Long-Term Road Tests
August 2006
August 31, 2006
As Donna noted in a previous post, the Honda Civic Si's audio system is pretty "mega." In times past, I relied on its auxiliary input mini-jack port for my audio listening pleasure. But this situation ended yesterday when my Iriver MP3 player developed a fatal flaw. Thankfully, our Civic offers a number of different audio choices: regular radio, XM satellite radio and a CD player that can play MP3 or WMA files. I was happy about the availability of the latter because my music collection is in Microsoft's WMA format...
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- Posted by: Brent Romans August 31, 2006, 9:22 AM
- Categories: 2006 Honda Civic Si
August 30, 2006
After being nonplussed at the Sedona's "PC LOAD LETTER"-esque nonsense with the CD player (I'm learning freakin' Spanish here! Vamonos!), I was, eh, plussed by the existence of a tape player.
No new cars have tape players anymore. As such, I had to buy a whole other Spanish program as my dad's "Living Language: Spanish" course on two cassettes was useless on the commute -- hence my recent adherence to the "Berlitz Rush Hour Spanish" complete with ridiculous songs about the asking for scrambled eggs with organ in F major.
But in the Sedona I could finally crack open the tapes and listen with ease...
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- Posted by: August 30, 2006, 12:59 PM
- Categories: 2006 Kia Sedona EX
This one goes into the nit pick file for the Accord, a folder which gets used a lot since there really isn't anything seriously wrong with this car. My complaint has to do with the shifter, specifically its tendency to go right into third gear. The detent is so smooth you hardly notice that you've slipped right past "Drive" and into "D3". I usually don't figure it out until I go to parallel park and after pushing the lever two slots forward I find myself sitting in neutral...
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- Posted by: Ed Hellwig August 30, 2006, 11:02 AM
- Categories: 2005 Honda Accord Hybrid
August 29, 2006
I don't understand how people can cop an attitude toward the Solstice. I'll be sitting at the stoplight in the Pontiac minding my own business when a bully of an F-150 driver in the next lane guns his engine, powers ahead and jumps right in front of me. "I think you think I'm faster than I am," I want to laugh at the truck driver. But where I couldn't catch up to the truck with the roadster's four-cylinder power (obviously), I easily danced around the monster in the curves, ha...
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- Posted by: Caroline Pardilla August 29, 2006, 1:28 PM
- Categories: 2006 Pontiac Solstice
You might remember that the Sedona's in-dash CD changer stopped playing CDs in mid-July. Inserting any type of CD results in this error message, and if you keep trying to load it, the player eventually spits the CD out. Unfortunately, Kia of Long Beach initially ordered the wrong stereo head unit (the non-Infinity variety) -- which is why Dan couldn't take the van on his Oregon road trip. Since then, the dealer has reordered the correct head unit and we hope to have it installed soon...
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- Posted by: Erin Riches August 29, 2006, 11:23 AM
- Categories: 2006 Kia Sedona EX
It's over! The Jeep spent the night in MY driveway, and I spent the night in MY bed. Vacations are excellent therapy for body and soul, but getting home after spending 1,900 miles on the road is a great feeling. All that's left is to roll into work this morning and release this final blog entry.
For our family at least, the Commander didn't turn out to be the ideal road trip implement. This Jeep seems better suited to empty-nester duty at the ranch or someplace similar where the off-road related trade-offs would be appreciated and utilized.
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- Posted by: Dan Edmunds August 29, 2006, 10:41 AM
- Categories: 2006 Jeep Commander Limited
August 28, 2006
Last Thursday our Mazda MX-5 paid a quick visit to Long Beach Mazda for regular service. Service Writer Steve, quite possibly the world's nicest guy, facilitated our oil change needs in record time. Total cost: $70.97.
On Friday night, my husband and I jumped in the MX-5 to make the near 1,000-mile round-trip to Sacramento for a youth soccer tournament...
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- Posted by: Kelly Toepke August 28, 2006, 3:22 PM
- Categories: 2006 Mazda MX-5 Miata
As we've noted before, rearward visibility is none too good in our long-term Toyota FJ Cruiser, which can make it a little tricky to maneuver in urban areas, despite the fact that it's not very long or wide for an SUV. However, during a weekend in the city with the FJ, I found its blind spots pretty manageable. Its bumper-mounted reverse sensors certainly help, but more useful for parking are its exceptionally large outside mirrors. Properly adjusted, these mirrors allow you to see pretty far to either side -- and once I started taking full advantage of them, I started feeling a lot more confident...
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- Posted by: Erin Riches August 28, 2006, 11:16 AM
- Categories: 2007 Toyota FJ Cruiser
Our Oregon adventure has entered the final phase: driving home. After re-packing our stuff and saying our good-byes, we pointed our Commander south for the 900-mile or so return trip. The run home will follow a more direct route, as the dog is waiting for us and the kids are itching to see who their teachers will be next year.
