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Journal SolemnDragon's Journal: Horseless Carriages 52

Journal by SolemnDragon

All right. We've come up with a car Blinder would like us to consider- i'll pause so you can flinch in advance, but i'll tell you i'm really not opposed to the idea- the mini. Yep. Good ol' standard shift cooper.

Why?

Because he wants a cool car that drives well in the city, and because i know its crash rating without having to look it up.

Seriously, that gives us either a honda (not my first choice) civic, toyota corolla, or the mini.

Let's get a few ground rules down:

1.) We like manual transmissions. We will both have to learn them again, and are actually looking forward to it. Downshifting to a stop is how you tell what a person learned to drive on.

2.) The car will be new, not used. If we're going to buy a car, we're going to buy a new car. I don't care about depreciation, i care about having a good relationship with the dealer when they see that we bring it in for regular maintenance and care, i care about being the first owner so that i know the car has HAD that maintenance and care, and i care about getting to know the car during the brake dust period. The car will be new, and blinder agreed, so that's the end of the discussion.

3.) We will haggle about price somewhat (read: Dragon is bringing paperwork with her to debate with) and i'm prepared to demand some discount based on what we go with and what they present on the lot, but we picked a price range and aren't looking to horse trade here. So, yes, i know the SRP and multitudinous other (more important) numbers for EACH of the cars in question, and various option packages, and so on, already.

But hey, you know what? If blinder wants a cool car, we'll get a cool car, and i'll save my "latte-sucking-mac-using yuppie scum" comments for the drive home.

After all, it takes on to know one. (I actually took a picture of the kitten tapping the keyboard of my mac yesterday. Cutest. Thing. EVAR.)

Oh, and we may be looking at the cars this weekend.

This discussion was created by SolemnDragon (593956) for Friends only, but now has been archived. No new comments can be posted.

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Horseless Carriages

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    • Re: (Score:2)

      by TopShelf ( 92521 )
      I dig my Outback - great for the winding, rolling roads of middle Tennessee. Don't know if they need that kinda functionality for Boston, though, and the MPG kinda sucks (the wife's minivan does better).
    • I almost got one of those instead of the van. The AWD is great for safety.

      Boston and snow are really typical, and I don't think the mini handles all that well in the snow (not very heavy car), so AWD is a better option...

      My only big schpeel about the JE is why are you convincing us what you'll get? You seem to be arguing with people who haven't even brought up the argument? Are you trying to convince us or yourself??
      • actually, i'm not asking for advice or convincing anyone.

          i was just laying out what the decision was. this was a public service announcement, with the realisation that people might want to talk about it as well.

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by blinder ( 153117 ) *
      heh, remind me never to consult you for car selections. good gawd. i'll never own another u-r-a-bus. i had a subaru outback sport. aside from the constant problems with the car, the wheels being screwed up and it being one of the most uncomfortable cars EVAR, i was happy to get rid of it.

      subarus are bad, ugly and uncomfortable, by my estimation (being a former driver one one).
  • Didn't somebody around here just buy one recently?

    I still find my car to be incredibly cute and perfect, but I'm really the only one who has to think so.

    P.S. Had a good laugh over people suggesting SUVs. Much fun was made of needing consumer-level Bradleys to make it to the grocery store down the street. Really, anything that's not too sporty* will work for winter driving. Most cars anymore are pretty safe. Get what suits you.

    [*] And by "sporty" I mean "too low to the ground to make it over snowdrifts."
    • Comment removed based on user account deletion
      • Yes! That's who I was thinking of. He bought his car at the same time that I bought mine. Oculus' MINI delivery journal entry. [slashdot.org] Smiling Girl apparently also ordered a mini. I suspect it has already arrived, but lack sufficient journal entry evidence.

        I'm a little shocked that there would be dealerships, even in the SuperHip east coast with minis on the lot for immediate purchase. Or bartering for that matter.

        • I forgot to mention it in a journal? Probably because I was jealous ;-) It was delivered begin July. I drive her old car now, a Mercedes A-Class. Nice fun car :-)

          And by "sporty" I mean "too low to the ground to make it over snowdrifts."

