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

Re: cupholders

[eichin.livejournal.com]

Well, the window was a "stress fracture" (the crack was top center above the mirror, from the edge - not an impact, but an assembly defect - so it isn't expected to happen again.) The fuel pump is a little more odd, I'll have to see how that one does.

As far as overall construction, it doesn't rattle; it creaks a little bit when I have it in sunroof mode (but not full-closed or full-open.) BMW's are notable for being high maintenance (and expensive maintenance) though.

Not sure I have any real basis for prediction; I've had an odd mix of cars and haven't really driven anything full-time for more than five years at a time...

The fact that it's small is how I found it -- when I originally looked it was because someone had pointed out the database, and I realized that I could use "sort by wheelbase" as a substitute for "sort by how easy it is to park in cambridge" :-) I think it does well by being small*est* (while still being comfortable.) It also gets talked about as the "anti-Hummer", another marketing win...

Re: cupholders

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

I realized that I could use "sort by wheelbase" as a substitute for "sort by how easy it is to park in cambridge" :-)

Yes, this. Exactly.

I can still remember one time I was meeting a large group at a popular restaurant in a way-too-trendy little town around here, and there was a coveted beautiful parking space right across the street that was still... well... mostly available. One of those big dumpsters was taking up a chunk of it and no one would put a car in what was left. The nearest other parking space was guaranteed to be at least a mile away, so I looked at the 2/3 of a parking space, proudly claimed that I had only 2/3 of a car, and parked in it. My passengers were suitably impressed.

I'll miss that capability. :-/