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• Community Review: 2007 Toyota Corolla

  From Banovsky 1 day ago

  Especially with car buyers trying to save every last penny, our vehicle reviews are an invaluable resource. Every now and then, we'd like to highlight some of the great reviews our community members write at vLane.

  Reviewer sunil garg loves how comfortable his Toyota Corolla is:

  I love how comfortable it is to sit in while driving, or even to sit in at the back. The seats are firm but not hard.

  Still, he feels the interior materials could be improved:

  The Corolla's dashboard plastic has nice-looking graining, and the controls are logically arranged. The cloth seats and cloth door-panel inserts look and feel dated when compared to newer competitors.

  …and then he goes and says this:

  A "Win Win" deal in every respect, best car your money can buy. Given a choice between a Merc and a Corolla, I would go for the Corolla, why pay in the high 5 when you can get the same quality and comfort in the lower 5.

  Click over to read the whole review, and don't forget to submit your own!

  Read full article | Comments (0) | Filed under Toyota, vLane, Community review

• Poll: What's the best car for less than $10,000?

  From Banovsky 2 days ago

  Would you take the Hyundai or Nissan?

  Powered by vLane.com See more | Create your own!

  Read full article | Comments (0) | Filed under vLane, Poll

• Upcoming: #carchat 37; November 18 @ 8PM EST

  From Banovsky 2 days ago

  This week: Motor Trend awards, ALMS racing and social media, Mahindra's plans (and truck!), worst car promo ever, toughest street legal car — and toughest test of man and machine.

  If you'd like to participate, check out the #carchat How-To. Anyone can join us at 8 PM EST November 18, but you'll need a Twitter account to ask questions.

  This week, I'm unable to host #carchat — I'll be deep within a Muskoka bunker with Toyota's future products — so Suzanne Denbow, editor-in-chief of RideLust.com will be filling in as best she can. (I hear she stress eats! — Ed.) Please follow her, as that's where all the topics will be coming from.

  However, if you'd like to follow things live, go here at 8 PM EST.

  And if you'd like to suggest topics and questions for the discussion, please leave a comment below, tag articles on Delicious.com with "carchat," or email me at michael [at] banovsky.com.

  Topics:

  • Discussion: Motor Trend Car/Truck of the Year winners
  • Discussion: Improving the American Le Mans Series coverage through social media; ideas?
  • Discussion: Mahindra's proposed dealer network. Are you excited?
  • Discussion: Worst car promo ever…anything worse than a chocolate-covered Porsche 911? Oh wait, the Volvo/New Moon promo…
  • Discussion: What's the toughest street-legal car in the world?
  • Discussion: What's the toughest test of man and machine?

  So click through and read a few links, and see our quote and video of the week.

  Read full article | Comments (1) | Filed under This week, Discussion, Social Media, carchat, Twitter

• Recap: #carchat 36; November 11 @ 8PM EST

  From Banovsky 3 days ago

  Social media is such a cool thing that we're constantly evolving how we communicate. Take #carchat: the first few originated out of a spirited conversation.

  
  Anyone can join us each week at 8PM EST on Twitter. And if you'd like to suggest topics, please tag articles on Delicious.com with "carchat."
  
  
  
  
  

  We had:

  • Discussion: Local Motors Rally Fighter
  • Discussion: What's true open-source design?
  • Discussion: The new Volvo S60…How should Volvo sell it?

  So? What are you waiting for? Click through to the recap.

  Read full article | Comments (0) | Filed under This week, Discussion, carchat, Twitter, vLane

• Upcoming: #carchat 36; November 11 @ 8PM EST

  From Banovsky on November 11, 2009

  This week: the Local Motors Rally Fighter, true open-source design, and the new Volvo S60.

  If you'd like to participate, check out the #carchat How-To. Anyone can join us at 8 PM EST November 11, but you'll need a Twitter account to ask questions.

  However, if you'd like to follow things live, go here at 8 PM EST.

  And if you'd like to suggest topics and questions for the discussion, please leave a comment below, tag articles on Delicious.com with "carchat," or email me at michael [at] banovsky.com.

