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What is your priority in purchasing a car/truck/vehicle?

What are your top priorities in buying a car/truck/SUV?

  • The cost of buying the vehicle

    Votes: 34 61.8%
  • Fuel economy and/or how green the vehicle is

    Votes: 31 56.4%
  • How much/how many it can carry - big is better

    Votes: 4 7.3%
  • Luxury/comfort

    Votes: 14 25.5%
  • Performance - ie powerful and fast

    Votes: 22 40.0%
  • Country of origin/brand

    Votes: 9 16.4%
  • Safety of driver and passengers

    Votes: 18 32.7%
  • How the car looks - cute, sharp, prestige

    Votes: 17 30.9%
  • Length warranty

    Votes: 10 18.2%
  • Multi-use capability (4 wheel drive etc). both as car/truck etc

    Votes: 16 29.1%

  • Total voters
    55
I rented an Edge on a trip and was VERY impressed by it.

We have been very happy with ours. It's been to Florida three times as well as several other long trips with 0 problems. Has plenty of room, power, and sufficient MPG for a car it's size.
 
:2wave: Learned that one the hard way.

As an x transmission guy I can say the Taurus most certainly had an issue with it's transmissions. As did the Dodge minivans, Trucks, Chevy Trucks, and most front wheel drives. The worst was the Cadillac 4T80E.
 
One thing that I don't care for regarding newer trucks, both Ford and Chevy/GM, is that they're too tall. I'm 5'-8", which is very average, and have a hard time reaching into the bed to access stuff. I had a 2002 F150 for several years and it was lower than the current models and it was perfect.

Have to agree with you on this. I'm 5'9" and the bed of my truck practically comes up to my armpits. It can be tough to reach over and take stuff out of the bed. I have learned to just open the tailgate and go get it. It also keeps me from scratching the side of the bed taking stuff out from the side.
 
They don't make them like this anymore. I really liked those 3 ton Lincolns.

 
well i hope they bring it back and maybe one day ill get one
I also hope they bring some type of ranger back

they have one in Australia and people (car mags) seem to love it but for now its not planned to come here.

A ranger with the some type of new ecoboost though would be awesome

right now they have the 1.6, 2.0 and 3.5 out supposedly they are supposed to have 3 more out?????
and the 1.6 is getting revamped to a 1.5 and it had some issues.

so maybe a 3.0(Ranger) and a 4.0(type of mustang) ?????? that would crazy.

Heres the ford ranger in aussyland

View attachment 67155189

I never did understand why Ford quit making the Ranger here? My buddy was devastated when they stopped production here. He has owned at least 5 of them, totaling all but the current one. Seemed like they were everywhere, but maybe sales fell off?

That Ecoboost is a big hit with Ford and seems like the future for the company. I would personally like to see a small Diesel engine in the 1/2 tons. Have to wait and see.

That Aussie Ranger is pretty sweet looking. Maybe they will eventually make it here and you can get that.
 
As an x transmission guy I can say the Taurus most certainly had an issue with it's transmissions. As did the Dodge minivans, Trucks, Chevy Trucks, and most front wheel drives. The worst was the Cadillac 4T80E.
One of my Mazdas was a 1999 626, built by Ford in Michigan. Best car I ever had. Anyway, about a year after I bought it a guy thought he was being all cool telling me what trouble I was going to have with the transmission in a few years. Our conversation went something like this...

Him: You're going to hate that car in a few years when you have to replace the transmission. (Automatics were Ford trannys)
Me: No I won't.
Him: You don't think so? (With accompanying smirk)
Me: I got the stick, and it was imported from Japan.
Him: Oh.

Oh, I traded in a 1991 Dodge Dakota with auto trans problems when I bought the Mazda.
 
One of my Mazdas was a 1999 626, built by Ford in Michigan. Best car I ever had. Anyway, about a year after I bought it a guy thought he was being all cool telling me what trouble I was going to have with the transmission in a few years. Our conversation went something like this...

Him: You're going to hate that car in a few years when you have to replace the transmission. (Automatics were Ford trannys)
Me: No I won't.
Him: You don't think so? (With accompanying smirk)
Me: I got the stick, and it was imported from Japan.
Him: Oh.

Oh, I traded in a 1991 Dodge Dakota with auto trans problems when I bought the Mazda.

Nice. Yeah anytime you can get a stick shift you are better off. A clutch is much easier and cheaper to replace than a trans.
 
Nice. Yeah anytime you can get a stick shift you are better off. A clutch is much easier and cheaper to replace than a trans.
I love driving a stick, and for some unknown reason I am easy on clutches (even though I am an aggressive driver). Someway, somehow... knock on wood... I have never replaced a clutch in my life.

