I wouldn't lose sleep over the engine block; Mazda builds a solid vehicle. Just keep up the maintenance and it will probably be good for many years.
I tried out a few newer cars with distracting things around the dash. I got confused and stayed with pre 2013 ish cars. I have been trying to find a Flintstone mobile on craigslist. Unless I can find a Lexus rx350 with around 100,000 miles around that year.
It takes some getting used to, but I do like the safety assists. Since I'm an habitual turn signal user, it's nice that the car beeps if there's a car in the lane I'm about to merge into. But having everything aggregated into a screen hardly helps one keep one's eyes on the road. That's why Mazda sticks theirs on top of the dash rather than in the middle of it where a radio would go: It is supposed to kinda keep your eyes on the road (just like the windshield display does.) I've learned to use the buttons on the steering wheel and the voice commands.
We had a volvo 2002 xc for quite a while and liked it. But the newer one we bought a couple of years ago is different. Shorter. Hubby bumps his head when he gets in, even adjusting the seat. Funny he gets in the passenger side of my matrix with no problems but doesn't like manual transmission. So as old as we are, with no life, we still have to be a two vehicle family. Not counting the farm truck, his worthless 1960 buick sitting in the barn, toys...
I've always liked Volvo, but since they were bought out by the Chinese around 2010 (?) or so I haven't given them a thought. I think we could do just fine with one vehicle, especially living in a metro area with plenty of Uber, etc. I just like having 'my own' wheels. Kind of silly to pay taxes and insurance on another car but I've never been known as sensible.
I bought a 1990 Volvo as a "beater commuter"when I moved here in 2010. I was looking forward to getting the badge they give out every time you turn 100,000 miles. I was at 199,850 when a deer suicided on it. If that had not happened, I'd still be driving the thing...and I'd have my damned badge.
Weird how things work out. I was asking about run-flat tires in another thread a couple of days ago, and this happened. My husband was running errands in his truck on Friday and managed to run over some kind of metal thing that stuck in his tire. When he got home the "hissing" was really loud and his truck was yelling at him (via his cellphone) that it needed help. He dragged out the compressor hose and filled the tire, then drove about a mile to a little local tire shop. Luckily the shop was not busy and he was back home in under 30 minutes with the tire repaired. Only cost $15 and he said the guy put a BIG patch inside the tire. He kept an eye on the TPMS readout on his phone for a day or so and all is well; the patch is holding. Sometimes these new-fangled gadgets are actually worth having. Earlier today my son and DIL came to pick up my old car. They have 2 teenagers and keeping vehicles in service has become challenging, so they are thrilled to get it. It was kind of sad watching it drive away; I always loved that car. I told my husband that it will probably never be that clean again, lol. Son brought us a dozen fruit kolaches from a Czech bakery on the way here, so I will be enjoying one (or two) of those with my coffee later.
@Beth Gallagher I talked with a friend yesterday. She is the one I think I wrote about some time ago who was initially (probably her in Alaska) diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Her diagnosis was changed to some form of duct cancer instead. I didn't know where all her treatment had taken place, but she went to M.D. Anderson. She was there for some time for her Whipple and initial chemo and radiation. She is clear so far, but has to go back to Houston every 4 months for follow up checks and RAVES about the treatment and how she was treated there as a patient. Kudos to Anderson!
I will heartily agree with your friend, Don. MDA is top notch and runs like a well-oiled machine. I always feel like my voice is heard as a patient. It's annoying to deal with big-city traffic and stress, but MDA is definitely the place to be for cancer treatment.
I did some driving around today, running errands. I'm getting the hang of the electronic transmission gear shift thing though it is strange. I'm not sure that my Head Up Display is working correctly so I have emailed the GM customer assistance group. Steps indicated in my Owner Manual for changing HUD views don't seem to exist so I don't know if my car has a problem or if the manual has been updated. I will probably never use the HUD but since the car is new I want to make sure everything is working as it should. In other automotive news, my husband is having a string of unfortunate events with his truck. Today he was on his way to his mother's house and a rock hit his windshield while driving on the freeway. Left a crack about a foot long so now we'll have to deal with that. I swear, it's always something.
Well, as usual the "problem" with the car was the nut behind the wheel. Apparently the HUD will display navigation, etc. only if you are actually using those functions. Well, duh. I'm slowly getting familiar with stuff but I'm too old for technology. The car has built-in wifi that I will cancel after the 6 month "trial." I don't spend enough time in the car to pay for that.
When I've bought a car (new or used), I've always read the entire owner's manual. Then after a while of driving it, I would read it again. My 2019 Mazda's manual is over 700 pages PLUS there are separate manuals for the NAV system, the Infotainment system, Apple Play/Android Auto, and other stuff. PLUS there are secret tips not documented in the manual for doing things like turning off the automatic folding mirrors so they don't cycle every time you start & stop the car (I only found that out by lurking in a Mazda forum.) I always struggled with rental cars to make sure I knew how to operate the headlights and turn on the windshield wipers. Now you go nuts figuring out how to turn on unmute the radio. Heck, I get confused with the newer years of my own car when I get a loaner from the dealer.