It all started in 2006, when Inside Line first tested the 2006 MX-5 Miata and I knew I wanted one. Being fresh out of college, I first made the sensible and practical choice and settled for a 2007 Honda Fit. Oddly, I never needed the practicality, and while it was fun, it was slow.
In 2008 I traded in the Fit for a 2008 MX-5 Miata GT. I always wanted a roadster. It was a choice between a CPO Z4, S2000 and the MX-5, but the MX-5 was newer, and was more affordable since I did not want a payment. I settled for a new MX-5 Highland Green GT with the premium package and I never looked back.
I love the car, it had everything I wanted, with HID, leather and smart key, but it had quite a bit of body roll, while sitting quite high like a 4x4. I finally caught the mod bug, but still wanted to keep the warranty intact, so I settled mostly for MazdaSpeed parts with the exception of the exhaust. I also love the coupe look, so I got the factory removable hard top instead of the PRHT. The PRHT looked a bit awkward to me, while I also did not want the added complexity.
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Categories: Readers Cars
Hey guys, this is Lenny (screen name: carfreak493) here to share with all of you my pride and glory.
If there was one thing that consumed my life more than anything, I would have to say it was my car, a 2006 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8. It has now been in my life for over six years, sharing countless number of incredible memories which forever had changed my life.
It all started back at the end of 2005 with my father looking for a new toy, something a little special (fast, rare), but still versatile (SUV, sedan), as well as being able to deal with the northeast winters (AWD). Our final list came down to a 2006 STI or a 2007 RS4, neither of which my father or I were perfectly in love with. Then when Jeep released the news of a new Grand Cherokee SRT8, my heart stopped and from that moment on there was no doubt it was perfect.
Placing the order in November 2005, which included the Inferno Pearl Metallic paint color and every possible option, it was finally delivered to our local dealer February 18, 2006. Being the second SRT GC to be sold at that dealer, as well as the first one being red, every employee came out to examine, admire, and even snap some quick pictures. It was a moment to never be forgotten. With 7 miles on the odometer, we cautiously rolled off the lot. Three years later in 2009, with the Jeep running strong with 42K miles, my dad officially passed the keys down to me, as I had finally achieved my senior license. To this day I thank him, honestly feeling fortunate is an understatement.
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Categories: Readers Cars
Here's another entry from Huy, who previously posted about his 1991 Acura NSX. -- Donna
This is my 1990 Nissan 300ZX Twin Turbo. It's another of my dream cars. I came upon this one like it was fate. I had been looking for one and there was nothing good, but one day I was at a Nissan dealership for parts and there it was. It had many problems but it was unmodded and that was good for me.
I set out to do all the maintenance and found this car is a nightmare to work on. Long story short: I got it done but it still did not run right. (This I did not know until later.) Even so, this car was still really quick, faster than my friend's Subaru WRX with downpipe and exhaust. It was when I started modding that I found out what was wrong. The hoses running to a wastegate on one turbo were reversed, so I was essentially running on one turbo. I flipped them around (not as easy as it sounds) and the car was so much faster, you wouldn't believe it. Owning this car is constant maintenance, so I spent most of my time and money fixing things and modding took a back seat.
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Categories: Readers Cars
I just picked up a 2007 BMW 335xi that's fully loaded with almost every option, even small niceties like rear power sunshade and rear parking sensors. I live in northern New Jersey and it's my first AWD car so I'm pretty excited to not have to switch between summer and winter tire sets.
I used to have a 2007 Infiniti G35 sedan but I totaled it so then I bought a 2006 Lexus IS350 (both RWD). But now I'm selling the Lexus because the RWD is just too inconvenient in my life. All three cars are great, the Infiniti was so lively and ready to go fast, the Lexus much more subdued but had a lot of power when asked to go fast, and the BMW is kind of a mix of both.
I'm most excited about the tune that I'll be getting for the car. I'm gonna keep it stock and just get the Cobb Accessport with a Stage 1 aggressive tune, which should net me about 90hp and 110 lb-ft of torque at the wheels. That, coupled with AWD and high performance all-season tires, should really turn this car into an awesome year round daily driver that can handle any weather and be a blast.
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Categories: Readers Cars
Where to start...
Let me keep it short. Always wanted a Lancer, the Evo of course, but I couldn't afford it. So I got the next best thing, a regular Lancer, ES to be more specific, because that was all I could afford. With the hopes of tuning the car, I bought it but soon after realized it was not worth putting all that money in for small gain.
