The General Car Thread.

[Auzkhia]

Imagine you are a middle class 39-year-old man, living with your wife in southern Missouri. You have $40k to spend on a brand-new double cab 4x4 automatic pickup truck, as you want a daily driver with some offroad and towing capabilities. The options are:
- Chevrolet Silverado 1500 4.3 WT 5.5' bed,
- GMC Sierra 1500 4.3 WT 5.5' bed,
- Ford F-150 3.5 Cyclone XL 5.5' bed,
- Ram 1500 3.6 Tradesman short bed,
- Toyota Tundra 4.6 SR5 5.5' bed,
- Nissan Titan 5.6 S.

Which one would you buy? I think the Titan would be the best daily driver, giving a good balance between power, fuel mileage, equipment and reliability. And with the current reputation of Nissan, you might score a good deal.

Silverado, because I'd rather push a Chevy than drive a Ford or Dodge.

You know what Ford stands for? Fix it again Tony.

[Discretospia]

I'm about to purchase my first car in the coming months. I've gone back and forth between used and new car, but in the end I've decided to go for a new car because I do not plan on selling it. I'm driving this thing into the ground. I do not want to deal with the uncertainty of buying someone else's "problem car", even if it has very few miles (if anything, that would make it more suspicious).

I've always made reliability my number one priority when researching cars, and I'd like affordability. I've decided to pursue a (new) 2016 Toyota Corolla. I'll put down a significant down payment and pull out a small loan of a million dollars to finance the rest in under a year. I've heard Toyotas are renowned for reliability, the 2016 Corolla in particular I have read good things about on Consumer Reports. Plus it's very affordable at new, about $17k-$18k, and lower if you can negotiate a lower price.

I won't question your decision to buy new, that's a personal decision, but it does make sense as long as you take meticulous care of it and intend to own it until it reaches 100,000 miles or more.

Anyway, yes, Toyotas are known to be very reliable, which is partially based in face and part in historic myth. Consumer Reports is not precisely unbiased on that front and feeds into the Toyota legend. There are many options for cars in your price range (I am assuming you want an MSRP under 18k). The Corolla is a good choice, but is simply one of many. If you can provide more information on what you would like in a car - can you drive manual, are you interested in AWD, do you want a hatchback or a sedan, are you set on a compact car or would you consider a subcompact or midsize, are you interested in a hybrid, how good of gas mileage do you want, and whether or not the car is fun to drive is important to you.

I'm interested primarily in reliability, all the way. I'm looking for a car for the long run. Following the maintenance schedule to a T, wanting at least 200,000 miles on this thing, minimum. AWD would be nice but it doesn't snow much where I live, that's not important. Sedan, preferably. A "fun car to drive" isn't important to me. I've heard time and time again that Corollas aren't "fun to drive". I don't care much honestly, I don't drive cars to feel like Mr. Speed Racer, I drive cars to get me from point A to point B in one piece.

Thank you for your insight.

[The Two Jerseys]

Silverado, because I'd rather push a Chevy than drive a Ford or Dodge.

You know what Ford stands for? Fix it again Tony.

That's Fiat.

Ford is either "Fix or Repair Daily" or "Found on Roadside Dead".

[DnalweN acilbupeR]

I won't question your decision to buy new, that's a personal decision, but it does make sense as long as you take meticulous care of it and intend to own it until it reaches 100,000 miles or more.

Anyway, yes, Toyotas are known to be very reliable, which is partially based in face and part in historic myth. Consumer Reports is not precisely unbiased on that front and feeds into the Toyota legend. There are many options for cars in your price range (I am assuming you want an MSRP under 18k). The Corolla is a good choice, but is simply one of many. If you can provide more information on what you would like in a car - can you drive manual, are you interested in AWD, do you want a hatchback or a sedan, are you set on a compact car or would you consider a subcompact or midsize, are you interested in a hybrid, how good of gas mileage do you want, and whether or not the car is fun to drive is important to you.

