What cars have you recently rented?

[Particle Man]

We can continue this thread here...

2008 Chevy HHR

interior seemed cheap, especially the lame tach the size of a wristwatch

got a lot of road noise and the thing never shifted smoothly.

I had this sucker in Atlanta (last trip was a few weeks ago) and the damn thing almost blew apart trying to get into traffic.

All-in-all, this thing was a POS.

ETA: Removed link - fuck VS

[Homeslice]

Gotta include a link if you're gonna do that. Best thread of all time: http://www.cycleforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=160809&highlight=recently+rented

[Particle Man]

Gotta include a link if you're gonna do that. Best thread of all time: http://www.cycleforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=160809&highlight=recently+rented

considering you started it I'd say you're a bit biased :lol:

[Mr Lefty]

I rented a Prius before I came to korea... had 3 days with it... good little car but very odd interior... took me 10 mins to figure out how to turn it on... only to realize it WAS on :lol:

it'd be cool as a little commuter... but not something I'd want to sport around all the time. or on long drives.... I did drive it from Seattle to Portland (about 4 hrs with clear traffic... 8 hrs for the traffic I was in :lol:) got awesome mpg due to the crawl I-5 was at... and for my hight (6'3) it fit me well with several more notches to move the seat back.

over all I liked it... but I'd have a tough time spending the money to buy one.

[t-homo]

Fuck that. It gives VS run sites more hits which in turn makes them more money.

[t-homo]

I rented a Prius before I came to korea... had 3 days with it... good little car but very odd interior... took me 10 mins to figure out how to turn it on... only to realize it WAS on :lol:

it'd be cool as a little commuter... but not something I'd want to sport around all the time. or on long drives.... I did drive it from Seattle to Portland (about 4 hrs with clear traffic... 8 hrs for the traffic I was in :lol:) got awesome mpg due to the crawl I-5 was at... and for my hight (6'3) it fit me well with several more notches to move the seat back.

over all I liked it... but I'd have a tough time spending the money to buy one.

"You got a prius?"
"I bought 7 of em. Got my whole crew drivin em. They're real quiet. Good for sneakin up on mothafuckas."

What show is the quote from?

[Mr Lefty]

sounds familiar but I have no idea... and yes those mother fuckers are quiet... I thought about renting one and bring'n it to indy and run'n you fuckers over :lol:

[Particle Man]

Fuck that. It gives VS run sites more hits which in turn makes them more money.

point.

2009 Chevy Impala

pretty similar to the '08: decent interior (seats were nice and firm, nothing wimpy there). Felt like an "old person" car but had pretty good get up and go. This model had all the bells and whistles (heated seats, XM, etc). Lots of trunk space. Also rented in Atlanta - did much better in traffic than the HHR.

[t-homo]

sounds familiar but I have no idea... and yes those mother fuckers are quiet... I thought about renting one and bring'n it to indy and run'n you fuckers over :lol:

Video of it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ftJX_HZ5S4g&feature=PlayList&p=A30B038E3DCA2DB3&index=3

[Mr Lefty]

can't see it.. yt is blocked here... have to check it out at home

[t-homo]

its from weeds. U-turn bought a bunch of em right after nancy bought one.

[Homeslice]

Ford Focus......Very good steering and handling, it has always been Ford's best all-around car, and the best small car America has ever produced in my opinion. The Cavalier and Neon were crap in comparison.

[Dnyce]

last car i rented had a speed governer at 113, and made it to vegas without stopping for gas

ford taurus

[pauldun170]

Ford Focus......Very good steering and handling, it has always been Ford's best all-around car, and the best small car America has ever produced in my opinion. The Cavalier and Neon were crap in comparison.

I don't know about best all around but I was impressed driving in the Focus.
I just had to make sure I did not pay close attention to the interior.

[Particle Man]

last car i rented had a speed governer at 113, and made it to vegas without stopping for gas

ford taurus

I've had several as rentals (I got stuck with like 10 in a row at one point :lol:). I agree it's a pretty decent car for what it is (one of the most boring cars on the planet) but it had acceptable power and was middle of the road for comfort.

[LeeNetworX]

We can continue this thread here...

2008 Chevy HHR



How did you like the blind spots on that hunk of shit?

Avis gave me one of those once and I wish I never drove off the lot in it. It was a week of driving Hell. They have a note on my account to never give me an HHR again.

[Homeslice]

How did you like the blind spots on that hunk of shit?

Avis gave me one of those once and I wish I never drove off the lot in it. It was a week of driving Hell. They have a note on my account to never give me an HHR again.

Felt the same way about the Caliber. Never understood the appeal of a car with 12-inch thick pillars.

[tallywacker]

2008 Cobalt 4000 miles on it

Heater made grinding noises

Engine sounded like it was going to implode when passing


Cheapness in the interior everywhere that stares you in the face

[dubbs]

Honda pilot.. took that bitch off roading.. Did some decent hill climbs and jumps.. Spent the next day covering up all the scratches.... Left all the mud though.. :dthumb:

[Mrs. Colleen]

Mark and I went to this huge Corvette get together in Kentucky a few years back...we are walking through the lot to pick up our rental and the whole time I was saying to myself "please no" "anything but that one" "it can't be" "oh no"...then we get to the parking space and sure enough...

http://i208.photobucket.com/albums/bb56/MrsColleenCFOT/CI%208/IMG_3963.jpg

:td: Not only did we have to spend the week looking at vette we could not drive but we had to deal with that! If I had to describe it in one word: Cheap. Plus the fucking wing was awful! I could not see very well out of the rear view mirror because it blocked most of it. :td:

[Homeslice]

Wow, I can't think of a shittier looking car. And people wonder why GM is in trouble?

[LeeNetworX]

Felt the same way about the Caliber. Never understood the appeal of a car with 12-inch thick pillars.

Not to mention the small and short front windshield is placed a good 3' from the driver's eyes. It felt like I was driving a house.

[FT BSTRD]

Rented a Ford Escape last week. It had about 31,000 miles on it.

When I ran over bumps, there was some sort of low dull rattle like 6lbs of rubber flapping around the chassis.

The transmission was awful. If you tried to accelerate, backed off, and then tried to take up the slack, it felt like you were smacking the drivetrain with a hammer.

The interior wasn't bad. The seating positon was comfortable. It was a little thirsty.

I hated the Ford Fusion that I drove.

[Particle Man]

Not to mention the small and short front windshield is placed a good 3' from the driver's eyes. It felt like I was driving a house.

the only car I've ever driven with worse blind spots: Toyota Avalon Convertable. Talk about blind spots on wheels.

Unfortunately, it was in the middle of February in Minneapolis so there was no putting the top down :lol:

And when I rent from National in ATL I can pick which car I want... thing is, sometimes, they just have shit left.

Rented a Ford Escape last week. It had about 31,000 miles on it.

When I ran over bumps, there was some sort of low dull rattle like 6lbs of rubber flapping around the chassis.

The transmission was awful. If you tried to accelerate, backed off, and then tried to take up the slack, it felt like you were smacking the drivetrain with a hammer.

The interior wasn't bad. The seating positon was comfortable. It was a little thirsty.

I hated the Ford Fusion that I drove.

Had a Mercury Mariner about 4 weeks ago... around 19k on it. Sounds like exactly the same experience you had with the Escape.

[Cutty72]

worst car for blind spots
Dodge Magnum.

[FT BSTRD]

worst car for blind spots
Dodge Magnum.

Ever driven the Toyota FJ Cruiser?

Holy shit, that thing is awful for blind spots. The windows behind the driver look full size, but from the inside, they are portholes.

It's a lot like an H2. You feel like you need to yell out the window "hard to starboard, coming about!"

[Homeslice]

At least with the FJ you've got something that looks cool. With the Charger, well, it looks like you might have picked it up at Hertz.

[LeeNetworX]

Ever driven the Toyota FJ Cruiser?

Holy shit, that thing is awful for blind spots. The windows behind the driver look full size, but from the inside, they are portholes.

It's a lot like an H2. You feel like you need to yell out the window "hard to starboard, coming about!"

They gave me an FJ last month when I was in FTL. I liked it, and while the hood was high and deep (in respect from the driving position) which required more effort to park than I'm used to, I didn't think the cargo-area blind spots were that bad. :idk: I didn't care for the rear glass, however...it produced distortions in the view. Overall, it was still a fun vehicle to drive.

[Mr Lefty]

They gave me an FJ last month when I was in FTL. I liked it, and while the hood was high and deep (in respect from the driving position) which required more effort to park than I'm used to, I didn't think the cargo-area blind spots were that bad. :idk: I didn't care for the rear glass, however...it produced distortions in the view. Overall, it was still a fun vehicle to drive.

Yeah I really liked the FJ until I drove it... going from my truck and from a brand new Tacoma... I just couldn't see buying one... I couldn't see for shit out the rear window... and even less when try'n to look over your shoulder...

[byron12]

In defense of the cobalt; it is a pretty damn succesful road racing car. Class championships in grand am cup and showroom stock c at the SCCA runoffs.
http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i121/spencerbyron09/time_attack_cobalt_1.jpg

[speedylocksmith]

In defense of the cobalt; it is a pretty damn succesful road racing car. Class championships in grand am cup and showroom stock c at the SCCA runoffs.
http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i121/spencerbyron09/time_attack_cobalt_1.jpgabout the only thing from that car that is on the street is the frame

[G-Rex]

Mark and I went to this huge Corvette get together in Kentucky a few years back...


Of all the places I've been, I still haven't gone to Bowling Green! One of these days!

Although, I don't think I can ride my motorcycle there in good conscience. Something about a little red Corvette in my garage that thinks she needs to go instead speaks to me. :lol:

[Mrs. Colleen]

In defense of the cobalt; it is a pretty damn succesful road racing car. Class championships in grand am cup and showroom stock c at the SCCA runoffs.
http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i121/spencerbyron09/time_attack_cobalt_1.jpg
I still give it the :td:
Of all the places I've been, I still haven't gone to Bowling Green! One of these days!

Although, I don't think I can ride my motorcycle there in good conscience. Something about a little red Corvette in my garage that thinks she needs to go instead speaks to me. :lol:

I believe the plant is closed temporarily. :(

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/off-topic/2204408-bowling-green-to-close.html

[byron12]

actually the car has been succesful in showroom stock racing with minimal modiications beyond safety equipment. Of course having john hienricy behind the wheel helps. I am no chevy fanboi as an owner of mostly hondas and toyotas but the cobalt is alot better than the crapalier and is not really that bad of a car IMHO.

[FT BSTRD]

Of all the places I've been, I still haven't gone to Bowling Green! One of these days!

Although, I don't think I can ride my motorcycle there in good conscience. Something about a little red Corvette in my garage that thinks she needs to go instead speaks to me. :lol:


Drove right past the museum twice today. Just 100 miles from my house.

[FT BSTRD]

Rented an H3 today. Drove it for 400 miles. It was new (731 miles on the clock). It appeared fairly quiet (for a shoebox with portholes). Visibility SUCKED! I looked to see if there was an 18 wheeler, but otherwise I just had to say "screw it" and pull over into lanes. There is no reason to make a car with windows this small. The styling guys should be kicked in the dick. The other thing I hated was that because of the way the windows are set and because they are flat, water coming off the street pooled and dried on the window making seeing out the driver's or passenger's windows impossible. In the end, I couldn't even see the mirrors. The rear window might as well have been nonexistent. It had a temp tag on the rear window. There was approximately the surface viewing area of a notebook around the temp tag.

The engine was the IL5 and it was completely gutless for acceleration, but it cruised well. It was pretty good on gas. The transmission was rough. It needed another gear.

The seats were comfortable, but the window sill was WAY too high. I like to drive with my left arm resting on the sill, elbow against the window. That would have put my elbow above my shoulder with no way to raise the seat to compensate.

It appeared to be put together well. I'd recommend the Canyon at 2/3 the price.

[Homeslice]

I had one of those too. Slow, got blown around by the wind, and the suspension crab-legged over bumps. Throttle spring too stiff. Decent interior though. I actually liked the windows because when you rolled them up they clunked into place real solid because they're so square. Also the shifter was beef.

http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z71/Relipics/DSC01231.jpg

[FT BSTRD]

Also the shifter was beef.


No kidding. The shifter lever handle was like 9" wide and the size of a pork loin.


What hamfisted cromag is THAT designed for?

[Racerboy]

I rent every time I travel and usually through THRIFTY for their excellent rates....the down side is, all they rent are Chrysler's, not something I am a fan of in any way shape or form but who cares, I don't have to own them.

In PDX I have had the Dodge Magnum....it was a 6 and comfortable but seemed to have more plastic than anything.

In SLC I had a Dodge Stratus. Low on power but delivered great MPG

In PHX I had a Caliber...slow, plastic and junk filled.

In SAN over Thanksgiving I took the Sebring Convertible, fun to drive top down, blind spots from Hell top up, not too thirsty and ZERO trunk space..... but a great beach cruiser. 8 Days, $125 total! the deal of the week.

In Key West I drove home a 2008 Crossfire SRT-6. This was a lot of fun under acceleration, way more power than I had anticipated and I was sad to see her go for that alone. There were MAJOR blind spots, it barely seated two people, almost zero luggage capacity, the control layout was a mess but again, it was a blast to drive.

Bottom line in all new Chrysler's to me are rental cars...they are laden with boring plastic interiors, made with inferior parts and never last to the warranty. I drove one off the rental lot with very few miles on it and there was smoke coming from the tail pipe under acceleration as well as deceleration...bad rings and valve train with under 5K miles on the clock.

[Dnyce]

im thinkin about renting a car and going racing...100bucks entry fee, 3000 to win, 1500 r/u....:whistle:

[pauldun170]

actually the car has been succesful in showroom stock racing with minimal modiications beyond safety equipment. Of course having john hienricy behind the wheel helps. I am no chevy fanboi as an owner of mostly hondas and toyotas but the cobalt is alot better than the crapalier and is not really that bad of a car IMHO.


