RiverC0il Goes for a Test Drive: CT 200h, JSW TDI, Mazda3, & Elantra

AdironRider · Aug 12, 2011

Ill admit, Im stuck dealing with chain laws, where AWD or 4x4 is mandatory or else you need chains. Doesnt matter snows or otherwise.

With the way I drive, I need the 4x4 or AWD to blast through a couple feet of blower in the driveway, then once Im moving Im good. The chain laws cant be gotten around though regardless of how good a driver you are. The fines are steeeeeep.

Geoff · Aug 12, 2011

deadheadskier said:
This argument has gone on ad naseum on this forum, but I'll say it again.

My FWD Sonata with Snow Tires does better in the snow than my AWD Audi A6 did with all seasons. Got stuck way more often in the Audi and in general it slipped around a lot more.

That's why I run studded Nokians on my AWD Mountaineer. The high ground clearance and 4wd system are fine for snow but they're useless on black ice. With stock tires, my SUV is white knuckle when it's icy.

hrstrat57 · Aug 17, 2011

I was gonna get a new WRX to replace my 07 Impreza....but I bought a Mustang GT convertible instead.

Does anyone know if they sell a ski rack I can put on the top?

It has posi traction so it should be way better than my Subie in the deep stuff!!!!

Geoff · Aug 17, 2011

hrstrat57 said:
I was gonna get a new WRX to replace my 07 Impreza....but I bought a Mustang GT convertible instead.

Does anyone know if they sell a ski rack I can put on the top?

It has posi traction so it should be way better than my Subie in the deep stuff!!!!

You might consider putting a receiver hitch on it. That will accept a bike rack with a ski rack add-on.

I'd think that a RWD car with a V8 in the nose would be pretty tricky to drive in the snow. With all that horsepower, the rear wheels are going to spin no matter how good the limited slip differential is. Back in the dark ages, I owned a Maverick and a turbo Mustang. You really had to plan ahead. You took hills at speed. You avoided hill starts at all costs. I didn't have much horsepower. I'd think the rear end would be all over the place unless you were really careful with the throttle.

riverc0il · Sep 3, 2011

Now the proud owner of a 2012 VW SportWagen TDI. Grey exterior, black interior. With the Sunroof and DSG Auto.

Man, this car just kills it on the highway. Big smile on my face. You press the pedal and this car just takes off and pushes you back against the seat. Engine has a pleasant growl but it doesn't roar when pushed. It just says "Yes, please... push down a little harder!" And this is coming from an MPG obsessive light foot.

Despite a heavy foot and varying RPMs substantially, I still got 42 MPG on the trip computer after 120 miles. I can't wait to see what this thing can do with a light foot once broken in.

Warp Daddy · Sep 3, 2011

riverc0il said:
Now the proud owner of a 2012 VW SportWagen TDI. Grey exterior, black interior. With the Sunroof and DSG Auto.

Man, this car just kills it on the highway. Big smile on my face. You press the pedal and this car just takes off and pushes you back against the seat. Engine has a pleasant growl but it doesn't roar when pushed. It just says "Yes, please... push down a little harder!" And this is coming from an MPG obsessive light foot.

Despite a heavy foot and varying RPMs substantially, I still got 42 MPG on the trip computer after 120 miles. I can't wait to see what this thing can do with a light foot once broken in.

Nice ! enjoy

Geoff · Sep 3, 2011

riverc0il said:
Despite a heavy foot and varying RPMs substantially, I still got 42 MPG on the trip computer after 120 miles. I can't wait to see what this thing can do with a light foot once broken in.

Oh no! Another smug hypermiler.

riverc0il · Sep 3, 2011

Geoff said:
Oh no! Another smug hypermiler.

I wouldn't classify myself as a hypermiler. Those guys do some dangerous things at worst and at best there are many things they do that barely help MPG much for the inconvenience. Also, If I was a smug hypermiler, I would have gone for the manual instead of the auto. Then I would be smug for two reasons.