I'm interested primarily in reliability, all the way. I'm looking for a car for the long run. Following the maintenance schedule to a T, wanting at least 200,000 miles on this thing, minimum. AWD would be nice but it doesn't snow much where I live, that's not important. Sedan, preferably. A "fun car to drive" isn't important to me. I've heard time and time again that Corollas aren't "fun to drive". I don't care much honestly, I don't drive cars to feel like Mr. Speed Racer, I drive cars to get me from point A to point B in one piece.

Thank you for your insight.

at this point somewhat off-topic, but if i were you and id still take used into consideration, i would definitely look for a Lexus, maybe CPO or better yet (imo) making sure to take any one you're seriously interested in to a thorough assessment by a qualified mechanic.

regardless, a 2016 Corolla is a heck of a car, and i mean it. It's nice to have that reliability and affordability with modern looks&amenities..

[Auzkhia]

You know what Ford stands for? Fix it again Tony.

That's Fiat.

Ford is either "Fix or Repair Daily" or "Found on Roadside Dead".

I know, son, it's a joke

I'm more neutral in the Ford vs GM fanboy wars, tbh.

But can we at least agree that Chrysler/Dodge sucks?

I won't question your decision to buy new, that's a personal decision, but it does make sense as long as you take meticulous care of it and intend to own it until it reaches 100,000 miles or more.

Anyway, yes, Toyotas are known to be very reliable, which is partially based in face and part in historic myth. Consumer Reports is not precisely unbiased on that front and feeds into the Toyota legend. There are many options for cars in your price range (I am assuming you want an MSRP under 18k). The Corolla is a good choice, but is simply one of many. If you can provide more information on what you would like in a car - can you drive manual, are you interested in AWD, do you want a hatchback or a sedan, are you set on a compact car or would you consider a subcompact or midsize, are you interested in a hybrid, how good of gas mileage do you want, and whether or not the car is fun to drive is important to you.

I'm interested primarily in reliability, all the way. I'm looking for a car for the long run. Following the maintenance schedule to a T, wanting at least 200,000 miles on this thing, minimum. AWD would be nice but it doesn't snow much where I live, that's not important. Sedan, preferably. A "fun car to drive" isn't important to me. I've heard time and time again that Corollas aren't "fun to drive". I don't care much honestly, I don't drive cars to feel like Mr. Speed Racer, I drive cars to get me from point A to point B in one piece.

Thank you for your insight.

It will do you fine, just keep up on basic maintenance, and you will have it for a really long time.

[The Two Jerseys]

That's Fiat.

Ford is either "Fix or Repair Daily" or "Found on Roadside Dead".

I know, son, it's a joke

I'm more neutral in the Ford vs GM fanboy wars, tbh.

But can we at least agree that Chrysler/Dodge sucks?

Yes, seeing as how every Mopar I've ever driven was a POS.

Granted, I've only ever driven three of them, and out of those the PT Cruiser was the only one that was well-maintained to begin with, but it still torque steered like a bitch...

[Auzkhia]

I know, son, it's a joke

I'm more neutral in the Ford vs GM fanboy wars, tbh.

But can we at least agree that Chrysler/Dodge sucks?

Yes, seeing as how every Mopar I've ever driven was a POS.

Granted, I've only ever driven three of them, and out of those the PT Cruiser was the only one that was well-maintained to begin with, but it still torque steered like a bitch...

My sister's Jeep Compass is wobbly, it's a bit of a downgrade to the New Beetle she had (to be fair, the battery could go flat sometimes), it was solid though.

[Gun Manufacturers]

Silverado, because I'd rather push a Chevy than drive a Ford or Dodge.

You know what Ford stands for? Fix it again Tony.

Fix Or Repair Daily.
Found On Road, Dead.
Fast Only Rolling Downhill.
Fork Over Repair Dough.

Etc, etc,etc.

I would also either pick the Chevy or GMC.

[Auzkhia]

Apparently, Mazda will make petrol engines without spark plugs.

If we still talk car news, that is.

[Arkinesia]

Apparently, Mazda will make petrol engines without spark plugs.

