donk.'s Past Time Car Review Thread

[bcrdukes]

Originally Posted by Badhobz

Oh I forgot the Buick encore I had last time when dukes was in Montreal and we met up…. That was the worst thing I’ve ever driven

That thing was pretty bad.
I don't understand how they portray it as a luxury brand with a specific target demographic in mind when clearly it is nowhere near what they think it is.

[underscore]

Originally Posted by Badhobz

Not related, but this is why that aeroplan reserve Amex card is so good. It bumps you up to presidents club at Avis and I always get some interesting rental for the price of an intermediate car. I’ve gotten……

Durango SRT
BMW 330
BMW 530
Genesis G80
Charger R/T

All for the price of a Corolla/camry.

That's the shitty part of my gig, the basic reward points go to me but it's all booked on the company cards so I can't get the really big perks.

I'm usually with National/Enterprise and their Emerald Aisle setup is pretty nice. Just walk up and pick whatever you want from whatever tier you are and go. No screwing around in line at the rental counter.

To stay on topic(ish), I figured out that if you put this Kia Sportage into Sport it has actual throttle response so you're less likely to be killed by the nutty drivers in TO. If I stop posting odds are I forgot to switch it and I've been killed because otherwise it's about as sharp as gouda.

[68style]

No one clapped and stomped their feet for that encore.

[AstulzerRZD]

Originally Posted by underscore

That's the shitty part of my gig, the basic reward points go to me but it's all booked on the company cards so I can't get the really big perks.

I'm usually with National/Enterprise and their Emerald Aisle setup is pretty nice. Just walk up and pick whatever you want from whatever tier you are and go. No screwing around in line at the rental counter.

My tips for you bro:

1a) Every World Elite car qualifies for National Exec status

1b) If you just ask and they have spare inventory, National aisle concierges are pretty good

1c) National also doesn't track where they park their cars the way that Hertz does; if you're ballsy, pull a car from exec

1d) Check the Flyertalk "National Cars at XXX" thread to see when a good time to go is

2) Hertz PC used to be really good but has become BS after bankruptcy.

3) Avis is awful at everything lol but they've had some bangers for me; CT4, G80, Grand Cherokee and Wrangler 4XEs are super common in the fleet.

[bcrdukes]

Originally Posted by AstulzerRZD

My tips for you bro:

1a) Every World Elite car qualifies for National Exec status

I have a World Elite Mastercard. How do you bump up to exec status with National? They are my preferred rental car company for work and personal. Thanks in advance!

[AstulzerRZD]

Tempted to see if this AMEX link for National Exec Elite works. IT says 2015 but worked in 2021. https://legacy.nationalcar.com/en_US...ExecElite.html

VISA Infinite enrollment link: https://legacy.nationalcar.com/en_US...l?locale=en_US

Can't find the World Elite link anymore

[RabidRat]

I tried the Visa Infinite signup: it worked for me! Thanks!

[AstulzerRZD]

Originally Posted by AstulzerRZD

Jeep Grand Cherokee 4XE: this is gonna sound crazy ... a commentary on BMW ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Jeep Wrangler 4XE: that cheerful brunette next door ⭐⭐⭐⭐ and 1/2





Emotionally, ain't life great when u can enjoy all of it - the fast moments, the slow moments, the top of moments, and moments with friends?

1) fast moments: 370hp/470lbft ... but even with the 150hp EV mode you can rip Oak/Granville street right lane passes. Drive over a curb to get to that empty left turn lane? LFG

2) silly moments: send it sideways in the rain, trail brake it into a corner, crank the steering and it turns great when it settles

3) slow moments: 1 pedal drive it in traffic and hyper mile the thing from 30km of range and get 45 instead. hear the birds chirp while you're in traffic with the top off.

4) friends: who doesn't want to ride in a Jeep ... and Toyota/Honda could never produce a factory sound system this good

ok but how bad is the wrangler shit?

A) road noise blah blah blah ... a Camry / RAV4 way louder once you're above 100kmh

B) does this thing skip over the road ... yeah and it's extremely sketch in the rain on mud terrain tires on the Willys, drove it in 4AUTO. Sahara is fine on its Bridgestone Alena's.

C) The 2.0 was silent at 145kmh in the Grand Cherokee but the 33s, brick aero, top off, and 5300 lbs of Wrangler on a hill got that thing sounding like a blender.

