About: Autolove

Joe Mavilia is a syndicated columnist with more than 35 years in the automotive industry. He is a member of the Motor Press Guild and Automotive Press Association. His reviews have been published in print media including the Los Angeles Times, The Golden Transcript - Colorado, La Feria News - Texas, The Pasadena Weekly - California, and others around the country, including www.theweekenddrive.com where he is the West Coast Editor. Reviews and Opinion Columns may also be seen in Sunnews.org and The Country Journal every week in the Antelope Valley, CA. I hope they are helpful

Recent Posts by Autolove

2000 Mazda Miata MX-5 (310)

No comments
2000 Mazda Miata MX-5 (310)

Overview:

This weeks driving fun was provided by the Mazda Miata MX-5. I really liked the color combo with mahogany paint and beige top and interior. Real pretty. But it wasn’t all good news. I tested the 1999 model year about two years ago and it is evident that either Mazda doesn’t read my column or they don’t care what drivers might complain about.

Example: two years ago I commented on the terrible placement of the remote controls for the trunk and gas lid releases. They are still poorly placed in the rear part of the console storage compartment. And to add insult to injury, they make you reach awkwardly to the rear of the lid to open it in the first place. Hello! Anyone home. However on the plus side they made the car more rigid and I didn’t notice that tinny sound when the doors or trunk are closed.

This special edition includes wood trim including the steering wheel. Sorry but although I like wood sweaty hands cause the wheel to be slippery. I don’t know about you but I don’t wear leather gloves when I drive. A leather wrapped wheel is much better or wood on only about 25% of the wheel like that of Cadillac’s design. I also didn’t care for the design of the air conditioning ducts, as they were hard to adjust. I found myself fiddling with then constantly.

There wasn’t a lot of high tech stuff, but this like most cars today have radio controls that are digital when a simple knob for station selection or tone and balance would be better. It reminds me of a recent telephone conversation where I told the person on the other end of the satellite connection to write down a phone number. He said, “wait I have to boot my Palm Pilot.” Say what, have you ever heard of paper and pencil? I’m in a hurry. We need to balance technology with practicality.

Other concerns include – who will drive this Pea popper, tiny car where the speedometer goes up to 150 mph? I don’t think I want my kid driving this 2300 lb. car at those speeds.

On a positive note, I appreciated the tiny trunk for our trek to Tahoe since “She” couldn’t take too much stuff she didn’t need anyway. But “She” managed to fill the space behind the seat, where the top stows, so we couldn’t put the top down. I also loved driving this sports car in the mountains because I love that “G-force” feeling around the curves…. in the road, that is. It has lots of power and even passing slower traffic was no problem. I found the 6-speed shifter passable but it could be better.

If you’re thinking this will bring out the kid in you, it will, only if you are a kid. Older drivers will experience back pain getting in and out, which is similar to getting into a “Go Cart” or a Kayak for you water sports folks. So if you’re claustrophobic you’re likely to have an instant attack. And if you intend to drive long distances, your tousch will tire long before you have to stop for gas.

Handling & Performance:

Great! But, what do you expect from a car built so low to the ground snakes can crawl in easier than people.

Styling:

I like it. It has progressed nicely since its introduction over 10 years ago.

Fit and Finish:

Much improved even over last years model.

Conveniences:

Pretty basic but enough.

Cost:

More than the price tag should be for this sports car, especially when compared with the Mitsubishi Eclipse.

Recommendation:

Look at the Mitsubishi Eclipse. For the same money you’ll get a back seat without losing the sports car feel, and a one-button power top feature. Personally, with the possible exception of the Honda S2000, I don’t think it fits in the class and performance of the competition listed below from either a performance or price position. However they are all two seater sports cars. But then, so is a Ferrari.

The Competition:

BMW Z3 $31,300-36,900, Honda S2000 $32,000, Mercedes SLK $38,900-43,900, Mitsubishi Eclipse $25,237, Porsche Boxster $41,430-49,930, Toyota MR2 Spyder $23,098.

Good News:

Good gas mileage, fun to drive, adequate performance, top is easy to put up and down.

Bad News:

Marginal comfort from the seats on long trips, too much money for the car, small trunk, some controls poorly placed, difficult shifter and poor air conditioning ducts.

Standard Equipment:

1.8 liter 4-cylinder 140 horsepower engine, 6-speed manual transmission, rear wheel drive, power 4-wheel disc brakes, leather seats, stereo with clock and CD, power windows, door locks and mirrors, cruise control, 15” polished alloy wheels, halogen headlights, dual air bags, wood steering wheel and shift knob and parking brake handle and wood center panel, power antenna.

Gas Stats:

24 City and 29 Highway MPG.

Pricing:

MSRP $25,055.

