The review thread

[6speed]

The review thread:

There has been many reviews as of late, and this thread is for anyone who wants to make a review of a car they've recently driven. Don't just say:

Lamborghini Diablo; Yeah, it was an alright car.

You have to make an in depth review of the vehicle and be able to describe any issues you have with the car. With this, other people will be able to make their own opinions of that particular make and model. Please list the following:

Year
Make
Model
Model Spec (GT, SE, HEMI, S)
Period of drive

That's it. Have fun! Hopefully we can all take notes!

[HondaNSX]

wow, nice thread...

[Piacki_117]

2004
Renault
Laguna
1.9 dCi 120hp
I don't drive but my parents do. (since 2004)

>> It's a nice car, very pleasant, but I think it would be better with the new 2.0 dCi 150hp




2005
Renault
Clio
1.6 16V 110hp
2005-.....

>> One of the greatest car I've ever seen. All is great in it. I love this car.




2004
Renault
Mégane
1.5 dCi 80hp
2004-....

>> This car is practical and cheap at using. Much better than the Peugeot 307 we had before.



EDIT I just noticed the review must be "in depth". I'm sorry, I think this is not long enough?

[Rockefella]

1996
Pontiac
Bonneville
SE (3.8L V6)
Driven: Nov.2005 : Mar.2006 (current)

I received the car for free, seeing as a friend of a friend of my dad's was giving it away, and I was in need of some wheels. All in all, it's an overall, shall I say it, good car. Comfortable leather lined bucket seats in the front, big bench in the back, cupholders, climate control, great stereo, etc. However, the best part of the interior is its ease in driving, with a vast windshield, steering wheel mounted cruise/volume/radio presets/and tuner, and 'cockpit' design that keeps your eyes on the road, rather than elsewhere in the car.

On the road, the car is quite quick for it's massive weight, but just too big for my liking. The car is long, very long.. and makes parking and tight turns tricky, almost abnoxiously annoying. I would rate the acceleration as great for its size, with a guesstimated 0-60 (my estimation) of ~6.5 - 7 sec with new Yokohama front rubbers on, and a quarter mile in the 15-16 second range.

In summation, if anyone is looking for a family cruiser in the $1000-2000 range, a '96 Bonneville isn't a bad choice at all. (Be wary of the S/C version, that's a definite sleeper)

[fa22_raptor]

2006
Lexus
IS250
Prestige (2.5L V6 - 153kW, 252nM)
Driven from 1st of Feb till now

Likes:
- Looks fabulous
- High quality materials used throughout
- "Smart entry" system. No need to touch the key at all - just open the door and press the button to start the car!
- Satisfying clunk when closing the doors
- Awesome dash layout and lighting
- Throaty exhaust sound at high rpm
- Quietness and comfort
- Great leather seats(!): comfortable, supportive, heated/cooled, electronic control
- Solid brakes
- Sensitive and precise steering with surprisingly little body roll for the weight
- Moonroof control - very intuitive and smart
- Boot (trunk) size
- Good ergonomics
- Quality 13-speaker sound system and 6-stacker MP3 compatible CD player (yay, i can burn my own mp3s onto CD now!)
- Automatic headlights
- Heated external mirrors (completely unnecessary, but cool nonetheless)

Dislikes:
- Limited rear headroom
- Very bad rear vision due to high waistline of the car
- Awkward positioning of handbrake and stiff mechanism
- Heavy manual transmission
- Clutch isn't very progressive
- Little torque at low rpm (peak torque at 4500rpm) especially in a heavy car
- Acceleration is restricted by weight of car
- Stiff suspension means bumpy ride on rough surfaces
- Only uses premium petrol which is especially bad given the ridiculously high petrol prices at the moment.
- Not as economical as expected (maybe due to being heavy-footed )
- Prestige model misses out on awesome 18" wheels on Sport version.

Issues:
- Rattle behind air vent under acceleration. Brought it into the dealer and it was revealed that the cause was a loose plastic clip behind the dash. Wasted my time

Overview:
This is a great little car in nearly all aspects! However the rear vision, strange manual transmission and lack of torque are significant blemishes in an otherwise awesome car. I would definitely recommend it over the new BMW 320i and 325i, as it represents far superior value and uniqueness (well, in Australia anyway). Shortcomings aside, it's one of the best cars I've been in and certainly driven.

[6speed]

I might get a Bonneville. That's like previous gen 5-series acceleration.

Keep up the good reviews guys. Excellent review fa22.

[Mustang]

1989
Peugeot
205 Xs
1260cc 90hp
rally car and road car

>> It's a nice car, very pleasant, and very quick for a 1400, reasonably cheap to run and overall great value for money

[Jack_Bauer]

2006 Toyota Aygo

My mother took delivery of her new Toyota Aygo this past weekend, so obviously I had to give it a quick burn to see what it was like.

