TEST DRIVE
12-27-2005, 08:23 PM
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TEST DRIVE
Well since Im back stateside and thinking of getting a new car I decided to test drive a bunch of vehicles. I figured I would share my opinions with you all here.
Also if any of you work with dealers and think you can get me a better price than listed let me know.
The first day I went to Toyota and there I drove the new Scion TC both with and without the Supercharger option.
The Tc is great standing still it looks fast and sleek. The interior is well put together and has the build quality we all have come to expect from the manufacturer. The doors shut and close tight everything feels solid. Getting behind the wheel the car is very comfortable and the seats are decent. They could be deeper but were acceptable. Everything is ergonomicaly orientated in the car and I believe it is well suited for long drives.
On the road the car handles alright. I wasnt to impressed with the Aftermarket rims already on the car (they were momo 18s) You could tell they were effecting the handling and acceleration on the non-supercharged motor.
The shifts were smooth and the gearbox doesnt have to long of a throw.
I was able to take it through a residential zone and on the highway. It could use a little stiffer suspension but Scion already has that as one of the availible options.
The supercharged version does come alive but still doesnt give you that push your head into the seat feeling I think it should, but for around 20Gs its not a bad car at all, although some of the other options they are comming out with will up the power more but will void your warranty so be careful if that is a concern for you. So if you like the reliability and solid interior feel its a good start towards a sports car for the price.
The next car I drove was the Cobalt SS.
Well Once again I believe manufactuers have gone to far with thinking everyone wants to roll on HUGE rims. I didnt care for the rims on the car but they are better than anything ever offered on the cavaliers. The cobalt is nice it has new crumble zone, side curtain airbags, hood locks to prevent the hood comming through the windshield which has helped raise it up on the crash test rating system. I also like the looks of the car even the huge spoiler seemed to me to actually flow with the design of the car. Looking inside you will find 2 tone leather seats that hug nicely. The car has dropped some of its plastic fantastic history that GM is known for and ergonomics have improved slightly. On the road the car felt more exciting than the TC and seemed to handle better too. The pedals werent perfect for heal toe shifting but with a little effort werent a problem. The only thing was the car still didnt live up to the oomph factor i thought it should have especially compared to its main competitor the SRT-4 plus Im not sure but I dont think the car has an LSD.. Im not an expert and havent been able to find the info out and I forgot to ask. Overall I liked the looks of it but was disappointed with the drive.
Next up is the 06 Eclipse GT, 06 Mustang GT,... Im staying under 29G and hope that I really like one of these. I know there is more awesome cars out there like the infiniti G35 but I dont want my whole paycheck going to a car.
The other one Im interested in is the new Civic SI, but no honda dealer around here has one at the moment. I called 6 different ones and no luck.
If anyone has any input on the new stang, eclipse, or Si please share!
Also if any of you work with dealers and think you can get me a better price than listed let me know.
The first day I went to Toyota and there I drove the new Scion TC both with and without the Supercharger option.
The Tc is great standing still it looks fast and sleek. The interior is well put together and has the build quality we all have come to expect from the manufacturer. The doors shut and close tight everything feels solid. Getting behind the wheel the car is very comfortable and the seats are decent. They could be deeper but were acceptable. Everything is ergonomicaly orientated in the car and I believe it is well suited for long drives.
On the road the car handles alright. I wasnt to impressed with the Aftermarket rims already on the car (they were momo 18s) You could tell they were effecting the handling and acceleration on the non-supercharged motor.
The shifts were smooth and the gearbox doesnt have to long of a throw.
I was able to take it through a residential zone and on the highway. It could use a little stiffer suspension but Scion already has that as one of the availible options.
The supercharged version does come alive but still doesnt give you that push your head into the seat feeling I think it should, but for around 20Gs its not a bad car at all, although some of the other options they are comming out with will up the power more but will void your warranty so be careful if that is a concern for you. So if you like the reliability and solid interior feel its a good start towards a sports car for the price.
The next car I drove was the Cobalt SS.
