« Run for President Yourself | Main | Nose Down, Keep Going »
Top Rides 2004
There must be something about spring that makes people think about getting new cars. Maybe it's increased advertising? But as a quick followup to the car-focused post of a couple of weeks ago, Consumer Reports has announced its best automobile picks for 2004. DG will be thrilled to hear that the Ford Focus is the best "small sedan." (Check out DG's "enemies" list in the lower right column.) Scheherazade should also be pleased to hear the VW Passat tied with the Honda Accord for "best family sedan." FWIW, except for two versions of the Focus (the "SVT" model won for "fun to drive"), and the Passat tie, the top 10 cars are all Japanese.
L's car continues to have an annoying little coolant problem; there's a tiny leak somewhere, it seems, even though it was supposedly pressure-tested about a month ago and no leaks were found. Cars drive me nuts, which is why it's so great to be in a situation where I almost never need to drive (not to mention the joy of not having a car payment!).
Posted March 13, 2004 08:09 AM | life generally
Consumer reports picking best car? That's like letting the Christian Coalition pick sexiest movie.
Read a car magazine :)
Posted by: falconred at March 13, 2004 03:02 PM
Well gee, maybe I'm just kind of a *gulp* Chirstian Coalition guy when it comes to cars. I want practical, low cost, very low maintenance, and high longevity. Boring stuff. I care much less how a car looks or drives or what makes it go vroom, and that's what car magazines car about, right?
But I'll bite: If I'm reading a car magazine, what will I be reading? And what will it tell me to drive?
Posted by: ambimb at March 13, 2004 07:01 PM
Yuck. I agree with Falconred solely because they would dare put the Ford Focus on there. The magazine to read would be Motor Trend. (I would have said Car and Driver but they also have praised the Ford Focus.)
Motor Trend's car of the year is the Toyota Prius (Hybrid); the Truck of the year is the Ford F-150. Hmm, I can't remember the others.
Sorry to hear about L's car. At least the mass transportation in D.C. is good (except for rush hour!)
Signed, Minor Car Nut
Posted by: DG at March 14, 2004 08:15 AM
The Car Talk guys have given the Focus a thumbs up now that Ford has resolved the early problems with it (parts falling off, engines blowing up, etc.). I've always liked the way it looks, but all the problems it had in the first few model years understandably turned me off. E's cousin just bought an '03 ZX5 and loves it. Nothing's fallen off so far. :)
Posted by: raquel at March 14, 2004 09:32 AM
