Author Topic: Cars I wish we had here in Canada (Read 34891 times)

GTI-Gabe · « **Reply #40 on:** June 26, 2007, 04:09:15 pm »

Quote from: airbalancer on June 25, 2007, 03:17:59 pm

any BMW diesel

ditto!

Well, a 120d would be nice to keep the price somewhat low (and I prefer the hatch to the coupe)

Triple Bob · « **Reply #41 on:** June 26, 2007, 05:18:25 pm »

Quote from: GTI-Gabe on June 26, 2007, 04:09:15 pm

Quote from: airbalancer on June 25, 2007, 03:17:59 pm
any BMW diesel

ditto!

Well, a 120d would be nice to keep the price somewhat low (and I prefer the hatch to the coupe)

Finally, someone talking sense about the 1 series..

perfecto · « **Reply #42 on:** June 26, 2007, 05:45:05 pm »

Opel Zafira.

Triple Bob · « **Reply #43 on:** June 26, 2007, 06:03:36 pm »

Really..?

Mitlov · « **Reply #44 on:** June 26, 2007, 07:43:45 pm »

Quote from: Sideshow Bob on June 26, 2007, 06:03:36 pm

Really..?

With a lot of these cars, I think there might be a "grass is always greener on the other side" thing going on. I mean, people here are continually tearing into Ford, Chevy, and Nissan due to reliability, yet people want more French and Italian cars? Or people wanting cool-looking Renault hatchbacks without having driven one, when the mechanically-similar 2007 Sentra handles so poorly that it's downright scary according to some drivers?

sirAQUAMAN64 · « **Reply #45 on:** June 27, 2007, 11:11:50 am »

Quote from: perfecto on June 26, 2007, 05:45:05 pm

Opel Zafira.

OPC.

SSB, don't you think some of our cars are really uninspiring? Maybe you find the Rams and F-Series cool because they'd be expensive and huge there, but generally what are your impressions of the cars here? Are there any you wish you could have?

tpl · « **Reply #46 on:** June 27, 2007, 11:45:05 am »

Quote from: Mitlov on June 26, 2007, 07:43:45 pm

Quote from: Sideshow Bob on June 26, 2007, 06:03:36 pm
Really..?

With a lot of these cars, I think there might be a "grass is always greener on the other side" thing going on. I mean, people here are continually tearing into Ford, Chevy, and Nissan due to reliability, yet people want more French and Italian cars? Or people wanting cool-looking Renault hatchbacks without having driven one, when the mechanically-similar 2007 Sentra handles so poorly that it's downright scary according to some drivers?

I have driven some cool looking Renault hatchbacks over the years on vacation. I have NOT driven the new Sentra. However I suggest that if one took a careful look one would find that the suspension calibration between a Sentra and a Renault on the same platform as well as a Versa and a Tiida would be quite different. As well the Eu versions will tend to have different engine families because of the differing emission rules AND the fact that over here most of the cars would be sold with an automatic transmission of some sort.

none of these differences are necessarily bad and the ride and handling of euro cars is not to everyones taste... some people prefer the softer floaty ride associated with American cars... fine by me.

I personally would rather have a car with "personality " as I experience it even if it breaks once in a while ( or even often!) than a bland transportation appliance with 100% reliabity.... but then I no longer have to commute every day.

Triple Bob · « **Reply #47 on:** June 27, 2007, 12:29:58 pm »

Quote from: sirAQUAMAN64 on June 27, 2007, 11:11:50 am

Quote from: perfecto on June 26, 2007, 05:45:05 pm

Opel Zafira.

OPC.

SSB, don't you think some of our cars are really uninspiring? Maybe you find the Rams and F-Series cool because they'd be expensive and huge there, but generally what are your impressions of the cars here? Are there any you wish you could have?

Good point, my subject would be cars I wish were in the UK (as RHD).

So:

C6 Corvette

New Dodge Challenger

(go on Ovr, kick me whilst I'm drooling)

Possibly Dodge RAM SRT-10

Can you see the way it's going, not exactly enviro friendly ha ha...

For compact cars and sedans I would probably rather have the Euro versions, Ford Focus etc. The only family van type thing I would consider would be the S-Max (again Euro) and I wouldn't really go for any SUV's NA or Euro.

American manufacturers do two things very well, price and torque. They are getting much better than they were years ago on quality and handling, but these come at a price, which some NA customer are not willing to pay. The latest corvette is probably the best example of this, great handling and fantastic bang for buck. If they made a RHD one for the UK market I reckon they would sell by the bucket load, even with our $2+ gas price.

