[Racer X 69]

I guess I should consider myself truly blessed then. I've noticed prices going up as well. Regular grade is all the way up to $2.50 a gallon down here in Texas.

There's a great old Texas expression that goes kinda like this: "You might just want to thank your lucky stars that you live in Texas." And I do, regularly. And that's not a political statement. Merely a geographical one.

Since there are lots of refineries in Texas the prices will always be lower there. Even though I didn't pay for the fuel, when I drove big trucks I did notice that diesel was always cheaper in the Lonestar state.


So indeed it is geographical.

[cooltouch]

As for fuel prices, yes there is a geographical component, but I don't believe it is the dominant one. California, for example, also produces a huge amount of oil and gas and also has a large number of refineries. Yet fuel prices there are some of the highest in the nation. The reason perhaps treads dangerously close to politics, however, because it's spelled t.a.x.e.s.

[roflwaffle]

Don't feel guilty. My 1991 pickup truck with it's 460 (7.5L) gets 6-8 miles per gallon of gas. I've never felt guilty for three reasons:
One, I pay for the gas;
two, it gets the job done;
and three, until a better solution exists from producing and disposing of the lithium batteries in a vomit Prius, I'm fine with driving my vehicle.

There aren't any problems with producing and disposing of hybrid batteries that aren't already problems with producing and disposing of automobiles.

[Racer X 69]

There aren't any problems with producing and disposing of hybrid batteries that aren't already problems with producing and disposing of automobiles.

So what is your vehicle, and what do you like or dislike about it?

[Ratmagiclady]

The Manta had a bad rep in Germany... as in it was the butt of jokes. They even made 2 or 3 movies about it. The problem were the guys driving it... they were portrayed as young men with too much testosterone, not the brightest, ...

Cool car though, now it's a classic. Not many remain.

Hee, I wouldn't have guessed it was popular with that *that* set, (Mayb the European versions were actually fast or something?) but I always thought they looked like a car should. It was kind of a problem with a lot of the more lightly-built cute cars where I lived, (Boston) cause they really had a tendency to get eaten alive by rust with alarming speed.

I was finally able to drive the Jaguar F-Type R. Being passenger is nice... but driving the thing... it's heaven. There was so much drama going on that I didn't even notice the traction control doing overtime trying to keep the car from staying stationary, while everything else was hard at work keeping a straight line. It's an absolute hooligan. But the brilliant thing is, apart from the engine that is too responsive (think electric car, but with way more noise) it works as a comfortable cruiser too. Push a button, and it's quiet, relatively refined, with comfort oriented suspension. Push it again and it stiffens up considerably, and roads you thought were smooth show they aren't. At all. The steering sharpens up too, apparently it even uses GPS data to know how direct it should be. And then there's the noise! Ease of the gas pedal, and you hear gun fire. Brilliant. Comfortable seats too, though you don't really see much out of the car. The hood? Nope (I could raise the seats, but then it feels like sitting on the car instead of in the car). The rear window looks like it's far away. It isn't. It's just tiny. The C pillars are the size of buildings. And yes, there are bits and pieces that feel cheap. The GPS is... meh. The Meridian sound system isn't as good as the price tag and brand name suggests. But it's oh so much fun, but you can still live with it as a daily driver (if you only need to carry one more passenger and like to travel light). I think if I could have any car in the world, this would be it. Good looks, versatile, fun, and an amazing noise.

I finally saw one in the real world recently; white, too. Very pretty. (Though I guess if I were ordering one, I'd opt for a custom color, something like that putty/taupe color from old E-types would I think be pretty groovy. ) What really caught my interest wasn't the R-type, though, there's a version with an old-fashioned stick and a V6 with wonderfully-tuned exhaust that's much more in line with my idea of the 'British sporty car' experience.

[roflwaffle]

So what is your vehicle, and what do you like or dislike about it?

I posted it a ways back.

[Sailor]

And a manual transmission with a clutch gives the best feel of connection to the road.

I fervently believed that until I traded my 2013 6-speed Boxster S for my current 911 in 2016. Owing to an occasionally recalcitrant and painful left hip, I decided to buy the 911 with Porsche's PDK, a 7-speed dual clutch transmission (DCT) manufactured by ZF. I find that PDK brings an interface with the car that is no less satisfying than a conventional manual - just different.

However, not all dual clutch transmissions are created equal. My 2015 BMW M4 (traded a couple of weeks ago) also had a DCT as did its predecessor, a 2012 135i; I would have happily swapped the DCTs in these cars for 6-speeds if . . . . . . . . . . my wife would have let me.

Jer

[roflwaffle]

New car.

[Just1MoreDave]

Tesla Model 3? Musk just mentioned positive cash flow this year.

We have a deposit on a Solar Roof but no actual information on when it might happen.

[woodworm]

2013 VW CC (UK)

Like - Comfy, excellent DSG, economical
Dislike - nigly unreliable stuff. I had a Skoda previously and assumed that because it was from the VW stable all their vehicles would be as good. Where my 11 year old Skoda just works my newer VW currently has failed AC, boot release and windscreen washers. Plus the sat nav / stereo requires regular 'reboots'

[timb64]

2013 VW CC (UK)

Like - Comfy, excellent DSG, economical
Dislike - nigly unreliable stuff. I had a Skoda previously and assumed that because it was from the VW stable all their vehicles would be as good. Where my 11 year old Skoda just works my newer VW currently has failed AC, boot release and windscreen washers. Plus the sat nav / stereo requires regular 'reboots'

Like so much in life VW seem to now be building down to a price rather than up to a quality.I own a Mk 6 Golf and it is worse in terms of reliability and driveability compared to my first car,a Mk 1,and a Mk 2 GTI.

[wtlwdwgn]

That's VOA's fault. They decontent the cars they import to keep the price down in the US.

[timb64]

That's VOA's fault. They decontent the cars they import to keep the price down in the US.

Except mine were all bought in the U.K.,supposedly standard EC spec?

[veato]

Honda Civic. I like the driving position and the way the VTEC revs excitedly if I get my toe down - although it's not a 'fast' car by any stretch of the imagination. It's also the most toy laden car I've owned with built in nav, dual zone climate control, voice activated everything (even if it is easier to just look at the clock rather than ask the car what time it is! lol), etc etc. I don't like the firmness of the ride so much on the daily commute and the i-shift auto box has its quirks.

[ChrisPlatt]

My 2003 Mazda Protege needed the alternator replaced a couple years ago.
Now it needs its second major repair in the five years I have owned it.
The catalytic converter and some connecting pipes have rusted through.

Not unexpected for a 15+ year old car that is driven mostly on short trips
and is parked daily at the beach, but an expense surely I'd rather not have.

Oh well, what are tax refunds for?

Chris