Car Wish List

[cjsmith]

What I want in a car. This is mostly for my own reference.

[LJ_CUT TEXT="Here you may clicky to see how I'm picky"]

CLIMATE CONTROL

- Heat and air conditioning controls should trigger the heater or air conditioner, and do only that. No weird interlocks with a "defrost" button or something.
- When I direct airflow to certain vents, the airflow should be directed, and only that. No weird interlocks with the heater or something.
- Side vents near the door should be able to be closed. Fully closed. I hate drafts.
- Recirc is a must. No weird interlocks with the vents or the heater, no "recirc only exists when the fan is on", none of that crap. I require a recirc control that switches cabin-air intake from the outdoors to the indoors and does only that.

STUPIDITY

- No timer turning the rear window defrost off for me!
- No locking or unlocking anything on the car except by direct user command!

LIGHTS

- Ideally, hazard lights would be easy to use and easy to stop using again. Most newer cars I've seen seem to pass this test.
- No headlights that are technically legal but make me an asshole on the road. Sorry. Nobody wants to see cars like that coming at them, and I don't want to be the kind of consumer who will buy one.

SEATS AND VISIBILITY

- Headrests have to be either completely removable or completely comfortable for a short chick with a ponytail. This is not negotiable.
- I must be able to see all dashboard indicators. It's incredible how many cars fail this test.
- I must be able to see well enough out the rear left and rear right, by turning my head and looking out the windows, to feel safe changing lanes.

SEAT BELT

- Sure would be nice if I'd stop getting red scrapes on my neck from the seat belt.
- No automatic seat belts. Cars made in 1990 are right out.
- Sure would be nice if the physical layout of the seat and steering wheel put me that last quarter inch over the line so that I could legally disable an air bag. I don't want to be on the borderline.

CONVENIENCES

- Must be able to play cassettes and CDs.
- Must have at least one cup holder. I've seen cars that fail this test.
- Ideally, the rear seats should fold down for trunk access.
- Intermittent windshield wiper capability would be nice.
- Must have the ability to pop the trunk and the gas cap cover from the driver's seat. A keyfob whose trunk control is disabled when the key is in the ignition does not count.
- I don't prefer, but would be willing to put up with, electric locks.
- I don't prefer, but would be willing to put up with, electric windows.
- Automatic transmission. Snotty comments about this will be deleted -- this is MY wish list.

SIZE

- 4-seater. I don't want to be the kind of driver who says carpooling to lunch is someone else's problem.
- Must be able to fit in my small garage next to rfrench's Toyota Solara and leave room for me to open the door and get out. This puts me pretty solidly in the subcompact range; it means a four-door; it probably also precludes adding a right-side rearview mirror.
- Must have enough trunk space to fit all the square dance calling equipment. Ideally, would have as much trunk space as a 1989 Toyota Corolla. It's incredible how many cars (larger cars, even) fail this test.

HANDLING

- Sharp turning radius. I don't have a measurement on this, but most cars' inability to turn well can really piss me off after driving my Corolla.
- When I push the pedal it should go. Here's where my current car has trouble.
- When I push the other pedal it should stop. Early anti-lock braking systems would annoy me, so they're out.

Comments

[just-cyd.livejournal.com]

yup, i've still got the sunfire; loving that sunroof right now!

a 2-door car makes it a challenge to take people and stuff places. 98% of my friends are tall/large/not flexible so getting in and out of the back seat is quite problematic. the stick shift is really hard on my legs/hands. i can't cheat and drive with my left foot only if i'm hurty, 'cause i need both feet to work the three pedals. ditto for hands: can't shift AND turn with less than two hands. Having a stick-shift car also precludes some friends from being able to drive it, even in an emergency. (my first car was a 5-speed, and having that knowledge was useful)

but finances dictate i keep this car as long as humanly possible. ideally, my next car will be taller (easier on the knees), somewhat larger (but not too much! i've only ever had small cars!), more passenger-friendly and automatic tranmission. I want fuel-efficiency, too; i'm hoping by the time i can afford this dream car, a hybrid / super-efficient car is available.

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

I admit that one of the reasons I'm not itching to go for a manual transmission is the possibility of being less than fully able-bodied. Some people haven't had that rude awakening (yet?), but I have no such excuse for being unprepared.

What do you think of the Prius? That is what came to my mind when reading what you'd like. A Prius is bigger than you might be looking for, but its fuel efficiency could be just what you want. Perhaps by the time you're ready for another car, they'll be even better.

[just-cyd.livejournal.com]

the Prius might just work. my current MPG is in the 28-35 range, which i think is pretty good; 60 MPG is fantastic! price is reasonable, too.

[we'll just forget about the conniption dad will have when i buy a non-GM car; i'm a Big Girl and can make my own decisions! what good is his GM discount when they don't make what i want?]

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

I suspect your dad will have a conniption whatever you do. Still, a discount is nothing to sneeze at. Apparently as of January 04 GM had no plans for a hybrid small car, but who knows -- they may have changed their minds by the time you are looking to buy.

Assuming you're going to look for something new, that is. I'm not ruling out older cars myself. (Heck, I'm not certain I'm going to buy at all right now. I'm just thinking.)

[joedecker.livejournal.com]

I adore my Prius, and have defended its gas mileage against some of the pessimists who put out really poor numbers on its mileage, but real world gas mileage for most people is probably closer to the high 40s--depending on where you live (it prefers hot weather, as do most cars) but does worse if you have lots of small separated trips (again, as do most cars.)

Still, there's much to love, the car is quieter even when the internal combustion is on, and for long trips the difference in how wearing the car is is, for me, substantial. (I drove about 14 hours yesterday in a rented truck, this isn't a theoretical concern for me.)

[chiefted]

I adore my Prius, and have defended its gas mileage against some of the pessimists who put out really poor numbers on its mileage

Sounds like we have been doing the same thing (didn't make a post but daltong and I finally got our Prius (2004, black and have given it the name FP7, hey was running out of starship capt's to name my cars after).

Anywho have been getting about 50 to 51 on the commute from DC to Petaluma every day. I have been getting better gas mileage with Shell vice Chevron or 76. It is very quiet (I still have the newbie panic of did the car stall when I am at a stop light), rides very well.

Note for CJ: The couple of Saturns that dalton and I have owned have had to be flat bed towed (the 1998 SW2 had to be flat bedded when I had a problem with it, and the with the LS2 2000 in the owners manual I believe they want that version on a flat bed). As far as chains go we had the "Spider Spike" version of chains that you can get from Saturn.

Still if it is a choice between those two and I know you haven't started looking yet, my vote would be the Prius all the way.

[just-cyd.livejournal.com]

the Prius sounds lovely. nearly all my driving is highway these days, and i just love what that's done for my fuel economy.

i'll definitely move that to the top of my list when i'm ready to shop. (dad's conniptions be damned. he's not the one who has to get in and out of it or pay to fuel it!)

[harpwolf.livejournal.com]

Mileage varies radically by how you drive.
My 1995 Ford Aspire gets 31 MPG @ 80 MPH cruise or 50 MPG @ 55.
My 1983 Firebird Trans Am got 16 'round town, 20 MPG @ 70 cruise, 27 MPG @ 55.
You will never believe I got 20 MPG @ 55 cruise from my... wait for it ... GMC Suburban!
If it can vary that much by regular cars, why not the Prius?

On quiet, yeah I hear you. Or I would hear you if years of loud cars hadn't dulled my hearing...