I saw one of these on the expressway today. Pretty cool looking. Profile’s like a vintage Mercedes. Don’t know anything else about it, though.
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It’s a Kia, Dan.
$481 a month and you too can drive a Kia is the value proposition there.
Ewwwww. You’ve got a point, hf. The folks who own the thing seem to like it, though. And it’s not as though Mercedes’ ratings have been going up.
Gack.
This is a lot why Yahoo! is being bought and sold like a Thai transvestite hooker I think.
The hurricane season has been a doozy this year, hasn’t it?
Also, I revisited a Seaside(CA) resort last month after being there about eight years ago…the sea seemed to be in the same place it was last time. Maybe they just moved the hotel further up the sand dunes though. There must be an explanation!
What did Thai transvestite hookers ever do to you, hf?
It’s more what they didn’t do, Dan. Stupid brochure lied.
Anybody have an opinion on Mini Coopers? I was surprised to find that they get some of the best gas mileage out there. And you can find a 2002-2003 for around $12-13K.
Right now we have a Jeep and a Land Cruiser. So with gas threatening to hit the $4 a gallon mark, we’re looking for something to save us some money — and that might even pay for itself, practically, solely in the difference in monthly gas costs.
Corollas and Civics are the other options, but to be honest, having to drive one of those will depress me terribly, I think.
KIA does not mean killed-in-action. The Korean auto makers leaped to the next generation robotics and other labor, plus quality, saving systems, catching the Japanese on quality, surpassing the Americans (of course), and at a lower price. With KIA, you only buy the car, not the karma. I’ve never owned or been in one, just followed the trends. I think they are excellent quality for the money compared to other cars. Gasoline costs will be a factor if you are concerned about economy. My 2 cents and worth what you paid for it.
Mini-Coopers are made by BMW, so they have that fine German engineering. They’re sexy too, especially the convertible. Should be a great city car. You’ll need a LoJack to protect it from that car thievin’ -dillo.
I’m over mini-coopers. Also, they seem to get dirty faster than other cars. Not sure why that is. The volvo c30 I think is much better suited to my understated sense of style yet perfectly in synch with my urban metrosexual lifestyle. (That means it’s easy to park.) It’s only a little bigger than the mini, but not really impressive gas mileage wise. The horses, they are too many. For mileage you want to take a serious look at this guy I think. That’s my #2 for when I decide I can’t afford a c30 right now, cause Hondas a lot hold their value well here in SoCal and it would be a good trade-in for when I can get my volvo I think. I also really like this guy as a #2.
They’re sexy too, especially the convertible
You may just be thinking of the chicks that usually drive them…
Oh. Here’s an ’08 for the TC. They’re really good little cars what use the Echo engine but don’t get any of the spoilers cause it looks dorky and ethnic. Also, there’s really nothing wrong with a href=”http://www.edmunds.com/pictures/VEHICLE/2008/Saturn/2008.saturn.aura.20128980-396×249.jpg”>this guy except for those people really couldn’t market buttered popcorn at a Batman movie to save their lives.
aura link
I know it’s not terribly sexy, Jeff, but I’m guesstimating you might be about here, familio-temporal carwise.
The reason they seem to get dirty faster than other cars, hf, is because there’s so much less space to throw your soda bottles and fast-food containers into.
Oh. I meant the outside. They a lot look dirty, but that could be cause there’s so many of them here. Here’s a better look at the Honda Fit to where it doesn’t look so much like a jolly rancher.
*Oscar rolls his eyes at Felix*
tell me about it. have a Corolla and while it gets really good gas mileage I’m always turning it off and thinking, “God, I’m old. Why am I in this old person car?”
Okay, that Honda fit just made me cringe. Sitting here alone. I actually cringed.
From what I’ve read, the Minis hold their value very well. I’m looking used; can’t afford anything new just now.
My wife just came in. Completely without prompting? Cringed at the Honda Fit.
We both like the Element, but the mileage ain’t what we’re looking for. The Cooper gets 35-40 mpg.
Also I’m liking these more and more but I think that’s really getting away from the gas mileage thing. Not sure why Dodge seems to really not do anything in a 2-door anymore though.
Yes. The Fit is just a gas mileage thing, pretty much that’s its only raison d’etre really. But I figure if I’m gonna compromise, go big.
My brother has a Mini-Cooper. He puts about $70 per week into it.
hf, you ought just get one of these.
They’re thinking about putting a 4-door mini into production. That’s kind of a secret.
Doing what, exactly, Diana?
That’s what I put into my Land Cruiser. And it’s a ’93.
I tried to embrace the Smart. They look like those cars they give apartment managers at the bigger complexes. I can’t get over that. For real I like the Yaris a lot though. Just not for me to actually drive or anything.
