"shop-teacher" (shop-teacher)
09/25/2014 at 16:42 • Filed to: Rants
7
41|
"shop-teacher" (shop-teacher)
09/25/2014 at 16:42 • Filed to: Rants | 7
| 41 |
A vehicle is the second largest purchase most of us will make. Most of us will keep them and live with them for a significant amount of time. Many of us spend huge amounts of time in them every day. It is for these reasons I declare, that you should buy not the best vehicle for your needs, but the one you want the most.
We've been searching for a new family hauler. My wife and I both want it to be something we like and enjoy and find attractive. This means no minivan. Because we don't want one. We don't like them, we don't find them attractive, I find them to be very uncomfortable behind the wheel. We also don't need the carrying capacity of them.
Yet people are constantly telling my wife that she NEEDS a minivan. Has to have. Must buy. !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! Tuesday, put me over the edge. Look, if what you value in a vehicle, is the ability to efficiently carry large quantities of people and/or stuff, then by all means, buy the minivan. Enjoy your minivan, many people love their minivans, this is excellent. You will receive zero grief from me, because you want the thing you wanted. But really, "I don't want it" should be a perfectly good reason to not spend $30k+ on a vehicle.
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By now you're probably all wondering why I have included pictures of a 1989 Oldsmobile Toronado Trofeo (right?). When I was six year old, and my sister was one, my Dad purchased an '88 Olds just like the one in the picture. Then, inexplicably, he traded it in for an '89 Olds just like the one in the picture the following year, but with three additional options. Dad has always been an impulsive one.
The Troffeo was our family car from then, until I bought it as my first car, in '97. This small coupe was our only means of transporting the family from A-B for NINE years (the other vehicle in the family was a regular cab Chevy truck). We took the Olds everywhere. We even took it to Florida. Why was this our family vehicle? My mom flat out refused to drive anything with four doors, because they were ugly. Why this two-door? Because my Dad LOVED it. Driving it made him happy. Years later, he told me he almost bought an IROC Camaro instead. I think you'll all agree, he made the more practical choice of the two ... although I still wish he'd purchased the Camaro instead.
Now, with modern car seats, you've really gotta want it to make a coupe your family vehicle. I don't want it THAT bad, but I damn sure will not be buying a minivan. We will be buying whatever car works for us, in our budget, THAT WE LIKE.
I suggest you all do the same. Even if that means buying a minivan :)
But seriously, in one more person tells my wife to buy a minivan, I'm pretty sure she's going to cut them.
thedevilinside
> shop-teacher
09/25/2014 at 16:49 |
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I frequently drive the family's 2004 Nissan Quest. You and your wife should get one.
If you are in the market for a mini van.
My citroen won't start
> shop-teacher
09/25/2014 at 16:50 |
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That is my life philosophy, you should never choose a car with your wallet, but your heart.
MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner
> shop-teacher
09/25/2014 at 16:56 |
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my wife would probably cut them too lol.
She can't stand minivans.
due to being a bit of a suck up at the time, and my client being Ford I narrowed my last car search to Ford/Lincoln/Mercury.
Milan was the best car for me in those three brands, most options for the least money. It's doing great.
jkm7680
> shop-teacher
09/25/2014 at 16:57 |
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Thanks for making this post.
I agree with everything here.
Sweet Trav
> shop-teacher
09/25/2014 at 16:58 |
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My dad bought an 85 Monte Carlo SS in 85 and used it as the family truckster until the mid 90's when he gave it to my sister.
Tapas
> shop-teacher
09/25/2014 at 17:26 |
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Yes!!!!!! Just so much Yes!
I loved the Cayman S when it first came out. And then, Jaguar finally delivered on its promise - the F-Type Coupe.
I have test driven both. I love how the Cayman drives and handles. The Jaguar is awesome and comes close to driving like the Cayman S, but the Cayman is better.
But I can't get over how stunning the Jaguar is. And the noise is glorious!
I know I can get a better driving car. But if I buy the Cayman S, I will regret not getting the Jaguar instead.
I dunno, maybe if I get a good deal on the GTS (yeah right! not gonna happen anytime soon), I'll consider it....
Tripper
> shop-teacher
09/25/2014 at 17:27 |
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I bought a brand new jetta last year. The first car that I ever bought for a purpose other than going fast or moving large things. I only owned it for 9 months and I hated all 9 of them. I ended up taking a 4k hit when I traded it, but I didn't care. I would much rather pay more for a car I enjoy driving then saving a few bucks to hate every second in some econobox.
Luc - The Acadian Oppo
> shop-teacher
09/25/2014 at 17:28 |
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That olds totally looks like something I would drive. The whole trading up the next year for 3 more options is nuts in my eyes but I can't say I disapprove of the car choice.
This is a good article. I bought my 2013 fusion thinking that I'm trying to start a family I'm gonna need a more family friendly vehicle.
So I replaced this Challenger:
with this Fusion:
But a sedan is not really what I wanted. I find small hatchbacks way more fun to drive because you can zip in & out of traffic no problem at all.
Since I've been given this Mazda:
I have only driven the Fusion twice. I've had the mazda for about a month now. Even tho it's small and has no features whatsoever. i can't help but smile when I drive it.
