We're car shopping too, and the Fit is very nice. It's a shock to be in a car with electronic stability control and be driving through torrential rain with no slipping or skidding [i]at all[/i].

[QUOTE=Batalov;270513]Suppose you'd need a commute car (after the old steer died).
What would you buy?[/QUOTE]

Something Abelian.

[QUOTE=R.D. Silverman;270666]Something Abelian.[/QUOTE]

:lol: :lol:

[QUOTE=R.D. Silverman;270666]Something Abelian.[/QUOTE]
Oh yes!:truck:-> [URL]http://www.ehow.com/video_4979253_commutative-property_.html[/URL]

This is the sort of transport vehicle you need.

[url]http://chzgifs.files.wordpress.com/2010/05/twowheeltokyodriftp1.gif[/url]

Can you do that in your car?

[QUOTE=retina;270686]This is the sort of transport vehicle you need.

[URL]http://chzgifs.files.wordpress.com/2010/05/twowheeltokyodriftp1.gif[/URL]

Can you do that in your car?[/QUOTE]

I read somewhere that some Cal Tech students programmed their car to do that automagically....Kewl trick!:smile:

[QUOTE=Christenson;270517]Just voted on that one with my feet...an older Toyota Tercel, 1993...should stay on the road for a year or three...came cheap, $800, put in another $1200 in repairs to get it past inspection. Should get 30+ mpg.[/quote]

I had a friend in college that had a beater of a Tercel. It had something like 400,000 miles on it, but he unquestioningly trusted it to get him back and forth between Frederick, MD and Baltimore, MD over the course of his college career. It never did let him down.

And if Virginia is anything like Maryland, it is only a couple of years before you would be able to get free or at least greatly reduced "Historical Vehicle" tag registration status on a 1993 model. Insurance also drops greatly on models that old. My mother has a 1976 Firebird that costs $50 to register for two years and something like $75 every six months to insure. My folks are looking forward to doing the same thing on their 1996 Town Car in a few years.

[QUOTE=mdettweiler;270570]Indeed, this situation has seemed rather reversed of late...many of the "Asian" companies build most of their American-sold cars here now, and the "American" companies do most production elsewhere (in Canada or Mexico if not actually overseas). :rolleyes:[/quote]

IIRC, Hyundais are built in Montgomery, Alabama. Kias are built in Columbus, Georgia. And "der BMWs" are built in Bava *ahem* Spartanburg, South Carolina.

Apparently the foreign car industry may be one of the few saving graces for the "New South".

[quote]Looking at the poll options, it appears that Batalov is looking for something in the small-sedan class. Based on what I've read in [I]Consumer Reports[/I]*, the Hyundai Elantra and Mazda3 would both be excellent choices[/quote]

The GM mavens that killed Saturn ought to be put on a pike. A car that never rusts and gets 35-40 MPG - yeah, it's not nearly as profitable as Hummer.

[QUOTE=NBtarheel_33;270704]
Apparently the foreign car industry may be one of the few saving graces for the "New South".

The GM mavens that killed Saturn ought to be put on a pike. A car that never rusts and gets 35-40 MPG - yeah, it's not nearly as profitable as Hummer.[/QUOTE]

Well, it's certainly not the textile industry...and I have my doubts about furniture....

Saturn wasn't profitable for GM...but the market doesn't run away when the gas prices do...

So I have a wacky idea for you....there's a market in "skins" for your cell phone. Put on a different one to suit your mood and all....

Is there a similar market for cars? Speculating wildly, if it cost $100 to change your car to purple today, would anyone do it? Tiger stripes next week when I can afford it?

The technical end would model, print, and shrink to fit on a couple of large pieces of thin plastic on the hood, roof, doors, and trunk lid....

[QUOTE=NBtarheel_33;270703]And if Virginia is anything like Maryland, it is only a couple of years before you would be able to get free or at least greatly reduced "Historical Vehicle" tag registration status on a 1993 model. Insurance also drops greatly on models that old. My mother has a 1976 Firebird that costs $50 to register for two years and something like $75 every six months to insure. My folks are looking forward to doing the same thing on their 1996 Town Car in a few years.[/QUOTE]
That's very interesting...my home state (NY) requires that a vehicle be in at least its 26th model year to be registered as "Historical". From what you describe, I'm guessing Maryland has it at about 20 years?

NY additional stipulates that a "Historical" vehicle not be used for "daily transportation"...whatever that means. :rolleyes: I have to wonder how exactly that's interpreted, let alone enforced.

[QUOTE=mdettweiler;270752]That's very interesting...my home state (NY) requires that a vehicle be in at least its 26th model year to be registered as "Historical". From what you describe, I'm guessing Maryland has it at about 20 years?

NY additional stipulates that a "Historical" vehicle not be used for "daily transportation"...whatever that means. :rolleyes: I have to wonder how exactly that's interpreted, let alone enforced.[/QUOTE]
Your info on Maryland (my home state) is [URL="http://www.mva.maryland.gov/About-MVA/FAQ/default.htm#anchor313"]correct[/URL].