2011 Explorer to drive momentum. EcoBoost gets Camry MPG

What happened to Toyota? Do you now realize that you can never afford to purchase a TOYOTA?

After buying two of them new, I dont see how I ever afforded not to buy Toyota.

I don't think you can directly relate vehicle ownership cost to reliability. Probably the cheapest vehicle in terms of cost per mile i ever owned was one of the least reliable POS I ever owned - a 1981 Plymouth Reliant. It got good gas mileage, everything that failed was covered by the warranty, and when I dumped it after 11 months, the tade in was almost the same as the original purchase price (remember this was 1980/81 when prices increased over 10% in less than a year). Heck even the constantly broken British cars I owned were cheap to own since I drove them for a couple of years and sold them for almost (or in two cases) more than I bought them for. The parts were cheap, and my spare time was free.

Ed

When you have a few that are rather unreliable, it skews the equation, in my mind.

If you want cheap transportation, a billion Chinese cant be wrong.

I always wanted a Mercedes gullwing, or a Ferrari.. Thanks be to God that I was never afflicted by one of them.

I have this coworker that says if I want to 'get the chicks', I should get a Beemer. Why? I could get a 1957 BMW, they called them Isetta as in I setta, you don't. . . . . I would like to drive a Model T just once to say I actually did it, though.

Charles Grozny

The Isetta is not exactly practical transportation, but a 2002 is, and the 2002s can be found for a couple thousand dollars in decent but not restored condition. They are fun to drive, and people wave at you on the street. And yes, girls will come up and ask to ride in your car.

You should drive a Model T once in your life so you realize how bad it is, and you should drive a Model A once in your life so you realize how much better than a Model T it is. But if you want practical transportation that is fun to drive and easy to repair and makes women come after you, buy the BMW 2002.

But don't get one with a Solex carb if you can help it.

--scott

Ugly girls that match the looks of that car? Damn, that thing deserves some ugly mama jokes all for itself. Sorry. I'd be a virgin if I needed that to score chicks.

Charles, just get a get an ugly little dog that farts a lot and walk it around near your Vette or Ferrari. That'll score more chicks and cost less.

--Vic

Yep, and if I wanted that kind of girl, I'd buy a Beemer. Me, I want something that is a little less expensive to buy and keep on the road. I drive Corollas.

Charles Grozny

Neither have nor want a Vette or a Ferrari. At 52, I still probably can't afford the insurance. And I've been with the insurance company long enough that I get some DEEP discounts.

I had a dog, but with my work schedule, I can't keep a pet anymore. I'm allergic to cats.

I drive Corollas. If I wanted a vintage car, I'd get a 64 Monza convertible, turbocharged, 4 on the floor. Or a 1926 Bentley marked UW

Charles Grozny

You can drive the car, or the girl, you want. If you have to have a particular car to get a girl, you need to work on your technique.

Good news and bad news on that.

You can get an old Corolla SR5 with the 2TC engine.... it's a really fun car to drive, and it's weird-looking enough that girls will stop and wave at you. BUT, try and get parts and the dealer will laugh at you, whereas BMW still has plenty of 2002 parts on the shelf.

The SR5 was a really cool car, though. Not much acceleration but it handled better than it had any right to, and it was also easy to work on when you could get the parts.

--scott

Pant recall warning here.

I buy special Stainmaster(tm) pants, so that when my Depends leak I don't have to have them professionally cleaned. My tailor called me today that said the size 52" waist trousers I bought need to come back so he can Scotchguard them.