The base Cobalt is a craptastic straight to rental car company mobile that you can get for a really good price.
It offers decent enough pep (as long as you ignore the sound and feel coming from the vibration) and it is not the worst thing to drive.

The interior is pleasant from a distance until you make physical contact with the plastic.

The exterior design seems like they started off with a block of plastic and never quite finished.

The Cobalt SS is same plastic nonsense tossed on to an excellent drivetrain and suspension set-up.

Delete the spoiler option and it is king of the sleeper mobiles. Especially the painful to look at 4 dr.

[Homeslice]

No kidding. The shifter lever handle was like 9" wide and the size of a pork loin.


What hamfisted cromag is THAT designed for?

The bigger the better, so you can use it as a hand rest. I don't like pistol-grip or penis shaped shifters, I like T-shaped ones because they are good hand rests and you can pretend it's a jet throttle.

[Lamnidae]

Rented a Hummer H3 while in Vegas.


Unless you're completely going to take the damn thing off-roading... what a fucking waste. I personally would not buy one, I don't like the complete lack of POV around the vehicle, it's like driving a school bus with all the windows blacked out except for a tiny little strip.

Interior seemed quite cheap.

Had no get-up-n-go, but that's not why you really need this vehicle. I could see the usefulness if you took it off road, now, hopefully then that lil' 5 cyl. would have enough torque to get you up and over stuff.

[Homeslice]

http://i44.tinypic.com/8vp5c9.jpg
Pontiac Grand Prix (they still make these things??). It had the 3.8 which is smooth and very torquey, in fact too torquey for a FWD car imo. It didn't have the sport suspension, so the shock valving was very soft and allowed it to float and wander too much on the highway. Poor straight-line tracking. The visibility out the driver door is very good because of the low window sill, but at the rear of the car there is a big blind spot caused by the stylish C-pillar.



http://i42.tinypic.com/k01rtj.jpg
The dashboard is slanted towards the driver, which is the correct design principle, however the plastic is very hard and brittle feeling. Steering wheel is too big for my taste, and the spokes were too low.



http://i39.tinypic.com/2ldvpqh.jpg
Cool information display on top of the dash. Tranny temp ranged from ambient temp up to about 208 F. Also shows compass, tire pressure, oil life, voltage, odometer, trip distance, and MPG.



http://i43.tinypic.com/fuaxw3.jpg
When the car is started, the letters "GP" flash on the screen, which personally I thought was kind of chintzy, but I suppose it appeals to Pontiac's target market (guidos).



http://i41.tinypic.com/2vvnrcm.jpg
The ignition is poorly placed, because it allows your keys to bang against the hard plastic.
Overall this is a good car for the price considering how low you can get them, but don't bother unless you get the sport model.

[PhiSig1071]

Rented a Chevy Malibu and a Chevy Impala recently.

I have a disclaimer, I am a big dude.

The Malibu, I liked, it drove very well and was very responsive. Good acceleration, very good handling, and surprisingly good mileage too. Very well laid out interior, excellent storage, and excellent fit/finish quality and appearance on the gauges. My only gripes were the seat, which was nicely bolstered, was a bit too narrow for my wide american ass and the door area was a little small for me. It made ingress and egress a little annoying. Really liked the car overall, and I would recommend it to anyone looking for a four-door grocery getter that's also fun to drive.

The Impala? Too big, too soft. Seats weren't very comfortable, no bolstering at all. Handled predictably, but boringly, with almost no feedback. Anemic motor, car struggled at highway passing. Interior was well laid out, and the car was roomy. Also got very good mileage (both cars got in the low 30's while rolling on the highway with an average around 27). Upside is it's larger than the Malibu, thus more roomy.

[FT BSTRD]

Rented a Ford Taurus Limited.


Surprisingly strong motor. Transmission was fairly smooth although it felt as though it didn't have an overdrive grear. Cruised at an RPM higher than I would have expected.

Seat was comfortable but VERY firm. Interior was well crafted and layed out although the buttons were busy and not very intuitive. The radio didn't have a tune knob and it was VERY annoying to tune stations. There was NO volume control on the steering wheel. Dumb.

The exterior styling looked like a giant passat added to the chassis of an F150. Not very attractive.

Couple of things I thought were cool. First, when you turned the key off, the seat scooted back to make it easier to get out and get back in. When you got back in, the seat returned to your preset position. Second, you could raise and lower the brake pedal. I HATE cars where the pedal is too low or too high.

[Homeslice]

So, I decided to give a Hyundai a try........Or rather, I was forced to, since I arrived late and was given a crap car instead of the one I requested.

Anyway it was an Elantra with the standard 2.0........The engine was shit, no power at all, and it was very boomy from as low as 3000 rpm. Brakes were powerful, but came on WAY too abruptly, making it difficult to drive smoothly.

http://i39.tinypic.com/3135a2x.jpg

Inside, the dash followed today's "pregnant" styling custom, where the center stack bulges out like a pregnant tummy in the middle and then recedes towards the bottom...........personally I think this styling tactic is ugly, I don't like rounded bulges.....I would rather have the center stack go in one straight plane towards the shifter.

http://i40.tinypic.com/ykspi.jpg


Two thumbs up for the climate control knobs, they were very simple and easy to understand, unlike a lot of other cars.


http://i42.tinypic.com/280o8k6.jpg



Gauges were good, I like blue better than red or green. Steering wheel was a proper 3-spoke, but the spokes could have been higher because I like my thumbs to be up higher at 10 and 2.

http://i41.tinypic.com/14ch0kp.jpg

[James]

Rented a '08 Jeep Wrangler (4cyl, 4x4, soft-top) in Cozumel last week.

It's basically an Island turd. The clutch and brakes were sacked. The ride was typical Jeep Wrangler, but it was fun to drive around the island in it anyway. We had the top down, and the wind inside was fine.

[R6Chick]

2009 Sebring- Gas hog, not much to speak for in acceleration, but looks good and the interior is nice.

2009 PT Cruiser- Crap. Enough said.

2009 Accent- Cheap- drove cheap, looked cheap, all-around cheap. Nice on gas.

2009 Yaris- Surprising acceleration and great gas milage, ugly as hell and the gauge cluster was in the middle of the car. I felt like I was practically asking the passenger how fast I was going each time I wanted to know. The acceleration was good, but the handling was a bit scary, so off-ramps have to be taken easily. The hood is short, so it was strange parking and driving (and I even own a compact).

2009 Mazda 3- Great car, interior is the better of the cheap cars, I actually would consider buying the car if it wasn't for the fact the wind shield slopes very far forward toward the hood and almost gives that minivan feeling.

2009 G6- For a cheap car, it's great. I like the looks and impressive gas milage for a GM, but my only issue is with the back window. It's so sloped that if you have dew or frost, it won't bead off with the wind. For 3 mornings, I couldn't see out my rear window trying to drive through Houston's rush hour, irritating.

2009 Cobalt- Not too bad for a cheap little GM car. Might not be everyone's favorite, but one of my favorites to rent. It's smaller, so easier to park, but yet my lanky butt fits in it, good on gas, and pretty comfortable inside.

I rent a car each week while I work in Houston, I'm sure I'll have more to update this thread.

[Racerboy]

My newest rental was a complete surprise. I needed a car to go up to Orlando for the day with my mom and my Toyota got a check engine light....so we rented a car from Enterprise.

It was a 2009 Chevy Aveo, 4 door, auto, a/c and an AM/FM radio, no other bells or whistles. We drove that little car 95+ mph the entire way to Orlando and back and still got amazing gas mileage as well we were able to hold a conversation without shouting over the high revving engine.

I am not one to promote little rollerskate cars but if I was forced into a commuting situation, I would certainly think twice about buying this car for the drive. They are made in Korea but at high speeds, it felt like a car made in Germany.

[Homeslice]

2009 PT Cruiser- Crap. Enough said.


plusone

[G-Rex]

I've rented a couple over the last month thanks to having my car in the shop.

2006 Nissan Sentra - decent power for what it is, comfortable enough for 400 mile days, good mileage, terrible torque steer.

2006 Nissan Altima - good power for the V6, hated the gated shifter, not intuitive at all, totally not comfortable, noisy, and there was NO key cylinder for the trunk. Seriously?

plusone

I'm curious Homeslice. You're pretty critical of most of the cars you review, and that's fine, I agree with your comments on the ones I've driven. But, I'm curious, what is your personal car? I just want to know what stands up to the *Homeslice test* for a long term test car. :lol:

[Homeslice]

I drive a 15 year old Ford Probe GT that I picked up from a coworker 5 years ago for $2,000. Money isn't the problem, I could buy almost any car I wanted, but I don't feel the need since I don't use a car very often. In the 5 years I've owned this beater I've only put 30K miles on it.

[101lifts2]

I drive a 15 year old Ford Probe GT that I picked up from a coworker 5 years ago for $2,000. Money isn't the problem....


No, but being cheap is!

2009 Pontiac G6 GT - Excellent fuel economy, superior powertrain and transmission shifiting. Good overall build quality and looks are good for a midsize car. Car is smooth and quiet and a good choice for long distance cruises.

2008 Malibu 3.6 VVT a/6speed automatic - Exceptional build quality, superior power for a V-6 while retaining over 30mpg. 6 speed transmisison shifts well, but sometimes can bang if you play with the throttle alot. Ride is super smooth, steering is sharp and the interior looks German. I'd buy this car..oh wait I own one. LOL

[Homeslice]

2009 Pontiac G6 GT - Excellent fuel economy, superior powertrain and transmission shifiting. Good overall build quality and looks are good for a midsize car. Car is smooth and quiet and a good choice for long distance cruises.


The last G6 I drove had horrible wind noise......I couldn't figure it out.

That's one area where my car blows away nearly all others :rockwoot:

[pauldun170]

I drive a 15 year old Ford Probe GT that I picked up from a coworker 5 years ago for $2,000. Money isn't the problem, I could buy almost any car I wanted, but I don't feel the need since I don't use a car very often. In the 5 years I've owned this beater I've only put 30K miles on it.

Finally sold mine a few months ago. Despite some age related faults I thought it was great car. 95 I picked up in 99.

[Homeslice]

Finally sold mine a few months ago. Despite some age related faults I thought it was great car. 95 I picked up in 99.
Should have kept it as a beater. Few cars today have as big a hatch.

[Homeslice]

Um, a GOLD ford focus??? Well, that's what I got stuck with this time. On the plus side, the headlights and taillights look good.

http://i43.tinypic.com/2drhp2e.jpg

http://i41.tinypic.com/1zv9vva.jpg

This car has a little more power than the old Focus, but the steering isn't as firm or precise, and the shocks allow more body motion, so if you want handling, get a used Focus SVT and save $10K. The seats were mushy, mouse-fur crap with very little bolstering. The center part of the dash had the same faux-aluminum silver plastic that became played out 6-7 years ago. There were too many buttons, which could have easily been replaced by 3-4 dials like the previous car I posted. The tachometer digits were bent around the dial, which I thought was immature and hard to read.

Verdict: Just another example of a formerly good small car that has now become upsized, softer and heavier, to meet the demands of ficticious consumers whose opinions they probably didn't even ask. If you're in the market for a car in this class, get a Rabbit or Mazda 3 instead.

http://i41.tinypic.com/2d11nkj.jpg

http://i40.tinypic.com/kas68h.jpg

[Particle Man]

'09 Volvo S60

High quality interior - everything fit together like it was made out of the same piece of high-grade plastic. Leather seats were plush enough to be comfortable but not so plush as to be annoying.

Power was great - it leapt ahead when the accelerator was pressed lightly and shifted at particularly decent times.

Handling... Meh. Definitely tuned for driving in a parking lot vs highway. I found it annoying to think of going to the right and ending up changing lanes without having made my hands actually move the wheel.

[Homeslice]

Got a Hyundai Sonata this time. Engine was much better than the Elantra, fairly smooth and decent torque, although it didn't have any high-rpm rush. Handling sucked ass, due to a too-soft suspension. Decent ride quality though.

http://i44.tinypic.com/1jkva0.jpg

The interior was non-offensive but very generic. Radio controls were ugly. Seats sucked ass, mouse fur with no side support at all.

http://i43.tinypic.com/687wk9.jpg

The climate controls were simple and easy to understand, unlike most cars...........But I preferred the ones on the Elantra because the re-circ button is integrated into the fan speed dial.

http://i41.tinypic.com/1z1cio6.jpg

Elantra......

http://i42.tinypic.com/280o8k6.jpg

[Homeslice]

Got a Jetta recently......Best rental I've had in a long time. Like most German cars the steering was firm, the body motion was well-controlled, and the seats were firm and well-bolstered. Way different than the typical disconnected-feeling Japanese or American car. From the way this thing drives, you might think it's the GLI sport model, but it's not. It's just the way the Germans make even thier base-level cars. Engine was a 5-cylinder with very good torque and a very sporty sound, although some people might think it's loud when floored.

http://i41.tinypic.com/2njiu78.jpg

Tranny was a SIX speed auto.......As a result, the powerband was always in the sweet spot. How many Japanese or American cars in this price class have a 6-speed auto? It also had a manumatic mode, as well as an "S" mode which I used most of the time. This mode basically tells the computer to hold gears longer, cruise in 4 or 5 instead of 6, and downshift sooner when going downhill.

http://i41.tinypic.com/2qd7drm.jpg

Interior was kind of stark, but puposeful. Steering wheel felt good ---- The rim had sort of an oval cross section instead of round, so it was thicker front to back than it was side to side. This enables more of the wheel to contact your palm.

http://i42.tinypic.com/24kyyx0.jpg


Gauges were pretty cool, but the numerals could have been bigger. And I would rather have 1-digit numerals instead of 2 on the tach.

http://i42.tinypic.com/nfjqdk.jpg


Had a proper dead pedal on the left. This helps hold you in place during aggressive driving.

http://i42.tinypic.com/oho96p.jpg


Glove box was lined with felt.........Pretty pimp

http://i39.tinypic.com/2ps4rnp.jpg


Radio display was tiny, and the plastic trim around the climate controls felt cheap and easy to leave prints on.

http://i39.tinypic.com/2zoyr2p.jpg

The turn signal was awesome.......It had a special setting where you could just nudge it a little, and it would blink 3 times and then shut itself off.

http://i39.tinypic.com/152jrcz.jpg

[101lifts2]

^^^GM uses the nudge of the turn signal for 3 blinks as well.