First impressions were naturally dominated by the car's teeny-weeny size. The exterior looks ok-ish (probably the best looking out of the Aygo, Citroen C1 and Pug 107 IMO) but definitely looks a bit too 'toy-like' for my tastes. Still, this car isn't really about looks, it's about cheap and cheerful, reliable city motoring. The pocket size dimensions mean this car should fit this remit perfectly.

Interior wise things are effective, if a little bare. The driving position is good for visibility as you sit quite upright and there is plenty of glass all round. This gives the car a generally light and airy feel to it which is nice. The seating position is very upright and not exactly 'sporting' but that is to be expected. The steering wheel and pedals are well positioned for comfort and ease of use. The car is reasonably well equipped with CD player and electric windows as standard. Some of the controls on the centre console are a bit of a fiddle. The 'interesting' heating controls look quite snazzy and imaginative (see pic), but in reality feel extremely cheap and flimsy and aren't particularly easy to use. I'm sure a standard pair of twisty knobs would have been far more sensible.

This car is the 4-door model so it was interesting to see what the rear seat space was like for such a miniscule car, and I have to say I was pleasantly suprised. I'm no giant at 5'9" but I could sit comfortably in the back with a good 2-3 inches between my knees and the seat in front. It might be a wee bit cramped leg-wise for those above six feet, but it seems quite a tall car so can't see headroom being an issue. Two medium sized adults could easily be comfortable on short to medium length journeys I reckon.

With this car being the base model there is just the single large speedo counter on the dash, with other details coming up on a digital display in the middle of it. It's clear and easy enough to read. Like most things on this car it is effective and functional with no fuss and no real flair. There is no rev-counter on this model which normally I would complain about, but it's not an issue in this car because of the ungodly racket the wheezy little engine makes! When I first started the car I thought there must be a hole in the exhaust or something, but apparently they all sound this bad! It's an unpleasant, raspy sort of noise from the outside, and the bare metal and lack of sound-deadening on the inside make the cabin quite boomy, especially at motorway speeds.

As for the driving it does the job pretty well. The steering is light and easy going (if completely devoid of feel), the throttle response is decent with it being such a small engine, and the brakes seem quite keen too. My mother wasn't too keen for me to explore the outer limits of the performance envelope in her brand new car, so I couldn't exactly comment on the on-limit handling balance, but at modest speeds it seems to change direction well and has a 'nippy' feel to it. The ride isn't exactly limousine standard, you do feel a lot of the lumps, bumps and ruts in the road, but it's not a major problem. Parking is as easy as pie with the good visibility, small size and minimal hangovers at either end. The one gripe I had with the driving was the gearbox. It felt very stodgy, like stiring cement, and was very vague feeling, but hopefully that was just a result of it being a brand new car and it will loosen up given time.

So, in conclusion, the Toyota Aygo does everything you could expect of it for the price. It is cheap, cheerful, easy to drive and no doubt reliable and economical. It's not the most comfortable, most exciting or most spacious car you'll ever drive, but then it is never expected to be. Taking the price into account and the design remit, there really is very little you could complain about. The only question mark I'd have is over the asthmatic 3-cylinder engine. While the performance is adequate I can't help thinking a more convintional 4-banger would've been smoother and less obtrusive. Other than that the car gets a thumbs up!

[Revo]

2006 Toyota Aygo
...

Excellent piece of writing, enjoyed it very much.

[McReis]

3 cylinder engines are awful to drive.

[Matra et Alpine]

3 cylinder engines are awful to drive.

I refute that -- the Triumph Sprint 120HP 1litre sports biek is LOTS of fun

[Zondaboy1]

2004
Lexus
LS430
VVTI V8
too damn long

wind noise, crappy keyless system. stupid power windows have spases tirenoise, belt noise, air noise, leather starts to smell after my sisters sit on it. too many little places to lose things in it. DOES NOT sound nice at all. even up close to the pipes/engine. too much time spent on insignificant things rather than bigger things (every damn aspect of the seat moves.....NO COMBO IS COMFORTABLE!) doors open way wide. and dont open at all when your on the top side of a slanted hill. navagation lost its way once. navagation is NOT up to date. all the usefull parts of the manual are in japaneese. love the color. and the gloss is so damn shiny i love it i love it i love it i do (the color looks better on a quattroporte). car feels bulky driving slow

thing about the maserati:
we were wating at a stoplight and a guy in a maserati quattroporte pulls up in the same color. i tell my dad to revv and lower his window. as soon as he does i yell to the guy nice car. he yelled back nice color (jokingly reffering to ours but actually reffering to his) pretty funny. then he went to a gas station and i snapped a picture thats .2 megs bigger than the system limit and .24 bigger than image shacks limit
http://photobucket.com/albums/c117/Z...t=DSCF6483.jpg

[Fleet 500]

Okay, I'll do a quick review:
1969 Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham

Likes...
- The overall size... it's big, like a true luxury car should be. It's a big car which doesn't pretend to look small.
- The smooth ride and quietness.
- The interior room and luggage capacity.
- The plush leather seats.
- The carpeted, folding footrests and reading lights in the rear compartment.
- The real wood on the dash and door panels.
- The excellent climate control system.
- The more than ample power and torque.
- The ease of handling and general driving.
- Freeway cruising. The big V-8 is just loafing at 70 mph, with the accelerator hardly pressed down.
- Very good reliability. The engine/trans/rear end are all bulletproof.

