I wish that my iPod did this....

[Vlade]

Plus, I'd never buy a Toyota just because it has "Toy" in the name - I don't want a toy, I want a serious car.

That has to be the worst logic I have ever seen... and the fact that you are serious scares me.

I drive a VW Passat, but before I bought it I asked my car savvy friend and he told me that toyotas are very reliable good cars, and I tend to agree, even though I am not that big on cars.

 

[iChan]

cooper s... get a Liquid Yellow, just like me!!! nothing better!

 

[darkwing]

Check out a Pontiac Sunfire. Cheap, neat looking, and fairly reliable from what I hear. Don't listen to naysayers about American cars being low reliability. The 2003 JD Powers and Associates survey went, Lexus, Infinity, and then Buick. VW and Volvo were at the bottom of the list. Don't believe me? Check it yourself. (Porsche was #4..wow?)

Anyway, I have a 99 Pontiac Trans Am taht's going to hit 100,000 miles in about 2 days. It hasn't given me any problems at all since the warrany expired except for a burned out headlight and a blown fuse. People say they're horrible for reliability..but obviously they aren't. My girlfriend's family's Honda Civic (a 95 I think) has been nothing but brake and engine probelms from day 1, and her dad's Toyota truck with 50k miles on it breaks down every other week. Their Avalon is fine, but that as like 9k miles on it.

It really doesn't matter who makes the car. You either get lucky or you don't. Just take good care of it!

To further prove my point, my car before the Pontiac was a 97 Camaro z-28. Different motor, but same everything else. The T-tops in the Z leaked uncontrollably and they were unable to solve it. Not a single leak ever in the Trans Am. Same exact body, same exact T-tops. Luck of the draw.

Steven

 

[iChan]

That has to be the worst logic I have ever seen... and the fact that you are serious scares me.

I drive a VW Passat, but before I bought it I asked my car savvy friend and he told me that toyotas are very reliable good cars, and I tend to agree, even though I am not that big on cars.

hahah, i agree with you... "toy" in toyota? hahhaha.

"lamb" in lambourghini... "I don't want a baby sheep"
"rar" in ferrari... "I don't want a car making stupid monster noises"
"ex" in lexus... "i don't want my car to be my 'ex'"

twisted if ever i saw it.

 

[mojohanna]

I am in the market for a new car... Don't know what brand I want or what model, but it's got to be reliable, fast, confortable, good on miles, and have connectivity to my iPod. Of course, the BMWs have all of that - but I don't have fourty grand. I'm looking to spend about $20,000 and I want something brand new. I really love the way that the Saturn Ions look, but a friend of mine recently got one and it would not be cool for me to get the same kind of car. Ford Focuses are nice but they seem sort of generic looking. The rest of the market is a bit confusing to me and there isn't anything that really stands out as something I could see myself driving. I would prefer to buy something American, so Hondas and Toyotas are out of my consideration set. Plus, I'd never buy a Toyota just because it has "Toy" in the name - I don't want a toy, I want a serious car.

Currently, I use one of those tape deck converter things that plug into the headphone jack but there are things I don't like about it. First, it loses sound quality during the conversion from iPod to tape deck. I want to hear pick scrapes and breathing. Second, it uses the iPod battery, which means that I only have 7 or 8 hours of life before I have to take it out and recharge it.

I don't like those FM connectors like the iTrip that plug into the top of the iPod. A friend of mine has one and it sounds terrible, plus it's just more batteries to change. I want clean sound.

The iPod is roughly the same size as a tape, but there aren't any connectors on the market that allow me to plug my iPod right into my car. It fits nicely into my tape deck but obviously doesn't play - so why can't some car company make some sort of tape deck that I can just plug my iPod into. I don't want my iPod in my glove compartment, but right into my stereo.

Since I want a new car, the last thing I want to do is tear out the factory stereo and put in some aftermarket one. I plan on buying a new car sometime before this winter, but I have no idea which one to get. If there were a model in my price range that allowed for iPod connectivity without any adapters that would strongly influence my decision.

I need a new car, but have no idea which kind to get. I want a brand new car that has a dock built into the tape deck.

-Crackrock

Can't help you on the car, however, I did find, thru the help of another Mac junkie what seems to be a great way to integrate any generation of iPod (inclusive of the mini) to just about any car makers vehicles.
Upsides:
Runs off of car power NOT battery (charges to I think)
Allows for operation via car's radio controls and if equipped, steering wheel controls.
iPod is still easily detached and taken with you.

Downside:
Pricey. Looks to be about $220 for the kit, but it contains all of the mounts and the wiring harnesses for your make and model.
One more thing to rip out of your car before you sell it.