2009 Honda Element

I just rode passenger in this thing, so here are my results...

Engine
I think this is a 2.4L engine or some 4 cylinder. Its pretty noisy on acceleration and the owner told me he gets 22mpg city/highway. Quite lackluster IMO. Also, the power was adequate, but not overwhelming by any means.

Transmission
Shifts were typical Japanese. uuuuuuuuuuhhhhhhh SHIFT..uhhhhhhhhhh...SHIFT. Almost like they only have a speed and accelerator pedal as the map. Not good IMO for a car in this day and age.

Build quality
While the build quality was good, the materials Honda is using lately seem cheap. The plastic is thinner than on Hondas 5 years ago. There was an annoying rattle coming from the headliner I was trying to locate when we were driving this.

Controls
While I didn't sit in the drivers seat, the dash layout seems good, easy to read gauges and the center con sole was layed out well.

One neat thing I might add is that rear seats sit higher than the front so you can see out the front window with someone sitting in the front seat. But..the seat feels like a jump seat, so long trips aren't that comfortable.

Overall I think there is a better car for the 22k price tag since the thing is the size of a Civic.

[Particle Man]

2009 Ford Escape (brand new).

This thing is a piece of shit. Period.

The transmission whines like a Crown Vic's with 200,000 miles on it
Seats are like sitting on plywood
Handles like the car from The Flintstones
Climate Controls are difficult to reach and adjust
Radio indicators are burried in the dash where you have to look away from traffic to see what's going on (more so than most radios since this one is recessed and above the dash)

Never again.

[101lifts2]

I think you're hearing the fuel pump whine, not the transmission. ^^^

[Particle Man]

I think your hearing the fuel pump whine, not the transmission. ^^^

nope... it had that grinding wind up sound that a poorly maintained transmission gets over time... besides, I could hear the fuel pump too: that sounds like a pissed off bee.

[pauldun170]

nope... it had that grinding wind up sound that a poorly maintained transmission gets over time... besides, I could hear the fuel pump too: that sounds like a pissed off bee.

Last summer I took a brand spanking new escape with a manual transmission for a spin.
Felt like the shifter was busted or was missing bolts.

[z06boy]

Rented lately ? Spent a week in Puerto Rico a couple of weeks ago and rented a Hyundai Brio...4 door. :rockwoot: :lol:

I wanted something small and cheap but with good A/C

It served it's purpose.

The drivers suck pretty bad in PR. No one uses turn signals...they will pull right out in front of you and change lanes quickly...again with no signal and love to weave in and out of traffic. Most don't even stop at the stop signs. The slower drivers love the left lane. :td:


A Dodge Neon was considered a midsize. :whatwhat: :lol

[Particle Man]

No one uses turn signals...they will pull right out in front of you and change lanes quickly...again with no signal and love to weave in and out of traffic. Most don't even stop at the stop signs. The slower drivers love the left lane. :td:


You just described New Jersey.

[z06boy]

You just described New Jersey.

:lol: Probably so...never been there. I wouldn't want to ride motorcycles in PR though even though they did have some twisties. I guess maybe away from the cities would be ok but then again...I'm not too sure about that. :tremble:

[Homeslice]

So, this is the 4th or 5th time I've rented a Pontiac G6. This one was the "GT" version with the 3.5 V6, which is an extremely smooth, quiet engine, but it would do so much better in a RWD platform. There is so much torque steer all the time, even when just doing roll-on accel or downshifting. It's so irritating that I'd rather have the 4-cylinder model. Also the transmission only has 4 gears, which is weaksauce considering that a base Jetta has 6. As far as the suspension goes, it handles good around town, but once you get up to highway speeds it's too soft & floaty. :td: I don't know if there is a sport suspension available for this car, but it needs it. The 4-cyl model I rented a few months ago seemed to handle better. Also, on the highway the steering is too fast and so when it's windy you're constantly correcting it. The shocks and springs are weird because on the highway they produce a glass-smooth ride, but off the highway the ride becomes brittle. Even if you slow down to 2 mph over potholes & railroad tracks, you get this wooden clodding sound, which I've experienced in several different GM FWD sedans. It's a hollow sound that makes you think something must be loose in the suspension. :skep:

[LeeNetworX]

Latest rental, a few weeks ago, was a Pontiac G6 GXP. Had good power but awful torque steer, much like Homeslice stated. The interior was typical GM - hard and uncomfortable and not very pleasing to the eye. No blind spots that I noticed. Was pretty good on gas, considering I was stomping on the peppy V6. Overall, was pretty fun to drive, save for the lack of comfort and the horrible torque steer.

[Homeslice]

Latest rental, a few weeks ago, was a Pontiac G6 GXP. Had good power but awful torque steer, much like Homeslice stated. The interior was typical GM - hard and uncomfortable and not very pleasing to the eye. No blind spots that I noticed. Was pretty good on gas, considering I was stomping on the peppy V6. Overall, was pretty fun to drive, save for the lack of comfort and the horrible torque steer.

They gave you a top-drawer GXP? I feel so deprived...

[Rangerscott]

2009 Ford Escape (brand new).

This thing is a piece of shit. Period.

The transmission whines like a Crown Vic's with 200,000 miles on it
Seats are like sitting on plywood
Handles like the car from The Flintstones
Climate Controls are difficult to reach and adjust
Radio indicators are burried in the dash where you have to look away from traffic to see what's going on (more so than most radios since this one is recessed and above the dash)

Never again.


My mom owns an '04 (I think) basic BASIC model. Doesnt even have cruise control. What fucking vehicle these days doesnt come with cruise control. I bet that salesman was laughing his ASS OFF when they left with it.

Seat are VERY uncomfortable. Road noise to the max. Cheap plastic EVERY WHERE. The volume control knob on the radio doesnt really work any more. Some of the present buttons dont work. The plastic/rubber seal at the bottom of the windshield is completely destroyed by the sun. Like most SUV's with rear wiper, the blade gets destroyed by the sun and from no use. Plastic bumpers are faded. Plastic door handles are faded (Jesus I hat plastic door handles). All Ford's blinker noise is too loud. Fucker rings constantly if you leave the key in the ign wile the engine is OFF and door open. My companys '04 F-150 does the same thing and it is so fucking ANNOYING!

[101lifts2]

So, this is the 4th or 5th time I've rented a Pontiac G6. This one was the "GT" version with the 3.5 V6, which is an extremely smooth, quiet engine, but it would do so much better in a RWD platform. There is so much torque steer all the time, even when just doing roll-on accel or downshifting. It's so irritating that I'd rather have the 4-cylinder model. Also the transmission only has 4 gears, which is weaksauce considering that a base Jetta has 6. :

Ehh...more gears is not better. I had a 2005 Malibu with a 3.5L / 4speed auto and now a 2008 Malibu 3.6VVT with a 6speed auto. I like the 4speed much better. There is too much shifting in the 6 speed not to mention banging at times. It's too busy. The 4speed seems much more mated to the 3.5L V-6. Not to mention the 05 gets 5mpg better than the 2008.

[Homeslice]

Ehh...more gears is not better. I had a 2005 Malibu with a 3.5L / 4speed auto and now a 2008 Malibu 3.6VVT with a 6speed auto. I like the 4speed much better. There is too much shifting in the 6 speed not to mention banging at times. It's too busy. The 4speed seems much more mated to the 3.5L V-6. Not to mention the 05 gets 5mpg better than the 2008.

Better in terms of not being as abrupt when it downshifts. If it has more gears then it usually has less of an RPM gap between them.

I can't stand how when you pull out to pass in some cars, it jumps 2-3 thousand rpm's. Having more gears would prevent this.

[LeeNetworX]

They gave you a top-drawer GXP? I feel so deprived...

They've been hooking me up lately. They gave me an Eclipse Spyder GT last time.

[z06boy]

Posting this because I'm bored. Pics of mostly sucky rental cars from a few past vacations. I just want to get around and don't spend much time in the car so no biggie to me.

Oaui...

http://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47b4d729b3127ccec945dca0ae7500000010O08AcMWjly5cNA e3nww/cC/f%3D0/ps%3D50/r%3D0/rx%3D550/ry%3D400/

Maui...

http://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47b4d728b3127ccec946103f57dc00000010O08AcMWjly5cNA e3nww/cC/f%3D0/ps%3D50/r%3D0/rx%3D550/ry%3D400/

Big Island, Hawaii...

http://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47b4d729b3127ccec94562362f8c00000010O08AcMWjly5cNA e3nww/cC/f%3D0/ps%3D50/r%3D0/rx%3D550/ry%3D400/

Kauai...

http://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47b4d728b3127ccec946ddd696fb00000010O08AcMWjly5cNA e3nww/cC/f%3D0/ps%3D50/r%3D0/rx%3D550/ry%3D400/

Heavenly at Lake Tahoe the first time...

http://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47b5dc06b3127cceca22a87f919f00000010O08AcMWjly5cNA e3nww/cC/f%3D0/ps%3D50/r%3D0/rx%3D550/ry%3D400/

St. Thomas/St. Johns...

Well I couldn't find a pic of the car...a Kia Rio if I remember correctly but these shots are from the inside of it looking out and yes they drive on the left side of the road there...

http://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47b6df04b3127ccecd6613250f2200000010O08AcMWjly5cNA e3nww/cC/f%3D0/ps%3D50/r%3D0/rx%3D550/ry%3D400/

http://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47b6df04b3127ccecd678929ae1f00000010O08AcMWjly5cNA e3nww/cC/f%3D0/ps%3D50/r%3D0/rx%3D550/ry%3D400/

http://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47b6df04b3127ccecd67795fae1100000010O08AcMWjly5cNA e3nww/cC/f%3D0/ps%3D50/r%3D0/rx%3D550/ry%3D400/

http://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47b6df04b3127ccecd66e6c4ce1100000010O08AcMWjly5cNA e3nww/cC/f%3D0/ps%3D50/r%3D0/rx%3D550/ry%3D400/

Heavenly at Lake Tahoe the 2nd time...

http://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47b6dc24b3127ccecd1f0e696b6200000010O08AcMWjly5cNA e3nww/cC/f%3D0/ps%3D50/r%3D0/rx%3D550/ry%3D400/

Key Largo/Key West, Fl....

http://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47b7d629b3127ccec184da5e09e800000010O08AcMWjly5cNA e3nww/cC/f%3D0/ps%3D50/r%3D0/rx%3D550/ry%3D400/

San Francisco/Big Sur...

http://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47b9d731b3127ccef8407601fd9f00000040O08AcMWjly5cNA e3nww/cC/f%3D0/ps%3D50/r%3D0/rx%3D550/ry%3D400/

[Homeslice]

Pontiac Vibe. Even though this thing was slow as hell (4-cyl), it was still very fun to drive, for 3 reasons:
1) Steering feel (it was nicely weighted and you could feel the pavement surface)
2) Ride (it was firm and didn't float that much on the highway)
3) Shifter position (mounted up high, allowing you to pretend you're in a sports car).

[101lifts2]

2009 Chysler 300 M Touring

I had this vehicle for 1 week in MI and I have to say it is probably one of the best rentals I've ever had. This car just did everything very well and it was a car I would consider buying.

Engine-2.7 6cyl. was adequate for the car and returned mileage in the mid 20s. The engine was smooth and rather quiet.

Transmission - Prolly one of the better transmissions I've felt from a driveablity point of view. Always in the right gear and smooth shifting. Never a harsh up or downshift.

Chassis - This vehicle is based upon an older Mercedes chassis. It felt just right, like a big German sedan. Soaked up bumps very well, never harsh and no vibration at times like on some newer Jap cars

Gauges and Console - The interior is done up nice, but the gauges with the white/green lighting is a tad hard to see. The position of stuff was laid out well, though.

[Homeslice]

Rented a new Mailbu last week. Easily 10 times better than the old one. Very impressed with how smooth and quiet it was. Very good ride as well. The suspension didn't seem to have any of that wooden "something's loose" noise that most GM FWD sedans usually have.

The interior was correctly shaped, with a center console that sweeps down between the seats. Way better looking than anything Ford has. There were paddle shifters on the steering wheel, although this seemed a bit out of place on a mainstream family sedan. The tranny was best left in Drive. Manual shifts weren't very quick.

The stereo was disappointing.... it sounded muffled.....But that is true for almost any OEM system.

[Gas Man]

The newer malibus are very nice. I get one of those most of the time as a loaner car from my dealer if I take my car in there.

[101lifts2]

I'll take the mileage thing back on the 08 Malibu. Going from CA to MI I got 29.9, 30.6, 32.5 and 34.6 MPG on four separate tankfulls. 3.6VVT engine.

[Gas Man]

Which motor did it have? the 4 or 6?

[101lifts2]

V-6 3.6 VVT It is prolly one of the best motors for power and economy I've driven.

