Modern Car Design.....are we in a slump?

[GrouchoMarx]

If you have troubles with tailgaters / roadragers....

[El Hoze]

I totally agree in the SUV category, there are shockingly few good options given how popular of a category it is these days. Jeeps are really tough to beat in my opinion, especially value-wise. The Velar is very nice, but sits a little too low for my liking.

Aside from the SUV category, I actually think there are a lot of really nice cars out there right now.....from high end super cars down to the Chevy Sonic I recently bought for our housekeeper. I was shocked driving it home how nice it was given the low cost. I even found myself admiring the lines on a Cadillac (CT6) the other day, I am almost ashamed to admit it. Maybe I'm just getting old.

[godpheonix]

14 hours ago, El Presidente said:

Di can jump in the back. 

Oh how she would love that car .............

that's my next purchase, probably looking at September. as far as trucks go its not too big, not to small, not too expensive and probably the most reliable truck out there. its in the goldie lock zone! just right!

[Philc2001]

Are 4x4 and performance mutually exclusive options? 

What about a 4x4 performance sedan? Take a look at any of the Audi S4, S5, S6 or S7, or if you really want the muscle then look at the RS versions of them. 

What about a 4x4 performance SUV? Take a look at Audi SQ3, SQ5, SQ7. A friend of mine has the SQ5, and it's quite a fun car for its size and weight. Again, RS badges make them go much faster.

 

[BrightonCorgi]

4 hours ago, El Hoze said:

Aside from the SUV category, I actually think there are a lot of really nice cars out there right now.....from high end super cars down to the Chevy Sonic I recently bought for our housekeeper.

KIA has some great designs for the price point.  One of the smaller SUV's always catches my eye.

[joeypots]

There is a reason there are so many of these Highlanders around. You can spend a lot more for less.....

 

[El Hoze]

1 hour ago, BrightonCorgi said:

KIA has some great designs for the price point.  One of the smaller SUV's always catches my eye.

Very true. I also looked very hard at the Kia Rio when I bought the Chevy. 140hp or something and a 10 year 100K mile warranty for less than 15K. Not bad!

[clutch5150]

BMW X5 with the twin turbo!  Diana will love you long time and my "Minister of Finance" still loves me!

[prodigy]

I totally agree in the SUV category, there are shockingly few good options given how popular of a category it is these days. Jeeps are really tough to beat in my opinion, especially value-wise. The Velar is very nice, but sits a little too low for my liking.
Aside from the SUV category, I actually think there are a lot of really nice cars out there right now.....from high end super cars down to the Chevy Sonic I recently bought for our housekeeper. I was shocked driving it home how nice it was given the low cost. I even found myself admiring the lines on a Cadillac (CT6) the other day, I am almost ashamed to admit it. Maybe I'm just getting old.

Can I be your housekeeper? You can pay me in cars and cigars

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G891A using Tapatalk

[prodigy]

Guys, think about how much you spend on cigars, and where you spend it. Rob needs an Audi, BMW, maybach, Mercedes-Benz, or a range rover. Not a Kia or a jeep lol

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G891A using Tapatalk

[Shikar]

I have the Alfa Romeo Giulia and it's one of the best cars I have had the pleasure of driving in a LOOOONG time. It makes me smile every time I drive it.

 

Regards.

PS. My wife thinks I overdid the garage in our new home I built.

 

 

[Fuzz]

Which model Giulia did you get? I've been looking at the Veloce (can't afford the Quadrifoglio!)

[PapaDisco]

Hmmm . . . you want to replace your hauler, but a sports car will do??    Could you clear things up for us a bit?  Is this kinda like a newbie signing on here and for his first post  asking, "What kind of CC should I get?  A big one or a little one??"  

Seems to me, you really need a Jeep replacement, since you've already got something smaller (even though a 4X4).  You tow stuff, you go fishing, you need something with 4-6 seats and a trailer hitch.

If you want something different, I'd also suggest Toyota.  Yeah I know, not a chick-magnet, but very serviceable and durable vehicles.  If you want to make your life a wee bit complicated and uncertain, then get a Highlander Hybrid.  30 MPG highway but a bit testy with the 4X4; in essence their electronic traction control is shit and in difficult conditions you are best to turn the thing off and drive old school.  We take one skiing every winter weekend, and in deep snow, and it does great.  Not as great as an Audi mechanical 4X4; it makes us work for it, but we've never been stuck.  Can tow 5,000lbs.

 

 

[Shikar]

Which model Giulia did you get? I've been looking at the Veloce (can't afford the Quadrifoglio!)

Giulia in the USA is the Veloce I believe as mine is not a quadrifoglio. I have the Giulia Ti Q4 which basically has all the options possible plus all wheel drive. It was 15k less than the Quadrifoglio here.