Three of the Jeep's electronic gadgets have already helped this driver wile away the miles behind the wheel: Sirius satellite radio; the Navigation system; and the Tire Pressure Monitoring System readout. Here's how they are doing:
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- Posted by: Dan Edmunds August 28, 2006, 9:40 AM
- Categories: 2006 Jeep Commander Limited
Went on a Ford GT owner rally this weekend. The route started in Pacific Palisades and wound its way up the coast to Santa Barbara. There were 15 cars in attendence, even though I didn't bring one. I wanted to attend the rally but the wife and kids obviously don't all fit in the GT...
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- Posted by: Karl Brauer August 28, 2006, 8:38 AM
- Categories: 2005 Ford GT
August 27, 2006
My parents own a hilltop house with a 180-degree view of the Pacific near Pistol River, Oregon. Another higher hill sits behind their place, with an old logging track servicing the top. The steepest portion is something dad proudly calls the Wall of Death, a narrow, 30-percent steep stretch made slippery by a coating of pine needles, gravel and twigs.
Low-range and a steady application of throttle are necessary here. The steepest portion is deeply shaded, making it a poor photo op. But the payoff at the top is an even more sweeping 360-degree view, with the unspoiled, rocky Pacific coastline at our feet, and the Trinity Alps behind. I don't understand why he wants to sell this place...
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- Posted by: Dan Edmunds August 27, 2006, 9:05 AM
- Categories: 2006 Jeep Commander Limited
August 25, 2006
Yesterday was the first full day of nothing to do but relax. Finally.
Our first task was to load six of us into the Commander and head for Jerry's Rogue Jets, where we hopped on a jet boat to take us 52 miles up into the Wild & Scenic portion of the Rogue River. Fantastic. Everyone should make this trip.
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- Posted by: Dan Edmunds August 25, 2006, 12:25 PM
- Categories: 2006 Jeep Commander Limited
During a 60-mph freeway run last night, I noticed the Solstice seemed to be fidgeting more than usual over grooves and joints. So this morning when the tires were cold, I checked the pressure and found that they were all a couple psi over spec. As I was resetting them to the correct pressure, I couldn't help but notice all the damage to our long-termer's right front wheel. That polished 18-inch five-spoke still looks great from a distance, but look close and it's a mess...
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- Posted by: Erin Riches August 25, 2006, 11:33 AM
- Categories: 2006 Pontiac Solstice
August 24, 2006
When I fueled up the Solstice this morning, I decided to check the oil. Easier said than done. Ordinarily, GM's 2.4-liter engine is transverse-mounted, but to make it work on the rear-drive Solstice, engineers flipped it around. That puts the dipstick at the back of the Solstice's engine bay underneath a couple of hoses...
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- Posted by: Erin Riches August 24, 2006, 12:02 PM
- Categories: 2006 Pontiac Solstice
August 23, 2006
Our Jeep Commander is back in service! Thanks to Harper Ford / Kia / Jeep, their helpful Green Team service writer Scott List, and an anonymous mechanic, a new starter arrived in the morning shipment from San Francisco and was installed by lunch. And no, I don't think we received any special treatment, as I never let on where I work or what I do for a living.
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- Posted by: Dan Edmunds August 23, 2006, 10:13 PM
- Categories: 2006 Jeep Commander Limited
Yesterday afternoon, my folks drove 120 miles south and rescued us from the Lost Coast Brewery, a wonderful little joint that we had set up camp in while we waited. We transferred our belongings from the stricken Jeep into the back of their Honda Odyssey. Even with the Honda's third seat in use, all of our stuff from the back of the Jeep, plus items the girls had piled between them in the second row, fit well below the headrests in the Odyssey.
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- Posted by: Dan Edmunds August 23, 2006, 9:37 PM
- Categories: 2006 Jeep Commander Limited
As the days get shorter and darkness falls a little earlier each night, my evening commute is getting duskier. I like the colorless dash lights on the FJ Cruiser. They light up white on a black background and make a nice contrast to the toyish blue and white exterior paint scheme.
Our FJ continues to get stares from other drivers and pedestrians...
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- Posted by: Donna DeRosa August 23, 2006, 11:39 AM
- Categories: 2007 Toyota FJ Cruiser
Driving our 2006 Pontiac Solstice around town on a cool, late summer evening can be quite pleasurable. There are no seat heaters in this car, but cranking the fan speed dial to setting 2 turns the cockpit into a personal convection oven. These two large vents on the center stack channel torrents of warm air directly at the driver. I think this may be my favorite thing about Pontiac's roadster...
