NDL Forum

OracleHCR wrote:Did you end up getting the Dart? What model and color did you decide on?

Being delivered tomorrow but here are some pics from Spydie on the lot.

Disregard the lack of tint.

Cnasty wrote:Disregard the lack of tint

If I had to grade it, I'd say "I"...incomplete.

Tint makes such a difference in how a car looks. I of course want to go illegal, dark as possible on this thing but the wife is all concerned about safety and seeing at night with the little one and it being to dark. I told her she has a backup camera, and she can roll down the window!

Here is what I am driving. I had a 2000 Buick Regal Supercharged and it finally died:
2013 Kia Soul Exclaim in Moss











We just picked this up for the wife 2 weeks ago:
2013 Hyundai Sonata in Sparkling Ruby








I also ride around on this:
2003 Triumph Bonneville 700 CC

Me or Dave or someone mentioned a while back. Its tougher to justify spending 50,000+ on a car in my opinion anymore.

What might have been considered lower end cars in the past now have LCD displays, satellite radios, USB jacks, MP3 hookups...etc etc etc

ajalves wrote:What might have been considered lower end cars in the past now have LCD displays, satellite radios, USB jacks, MP3 hookups...etc etc etc

It was you. When you got your car you mentioned all of this and its so true. The Dart is loaded with crap that you didnt see back in the day as standard. It has these 2 huge LCD displays that is becoming the norm in most of these smaller cars.

Thats one of the reasons we didnt hesitate in trading in the Lexus for a "downgrade" to the Dart with the bells and whistles, the cost savings, and the huge MPG benefits.

You see those new Sonatas everywhere, they are nice rides.

Cnasty wrote:

ajalves wrote:What might have been considered lower end cars in the past now have LCD displays, satellite radios, USB jacks, MP3 hookups...etc etc etc

It was you. When you got your car you mentioned all of this and its so true. The Dart is loaded with crap that you didnt see back in the day as standard. It has these 2 huge LCD displays that is becoming the norm in most of these smaller cars.

Thats one of the reasons we didnt hesitate in trading in the Lexus for a "downgrade" to the Dart with the bells and whistles, the cost savings, and the huge MPG benefits.

You see those new Sonatas everywhere, they are nice rides.

We are leasing her Sonata, but $0 down, $0 first month and $0 due at signing, besides the taxes, title fees...which was about $700 out of pocket and $262 a month total.
This was the base model with 1 level up trim package.

Aux, USB, Bluetooth, heated seats, auto headlights, auto dimming rearview mirror
no navigation, leather, push button start or sunroof which all came in the higher model.

All she wanted was power mirrors, heated seats and bluetooth for her cell phone.

I agree with you and AJ, my Soul has everything except push button start, heated seats and navigation and the next trim up gave you all of that.
I wanted the nice rims, sunroof, bluetooth, auto headlights, auto dimming mirrors and the backup camera.

A few years ago, you would have never seen features like that unless you were in a fully loaded Cadillac, Buick, or higher up models like BMW, Mercedes, Lexus, etc.

ajalves wrote:Me or Dave or someone mentioned a while back. Its tougher to justify spending 50,000+ on a car in my opinion anymore.

What might have been considered lower end cars in the past now have LCD displays, satellite radios, USB jacks, MP3 hookups...etc etc etc

You can believe this if you want but you're wrong. Yes the newer cars have all the amenities and creature comforts that the more expensive cars do but it's not the same. That car in the $30k - $50k range is going to ride better, handle better, not have the road noise, have more power and be built much sounder than the car that is in the $20k's.
The seats and interior is going to be much more plush and comfortable also.
The Dart, Sonata, Camry,..etc are all nice cars but a Lexus, BMW, Mercedes are much nicer and cost more for a reason.

OracleHCR wrote:You can believe this if you want but you're wrong.

You said he's wrong then agreed with what he said?

All the other stuff you mentioned, AJ didn't touch on at all.

I dont think he was meaning ride and engine wise. I think just the pure bells and whistles of the small things that make big differences that come in the lower priced models now.

Like I said, when in the past have you ever seen such a large touch screen, USB, bluetooth, backup camera, 2LCDs, and stuff like that in cars under $20k in the past?