If we still talk car news, that is.

Interesting but still not as positively electrifying to me as the Qamfree.

I've heard good things about Mazda 3s, and even better things about Toyotas. Haven't heard a single thing about the "decline in reliability". If anything, I've heard they still rank consistently in the number 2 most reliable car brands of 2016 behind Lexus.

Hyundai, from what I've learned in my research, has been meh. Average. Nothing too spectacular.

Japanese reliability/Korean unreliability (or as you put it, “mehness”) are both accepted to be myth in the world of people who actually drive these cars.

My own (2013) Sonata honestly isn't even as reliable as the newest Sonatas, and it's at least as reliable as my 2001 Camry was if not more so.

[Auzkhia]

Apparently, Mazda will make petrol engines without spark plugs.

If we still talk car news, that is.

Interesting but still not as positively electrifying to me as the Qamfree.

I've heard good things about Mazda 3s, and even better things about Toyotas. Haven't heard a single thing about the "decline in reliability". If anything, I've heard they still rank consistently in the number 2 most reliable car brands of 2016 behind Lexus.

Hyundai, from what I've learned in my research, has been meh. Average. Nothing too spectacular.

Japanese reliability/Korean unreliability (or as you put it, “mehness”) are both accepted to be myth in the world of people who actually drive these cars.

My own (2013) Sonata honestly isn't even as reliable as the newest Sonatas, and it's at least as reliable as my 2001 Camry was if not more so.

Reliability can be often skewed by cost to own, age (parts just wear out naturally), and even brand image.

However, it durability and reliability are not necessarily the same thing either. Most German cars are often more durable than reliable. Yet, you have some people who will say that any Mercedes, BMW, Audi, or Porsche is a money pit.

Mind you a lot of car stereotypes are outdated, as your source says about the quality of Hyundai and Kia.

So far, my motoring experience is just German and American cars. Haven't tried the vehicles from the makers based in Japan and Korea. The only Japanese branded cars I have ever driven belonged to my friends.

[Soldati Senza Confini]

We're talking about trucks. Light trucks rated at 6,000 lbs like the Dodge Dakota are sufficient. Most of your trucks are rated at 10,000 lbs.

Again, overcompensating.

Midwest, dude.

It being the Midwest has nothing to do with knowledge/ignorance about pickups and available pricing for each weight tier.

You simply are overshooting when you're talking about a truck in the 10,000 lbs towing range when all you need is tow a moving trailer once in a while and a reliable towing car for an ATV trailer.

You don't need a 10,000lbs rated vehicle for that, you need a 10,000lbs rated vehicle which is a bit more expensive than a light 6,000lbs rated truck for hauling trailers with a weight that is way above both what the medium-sized and the 1/2 ton full-sized truck packages can withstand safely. Light towing like an ATV trailer and moving are the domain of mid-sizes that have payload ability at the truck of less than 1,500lbs and the hauling of a trailer usually falls under 5,000lbs (this is the combined weight of the trailer, which is usually both the static tongue load, and the payload on the trailer). They are meant and spec'ed for light loads like that, considering the average weight for an ATV is 350 to 400 pounds and the trailer should be a utility trailer, and for perspective those suckers weight from 500 to 1500 pounds depending on the construction and expected weight capacity of the trailer. Purchasing a 10,000lbs rated truck is both underutilizing the truck, massively overcompensating for something, and overspending for shit you don't need.

And as for a truck that has off-road capabilities you want one that has locking differential, and if you are buying a Nissan Titan, they don't have a true locking differential which is going to rob you from the experience of effective offroad. Locking differentials are usually preferred on trucks meant for off-road because they're simply better at off-roading than other forms of differentials for trucks. The newer Titans came with an E-LOCK feature that allows you to lock the differential, but older trucks of that model apparently had some problems with the E-LOCK feature.

All of this being said, you'd be a fool to purchase a Nissan Titan or overspend on a 10,000lbs rated truck believing it has "balanced" purchase features for the things you want o something that is going to be used as a daily driver and an off-road/hauling vehicle from time to time when there are better 4WD trucks in the market that can deliver better results at a better price.

