Bought my last Honda.

Hmmm...... I kind of feel that same way about my Honda (2003 Odyssey). At  108,000 miles I had the trans start to go bad, found out it was a recal item for older models, but not mine, except for goodwill. Honda paid half  of what the dealer charged ($2000) to replace it (which was exactly twice what an independent shop would have charged). The problem is happening on all the cars around those years that had a V-6 engine mated with an auto trans that could not handle the V-6 power.   Carcomplaints.com  is a nice site that show how often specific problems show up for specific years and models.... when you see a spike, you know it is not random!

When it comes to room, the mini-van can't be beat. The Toyota Sienna still looks good and comes with AWD.  Anybody know how this AWD handles the snow?
Gary

Welcome greif.  When I originally posted this thread, I was convinced that I was done with Honda, but ended up buying another. I'm not sure that was the right move.

It's time to replace my wife's car an it looks like it's going to be a Toyota.  First Toy I've bought, well ever really.

While my wife was test driving, my daughter and I got into the Sienna. It's HUGE.  My daughter LOVED it. She recommended we buy it and sell our cabin which honestly isn't much bigger.

What was the test drive car?

Harvey44 wrote

She recommended we buy it and sell our cabin which honestly isn't much bigger.

riverc0il wrote

What was the test drive car?

Well... it's a Prius.

Zelda has wanted an electric car since she did a book report on them in 5th grade.  My dreams have gotten a lot of priority, especially lately.  Got to attend to the dreams of all.

We looked into it and the electrics, and even the plug-in hybrids are just soo expensive.  When you really do the math to cost to run a 50 mpg Prius isn't really that much higher than the cost to run a 95 mpg plugin.  And I think if the thing goes even 100 feet on electric power alone Zelda will smile.

Back in the realm of regular car mpg the CRV pulled 29.2 on a full tank that included about 50 miles around town and there rest on the round trip to Windham.  Since I was solo I pulled the rack off and went for it. Not sure if it's winter gas or what but I couldn't get into the 30s.  Still pretty good. I used the ECO button but wasn't shy about speed.

Did the whole Cats trip on one tank, which the old car couldn't do. That has the advantage of using all cheap jersey gas.  Maybe 40 cents a gallon less.

Harvey44 wrote

That has the advantage of using all cheap jersey gas.  Maybe 40 cents a gallon less.

I'd pay 40 cents more to pump my own. Can't stand gassing up in Jersey, lol.

Get her in that Prius! I drove a Lexus CT when I was car shopping (same engine as the Prius) and I was pleasantly surprised with how it drove (minus steering while breaking, holy crap that was unnerving). Regular Prius models have come down in price recently, the compact is even cheaper, while the wagon model is a bit more... but you can't go wrong for that MPG. You got the AWD CUV for the mountains and family trips... get an efficient car for all the rest. Makes total sense to me.

It's basically a done deal.  Probably get it this weekend.  Her daily drive is made for a Prius.  Short - maybe 10 miles?, up and down a big long hill, so she can use the breaks to do that Prius thing.

I thought the Prius was pretty solid, not fast for sure but not as slow as I thought it would be.  I missed the steering while breaking thing? What's that?

Zelda didn't kike the littlest Prius (it's a Yaris hybrid) - wish she did - it was way cheap.  And I agree the wagon makes no sense for us. We don't need a second family car. It's a 40 mpg car that costs a lot more.

I don't mind having my gas pumped. Except for ski season I only fill up once a month anyway.

riverc0il wrote

I'd pay 40 cents more to pump my own. Can't stand gassing up in Jersey, lol.

Reason?

Harv - good luck with the Prius. Pave your driveway - it will last longer.

Harvey44 wrote

I missed the steering while breaking thing? What's that?

I don't know if it is the same with the Prius but I assume so since it is the basically the same mechanics. When I test drove the CT, going back to the dealership, I stepped on the brakes and slowed for a left hand turn. While slowing down, I could turn the wheel about a quarter turn (maybe more) without hardly any change in direction. I noticed it and actually wiggled the wheel and the car steered very straight, only very minor movement despite the aggressive side to side. It was unnerving. I'm not a "car guy" and while performance is nice, I don't need race car performance. But that was too slack for my tastes. Really weird feeling. Maybe it has nothing to do with the breaking and maybe it is a CT thing and has nothing to do with the Prius, but it was crazy.

x10003q wrote

Reason?

Takes way too long. I want to pull up to a pump, get out, swipe my card, pump, and then drive off when done. I don't want to wait around for some dude to come over to do the pump, then wait for him to come over again and finish up after the auto holder clicks off. Asinine. There is no reason to require full service except to make businesses hire more people and waste payroll (and I'm a crazy liberal, not a crazy pro business repub, saying that).

Also, I don't want to have to pay more to tip. Maybe in NJ you just don't tip for full because that is just how it is. But for me, full is a novelty and a service I would feel bad not tipping for.

All that aside, every time I have had to get gas while in Jersey, it seems like there is something that drives me crazy. I just can't stand gassing up in Jersey. Last time I did, I got caught in a "shift change" at a highway rest area. Took about 30 minutes for a tank as they shut the whole place down to change shifts. Took so long, and meanwhile the lines backed up. W-T-F.

Doh! I signed on the wrong line...

Harvey44 wrote

Doh! I signed on the wrong line...

Too bad she didn't get a Civic Hybrid or something. Would have been delicious irony considering the thread title. Oh well.

riverc0il wrote

Harvey44 wrote

Doh! I signed on the wrong line...

Too bad she didn't get a Civic Hybrid or something. Would have been delicious irony considering the thread title. Oh well.

LOL. Actually the irony IS there. It was my 2006 CRV that I said was my last, and now I've got a 2012.

So I signed on the wrong line on the title to the Civic and screwed up the whole process. It took like an hour.  But Zelda owns a Prius. It's a bizarre car, but she looks happy.

Harvey44 wrote

It's a bizarre car, but she looks happy.

Well, as long as she 'looks' happy then all is well.

I am completely sold on the combo of the CRV's new AWD system and the auto trans.  No more walking up the driveway on a snowy night.

New rockin plow guy doesn't hurt either.

The CRV pulled 28.4 on my round trip to the Cats yesterday.  What I really like is if I leave from home with a full tank, I don't have to fill up - I arrived home last night with a couple gallons in that tank.  That means I can avoid paying the higher prices in NY altogether.

29 mpg seems like the new limit for the CRV.  That time I did 34.8 was summer gas, all highway and I was solo - on my annual trip in May to get the wood in for winter.  We'll see this May if 30+ is no longer in the realm of possibility.

Does seem like a great car in many ways.

Summer gas, one passenger, little cargo, all highway except about 20 miles and I was at 30 mpg as I arrived in North River.

North River Hill left me with 29.6.  Must be getting 10 mpg going up that hill.

Anyway this seems to prove that the 34.8 mpg was extremely new car syndrome. Can't really get above 30.

Still pretty good.

Harvey44 wrote

Summer gas, one passenger, little cargo, all highway except about 20 miles and I was at 30 mpg as I arrived in North River.

North River Hill left me with 29.6.  Must be getting 10 mpg going up that hill.

Anyway this seems to prove that the 34.8 mpg was extremely new car syndrome. Can't really get above 30.

Still pretty good.

Go 55 mph, you'll get to 30 mpg.  

I envy your 30. My Element never does better than 24, though I do love the car. My wife's Prius, oth, is another story; up to 50+ as warmer weather sets in.