Clucky. The Freddie Krueger Of Modern Cuisine.
Last night I ate a little ‘Clucky’ chicken.
Normally I don’t touch the stuff. But I was hungry and seeing that the usual dinner food wasn’t filling me up, I decided to have one piece of fried chicken.
One thing I know now. If there is a hell, they serve nothing but fried chicken there.
While losing about 3% of my body mass and undergoing the deepest sleep since grad school, I had a disturbing dream.
SUV’s, full-sized, and loaded up with long lost cousins from Appalachia. I had to drive these people all over the place with an unending cacophony of sounds and smells assaulting me every minute.
What the hell was I doing driving all these people in and out of the ‘holler’? I had no clue. It was a nightmare after all that I’m sure someone, somewhere, has to live through. The best part of it was waking up, finding out that my dream was simply that, and once again getting better acquainted with a nearby porcelain prayer bench.
This brings me to the central part of today’s question. There are certain vehicles that I simply can not review with the straight face of appreciation. Full-sized SUV’s that are nothing more than overbuilt mini yellow buses hit that personal prejudice with a vengeance.
I’m a small car guy. Yes, I can appreciate the luxury and the grandeur that is a rolling chariot. But other than the descendants of Duggars, I can’t see 99+% of the buying public getting a good use out of them.
Plus, what the hell am I supposed to say when reviewing one? The seats on the Escalade are 15% softer than those on the QX56? The ride is equally ponderous? The design of the sheetmetal seems to be less of a by-product of a thyroid condition? I have no feel or need for these Leviathans… but I’m glad that someone else does. Let them have my nightmare!
How about you? Is there a type of vehicle that you simply would not be able to stand as your daily driver? Feel free to consider all market niches, existing and defunct. Plus, avoid eating Clucky if you can. His commercials may be nice. But he is one mean little bastard once he gets in you.
Anything with an automatic transmission. There’s just no way I could live with one as a DD.
+1
Gotta cut some slack to us who deal with gas-break-honk commutes. It’s taken me 2 hours to drive? nine miles. No wrecks, nothing unusual; just traffic. AT’s are real handy when you 30 feet at a time.
Nine mile commute in that traffic? Try a bicycle. You’ll probably make it in the same amount of time, and put yourself into better physical shape, to boot.
I hope that was a reference to “King Size Homer”
“Homer: I pity those poor suckers on the freeway. Gas, brake, honk. Gas, brake, honk. Honk, honk, punch. Gas, gas gas!”
Yeah, try a bicycle. Right. Hack around on the surface streets instead of that nine miles of freeway, dodging idiots at every turn, in all winds and weathers.
Nine mile of biking in the polluted hellhole of a traffic in some cities would kill you faster than living in a leper colony. I’d rather live in a leper colony than biking nine miles in my city. Not every place is as idyllic as wherever you’re living in, and stop and go traffic for hours every day will make even you get out of your manual tranny vehicle.
+2. And it’s a testament to my marriage that I put up with a wife who couldn’t drive a manual. E36 M3 with automatic, anyone?
Duncan, yes a reference to homer. Syke, couldn’t ride a bike on 295 in SE DC; not that anyone would want to. Friend of mine rode a bicycle from the DC marina (under 395 bridge) to Bolling AFB via bike paths. I have rode across the Woodrow Wilson bridge, well just because and turned around back to VA.
CVT is a non-starter for me. I’ve been afflicted with several in rental cars. Pass. It’s amazing that after almost 25 years of driving, they’ve come up with a new technology that feels EXACTLY like the slipping clutch in my 1978 Plymouth Arrow…
I think the Fit has a CVT but not sure as I test drove a 2011 Fit, I think it was and it was OK except when you needed to floor it and expect a kickdown almost instantly, only to get a pregnant pause before it does so, if that’s it, um, no thanks.
I was just thinking the same thing. I’ve never had much fun driving an automatic. I’ve always enjoyed driving stick shifts no matter how awful the vehicle. Caveat: I’ve never had to live long-term with a terrible vehicle with stick shift.
There was one automatic vehicle I kind of enjoyed for the week I rented: the 3rd generation Prius. At least with the Prius, you get a smooth transmission and great mileage. The other thing I liked about the Prius were the combination of non-stick tires, understeer, soft suspension, and no-effort steering. I had fun effortlessly squealing around corners without having to exceed the speed limit or make any physical effort.
That’s easy: HYBRIDS and ELECTRIC VEHICLES.
Besides the FACT that they take more energy to produce and are thus more damaging to the environment than a sensible 4-cylinder car, they have the tendency to slow down my commute.
I was on the New Jersey turnpike and my lane was being slowed down by some a****** with a Nissan Leaf. In front of him was clear sailing to the next county. So when I was able to get around him- and cut him off- I let him know just what I thought about him with a vicious gaze and a 650 RWHP burnout.
That’ll learn him! (Spit)
A guy with the name “bigtruck” driving what I’ll assume is a turbo’d truck, getting angry at a guy in an EV? Shocking.
tuffjuff
-supercharged 300c SRT8.
I stopped driving SUV’s when I realized how dangerous speeding in them was.
I’d has less of an issue with hybrids and EVs in general if they put them in real cars, assuming of course whether real cars are still being built which is a matter of conjecture.
I get 35 mpg in my Altima hybrid with good handling and respectable acceleration. Driving 80 plus miles a day it the economics work in a relatively short amount of time. And trust me, unless you are going over 80, I’m not going to be holing your 300 back. And if you are, I’ll be moving over as I never hold up traffic. Lighten up…
South of exit 4? This is all the time. One day I’ll flip the bird at the wrong guy, I know it.
Massive, ridiculously overpowered trucks with bed covers and a decoration stuffed in the hitch.
Wrong, and wrong. A model S would smoke you like you were standing still in your oversized ego machine. Instant peak torque AC induction electric motor >> gasoline piston engine.
A Tesla model S would burst into flames before it got the better of me buddy. In fact, My range on a tank of gas is far longer and my battery WON’T OVERHEAT getting there.
Keep living through specs on paper!
@bigtruck: while you’re busy running your mouth about EVs, I’m busy planning to buy one. Our tastes are diametrically opposed, it would appear.
BTW, when you cut off a guy to “make a point”, he’s probably going to assume that it’s not about him. I’ve been on both sides of this one, and you can be pretty much assured that the LEAF driver that you tried to intimidate did not get the message you intended. If my experience is any indication, the message he got is that big trucks are mostly driven by jerks, and he’s sure glad his friends wont mistake you for him.
Also, I recommend driving the Leaf. Its a unique vehicle, and I expect you’d find its smooth low end power to be fun as small commuter cars go. The car has lots of very real limitations, and I don’t expect that you’d want to own one – but if you ever wanted to experience something with better low end torque than any diesel (of comparable size) this is it. I realize that small cars aren’t your thing, bit if you have any natural curiosity, it would be a worthwhile data point. Also, understanding why someone else might want that car for their situation will make you less likely to do something that will reflect badly on all drivers of oversized trucks out there.
BigTruck, I’m glad you had such a reasonable reaction to a minor commuting inconvience.
