A little advice please

[Jim W]

Mike,

What about the Passat TDI? I know a little bit more money than the Jetta but it might have more room. The only problem is that you will need to add DEF once in awhile.

Here is a link to the TDI forum that discussed the Passt TDI.

VW Passat Family (NMS and B7) TDIs (2012+) - TDIClub Forums

I know that we would have bought the diesel Passat in June 2011, but they were not announced until Sept of 2011.

Jim W.

 

[rscurtis]

Maybe if you wait long enough, Sergio will come up with a diesel option for the 200.

 

[S.Morris]

Mike



Purchased a 12 Mazda3 for my wife a few months ago. It has the new "skyactive engine" and 6spd manual. Do some research on this new engineering (12. 5:1 comp on reg gas)and it is proving out well.

She is getting a pretty consistent 40USMPG (48 Imp) hand calculated, on 2lane country roads 80% 20%city. Always 900+ km to a fill up.

 

[mwilson]

Mike



Purchased a 12 Mazda3 for my wife a few months ago. It has the new "skyactive engine" and 6spd manual. Do some research on this new engineering (12. 5:1 comp on reg gas)and it is proving out well.

She is getting a pretty consistent 40USMPG (48 Imp) hand calculated, on 2lane country roads 80% 20%city. Always 900+ km to a fill up.

Thank you for that, I will have a look at those.

I rented a Mazda 6 when I was in Vegas, it did pretty good on gas. Varied from 29 to 34 mpg. The high plains up around the Grand Canyon and driving up thru the Black Canyon knocked it back to 27 to 28 but I was hauling ***.



I have investigated quite a few vehicles, the latest one being the Chevy Cruz line. Those are delivering excellent fuel mileage (into the mid-40's) with the 6 speed manual and 1. 4 Turbo engine. A lot of room inside and you can run the front seats all the way back to the rear seat cushion if you desire. Seth can straighten his legs on the passenger side and he 6'2".



Mike.

 

[NIsaacs]

Be careful of the little tiny motors, when the AC cycles on it feels like someone stepped on the brakes:-laf



We have had good luck with the Neon's, but with a 2. 0 L engine and at 5/6 k elevation they are a little anemic under 4 grand rpm



Nick

 

[mwilson]

Be careful of the little tiny motors, when the AC cycles on it feels like someone stepped on the brakes:-laf



We have had good luck with the Neon's, but with a 2. 0 L engine and at 5/6 k elevation they are a little anemic under 4 grand rpm



Nick

I can do like the railroads out there and buy a 2nd Cruz to use as a pusher engine on a grade... ... ... ... ...



Mike.

 

[jgillott]

Please take this with a grain of salt since I have ZERO proof to this, only what I am observing out in the field. But, I have seen quite a few of the new Chevy Cruze models involved in single vehicle accidents over the last several months. Off the top of my head, I can remember at least 4, one fatal and 3 with moderate injuries. I don't have an concrete evidence to support my theory that there is an issue with the steering or traction control systems, but it just seems odd to me that drivers are loosing control of these things so regularly. The lady involved in the last one, swore to me that the thing just wouldn't turn before she ended up in a field upside down. I just found that odd.

 

[mwilson]

Please take this with a grain of salt since I have ZERO proof to this, only what I am observing out in the field. But, I have seen quite a few of the new Chevy Cruz models involved in single vehicle accidents over the last several months. Off the top of my head, I can remember at least 4, one fatal and 3 with moderate injuries. I don't have an concrete evidence to support my theory that there is an issue with the steering or traction control systems, but it just seems odd to me that drivers are loosing control of these things so regularly. The lady involved in the last one, swore to me that the thing just wouldn't turn before she ended up in a field upside down. I just found that odd.

Ok, you have my attention and I'll tell you why... one of the features that help it achieve the high fuel mileage is that they are equipped with electric power steering to eliminate the parasitic drag of a hydraulic pump.



But, there still must be a mechanical coupling. A failure of the the assist system should not knock the steering out??? Maybe???

Interesting stuff there... ...



Mike.

 

[jgillott]

Ok, you have my attention and I'll tell you why... one of the features that help it achieve the high fuel mileage is that they are equipped with electric power steering to eliminate the parasitic drag of a hydraulic pump.



But, there still must be a mechanical coupling. A failure of the the assist system should not knock the steering out??? Maybe???

Interesting stuff there... ...



Mike.

You are thinking along the same line that I am. I would assume that if the electric assist would momentarily stop, it would be just like when a hydraulic power steering pump would go out... . really hard to turn, especially if it happened without warning. Hydraulic pumps fail all the time, but they usually feel odd for a while loosing fluid or before completely going out.



Again, I certainly can't prove anything and can't even find any complaints around the web, but it just seems like an uncanny coincidence that I'm seeing these involved in the same type of accidents.

 

[jgillott]

OK... found this to read over. Look at the 3rd paragraph down.



