Letters
Thanks to those who take the time to share their thoughts about the reviews I have done over the years. The internet is a wonderful tool to communicate with the world. Herewith are unedited comments received from some readers.
#1 for 2000
VW
I live in the north of Europe but in the south of Finland, in
the city of
Tampere. Here's a great exhibition about my home street, and it even is in
English too: http://www.tampere.fi/vapri/nayttely/katu/exhibit.htm
You're from the US? I actually don't remember how I stumbled into the Zabb
page. It's of the great things about the Net, being able to suddenly find
yourself "on the other side of the world" and getting to know people,
cultures and things that you couldn't have had contact with in the old,
unwired world.
Back when I was a baby, my uncle had a Karmann Ghia too. He also had a
couple of Beetles, two Kleinbuses, and also two VW Variants. Actually,
after I was born, my mother and I were taken home from the hospital in one
of the Variants. I don't know if the model was ever exported to the
States, but anyway, it's a station wagon with an air-cooled engine.
Despite of a kind of a Volkswagen-start, I drive an old BMW. BMW was about
the only choice for me. I'm a student, and although I have a part-time
job, I wanted a car that's cheap. I also wanted the car to be fun,
reliable, easy to repair and to have a good supply of spare parts. I was
considering an Alfa Romeo, but fortunately came to my senses. They are
very nice cars to drive, but the pre-90's models seem to be quite
unreliable and prone to rust. Also finding spares to them isn't as easy as
it is to the BMW's. However, it's easy to find parts for Volvo and
Mercedes in Finland, and I think that they are reliable cars. Volvos
aren't especially fun to drive though, and the old MB's are almost always
equipped with diesel engines.
What kind of a car do you drive yourself? Not the Vento after all, I
suppose? Bye, Heikki
#2 for 2000
Volvo 40 Wagon
Many thanks for the information on your site. My wife and two
young
children are in the market for a people hauler and had been thinking
along typical lines: SUVs and vans. However, we weren't happy with the
wasteful bulk and lousy gas mileage of SUVs and were finding it
difficult to get excited about the vans in the low- to mid-20s price
range. She has always liked the Volvo's styling and image ("so boxy and
staid its funky"), while I didn't want to pay 30+ for it. While prowling
the web for info, I came across the 40 series wagon and was intrigued
enough to run a search. Your site came up and has me excited about one
of our options for the first time. I'm off to do more research!
Tom and Nancy Cheney
#3 for 2000
Thanks!
Dear Joesph,
Even though I'm not a great student of
automoblies (and am enough of a cheapskate to not buy new cars), I think your
articles in the SM Weekly are fantastic! Not because they are so helpful
to a prospective car buyer (even though they are), but because you are an entertaining writer and
always incorporate humor-good humor-into your articles. You also have a
way of making your readers feel really comfortable, and I like that. Keep up the great work.
Hopefully, you can help me with
used cars, although I realize you write about new cars. I have a couple of questions for you,
and my timeframe is tight because I want to buy a used car in the next day or
two (have to for work). Need your advice on two issues: (1)
What do you think of the Isuzu Trooper S? I'm lookin' hard at a 1997 with
about 41,000 miles for $17,000, plus tax and
fees. It's in good shape, etc., and I like the extra cargo room vertically
in the back (I've got twin 2-year-olds, a 3 year-old and a nice wife), and need
the extra room for work materials. What I don't need is the 4x4,
really, like most suburbanites who seldom leave the highway. My questions:
Does the price sound OK to you (Bluebook is just over $18,000), and will the
unneeded 4x4 pose tranny problems, like extra expense for repair, if I never use
the 4x4 feature, except for occasional trips to Lake Arrowhead?
(2) What do you think of CAR MAX? Is their philosophy of
"no negotiating" a scam? Besides the fact that I kind of like haggling
with car lot guys, do you think they give any deals on their used cars?
The Trooper is at their lot. Also, they want $919 for a one year extended
warranty, and they advertise themselves as only selling the better used cars.
Would you get a warranty beyond their 30 day/1000 mile standard or would you
wing it? Or would you deal with them at all?
