:wrong: Soviet car reviews

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D Griff
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max225 wrote: Wed Oct 21, 2020 12:15 pm
D Griff wrote: Wed Oct 21, 2020 12:11 pm

I also find I have more than enough head room in the :jeep: (I'm only 6'11" or so but long torso). I never could fit comfortably in :tits: Fusion so I always pay attention to that.

@Max, glad you love the :truk: man! It is certianly a cool vehicle and nice spec, should give years of good service.

I gravitate more towards :jeep: for the fun factor/convertible and such, but I can certainly understand the Tacoma desires after being in both a bunch, the braking, steering, handling, comfort are all definitely much higher and ultimately both vehicles can handle any off roading us DFDers will throw at them. As two fellow "useless bed haters" who now both own :haus: we can both also, as much as I hate to admit, see the light in the pickup bed.
TY on the grats, I truly love this thing. Similar to how much @Detroit/Chris liked his gladiator. This is just such a great 0fg, :nice: vehicle to drive.

I do think the bed is "useless" but I wish there was a better looking functioning vehicle than the Taco in the lineup, but they don't exist. There are certainly some uses for it, but the 5' bed is fairly short, and some things i carried with the older taco won't fit into the new one.

I'd gladly get a NEW FJ, but they don't exist. I got the next best thing. No, I don't care for the 4R. It is too dated IMO.
Yeah I would go Taco over 4R as well. FJ would be cool... I'm sure they're kicking themselves now for offing it.
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In4adventuretrippics
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D Griff wrote: Wed Oct 21, 2020 12:17 pm In4adventuretrippics
Hoping to post up some soon.
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max225 wrote: Wed Oct 21, 2020 12:15 pm
D Griff wrote: Wed Oct 21, 2020 12:11 pm

I also find I have more than enough head room in the :jeep: (I'm only 6'11" or so but long torso). I never could fit comfortably in :tits: Fusion so I always pay attention to that.

@Max, glad you love the :truk: man! It is certianly a cool vehicle and nice spec, should give years of good service.

I gravitate more towards :jeep: for the fun factor/convertible and such, but I can certainly understand the Tacoma desires after being in both a bunch, the braking, steering, handling, comfort are all definitely much higher and ultimately both vehicles can handle any off roading us DFDers will throw at them. As two fellow "useless bed haters" who now both own :haus: we can both also, as much as I hate to admit, see the light in the pickup bed.
TY on the grats, I truly love this thing. Similar to how much @Detroit/Chris liked his gladiator. This is just such a great 0fg, :nice: vehicle to drive.

I do think the bed is "useless" but I wish there was a better looking functioning vehicle than the Taco in the lineup, but they don't exist. There are certainly some uses for it, but the 5' bed is fairly short, and some things i carried with the older taco won't fit into the new one.

I'd gladly get a NEW FJ, but they don't exist. I got the next best thing. No, I don't care for the 4R. It is too dated IMO.
The Gladiator really still is my favorite vehicle ever. I'm going to be so sad when it goes. Midsize trucks are just the right size period. And customers recognize that too based off the demand lately. It's just a shame they're so expensive as a result.

I still don't think the bed is worthless. While small, it can still haul a bunch of stuff at a moment's notice, which happens frequently to me for some reason. Makes it a true swiss army knife type vehicle and I just love that.

For my needs, an extended cab long bed truck like Zil's Tacoma is ideal. I'd like a little extra bed space, and never take anything in the back seats really. :ohwell: my poverty Ram will do that, but just massive :disgust:
Desertbreh wrote: Tue Oct 10, 2017 6:40 pm My guess would be that Chris took some time off because he has read the dialogue on this page 1,345 times and decided to spend some of his free time doing something besides beating a horse to death.
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D Griff wrote: Wed Oct 21, 2020 12:17 pm
max225 wrote: Wed Oct 21, 2020 12:15 pm
TY on the grats, I truly love this thing. Similar to how much @Detroit/Chris liked his gladiator. This is just such a great 0fg, :nice: vehicle to drive.

