Still dreaming of Florida...

Honest John Back Room » Motoring discussion
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Sat 23 Aug 2003 20:17
Still dreaming of Florida... - Cheeky
I'm not one to show off ... BUT, I've just returned from a fab holiday in Miami. A couple of motoring things struck me whilst I was there:

1. Even our worst commuter rush hour road manners in Central London cannot compete with the pushing, cutting up and sheer terrifying behaviour that is all to common on the main expressway into 'Downtown Miami'

2. Car Prices - So very much lower, undercutting the UK by about 20 - 30 % across the range. Also lots of finance deals offering 0% APR over many years and 10 year 100k man. warranty.

3. It cost me the equivalent of £12 to fill the tank of a 3.5 Litre Pontiac which was the hire car. These big yank-tanks still onlt come with 4 speed autos on the whole and the cheapest, tackiest interior trim. Oh yes, my hire car also sported 17" CHROME wheels. Must go, I can feel my stomach churning....



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Sat 23 Aug 2003 21:22
Still dreaming of Florida... - Cardew
There have been previous threads on this, with differing opinions on driving standards in the USA - particularly the 'undertaking' issue.

I have a Condo on the east coast of Florida and now live there 3-4 months a year.

Firstly I must agree with you about the "pushing, cutting up and sheer terrifying behaviour" particularly around Miami. Whilst I find driving in the USA generally more relaxing than UK the exception is the tailgating and undertaking. On the InterStates at 70+ mph it is common to have a car sitting no more than a car length from your back bumper - regardless of which lane you are using. If you leave a reasonable gap(again in any lane) between the car in front, it is an open invitation to be 'cut up'.

Secondly car prices. If you investigate closely they are not quite as cheap as they appear - particularly at the lower end of the market. For instance the Hyundai Accent is advertised in Florida at a headline price of $7,995(approx £5100). However that doesn't include delivery, tax and other charges. It is also for a basic model that would have to be on special order - in practice just about unobtainable. To get a current(2004) model with Auto and Air Conditioning(essential) you will pay closer to $14,000(£8,900) to drive out of the door. Even if you bargain really hard - you know the dealer invoice price. A Dodge Neon is about £10,000.

I am not denying that motoring is cheaper in the USA - it obviously is. However, apart from petrol, it is just not as cheap as it would appear at first glance.
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Sun 24 Aug 2003 13:21
Still dreaming of Florida... - Cheeky
Regarding the tailgating issue, I too noticed this but soon became almost used to it. I wonder whether driving on the cruise control is common practice as the distance between vehicles seemed fairly constant.
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