My car history

[clackamascoug]

As a recent seller (of a motorcycle), I figure if the guy came two hours in his truck to "possibly" buy from me, he's not going home empty because I wouldn't come down another couple of hundred bucks. If someone flew in I'm definitely not going to be talked down more.

But after watching a bunch of episodes of Wheeler Dealers, I may try negotiating like Mike Brewer the next time I'm buying a used vehicle. He names a lower price, explains why, then holds out his hand to try to get the seller to shake on it in agreement. Of course they only show actual purchases, not any where he failed to get a car and had to look for another one.

Reminds me of the old page 168 baptismal close we used as missionaries... "What have you against being baptized." "We're having one next Saturday at 3 o'clock." (Hold hand out to shake) "See you there?"

My first car was a 1968 Pontiac LeMans. 350 V8 with a Hydramatic 2 speed transmission.

[Bo Diddley]

Haul what? Like a rowboat? An aluminum skiff?

It's somewhere between 6-7 seconds 0-60 stock. I'm not sure how that compares, but it seems to me like it'll move.

Aluminum skiff might be a little too wide. I could probably load a kayak.

[bluegoose]

Just bought my first new car at the ripe old age of 43. Subaru Crosstrek. Wasn't on my radar at all, but I wanted something with some versatility for outdoorsy things that wasn't going to net me 12 mpg.

Have had it for about 2 months and i love it so far. Gets me about 26-27 mpg around town, and close to 35 on the freeway. Took it camping a couple of weeks ago and it did great on some fairly steep dirt roads. Can't wait to try it in the snow.

I am seeing quite a few more around town the last few weeks. Initially all I saw were 70 year old ladies driving them, but lately I'm seeing more young hipsters, much like myself, driving them around.

[Jeff Lebowski]

My car history

Just bought my first new car at the ripe old age of 43. Subaru Crosstrek. Wasn't on my radar at all, but I wanted something with some versatility for outdoorsy things that wasn't going to net me 12 mpg.

Have had it for about 2 months and i love it so far. Gets me about 26-27 mpg around town, and close to 35 on the freeway. Took it camping a couple of weeks ago and it did great on some fairly steep dirt roads. Can't wait to try it in the snow.

I am seeing quite a few more around town the last few weeks. Initially all I saw were 70 year old ladies driving them, but lately I'm seeing more young hipsters, much like myself, driving them around.

Our son totaled our 20-yr-old Honda a few weeks ago. We bought him a cross trek to replace it. Co-bought actually. He is paying for most of it. Love all the safety features. He loves it.

[Pelado]

Just bought my first new car at the ripe old age of 43. Subaru Crosstrek. Wasn't on my radar at all, but I wanted something with some versatility for outdoorsy things that wasn't going to net me 12 mpg.

Have had it for about 2 months and i love it so far. Gets me about 26-27 mpg around town, and close to 35 on the freeway. Took it camping a couple of weeks ago and it did great on some fairly steep dirt roads. Can't wait to try it in the snow.

I am seeing quite a few more around town the last few weeks. Initially all I saw were 70 year old ladies driving them, but lately I'm seeing more young hipsters, much like myself, driving them around.

There's a guy in our office that drives a Crosstrek. Wouldn't call him a 70-year-old lady or a hipster, unless hipsters typically have these kinds of stickers on their back windows:

guns_in_a_peace_sign_classic_round_sticker-r7153069d6b9642bdb68d919103044434_v9waf_8byvr_307.jpg

Edit: He really likes the car. I'm concerned that it's too big for just four cylinders - especially if it's loaded up with gear.

[bluegoose]

Our son totaled our 20-yr-old Honda a few weeks ago. We bought him a cross trek to replace it. Co-bought actually. He is paying for most of it. Love all the safety features. He loves it.

The safety features are incredible. I got the middle premium trim package, but it came with basically everything the limited package came with, minus the keyless start. Adaptive cruise control, lane drift assist, blind spot warning, back up cross traffic warning... it's pretty awesome.

Edit: He really likes the car. I'm concerned that it's too big for just four cylinders - especially if it's loaded up with gear.

It definitely doesn't have a big engine. There's a noticeable lag in acceleration even when I have just 5 people in the car. I have a roof rack with car top carrier and I installed a hitch for a bike rack. Curious how it will do with that added weight. It says it can tow up to 1,500 pounds, but I have my doubts.

[bluegoose]

I've also got a hitch gear rack that I've used for years on my wife's Pilot. I was a light concerned about ground clearance while driving off road when that thing was attached.

I picked up a tow hitch riser/extender at Harbor Freight Tools for about $25. Similar to this:

Its a 6 inch riser and it fit perfectly with the tow hitch rack. Even with the rack in the upright storage position it still allowed me to open the hatchback with about a centimeter of room to spare.

[Jeff Lebowski]

The safety features are incredible. I got the middle premium trim package, but it came with basically everything the limited package came with, minus the keyless start. Adaptive cruise control, lane drift assist, blind spot warning, back up cross traffic warning... it's pretty awesome.

We got the same combo. The brake assist would have prevented his crash. He rear-ended a stopped car on the interstate.

[bluegoose]

We got the same combo. The brake assist would have prevented his crash. He rear-ended a stopped car on the interstate.

Oh yeah, I forgot about the brake assist.

Quite possibly the greatest feature is the "feel-free-to-text-while-at-a-stoplight" feature. When stopped in traffic, the dashboard will alert you when the car in front of you starts to move.

[Jeff Lebowski]

Oh yeah, I forgot about the brake assist.

Quite possibly the greatest feature is the "feel-free-to-text-while-at-a-stoplight" feature. When stopped in traffic, the dashboard will alert you when the car in front of you starts to move.

We are in the Netherlands. I have been amazed at how many Dutch people text while riding bicycles. Not a single one wears a helmet either.

[Bo Diddley]

Quite possibly the greatest feature is the "feel-free-to-text-while-at-a-stoplight" feature. When stopped in traffic, the dashboard will alert you when the car in front of you starts to move.

Hallelujah! I can hardly wait until it's more universal. I've missed far too many lights because of someone in front of me texting.

[Scott R Nelson]

Hallelujah! I can hardly wait until it's more universal. I've missed far too many lights because of someone in front of me texting.

You must be doing it wrong. I wait approximately two seconds then lay on the horn. Except for one really clueless person last week that was at the light when it turned green when I was still approaching the intersection about 10 car lengths back. They didn't get the horn until I was going around them. It still took them a couple of seconds to wake up and start moving.

[Walter Sobchak]

I have been amazed at how many Dutch people text while riding bicycles. Not a single one wears a helmet either.

No bike helmet while on a road bike... or bikes where you sit more erect? or any/all?

[Bo Diddley]

You must be doing it wrong. I wait approximately two seconds then lay on the horn. Except for one really clueless person last week that was at the light when it turned green when I was still approaching the intersection about 10 car lengths back. They didn't get the horn until I was going around them. It still took them a couple of seconds to wake up and start moving.

Yeah, I'm not a horn honker. Sometimes people are having legitimate problems. I do give the courtesy millisecond honk. This happened the other day, but after waking up, it still took them enough time to get going that I nearly ran a red light going through the intersection.

[old_gregg]

people who waste .25 seconds of green arrow time should be tortured