Which car does this describe?

[bicker]

Yeah, "In their hand" My Iphone is placed in a doohicky that's mounted to my vehicle, I don't have to hold it in my hand to use the GPS or any other feature on it.

I hope that "in their hand" bit is the case. My wife usually doesn't relate things wrong like that, but there's a first time for everything.

 

[monkeybug]

You or your wife really have to drive a car to determine comfort. Either do a long test drive, or rent a model you are considering for a weekend. I've done that before several car purchases. I would never eliminate a car from my list because someone else said it was uncomfortable.

I think that is a great idea! I might use it the next time we buy a car!

 

[tvguy]

The Ford hybrids don't offer AWD.

The Escape Hybrids come in a AWD version. My company owns 4.
They have been great so far, two just turned over 60,000 miles.

 

[dlm1017]

I work for a Ford dealer in NJ and I would put another vote in for the Fusion. The Hybrid is only available in FWD. We have had very few complaints or problems with them and quite a few of our employees drive them. They have sync for handsfree and voice activated GPS. I dont know what your time-table is for buying you should check out the new 2011 explorer with the new eco-boost 4cyl option, I have not seen them in person yet ( we wont get them till January) they look really nice.



I personally dont find the escapes very comfortable

 

[bicker]

You or your wife really have to drive a car to determine comfort. Either do a long test drive,

We've tried that three times now. It wasn't sufficient. She wants objective ratings in the top category, to go by, on top of our own test driving.

or rent a model you are considering for a weekend.

This is an interesting idea, but I'm not sure how that could work. It would basically mean renting the exact car we would plan to buy (which may or may not even be available for rental anywhere) for our next half-dozen long trips. At that rate, though, it would take a few years to test drive a half-dozen cars (and if, as you suggest, we can't go by the ratings, then how do we know which half-dozen cars to do this for?), so that we could compare them and make the best choice.

I've done that before several car purchases. I would never eliminate a car from my list because someone else said it was uncomfortable.

But short of arbitrarily deciding to believe Paul, Joan, and Herb and disbelieving Ron, Alice, and Alan, I don't understand how to explain to my wife how you're suggesting she determine which half-dozen cars to rent for a weekend.

 

[bicker]

The Escape Hybrids come in a AWD version.

Okay, I only checked the Fusion, which doesn't. We're only really interested in sedans. I doubt we could get a SUV into our garage. We can barely fit our two sedans in now, and they're both smaller than the Fusion.

 

[monkeybug]

I hope that "in their hand" bit is the case. My wife usually doesn't relate things wrong like that, but there's a first time for everything.

I would find it hard to believe that they don't allow a mounted GPS device that is hands free. They allow hands free phone calls right? How would a GPS be any different? I think they just don't want people trying to use something that requires them to look away from the road and use their hands while operating.
My friend once got a ticket for changing the CD's on her stereo (she drifted from her lane and totally deserved the ticket) and that was years ago. I think technically anything that causes a distraction could earn you a ticket.
I don't believe a cop could pull you over because they suspected that you were glancing at a phone or gps mounted on your dash, how would they know you weren't looking in your rearview mirror? Or at the clock on the stereo? I just don't see how they could enforce a rule like that.

 

[monkeybug]

Okay, I only checked the Fusion, which doesn't. We're only really interested in sedans. I doubt we could get a SUV into our garage. We can barely fit our two sedans in now, and they're both smaller than the Fusion.

If you weren't considering an SUV why did you stipulate 4wd in your original post? Or is it that after consideration you figured that wasn't really an option after all?
My friend has an Escape, and it's pretty darn small, it would be hard to imagine a garage it wouldn't fit in. I don't think it's all that comfortable though, but of course that's a matter of opinion.

 

[monkeybug]

My husband says and Escape would fit in the back of our Yukon...LOL!

 

[bicker]

I would find it hard to believe that they don't allow a mounted GPS device that is hands free. They allow hands free phone calls right?

Apparently the phone has to be affixed to the vehicle, not temporarily attached, at least according to how folks are reporting it is being enforced. Again, I'll get more details when she goes back to work on Monday.

I don't believe a cop could pull you over because they suspected that you were glancing at a phone or gps mounted on your dash, how would they know you weren't looking in your rearview mirror?

Evidently there have been some high-profile car accidents in Washington State that have driven this.

 

[bicker]

If you weren't considering an SUV why did you stipulate 4wd in your original post?

Quickly after that I clarified that AWD is just fine. I've updated the OP now to reflect that.

 

[tvguy]

We've tried that three times now. It wasn't sufficient. She wants objective ratings in the top category, to go by, on top of our own test driving.
Yeah, I only care about my opinion.

