Yeah we need to update our car(we only run one) I wouldn’t mind a new Honda accord.(I’d probably look out for a dealer demo model as I don’t know how popular they have been)
Going to take a new prelude for a test drive when they arrive in showrooms too I think.
The missus will probably try push me towards an SUV though.
Try the Honda CRV. We had that and was great, but a bit small fir our family. Depends on the size of your family but it was way ahead of the CX-9 and about 3 years older.
Geez i want to ditch this CX-9 and get a better car
I’ll probably cross ship it if there’s any Lexus is300 around too.
They are on runout at dealers I think with a new model on the way.
Basically a remodelled Camry which is a brilliant car but might make me feel like an uber driver.
We would look at a CRV. Once you go into medium SUV land there is HEAPs of choice.
It’s just me and the missus and a dog.
I look for cars with a big boot to suit my lifestyle.
Interesting. I personally wouldn’t go anywhere near the 5-cylinder Rangers, nor any of the Fords with the newer wet-belt engines. Oil-submerged cambelts seem utter madness to my thinking. But maybe as a fleet they get turned over every few years before major issues surface?
Anyone with a 2016 onwards Dmax or MUX receive an email about a class action?
What is it in regards to?
A problem with emission standards is that they only relate to how the car comes straight from the factory. Reality is that every car has some sort of “defeat device,” as injectors get dirty, manfolds get clogged, Oxygen sensors wear out, etc. (The number of diesel Captivas I see on the road blowing black soot…)
The laws are set up to incentivise technologies that make new cars efficient, but these are not always the technologies that give long term engine health. e.g. direct injection, thin oils and lightweight pistons are good for the first 50 000 km, but sooner or later they become counterproductive to emissions.
I think we’ve got to think about emissions of over the life-cycle of the vehicle, rather than just the first two years that it’s on the road; and enable engineers to make those choices. (There are plenty of 20 year old cars on the road, though I’m not sure how many are driven by politicians.)
Had a bloody school mum in a Prado t-bone my beloved 6 speed manual Accord Euro just before Christmas… unfortunately a write off w/ too much damage to the right hand rear quarter panel to bother repairing it… Seriously loved that vehicle but alas, I’m on the look out for something new to replace it.
Any suggestions from you lot here? Looking for something similar in terms of driving experience for it’s replacement - ultimately I just want something that will be a pleasure to drive… old-school tactile feel and punchy engine were the main things I loved from the CL9.
Checked out a 2008 Subaru Liberty 3.0R B-Spec with a 6 speed manual last weekend which seemed like it could be a good thing.
Sounds eerily like the VW emissions scandal.. which cost them a huge amount once all countries had begun their class actions. I got a few grand back I hadn’t expected, so I was happy.
Mazda 3 SP25 with a manual box ?
Very nice. Good car. Needs 95 Octane, but doesn’t have the same head-gasket issues as the 2.5 litre. ReDriven did a review a while back:
a great resource. the mazda6 is discussed by them quite often too as a great car
Ohh, interesting suggestion - hadn’t really considered anything from Mazda other than the MX-5 but I’m not sure I’m ready for a convertible haha.
if i didnt have kids id get an mx5
I’m not a huge fan of fwd cars and probably never will be , but rwd and manual will get increasingly thin on the ground. The Mazdas are generally well set up , good interiors , reliable ( though the latest generations might be slipping slightly ) and I like the fact that they’ve (largely) avoided small , turbo’d engines . I think their philosophy of naturally aspirated but bigger capacity is a good one. Particularly in Australia, where the high temps accentuate the issues of high tech , turbo’d powerplants. I’d back the naturally aspirated over the long term for maintenance / reliability issues.
That said, imo all modern engines should get oil every 5 to 6 thousand kilometers and if they do they’ll all last much longer.
If you can get one of those Subarus with reasonable kms on then go for it. I drove a 3.0 Outback for ten years and it was great. The B spec in manual yowza. I loved the fact that all of the controls are in exactly the right place, it’s such a well thought out cockpit.
My son just bought a Forester turbo in manual and he said the same thing.
I’ve never been able to figure the Lexus 300. Right from the outset it’s been a glorified Camry at double the price. I had a Lexus 400 from the 1990s that was a fantastic car, but when Mrs 10 got in my ear about it being a gas guzzler I ended up getting an Aurion demo. That was a great car too, 2006 model, and still in the custody of 10 Jr.
Look for a Citroën C5 diesel. AVOID the model called Seduction. I had a 2010 model for 10 years and still regret selling it. Never had a single problem; a dream to drive; 2.1 litre diesel is powerful and economical. MAKE SURE it has the hydropneumatic suspension. (The Seduction, introduced at the end of the model run, does not have it.) if you’re worried about the “funny” suspension, I can tell you that I’ve had four Citroëns over the years, and some of those them have had all sorts of problems, but there’s never been a problem with the suspension.