Locate an Auto Repair Shop in Big Lake, Alaska

Oh, that makes a big difference. Thanks.

Even as a little kid, I was a big car fan, so I didn't like the Vega. But, as an adult looking back, I appreciate what could have been, just a bit more. It really was a good looking car, with its baby Camaro looks. Definitely a lot better looking than the Pinto and Gremlin, and anything the imports were offering at the time. Well, okay, the old Datsun 240/260/280Z were great looking cars, but they were also a LOT more expensive. And, call me weird, but I always thought the Pontiac Astre clone was a good looking little car.

was easy! I agree with Shifty-it is something you can do with a 12" piece of garden hose and a screwdriver. Many mechanics make a big deal out of it-it is not rocket science. A three-carb setup (Jaguar) is a bit more complex, but nothing for a good mechanic.

I am looking to lease an Outback (4cl Premium), but based on what people are putting in the thread it seems kind of expensive. Are the following better alternatives? (I live in Houston) 1. Dealer willing to sell Outback at $1000 below invoice. 2. Honda is advertising Pilot for $350/month for base model for 36 months, 12K miles per year, nothing down nothing for inception (bigger and more room - which are not big factors, but no AWD and not the best mileage). 3. Honda is advertising Odyssey for same as #2 price and terms. 4. Toyota Highlander also base model for $400/month 36 months, 12K per year. To me a car is a car, just want something safe with reasonable mileage. Wife already has a minivan so #3 is not the best option, but can live with it if the deal is that good. Your input is appreciated.

If it were your intent to do a "fair comparo", per your handle, you would have compared the Civic EX to the Elantra Limited instead of the GLS. They are much closer in price and features (e.g. both have standard moonroofs and alloys), with the Civic EX being about $300 more than the Elantra Limited. You might have found the Elantra Limited to be a better handler than the GLS, with the 17" wheels/tires, and might have liked the leather interior of the Elantra and other features of the Limited. If you must compare the Civic EX to the Elantra GLS, note that the price difference is not $2000... it's more like $3000, depending on the options you choose on the Elantra. Another reason to compare trims of the two cars that are more similar in price and features. I recently drove an Elantra GLS for a couple of days and I have to say my experience does not match yours in a number of respects. Now, I did not drive my rental Elantra at 3x the limit. I think that kind of driving is not only dangerous, but also I doubt the folks at Avis would appreciate my abusing their nearly-new rental like that (I expect most dealers wouldn't be too happy with someone driving a demo car like that either). In normal city and highway driving, I found the GLS to be very quiet (including wind, engine, and road noise), with a very smooth ride and transmission and very comfortable driving position. I found no cases where a bump pounded me "in the kidneys". The main issue I had with the car was the steering felt a little "loose", although it did track straight. I wouldn't be surprised if the Civic's steering is firmer, based on my experiences with past Civics and other Hondas. I got over 33 mpg on my rental, which included city and highway driving and some very heavy traffic with long waits. I thought that was quite good given the conditions, which were real-world for that city (Austin). If the rear seat of the Civic is more roomy than the Elantra's, that would be really great, as I found the Elantra has more rear seat leg room than some mid-sized cars. That would mean a huge increase in rear seat room for the Civic compared to 2011. I can't wait to check that out, as that is an important criterion for me. If the Civic is indeed as great as you say it is, with a roomier back seat than the Elantra's, quieter interior than the Elantra, better FE than the Elantra, and handling that allows it to easily navigate curves at 3x the posted limits, I'll definitely have to check out the Civic LX. $3000 is a big difference to me when buying an economy car, so I would have to go with the Civic LX vs. EX. p.s. FYI, the 200 is not a compact, but a mid-sized car. The Fiesta is a sub-compact. Again, it's good to compare like-to-like in these comparos.