I need net wheels

[MrBishop]

If the HHR fits your bill, then the Kia Rondo would probably fit it even better. HomeLan went with one of them, and he's a guy who does research before he he buys a roll of toilet paper.

The Rondo looks pretty nice... same size as the Matrix, I take it. A few guys at work have the matrix and like it...I didn't like the price as much. SHould look for specials on it. The HHR is...bigger that I was looking at. I'll have to look at the l/100kms ratings on it.

Are you looking new or used? You might consider something like, say, a Toyota Matrix or a Mazda Protege5 or Mazda 3 5-door, or if they sell the Pontiac Vibe up there (that's a Matrix with a Pontiac badge).

The prices for new are dropping nicely. I've never bought new..didnt' like the instant value-drop..but the warranty is drawing me back. Like I said above, the Matrix has drawn my eye. I'll look into the Protege and Vibe as well.

My neighbor's daughter and son-in-law bought a slightly used Honda Element super cheap in excellent condition. They love it. It has been stone reliable, gets good gas mileage, and has a TON of room inside.

The Mazdas are good choices also, Car and Driver magazine raves about the 3.

I drove a Chevy HHR rental a couple of years ago. It was very peppy around town, got good gas mileage, had lots of cool standard features, was roomy inside and was built tighter than a duck's butt. They are an excellent value.

Edmunds.com is a good place to do research and read reviews, as well as find local pricing on new and used units.

I'll go visit Edmunds as well. Thanks to the bunch of you!

The head gasket price is consistent with what I paid for mine. Nature of the beast with any horizontally mounted v6 engine, in pretty much any minivan or crossover. Simply no way to get at those rear bolts without pulling the block. Shocks, like brakes, always in pairs. Tires, that's pretty low. I was looking $130 a corner for winters, $80 for summers. I didn't realize yours was that old. But then, I'm puttering about in one half as old again.

Wide estimate on the tires..but you can see that a new car has gone from want to need.

 

[Professur]

Wide estimate on the tires..but you can see that a new car has gone from want to need.

Been there, eaten the bitter fruit. That's how I wound up with the Subaru. Got a 48 hours for the Getaway Colt that I knew I could never pass and had to replace it post haste.

Are you guys alright right now? If needed, I could retag the colt and loan you the White whale until you get your new ride. Let me know.

 

[MrBishop]

Been there, eaten the bitter fruit. That's how I wound up with the Subaru. Got a 48 hours for the Getaway Colt that I knew I could never pass and had to replace it post haste.

Are you guys alright right now? If needed, I could retag the colt and loan you the White whale until you get your new ride. Let me know.

We're okay. I've got some red tacky grease on the post, enough tires to run on and although I'm burning oil, the head gasket should last me long enough to replace the grape escape. We're shopping this weekend..kicking tires etc.

Timing could be a lot worst... pricing and loans are nice'n low. Would've been nice to have gotten another year on the van..but that's life, eh

 

[Professur]

Very. Right at tax time too. Lousy way to have to blow your return. A shot of Leak seal might tighten it up enough to get you a few hundred more on trade in.

 

[GrandCaravanSE]

Get a 70s or 80s GM wagon. not great on gas, but they run for ever. plus people use them in demos all the time, so they are very string, p,us you can get really cheap parts for it.

 

[Professur]

Can't get one. I`ve been trying for over 7 years to get one and have come close only twice.

 

[chcr]

Get a 70s or 80s GM wagon. not great on gas, but they run for ever. plus people use them in demos all the time, so they are very string, p,us you can get really cheap parts for it.

Can't get one. I`ve been trying for over 7 years to get one and have come close only twice.

They tend to rust out in snowy areas.

 

[MrBishop]

Very. Right at tax time too. Lousy way to have to blow your return. A shot of Leak seal might tighten it up enough to get you a few hundred more on trade in.

Return's already 'spent' - the roof and a crack in the foundation will eat up most of whatever amount of my money the GOVT deems to give back.

 

[Altron]

Can't get one. I`ve been trying for over 7 years to get one and have come close only twice.

Prof, I made you the offer. You just didn't want to come to New Jersey ever again.

 

[Professur]

That was number two. You`ve no idea how much I regret not making the effort.




You don`t know where it is now, do ya?

 

[Altron]

Sold it to an engineering student at Drexel University back in August 2007. Haven't seen it since. Hopefully he's taking good care of it.

*sigh* maybe in a few years, if I have a house with a garage, I'll buy another Oldsmobile Custom Cruiser. And drop something with balls under the hood. LS1/T56 action.

And yes, I'd buy it back in a heartbeat.

 

[Inkara1]

I still say any car new enough to have seat belts in the back seat from the factory is too new to have fuzzy dice on the mirror.

 

[Altron]

I've got a carburetor, a hood ornament, wire wheels, and fake wood on the side. I can have fuzzy dice.

 

[2minkey]

You just didn't want to come to New Jersey ever again.

well, that's like volunteering for an enema, but the suffering typically lasts longer.

 

[Inkara1]

I've got a carburetor, a hood ornament, wire wheels, and fake wood on the side. I can have fuzzy dice.

You can have fuzzy dice... you just can't put them in a car new enough to have factory-installed seat belts in the back seat. Not only was yours new enough to have seat belts in the back seat, it was new enough to have three-point seat belts in the back seat. Plus, the Chrome Quotient on that car isn't high enough.

I'm sure you wouldn't want to hang fuzzy dice on the mirror of one of these:

 

[Altron]

A) That's a mini-van

B) That has fuel injection.

How do I not have enough chrome? There's a strip the length of the hood. Another running at door handle level around the whole car. Another strip halfway down the doors. The bottom 4" is all chrome along the sides. The grille is chrome. The headlight surrounds are chrome. The roof rack is chrome. Both bumpers are chrome. The wheel arches are chrome. The mirrors are chrome. The window trim and windshield trim are chrome. The wire wheels are chrome.

I have a V8, a carburetor, a steel frame, and rear wheel drive.

 

[Professur]

had

 

[Inkara1]

That particular minivan is fuel-injected, but it meets your other criteria... wood sides, hood ornament, wire wheels (or at least that type of design). Plus, fuzzy dice are a "look" item and whether a car has a carburetor or fuel injection makes no difference to the outside look.

As for chrome...

The owner of this car can feel free to hang fuzzy dice from the mirror.

You might consider these, though.

 

[Inkara1]

Here are some more cars I wouldn't put fuzzy dice in:

 

[Professur]

Oooo. Gotta get me some of them.