I do think the bed is "useless" but I wish there was a better looking functioning vehicle than the Taco in the lineup, but they don't exist. There are certainly some uses for it, but the 5' bed is fairly short, and some things i carried with the older taco won't fit into the new one.

I'd gladly get a NEW FJ, but they don't exist. I got the next best thing. No, I don't care for the 4R. It is too dated IMO.
Yeah I would go Taco over 4R as well. FJ would be cool... I'm sure they're kicking themselves now for offing it.
It was just a head of it's time, sadly. Came out in 06 IIRC, so it only got a few years before 08 when gas guzzlers and off-roaders were being dropped en masse. Hard to invest in a vehicle that people don't want, and I'm sure that's why it lived a long life with minimal updates and died.

And unfortunately, it'll be hard for it to come back. CAFE and GHG standards are still increasing (Trump's full of shit that he stopped them BTW), so vehicles like that are REALLY hard to make a business case. Maybe a heavily electrified or EV type thing would make sense, and we could see more :neat: stuff there. I have ZERO idea how Ferd is doing the Bronco profitably.
Desertbreh wrote: Tue Oct 10, 2017 6:40 pm My guess would be that Chris took some time off because he has read the dialogue on this page 1,345 times and decided to spend some of his free time doing something besides beating a horse to death.
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Detroit wrote: Wed Oct 21, 2020 11:05 am
max225 wrote: Wed Oct 21, 2020 11:02 am

When I sit back in the :wrong: 'Ler my head is at the bar. The JL has less of it than the JK. I mean this isn't a miata, so we're like debating tallest midgets, these cars are still BIG. But it is surely isn't cavernous. The Tacoma in the same light is completely fine. But it isn't BIG and SPACIOUS inside. But that's why I like about it... It is just the right size.

Also turning radius seems pretty decent on the taco, a quick search reveals its slightly tighter than the JL. And it is tighter than the 2001 model that I have, even though it's slightly bigger.
Must be the seat position then, my head is many inches from the bar. I could see it being problematic if my head was back that far, but I like to sit closer to the dash/steering wheel and a bit more upright so it works out great.
Might also be that you carry more of your height in your legs and have a shorter torso vs Max, who may have shorter legs and taller torso. :iono:
:wap: Where are these mangos?
Detroit wrote: Fri Apr 16, 2021 1:19 pm I don't understand anything anymore.
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wap wrote: Wed Oct 21, 2020 4:01 pm
Detroit wrote: Wed Oct 21, 2020 11:05 am
Must be the seat position then, my head is many inches from the bar. I could see it being problematic if my head was back that far, but I like to sit closer to the dash/steering wheel and a bit more upright so it works out great.
Might also be that you carry more of your height in your legs and have a shorter torso vs Max, who may have shorter legs and taller torso. :iono:
I actually have more in my torso than legs. The difference is seating position...I like sitting closer to the dash and more upright, my head is far forward from the bar Max hits.
Desertbreh wrote: Tue Oct 10, 2017 6:40 pm My guess would be that Chris took some time off because he has read the dialogue on this page 1,345 times and decided to spend some of his free time doing something besides beating a horse to death.
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Detroit wrote: Wed Oct 21, 2020 4:16 pm
wap wrote: Wed Oct 21, 2020 4:01 pm
Might also be that you carry more of your height in your legs and have a shorter torso vs Max, who may have shorter legs and taller torso. :iono:
I actually have more in my torso than legs. The difference is seating position...I like sitting closer to the dash and more upright, my head is far forward from the bar Max hits.
:word:
:wap: Where are these mangos?
Detroit wrote: Fri Apr 16, 2021 1:19 pm I don't understand anything anymore.
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Check out this payload utilization
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max225 wrote: Wed Oct 21, 2020 4:24 pm Image

Check out this payload utilization
:impressive:

