneck. Crew cab because 6 people aren’t comfy in anything smaller. Diesel because I hate the lack of power while towing and the fuel range on gas engines. Couple that with the fact that at 5500ft in elevation having forced induction helps a lot. I could care less about economy or maintenance cost. Buy once cry once. If you take care of it, it’ll last a lifetime.


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  6. #36

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    Re: The most important factor when choosing a car

    Quote Originally Posted by minerigger View Post
    Buy once cry once. If you take care of it, it’ll last a lifetime.
    We`re trying to do that, but it gets hard ZERO parts availability for the `93 Audi, one bump in a parking lot and it`s a paperweight, and lots of maintenance parts have been NA for years (took ages just to find a wiper motor in a German salvage yard). Even getting maintenance parts for the A8/S8 is getting tough. Sigh...flagship cars from a major automaker that simply are not supported. Same thing sank a few of our vehicles, just couldn`t get the parts any more and some stuff was deemed "unrebuildable".

  7. #37

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    Re: The most important factor when choosing a car

    Quote Originally Posted by Accumulator View Post
    We`re trying to do that, but it gets hard ZERO parts availability for the `93 Audi, one bump in a parking lot and it`s a paperweight, and lots of maintenance parts have been NA for years (took ages just to find a wiper motor in a German salvage yard). Even getting maintenance parts for the A8/S8 is getting tough. Sigh...flagship cars from a major automaker that simply are not supported. Same thing sank a few of our vehicles, just couldn`t get the parts any more and some stuff was deemed "unrebuildable".
    And that is why I will own keep American made(as much as they can be) vehicles for a long time. I can find parts for them everywhere. We own a mission but it’s going away in 50k miles


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  8. #38

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    Re: The most important factor when choosing a car

    minerigger- Heh heh, even my Old BodyStyle Tahoe is no longer supported properly, and GM built a gazillion GMT400 vehicles! I had to use a Dorman inner doorlatch the last time, and my pal who also has one says his lasted about 18 months.

    We`ll see how long I can get OEM parts for my Crown Vic, they built a lot of those too, but Ford just doesn`t care any more than GM or Audi does. Already stuff that`s NA for that one too

  9. #39

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    Re: The most important factor when choosing a car

    All of these factors into buying a vehicle tells me it is pretty much an individual`s needs (or wants) and expectation.
    Example:
    1) How much money am I going to spend or WILL spend? You may WANT a Porsche, but a 5-year-old used Corvette may be what you can afford.
    2) Service after the sale. Are you going to fix it? How available are the parts or the expertise of a qualified mechanic?
    3) What is the purpose of the vehicle you are buying for? Transportation to-and-from work or school? Hauling the family? Hauling equipment for your self-employed business?
    To me, the economics (AKA, personal income and expenses) of an individual will play THE biggest factor in what vehicle they will drive and why.
    If you are fortunate enough (AKA, well-off financially) to be able to afford have more than one vehicle, then those factors of importance may be completely different for the second vehicle.
    GB detailer
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  10. #40

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    The most important factor when choosing a car

    Quote Originally Posted by Accumulator View Post
    minerigger- Heh heh, even my Old BodyStyle Tahoe is no longer supported properly, and GM built a gazillion GMT400 vehicles! I had to use a Dorman inner doorlatch the last time, and my pal who also has one says his lasted about 18 months.

    We`ll see how long I can get OEM parts for my Crown Vic, they built a lot of those too, but Ford just doesn`t care any more than GM or Audi does. Already stuff that`s NA for that one too
    That’s when I get on forums vehicle specific. There are lots of GMT800 trucks out there, gasser and diesel so I’ve got lots of parts. Comes down to how bad or how hard I want to look. That or I get on rockauto, gmpartsdirect, amazon and in my case diesel performance sites as I can get most parts. But like you said there is some stuff I can’t get oem any longer and I’m ok with that but I’m ok with that. Cheap parts every 18 months is still cheaper than new vehicle payments.

    My dad still has an 89 f350 with less than 150k original miles. We spend a lot of time doing electrical and rubber hoses/seals and plastic bits but it’s still a lot cheaper than a new one. Best part about my 06 and his 89, no emissions. Well the 06 had em but they’ve been gone for 8 years.


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  11. #41

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    Re: The most important factor when choosing a car

    Quote Originally Posted by Accumulator View Post
    minerigger- Heh heh, even my Old BodyStyle Tahoe is no longer supported properly, and GM built a gazillion GMT400 vehicles! I had to use a Dorman inner doorlatch the last time, and my pal who also has one says his lasted about 18 months.

