Car and Driver10 Best Cars for 2010

Today (November 25, 2009) I just received the January 2010 Car and Driver magazine. One of my favorite reviews is in this issue - their 10 best cars for a particular year.

I was very pleased to read that two of my favorite cars made the list. The 2010 Honda Accord and the 2010 Honda Fit. Quite an accomplishment for the Honda Motor Car Company.

I like the Accord because of two critical reasons. First I think it is the best sedan/coupe in its class, and second because I have two web sites (wwww.accodmania.com and www.accordtopia.com) that sell only Accord parts. If I did not like the Accord then I am in the wrong business.

The Honda Fit is another story. I like this car because I have one on order. It is somewhere on a boat between Japan and the USA. It is supposed to arrive sometime next month then I have to pay for it. Between then and now I have to sell a 1984 Ferrari and a 1999 Jaguar to raise the funds. But that's another story for tomorrow.

The Car and Driver report mentioned that they considered 58 contenders, $2.5 million in value, and ran 12,000 test miles.

The winners were:

Audi S4
BMW 3-Series/M3
Cadillac CTS/CTS-V
Ford Fusion Hybrid
Honda Accord
Honda Fit
Mazda MX-5 Miata
Mazda3/Masdaspeed3
Porsche Boxster & Cayman
Volkswagen GTI

Later I'll mention some of the non-winners (losers)

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Honda Accord Crosstour - What is it?

In my last blog I commented on how confused I was getting with all of the different types of vehicles being made and where they all fit.

Looks like I am not alone. Edmonds reports that potential buyers are also confused. That means that when they are comparing the Corsstour to other cars there does not seem to be a particular car or model, but a wide variety.

For example, they say that some potential buyers compare this car to the Toyota Vensa. While others compare it to the Chevrolet Equinox or the Toyota RAV-4. These I guess I could understand.

However, the article also says some potential buyers are comparing the Crosstour to the Audie A4 and the BMW 3 Series. Now I'm getting more confused.

You can see the entire article here:

http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/20/edmunds-data-suggests-honda-crosstour-buyers-dont-know-what-it/


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SUV, CUV, Wagon, Mini Wagon, Sedan, Coupe?

I don't know about you, but I'm starting to get a little confused when I read about the designations that car manufactures are using for their products.

Life used to be so simple. Did I want a sedan or coupe? Needed more room then choose a wagon. But wagons went out of style and I believe that hatchbacks filled some of these needs.

Then SUV came in. A sedan mounted on a truck chassis. Initial ones drove and felt like trucks. After a while they were softened and began to feel and drive a little more like cars.

Now we have the CUV's like the Honda Accord Crosstour, and the Acura ZDX. People seem to be asking for a combination vehicle with sports car handling and performance, SUV utility, and some luxury touches. At least that's how these cars are being advertised. Will they succeed in the marketplace. It will be interesting to see how they all do. It looks like SUVs are selling less and less each year, and of course part of this may be to the high price of gas.

As I mentioned, I have purchased a Honda Fit. On one hand I look at this vehicle as a small or mini wagon. I don't plan on going off road or driving in heavy snow, so I don't need 4 wheel drive.
I would love the sports car handling of a CUV, but do I really need it? No not at this time.

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Honda Accord Slips in Safety Rating

The 2009 Accord won many different safety ratings, as I have reported before in prior blogs.

I would have expected this trend to continue, however alas it has not. It was just reported in

http://blogs.thecarconnection.com/marty-blog/1038556_iihs-picks-the-safest-new-vehicles-for-2010

that the accord was not listed among the top 10 by the iihs (Institute for Highway Safety) for 2010 models.

The number of cars that they have approved reached 94 models for the 2009 model year. However, for 2010
they are cutting the number way down. The reason is tougher standards for roofs, in case of a roll over.

Some of the cars that passed really amaze me, as so many are US cars like the
Chevrolet Malibu,Chrysler Sebring sedan and the Dodge Avenger.

Read all about it, and weep for the falling Accord (which is still one of my favorite cars).

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http://wwwaccordtopia.com

SW, BG and MX Grillcraft Grills for your Car, Truck or SUV

Fit to be Tied?

Sorry about the stupid title for this blog.

I'm still wrestling with what to do when my wife and I move to Oregon. So the purpose of this blog is not to answer the question, but to ask anyone who reads it, to jump in with "what they would do"
answers.

To review for a second. My wife and I and two large yellow labs have to get up to Oregon, once our house in San Diego sells. The question is what is the best and most economical way to do this.

Based on past experience we have ruled out flying the dogs up, and taking a plane. So this leaves, from a practical standpoint, driving up. (I have not checked, but I don't think the dogs would enjoy a train ride).

We have three cars, none of which I would want to drive up to Oregon with two dogs. So we have made the decision to sell all three. As I have mentioned before, I plan to buy a 2010 Honda Fit for the trip and as our main car for the foreseeable future.