2000 Chrysler PT Cruiser (308)

No comments
2000 Chrysler PT Cruiser (308)

Overview:
Well – what a joy to drive this PT Cruiser from Chrysler. It didn’t take long to warm up to this relic of my youth and my fond recollection of the rods we’d restore with a few changes. We’d  “hop up” the engine put 40 coats of lacquer paint and in many cases we’d “chop and channel” and put it on a mean “Rake” to really be “bad” (rad, in today’s vernacular). Our renditions of the old cars were as good as today’s PT (for personal transportation) Cruiser, which, by the way, I mean as a compliment to this daring release from Chrysler.

We were better than Detroit and it only took 50 years for them to realize it. I often wondered why automakers didn’t take more signals from the youth who’d be driving their cars. In some respects they did. For example they recessed door handles, “shaved the hood” (removed the emblem) and put cars on a “rake” (lowered in front), and so on.

Perhaps even more the automakers have waited until that 50’s and 60’s generation grew up and now have the money to buy their dream years cars.

It’s true, as some say; you’ll either love or hate this remake of days gone by in our love affair with cars of nearly 100 years now. But we’re the new centurions and have that gladiator verve for life. We want to be different as we walk “Forward” into the new millennium. We have busy lives of travel and work unparalleled since Marco Polo trekked the globe. Few did it then, but many do it today because we now have the disposable income to have nearly anything we want.

Today’s generation is made up of independent young people who have wanted for nothing. They can afford to buy a replica of what grand daddy put together with “bailing wire and chewing gum”. The 2000-generation knows what chewing gum is but few will know what bailing wire is. That’s not a put down, by the way. Every generation has pet sayings and I wouldn’t have a clue as to the origin or meaning of some of today’s jargon.

Well, this PT Cruiser will remind many of a panel truck of the late 1930’s and early 1940’s. Perhaps that’s why a gentleman (about 50) commented to me that everyone his age wants one of these Cruisers. That was my experience too. But this is more like a 2000 SUV with 1935 styling. It doesn’t have 4-wheel drive, so it gets much better gas mileage. I found it extremely comfortable, with a great ride, good handling and adequate power. The manual shifter is topped by a white “cue ball” for that effect of hot rods of the day.  My 1930 model A sedan had a Budweiser draft handle knob, which was really cool.

Just like show business, you won’t want to buy one of these if you want to remain anonymous. Everyone, ten to 100 will want to take a look.

Handling & Performance:

Built solid and handles well. The 150 horsepower engine is adequate but most will find it sluggish. Manual trans will make a positive difference.

Styling:

Mid to late 1930’s.

Fit and Finish:

My friend Mark says, “this interior is better than my BMW”. I agree.

Conveniences:

With the addition of the optional equipment package for $4,580 you can have most every gadget you’ll get in any other luxury car of today.

Cost:

How do they do it? Base price of $15,450. Well, you guessed it – the supply is limited and the price may be double the base price if you must have one now.

Recommendation:

Wait for supply to catch up with demand.

The competition:

Ford Focus $12,125-15,260, Honda CR-V $18,650, Subaru Forester $20,295-22,895, Suzuki Grand Vitara $18,299-20,499, Toyota RAV4 $16,888-18,298, VW Beetle $15,900-21,075.

Good News:

Well priced, fun to drive, roomy SUV-like, good gas mileage, oodles of headroom, good maneuverability.

Bad News:

High demand – low supply drives price up, poorly placed power window controls (center of dash and rear controls mounted on the rear portion of the center console – poor access for the driver.

Standard Equipment:

2.4 liter 150 horsepower 4 cylinder engine, 4-speed auto trans, front air bags, child seat anchor, power front disc with rear drum brakes, stabilizer bars, air conditioning, tilt steering column, power windows, fold down rear removable seats, AM/FM six speaker radio with cassette and CD, power driver seat and more.

Gas Stats:

20 City and 25 Highway MPG.

Pricing:

MSRP  $15,450.

 

Your comments are welcomed. My e-mail is joe@atthewheel.com

Copyright © 2003 – An Automotive Love Affair

Toyota MR2 Spyder (307)

No comments
Toyota MR2 Spyder (307)

Overview:

This Toyota MR2 Spyder is a 2-seater convertible with no storage space. None, zip, zero. But my bud Merkel corrected my thinking. What do you want from a sports car, says he. It isn’t made for the purpose of hauling a lot of gear around.  Ok Merkel, sorry, because you’re right. What could I have been thinking? I’m a hopeless romantic and I just thought it would be nice to take my honey on a picnic. You know, a picnic basket, bottle of Vino, some bread and cheese and a blanket – destination: the beach, mountains or a trip to the country. Ok, so I guess I could take the big car. Wait a minute; I don’t have a big car. Oh well, so much for the picnic dear. You didn’t want to go anyway. Right?

I used to have an MGB but that at least had a rack on the trunk to strap on, you guessed it, a picnic basket or even luggage for that matter. That would be nice if we wanted to stay somewhere for the night. A ride up highway one to San Francisco or down the coast to San Diego. From Los Angeles either place can be done in a weekend but you do need a change of more than underwear, know what I mean?

