What car do you have?

[Van1lla ™]

Pretty classic thread in terms of what car do you have? Is it a good car? Or is it one you settled with as it does the job? Are you planning on upgrading soon, if so to what?

Slightly different from dream cars, this is more about cars that are realistically within budget haha.

So this is basically what I have now. Renault Clio 1.5 dci (diesel common-rail injection). 88 bhp which isnt great but its good enough for what I need it for. Best thing about it is the mpg (miles per gallon). Get between 50 - 55 from it which is perfect as im constantly driving between jobs/taking out clients in my car.

 

[Jerlene]

That's a cute one. I can't do small cars though. I prefer trucks and SUVs. I do have a Honda Accord though. That's my daily, piece of crap driver. I also have a Lexus that has been sitting for a while. I can't stand it because it's unnecessarily too big. I have a Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo, which I love but don't want dirty so I only use it when it's just me. I have another Honda Accord that I use when I'm going some place fancy. I have a Durango that's mostly for beach days. I'm looking to get a truck though. I'm actually going to a dealership tomorrow. I usually buy from owners so this should be interesting.

 

[Van1lla ™]

Why do you have so many cars! Depending on how you’re feeling on a different day in the week! Is it true you don’t need to insure your cars in America? It’s optional isn’t it?

 

[Katrina]

I have a 2009 Hyundai Sonata. It wasn't my dream car and I wasn't happy with the paint job the first year because it was too easy to scratch (It hardened after that so no more complaints). The transmission always felt jumpy but after all this time it never failed. I've never had anything major go wrong with it either. We keep up with oil changes and whatever maintenance needs to be done and it's at 90,000 miles now. My daughter and I are sharing it and she'll be buying it once she gets a full time job. The reason I want her to buy it instead of someone else's used car is because it's so reliable! She knows it's well taken care of.

Next I'm looking at a Ford Fusion AWD. I thought about a Chevy Trax but it might be too small and the air conditioning had issues in the recent past.

 

[mav3n]

2017 Ford Explorer for me. However, when my lease is up, I plan on getting either a Ford Raptor or GMC Sierra 2500HD 😎

 

[Van1lla ™]

Im hoping to be getting the Clio mk 4 soon! The mk 5 will be released this year but cant really afford 20 grand of car. So will go for 7-9 grand used instead. Except its an ex demo with only 13,000 miles on the clock! My car currently, the version below, has the same engine as the newer one, less bhp but is apparently quicker by a second in 0-60.

Hamez I test drove a Peugeot 208 GTI for fun the other day. 200bhp 0-60 in 6.1 seconds. Was a horrible car to drive though.

 

[Elli]

2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo, 5.6L V8, and with 96k miles now!

It's been a good Jeep, up until these past few months. Late-November, the battery suddenly died (after seven years, so meh) while I was out to lunch with coworkers, had to tow it to the dealership where they replaced the battery. This wouldn't have been a problem if there were any indication that it was about to die, but nope.

Then on the Thursday before New Years Eve, one of the cells in the new battery failed and it died in my garage. Couldn't move the wheels or shift to neutral, and the fob locked itself in the manual ignition when I tried to jump it. A tow truck had to come with a dolly, lift the wheels, and drag it across the concrete floor... The concrete was scratched, but it was the only way to get it out without damaging the transmission (or my garage door).

Then two weeks ago, traction control started coming on when it wasn't needed (dry roads). I thought whatever, I'll bring it up when I'm in for an oil change next week. BUT THEN the throttle control light started coming on, so I would randomly lose power while driving. It would come back on after a few seconds, but phew! Spooky when you're on the highway.

Back at the dealership, they found that there was a short in the brake system. It basically thought I was a "two-footed driver" (as in, the type of person who drives with one foot on the gas and one on the brake) and was trying to compensate by killing power to the engine. All fixed now... We'll see what it does next.

Up until all this happened, I wanted a Grand Cherokee SRT, but now I'm thinking more along the lines of Audi or Toyota...

 

[Van1lla ™]

Hamez, my friend has a 4th generation Supra. Crazy fast. It's a 3 litre twin turbo about 320 bhp. Yeah the 208 interior was awful as well. I felt like a chav driving round in it. Like I should have a fiesta ST! Maybe look at getting a Focus RS! They are about 300bhp themselves!

Ebby, that car looks awesome. Its always the thing though, as one thing happens with the car another thing happens. So far im having to get two new tyres, an MOT, full service and full oil change with probably some things I have to get done after the MOT.

Annoying with the battery especially after just being replaced though! Speaking of not having some prior warning that your battery was going to die originally, did you not here the slow "whining" when you turned the ignition? As it tries to turn over?

