(Mostly economical) car recs for tall guys/gals with stuff

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  • Reply 21 of 36
    xterra48xterra48 Posts: 169member
    Suburus with all wheel drive are great, well not the outback (overpriced), or foraster (built like a POS) but the Impreza wrx wagon o yeah. DON NOT GET A NEW OR OLD CHEVY, my experiance with GM vehicles is totally negitave. MY three picks for diffrent styles



    tall body-Element



    Minivan-mazda MPV (do not go for chrysler or dodge, unreliable and no magic 3rd row seat)



    wagon- volvo v40 or v70 volvo just dose wagons right



    SUV- Nissan Murano- CVT, tons o cargo just great



    hatch- Mazda protege 5 not a lot o power though or toyota matrix more power
  • Reply 22 of 36
    casecomcasecom Posts: 314member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by bunge

    Does anyone have any experience with the Honda Civic?



    I have a '96 Civic sedan. It's a good economical sedan; I've been thoroughly pleased with it. The engine's not very powerful, but it's smooth as silk, and the car handles well. It has a decent amount of length for a small car (175 inches, longer than a Cherokee) and it'd probably fit the cello with the back seat down. Also, I'm 6'1" and headroom is not a problem. 6'5" might be pushing it though.



    Quote:

    Originally posted by xterra48

    Suburus with all wheel drive are great, well not the outback (overpriced), or foraster (built like a POS) but the Impreza wrx wagon o yeah



    Foresters are built like a POS? Subaru reliability is up there just below Toyota and Honda. And the 2003 Foresters have redesigned interiors that are quite nice, definitely better than a Legacy, which I found a little chintzy. I don't own one, but I've driven the '03s a couple of times and I liked them a lot. The roofline is nice and high so headroom should not be a problem, especially if you don't need a sunroof. Plus the driver's seat on all models is height-adjustable, which helps a lot.



    I'm also a big fan of the VW Passat. Very roomy inside, and the wagon version is great. The 1.8T four-cylinder turbo engine is economical and powerful, especially with a manual transmission. And they also all have height-adjustable seats.
  • Reply 23 of 36
    lucaluca Posts: 3,833member
    You might want to check out Consumer Reports... it seems like VW makes some awesome cars but they tend to be not very reliable. It depends on the model.



    My family has an 11 year old Toyota Corolla with about 180k miles on it and apart from a few failed mufflers, a brake job, and a pair of new headlights, it hasn't really needed any service. It's starting to get rusty but it's still a great car. Too small for you though, probably. But that's something to keep in mind - Toyotas are extremely reliable. I'm kind of surprised when I hear people talking about cars with 100k miles as if they're "old" because I'm so used to this Corolla.



    Anyway, according to Consumer Reports, Honda and Toyota generally are the most reliable - other Japanese companies are pretty good too, and some recent GM and Ford models are about average (though many are really poor). It's the scattered few German cars, as well as the Korean ones, that get the really bad scores. So I'd check out one of their auto issues and see what's good and what's not.
  • Reply 24 of 36
    fred_ljfred_lj Posts: 607member
    Yeah, that's what I'd heard about VW in general -- once they hit 40k/50k miles, things just start happening that get very expensive. Otherwise, I'd jumpt to get a Passat.



    The Toyota RAV4s look interesting, but has anybody been inside one? Are they less of a tin-can than they look? (I know the CR-V is quite nice inside, as well as the Escape.) But I'll probably narrow my choices to the Honda CR-V, Chevrolet Impala LS, or Toyota Avalon (more headroom and bigger trunk than Camrys). Model years probably 98-2000, 2000-2001, and 98-99, respectively.



    I love the Avalon - just wish it didn't have so much of a fuddy-duddy appearance. Same for the Impala's interior. But when it comes down to it, I'll take Toyota reliability and fuel efficiency before Chevrolet this time. Then there's that CR-V ----- would love to find an SE model for under 14k. In no hurry, though; got to get finals outta the way and then try to sell the Tahoe -- fun, fun, fun.
  • Reply 25 of 36
    timotimo Posts: 353member
    One of the selling points for our getting a Passat is that it had more cargo room than several SUVs out there today.
  • Reply 26 of 36
    willoughbywilloughby Posts: 1,457member
    I have a 99 VW Jetta (the new model) and it has 71,000 miles on it already. I drive a lot.



    I haven't had any major problems and the ones that I have had didn't cost me that much at all.



    Also, I'm certain a cello would fit in the trunk (with the rear seats down) because I've transported my wife's when we moved.



    So as far as I'm concerned its roomy, reliable and fun to drive. I can't comment on the head room....cause uh...I don't really have to worry about that.
  • Reply 27 of 36
    tmptmp Posts: 601member
    I'm 6'3" and I fit in my Civic with a bit of seat travel to spare. My friend who is 6'5" looked a bit squished in the passenger seat, but driver's seats usually have a bit more travel. The back seat folds down for a trunk pass-through, so you should be able to fit large/ long items (the trunk is pretty big in general, though). I get about 28 mpg in the city, and I have a pretty heavy right foot. The car isn't exactly my dream car, but it is very good transportation.