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- Posted by: Erin Riches August 23, 2006, 10:33 AM
- Categories: 2006 Pontiac Solstice
August 22, 2006
Well, I guess if I had to break down somewhere, this is as good a place as any. I'm sitting in the Lost Coast Brewery in downtown Eureka, California. And since I won't be doing any more driving today, I'm having my second Downtown Brown ale with lunch.
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- Posted by: Dan Edmunds August 22, 2006, 3:18 PM
- Categories: 2006 Jeep Commander Limited
I couldn't get my arm out of the sun this morning. The Sedona's side windows are cut so low that no matter where I put my arm -- on the wheel where it should be, or on the armrest in search of shade -- I couldn't escape the rays.
I feel very exposed in the Sedona. Looking at other vehicles around me, most of their windows are cut higher...
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- Posted by: Donna DeRosa August 22, 2006, 3:01 PM
- Categories: 2006 Kia Sedona EX
In a previous post, I criticized the Accord Hybrid's steering as being too numb because of its electric power assist. I've changed my mind. After a weekend spent with a Saturn Aura test vehicle, it was so refreshing to get back into the Accord. This is what steering in a midsize sedan should feel like -- light, accurate, modestly communicative...
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- Posted by: Erin Riches August 22, 2006, 1:37 PM
- Categories: 2005 Honda Accord Hybrid
Day 3 of our trip to Oregon in the Commander has gone badly. After a grand total of 11.4 miles - the distance from our hotel to our breakfast stop at the Big Blue Cafe in Arcata, California, the Jeep refuses to start. Click, click, click, is all I get after a twist of the key.
It's not a dead battery, as the car sat for 12 hours overnight and started on the first twist of the key. After driving to our breakfast stop and sitting for about five minutes, I decided to move the car to a better parking spot and... nothing. I have plenty of power, as the power windows, lights, NAV screen and everything else works at full strength. And Editor Karl, who had a similar no-start incident, replaced the battery about five or six-thousand miles ago. No, something else more sinister and hidden is at work.
A sympathetic motorist who saw me fiddling under the hood offered me a jumpstart, but as expected, that didn't change anything. Click, click, click. So I've called roadside assistance, and a tow truck will be here in 30 minutes, they say, to haul me and ONE of my family to the dealership. According to roadside assistance, the other three of us need to get a taxi, at our own expense, or simply wait here, on a park bench presumably...
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- Posted by: Dan Edmunds August 22, 2006, 11:45 AM
- Categories: 2006 Jeep Commander Limited
The Commander may be many things, but I can say with authority that it is in fact Tree Rated, as it fits (barely) through the famous Drive-Thru Tree in California's Humboldt Redwoods. Okay, the mirrors had to be folded in, and we had less than an inch on each side at times, but it squeezed through.
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- Posted by: Dan Edmunds August 22, 2006, 8:17 AM
- Categories: 2006 Jeep Commander Limited
August 21, 2006
WELCOME TO FLAVOR COUNTRY
LA to Seattle and back: 2,747 miles
After the initial adventure of sleeping in this bad boy, the real experience of living with the FJ came in four days in the proud Pacific Northwest city of Seattle…home of strong coffee, surprisingly non-burly townsfolk and some of the most confusing exit ramps along the I-5. And while the title of this blog might appear to be a simple non-sequiter “The Simpsons” reset, it actually is fitting in my mind. This car belongs in a dreamy vision of ruggedness and purity found only in classic tobacco advertising.
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- Posted by: August 21, 2006, 7:26 PM
- Categories: 2007 Toyota FJ Cruiser
Yesterday I drove our Honda Accord Hybrid from Monterey, California down to Los Angeles, a 362 mile run down the 101 Freeway, which hugs the coast a good portion of the time. Once again, the Accord Hybrid proved itself to be a fine long hauler. We made it easily on one tank of gas and the Accord averaged 31 mpg according to the car's trip computer. Driver and passenger both noted the Honda's quiet interior, fine air conditioning and surprising stability at 100 mph...
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- Posted by: Scott Oldham August 21, 2006, 11:15 AM
- Categories: 2005 Honda Accord Hybrid
A while back we mentioned that the Ford GT's front ground clearance is actually better than most exotics we've driven. You really have to hit a pretty substantial bump, or an extreme driveway angle, to scrape anything on the front of the car. Out back, however, it's a different story. The rear splitters that help keep the car snugged down on the road at speeds above 150 mph are just slightly lower than your average parking block...
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- Posted by: Karl Brauer August 21, 2006, 10:53 AM
- Categories: 2005 Ford GT
The Jeep Commander came out of nowhere and got the nod for my family's road trip to Oregon. Even though it is equipped with most of the things on our checklist -- a DVD player and a navigation system -- it had not been highly rated due to smallish interior volume. But the front-running Kia Sedona developed a CD player glitch at the 11th hour and dropped from contention. Two thousand miles without decent tunes wasn't going to cut it.