Given he’s felt the need to drive a 700+ horse power supercharged car as his daily driver, this doesn’t surprise me that a 100-ish MPH top speed Nissan Leaf would make him angry, either way. You don’t drive 700 HP cars intent on doing anywhere near the speed limit.
Granted, a Leaf owner probably isn’t armed; but you never know.
Probably a taser.
LOL @ a taser.
And no – I’m not worried about Leaf owners with guns. That’s what concealed carry permits are for ;)
Wow, you really want to keep raising the stakes like that? That’s the kind of talk that makes people think gun control is a good idea, son.
I don’t hate em – but they are something of a crock IMHO.
#1. They still use fossil fuels – namely coal and natural gas – even the electric ones. Even folks that claim to get all their power from say wind are still using gas and coal for baseline power generation in there area.
#2. The rare earth metals used for the batteries – things like Nickel (Prius) and Cobalt (Tesla) are INCREDIBLY damaging to the enviroment. You haven’t seen enviromental disaster till you have see Norilisk.
#3. Their efficency numbers is based on the kind of driving that no one actually wants to do. I don’t think I have ever seen someone driving at the speed limit in NJ. Seriously. Those guys do 85 on the palisades parkway that’s rated for 55 all the time. Little known fact you burn right through your charge/batterpack when you go faster because electric engines are less efficent at higher revs and don’t use gears.
#4. Obama and his crony capitalism support them and hybrids along with CAFE. All those programs just create more traffic. If you really want to fix the enviroment – carbon tax. For Gas/Diesel – put the money back into roads. For electricity – it will spur actual cost effective alternative energy. And best of all – less crowded and superior roads.
Believe it or not, EV advocates and environmental advocates (at least the ones not suffering from cranial-rectal inversion syndrome) have thought of this.
I’be posted the numbers before, but EVs are still better than most cars, even running off of a 100% coal grid. The electrical generation mix in the US is closer to 50% coal ans 50% less polluting sources (like nuclear, hydro, and natural gas), so they’re still a win.
Only naive people fail to recognize that electrical generation and vehicle construction has a cost. There are plenty of people who haven’t looked in to that, but that doesn’t change the actual situation.
Anything really slow (as in too slow to get out of the way of regular cars) with poor vision out the rear. Think original Prius. The video game display just added to a car my wife and I both hated!
First…they cut off my head! Then they slooooow roast me. MMMMmm! I look good!
I can’t quite understand the success of sedans. Why not a wagon or 5 door hatch? It’s so much wasted space having a trunk like that.
Less area to heat/cool and your stuff is hidden from prying eyes. How exactly is the space wasted?
The cargo cover that came with my 2012 Focus hides my stuff just fine, thanks.
The bonded-in back window and fixed rear deck increase chassis rigidity and durability for any level of curb weight and engineering sophistication. Most sedans allow you secure your trunk contents from the passenger compartment and have better noise management than their hatchback counterparts. Hatchbacks are more useful for carrying some bulky items, but the rest of the time sedans are more refined, handle better, weigh less, and last longer.
Most sedans do NOT allow you to secure the contents of the trunk from the passenger compartment anymore: on top of the little button the all have in there to pop the trunk, all the back seats fold down now. If you’re relying on glass to be structural reinforcement remind me to never live near a house you design or build. Anyway I see no reason these short-deck trunks like the Elantra and Dart and such can’t just be converted into hatchbacks as-is.
In one of my sedans the seats can only be folded from the trunk and the deck lid release can be disabled with the main car key as opposed to the valet key. That’s secure. Read up on modern body engineering to find out just what percentage of today’s vehicle’s rigidity comes from their bonded-in windshields and rear windows. You’ll learn or you’ll become afraid of all modern cars. Taking out the window and replacing it with a big hole is bad for strength, one of the reasons hatchbacks are becoming compromised by ever-smaller hatch openings.
Fascinating. I been looking for excuses to buy a sedan instead of a hatchback. Its hard to overlook the utility of hatch though. In europe almost every car is ‘estate’ because of the awesome utility.
The problem is you have to go up to a SUV in the states to get most hatches with AWD. I don’t like SUVs because while I ski – and need AWD I don’t think I really need the extra ground clearance.
My g/f hates subaru’s – the look and the advertising mantra. So that leaves Audi, Ford Fusion, and the Dodge Charger..
Most cars today do seem to come with some kind of a cover for the cargo area in at least hatchbacks, wagons, dunno.
I know this as my Mazda Protege5 is a hatchback/wagonlet and it has a hard cargo cover.
Honda has it for the Fit as standard, I think Hyundai and Kia do for their hatchbacks and so many others. I think Toyota still doesn’t offer one standard, even on the Scions.
However, there WAS a time when that was not the case for most hatchbacks.
“First…they cut off my head! Then they slooooow roast me. MMMMmm! I look good!”
Reminds me of “The Roast Swan” from Orff’s Carmina Burana:
Once I lived on lakes,
once I looked beautiful
when I was a swan.
Misery me!
Now black
and roasting fiercely!
The servant is turning me on the spit;
I am burning fiercely on the pyre:
the steward now serves me up.
Misery me!
Now black
and roasting fiercely!
Now I lie on a plate,
and cannot fly anymore,
I see bared teeth:
Misery me!
Now black
and roasting fiercely!
Depends on the hatch. The Golf, for example, looks like it can take luggage or people, but not both. The area behind upright seats is pitiful. You have to fold them to accommodate anything much larger than carry-on luggage. Even compact sedans can generally carry four people plus a decent amount of luggage.
As others mentioned, there are always the issues of noise, weight, and HVAC efficiency.
Hatchbacks tempt me because of their ability to carry bulky items, but it is pretty rare that I need that. So they do have some advantages, but I don’t think they are superior in all use cases.
I think four cylinder engines belong in farm machinery and that, coupled with a CVT, is the worst pox ever inflicted upon mankind. Every rental car I’ve driven with this drivetrain is absolutely painful to drive. There is nothing like mashing the accelerator to merge, getting an earful of engine noise, and very little forward acceleration.
Oh, and they don’t belong in luxury cars either. No matter how elegant the sheetmetal, how upscale the interior, that awful buzzing engine noise and vibration will always be there to remind you that you should have sprung for the 6-cylinder.
+1
Small six > any four.
Hm, not sure about that.
I vastly prefer the acceleration of my sportbike (NA) and STi (turbo) over my wife’s V6 sorento any day of the week.
Really Rob? Who wudda thunk it? I wasn’t aware that power:weight was a new concept..
Not to mention that is comparing apples to oranges.
in their situation try an older 2.3L Mazda6 Vs. same model and year 3.0L.
Both n/a. I would vastly prefer the V6
Sorry if I wasn’t clear….I was replying to tuffjuff who made an absolute statement which I don’t think is true.
I would agree, then with you that I would not take a small six over ANY four which case I would prefer a turbo’d four over a small six. Some in which turbo’d 4’s offer better MPG over 6’s with realtively close to the same power.
I hate to break it to you both but a V6 (albeit a pushrod V6) in my truck of 4.0L had only 160 or so HP and my Mazda, a 2.0L inline NA 4 has 130 and yet I don’t feel too much of a difference in acceleration speedwise, but the Mazda feels livelier off the line than the V6.
