Cars... what is your dream car? and what is your ideal car?  

ha ha ha.. that one already have. It is call the solar car and it can run pretty fast too.
Free would be the problem though. Maybe in the far future, when manufacturing solar panels is cheaper, it may be possible.

For now, we will have to list our likes for dream and ideal cars based on what is in the market.
How is the fuel consumption for the Hyundai Getz like?

my dream car ... any Sporty car like BMW, Suzuki Swift, Subaru WRX or those GTA type.

my Getz is still breaking-in .. FC (Fuel Consumption) is around 8-9km. Because it is a weekend car that why I didn't bother too much on the FC. But I know Suzuki Swift FC had better rate which is 18-23km.

find that hyundai cars are really bad at FC.
but the getz is better than the matrix still.
how is the weekend car experience?
still debating whether i should get a weekend car or just stick with my current arrangements.
seems like getz is quite a popular choice for weekend cars.
have you tried driving up north with your car?

across the border ... no way ..

FC for Korean car is lose out to Japanese car like Hydundai vs Honda...

how about the fiat punto? or the panda? sounds very interesting but heard continental cars are expensive when it comes to repairs. guess i'll just stick to the NEL.

you are rite about the continental cars though. According to my friend who own a continental car before, the parts are more expensive.

The consumption is also slightly higher than the Japanese cars cos their frames and chassis are heavier. But with that heavier chassis, the ride is steadier and smoother. The cos to that is a higher fuel consumption.

So it is a compromise. Win some lose some.

Ha ha ha .... My wife also like that car. It is also one of her dream cars.
You are luckier in that you get to ride in one before.
The ride is that bad huh?
You are the second person I have heard complaining about such cars being uncomfortable. The other one was a car reviewer on one of the TV shows I used to watch on sunday mornings.

Hmm... a car like the one you describe as ideal is already available. If I am not wrong, it is the Toyota Estima Hybrid Concept car. It is a hybrid that runs on both the battery and petrol engines. Alternating between the two when on the highway and when stuck in a traffic jam. The horse power is touted to be similar to its petrol counterpart. That has to be double checked though.
The roomy cabin is also the plus point, cos the 7-8 seater car has configurable seating arrangement to suit your needs.
And it is also a hatch back.

Saw one on display in a motor show two years back. It was one of the Hybrids that Toyota was showing off just before the Prius was launched.

dun think the estima is available in singapore leh.
the prius was voted the Most Green Car in the world by some environmental groups.
wonder when will they start bringing in such cars. wouldn't mind a diesel engine one too. will cost so much less to run compared to petrol engine. ideal car is the F-Cell. but at $2m a pop, way too expensive liao. :(

The diesel car is good in terms of fuel consumption. The engine is also more efficient and cleaner. But the road taxes are a killer!

I personally like some of the new models that Toyota and Mitsubitshi has rolled out. The Hilux 4 seater and the Triton 4 seater are among my few favorites. But here in Singapore, it is considered a lorry. Speed limitation kills the joy of owning such a vehicle unless you are really using it for businesses.
The other con is the high road tax.

As for the F-cell car, I only read about it and seen it on TV. They have some really cool concept car designs that are being introduced. Makes you drool all over again like a little boy looking at the knight rider. Heh heh...

The Estima Hybrid doesn't look like it is being launched here. The only other hybrid car is the Honda Hybrid which is quite a looker as well. ;)

there was 5 F-cells in singapore for the worldwide trial. the refuelling station is at jurong island, which might explain why we didn't see them on the road. now can only cross my fingers that they are able to bring down production cost.

saw the honda civic hybrid but it's not really green coz the FC is worst than the jazz. only the prius managed to do more than 20km/litre.

i was interested in the nissan musso until i saw the speed limit sticker. it was like a pail of ice cold water poured on me. maybe they should allow passenger plate for diesel vehicles, which i think is still not allowed.

huh? The Honda Hybrid is suppose to be a green car and it has a fuel consumption worse than a Jazz?
How can that be? Isn't the Hybrid suppose to be running on both an electrical and petrol engine?
The electrical engine is the one that helps to save fuel. No?

Wow, this is indeed a new discovery.
I wonder if there are any owners who pointed this out on the web or not. :p

it is well known that the jazz is the most fuel efficient vehicle of honda. think the best someone in the car forum had done was 25km/litre. that's an amazing feat but i'm not sure if the rest of us can do it. my colleague said he usually gets around 17km/litre. the honda hybrid is 15km/litre according to factory specs which means the car can do this when air-con switched off, no passenger or traffic light or jam... by hybrid it simply means it will save more fuel compared to vehicles of the same class. look at the lexus RX400, it's a hybrid too but fuel consumption is still heavy.

25 km/liter?!? wow! That is really good fuel consumption!!!
Even the average rate of 17 km/liter is great!
Wow~~! I am really looking at this car with a different eye now.
I don't really like the interior. The design of the dash leaves one yearning for more leh.
I prefer simple lines like those in the Lancer or the Avante. Even the Proton Waja has very nice interior design.
The most beautiful dash to date is the civic ones. But if the hybrid consumption is so high, not really worth it to pay so much extra leh.

Hmm... Honda Jazz eh?

did you see the latest honda jazz? it's really a beauty to behold. really tempting but getting a car is really a big decision. guess i'll just have to save like mad to buy one. what with the increase in ERP rates and petrol price.

I did! I did!
The latest Jazz has really beautiful lines.
Saw the advertisement in the papers the other day.
I have not been able to see the interior though. I wonder if they made any changes to the dash.
It would be great if they can get the dash to look something like the new Civic!
That would be a dream car then. Nice lines, nice curves, nice interior and most of all, nice fuel consumption figures! heh heh heh... ;)

exactly my sentiments!!! really love the way the new jazz looks. wonder if the interior is as nice as the outside. maybe that'll be my new dream car. what with the increase in fuel price (again) and higher ERP charges. hopefully the price will be something i can afford in five years time. then i can say - JAZZ, here i come.

ha ha ha...5 years time? by then the Honda Jazz would have come out a new generation liow loh! Don't know that generation the Jazz will under go a lot of changes or not.

Hmm... 5 years time to own a car eh?
You have a goal liow! It is time to work towards it eh?

hehehe, dun really need a car now. to get a car is 5yrs is more like something to look forward to. now my new dream car is the honda CRZ. did you see the prototype? it's beautiful AND environmentally friendly. hopefully it'll be available in singapore when the time comes for me to buy a car.

ha ha ha... having a car is also my dream!
But I am sure if the day come that you realize your dream, you would have a preference for a particular brand or model over the others.

And among those preference, there would be one you would really want to get vs the one that you get cos it is practical. That is why there is the dream vs ideal dilemma.

So which one is your dream car? and which one is your ideal car?

hmm... your dream car is a performance cars eh?
Not a bad model too! What color would you choose for that model then?
Why in particular the Saleen S7?
Why not other performance cars like Ferrari or Lamborgini?

Bemmers are nice! I too like the styling of some of the BMW series. The ride is also very smooth.
But comparing the ride between the BMWs and the Mercedes, I find the Mercedes quieter. I am not sure about the drive though. Haven't got the chance to drive either one yet.