what car do you own?

[Parihaka]

Sigh, two of them Pari. Last time I asked for advice on this board, OOE told me to buy a minivan!!!
Can't I pretend that I don't have any and drive a sports car?

LOL. There's method to my question. When I was buying the Lexus, I looked around at various sports cars and really fancied an old soft top MR2. Her indoors immediate response was 'there's no room in the back for the kids'. No problem says I, they'll just put chocolate on the upholstery so they needn't ride in it.

Big mistake.

What I realised is that there are a wealth of cars out there especially made for fathers who aren't 'allowed' to buy sports cars. They have four doors, usually look quite normal, and have ride and power characteristics that easily match the little two-doors. Any top of the line Toyota such as the Lexus, or some of the Mercedes and certainly the higher numbered BMW's.

The key things to look for: sports suspension, at least a 3 litre engine, and big.

Once you get over the fact they don't LOOK like a sports car and realise that in fact they handle as well as, if not better than the average sports car, you're home and hosed.
She Who Shall Be Obeyed likes them because they look like an 'establishment' car i.e. make it look like you've got money, and they usually have a light on the mirror in the passenger sunshade. She doesn't like driving it however because it is 'too big', and my little terrors have only got in it once, and that with a plastic sheet on the seat, much to my daughters indignation.

The other benefit is that if you do have an accident, there's a lot more yardage between you and the various bits that would do damage to your internals.

This is what mine looks like


It could do with a shade more power but still beats anything else I've owned hands down, it's ugly, and I love it dearly

[Shamus]

1.2006 Chevy Trailblazer Extended(I too have kids Pari This is the wife's ride).2.2005 Chevy Colorado pickup/interesting engine in this one-a straight 5 cyl based on the same block they use for the straight 6 cyl in the Trailblazer.A wee bit peeved with Chevy as they have told me that 2006 is the last year for the extended Trailblazer-this decision must have been made by a sales executive with no kids.

[xerxes]

wow ... you guys are loaded with money ... as for myself I own a BMW ....



that is not the car but rather the joyfull combination of Bus, Metro and Walking

and I do love walking

[texasjohn]

LOL. There's method to my question. When I was buying the Lexus, I looked around at various sports cars and really fancied an old soft top MR2. Her indoors immediate response was 'there's no room in the back for the kids'. No problem says I, they'll just put chocolate on the upholstery so they needn't ride in it.

Big mistake.

What I realised is that there are a wealth of cars out there especially made for fathers who aren't 'allowed' to buy sports cars. They have four doors, usually look quite normal, and have ride and power characteristics that easily match the little two-doors. Any top of the line Toyota such as the Lexus, or some of the Mercedes and certainly the higher numbered BMW's.

The key things to look for: sports suspension, at least a 3 litre engine, and big.

Once you get over the fact they don't LOOK like a sports car and realise that in fact they handle as well as, if not better than the average sports car, you're home and hosed.
She Who Shall Be Obeyed likes them because they look like an 'establishment' car i.e. make it look like you've got money, and they usually have a light on the mirror in the passenger sunshade. She doesn't like driving it however because it is 'too big', and my little terrors have only got in it once, and that with a plastic sheet on the seat, much to my daughters indignation.

The other benefit is that if you do have an accident, there's a lot more yardage between you and the various bits that would do damage to your internals.

This is what mine looks like


It could do with a shade more power but still beats anything else I've owned hands down, it's ugly, and I love it dearly

Pari, that looks like what is called a Avalon here. I agree, spirited car I must say!!

[gunnut]

Anyone know what these models are called here in the US? Ex. The Honda City in India is the Civic here in the US.

The Skyline is not imported to the US for retail sale. Some kids import them privately for street racing as the model is renowned for its performance.

[gunnut]

Harry Parka has one also. Perhaps he can better that consumption(!) Never driven one myself but they have a great reputation.

Actually Pari has the ES300, which is the upscale Camry V6. It gets far better gas mileage than my IS300. I have an inline 6 of the same displacement. But for some reason it drinks gas like there's no tomorrow. That could be the reason why the I6 engine is no longer being manufactured by Toyota. The new IS class has either a 2.5L V6 or a 3.5L V6. They both get good gas mileage for their rated power.