Also, my Mom has a V6 in her ’04 Stratus and it just gets up to speed without fanfare that you hit speed without realizing you’ve done so and I don’t feel any rush in it doing so.
I’ll take my Mazda any day, thanks.
Ciddy:
Agagin you are not comparing apples to apples. You are comparing your pushrod, probably late 80’s early 90’s v6 truck to a newer non pushrod car. Not to mention both vastly differ in their utility. Given your senareio I would choose the same thing but again the topic that tuff said was that “Small six > any four” which I would only agree with comparing apples to apples.
In theory the 2004 2.3L Mazda3 should be peppier/lively/quicker than than 2004 2.0L which then I would take the 2.3L. (Even though the 2.3L is not a V6) Same situation as I mentioned before, I would take a V6 Mazda6 over an I-4 Mazda6
I wouldn’t touch a stratus with a 10 ft pole – See my laster post below.
Mzdaspd304,
True but what I was saying is also true, if given the ability, ANY engine, no matter what will respond to a higher revving shift than one where you shift at or below 3000rpm.
And as to the Stratus, when she first got it, I felt it a decent enough a car that if I were hard up for funds and had to replace my current vehicle and she no longer needed it (she’s 80), I’d take it off her hands but would I ever buy one? NO. It’s a sedan for starters. Couple that with it being coupled to a straight automatic, the acceleration, while more than plenty gracious, it’s too linear for my taste and you just know you’re at 30 without fanfare is all, despite it being a V6, as it does so without effort.
I’d rather work a small motor, rev it high (no more than 4K or so) and shift when it’s in the major torque/power band and see things liven up, but that’s just me.
Back when I had the truck, the differences in ride between it and the Stratus wasn’t too much different, but in different ways but since I’ve gotten the Mazda, I drove her car recently and noted just how ponderous it is to steer and and for its size, it just felt ungainly.
But my point still stands as to the motor. It’s way more fun to drive a 1500cc, 67 horse Civic of 1800# at 70 than some large sedan with a larger motor any day and the same applies to my Mazda too.
Ciddy:
“True but what I was saying is also true, if given the ability, ANY engine, no matter what will respond to a higher revving shift than one where you shift at or below 3000rpm.”
I would agree with that statement. However, I know plenty of V8 Mustang owners who don’t like winding it out on a daily commute becasue they prefer the infamous low v8 mustang exhaust. They like to keep it a low RPM’s and down shift early and listen to the backfire.
“Couple that with it being coupled to a straight automatic, the acceleration, while more than plenty gracious, it’s too linear for my taste and you just know you’re at 30 without fanfare is all, despite it being a V6, as it does so without effort.”
This is based now purely on personal preference and not based off the “factual” statement of “Small six > any four”
However, I really can’t comment on the HP/TQ curve being to linear as I have never personally driven a stratus. I have ridden in them numerous times but never really cared to critque its acceleration.
“I’d rather work a small motor, rev it high (no more than 4K or so) and shift when it’s in the major torque/power band and see things liven up, but that’s just me.”…..”But my point still stands as to the motor. It’s way more fun to drive a 1500cc, 67 horse Civic of 1800# at 70 than some large sedan with a larger motor any day and the same applies to my Mazda too.”
Again I would agree with you here (as I have an 04 Mazda 3 2.0 that is pretty modded) but again is based off personal preference. My mother, who is 51, would vastly prefer the power, size, and ride, of her 268HP 3.5L 09 Avalon over (albeit, a dull, boring, looking car inside and out besides the engine, which is anything but linear) over a 67HP Civic winding it out just to get to 70MPH on the highway. I actually prefer driving her Avalon from time to time. I enjoy having the significant power and ride advantages compared to my 3. I will agree, though, its definitely not as fun to drive.
However now we are comparing multiple vehicles covering a range of classes and utility. Protege 5 vs. Mazda3. vs. Stratus vs. Avalon vs pushrod V6 truck.
My point still stands when comparing the same car with an I-4 and V6 option. I’ve driven both an I-4 2.3L Mazda6 and the 3.0 V6 Mazda6. I vastly prefer the V6 in that car. It’s more fun to drive and more powerful and is definitely not lifeless or have linear acceleration. The I-4’s gears are way to tall (I would actually say the samething for my Automanual 3) for that size of car and is very sluggish, almost as bad a CVT.
Any fazool who is texting and driving. 50mph down to 30mph and back again. No, you are not the guy who can do it w/o any problems.
I’m pretty good at it. Though it’s illegal in Washington which is horse crap. I’m glad that smoking a driving is still legal though. The smoke effects the driver’s vision and there’s a FIRE in your car.
I used to live in the DC metro area and take the George Washington Parkway as part of my commute. Way too many drivers who couldn’t text and drive; too much time looking at phone, not at traffic. FWIW, texting and driving is seems to be the number one bad thing for the safety folks. I’m also a smoker, I hang my arm and cigarette out the window at stop lights. I’ve seen people wave their hands around their face and then roll up their windows.
“The smoke effects the driver’s vision…”
Just what are you smoking?
Firestorm 500,
It creates a film on your windows, I know as my Dad was a 20+ year smoker and you would not believe the tar left behind after a cigarette and these were filtered Kools too (menthol at that).
Try cleaning that stuff up, it’s gross as it turns anything white, brown over time, like grease does in a kitchen.
I’d say the MINI. Writers sometimes justify an otherwise great car that looks ugly by saying you won’t see anything because you’re inside it. With the MINI the ugly is with you on the inside.
And if you’re ever in Chicago (or Las Vegas, apparently) hit up a Harold’s Chicken Shack.
The Countryman interior especially looks like a Ford interior plastics factory explosion circa 1998.
Lang is lucky there’s a Harold’s here in Atlanta now. No travel required!
What gets to me is big BMWs with their enormous nostril holes coming at me. Chinese tastes in big grills just don’t look classy here in the Good Ol’. Next up, little Hondas with fart can exhausts weaving through traffic like it’s bonus video game time. (now you’ve gotten me upset, Steven)
A lone person driving a body-on-frame SUV and/or pick-up truck for the sole purpose of going to the grocery store, or to Wal-Mart.
You don’t use your vehicle for it’s intended purpose more than a week out of the year, and that’s assuming it offers any substantial benefit during the crappy weather days here in Wisconsin, which it doesn’t, because you’ve got street-biased all seasons as shoes on that big fat piece of crap.
40 year old blonde woman – you can drive just as safely with a nicer interior and better ride, along with much better gas mileage, in a crossover, even a big one, than your Cadillac Escalade. You look like a complete fool and, speaking of which, are fooling absolutely nobody.
Should sports cars always be doing sporty things? Should economy cars always be doing economical things?
Do bears bear? Do bees be?
“A lone person driving a body-on-frame SUV and/or pick-up truck for the sole purpose of going to the grocery store, or to Wal-Mart.”
For the sole purpose of going to the grocery store? I would agree.
“40 year old blonde woman – you can drive just as safely with a nicer interior and better ride, along with much better gas mileage, in a crossover, even a big one, than your Cadillac Escalade. You look like a complete fool and, speaking of which, are fooling absolutely nobody.”
