Comments on: But at least it’s cheap

By: CGHill

CGHill — Sun, 25 Jan 2009 15:32:14 +0000

It’s a package deal. You want the factory audio, you have to step up to the higher trim level, which includes the larger engine. (They won’t sell you cruise control on the base model, either.)

By: ms7168

ms7168 — Sun, 25 Jan 2009 14:17:51 +0000

I can see the a/c option being $500. or so but the stereo at thousands?

By: Andrea Harris

Andrea Harris — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 21:47:44 +0000

Wow, she was floored by manual window cranks? How old is she, twenty? Does she know that televisions used to come with dials instead of remote controls? I feel ancient.

By: MikeH

MikeH — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 19:31:31 +0000

>to get the factory audio system you also have to buy the bigger engine: 1.8 liters versus 1.6.

That must be one hell of a powerful radio!

By: McGehee

McGehee — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 19:29:25 +0000

My Luddite youth leaves me somewhat ambivalent, BTW, about power windows. When riding in my wife’s car, if I’ve rolled down a window, about half the time I have to make her turn the key again so I can roll the window back up, because I forgot to do it before she shut off the engine.

My Bronco, of course, has the old-fashioned crank-down windows, except on the tailgate — and whenever the weather is damp and the motor balky as a result, I wish I could crank that one up or down too.

By: McGehee

McGehee — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 19:26:04 +0000

That Versa sounds exactly like my mother’s ’81 Datsun 210, which she traded in a couple of years later for a “less spartan” ’83 Nissan pickup truck. Radio! Air conditioning! It was luxury on wheels!!!

I should note that while most of the vehicles I’d driven or ridden in up to that time had radios, none had ever had A/C. And all this was while living in a place where summer days approaching (or overtopping) 110 were an annual occurence. At least it was a dry heat.

Um, but getting back to the 210. It costs considerably less than $9,999 when she bought it. Not sure about the pickup.

By: Flack

Flack — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 19:24:02 +0000

I’ve done this twice now. In 1990, as a senior in high school, my parents helped me buy my first new car — a 1989 Yugo (it had been sitting on the lot for over a year). $3,998, new. Adjusting the outside mirrors was easier on the Yugo than on the Versa, as it only came with one on the driver side (no passenger side external mirror). Like the Versa it had no radio or air conditioning, but the mileage was slightly better due to it’s 60hp, 1.1 liter engine.

In 1996 I bought a new Neon with roughly the same amount of features (none). I bought it in El Reno and after the purchase I drove it across the parking lot to a stereo store to have a stereo installed and tint applied. I kept it for four years and really got tired of cranking the windows up and down and the manual, uh, everything.

On the last two cars we’ve bought, I’ve added almost every amenity I could afford. With cars lasting longer and longer, I figure the actual cost of the extras when spread out over four years is worth the price.