[LeeNetworX]

Avis gave me a Ford Escape Limited when I was in FTL a couple of weeks ago. Interior was pretty nice - it was more comfortable than it looked. Roomy. The Sync system is pretty cool, although the voice recognition could use some help. The recognition on our Altima understands my voice almost flawlessly. The only complaint I would have with the interior is the center console controls; there were so many similar-looking knobs and buttons it was almost overwhelming.

The 3.0L V6 was peppy and the transmission worked quite well with it. It seemed no matter what speed I was at, when pushing down on the accelerator the gear shifts were smooth and not jerky. Torque steer was noticable but I've driven much worse. Fuel economy was OK but not great - I was stomping on it alot, so....

As for the exterior, IMO, it's come a long way in the looks department. The color-keyed molding and chrome accents make it much more appealing to me than the earlier models. Overall, for the money they are getting for this vehicle, I don't think it's not a bad deal considering the whole package and the features it comes with.

[Gas Man]

I think the new escapes with the black rims and darker features look the best they ever have.

[Homeslice]

I thought the consensus on this board was that the Escape was noisy, cheap, and rough-riding. Did they totally revise it?

[Cass]

I end up with a lot of Dodge Caliber rentals when I travel for work... Visibility kinda sucks, but I'm a sucker for satellite radio. I think I'm going to start branching out so I can see what the other cars are like :shrug:

[pauldun170]

I thought the consensus on this board was that the Escape was noisy, cheap, and rough-riding. Did they totally revise it?

Too think I liked the original base model Escape...always seemed like an honest little bugger.

[Homeslice]

I end up with a lot of Dodge Caliber rentals when I travel for work... Visibility kinda sucks, but I'm a sucker for satellite radio. I think I'm going to start branching out so I can see what the other cars are like :shrug:

Dude......Those are about the lowest-quality cars you can rent. Noisy, slow, and an incredibly cheap plastic interior.

[Particle Man]

I end up with a lot of Dodge Caliber rentals when I travel for work... Visibility kinda sucks, but I'm a sucker for satellite radio. I think I'm going to start branching out so I can see what the other cars are like :shrug:
Had one once. Never again. Ever. Biggest pos since the PT Cruiser.

[101lifts2]

Dude......Those are about the lowest-quality cars you can rent. Noisy, slow, and an incredibly cheap plastic interior.

Those are the rentals I love. Step on the gas only to hear a bunch of noise and when it finally gets to 70mph (after 4 upshifts which take 3 seconds each to accomplish) the steering wheel shakes. Bonus if the rotors are warped when stopping.

[pauldun170]

Dude......Those are about the lowest-quality cars you can rent. Noisy, slow, and an incredibly cheap plastic interior.

I remember sitting in one at the dealer. It took me back to the 87? Plymouth Caravelle my parents drove until it became an absolute faded moneypit.

I think the Caravelle had better materials :lol

[Cass]

Dude......Those are about the lowest-quality cars you can rent. Noisy, slow, and an incredibly cheap plastic interior.

:lol: it's not like i own it, it's cool man :) it's easy to drive and has room to carry passengers. yeah, it is slow as a bitch, but I still got a speeding ticket in one :shrug:

okay okay okay I get it... I'll pick something different next time and let y'all know ALL about it :lmao:

[Homeslice]

Ford Fusion
I have rented all 3 of the engine options for this car. The 3.0 flex-fuel V6 is the worst choice, there is a lot of lifter noise & accessory noise, especially when cold. The 3.5 is much nicer & quieter, and pumps out 263hp which is substantial for a car of this size. The 2.5 four-cyl is only 175hp but is smooth for a 4-cyl. All in all, I think this engine "suits" it the best, because this is a FWD car and it doesn't make sense to put much torque into a FWD.

The tranny is a 6-speed, and for the first 2-3 minutes when it's still cold the shifting is crude......upshifts get hung up. Also the first 2 gears are too short, so it shifts twice before you've finished making a simple right turn. :skep: Too busy.

Ride & handling is pretty decent for its class......It's no sport sedan, but it's a good balance. The ride is much smoother than a G6.

But I would never buy this car because its interior is so horrible.....I mean seriously who the fuck is responsible for thsi shit? CHeck out these ghey-ass gauges:

http://img824.imageshack.us/img824/7279/dsc03579v.jpg (http://img824.imageshack.us/i/dsc03579v.jpg/)

Not only do they look retarded, but they are hard to read in the daylight. But the worst offense is the center stack.......You can barely read any of the buttons & switches, the font is so friggin small..... :?:


http://img291.imageshack.us/img291/268/dsc03639e.jpg (http://img291.imageshack.us/i/dsc03639e.jpg/)


Making it even harder to read is the fact that the bottom of the center stack console is curved INWARD, instead of the other way like it should be. Seriously, who the fuck designed this? :?: :lol


http://img534.imageshack.us/img534/313/dsc03481f.jpg (http://img534.imageshack.us/i/dsc03481f.jpg/)


And to top it off, the headlight switch is not on a stalk, it's on this lame dial on the left side of the dash. What's fucked up is that it's not lit at night. So, when you go to turn it on or off, you have to hunt for it by feel, and you can accidentally hit the trunk button :td:


http://img529.imageshack.us/img529/1295/dsc03572u.jpg (http://img529.imageshack.us/i/dsc03572u.jpg/)

Not to mention the wiper stalk is not on the right side of the wheel like it should be.....It's on the left, shared with the turn signals. So, if you slap the signals too hard, you make the wipers move. Dumb.

[pauldun170]

Ford Fusion
I have rented all 3 of the engine options for this car. The 3.0 flex-fuel V6 is the worst choice, it is based on the old Duratec design, which is outdated and has a lot of lifter noise. The 3.5 is much nicer & quieter, and pumps out 263hp which is substantial for a car of this size. The 2.5 four-cyl is only 175hp but is smooth for a 4-cyl. All in all, I think this engine "suits" it the best, because this is a FWD car and it doesn't make sense to put much torque into a FWD.

The tranny is a 6-speed, and for the first 2-3 minutes when it's still cold the shifting is crude......upshifts get hung up. Also the first 2-3 gears are too short, and as a result it shifts twice before you've finished making a simple right turn. :skep: Too busy.

Ride & handling is pretty good for its class......It's no sport sedan, but it's a good balance. The ride is much smoother than a G6.

But I would never buy this car because its interior is so horrible.....I mean seriously who the fuck is responsible for thsi shit? CHeck out these ghey-ass gauges:

http://img824.imageshack.us/img824/7279/dsc03579v.jpg (http://img824.imageshack.us/i/dsc03579v.jpg/)

Not only do they look retarded, but they are hard to read in the daylight. But the worst offense is the center stack.......You can barely read any of the buttons & switches, the font is so friggin small.....


http://img291.imageshack.us/img291/268/dsc03639e.jpg (http://img291.imageshack.us/i/dsc03639e.jpg/)


What makes it worse is that the console is curved AWAY from the driver, instead of towards him. Seriously, who the fuck designed this?


http://img534.imageshack.us/img534/313/dsc03481f.jpg (http://img534.imageshack.us/i/dsc03481f.jpg/)


And to top it off, the headlight switch is not on a stalk, it's on this lame dial on the left side of the dash. What's fucked up is that it's not lit at night. So, when you go to turn it on or off, you have to hunt for it by feel, and you can accidentally hit the trunk button :td:


http://img529.imageshack.us/img529/1295/dsc03572u.jpg (http://img529.imageshack.us/i/dsc03572u.jpg/)

Not to mention the wiper stalk is not on the right side of the wheel like it should be.....It's on the left, shared with the turn signals. So, if you slap the signals too hard, you make the wipers move. Dumb.

Good review
:dthumb:

[tallywacker]

Ford Fusion
I have rented all 3 of the engine options for this car. The 3.0 flex-fuel V6 is the worst choice, there is a lot of lifter noise & accessory noise, especially when cold. The 3.5 is much nicer & quieter, and pumps out 263hp which is substantial for a car of this size. The 2.5 four-cyl is only 175hp but is smooth for a 4-cyl. All in all, I think this engine "suits" it the best, because this is a FWD car and it doesn't make sense to put much torque into a FWD.

The tranny is a 6-speed, and for the first 2-3 minutes when it's still cold the shifting is crude......upshifts get hung up. Also the first 2 gears are too short, so it shifts twice before you've finished making a simple right turn. :skep: Too busy.

Ride & handling is pretty decent for its class......It's no sport sedan, but it's a good balance. The ride is much smoother than a G6.

But I would never buy this car because its interior is so horrible.....I mean seriously who the fuck is responsible for thsi shit? CHeck out these ghey-ass gauges:

http://img824.imageshack.us/img824/7279/dsc03579v.jpg (http://img824.imageshack.us/i/dsc03579v.jpg/)

Not only do they look retarded, but they are hard to read in the daylight. But the worst offense is the center stack.......You can barely read any of the buttons & switches, the font is so friggin small..... :?:


http://img291.imageshack.us/img291/268/dsc03639e.jpg (http://img291.imageshack.us/i/dsc03639e.jpg/)


Making it even harder to read is the fact that the bottom of the center stack console is curved INWARD, instead of the other way like it should be. Seriously, who the fuck designed this? :?: :lol


http://img534.imageshack.us/img534/313/dsc03481f.jpg (http://img534.imageshack.us/i/dsc03481f.jpg/)


And to top it off, the headlight switch is not on a stalk, it's on this lame dial on the left side of the dash. What's fucked up is that it's not lit at night. So, when you go to turn it on or off, you have to hunt for it by feel, and you can accidentally hit the trunk button :td:


http://img529.imageshack.us/img529/1295/dsc03572u.jpg (http://img529.imageshack.us/i/dsc03572u.jpg/)

Not to mention the wiper stalk is not on the right side of the wheel like it should be.....It's on the left, shared with the turn signals. So, if you slap the signals too hard, you make the wipers move. Dumb.

I guess you have never drove a VW, Audi or most german cars before because that is how the headlight switch is on most or all.

[Homeslice]

I guess you have never drove a VW, Audi or most german cars before because that is how the headlight switch is on most or all.
Except I bet their switch is illuminated, unlike Ford's

[tallywacker]

Except I bet their switch is illuminated, unlike Ford's

Nope no need once your used to it. Also on some German(Only in europe because of the fixed beam height in US) cars there is a switch to raise or lower you headlights.

[Particle Man]

Nope no need once your used to it. Also on some German(Only in europe because of the fixed beam height in US) cars there is a switch to raise or lower you headlights.
That would be so freakin' handy.

[Cutty72]

I guess you have never drove a VW, Audi or most german cars before because that is how the headlight switch is on most or all.

As well as all Fords. With both the headlights and the wipers.

[Homeslice]

As well as all Fords. With both the headlights and the wipers.

Not my Ford Probe, lol

[Particle Man]

Not my Ford Probe, lol

That doesn't count :lol:

[pauldun170]

Not my Ford Probe, lol
I would imagine that the Probe has the more common stalk based setup because of part sharing with the MX-6.

[OneSickPsycho]

Chevy Aveo, Mazda 3, and Chevy Cobalt over the last few months...

Both of the Chevy's were decent, though as you'd expect with a rental they seemed low on options. The only thing I really remember out of all of them is how disappointed I was in the Mazda 3. I think those things are pretty neat looking cars, especially the hatchbacks.... but the fucking thing felt like it was going to fall apart while driving it. SO MUCH road noise and shit too.

[Homeslice]

Chevy Aveo, Mazda 3, and Chevy Cobalt over the last few months...

Both of the Chevy's were decent, though as you'd expect with a rental they seemed low on options. The only thing I really remember out of all of them is how disappointed I was in the Mazda 3. I think those things are pretty neat looking cars, especially the hatchbacks.... but the fucking thing felt like it was going to fall apart while driving it. SO MUCH road noise and shit too.

Compared to a Cobalt, yeah the Mazda is going to have more road noise because it has better handling IMO.

I would imagine that the Probe has the superior stalk-based setup because of part sharing with the MX-6.

fixed

[101lifts2]

Compared to a Cobalt, yeah the Mazda is going to have more road noise because it is less refined IMO.



fixed

No...fixed.:lol

[Homeslice]

Chevy seems to feel that style & handling don't matter. And then they wonder why the only people who buy Cobalts are chicks who work at Red Lobster :lol

[Homeslice]

^ why the fuck does it have a picture of a venus fly-trap on it?

[Gas Man]

I guess you have never drove a VW, Audi or most german cars before because that is how the headlight switch is on most or all.
Really the headlight switches have been there for ever on many cars. At one time, they use to be pulls instead of turn dials. Pretty freakin common.

[Particle Man]

^ why the fuck does it have a picture of a venus fly-trap on it?

To make you ask why.


It worked.

[defector]

2009 Dodge Charger
Handled well, decent power for a V6 (made it to 120 fairly easily). Front seats are decent, rear seats suck if you are over like 5'6, due to the slope of the roof. Trans shifted smooth, and when expected.

A couple things that bothered me: the placement of the turn signal stalk was oddly low (to me), no automatic headlights, and the funky stuff that started coming out of the headliner after two days of Georgia humidity.

[Homeslice]

^ also the fact that it's a very plain, stripped-down looking car, unless you spring for the R/T.

[tallywacker]

Really the headlight switches have been there for ever on many cars. At one time, they use to be pulls instead of turn dials. Pretty freakin common.

Oh I know, alot of my older chevy's had them there as well.

[Chris S]

I just finished a few days w/ an '11 Mustang V6, and thought I'd share a few observations/impressions. A couple friends and I (plus one of their dads) flew into Denver to attend the Motocross of Nations in Lakewood, CO this weekend. I was surprised to see us end up in a new Mustang for a rental car!

I only drove it briefly, but it had plenty of power, even w/ 900+ lbs. of passenger and cargo @ mile-high altitude. The auto transmission didn't really make an impression, which I'd say is a good thing by not bringing attention to itself. It handled respectably, though I didn't find the steering feel to be that great. I can't say the live axle ever made itself known, though we weren't exactly flogging it around twisty backroads.