Well, on the positive side this is a fast, fun car to drive. And it’s kinda cool looking. One guy said it looked like a Porsche Boxster. Well, from the rear it has a slight resemblance, I guess and they are both mid engine sports cars. So from that point of view, it’s a poor man’s Boxster. Aside from looks and mid engine, however, they are light years apart in my opinion.

I’d say the MR2 is for the younger set and from a real quick poll of people driving them I’d guess 18-30 year old male drivers have already fallen in love with it. They probably don’t mind the bumpy ride and basic car manual controls for air, seats, and convertible top, etc. And they’ll love the fact that it’s a 130 mph kind of car with 5 speeds on the floor.

Handling & Performance:

Excellent from this mid engine design, rear wheel drive sports car. Plenty of power because the car is light and the 138 horses won’t even work up a sweat.

Styling: Porsche-like in some ways and priced more like the Mazda Miata.

Fit and Finish: Decent as you’d expect from Toyota.

Conveniences:  Everything is standard equipment and there is more than enough.

Cost: Because of all the standard features, this isn’t badly priced.

Recommendation:  Be sure to drive the competition before you plunk down the cash. And if you test drive the Honda S2000 let me know what you think. That’s the only one of the bunch I haven’t tested.

The competition:

Audi TT $31,200-38,900 BMW Z3 $31,300-36,900, Honda S2000 $32,000, Mazda MX-5 Miata $20,545-25,055, VW Cabrio $19,900-23,300.

Good News:

Fast, zippy performance, manual top easy to use and tucks away neatly, the two seats are roomy for driver and passenger.

Bad News:

Trunk is useless and stores only a spare tire, very limited use car, if you play golf or go to the market you can forget taking a passenger.

Standard Equipment:

1.8 liter 138 horsepower 4 cyl. engine, 5-speed manual trans, 4-wheel ABS disc brakes, dual air bags, engine immobilizer, alloy wheels, halogen headlights, dual o/s power mirrors, air conditioning, power steering, power windows and door locks, tilt leather wrapped steering wheel.

Gas Stats:

25 City and 30 Highway MPG.

Pricing:

MSRP  $23,098.

Your comments are welcomed. My e-mail is movello@earthlink.net .

[Back]

Copyright © 2000 – Automotive Love Affair

2000 Acura 3.2 CL Type S (305)

No comments
2000 Acura 3.2 CL Type S (305)

Overview:

Switching manufacturers but not countries of origin we’ll take a peek at the Honda made (assembled in the US) Acura 3.2 CL Type “S”. This 2-door coupe is one spunky auto. It is sporty, compact, and yet roomy enough for average needs. Honda cars, like most Japanese cars, have been pillars of the auto industry community.

This Acura is no exception. And they are showing a little courage introducing some new vibrant colors. My instant reaction was a little negative, I must admit, but the gold color grew on me, as it appears to have for the majority of people who made comments about the car. Remember “Candy Apple Red”? , Well this is “Candy Apple Gold”.  Ok there isn’t such a color, but you get the idea. Unfortunately the most unforgettable feature was the paint.

There is no question this Acura was designed for that sports car feel. Even the seats hug you so you can zip around and not slip and slide in the seat. That reminds me of cars built before the 1960’s. Remember the old bench seats with plastic seat covers? Those were the days before seat belts were required equipment on passenger cars. If you took a left hand turn  too hard, you’d slide across the seat toward the passenger side, unless you could hold on to the “Brodie Knob”. Bringing back any memories out there? Those were also romantic days and that little maneuver was great on a date, but with the guys it wasn’t cool.

The CL’s navigation system features an easy-to-read 6-inch touch-screen, a readout of local attractions, and a DVD mapping database that provides coverage of the entire continental U.S. on one DVD. Do you need it? Probably not and it should be an option.

Handling & Performance:

Neat. I really warmed up to this car quickly. Just the right size for me and I love the “G” force in the corners so it was fun to drive. Speaking of “G’s” I need to get into the new NSX.

Styling:

Nice. I suspect this will be a good seller for Acura.

Fit and Finish:

Good.

Conveniences:

Great, and commensurate with the price, but this is one time I’d have preferred making some of the stuff optional. Who needs it all. Virtually everything is “Standard Equipment”. Enough already!

Cost:

A little more than I think it should be. I’d have to see the numbers but they should take some of the gadgets out and make it more affordable.

Recommendation:

Price wise it is a good deal with all the features if you want them, but it doesn’t have the personality of most of the others noted here. It doesn’t have that “beefy” feel of the Mercedes, BMW or even the Volvo for that matter.