The car does not give great MPG nor is it fast for its class (CVT). And after three years there are noticeable rattles and squeaks. But because it's mine and I pay for it with my hard-earned money, I love her. Her name is Effy. LOL
Hope you enjoy the pictures. -- Bhavin
If you want to participate in the Readers Rides blog, click here to read the submission guidelines and email your text and photos to submissions@edmunds.com -- Donna
Categories: Readers Cars
Meet my 2000 Nissan Altima SE. After owning a 1995 Altima GXE and getting in a wreck that totaled it, I bought this one. It currently has over 183,000 miles but is still running great. I do my best to keep it looking in the best condition possible both inside and out.
I must say that the car handles really well for what it is. The SE suspension and front and rear bars really give it that edge in turns with minimal body roll. The engine is also pretty peppy being a 2.4 I-4 with 155 hp and 156 lb-ft.
I really admire the level of quality inside of the car as far as soft touch surfaces and high quality materials. The power sunroof, leather seats, rear spoiler, tinted windows, and good looking tires all work to give the car a great look as well as also being nice features to have like the sunroof and side airbags.
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Categories: Readers Cars
I got my Punto SX60 back in 1999 and it has been a hell of a journey with ups and downs. This is the only car I have ever possessed since I got my license. I was 19 back then and now I'm 31 years old. One time I had a big accident and I had all sides of the car dented. It was a nightmare seeing my car in a total loss state. The only reason I kept it is because my father insisted I did back then.
It was fixed really well I think but because of the accident I had to change many parts of the car from time to time. For example, the water pump, petrol pump and radiator to name a few. After that I modified it to my liking. I kept it real -- I didn't over do it. It's my everyday car so I did not want to exaggerate in the modifications plus I don't like to exaggerate. Keeping things simple on a car is the best way to go in my opinion.
It has a carbon fiber front and rear bumper uniquely designed and made from scratch, a roof spoiler plus Abarth side skirts and 15-inch alloy wheels lowered by 35mm Sparco springs. It has a skimmed cylinder head which gave it a bit more power. It had even more BHP at one time because I had taken off the catalytic converter but I had it reinstalled due to VRT tests and also to do my bit in protecting the environment -- less pollution.
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Categories: Readers Cars
Eric bought Nikki's BMW M Coupe. You can read her entries here and here. -- Donna
There I was, minding my own business, when BAM! Out of nowhere I hear a familiar voice exclaim over my shoulder, "what the $#!+ is that?!"
I had been looking at this picture...
...marveling at how the light plays on the surface of an e86 dressed in Sepang Bronze. Killing time, I had meandered into the For Sale section of my favorite Z4 forum, and noticed that the first thread was of Nikki's coupe. I knew that her car had been for sale for what seemed like an absolute eternity (especially from Nikki's point of view), and was curious why it had made its way back to the top of the thread list again. Had it been any other thread that day, none of this would have happened.
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Categories: Readers Cars
This is my 2005 Bluestone Metallic Lexus IS300.
It's very fun to drive, aggressively styled, and has a magnificently engineered inline six-cylinder engine. It's all stock apart from the Injen cold air intake and the Magnaflow street-series exhaust.
When I first bought this car I underestimated how much fun the automatic would be, but once I got the system down I found that you can actually rev match when you down shift. Step on the pedal and you hear the nice sounds of the straight six and feel the rush of the 220 horsepower. But when you're cruising along the highway the IS is super smooth and quiet as you would expect from a Lexus. Road feel is also great in this vehicle because of its superb steering system.
The color combo with the stock chrome wheels makes it a looker. Being a 20-year-old living in San Diego, California this car never gets old. Cruising along the beach, driving through the windy back roads, or hitting the boulevard, she never disappoints. -- Gary
If you want to participate in the Readers Rides blog, click here to read the submission guidelines and email your text and photos to submissions@edmunds.com -- Donna
Categories: Readers Cars
After about a year of looking for the most performance I could get for about $35k, I finally bought a new 2008 Mitsubishi Evo X GSR in June of 2009. It had 143 miles on it and had been on the dealer's lot for over a year and they were offering $7,000 below sticker before negotiation. Sold.
I cross-shopped everything with a manual transmission from the STi (of course), 135i, G37, Mustang GT, to even the Speed3 and the GTi.
Since then I've put about 20k miles on it and have had no problems whatsoever. Scheduled maintenance, TSBs and a new set of summer tires once the stock Advans gave out at 14k is the extent of it.
