Karl's Daily Log Book - READ ONLY

2391 messages, Last post on Nov 30, 2005 at 6:50 AM

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What is this discussion about? Coupe, Sedan, SUV

Karl Brauer is the Editor in Chief of Edmunds.com, which means he finds himself in a different vehicle almost every day of the week. If you want a daily road test review regarding the latest cars and trucks to hit the market, along with commentary on everything from auto industry happenings to L.A. drivers to his latest close encounter with Johnny Law, this is the place to be.

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#51 of 2391 Re: #50 by lev_berkovich Mar 19, 2005 (10:47 am)
Replying to: doug889 (Mar 19, 2005 3:16 am) Ladies and Gentlemen, Since this is a brand new thread, may I suggest to include an original posting ## in your response. Some times, when the answer is short and non-descriptive, it is difficult to figure out what was the point of that counter point.
#52 of 2391 Karl... by jchan2 Mar 19, 2005 (8:13 pm)
How do you feel about the 2004 Infiniti I35? I bought one a few weeks ago and it seems fine- I still don't understand why it didn't sell well. I drove the Lexus ES330 also and felt like the I35 was a better car- slightly sportier, roomier and cheaper. Replies to this message: editor_karl (Mar 22, 2005 1:41 pm) jchan2 (Mar 24, 2005 8:30 pm) editor_karl (Mar 24, 2005 8:49 pm)
#53 of 2391 dear editor..... by badtoy Mar 20, 2005 (10:59 am)
Actually, BMW has been a luxury brand for over 30 years...Volvo has not (and still isn't, in my book -- "near" luxury, yes -- "luxury," no). In fact, BMW started its upscale climb with the introduction of the Bavaria in the early 70s. It was intended to be a very reasonably priced upscale sedan with BMW handling attributes, but dealer markups quickly sent it beyond the reach of working folks. After that, it was all uphill, and only the 3 has remained affordable to the masses. The days of the 2002 are long gone....
#54 of 2391 March 22 by editor_karl Mar 22, 2005 (12:29 pm)
Ugh! Been about as sick as I've ever been over the past three days. The symptoms of this one could support its own discussion, but I'll try to stay on topic. While I've been mostly bedridden recently, the wife took her first drive in our long-term Honda Accord Hybrid. She thought it was very cool, and had an interesting take on the vehicle: "This is one of those cars you can be passionate about driving. Not because it has passionate driving traits, but because you know you are drivng cutting edge technology that likely points to the future." This is a woman who normally uses my 1970 Plymouth GTX to shuttle the kids and buy groceries, so she has a unique perspective on modern cars that can still inspire passion. Since she drove this car before I did (it was delivered to my house by a kindly Edmunds road test editor), I have to go with her driving impressions so far. Hopefully I'll make it back to the real world in the next 24 hours and have some first-hand comments to offer.
#55 of 2391 I hope you get well soon. by vcheng Mar 22, 2005 (12:44 pm)