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- Posted by: Dan Edmunds August 21, 2006, 10:24 AM
- Categories: 2006 Jeep Commander Limited
The Edmunds.com parking structure is generally capable of handling our test vehicles. Certainly we can't pull any Dodge Sprinters or Ford F-250 Super Dutys into the underground structure, but Expeditions, Escalades and even a Hummer H2 will (barely) fit under the vents and pipes running along the roof of each parking level. The long term FJ Cruiser was also roof-scuff free after several months of ownership...until recently. See, there's this piece of flexible ventilation hose that wraps around one of the concrete beams just above one of our parking spots...
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- Posted by: Karl Brauer August 21, 2006, 8:39 AM
- Categories:
This car feels huge. Interior proportions allow ample space to store anything from luggage to soccer balls. Even long limbs fit quite comfortably in the front and rear seats. Exterior proportions are equally large, offering a sense of security on the open road but presenting a challenge when the venue changes to running errands around town...
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- Posted by: Mike Schmidt August 21, 2006, 8:13 AM
- Categories: 2006 Mercedes-Benz R500
Years ago, I used to hand wash each press car I recieved in an effort to connect with the car - to learn something about it or see some detail that wasn't obvious at first glance. It was also a great way to force myself into noticing things like excessive panel gaps, paint quality and tacked on logos and/or body cladding.
This weekend I went back to my old hand washing trick with the Pontiac Solstice. In some ways it paid off as my appreciation for the roadster's slippery shape and flowing bodywork grew. But for every positive, it seems as if there's a negative or two.
When the top is down, it squeaks horribly and the whine from the transmission isn't getting better with age...
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- Posted by: Brian Moody August 21, 2006, 7:52 AM
- Categories: 2006 Pontiac Solstice
August 20, 2006
After more than a week and a half of living with our Honda Accord Hybrid I've finally found something to complain about. The headlamps are dim. Not the highbeams, the highbeams are banging out some serious candlepower, but the Honda's low beams make Jessica Simpson look bright.
Now a photo of the Accord's headlamps seemed dull, so instead I thought I'd lighten your day with this shot of the car parked at the edge of the Pacific Ocean on 17-mile drive in the town of Pacific Grove, California...
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- Posted by: Scott Oldham August 20, 2006, 12:02 AM
- Categories: 2005 Honda Accord Hybrid
August 18, 2006
Earlier this week we delivered our damaged BMW 330i to the body shop at Long Beach BMW. Shop attendant Ted promised he'd take good care of our car, and since he handled the extensive repair to our long-term 2005 BMW X3 last summer, we knew we were in good hands.
After inspecting the car, Ted faxed me the estimate. And let me tell you, it was nothing short of shocking...
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- Posted by: Kelly Toepke August 18, 2006, 9:34 AM
- Categories: 2006 BMW 330i
August 17, 2006
Here's the one thing about our Sunset Pearlescent Eclipse GT's interior that I simply can't get past: The leather/faux suede Terra Cotta treatment doesn't extend to the backseat. It's not that I care if the occasional rear-seat passenger in this car has to sit on dark gray vinyl. It's the everyday eyesore that I have to see whenever I turn my head. Couldn't Mitsu have at least used off-white vinyl so the front and rear seats would at least sort of match?
The obvious solution is to keep the 50/50 rear seats folded down, but the problem is that there's considerably more road noise without the "insulation" of the upright rear seat backs...
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- Posted by: Erin Riches August 17, 2006, 12:52 PM
- Categories: 2006 Mitsubishi Eclipse GT
After spending 2,228 miles behind the wheel of our R Class last week I'm convinced it's got the best cupholders in the world. And I should know. Many of those miles were spent at more than 10,000 feet in the Rocky Mountains where hydrating means the difference between living with a constant headache and actually enjoying the scenery. Over the course of four days in Leadville, Colorado I sucked back somewhere in the neighborhood of 800 ounces of water...
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- Posted by: Josh Jacquot August 17, 2006, 8:43 AM
- Categories: 2006 Mercedes-Benz R500
August 16, 2006
As I sit here in my hotel room reading Mystic's Stamp Showcase, the leading publication for philatelists, I can't help but reflect on my 400 mile day in our long term Honda Accord Hybrid. Truth be told, I can't decide which is more thrilling, reading about the Grinnell Hawaiian Missionaries first appearance on the philatelic scene in 1920, or driving our beige on beige Accord from Los Angeles to the Monterey Peninsula.
So it isn't a thrill a minute, but the Accord proved comfortable and competent for 400 nonstop miles. That's right, nonstop...