I've chipped it using the Cobb Accessport, Stage 1 93-octane map (noticeable increase of power across the band, especially 3-4.5k RPM), put on a K & N filter, and plan to start modding it once the warranty runs out. Although I'm 27 and married, I'm still a boy racer at heart and plan to replace intake, exhaust, intercooler, and maybe put on lowering springs. As this is my daily 3-seasons driver (MKIV GTI w/ snow tires during the Illinois winter), I will likely stop there as my goal is real-world drivability and performance, not an ultra-peaky, track day special. No bigger turbo, no cams.
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Categories: Readers Cars
Hey Ya'll. This is my "hellaflush" 1992 Ford Festiva sitting on twelves. It has 165k miles and a salvaged title. It's rare to see these cars nowadays after the Cash-For-Clunkers program.
Anyways, I dropped it about four inches by cutting the springs all around and installed limiting straps so the springs won't fall out. I also tinted the windows, installed ambient lighting, and added a custom navi and head unit.
It's great for driving in LA traffic.
Oh and by the way, a 100-shot nitrous is next in case anybody wants to race! -- Dan
If you want to participate in the Readers Rides blog, click here to read the submission guidelines and email your text and photos to submissions@edmunds.com -- Donna
Categories: Readers Cars
Hello Inside Line!
This is my 2012 Ford Focus SEL with only 4,700 miles on the clock. Let me start out by saying that I never thought I would be driving a Ford, or for that matter, even consider purchasing one. The 2012 Focus has changed my whole perception of what Ford has to offer, and I must say, I'm impressed.
Having owned two BMW's in the past (2000 323i and a 2008 BMW 135i), I have been a bit spoiled when it comes to driving cars with incredible driving manners. But as the economy began to take a turn for the worse, I began to change my spending habits and FOCUS on what's really important in my life.
After looking at the Ford Focus, Hyundai Elantra, Chevy Cruze, Mazda 3 and Chrysler 200, I found that only two cars stood out to me in this category; The Ford Focus and the Mazda 3. The Mazda 3 is definitely the driver's choice. The Ford Focus on the other hand has both the athleticism of the Mazda 3, but an interior that makes some cars in the $30,000 plus category look cheap.
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Categories: Readers Cars
I'm not like most drivers. What most people find as inconveniences, I find as quirks, or personality.
It's 2012. Cars nowadays are full of modern technology. Sync. Navigation. Auxiliary jacks. Satellite radio. You can add Facebook, Twitter, and Pandora to your multimedia system. How do I compensate? I've got one auxiliary jack for the iPod and a dual-link 12v outlet. I don't have satellite radio, so I added fourteen total podcasts to make up for it.
But that's just the technological piece.
Then there's the car. I have located two rattles. One is from the cubby lock on the passenger side. The other, surprisingly, comes from the passenger visor. The visor. Yes, the visor. Of all places, I would have never thought noise could emit from a visor connected at one point with just two screws. But guess what? It does.
My car may weigh 2,300 lbs but it's not a smooth ride. The steering wheel feels hollow. The steering ratio, however, is very quick. I think I'm ruined for quick steering for the rest of my life.
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Categories: Readers Cars
Ever since I was a child I have been interested in transportation and have considered myself an enthusiast. Automobiles have continued to remain my number one passion, although after spending the summer in Europe, high-speed rail has gained momentum.
Just as an apple never falls far from the tree, my father too has had a passion for cars previously owning a 1989 BMW 528i 5-speed. I absolutely loved that car and after turning 16 I was anticipating my father would hand me down his pride and joy. Unfortunately, my mother had other plans and immediately instructed my father to sell it. After this crushing blow I was further let down by what became my consolation prize: the 1996 family Dodge Grand Caravan...
Fast forward five years and the time finally came for a much deserved replacement. My father had asked me what type of cars he should begin searching for and my only requirements were a sedan with a manual. My wish was granted with the purchase of my 2008 Hyundai Sonata 2.4L 5-speed.
Now, I know what you're thinking. This kid said he's an "enthusiast" and yet he got an average Korean FWD plain Jane sedan! Well, you would be partially right as this too was my original thought before the first drive (I was looking at MK5 GTIs, B7 A4s etc.) but my father insisted that we get a reliable car that my brother could eventually drive. So after owning my Sonata for a year here are my thoughts.
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Categories: Readers Cars
After owning a 2002 Porsche Carrera and a 2005 Infiniti G35 coupe (great quality and ride), one day I read an article about the Mustang GT with Brembo package. It said the Mustang gave a very strong and close fight to a BMW M3, a car costing double its price.
In that moment, it crossed my mind that it was the perfect successor to my 911. After I bought the 5.0 I was amazed at how this car handled and that it was very quick off the line. To be sincere I did not at all miss my 911 that was very expensive on the maintenance side.
