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The new Volt got a smaller battery pack. It's fine for 4 people.
Compacts aren't really much good for 5 people anyway.
I'd get the Hellcat. Because Hellcat.
I think I saw video where the tester said that Yeah that Hellcat has a real chance of becoming a classic, especially if they stop producing that monster (offense to Snowflakes) motor. I want it.
Unfortunately modern cars are no longer distinguished by long and reliable service of the mechanicals and the body. The sore spot for many cars in the 20 year old (and newer) range is electronics - they go bad - and when they do the car can be extremely expensive to repair. Dashboards, computers, and wiring harnesses can be fatal to a lot of cars - and I think this is especially true of Japanese models.
Unfortunately modern cars are no longer distinguished by long and reliable service of the mechanicals and the body. The sore spot for many cars in the 20 year old (and newer) range is electronics - they go bad - and when they do the car can be extremely expensive to repair. Dashboards, computers, and wiring harnesses can be fatal to a lot of cars - and I think this is especially true of Japanese models.
Hybrids are really electronically complicated, I sure wouldn't buy a old one.
In the last 5 years, I have purchased a 2009 Pontiac Torrent, and a 2008 Subaru Impreza. Except for the normal wear and required maintenance items(oil, filter, brakes, tires) I have put more than 80,000 on the vehicles and they have been very reliable.
I have not noticed problems with the electronics except in the area of high exposure to weather(as in the sensors in the tires for tire pressure).
Location: In a rural place where people can't bother me ;)
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I suppose I am one of the fortunate ones that can work on my own cars therefore I save a buttload of $$$ on vehicle maintenance. Except for timing belts....I refuse to do those. I will take it to the dealer. Im good on all that work just to do a 45 minute job and then work hunched over for 12 more hours to put it back together.....
Thanks for this, I did look it up and wasn't aware of the magnitude of Fords frame issues however it's doesn't appear that they are rusting worse than Toyotas or that the problem is as widespread. I dont think Toyota was singled out because they have money, there were simply enough justified and persistent complainers.
As you probably are well aware, Fords track record of ignoring and dodging serious consumer safety issues is long and persistent, with Toyota that really isn't so. Ford imho is deplorable as a company in this respect. Not sure of the specifics of the current Toyota frame settlement but the previous one was quite generous. I do believe Toyota genuinely values their truck customers...unsure if Ford (like Nissan these days) values any of it's customers if history is any indication.
I have never bought American...only Datsun (1975, 1978) Mazda! Acura and Nissan ( present) . I love the ergonomics and the reliability. Convince me to shop American....My bad....
Did you buy the car and then learn stick?
I did that. My sister had to test drive it with me as the passenger.
Then you got no choice but to learn!
Too funny! My best friend took the test drive for the 1987 Acura Integra that I loved...I ordered the car and practiced drive her stick until my car came in. I loved that car! to this day it brings fun memories. Pop up windows!
I had an '85 Caddy Fleetwood Brougham (the upper trim level of your car) that was dead nuts reliable for the duration that I had it (traded it off at 185k miles). So I can counter YOUR anecdotal evidence with my own.
And my 2013 Chevy Volt was perfectly reliable, economical and had excellent build quality, which is why they have one of the highest owner satisfaction ratings of any modern car. (I've already seen 2011 models go over 200k miles on the Volt forums...)
My 2002 Chevy Suburban is going strong at 135k miles, towing a 35 foot, 9k lb travel trailer all over the east coast. Only trouble I've had with it is environmental (some rust in the brake lines at 120k miles).
My '96 Ford Ranger Splash never needed work in the 3 years I had it, my '99 SVT Contour was likewise flawless (what I traded the Ranger in on). So was my '02 PT Cruiser for the 5 years and 70k miles I had it (what I traded the Contour in on as I needed a more family friendly car at the time).
So yeah, in 38 years I've had a lot of experience with foreign and domestic cars, many with high miles on them.
My 85 caddy left my wife stranded 5 times in 5 years with 55 miles on it. Final two times wife was while she battling what ended up being lupus. It was well maintained but the engine light came on with water in the oil and over heating engine. Cadillac replaced the engine. A few months later, the engine was running rough again as when engine failed and left her stranded once again. This turned out to be a timing belt failure but I expect a car to run not strand her 5 times. Since 1990 I've only owned Japanese cars...stranded once at home with a dead battery otherwise they always ran when started.
Glad you got a good one, I sure didn't and consumer reports indicted the issues were not unusual in this GM product. I'm not looking for fancy trim but a car which will run without basic mechanics issues stranding us along the roadside. This caddy failure swung me away from GM. Sure I hear they are more reliable now, they had to be to survive with the Japanese making cars that didnt fail.
The Vega was another GM legend know to fail. So they lost me as a life long GM buyer after the caddy. I believe the US and euro manufacturing were forced to build more reliable cars by he competition. Why would I reward a follower? I didn't and don't now., and
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Yeah that Hellcat has a real chance of becoming a classic, especially if they stop producing that monster (offense to Snowflakes) motor. I want it.