Not sure I would agree with that. The interiors depend more on the brand than the chassis, the gas mileage is maybe 10% better based on what I’ve observed. The ride is a bit nicer, but you’re also riding on a car chassis with front wheel drive so it’s up to you if you want to give up the capability and ground clearance.
I recently rented a new Explorer on a business trip. It was OK, aside from the piss poor use of interior space, but when I hit a pothole on a dirt road I broke a rear CV joint. It was not a rough road and I was not going fast but the thing was caput. I tried to make it home but was flagged down by someone behind me saying my wheel looked like it was about to come off. Make no mistake, those crossovers are cars and should be treated as such when it comes to off-pavement driving. I’m pretty sure that fancy terrain control knob in the Explorer was non functional, it just lights up whatever setting you want to be on.
Tuffjuff – Don’t blame the woman. A 40 year old woman is probably driving the SUV or truck because the husband drives their smaller car to work. See it all the time; family has two vehicles – husband’s truck/SUV and wife’s midsize car – the husband takes the car for his commute and the wife drives the truck to the grocery store.
So are people supposed to own one vehicle to fit each need that might come up? Should people have a dedicated grocery getter? A dedicated DD? A dedicated home improvement store vehicle? Just an FYI but the crossovers you’re championing don’t get that much better gas mileage and simply aren’t as durable as others have noted compared to BOF SUVs.
Yes and no, the yuppies driving around in their upscale suburbans/yukon and King Ranch pickups, absolutely.
On the other hand if you need that truck or SUV for hauling stuff and kids, why not have mom drive it around town while dad has the commuter car? The extra fuel cost is still way less then buying another vehicle.
When their is more then 2 kids in a family you need a larger vehicle to haul all that stuff around, believe me a minivan doesn’t work well with 5 kids, groceries, library books, and 3 bags of feed.
You must have huge kids.
Not quite, I was one of the teenager stuffed in the back! A Suburban suits my families much better, it rides together, only has a 2 mpg hit, and is much more reliable. However I hate that the ’01 ‘burban has less legroom then the ’84 that it replaced.
Any front wheel drive vehicle.
non-WRX Subarus. They always seem to insist on going 5-10 MPH slower than the flow of traffic.
For me, it’s any vehicle that can’t get out of it’s own way. I was going to buy a used Aveo that a known family friend owned from new, but after driving it, couldn’t imagine being able to merge into traffic with it. The vehicle had been taken care of very well, but it had no acceleration at all.
Merging in to traffic with a slow.car is easy. You just have to plan ahead a little and be willing to pass on smaller gaps. I’ve recently owned my first 200hp (3300lb) vehicle, an the extra power really isn’t worth the 1-2 MPG hit to me, since it’s in my nature to think ahead.
Anything with front wheel drive. Abominations, one and all.
Any gasoline powered vehicle that is turbocharged. They’re as appealing as facial tattoos.
Why?
I love my Volvo S 80 for that reason alone.
Would you rather have a Mini Cooper or a Mini Cooper S?
Would you rather have a Lancer OZ Rally or a Lancer Evolution?
Would you rather have a C5 Corvette Z06 or a C5 Corvette Z06 with the Lingenfelter turbocharged engine? One does 172, the other 227.
Would you rather have a perfect little 1991 Miata or a perfect little 1991 Miata that thinks it’s a World of Outlaws car whenever it rains?
Would you rather have a Chevy Cruze with an 80-horse 1.4 or a 138-horse 1.4 turbo?
Easy.
I talked my then-girlfriend into a Cooper over a Cooper S because I hate forced induction. I wouldn’t let you park a Mitsubishi in my driveway. I would buy a C6 ZO6 over a ZR-1 even though I’d option it up to the same price as a ZR-1 by ordering all the ZR-1 suspension, tire, and carbon fiber stuff, if only it weren’t made by GM. I’d only consider a naturally aspirated Miata too. I’d rather swap in a 302 if I really needed to waste my time buying tires. The Cruze is about the least desirable car in its class, not helped by needing a turbo to keep up with everyone else’s naturally aspirated base engines.
There seems to be a pattern where they only really interesting cars you mentioned weren’t actually available from their factories turbocharged when new. Coincidence?
A hate for ALL forced induction?
Has commercial air travel really pissed you off since they moved to turbines in the 60s?
Most HD trucks these days have caught the forced induction plague. Exposure to their nasty ass turbos is unavoidable.
You probably can’t even watch drag racing anymore.
Why live?
As this is a site about cars, please don’t denigrate people with facial tattoos. Facial tattoos are a serious form of art and expression.
I have three:
The first one is a series of basil leaves that originate from my left nostril and wrap around my eye. This speaks to my heritage.
The second is in Kanji just below my hairline. In Spanish it translates to: El hombre se encuentra con el pastel.
The third is on my cheek, it’s the Mother Earth with a flame above and a Dasani bottle of water below. I have this because Earth, Wind, and Fire is the best group ever.
People who make fun of tattoos make me want to get a teardrop for the next one.
I hate floaty front wheel drive cars with a passion, and after driving a tahoe, 100% agree on the full sized trucks/full sized SUVs, they are not fun to drive or park. I view driving one of those as a punishment and would only choose to drive one out of necessity for cargo loading/towing. As a second vehicle, I would take a used minivan with the seats removed/folded flat over an SUV–It would be far cheaper, far better fuel economy, and far better driving.
Wimpy, wimpy, wimpy; then again I’ve always had a truck or CUV.
You choose a perception of “not wimpy” over choosing the right tool for the job?
Minivans are fantastically useful, and surprisingly efficient (considering). If they’re capeable of Tue job at hand, they’re prettyhard to beat. Many of them (especially ones lacking the most recent options) are really cheap on the used markets.
If this man says a a minivan is the right tool for his utility driving, he’s probably right.
Jacked up pickup trucks with stacks. They seem very silly to me, but I guess everyone likes to have a toy. Too bad they tend to drive obnoxiously.
I don’t really get those Smart Cars and Scion IQs.
The thing that gets me about the stacks is that they make it a lot harder to load cargo into the bed. In other words, stacks declare that the truck will never be used as a truck. I take solace.in the fact that the owner of such a vehicle has wasted an astounding amount of money on the custom work.
I’m annoyed by people who insist on perpetuating the usual car owner stereotypes (chick cars, guys with tiny penises in huge trucks, smug EV/hybrid owners, ricers) on sites like this.
I like the cut of your jib.
Agreed
Prius blows by me doing 80+ mph?
I agree, SUvs are a pox on our nation. Who needs one except Octomom?
I don’t understand the lifted 4×4 diesel dually pickups outside the farm or ranch environment, but you see their owners using them to make Wal-Mart or Starbucks runs, engines idling noisily in the parking lot. That’s the great thing about America: we get all types, no matter how inefficient or ridiculous they may look. Of course, based on the huge amounts of posts on TTAC, we should all be driving small diesel wagons with manual transmissions.
If I tell you they get about the same MPG’s as a minivan, will you understand it?
My work truck is a huge Cummins Ram dually. I could stand driving that every day. I wouldn’t be able to handle it’s gasoline counterpart however. No matter how much sense it makes financially (with a new purchase). Incredibly inefficient, with not much torque for the tasks you would buy something like this for. Hell, the motor is the only redeeming quality of this truck.