Sorry for the short notice, but I'd really appreciate
your reply ASAP. Thanks and feel free to call me at work. - Jon
"Spike" Crowley
#4 for 2000
SUV or Van?
Many thanks for the
information on your site. My wife and two young children are in the market for a
people hauler and had been thinking along typical lines: SUVs and vans. However,
we weren't happy with the
wasteful bulk and lousy gas mileage of SUVs and were finding it difficult to get
excited about the vans in the low- to mid-20s price range. She has always liked
the Volvo's styling and image ("so boxy and staid its funky"), while I
didn't want to pay 30+ for it. While prowling the web for info, I came across
the 40 series wagon and was intrigued enough to run a search. Your site
came up and has me excited about one
of our options for the first time. I'm off to do more research! - Tom &
Nancy Cheney.
#5 for 2000.
Volvo
Movelle.. after
having bought our first Volvo.. a 1997 850 sedan.. the sight
of the 2000 S40 just took my wifes heart. So, after visiting our local Volvo
dealership, there is now a bright red one sitting next to our 850. What an
incredible car < my wife let me drive it once.. > and like other Volvo's,
it
was an incredible bargain to boot! Imagine, fully loaded for under 30K..
Wow! I will definately spread the word about this little gem! Keep up the
great work and thanks for your insight into the fascinating world of
automobiles . - BLMEOTA@aol.com
Chevy Tahoe
thanks for your input, i
bought the chevy tahoe and i'm really enjoying it.
happy memorial day
susan
#7 for 2000
Volvo
Well I did it. Silver
Volvo V40 stationwagon. Leather seats, sunroof, CD, Premium Sound System,
almost the works. Heck of a deal too with Memorial Day special and a free
dinner for two at a really great restaurant thrown in for taking the test drive.
#8 for 2000
Ford Crown Vic
Great Reviews,
Thanks for
the review of the Ford Crown Victoria. It helped me to know
what to expect. I'm buying my first Crowm Vic today. It's a 1988 model.
I prefer the older models due to the room and handling. Everyone thinks
I'm strange for not wanting a brand new car, but that's just my thing. I
also have a 1989 Buick LeSabre Limited edition. I have quite a commute
to my work everyday, so I like to keep two cars in case one goes down
for repares. Well, anyway, thanks for providing the specs1. - Marcus Moore.
#9 for 2000
Chrysler
I buy car Chrysler 300 M
I bad say english
Sent:
Sunday, April 16, 2000 9:32 AM
Subject:
300 Ь
#10 for 2000
I bought a 99 2500
Cummins back in January. It has the four doors, eight
foot bed and all that other stuff. Its the same model that is pictured on
your web site. Im very happy with it.
A few little notes for you. As far as gas mileage goes, you said that it
gets poor gas mileage. I disagree. Im averaging 19 MPG. Thats better than any
V-8 that Dodge makes. Oh and uh, you claim that it has a 34 Gallon tank...it
has a 35 gallon tank.
Kent
Mansfield, Ohio
#11 for 2000
Mercedes
I READ YOUR
REVIEW ON THE 1999 MERCEDES-BENZ, AND I MUST SAY THAT I AM PLEASED TO READ
WHAT YOU HAD TO SAY ABOUT IT.
SINCE I HAVE ONE ORDER TO BE DELIVERED IN SEPTEMBER OR
OCTOBER OF THIS YEAR, I STILL HAVE A CONCERN WITH RESPECT TO THE WAY THE VEHICLE RIDES
WITH THE 18 WIDE TIRES. I HAVE HAD PEOPLE AT THE MERCEDES DEALERSHIP
WHERE I LIVE THAT IT ISNT AS SMOOTH AS THE STANDARD E-430 .
WOULD YOU CARE TO COMMENT ON THIS ASPECT OF YOUR EXPERIENCE
IN THIS CAR .
I MUST SUBMIT TO YOU THAT I HAVE NOT HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO
PERSONALLY DRIVE THIS
CAR, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE YOUR THOUGHTS ON IT.