The doorsills lit up w/ Mustang signage when the door was opened, and the instrumentation could be selected w/ numerous color options.

Now for the negatives: seating is tight for 4 adults. My head was often touching the rear window (I'm 5'11"), and when driving w/ the seat set humanely for the rear passenger, it was uncomfortable to drive. W/o moving the seats, ingress/egress is tight from either the front or rear. As in most coupes, the doors are looooooonnng, no fun getting in or out in tight parking spaces.

The seats were an attractive textured saddle tan, w/ nice stitching. Unfortunately, they felt cheap, and I couldn't determine whether it was nice vinyl or cheap leather. Other plastics looked and felt pretty cheap.

Overall, I'd think it's a great value, esp. for those who won't be carrying passengers regularly. The GT is getting all the attention, but the V6 offers respectable performance as well w/ great economy and likely better insurance rates. Given the compromises of the platform, I'd feel increasingly less enthusiastic about it as various models' MSRP increase.

Furthermore, there's no way I would cross-shop this against an M3. Mustang no doubt offers a better value proposition, but the M3 is superior in comfort, passenger/trunk space, refinement, luxury, and I could go on and on. The ironic thing about them is that them seem pretty similar sized on the outside, but the M3 has a much larger interior - I can only surmise that the live axle is what's eating into interior/trunk space.

[Homeslice]

Really the headlight switches have been there for ever on many cars. At one time, they use to be pulls instead of turn dials. Pretty freakin common.

The point is, how many cars don't have that switch illuminated?

[CasterTroy]

2011 Lincoln Towncar:

I will add more later, but this is what I've gathered in the 4 mile drive from the rental place to my office this AM

Interior:


Front Seat: HUGE.....you could breakdance or gut a full grown whale in the front seat. VERY comfy, lot's of adjustments, but everything is SO far away. Once the seat and pedals are adjusted, you feel like you could make a sandwich and eat it in the time it took you to hit the dash after a front end collision.

Rear seat: HUGE...enough legroom to seat Shaq and 4 other NBA players without ever touching knees.
Will likely test out the coital capabilities of the rear seat at some point this week.

Interior seems well put together, and no cheap buttons by playschool like the lower model Chevrolet models. Everything is very neat and clean lines. What's BAD is the placement of those buttons. Like the seat adjust. It's WAY up on the front part of the door....and not angled slightly so you can see the wording. It's just FLAT. Most japanese or german cars would angle that so you could see it better. And the dash....they cleaned up the button sizes and made them look modern, but they're just placed on the dash. Aslmost like they had this nice big flat plane canvas and cut out paper copies of the buttons and glued them on the dash somewhere until it kinda LOOKED good.

Needless to say the ergo's of the car just don't work. It's not a cockpit by any means....it's a Lazy-boy with a roll up dinner tray placed in front of you.



Exterior:

Friggin HUGE. This is a big ass car! No wonder the old folks take up 2 spaces at the Bojangles in the morning. I can't park this boat anywhere a normal car can park....and turning it takes plenty of pre-determination of where that nose will be mid-turn

Power
Don't pull out in front of anything!! This is not packing any kind of motor that was ever even shown a red bull or any sugar...no energy whatsoever but it FEELS like it would do 120 for the extent of the fuel range with no effort though

Comfort
Am I even driving a car? Holy crap this thing is so smooth and plush....I wanna take a NAP not drive anywhere.

Handling

Ever see Uncle buck?

TOTAL disconnect with the road. I mean literally disconnected. No bumps, no feel, nothing like what you get in a modern car. I truly feel liek I'm driving my grandfathers 69 caddy withOUT the benefit of the 500c.i. 8.2 liter V8 or the fadora with the feather in it.

The reason I'm driving a rental in the first place.....well......long story....so stop now if you just wanted to know about the rental car

Since the wifes new little toy came along the 5-series has been staying outside of the garage. For the first time in 11 years.

Sunday was the first day/night we've had steady rain in a month, and also since the 5-series has been in the rain all day and overnight.

About 12am the alarm goes off......I disarm the alarm, cut on the floodlights and come out of the garage in my underware with my pistol......my neighbor (a shell-shocked Vietnam vet) also emerges from his home with a weapon…..his favorite….the AR he brought back from ‘Nam :rockwoot:

So here we are, in my HOA handcuffed neighborhood, two redneck-rooted hillbilly’s in the rain, out in the driveway brandishing weapons ready to kill some thieves

We chalk it up to someone trying their luck on the door and both go back inside.

About 30 minutes later it happens again. So I disarm the alarm and figure the rain running down the windows has activated the motion sensor, and I just leave the car unlocked.

No more issues.

Until 5am this morning when I go to take the kids to the bus stop.

I open the door and no interior light. Fearing the battery was dead from all the activity I get in and start the car. Starts fine, but no interior light. So as I’m in the car I close the door and the drivers, rear window goes down??!?! OK so I may have hit the switch. I repeat and the same happens. Every time I open the driver’s door the rear window goes down. And despite hitting the up button, it goes right back down.

After a few minutes of this I lock the windows and it stops.

Well as I’m sitting in the car as it’s running with all the doors closed, the interior light comes on and the driver door indicator comes on the dash?!? The door is closed?!?! (I later conclude this was what made the alarm go off, the door indicator thinking it was opened)

Then the radio cuts off completely and will not turn back on. AC compressor shuts down and the turn signals won't work

I’ve got to get the kids to the bus stop so I tell them to come on and we leave.

Going down the road the door indicator and interior lights keep coming on and off randomly.

It looks as if I’m driving along with my own strobe light disco studio going…..and all the while the wipers MAY or may not decide to work…and even on the lowest setting, they decide to SOMETIMES run on high, low or not at all.

Then later when I turn off the wipers……and then decide to turn them on. Every time I flip the lever up, the interior light and door indicator come on at the same time. Then about 1/2 way to work the wipers lock mid stroke......no matter what I do. So I cut them off. Right before I get to work they decide to now work on HIGH....with the switch off


So at lunch I decide to head to Advance Auto to check the battery and the charging system. My buddy Scott was with me and he verfiied the reading on the meter the guy was using since he's got more expereince and knowledge with electrical systems.

Also he disconnected the neg, and jumped the battery to "reset" the computer after he called the BMW service tech at the local dealership. He said most of the time that "reset" would fix small issues. But this is apprently not a small issue.

After I had the battery checked, my buddy and I headed to K&W Cafeteria for some lunch. Then afterwards we come out and look across the parking lot at my car, and saw the wipers on high going all by themselves with me standing there with the key in my hand.


That was just TOO freaky...so I just had Scott follow me to Motorsports connection and dropped the demon-car off. I mean...if the wipers are running full tilt without the key...who knows what ELSE is running?!?!?

After about 4 hours they determine the sunroof drain was stopped up at the bottom somewhere and flooded the dash shorting out the body module (controls all the functions that went haywire) and the lighting module. SO now it's an insurance claim

So after talking to insurance I find out we have a rental car policy and I get a car. We go there this AM to pick up a car, and they want to give me a Kia

I told the guy "no offense man, but I'm just not too keen on going from a BMW to a Kia"

Granted..I'm not an elitist bastard, and in no way am I too GOOD for a Kia....but hey if you're gonna go, go BIG right?

He then says that I have the option for a ford edge or a lincoln towncar, but you have to ask for the towncar..they don't just OFFER it....SOOOO

[Particle Man]

F**k you, I have a Kia redflip

:lol:

[CasterTroy]

hey I SAID I wasn't too good for one :nee: :lol:

But given the option.....when ELSE am I gonna ever drive a Lincoln? :D

[pauldun170]

2011 Lincoln Towncar:

Is big confy boat...
BMW fed after midnight and got wet



:skep:

[Homeslice]

Had a Town Car a year ago......At least the gauges are nice :idk: The mirror control was pretty nice too. The rest of the car is what it is.......basically just a funeral rental.

[anthonyk]

Drove a Nissan Altima hybrid last week. It was fine except for a couple of things:

- I don't like cars with a CVT.

- The car was surging a bit while driving at steady freeway speeds. No big deal, but it was annoying.

Otherwise it was just about as exciting as any other rental I usually get.

[Particle Man]

hey I SAID I wasn't too good for one :nee: :lol:

But given the option.....when ELSE am I gonna ever drive a Lincoln? :D
I'm just a cheap bastard. Both cars are paid off :lol:

[Gas Man]

F**k you, I have a Kia redflip

:lol:

I'm sorry!

[Gas Man]

Drove a Nissan Altima hybrid last week. It was fine except for a couple of things:

- I don't like cars with a CVT.

- The car was surging a bit while driving at steady freeway speeds. No big deal, but it was annoying.

Otherwise it was just about as exciting as any other rental I usually get.

I'm with ya. Those cvt's are for the birds.

[Gas Man]

Had a Town Car a year ago......At least the gauges are nice :idk: The mirror control was pretty nice too. The rest of the car is what it is.......basically just a funeral rental.
What's wrong with that mirror control? Turn the knob to which side you want then adjust. Center is the all off.

[LeeNetworX]

Drove a Nissan Altima hybrid last week. It was fine except for a couple of things:

- I don't like cars with a CVT.

- The car was surging a bit while driving at steady freeway speeds. No big deal, but it was annoying.

Otherwise it was just about as exciting as any other rental I usually get.

CVT FTL. We have an Altima V6 w/6-spd manual and it's fun as balls to drive.

[Homeslice]

What's wrong with that mirror control? Turn the knob to which side you want then adjust. Center is the all off.

Where's the wrong in "pretty nice"? :?:

[Particle Man]

I'm with ya. Those cvt's are for the birds.
Agreed. I hate the stupid things in cars. If I want CVT I'll ride the snowmobile.

I'm sorry!

Don't be: I kick the shut out of it because it's easily replaceable and it keeps coming back for more. It's a pretty solid and reliable car.

[Gas Man]

Where's the wrong in "pretty nice"? :?:
ooops!

[LeeNetworX]

Avis rented me a Suzuki Kazashi this week. It's like a Hyndai Genesis copulated with a Totota Corolla and this was the offspring. And there is a case of mild retardation, which explains the CVT.

I'm having a hard time finding anything I like about the car, and an equally difficult time finding anything I dislike. It's just there and it works when I want it to. Kind of like my oven.

[Homeslice]

Avis rented me a Suzuki Kazashi this week. It's like a Hyndai Genesis copulated with a Totota Corolla and this was the offspring. And there is a case of mild retardation, which explains the CVT.


Says Car & Driver:

The CVT includes paddle shifters as well as a manual mode with six programmed “speeds.” It’s not as wheezy as some in full automatic operation, but in manual mode, the shifts are soggy and forward progress is leisurely, particularly with the added weight of all-wheel drive: 0 to 60 mph comes in 9.4 seconds, the quarter-mile in 17.4 at 83 mph. The pace picks up for a front-drive model with a manual gearbox: 0 to 60 in 7.2.

[LeeNetworX]

OK - now I hate this fucking car. I spent 10 minutes feeling like a dumbass trying to figure out how to open the fucking fuel filler door. No buttons, no latches, nothing on the iKey, etc. A second closer look at the glove box let me see that there was in fact an owner's manual (stuffed in a pocket up top where it fits perfectly) so after a few minutes of perusing that I learned the secret; you have to hold in the unlock button on the iKey while pushing the fuel filler door on a certain side. Who the fuck would think of trying this shit when renting this vehicle? Good thing I found the manual, else I was about to pry open the fuel door with my truck keys and then I'd have to explain the damage.

[Homeslice]

Daewoo junk.

[defector]

Good thing I found the manual, else I was about to pry open the fuel door with my truck keys and then I'd have to explain the damage.

It's a rental, who cares? Don't forget to shit on the rear floorboard before you turn it in.

[azoomm]

http://www.hyundaiusa.com/sonata/

Blech. The only bonus to this vehicle was you had to really pay attention while driving. That meant not falling asleep behind the wheel.

[CasterTroy]

Exploder needed wheel bearings....I had a meeting

2010 Impala:

Interior seemed to be an upgrade from the traditional "playschool" knobs

Handled like an 85 crown vic with bad shocks

Responded to imput about as well as a 14yr girl listening to her father

Brake rotors could have doubled for the cannon portal covers on the mayflower

All in all it performed like a mass produced rental car/cab so I guess it was PERFECT for a rental car :idk:

Why anyone would actually OWN one of these, that didn't issue it as a company car or rental, is beyond me. But it DID catch quite a bit of air on the 1st street hump :rockwoot:

[Sixxxxer]

Days of Thunder Style??

[CasterTroy]

ROAD TRIP style

http://onscreencars.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/road_trip_bridge_jump.jpg

[101lifts2]

2011 Chevy Cruze LT

1.4L Turbocharged 4cylinder Inline
6speed Automatic

Pros: Build Quality, Quiet, Electric Steering, Brake Progression, Solidity, Center electronic speedometer (as with analog)

Cons: Funky Transmission Shifting, Fuel Economy, Lack of a manual trunk release



I spent a week and 370 miles with a 2011 Chevy Cruze. Overall I was VERY impressed with this car. This is by far one of the best small cars I've ever driven and definately the best small car GM has ever made.

Engine
When driving, you wouldn't know this is a turbo model because you cannot hear any turbo noise, though you do get a little surge of power when the RPMs start to climb. The power is better than adequate, but nothing great. The motor moans a tad more than it should, but it is not loud by any means and cruises smoothly on the freeway.

Transmission
This is the biggest weak point with this car. Under light or heavy acceleration, the transmission shifts smoothly and are controlled well. However, start to play with the accelerator and the the transmission gets lost easily. Sometimes the transmission would sit in a low gear for a few seconds with no accelerator input before the upshift would occur. Quite annoying when it happens. I would recommend the manual model.