I’ve yet to see one of the magazines get better than 14 mpg over the course of a year with a current diesel 3/4 ton. They’re fantastically powerful and capable, but the efficiency just isn’t there with current emissions requirements and unladen vehicle weights.
I recently drove a ’12 F-250 Crew Cab 4×4 with the 6.7 liter diesel for a couple days. I averaged 18 mpg, and that’s not even broken in yet (only a couple hundred on the odometer).
Now, when I stomped on it and let all 800 lbs/ft of torque shoot me past traffic on the highway, the instant fuel economy graph showed that number dip way down into the single digits, but as long as I drove in a halfway respectable manner the fuel economy was about even from what I’ve gotten from V6 sedans (or even my old Protege5 that somehow only returned 17 mpg consistently).
What’s there to understand? I drive my truck into town everyday and occasionally the city because it’s my only vehicle. I’d be silly to own a separate car to run errands, hit Walmart or go out to dinner.
I have done it in the past, but was only putting like 2K mile a year on it because I’m always in my truck.
This is why high end pickups sell so well. For many of us they’re not just a work truck, but also our office and for going out with friends so we want the best.
I didn’t phrase my post quite correctly. I completely understand those who have farm/ranch vehicles and use them accordingly. What I don’t understand are those who purchase such vehicles and use them as daily drivers to office jobs in an urban environment.
Cars with:
Fixed rear seats
Large exteriors but cramped (Taurus, Camaro)
Two-spoke steering wheels
Excessively harsh or floaty suspensions
Uncomfortable seats
Also, I can’t stand seeing trashed luxury cars.
+1 on the trashed luxury cars. If you are going to have one, take care of it.
I wonder if the question should not be rephrased into what DOESN’T put a bad taste in my mouth.
Guess that opens up the world of bad taste considerably (^_^)..
The only vehicles that do NOT cause me to run for mouthwash are:
1) Rear-Wheel Drive;
2) Manual Transmission (a real one = 3 pedals);
3) ICE-only engine (no BEV’s, no HEV’s, no PHEV’s, no PeePeePPHEV’s, etc);
4) Competent, attention-focused drivers.
And yes, all 4 conditions must be present, lest bad breath return.
This may explain why I have been spending so much money on mouth wash lately.
————–
So you pretty much live in your own personal eternal torment, huh?
Yup, npaladin2000, I do. Can’t deny it.
Sometimes being on the road in traffic, and suddenly realizing what’s around me, simply makes me shudder. I often take lonely back-roads on 4-hour trips to avoid all those vehicles and drivers who really are a disaster waiting to happen,—- even if it adds 1 more hour onto the journey. Mediocre cars coupled with terrible driving skills and lack of awareness, plus poor courtesy, is sometimes more than I care to deal with!
(And frankly, from Jalopnik’s rating that America is the 4th worst place in the world to drive a vehicle, can you blame me? ref: http://jalopnik.com/5926297/the-ten-countries-with-the-worst-drivers/gallery/1?tag=Answers-Of-The-Day )
I wonder if others ever feel or behave similarly to avoid “bad-taste-in-mouth” vehicles and situations? Maybe it’s just me.
————-
Small diesel wagons with manual transmissions.
(running away as quickly as I can………………)
I’ll pay dearly for this, but I’m feeling splendid today!
Normally most Jetta diesels I see are pretty aggressive. Maybe a red WRX wagon just brings out the remorse and anger in them.
LOL
Zackman, I can guess what the comments will be after you get a brand new Impala… Well, if it’s a 2012, Jack Baruth should come to your defence, so you’ll survive the assault!
We want pix when you get it, man… :)
Any non-new premium brand car with dealer plates. They’re always driven very recklessly by some young greaseball salesman headed to the strip club.
Just about any Scion. My friend had a Tc it seamed like it was always in the wrong gear and the seats weren’t comfortable. I’d always volunteer to drive just so I didn’t have to get back into that thing.
No. I never met a car I didn’t like. Of course, I sometimes lived to hate some of those cars. Like my Merkur XR4Ti .
BTW, Steve, as a former Georgia resident, I find it hard to believe that you can’t find some of the BEST fried chicken ever made down there.
As far as the chicken goes, Steve probably could find much better. But then he would miss an opportunity to trot out tired old Southern stereotypes, which is in strict violation of the oath he took upon leaving Jersey.
Cars I hate? Anything, and I mean anything with a fart can muffler. Or a Harley Davidson that ruptures my eardrum when it passes, but I guess that doesn’t count as a car.
As for the chicken, it was free. That was my first mistake.
The second mistake was not having too much exposure to Southern food in general. That is unless you consider Waffle House to be southern cuisine. In which case I am now officially the most Southern man who will ever be posting here at TTAC.
Steve, we only consider Waffle House to be Southern cuisine after midnight. Or possibly early Sunday morning if you’re EXTREMELY hung over.
Ohhh, stay away from the awful waffle…
Point of trivia: My BIL has probably installed the glass in about 90% of the Waffle Houses built in the 1990’s.
When I lived in the ATL, my fave was Mrs. Winners. They had the best chicken and iced tea…
Harley riders with open exhaust that go thru my secluded neighborhood gunning the engine while setting off car alarms and rousing dogs. The intersections aren’t blind so they don’t need to announce their existence.
Don’t they have good brakes? Is there a need to down shift thru the gears every time? Will the engine die if they don’t keep revving it up at stop signs? Do they run better if they’re popping and backfiring at low vacuum?
if they had any concern for their safety, they’d run their headlights in the daytime, wear racing leathers and a full face helmet.
I was under the impression all US bikes had DRL always….(at least in IL they do). I agree with everything else.
I ride a non-modified sportbike and am hard of hearing and find lots of harleys deafening.
I also rite ATGATT no matter if it’s 101 out with a head index of 115.
It must be that bikers disable the DRL to look cool. Safety’s for dorkmeisters, man…
Yes, it’s about time to end the fallacy that “loud pipes save lives”. The pre-occupied drivers of today will only turn up the radio if they hear your loud pipes and still run you over anyway, due to the fact that they’re texting while driving.
If you like the sound of the loud pipes that’s one thing, but using that gasoline-induced flatulence as a life saving method is too large a stretch of logic. Show some respect for the people around you and keep it to a minimum. Besides, I can see why people think bikes like that are junk, you have to rev them constantly to keep them running…
Anything that handles sloppy and has brakes that make you pray every time you apply them
You would absolutely HATE driving my work truck… 6400 lbs unladen, 15-20° slop in the steering, and power brakes with failed power assist. Plus, it takes up a space and a half at the curb, which makes parallel parking an adventure.
So the quesiton was, “Is there a type of vehicle that you simply would not be able to stand as your daily driver?” Not, “what driving stereotype do you personally dislike?” Unless I misread.
– Supercars. I haven’t spent much (and by much I mean any) time in any of them, but I assume most of the segment would suck to use for a daily commute, grocery-getter, etc.
– An unreliable vehicle.
+1. I read the question the same way you did. And, yes, a supercar would suck for a daily driver.
I have a friend who has a supercharged Audi R8 as a daily driver. Seems to work for him.
