Can someone recommend a car?

Hey everyone,
I know this isn't really tiki but I thought I would tap the vast knowledge of the TC ohana for some help.
Anyway, Lady Royale is thinking about getting a new/used car. We've outgrown the Saturn and she is really liking the Volvo wagons.
So, does anyone have any experience, advice, recommendations, etc. about the Volvos or a similar ride?
Mahalo,
:tiki:

You can't go wrong with a toyota truck/suv or a honda car. I drove my first car, an 86 toy 4runner for 13+ years and now drive a 97 toy landcruiser . I'm sold on them , hondas and toy will run forever if you keep up on the regular services. Oil,lube chassis, trans fluid and tune-ups. Good Luck.

Make sure any car you buy has 4 wheels.

Get ahold of the Consumer Reports Buyers Guide (the annual car issue, should be out now). InVALuable info on which years are lemons on which makes, what kinds of repairs to expect, what you should pay for what years of each model, etc.

Then go test drive-o-rama!

(I'm thinkin' it's time to bite the bullet here soon myself. Anybody know if the newish bigger Saturn's any good?)

Jeep, baby. They just don't quit. We've had two of them. Ford Explorers aren't bad, either, and usually quite reasonable. I know 2 people with over 200,000 miles on Explorers and little trouble.

I've had good luck with my '92 Nissan. Would definitely but another Nissan. But right now I have my eye on the Toyota Matrix. It's the only car I know of that allows you to haul something up to 8 feet long without having it hang out of the tail or leaving the hatch up. It's because the rear seat folds flat but so does the FRONT passenger seat. How cool is that? You could haul poles for carving or bed rails or bamboo etc. etc.

Here's 2 bits of advice I would pass on to anyone car-shopping:

A.) Go to the closest Auto Show in a major city. Often held sometime in the first 3 months of the year. There you will be able to view an amazing range of makes and models up close and without the hassle you often get when you walk around a dealership lot. You can also pick up all the brochures you want and sit inside all the cars to get a feel for the controls and various options. Then you can arrange for test drives with the reps on hand. It really cuts down on the time you spend running around to car lots and you can stumble onto a make you never considered before which may be just what you need or want. It is definitely worth the admission cost.

B.) Consider hiring an Auto Broker to work for you. For a small fee they will arrange for the cars you want to test drive to be delivered to you and you can try as many as you want. If you find something you are interested in buying, they will do the negotiating for you. You tell them what you want and they search for it and let you know the best price you can get. Then if you agree, they hook you up with their contact at the particular dealership which has the auto. Then you go in to sign and drive. It's a low stress way of buying a car. If you're not the type who likes to haggle at a dealership, this may be right for you. I've done it twice and would again. Sorry for the long post. Best of luck to all the car shoppers out there!

This is where you should have it washed.

http://www.tbopusa.com/washington/eastside/bellevue/tiki_chevron.htm

1948 merc

I want a MINI!
http://www.miniusa.com/crm/mini_entrance.jsp
forum for MINI:
http://www.mini2.com/forum/

i'd say the logical link between a saturn & a volvo is a subaru outback. not the most exciting car but it's safe, efficient, roomy but not monstrous. consumer reports adores it.

I really dig the new mini as well. Drove the Cooper S and it was a blast. Prepare for a USELESS trunk unless you fold the rear seats down. Literally one bag of groceries.

Prius rule as well. New Prius has much more low end torque and better mileage- big impovements over the first generation.

But as for the Volvo...from personal experience: once you go Swedish, you never go back! I'm a Saab lover myself, but some of the Volvos are great as well. Steer clear of the S40 and V40 sedan and wagon- they are not actually built by Volvo, but are reskinned cars from another European manufacturer (probably Ford Europe- can't remember) The V70 wagon and S60 sedan are great.

On 2004-01-26 08:09, Tiki Chris wrote:
i'd say the logical link between a saturn & a volvo is a subaru outback. not the most exciting car but it's safe, efficient, roomy but not monstrous. consumer reports adores it.

And the logical link between Subaru and Saab is the new Saab 9-2X which will be out soon. Just a reskinned Subaru WRX wagon. No real saab blood in it, but a better looking Subaru. And Subaru makes a nice car.

You won't regret it. Don't let "big" (i.e. SUV) happen to you!

Well, I don't usually admit this, but ... we have a '99 Volvo V70 Stationwagon. On the good side, the turbo engine hauls ass, it handles good (porsche suspension), on the down side, maintenance isn't cheap and you have to replace the front brake rotors about every 30,000 miles.

You honestly can't go wrong with a Ford Focus. The first 2 years had their share of problems, but they are now bug free. I love my ZX3, and we're gonna pick up a ZX5 for my wife. It just amazes everyone just how much room there actually is for a hatchback, and my 6'5", 315lb frame fits in it better than any other car I've ever owned. And I have to admit that I'm really starting to like the looks of the wagons.

I love my 2001 Toyota Solora Convertible. Amazingly smooth ride and no maintenance problems. V-6 & oh, so smooth leather interior.

I do, however, miss the quickness of stick, except when I'm in bump\stop n go traffic.

The 2000s should now be available for as used models.

Hey Royale - My 59 olds super 88 flattop is looking for a new driveway.

My wife and I have his and her 99 vw passats,
I know we look like dorks, but oh well..Anyways, my wife's car has no problems and mine seems to always need expensive repairs. Go figure