This is an interesting idea, but I'm not sure how that could work. It would basically mean renting the exact car we would plan to buy (which may or may not even be available for rental anywhere) for our next half-dozen long trips. At that rate, though, it would take a few years to test drive a half-dozen cars (and if, as you suggest, we can't go by the ratings, then how do we know which half-dozen cars to do this for?), so that we could compare them and make the best choice.

Well, we usually take 6 months to a year to decide, so not an issue for us. If I'm going to live with a vehicle for years....I've never had a car less than 16 years, and we bought our current family car 23 years ago, a little time to shop is important.

But short of arbitrarily deciding to believe Paul, Joan, and Herb and disbelieving Ron, Alice, and Alan, I don't understand how to explain to my wife how you're suggesting she determine which half-dozen cars to rent for a weekend.

.

 

[tvguy]

Quickly after that I clarified that AWD is just fine. I've updated the OP now to reflect that.

What does your wife drive now, and what does she like, and dislike about it.

 

[MICKEY88]

Have you ever been married?

One note about this though: You seem to be implying that every new car sold in the United States denotes the action of a moron. It's okay if that is your hypothesis (and I suppose since both of our current cars we purchased used, I cannot even take offense), but it does represent a rather bold and broadly insulting perspective.

This does seem to be similar to what Big Kid was talking about in a recent message. See #2 in link

that is not what I'm saying and I'm offended that you are putting that out there, accusing me of calling people morons,

you took my words out of context, I didn't say every new car, most people buy new cars because they don't like what they have, but you've firmly stated that your current vehicles are as good as any used car you could find, my point is, that certified low mileage used cars are a better value than new

lots of people pay top dollar for computers, I prefer to save 100s by buying from places like tiger direct, do I think those people are morons..no, I just think I prefer to save whenever I can
can you disagree that it is a better value to buy a certified low mileage used car, once you drive a new car off the lot you take a big hit on the value of the car, yet if financed you still owe that money..

 

[bicker]

Well, we usually take 6 months to a year to decide, so not an issue for us.

But I still don't understand how you decide which ones to rent? And then how do you find all these rentals? Who rents Honda Accord Crosstours? Volvo V50s? Don't the rental companies generally only rent certain models?

 

[tvguy]

But I still don't understand how you decide which ones to rent? And then how do you find all these rentals? Who rents Honda Accord Crosstours? Volvo V50s? Don't the rental companies generally only rent certain models?

Pick the ones that interest you. Hertz rents Volvo's here. A lot of Honda dealers also rent Hondas.

 

[bicker]

What does your wife drive now, and what does she like, and dislike about it.

The car she wants us to replace is my BMW (I'd end up with her car most likely). The BMW's seats aren't comfortable enough, and it costs too much to do routine maintenance and repairs. She likes its power, but it isn't something she cares about.

 

[bicker]

that is not what I'm saying and I'm offended that you are putting that out there, accusing me of calling people morons

I must have misunderstood. Perhaps you could clarify?

can you disagree that it is a better value to buy a certified low mileage used car, once you drive a new car off the lot you take a big hit on the value of the car, yet if financed you still owe that money..

That's not the issue though. Let me ask you to clarify, so I better understand: Who should be buying new cars?

 

[bicker]

Pick the ones that interest you.

hehe... so we're back to Square One: I know my wife: The ones she's interested in are the ones that have top category ratings for comfort and reliability.

Hertz rents Volvo's here.

I'm going to try to reserve one now. We have a trip coming up in September we could so this for.

EDITED: Darn. Hertz doesn't rent any of the cars we've talked about in this thread, here.

 

[MICKEY88]

I think that is true of the entertainment system.

I think for the navigation system, its a matter of how much of a hack-job you're willing to put up with. Generally, car makers make their dashboards such that only their licensed products will fit in properly. Remember, though, that the issue with the nav system was that this law was supposedly passed somewhere. If there is not going to be any such law, then the nav we have now (stick on the windshield) is our preference.

For Bluetooth, I suspect the factory functionality is less expensive. However, it is academic: The priority to avoid the finger-pointing, between car dealer and after-market installer, trumps it all.

I respectfully disagree with this, any half decent car stereo shop can install an aftermarket system that looks like it was factory installed, the key is to buy a good stereo that has nav and bluetooth built into it, a good shop will also stand behind their install and there would be no need to deal with the Stealership,

anyone with a little patience, a little mecahnical ability and the skill to use the internet, can find all you need to do the install yourself, crutchfield not only includes vehicle specific install instructions, but they also have technichians you can call to help you if you get stuck.. modern installs are actually much easier these days,