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- Posted by: Scott Oldham August 16, 2006, 10:43 PM
- Categories: 2005 Honda Accord Hybrid
We're trying to exercise the proper level of care while driving the Ford GT, and that includes watching our feet (and our heads) when getting in and out. But the inevitable foot-scrape-along-the-door is just a part of life, especially when dealing with a low down sports cars. We've acquired some scuffs along the door's brushed aluminum trim, but we have yet to attack it with a cleaner of any kind (or even just soap and water). We'll let you know how our efforts to remove these blights fare...
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- Posted by: Karl Brauer August 16, 2006, 6:30 PM
- Categories: 2005 Ford GT
I knew I wasn't going to see our Civic Si for a while (it's going to spend the next couple weeks in Fresno, CA), so this morning I got up a little earlier than usual to take it on a real drive. With no caffeine in my system, my inputs behind the wheel were a little sluggish, even sloppy, but the car's limited-slip differential kept lifting my spirits, kicking the front end around amidst mild protest from the all-season Michelins. The steering in this car feels light, maybe a little too light, but it's so quick and accurate, I can hardly complain. I wouldn't mind if the throws between gears were a little shorter, though -- no question, shifting this car is fun, but I feel like I have to move the lever too far from gate to gate...
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- Posted by: Erin Riches August 16, 2006, 11:47 AM
- Categories: 2006 Honda Civic Si
August 15, 2006
It's a small thing, but I like the way the Sonata's shifter works. There's no button to press, and it slots solidly from gate to gate -- you never have to worry about it being halfway in. And with the "manual" gate off to the side, there's no chance of missing "D" and finding 4th instead. Overall, a nice design and very handy during complicated parking maneuvers and freeway adventures alike...
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- Posted by: Erin Riches August 15, 2006, 12:55 PM
- Categories: 2006 Hyundai Sonata LX
Our frustrations with the Honda's jerky Autostop feature have been well documented in this blog, however my irritation with the system is a different one. While most have complained about the roughness in which the Honda's V6 starts and stops and with the abrupt slow speed throttle response that can make parking a bit stressful, my problem with Autostop is that the air conditioning backs off when the V6 shuts down. On an 80+ degree day I find this to be a problem.
But I have found a solution...
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- Posted by: Scott Oldham August 15, 2006, 10:17 AM
- Categories: 2005 Honda Accord Hybrid
August 14, 2006
With a cabin that could make even Gary Coleman feel cramped, the Pontiac Solstice is one tiny convertible. And small cars tend to have equally small gas tanks. What does this mean for you the driver? Frequent stops at the pump.
The weekend was uneventful...
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- Posted by: Warren Clarke August 14, 2006, 2:53 PM
- Categories: 2006 Pontiac Solstice
Unless you've got both a Ford GT and your own vehicle lift you'll probably never see this particular Easter Egg. It's underneath the vehicle, on the central belly pan that smooths the car's underside out for high-speed stability. If you can get under the car and look up you'll see the letters "GT" formed in the ribbed pattern used to strengthen the belly pan's metal (tiny bends, or "ribs," in large pieces of otherwise flat metal help the metal resist bending). An additional Easter Egg related to this item -- the first three "production" GTs built for the 2004 model year and the Centennial celebration in June 2003 (all three are still owned by Ford) do not have this "GT" pattern in their belly pans...
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- Posted by: Karl Brauer August 14, 2006, 12:30 PM
- Categories: 2005 Ford GT
On Friday afternoon I bought a couple of cases of bottled water. The cases weigh 50-60 lbs, so they're kind of a hassle to deal with. But getting them into the Sonata's trunk couldn't have been easier: The lift-over height is super low -- the bottom lip of the opening is just above my knee.
The rest of the weekend with the Sonata was similarly enjoyable...
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- Posted by: Erin Riches August 14, 2006, 11:01 AM
- Categories: 2006 Hyundai Sonata LX
August 13, 2006
My family and I have been "interviewing" many of the cars in the Edmunds long-term fleet to see which one we'll use for our annual 2,000 mile there-and-back-again Oregon trek. We decided to give the Sedona a try, as this newbie hasn't yet been put through the real-world summer vacation test wringer.
But first, it needs a trip to the dealer for an oil change and a wheel alignment. The former is routine, while the latter is made necessary by the slightly off-center position of the steering wheel when driving straight ahead. Someone may have rubbed a curb or hit a particularly nasty pothole, as the wheel was centered when we first took delivery. After a quick alignment check and toe-in reset, it should be as good as new.
Dan Edmunds, Director of Automotive Testing
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- Posted by: Dan Edmunds August 13, 2006, 10:32 AM
- Categories: 2006 Kia Sedona EX
August 12, 2006
Wednesday at 4 a.m. I left our Honda Accord Hybrid at Los Angeles International Airport. When I returned 72 hours later the car fired right up on the first twist of its key.
