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Warren Brown (washingtonpost.com)

Warren Brown talks about all your automobile issues! He has been covering the automobile industry for The Washington Post since 1982. Brown, who joined the newspaper in 1976, has what many people think is a particularly cool job: He gets to test drive all manner of cars, from top-of-the-line Mercedes sedans and the newest sports cars to Volkswagen Beetles and SUVs. His auto reviews are lively, detailed accounts of a car's good and bad points, addressing everything from a car's highway performance to its "head-turning" factor and sound system.

Brown comes online Wednesdays at 11 a.m. ET to answer your questions on every aspect of the automotive industry -- from buying your dream car to the future of the internal combustion engine.

Editor's Note: Washingtonpost.com moderators retain editorial control over Live Online discussions and choose the most relevant questions for guests and hosts; guests and hosts can decline to answer questions.

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Monterey, Calif. -- Audi question: Hi Warren.

Has Audi resolved their reliability problems (and any other problems) to your satisfaction?

Is there any reason why you would steer me AWAY from buying a new or CPO Audi A4 Avant AWD manual Station Wagon?

Any other makes/models you feel a lot better about in the loaded small wagon category?

Thank you for your help.

Warren Brown: Good morning, Monterey.
Yes, Audi/VW seem to be well on the way toward resolving their backshop problems, especially the ridiculously long waits for sertvice. More repair shops, improved repair shops, and more techs on deck. However, Aud/VW, as well as all other car companies, are still struggling to get more trained technicians.
At this moment, no need to steer you away from the brand. Counter-opinions or confirmations are welcome.

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Calgary, AB: This mom is ready to ditch the minivan. I Still need a good winter vehicle for mountain driving on weekends. I am thinking of either Volvo XC90, Honda pilot or Toureg.The Pilot is appealing on price point. We already have a Subura outback wagon and I really don't want a sedan. Thoughts?

Warren Brown: The Touareg with the V6 package should do a good job of meeting your needs. I have issues witth the Volvo XC90. The last two i drove developed serious windshield cracks; and the leathers seats in the XC90 remain just plain awful for long-distance driving.

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Bethesda, Md.: Warren:
Any comment(s) on the VW Phaeton? Either the 8 or 12 cyl. I'd appreciate your thoughts on this one... Thanks.

Warren Brown: Good car at the wrong price for the nameplate. Great Bentley interior. VW is in a must-sell situation on the Phaeton. Take the rebate--I think it's near $10,000--and go with the V-8. The V12 gives you nothing except bragging rights.

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Falls Church, Va.: Would really appreciate your help. I have been driving a 97 Acura TL with the premium package since it was purchased new. Been looking at 04 TL's and find they drive like a truck by comparison, and then test drove the 04 RL and was very pleased. What is your opinion on the 04 RL and does it hold it's value. Thank you for your response.

Warren Brown: I'd go with the RL. Yes, it will hold its value. In fact, according to the latest reports from kbb.com, Acura models in general hold at least 50 percent of their value after five years on the road. That's excellent! But keep in mind that adding options won't necessarily increase value for the second buyer. The options you like, and are willing to pay more for, may mean nothing at all to the next buyer. So, be careful with those extras.

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Bethesda, Md.: Good morning. Would you know where to find statistics on motorbike accidents--preferably in MD or DC Metro area, but other areas would do, too.
I bought a scooter a few months ago and my husband is scared silly that I'll get run over any day. His argument is that there are too few around and car drivers don't expect to deal with them, so they may not see me and bump into me, etc etc. I don't feel it's particularly dangerous, but he's not dealing with it well. If stats are favorable, I could use them to soothe him. If they're not... I'll just make a mental note and hide them!
Thanks.

Warren Brown: Dear Bethesda:
First, if you have a Vespa or one of those low cc bikes, please consult the laws in your local jurisdiction for their proper and legal use. Those are NOT highway or open-road bikes; and they should not be driven in ANY high-speed environment. (Although, there are a few Vespa models that can do highway duty.)
Your husband is rigfht to be concerned. But the bottom line is that you can die or be seriously injured just WAlKING across the street. Too many people out there don't pay attention to anything or anybody when they get behind the wheel.
For stats, go to the Fatality Analysis Reporting System, accessible through the National Highway Traffic Safety Admininstration (www.nhtsa.dot.gov). Also, contact the Highway Loss Data Institute at the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety in Arlington. Global stats can be had through the World Health Organization, which released a study on global traffic fatalities in October 2004 in conjunction with the World Bank and the government of the Peoples Republic of China.

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Denver, Colo.: Warren,
Considering buying the Toyota Highlander Hybrid 2005 next year and wondered what you thought about buying a new model (well, SUV version of the technology) in its first year of production? Should we wait until the 2006 comes out in case there are any problems for Toyota to work out?