[Big K]

It's not just America Glyn, it's everywhere in the world except Europe.

and in Turkey too.

tax percentage is higher than 100% :(

[Big K]

I now have a Subaru Impreza wagon, no turbo. It gets around 23mpg in the city and 28mpg on the highway. The all-wheel drive system if phenomenal. The car just sticks to the road. Of course I pay for it by getting crappy gas mileage for a little car.

Gunnut, between 1999-2000 i was working for Subaru Distributor in Turkey. and i totally agree about Subaru's patented 4wd system.

it is really a phenomenon and it is the only genuine Japanese made brand for now.

[Big K]

The best road holding saloons I have ever had were Citroens. They gave the smoothest ride too. Never saw one in Canada or America in all my visits there though.

with their Hydropneumatic suspension system that is right but only for a Front Wheel Drive car. : )

you will surely loose control by the understeering if you get over the limits. the same thing will happen by the oversteering when driving a Rear wheel drive car.

under 250 bhp for good weather on tarmac i prefer FWD
over 250 bhp for good weather on tarmac i prefer RWD
all bhps all road conditions and all weathers i prefer AWD's

[Jay]

I own a 98 BMW 328i, its been 6 years I'm driving that and I'm still not bored with it I do get a little irritated as I have to fill in a tank of Super Unleaded once a week, but other than that its all good. Oh and my eyes are set for the new 335i

Kams,
I would love to see you drive a minivan

[BenRoethig]

'92 Explorer Eddie Bauer. Looking at possibly a '99-.02 extended cab Silverado, Sierra, or Ram to replace it.

[Parihaka]

you will surely loose control by the understeering if you get over the limits. the same thing will happen by the oversteering when driving a Rear wheel drive car.

My daddy taught me to do a 360 degree turn on a single lane gravel road at 40 mph. I can do it in a front wheel drive as well. Oversteer? Understeer? what's that?

[Parihaka]

Actually reminds me of a funny story. When her indoors first came to NZ she thought it would be a good idea to buy a Lada Niva. When she moved in with me she decided my car was much better and I got the Niva.
One day whilst driving home along the motorway in the middle lane at 100kph (just) a young lady surprised me by passing in front of me in some sort of grey slug car about ten feet away and at ninety degress to my and the other cars direction.
When I slammed on the brakes I of course discovered that Ladas brakes aren't balanced so I spun round through 180 degrees. I stayed in the same lane but was now driving backwards, alternating my view between the chap behind me who had a rather resigned yet quizzical look on his face, and over my shoulder looking forward along the motorway, where blow me down if she didn't re-appear going the other way across the road, this time about five feet in front, or behind me, however which way you want to look at it.
Oh joy thinks I, once more using too much brake and spinning myself forward facing again in the process. This time however I slid into the left lane, and ended up parked beside her after she'd finally stopped by ploughing into the barrier rear end first.

I looked at her.

The people in the other cars looked at her, then me.

We all looked at her.

She was looking down at her lap, then she adjusted and looked into her mirror to see if she looked all right, then she drove off trailing her plastic bumper, never ONCE looking at the rest of us.

[Big K]

My daddy taught me to do a 360 degree turn on a single lane gravel road at 40 mph. I can do it in a front wheel drive as well. Oversteer? Understeer? what's that?

in a Peugeot showroom me and one of my friends, we exchanged places of two Peugeot 406 coupes in one second at the same time. on a waxed marble (showroom)surface

getting over the limits does not means ONLY to reach higher speeds especially on gravel. hehehehe

it is about on which wheel you distribute the cars weight.

sudden changes of this distribution will cause over or under steering.

i prefer oversteering. it is much more predictable and controllable.

when i was a fresh driver every winter with the fall of first snow i took my old car which was a Sahin, (falcon - 1,6lt. a 4 door family sedan with 85bhp, rear wheel drive without any auxiliary driving systems) and practicing all the skills that i learned from the books

[tim52]

2004 Infiniti G-35 Sedan for work commuting and business travel and a 1995 Porsche 911 C4 for the weekend.