Mitlov · « **Reply #48 on:** June 27, 2007, 03:21:04 pm »

Quote from: Sideshow Bob on June 27, 2007, 12:29:58 pm

Good point, my subject would be cars I wish were in the UK (as RHD).

So:

Quote
New Dodge Challenger (go on Ovr, kick me whilst I'm drooling)

We don't have it either. Nobody does, and in light of Chrysler's financial state, maybe nobody ever will.

Quote
Possibly Dodge RAM SRT-10

No longer in production.

Triple Bob · « **Reply #49 on:** June 27, 2007, 04:20:24 pm »

I'll have the corvette then.

Scaerio · « **Reply #50 on:** June 27, 2007, 04:32:31 pm »

Quote from: perfecto on June 26, 2007, 05:45:05 pm

Opel Zafira.

A Saturn version would probably do well vs. Mazda5 and Kia Rondo...

Triple Bob · « **Reply #51 on:** June 27, 2007, 04:43:08 pm »

What do you guys think of the Astra VXR?

Aren't you guys getting this soon?

Scaerio · « **Reply #52 on:** June 27, 2007, 04:44:45 pm »

I don't think we are getting the OPC/VXR versions... But it's great that the Astra is coming here.

DockMan · « **Reply #53 on:** June 27, 2007, 04:51:54 pm »

Quote from: Sideshow Bob on June 27, 2007, 04:43:08 pm

What do you guys think of the Astra VXR?

Aren't you guys getting this soon?

That is a nice (and hot) hatchback. There should be a public awareness campaign conduct to inform the general populace about the utility and economy of the oft' poo-poo'd hatch. (NA only of course, the eur-asians seem to have this knowledge hardwired in them)

mwqa · « **Reply #54 on:** June 27, 2007, 05:30:15 pm »

I'd like to see the smaller Mazda's in NA - the Verisa and the Mazda2.

I guess it is too late for the current generation Mazda2. I liked it. I found it had a more comfortable seating position than a Honda Fit, although the rear seating was much less so.

Isn't the Toyota Verso already here - as the Matrix?

Generally speaking, UK models seem to have much better visibility that models for the NA market. $:-\$

Mitlov · « **Reply #55 on:** June 27, 2007, 05:51:22 pm »

Quote from: Scaerio on June 27, 2007, 04:44:45 pm

I don't think we are getting the OPC/VXR versions... But it's great that the Astra is coming here.

...yet. Saturn has sold a the high-performance Redline version of the Ion for years. I always assumed an Astra Redline would come in 2009, a year after the normal Astra. An Astra Redline could easily be a rebadged Astra OPC/VXR.

GTI-Gabe · « **Reply #56 on:** June 27, 2007, 09:16:06 pm »

Quote from: GTI-Gabe on June 26, 2007, 04:09:15 pm

Quote from: airbalancer on June 25, 2007, 03:17:59 pm
any BMW diesel

ditto!

Well, a 120d would be nice to keep the price somewhat low (and I prefer the hatch to the coupe)

I just read that there's a 123d model. 204hp and 0-100km/h in 7.0 seconds

The 120d is rated at a lowly 177hp and does 0-100 in 7.6s (not too shabby for a diesel)

Scaerio · « **Reply #57 on:** June 27, 2007, 10:21:09 pm »

Quote from: mwqa on June 27, 2007, 05:30:15 pm

Isn't the Toyota Verso already here - as the Matrix?

Verso is quite different...

Has seating for 7, competes with Opel Zafira, Kia Rondo, Mazda5...

Ex-airbalancer · « **Reply #58 on:** June 28, 2007, 08:27:56 am »

Quote from: Scaerio on June 27, 2007, 10:21:09 pm

Quote from: mwqa on June 27, 2007, 05:30:15 pm
Isn't the Toyota Verso already here - as the Matrix?
Verso is quite different...

Has seating for 7, competes with Opel Zafira, Kia Rondo, Mazda5...

Is everyone under 4 ft?

jww · « **Reply #59 on:** June 28, 2007, 08:39:28 am »

I just scanned through the 10 - or so new posts to this thread and had a couple of comments:

Re: Astra VXR - an awesome little pocket rocket. It has everything you could want including a lower price than the GTI. Unfortunately is also has an horrendous amount of torque steer. Check out the Jeremy Clarkson demo of torque steer on his test drive of the VXR. Move the drive train to the rear and what could beat it?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0xDZonrA2Dw

Re: Toyota Verso - my sister-in-law and her husband recently purchased one of these mini-mini-vans (called 'people movers' in the UK and Europe). They can easily accommodate themselves, her parents and their 7 yr old son without problem. They even report room for a cooler and a few other odds and ends to take along for picnic lunches.