Warren Brown: No, Denver.
No need to wait.
Nearly all major car companies nowadays tend to get more right than they do wrong on new models.
Of course, product improvements come repidly. You can bet that tomorrow's hybrid Highlamder, or anything else, probably will have more advantageous tweaks than the current model. But if you wait for the ultimate version, you could be waiting forever.
Ah, and you are buying this one for the lower tailpipe effect on the environment, right? Because if you are buying it to save cash at the pump, you could be getting a bum deal. Do the math: What is the price of a hybrid Highander versus that of a regular Highlander? How long will you have to own the hybrid Highlander to recoup the difference?

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Columbia, S.C.: Good morning! You mention a current crunch of certified technicians in your Audi/VW response at the top of the chat. Do you have any resources for those of us whose enthusiasm for cars might lead to taking advantage of that crunch and getting trained to do just that? I remember an article about a training center (I think in Montgomery County) a few months back...

Warren Brown: Hello, Columbia:
Yes, in the Washington area, there is the Montgomery County Community College. But you have some of the best resources available right there in South Carolina. Both BMW and Michelin in your state, as well as a number of automotive manaaufacturers and suppliers, are working with South Carolina's government, univiersities, and community colleges to help develop top-notch auto service programs. I'd contact South Carolina's departments of commerce and education for more info.
Frankly, it is nothing short of refreshing to see my native South--Alabama, Kentucky, Mississippi, South Carolina, Tennessee--moving full force to grab a share of the global automotive market. My only regret is that my home state of Louisiana has fallen so pitifully behind its Southern neighbors in that grand endeavor.
Wake up, Louisiana! Smell the coffee! Get the cotton out of your cotton-picking brains.

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Bethesda, Md: I'm thinking about buying a nice car-- something in the 30k-40k range. Problem is I live in one of those great old Bethesda neighborhoods right near the city--- where none of the houses have a garage.

How damaging will it be to have a nice car sit outside in all seasons, and should I just not consider getting a nice car, given my circumstances?

Is there any solution to keeping a luxury car nice without a garage?

Warren Brown: Dear Bethesda:
Here is where I become severely afflicted with Michelle Singletariaitis. I truly love that woman, although we argue incessantly over her sometimes obssessively skinflint ways. But I know what Michelle would say in response to this question, and I heartily agree: Buy the house with the garage, firts. It has inherently more value than any car you will eevr buy for $40,000 or less. That way, after a while, you will have the quity to buy that fine car and put it in a garage.
Otherwise, get yourself acquainted with your local auto stores and the many fine car care products, including tarps, they have to offer.

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Washington, D.C.: I've been noticing a lot of Ford escapes in my neighborhood but I have my eye on the hybrid. What do you think of hybrid SUVs for city driving?

Warren Brown: City driving is the only mode in which hybrids of any type really make sense. Most hybrids revert to conventional gasoline power on the highway at high speeds. Their lower-polluting, gas-saving virtues tend to come into play primarily in urban stop-and-go driving, where the driving load shifts from the gasoline engine to the battery powered motor.

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Rockville, Md.: Hi Warren,

What are the economics of engine building? Why does GM have (what seems like) dozens of 6-cylinder engines, when Toyota gets by with maybe two 6-cylinder engines - one for trucks and one for cars. It seems like it makes more sense to build one or two more-expensive DOHC engines to use across a range of products (i.e., Toyota) than to build a bunch of pushrod, OHC, DOHC engines to fit into low, mid, and high-priced cars (like GM) at various costs.

Car and Driver hammered GM for putting a wheezing, low-powered engine in the Pontiac G6 GT.

Thoughts?

Warren Brown: GM, like Toyota and everyone else, uses several six-cylinder engines across a broad range of products. In fact, GM and Toyota, as well as GM and Honda, share several engine technologies.
As far as the Pontiac GT is concerned, it is a mass-market car in much the manner of a Chevrolet Cavalier. Higher horsepower versions are coming, along with a convertible.
The problem with a lot of auto writers is that they do not live in the real world. They neither have the responsibility of developing, building, or selling cars, or complying with the myriad federal regulations that govern all of those product-related activities.
GM would be stupid to put high-horsepower engines in mass-market cars under government regs (CAFE) that estimate corporate average fuel economy on a sales-weighted basis.
Bottom line is that you can go to jail, or to hell, in a Pontiac GT just as quickly as you can in anything else. For that matter, you could go to either one of those places in a V-6 Toyota Camry, too.
I pay very little attention to Car and Driver's whinings about horsepower. Just boys talking to boys.

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Familyman: Dodge Caravan, Mazda MPV, Pontiac Montana all have the essentially the shortest wheelbases of minivans from my research. Which is the best of the bunch? Need a minivan thats agile enough for lots of city driving (and parking!;).

Warren Brown: Mazda MPV. Buit with the vity in mind. You can park the thing almost anywhere.

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California: Which cars give you the most joyful driving experience and make you feel great about being an automotive consumer (reliability, value, quality, customer service, corporate practices etc.)?

Warren Brown: The ones I actually buy. And, believe it or not, with the exception of our Mini Cooper and a Toyota Echo (which resides in New York and wherever she happens to be at the momement with Youngest Daughter), we most often buy Chevrolet; and we are seldom displeased by the purchase.
I'd take an Impala across country anytime, and be perfectly happy with the experience.