 

[Jerlene]

Why do you have so many cars! Depending on how you’re feeling on a different day in the week! Is it true you don’t need to insure your cars in America? It’s optional isn’t it?

Insurance is not optional here! Where'd you hear that? Well, it's not optional in the state that I'm in. I'm not sure about the other states.
My dad likes to buy cars, fix them, then pass them off to me. I bought a couple of my own as well. Never had a brand new car though. lol

 

[Van1lla ™]

I think its something thats widley believed in the UK. Maybe its just cheaper? Who knows!

Oh thats cool, do you sell the cars on at all? Gain a tidy profit?

 

[USHost247]

I have a few.

2008 Kawasaki ZZR 600 Street bike
2012 Chevy Sonic Hatchback
2017 Chevy Camaro

 

[Jerlene]

I think its something thats widley believed in the UK. Maybe its just cheaper? Who knows!

Oh thats cool, do you sell the cars on at all? Gain a tidy profit?

I definitely sell them off. I try to make a hefty profit each time but it doesn't always work out. People like to agree to one price beforehand, then tell you they only have $xx left and try to haggle down. As for insurance, I'm from Hawaii so everything is priced higher. I'm definitely the wrong person to ask. But for my tiniest car, which is a Honda Accord, I pay $60 a month for the insurance.

 

[Elli]

Annoying with the battery especially after just being replaced though! Speaking of not having some prior warning that your battery was going to die originally, did you not here the slow "whining" when you turned the ignition? As it tries to turn over?

Nope! No hesitation on start at all, same noise as always. No dashboard light, either. It was very strange.

@ChrisGrigg That Camaro is beautiful!

 

[Van1lla ™]

Ebby that is really odd. My girlfriends car was similar recently. I drove it out to the shop and it was fine. After shopping, got in and wouldn’t start. No warning like yourself.

I definitely sell them off. I try to make a hefty profit each time but it doesn't always work out. People like to agree to one price beforehand, then tell you they only have $xx left and try to haggle down. As for insurance, I'm from Hawaii so everything is priced higher. I'm definitely the wrong person to ask. But for my tiniest car, which is a Honda Accord, I pay $60 a month for the insurance.

Tidy side profit then! Do you declare that income? Haha. So is it like us here with the insurance then! Do you have to pay more if you’re younger and such?

Chris, that Camero is gorgeous. Love it in all black! What’s the engine specs of it?

 

[USHost247]

Ebby that is really odd. My girlfriends car was similar recently. I drove it out to the shop and it was fine. After shopping, got in and wouldn’t start. No warning like yourself.

I definitely sell them off. I try to make a hefty profit each time but it doesn't always work out. People like to agree to one price beforehand, then tell you they only have $xx left and try to haggle down. As for insurance, I'm from Hawaii so everything is priced higher. I'm definitely the wrong person to ask. But for my tiniest car, which is a Honda Accord, I pay $60 a month for the insurance.

Tidy side profit then! Do you declare that income? Haha. So is it like us here with the insurance then! Do you have to pay more if you’re younger and such?

Chris, that Camero is gorgeous. Love it in all black! What’s the engine specs of it?

It’s a 3.6 V6 with 336hp. Haven’t done anything to it. Yet.

 

[iMage]

Mitsibishi Galant. Older one, but it gets me to work lol

 

[Van1lla ™]

Do you plan on doing anything to it Chris? 😱

Nothing wrong with that iMage haha!

 

[Jerlene]

Tidy side profit then! Do you declare that income? Haha. So is it like us here with the insurance then! Do you have to pay more if you’re younger and such?

Not bad but not enough to quit working. lol I don't claim income on it. All cash, no paperwork but a title(in most cases). Insurance is exactly like that though. You pay per car and the price depends on the car and driver. It rises with accidents and drops with a good driving record.

 

[USHost247]

Do you plan on doing anything to it Chris? 😱

Nothing wrong with that iMage haha!

Yes, I plan on putting “the blue line” stripe down the center. I also plan on doing some performance enhancements on it.

 

[Van1lla ™]

Not bad but not enough to quit working. lol I don't claim income on it. All cash, no paperwork but a title(in most cases). Insurance is exactly like that though. You pay per car and the price depends on the car and driver. It rises with accidents and drops with a good driving record.

Thats not bad then is it, to not have to work! Wouldnt be complaining if I could do that! Yeah basically sounds like the insurance here then really. Don't know where people are getting this idea about optional insurance in America? Over here also if you are aged between 17-25 then the insurnce will be higher for you, oh and also if you're a lad. Apparently they are the most dangerous drivers.

Chris, I believe with a stage 1 remap you could gain about 30bhp and 20nm in torque. Might be different over there in what they can do but would cost about £350 over here for that. Defintely worth it for a car like that though. Maybe I should consider it for my little clio! Haha.