D) rear seats don't fold flat at all with a hump

Intellectually, these are leasing at 250 USD A MONTH


My stats:
Vancouver Weekend Driving: 168km electric, 69km gas, 5h54, 6.3L/100km
Seattle City Driving (8 days): 270mi electric, 336mi gas, 7.5L/100km
Overall: 1288 km, 426 mi electric, 379 mi on gas, 7.4L/100km

More cheap: $14 in charging for 600km
Free L1/L2 charging at night, paid L2 at gym (2CAD/hr), work (50c/hr), and various paid parking in DT Vancouver ($1.5 more than parking without charging)

You could get a plain jane RAV4 Prime and use half the fuel, a 392 wrangler would make all the right noises, or a Bronco would drive better/offer a stick...
but IMO none of them will be as enjoyable overall and easy to live with as that cheerful brunette next door.

This is America's best selling plug-in hybrid for many many good reasons.

[Badhobz]

Boooo!!!!! Booo!!!!!!!! I say

Blonde or get the fuck out

[AstulzerRZD]

Originally Posted by Badhobz

Boooo!!!!! Booo!!!!!!!! I say

Blonde or get the fuck out

392 or get outta town 👉🚪

[EvoFire]

Originally Posted by AstulzerRZD

Jeep Wrangler 4XE: that cheerful brunette next door ⭐⭐⭐⭐ and 1/2





Emotionally, ain't life great when u can enjoy all of it - the fast moments, the slow moments, the top of moments, and moments with friends?

1) fast moments: 370hp/470lbft ... but even with the 150hp EV mode you can rip Oak/Granville street right lane passes. Drive over a curb to get to that empty left turn lane? LFG

2) silly moments: send it sideways in the rain, trail brake it into a corner, crank the steering and it turns great when it settles

3) slow moments: 1 pedal drive it in traffic and hyper mile the thing from 30km of range and get 45 instead. hear the birds chirp while you're in traffic with the top off.

4) friends: who doesn't want to ride in a Jeep ... and Toyota/Honda could never produce a factory sound system this good

ok but how bad is the wrangler shit?

A) road noise blah blah blah ... a Camry / RAV4 way louder once you're above 100kmh

B) does this thing skip over the road ... yeah and it's extremely sketch in the rain on mud terrain tires on the Willys, drove it in 4AUTO. Sahara is fine on its Bridgestone Alena's.

C) The 2.0 was silent at 145kmh in the Grand Cherokee but the 33s, brick aero, top off, and 5300 lbs of Wrangler on a hill got that thing sounding like a blender.

D) rear seats don't fold flat at all with a hump

Intellectually, these are leasing at 250 USD A MONTH


My stats:
Vancouver Weekend Driving: 168km electric, 69km gas, 5h54, 6.3L/100km
Seattle City Driving (8 days): 270mi electric, 336mi gas, 7.5L/100km
Overall: 1288 km, 426 mi electric, 379 mi on gas, 7.4L/100km

More cheap: $14 in charging for 600km
Free L1/L2 charging at night, paid L2 at gym (2CAD/hr), work (50c/hr), and various paid parking in DT Vancouver ($1.5 more than parking without charging)

You could get a plain jane RAV4 Prime and use half the fuel, a 392 wrangler would make all the right noises, or a Bronco would drive better/offer a stick...
but IMO none of them will be as enjoyable overall and easy to live with as that cheerful brunette next door.

This is America's best selling plug-in hybrid for many many good reasons.

WTF 473 for a GC 4XE Overland, where do I sign up

[AstulzerRZD]

Originally Posted by EvoFire

WTF 473 for a GC 4XE Overland, where do I sign up

US brokered lease deals are insane.

[Badhobz]

Yeah tell me about it. I saw a Tesla Model 3 for 260 a month and either 0 down, or something stupid like 1000 down. WTF!!!

[Badhobz]

I saw an old Cadillac CTS drive by me today on my way to work and i got me reminiscing about my old CTS.

2005 Cadillac CTS w/ 2.8L V6


You guys remember the matrix reloaded? i saw that movie and i fell instantly in love with that CTS

https://www.motortrend.com/features/matrix-reloaded/

Cadillac just introduced their new "arts and science" design with the release of that movie and i was enthralled. I thought the black one was super menacing looking and it was one of the few domestic cars that i liked.

This was 2005. I just graduated from Super Fuckers University and was working in West Vancouver as a Bank teller for HSBC. Busing to West Van was insane and i wanted a car. My first intuition was to buy a Lexus ES300 but once again toyota ownership slipped through my fingers due to the family being FLAT BROKE. My mom gave me 8000 bucks for a down payment and i leased the CTS for like $650 bucks a month. The caddy wasnt cheap, it was almost 40k and i was only able to afford the base model.

