rodean@hpfclo.UUCP (08/08/84)
Nf-From: hpfclo!rodean Aug 27 08:51:00 1984
[one line to go please]
There is no need to send me any more mail since this weekend we have
ordered our new car--a 1985 Toyota Deluxe Camry. I will wait until the
end of this week to post a summary in order to wait for any and all
replies to get to me. Thanks to everyone who responded.
Bruce Rodean
{ihnp4|hplabs}|hpfcla!rodeanrodean@hpfclo.UUCP (rodean) (08/12/84)
First let me reiterate my thanks to everyone who responded to my
request. Now to summarize...
There were several people who objected to the elimination of certain
cars (Saab, Audi, and VW) and a few who complained that we were not
considering other automakers (Volvo for instance). To each of them I
tried to reply by mail. Hope they got it. For everyone else here are
the reasons we eliminated them:
Saab - My wife could not see without the steering wheel obstructing
her view. I also had concerns about reliability since the
dealer was loaded with Saabs in the service area. I was also
aware of the expense of Saab parts.
Audi - The dealer told us that all the 4000S models they got came
with a sunroof. I have not found a single car in the compact
size that I can fit in without hitting my head on the sunroof.
Plus he alleged that they all came with optional equipment we
did not want.
VW - VW (at least the Quantum and Scirocco) cars have a huge
steering wheel that I find annoying when getting in and out of
the car. I don't know why they do that.
Volvo - Although it is a fine car, it was out of our price range.
Now for the cars for which I requested information:
Everyone liked whatever they ended up with whether it be the Mazda 626,
Honda Accord, or Toyota Camry. Any complaints were minor, usually
either aesthetic or an inconvenience. They were the type that Consumer
Reports usually picks up on. Some people were turned off by certain
cars because of the dealership and/or salesman.
The bottom line seemed to be personal preference. How you individually
like the performance, ride, ergonomic factors, roominess, and so forth.
Most everyone said you couldn't go wrong with any of them. The
reliability of all of them is supposed to be good.
Comments on Mazda 626: "immensely pleased with it", "definitely zippy
while delivering satisfactory mileage", "extremely satisfied with the
car", "handles beautifully with a sporty (stiff) ride".
Comments on Honda Accord: "fun to drive", "very reliable", "extremely
well engineered", "extremely well designed".
Comments on Toyota Camry: "engine is very responsive", "good gas
mileage", "solid, well built car", "very adequate handling and
acceleration", "ride is very comfortable".
What did we buy? We have ordered a 1985 Toyota Camry Deluxe 4 door
sedan. All three cars were approximately in the same price range. The
difference was at most $200 with the options we wanted. The Camry had
by far the best automatic transmission of the three, with acceleration
and response (up- and down-shift times) the significant differences. It
was the only car with a fuel-injected engine. It also had the most room
in terms of volume, headroom for me, legroom in the back, and room for
maneuvering car seats in the back seat. Its ride was much smoother than
the others and yet the "feel" of the road is excellent. Seats are very
comfortable and visibility is excellent for a short person. Some of the
above remarks are subjective and open to debate of course.
I probably had more bias than my wife since I have a 1978 Honda Accord
and that was a very bad year for them. I had a head gasket blow out
which led to bearing damage and costing a bundle. This was a negative
factor for me. I have heard that Honda did finally go ahead and recall
these cars. I never was notified. Can anyone confirm or deny this for
certain? If it's true, then I may have recourse to get my $500
refunded.
The only thing worse about the Camry is that it has a smaller gas tank
(13.5 vs. 15.8 gallons I think) than both the Accord and 626. All
three come with the space saver spare tire, but I believe all three have
room for a regular sized spare. The Camry does for sure.
Getting a good price on a new foreign car is something else. First I
would recommend that everyone write their Congressman (or woman) and
demand that import quota restrictions be ended. I'm sorry Detroit, if
you can't cut the mustard, then that is tough luck. I don't think that
prices would necessarily drop, but availability would improve and with
that, delivery times would decrease. I heard that some foreign car
dealers will tell you to "take it or leave it" when it comes to popular
car prices. We bargained down some, or we got what we hoped for on our
trade-in, depending on how you look at it, than their initial offer.
(We are getting rid of a 1974 AMC Matador.) But when buying a car like a
Camry does not mean you are doing the dealership a favor (i.e. they can
sell it to someone else), it is tough to figure how low they will go.
Bruce Rodean
Hewlett-Packard Co.
Ft. Collins System Division
{ihnp4|hplabs}!hpfcla!rodeanrodean@hpfclo.UUCP (08/20/84)
[Here's one for the road] My wife and I are looking for a new automobile which is to be our "family" car. She will be driving it probably 95% of the time. Our requirements are: Musts: Four doors, A/C, automatic transmission, front wheel drive, intermittent windshield wipers, power steering. High wants: Fuel injection, full sized spare capacity. Furthermore both my wife and I have to be comfortable driving. I am 6' and my wife is 5' 3". The cars we are considering are (not in order of preference to bias anyone): Honda Accord, Toyota Camry and Mazda 626. We would consider the Nissan Stanza but the dealer in town is a real bozo. The Saab 900, Audi 4000S and Volkswagon Quantum were eliminated because we both could not drive them comfortably for one reason or another. Anyone with either praise or flames on any of these cars please respond by mail to (thanks in advance): Bruce Rodean [ihnp4|hplabs]!hpfcla!rodean