It’s rather surprising what an effect we have on the popularity of certain models. While we haven’t bothered to put up an update on our 2008 Mitsubishi Galant GTS in a while now, we’ve been getting requests asking us more about the car. It seems some people are starting to consider the Galant as a viable alternative to the Japanese regulars, thanks to our endorsement.
It’s no secret that we’ve done extremely well over the past year, financially. As the most popular-yet-hated automotive portal in the region, we’re finally getting our dues in terms of advertising money from carmakers we haven’t pissed off. What better way to celebrate than to buy a new car, especially since we’ve sold off our longstanding Jeep and BMW late last year. We were having crazy thoughts at the time on what our new mascot car should be, as we were looking at everything from the upgraded Dodge Challenger SRT8 392 to the new Porsche 911 Carrera, with everything in between,
There isn’t much to report on our 2009 Renault Safrane, the car that we’ve owned from new, and driven by my father. It was my top pick for a reliable car to replace his old 1997 Toyota Corolla. And so far, my decision is proving to be right.
Our Jeep went for its last service back in November. While it has been a great car, decently reliable despite misgivings about Chrysler quality, we were fine with the cost of regular servicing because we could afford it. But then we realised that the dealer service charges were only slightly less than that for Mercedes-Benz. That got us a bit peeved, and we decided that we might as well get a better car to pour money into.
The fact that the Volkswagen CC is just a chopped-top version of the regular Passat would mean that space would be compromised. But that’s hardly the case.
Our 2012 Volkswagen Passat CC long-termer came back last week, having spent a few weeks at the dealership getting its front fender repaired after a hit-and-run incident. It looks new again, and with a broken-in engine, it drives even better.
Owning a four-wheel-drive is a dream for the majority of the population in the Middle East, particularly due to the excessive feeling of safety, the commanding view and availability of cheap gasoline. Sadly enough, barely a few realise the true potential of these vehicles, the result being these unfortunate four-wheel-drives living the life of a budget sedan. One such commonly-seen family SUV is the Mitsubishi Pajero, which also happens to be our new long-term hauler.
If you keep track of automotive news, you’ll know that the facelifted new “2013” Volkswagen CC has just been unveiled. It gets a straight new corporate face and some LED-specific enhancements. And from what we can see, our “older” CC arguably looks better. Of course, it will take a while before the redone model reaches UAE shores, so we’ll reserve judgement for now. Right now, we had to deal with our car becoming the victim of a hit-and-run accident.
Our freebie Volkswagen Passat CC has now completed its break-in period, so we’re finally getting to open up the throttle and listen to that 3.6-litre V6. The same engine powers the new VW Touareg as well as the pricey Porsche Cayenne V6, and we loved the motor in those SUVs.
It’s time to close the chapter on our 2000 BMW M Roadster, our first attempt at owning a near-exotic car. We bought it in early 2008, and sold it last month, barely driving it for 7,000 km in more than three years. Here’s a rundown of what you need to know if you plan to buy a premium sports car on a budget.