Chassis
The chassis is a perfect compromise between Japanese aloom and German thud. While I do like my 2010 VW Golf better, the Cruze handles well, soaks up bumps well and doesn't transmit any vibration to the cabin. It's a damn good chassis that results in a very quiet interior noise level on the highway.

Steering and Brakes
I like the steering alot. The full electric assist is a tad light, but I like a tad lighter then stiffer. The calibration on this was done perfectly IMO.

The brakes are firm and work progressively. They seem like typical good Japanese brakes, but not as strong as German. The pedal feel is typical good Japanese.

Interior
The controls are well placed and the gauges are easy to read. Lack of a compass is a downside, but the electronic speedometer that can be changed in the center of the IP works well. Some of the plastic aluminum good gaudy, but it is tastefully done without being too obtrusive. The build quality is excellent with use of good materials. IMO, the Cruze interior is better than Civic, Sentra and Corolla.

Conclusion
If you are looking for a small well built car, then the Cruze is a good choice. After 370 miles, I only averaged 29.8 MPG, so the diesel model in 2013 should be a good alternative IF GM would mate the 1.4L Turbo to a manual transmission or have North America develop the transmission shift logic.

[Homeslice]

Exploder needed wheel bearings....I had a meeting

2010 Impala:

Interior seemed to be an upgrade from the traditional "playschool" knobs

Handled like an 85 crown vic with bad shocks

Responded to imput about as well as a 14yr girl listening to her father

Brake rotors could have doubled for the cannon portal covers on the mayflower

All in all it performed like a mass produced rental car/cab so I guess it was PERFECT for a rental car :idk:

Why anyone would actually OWN one of these, that didn't issue it as a company car or rental, is beyond me. But it DID catch quite a bit of air on the 1st street hump :rockwoot:

Was it an Impala like this?

I don't know if this one was a 2010, but I drove it for a and it was OK. Gauges were excellent. Handling was acceptable for what it was, considering that a car this big is never going to feel sporty unless it's a BMW.

The one thing I couldn't stand was how the center headrest blocked my view out the rear window.


http://i55.tinypic.com/2ah61ea.jpg


:wtfru: :td:

http://i54.tinypic.com/1z1z6e1.jpg

[LeeNetworX]

http://i54.tinypic.com/1z1z6e1.jpg

Why do you look so concerned about what's in your rear view mirror? lol You look like you are waiting for a machette weilding psychopath to jump out and charge the vehicle or something.

[pauldun170]

Why do you look so concerned about what's in your rear view mirror? lol You look like you are waiting for a machette weilding psychopath to jump out and charge the vehicle or something.

:lol

[fasternyou929]

My truck is in the body shop after a run-in with one of America's finest "guests". No license, no insurance (but had bogus insurance information to provide at the scene, a nice touch).

In the meantime, I'm stuck driving a Mitsubishi Galant. I remembered these being nice cars in the late 90's, or at least respectable. The model I have drives like a skate board - loud as hell, lousy handling, tons of play in the steering wheel, plastic interior that would make GM proud, and overall just very uninspired. And too slow to get out of its own way.

If this is the kind of car that appeals to the masses, no wonder it's hard to find a car with an edge anymore.

Can't wait to get my truck back, if I get it back. This rental car will make me appreciate it that much more.

[shmike]

Can't wait to get my truck back, if I get it back. This rental car will make me appreciate it that much more.

Suck to hear about the truck. Is it bad enough that it may get totalled?

I saw a Galant the other day and thought: "I can't believe I thought that was a decent car, once upon a time." :lol:

[fasternyou929]

They're supposed to finish the quote today and I'll find out if they'll fix it or not. So far, the only ray of hope I have is from the estimator telling me "I think we might be able to fix it." We just put an offer in on a house the day after the accident, so I'm really hoping to not have to shell out tens of thousands on a replacement during the mortgage approval process.

:lol: So I'm NOT the only one! When they told me they had a Galant available, I was relieved (my other option was an Impala). Then I saw the car the woman was walking toward... THAT'S a Galant?? Then she opened the door and I got a look inside; nothing like I was expecting. I'm not sure how Mitsubishi stays alive in the car business today.

[Homeslice]

Why do you look so concerned about what's in your rear view mirror? lol You look like you are waiting for a machette weilding psychopath to jump out and charge the vehicle or something.

...
The one thing I couldn't stand was how the center headrest blocked my view out the rear window.

[LeeNetworX]

...

So....you take your rear visibility very seriously. Very. Seriously.

We just put an offer in on a house the day after the accident....

Wat?

Moving already?

[fasternyou929]

So....you take your rear visibility very Wat?

Moving already?
Yeah, we never planned on staying in the current house too long. When we moved up here we only had 60 days in corporate housing, so the pressure was on to find something quickly (and we weren't familiar with the area and/or where we'd like to live at all).

A short sale came on the market recently that was just way too good to pass up, so we put an offer in. I mean, who wouldn't want a 6 car garage? :rockwoot:

[LeeNetworX]

http://www.leenetworx.com/Homeslice.gif

I mean, who wouldn't want a 6 car garage? :rockwoot:

No shit? Pics?

[shmike]

Yeah, we never planned on staying in the current house too long. When we moved up here we only had 60 days in corporate housing, so the pressure was on to find something quickly (and we weren't familiar with the area and/or where we'd like to live at all).

A short sale came on the market recently that was just way too good to pass up, so we put an offer in. I mean, who wouldn't want a 6 car garage? :rockwoot:

Fancy.

From experience, DO NOT fall in love with a short sale.

[fasternyou929]

Yeah, we're not letting ourselves get too hopeful. We've got a contingency plan on a house that's a traditional MLS listing, so if by the end of the week we don't have any traction on the short sale we'll switch gears.

I'll post pictures if it works out, I don't want to jinx anything. :)

[pauldun170]

http://www.leenetworx.com/Homeslice.gif



No shit? Pics?

Holy crap...I laughed bits of pasta noodles into my sinus.

Sinus infection here i come!!

:lol:

[Homeslice]

ok someone has too much time on their hands :lol:

[LeeNetworX]

ok someone has too much time on their hands :lol:

Only took 4-5 minutes. :lol

[101lifts2]

... plastic interior that would make GM proud....

Maybe your father's Oldsmobile, but not the new GM.

[fasternyou929]

Maybe your father's Oldsmobile, but not the new GM.

I know you love GM quality but you and I will never see eye to eye on that. I've ridden in plenty of late model GM's and the interiors never fail to disappoint, even when it's a ZR1 (or should I say, ESPECIALLY when it's a ZR1).

[101lifts2]

Except I bet their switch is illuminated, unlike Ford's

My VW is on the dash (where it should be) and not illuminated. I would rather have it illuminated.

[101lifts2]

I know you love GM quality but you and I will never see eye to eye on that. I've ridden in plenty of late model GM's and the interiors never fail to disappoint, even when it's a ZR1 (or should I say, ESPECIALLY when it's a ZR1).


Ride in a vehicle that came OUT in 2008 or later or was revised in 2008 or later....not a 2008 MY year.

CTS, STS, Malibu etc...the interiors are better than the Japs.

[fasternyou929]

Ride in a vehicle that came OUT in 2008 or later or was revised in 2008 or later....not a 2008 MY year.

CTS, STS, Malibu etc...the interiors are better than the Japs.

I had a 2010 Malibu when I was in Colorado; the interior isn't even in the same class as a Nissan. Having driven this Mitsubishi for a few days, I'll concede and give you that.

But I'm not only comparing it to Japanese cars, more to what one should expect when spending $30k, $60k, $120k on a car. And IMO, GM fails to impress at every price point. Too much plastic, too cookie cutter, and not enough focus on layout.

[Homeslice]

IMO, the Cruze interior is better than Civic, Sentra and Corolla.

The Cruze is impressive, but it's a "world car" designed in conjunction with Opel and Hyundai or something, last I checked. So, Americans can't take all the credit for it.

GM's last "home grown" small cars were the Cobalt and G5, and thankfully they're gone now. :lol:

[Gas Man]

I've drove a rental impalla many times. The backseat headrests are HORRIBLE!! They do just like he said, makes the back window almost uselss.

Other than that, the car is ok for what it is, but what it is... I hate. It's basic 4 door sedan blahness. It embodies everything I hate about normal cars. Trust me I have gave it lots of thought recently while on my new car hunt.

[fasternyou929]

I've drove a rental impalla many times. The backseat headrests are HORRIBLE!! They do just like he said, makes the back window almost uselss.

Other than that, the car is ok for what it is, but what it is... I hate. It's basic 4 door sedan blahness. It embodies everything I hate about normal cars. Trust me I have gave it lots of thought recently while on my new car hunt.

Couldn't agree more. I received a call from Enterprise yesterday telling me the car I was driving had been sold, and I needed to bring it back ASAP. WTF?!

They put me in an Impala instead, which lasted all of 15 minutes... the time it took me to drive home, then to another Enterprise location to swap it out. I could NOT drive that car for 3 weeks.

Now I'm in a 4-door Dodge Dakota and all is right with the world. I didn't know these were an option, and if I were put in one of these initially I wouldn't have had to skip two tracks days Memorial Day weekend.

[101lifts2]

The Cruze is impressive, but it's a "world car" designed in conjunction with Opel and Hyundai or something, last I checked. So, Americans can't take all the credit for it.

GM's last "home grown" small cars were the Cobalt and G5, and thankfully they're gone now. :lol:

The Cruze is a combination of Opel, Daewoo and GM North America, but mainly GM-DAT (Daewoo Automotive Technnologies). The final assembly is Lordstown, OH.

[101lifts2]

Couldn't agree more. I received a call from Enterprise yesterday telling me the car I was driving had been sold, and I needed to bring it back ASAP. WTF?!....

Srsly?:lol: That is fucked up.

Impala's are good for highway cruising with 5 people. They have solid engines and transmissions to last long.

[101lifts2]

I had a 2010 Malibu when I was in Colorado; the interior isn't even in the same class as a Nissan. Having driven this Mitsubishi for a few days, I'll concede and give you that.

But I'm not only comparing it to Japanese cars, more to what one should expect when spending $30k, $60k, $120k on a car. And IMO, GM fails to impress at every price point. Too much plastic, too cookie cutter, and not enough focus on layout.

I've owned a 2008 Malibu LT....VG interior build....but the 3.6L VVT engine was the bread and butter of the car....hella power returning 27mpg city and up to 34 on the highway.

[Gas Man]

Yeah I'm not saying there is anything "wrong" with the impalla/malibu of the world. They are just basic/normal cars. I just like MORE from my cars. I want something that excites me. Need some performence, nice handling, and a stick.

[LeeNetworX]

Yeah I'm not saying there is anything "wrong" with the impalla/malibu of the world. They are just basic/normal cars. I just like MORE from my cars. I want something that excites me. Need some performence, nice handling, and a stick.

They gave me Malibu as my rental when my Xterra was totalled (or was it an Impala?) I don't remember because it was so boring and plain and uninspiring. It moved when I stepped on the gas but other than that, nothing about the car made an impression on me. No strong feelings about it in either direction.

[fasternyou929]

Yeah I'm not saying there is anything "wrong" with the impalla/malibu of the world. They are just basic/normal cars. I just like MORE from my cars. I want something that excites me. Need some performence, nice handling, and a stick.

They gave me Malibu as my rental when my Xterra was totalled (or was it an Impala?) I don't remember because it was so boring and plain and uninspiring. It moved when I stepped on the gas but other than that, nothing about the car made an impression on me. No strong feelings about it in either direction.

Amen.

[101lifts2]

They gave me Malibu as my rental when my Xterra was totalled (or was it an Impala?) I don't remember because it was so boring and plain and uninspiring. It moved when I stepped on the gas but other than that, nothing about the car made an impression on me. No strong feelings about it in either direction.

They gave you the base 4cyl. with 16inch steel wheels and shitty tires.

The LT model is much much better...:idk:

[Particle Man]

They gave me Malibu as my rental when my Xterra was totalled (or was it an Impala?) I don't remember because it was so boring and plain and uninspiring. It moved when I stepped on the gas but other than that, nothing about the car made an impression on me. No strong feelings about it in either direction.I've had 7 as rentals. I haven't written about 'em because they are so boring.

Had a Kia Sorento ('11) last week in Chicago. It was pretty nice. Good ride, decent power, lots of room. Steering was kinda wooden but not too bad. I think that will be my next vehicle when my Optima dies.

[Homeslice]

Actually you need a new Optima. That car turns heads, it looks great and you can get the turbo.

[Particle Man]

Actually you need a new Optima. That car turns heads, it looks great and you can get the turbo.

I want AWD and more cargo space and the ability to tow a snowmobile trailer.

[Homeslice]

I guess you have never drove a VW, Audi or most german cars before because that is how the headlight switch is on most or all.

:skep: My sister's 99 Audi A4 has its headlight switch on a separate stalk, as it should be.

BTW, massive ownage on the Impala. The average sales price is thousands less than MSRP:

[Corey]

BTW, massive ownage on the Impala. The average sales price is thousands less than MSRP:

Strange, I don't recall seeing any Impala cop cars around here. Plenty of Crown Vics, a pretty sizeable number of Dodge Chargers, and a handful of Explorers and the smaller Ford SUV thingy (forgot the name), but no Impalas.

[101lifts2]

Strange, I don't recall seeing any Impala cop cars around here. Plenty of Crown Vics, a pretty sizeable number of Dodge Chargers, and a handful of Explorers and the smaller Ford SUV thingy (forgot the name), but no Impalas.

I see a number of Impalas, but I think the Crown Vics are a much better choice.

