Car choices

[cjsmith]

Test-drove a 2007 Corolla. If I buy one of those, I know exactly what I want on it. (Well, almost. Undecided about sunroof: just another thing to go wrong?) Spent lots of time fiddling with it in the parking lot and on the road, and it passed almost all of my tests.* That's pretty good.

Not at all firm on the decision for a Corolla though. Should drive a Yaris too. Better turning radius, a tinch better mileage, fewer frills available. Want to compare the two on trunk space. Would have done that today if I didn't have to get to the airport.

Should also drive that 2001 Prius before somebody buys the dang thing. Financially stupid to consider it, I know. Its batteries have half their useful life gone already, and I know darn well I don't drive enough to warrant a Prius even at used prices. Ah well. I may drive it anyway. :-)

____________
* Failures:
- No way to get cassette-playing capability. Would have to replace the radio right off the bat to get it.
- Cup holders suck. They're there but they can't be retracted and they fit only one size of object.
- Recirc exists only when the windshield air vents are turned off. Stoopid interlock.
- Timer turns rear window defrost off. Every car will fail this, though, and I know I can change it.
- Right-side mirror does not fold.
- Turning radius is distinctly mediocre compared to what I'm used to.

Comments

[plymouth.livejournal.com]

The Corolla has its antenna smack in the middle of the rear edge of the roof. Stoooopid.

I have one of those on my Passat and I've never had any problems with it whatsoever. What makes you say it is stupid? Maybe there's something about having a wagon that makes it work better than a sedan, I honestly don't know, it just never occurred to me to complain about it and in fact I think it looks kinda cute there!

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Hmm, a fair enough question! I figured it would prevent mounting anything on the roof (say, to carry a canoe) and would be much more prone to being snagged, bent, or broken (say, in a car wash or driving under low stuff) than something that could be retracted. The old A-pillar retractable design seems more protected.

Thanks for the sanity check on my perspective. Since it seems fairly reasonable to assume I'll wind up with a new Corolla, I may want to remind myself that the antenna placement is also cute!

[plymouth.livejournal.com]

I suppose it might get in the way of carrying a canoe. I hadn't thought of that. But since I don't own one I don't expect it to be too much of a problem.

The problem I've heard of with the retractable antennae is that if they ever get bent even a little bit they stop being able to retract.

My cadillac has one of those antennae that are integral to the windshield. The reception is ASS. Though I imagine they've improved on the technology somewhat since the early 70s :)

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

I had a manually retractable antenna -- you could bend it quite a bit and I'd still force it back down into the frame. :) I can imagine that the electric thingummies would be a bit more fragile.

Yech, I didn't know the windshield ones were so crappy.