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Please help me with car ideas


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I was in the Softbank parking lot a while back waiting for my wife getting a new phone. Beside me was a Prius that was extraordinarily modified with aftermarket goodies including custom paint. He had hydraulic shocks and when rested on the ground it looked so cool next to my beast. I should have taken a picture. Nice guy and certainly not your typical Prius douche..

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We've got two hybrids so I'll have to get myself an extra high horse. Something that looks like a giraffe. Funnily enough, one of the last cars I looked at for future reference was a diesel, a Merc ML270 SUV. It sounds like you get about 11km/l off diesel, which costwise is the same as getting about 13 off gasoline, i.e., great for a big car. The engine is a 2.7 liter CDI. They didn't sell many in Japan, so if something goes on you it might be a nightmare getting parts. Cool looking car though.

 

If maru is still there,

0-100km/h in under seven seconds

4WD

easily big enough for skis and to sleep in.

Very economical. 12-13 km/l off gasoline with a light foot

Heated leather seats and JBL sound system.

About 1.5 million yen for 80,000 to 100,000kms on the clock.

 

 

 

70005041153014041300100.jpg

 

That's a Toyota Harrier Hybrid, or as they rebadge it overseas, a Lexus RX400h.

It is actually a "performance" hybrid, not a fuel economy one like a Prius. Its more powerful and faster than the non-hybrid Harrier. It still gets very good fuel economy, however.

As a Lexus (it sounds like the "S package" is the equivalent for the Harrier sold in Japan), its interior and quality-related stuff like road noise will be very good, much better than say a Subaru.

We changed our van last year and I don't think we'll change the other car for a year or two yet, but this model is definitely on the radar for when we do. S/h ones have finally come down to our price range. :friend:

 

 

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I've got a bit of insider info on the future of diesel engines because of some consulting I've been doing and I'm drunk enough to share them right now ;). As far as emissions and mileage are concerned, in the next few years, Toyota has some interesting announcements coming!

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0-100km/h in under seven seconds

4WD

easily big enough for skis and to sleep in.

Very economical. 12-13 km/l off gasoline with a light foot

Heated leather seats and JBL sound system.

About 1.5 million yen for 80,000 to 100,000kms on the clock.

 

 

 

70005041153014041300100.jpg

 

That's a Toyota Harrier Hybrid, or as they rebadge it overseas, a Lexus RX400h.

It is actually a "performance" hybrid, not a fuel economy one like a Prius. Its more powerful and faster than the non-hybrid Harrier. It still gets very good fuel economy, however.

As a Lexus (it sounds like the "S package" is the equivalent for the Harrier sold in Japan), its interior and quality-related stuff like road noise will be very good, much better than say a Subaru.

We changed our van last year and I don't think we'll change the other car for a year or two yet, but this model is definitely on the radar for when we do. S/h ones have finally come down to our price range. :friend:

 

 

 

A Harrier Hybrid would certainly be nice, though I think I'd prefer a fuel economy hybrid to a performance hybrid...

Would the Prius Alpha be able to carry skis inside? I looked in the back of one once, and it seemed just barely possible, maybe.

 

Hmm, yeah, actually I think I could fit skis in there:

utilities_img_back04.jpg

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I've got a bit of insider info on the future of diesel engines because of some consulting I've been doing and I'm drunk enough to share them right now ;). As far as emissions and mileage are concerned, in the next few years, Toyota has some interesting announcements coming!

 

There is a LOT of speculation and rumors of a diesel for the Tundra and/or Tacoma but who knows.... they were even saying some kind of deal with Cummins. But that's never going to happen... I have no idea what they'd put a diesel in for the Japanese market. There's really nothing worthy of a diesel IMHO....

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This is the 2014 Harrier 250 Hybrid

 

213585_1.jpg

 

Turbo petrol engine with electric motors at the front. 4.5million Yen. Nice.

 

This is the RX450h:

 

2013-Lexus-RX-450h-F-Sport-Front-Angle-3.jpg

 

3500cc petrol with 2 electric motors 12km/l. Full luxury options. Nice.

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0-100km/h in under seven seconds

4WD

easily big enough for skis and to sleep in.

Very economical. 12-13 km/l off gasoline with a light foot

Heated leather seats and JBL sound system.

About 1.5 million yen for 80,000 to 100,000kms on the clock.

 

 

 

70005041153014041300100.jpg

 

That's a Toyota Harrier Hybrid, or as they rebadge it overseas, a Lexus RX400h.