Well Once again I believe manufactuers have gone to far with thinking everyone wants to roll on HUGE rims. I didnt care for the rims on the car but they are better than anything ever offered on the cavaliers. The cobalt is nice it has new crumble zone, side curtain airbags, hood locks to prevent the hood comming through the windshield which has helped raise it up on the crash test rating system. I also like the looks of the car even the huge spoiler seemed to me to actually flow with the design of the car. Looking inside you will find 2 tone leather seats that hug nicely. The car has dropped some of its plastic fantastic history that GM is known for and ergonomics have improved slightly. On the road the car felt more exciting than the TC and seemed to handle better too. The pedals werent perfect for heal toe shifting but with a little effort werent a problem. The only thing was the car still didnt live up to the oomph factor i thought it should have especially compared to its main competitor the SRT-4 plus Im not sure but I dont think the car has an LSD.. Im not an expert and havent been able to find the info out and I forgot to ask. Overall I liked the looks of it but was disappointed with the drive.
Next up is the 06 Eclipse GT, 06 Mustang GT,... Im staying under 29G and hope that I really like one of these. I know there is more awesome cars out there like the infiniti G35 but I dont want my whole paycheck going to a car.
The other one Im interested in is the new Civic SI, but no honda dealer around here has one at the moment. I called 6 different ones and no luck.
If anyone has any input on the new stang, eclipse, or Si please share!
12-27-2005, 09:16 PM
#3
Yup, jolly poopbuggy
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Re: TEST DRIVE
Casey Honda has a new SI (Newport News).
In your price range you could also look at EVOs and multiple other cars. What are you looking for in a car?
In your price range you could also look at EVOs and multiple other cars. What are you looking for in a car?
12-27-2005, 09:23 PM
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Re: TEST DRIVE
Yes they are nice and I could afford one, but like I said I have set a limit since I know I will still want money for the project Sol.
As for the EVO i havent seen one stickered for around that price unless you get an 8 or the 06 one that is totally stripped down.
As for what Im looking for is more of an overall package with something I know I can work on in the future. Something genreally quick needing no mods.
Just buy it and drive it. With a warranty too! Plus I do prefer two doors and it has to be fun to drive. It will be my daily driver.
As for the EVO i havent seen one stickered for around that price unless you get an 8 or the 06 one that is totally stripped down.
As for what Im looking for is more of an overall package with something I know I can work on in the future. Something genreally quick needing no mods.
Just buy it and drive it. With a warranty too! Plus I do prefer two doors and it has to be fun to drive. It will be my daily driver.
12-28-2005, 11:59 AM
#8
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Re: TEST DRIVE
Originally Posted by greygti
Casey Honda has a new SI (Newport News).
In your price range you could also look at EVOs and multiple other cars. What are you looking for in a car?
In your price range you could also look at EVOs and multiple other cars. What are you looking for in a car?
2006 Lancer Evolution RS
MSRP* $ 29,149
Comes standard with: a factory performance-tuned (2.0-liter, MIVEC DOHC, 16-valve, turbocharged and intercooled) engine with 286 horsepower and 289 lb-ft of torque, front-mounted air-to-air intercooler, close-ratio five-speed manual transmission with aluminum shift knob* and Teflon-coated cables, full-time AWD with an electronic Active Center Differential (with three driver-selectable modes—tarmac, snow and gravel), aluminum body panels (roof, front fenders and hood), rear-end strut bar, turbo boost gauge kit*, four-wheel ventilated Brembo® disc brakes, 17" x 8" double-five spoke Enkei® aluminum alloy wheels, speed-rated Yokohama P235/45 Advan® (high-grip, soft-compound) radial tires, front Recaro® bucket seats with premium Alcantara® fabric, leather-wrapped Momo® three-spoke steering wheel and more.
+ $600 destination/handling, finance charges and all the other shit they'll trow on top of the MSRP.
Oh and only comes in white and red.
12-28-2005, 12:32 PM
#10
UNCEUNCEUNCEUNCEUNCE
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Re: TEST DRIVE
Don't know if you like it or not, but the WRX is only $25,000, before options and whatnot. Haven't been to the lots, but they might have a few 05s left.