154,000 Chevrolet Cruze Models Recalled - U. S. News Rankings and Reviews

 

[mainer29]

This is another resource for "Auto Recall Safety Check and Free Car Reports"
Auto Recall Safety Check and Free Car Reports - Consumer Complaints - Car Ratings

 

[mwilson]

Mike,

What about the Passat TDI? I know a little bit more money than the Jetta but it might have more room. The only problem is that you will need to add DEF once in awhile.

Here is a link to the TDI forum that discussed the Passt TDI.

VW Passat Family (NMS and B7) TDIs (2012+) - TDIClub Forums

I know that we would have bought the diesel Passat in June 2011, but they were not announced until Sept of 2011.

Jim W.

Thanks for your suggestions, Jim. I have drooled over the TDI Passats several time and may have to move up to that category.



I am going to wait the dealers out for another month, when the little beads of sweat start forming on their brows because they have a bunch of 2012 models on the lot and the car carriers are out back unloading the 2013 models I plan to pounce like a wild animal... ...



Mike.

 

[jgillott]

Here is another link to a recall for steering problems. I guess I just didn't search correctly before I posted before.



GM recalls the Chevrolet Cruze for possible steering problems - Autoweek

 

[mwilson]

This is another resource for "Auto Recall Safety Check and Free Car Reports"

Auto Recall Safety Check and Free Car Reports - Consumer Complaints - Car Ratings

Thanks very much, I will add this to the arsenal.

Good stuff!!!



Mike.

 

[HBarlow]

I think you hit the Cruze issue right between the eyes!!

It's probably a bit of a tricky problem to identify and clarify because a large percentage of the likely buyers of this pos car are also likely to be fans of the current regime who directed GM to build it and has paid billions of taxpayer dollars to "encourage" Govt. Motors to build it and of GM itself. They are also more likely than the rest of the population to be dimbulbs.

GM, the administration, and the media will engage in a massive cover up to prevent the "truth, full truth, and nothing but the truth" from ever coming out on this car and this issue.

 

[jgillott]

I think you hit the Cruze issue right between the eyes!!



It's probably a bit of a tricky problem to identify and clarify because a large percentage of the likely buyers of this pos car are also likely to be fans of the current regime who directed GM to build it and has paid billions of taxpayer dollars to "encourage" Govt. Motors to build it and of GM itself. They are also more likely than the rest of the population to be dimbulbs.



GM, the administration, and the media will engage in a massive cover up to prevent the "truth, full truth, and nothing but the truth" from ever coming out on this car and this issue.

Right on. Look what the media did to Toyota over the stuck throttle situation.



Anyway, back to the original topic. I lost my faith in GM with the 2005 Silverado disaster I owned. If that is an example of the quality they produced in recent years, it is no wonder they went under. It will be a long time before I trust their quality or lack there of.

 

[rscurtis]

Your Silverado is nothing. I remember some of the junk they made in the 1970's and '80's. The Vega, the LF9 diesel, soft camshafts, the 8-6-4 Caddy engine and the HT4100 were standouts.

 

[mwilson]

In all honesty I have to admit the following. .



The most comfortable car that I have set my butt in over the last two weeks has been a 2008 Ford Taurus Limited.

That generation of Taurus had unbelievable seating, the car was based on a Volvo S-80 platform.

I don't like Fords as a rule but the Taurus was an exception. It will pull close to 30mpg for a lot less money than new.



I may just go back tomorrow and buy it, call it close enough for now.

Anybody on here have one of those???



Mike.

 

[jgillott]

Your Silverado is nothing. I remember some of the junk they made in the 1970's and '80's. The Vega, the LF9 diesel, soft camshafts, the 8-6-4 Caddy engine and the HT4100 were standouts.

I remember those quite well. In fact, I still have a '79 C-10 that my father purchased new. One of the first cars I drove was our '76 Nova with the 250 l6. Had to stick a screw driver in the choke every time you started it. I finally got tired of running back and forth in to the car to start it and wired a push button starter switch under the hood. Looking back, it would have been easier to just rebuild the carb, but I'll chalk that one up to being a stupid kid. :-laf



That Silverado was supposed to be our truck for work and winter driving. It literally spent more time at the dealer than it did with us. The only thing it didn't do was have engine problems, but the electrical and front end issues were more than I could take. Traded it on a 2010 Ram and couldn't be happier.

 

[jgillott]

In all honesty I have to admit the following. .



The most comfortable car that I have set my butt in over the last two weeks has been a 2008 Ford Taurus Limited.

That generation of Taurus had unbelievable seating, the car was based on a Volvo S-80 platform.

I don't like Fords as a rule but the Taurus was an exception. It will pull close to 30mpg for a lot less money than new.



I may just go back tomorrow and buy it, call it close enough for now.

Anybody on here have one of those???



Mike.

Friend of my wife just purchased a new one. First impression is really good, though she doesn't have enough miles on it for me to give you any real feedback.