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Laminar · Jan 19, 2011, 01:33 PM

Originally Posted by phantomdragonz

Oh, my EX has the 15" wheel package, which SUCKS in the snow. I put some 14" wheels and a set of snow tires on it and it's a TANK. My theory is the wider 15" wheels liked to float on the snow, the narrower 14" wheels do much better.

It's more "snow tires" vs. "all seasons." Generally, even wide snow tires will do better than narrow all seasons.

Laminar · Jan 19, 2011, 01:34 PM

Originally Posted by The Final Dakar

Question: Do V6 Civics warm up faster?

Yes, but only because they're Vertically Aligned.

The Final Dakar · Jan 19, 2011, 01:38 PM

Google never fails to impress me.

vertically aligned engine - Google Search

Laminar · Jan 19, 2011, 01:44 PM

SpaceMonkey · Jan 19, 2011, 02:04 PM

Your mom warms up faster.

iMOTOR · Jan 19, 2011, 03:32 PM

I think getting a Honda Accord would be overkill, with its diagonally aligned 8 cylinder engine and everything.

Laminar · Jan 19, 2011, 03:40 PM

The Final Dakar · Jan 19, 2011, 03:40 PM

...and they say the Lounge is dead.

osiris · Jan 19, 2011, 04:28 PM

Cars need fireplaces. F*ck waiting for the heat to work.

imitchellg5 · Jan 19, 2011, 04:43 PM

Originally Posted by ghporter

Oh, and modern diesels don't need extended warm up times, either. A little more than a gasoline car, perhaps, but not the 20 minutes 80s vintage diesels needed.

I've had the A3 TDI overnight a few times and I could make the 10 mile drive to work before the heater would be able to pump heat out at full blast. But of course, it was like 7˚ ambient outside before wind chill.

sdilley14 · Jan 19, 2011, 07:41 PM

Well, the car *might* have been sold out from under me. I'll know for sure tomorrow. Since I found that out today I've been looking around at alternatives (hopefully the pending sale falls through though). What do we think of these?

2006 Audi A4 2.0T quattro - Cars For Sale Bridgeview, IL

I could probably get them down to $14,500 or lower on this. Its a sharp looking car and I like that it has AWD. I hate the head unit/temp gauge system. Other than that, I really don't know a lot about it.

2007 Volkswagen Jetta 2.5L w/ Pkg. 1 & Sunroof - Cars For Sale Bridgeview, IL

I could get them down to $10,500 or less on this. I like that it has the options I want (sunroof, alloys, leather). I like that it is small and relatively fuel efficient. I don't like the reviews I'd read on the Jettas.

Otherwise, I've found a number of 07-10 Civics between $13-$14k, though none of them have the navigation or leather and none of them have 13k miles (though they are low enough, all being under 45k).

Thoughts?

imitchellg5 · Jan 19, 2011, 11:45 PM

That's a pretty great price on that Audi, sure it's not a salvage title? The Audi will be (much) more expensive to maintain in the long run, and the 60k mile maintenance is a kicker (you'll want the bill handed to you with some prescription-strength medicine).

I'd stay away from the Jetta, the 2.5L is a gas hog and sluggish, and reliability is questionable at best. And like the Audi, it'll be more expensive to maintain in the long run.

Eug · Jan 20, 2011, 12:07 AM

My Prius intentionally wastes gas at startup by running the engine even if stationary, to warm up the car. It sacrifices fuel efficiency to reduce emissions by keeping the internal combustion engine on until the catalytic converter is warmed up. Seems kind of counter-intuitive, but 'tis the truth.

Also, if you idle the car for 10 minutes then drive off it definitely feels much, much warmer than if you just drive off. However, that's because the Prius seems to me to have an unusually weak (electrical) heating system... which I suspect is intentional to preserve gas mileage. However, I don't intentionally make the car idle like that, unless I've turned on the car to have the front and rear defrost going, while I clean off the snow or whatever. It usually takes me a couple of minutes, but not 10 minutes.

sdilley14 · Jan 20, 2011, 01:31 AM

Originally Posted by imitchellg5

That's a pretty great price on that Audi, sure it's not a salvage title? The Audi will be (much) more expensive to maintain in the long run, and the 60k mile maintenance is a kicker (you'll want the bill handed to you with some prescription-strength medicine).

I'd stay away from the Jetta, the 2.5L is a gas hog and sluggish, and reliability is questionable at best. And like the Audi, it'll be more expensive to maintain in the long run.

That was exactly what I had feared. I figured the Audi would be expensive to maintain, and I know the overall reliability and efficiency of the Jettas have been suspect.

turtle777 · Jan 20, 2011, 02:43 AM

Originally Posted by sdilley14

Thoughts?