          You do realise that my Audi TT Quattro doesn't qualify as "sporty" in your definition? :-( Its better than most SUVs on snow.

      • Yes, and so did my wife... Red and a Diesel, of course. She's a happy puppy. I still have to say that the trunk is really small compared to her Mercedes A-Class.

  • I haven't driven a Mini, but I like the look of them, and the reviews have been favorable. Also, they have the attention and admiration of both myself and a coworker who drive Z3s, which oughta say summin'. I've also read that the stars of The Italian Job so loved the Minis they drove in the movie that some of them bought their own, and those people are more in the Aston Martin Vanquish budget range than in the Mini range. Cool, efficient, practical, small enough to pahk in Bahston, budget BMW -- seems a
  • Can I suggest a Hummer? Take the roof off, install an Onager, add a trailer full of bricks, naphta, and a cauldron of boiling oil.

    Your morning commute has never been more fun.
    • nice idea, but honestly, we don't even need it for commuting. We take the MBTA.

      Boston, Yo. We improvise.

      • That sucks, agents of public transportation usually frown upon siege weapons.

        • Cripes, will these Second Amendment infringements ever stop?

          Cheers,

          Ethelred

          PS: I happen to know that in Sweden, siege weapons are not allowed on public transport, because they make the longships tip over.

          • in boston they aren't allowed on public transport because we assume they will get in the way of the gunfire, and we can't have that.

  • ...the Mini Cooper.

    Seriously. It's his favorite car by far, was the first that he could identify reliably and he goes apeshit whenever he sees one (which 'round these parts is quite often -- there are at least three that park near us).

    So take his advice and get a MINNYCOOPA!

    I'd love to have one myself, but unfortunately for a family of four they aren't too practical. :-/

    Meanwhile, even though the company is now bust (*sniff*), I'm tempted to get one of these. [mg-rover.com] If we ever have the money, that is. :-P

    • unfortunately for a family of four they aren't too practical. :-/

      Last time I checked, the mini cooper has a roof. I have some rope if you need it. Tip: I recommend a slight bit of padding to protect the car's finish from kicking and scratching.

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by Tet ( 2721 )
      the Mini Cooper

      A sound choice, if you're referring to the original Issigonis shape Cooper S. If you're talking about the new "Mini", I'm not so sure. For a start, it's no longer a small car, which was the whole point of the original. And it's ugly.

      • Ya, I prefer the old Cooper S myself, but the one the Confessor likes is the new Mini. He's even got several toy car versions of it because he always goes nuts for them. (Though to be honest I'm not sure he sees the difference yet.)

        Speak of the devil. He just showed up and wants to visit the Teletubbies site.

        Cheers,

        Ethelred

  • ...I will be curious on to what color you guys choose. You can always go for flames [cuttingedgegraphics.net].
    • Comment removed based on user account deletion
      • How about, "Whatever colour the dealer has on hand that isn't pink or yellow," and "without stupid hot-wheels decal looking nonsense."

        • Comment removed based on user account deletion
          • See, it wasn't even on the table till blinder turned to me the other night and said, "Know what other car might be good, in the same price range? I don't think i'd SO MUCH mind a mini..."

            Which in blinderspeak i think means: "Can we at least get a cool looking car? I could live with this decision better if we at least look at buying a cool car instead of just a utilimobile..."

            And to be honest, he's been very good about giving up his current car, in spite of the fact that he'd renew the lease in a heartbeat i
            • Comment removed based on user account deletion

              • Re: (Score:2)

                by Tet ( 2721 )
                Well, like Oculus said once, "My grandmother says you should at least once own a car you really like.", or something like that. Too true.

                Yep, I couldn't agree more. I think I've just found mine. It's a Ford Capri. Nothing new there... We already had four of them between us (and have had another 3 in the past). But this is the first 2.8i of the bunch. I didn't intend to get another car, but this one fell into my lap, and I couldn't really refuse it. And I love it. I was driving home from the racetrack at

  • That is a very fun car to drive. Just a pocket rocket. Thinking the Mini S or the standard setup? You even have back seats in that thing.
  • of course i would need one for each foot...
  • Are you and blinder ever going to go the kids route? Have you even talked about it?