    We`ll see how long I can get OEM parts for my Crown Vic, they built a lot of those too, but Ford just doesn`t care any more than GM or Audi does. Already stuff that`s NA for that one too
    It will be interesting to see how the Ford cars parts supply lasts now that they cut all of there cars except for the Mustang and an electric vehicle. Hopefully they continue to support their previous owners and have parts available.
    Michael Daboll
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  12. #42

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    Re: The most important factor when choosing a car

    Anybody here ever buy a vehicle based on their Driver`s Training?

    In hindsight, after my wife and I did Driving Schools in the `90s (following a fender-bender...realized we could be much better drivers so !off to school! for a few summers), I should`ve bought cars like the Schools used and set `em up like the cars we drove there; but noooo I had to have something "better" Finally learned my lesson and after being trained in Caprices I stuck with those until I got *really* trained in Crown Vics. Now I`m all about that car, leaving my "much better" sedans sit in the garage most of the time. That`s part of why I like the OBS Tahoe, I was trained in an OBS Suburban and know what the vehicle will do in ways I would *not* know in a "better" SUV (sold both the "better" ones with no regrets). Probably wouldn`t matter since "better vehicles" (presumably) do things better, but I like knowing the Real World Limits of the vehicle-driver combo and being confident that I`ll instantly do the right thing with "unconscious competence" in an emergent situation. (I`m a firm believer in the Two Second Rule.)

    Heh heh, I`ve reached for a column shifter that wasn`t there in the Audis a few times...I`ve just become programmed that way. Gotta watch that, took me forever to *lose* the automatic Threshold Braking, used to do that instinctively in those emergent situations due to training in pre-ABS cars and it cost me when learning ABS cars (drove the VDI staff nuts my first tour). Under stress we revert to our Training.

    Also, thinking back to those [silly cars] I had for so long, I simply cannot enjoy a truly High Performance Car on the street. My Porsches, the Mallett...I simply didn`t enjoy driving them around at 4/10 and by the time I was remotely having fun I was in "car impounded, driver in custody" territory and an impounded car isn`t gonna be Autopian by the time ya get it back. (Also, I spent enough years, yeah...years...with a suspended license that I simply won`t risk a serious traffic offense.)

    minerigger- Yeah, I oughta DIY my research (if not the wrenching ) for the Tahoe the same as I do for the Crown Vic, but eh... one of these days I`ll just admit that my vehicles are basically just appliances to me any more, and I wanna have others do all that [stuff]; the Detailing is more than enough for Yours Truly.

    But yeah, one thing I really like about both those vehicle is that I *understand* them, know how stuff works..no inscrutable black box systems like the Audis have.

    Quote Originally Posted by Lonnie
    To me, the economics (AKA, personal income and expenses) of an individual will play THE biggest factor in what vehicle they will drive and why
    Different experience here, I see/know a scad of people who can`t *IMO* really afford what they drive. Seems like everybody with a Credit Rating is driving an exotic these days. But I guess I define "what can be afforded" differently from most people..

    Quote Originally Posted by m54daboll View Post
    It will be interesting to see how the Ford cars parts supply lasts now that they cut all of there cars except for the Mustang and an electric vehicle...
    Yeah, that basically took other Fords right off my list. Too bad as I have a Ford dealer with a great service dept. (though they`re a long ways away).
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  13. #43

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    Re: The most important factor when choosing a car

    I`m a little late to this party, but here`s my criteria which I apply to those vehicles in my price range and form factor.

    1) Fun to drive. Too many boring, soggy, sloppy cars on the road today, and life it to short to spend time in them. The car must be quick, handle well, and be responsive on all driver interfaces (i.e. brakes, steering, throttle). For me, this automatically rules out all SUV`s and trucks
    2) Comfortable. It`s hard to love and enjoy spending time in a car if the interior ergonomics and the seats are all wrong for your body type. I will also throw ride quality into this, but I can tolerate a pretty stiff ride. There is a difference between stiff and "brittle".
    3) Build quality. This has nothing to do with price point and all about how well it`s been put together and the materials used. Modern Maserati`s I`ve seen are total junk in this regard, while Mazda is hitting it out of the park on most of their vehicles build in the last 2~3 years.
    4) Always remember #1!
    5) Always remember #1!

    Some other thoughts from my perspective:

    - I don`t get hung up on hp numbers. The total performance package means much more to me. I`ve driven light cars with lower power and found them to be more fun than a heavy car with much more power. Also, the way the power is delivered makes a big deal. I drove one car in particular in which the automaker either lied, or they build terrible engines.

    - Manual transmissions. I have never owned and daily driven a car with an automatic in my 30 years behind the wheel. However, after having a fantastic time on a test drive flogging a BMW 340 M-Sport with the ZF auto and paddles, I`m a little more open minded. Not all auto`s are created equal, but I can say I`d drive a BMW with the DCT or the ZF transmission. I`d also love to try the Porsche PDK system as I hear it is quite amazing as well. Manuals will always have my heart, but I will evaluate the car as a whole package rather than dying on my manual transmission sword.

