Beer cheese soup today. It's still rather cold here in WI, so a warm bowl of soup is good.
I had a work rant started, but it was rather long and boring. The basic idea is that my boss is too busy to effectively do her research, so it's all thrown in my lap. And frankly, I'm not qualified to do the really high level research methods and analysis. I can't even get a full hour meeting with her most weeks, thus, things drag out forever. She made some career decisions this week that would've made my life easier. Then recanted on them. Sigh.
*time out* Coffee spill!
So, since I'm not typing a really long rant (yeah, yeah, I know, that was long enough), I thought I'd ask you about vehicles. If you were to go shopping within your normal relative vehicle budget, what things would be most important to you, and what are some of the vehicles you'd consider? What is slightly above your budget and impractical, but you'd love to have?
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Oooh, vehicles. I like wagons. I'd want a wagon with decent gas mileage. I like a car to have a little pep, and I like amenities, I've realized.
Navigation, Homelink, Satellite radio, MP3 capable stereo system, ABS, steering wheel radio controls, and it must tell me how far I can go before running out of gas.
Sorry about the work crap. I need to focus on mine right now, I guess.
*bleh*
The amenities I like best about my new car are the navigation, bluetooth and MP3 capabilities, steering wheel radio controls, voice recognition controls, and 4 doors. I wish it got better gas mileage, though. I also wish the back seats folded down so I could get longer or bigger things into the trunk. *Puffy does NOT have a big trunk* Yup, it's code.
You Californians are so cutting edge!
I, too, would like a wagon, MTW! The closest I can get Chris is the VW Passat Wagon or the high end (BMW or Mercedes) one we saw last night. I'd go for a Subaru.
Priorities:
CD Player, ABS, A/C, power locks & windows, keyless entry, a little pep so I can pass people on the highway, four doors and gas mileage.
If fuel economy wasn't an issue, I'd be looking at a Grand Prix. I had one and loved it. I also like the G6 and reasonable dream cars would include the Solstice.
I'm uninspired for my daily driver car, given my needs. It's basic transportation and I really don't give a fark about amenities other than those I listed, nor do I frankly care about looks for the commuter car. Gosh I'm boring.
Oh! I know!
I want a car that doesn't die into a pile of useless scrap somwhere between Duncan and Ladysmith, leaving you phoning your stepdad to pick you and all your junk up and move it into your parents attic.
Do you put popcorn in beer cheese soup? The one time I had it, it was served with popcorn which I found a little strange. (Tasty, but strange.)
I look for somewhat silly things in a car, but they're the most practical to me.
- I want a car that is heavy, and drives well in the snow and ice.
- I like it to have a full-sized spare tire.
- I need some driver-area storage space for my purse, a pen, some paper, my phone charger, etc. (Too much storage space is bad, though, because I'll junk it up.)
- I love my car's seat warmers and would seriously consider rejecting the otherwise "perfect car" if it didn't have them.
- Like Puffy, I like the fold-down back seat for expanded trunk space.
- Keyless entry. I've never had a remote starter but have been intrigued by those.
Oh and.
I have a 1999 VW Passat Sedan and I love it, except it has crappy cup holders.
If I were to recant what I purchased in August (altho I lvoe my little car), I'd have gone for a Mustang. It would have to be a fairly base model, but it would be enough.
Most that are in my budget are Hondas and Toyotas and Nissans.
Right above my budget would be a new Explorer or Trailblazer. Ah....to dream.
Are you guys trading in the Cavalier?
And sorry about the work crap.
What is this beer-cheese of which you speak?
As for the car, Acura all the way, preferrably the new Integra sports model, whatever that's called.
It has to be red/black interior, with a big sun roof, two door, big trunk, CD player and a cool bee-boop door locker because I've never had one of those. Although I do pretend by pointing my keys at the car and saying bee-boop.
LOL! I never thought about desiring the BEE BOP! noise.
It's more like beer and cheese soup, not beer-cheese. Basically it's make a roux, add beer and broth, add shredded cheese. Kind of like cheese fondue.
momma, we traded in the Cavalier last year for a Neon. Not much difference other than the number of doors and it's an automatic (I can't drive a manual!). *yawn*
Our next vehicle decision comes in spring of 2008. The truck lease expires and we'll be hunting for a comparatively fuel efficient small SUV (oxymoron!) or wagon (who am I kidding, it will be an SUV). I'd much rather fantasize about cool cars, though.