    The reason why: When you are DINKs, is when you have the money- and mommymobiles are damned expensive in comparison to the cute car, and public transit with a stroller sucks. Think about something with an appropriate number of seats to your FUTURE plans, not to where you are now.

    Just relating the lesson of my current financial situation- as Shannon is talking about wanting a sibling for Christopher & has started a da
    • heh.

      Actually, this isn't a conversation for on slashdot. I can say this: no matter what, this car is a temporaryish measure, because the odds are good that my earnings will increase AFTER we pay down some debt and (finally, again) put me into school. (It would be hard for me to make less) so *shrug* another car will be in the picture no matter what (because i really like lola, so there.)

      A kidmobile is something every family needs, yes, but even if i turned out able to have kids- which may eclipse any questi
      • Actually, this isn't a conversation for on slashdot.

        Correct, it's a conversation you and blinder should have had offline already, and likely did. I only brought it up because of where I'm at at the moment. Paying down debt is always a good idea to do first anyway.

        A kidmobile is something every family needs, yes

        I honestly hadn't thought of it before a field trip for the daycare to the Shriner's Circus last April- we ended up leaving one kid out entirely because we didn't have enough transportation, a
    • Are you and blinder ever going to go the kids route? Have you even talked about it?

      *gapes* *rubs eyes furiously* *gapes some more*
      • You know what's truly hilarious?

        Just imagining what you said to Some Guy after calling him over to read it.
        • it probably very much matches the laugh blinder and i had when i called HIM over to read it.
          • What if you just get a minivan and some really really nice rims? Would that satisfy Blinder's requirement for a cool car?

            I'll even chip in for some fuzzy dice.

            This thread amuses me more than it probably should.
      • One of the downsides of Asperger's syndrome is that my curiosity sometimes gets the better of me. OTOH, Shannon informed me that maybe we'd better get an EPT kit this weekend- as she's late (we've been trying anyway, on the nights that Christopher actually sleeps in his own bed, which is rare) and her NFP chart shows that she's been above 98F every morning for the past three weeks, which is a pretty good indicator as well. So yes, I've got kids on the mind....now if we can only get Christopher to sleep in
  • Check out this Mini [treehugger.com]. Holy hybrid hotrod, Batman!
  • and they fit in small parking spaces. given our location, this is far more useful than most of america realizes.

    the end.
    • Hi!

      • Re: (Score:2)

        by daoine ( 123140 ) *
        Hi back!

        Do enjoy your stay in our lovely city! (Which is only so awkwardly laid out because the sheep deemed it so 300+ years ago. Damn sheep.) And don't let anything fall on your head.

        ~d
        (who will miss any festivities because she's headed to Seattle)
        • That's funny, because while we were at Barnes and Noble tonight, Some Guy went to the map section and plucked out a map of Seattle with it's gridded streets, and said "aaaaah... Map porn."

  • After all, blinder, if you are going to go the "chick car" route, why not go all the way?

    ducks!

    Seriously, it is probably a pretty good car for you guys. If I were you, however, I'd invest in a good set of roof bars from Thule or Yakima.

  • My advice:

    Try all three cars out first. Do *that* this weekend. Get cards and numbers. Tell the dealers you only have an hour. Go home. Look at brochures. Make your 1-2-3 list.

    Monday call Dealer one, tell them you're on a short schedule, and want their best price. If they start into the "I have to talk to my manager" crap, tell them if they can't make decisions, you'll just deal with their manager directly. Usually that puts some hustle in their bustle. If you don't get a good deal out of dealer on
  • it probably won't be annoying unless there is a lot of traffic most of the time you drive your car. it will definately be more fun if you take it for any pleasure driving.
  • A Toyota Yaris hatchback 5-speed manual in black. Has a nice auxiliary jack for me to plug my iPod into. (I love that part. :) And the 40mpg on the highway rocks when I drive 50 miles just to work and back, and then there's travel while on the job (I am primarily a field tech these days, and the company does not provide a car, though they do pay mileage).

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