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McLean, Va.: To the person in Bethesda with the scooter: Assume that all car, suv, and truck drivers are one or more of blind, drunk, stoned, or stupid. Don't ride defensively, "ride paranoid". I say this as someone who has ridden motorcycles for 20+ years. Bikes, and scooters, are small enough that drivers often just don't see them. The only times I've gone down it was due to road conditions. Gravel on the road and suchlike.

Wear a helmet, gloves, jacket, long pants, and boots. Yes, it's just a scooter, but going down at 25 MPH can still give you a road rash.

Warren Brown: Many, many thanks, McLean. Take heed, Bethesda.

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Charlotte, N.C.: A few suggestions for the motorbike person:
- drive like you're invisible
- wear protective clothing and a helmet
- take the Motorcycle Safety Foundation course

Hope this helps!

Warren Brown: Thanks, Charlotte!

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Arlington, Va.: BMW, Lexus and Mercedes all offer training programs for new auto techs. They train and guarantee full time employment when you complete training successfully. New BMW tech after 2 years of training makes between $0-50K to start. Once at the journeyman level they make between $80-150k in the DC area. Most BMW dealer techs get half the labor rate the dealer charges and on a good week can bill 50 hours

Warren Brown: Thank you, Arlington.

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San Francisco, Calif.: Hi warren -- Just wanted to share my grin. Last week I took delivery of a Porsche Turbo. Have driven it up the coast to to Mendecino and down the coast to Carmel. What a blast. An absolute A ride. A life-long dream come true.

Warren Brown: Hey, S.F., enjoy. AQnd thank you for sharing that grin.

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Minneapolis, Minn.: Hi Warren,

We are expecting our first baby in June. We have 2 cars -- an '03 Passat and an '04 Acura MDX. Both cars were purchased before we ever thought of having kids -- this one is a "surprise" baby. I remember you saying in this forum that little bundles of joy should be in minivans, not SUVs. Should we trade in the Passat or the MDX for a minivan? Though the baby was unanticipated, we want to make sure it is as well-protected as possible. Thanks!

Warren Brown: Hello, Minneapolis.
First, congratulations on the expected birth of your child. Any idea, boy or girl? Or, are you guys waiting to be surprised again?
Anyhoo, you are in for the ride of your lives. Either the Passat or MDX should still serve you quite well. Your Passat is either a station wagon or sedan. Both are fine. Your MDX calls itself an SUV; but, it's really just a fancy station wagon. Thing to do is to make sure that those vehicles have the proper attachments in the rear for child-safety seats. The attachments are called Lower Anchors and Tethers for Childrem (the so-called LATCH system).
Check with your dealers, or your local police and fire officials to make sure you have the right child-safety seat and to ascertain that the seat is installed properly. You should be okay. Ah, and if you haven't started doing so already, start saving money.
Believe me, there is nothing more surprising than that first college tuition bill!

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Anonymous: Warren, I've read your reviews on the Volvo V50 and the new un-ugly Subaru Legacy. Like the first poster, I'm looking for a new wagon to replace my 95 Volvo 960, which has been a fabulous tank of a car. I've heard iffy things about the Ford-owned Volvo, that the cars just don't hold up anymore, and I'm willing to switch loyalties if need be. Which of these, in your opinion, is a great choice for someone who hangs onto cars to 125k miles or so?

washingtonpost.com: An Entry-Level Wagon With Flair (Post, Sept. 5)

Warren Brown: Frankly, Anonymous, those iffy things you heard about Ford's guardianship of Volvo are baloney. Yeah, I'm not all that crazy anymore about the Volvo XC90. But I have no problems at all with the V50 wagon, which I like a great deal. There is not a single car company that has 100 percent of its car/truck lines 100-percent flaw free. Neither Honda nor Toyota can make such a claim, given a cursory review of their various and sundry service bulletins and recalls.
I have no problems with the V50.

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Wheaton, Md.: "Ah, and you are buying this one for the lower tailpipe effect on the environment, right?"

Thank you for recognizing that many of us hybrid lovers are not buying hybrids to save money.

There is a psychic satisfaction in knowing that I am doing your part to reduce my impact on this planet (while still driving a car I love). Dollars and cents really don't enter into the equation.

Warren Brown: Well, Wheaton, that's all well and good. But I find that "psychic effect" to flow from a deep reservoir of inconsistency--people buying hybrids to save the environment, but living in houses with huge footprints that upset the various and sundry water tables; people buying hybrids to make a statement, but watering their lawns willy-nilly to keep them green and pretty; movie stars posing with their Toyota Prius cars, but hibernating in energy consuming motorcoaches between scenes, or taking privae jets, or putting on the Ritz for grand openings that consume lots and lots of electrical energy and light up the ego (and ticket sales), but do absolutely nothing at all for the environment.
So, I beg your forgiveness. But, judging from what I see of human behavior, I fully intend to remain cynical, skeptical about the hybrid issue--especially when I know that there are other technologies out there that are just as good, if not better, but that just don't have the right public relations agents.

Anyway, with that, I bid you all a fond farewell until next week. God bless.

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