It is actually a "performance" hybrid, not a fuel economy one like a Prius. Its more powerful and faster than the non-hybrid Harrier. It still gets very good fuel economy, however.

As a Lexus (it sounds like the "S package" is the equivalent for the Harrier sold in Japan), its interior and quality-related stuff like road noise will be very good, much better than say a Subaru.

We changed our van last year and I don't think we'll change the other car for a year or two yet, but this model is definitely on the radar for when we do. S/h ones have finally come down to our price range. :friend:

 

 

 

A Harrier Hybrid would certainly be nice, though I think I'd prefer a fuel economy hybrid to a performance hybrid...

Would the Prius Alpha be able to carry skis inside? I looked in the back of one once, and it seemed just barely possible, maybe.

 

Hmm, yeah, actually I think I could fit skis in there:

utilities_img_back04.jpg

 

You need to fold down the rear seat and put your ski bag on the left.

 

I have to do that when I take my skis to the airport to catch the plane for the winter wonderland on the island of Japan.

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Dunno the 'shite football manager' posts always seem to pass me by.

I would be exceptionally shite, so you'd think I'd be a good target for a long term lucrative contract!

:party:

 

Sadly ur not Scottish so you don't qualify at the final hurdle :console:

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0-100km/h in under seven seconds

4WD

easily big enough for skis and to sleep in.

Very economical. 12-13 km/l off gasoline with a light foot

Heated leather seats and JBL sound system.

About 1.5 million yen for 80,000 to 100,000kms on the clock.

 

 

 

70005041153014041300100.jpg

 

That's a Toyota Harrier Hybrid, or as they rebadge it overseas, a Lexus RX400h.

It is actually a "performance" hybrid, not a fuel economy one like a Prius. Its more powerful and faster than the non-hybrid Harrier. It still gets very good fuel economy, however.

As a Lexus (it sounds like the "S package" is the equivalent for the Harrier sold in Japan), its interior and quality-related stuff like road noise will be very good, much better than say a Subaru.

We changed our van last year and I don't think we'll change the other car for a year or two yet, but this model is definitely on the radar for when we do. S/h ones have finally come down to our price range. :friend:

 

 

 

A Harrier Hybrid would certainly be nice, though I think I'd prefer a fuel economy hybrid to a performance hybrid...

Would the Prius Alpha be able to carry skis inside? I looked in the back of one once, and it seemed just barely possible, maybe.

 

Hmm, yeah, actually I think I could fit skis in there:

utilities_img_back04.jpg

 

The Alpha is the station wagon version? If you drop one of the seats, I guess you'd get em in the regular hatch one too. We've got one but we stopped using it in winter because we live on a hill with a hairpin at the top. The Prius is a great car but is only 2WD. Apparently the next one will come in a 4wd version. It'll be out late this year or 2015. I think there's also 4wd version of the Fit hybrid, which I guess Honda could build as a Freed, because the engine and chassis are the same.

 

For new cars, I see an Subaru XV hybrid on the school run every day and they're really cool looking too.

 

Getting back to the Harrier (or Lexus 400h), it ticks the boxes as maru's sporty, can carry skis, 4wd and the original model is not that expensive s/h now thanks simply to the passage of time. fwiw, it sounds like its every bit as fast as that BRZ, which for an SUV that also gets great fuel economy is a lot of car for your money.

 

With PM2.5 so prominent in the media now, the tide has turned against diesel, but the fuel itself contains more energy than gasoline and is a relative bargain if the taxes make it 15% cheaper than gasoline.

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A Harrier Hybrid would certainly be nice, though I think I'd prefer a fuel economy hybrid to a performance hybrid...

Would the Prius Alpha be able to carry skis inside? I looked in the back of one once, and it seemed just barely possible, maybe.

 

Hmm, yeah, actually I think I could fit skis in there:

utilities_img_back04.jpg

 

The Alpha is the station wagon version? If you drop one of the seats, I guess you'd get em in the regular hatch one too. We've got one but we stopped using it in winter because we live on a hill with a hairpin at the top. The Prius is a great car but is only 2WD. Apparently the next one will come in a 4wd version. It'll be out late this year or 2015. I think there's also 4wd version of the Fit hybrid, which I guess Honda could build as a Freed, because the engine and chassis are the same.

 

Ah, would definitely want to wait for the 4WD version. But it would be nice if skis could be stowed diagonally without dropping any seats.