Should i have just taken the 8k and bought a used toyota? hell yes, but this is a 21 year old me and i was trying to get as much ass as possible. Its pretty hard to do that in a jalopy.

The goods:
- The pleather seats are very very comfortable and supportive. I did numerous long drives with the car and it always surprised me at how good it was.
- American Air conditioning was 10000x stronger than the one in my dad's old Sentra XE
- Huge trunk and decent cabin size
- I thought the interior looked really decent! compared to the Sentra that i was coming from, it felt like a spaceship

- It had huge cupholders. Big enough to shove my dingdong in it


The bad:
- Engine was dog shit. the 2.8L v6 was thirsty, noisy, and overall terrible. I raced my friends mitsu gallant and LOST. such garbage power 210hp out of that 2.8L
- The handling wasnt that great. Very low limits and i had a few moments where i was able to get the ass out (FR car) unexpectedly. Body roll was deadly and it felt like the land yachts of old
- Being the base model, i wasnt able to get the xenons and it always made me self conscious for some reason. The light projection from the halogens were so piss poor that driving at night was seriously dangerous.
- The wheels were super small and goofy looking. Once again being base model, i was always kinda embarrassed with the side profile

[Traum]

Originally Posted by Badhobz

Should i have just taken the 8k and bought a used toyota? hell yes, but this is a 21 year old me and i was trying to get as much ass as possible. Its pretty hard to do that in a jalopy.

So let's just cut to the chase -- did you at least succeed in this goal? If you did, it couldn't have been any Chinese / Asian chick because no self-respecting Chinese / Asian chick would hope into a Cadillac. Chances are -- it'd have to be a Caucasian chick.

[Badhobz]

O hell yes. I dated a scottish chick who loved... LOVED! the heated seats in the caddy. She got off on the seats and we got busy in the back seat

I actually met spy balloon with this car, so its a dream maker

[Gerbs]

Damn $650/month in 2005!

[68style]

Fake it til you make it... and hobz definitely made it lol

[Badhobz]

Originally Posted by Gerbs

Damn $650/month in 2005!

cuz the residual was a joke. 36 month lease and the buy out was less than 10k

I paid most of it during the lease.

[EvoFire]

Then what's the point of the lease.... You weren't writing anything off either.

[Badhobz]

Yeah tell that to the dumb ass 21 year old me back in 2005. All I saw was that the lease payment was lower than the finance payment. Since my family had horrible experiences with domestics before, I thought it would be better off to lease and return at the end.

I did return at the end of the 3 years but man ole man was that ever an expensive lease for a very broke ass hobz

[red kryptonite]

Originally Posted by Badhobz

You guys remember the matrix reloaded? i saw that movie and i fell instantly in love with that CTS

for me it was bad boys 2

[RabidRat]

Originally Posted by Badhobz

Yeah tell that to the dumb ass 21 year old me back in 2005. All I saw was that the lease payment was lower than the finance payment. Since my family had horrible experiences with domestics before, I thought it would be better off to lease and return at the end.

I did return at the end of the 3 years but man ole man was that ever an expensive lease for a very broke ass hobz

They should teach personal finance as part of the standard curriculum in school. Like in Math or something, to make the material more relatable and relevant. What if instead of "uh yeah, it's Chapter 5.7 - Exponential Growth" where the only upside was getting to play games on our TI-83's, it was "How to finance a car and not go broke, own a property to park the car at, and amass yer wealth."

Where would we all be today, if we'd only had Gerbs and lowside67 teaching us shiet through highschool.

You could say our parents should've taught it to us, but you're at the whim of whatever random level of financial education the family has, which is hit-and-miss.

[Badhobz]

Im not listening to financial advice from a fucking guy driving a Geo Metro!

Fuck your 50k a year job; you dont have your shit together you lousy engrish major / high school educator

Originally Posted by red kryptonite

for me it was bad boys 2

Badboys 3 is just out. its 3 decades of fun! i skipped a day in university to go watch the 2nd one

[Bender Unit]

Originally Posted by Badhobz

Badboys 3 is just out. its 3 decades of fun! i skipped a day in university to go watch the 2nd one, and now ill skip a day of work to go watch the 3rd one (on tuesday! like a cheap hoe)

it is the 4th Bad Boys now