The competition: (arguably)

Audi TT $31,200-38,900 BMW 3 Series $26,990-34,990, Lexus SC 300/400 $43,805-56,305, Mercedes Benz CLK $41,600-55-600, Saab 9-3 $26,100-44,995, Volvo C70 $34,000-45,500.

Good News:

Fun to drive, powerful, lots of neat electronics and conveniences, decent gas mileage – potential.

Bad News:

Pricey if you’re not into all that fluff.

Standard Equipment:

3.2 liter 260 horsepower V6 engine, 5-speed auto trans, 4-wheel ABS disc brakes, power steering, dual affront and side air bags, traction control / VSA, theft system, keyless entry, Satellite Navigation system, leather, 8-way power driver and 4-way passenger seat with power walk-in feature, driver memory system, power mirrors, Bose stereo with cassette and 6-disc in dash CD changer, climate control, power Moonroof with tilt.

Gas Stats:

19 City and 29 Highway MPG.

Pricing:

MSRP $32,330.

2000 Toyota Avalon XLS Sedan (304)

No comments
2000 Toyota Avalon XLS Sedan (304)

Overview:

This Toyota Avalon XLS, simply put, is a lovely luxury automobile. I consider it an upscale Camry. It is elegant and has the features you’d expect of a top of the line automobile. I love the new attractive dash styling and even though some say the outside is bland looking, I see it as having “Clean” lines. What’s more, even though the price is relatively competitive Toyota managed to maintain the quality level of this car. Sometimes it’s the little things you appreciate in thoughtfully designed cars like the seatbelt adjustments to ease the pressure on your shoulder. You don’t get that from lesser cars and so you live with the discomfort.

There is an abundance of room in this Avalon, especially in the back seat. This will seat four basketball players comfortably, 5 or 6 average sized people or 8 pigmies. I hope folks in Borneo don’t take offense. Does anyone know if they drive cars there?

Toyota is popular and although that isn’t always a sure sign you’ll agree, it does carry some weight with most of us. Have you watched the TV game show, “Who wants to be a Millionaire”? It seems to me that the best lifeline is to go with the audience because most of the time they’re right. Well, when a lot of folks lean in one direction it might just pay to see what all the interest is about. On the other hand, when was the last time you agreed with others who said a movie was great or lousy?

Toyota has enjoyed success over many years and generally I agree they build good cars, but I wasn’t thrilled with the last two Toyota’s I tested. Namely, the Echo design turned me off and the Celica quality was disappointing. Perhaps being successful can lead to over confidence and thus sloppiness.

Handling & Performance: 

Very good. You won’t win any road races, but this is a smooth and comfy ride. The engine is state of the art engineering and there’s a lot of talk about the intelligent Variable Valve Timing design.

Styling: 

I like it even though some would say it’s boring. I’ve also heard others say they didn’t like the dash design, but I really like it. Let me know what you think.

Fit and Finish: 

Typical Japanese care is given to the detail, even though it was assembled in Kentucky.

Conveniences:  

I can’t complain because the features are ample for the money.

Cost:

Not bad for a car of this quality. Perhaps building it here in Kentucky helped to keep the cost down. Ain’t it great, we’re taking cars to Mexico and electronics to Taiwan for assembly and Japan is bringing theirs here. What’s the world coming to?

Recommendation:

f you’re in the market for a Camry or a Lexus, you should also look at the Avalon. If price is a consideration you’ll find the competition pretty inviting. And by the way, the cars noted below are all good cars except for the Mercury which I haven’t driven, so I can’t comment.

The competition:

Buick LeSabre $23,400-27,885, Chevrolet Impala  $18,890-22,790, Chrysler Concorde  $22,245-26,485, Dodge Intrepid $20,645-24,435, Ford Crown Victoria $22,195-24,310, Mercury Grand Marquis $22,605-24,505, Pontiac Bonneville $23,755-32,180.

Good News:

Historically Toyota has been tops, well priced for what you get. Comfortable, quiet ride. Responsive engine.  Lots of passenger room and large trunk.

Bad News: 

The turn indicator is too quiet and easily forgotten, cookie cutter styling, more expensive than most of the competitors.

Standard Equipment: 

3.0 liter V6 VVT-I engine, 4-speed automatic trans, power 4-wheel anti-lock disc brakes, dual front and side air bags, power mirrors, daytime running lights, power fabric bench seats, cruise control, climate control, leather wrapped tilt wheel, power windows and locks, theft system, keyless entry, stereo with cassette and CD and auto halogen headlights.
Gas Stats:
21 City and 29 Highway MPG.

Pricing:

MSRP  $29,655.