Here is the link to the manufacturer:
http://www.densionusa.com/x/index.php?option=content&task=view&id=375&Itemid=79

It is called the ICElink (if having problems with llink, get rid of everything after .com)

I have never used this or talked to anyone who has, but it looks like an interesting alternative.

 

[aloofman]

I want something that's going to work with my iPod without having to do any modifications to it, that's the point of getting a new car, right?

No, it's not. Buying a car for its iPod capability is just as silly as buying a car because you like the tires it has on it. Buy a well-built car and then spend a little money to upgrade the stereo. If the new car already has iPod compatibility, that's just a bonus. Your car is not an accessory to your iPod.

 

[crackrock]

Are you SERIOUS??? How could you even suggest that??? Pontiacs are for women! They are designed to have big buttons and dials for long fingernails, be big on safety, and lots of storage for stuff like makeup, lipstick, and Virginia Slims. They are engineered and designed with women in mind. Look at the logo - do you think that's designed to appeal to a man or a woman - a long and slender triangle??? I'm not going to drive a womans car. I don't know a single straight man who owns a Pontiac, and i'm not going to be the first.

There are so many cars on the market but i'm still having a really tough time deciding because none of them really appeal to me. I've got the cash in hand and i'm ready to buy one right now, but still am not satisfied with my choices.

I wish I had the chance to design my own car like that Simpsons episode... I'd make something so revolutionary that everyone would want one.

 

[zakee00]

....right

 

[Vlade]

I wish I had the chance to design my own car like that Simpsons episode... I'd make something so revolutionary that everyone would want one.

Like his bubble car?


Anyways, what cars are on your short list now and what cars do you really hate?

 

[aloofman]

Are you SERIOUS??? How could you even suggest that??? Pontiacs are for women! They are designed to have big buttons and dials for long fingernails, be big on safety, and lots of storage for stuff like makeup, lipstick, and Virginia Slims. They are engineered and designed with women in mind. Look at the logo - do you think that's designed to appeal to a man or a woman - a long and slender triangle??? I'm not going to drive a womans car. I don't know a single straight man who owns a Pontiac, and i'm not going to be the first.

Actually, Pontiac is marketed as GM's "performance" brand. Most of its models are intended as sporty versions of family cars, like the Grand Am and Grand Prix. The new (old?) GTO is the latest of those. Pontiacs are not specially marketed toward women at all and none of their models are especially likely to be driven by women. The Sunfire is kind of an exception in that it's smaller than most of their other models.

I wish I had the chance to design my own car like that Simpsons episode... I'd make something so revolutionary that everyone would want one.

If you'd paid attention to that episode, you'd have noticed that Homer's "revolutionary" car that everyone would want was a complete flop. Do you know anything about cars? Anything at all?

 

[jbembe]

Auxiliary Input Converters

Check out this website!!!

http://www.logjamelectronics.com/auxinpconv.html

These Auxiliary Input Converters (also see XM/Sirius Interfaces & Adapters) will convert the CD Changer port of your factory or after-market radio to an auxiliary audio input with line level RCA jacks Logjam Electronics has THE largest selection of PIE, SoundGate and Blitzsafe auxiliary input converters on the Internet! Therefore, most items found here are IN-STOCK and ready for immediate shipment. Please email us with your application questions. We are adding new items as they become available!

Virtually a plug-n-play installation, you can quickly add a portable MP3, iPod or DVD player, satellite radio or any auxiliary sound source to your Volvo factory radio. Installation is simple as the connector on the VOL/AUX DMX V.1 matches exactly and plugs directly into the rear of your factory radio. Simply remove the factory radio and plug the VOL/AUX DMX V.1 into the CD data port in the rear of the factory radio and you're done.

They have anything from Hondas to Volvos.

I just did this simple installation on my wife's Honda with an aftermarket Pioneer. I bought the CD-RB10 Interconnecteur RCA A IP-BUS from Tweeter (which was cheaper than the prices on LOGJAM) which plugs into the port intended for a CD changer. Then, I plugged the Monster Cable from the RCA port and tucked the wire under the console so that the jack into the iPod's headphone jack came out right next to the emergency brake. We just did a road trip and it works like a charm!! SO MUCH BETTER THAN FM TRANSMITTERS!!! And ANY car stereo with the ability to add a CD changer can do this, all you need is the correct auxiliary converter cable.

EDIT: Someone beat me to this! However, I want to stress the fact that this is incredibly easy and worth the effort once you throw away the FM transmitter. The hardest part is reaching the back of the stereo.