Well, not in the market immediately, so can wait to see what happens with future versions.

 

Getting back to the Harrier (or Lexus 400h), it ticks the boxes as maru's sporty, can carry skis, 4wd and the original model is not that expensive s/h now thanks simply to the passage of time. fwiw, it sounds like its every bit as fast as that BRZ, which for an SUV that also gets great fuel economy is a lot of car for your money.

 

I wouldn't call the Harrier sporty. It is still an SUV, if a very comfortable one. It won't handle anything like a BRZ. Probably better than a BRZ for carrying skis, though.

 

With PM2.5 so prominent in the media now, the tide has turned against diesel, but the fuel itself contains more energy than gasoline and is a relative bargain if the taxes make it 15% cheaper than gasoline.

 

Didn't Tokyo ban diesels at one point? (Whatever happened with that?)

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0-100km/h in under seven seconds

4WD

easily big enough for skis and to sleep in.

Very economical. 12-13 km/l off gasoline with a light foot

Heated leather seats and JBL sound system.

About 1.5 million yen for 80,000 to 100,000kms on the clock.

 

 

 

70005041153014041300100.jpg

 

That's a Toyota Harrier Hybrid, or as they rebadge it overseas, a Lexus RX400h.

It is actually a "performance" hybrid, not a fuel economy one like a Prius. Its more powerful and faster than the non-hybrid Harrier. It still gets very good fuel economy, however.

As a Lexus (it sounds like the "S package" is the equivalent for the Harrier sold in Japan), its interior and quality-related stuff like road noise will be very good, much better than say a Subaru.

We changed our van last year and I don't think we'll change the other car for a year or two yet, but this model is definitely on the radar for when we do. S/h ones have finally come down to our price range. :friend:

 

 

 

A Harrier Hybrid would certainly be nice, though I think I'd prefer a fuel economy hybrid to a performance hybrid...

Would the Prius Alpha be able to carry skis inside? I looked in the back of one once, and it seemed just barely possible, maybe.

 

Hmm, yeah, actually I think I could fit skis in there:

utilities_img_back04.jpg

 

You need to fold down the rear seat and put your ski bag on the left.

 

I have to do that when I take my skis to the airport to catch the plane for the winter wonderland on the island of Japan.

 

You drive a Prius Alpha, WV?

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Interesting stuff, but not really the type of vehicle I see myself buying.

 

The idea is all a bit on hold now for the moment. :(

 

More time to read car porn then!

 

fwiw, I went and had a provisional look at a Harrier Hybrid yesterday. We had a load of ANA air miles expiring this month, so we used them on a city break to Niigata and a dealer there had one in. The Fuji Cars SUV place on Route 8. We came back via that Teradomari port with all the seafood places, and the dealer wasn't that much of a detour. My missus liked the car and I think we might get one in the future some time. Maybe a couple of years, when they should be cheaper :friend: . The one we saw was in great nick and had the leather interior, but had belonged to a smoker, which is always :sadface:

 

They had a couple of RX450h next to it, WV's car, and that is also very stylish and even lovelier. The cheaper of the two was 3.5 million with 60,000 km on it. The Harrier was 1.5 million with 88,000 km. The Harrier and the RX450h too I think have a back seat that drops down separately in the middle where the arm rest is, so there is potential for seating four and putting skis up the middle. What's yours like, WV?

 

For anyone looking for an eco car, I asked on the offchance and the same dealer had a diesel X Trail for 1.5 million yen but with no shaken. They'll do about 15km/l off diesel, so about 9 yen a km to drive. They only came out in something like 2008, so I was surprised the price has dropped that fast. Again, give it a couple of years and it should hit a million. Compared to a 4wd car that gets 10 km/l off gasoline, it'll save getting on for 100,000 yen a year if do 1000 km a month, obviously more if you drive more. The lower the price when you buy the car, the more that kind of saving matters.

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When it comes the time to replace my Delica probably in another 4 years or so because by then it will have around the 100000 k mark on it now up to 40000 in a scratch over 3 years I will go for a diesel.

Diesel engines now are very fast have tons of pulling power and almost last forever and of course much cheaper than a petrol to run.

 

It will be another 4WD although no idea which one maybe a diesel Delica or Pajero or something like that.

I dont like any of the hybrid cars that are around at the momement but if they come out with a hybrid Delica, land cruiser, Pajero or Jeep or something like that then I might go for that instead of diesel.

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