Now, if I buy the car from a local California dealer, I would have to pay sales tax, and all registration fees, which I'm guessing would be around $2000. Within a month or less we would move to Oregon and have to register the car all over again, and pay more fees. Not something I want to do.

On the other hand, if we purchase a new car in Oregon, there is no sales tax, and very minor registration fees. Two problems. First, buying it there, means that we have to drive it back to San Diego, and drive it around here for a while. Not sure what California would think about that.

The second problem is that we are California residents and not Oregon residents at the moment. Turns out Oregon car dealers can only sell to Oregon residents. And the state wants multiple documents to prove residency. Such things as a driver's license, utility bills, bank accounts etc.

So that's the problem. What would be your solution?

Thanks for visiting.

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Toyota Exits Formula One Racing

Almost a year ago I blogged that Honda had decided that they could no longer participate in Formula One racing. They pulled out just a short time before the start of the 2009 season.

As most fans know, their team was taken over and renamed Brawn GP. And the Brawn GP won both the constructor and driver's championship for this year.

Just recently Toyota announced they were pulling out of Formula One racing and would not be involved next year. The announcement came as a little surprise for a couple of reasons. First, while many people thought they would pull the plug, it was anticipated that the announcement would take place on November 15th. This meeting was scheduled to discuss their 2010 budget, and it would seem to be an appropriate time to announce their racing plans.

The second reason this was a little bit of a shock is that Toyota was one of the companies who signed the Concorde Agreement in July of this year, and it committed the company to be a Formula One team for three more years.

I think someone at Toyota is in trouble. Hard to believe that in July they were willing to commit to three more years, and in just over three months later decide that they are out. Someone screwed up big time.

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2010 Accord Coupe

Road and Track on line has a good review of the Honda Accord Coupe for 2010. You can read the entire article here:

http://buyersguide.caranddriver.com/honda/accord/2010/honda-accord-coupe

I have a couple of comments on their article. First they mention that the Accord Coupe with a V6 is now the hot Honda with the demise of the S2000, except perhaps for the Civic Si. I have to agree with this. I am a sponsor on www.driveaccord.net and the one car that the enthusiasts mention is the V6 coupe. If you want an Accord to modify for more performance or appearance this is the one to purchase.

More people lament the fact that they purchased the coupe with the I4 engine. Nothing wrong here if you want better gas mileage and a lower price. But if performance is your thing, its much better to spring for the V6 rather than the I4 and try to make it more powerful.

The base prices range from $23,265 to $32,015 and you of course can add different options. So while the v6 coupe is not a true sports car, you can get a lot of bang for your buck, and have a great car for a lot less than most sports cars.

I was impressed with the highway mileage of 31, as the Fit I just purchased only gets 33 and it is a much smaller and lighter car. But the Fit sure wins in cargo space. The Accord coupe gets 12 square feet and the Fit 20+. The Fit also expands to over 50+ with the rear seats down. While I really like the 2010 coupe, the interior space on the Fit won me over.

For all of the specs and a quote if you like, check out the link above.

Thanks for visiting.

wwww.autogrillcraft.com

SW, BG and MX Grillcraft Grills for your Car, Truck or SUV

I Just Purchased a Honda Fit

I have discussed some of the features I liked about the Honda Fit and yesterday I put a deposit on one.

A deposit - yes?

My wife and I have decided that it is time to move from sunny San Diego, Ca to Overcast and Rainy Southern Oregon Coast.

We just put our home on the market, and all week have had people in and out preparing the house for sale. Two handy men for two days, two cleaners for half a day, and several hours of run cleaning this morning. Next week part of our patio deck is being replaced (termite inspection) and then two and half days to trim trees and get the back yard ready.

So what does all of this have to do with a Honda Fit? Glad you asked. We are faced with getting two 100 lb plus each dogs up to Oregon. We will never transport them in an airplane, so it looked like a car was the way to go. None of our current crop of cars was worth taking up there, which was why I was looking at purchasing a new one. I wanted a fairly inexpensive car that would haul all of us up there.

Once I decided upon a Honda Fit, the question came up, where to buy it. If I purchase the car in California, I will pay both sales tax and all kinds of registrations. Perhaps around $2,000 or so.
If I purchase the car in Oregon, no sales tax and minimum taxes for registration. So do you see where I am leaning?

Now, how to buy a car in Oregon and get it down to San Diego? First problem is, the Oregon dealer cannot sell me the car and have it delivered to San Diego. Second, he can't sell it to me until I am an Oregon resident.

So here is the convoluted plans. As soon as my house goes into escrow, my wife and I will fly up to Oregon. We plan on renting a house for a couple of months, until we find a new home. Once we get there, I will have a lease, and then will open a bank account. Now we can be considered residents.

Later for the rest of the story.

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