Good ol Route 30 (iirc).It is no secret that I am a huge wagon fan. In my old neighborhood in PA, it was not uncommon for people to consult with me for what car to buy. A 40ish, rather tall, couple was expecting their first and ask for suggestions. they wanted something semi premium so I suggested a few Volvo, Audi and Benz wagon options. The wife was taken back as if I punched her in the throat and kicked their Labradoodle "I don't want a soccer mom car...I want an SUV". I said, lets take a ride over to the local soccer field and let me show what all the soccer moms are driving....all are premium SUV's! (I was on the Philadelphia main-line so of course they were premium SUV's). I touted all the logical reasons for the wagons, lower, better handling, MORE room. "Nope, not going to have it" she said, "I want to be higher, for better visability" I said, you do realize that you won't have much space behind you for the kid all of it's stuff. Again, would not have it. What did they buy? An Audi Q5. it was not uncommon watched them trying to cram the stroller, baby bags and whatever parafanalia little Cory needed to go to day care in. About a year later, they replaced the second car, with, you guessed it, a minivan.
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Safe car for skiing and kids to drive
- Thread starter dovski
- Start date
Good ol Route 30 (iirc).
$10k buys a lot of skis and ski trips...
It's a nice, fast soccer mom car.There is only one SUV that would sway me into soccermomville:
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having owned the turbo, I can assure you it is not soccermomville! (the upscale soccer moms go for the Cayenne if they are going to Porsche) The Q5 - definitely soccer mom though (and no the Q5 is not in any way a better value version of the macan despite what some may try to claim. Drive them both and you would not even know it is the same base platform!). I am much less partial to the X5M my wife replaced it with...
....but she loves it so, happy wife, happy life
- Joined
- Dec 2, 2015
- Posts
- 24,953
That’s why you won’t consider a Volvo.
It’s 2021, what’s up with the soccermom thing? So 2000’s.
If you plan to pay for the car, then you get a vote in the vehicle.
I've got nothing against soccer moms, I just don't want to be one.
She's in Bozeman, we are a bit out of the way.
We live in New England and my now 21 year old daughter started driving my husband's 2007 Audi A4 Quattro from when she got her license in 2016 until just a couple months ago when two of the fuel pumps died; it had over 200,000 miles on it. Although we were hoping it would last one more year to see her all the way through college, we bought it as a CPO in 2008 and it truly didn't owe us anything.
She just got a CPO 2020 Mazda CX-5 AWD. It had been as a dealer loaner vehicle, had under 5,000 miles on it, and still smelled new - she absolutely loves it and it will transition well into her post-college life. It is fun to drive, has important safety features (CarPlay, backup cam, and cross traffic alert are favs), and hopefully more than competent in the snow. If we hadn't had the Audi to pass down when she started driving, I would definitely have had an older Mazda CX-3 or 5 on our list for her.
She just got a CPO 2020 Mazda CX-5 AWD. It had been as a dealer loaner vehicle, had under 5,000 miles on it, and still smelled new - she absolutely loves it and it will transition well into her post-college life. It is fun to drive, has important safety features (CarPlay, backup cam, and cross traffic alert are favs), and hopefully more than competent in the snow. If we hadn't had the Audi to pass down when she started driving, I would definitely have had an older Mazda CX-3 or 5 on our list for her.
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Also, keep in mind, for those rare R3 chain conditions, Subaru advises against putting chains or cables on the car at all. If all the roads around Tahoe are iced over and Caltrans says R3 chain control, you might as well stay home, or take your chances with textile-based traction devices like Autosock.
Something that can take a chain/cable to stay compliant with Caltrans chain controls, especially if one season they do call for a R3 chain control (like the Big Bear Lakes area last year, just before the new year)... should be considered.
Something that can take a chain/cable to stay compliant with Caltrans chain controls, especially if one season they do call for a R3 chain control (like the Big Bear Lakes area last year, just before the new year)... should be considered.
You didn't have cam follower (for the HPFP) issues with the 07 A4 Quattro, assuming it was a 2.0T?
My 08 Passat had the transverse version of that engine, and I had to replace the cam follower every 40,000 miles, to prevent the cam follower from wearing through and the HPFP plunger hitting the camshaft... though I got rid of that car with 217,000 miles on it, with the original clutch... but a botched repair from a shop earlier caused it to fail emissions (could not connect to the state's OBD-II reader).
It was an automatic 2.0T; we didn't have cam follower issues along the way that I know of. Perhaps we did, and just didn't know it?
It's preventative maintenance that VW and Audi dealerships do not do. Independent shops will replace the cam follower at specific intervals or at your request.
At 40k miles, my cam follower was at stage 1 according to the picture above.
