So... what car do you guys drive when not flying?

[k_sheep]

Well 3 years after I said I would, I have bought a new car! My current car is 12 years old, and I bought it third hand and it was my first car.

Some may remember my previous posts lamenting the lack of small manuals. At least it made the choice fairly easy, and I've gone with a Suzuki Swift sport. Heck of a lot of car for the price.

 

[cove]

I picked a black Toyota Camry today from Alamo via Argus car hire trawler site to drive in California. It runs ok but the steering is a bit heavier than my current Lexus 600hl. I think that it has heavier steering because it is a front wheel drive petrol model. I like the reversing camera as idiots walk behind you when you are reversing in a shopping centre car park.

 

[Matt_01]

I like the reversing camera as idiots walk behind you when you are reversing in a shopping centre car park.

I like reversing cameras as I have been known to park some of the old work trucks using braille techniques.

 

[samh004]

I believe the last time I posted to this thread I was driving a Suzuki Swift. Earlier this year I finally made an upgrade and alongside my new Suzuki Vitara, my mother got one too. The idea behind it was to get similar items so if she encountered difficulties, I would know what she was talking about, this extends to the home with TV/electronics too.

The models are identical other than plates and colour. Both in Turbo 2WD. Best thing about them is the adaptive cruise control, I hardly do any driving any more; steering yes!

 

[JessicaTam]

Well 3 years after I said I would, I have bought a new car! My current car is 12 years old, and I bought it third hand and it was my first car.

Some may remember my previous posts lamenting the lack of small manuals. At least it made the choice fairly easy, and I've gone with a Suzuki Swift sport. Heck of a lot of car for the price.

Enjoy that new car smell!

 

[TomVexille]

I believe the last time I posted to this thread I was driving a Suzuki Swift. Earlier this year I finally made an upgrade and alongside my new Suzuki Vitara, my mother got one too. The idea behind it was to get similar items so if she encountered difficulties, I would know what she was talking about, this extends to the home with TV/electronics too.

The models are identical other than plates and colour. Both in Turbo 2WD. Best thing about them is the adaptive cruise control, I hardly do any driving any more; steering yes!

View attachment 198381

I had one as a hire car in TAS recently. Not a bad little car.

 

[samh004]

I had one as a hire car in TAS recently. Not a bad little car.

For the price paid (though it would be different renting obviously) the features and styling are very nice. When we were on the market, we thought we were going to get a Hyundai Kona (the power of advertising, maybe) or a Mazda CX-3 but our test drive in the Kona really turned us off as did the salesmen at Mazda and Hyundai. All agreed though that we should steer clear of the very nicely priced MG ZS.

 

[OZDUCK]

Well the end of an era with the Holden Commodore being dropped. It is also probably pointing towards the complete demise of the 'Holden' brand. I have a 2007 VE Calais V6 and a 2005 WL Statesman V6 so depreciation is not a problem with me but the value any "newish' one will drop even faster than currently. (Plus a 1961 EK Wagon waiting in the shed for me)

Goodbye Commodore: A legend dies as Holden goes exclusive on SUVs and utes

Holden Commodore and Astra to be retired by the end of 2020 as sales fall and buyers move to high-riding models.

www.caradvice.com.au

 

[kelvedon]

In reality the Commodore died in 2017, subsequent “Commodores” were Holdens’ attempts to trade off the nostalgia.,

 

[Quickstatus]

What’s the sweet spot in the Toyota Camry hybrid range

 

[TomVexille]

What’s the sweet spot in the Toyota Camry hybrid range

Paging @cove to the white courtesy phone

 

[cove]

Suggest you go and test drive them. The twin exhaust model uses a bit more fuel and we have 3 of them with one on order. We will end up with about 15 of the single exhaust model which costs about $31,000 with the normal extras that our sales force needs.
My son was too big so if you are big/tall like 6 foot 6 it will be really tight in the driving position.
The trim choices are pretty limited as the delivery time is still 3 or 4 months but may improve.
All of the latest models have plenty of oomph.
Taxi drivers all like them.

 

[Quickstatus]

does the hybrid need more than 91 octane?

Are the dual exhausts non hybrids only?

 

[cove]

We run all of ours on 95 and 98 fuel rather than 91. Mainly 98 fuel is used.
The dual exhaust models are more expensive hybrids and are more powerful than the standard model. I haven’t driven this upmarket model which goes to our state managers. All I know is that they are pleased with its performance. All I see is the kms per litre of fuel.
The lesser powered model gives you an achievable range of more than 1000 kms and 4.3 litres per 100 kms is not unusual by our sales force. When I first drove that one I was pleased with it.
i have driven the Lexus hybrid equivalent as a loan car and it was a very sweet vehicle too.

 

[Quickstatus]

Looks like the hybrids don’t come in dual exhaust and there is only one hybrid engine with one tune specs across the Camry range.
The trim spec can either be Ascent, Ascent sport or SL. The SL is usually dual exhaust except if hybrid.

 

[DeKa]

Anyone have any experience with recent model Honda CR-V?

We'll be adding to/replacing the Subaru next year and I think this has jumped to the head of the queue.

1.6l turbo AWD, with claimed fuel economy of mid-7s, and heaps of space and kit.

Easy enough to pick up as a demo for around 35k.

They drive nicely around town.

The CVT does feel a bit rubber-bandy on the highway - the revs soar on hills as the CVT seeks the torque the car needs to climb the hill. I don’t think it should do that as the 1.5T has heaps of torque.
Nowhere near as bad as CVTs in Nissan and Mitsubishi though.

 

[Drakecula]

Well I know what car I'm not driving after yesterday's hail storm of doom. The whole work carpark was full of cars damaged like this

 

[daft009]

eeeep...

is that canberra?

 

[Buzzard]

+1's car was written off a couple of years ago due to hail damage, an old Hyundai.
On the plus side the insurance company said we could keep the car so have effectively been driving a freeby for a couple of years. There's nothing wrong with it except for the dents.

 

[Drakecula]

eeeep...

is that canberra?

Yep. Thankfully we're fully covered and since the car is less than two years old (we literally got it last June) if they write it off we get a brand new car to replace it. Waiting to hear when they can collect the car, so that we can organise a hire car. Until then we're on the bus.