#56 of 2391 Re: March 10 [editor_karl] by kurtamaxxguy Mar 22, 2005 (1:35 pm)
Replying to: editor_karl (Mar 11, 2005 2:17 pm) Karl, thanks for all your posts and reviews! I have two questions: 1. Given all the security fears the USA has been facing since 9/11, might those fears be a reason why, in spite of high gas prices and road congestion, Americans now want huge vehicles and powerful engines in the belief that these vehicles will make them "safer"? 2. How much horsepower in a vehicle is enough? (subpoints: Do we need a viper V10 in a Chrysler 300? A 1000 Hp Bugatti?) Replies to this message: editor_karl (Mar 22, 2005 2:06 pm) lev_berkovich (Mar 22, 2005 2:59 pm) editor_karl (Mar 23, 2005 11:31 pm) and 2 more... andys120 (Mar 23, 2005 7:29 am) kurtamaxxguy (Mar 23, 2005 8:17 am)
#57 of 2391 Re: Karl... [jchan2] by editor_karl Mar 22, 2005 (1:41 pm)
Replying to: jchan2 (Mar 19, 2005 8:13 pm) A good question. The last time we tested that model was waaaay back in 2001, as the I30 in our 2001 Entry Level Luxury Sedan test: http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/Drives/Comparos/articleId=46528/pageId=4787. However, many of the items that placed it 7 out of 9 in 2001 still hold true for the 2004 I35. 1. It's a glorified version of the Maxima, which is itself a fine automobile. Yes, the ES 330 is a glorified Camry, but the Camry isn't exactly a compelling car, just a very rational one. The Maximum has performance and a solid foundation in luxury, so why pay more for an Infiniti version. The jump from Maxima to I35 just wasn't enough for most people to justify the extra $$$. 2. By 2002 you had the G35, so if you really wanted luxury and performance, that's the one you bought. Again, Toyota makes it work with both the ES 330 and the IS 300, but that brings me to my third point... 3. Toyota has a longstanding advantage of being...well, Toyota. They have a massive loyalty base and a relatively spotless history of building solid product. Don't foget that the majority of the I30/I35's lifestyle was during Nissan's dark years (1996-2001). During this period it wasn't "cool" or "hip" to buy a Nissan, which it is again since Ghosn has been crowned the greatest man in the automotive industry (sorry Lutz). During those dark Nissan days only the strongest product prospered, and the I30/I35 just wasn't a super strong offering, especially with the less expensive Maxima readily available for less cash. Replies to this message: jchan2 (Mar 24, 2005 8:30 pm) editor_karl (Mar 24, 2005 8:49 pm)
#58 of 2391 Re: March 10 [kurtamaxxguy] by editor_karl Mar 22, 2005 (2:06 pm)
Replying to: kurtamaxxguy (Mar 22, 2005 1:35 pm) Ah, two more good questions (see how much I can post when I'm stuck at home sick!!). 1. I think you're partially correct. You're suggesting that people are buying big cars to be protected from terrorism. I believe it's slightly more complex. People who used to fly to Hawaii or the Caribbean or Europe for vacation getaways now face a much gloomier obstacle course when using air travel. Even if you think flying is safe, and even if you think you'll be safe once you get to a foreign country, the bottom line process of using an airplane is simply a pain in the you-know-what. As a result, many people (myself included) are taking to America's roads for vacations. Two years ago I drove a Honda Pilot from Los Angeles to Cooperstown, New York while visiting friends and relatives in Colorado, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York and Texas along the way. It was fun -- and no body cavity searches required!! Plus, I could pack as much stuff as I wanted without fighting for overhead space or dealing with secondary screening on checked luggage (luggage that could very well get sent to a different continent from where I'm going, anyway). But I did need a big vehicle with plenty of room for kid paraphernalia and the latest gadgets (nav system, in-car entertainment, etc.) to make the thousands of miles roll by with minimal pain. So, did I drive the Pilot for security? No, I drove it to avoid the security at airports. But both circumstances are a direct result of 9/11. 2. The horsepower race is being driven by the same factor that drives everything in corporate America: money. Right now there's an appetite for high horsepower engines (despite rising fuel costs). This means that most companies would rather be able to brag about having the highest horsepower number for a given segment than worry about its practical uses on increasingly crowded roads lined with increasiingly expensive gas stations. Don't get me wrong, I love capitalism and letting the market drive design. I'm just saying that as long as consumers buy 300-plus horsepower SUVs and 500-plus horsepower sports cars, the carmakers will keep making them (as well they should). It would take something drastic to change this situation, and I don't even count $3 a gallon as drastic. If you spend $50 a month on gas and it goes up to $80 a month, how much does that $30 really affect you? That's less than most people pay for their ISP. So, how much horsepower in a vehicle is enough? However much it takes to get people to stop buying them. So far we haven't hit that point. Replies to this message: lev_berkovich (Mar 22, 2005 2:59 pm) editor_karl (Mar 23, 2005 11:31 pm) doug889 (Mar 24, 2005 3:11 am) and 1 more... andys120 (Mar 23, 2005 7:29 am) kurtamaxxguy (Mar 23, 2005 8:17 am)
#59 of 2391 This is a good point... by kyfdx HOST Mar 22, 2005 (2:09 pm)
If I buy a 500 HP BMW M5, then I can pay for the extra gas, just by dropping my DSL service... Plus, I'll be so busy driving my new car, I won't have time for the internet, anyway... Oh, honey.. I found a way to pay for that new car...
#60 of 2391 Re: March 10 [editor_karl] by lev_berkovich Mar 22, 2005 (2:59 pm)
Replying to: editor_karl (Mar 22, 2005 2:06 pm) Karl, Although I will agree in general with your "capitalistic" point of view, I still think that you underestimate the influence of the media, including Edmunds.com that glorifies the extra power. If more of respected reviewers will emphasize the reason versus the power hunger, we might see the different outcome at the dealer's lots. One example - the XC90 and S80 that my wife and I drive. We have opted for the lower power - 2.9 and 2.5T in both cases and believe that both vehicles have more than enough "muscles" for the everyday' drive. But all and every "official" review from the auto magazine or web site defines these trim as underpowered. And no matter what it is, if I as a consumer is pre-conditioned that 200HP is not enough, I surely will "feel" it. My point is that if you, personally, along with your colleges will take a different stand and start convincing general public that enough is enough, we will be much closer to the rest of the world with the average size of the car's engine. By the way, most of Europeans mange to drive much less powerful cars like maniacs, compare to the average American driver Replies to this message: editor_karl (Mar 23, 2005 11:31 pm) doug889 (Mar 24, 2005 3:11 am) kurtamaxxguy (Mar 24, 2005 9:58 am)