I cannot call myself a car fan or an advanced specialist in this topic. However, the more interesting it will be to discuss the topic set by the title within the framework of this topic. Outside the window is autumn 2021. I ride a 2012 Volkswagen Passat B7. The equipment is relatively empty in the cabin. Under the hood is a 1.8-liter turbocharged TSI engine, a robotic DQ200 transmission (aka “dry” DSG 7), front-wheel drive. There is an idea to give up this “monster” on the Audi A4 B8 (restyled 2012–2015, 2-liter TFSI engine, four-wheel drive) or Volkswagen Tiguan (2011–2017 restyled, 2-liter TSI engine, four-wheel drive). I formulated the points by which I came to these models and I will choose a worthy option from them.
I watch cars with mileage up to 100 thousand kilometers
But the year of manufacture of the car is not so important for me – the specific body of the model is more fundamental
100 thousand kilometers is a psychological mark for which I specifically do not want to climb. In 12 months I drive about 20 thousand kilometers and take a car for about 2-3 years. As practice shows, more or less serious questions about the technical part of a car, on average, appear after 150 thousand kilometers, and it is easier for me to drop the price of a car when selling than to deal with them on my own. I don’t see much point in considering the years of production, because the specific body is much more important. Automakers rarely change the design before the release of a restyling or a new model, so when choosing an option on the secondary, you need to consider a cut of years on the body.
I do not consider a car with a manual transmission
But after three years of living with DSG, it doesn’t matter for me which machine to take – a robot, a torque converter or a variator
At first I wanted to write that I understand motorists who prefer a manual transmission to an automatic one. Nevertheless, in reality today I have no explanation why to give preference to something so archaic. Mechanics can really only appeal to car athletes, for whom driving skill comes first, and not the convenience that the automatic machine offers. However, after long-term use of one of the most unreliable robots (DQ200), I have no prejudices about the type of automatic transmission. Each of them has both clear advantages and obvious disadvantages.
I want to definitely get a car with four-wheel drive
But for myself I don’t see much sense in a SUV or an SUV – a sedan will be enough
All the cars that I found myself in my personal use were front-wheel drive. There were a lot of problems associated with this – for example, I got stuck in puddles a couple of times when going out into nature, and also could not get closer to the sea when visiting wild beaches. Interestingly, the point in this case was not at all in the clearance (ground clearance), but in the all-wheel drive. The guys from the common company drove through the same places in four-wheel drive sedans without any problems. Therefore, I came to the conclusion that I need an all-wheel drive car, but it doesn’t make much sense to watch something with a high ground clearance. That is why Audi A4 and VW Tiguan are still on my wishlist.
Adequate fuel consumption is also important for me
But I really don’t want to forget about overclocking and other speed characteristics.
Adequate fuel consumption on gasoline is obtained when using a turbocharged engine with a relatively small volume. That is why I do not even look towards the same Subaru Forester in the same price category on the secondary with a 2.5-liter atmospheric power unit. It will not have the same vigorous dynamics at a higher flow rate. Maximum speed is a mythical indicator. About overclocking from zero to hundreds, they joke that it is interesting only for those who like to press the pedal to the floor at traffic lights. But in practice, it determines the behavior of the car on the highway – the ability to confidently overtake the transport that is dragging in front, with a busy road.
I need a salon of more or less normal size
But I don’t see any point in chasing a really big trunk myself.
The tasks may be different, but specifically, I don’t need a large trunk in my car. All my life I have been engaged in intellectual professional activity, so I simply do not need to transport something for work purposes. As for things, my wife and I often move with a pair of suitcases in the dimensions of hand luggage. It turns out that a spacious interior is specifically much more interesting to me than a voluminous trunk. Moreover, no one prohibits the purchase of a roof rack if there is an urgent need for regular long trips with an abundance of “essentials”.
I want a bluetooth audio system
But having Apple’s CarPlay and Google’s Android Auto systems doesn’t really matter to me.
Of course, for the primary market in the second half of 2021, the request for Bluetooth support for the multimedia system looks rather ridiculous. But for the secondary housing, everything is completely different. The fact is that a few years ago, wireless connection of a smartphone to a car was positioned, to a greater extent, only as a means of speakerphone. This system requires a large number of microphones to operate, so it is not used everywhere. Without Bluetooth, listening to music from a smartphone is not so comfortable. But I personally don’t see much point in CarPlay from Apple and Android Auto from Google – a mobile device with a large screen is always at hand and without them.
I would like to look at the pleasant screen of the central panel
But, for example, I myself do not see any point in using it for navigation.
Despite the fact that I am considering buying a car in the secondary market and choosing among not the freshest models, I want it to look more or less relevant in the cabin. For this, it seems to me, the center console should have a normal-sized color screen. It’s funny that for navigation, like many others, I will definitely not use this myself. Again, it seems to me that for this it is much more convenient to use not standard vehicle means, but a smartphone with modern software that is constantly updated: Waze, Google Maps, Yandex.Navigator and so on.
A modern car must have a multi-wheel
But its shape is specifically indifferent to me – I know that many are chasing sports beveled options, but I do not see the point in this.
The “highlight” of my 2012 Volkswagen Passat B7, which at the time of this writing I have been riding for three years, is the “bare” steering wheel. All the cars that I had before could not “boast” of anything like that. During the purchase, I did not attach much importance to this, but in the end it turned out that without adjusting the volume, switching musical compositions and everything else that should be at hand, it is not very comfortable. But the shape of the steering wheel, it seems to me, does not affect the convenience in any way. “Steering wheels” from the sports series with beveled sides may be prettier in appearance, but nothing more.
It is desirable for me to have seat memory
But they do not have to be leather – textile ones do not look so pleasant, but they win in practicality.
As practice shows, textile seats are much less finicky in operation. After a couple of years of careless use, they can be quite simply brought back to their almost pristine form with the help of dry cleaning. The same cannot be said about the skin – if there is a desire to keep such a salon in good condition, you will have to take care of its regular maintenance. When it comes to seat settings, I don’t have a point about the maximum number of seating settings for exact repetition of the back and fifth point. However, there is an important feature – memory. Since the second driver (spouse) regularly appears at the wheel of my car, I really want to switch the parameters automatically.
I consider headlights to be one of the main elements of the exterior.
But they do not have to be diode, xenon or something else – specifically, I have enough halogen
When I look at the car externally, I first pay attention to the headlights – both front and rear. I am interested in their form, the combination of various elements. But regarding the type of light bulbs used, I prefer not to fool my head, since I don’t often drive along the highway in the dark. Moreover, I am not so much confused by the main problem of halogens – their quick failure. They are quite cheap, so there is absolutely no difficulty in stopping by an electrician and replacing a pair of burned-out ones with new ones. Perhaps this is the most subjective point of this material. However, I am sure that many will find here a lot more, with which one can argue.
Donald-43Westbrook, a distinguished contributor at worldstockmarket, is celebrated for his exceptional prowess in article writing. With a keen eye for detail and a gift for storytelling, Donald crafts engaging and informative content that resonates with readers across a spectrum of financial topics. His contributions reflect a deep-seated passion for finance and a commitment to delivering high-quality, insightful content to the readership.