Then today the Accord's odometer clicked past 20,000 miles on our way to my daughter's weekly swim lesson at the local YMCA...
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- Posted by: Scott Oldham August 12, 2006, 3:09 PM
- Categories: 2005 Honda Accord Hybrid
August 11, 2006
Here's one advantage our long-term Pontiac Solstice does have over our Miata: It has a trunk light. Instead of fumbling around the in the dark to retrieve bags, I can see exactly what I'm looking for.
That said, it would be a big problem if the Solstice's trunk didn't have a light given its narrow alley of storage space, especially with the top down. And to be truthful, the only time I put things back here is when I have a passenger, and there's no room for my purse and CD case up front...
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- Posted by: Erin Riches August 11, 2006, 12:05 PM
- Categories: 2006 Pontiac Solstice
It's a sad day here in Santa Monica as our beloved BMW 330i was involved in a three-car accident on the 405 freeway this morning.
Kevin Smith, Editorial Director of Edmunds and Inside Line was in the middle of his rush hour commute when traffic came to a grinding halt and he was forced to jam on the brakes to avoid hitting the Honda Accord in front of him. Kevin stopped in time, but the Dodge pickup behind him did not. The truck hit our BMW and pushed it into the Accord...
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- Posted by: Kelly Toepke August 11, 2006, 11:57 AM
- Categories: 2006 BMW 330i
August 10, 2006
After spending the weekend in our long-term Miata, I've spent the last two days with the Solstice. It hasn't been the easiest transition, and not just because of the difference in their personalities. It's also the Pontiac's inconsistent fit and finish that's getting me down. Many of the Solstice's plastic dash panels are misaligned, and several have flashing on the edges left over from the molding process (as you can see above)...
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- Posted by: Erin Riches August 10, 2006, 10:53 AM
- Categories: 2006 Pontiac Solstice
August 9, 2006
Exotic cars are supposed to be quirky, so the door design of the Ford GT is more tolerable than if it was on, say, a Toyota Camry. Plus the GT has a reason for this design that dates back to its Le Mans heritage. Do these reasons justify the bizarre entry/exit ritual (I've heard it referred to as "the GT Limbo") that must be performed every time you go for a drive/ride? The answer depends largely on your parking situation. If you can park in a location that allows the doors to fully open (nearly 90 degrees) the door's shape becomes a non-issue...
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- Posted by: Karl Brauer August 9, 2006, 12:30 PM
- Categories: 2005 Ford GT
PACIFIC NORTHWEST, Wash. -- So we tacked a solid 1,200 miles on the Tonka --er, Toyota FJ Cruiser yesterday and find ourselves in a constant rainshower with no hotel rooms in sight. Seattle at last.
In the past 24 hours the FJ has:
--Played some 14 hours of iPod hits
--Delivered Tigers, White Sox, Yankees and Dodger games to our ears via XM
--Broken the 10,000 mile mark (Congrats!)
--Been gawked at by nearly 10,000 people...
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- Posted by: August 9, 2006, 10:25 AM
- Categories: 2007 Toyota FJ Cruiser
I had a 15,000-mile service performed on our 2006 Mitsubishi Eclipse GT yesterday. There were no major surprises. (Followers of our Eclipse's progress might notice, however, that the Eclipse was about 2,500 miles past due.) I arrived at the Mitsubishi dealership at a scheduled time of 8 a.m. and Adam, a service advisor, greeted me promptly and courteously...
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- Posted by: Brent Romans August 9, 2006, 9:00 AM
- Categories: 2006 Mitsubishi Eclipse GT
The family has already vetoed the use of our long-term Merceds R500 for our annual trek north to visit my folks in Oregon. Next on the list was the FJ Cruiser. Sure it's a whole different animal than the Merc, but off-road side trip possibilities abound on the way up. At our destination, the decidedly four-wheel-drive "Wall of Death" trail protects a magnificant 180-degree view of the rocky Oregon coast.
So I brought the FJ home for a trial fitting, in order to see if this was to be the family truckster for our journey.
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- Posted by: Dan Edmunds August 9, 2006, 12:08 AM
- Categories: 2007 Toyota FJ Cruiser
August 8, 2006
One feature that made my weekend road trip in our long-term MX-5 Miata more enjoyable was its auto volume control feature, which has 3 top-up modes and 3 top-down modes. All it really does is make your music louder when the top is down (and as vehicle speed increases), but it kept me from having to twist the volume into the 20s while driving on I-40 -- thus preserving the illusion that all the metal I listen to is not making me go deaf.
Note that our Miata has the base sound system; we've tested one with the Bose system and its AudioPilot feature (which supposedly adjusts for the amount of noise entering the cabin) but didn't find it to be a huge upgrade. One of the best systems in this price range that I've heard recently is the Rockford-Fosgate system in the '07 Eclipse Spyder, which automatically adjusts volume and equalizer settings depending on whether the top is up or down...
