Recent Comments:
Spy Shots: 2009 Honda Pilot {Autoblog}
Apr 9th 2008 9:13PM What on God's green earth is Honda thinking? It would be one thing if the exterior looked like that but the interior was gorgeous, this is just an atrocity.
Time to short HMC.
Gas thieves moving beyond the hose, grabbing a drill {Autoblog}
Mar 12th 2008 9:04PM Apparently many people missed the whole nigerian gasoline pipeline explosion back in '06 which took out about 200 gas swindling theives.
http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/africa/05/12/nigeria.blast/index.html
Reader Spy: Production Dodge Challenger naked in the rain {Autoblog}
Jan 11th 2008 5:43PM Didn't they already go out of business.
IIHS finds most trucks, SUVs and minivans have poor head restraints {Autoblog}
Jul 3rd 2007 7:55AM Don't get me wrong, I've been an avid IIHS fan for years, pointing many in their direction when evaluating a vehicle purchase. Having said that the rear impact rating is a ridiculous farce and far too subjective based on the seating position. Furthermore the "dynamic" test isn't in a vehicle, it's on a test platform and completley leaves out of the equation the actual vehicle design and rear impact performance only to focus on seat design.
The IIHS themselves does not display it's rear impact ratings prominently on a vehicle rating page, rather it hides the rear rating on a seperate site by manufacturer. This is speculation but I suspect there is even interal rift in the IIHS over the rear impact ratings.
To get an idea of how subjective the ratings are and why this is such a farce one has to do nothing more than read this is a quote from the IIHS test procedure: "The rating for a head restraint that adjusts in height and/or backset depends on whether it locks in the adjusted position. If it doesn't lock, its rating is defined by its height and backset in the down and/or rear position. If it does lock, height and backset are measured twice — in the down position, and in the most favorable adjusted and locked position. The final rating is the better of the two, except that if the rating as adjusted is used, it's downgraded one category because so few motorists adjust their restraints. "
It's too bad they are pushing these rear ratings because, at least in my eyes, this weakens their previously stellar credibility.
Facts:
http://www.iihs.org/ratings/head_restraints/head_restraint_info.html
Giveaway: have an iPhone on us! {Engadget}
Jun 29th 2007 10:13PM AT&T's slow network
IIHS reports that bumpers aren't up to the task {Autoblog}
Mar 2nd 2007 12:05PM So there are requirements/expectations on auto makers to protect people if you hit them with your car (pedestrian impact) so you design a car meant to roll a human not smash them and guess what? The bumper cant stick way out. You put a section of guard-rail out infront of the car and it's not so easy on the knees..
Other than putting the lights on the roof or designing jabba-the-car what are car makers supposed to do?
Car and Driver redesign hated by readers, and we agree {Autoblog}
Jan 29th 2007 5:20PM I hate the new layout.
Toyota Tundra starts at $22,395 (and BTW, it tows 10,800 lbs.) {Autoblog}
Jan 24th 2007 10:58PM Yeah i'm glad i waited for nothing.... I was thinking the regular cab 5.7 4x4 would debut around 24.5-25.5k which would be a worth while premium over a simillarly equiped chevy. For 27+k they can keep it.
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Spy Shots: 2008 Buick LaCrosse Super {Autoblog}
Jan 15th 2007 6:49PM They really ought to kill Buick, the engineering hours should have been spent on the interior of the aura, or for that matter the malibu or on any car/brand that anyone under the age of 70 would legitimatley consider...you know...paying money for.
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Faster, Faster! Top 10 jobs that let you drive fast {Autoblog}
Jan 6th 2007 8:51AM Also in some states I think Doctor is another one.
