Continuity mistake: At the beginning of the movie when the "Red Army" approaches, the tank has his barrel locked in a transportation brace. As soon as the tank fires back, the brace is gone.
Other mistake: Newton Crosby (the programmer for the robots) is at the Vista house and Stephany is in Astoria. More than 113 miles (2 hours) away and Stephany is calling to meet up with Crosby to talk about number 5. I don't think 2 hours passed before they met up. All this happens within 5 min. Not to mention how did Crosby get out to Vista house so fast?
Continuity mistake: A cat is ontop af a boiling saucepan in Stephanie's kitchen, yet it seems to be rather comfortable. Brave cat. [It is dry ice in the saucepan, so all animal lovers don't worry.] (00:31:45)
Continuity mistake: At the start of the film, Howard is talking to a woman and it's lovely and bright and sunny. Yet just a few seconds later we get a shot of the sky and there are lots of black clouds and it starts raining. (00:07:35)
Continuity mistake: In the scene right after Number 5 almost drives the snack wagon into the lake and the Nova guys are shooting him, you clearly see him get shot in the hydraulic pistons which control his head motions. Yet, in the next scene (in the truck) Number 5 comfortably moves his head.
Answer: Astoria, Oregon is just across from Washington state on the Columbia River. The Highway 101 bridge connects Washington to Astoria, and it takes mere minutes to cross. Unlike Washington, Oregon has no state sales tax, so many Washingtonians who live near the border shop there, and their cars would be seen. Also, there are several vintage paddlewheel river boats belonging to a river cruise company based in Astoria. From a distance, they are a similar size, shape, and white color as a Puget Sound ferry. That is probably what you saw cruising on the Columbia River.
raywest ★