Your comments are welcomed. My e-mail is joe@atthewheel.com

[Back]

 Copyright ©1998 – Automotive Love Affair

2000 Toyota Celica (303)

No comments
2000 Toyota Celica (303)

Overview: 

This Toyota Celica 3-door liftback is styled at Toyota’s Calty Design Studio in Newport Beach, CA. From the visual point of view, you and I may or may not agree, but I rather like the styling. I did bump my head on the headliner when I first got in, but yes, the seat needed adjusting so I put it way down, but I’m only 5 foot 9. You can just imagine what my much taller friend Merkle said when he got in. I respect his opinion because he’s an engineer and teaches engineering and design stuff. I won’t repeat some of his comments but I submit the following for your consideration. Merkel says, “The design is from Mars and I expected more from the folks who put out great cars like Lexus and Camry; the interior quality is poor and the materials are cheap. The orange gauges and the gas gauge in particular were annoying.” You’ll know what he means when you take a look-see.

Ok, so this car is more a 2+2 hatchback where you don’t plan on passengers – “dogs and kids are ok” says Merkel. The engineer in him explains why he loves the engine and drive train. The VVTL-i (Variable Valve Timing Lift with intelligence) technology is way ahead of American carmakers and overall the “mechanical side of the car is genius” in his words.

Well, Merkel, I kind of agree with what you say but I wasn’t as bothered by this little lady either way. Celica is not a big car and wasn’t designed to be big. But on the other hand I need a lot more room for the money and the quality although I didn’t see it as bad as you said, it should be better. I suspect even good car companies can get sloppy. Some folks say it was introduced as a “Japanese Mustang.” That’s a real stretch.

Handling & Performance: 

Zipping around is fun in this sports car. But this engine redlines at almost 8,000 rpm. I don’t know about you, but I’m uncomfortable pushing an engine all the time. I’m not a race driver and driving on the streets at 5-6&7,000 rpm is tiresome, not to speak of the damage you’ll do to the engine if you drive it that way all the time.

Styling: 

You’ll have to be the judge at the end of the day, but I rather like looking at it. Not my cup of tea, but it’s distinctive.

Fit and Finish: 

Not bad, but the goal to produce a light car requires a lot of cheap lightweight components.

Conveniences:

The standard stuff noted below was adequate and enough for me, however, the model I drove also included anti-lock brakes, alloy wheels, power sunroof, side air bags, rear spoiler and leather seats.

Cost: 

The added conveniences noted above brought the retail price to $24,490. In my view, a little much for the car. So ‘wheel and deal’ and get the price down to where both you and the seller are happy – mostly you.

Recommendation:  

Drive the competition and you’ll know which one best suits your need. You’ll enjoy the ride more if you know you got the best your money could buy. Target market is the young buyer who is looking for unique styling and racy performance.

The competition:

Acura Integra $19,300-24,350, Chevrolet Camaro $17,040-28,715, Dodge Avenger $19,045-21,290, Ford Mustang $16,710-31,605, Honda Prelude $23,500-26,000, Mitsubishi Eclipse $17,697-20,287, Pontiac Firebird $18,690-31,050, Volkswagen GTI $17,675-22,620.

Good News:

Toyota historical quality, fun to drive, good gas mileage unless you wind the ‘P’ out of it all the time, decent trunk space and racy styling.

Bad News:

Not up to Toyota quality standards, small back seat, high rev engine is tiresome and car is a little pricey.

Standard Equipment: 

1.8 liter 4-cylinder VVTL-I engine, 6-speed manual trans, power 4-wheel disc brakes, dual air bags, power mirrors, daytime running lights, fog lamps, rear wiper, air conditioning, cloth seats, 6-way adjustable driver seat, console, power steering with tilt wheel, power windows and locks, cruise control, stereo with cassette and CD.

Gas Stats:

23 City and 32 Highway MPG.

Pricing:

MSRP  $21,165.

Your comments are welcomed. My e-mail is joe@atthewheel.com

[Back]

Copyright ©1998 – Automotive Love Affair

2000 Toyota Echo (302)

No comments
2000 Toyota Echo (302)

Overview:

This weeks, new to the market, Toyota Echo is surely among the basic cars of the world. Many folks I chanced to talk with about the car felt it was ugly, “… too tall, too narrow and a bit awkward looking”. I would argue that our society is inclined to form over substance. How it looks is more important than how well it functions. One must remember these are people from Los Angeles home to Hollywood and Disneyland where everything is a set or prop. “Tinsel Town” where nothing is quite what it appears to be.

This Echo (EchoNomical to me) on the other hand, comes from the very practical people of Japan, where they live “It’s a small world, after all”. Yes, everything is small there. It’s an island, the streets are small, and the people are small so the cars are best built small. Some things are big, however, like prices for gas, food and housing which are all bigger than life. No wonder their leaders resist being westernized. They were likely educated in the US and must feel “Been there, done that”. I agree and I too love Japan.

In any case this Echo adds to a pretty good field of economical cars noted below, the most price competitive of which are all American. The Neon’s, Metro and Saturn are the best of the bunch, in my opinion. The Japanese flock is pricier and the “used to be economical car” the VW got to big for it’s britches and wants to be a BMW, now that it has grown up. This Echo is basic for sure but it is after all, from the family of Toyota. We’ve come to expect well-built economical cars from the Japanese.