SHOULD I OPT FOR THE E-430 OR GO FOR THE HIGH POWERED E-55?
THANK YOU FOR ANY INPUT YOU MAY HAVE REGARDING THE TWO LUXURY
SEDANS.
REGARDS
#12 for 2000
Mercedes
HI!
JOE MAVILIA:
I SAW YOUR WRITE-UP ON THE
WEB.
I AM ON THE EAST COAST IN
CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA.
I ORDERED THE METALLIC SILVER EXTERIOR WITH A CHARCOAL AND SILVER INTERIOR. THE CAR IS SCHEDULED FOR DELIVERY IN SEPTEMBER OR EARLY OCTOBER. IT WILL BE THE 2001 MODEL YEAR.
AS YOU KNOW, MERCEDES DID COSMETIC SURGERY ON THE EXTERIOR WITH IMPROVED
INTERIOR FOR YEAR 2000 BY PUTTING FEATURES FROM THE S430 AND THE S500 SUCH AS TOUCH SHIFT AND
ADDING AS AN OPTION THE COMMAND SYSTEM.
THIS SUPERCAR IS IN VERY
LIMITED SUPPLY AS YOU ARE PROBABLY AWARE, AND THAT IS THE
REASON I HAVEN'T HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO TEST DRIVE ONE.
I DO APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS
ABOUT THE CAR SINCE I HAVE NOT DRIVEN ONE .
YOUR REPORT REINFORCES MY
THOUGHTS WHAT A WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE IT WILL BE WHEN I
DO GET TO DRIVE ONE THAT WILL BE COMING IN SOON. THE DEALER, HENDRICK
MOTORS, IN HICKORY,
N.C. IS SCHEDULED TO RECEIVE 5 OF THES CARS THIS YEAR. I WILL BE FOURTH ON THEIR
LIST.
AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR YOUR
RESPONSE AND REVIEW OF THE E-55.
RESPECTFULLY,
BOBBY F. HENDRICK
#13 for 2000
Jaguar
Dear Mr. Mavilia
Your article about the S-Type
is quite interesting (I read about it first in the Usenet group alt.autos.jaguar).
I am about to buy an S-Type. It seems you tested a car with voice control. According our Jaguar dealer here
in Switzerland, the voice control is only available in cars with the steering
wheel on the right side (U.K.), even if the American Web site sells the package
for $ 4'300.-
Did you drive a 'normal'
steered car with steering wheel on the left side or drove you a U.K. car? Is
voice control available in the USA for everyone (or first only for journalists)
?
Thank you for your answer.
Kind regards
#14 for 2000
Chevy Xtreme
I recently bought an S10 Xtreme Ext. Cab V6. I enjoyed your
review but I
found a couple discrepancies. The V6 has 180 hp, not 175 and nowhere does
it say towing is "not available". The owners manual says towing is
"not
recommended". I tow my Jet Ski (which is about 600 lbs.) with my Xtreme and
haven't had any problems. - Felicia Barnes
[Back]
#15 for 2000
Chevy Xtreme
I have a 2000 Xtreme, Red. It has the 4.3 Vortec V6 and
it is an automatic.
There is just one thing I don't like about my truck and that is, that it has
an electronic governor on it. I don't know if you knew this or not.
I
absolutely hate that. The worse thing about it is that the dealership
didn't
tell me. I thought they should have. I am going to buy the Hypertch
system
for it when it comes out later this summer and that is supposed to take it
off along with adding some performance to the truck. I just wanted to get
your opinion on the governor thing. Other than that I love my truck.
I have
also dome a few other modifications to it. Here is a picture of it if you
want.
Thanks
Adam Palko
Followup letter.
Thanks Man. I too talked to some dealerships around here about it and I
didn't get much out of them. They won't take it off because I guess it
voids
the warranty and I guess that makes sense. The big thing is that they
don't
tell you about it when you buy the truck. That is why I was mad.
Even
though I knew it was on there anyway before I got it. I am going to buy
the
Hypertech Computer Programmer for it anyway as soon as it comes out. That
will take it off along with adding a few other performance enhancers.
Thanks Again
Adam