Worst question of the day EVER. I am not subscribing. One man’s need is another man’s foolishness. Another man’s dream is the punch line of the first guy’s favorite joke.
Most people don’t realize this and it’s not new. Failing to realize it, they insult whole swathes of readers.
I pretty much respect anyone on here and uses facts or logic. I own one or even, I’ve rented one garners respect by me. The my brand/vehicle fan boys irritate me. 230K and your car runs like a top? Just tell me what(or not)you’ve replaced/repaired and I can respect that. Just don’t blurt out: It’s the bestest brand/vehicle ever”. As the responses are showing; haters are gonna hate. Got news for the haters. People are going to make their own decisions and spend their own money for their vehicle. Some blowhard/fan boy/sage on an internet blog won’t effect their buying decision very much.
I’m enjoying all the hate in a sick, twisted kind of way.
Subcompact sedans – seriously, why? They look ridiculous and they’re wasting what precious little storage space subcompacts have. Fiesta, Yaris, Accent, etc. just look silly as sedans.
Hybrids – I definitely see the benefits of hybrids. If you’re going for fuel efficiency and you do mostly city driving, a hybrid isn’t a bad option. The part of the country I live in is mostly highway driving. A diesel would be much more useful. Especially if its a brown turbo wagon. With a 5 speed manual. Made in Europe.
FWD SUV/CUVs with 4 cylinder engines – essentially sacrifices all car benefits for a higher ride height. Wouldn’t have any idea how to compare them.
Full-size pickups – definitely have their purpose. Do not understand them as commuter vehicles.
Subcompact sedans…Make a lot of sense in the developing world. Space for your family and gear. Secure place to put your luggage. Don’t use as much expensive gas as a minivan or CUV. It’s a growing segment the world over.
I meant sedan versus hatchback in the subcompact segment. A Fiesta hatchback is more useful than a Fiesta sedan.
Raded, not necessarily. If you travel with your wife and two children in the car, the sedan can take more luggage and then it’s better. Most sedans in Brazil, compact or not, recline back seats, so you can transport longer items in them, too. Maybe for something tall the hatch is better, but that’s just about it. Now, if you’re single or don’t travel by car much, the hatch is better. At least in my part of the world.
Marcelo has a point here. Using the Fiesta as an example, if the hatchback were the same overall length as the sedan, it would make much more sense for carrying stuff. Unfortunately, in an attempt to not make it look like a wagon, the hatchback is quite a bit shorter overall (same wheelbase) than the sedan, so you end up being able to actually store more stuff in the trunk of the sedan while still using all of the seats and not blocking the rear window. Most compacts and subcompacts seem to follow this trend.
The hatchback still has the edge for overal versatility as you can fold the rear seats and remove the parcel shelf to fit things that would never go into the trunk, but a hatchback the same length as the sedan (i.e. a wagon) would be the best option.
Marcelo, I’m going to respectfully disagree with you here on sedans on any size.
Having grown up with sedans, there was a time when foldable back seats didn’t exist and if you had to put anything bulky or of an odd size in one, you had to bungee the lid down and it still looked ridiculous to have whatever you bought sticking out the back.
Believe you me when I say this that most sedans can’t haul anything terribly large and if you need to anything larger than groceries, luggage and that kind of stuff or flat packed goods then a sedan won’t do you any good.
It’s even worse with today’s slits of trunk openings on so many cars that it makes it heard to carry anything that isn’t soft, small or flatpacked, period.
At least with a hatchback or wagon (or a truck for that matter), if you need to bring home a chair say, and it’s NOT flatpacked (ala IKEA) you can slip it into the back of these types of vehicles easily and bring it home.
I try to be pretty open minded, and realize different people like different cars, but I would die before I would ever drive the following:
– Pontiac Sunfire – honestly, I lose all respect for anyone who drives this car (usually some college aged girl). It’s the epitome of having terrible taste in life. There is always something out there that is better for the price. Always. No excuses. I would rather take the bus 100/100 times.
– Dodge Caliber. A newer version of the Sunfire. Just a sign of total apathy and loss of hope. It’s George Costanza wearing sweatpants.
– Sports cars with a slushbox….especially if they are really fun drivers cars. Miatas, Porsches, etc.
– Jacked up trucks. Ugh, makes me embarrassed for my city whenever I see one driving down the street….which is more often than I like to admit.
– The aforementioned large SUV driven by 1 person. Buying Warlmart-quality cars by the pound is not my thing.
I rented a Dodge Caliber a few months back. Well, I rented a “compact” and they threw the keys to the Caliber at me. By a wide margin the worst driving experience I’ve ever had. Extra firm suspension without any handling capabilities. Awkward ride height contributing to a dangerous lack of visibility. I’ve driven U-Haul trucks with better visibility. Horrible engine, horrible transmission.
But hey, it had a fridge for your drinks somewhere.
The VW Beetle, as we knew it in Mexico, Slow, unsafe, hot in summer without AC, and with an ergonomic design better suited for the Hunchback of Notre Dame, those offset pedals…Thank God it’s gone!
And yes I had to drive one as a daily car.
And 2nd any big SUV.
Saludos
I think the Beetle just outlived its useful lifetime. Judged by other cars from the 1940s and 1950s, these cars were at least low-cost, effective commuter vehicles. At least here in the USA, the vehicle stopped in the 1970s and are now really just driven for nostalgia.
Hippies sure loved them back in the day.
‘back in the day’, them the key words. But the original Beetle was foisted on Brazilians and Mexicans well into the 90s. Try living in that reality! Not even a hippie would approve.
Hola J Mendez! Ageed, the Vocho or Fusca or Beetle long, long outlived its welcome.
Any van down by the river. And having to live in it too!
Well, you’ll have plenty of time for that, when you’re living in a van, down by the river!
Steve65,
Did I make that too easy? You’re welcome.
In no particular order:
-hybrids
-Luxury crossovers, especially German ones
-pickup trucks that have obviously never been used, or never will be
-minivans
Minivans. They are the trashiest, ugliest and dopiest form of transportation. Next to the Camry, no other type of vehicle irritates me more than a minivan. And when automakers attempt to make them swoopy and sporty, it just angers me more. Yes, I know it isn’t completely rational.
Worse yet, living in a minivan down by the river!
A-segment econoboxes
CVT equipped cars (hard to avoid the manual tranny these days)
Atkinson cycle hybrids (utterly, totally, gutless)
Cars with a red/burgundy interior or blue interior. Blech!
Also two spoke steering wheel, vinyl seats or old crappy trucks that make more noise than 10 normal cars.
For a daily driver. It would burn me up to deal with high gas mileage and reliability issues.
Having said that it sounds like a small hatch back suits me fine and it does but the worst vehicle I ever experienced was a small hatch back.
It was a Hyundai Excel from the 90’s and was just horrid. Cramped, Loud, and gutless. It’s suspension was to soft to go round corners properly but jarred every bone in your body over bumps… Urgh! It was not mine but I shared the driving it on a road trip. It was a great road trip regardless :-)
SUV/CUVs doing minivan duty.
Volkswagon leaves a bad taste. Vanagon drivers who think they have environmentally responsible high ground over SUVs, bug drivers who think they are cute, Jetta drivers who think they have a budget BMW, TDI drivers who think their vehicles make economic sense and bus drivers who lose 20 mph trying to traverse a slight incline.