Our Love Affair with the automobile is especially true in California where public transportation was discouraged by the auto, tire and oil companies in the 1940’s. Gas was almost given away in the early days but now that they have us hooked, gas prices are sure to continue to go up. Profits and greed and all that rot, you know. But the truth is gas prices don’t have to go up and the government owes the driving public a duty to provide low cost fuel. We have the largest oil reserves in the world even though some folks would like you to believe the Middle East is the cause of our rising gas prices. Consider the recent oil find in Alaska, which by some estimates is equal to 30 years of Middle East oil. So who’s kidding whom?

I spoke with the attorney next door and he asked if I felt safe in this Echo. Unequivocally the answer is, yes. He drives a Corvette and also owns a Jeep Grand Cherokee. I’d hire him but his rates have to be higher just to cover gas. I suggested that until the industries manipulation of the public is exposed fully, he should trade down and get up to 42 mpg. He wouldn’t look as cool but his stress level would also go down.

Handling & Performance: 

Pleasantly surprised. Not as good as the Corvette, but it actually is a pretty impressive car to drive for the dough. The engine is quite responsive for being so economical. I rather enjoyed driving it.

Styling: Yuk, relative to the others, with the exception of the Ford Focus.

Fit and Finish:

Among the best of Echo – Nomical cars.

Conveniences:  Not many, but if you pop for another three grand or so you can have air conditioning, antilock brakes, upgraded radio, power steering and power door locks. The only thing I’d want to add would be the air.

Cost:  Not bad, but more than the American competitors.

Recommendation: 

These cars are great for young families, older folks on fixed incomes and students with no visible means of support at all. I lean toward the American made cars that give the greatest bang for the buck. Chuck the yuppie car, look at this Echo and its competitors. You can fight rising gas prices and with all the money you’ll save you can send the kids to college, take that trip to wherever or pay for your own college education.  I wish my kids would take my advice.

The competition:

Chevrolet Metro $9,235-10,660, Dodge and Plymouth Neon’s $12,640, Ford Focus $12,055-15,475, Honda Civic $10,750-17,545, Nissan Sentra $11,649-14,899, Saturn SL $10,685-12,895.

Good News:

Economical because of great gas mileage and Toyota quality history means it should be inexpensive to maintain.

Bad News:

Not a lot of creature comforts, ugly by some critics.

Standard Equipment:

1.5-liter 4-cylinder engine, 4-speed auto trans, front disc, rear drum brakes, dual air bags, tilt wheel, AM/FM radio. In other word, very basic.

Gas Stats:

31 City and 38 Highway MPG.

Pricing:

MSRP  $11,095.

Your comments are welcomed. My e-mail is movello@earthlink.net.

[Back]

Copyright ©1998 – Automotive Love Affair

2000 BMW X5 4.4i (301)

No comments
2000 BMW X5 4.4i (301)

Overview: 

This BMW X5 reminds me that competition in the world is alive and well, thank you. And as the competition heats up, marketing genius follows with amazing technology. Consider the latest news. You will soon be able to watch your car being built right on the Internet. Yep, you place your order and they e-mail you when your car will hit the production line. Then you can log on to the manufacturers web page and watch the actual car you bought being put together. Wow. I hope meat packers don’t pick up on this. On the other hand it could be very revealing and the best quality control force ever. How would you feel if your customers watched you doing what you do for them? Pretty scary, eh?

Meanwhile, back at the ranch, I tested this X5 under normal driving conditions and didn’t take it off road, because it is almost too pretty to get muddy. There is little to complain about but we can all find something to bitch about, right? As to this BMW, the first thing my friend Mark did to his Beemer was to disable the passenger rear view mirror from tilting down when in reverse. I found this feature useful when parallel parking, however, when I drove straight back I felt disoriented. It forced me to rely on the other mirrors or yanking around to see what’s back there. The second thing I thought was poorly designed is the placement of the driver’s power window controls. If you’re like me you use them a lot and will be annoyed by their being tucked away under a door handle.

I can’t tell you much about the feel of the all-wheel-drive system because it is transparent to the driver. All wheel drive is great in the real world so you won’t have to think about when it’s needed. The car knows that better than we do for the driving conditions at hand. And since this X5 will never get off road anyway, it really doesn’t matter. If I were going to do any serious off roading I’d buy a Jeep or a Hummer.

Handling & Performance: 

Outstanding.

Styling: 

I don’t know. I guess it’s in good company with the Lexus RX 300 and the Mercedes Benz ML 430. Similar cut off look in the rear. Shorter than an SUV should be. It’s like a wanna-be passenger car. Most are doing that, and that’s what the public must be asking for.

Fit and Finish:  

Outstanding. 

Conveniences:  

There is a lot of standard equipment that make this truly luxurious.