Regards.

[Auspaul]

On ‎2‎/‎2‎/‎2018 at 3:09 PM, El Presidente said:

....that would be the sensible option. I have always had a strained relationship with "sensible" 

Have had a Toyota Hilux for work got it in 2007 was supposed to get it replaced 5 years ago I delayed and delayed replacing.

Finally had to take it to auction Thursday one of the best vehicles I have had.

[Onelove]

Believe there is / was a mob in Queensland converting Toyota Tundras into right hand drive! I’m an idiot though, as I also liked driving the Toyota Sienna while in the states. 

[El Hoze]

9 hours ago, prodigy said:

Can I be your housekeeper? You can pay me in cars and cigars

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G891A using Tapatalk
 

Her life isn't easy. I smoke cigars all day and drop ash all over the place. 

[HarveyBoulevard]

11 hours ago, Shikar said:

I have the Alfa Romeo Giulia and it's one of the best cars I have had the pleasure of driving in a LOOOONG time. It makes me smile every time I drive it.

 

Regards.

PS. My wife thinks I overdid the garage in our new home I built.

 

 

You sir, have impeccable taste. That is a beautiful garage and no, no, and no way shape or form did you overdo it. Isn't that what everyone's garage should look like?

[BrightonCorgi]

14 hours ago, Shikar said:

PS. My wife thinks I overdid the garage in our new home I built.

What is that flooring?

[Shikar]

What is that flooring?

 The floors is a combo of Italian Porcelin tiles/black granite/marble The Porcelin tiles resist oil stains and are used in showrooms and commercial floors for high traffic areas.

Laying the tile was tough as cars would be parked on it and needed a LOT of thin set cement under the tile to support it perfectly flat uniformly. Not a single cracked tile in 8 months of use.

The base board is black granite tiles, so garage can be washed and hosed if needed, with wood baseboard above it.

 

Regards.

A pic during construction

 

Works double duty as dinner seating when needed.

Garage door opener motor is to the side of garage door, to keep ceiling uncluttered.

[LGC]

Very nice space. I think I’d be afraid to do any welding or engine work in there.

[BrightonCorgi]

@Shikar - Is your garage 3 cars deep?

I like the idea of the garage door opener on the side.  I wonder if I can move mine?  I have 14' ceilings in the garage and opener would be much nice on the side.  Thanks!

[PigFish]

1 hour ago, Brandon said:

Very nice space. I think I’d be afraid to do any welding or engine work in there.

... but you could roll out puff pastry by the ass-load!!! -LOL

Getting out of this thread before my wife sees that this is a garage, and I get into trouble!!! -Piggy

[Shikar]

@Shikar - Is your garage 3 cars deep?

I like the idea of the garage door opener on the side.  I wonder if I can move mine?  I have 14' ceilings in the garage and opener would be much nice on the side.  Thanks!

 

BC correct, it’s 2 car wide/3 deep.

The garage is 12- 14’ high, step ceiling treatment, with tall proportionate windows and doors.

 

I had the garage motor on ceiling initially but it really made the ceiling busy. So yes, the motor can be moved to the side with different motor/door rail/hardware as that is what I did with a high lift rail so the garage door is close to the ceiling when it’s open.

 

Lots of trial and error during building and happy to share my experience.

 

Regards.

[Fugu]

No question guys, Rob needs a less playful, more serious car going along with a decent bit of understatement. There's really only one option I see here if it has to be SUV:

Merc GLS 63 AMG. Goes without saying that it comes with the AMG M157 V-8 biturbo engine with torque ad nauseam. Incl. air-suspension (terrain-adjustable of course), endless trunk (7-seated), Bang & Olufsen entertainment, and all the latest tech-gadgets that you can think of. Seems to be fairly fuel-efficient to boot (well, everything is relative in this segment - haha..... sais the biker). Cutting a dash on the road as well as off. 

Avoiding that plumber's attitude of Bronco, Raptor, Tacoma and the likes... (sorry folks, nothing against those, they have their field of use, but that's not vehicles in which I see Rob and Di....)

https://www.mercedes-amg.com/en/vehicles/gls/suv/gls63.html

Oz-Dealership:
https://www.driveaway.mercedes-benz.com.au/GLS/GLS-63-AMG

As one car-mag sais - ...it's silly, expensive and totally unnecessary.... so, got for it, Rob!

 

Side note - same engine you can get with the AMG G 63, should you need real offroad capability (spot on on the G @Colt45) or - as we are at it - go directly with the 1.000-Nm V12 G 65. 

https://www.mercedes-amg.com/en/vehicles/g-class/suv/g63.html