When the "Thrust sensor" on the HPFP went on my car... I had it towed to the dealership near home (which is different from the dealership near work where I bought the car)... the technician gave me a over $5000 repair bill claiming my camshaft is damaged.... which I called out his BS diagnosis in front of the service advisor, and asked him if he confirmed it by checking the cam follower? Of course he didn't, and 20 minutes later, came back and said my cam follower and camshaft is fine (of course it was, because I had it recently replaced), and the bill went down to $500 for a new thrust sensor... which there was a TSB for, but didn't apply to my 08 Passat
Thread Starter
TS
Hi All,
So have been doing the research and getting tons of calls and emails from local dealerships. In terms of bang for your buck Subaru is up there, so strongly considering a Crosstrek. At the same time there are some great deals on Chevy Trailblazers so was curious what folks thought of those. Actually to be honest the best pricing I have seen so far has been on 2021 Trailblazer Activ AWD. Does anyone have an opinion on these? They are running about 20% less than the comparable Subaru and the Subaru is running about 15-20% less than the comparable Toyota or Honda. So with this in mind is the Trailblazer any good?
So have been doing the research and getting tons of calls and emails from local dealerships. In terms of bang for your buck Subaru is up there, so strongly considering a Crosstrek. At the same time there are some great deals on Chevy Trailblazers so was curious what folks thought of those. Actually to be honest the best pricing I have seen so far has been on 2021 Trailblazer Activ AWD. Does anyone have an opinion on these? They are running about 20% less than the comparable Subaru and the Subaru is running about 15-20% less than the comparable Toyota or Honda. So with this in mind is the Trailblazer any good?
Just my honest opinion. Chevy used to build great vehicles in the 1990s, maybe up to about 2005. Now, I would not buy a Chevy unless there was no other choice. Pay now (Toyota, Honda, Mazda) or pay a lot more later (GM) after the warranty expires, and even before the warranty expires on items not covered (like ignition modules). After having an '09 wave for 5 years, I will never buy another GM. It might be worth it to have a Suburban, or a corvette, etc. 'cause there's very little else like it and that's what you need or want, but there's plenty of alternatives for the trailblazer. Research I've done agrees with my anecdotal experience. Possible exception HD (2500, or 3500) pick'm ups.
Just a quick look at the specs on the Trailblazer would be a big pass,imo. 1.3 l turbo motor from GM? No thanks.
Looking at washington state, it's similar requirements for snow chains and AWD
www.wsdot.com
Studded tires do NOT satisfy state chain requirements; if chains are required, they'll have to installed on top of studded tires.
Winter driving - Studded tires, traction tires & chains - WSDOT
Learn about traction advisories and approved traction tires, including studded tires and tire chains.
Chains and alternatives
Those traveling into higher elevations should carry chains and have approved traction tires whenever winter weather is possible, especially Nov. 1 through March 31.Studded tires do NOT satisfy state chain requirements; if chains are required, they'll have to installed on top of studded tires.
4WD/AWD and chains
4WD/AWD vehicles (under 10,000 pounds) do not need chains installed during "chains required" notices, but drivers still must carry chains with them in case conditions worsen and they're required to install chains during a "chains required on all vehicles" notice.
Looking at washington state, it's similar requirements for snow chains and AWD
Winter driving - Studded tires, traction tires & chains - WSDOT
Learn about traction advisories and approved traction tires, including studded tires and tire chains.
Chains and alternatives
Those traveling into higher elevations should carry chains and have approved traction tires whenever winter weather is possible, especially Nov. 1 through March 31.
Studded tires do NOT satisfy state chain requirements; if chains are required, they'll have to installed on top of studded tires.
4WD/AWD and chains
4WD/AWD vehicles (under 10,000 pounds) do not need chains installed during "chains required" notices, but drivers still must carry chains with them in case conditions worsen and they're required to install chains during a "chains required on all vehicles" notice.
Yeah, I’m aware of all of this, but I’ve never seen a “chains required on all vehicles” situation in all the years I’ve been going to Stevens, which is the mountain pass with the most snowfall in North America. Baker gets more snow but Hwy 542 ends at Baker (goes a little further in the summer/fall but still dead ends rather than a mountain pass). Actually it’s amazing the work the DOT does to keep Hwy 2 open during the winter, as well as I-90.
FWIW I have no problem using Autosocks or other textile traction devices. I have a set for my SO’s Toyota Highlander. I see a lot of truckers using them in the winter, like any traction device you need to pay attention to the recommended speed for the device.
Thread Starter
TS
I have use Chains once in the last 21 years and that was actually during that crazy snow storm in 2006 driving my wife home from work in Bellevue to Sammamish. Roads were a nightmare as the greater Seattle area is not equipped to handle even a dusting of snow and this storm dumped at least a foot. Real challenge was avoiding all the abandon cars as well as all the unprepared drivers who did not have the better sense to realize they were in over their heads. For everything else including snowy days driving to Alpental or trips to interior BC and Montana our MDX with snowflake rated tires was more than adequate
Thread Starter
TS
So next question for the group, thoughts on the Hyundai Kona? - looks like the new 1.6L Turbo GDI has some good reviews. Very surreal experience car shopping these days as inventory is incredibly limited. Used cars are selling for more than new cars simply because it seems most new cars are sold before they even reach the dealership. Talked to my local Subaru dealership who let me know that they have ten Crosstreks arriving Monday but have already sold all of them.
^^this. Finding our daughter's CPO was cut throat. We lost out on the first one we originally chose when we decided to think about it overnight; by the next morning, that one and three other vehicles we would have considered, all sold. The next I found online in a nearby state, called, agreed on a price on the phone and gave a credit card to hold it. Drove up immediately, test drove it, and purchased it that night.