Ongoing General Automotive Thread 2.0

[Sliver]

Originally Posted by timun

Looks like a "refresh" more than a redesign. Looks like the exact same chassis and hardpoints...

It totally does, but I thought I read it was an actual redesign. Maybe not. The 4Runner has to hold some sort of record as one of the oldest platforms still on the road at this point.

[timun]

Basically unchanged since the fourth gen was introduced in 2002, so yeah, it's getting up there. Only one off the top of my head that is similar is the Nissan Z, which is basically the same underneath going back to the 350Z.

[kevman]

I was hoping they'd follow the new Land Cruiser and "simplify" the design a bit. A little more 2nd gen and less 5th gen. A little more square headlight and less squint.

That front end has a lot more in common with the Rav4 than it does with the Land Cruiser.

[timun]

It's basically just a Tacoma SUV, so not surprising to me that it looks like a Tacoma. *shrug*

[pylon]

Originally Posted by Sliver

I like it...looks cool and fun and nice to see them update that sucker. It's been pretty samesies samesies for a long time.

There is nothing, and I me nothing more disappointing than the ride and performance of a 4Runner. Legendary quality. Yes. Legendary durability. Yes. Resale? I laugh my ass off every time I buy one of these things for the lot for a seemingly ludicrous, "What the hell am I thinking?" price at the auction, and people are crawling all over themselves to buy the thing.

The ride and handling is Jeep Wrangler bad.

The acceleration and engine noise is 1992 Ford Aerostar bad.

Yet somehow, they just keep selling boatloads of them. It is literally the safest automotive purchase you can make from a resale standpoint, but I certainly hope you aren't looking for any sort of refinement or excitement. It's the Maytag of offroaders. An automotive appliance you are buying simply for reliability, nothing more. It's the Bob Gainey of SUV's.

[DFO]

Originally Posted by pylon

The ride and handling is Jeep Wrangler bad.

The acceleration and engine noise is 1992 Ford Aerostar bad.

Exactly! We got a new 2010 Trail edition when that new gen hit. The engine was such a disappointment and the ride was stiff to say the least. My wife was so mad for the following 10yrs that I convinced her we needed the Trail over the Limited. That being said it was an absolute champ off road.

[PepsiFree]

4runner is the perfect vehicle unless you’re a nerd.

[pylon]

Originally Posted by PepsiFree

4runner is the perfect vehicle unless you’re a nerd.

Then call me a nerd. LOL.

In my opinion, the absolute most perfect automobile ever made is the MK 7/7.5 VW Golf R. Literally the Swiss army knife of vehicles. Fast, check. Trackable, check. Snow capable, a set of Hakkipillettas and it's like a WRC car in snow. Refined? check. Cool? Check. Practical? I've loaded a full size washing machine on it's back in a golf. Build quality, amazing. The Mark 8 was a step back in my opinion. A Lapiz Blue 2017 MK7 which still had analog gauges would be my choice, but don't tell that to my wife who has an Oryx white 2019 MK7.5 Stick.

It's the weirdest customer base ever. You have 25 year old kids with excellent taste lusting over them avoiding the boy-racer STI's and Civic R's. Then you have 65+ year old Porsche 911 owners looking for a cool winter car. The coolest buyer was a 78 year old rich widow who's deceased husband was a huge car nut... and it obviously rubbed off on her. He always had cool GTI's as his Daily drivers going back to the 80's.

Just my 2 nerdy cents on the topic.

[PepsiFree]

…alright I guess that’s cool, too

[Bankai]

Definitely not for everyone but I just picked up a '24 Hyundai Santa Cruz a while back and it's been the most practical vehicle for my purposes.

Minivan we used died and needed something that can haul 1000lbs of restaurant supplies multiple times a week. My wife didn't want to drive a big truck and wanted something to fit in the garage as well.

So far it's been perfect. Drives like an SUV with a decently equipped interior and small truck bed. Nice oomph and ride quality as well.

As long as the engine doesn't catch on fire I think it's a keeper.

[Sliver]

Six-month update on my 2022 Genesis G80...

I love this thing. I put my summers on this week. I bought Niche wheels and they're lighter than factory, look pretty cool and my Pirellis are so much fun. For modes it has Comfort, Sport, Sport+ (like Sport, but disables traction control), and Custom. Custom I have set up in the most aggressive settings for everything, but plush suspension.

Today I drove into work in Sport and found an exit to merge where I could gun it with nobody around. First time going full-bore with the summers on. I was able to hold a drift at maybe 20° and traction control didn't kick on and engine power remained at 100%. I loved that so much. I thought I'd maybe only be able to do that with Sport+, but Sport mode is so rad to allow you to have that kind of fun. It pulled out of it and straight with the slightest counter steer all while accelerating. Front wheels had no slip, understeer or tire rollover and the back was perfectly controllable. Chef's kiss.

It's notable since I only really started driving this in mid-October after getting it set up the way I wanted with a late-September purchase. And since it was in the shop getting Sliver-a-fied I just put the winter tires/wheels on at that time, which was a bit early. So while it's been a great winter car, I've finally been able to tap into the Mr. Hyde aspect of the car after six months with Dr. Jekyll.

Modern sports sedans are next fricken level. This is truly two cars in one. So many years I've wasted having a sports car and a daily driver. There's a degree of hassle with operating like that I got kind of sick of for now. This is a pure luxury cruiser and a completely fun sporty car with a strong RWD bias.