Still faster to load than screwing around with putting down seats and whatnot in an SUV.
Desertbreh wrote: Tue Oct 10, 2017 6:40 pm My guess would be that Chris took some time off because he has read the dialogue on this page 1,345 times and decided to spend some of his free time doing something besides beating a horse to death.
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Is this color close to the greenish gray on the civic type r? I really love that color in the sun
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CaleDeRoo wrote: Wed Oct 21, 2020 5:07 pm Is this color close to the greenish gray on the civic type r? I really love that color in the sun
Hard to say... Sort of similar. I thought it was like the mini but seeing them side by side... they are quite different.
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Been a while... but cuckdown was tough on travels and rona infused vehicles.

Spent 500 miles in a GLE350 and it was an interesting experience.
I spent quite a bit of time in a C300, GLC300, and a last gen E350 and it is interesting to see where MB is taking their cars. They are certainly focusing on Brand+Tech.

Lets talk about some basic facts.
Mid Size SUV
9 speed auto
2.slow +turbo
~59k MSRP as equipped. Which makes it almost completely without options.

CLIFFS:
What's good?
1. Size, I can comfortably sit behind myself. This thing will fit 4 6'+ easily, as opposed to some smaller SUVS.
2. Extremely comfortable seats: Probably my favorite out of all
3. Digital dash does seem to be the future. I saw no drawbacks with sun/darkness etc. It works flawlessly.
4. Engine is completely fine, yes it's tiny, but it keeps the rpms at 1800-2500 at almost all times and it feels really torquey. I got 25mpg average over 500 miles, which is probably a bit better than it would have gotten with the V6. I really do think the turbo 4+ great trans is completely fine to Power most vehicles.
5. Gas tank size allows for a 600 mile range.
6. This was the quietest car I have ever driven in under good road conditions.
7. Most relaxing car I have ever driven, you can steer things with 1 finger (as it is super responsive).

What's bad ?
1. Tech without options is completely not ok in a 60k vehicle. No adaptive cruise/no 360 cam. Only 6 way power seat for passengers :wtf: is this a civic?
2. There is needless complication all over, the dash has at least 200 different combinations you can do. People that are not used to it, can not figure it out. I waited 5 min for the rental car dude to try and find the odometer, he couldn't.... I had to show him how. Younger dude who I am sure sees cars every damn day.
3. Tech had glitches. Car play bogged down and didn't load for 5 min locking up a giant screen, the trunk wouldn't close.
4. Start stop which is absolute TRASH. I fking hate this feature and it needs to be banned. Car shakes every time, AC cuts out etc.
5. 19" wheels are the smallest ones you can get... This things can not handle pot holes well... and there are optional 20s,21s I think. A lot of rattles/shakes appear when you run over shitty pavement. This doesn't happen in my POS Cuckoma, yet MB squeaks/rattles with shitty pavement (11k miles on it).
6. Brakes were shitty, yes they are adequate for a :derp: but a Luxo barge needs to have better standard brakes at 60k.

Rant:
This was a very interesting vehicle as it seems like a vehicle that is caught between the tail end of the normal tech (gasoline) and the future. There is so much "tech" in this car that it feels like an EV with a gasoline motor. I think that's the best descriptor. It is an incredibly comfortable vehicle to drive, that is easy for a giant and a midget (me and my sig other). Both of us were super comfortable, it has no engine sound, and it is being hidden from the driver as if it is a leper.

On the flip side this vehicle has way too many pointless features that are here for no reason... there are 8 THEMES and 10 settings for each one of the 3 dash sections, for the dash(es) and they honestly make no sense... Like various color schemes, missing gauges etc. The factory default is the only one that does.
I am not going to comment on the lack of tech mentioned above as they are all "optional" that my vehicle didn't have.

While the ride quality has been quite amazing especially on good roads, on bad roads this thing falls apart. Interestingly that seems to be the case for every single mercedes I have driven. If the pavement gets shitty the suspension can't really cope and makes things quite hard/loud inside.