[Petrolheadia]

This appears to be a Mondeo wagon. Would like this Stateside, it probably won't, because enthusiasts, while they want more wagons stateside, they usually don't buy new, or at least told by Jalopnik to buy used.

Believe it or not, once we heard that the 2.0 TDCi is a good engine, my dad is now considering buying one used.
The Honda CR-V is a more likely candidate, but the Mondeo also is not improbable.

[Petrolheadia]

I won't question your decision to buy new, that's a personal decision, but it does make sense as long as you take meticulous care of it and intend to own it until it reaches 100,000 miles or more.

Anyway, yes, Toyotas are known to be very reliable, which is partially based in face and part in historic myth. Consumer Reports is not precisely unbiased on that front and feeds into the Toyota legend. There are many options for cars in your price range (I am assuming you want an MSRP under 18k). The Corolla is a good choice, but is simply one of many. If you can provide more information on what you would like in a car - can you drive manual, are you interested in AWD, do you want a hatchback or a sedan, are you set on a compact car or would you consider a subcompact or midsize, are you interested in a hybrid, how good of gas mileage do you want, and whether or not the car is fun to drive is important to you.

I'm interested primarily in reliability, all the way. I'm looking for a car for the long run. Following the maintenance schedule to a T, wanting at least 200,000 miles on this thing, minimum. AWD would be nice but it doesn't snow much where I live, that's not important. Sedan, preferably. A "fun car to drive" isn't important to me. I've heard time and time again that Corollas aren't "fun to drive". I don't care much honestly, I don't drive cars to feel like Mr. Speed Racer, I drive cars to get me from point A to point B in one piece.

Thank you for your insight.

200k miles? I assume you drive as much as Average Joe, which translates your figure to 19 years

So, no compact is a car for you. First, you'll find it a bit small if you start a family (which is quite a possibility at the age of 37), second, 200k miles is the mileage where a compact feels worn.

If you want that sort of mileage in your price range, buy a CarMax Camry Hybrid, or, even better, a CarMax Avalon (if your gas budget can keep up).

[Petrolheadia]

Midwest, dude.

It being the Midwest has nothing to do with knowledge/ignorance about pickups and available pricing for each weight tier.

You simply are overshooting when you're talking about a truck in the 10,000 lbs towing range when all you need is tow a moving trailer once in a while and a reliable towing car for an ATV trailer.

You don't need a 10,000lbs rated vehicle for that, you need a 10,000lbs rated vehicle which is a bit more expensive than a light 6,000lbs rated truck for hauling trailers with a weight that is way above both what the medium-sized and the 1/2 ton full-sized truck packages can withstand safely. Light towing like an ATV trailer and moving are the domain of mid-sizes that have payload ability at the truck of less than 1,500lbs and the hauling of a trailer usually falls under 5,000lbs (this is the combined weight of the trailer, which is usually both the static tongue load, and the payload on the trailer). They are meant and spec'ed for light loads like that, considering the average weight for an ATV is 350 to 400 pounds and the trailer should be a utility trailer, and for perspective those suckers weight from 500 to 1500 pounds depending on the construction and expected weight capacity of the trailer. Purchasing a 10,000lbs rated truck is both underutilizing the truck, massively overcompensating for something, and overspending for shit you don't need.

And as for a truck that has off-road capabilities you want one that has locking differential, and if you are buying a Nissan Titan, they don't have a true locking differential which is going to rob you from the experience of effective offroad. Locking differentials are usually preferred on trucks meant for off-road because they're simply better at off-roading than other forms of differentials for trucks. The newer Titans came with an E-LOCK feature that allows you to lock the differential, but older trucks of that model apparently had some problems with the E-LOCK feature.

All of this being said, you'd be a fool to purchase a Nissan Titan or overspend on a 10,000lbs rated truck believing it has "balanced" purchase features for the things you want when there are better 4WD trucks in the market that can deliver better results at a better price.