A4

-t

sdilley14 · Apr 4, 2011, 02:12 PM

Used 2006 Honda Civic EX For Sale | Chicago IL

Dealing on this one as we speak. I got them down to $12,400 on the price and they are giving me $7200 for my trade, which I actually don't feel too bad about at all (I had it listed at $9k on Craigslist and have gotten some nibbles, but no real bites). NADA value is closer to $8k, so $7200 isn't terrible.

Thoughts? Decent ride? I'm so fuggin tired of getting 16mpg with this beast of a Jeep and paying $3.50+ a gallon! Plus this Civic is 4 years newer, has 30k fewer miles, and I suspect will hold its resale value much better.

Laminar · Apr 4, 2011, 02:28 PM

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION LOLOL allcaps

sdilley14 · Apr 4, 2011, 02:34 PM

Haha, yuuuup. Driving a manual doesn't interest me in the least.

bstone · Apr 4, 2011, 02:36 PM

When I drive I like to have one knee on the wheel and one hand on a sandwich. No manual for me.

sdilley14 · Apr 4, 2011, 03:30 PM

Originally Posted by bstone

When I drive I like to have one knee on the wheel and one hand on a sandwich. No manual for me.

Exactly.

Spheric Harlot · Apr 4, 2011, 03:32 PM

Is that a vertically aligned sandwich in your hand, or are you just stickshift to see me?

The Final Dakar · Apr 4, 2011, 03:34 PM

Not who I expected to bring out that chestnut, but heart-warming none the less.

(Also, when I drive, I like to keep one hand on the wheel, one hand on the stick-shift, and one hand on the sandwich)

Laminar · Apr 4, 2011, 05:36 PM

Originally Posted by The Final Dakar

Not who I expected to bring out that chestnut, but heart-warming none the less.

Fantastic.

(Also, when I drive, I like to keep one hand on the wheel, one hand on the stick-shift, and one hand on the sandwich)

I'm trying to figure out if the double entendre was intentional, I'm betting on yes.

The Final Dakar · Apr 4, 2011, 05:41 PM

Nope. That's too simplistic.

olePigeon · Apr 4, 2011, 05:42 PM

Originally Posted by osiris

Cars need fireplaces. F*ck waiting for the heat to work.

I have just the car for you.

Laminar · Apr 4, 2011, 05:47 PM

Originally Posted by The Final Dakar

Nope. That's too simplistic.

Fine then. I still enjoyed the part where to justify an automatic transmission, he listed the appendages required for driving and clearly left a hand open.

brassplayersrock² · Apr 4, 2011, 05:48 PM

Isn't it her job to keep a hand on the stick-shift?

The Final Dakar · Apr 4, 2011, 05:51 PM

Originally Posted by Laminar

Fine then. I still enjoyed the part where to justify an automatic transmission, he listed the appendages required for driving and clearly left a hand open.

I decided to go surreal and imply I have three hands.

Laminar · Apr 4, 2011, 06:14 PM

Originally Posted by The Final Dakar

I decided to go surreal and imply I have three hands.

And bpr went for simplistic, even after it was pointed out that it was simplistic.

imitchellg5 · Apr 4, 2011, 06:14 PM

Originally Posted by sdilley14

Used 2006 Honda Civic EX For Sale | Chicago IL

Dealing on this one as we speak. I got them down to $12,400 on the price and they are giving me $7200 for my trade, which I actually don't feel too bad about at all (I had it listed at $9k on Craigslist and have gotten some nibbles, but no real bites). NADA value is closer to $8k, so $7200 isn't terrible.

Thoughts? Decent ride? I'm so fuggin tired of getting 16mpg with this beast of a Jeep and paying $3.50+ a gallon! Plus this Civic is 4 years newer, has 30k fewer miles, and I suspect will hold its resale value much better.

30k miles is fairly low for a 2006, looks good to me.

The Final Dakar · Apr 4, 2011, 06:17 PM

Originally Posted by Laminar

And bpr went for simplistic, even after it was pointed out that it was simplistic.

And abstract, considering up til now there has been no mention of any extraneous persons, let alone their genders, broham.

sdilley14 · Apr 4, 2011, 07:20 PM

Originally Posted by imitchellg5

30k miles is fairly low for a 2006, looks good to me.

My thoughts exactly. $12,400 seems like a fair price. The KBB.com retail price is over $17k.

brassplayersrock² · Apr 4, 2011, 11:15 PM

Originally Posted by The Final Dakar

And abstract, considering up til now there has been no mention of any extraneous persons, let alone their genders, broham.

imitchellg5 · Apr 5, 2011, 12:45 AM

Originally Posted by sdilley14

My thoughts exactly. $12,400 seems like a fair price. The KBB.com retail price is over $17k.

I'd say go for it!