Who Still Likes Foreign Cars... in particular TOYOTA?

[ToplessPony94]

Actually, my Prius has a good setup, but with one fatal flaw.

It has a key fob, which has a small key built into it so you can still get into the car if the battery dies. Works great! Except that you simply CANNOT lock the car with the key inside no matter what you do (unless you take the battery out of the fob). We have always (for decades) had our service shop take payment over the phone and lock the key in whatever car they were working on so we can pick up the car late at night with a second key. Can't do that any more, which is a real pain for us. I guess that wouldn't work at the beach, either!

[390gtconv]

IF you go with a Subaru, make it something new as most of their cars from ~ mid 2000's were all know to have head gasket issue. Two of my mechanic friends say they have changed a ton of them, not cheap.
I don't mind keypad for it's time, especially when most my cars are black. Yes now keyless ign is becoming the norm but still need a car within car. I wonder how long before thievs get a box to then just plug into cars computer port and start it? There are much bigger issue with cars especially foreign ones in regards to the cost of replacement parts, rusty steel wheels, check engine lights, cheap interiors than to worry about the looks of a keypad. As far as FWD, it's only as good as the tires on it. Unless you driving up Mountain Washington every day, FWD with a set of Blizzacks will go thru ANYTHING. Talking about totally '90's, having to hold a cell phone while driving. Using Ford SYNC system no need to.

Focus is a great little car, I really like what Ford has done with it this year

however, because it's still only a FWD car, i won't have much interest in them when the time comes to replace my wifes car. We will 95% be going with a Subaru product

I think there is nothing more hideous than having to see a key pad on the outside of a car, to me that's a total 90's technology that's been carried over......totally kills the look. The new standard for cars today is to have no key's at all actually, just a regular keychain fob.

[ToplessPony94]

IF you go with a Subaru, make it something new as most of their cars from ~ mid 2000's were all know to have head gasket issue.

From what I hear, this was solved by 2008. We had a 2003 that had the issue - dealer/non-dealer both wanted about $1600 to do the job. OUCH! Didn't end up doing it - got the 2008 instead!