Dislikes...
- Fuel mileage, of course.
- Parking in very small lots.
- Too high of a rear axle ratio (numerically low); it's 2.94:1... something like 3.15 or 3.36 would be a better choice, especially if most of the driving is done on surface streets.

Quick specs...
Wheelbase/overall length--- 133"/228.8" (Just over 19 feet)
Overall width--------------- 79.94"
Curb Weight---------------- 5,060 lbs
Engine/hp/torque----------- 472-cu-in (7.7 L)/375 hp @ 4400 rpm, 525 lbs/ft torque @ 3,000 rpm
Compression ratio----------- 10.5:1
0-60 mph------------------- 8.8 seconds, estimated
1/4 mile-------------------- 16.0 secs @ 87 mph, estimated
Passing: 40-60 mph--------- 4.0 secs
Fuel mileage---------------- 9-13 mpg
Front leg room-------------- 43"
Rear fore-and-aft leg room-- 35"
Luggage capacity----------- 20-cu-ft

[TRD_fun]

1990
Toyota
Supra
Turbo (7MGTE)
September '05 - Now

Likes:
-Sports/luxury feel of the car.
-Fully loaded with every option in '90. (pwr: windows, locks, mirrors, bolster, lumbar, seats.. tilt, telescoping wheel, ect on autos, auto climate, TEMS...etc)
-TEMS suspension (self-adjusting) is a nice feature.
-Targa is awesome on nice days.
-Turbo for added fun and lots of torque.
-Great looking car esp. for time period built.
-Fun to build up, and make faster (budget permiting).

Dislikes:
-Its a 16 year old car.
-Things need to be replaced, seals, hoses.
-Targa leaks (old seals), easy fix.
-Head Gasket issues are something to look out for.
-Oil system can be a trouble to some people resulting in rod knock. (easily avoided with preventative maintainence)
-Some parts are somewhat expensive, but many secondhand traders out there.
-Its a 16 year old tank... yes its a 3600lb Toyota sports car.


The car is really nice over all. Its a blast to drive, and you feel really comfortable while doing it too. The cabin is simple and ergonomically designed. All the controls are seemingly within reach and easy to operate. For instance, I learned to operate the Climate Control in a day (well night) by touch, because my rheostat has a blown resistor.

The exterior is Solid, and this car has a reputation for being a tank. It often inflicts far more damage to other vehicles in accidents then it recieves. This is a late 80s early 90s Toyota so check for rust if your looking to buy.

The engine and mechanical aspects of this car were top notch in 1990. Now, not so much. The engine requires systematic maintainance, but can run like a champ. Being old, the car is losing its youth and will, like any car, lose its ease of operation. To me, this is a small price to pay.
This engine, Toyotas imfamous 7MGTE, is a small dent in Toyotas history. The reason being is the headbolt design. Basically, from time, wear, and stress, the bolts losen slowly enough to blow the Head Gasket. Replacing the head gasket on a 7M is a costly procedure, unless you can do it yourself. Either way, investing in stronger ARP head bolts/studs is a must.
The oil system is pretty much a low pressure system. If you dont maintain the proper oil level at all times, the low pressure will not lube the bearings well enough and can cause rodknock. All you would need to do is maintian oil level and pressure, always, and you shall be fine.
Just needs some TLC.

I hope that sums it MKIII Supras well...
...Damn, I think I just made them all look bad.
Well thing is, dont buy the car if your not into high labor costs or needing to replace things constantly. If you can find a low mile specimen that is in good condition that your willing to take car of, then youll be set... for a while.

[johnnynumfiv]

2004
Dodge
Dakota
Sport Plus 2wd(equivelent to the dropped R/T)
Driven from January 2005 till now

Likes:
- The power available at almost any RPM
- Comfortable bucket seats and roomy back seat
-Great headroom throughout
- Well laid out interior
- The burnouts are quite nice
- Great sounding exhaust with the flowmaster
- Ability to tow 8000+lbs with no problem
- Braking is great even while towing
- Large bed compared to other trucks in the class
- Very comfy highway driving
- Auto-glare rearview mirror
- Sliding rear window
- Heated side mirrors
- Nice looks
- Great build quality
- Limited Slip differential
- Fun in the snow
- Surprisingly fast for how heavy it is


Dislikes:
- Poor visibility due to A-pillars
- Very harsh ride on rough roads(9" wide flat summer tires)
- Heater is way to hot, smells of burning rubber after a while
- Some eratic shifting
- Wierd fog light angles
- Steering isn't that great
- Gas tank reserve is abuot 9 gallons(tank is 20) so it makes it seem like it's empty all the time

Issues:
- When steering is locked to either left or right, the tie rods flex and make the wheels lock and hop.

Overview:
Suckin gas and haulin ass is the way to be.