The Badge whoring is a bit :disgust: it had a 8" Mercedes star up front.... and the doors threw down mercedes logos on the ground. :disgust: what the fk is the point... It didn't have the backlit logo thankfully...

Overall 3/7. I really didn't hate it.
Last edited by max225 on Wed Mar 03, 2021 3:33 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Pic of the minivan.

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Nice write up of a :whocares: vehicle. 600 mile range is :jimp:

Did it have a compass?
:wap: Where are these mangos?
Detroit wrote: Fri Apr 16, 2021 1:19 pm I don't understand anything anymore.
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Nice writeup. I would kill myself before paying 60 grand for that, however.
Detroit wrote:Buy 911s instead of diamonds.
Johnny_P wrote: Thu Feb 09, 2023 3:21 pm Earn it and burn it, Val.
max225 wrote: Mon May 01, 2023 5:35 pm Yes it's a cool car. But prepare the lube/sawdust.
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wap wrote: Wed Mar 03, 2021 3:31 pm Nice write up of a :whocares: vehicle. 600 mile range is :jimp:

Did it have a compass?
Affirmative... compass and an epic touch screen Mercedes app based thing. That activates every time you say MERCEDES. It goes off like siri and tries to "help". For example...

You can say "Hey Mercedes set my house to 80F" and it will warm up the man/woman cave so that the flavor of the night is comfortable by the time you get home.
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Desertbreh wrote: Wed Mar 03, 2021 3:33 pm Nice writeup. I would kill myself before paying 60 grand for that, however.
Especially since it'll be 30 grand by year 2 and 15 grand by year 4. I am going to argue that a GLE is actually a better highway couch than the E class btw. It is a more comfortable vehicle overall. (keep that in mind for future shoppings).
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max225 wrote: Wed Mar 03, 2021 3:34 pm
wap wrote: Wed Mar 03, 2021 3:31 pm Nice write up of a :whocares: vehicle. 600 mile range is :jimp:

Did it have a compass?
Affirmative... compass and an epic touch screen Mercedes app based thing. That activates every time you say MERCEDES. It goes off like siri and tries to "help". For example...

You can say "Hey Mercedes set my house to 80F" and it will warm up the man/woman cave so that the flavor of the night is comfortable by the time you get home.
:impressive: I guess but I find "the internet of things" to be :disgust:
Unpopular personal opinion, I know...
:wap: Where are these mangos?
Detroit wrote: Fri Apr 16, 2021 1:19 pm I don't understand anything anymore.
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wap wrote: Wed Mar 03, 2021 4:33 pm
max225 wrote: Wed Mar 03, 2021 3:34 pm

Affirmative... compass and an epic touch screen Mercedes app based thing. That activates every time you say MERCEDES. It goes off like siri and tries to "help". For example...

You can say "Hey Mercedes set my house to 80F" and it will warm up the man/woman cave so that the flavor of the night is comfortable by the time you get home.
:impressive: I guess but I find "the internet of things" to be :disgust:
Unpopular personal opinion, I know...
You adjust your thermostat by turning the fucking dial or pushing the buttons, not by asking Brome or Jeff Bezos to do it through some gay ass unnecessary interface.

