learning experiences

[pinkleader]

Things I learned this weekend:

• The chipmunks playing in the backyard exhibit extreme levels of cute, especially the babies.
• During one of the rainstorms we had a guard-chipmunk perched on the azalea by the front door attempting to stay drier, and looking ferocious (ly cute!)
• Alan doesn't comfortably fit in the passenger seat of a Miata
• Some car

Comments

[kass_rants]

A word of caution on Consumer Reports auto issue -- it can be very biased in certain ways. My point -- it hated the Miata. With it's small trunk, lack of back seat, and soft top, CR had very little good to say about it. The fact that it was the first car to have a standard driver-side airbag and had the highest safety rating in its class by far didn't earn it more than a neutral safety score in CR. Its fuel economy and nibbleness didn't add to its score either. Pretty much, they gave it an average score, and there were negative elements to the review. And this was the best care I ever owned. I had mine for 13 years and almost 200K miles without a single mechanical problem.

If you're middle-aged with 2.5 kids and soccer practice to get to, I suppose CR will rate cars in a way that benefits you. But if you're at all left-of-centre (I haven't had a back seat or hardtop in over 16 years, I have no kids, and don't even carry a purse much less anything to put in a trunk), you have to take some of their ratings with a grain of salt.

The don't like my current car either, and it's the second best car I've ever owned. They really hate anyting "expensive". They don't take quality into consideration at all.

Forgive the pun, but YMMV.

[pinkleader]

Funnily enough, they LOVE the Miata right now. List 1999 Miata's and above as one of the best bets and such. They do seem to be a bit biased towards the family cars, but now they are rating some of the fun cars fairly highly as well, assuming they deserve it.

I actually really enjoyed driving the Miata, but my Alan was really uncomfortable in it, and I love him more than the idea of a Miata. I've been looking at CR first, but also reading the owner ratings on KBB and other places. Currently I'm being seduced by the idea of a 2002 Bug, but I want to test drive before my heart is sold.

I'm taking it as a resource, not the bible, but I do appreciate the warning. Mainly I'm using the "Don't Buy This Used Car" section for things to wave off from. My current problem with CR is that in their new Gas Efficient issue they list best used cars that are gas friendly and many of them have none used available. Not that I want a Honda Insight mind you...