[Black Wolf]

The Vauxhall Monaro is nice (it's basically a touring car), but it's a wee bit far over my price range over the next 5 years.

It's a Holden, for the record, and they've discontinued production, unfortunately, as it'd be the only Holden I'd actually consider buying, though not for too long I suspect. I think they want to keep it exclusive or something, as it was still selling like wildfire over here when they stopped it.

For me, my dream car and expected car are the same thing. I'm going to graduate from uni, get a FIFO job on the mines up north and go straight to the biggest Ford Dealership I can find and buy one of these:



Ford Falcon BF model XR8 Ute. 5.4 litre V8. 260 kw engine with almost 500 Nm of torque, six speed transmission. It's around 1800 kilos unladen, so it's not exactly the lightest thing in the world, but the new ford engines really barely seem to care at lower speeds - acceleration is absolutely effortless in the BA the old's have, and this is the next model along and a performance vehicle. Best part about it is the price - $42 000 AUD for the base level manual, and still well under $50 000 for the full trim Automatic. Only weak link is the tray weight limitations - it's not a work ute, so it's only rated to around half a tonne. Still... lovely car.

[aldo_14]

Is that..... a pickup truck?

[Black Wolf]

That is a Ute. Very different culturally, if not structurally all that dissimilar.

[aldo_14]

A pickup truck, in other words.  I'm not quite sure I'll ever understand a desire to own what is, for all intents and purposes, something intended for the same sort of working environment as a tractor.

[Black Wolf]

We've had a Ute in our family since... well, I can't really remember Dad buying the first one, so it's been awhile, and we use them, for carting wood, sheep, hay, whatever. While this particular model woudn't be much use for stuff like that (we've always had one tonners specifically for this purpose), I still like the versatility of the thing. You can still carry semi-decent sized loads when people are moving house or whatever, roll out a swag and sleep in the back comfortably, and still fang it on the drive up to Kal (600 km trip, through the wheatbelt and on into the edges of the desert, of which around 200kms is dead straight).

Moreover, you've never (I assume) lived in Australia, particularly. Utes are almost as much a part of rural culture as sheep and wheat. Besides, since it's a two seater, I'll never be asked to be the designated driver.

[aldo_14]

Ah, I forgot you all need flatbed vehicles in order to mount weapons against maruading biker gangs.

[Turey]

i drove this until about a week or so ago(until it broke down for good.):

1991 Mercury Tracer 4 door Wagon (manual)


now i drive this (but it's my parents'! No way i could afford it on my own! I'm poor as hell!):

2007 Toyota Camry Hybrid

it's a nice car, but, like all the hybrid sedans, it doesn't have nearly enough trunk space.

[Nix]

My car is so "leet" it needs a 9 in it. "Leet" to the power of 9t!

[karajorma]

I bet you're just kicking yourself that you didn't get a photo taken 60 miles earlier

[Nix]

Yup.  shows how much I pay attention to the miles on my car.. lol. 

[Sandwich]

I use a 2-door Mercedes-Benz vehicle with a 300 horsepower, 12000cc engine, automatic doors, and driver.

[Mongoose]

'97 sea-green Ford Escort.  Top that. At least it manages to get anywhere from between 25-30 MPG.  It's actually a surprisingly fun little car to drive; I guess when you're that light, it doesn't take a lot of engine to make you pick up and go.  Driving through hills, on the other hand, is another story...

Given my 'druthers, I'd be all over a brand-new 'Stang.

[Taristin]

Icy; Get a Honda Fit, or a Toyota Yaris. They're both <15,000 USD, get ~40-50mpg and will last you forever. And from what I've read, they're all still fun to drive, despite having only ~110hp.

I worry about what happens when your driving cars that are so miniature like those and one of those SUV 40-something moms ram into you because they are trying to do their makeup, eat breakfast, and talking on a cellphone at the same time

Today's cars are built with that in mind. So it'll hold up fairly well.

[vyper]

Plus, being that small and light gives you rediculous acceleration to get out the way if you see 'em coming!

[NGTM-1R]

One of the reasons I drive a Jetta is because some nut in an SUV actually did hit me once, back when I had a '96 model, ran a red light at a good 65mph. The trunk (boot to the Brits) was just gone, you would have figured from looking at the outside that anybody in the backseat was headed for Intensive Care and major surgery if they weren't already dead. Totalled the car. But the folks in the back seat were really just suffering some minor bruises, and I didn't even get that. Volkswagon builds tough little cars. (And it still has better safety ratings then the Fit. )

[IceFire]

The VW Jetta is on my list. They have a new commercial about just that...they advertise and have a glamour shot of the car after its been in a collision (simulated of course).

I realize that the new small little cars are sturdy and robust little guys most of the time but I guess its a matter of feeling safe and I'd rather drive something a "bit" bigger.  Not that the Mazda3 or the VW Jetta are huge cars because I dislike big cars as well.  The Intrepid my parents drive is presently at the upper edge of my personal comfort zone.

[IceFire]

Well I'm feeling fairly confident about the Mazda3.  The question of course now is when I'll actually need a car and when I'll have money to buy it.  Actually I'm saving and I probably could buy it right now but its just not realistic.

[Dysko]

I would like a cheap car. Your cars are all so extensive... I think I'll buy somthing cheap like a... uhm... a Pagani Zonda C12-S Roadster would be nice. Cheap, fuel-effective... 

[IceFire]

Lets face it...cars are not cheap.  The ones that are should make you worry.  Thats my philosophy anyways.  Most of the time you get what you pay for.

[aldo_14]

Lets face it...cars are not cheap.  The ones that are should make you worry.  Thats my philosophy anyways.  Most of the time you get what you pay for.

My car was cheap, and it's bloody great.  Reasonably nippy, good fuel efficiency, handles well, comfy.