-273: 17 November 2003

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17 November 2003 - 4:08 pm

This past weekend I drove north to Muncie, IN for a friend's wedding. Starting with my drive on Friday from St. Louis to Evansville, I spent about sixteen hours behind the wheel before I got back to St. Louis on Sunday. I spent about 7 hours of the trip driving my Echo and the remainder of the time driving my parent's Solara. The juxtaposition of these two cars, especially on Sunday when I went from the Solara to the Echo with almost no break, made me realize just how much my car is lacking in comfort. Don't get me wrong, the Echo has a lot of things going for it. It sits you up high, giving me much better visibility than I had in the Solara, and it's engine is very efficient, saving me some money on gas. However, the ergonomics of its cabin leave a bit to be desired. I've always been a bit bothered by the distance between the pedals and the steering wheel; its just too short. If your seat is far enough back for your legs to be comfortable, your arms can't comfortably reach the wheel. There are other aspects to the Echo that I'm not too keen on as well. I'd like to have power windows and keyless entry, or at least power locks. And cruise control. I really want cruise control. And the fuel economy of the Echo is good, but many other cars, including the Solara I drove this weekend, do nearly as well, at least on the highway.

The main thing the Echo had going for it in 2000 when I bought it was price. It was very, very cheap. But now that's less a concern for me than it used to be. So I'm in the market for a new car. Well, not necessarily new, but different. I'm leaning toward a Ford Escape right now. And if I buy a used one from work, I get a nice discount, so that's the tack I'm on right now. If you have any suggestions, however, please let me know.

Posted by on 17 November 2003 at 4:08 PM

Comments

You mention the fuel efficiency of the Echo, but then in the same breath say you want an Escape? I reccomend that you consider a hybrid, like a Honda or Toyota. I find my Honda comfortable, and you get the feel good points for reducing your consumption of petroleum products. It does make a difference, and we as rich Americans need to start taking responsibility for our actions.

Posted by Chris on 17 November 2003 - 4:28 PM

I like Volkswagens. Specifically the Jetta or the Touareg (I think that's how they're spelled). Don't know much about their fuel efficiency, though.

Posted by Rachel on 17 November 2003 - 4:46 PM

The major problem I would have with the Escape is the "Ford" part, having been in a family with exactly zero luck with American cars. I know that all cars are manufactured both in the US and overseas, but we've had a Pontiac Sunbird that was a lemon, a Dodge Shadow that broke down numerous times, and a Ford Taurus that needed a new transmission after 4 years. Contrast this with our Mazda minivan that after 15 years and 250K+ miles is still going strong and our almost 5 year old Camry that has had no repairs needed.

Posted by Chris Hill Festival on 17 November 2003 - 5:09 PM

All I can say, is that except for the battery dying after about 3 years, I've never had any problems with a Toyota. And except for being a pain in the ass right when it happens, a dead battery really isn't that bad.

Posted by Joe on 17 November 2003 - 7:39 PM

I'll deal with all of these comments in order. 1) Hybrids are good, but I find all hybrid cars ugly. When manufacturers start making hybrids that look like all the other cars, I'll give it a go. 2) I too like VWs. However, I like the discount I get if I buy from Enterprise even more, and Enterprise doesn't have any VWs for sale here in Saint Louis. That also relates back to #1. Hybrids aren't popular rental cars, hence there aren't too many of them for sale through Enterprise. This discount really has put me in the position of selecting the best from a limited set, but I'm not too bothered by that. 3) I too have had some troubles with domestic cars, specifically Fords. However, this car will be warrantied by Enterprise, so I'm going to cross my fingers and give it a go. 4) Joe, I too like Toyotas. But I'm not too impressed with their SUV line. And I'm interested in the SUV line of products because if I want a vehicle with options, getting an SUV is one way to do that. None of the less expensive vehicles will have many options if I buy through the Enterprise program.

Alright, if there are any further suggestions, let me know. I'm going to be test driving the Escape this evening.

Posted by david on 18 November 2003 - 9:02 AM

Though the world outside be winter gray, your words add color to my existence. Thank you.

Posted by poker directory on 22 December 2003 - 7:45 PM

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Recent Comments
Though the world outside be winter gray, your words add color to my existence. Thank you. I'll deal with all of these comments in order. 1) Hybrids are good, but I find all hybrid cars ugly. When manufacturers start making hybrids that look like all the other cars, I'll give it a go. 2) I too like VWs. However, I like the discount I get if I buy from Enterprise even more, and Enterprise doesn't have any VWs for sale here in Saint Louis. That also relates back to #1. Hybrids aren't popular rental cars, hence there aren't too many of them for sale through Enterprise. This discount really has put me in the position of selecting the best from a limited set, but I'm not too bothered by that. 3) I too have had some troubles with domestic cars, specifically Fords. However, this car will be warrantied by Enterprise, so I'm going to cross my fingers and give it a go. 4) Joe, I too like Toyotas. But I'm not too impressed with their SUV line. And I'm interested in the SUV line of products because if I want a vehicle with options, getting an SUV is one way to do that. None of the less expensive vehicles will have many options if I buy through the Enterprise program. Alright, if there are any further suggestions, let me know. I'm going to be test driving the Escape this evening. All I can say, is that except for the battery dying after about 3 years, I've never had any problems with a Toyota. And except for being a pain in the ass right when it happens, a dead battery really isn't that bad. The major problem I would have with the Escape is the "Ford" part, having been in a family with exactly zero luck with American cars. I know that all cars are manufactured both in the US and overseas, but we've had a Pontiac Sunbird that was a lemon, a Dodge Shadow that broke down numerous times, and a Ford Taurus that needed a new transmission after 4 years. Contrast this with our Mazda minivan that after 15 years and 250K+ miles is still going strong and our almost 5 year old Camry that has had no repairs needed. I like Volkswagens. Specifically the Jetta or the Touareg (I think that's how they're spelled). Don't know much about their fuel efficiency, though. You mention the fuel efficiency of the Echo, but then in the same breath say you want an Escape? I reccomend that you consider a hybrid, like a Honda or Toyota. I find my Honda comfortable, and you get the feel good points for reducing your consumption of petroleum products. It does make a difference, and we as rich Americans need to start taking responsibility for our actions.
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