The longer I have the Genesis the more I realize how meh my CLS550 was in so many ways. I was so caught up on the twin turbo V8 power, that I kind of ignored its shortcomings for a lot of years, I think. Acceleration, passing, sound...all were awesome. Just its physical presence was so cool, too, and it always made me smile at how insane it looked as I walked up to it. But handling was not good, its Sport mode not different enough from its Normal mode, and just generally was not that athletic in spite of active bolsters, the lowering of the air suspension in sport mode, the lowness of the car in general, the wide stance, the super wide tires and all its power.

Regarding power, I've read it before, but this ~375 horsepower really is a sweet spot. 550 in the Mercedes meant if I were to drift a corner like the one I did this morning, I could easily overpower the vehicle and end up in a dangerous situation (mind you traction control would have kicked in unless I preplanned a multi-button-press situation in the infotainment to disable traction control first versus the hard button in my Genesis...which I didn't even need since it allows a degree of fun in Sport).

I can really understand how car culture is fading somewhat amongst younger people. They've grown up in appliance-like SUVs, crossovers and CUVs. Those are such weak vehicles if you want to have fun. And then even if you have an SUV, who TF takes them offroad or does anything remotely SUV like in them? Less than a quarter of a percent is my guess. A whole generation of kids has grown up in the lamest vehicles when there are such killer options out there. Sports sedans today are the best vehicles you can buy IMO. Saw a dude in a Stinger on the way in as well. Those have held up as gorgeous cars and you can definitely get into one of those for a great price.

[nik-]

SUV's aren't for off-roading, they're so you annoy the hell out of people across from you in intersections who can't see past your bloated piece of #### to see if it's safe to turn or not.

[DownInFlames]

Women are making more, if not most, car buying decisions and they want "safe" and practical vehicles. So we're getting dumb SUVs and CUVs. And because women are now driving large vehicles trucks had to get huge so fragile male egos could cope. It's a vicious circle.

[you&me]

Originally Posted by DownInFlames

Women are making more, if not most, car buying decisions and they want "safe" and practical vehicles. So we're getting dumb SUVs and CUVs. And because women are now driving large vehicles trucks had to get huge so fragile male egos could cope. It's a vicious circle.

Or, sometimes people just need a large vehicle.

[DownInFlames]

Originally Posted by you&me

Or, sometimes people just need a large vehicle.

Sometimes, yes. Mostly though? No they don't.

[you&me]

Originally Posted by Sliver

Six-month update on my 2022 Genesis G80...

I love this thing...

The longer I have the Genesis the more I realize how meh my CLS550 was in so many ways...

I think I said this in one post when you were starting to look at a replacement... Regardless of how epic a car was ~10-15 years ago, it's really hard to hold a candle to even a more modest (don't think that's the right word here, but you know...) modern car. Tire tech, suspension and traction control and even infotainment are so, soooo superior and the resultant driving experience is so much more enjoyable.

Glad you're enjoying your new ride!

[Sliver]

Originally Posted by you&me

I think I said this in one post when you were starting to look at a replacement... Regardless of how epic a car was ~10-15 years ago, it's really hard to hold a candle to even a more modest (don't think that's the right word here, but you know...) modern car. Tire tech, suspension and traction control and even infotainment are so, soooo superior and the resultant driving experience is so much more enjoyable.

Glad you're enjoying your new ride!

Yeah, you're totally right. I think as I've gotten older and time has flown by faster I had lost touch with that a bit, but 12 years is an eternity in how much cars can advance.

[MrSector9]

Originally Posted by pylon

Then call me a nerd. LOL.

In my opinion, the absolute most perfect automobile ever made is the MK 7/7.5 VW Golf R. Literally the Swiss army knife of vehicles. Fast, check. Trackable, check. Snow capable, a set of Hakkipillettas and it's like a WRC car in snow. Refined? check. Cool? Check. Practical? I've loaded a full size washing machine on it's back in a golf. Build quality, amazing. The Mark 8 was a step back in my opinion. A Lapiz Blue 2017 MK7 which still had analog gauges would be my choice, but don't tell that to my wife who has an Oryx white 2019 MK7.5 Stick.

It's the weirdest customer base ever. You have 25 year old kids with excellent taste lusting over them avoiding the boy-racer STI's and Civic R's. Then you have 65+ year old Porsche 911 owners looking for a cool winter car. The coolest buyer was a 78 year old rich widow who's deceased husband was a huge car nut... and it obviously rubbed off on her. He always had cool GTI's as his Daily drivers going back to the 80's.

Just my 2 nerdy cents on the topic.

I think you made a mistake and it should read MK4 R32 :P

I am a VW nerd that went into a 4runner nerd, 4th gen 4.7L though so while I would never say it is fast, it is also not the 4.0 v6. It does everything I want it to do, it is simple, decently fuel efficient (I have had highway mileage towing a jetski,fully loaded of 11.8/100km), I sleep in it, have a diesel heater installed on the frame, tows jet skis and the most important part.... I do not care at all what happens to it, I get in it soaking wet, throw firewood in the back, drive it through brush.

If the new one had come with the twin turbo v6 option I would be much more interested, around town the 4 cyl would be really economical but like the Ford's, towing anything with it and it starts to not make much sense to spend $60,000+ to try to save 2-3L/100km

[nik-]

Yeah, I still love the looks of a tastefully modified MK 1 and 2's, but MK4 R32 is peak Golf in my books.

[Timbo]

Need a new car budget is $55,000
Looking at…
-Golf R 2024 New
-Audi A4 2024 Lightly used 14k
-Audi S3 2023 Lightly used 5k
-Lexus IS300 2021 Lightly used 24k and $10,000 cheaper
Or..?

Any insight/ experience on these cars?
Also has the VW fixed its infotainment gremlins?