Well … his commute is only about 5 miles one way. I’m not really sure. If he has to travel, he flies. I think sometimes he might just drive around the block a lot.
It’s one of those logic puzzles that’s just wrong.
Heh. Yeah, maybe he just keeps it running all the time. In case he needs to hop in at a moment’s notice.
He’s 6’4″ …
Oh. For used cars you might want to look at this guy. It should get about 35 mpg this says. Your other car could still have a backseat I figure.
Jeff..if you’re looking to downsizecheck , this out. It’s freakin’ awesome. Make sure to watch the embedded video. No Viagra, but I still have wood from watching it over an hour ago.
What’s the distance the other way, Diana?
Whoops…
http://www.carlustblog.com/2008/04/car-lust–ariel.html
I have heard mostly good things about the MiniCoops, fun to drive performance wise, great economy, BMW engineering. What’s not to love.
As for Diana’s brother, there are a lot of go-fast parts out there to bolt on Minis that severely damage gas mileage. You can make quite the little pocket rocket out of them, but they burn fuel like a rocket too.
The Cooper handles okay, unlike most of the other cars in question. For some people that’s a plus, for me it’s a prerequisite. Cars that don’t go exactly where I tell them to are off the list. Coopers, from what I hear, have the advantages of German Enginering without quite all of the disadvantages (like “complexity is a virtue”).
Kia’s, historically, are built by crack-smoking monkeys. A dealer mechanic told me he never saw two wiring harnesses exactly alike – and that just spells “disposable.”
It’s true that they claim to have improved their processes, I’m taking a wait-and-see attitude. And I think the Kia in the original post looks like a poor copy of a Mercedes – like someone copied the details while paying no attention to the overall package.
The c30 looks awesome, but skin-deep and all that. Except that there can never be too many horses. 227 is actually what I consider “perfectly adequate” for a 3000-lb car, not bell-ringing.
Some Hondas are great cars, but they make me gag for some reason. Same with most Toyotas.
Be aware that my last three cars were an RX-7, a Stealth Twin Turbo, and a track-modified BMW 325, just so you have context. All three were quite reliable, actually, but with the RX-7 you had to stay ahead of the maintenance curve pretty substantially, and the Stealth was just insane to do any serious work on – tight packaging gone mad. The Bimmer has 300k on it, not much major maintenance and I beat the heck out of it.
Wow! The Mini Coopers look good too.
HTML is not my friend
http://www.flickr.com/photos/snarkyspot/6149701/
That beast Saul linked to looks awesome. My wife likes the MR2. So, we’ll have to see.
A friend of mine test drove a Cooper and a Cooper S. She bought the Cooper because it was cheaper, and regrets it. She thinks she should have bought the Cooper S, for the pick up. I’ve never driven either.
I’ve got a buddy who owns a Dodge Charger. My God, that things a monster! He’ll be driving along at 40 mph, and suddenly stand on the accelerator, just for the hell of it. You’ll find yourself being forced back into the seat.
Me, I drive an old Ford Explorer. I love it. I’ll drive it until the wheels fall off.
Every last person that I know that drives a mini-cooper is gay. Every last person. NTTAWWT. It’s just an observation. Of course I drive a Kia. Their minivan. I bought it completely due to it’s safety rating. It’s not sexy in any conceivable way, but it gets decent gas mileage and it’s allegedly safe. My life sucks. Reloading chamber…
Boom!
Huh. There I was looking at rifle porn, and I switched back to here, only to see “Boom!”
Odd, that.
I’m happy to report, Patrick, that I missed. But I’m still driving a Kia Minivan. So that’t that.
Dear Obstreperous Infidel,
While there’s life, there’s hope.
I do understand your pain. But, you know, it’s nothing more, nor less, than a necessary part of life. So, be happy that you are in the fight.
Patrick
—
Did somebody say rifle porn?
Anyway, the Cooper is more practical than the MR2, for what it’s worth.
And not to add salt to a metaphorical gunshot wound, did I just see someone who drives a Kia minivan dissing the manliness (and/or muliebrity) or people who drive Coopers?
(Sorry, I almost never get to use that word.)
Dear Merovign,
I bow my head to your rifle porn instincts. Truth be told, I’d never gotten beyond an Accuracy International take on the Remington 700, set up for the .338 Lapua Magnum.
The whole .50 calibre thing, I don’t know. Too heavyweight. But I’m European that way, I guess.
Patrick
—
Patrick – Frankly, the .50 is total overkill for almost everything. The good ones are a honey to shoot, however, not at all what you’d expect. Honestly, it’s scarier from 20 feet away than it is at the trigger. (At 20 feet, spectator’s pant legs whip around, no kidding.) Nobody builds a long enough barrel for the .50, though once you pick up a 28-lb rifle you’ll understand why. :)
The .338 is adequate for everything beneath the absolute need for the BMG. Actually, it’s a damned fine round, and I’ve been mulling building (or buying) a long-range rifle for 1000-yd competition in .338, though I might choose a caliber more available on this side of the pond. The US .338’s are a touch slower than the Lapua, but accuracy and BC count a little more than power.