Maybe it is just a case of jealousy though – I wish any car company other than VW offered similar body styles and technologies.
Hey, surprised by the hate for two spoke steering wheels. Yeah, they’re bad, except when they’re done right like in a Ford Ka. Then it’s ok.
What leaves a bad taste in my mouth, grey or black only interiors. Always bad.
Pretty much any VW. In Brazil the last VW I enjoyed was the Santana from the 80s.
Any small GM. Celta, Classic, 1st generation (in Brazil) Corsa. Minimal space.
Short greenhouses.
Cars with trailer hooks that don’t tow anything.
Cars without RPM or water temperature gauges.
SUVs and now most CUVs.
Diesel, personal-transportation pick-ups.
“Cars with trailer hooks that don’t tow anything.”
Kind of like the fact that I have seen a couple of Smarts around here with hitches. Why? What’s the point?
I believe people think the hooks will protect their precious paint on their bumpers. but Smarts? I haven’t seen that yet, but I guess it takes the cake.
“Kind of like the fact that I have seen a couple of Smarts around here with hitches. Why? What’s the point?”
Bike rack…perhaps?
“I have seen a couple of Smarts around here with hitches. Why? What’s the point?”
Right. Because the ONLY reason to have a tow hitch is to haul around a 5000 lb ski boat or a 32′ vacation trailer. Nobobdy EVER needs to rent a 200 lb rototiller, or bring home an appliance that doesn’t fit inside the car.
Interesting. I think the KA is one of the ugliest cars ever.
My wife’s CUV was the only non-minivan, non full-suv for $25k’ish she’d consider to have 7 person capability. I hate the ride height however and would never have one as my daily driver.
Cars without RPM GAUGES DRIVE ME NUTS, esp if they are stick! I’m hard of hearing! Give me a gauge!!!!
Hi Robstar!
I like the Ka, I had one and am thinking of buying another one. Fun to drive, economic and surprisingly spacious, especially for driver and passenger. Good, durable engine. Nice design and interior. Two spoke only steering wheel but good to hold.
I don’t mind minivans, but CUVs…not so much. If I needed capacity to sit 7, my first choice would be a Fiat Doblò. Minivan-ish, derived from a car-based cargo van, square, huge greenhouse, sliding doors..what’s not to like? LOL!
As to RPM gauges, not nice! For me though it’s more an esthetics things. More than by ear, I change gears by the whole feel of driving the car. Water temp gauge..how I miss those!
“Cars without RPM GAUGES DRIVE ME NUTS…”
Motorcycles too!
uh, a tachometer?
Steve, guess that tomorrow you’ll just have to ask the opposite question. :)!
95 dodge intrepid. When they first starting putting in 3.5L V6’s. Worst car I have ever owned in my life. Horribly unreliable starting from 40k miles until its final death shy over 100k miles.
I will never buy another dodge again. It’s not just my bad luck either. srt-4’s gone to hell only moderately driving them. I know, I was in it when the engine blew. Both neighbors on either side of me had different year stratuses? stratI? both with blown head gaskets between 30k and 60k miles.
I actually really enjoy the look of dodges, they are agreesive especially the new challengers and what not but what the eye doesn’t see….
Yes it’s been mentioned before but CVT’s leave a bad taste in my mouth.
Had a Ford Focus sedan rental for a week driving through Ontario and Quebec and it was a pretty good car, nice feel, good fit and finish, comfy seats etc, suspension was a bit soft but not bad overall.
BUT, that CVT was the worst, where to start, how about that annoying lag on the throttle when pushing off, or the RPM gauge racing up to 4500 RPM while the car just sits there when you’re pulling put to pass.WTH,I thought they were improving these things, is this is as good as it gets?
God help us.
As for those in the fast lane between Toronto and QC who where held up by some moron in the grey Focus who assumed the car would accelerate on demand, sorry.
The Focus does not have a CVT. However, Ford’s dual clutch transmission hasn’t made many friends.
There are two
: GMC Envoy- I think that SUV is extremely ugly.
:Any crossover. They have already invented that. Its called the wagon.
Why the hate for two spoke steering wheels? I’m thinking and thinking and I can’t remember owning any car with a two-spoke steering wheel hence I don’t understand what the issue is.
MAYBE out ’93 Subbie was a two spoke??? Been so long.
In Brazil it comes back from time to time. And I had back in the 80s a Fiat Uno with one. Horrible! But now when they do come with this kind they have a better design. Anyway, I think the number of spokes is irrelevant as long as the ‘feel’ of the wheel is nice. Like the (old) Ford Ka mentioned above. Nice design that went well with the car’s style, plus nice to touch.
Granted, good two-spoke designs are possible, as Marcelo pointed out. I think I was traumatized by riding in rental Cavaliers too many times.
Anything that came out of a GM plant.
Ya! Ya! The world needs less V8 supercars and Holden Commodores!
The Scion XB was the sole reason why I did not accept the position of a car salesman. I simply looked at the hiring manager when he asked me if there was any car on the lot i could not sell and went “The XB, no one deserves to spend money on something that looks like shit.”
Like Mr Lang, I could never drive a full-size SUV on a frequent basis. I’m a single guy living in the city; a Suburban or Expedition would be more trouble than it’s worth.
Anything that’s not a diesel-powered Panther wagon (Deluxe Brougham Supreme Elite edition) with a manual transmission.
+1s, please.
You forgot Royale. I’ll be damned if I’m seen in one that isn’t a Royale (with cheese!).
Okay so I’m actually going to say a vehicle that I’ve driven instead of just saying “I HATE X BECAUSE Y”
Chrysler minivans. Any time I’ve driven one, something on it never worked right, sometimes even dangerously so if I didn’t know the car had a problem. I feel bad because this was the company that pretty much invented and set the standard for modern minivans (at least in the U.S) and yet every one I’ve driven has been a steamy pile of a vehicle.
CUVs and SUVs unless they are truly needed. You have a family of 8 or 9? I do not begrudge you that Suburban or Expedition or Escalade EXV (or what ever its called) because regardless of what you think of the driving dynamics of one they still drive nicer than a full size van. You have to haul your crew down the dirt road to the job-site, I do not begrudge you 4×4 and silly levels of diesel torque. However if your just buying it to buy it and driving around 90% of the time by yourself on dry pavement, I hate you.
You, Sir, as Principal, will look downright classy in that Ford Flex…
I also wish you the very best on your upcoming special day!
“However if your just buying it to buy it and driving around 90% of the time by yourself on dry pavement, I hate you.”
As a long time lurker, infrequent poster, I feel a little like I know you, Dan. You seem like a really nice guy, so it makes me sad that you hate me.
In my defense as a Suburban driving DINK who lives suburbia…it’s really a pleasure to own, maintain and drive. It does mostly see Costco runs or road trips, but it is just plain enjoyable on those activities.
I picked up my Suburban as an 11 year old with 160k miles. It was about the same price as a 4 cylinder pickup. Insurance is cheap, fuel economy is 15 – 17 and it only sees a little over 5k miles a year. Sure it only snows a few days a year where I live and I could probably get by renting a truck from Home Depot whenever I want to build something, but owning a full size body on frame 4X4 with a V8 is an indulgence that I’ve allowed myself.
