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]

To be fair, factory stereos are generally considered to be a joke by the audio geeks I know, so having a replacement installed that does Just What You Want is a pretty minor modification. BTDT (although not in my Prius :-)

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

I don't mind the price, really, but I do mind the conversion of a car not worth breaking into to a car very worth breaking into. At least that's what I'm told. It's one of the big mistakes I made with my Corolla. I lost about four car stereos (and my first flight logbook with my first pilot license in it) for that folly. :-/