I was even thinking of converting an M14 or similar to .300 WSM, because I “Fear The Bolt.” :)
But when you absolutely, positively need to stop a vehicle at 2000 yards in one shot, .50 cal is the way to go. Not that I imagine I’ll ever have a need to do that… if I were ever to buy the M107, it would be for the same people that rich people buy Lamborghinis they leave in the garage all the time – it’s just a damned cool *thing* to have.
And because it would be cool, at least once, to scrap a water-filled 55-gallon drum at 5280 feet.
Actually, since I’ve gone all gun-geek, I think it would be funny to build a long-range rifle in .375 H&H.
It’s a common enough caliber to have good BC bullets and good barrels made for it, even though it’s almost entirely a big-game cartridge.
It would sure make the line-up at a competition scratch their heads, though. :)
Jeff Cooper, pistol porn. My sort of late-night viewing. But I own two Marlins, Patrick, and wouldn’t mind adding that .45-70 to my collection. The Barrett is manufactured less than 40 miles from my home.
I’ve heard great things about the Mini Cooper, from a…hairdresser. Small, stylish, but don’t let the hood fall…gently lay it down, and press both sides, to latch. NTTAWWT…
My favorite ‘reach-out-and-touch’ caliber is the 7mm Remington Magnum. Excellent for anything on this continent, flat-shooting, ammo’s readily available. But if you’re wanting to pick up a new toy based solely on availability of ammo, then the .308 or the 30-06 are probably best. And the .308 is available in black…and white.
You call that Pistol Porn?
Note that each word is a different link. :)
7mm magnum is a nice round, took the record grizzly IIRC. But when I said availability, I was speaking relatively – 7mm is common compared to .338 Lapua on this side of the pond, but the best bullets are .30 cal by far (because it’s the most common competition caliber for rifles).
Not the least interested in hunting, so effectiveness on game is pretty irrelevant. This rifle (should I build it) will be for getting a hole as close as possible to the center of a paper plate at 1000 yards, with enough retained energy that it’s not a joke. I’m not planning on becoming a professional competitor, so I don’t know all of the official rules for competitions yet – I may just be doing it for fun. It all depends.
Oh, and Cooper over MR2, but if it’s the wife’s car, the wife is probably going to decide which one she wants. :)
I don’t know if it crosses over to the Cooper, but BMW engines are INSANELY expensive, though regular maintenance parts aren’t usually that far out of line unless you get a V12 or M or AWD or something like that.
Dan is probably all, “Wait, how did this become the gun thread?” :)
All of these car companies are following the Honda model: cheap small cars to build a market, then abandon them to shift to luxury cars where the big money is. It’s sad because there’s a yawning, empty market for small cheap cars out there.
#53
I like 30-06 for hunting because of all the options there are with that caliber.From varmint to big game. I’m currently building a SS tactical rifle in 308 because I happen to have a Sako short action SS receiver laying around.
Back on topic. Minicoopers are very cool , but I kind of like the toyota scion. Back in the late 70s early eighties wide world of sports used to broadcast the minicooper races that were held in the mud of the Thames estuary. Them little bastards would cook!
Christopher – there are some amazingly cheap cars in the world, but AFAICT they don’t meet regulatory standards in the US, and also, they’re crap.
A good, solid, non-high-tech car for people without a lot of money (or who don’t want to invest in an expensive car) would be a good thing, but there’s not a lot of incentive to make one because expensive cars sell so well.
The other problem is that to sell well, you need certain minimums in the way of roominess, survivability, etc. The Smart, for example, is just Too Damned Small. The Versa just wipes it all over the map for the same price. The Rio and Accent were just horrid, as was the Aveo. The Focus/Mazda 3 is pretty good. There are probably others I’m not thinking of.
There really just isn’t anything new and not crap under $10k. For super-budget, $12-15 seems to be the golden range, but nothing spectacular.
Given my predilections, I’d probably go used and try to find something like a low-mileage Focus SVT – which had pretty much a completely different drivetrain from the regular focus.
Though, realistically, if I wasn’t going for performance, I’d get something like a used Buick Regal or Pontiac Grand Prix with the 3800 Series II or Series II engine – not economy-car gas mileage, but shockingly reliable cars, roomy, cargo space, 4 doors, crash safety, etc.
And then I’d probably start replacing suspension components after 3 months. :)
For real I love seeing all the new little Yarises puttering around. It’s like Pixar made a car.
A Yaris is like a car, only smaller.
I tell people Toyotas are okay, but I don’t actually believe it.