Well, the truck's size is not for towing, but for comfort. This one is primarily a daily driver with a large interior and some hauling capacity.

[Soldati Senza Confini]

Well, the truck's size is not for towing, but for comfort. This one is primarily a daily driver with a large interior and some hauling capacity.

You can buy a mid-size truck that has a crew cab. Crew cabs are comfortable and there are plenty of mid-size trucks that have really nice comfort features like the GMC Canyon/Chevrolet Colorado or, if you want to stick to the E-LOCK because you're a fan of the system but want a better application of the E-LOCK system, you can go for a Nissan Frontier, both of which are at least half of what the Nissan Titan is at (except for the Canyon Denali coming in 2017, but we're not talking about that one) and has good features for those who want comfort and a large interior and the GMC Canyon/Chevy Colorado actually has a G80 differential, which is an automatic locking differential system as opposed to Nissan's E-LOCK system.

[Petrolheadia]

Well, the truck's size is not for towing, but for comfort. This one is primarily a daily driver with a large interior and some hauling capacity.

You can buy a mid-size truck that has a crew cab. Crew cabs are comfortable and there are plenty of mid-size trucks that have really nice comfort features like the GMC Canyon/Chevrolet Colorado or, if you want to stick to the E-LOCK because you're a fan of the system but want a better application of the E-LOCK system, you can go for a Nissan Frontier, both of which are at least half of what the Nissan Titan is at (except for the Canyon Denali coming in 2017, but we're not talking about that one) and has good features for those who want comfort and a large interior and the GMC Canyon/Chevy Colorado actually has a G80 differential, which is a true locking differential system as opposed to Nissan's E-LOCK system.

And so? The buyer we are talking about prefers the interior space of a large truck.

Plus, he does not care if it is truly locking, as long as the wheels spin at equal speed.

[Soldati Senza Confini]

You can buy a mid-size truck that has a crew cab. Crew cabs are comfortable and there are plenty of mid-size trucks that have really nice comfort features like the GMC Canyon/Chevrolet Colorado or, if you want to stick to the E-LOCK because you're a fan of the system but want a better application of the E-LOCK system, you can go for a Nissan Frontier, both of which are at least half of what the Nissan Titan is at (except for the Canyon Denali coming in 2017, but we're not talking about that one) and has good features for those who want comfort and a large interior and the GMC Canyon/Chevy Colorado actually has a G80 differential, which is a true locking differential system as opposed to Nissan's E-LOCK system.

And so? The buyer we are talking about prefers the interior space of a large truck.

Plus, he does not care if it is truly locking, as long as the wheels spin at equal speed.

A large truck's crew cab space is going to be taller, not bigger in overall floor space.

It may seem bigger because of the height, but unless you're over 6 feet tall you're not necessarily benefitting from a taller cab.

Also, your buyer is basically an imaginary version of me in Missouri (from your post of "Imagine you're some dude in Missouri"). I am not entirely sure how you haven't managed to figure out that I am a meticulous buyer when it comes to cars. Also, this buyer should care if it is truly locking since bad off-road systems tend to provide poor performance when needed.

[Petrolheadia]

And so? The buyer we are talking about prefers the interior space of a large truck.

Plus, he does not care if it is truly locking, as long as the wheels spin at equal speed.

A large truck's crew cab space is going to be taller, not bigger in overall floor space.

It may seem bigger because of the height, but unless you're over 6 feet tall you're not necessarily benefitting from a taller cab.

Also, your buyer is basically an imaginary version of me in Missouri (from your post of "Imagine you're some dude in Missouri"). I am not entirely sure how you haven't managed to figure out that I am a meticulous buyer when it comes to cars. Also, this buyer should care if it is truly locking since bad off-road systems tend to provide poor performance when needed.

Well, he is over 6'.

[Costa Fierro]

So far, my motoring experience is just German and American cars. Haven't tried the vehicles from the makers based in Japan and Korea. The only Japanese branded cars I have ever driven belonged to my friends.

