Your vehicle: Best features/Least favorite features (lease, rental, 2009)

[cat1116]

This could be a very informative thread for people thinking of getting another vehicle. You may list more than one vehicle you own or used to own, if you'd like.

[cat1116]

Honda Element (pre 2009) - I miss mine. Lease was up and the dealers sold me on the 2009. Good: Like the XM. Drives great, good in the snow too. Dogs like it but then they liked the older model too. I like the back door hatch.

Not so good: The seat belts are attached to the driver's seat now. The headrest is just too, too hard. It hurts everytime I put my head back against it. I had some nice imitation sheep covers on my pre-2009 model. Can't use them on the new one. Would have to have seat covers 'specially fitted' and that's 3 or 4 times more than what you would normally pay. Wish the seat control could be automatic.
Sometimes turning that wheel mechanism by hand for seat adjustment between when my S/O drives and me, can be a royal pain. The side doors, hmm.. pain, when someone in parking lot parks too close to your vehicle. Wonder if Honda would reconsider making one of their versions of Element open like that of a van?

[texdav]

Have a Honda Odessey 2008 and I love it. PreviouslyI drove a SUV or truck for years. It handles much better and is smoother plus of course the mileage is much better. About the only thing I'd like change is the spare to a full size spare but the type of closed storage is great otherwsie. Always hated the spare storage on my suburaban. Otherwise this van is a dream to drive and ride in compared to a truck or large SUV;drives like a car really and tpon of space when the third seat is folded into floor.Love the four captain type chairs in front and the second row with tons of leg room. Electric side doors are great also with such easy entering and exit.

[Fleet]

Originally Posted by cat1116

This could be a very informative thread for people thinking of getting another vehicle. You may list more than one vehicle you own or used to own, if you'd like.

I own 4 cars so I will break it up into 2 posts.
I'll go from the newest to oldest cars:

1995 Lincoln Town Car Signature Series...
Best Features:
- Relatively good fuel mileage, about 21 mpg with 50/50 city/highway driving.
- Smooth and reliable engine.
- Roomy interior and big seats.
- Nice ride.
- The cruise, climate and audio controls on the steering wheel... very handy!

Least Favorite Features:
- Engine could use more low-end torque.
- Visibility could be better, to the rear, mainly.
- Power window regulators are a weak area.
- I would prefer a slightly softer front seat. The rear seat is actually softer than the front one.

--------------------------------
1976 Cadillac Fleetwood Seventy-Five Limousine
Best Features:
- It's a (factory-built) limousine!
- Incredibly smooth ride and smooth engine.
- Living room-size rear compartment.
- The rear compartment features... power glass partition window, jump seats, footrests, radio and climate controls, big & soft seat done in crushed velour.

Least Favorite Features:
- Parking in tight spaces a problem, of course.
- Fuel mileage. It averages about 11 mpg.
- Can be expensive to maintain because it has two separate climate control systems and a few other things which are not on smaller Cadillacs, like the two-piece driveshaft.
--------------------------------
Two more reviews coming up!

[knoxgarden]

2004 Ford Escape XLT
Bought it used three years ago. Very happy with it.
Best features:
Very easy to get in and out of with bad knees, even the back seat. Quite roomy inside and great cargo room for my auction and estate sale finds.
Auto 4X4. Runs as front wheel drive unless 4X4 needs to kick in or can be put into 4X4. Good to have on steep hills in bad weather.
6 cylinder can handle steep grades and the Interstates (posted at 70 throughout most of Tennessee) as well as passing on 2-lane country roads.
Handles well on curvy roads. We got a whole lot of those in East Tennessee.
Easy to park, good driving position.
Been trouble free so far.

Cons:
Noisy.
Seats aren't that comfortable, but I'm comparing it to Saabs I had before it and those seats are stellar.
Gas mileage could be better. I get 22 mpg at best on all-Interstate driving.
Transmission shifts in and out a lot, need to be firm on the gas to keep it at speed.

[ploopy]

2008 Hyundai Elantra PZEV

Best Things I Like

1. Roomy For Small Car / Lots Of Storage Inside
2. XM Radio / MP3 Jack
3. Great Brakes
4. Easy, Accurate Steering, Good Handling
5. Relatively Quiet, Overall Smooth Ride
6. Keyless Entry / Heated Mirrors
7. Peppy Four Banger
8. Its a PZEV

Things I Dislike

1. Too much road noise over rough stuff and sometimes on the highway
2. Interior bits creak and groan sometimes
3. Engine too loud in the cabin under moderate acceleration
4. Exterior could be sleeker

[jdavid93225]

2007 Honda Civic:

Pros - I like the cruise control buttons on the steering wheel, and reasonably good fuel economy. Much more spacious than prior generation Civics.

Cons - The wiper controls are not where I'm used to them being on my other vehicles, and some of the other controls seem out of place. I'm don't care for the "bi-level" dash arrangement. I can't seem to find a comfortable place for my left arm while I'm driving (the armrest is too low, and the window ledge is sloped and a bit too high). The radio is a non-standard size, and is integrated into the dash.

2005 Chevy Colorado:

Pros - More comfortable than expected, especially on long trips. Automatic headlights come on when needed (except while raining lightly in the daytime). Room for six (though not six full grown adults). Decent power with the 3.5l 5 cyl. engine. Easier to drive and park than a full-size truck.

Cons - 4,000 lb. towing capacity (it's up to 6,000 lbs. on newer models). V-8 was not available when I bought my truck. Turbo-diesel is still not available. Bed is only 5' long. Backlight LEDs in radio burned out too soon.

Chevy Cavalier and Pontiac Sunfire (Rental Cars):

Cons - Driver's and Passenger's windows did not retract fully into the door when rolled down (about 1/4 of glass stuck up above window ledge). Rear windows did not roll down fully. Noisy on the highway.

[Epik151]

08' Hyundai Veracruz Limited

1. Power Tailgate
2. Heated Seats
3. Reclining rear seats
4. Illuminated door sills
5. TPMS - Tire pressure monitoring system
6. Backup warning system
7. Proximity key - Can leave key in pocket
8. Best warranty in the industry

Downsides

1. Wish it had a panorama sunroof rather than a normal one
2. Front end styling could be improved

[rosecitywanderer]

2004 Hyundai Santa Fe

Pros:

• Compact and easy to park
• Great headlights
• Decent handling and a great Interstate cruiser
• FANTASTIC in the snow
• Good passenger room and all-day comfortable seats
• Very effective heating and air conditioning

Cons:

• Speed sensitive front wipers (I HATE these with a passion and cannot find any way to deactivate them. Above 35 mph, my intermittent choices go from the supposed 5 to 3. If I turn it notch 4 or 5, it just sends the wipers to low speed. So annoying...)
• It could be quieter although I have added insulation to address this
• ABS was optional and my car doesn't have it (ABS became standard on the '05 model)

[Professor Griff]

2005 Honda Accord SE Coupe

Pros:
-Looks attractive.
-Easy shifting 5-speed manual
-Good gas mileage
-Plenty of interior storage space for small items
-Large illuminated gauges
-Fairly straightforward to work on

Cons:
-Brakes wear too fast
-Suspension is too stiff with no sporty trade-off
-Rear seats need to be unlocked with a key to fold down
-No cassette or aux plug-in capabilities
-Tweeters sound horrible