Cost:  

In keeping with all the stuff that comes standard, you’d expect the cost to be high and they didn’t disappoint me.

Recommendation:  

The competition is pretty similar except for the Cad Escalade that is clearly a big boat that is not really in the same ocean. The Land Rover Discovery was nice but fits more on expedition with National Geographic. All the others are workhorses in tuxedos hardly expected to get off the black top. So if luxury cars are your thing and cost is no object, you’re going to love this newest of new SUV’s. Gee, I can’t wait for the Porsche SUV. That ought to be a trip too. Until then or something better comes along, this is a fun utility to drive and surely the fastest SUV I’ve ever driven. It is hard not to put your foot in it because it is truly amazing how responsive it is to drive. By comparison the rest are slugs

The competition:

Cadillac Escalade $46,225, Infiniti QX4 $34,150-35,550, Jeep Grand Cherokee $26,895-34,635, Land Rover Discovery $33,350-34,150, Lexus RX 300 $33,005-34,605, Mercedes Benz M Class $35,300-64,900.

Good News: 

Fun to drive, faaaasst. 

Bad News: 

Poorly placed power window controls, marginal visibility, and poooor gas mileage.

Standard Equipment: 

4.4 liter 282 horsepower V8 engine, 5-speed Steptronic auto trans, power 4-wheel ABS disc brakes, Dynamic Stability Control for All Wheel Drive and Dynamic Brake Control, dual front and side air bags, climate control, power steering, power windows with one-tough up and down, power door locks, tilt wheel, cruise control, power leather seats, stereo with cassette, remote keyless entry and security system, and child safety locks.

 Gas Stats:

13 City and 17 Highway MPG.

Pricing:

MSRP  $38,900 – 49,400.

 

2000 BMW 323 Ci Convertible (299)

No comments
2000 BMW 323 Ci Convertible (299)

Overview:

What’s not to love about this BMW 323 Ci Convertible? If you don’t just love this convertible you and I need to sit down and have a talk. As Joan Rivers used to say, “Can we talk?”  It seats four and if you’re in the market for a convertible you probably don’t need more seating. In fact I can’t think of another convertible that accommodates more, or seats them better. If there is I’m sure someone will tell me about it.

BMW used to be a high maintenance vehicle and although I cannot attest to an improvement, I will say that it has been my observation from friends who have owned other models of BMW for a few years now, seem to be more trouble free than past decades. When brother John and I owned a repair shop my observation was very negative about BMW. I would never have opted to buy one. I guess the most troublesome cars to keep running were manufactured by BMW, Jaguar, Fiat and Ferrari. The Jag’s and BMW’s were in a lot and cost a lot to fix. Fiat was also in a lot but the cost of repair was low. Ferrari was in often and the cost was astronomical.

Anyway, I do worry about the mechanical stuff a bit. In general, however, most new cars benefit from the latest and greatest technology and that has translated to nearly trouble free drive trains. That is reflected in the fact that most cars don’t need tune-ups until they reach 100,000 miles. The convertible top, on the other hand, is new technology but also untested by Father Time. It is totally new and also totally automated. You just push one button, sit still and in about a minute the top is up or down and neatly stored. Well, I guess you do need to watch the red light next to the button to confirm the top is completely up or down. Additionally, it is so well done that when it’s up, you’d think it were a hard top.

Equipment is abundant and high quality. The dual-zone climate control has an automatic re-circulation control system that switches to inside air when the outside air is polluted and then switches back to fresh air intake when the air outside has cleared.

Handling & Performance:

The engine is smooth and sophisticated. Its aluminum block makes it lighter. The 24 variable timing valves should produce improved low range response but with the short-range low gear it is sluggish off the line. This was the one thing that bothered me and I found I was redlining in first gear a lot. Second was longer but getting there was slow. Aside from that problem, this car is flat fun to drive. Steering is precise and the Dynamic Stability Control system helps out in the corners or when you need to swerve to avoid unexpected road conditions.

Styling:

I think I’m in love.

Fit and Finish:

Continues to improve over the years.

Conveniences:

More than enough, but I’m easy to please.

Cost:

Enough for some, too much for others.

Recommendation:

If you’re in the market for a convertible and the price doesn’t scare you off, you’ll buy this Beemmer. The cars in the competition noted below really aren’t comparable because none are convertibles, but they’re the closest I have.

The competition:

Acura TL $28,400-30,400, Audi A4 $23,990-28,790, Cadillac Catera $31,010, Infiniti I30 $29,465-31,540, Lexus ES 300 $31,505, Lincoln LS $31,415-35,290, Mercedes Benz C Class $31,750-53,000, Saab 9-3 $26,100-44,995, Volvo S40 $23,400.

Good News:

You gotta love this car because it’s clean and elegant. Smooth, fast and handles extremely well when you get moving on the highway, lots of nice features. Great one button top control. Well priced.

