Car Talk..

[Baba G]

ok Auto Gurus.. i need your advice.. well lots of it.. and i can Google too so i need YOUR advice..

1. Safety Features

a. Stability Control
b. Traction Control

Which one is more important.. Do I 'need' them in a car or it's just nice to have..

2. Engine Power

is V6 good because it means more power or is horsepower the determining factor in how powerful the car is.. what would be preferable.. a V6 190hp or a 4 cyl with more power?

i have more.. but let's get rolling on these first..

Thanks..

Baba Car-Shopping G

[Faisal]

Re: Car Talk..

Originally posted by Baba G:
2. Engine Power

is V6 good because it means more power or is horsepower the determining factor in how powerful the car is.. what would be preferable.. a V6 190hp or a 4 cyl with more power?

V6 typically has more power than a 4-cylinder, unless you get turbo-charged, where a 4-cylinder will come pretty close. Bigger cars are not usually offered in 4-cylinder any more, because they are heavier and require more power. In smaller cars V6 is for those who like a fast pick-up, faster passing and won't mind dishing out more dough to their local gas station. Otherwise, if its just for regular commute, and you are not in a habit of challenging every punk for a quick drag race from a stop-light, you'd be ok in a 4-cylinder as well.

Horsepower, by itself, doesn't mean much. The performance of the car, also depends on the weight of the car and the torque. Torque gives you the inital boost, and horsepower and the weight combine will tell you how fast the car is. A Jetta with 200hp will be faster than a Durango with 250hp.

[sky]

Re: Car Talk..

Originally posted by Baba G:

1. Safety Features

a. Stability Control
b. Traction Control

Which one is more important.. Do I 'need' them in a car or it's just nice to have..

Stability Control comes into play when a car is skidding off while driving. There are sensors which sense which wheels have lost control and it transfers power to the other wheels and applies brakes accordingly.

Traction Control prevents the wheel from spinning when you press the pedal. This is specially useful on slick icy conditions when you require tracktion to get moving.

There are only a few high end cars that offer this feature. I think traction control is not too important in SUVs since you have power to all four wheels (if you get a 4X4) to get you going.

You should identifying your needs such as how many seatings you want. Or decide on compact, mid size, or large SUV.

For safety features you may want to look at edmunds.com to see what kind of safety rating it has. Also look at thier roll over rates. They also have statistics on reliability as well.

[Baba G]

Thanks for the responses guys..

so Faisal in the end what matters is the rough calculation of comparing torque/weight ratios? the whole V6 orI4 thingy doesn't matter?

by these definitions sky, i think i'd want Traction control at least.. although i'm not in icy conditions by any stretch of imagination, but i'm assuming it works as well in rainy and other slippery conditions? btw many cars offer it.. not just the high end ones.

I just need the most interior space for my dollars.. and something comfortable and powerful enough for occasional highway trips.. and this time.. no Accords or Camrys.. or other desimobiles..

Baba Farangi G

[Faisal]

Originally posted by Baba G:
so Faisal in the end what matters is the rough calculation of comparing torque/weight ratios? the whole V6 orI4 thingy doesn't matter?

It matters, because a V6 will have typically more HPs. Then again you need to figure our yourself what kinda driver you are and what kind of usage you will put the car into. If you tow a lot of weight or are into formal/informal drag racing or speed competitions, then 4-cylinders won't work for you. V6 also generally makes for a smoother, though noisier ride... though it depends on the auto-maker and the quality of the engine.

Are you thinking of going European then? There are some really nice cars out there, both from Germany and from Sweden.

[Baba G]

well i just needed more staying power on the road.... (that didn't come out right) ..

mostly for highways etc i wanted a sturdier car that wouldn't shake and tremble everytime even a Chevy Blazer overtakes it..

European cars are expensive. so i guess i'd just be 'less' desi.. maybe a Nissan.. i read somewhere it has the most cabin space... or a VW perhaps.. though dollar for dollar the Nissan gives more power and space than the VW

[sky]

Which Nissan model are you considering?

Based on my experience, I'd stay away from Frontier. It has a very stiff and rugged ride and feels like driving a truck. Noisy too. Pathfinder has a good smooth ride, good handling and very reliable. But it is not very roomy and feels almost like a compact.

I haven't experienced Murano or Armada. But from outside they both look ugly.

If you want lots of room, comfort, reliability and good V8 power - then I would recommend Sequoia Limited. The interior is really spacious and you feel sort of small in those huge front seats. My relative got one and when you drive it even above 100mph, it is rock solid. A new one costs $42k (U.S), and if that's too much you can get a used one starting at around $25k.

Another really cool SUV is the full size Mitsubishi Montero (midsize SUV). Very good in ride handling, comfortable and ample power. Also has a well layed out interior and cool looking exterior. Although lacks a just a little bit in the reliability factor. A new limited model costs ~$34k.

[Baba G]

i wasn't considering SUV's.. kinda unsafe.. all that rollever stuff.. besides the midsize ones when configured to my desired specs shoot upwards of $30K .. way beyond my puny budget..

I was more thinking about the Maxima or the Altima 3.5SE.. still not sure though.. the Passat V6 is interesting too.. but kinda smallish interior compared to the other two.

[sky]

Hmm...wonder where I got the idea that you needed info on SUVs. My bad.

Aight, when it comes to cars in the category you're looking for, I'd go with Maxima SE. I've got one and it is a solid car. Very quick, powerful, fun to drive, spiffy, nice interior, and very reliable. I've had one for couple of years and the only thing it had done were oil changes and brakes. I'm not sure about the latest 2004 model, but the one I have has a chain timing belt so it never needs to be replaced. Although a downside is a little more engine noice but that feels good at high speed.

[Baba G]

yeah i was tilting towards the Maxima myself.. it's probably got the most interior space in it's classs..

which year do you have?? i was aiming for something around 2001.. should be within my budget when nicely equipped..

[Faisal]

Even '03 Maximas were being sold brand new for $24k out of door. That was when the new shape was introduced, so they were trying to sell off the old shape quickly. If any new ones are available they will be dirt cheap.

Passat is the highest rated car in its class. Check Edmunds.com. However, the price of that sterling interior, German engineering and smooth ride is that its more expensive than its peers and is pushing into the luxury brand (Audi's) price range. It also appears smaller than the run-of-the-mill '04 Accords and Camrys. I am not sure if the actual dimensions are really smaller or not. The leg space in the rear seat is ok, though

[sky]

Baba G you can easily find a nicely equiped Maxima starting at ~$13k for a '00, to $20k for an '02.

A GLE model would come with leather seats, wood console etc.
SE is the sports type with spoiler and bigger rims.

[Baba G]

thanks guys.. i'm leaning towards the 2002.. that's when they changed the shape first.. and it's totally revamped in 2004 again. but i think it's good that I like the older shape better.. Let's see now..

that's around $20K.. so ..an invitation to party poopers.. what can i get better for that kind of money.. better to hear it now than months down the road when i've actually made the purchase

[sky]

Baba G they changed the shape in 2000.
I'm not sure what the differences between 2000 & 2002 is but I think the back lights on 02 became transparent.

I own a 00 model and I think its a better choice since you're basically getting same shape car as 02 & 03, but at a lower price and you can hardly tell a difference between from just looking at a 2000 & 2002.

[waleed]

baba G ... V 6 is just the position of the cylinders.. they r in a V shape to each other. u can also get flat 6 which is 6 cylinders in a straight line instread. the position of the cylinder does have some kind of an advantage. ... depends on what the engin is gona be used for.... usually big cars need big engins and of course 6 cylinders are better than 4 cylinders.