    - Build quality and comfort mean a lot to me. I`ve passed on two cars with blistering performance in their catagories because their seats were really uncomfotable and I could tell from early in the test drive the build quality was total junk from both a materials and a fit/finish stand point. I don`t want to spend my time in the cockpit looking around thinking, "boy these seats hurt my back and this interior is total crap!"

  14. #44

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    Re: The most important factor when choosing a car

    Deseretnate- Hey, those are some good criteria you mentioned!

    Yeah, gotta be comfortable. I can`t reach the steering wheel in a lot of cars without telescoping columns and couldn`t enjoy the Porsches on a track because I didn`t fit with a helmet on. That said, my wife and I are both OK with heavily bolstered Sport seats and a *very* firm ride.

    That`s *VERY* interesting to me about the Mazda build-quality! Our MPV was so utterly awful (and the Reps were of zero help) that I`d vowed "never again!

    Manuals vs. autos always comes up...my wife never had an automatic (did drive a few of mine) until her `00 A8 and she didn`t expect to like that car over it. She`d insisted that she`d never own an automatic and had refused several cars over it, but now her Forever Car has one. I had to choose between shifting my own gears and exercising (easy call) but now there`s zero way I`d drive a manual. When I think back to all that dbl-clutching/H&T/etc. stuff...dozens of times just driving to the grocery...phooey on that. And I`ve noticed that the last few manuals I drove were *not* set up for H&T, simply zero way my narrow foot could do it and the pedal heights weren`t right even if they`d been closer together; if we couldn`t H&T we weren`t buying (I simply couldn`t drive her RX7 over it and was glad she wanted something else that I could drive).

  15. #45

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    Re: The most important factor when choosing a car

    Quote Originally Posted by Accumulator View Post
    Yeah, gotta be comfortable. I can`t reach the steering wheel in a lot of cars without telescoping columns and couldn`t enjoy the Porsches on a track because I didn`t fit with a helmet on. That said, my wife and I are both OK with heavily bolstered Sport seats and a *very* firm ride.
    I`ve found I`m very uncomfortable and don`t feel "right" when I`m not in a well bolstered seat. My wife`s Highlander has very flat seets with no bolstering and I`m really don`t like driving it because of that reason. I feel like I`m simply cargo loaded behind the steering wheel vs being the pilot.

    Good call on the helmet. I`m not really tall, but should probably start taking it on test drives just in case.

    That`s *VERY* interesting to me about the Mazda build-quality! Our MPV was so utterly awful (and the Reps were of zero help) that I`d vowed "never again!
    I`d say they`ve been on a steady climb since those days. We own a `10 Mazda3 and it`s the most reliable car we`ve ever owned by a very large margine. That car, while being well built, didn`t have the greatest interior materials and is pretty loud due to very little sound deadening. Over the last 3-ish years Mazda has made a HUGE leap in quality again. Their vehicles aren`t all that powerful, but the handling and steering is very good. I cound the CX-5 SUV to drive better than many cars I`ve driven despite the height and weight. I`ve been extreamly pleased with what I`ve seen from their interiors as well. The fit/finish and matierials are far above what you`d think for their price point. I`d happily put their interiors on par with Audi and Volvo and from a design standpoint ahead of even Mercedes, which I find quite ugly these days. They are comfortable and have become pretty quiet as well.

    Manuals vs. autos always comes up...my wife never had an automatic (did drive a few of mine) until her `00 A8 and she didn`t expect to like that car over it. She`d insisted that she`d never own an automatic and had refused several cars over it, but now her Forever Car has one. I had to choose between shifting my own gears and exercising (easy call) but now there`s zero way I`d drive a manual. When I think back to all that dbl-clutching/H&T/etc. stuff...dozens of times just driving to the grocery...phooey on that. And I`ve noticed that the last few manuals I drove were *not* set up for H&T, simply zero way my narrow foot could do it and the pedal heights weren`t right even if they`d been closer together; if we couldn`t H&T we weren`t buying (I simply couldn`t drive her RX7 over it and was glad she wanted something else that I could drive).
    I`ve never perfected H&T and even in my GTI the pedals aren`t set up real well for a traditional approach. Honestly due to injuries, I can`t twist my ankel in a way to do a traditional H&T anyway (i.e. heel on the gas). I could do a modified approach (rock the foot side to side between brake and gas), but good places to practice are hard to find around here with all the straight roads. Honestly, after driving a car with a good paddle set up with a dual clutch or fast automatic, I actually found being able to focus more on my line and throttle application while simply flipping through the gears a pretty enjoyable experience.

 

 
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