Bad News:

Slow off the line was bothersome, limited cargo area because of the top down apparatus.

Standard Equipment:

2.5 liter 170 horsepower inline 6 cylinder engine, 5-speed manual transmission, front and side airbags, power ABS disc brakes, traction control, air conditioning, power windows and door locks, cruise control, tilt steering wheel, power seats, radio with cassette.

Gas Stats:

17 City and 24 Highway MPG.

Pricing:

MSRP  $34,990.

Your comments are welcomed. My e-mail is joe@atthewheel.com

Copyright ©1998 – Automotive Love Affair

2000 Audi A4 1.8T Avant quattro (298)

No comments
2000 Audi A4 1.8T Avant quattro (298)

Overview:

Well, this Audi A4 1.8T (for Turbo) Avant is a great little wagon. When I was very young my wife and I bought one of the first Datsun (now Nissan) station wagons. It was part of the rebellious acts of that decade. Buy Japanese and snub the American Automakers. That Datsun wasn’t like this Audi, but neither was the Audi like this Audi. In fact, back then I guess I would have rather had the Datsun even if the price were the same. The year was 1968 and the paint job on the Datsun was almost as bad as this Audi Red.

I wonder whether cars have come all that far in 30 years. When one considers that Datsun would get you from here to there for a lot less money. In contrast the Datsun wagon would have cost about $12,000 in today’s dollars.  I’m not suggesting you go out and buy a Datsun. I just make the observation that it’s good to look at the real world in perspective.

Enough of the “good old days”. There are a lot of wonderful car choices as we launch into the new century and the unbelievable new millennium. This Audi is one of those wonderful cars. Today’s cars have been fine tuned to peak performance. Like getting 83.33 horsepower per liter. Pretty amazing, eh! Audi takes 1.8 liters and puts a Turbo on it to make it fly. Fun to drive for sure. 5 valves per cylinder, 3 being intake valves to provide more air helps to make that happen. Obviously there are many enhancements to the engine technology that allow so much for so little.

Handling & Performance:

Today’s technology also extends to better suspension and in the case of Audi, all wheel drive makes this car hug the road better than most. And that contributes to the higher cost.

Styling:

It is an attractive car, but if they don’t get rid of that Audi red they have to have their heads examined. I didn’t talk with one person who liked the color. Baby poop comes to mind.

Fit and Finish:

Bravo to the assemblers in Germany.

Conveniences:

You get what you pay for, and compared to the Ford Focus the extra $15,000 price tag buys the following: ABS brakes, power windows, tilt steering wheel, cruise control, CD player, tachometer, 40 more horses assisted by a turbocharger, twice the towing capacity. In balance, however, you give up a few things too, like: $15,000, a luggage rack, 18% less fuel economy, 2 inches front and 4 inches rear legroom and 6 cu. ft. of cargo space. Wow, go get ‘em Ford.

Cost:

You pay for the nameplate, but the Volvo V40 gives you more for the money with an equally impressive nameplate. Subaru is ok but lack the perceived “class” of this Audi or the Volvo for that matter. The Ford Focus lacks the “class” but must be considered on price alone.

Recommendation:

If you’re an Audi fan, you’ll love this car. If you’re not because of past quality sins, be comforted in that Audi has improved a lot. I don’t hear the negative comments I did when brother John and I owned a foreign car repair shop in the 1970’s, ‘80’s and ‘90’s.

I haven’t tested the new Ford Focus, but after looking at the differences in the two cars I want to drive it. You should too, if only for curiosity. Volvo by the way is assembled in Belgium. Overall, it’s my pick since it’s the closest in features, is priced better and has a longer running good reputation.

The competition:

Ford Focus $12,055 – $15,475, Subaru Legacy Wagon $18,400-23,695, Subaru Outback $18,095-26,095, Volvo V40 $24,400.

Good News:

Great ride, comfortable, everything first cabin, lots of power from the turbo and good mileage. Galvanized steel body resists rust. Quattro AWD provides great traction especially noticeable in winter.

Bad News:

Not a lot of room, which is something you buy a station wagon for. Rear windows don’t go all the way down. You’ll notice a bothersome lag in acceleration before the turbo kicks in. Lousy placement of the power window buttons.

Standard Equipment:

1.8 liter 150 horsepower DOHC Turbo 4-cylinder engine with 5 valves per cylinder, 5-speed manual transmission, quattro permanent all wheel drive system, power steering front and side air bags, anti-theft alarm, climate control, power windows, cruise control, tilt and teli leather steering wheel, sound system with cassette and CD player, remote keyless entry, pre-wired for CD changer and telephone and trip computer.

Gas Stats:

22 City and 29 Highway MPG.

Pricing:

MSRP  $26,740.

First878889909192939495Last

Recent Comments by Autolove

    No comments by Autolove yet.

English EN Spanish ES