When it's time to get a new car again you can bet it will be a small hatchback. Yes the kids will be squished in the back but you know what too freaking bad.
Growing up we had a 1985 Honda Civic hatchback as our family hauler and we managed just fine. Me and my brother in car seats, then later on me and my brother with our hockey equipment.
JGrabowMSt
> shop-teacher
09/25/2014 at 17:32 |
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Hot hatches and wagons will probably get you the results you're itching for with convenience and comfort. Dodge Magnum RTs are amazing cars (shameless plug, I know), and last a very long time, look great, and give you many many smiles per mile.
I don't specifically need a wagon, considering most days of the year, I'm driving around all by myself, sometimes with my girlfriend, and very rarely with the need for the amount of cargo space it has to offer. I just wanted it bad. Really bad. Just like my SL600. No one really needs a V12 two seater convertible, you just really want it bad.
I met a guy a few years back, middle aged, single, lived alone, etc etc. He drove a minivan. I didn't get it. Every single car out there, and he drives a minivan. The insurance was insanely cheap. That was his sole reason. He could have gotten a little sedan that's easier to park, cheaper on gas, and easier on the eyes, but he had a minivan. Absolutely no realistic reason to have one though.
I fully understand your position, and my suggestion is wagon. There are some really cool wagons out there, even some new ones. If people just stopped buying minivans like they're the only hope for a family car (or SUVs that are even less practical), cars can be interesting again.
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Luc - The Acadian Oppo
> Tripper
09/25/2014 at 17:44 |
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What did you replace the Jetta with?
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Tripper
> Luc - The Acadian Oppo
09/25/2014 at 17:51 |
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Technically I didn't replace the Jetta. I had an E46 M3 and a long commute so I bought the Jetta to drive to work. I sold the E46 to my father, and traded the jetta in for an E90 M3.
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Luc - The Acadian Oppo
> Tripper
09/25/2014 at 17:55 |
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hehe. a Jetta to a E90 M3 that's quite the jump. I like your style!
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shop-teacher
> MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner
09/25/2014 at 18:07 |
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My wife has completely lost her patience with people telling her to buy minivans.
The Millan is a nice solid car.
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shop-teacher
> My citroen won't start
09/25/2014 at 18:08 |
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Oh, that is well put. I'll be stealing that line.
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My citroen won't start
> shop-teacher
09/25/2014 at 18:09 |
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Mi phrase es su phrase.
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shop-teacher
> thedevilinside
09/25/2014 at 18:11 |
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Well played sir.
That gen of Quest is actually the minivan I least hate. From the A-pillar back, it actually looks pretty OK. I still ain't buying one though!
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shop-teacher
> jkm7680
09/25/2014 at 18:12 |
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You're welcome. I needed to get that off my chest.
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shop-teacher
> Sweet Trav
09/25/2014 at 18:13 |
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I wish my Dad would've given me the Olds, he made me buy it.
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shop-teacher
> Tapas
09/25/2014 at 18:14 |
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Man life is hard!
I guess you'll just have to decide, do you want better to drive, or cooler/prettier?
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shop-teacher
> Tripper
09/25/2014 at 18:18 |
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I'll be taking a hit when I trade-in the CPO '11 Malibu I bought back in January. I don't hate it, but it's boring, and had broken down three times in the 5000 miles I've owned it.
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thedevilinside
> shop-teacher
09/25/2014 at 18:18 |
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My last two dailies have been a GTO and Focus ST, and I still like the van. But we have the van because we needed all the things it offers.
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shop-teacher
> My citroen won't start
09/25/2014 at 18:19 |
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Gracias!
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Tapas
> shop-teacher
09/25/2014 at 18:26 |
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Well...its not smooth sailing for me yet.
I'm in a situation which could force me to relocate to another country, if everything doesn't work out. And bottom line is, I can't relocate with my car.
So I can afford what I've dreamt of buying, but I can't buy it yet.
If I get the car and things go south, I'd lose a shit ton of money cos I'll have to sell it and take a huge depreciation hit. Depreciation is worse in the first year and then it sorta tapers off.
So I'm waiting to for my job and stuff to stabilize. I guess the upside is if things do work out, I have the option of getting a used F-Type coupe and save some money.....
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Tripper
> shop-teacher
09/25/2014 at 18:31 |
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Yikes, It was not so much that I hated the car....I just kept having to reassure myself "Good job Trip, you grew up a little and got a nice practical car that gets good gas mileage and does everything you need." I constantly told little lies to myself like that. Then one day I lost it and thought "Fuck this slow car and this terrible job!" 3 weeks later I was rid of the job, a week after that I was rid of the Jetta.
Birddog
> shop-teacher
09/25/2014 at 18:36 |
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Great advice.
The problem is you still wind up dealing with all the dorks that criticize you for not drinking their kool aid..
I guess the middle finger is the only tool needed for that problem though.
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shop-teacher
> thedevilinside
09/25/2014 at 19:40 |
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Which is an excellent reason to buy it. I've got a crew cab pickup truck. That takes care of all the stuff and people hauling we need.