When doing my research prior to buying that Mazda almost all the so-called expert websites warned against a stick because they have lower resale value than an auto. Ok, sure, as far as that goes. But, I figure that I saved more in gas costs driving the stick than anything I would have lost in resale value. Plus, my pleasure in driving the stick has value, too.

The only time I would actually prefer having an automatic would be if I had daily stop-and-go city commuting.
 
I never did understand why Ford quit making the Ranger here? My buddy was devastated when they stopped production here. He has owned at least 5 of them, totaling all but the current one. Seemed like they were everywhere, but maybe sales fell off?

That Ecoboost is a big hit with Ford and seems like the future for the company. I would personally like to see a small Diesel engine in the 1/2 tons. Have to wait and see.

That Aussie Ranger is pretty sweet looking. Maybe they will eventually make it here and you can get that.

Sales were poor for the Ranger, fuel economy was poor and its safety would be very out of date

Both GM and Ford offer compact pickups in foreign markets that they are thinking of bringing to the US. GM is further along in that process then Ford
 
The public prestige factor of Nissan Zs has fallen significantly. Their twin turbos used to be seen is as killer performance cars. Now they are rarely mentioned. Not sure why.

They are stuck in an open space in the market with no other competitors in the price or performance range

The Mustang GT 2012 and newer are faster and cheaper (412 or so hp vs 332), the Camaro SS is faster and cheaper. The 90s twin turbo 300 ZX had the performance of a vette from the same time, with a much better interior. The 370Z is not close to the performance of the Vette, but is cheaper
 
I love driving a stick, and for some unknown reason I am easy on clutches (even though I am an aggressive driver). Someway, somehow... knock on wood... I have never replaced a clutch in my life.

When doing my research prior to buying that Mazda almost all the so-called expert websites warned against a stick because they have lower resale value than an auto. Ok, sure, as far as that goes. But, I figure that I saved more in gas costs driving the stick than anything I would have lost in resale value. Plus, my pleasure in driving the stick has value, too.

The only time I would actually prefer having an automatic would be if I had daily stop-and-go city commuting.

You said it. I prefer a manual transmission over an automatic also. I have replaced many of my own clutches through the years, but always from abuse.

I can see them saying the resale value would be lower due to the amount of younger people who can not drive a stick. I guess that would take away a good chunk of the market. MPG on a stick is def better than an auto so you are right on the fuel savings. Even though my truck is an auto ( mainly because Ford no longer offers a manual in the 1/2 tons ) I would rather have the manual.
 
Sales were poor for the Ranger, fuel economy was poor and its safety would be very out of date

Both GM and Ford offer compact pickups in foreign markets that they are thinking of bringing to the US. GM is further along in that process then Ford

I guess that makes sense then. Does GM still sell that Colorado? I keep thinking I still see them on the lots. I believe Dodge stopped selling the Dakota.

Funny thing is right after we were all discussing this small truck deal, my buddy who is a huge Ranger nut called my talking about the Aussie Ranger. He heard rumor it is coming here. I guess we will have to see.
 
I guess that makes sense then. Does GM still sell that Colorado? I keep thinking I still see them on the lots. I believe Dodge stopped selling the Dakota.

Funny thing is right after we were all discussing this small truck deal, my buddy who is a huge Ranger nut called my talking about the Aussie Ranger. He heard rumor it is coming here. I guess we will have to see.

The Dakota has been killed along with the Colorado. The only small/midsize trucks on sale right now are the Nissan Frontier and the Toyota Tacoma. GM is likely to bring on onto market in 2015 or 2016, I would probably expect a 2 L diesel to be an option in it.

I have not read anything about the Aussie Ranger (at least that I can remember). I expect Ford will wait and see if the GM midsize trucks sell well enough to justify bringing it over
 
Only two:

1. An immediate NEED to purchase another.
2. The one that minimally meets the desired functional utility.
I was all set to read the thread and respond, but then I read this and realized it mostly fit my situation.

Recently my old worn-out car died, and I had to purchase another. I considered cost, fuel mileage, and then looks/warranty...but I was constrained by time to purchase something rapidly, and what I purchased did meet minimum requirements (within price range and will get me to work tomorrow).
 
You said it. I prefer a manual transmission over an automatic also. I have replaced many of my own clutches through the years, but always from abuse.

I can see them saying the resale value would be lower due to the amount of younger people who can not drive a stick. I guess that would take away a good chunk of the market. MPG on a stick is def better than an auto so you are right on the fuel savings. Even though my truck is an auto ( mainly because Ford no longer offers a manual in the 1/2 tons ) I would rather have the manual.

