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Toyota on the mend?

16275 messages,  Last post on Jun 12, 2013 at 7:18 AM

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What is this discussion about? Toyota, Automotive News

    

Messages Page 1621 of 1628

#16195 of 16275 Re: A Lifetime of No Respect [fintail] by ateixeira

Mar 18, 2013 (5:07 pm)

Replying to: fintail (Mar 18, 2013 4:50 pm)
There is a petition here at work to remove speed bumps in the garage. Behind it are a 911 owner, a Cooper JCW owner, a Maserati coupe owner, and me (MX5).
 
In the Forester you hardly even feel it. There are benefits.
 
It's easy to get any one with a remotely sporty car to sign because they all feel every bump.
 
If you're lowered you almost have to come to a full stop.

#16196 of 16275 Re: A Lifetime of No Respect [ateixeira] by fintail

Mar 18, 2013 (5:27 pm)

Replying to: ateixeira (Mar 18, 2013 5:07 pm)
Are they using parking barriers for speed bumps or something? I've seen that before. Feeling every bump is one reason I like my new car - it's such a mellow ride, but not numb.
 
I don't need a faux-butch CUV for speed bumps.

#16197 of 16275 Re: A Lifetime of No Respect [fintail] by ateixeira

Mar 18, 2013 (5:50 pm)

Replying to: fintail (Mar 18, 2013 5:27 pm)
A little lower, but almost.

#16198 of 16275 Re: A Lifetime of No Respect [ateixeira] by hpmctorque

Mar 19, 2013 (11:09 am)

Replying to: ateixeira (Mar 18, 2013 8:01 am)
You raise an excellent point regarding road clearance and suspension travel. I wish most sedans had an extra inch or so of clearance. There were times when that would have permitted me to get out of my neighborhood, because it was the snow plow effect rather than the tire traction that prevented my car from moving. That was with FWD. For many, including me, FWD and all seasons are sufficient in winter, but I'd welcome more clearance. I'd accept the tradeoffs associated with more clearance. I could buy a crossover, of course, but up to now, at least, I've resisted because sedans and coupes appeal to me more.
 
My Audi has Quattro, but average clearance. In fact, it may be a little lower than average since it has sport suspension. My comments regarding road clearance only applies to sedans, not coupes, convertibles and sports cars.
 
A little extra suspension travel would also be nice, but it's not a must have for me.

#16199 of 16275 Re: A Lifetime of No Respect [hpmctorque] by ateixeira

Mar 19, 2013 (11:50 am)

Replying to: hpmctorque (Mar 19, 2013 11:09 am)
That has been the Outback's formula for success - a little extra clearance, but still a wagon.
 
Next door neighbor had an allroad quattro. I don't think the Audi had all that much clearance, as he was always asking me to get gas for his snow blower in the bigger storms. He replaced it with an Accord Crosstour, and his wife has a W211 E350, but not a 4Matic.
 
fin will know this - don't 4Matics come with a higher suspension? I think that's common, they figure buyers are in the snow belt.
 
Toyota doesn't offer AWD for the Camry, of course I'm sure they'd be happy to sell you a Highlander, or RAV4, or 4Runner, or FJ. All those probably have higher profit margins anyway.

#16200 of 16275 Re: A Lifetime of No Respect [ateixeira] by Stever@Edmunds HOST

Mar 19, 2013 (12:11 pm)

Replying to: ateixeira (Mar 19, 2013 11:50 am)
It just kills me that there's no clearance in the wheel wells of my Outback. The ice build up was grinding away a couple of days ago. Just shoveled out a 8'x6' patch of drift in front of my garage doors. It was around 3' deep; would have been fun seeing if the Subaru could have blasted out through it this morning.

#16201 of 16275 Re: A Lifetime of No Respect [steve_] by ateixeira

Mar 19, 2013 (12:21 pm)

Replying to: Stever@Edmunds (Mar 19, 2013 12:11 pm)
The tires have a bigger diameter, so while they lift it a bit, the tires fill up the wheel wells more than on the Legacy. Useless trivia - you can fit a full sized spare in a Legacy, but not in an Outback. I actually bought one for the wife's old 2002 Legacy.
 
Try some WD40 strategically sprayed in the wheel wells right before it snows. Clean wheels also help, especially if you wax painted wheels.
 
Here's my question - how do you prevent ice build-up on a Tweel?
 
http://auto.howstuffworks.com/tweel-airless-tire.htm

#16202 of 16275 Re: A Lifetime of No Respect [ateixeira] by Stever@Edmunds HOST

Mar 19, 2013 (12:33 pm)

Replying to: ateixeira (Mar 19, 2013 12:21 pm)
lol, you know me better than that. Wax my wheels? I could spray some stuff in there I suppose.
 
One thing about a Tweel, you could take some cord and make your own tire chains.
 
(Did I mention it's snowing and blowing 30 mph here?).

#16203 of 16275 Re: A Lifetime of No Respect [ateixeira] by hpmctorque

Mar 19, 2013 (6:00 pm)

Replying to: ateixeira (Mar 19, 2013 11:50 am)
I suppose my wishes are hard to satisfy, but the Outback has more clearance than I'd need for 99.9 percent of the winter weather in our area (I think you and I are practically neighbors). If I lived in the snowbelt one of my vehicles would be a crossover, but for the MD suburbs of DC I prefer a car car, at least for now. I'd even take RWD with winter tires, if I could get it with an extra inch of ground clearance.
 

#16204 of 16275 Re: A Lifetime of No Respect [hpmctorque] by ateixeira

Mar 19, 2013 (6:01 pm)

Replying to: hpmctorque (Mar 19, 2013 6:00 pm)
Sure seems that way lately. A couple of winter snow with no real snow. We only get sleet and freezing rain!

Messages Page 1621 of 1628

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