:beer:

deadheadskier · Sep 5, 2011

riverc0il said:
Now the proud owner of a 2012 VW SportWagen TDI. Grey exterior, black interior. With the Sunroof and DSG Auto.

Man, this car just kills it on the highway. Big smile on my face. You press the pedal and this car just takes off and pushes you back against the seat. Engine has a pleasant growl but it doesn't roar when pushed. It just says "Yes, please... push down a little harder!" And this is coming from an MPG obsessive light foot.

Despite a heavy foot and varying RPMs substantially, I still got 42 MPG on the trip computer after 120 miles. I can't wait to see what this thing can do with a light foot once broken in.

pics?

riverc0il · Sep 5, 2011

deadheadskier said:
pics?

Just Google "sportwagen platinum grey" -- anything that hasn't been customized looks the same. Though I got the 17" alloys with the sunroof.

Absolutely in love with this car. Everything and more than I thought it would be... still discovering some nifty features I had not been aware of prior to purchase.

I swear I am going to get a speeding ticket in this thing. Not on the highway but on the back roads. This thing likes to get up into 6 gear (with the auto) pretty quickly. So it doesn't take much pedal to hold a 35 or 40 limit. Corners incredibly well so for me I feel like I am going slower than I really am. Doesn't feel like a big wagon at all. And the airyness and space is incredible. Can't think of anything I would change at this point.

roark · Sep 5, 2011

I love the sunroof on that car, quite the upgrade from your previous ride!

riverc0il · Sep 5, 2011

roark said:
I love the sunroof on that car, quite the upgrade from your previous ride!

LOL. Total understatement. You should have felt how it was driving lately.

It really is the closest thing to a convertible short of not having a roof over your head.

bigbog · Sep 5, 2011

Very nice!

bvibert · Sep 6, 2011

riverc0il said:
Now the proud owner of a 2012 VW SportWagen TDI. Grey exterior, black interior. With the Sunroof and DSG Auto.

Man, this car just kills it on the highway. Big smile on my face. You press the pedal and this car just takes off and pushes you back against the seat. Engine has a pleasant growl but it doesn't roar when pushed. It just says "Yes, please... push down a little harder!" And this is coming from an MPG obsessive light foot.

Despite a heavy foot and varying RPMs substantially, I still got 42 MPG on the trip computer after 120 miles. I can't wait to see what this thing can do with a light foot once broken in.

Nice! Congrats! Sounds like a sweet ride.

ALLSKIING · Sep 6, 2011

Nice I have seen them around and like what they did especially with the back end of the car.

riverc0il · Oct 4, 2011

deadheadskier said:
pics?

Here ya go, finally managed to get a shot after a hike last week.

:snow:

ALLSKIING · Oct 5, 2011

riverc0il said:
Here ya go, finally managed to get a shot after a hike last week.

Nice color! Enjoy it.

deadheadskier · Oct 5, 2011

I like the Gray to.

sweet ride river!

bvibert · Oct 5, 2011

I like that color a lot too!

riverc0il · Oct 19, 2011

38.3 MPG after 3 fill ups (calculated, not the car's comp). Just had my best tank of 41.3 MPG. This is generally going 5-10+ the limit. Four 4+ hour round trips. The first 1000 miles I worked the engine pretty well once warmed up (enthusiast recommendations are to "not baby it" during the break in). Definitely was not "trying" for high MPG so far, that is for sure. Not much traffic driving so take that for what it's worth. Suffice it to say that the official EPA ratings for this vehicle are a total crock.

Driving to work really kills the MPG since it barely gets warmed up in the 3.5 mile drive (MPG is pretty bleak before the engine is warmed up). But I can still usually get it up to 35 MPG even during the commute. Got 46+ MPG this past weekend on the way home from MRG... starting on a downhill helped.

Mini-road trip vacation starts Friday. Can't wait to put some more miles on this thing... even if it'll be mostly highway. I bet I average at least 45 MPG this weekend.

RiverC0il Goes for a Test Drive: CT 200h, JSW TDI, Mazda3, & Elantra

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