Manuals tend to bring more on resale in performances and sports car type models. Manuals are better on fuel for long hauls, but tend to be less in city driving depending how gently the person does the manual transmission (how far the person winds it out before shifting.) Automatics with lock-up torque converters will match manual trannies on the highway. I under powered vehicles, manual transmission cars can accelerate faster by sliding the clutch. In performance cars, manual transmissions are slower as automatics torque-up while shifting.
 
I was all set to read the thread and respond, but then I read this and realized it mostly fit my situation.

Recently my old worn-out car died, and I had to purchase another. I considered cost, fuel mileage, and then looks/warranty...but I was constrained by time to purchase something rapidly, and what I purchased did meet minimum requirements (within price range and will get me to work tomorrow).

Yeah, I'm not much of a 'car guy'...way too many more important things in life!
 
I never did understand why Ford quit making the Ranger here? My buddy was devastated when they stopped production here. He has owned at least 5 of them, totaling all but the current one. Seemed like they were everywhere, but maybe sales fell off?

That Ecoboost is a big hit with Ford and seems like the future for the company. I would personally like to see a small Diesel engine in the 1/2 tons. Have to wait and see.

That Aussie Ranger is pretty sweet looking. Maybe they will eventually make it here and you can get that.

I've owned 4 of them and bought 1 for our daughter. The Ranger was a great little truck and came in many forms. I think Ford stopped selling them as they dented their full sized truck sales that they could get a lot more money for, when they cost about the same to make as the smaller Ranger. Certain year/models came with German made German motors good to at least 200,000 miles.
 
Cost, fuel economy, safety features, and how many tasks it can perform. The small SUV class has worked for me pretty well. I will say that heavy doesn't necessarily mean safe, effective safety features means safe. It was one of a few selling points for me.
 
Some people see the vehicle they drive as an extension of themselves. Just as a person's body houses the essence and personage of a person, the vehicle they are in becomes like their body too - in both form and function to themselves and to others. Thus, what car/vehicle they are driving is a very serious decision meriting great consideration akin to a person having the ability to pick what body they have. A curious perspective.

That is true for some people but I have always had at least 20 cars at any one time and my collection got up to about 110 at one point, so if the car is an extensión of my personality, I must be Sybil as I like to switch to different three or four times a day.
 
I own and drive a Mercedes. German engineering to the max. When I noticed that all of the electrical wiring is run through conduit, that's QC to the max.

I own a pickum truck, America makes the best trucks from 1/2 ton pick-ups to big rigs. Been driving F-150's and F-250's for the past forty years. No complaints.

But my BMW X-5 is the ultimate. My second BMW I ever owned and nothing handles and performs like a BMW. Some times when out on the highway it feels like I'm flying a jet fighter. All right, I never flew a jet fighter but at night it almost feels like I'm flying a Cenna.

But in my lifetime my favorites was my first car, a 56 Chevy (paid $300) , my 64 VW bus and my 66 Pontiac GTO. Feel sorry for young people who will never know what a muscle car was all about.

Always wanted a Studebaker Avanti. It never happened.

There is still time.
 
The public prestige factor of Nissan Zs has fallen significantly. Their twin turbos used to be seen is as killer performance cars. Now they are rarely mentioned. Not sure why.

Because they are boring and nothing special.
 
well i hope they bring it back and maybe one day ill get one
I also hope they bring some type of ranger back

they have one in Australia and people (car mags) seem to love it but for now its not planned to come here.

A ranger with the some type of new ecoboost though would be awesome

right now they have the 1.6, 2.0 and 3.5 out supposedly they are supposed to have 3 more out?????
and the 1.6 is getting revamped to a 1.5 and it had some issues.

so maybe a 3.0(Ranger) and a 4.0(type of mustang) ?????? that would crazy.

Heres the ford ranger in aussyland

View attachment 67155189

We have that piece of crap here in Mexico.
 
The Dakota has been killed along with the Colorado. The only small/midsize trucks on sale right now are the Nissan Frontier and the Toyota Tacoma. GM is likely to bring on onto market in 2015 or 2016, I would probably expect a 2 L diesel to be an option in it.

I have not read anything about the Aussie Ranger (at least that I can remember). I expect Ford will wait and see if the GM midsize trucks sell well enough to justify bringing it over

Wasn't sure as I am not in the market for a mid size truck. Just wondered since I seem to see them around. Your likely right on Ford waiting to see if someone else is successful with one first.
 
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