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- Posted by: Erin Riches August 8, 2006, 11:14 AM
- Categories: 2006 Mazda MX-5 Miata
August 7, 2006
After I took the Solstice to the carwash today, I did a walk around to see how it was holding up. Being a low-slung sports car, I figured there might be some chin scrapes from parking blocks. Sure enough, there were, as you can see in the photo. The black spoiler flexes, so it doesn't suffer the minor injuries the chin is exposed to.
And this has been a pet peeve of mine for a long time -- why aren't those darn things a standard height? I know other drivers of sports car have experienced this: pulling up to these buggers, sometimes the chin clears them by an inch or so, where in other instances it's a clearance of millimeters. And obviously, at other times it makes contact -- ouch! In this ultra-standardized world we live in, it baffles me that these parking blocks are not all one agreed-upon height so that the car makers can design their car's chins accordingly.
If you drive a car like this, I advise not pulling up all the way -- obviously the simple solution. But some of the parking lots around L.A. are so small and jammed that you don't have much choice if you want to keep the car's butt out of harm's way...
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- Posted by: John DiPietro August 7, 2006, 1:55 PM
- Categories: 2006 Pontiac Solstice
After closing the door on our Ford GT for the past 12 months we noticed something a bit odd -- the interior door pull looked strangely familiar. We were certain we'd seen it somewhere before. It was obviously made of real metal, but the type of metal and the longitudinal relief running the length of the handle looked too specific for a simple door pull. We know the Enzo Ferrari uses much of that car's structure as an accent to the cabin design...
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- Posted by: Karl Brauer August 7, 2006, 1:33 PM
- Categories: 2005 Ford GT
I had to make a 750-mile round trip to visit family in Kingman, AZ, over the weekend. Since I'd already taken the Solstice to Monterey (about the same distance), I decided to make the trip in our long-term MX-5. Kingman is truck country. Everyone there owns a pickup, and not only was the car surrounded by giants all weekend, it got plenty of stares (not always the good kind). On the surface, the Miata looks like a much better road trip car than the Solstice simply because you can put all your luggage in the trunk, but the longer I drove it, the slimmer its advantage over the Pontiac got...
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- Posted by: Erin Riches August 7, 2006, 11:49 AM
- Categories: 2006 Mazda MX-5 Miata
Sunday evening the odometer in our Mercedes R500 broke 5000 miles, all of which have been trouble free, but they haven't been cheap. Over the course of this past weekend I drove the Benz exactly 223.9 miles, which were split evenly between highway and city driving. The R500 has a huge gas tank, so its range is well over 300 miles. Infact, after covering those 223.9 miles, its gas gauge was reading around half, and the range reading in the trip computer said it could go another 150 miles...
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- Posted by: Scott Oldham August 7, 2006, 10:40 AM
- Categories: 2006 Mercedes-Benz R500
I owe Inside Line Executive Editor Scott Oldham a big, fat thank you.
Well, kind of.
I was all set to leave the office on Friday in our long-term Mercedes R500, when Scott asked me to swap him for the BMW 330i. I hadn't driven the 3 Series in months, and readily agreed to the exchange...
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- Posted by: Kelly Toepke August 7, 2006, 10:27 AM
- Categories: 2006 BMW 330i
Another pleasant weekend in our R500, but the vehicle's very long back doors continue to be a problem. When the vehicle is parked out in the open, as illustrated above, there is no problem. In fact, the doors open extra wide so loading and unloading the little ones could not be easier. But when your parked in tight spaces, as illustrated below, the long doors cannont be opened wide enough for any thing to get in and out...
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- Posted by: Scott Oldham August 7, 2006, 10:19 AM
- Categories: 2006 Mercedes-Benz R500
Over the past few months, I've had plenty of seat time in our long-term 2006 Mitsubishi Eclipse GT. Overall, I still find it to be a reasonably enjoyable car when driven around town. But after taking it on a five-hour highway drive last week, I'm finding myself less willing to tolerate its elevated amount of wind and road noise. The Eclipse's constant road noise during this most recent long-distance drive reminded me of the similar droning sounds one encounters while being on an airplane. As was written in our May update, I'm hesitant to gripe too much...
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- Posted by: Brent Romans August 7, 2006, 9:26 AM
- Categories: 2006 Mitsubishi Eclipse GT
Here's a little surprise I didn't expect last weekend when removing the Sedona's second-row seats...
I had to use a hand truck to move the seats between the Sedona and my garage because of their weight, which was massive enough to make me retrieve the bathroom scale to get to the bottom of the issue. Sixty one point eight pounds each to be exact -- not exactly feathery. Yes, the Sedona's seats are conveniently removable, but at that weight you probably shouldn't ever plan to have your wife do this job...