Edit: Kind of like you should just starve instead of using Door Dash to bring you $9 worth of Chalupas.
Last edited by Desertbreh on Wed Mar 03, 2021 4:53 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Detroit wrote:Buy 911s instead of diamonds.
Johnny_P wrote: Thu Feb 09, 2023 3:21 pm Earn it and burn it, Val.
max225 wrote: Mon May 01, 2023 5:35 pm Yes it's a cool car. But prepare the lube/sawdust.
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max225 wrote: Wed Mar 03, 2021 3:35 pm
Desertbreh wrote: Wed Mar 03, 2021 3:33 pm Nice writeup. I would kill myself before paying 60 grand for that, however.
Especially since it'll be 30 grand by year 2 and 15 grand by year 4. I am going to argue that a GLE is actually a better highway couch than the E class btw. It is a more comfortable vehicle overall. (keep that in mind for future shoppings).
Except for being a ubiquitous blob that fell out of the ugly tree and hit every branch on the way down.
Detroit wrote:Buy 911s instead of diamonds.
Johnny_P wrote: Thu Feb 09, 2023 3:21 pm Earn it and burn it, Val.
max225 wrote: Mon May 01, 2023 5:35 pm Yes it's a cool car. But prepare the lube/sawdust.
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Desertbreh wrote: Wed Mar 03, 2021 4:39 pm
wap wrote: Wed Mar 03, 2021 4:33 pm

:impressive: I guess but I find "the internet of things" to be :disgust:
Unpopular personal opinion, I know...
You adjust your thermostat by turning the fucking dial or pushing the buttons, not by asking Brome or Jeff Bezos to do it through some gay ass unnecessary interface.

Edit: Kind of like you should just starve instead of using Door Dash to bring you $9 worth of Chalupas.
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(Dat really needs to be the next DFDmoji)
:wap: Where are these mangos?
Detroit wrote: Fri Apr 16, 2021 1:19 pm I don't understand anything anymore.
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Desertbreh wrote: Wed Mar 03, 2021 4:42 pm
max225 wrote: Wed Mar 03, 2021 3:35 pm

Especially since it'll be 30 grand by year 2 and 15 grand by year 4. I am going to argue that a GLE is actually a better highway couch than the E class btw. It is a more comfortable vehicle overall. (keep that in mind for future shoppings).
Except for being a ubiquitous blob that fell out of the ugly tree and hit every branch on the way down.
Can't have everything in life. Supermodels usually can't cook, and a Heffalump will probably make you the best artisanal mac&cheese you've ever had.
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Im getting quite :disappoint: with the way mercedes sets it up. From shit potholed rides (even the rental rav4 and the shitty ass Rouge Sport rode bumps far better than what you described). Also your rant on the shit ride echo's driving my mom's old f10 535i with shit-flat tires too. This should not happen on premium vehicles unless they're AMG or M. Sad thing is people that show off will get these regardless of those issues, mostly above their means because it's a mercedes, the best or nothing. It might have to do with a base model as far as that goes, knowing the GLE could have air suspension on higher trims. :iono:

That auto start stop is badly designed, the aforementioned BMW never turned off AC when engine turns off, now with my Renault, with the A/C on whenever I come to a full stop, it gives me a message on dash saying "the climate control is on, we can't turn off the engine". I like my auto start/stop but it's mostly turned off, I only use it when traffic is really bad, enough to not move for over a minute.
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MexicanYarisTK wrote: Wed Mar 03, 2021 5:53 pm Im getting quite :disappoint: with the way mercedes sets it up. From shit potholed rides (even the rental rav4 and the shitty ass Rouge Sport rode bumps far better than what you described). Also your rant on the shit ride echo's driving my mom's old f10 535i with shit-flat tires too. This should not happen on premium vehicles unless they're AMG or M. Sad thing is people that show off will get these regardless of those issues, mostly above their means because it's a mercedes, the best or nothing. It might have to do with a base model as far as that goes, knowing the GLE could have air suspension on higher trims. :iono:

That auto start stop is badly designed, the aforementioned BMW never turned off AC when engine turns off, now with my Renault, with the A/C on whenever I come to a full stop, it gives me a message on dash saying "the climate control is on, we can't turn off the engine". I like my auto start/stop but it's mostly turned off, I only use it when traffic is really bad, enough to not move for over a minute.
I am sure mine didn't have air ride, but frankly it doesn't need it. It mainly improves things under load conditions. I.E eliminates squat etc. But the issue is the giant :ramz: 19" wheels on a base model family SUV. Give me a fking break. I'd rather have it come with 17"s but a front facing camera.
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