Japanese cars are fairly good if you stay away from Mitsubishi. Here they have a reputation for burning more oil than a deep fryer and depreciates like nothing else. My mum has a 2005 Suzuki Swift she brought as a grey import back in 2007 and has had no mechanical issues, with the car having done over 165,000 kilometres. The only things she's had to fix have included a puncture, a leaky rear window and the rear bumper when someone's Mazda Tribute decided to bump into it.

[Petrolheadia]

So far, my motoring experience is just German and American cars. Haven't tried the vehicles from the makers based in Japan and Korea. The only Japanese branded cars I have ever driven belonged to my friends.

Japanese cars are fairly good if you stay away from Mitsubishi. Here they have a reputation for burning more oil than a deep fryer and depreciates like nothing else. My mum has a 2005 Suzuki Swift she brought as a grey import back in 2007 and has had no mechanical issues, with the car having done over 165,000 kilometres. The only things she's had to fix have included a puncture, a leaky rear window and the rear bumper when someone's Mazda Tribute decided to bump into it.

Huh. I guess I underestimated its reliability.

[Discretospia]

So far, my motoring experience is just German and American cars. Haven't tried the vehicles from the makers based in Japan and Korea. The only Japanese branded cars I have ever driven belonged to my friends.

Japanese cars are fairly good if you stay away from Mitsubishi. Here they have a reputation for burning more oil than a deep fryer and depreciates like nothing else. My mum has a 2005 Suzuki Swift she brought as a grey import back in 2007 and has had no mechanical issues, with the car having done over 165,000 kilometres. The only things she's had to fix have included a puncture, a leaky rear window and the rear bumper when someone's Mazda Tribute decided to bump into it.

Maybe she wouldn't have even have had to fix those problems if she wasn't trying to get anime eyes from Wikihow articles.

[The East Marches]

Meet central states.

We're talking about trucks. Light trucks rated at 6,000 lbs like the Dodge Dakota are sufficient. Most of your trucks are rated at 10,000 lbs.

Again, overcompensating.

Not really if you are moving a proper boat or something like that. I wish they still made the S-10 or a comparable smaller truck that wasn't total shit. With the F-150s getting into the upper range of size, same with the Dakotas, there is little difference between it and something like the Titan. The Dakotas I see today are nothing like the ones when I was first driving. Not to mention, their price range has also increased. A crew cab F-150 is $30,000 or so. Your knowledge of the truck market is a bit out of date. Also consumer preferences in the Midwest also say you are wrong or the big trucks wouldn't be selling so well.

[Petrolheadia]

Japanese cars are fairly good if you stay away from Mitsubishi. Here they have a reputation for burning more oil than a deep fryer and depreciates like nothing else. My mum has a 2005 Suzuki Swift she brought as a grey import back in 2007 and has had no mechanical issues, with the car having done over 165,000 kilometres. The only things she's had to fix have included a puncture, a leaky rear window and the rear bumper when someone's Mazda Tribute decided to bump into it.

Maybe she wouldn't have even have had to fix those problems if she wasn't trying to get anime eyes from Wikihow articles.

Educate me on the reference.

[Auzkhia]

So far, my motoring experience is just German and American cars. Haven't tried the vehicles from the makers based in Japan and Korea. The only Japanese branded cars I have ever driven belonged to my friends.

Japanese cars are fairly good if you stay away from Mitsubishi. Here they have a reputation for burning more oil than a deep fryer and depreciates like nothing else. My mum has a 2005 Suzuki Swift she brought as a grey import back in 2007 and has had no mechanical issues, with the car having done over 165,000 kilometres. The only things she's had to fix have included a puncture, a leaky rear window and the rear bumper when someone's Mazda Tribute decided to bump into it.

In the USDM, Mitsubishi has not a lot to offer, they got rid of the Eclipse and Evo, their only interesting cars, a few years ago. They have the Mirage and the Outlander SUV, maybe the regular Lancer. But why? There are a lot more, and better, options. So avoiding Mitsubishi is easy.

Suzuki, however, has given up on selling cars in America.