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- Posted by: Josh Jacquot August 7, 2006, 8:23 AM
- Categories: 2006 Kia Sedona EX
August 4, 2006
Cleaning our Ford GT is relatively easy. Obviously we don't run it through the automatic wash at the local Shell station, but a couple bucks in quarters at the local coin-op place gets the job done. The car's smooth lines make it straightforward to dry off in all but a few places. One of those places involves the vents on the rear engine cover...
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- Posted by: Karl Brauer August 4, 2006, 10:10 PM
- Categories: 2005 Ford GT
This morning on my way to work the odometer in our BMW 330i clicked for the 17,000th time. That's 17,000 miles in nine months, logged by too many different drivers to count, and you know what, this car still feels new in every way. Brand new. From its clutch, to its brakes, to the leather on its three-spoke steering wheel, our little red 330i doesn't seemed to have aged a day...
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- Posted by: Scott Oldham August 4, 2006, 12:23 PM
- Categories: 2006 BMW 330i
This is a question that comes immediately to mind, as I have a wife and two kids at home and a Honda Odyssey in my driveway. We have a 2000-mile vacation to see my folks in Oregon coming up, so I brought the Benz home to see if the crew wanted to spend those miles behind the three-pointed star. I thought it would be a no-brainer due to the navigation system and the huge glass roof system - perfect for getting to and seeing the redwoods along the way.
So were they up for it?
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- Posted by: Dan Edmunds August 4, 2006, 10:18 AM
- Categories: 2006 Mercedes-Benz R500
It's morning. I walk out of my house to our 2007 Toyota FJ Cruiser. The truck's meaty tires, substantial ground clearance and healthy wheel travel all call attention to themselves. Getting inside, I see the stubby four-wheel-drive engagement lever and the locking rear diff button...
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- Posted by: Brent Romans August 4, 2006, 9:16 AM
- Categories: 2007 Toyota FJ Cruiser
August 3, 2006
Putting aside the dynamic challenges that come with our long-term Eclipse GT's nose-heavy layout, I get a lot of pleasure shifting its six-speed manual transmission. The shifter feels firm and precise through the gates, and clutch engagement and takeup are progressive. It makes the Eclipse more fun than you'd expect to drive around the city... in many ways, this gearbox is just as satisfying as the ones in our long-term BMW 330i and Mazda MX-5...
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- Posted by: Erin Riches August 3, 2006, 10:50 AM
- Categories: 2006 Mitsubishi Eclipse GT
August 2, 2006
The question of the Ford GT's seat comfort has been raised by more than one staffer. Most feel it is fine for at least a few hours of driving, if not more. But during our American Exotics Comparison Test last fall Ed Hellwig complained of a sharp pain in his lower back caused by a stiff seam between the seatback panels. At first the claim seemed dubious, but once he'd pointed it out other drivers quickly discovered that, well...yes, that seam can feel a bit intrusive -- especially once you're "looking" for it...
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- Posted by: Karl Brauer August 2, 2006, 1:56 PM
- Categories: 2005 Ford GT
I think I'm falling in love with our long-term Mazda MX-5 Miata. I was strictly a Mini girl before and I'm not saying the MX-5 is on par with the Cooper S Convertible or that they're even comparable, but it seems like it's more about me and the road in the Mazda. Something to do with there just being enough room for one other person and the driver. Its compact dimensions make it so that I just have to look over my shoulder to check a blind spot without having to see past a B-pillar or rear-quarter window...
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- Posted by: Caroline Pardilla August 2, 2006, 11:01 AM
- Categories: 2006 Mazda MX-5 Miata
August 1, 2006
I like the interior in our long-term Honda Accord Hybrid -- excellent materials quality, tight fit and finish, good driving position and lots of storage. I also like the control layout with one exception: The central display in our navigation-equipped car is the only Honda touchscreen I've ever found difficult to use. On just about every screen I encounter, the "buttons" are too small and too close together. The audio screen is the worst, as I only get the radio preset I want about half the time...
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- Posted by: Erin Riches August 1, 2006, 11:09 AM
- Categories: 2005 Honda Accord Hybrid
This morning the 3.8-liter V6 in our Eclipse GT drank a quart and a half of oil. Each quart, which we bought at a Shell gasoline station, cost $3.24, but sadly the the Shell station was out of those little paper funnels which are usually crucial to a successful and mess free pour.
Mitsubishi must have anticipated my plight. Its engineers placed the dipstick and the oil filler hole perfectly for the task. Both are easily reached, clearly marked and the filler hole is so large a funnel wasn't even needed...
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- Posted by: Scott Oldham August 1, 2006, 10:50 AM
- Categories: 2006 Mitsubishi Eclipse GT