*kicks lame-ass boss lady in her lame ass*
I don't remember vehicle names so I am useless there. But these are what I need in a car:
1. Higher off the ground than your average sedan. Minivan or SUV height is good. I feel like I can see better, and when I drive a sedan these days I always feel like my ass is dragging down the road.
2. ABS brakes
3. Traction control (so nice on ice)
4. Nice cup holders
5. A tachometer, and good well-lit cockpit display in general.
6. Key fob control of locks & trunk. Key fob control to open & close sliding doors (if a minivan).
7. Legroom & headroom (we're tall)
8. Good CD player & radio
9. Automatic lights
Also, whenever we get a new car we always buy a wheel from a junkyard to be our full-sized spare. After a couple of months some idiot has always totalled the model of car you have and so a matching wheel is pretty easy to find.
Good gas mileage is nice but not the deal-maker.
I like the concept of a navigation system but they may be more useful in a large urban area than driving out here in the sticks.
The number one thing I look at when buying a car is gas mileage. Number one thing. Therefore, I drive a Ford Focus. I could have afforded a bigger and better car with all the beslls and whistles but cars are not important to me at all.
I would love to drive a Hummer but I refuse to get 12 miles to the gallon.
Michelle OTOH loves cars and gets the bells and whistles. She has her fun car, a Camaro. She has her practical car, a Ford Escape fully loaded.
I love our Honda Accord with the seat warmers and radio controls on the steering wheel. I could care less for the Navigation system because DH is always playing with it while driving *rolls eyes*. And, I really love the V6 engine. It helps here in Atlanta traffic.
However, we will be trading it in for a new Toyota Prius Hybrid. It has the Navigation system, homelink, satellite radio, MP3 capable stereo system and 9 speakers ... AND, it has a back-up camera so when you are in reverse, you can see what's behind the car on the navigation screen. That's cool. Do I need all that stuff? No. DH says he gets to pick out the package and I get to pick the color LOL. If it were up to me, I'd probably like the satellite radio and MP3 capability and the controls on the steering wheel.
We'd really like to get a truck so that we could easily transport large items from Home Depot but that's not in our budget. We'd rather spend the money on a hybrid car.
We are just checking out one more dealer tomorrow to see what kind of discount we can get by being a AAA member.
This has been a good little discussion of cars. I like to "window shop" for cars. Chris likes it even more, but then starts pestering about ACTUALLY buying it. He's a very impulsive shopper.
I've added a few things after reading the comments.
Lots of cup holders (I have two in the console and one on each door)
Keyless entry (I also have keyless ignition) and key fob contol of trunk (love it!)
High off the ground. I loved my convertible, but visibility was poor unless I had the top down. (THE top, not MY top)
Automatic lights
Driver-area storage space for little items
I have the back-up camera, but I don't trust it. It is useful while parallel parking, though.
Wow, my first priority is that it be made by an American company. None of the profits from my car are going to Japan, Korea or where ever.
Then I check stickers for the largest % of American parts/assembly.
So, to boil it down. I always buy Chevy's. But if I came into lots of money I might buy a Thunderbird, depending on the above.
Ford is the only U.S. based company that seems to give a rats arse about fuel economy. And I'm usually not a Ford fan. However, because of this, they very well might get my business for our next vehicle purchase.
Not to mention, now the U.S. assembles lots of Toyotas and Hondas. Such a tangled web to sort through.
Chevrolet advertises that they have the most vehicles that exceed 30mpg EPA, FYI.
I think I know why Chevy has the most of the US automakers over 30 mpg highway...they have the most passenger car models in their lines! I forgot they came out with a few new small car models in the last year or so. Ford probably ties them for number of passenger car styles, but yes, Chevy does have more than Ford that get at or over that 30 mpg highway estimate. I stand corrected in my lauding of Ford over Chevy.
Toyota seems to kick everyone's butt when it comes to vehicles that get really high gas mileage and have alternative fuel options. Not saying that's what we'd go with, just saying Dodge, Chrysler and Mazda are three big names that are REALLY slacking on the fuel economy and fuel option front.
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