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shop-teacher
> Luc - The Acadian Oppo
09/25/2014 at 19:59 |
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The Olds was a really nice and it looked really good. I was with him when he traded the '88 in for the virtually identical '89, and even at 7 years old, I knew my Dad was doing something very stupid. Man was Mom pissed when he got home. At the time my Dad was making a ton of money in construction. He probably would've bought a Corvette or something, but we only had parking for two vehicles. So he bought the Oldsmobiles, and a fuck-ton of stereo equipment.
Modern car seats are way bigger and bulkier, so I'm sticking with 4-doors until kids grow out of them, but then it's back to 2-doors for me.
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shop-teacher
> JGrabowMSt
09/25/2014 at 20:03 |
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My wife is insisting on new, and we haven't really had good luck with used cars, so I'm going with her on that. The Focus ST is a bit too small for us. The only new wagons out there are well out of our price range. We've narrowed it down to the Mazda CX-5, or the Ford Flex. We both like the way each of them look. We just need to decide if we want to go with the comfortable cruiser, or the more compact better handling vehicle. We're not sure yet.
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shop-teacher
> Birddog
09/25/2014 at 20:03 |
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That's why I love Oppo, there's a serious lack of d-bags here.
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JGrabowMSt
> shop-teacher
09/25/2014 at 20:05 |
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I vote the Flex. I think its a really cool car, and if you keep it long enough, you can do some really great mods to it even. Lowering it a tiny bit, Coyote 5.0 swap and chop that roofline. Perfect combination right there.
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shop-teacher
> JGrabowMSt
09/25/2014 at 20:07 |
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I like the way you think!
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Birddog
> shop-teacher
09/25/2014 at 21:02 |
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The one saving grace of Jalopnik and Oppo is that nobody is pretending to be a Professor of Automotive Histology at Harvard.
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shop-teacher
> Tapas
09/25/2014 at 21:42 |
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Yeah, probably best to wait until the job situation is settled. I think selling a car like that just after buying it would hurt just as much as the depreciation.
bigdoc13
> shop-teacher
09/25/2014 at 21:54 |
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Go with the Flex with the Ecoboost. 365 HP WOW!!!
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Tapas
> shop-teacher
09/25/2014 at 23:56 |
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Exactly....If I do end up getting it, I'll open my garage to Jalopponauts :)
BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires
> shop-teacher
09/26/2014 at 07:13 |
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I could not agree more :) my entire life so far I've bought cars that are far from the best in their respective niches. Appealing certainly, competitive definitely, but the best? Not according to whoever decides these things.
The way most people buy cars seems alien to me. Searching through the available options and picking the one that best suits their needs.
I buy cars that I want, and I won't buy a car that I don't want, even if it fits my needs better.
If I need a 4-door, then I'll either buy an XJ40, an Alfa 6, an Alfa 75, a Citroen BX, an Alfa Alfetta, a Lancia Delta Integrale, a Maserati 430, a Rover P6, a Rover SD1 or a Triumph Dolomite Sprint. Whichever crops up first at the right price.
It's a similar thing with coupes, or cars for hauling things, or offroad vehicles. I've already made my choices, I'm just waiting for the opportunity to buy them :)
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MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner
> shop-teacher
09/26/2014 at 09:36 |
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My wife is at the same place. She'll never own one, we don't have 3 rows in any vehicle and hopefully won't NEED a 3rd row.
Yep, nothing wrong with it. It's a good little car. There's enough room for those giant convertible car seats, it's got airbags all over the damn place and gets pretty solid gas mileage. I've put over 40k miles on it in 2 years. I figured when I bought it I didn't need all kinds of excitement in my DD because I have the Montego for fun, and obviously I have a long distance to travel with the mileage I've done in 2 years.
I was pleasantly surprised at how "sporty" it is for a standard mid-sizer with FWD and an auto.
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shop-teacher
> MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner
09/26/2014 at 11:56 |
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One of the vehicles we're considering is a Ford Flex, with does have a 3rd row, but that's just a bit of a bonus. We both love the way it looks, and its a damn comfortable vehicle for eating up the highway miles.
My V6 auto Malibu is absolutely the fastest vehicle I currently own. It'll walk all over my Apollo. The Apollo is a lot more fun though!
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MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner
> shop-teacher
09/26/2014 at 12:18 |
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I'm not sure which would win the drag race, the Milan or the Montego. I can definitely tell you which one would be more fun getting there though lol.
As for the Flex it's a great choice, I recommend them to anyone who needs a 3rd row.
And the newest turbo Malibu has my 07 V6 Milan beat in official 0-60 times by .2 of a second. Too many people hate on the Malibu, it's a fine little car.
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shop-teacher
> MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner
09/26/2014 at 13:43 |
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We don't need the 3rd row, we just like the Flex.
I've got the previous gen Malibu, with an NA V6. I like the car, and they have a very good reputation for reliability, but mine has not lived up to that. Three breakdowns so far in 5k miles.
MultiplaOrgasms
> shop-teacher
09/26/2014 at 17:12 |
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This x 1000. That is what makes someone a car guy.