[EtyrnuSS]

I used to work for a rental car company. Driven just about everything they carried up to 2010. One thing from personal experience, VWs suck in a rental fleet. Have to have specialized tools, which most companies don't have, oil filters are a pain to get to, lug bolts instead of lug nuts make for an unpleasant surprise the first time you take a tire off one.

Impalas are decent, and pretty reliable. Hyundais and Kias are both pretty good, especially newer ones.

And to the people bashing the Cobalt, as an SS/SC driver, :gofurslf:

[fasternyou929]

Rented a brand new (had 37 miles on it) Dodge Durango for the trip to PA to pick up a car for the wife. It was a nice ride, even in rental car trim. And the ability to control music from your cell phone when streaming over bluetooth was a nice touch.

Solid ride, very quiet (no idea how I made it there without a performance award) and nice feedback from the road. One of the first domestics I have been a fan of in a very long time.

[Particle Man]

Nissan Cube. More to come but: who the fuck thought this thing was a good idea?

[Corey]

Nissan Cube. More to come but: who the fuck thought this thing was a good idea?

http://images.wikia.com/tig/images/8/82/Minecraft.jpg

Yo.

[derf]

I see a number of Impalas, but I think the Crown Vics are a much better choice.

I am seeing more and more impalas, as well as chargers and challengers. The current problem with crown vics is that they arent making them any more 9or will stop very soon). The design is proven and has been for the last 3 decades with some upgrades. they are the staple of police force and taxi companies across america but their terrible fuel mileage and decades old and expensive design have forced people to look elsewhere at newer and cheaper designs.

A while back I read somewhere that most police forces that bought into the impalas were sorry they did, the abuse the cars took as daily cruisers were too much for the car and while they saved on initial purchase price and on fuel, maintenance and repair costs are astronomical

[Particle Man]

I am seeing more and more impalas, as well as chargers and challengers. The current problem with crown vics is that they arent making them any more 9or will stop very soon). The design is proven and has been for the last 3 decades with some upgrades. they are the staple of police force and taxi companies across america but their terrible fuel mileage and decades old and expensive design have forced people to look elsewhere at newer and cheaper designs.

A while back I read somewhere that most police forces that bought into the impalas were sorry they did, the abuse the cars took as daily cruisers were too much for the car and while they saved on initial purchase price and on fuel, maintenance and repair costs are astronomical

I can believe that. I know a few people who own some and their biggest complaint is having to constantly either replace or grease the steering shaft and other assorted drive bits and that the suspension craps out even under light use.

[Homeslice]

I thought most police preferred RWD anyway.

[Cutty72]

I am seeing more and more impalas, as well as chargers and challengers. The current problem with crown vics is that they arent making them any more 9or will stop very soon). The design is proven and has been for the last 3 decades with some upgrades. they are the staple of police force and taxi companies across america but their terrible fuel mileage and decades old and expensive design have forced people to look elsewhere at newer and cheaper designs.

A while back I read somewhere that most police forces that bought into the impalas were sorry they did, the abuse the cars took as daily cruisers were too much for the car and while they saved on initial purchase price and on fuel, maintenance and repair costs are astronomical

The impala's were coming in to slowly replace the crown vic as a more economical car. Since the Charger was released, departments (at least around here) are switching over to that instead. Haven't seen a new impala on the force in the last couple years. Crown Vic's last MY for the public was 2009. They were going to make another run in 2010 for Law Enforcement and other fleet users and then can it completly.

I thought most police preferred RWD anyway.

Yup, hence the change to the Charger.

[shmike]

Had a Dodge Charger for a week and a 1/2.

Everything Homeslice has said about high door sills and small windows is true.

Ri-fucking-diculous blind spots. Terrible all around visibility and the mirrors stare directly at the rear fenders.

The sloping roof meant almost no headroom in the back seat but the trunk was huge.

The drive was decent and the interior had a few nice touches but overall I wished we had just stuck with the Impala we were originally given.

[LeeNetworX]

Avis tried to rent me another 4-cyl Altima for the 3rd time in a row this week while on business. Told them they were boring me and they gave me one of the new 306hp V6 Mustangs. Other than the seat comfort and the anemic sounding exhaust (the V6 Mustang I rented about 2 years ago had a throatier exhaust note), I'm having a hard time finding something I don't like about this car. Plenty of power across the RPM range, smooth shifting transmission, good fuel efficiency and I really like the styling. No blind spots, good visibility in the mirrors. Fun to drive.

[MILK]

4cy Ford Fusion - aka the Lawnmower. Yikes. My 10 year Toyota Camry was quieter, smoother, and had more power. Oh and it had a better ride. Rented the Lawnmower because I wasn't comfortable driving the Camry to Maryland as it had 201,000 miles on it. Wish I had though! Bought a V6 Rav4 Sport last Friday. No more Ford renting for me, lol.

[anthonyk]

Crazy, I was just about to update this thread, too. I had a Dodge Avenger last week, and was not a fan. The interior controls seemed chintzy, and the transmission usually took several tries to go from 2 to 3 under moderate throttle in town.

Also hopped in a friend's Challenger. That interior was nicer (not surprising, since the trim package was better). The glaring problem was there was no quick way to fold the driver's side seat forward so someone could climb in back. It was a power seat with no manual release, so you had to adjust it forward (and then back) with the switches. Pretty annoying for a 2-door.

Not impressed with Dodge these days.

[Homeslice]

4cy Ford Fusion - aka the Lawnmower. Yikes. My 10 year Toyota Camry was quieter, smoother, and had more power. Oh and it had a better ride. Rented the Lawnmower because I wasn't comfortable driving the Camry to Maryland as it had 201,000 miles on it. Wish I had though! Bought a V6 Rav4 Sport last Friday. No more Ford renting for me, lol.

Strange, I thought the Fusion's 4-cyl was a decent, smooth motor, and it rode very well for the class of car it's in. Problem is the horrible dashboard, with un-readable buttons & gauges.

[Homeslice]

Avis tried to rent me another 4-cyl Altima for the 3rd time in a row this week while on business. Told them they were boring me and they gave me one of the new 306hp V6 Mustangs. Other than the seat comfort and the anemic sounding exhaust (the V6 Mustang I rented about 2 years ago had a throatier exhaust note), I'm having a hard time finding something I don't like about this car. Plenty of power across the RPM range, smooth shifting transmission, good fuel efficiency and I really like the styling. No blind spots, good visibility in the mirrors. Fun to drive.

Was this the new model Mustang? Agree they look a lot better than before.

[MILK]

Strange, I thought the Fusion's 4-cyl was a decent, smooth motor, and it rode very well for the class of car it's in. Problem is the horrible dashboard, with un-readable buttons & gauges.

I was sorely disappointed. My Camry was so old yet I wished several times I had it rather than the Fusion with 15,000 miles. The Camry was still running perfectly fine too, but was getting to the age where everything needed replacing.

I really thought Ford might have done something in the last 10 years.

My step-dad is a DIE HARD Ford man and after driving a Fusion bought a Honda Civic. Until then I've never seen him drive anything but a Ford.

[JARVIS518]

recently rented a fiat 500 down in sofla, fun and snappy for a small car, tight handleing, smooth comfortable ride but forget getting in the back seat. and for being a small car it was horrible on gas, maybe like 26mpg

[Gas Man]

Avis tried to rent me another 4-cyl Altima for the 3rd time in a row this week while on business. Told them they were boring me and they gave me one of the new 306hp V6 Mustangs. Other than the seat comfort and the anemic sounding exhaust (the V6 Mustang I rented about 2 years ago had a throatier exhaust note), I'm having a hard time finding something I don't like about this car. Plenty of power across the RPM range, smooth shifting transmission, good fuel efficiency and I really like the styling. No blind spots, good visibility in the mirrors. Fun to drive.
My neighbor just got one for his wife last week... hopefully snag a ride in it this week.

[LeeNetworX]

Was this the new model Mustang? Agree they look a lot better than before.

Yep - '12 model. I really like the slight changes they made in the 'bulges' in the quarters and the rear lip spoiler is similar to that on the new Camaros. The front end also has a more aggressive look on the profile.

[LeeNetworX]

My neighbor just got one for his wife last week... hopefully snag a ride in it this week.

I'll say it again - I find it fun to drive. An aftermarket exhuast would definitely up the fun factor.

[Smittie61984]

Just saw this thread. I rented a HHR in Tampa. That car did blow. The worst part was I couldn't see shit above me. Perfect for an old short person.

I rented a jeep while in Turks and Caicos. That was badass! Especially considering we had to go down a long dirt road to get to our house then up a big hill.

[Cutty72]

Not a rental, but a gov TMP is a 2009 Jeep Patriot. How Jeep can even put its name on this vehicle is crazy. FWD w/ 4x4 option is a joke, the engine is anemic at best. A CVT transmission? Really? Ok, lets just run at 6k until it blows...
Cruising on interstate it sat around 4200 rpm. Stupid.
Cargo room blows, as does seating room in the back seat.

I see absolutely no positives about this vehicle, other than the gov bought them and I'm not paying for gas (thankfully), I'd rather pay for fuel in my 3/4 ton diesel.

[Particle Man]

I've been stuck with 7 Malibu's over the past couple months while on business trips. It's a quiet and comfortable car, however, the thing is WAY under powered with the 4 cyl engine. The transmission just makes it worse: If you push it off the line, the thing will actually red-line and bounce off the limiter before before catching up and going to the next gear... Which is interesting because you're lucky if you're doing 3mph by that point :lol:

[LeeNetworX]

Not a rental, but a gov TMP is a 2009 Jeep Patriot. How Jeep can even put its name on this vehicle is crazy. FWD w/ 4x4 option is a joke, the engine is anemic at best. A CVT transmission? Really? Ok, lets just run at 6k until it blows...
Cruising on interstate it sat around 4200 rpm. Stupid.
Cargo room blows, as does seating room in the back seat.

I see absolutely no positives about this vehicle, other than the gov bought them and I'm not paying for gas (thankfully), I'd rather pay for fuel in my 3/4 ton diesel.

CVTs fucking suck. Can't say it enough.

[CasterTroy]

Not a rental, but a gov TMP is a 2009 Jeep Patriot. How Jeep can even put its name on this vehicle is crazy. FWD w/ 4x4 option is a joke, the engine is anemic at best. A CVT transmission? Really? Ok, lets just run at 6k until it blows...
Cruising on interstate it sat around 4200 rpm. Stupid.
Cargo room blows, as does seating room in the back seat.

I see absolutely no positives about this vehicle, other than the gov bought them and I'm not paying for gas (thankfully), I'd rather pay for fuel in my 3/4 ton diesel.

Our secretary has one. They regret that decision on a daily basis. As not only is it a suck-ass vehicle to start with, but almost everything on it has broken or worn out in 2 years. I've told her many times it'd be cheaper to pay someone to steal it, burn it and then claim it on insurance.

Umm...... Of course I never SAID those things to her....and of course we've never actually DISCUSSED this option :skep:

[Homeslice]

Had to google Jeep Patriot to learn what it was. When I saw that it uses the same chassis as a Dodge Caliber, it explained everything.

[anthonyk]

I've been stuck with 7 Malibu's over the past couple months while on business trips. It's a quiet and comfortable car, however, the thing is WAY under powered with the 4 cyl engine. The transmission just makes it worse: If you push it off the line, the thing will actually red-line and bounce off the limiter before before catching up and going to the next gear... Which is interesting because you're lucky if you're doing 3mph by that point :lol:

Just got one on this trip. I'll have to test that out. :lol:

[Corey]

This past weekend, my friend and I rented a late model Mercury Grand Marquis. This one had all the power options, leather, and whatever else. My review of it is slightly skewed, though. We drove a non-turbo diesel flatbed tow truck hauling a 9,000 pound wheel lift tow truck up to North Carolina from Florida preceding the rental, so anything that wasn't cramped, uncomfortable, and slow was a blessing.

That said, the seats were comfortable. The leather felt a little cheap, almost plasticy/synthetic. Power wasn't bad. There seemed to be some slight hesitation from hitting the throttle to actually responding. The steering was ridiculously floaty. It took more effort to stay in a lane than any car should have. The trunk was massive. It was easily in the tier where capacity is measured in dead bodies, rather than groceries. Not a horrible ride, especially after being stuck in a truck that literally took miles to reach 60 mph, but nothing I'd ever want to own.

[anthonyk]

I measure all my cars' trunks in bodies. Except the Mini I'm currently driving. That'd require using children, and that's a bit creepy.

I kind of miss the VW Jetta's 3-body trunk.

[Corey]

I measure all my cars' trunks in bodies. Except the Mini I'm currently driving. That'd require using children, and that's a bit creepy.

I kind of miss the VW Jetta's 3-body trunk.

How about midgets? Less creepy, more festive.

[anthonyk]

Good call. It's definitely a 2-midget trunk.

[HurricaneHeather]

I measure all my cars' trunks in bodies. Except the Mini I'm currently driving. That'd require using children, and that's a bit creepy.

I kind of miss the VW Jetta's 3-body trunk.

I think my Jettas had 4 body trunks. Loved it.

[Particle Man]

Just got one on this trip. I'll have to test that out. :lol:

That was supposed to read "30mph" but I think I'll leave it as-is... it's funnier that way :lol:

[Gas Man]

CVTs fucking suck. Can't say it enough.

I must agree.

Had a caliber one time on rental and it sucked so bad. I was never happier to rid myself of tt car.

I will add that I recently rented a dodge caravan crew for a drivers class at work. Omg how do they sell those things? Seats are the most uncomfortable pieces of shit board I've ever sat in. Maybe a slight notch better than a go-cart. In the third row there is NO foot room because you can't get your feet under the seat in front of u.
That class was 5 hours of seating torcher.

[Cutty72]

I must agree.

Had a caliber one time on rental and it sucked so bad. I was never happier to rid myself of tt car.