First, I upgraded the Mustang shocks and springs to KONI & Steeda Sports. Immediately I felt a big improvement on the handling side. Also, I really liked the look of the rear pedestal spoiler from the California Special Edition so I added that as well. I was curious how it would look with the BOSS style side decals, so I added them, and then the Eleanor style scoops and I switched the front pony for a black one.
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Categories: Readers Cars
My name is Paul and my screen name is MikeTyson8MyKids. I don't post very often but lurk daily. This is my 2005 RX8 that, until just recently, was my daily driver/autocrosser. With the addition of another car to the family, it's now just an autocrosser and fun car.
My car now has 126,000 of almost trouble-free service miles. Besides the regular maintenance and wear items like brakes, clutch, etc., the only warranty work I've had to have done was an engine replacement at 99,000 miles due to low compression. Other than that, it has been nearly 100% trouble free.
I bought this car new in May 2006 right after I graduated from college. It must have sat around for quite a while but it had less than 100 miles on it and they cut me a nice deal. I drove it every day long distances for work. I raced radio-controlled cars and it had just enough space in the trunk to move all the equipment that I needed to do that.
After a long distance move with work in 2008, I met a nice young woman who is now my wife, and decided it was time to retire from the r/c racing. The time investment was too great wrenching on toy cars, and being that it was 2008, the recession hit r/c racing in my local area very hard. All the good tracks closed down and it was just too much to drive every weekend to go race.
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Categories: Readers Cars
I've been a long time follower of Inside Line as one of my sources for automotive info. With all the great readers rides I've seen I wanted to share mine. I am a total car nut, but when I needed a new vehicle to haul around snowmobiles in the winter and boat in the summer a sports car was out.
The family is loyal to GM products so I focused on looking at Sierras and Silverados. I test-drove lots and settled on this 2003 Sierra Denali. I picked up this truck in May 2008 with only 20k miles on it for a great price. It's a shame GM got rid of Quadrasteer because it makes this truck very maneuverable with or without a trailer. It's also a blast to drive on the back roads believe it or not.
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Categories: Readers Cars
When the "gas crisis" hit I decided that with my commute something more wallet friendly was the ticket.
After owning a Dodge Dakota, I had to have something that could at least haul larger items in a pinch when I needed, so the hatch was the only way to go. Several test drives later I ended up at the Kia dealership. I didn't like the looks and fuel economy of the Mazda 3 hatch and the Ford Focus was too new at the time and much more expensive. Out the door was less than 20K for the Kia Forte SX with the sunroof and auto-dim mirror.
I have 31K miles on the clock at the moment after purchasing in February 2011 and I have nothing but praise for the car. The ride isn't too harsh, and the car handles well enough for my needs. The six-speed automatic is a tad slow at times and I really don't have a need for the shift paddles but they're there on the SX package. So far I have averaged 29 MPG combined, and on some long freeway stretches I've seen around 33-34.
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Categories: Readers Cars
Meet Milla, my 2010 Porsche GT3. My lovely wife knows but does not completely approve of "the mistress." I met Milla for the first time back in May of last year when some unworthy gentleman discarded her for some newer, hotter mistress. I can't imagine there is such a creature. She had a mere 2,200 miles on her clock back then. We're up to 9,300 now. My life hasn't been the same since. There were many others before her, but she's captured my heart and my mind and I can't see ever parting with her. My wife will just have to make it work.
Since we met, we have spent a lot of time together. My wife is not happy about that either. At least every weekend, Milla and I go out. She loves long excursions up in the mountains of Southern California but really prefers dates at places named Willow Springs, Buttonwillow and AAA Speedway. She dreams one day of visiting Laguna Seca. Being the smitten sugar daddy, I will find a way to give her what she wants.
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Categories: Readers Cars
When the Honda Element first came out as the 2003 model, my wife and I fell in love with the car right away. While the styling could be very subjective to others, we really liked its boxy shape, versatility, and body panels made of composite plastics. Then we brought a 4WD EX home.
The Element may look weak on paper compared to its competitors. The engine may be just a 2.4-liter conventional 4 banger. 4WD is not really an off-roader. The fully loaded Element comes with nothing but just basic stereo and AC. However, in reality it's brilliant. The engine is butter smooth and reliable. The whole car is solid: no rattles and no falling apart. The ride is refined and comfortable (but only with right tire choices). The 4WD is pretty capable and works all the time. Repair? The only hassle is to bring the car to the shop for regular maintenance.
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Categories: Readers Cars