Lifted trucks and large SUVs make no sense to me – I understand some people might actually need them, but 99% I’ve seen are clearly not in their natural environment (mud / off road). Along this line I just don’t get vehicles with extra ride height but tons of gear (tranny, exhaust, suspension mount points) hanging low. Current CUV tend to suffer from this badly since they are just cars with bigger wheel arches. About the only vehicle that didn’t do this was the original Hummer (Humvee).
However no matter the vehicle the one thing I can not live with is SLOPPY STEERING with no feedback. When I turn the wheel I expect *some* resistance. Some vehicles (mostly GM products) seem like they were designed to be driven with all the strength of your little pinkie finger. I just hate that feeling… its like you turn the wheel and a rubber band is slowly pulling the steering rack. Almost as if the input device is not physically connected to anything and turning the wheel is just a suggestion.
And how can anyone not like fried chicken? That is almost un-American! Especially for someone in the “south”.
I’m not gonna read through 130 something comments but I’m sure its already been said…CROSSOVERS. They are vanity purchases, pure and simple. At least you can tow and haul with a traditional full size SUV.
We actually bought our “crossover” as the do everything vehicle, doing some stuff that (most) cars can’t do:
– Carry 7 people in 3 rows.
– Tow 3500 pounds (IMHO could be useful for towing my motorcycle or a jet-ski)
– AWD for snow (live in a small town and a winter ago we had 28″, less on the road in our driveway and we were stuck for a few days….). I can drive in anything in snow. My wife simply can’t (She’s from Brazil).
– Gas mileage mid-20’s on highway
– $22.5 OTD 1 year old, 20k miles on it.
– V6 with 276hp
– Good road visibility for my short wife.
+1 I fly fish and play golf. No, I don’t fish and golf every day. I bought my Escape for the times I need to load up four people, their golf clubs, and a cooler. Also for the times I need to load up fishing rods, flies, a creel, and a dedicated “fish cooler”. I think a lot of people buy their vehicles for occasionally used capacity vice what they need most of the time.
Any car that’s too big and thirsty for the job it has to do. Big SUVs (especially any Hummer), big quad cab pickups with noisy diesel engines that have never hauled anything bigger than the groceries at WalMart.
I once worked with a girl who bought a new Chevy quad-cab truck with the longest bed they had just because she wanted “the biggest car she could get” for “safety” reasons. If that wasn’t bad enough, she lived in a suburban neighborhood and never hauled anything in it. Oh yea, she also wanted it because she loved driving her husband’s IDENTICAL TRUCK!! Augh!!
Oh yea…supercars grind my gears too. Usually bought by men who have little penises, no driving skills, and waaaaaaaaaay too much money.
Been mentioned a few times already, in various forms. In a word, noise. Be it straight pipe Harleys, buzz bomb Hondas, jacked up 4×4s with no mufflers or bazillion Watt stereos. I understand some vehicles are louder than others, but there is such a thing as too much.
If you’re proud of your machine and like to show it off, great! More power to you. But not at 0 dark 30 in the fucking morning in front of my house.
Strippo, bottom-feeder sedans like the Aveo, Rio, and Accent. I specify the sedans because they’re cheaper and less practical than the 5-doors.
The people driving them seem to be pissed-off, maybe because the only new car they could afford was the cheapest, crappiest car available, and, therefore, are driving like idiots so they can get to their destination and get out of it as fast as they can. Or maybe because they hate driving it so badly they just don’t care if they have a wreck with it.
I’m sure these have already been mentioned, but this blog has almost 150 comments so I had to put in a word or two. Luxury vehicles ala Escalades and Navigators that are trashed. Big, gaudy chrome Dub 4’s that have never seen soap and water. Cars in general that are thrashed. Spend a dollar and wash the bastard.
Also, any car in general that has a crooked bumper sticker. Or like the Honda emblem on a first-gen CR-V, the factory didnt center the emblem on the tailgate. Looks silly.
I can’t think of a greater waste of drinking water than using it to wash a beater car. Windows and lenses? Sure. I hit mine with every fillup at a minimum. Paintwork and brightwork? I’ve got better things to do with my time that polish a turd.
Toyota Corolla. After renting one I don’t know how anyone can take driving one of those miserable penalty boxes day after day. Seriously, I’d work 5 jobs if that’s what it took to be able to buy something/anything better than one of those crap boxes.
Just about any Lexus.
My big beef are sedans in general, some look fine, but as a practical body style, they aint.
Having driven and/or owned several (both 4 and 2 door variants) they are one of the useless things ever if you go to places like Home Depot, estate sales and antique malls as they can’t haul anything of bulky or odd sizes, flat packed and small and soft yes, but a chair, a large TV (back when it had a PICTURE TUBE in it) often meant it had to be perched in the trunk and tied down to keep it from falling out.
My parents once bought a brand new 19″ color TV back in 1977, in the box and it slid into the back of the ’76 Honda Accord hatchback, seat down of course to clear the back hatch, but they were not only able to get it in, but close the hatch and STILL stuffed 4 kids (I was one of them) in and around it to get home after we kids saw a movie while m parents shopped for the TV, try doing that in a sedan, even a full sized one.
Huge jacked up trucks that dwarfed my Ranger truck. I mean it, saw a HUMMER who’s frame rails were as high as my DOOR SILL, if not a bit higher while cruising down I-5 about 3 years ago.
Most huge SUV’s, just a waste of sheetmetal but I can see how for a few situations they can be useful for some large families but they mostly seem to be owned by not so large families.
ANY ‘Art & Science’ Cadillac!
They all look like they were styled with a Protractor! But I could forgive that.. what I couldn’t forgive was the marketing. Granted the old ‘Here’s the keys to your new OldsmoBuiCadillac!’ styling was pail and bucket, but when it came time to introduce the new Art & Science they didn’t portray it as an improvement over the previous ‘Badge-Engineering’ era.. they made the comparison to the 1950’s styling era, which produced some of the handsomest cars.. and Handsomest Cadillacs.. the world will ever see!
It’s like, watching those commercials the marketing people were trying to say,
“See? Now we’ll get to pull in tons and tons of new youthful and vibrant customers to our product!”
But ended-up saying,
“See? Now I’ll get to tell the whole world I still haven’t forgiven my dad for not letting me go to Woodstock.”
The newer Caddies are the first, and only Cadillacs I’ve even slightly been interested in. The so called “classics” just left me thinking, “I like the styling of the ___________________ better(Just pick one of the other full sized GM cars of that era that looked better and cost a lot less)than the Sedan/coupe De whatever”. That went for my dad’s hopped up ’69, too.
Driving anything Mitsubishi, especially one which shows a little wear-and-tear (like a 9-month old rental car) makes me feel like I need to wash my hands…and makes me feel like my credit score just tanked.
“and makes me feel like my credit score just tanked.”
+1
I was told I should never drive a mitsu over 70mph because the paint would start peeling off like a banana. Worst. Factory. Paint. Jobs. Ever.
They are plauged with that today just as bad as mazdas rust quick around wheel wells. (depending on applicable climate)