Recent Comments:
Autoextremist doesn't love scooters {Autoblog Green}
May 28th 2008 2:53PM Since when on Earth is a five-year payback period on an investment a *bad* choice?
Motorcycles and scooters depreciate with mileage much faster than cars. They don't hold up to mileage anywhere near as well either. A motorcycle with 12000 miles on it is old, 50000 is ancient, and 100000 probably has had at least one major engine rebuild/replacement. In short, a five year investment is bad when the thing you're investing in will be used up in four years of heavy use.
And everything DeLorenzo said about scooter riders being complacent and not wearing gear is absolutely true. Where I work < 250cc scooters are in a legal loophole. They aren't motorcycles and don't require the extra license stamp (and training) or insurance. They also don't require motorcycle gear or even bicycle helmets (they're not either). So you see people zipping around at 35-40 mph in ball caps, shorts, t-shirts, and maybe sneakers. And they're riding on gravel shoulders half the time. It's a nasty accident waiting to happen even without an inattentive car in the picture.
Suzuki Swift Sport Cup kicking off this weekend in UK {Autoblog}
Apr 18th 2008 3:33PM Please, if Suzuki actually brought their A game to the USA they'd have a decent car reputation too.
More cars than ever require premium fuel {Autoblog}
Apr 18th 2008 1:01PM (1) Current corn-based ethanol production in the US isn't cheap. Bio-fuel looks good on paper because most people haven't bothered to actually read what is on the paper.
(2) It is my understanding that premium isn't more expensive, regular is just cheaper. I have been told by some engineers that regular is just premium mixed with refinery byproducts that lower octane. Regular gas is a dumping ground for compounds they'd have to pay to dispose of otherwise.
I don't know if (2) is actually true as I obviously heard it second or thirdhand. It would explain why pricing differences haven't scaled according to some sort of refinery yield percentage.
More cars than ever require premium fuel {Autoblog}
Apr 17th 2008 4:28PM Yes premium is more expensive than regular, but it really isn't that much more expensive. When I bought my first car in the late nineties, regular was ~$1.25 and premium was ~$1.50. Ten years later? Premium is still only a quarter more than regular per gallon, but regular costs $3.30.
The price hike from regular to premium as a budget percentage has really dropped. It used to cost me 20% more to buy premium. Now it costs me less than 8% more. That's a big drop.
As a budget percentage, premium is getting more affordable, not less. Especially when cars tuned for it get better gas mileage for the same displacement and driving conditions.
Suzuki boss steps down due to poor sales in U.S. {Autoblog}
Apr 1st 2008 9:23AM Bring over the Swift. Bring over a decent compact pickup or something that could do that job. There you go, two niche markets you could build upon.
VIDEO: Traffic jam shockwave recreated in experiment {Autoblog}
Mar 21st 2008 10:51AM There is actually a way to fix this on the small scale: have enough excess capacity that a single driver error won't have a strong enough effect on traffic to cause a wave. Keeping drivers moving at different speeds separated (as with keep right laws) should help prevent this as well.
Unfortunately it won't fix the larger traveling traffic compression waves caused by accidents and gapers delays. Once all lanes of traffic are effected, you're screwed.
Forget Gran Turismo, Bus Driver is greatest next-gen driving sim {Autoblog}
Mar 11th 2008 12:05PM Like Crazy Taxi, you can play this as a minigame already in most of the Grand Theft Auto games.
Mazda3 cost of entry lowered with 2008 i Touring model {Autoblog}
Feb 21st 2008 9:17AM Sedan or Hatchback? I've driven the sedan and didn't have that problem, but I could see visibility on the rear corners dropping from the hatchback's additional pillars. You know, just like it does on the Dodge Caliber or any other short hatchback.
Finnishing Touch: Cosworth-powered Ford Model A {Autoblog}
Jan 29th 2008 8:45AM Is it still a Model A if you replace all the mechanical components with something else? The brakes are modern hydraulic units, the suspension is updated, and the powerplant is new.
That isn't a restoration because restoration implies bringing it back to like-new condition. That's a total rebuild.
Jewish racer describes antisemitism in NASCAR {Autoblog}
Jan 23rd 2008 12:12PM "Isn't that just wrong? What about everyone else, hell what about reverse discrimination diversity. Diversity shouldn't be confined to be for the benefit of specific groups"
Diversity programs are fundamentally discriminatory. They essentially good discrimination that is designed to promote one group at the expense of the others in order to rectify previous adverse discrimination. Because of this, they need to be tightly controlled or else they will become what they seek to prevent. This control is generally done by requiring proof of an adverse impact against a group before they can be applied to benefit that group.