I will add that I recently rented a dodge caravan crew for a drivers class at work. Omg how do they sell those things? Seats are the most uncomfortable pieces of shit board I've ever sat in. Maybe a slight notch better than a go-cart. In the third row there is NO foot room because you can't get your feet under the seat in front of u.
That class was 5 hours of seating torcher.

We also have these as Gov vehicles. (Grand caravans I guess, same thing) I agree, the seats suck! Front 2 aren't bad, but any of the passenger seats are terrible. Does have decent power and we're seeing around 25 mpg average on them.

[askmrjesus]

How about midgets? Less creepy, more festive.

Exactly.

Nothing says, "great party", more than dead midgets.

JC

[anthonyk]

Exactly.

Nothing says, "great party", more than dead midgets.

JC

In my experience, they're not all that talkative. But then, you move in some different circles.

[askmrjesus]

In my experience, they're not all that talkative. But then, you move in some different circles.

True.

By the time they get to me, you can't shut them up, "Hey, I can reach the sink now, I can change light bulbs!".

It's annoying, but what are you going to do?

JC

[RACER X]

Just turned in a mercury mkz

Meh was alrighht, overly boosted brakes and steering
Interior was quiet but the tires were noisy which transmitted a lot of road noise
Dash was decent
Heated seats were terrible heated up my knee pit, but not my butt or lower back

For a "luxury" car no gps or sunroof
Back seat fit 2 adults fine
Big trunk

[TYEster]

Orange Lamborghini Gallardo LP560...

*Rented* for 5 laps around the "short" course at Las Vegas MotorSpeedway.(wedding gift from my gal) Initial thoughts after driving a car NOT a Lamborghini, I totally understand where that money you spend on it goes. Sure it can't wheelie or stoppie, and AWD makes it a tad more difficult to do a burnout. But that thing sure can rocket around a track as quick as a literbike with a skilled rider. My only complaint( and this probably driver error) is that it tended to push a little into turns when coming in hot. But I was warned of that before selecting this car instead of a RWD car. But all I can say is Bucket List Item #52 has been checked off.

Hoping to return to Vegas for an Anniversary to do it all again.

[RACER X]

Saweeeeeet!

[Particle Man]

GMC Acadia.

Decent power
Very comfortable
Steering tuned for a parking lot rather than a highway though not too bad
Good audio system
Neat toys (backup camera, 3rd row seating, heated seats, rear moon roof)

Shitty mileage (got 15-17 hwy)

[RACER X]

toy corolla LE

very suprised and how nice it was, wasn't over the top, but it had everything you want or need, pw, pd, cruise, aux input

steering was fine
brakes a little overboosted but not bad
very quiet inside

perfect lil commuter car, alot better then the Mercury we had last week at prob. close to 2x the price of the corolla

[Homeslice]

^ I would certainly hope the corolla is nice, seeing how it's twice as big as it used to be

[Gas Man]

I hate you tye... pure jealous. What was the cost on that?

[shmike]

I hate you tye... pure jealous. What was the cost on that?

The Corolla?

About $125/wk. redflip

[Gas Man]

Oh yeah the corolla.. NOT!

[TYEster]

I hate you tye... pure jealous. What was the cost on that?

5 laps in the car at the track, $299? But we included it on our trip to Vegas, so the whole trip to and from the track plus accomodations was alot more.

Check out exoticsracing.com to see their WHOLE fleet. We only got certain car choices as apart of our trip packages but they have at least 10 diff models.

[Gas Man]

$300 isn't bad really.

[TYEster]

$300 isn't bad really.

Not considering the initial cost of the vehicle($245k)... And since we were in Vegas, if you can get lucky at the tables, I would've put some more money down and driven the 458 Italia.

Ferraris aren't my thing at all, until I sat in that one. Which is another thing... What REALLY makes that a good deal is once you sign up to drive one, or even if you're there to watch, you can walk around and sit in what I estimated to be about $4 million dollars worth of exotic cars for the day. May not seem like something fun, but I probably wouldn't get to do this anywhere or any other time in my life. And it was awesome!

[Homeslice]

Yeah, last I checked, you would have to pay $2-3K to rent a car like that for a day on the street. Plus put some kind of huge deposit down.

[Particle Man]

Not considering the initial cost of the vehicle($245k)... And since we were in Vegas, if you can get lucky at the tables, I would've put some more money down and driven the 458 Italia.

Ferraris aren't my thing at all, until I sat in that one. Which is another thing... What REALLY makes that a good deal is once you sign up to drive one, or even if you're there to watch, you can walk around and sit in what I estimated to be about $4 million dollars worth of exotic cars for the day. May not seem like something fun, but I probably wouldn't get to do this anywhere or any other time in my life. And it was awesome!

damn. And by "damn", I mean "DAAAAAYUM"

[Smittie61984]

$300 isn't bad really.

Yeah. It just means you have to bang 1 less hooker.

[Corey]

Yeah. It just means you have to bang 1 less hooker.

That's asking a lot.

[Gas Man]

Tye that is AWESOME!

[Homeslice]

Ford Focus SEL

Ford deserves to be proud of this car. It is leagues better than the prior Focus, which was a boring POS imo. For one thing, it doesn't have any of the slab-sided, boxy styling that plagues most American economy cars like Cobalts, Avengers, Calibers, etc. The catfish grill might be a little overdone, but the rest of the body is excellent.

http://i42.tinypic.com/21m6zy8.jpg


http://i39.tinypic.com/29f2w50.jpg

This SEL version has a leather-wrapped steering wheel with a couple of awesome “bulges” at 10 and 2 o’clock, the way all steering wheels should. Like many Fords, there are adjustable LED mood lights for the footwells, map pockets, cupholder, and door releases. The windshield wipers are cool, because they sweep in opposite directions like a Mercedes. And like a good European car, the turn signals give 3 signals if you blip it for lane changes. The only shortcoming is that the basic seats don't have any lumbar adjustment, but there are better seats available.

The Microsoft “In-Sync” system is ok I guess, if you get off on such things. There is also a bigger system available called My Touch.

http://i40.tinypic.com/seung3.jpg


The climate control setup is very good --- It has dual climate zones first of all, and it doesn’t turn on the AC compressor unless you push the AC button, unlike some cars that try to make that decision for you.


http://i44.tinypic.com/e0h3lz.jpg

The steering is VERY good for an economy car. Firm, accurate, etc. Handling is very decent as well. The upcoming Focus ST will be even better. As far as ride quality goes, it’s decent over small bumps, but over larger bumps it bottoms out and sometimes forces the car to step out, revealing the economy origins of the setup.

The brakes are a little too abrupt and over-boosted, IMO.

The tranny is a 6-speed auto, which means good acceleration if you're flooring it, but if you’re just taking it easy, the first 3 gearchanges feel kind of confused & random. It also has a Sport mode which provides higher rpm shifts, and downshifts when you brake.

Overall, I see no point in buying a Fusion over this car. The only thing the Fusion does better is ride quality. I doubt if it offers much more room inside. Plus the Fusion's dashboard sucks IMO.

[Cass]

Chevy Malibu for a week.

Seats weren't terrible, though I'm pretty sure both front seats had assprints in them by the time we returned it. Pretty sure it had a 4banger in it, we were getting ~30mpg highway, with <200miles city driving mixed in. Plenty of room for my shortness and 2 tall male type people. Power ports front and rear so we didn't have to argue over who was charging what. Could've used a rear AC/vent thingie, but the child back there wears a coat all the time anyway, so it didn't REALLY matter.

Easy to drive, satellite radio subscription was still active, woohoo! There was a phone button on the rear view mirror, and it looked like it was set up for bluetooth, but I couldn't get it to pairing mode, and didn't care enough to get the book and find out. Boyfriend was NOT a fan of the soft blue lights that shine down on the center console area, but I liked them.

Saved me probably $100 or better in gas compared to my truck, and has a damn working radio :lol: (that's another story).

[derf]

Ford mustang for the week, will provide a writeup next week, but I will say the v8 has some big balls and it took a fairly tight on ramp starting at 40 and getting a little squirley around 80 when I roasted onto the highway

[Homeslice]

Ford mustang for the week, will provide a writeup next week, but I will say the v8 has some big balls and it took a fairly tight on ramp starting at 40 and getting a little squirley around 80 when I roasted onto the highway

You sure it was a V8? Seems like most rental places would only stock the base-model V6.

[derf]

You sure it was a V8? Seems like most rental places would only stock the base-model V6.

M beight the v6, but it's st least as powerful as the last model v8, if not more powerful

[Sean]

Chevy Malibu for a week.

Seats weren't terrible, though I'm pretty sure both front seats had assprints in them by the time we returned it. Pretty sure it had a 4banger in it, we were getting ~30mpg highway, with <200miles city driving mixed in. Plenty of room for my shortness and 2 tall male type people. Power ports front and rear so we didn't have to argue over who was charging what. Could've used a rear AC/vent thingie, but the child back there wears a coat all the time anyway, so it didn't REALLY matter.

Easy to drive, satellite radio subscription was still active, woohoo! There was a phone button on the rear view mirror, and it looked like it was set up for bluetooth, but I couldn't get it to pairing mode, and didn't care enough to get the book and find out. Boyfriend was NOT a fan of the soft blue lights that shine down on the center console area, but I liked them.

Saved me probably $100 or better in gas compared to my truck, and has a damn working radio :lol: (that's another story).

I loved the Malibu I got. Small 4 banger + 6 speed with paddle shifters = fun!

[Gas Man]

The new v6 is more powerfull than the prev v8. My neighbor has one for his wife and it's real nice.

[derf]

I did a small burnout last night, now the car smells like burnt rubber

[Cass]

I loved the Malibu I got. Small 4 banger + 6 speed with paddle shifters = fun!

dammitsomuch, I got the wrong one :lol:

ours had a "manual mode" but the gear "shifter" was on the regular shifter... and was freaking broken. so it was just a plain-ol automatic

[Cutty72]

You sure it was a V8? Seems like most rental places would only stock the base-model V6.

Many are stocking the GT model as well, for the "sports enthusiast".

I think Hertz has some special branded ones for awhile too.

[Homeslice]

Many are stocking the GT model as well, for the "sports enthusiast".

I think Hertz has some special branded ones for awhile too.

Yeah Hertz has their "Adrenaline Collection" (ghey)

I rented from them recently......Never again......I like to walk outside and pick my car, not have someone pick it for me and then make me walk back to ask for a different car if I don't like it.

[EpyonXero]

Rented a manual Chevy Optra in Chile last week for a couple of days. All they had were manuals so I had to re-learn how to drive a stick in a busy town which was interesting, I hadnt driven a stick since about 2002 and even then it wasnt regularly. The car itself was small and basic but I burned through two tanks of gas on mountain dirt roads and it took it all like a champ, I was impressed.

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_dg6NGkwIsqY/TF0LXjUXTwI/AAAAAAAABmY/9uAhJNHERUY/s1600/2005_chevrolet_optra-pic-.jpg

[Gas Man]

I'm picking up a rental tomry for business trip next week. Mid sized somin. I'm scared.

[Gas Man]

I'm picking up a rental tomry for business trip next week. Mid sized somin. I'm scared.

Ended up with a 10k odo Challenger... of course a V-6

9145

It's ok but with some flaws. Rides fine, about as well as any car in this price range. Will tell ya Tuesday what kind of gas milage I'm getting on the highway.

Made pittsburg in 4 hours doing 75 on a bit over a 1/2 a tank.

The front side door windows SUCK! It's another example of why doors without top frames suck. I can hear wind noise coming from the top rear corner of the drivers door window.

Then I drove it in rain... I can hear the rear wheel wells like it's a stripped down truck with no rear cab wall. SHITTY!!

I have to give it a thumbs down just on the cabin noise alone. I have had quieter eco box cars.

[Homeslice]

^ the other thing about base-model Dodges is that they LOOK like rental cars, because they are utterly devoid of any trim.

[Gas Man]

True. But it does have heated cloth seats! LOL

[derf]

Ford mustang v6:

http://img802.imageshack.us/img802/8692/imag0956.jpg

http://img714.imageshack.us/img714/1481/imag0957.jpg

Nice car overall, I wouldnt pay the amount of money that it costs, but its not a bad car. I got an average of 24 mpg over almost 600 miles (according to the cars MPG gauge).

The stuff that bothered me:
1. if you are gonna put accent lights inside the car, at least make them match. I counted 4 different color lights inside the car. WTF?
2.There is no back seat
3. The steering wheel almost feels disconnected while on the highway (more on this later)
4. The suspension feels like it is set for super comfort (its supposed to be a sports car)
5. Stupid frameless windows always bouncing around.

The stuff I liked:
1. Very comfortable fit my ass like a glove
2. Despite its need to flow across the highway (and I mean in any direction except straight) it cornered like it was on rails.
3. The V6 has more power than the last gen V8. I was able to light up the tires without a problem

[Homeslice]

^ there should be a control allowing you to change the color of the accent lights. At least there is in the Focus and the Fusion.

And I love the rear end of the new Mustang. They really improved it a lot. Too bad its hood and dash are still so high.

[pauldun170]

I think the Aceent light are adjustable, at least according to o insideline

[derf]

^ there should be a control allowing you to change the color of the accent lights. At least there is in the Focus and the Fusion.

And I love the rear end of the new Mustang. They really improved it a lot. Too bad its hood and dash are still so high.

I had the car a week, and played with every switch knob and dial I could find, and I couldn't see a way to change the color. The foot well was green, the gauges were either blue or white, the cup holders were blue and the radio was that awe-full digital aqua color that they love so much.

But yeh the styling is pretty bad ass. And the size of the hood wasn't a problem for me, but the rear windows were 100% useless, I couldn't see anything behind the massive blind spots