    I can't recommend ANY VW. Friends who have had them have found out the hard way that they have the German car thing of every little part costing a fortune to replace. And the interiors on the new ones are total $hit. My friend's New Beetle is falling apart- the soft-touch plastic on the console and the door skins is peeling off like a bad sunburn, and the drivers power window switch is breaking off. This from a two year old car.
  • Reply 28 of 36
    matsumatsu Posts: 6,558member
    Let me confirm the bullet proof nature of the 3800 V6 from GM and the really rather amazing highway fuel economy of the 3800+4speed auto. I've driven one to NY and back a few times and it easily competes with the 4cyl competition on highway mileage, except that it's big, comfortable, and silent at 140Kph (85Mph) Great engine.



    Jeeps. I've driven a couple and find all but the latest body type Grand Cherokee and ergonomic disaster. If you can find one of the new types, then why not, some of them do tend to fall apart though, especially the older models.



    Passats are also a very nice choice, great ride/handling for a sedan/wagon at their price. Ditto the Impreza, but tighter inside and not as nicely finished.



    Depends what you want out of a car. A long distance commuter puts the smart used money on ubiquitous old fart cars. Plenty of great deals on Buicks and Caddies, and Olds Auroras out there, not more than 3 years old, great running and reliable. Will easily run for another 7-10 years for a pittance compared to a new car.
  • Reply 29 of 36
    splinemodelsplinemodel Posts: 7,311member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by xterra48

    Suburus with all wheel drive are great, well not the outback (overpriced), or foraster (built like a POS) but the Impreza wrx wagon o yeah. DON NOT GET A NEW OR OLD CHEVY, my experiance with GM vehicles is totally negitave. MY three picks for diffrent styles





    The 4 cylinders from GM are kind of iffy, but the 3400 and 3800 are rock solid. In the last decade & change my dad has had 3 3800 based cars, one 3.5L (24v version), and one 4.0 (32v V8). None of them had any problems except the Aurora, which had a wheel out of alignment. (Fixed under warranty.) It's a 50 year old platform that has evolved quite a lot, but at the same time has been perfected more than any other drivetrain on the market.



    I'll also credit Toyota for developing an excellent platform in the Camry/Avalon, but, again, Toyota's V6 (3.0L) is the best of its line, so get the V6 at all costs. (FYI, it is technically possible to boost a Supra with the same block up to 1000hp. . . crazy turbo action) The Toyota Camry/Avalon is a very solid car, though highway fuel economy is actually better on the GM 3800 with 4sp auto.



    I'm only 6'0," but If I were to buy a "beater" I'd probably be looking at many of the same cars: Camry, Pontiac Grand Prix, used Olds Alero V6 (actually a favorite of mine), perhaps also the Corolla and Mazda6. (waiting for new Rx-3)
  • Reply 30 of 36
    eugeneeugene Posts: 8,254member
    Most basketball players seem to like Escalades and Bentleys...that might be a good starting point.
  • Reply 31 of 36
    I would recommend the Fiat Multipla which has won numerous awards but is one "distinctive" looking vehicle







    What makes this vehicle neat is that it fits 6 seats into only two rows and should give you ample room for toting a cello.







    However I doubt they are sold in the US?
  • Reply 32 of 36
    lucaluca Posts: 3,833member
    No they aren't, in fact I haven't seen a single Fiat here in the US. I saw tons of those Multiplas when I went to Italy a couple years ago though. And Smart cars too, those tiny two-seaters.
  • Reply 33 of 36
    matsumatsu Posts: 6,558member
    GM push rod engines really are amazing. I know they seem like old tech, and have been in a lot of rather unfortunate cars, but they deliver a lot of power and economy per pound if not "per liter." An all aluminimum small block can be built lighter and lower than an equivalent DOHC engine. My cousin bought a C5 Vette last year. It's damn fast, but actually gets respectable highway mileage in real world driving. If you bury your foot, it still has a huge appetite, but if you drive it like a normal car, it gets over 25MPG. This is 400HP engine we're talking about here. Similar 400+ outputs from Eurpean exotica or turbo rice-japination mobiles, hardly come close. Only BMW's M5 comes close to returning the same power and economy.



    What's more, you can fairly easily build a 450-500HP small-block, that's very inexpensive by performance car standards, and that runs and idles virtually indestinguishably from the stock configuration.



    Now if GM could only put this thing in a some kind of body that wasn't an utter disgrace, it'd be a killer. I hope Lutz makes an impact soon.
  • Reply 34 of 36
    bungebunge Posts: 7,329member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Luca Rescigno

    And Smart cars too, those tiny two-seaters.



    The Smart car seats four. It's a two-door, four seater.



    3It's so short that it can park nose first towards the curb and still not stick out as far as an average sized car. Probably shorter than a cello.
  • Reply 35 of 36
    murbotmurbot Posts: 5,262member
    Take a new Nissan Altima or Maxima for a spin. Tons of interior room, and that 245 HP V6 is silky smooth.



    If I could convince the old lady we don't need a minivan, I'd be driving one.



    \
  • Reply 36 of 36
    splinemodelsplinemodel Posts: 7,311member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Matsu

    TSimilar 400+ outputs from Eurpean exotica or turbo rice-japination mobiles, hardly come close.



    The Mazda 20B gets solid highway mileage. . . especially if you somehow have a Side Port 20B, which at this stage only exists within the company.







    But yeah, turbo and big injectors = bad mileage. Higher compression requires a higher fuel air ratio in order to moderate combustion temperature, and usually there's a bit of buffer put in there because you don't want your engine to knock, blow a piston, or worse. So lower compression pushrod engines are can be built with more favorable fuel/air tolerances, thus giving you more power per weight and power per fuel.
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