Revitalized Malibu Takes on Accord and Camry

Me, for one... actually I think cars got past the point of diminshing
returns with added technology before then. My personal car is an '88
944 and I don't know that there's anything newer than that that I'd want
that doesn't cost a silly amount of money. If/when it dies I will
probably replace it with something used and cheap.

nate

 

Some people just buy sports cars because they're typically small and
therefore easier to handle in a city; they handle well; they're
generally fun to drive.

If I have to spend hours of my day trapped in a rolling box, I might as
well enjoy it, rather than making it feel like a chore...

nate

 

Actually 130K is only about 80K miles; that's hardly getting broken in
for a decent machine.

nate

 

By your definition, right off the lot it looses mint status. Thus no mints
really exist. Tires for example rot where they sit.

 

Mint can be used as a noun or as an adjective.

Mint condition is a valid statement. Are you from the mountains in the
south?

 

"Nate Nagel" wrote

...which is why I bought a 2004 Accord with an automatic, because I got sick
of years of shifting a 5-speed Civic through a 20-mile roundtrip commute
through the city each day. It's given me virtually no trouble. My only
complaint is the ride is noisy except on rubberized asphalt.

 

To me a stickshift is not a chore. But my commute typically only goes
stop and go for the last mile or two on my way home; it's mostly good
other than that. (and these days I'm driving an automatic anyway, not
by choice, but because that's what I'm given to drive. But I have only
bought four automatic vehicles in my life; one of which has been
converted to a four speed and one of which I'd collected the parts to
convert it to a three speed before I sold it. The others were a '67
Dart that was a rolling disaster and my F-150 which I don't drive enough
to worry about.)

It sounds like the noise you complain of is mostly tire noise, yes?
Might be able to get some better tires and make that go away. Some
tread patterns are just simply more noisy than others.

nate

 

"Nate Nagel" wrote

I got Goodyear Assurance Comfortreds with the hopes of cutting the noise
down vs. the OEM Michelins. I don't detect any improvement. Road noise has
been a perennial complaint with Accords, at least, per Consumer Reports.

 

Now you're catching on. It is not my definition, some dictionary writer
does that.
Mint condition is often used to describe a collectible item such as a model
figure, doll, or toy that has never been removed from its box (NRFB[1]), or
in some cases is as good as new without any scratches or other damage. The
term is also very widely used in record collecting and comic books.

The mis-use of a term does not change the definition. Well kept and not
abused cannot mean mint. It can mean excellent. I didn't make the rules,
but I'm going to follow them so we all know what we are talking about. I
hope others will also.

 

It is a valid statement, but it does not apply to 10 year old cars. It can
apply to uncirculated coins, stamps, and similar items, but once a car is
driven thousands of miles, it cannot qualify.

I've heard this so many times by people looking for used cars. "The car was
advertised as being "mint condition" but when I looked at it, it was a piece
of crap" Expectations were high but when the product does not meet the
claims, interest is lost no matter how good the price is.

 

But then there are the 1st and 2nd generation Civics of which two are
notable...

1983 Civic 1500 "S" which was the forerunner of the early CRX

and

1982-83 1300 Civic FE which was the forerunner of the early CRX(s) that
got great fuel economy.... 40+ MPG City and 55 MPG Highway in actual
real world tests..

JT

 

Did I mention that I pay CASH for my cars?

 

Take your Honda shit to the Honda newsgroup, PLEASE.

 

Inter yourself--then, for once, you will have contributed something to the
Earth.

 

Mike seems to wear it as a badge of honour. Frankly, anyone saddled with
years and years of car payments because they INSIST on always trading in
their vehicles is, IMHO, a loser.

 

Good to see that you have a sense of humour, Ed. At home, the Camry is
always garaged--your point is well taken.

 

With the Camry, for example, one doesn't have to trade in every 2 years to
have a dependable vehicle. With GM, Ford or Chrysler...all bets are
off....in most cases. I realize that there ARE exceptions to that comment.

 

The point is well-taken. Back when I collected coins, MINT condition did
mean that the coin appeared to have been freshly minted, regardless of its
true age. I should have used some other word to describe my Camry. My bad.
But what word or words? Can't say "as good as new" because that isn't
precisely true. Suggestions?

 

I think, Ed, that "well kept" might be a more accurate description of my
Camry. Again, point well taken.

 

The Ozarks?