  Topics:

  • Discussion: Local Motors Rally Fighter
  • Discussion: What's true open-source design?
  • Discussion: The new Volvo S60…How should Volvo sell it?

  So click through and read a few links, and see some photos related to the discussion.

  Read full article | Comments (0) | Filed under This week, Chrysler, Discussion, carchat, Volvo, Local Motors, Twitter, vLane

• Community Review: 2001 Ford Escape

  From Banovsky on November 10, 2009

  Especially with car buyers trying to save every last penny, our vehicle reviews are an invaluable resource. Every now and then, we'd like to highlight some of the great reviews our community members write at vLane. This time, it's a Ford Escape.

  Reviewer csqrd loves the driving position in her 2001 Ford Escape :

  With the Ford Escape, I can sit in the driver’s seat and my leg can touch the ground. Although it does sit lower, you still have that “off the ground” feeling while driving.

  We're happy that she uses the Escape as it was intended to be used:

  We have hauled everything from people to landscape timbers. The back seats fold down flat, so you have ample space to work with. The back seat is split so you can still have a passenger in the back with some of the seat folded down for cargo. The seats are very easy to manipulate, and it only takes seconds to fold them down.

  Even better? The Escape has been reliable:

  I have had very few problems with this car, and no major mechanical problems. I am religious about getting the oil changed and keeping up with tire maintenance, etc. At 90,000 miles I had a full tune-up done, and it required new spark plugs and a couple of new hoses. It is about time for another full-tune-up.

  Click over to read the whole review, and don't forget to submit your own!

  Read full article | Comments (0) | Filed under SUV, Ford, vLane, community, 2001, Community review, Escape

• Recap: #carchat 35; November 4 @ 8PM EST

  From Banovsky on November 5, 2009

  Social media is such a cool thing that we're constantly evolving how we communicate. Take #carchat: the first few originated out of a spirited conversation.

  
  Anyone can join us each week at 8PM EST on Twitter. And if you'd like to suggest topics, please tag articles on Delicious.com with "carchat."
  
  
  
  
  

  We had:

  • Discussion: New Chrysler logo…thoughts?
  • Discussion: Chrysler LLC restructuring
  • Discussion: SEMA Show recap + Are custom vehicles passé?

  So? What are you waiting for? Click through to the recap.

  Read full article | Comments (0) | Filed under This week, Chrysler, Discussion, Social Media, Detroit, Twitter, vLane

• Upcoming: #carchat 35; November 4 @ 8PM EST

  From Banovsky on November 4, 2009

  This week: Chrysler's restructuring plan, the new Chrysler logo, and SEMA…Oh, and how the Dodge Viper logo looks like Daffy Duck!

  If you'd like to participate, check out the #carchat How-To. Anyone can join us at 8 PM EST November 4, but you'll need a Twitter account to ask questions.

  However, if you'd like to follow things live, go here at 8 PM EST.

  And if you'd like to suggest topics and questions for the discussion, please leave a comment below, tag articles on Delicious.com with "carchat," or email me at michael [at] banovsky.com.

  Topics:

  • Discussion: New Chrysler logo…thoughts?
  • Discussion: Chrysler LLC restructuring
  • Discussion: SEMA Show recap + Are custom vehicles passé?

  So click through and read a few links, and see some photos related to the discussion.

  Read full article | Comments (0) | Filed under Industry, WTF, This week, Chrysler, Discussion, Social Media, carchat, Twitter, LOL, Jalopnik, Original

• Video: Kia gets its Tron on

  From Banovsky on November 4, 2009

  "The face of marketing is changing," yadda yadda yadda. Fact is, 30-second TV commercials don't do it for us any more. So Kia, as part of their interactive marketing campaign for the Soul, decided to make a pretty kick-ass short flick about a time-travelling Nissan and Tron-slash-zombie creating Soul. Really.

  

  We love the effects… [via freshnessmag]

  So click through to see this frankly awesome-filled Internet commercial. Why? Because it's cool. And normal car commercials are typically awful.

  Read full article | Comments (2) | Filed under Video, WTF, Crossover, Advertising, Kia, Kia, 2009, Soul

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