Its the norm of evolving with the customer base now a days and the evolution of the phones and crap as well that people rely on more in their cars versus the old upgrades of CD players and stuff like that.

There is no doubt you will get better engines, plush interiors, and stuff like that in higher end models.

shel311 wrote:

OracleHCR wrote:You can believe this if you want but you're wrong.

You said he's wrong then agreed with what he said?

All the other stuff you mentioned, AJ didn't touch on at all.

I didn't agree with what he said. I pointed out reasons the $50k car cost $50k.

OracleHCR wrote:

shel311 wrote:

OracleHCR wrote:You can believe this if you want but you're wrong.

You said he's wrong then agreed with what he said?

All the other stuff you mentioned, AJ didn't touch on at all.

I didn't agree with what he said. I pointed out reasons the $50k car cost $50k.

But none of those reasons were reasons AJ gave so I don't know think that is where AJ was headed with his points, as Corey was saying.

He said it was tough to justify paying $50k for a car when you get the same stuff on the new lower end vehicles. I just pointed out that it isn't the same. Even though you might have the same techie stuff, that $50k car is worth the extra $30,000.

OracleHCR wrote:He said it was tough to justify paying $50k for a car when you get the same stuff on the new lower end vehicles. I just pointed out that it isn't the same. Even though you might have the same techie stuff, that $50k car is worth the extra $30,000.

Im not knocking guys for riding whatever they want. But if you're going to try and say a $50,000 Bens is 100% better car than a $25,000 Accord, then i'd disagree in a big way.

ajalves wrote:

OracleHCR wrote:He said it was tough to justify paying $50k for a car when you get the same stuff on the new lower end vehicles. I just pointed out that it isn't the same. Even though you might have the same techie stuff, that $50k car is worth the extra $30,000.

Im not knocking guys for riding whatever they want. But if you're going to try and say a $50,000 Bens is 100% better car than a $25,000 Accord, then i'd disagree in a big way.

it really depends how much a car nerd you are and the purpose for the ride.

if you care about performance and power it might be worth twice as much. but practically speaking, you're right. no shot those cars are worth twice as much when it comes to features and functionality of getting from A to B.

but you're also thinking wtih your pockets. to many people the difference between an 85k car and a 25k car is like you spending 50 dollars vs 5. just different mindsets when the money situation is different. problem is when people who are making 50k a year are going out and buying 80k cars.

i hear you.

I also dont think there is such a thing as a $100 steak though

keep in mind i dont have tons of money, all the while i dont care about it much either

ajalves wrote:i hear you.

I also dont think there is such a thing as a $100 steak though

keep in mind i dont have tons of money, all the while i dont care about it much either

again its all relative.

its what we know and grew up with so $100 steaks and $80k cars is absurd to us.

but, if $100 steaks were the same as 2 dollar happy meals than you wouldn't know any better or think twice about it. as gross as that sounds.

yup.

ajalves wrote:

OracleHCR wrote:He said it was tough to justify paying $50k for a car when you get the same stuff on the new lower end vehicles. I just pointed out that it isn't the same. Even though you might have the same techie stuff, that $50k car is worth the extra $30,000.

Im not knocking guys for riding whatever they want. But if you're going to try and say a $50,000 Bens is 100% better car than a $25,000 Accord, then i'd disagree in a big way.

My question here would be: Have you driven one?
The Honda Accord is a great car. I've had 2. Very nice interior, put together well and will last forever if you take care of it. Compared to a comparably equipped Mercedes though... There is no comparison. If you knew nothing about either and price was not a variable, after a test drive of each you'd pick the Mercedes without even blinking.
You have to remember what the Mercedes (BMW and Audi also) is built for. Driving between Stuttgart and Munich at 120 mph on the autobahn. If you are a passenger and not paying attention to the blur outside, you wouldn't even know you were going over 70. No wind or road noise and the car is planted. Is that the specs the Accord is built to? Nope. You could cruise around 100 mph in the Accord but you would know you were going that fast. Of course this doesn't matter in the States but it is a testament to how well built those cars are.

lol. i understand what your point is. i'm honestly not dumb

i dont live in germany though jk jk


all things being equal, i'd prefer a nice ass pick up truck