Brief impressions of cars

[cjsmith]

Advantages

• Toyota Corolla: I know how reliable these cars are.
• Toyota Yaris: Ditto, plus MPG to rival some hybrids.
• Honda Fit: Man, the STORAGE SPACE. This thing is a hauler.
• Honda Civic: The only decent cup holders I have seen since I began looking. Nifty dash design.
• Honda Civic Hybrid, 2005 used: Yellow stickers are transferable. Different nifty dash design.
• Subaru "Impreza Outback" (no, not the Outback): All-wheel drive. Also, decent stereo. Also, available in a pretty color. Also, 2006, and they're eager to get it off the lot.

Disadvantages

• Corolla: Ugly. Mirrors don't fold. Dumb climate control interlocks.
• Yaris: All of the above and uglier.
• Fit: There is one of these on the entire peninsula and I will not decide this instant.
• Civic: Seat fold-down design nearly pessimal: trapezoidal opening from trunk aims everything at the center, and in the center, there's a big metal protrusion out of the back of the seat.
• 2005 Civic Hybrid: High mileage for its age. Dumb climate control interlocks. SEAT DOESN'T FOLD AT ALL; cannot haul anything. Used car means I would have to haggle, at which I suck.
• Impreza: Low MPG. Can't pop the hatchback even from inside the car.

I also failed to drive the Subaru Impreza WRX wagon: the seat design is a deal-breaker, and it's so sporty that the insurance on them is high.

Disadvantages of ALL of these

• Big, big, big. Significantly wider than my mangled car. Awkward turning radius compared to my mangled car.
• Impossible to get a keyfob that will pop the trunk.
• Impossible to get (without ripping the whole radio out and replacing it) the ability to play a cassette.
• No room for a full-size spare.

Comments

[ambar.livejournal.com]

The spare isn't full-sized. (I've lost count of how many flats I had to change on the stock tires, but it was above 2.)

Huh. Good point, and thank you!

[allanh.livejournal.com]

Is there enough room to put in a full-sized spare? I haven't checked. (After 18 months of trouble-free usage, I haven't really felt the need to.)

I'm preparing to buy new tires very, very soon, and if I can fit a full-sized spare in there, I'll buy 5 of 'em.

Re: Huh. Good point, and thank you!

[ambar.livejournal.com]

I don't think you can fit a full-sized spare in -- I had enough trouble wedging the deflated tire in as it was.

However, I don't find driving on the donut terribly limiting, since I try to stick to 55 on the freeway (for mileage purposes) even with 4 good tires. So I haven't tried.

Concievably you could stock a full-sized spare and an air compressor, if you really hate donut tires and are the stubborn type. :-)

Re: Huh. Good point, and thank you!

[allanh.livejournal.com]

Me? Stubborn?

[Waiting to hear CJ start laughing hysterically any moment now...]

Re: Huh. Good point, and thank you!

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

If it takes one to know one, then we can both look at each other and chuckle!

Re: Huh. Good point, and thank you!

[airporter.livejournal.com]

I'm umpty-hundred miles away, and I'm snickering.