Recent Comments:
Is it over yet? Oil prices drop like a rock {Autoblog}
Jul 19th 2008 9:15PM Keep in mind Honda just replaced their number one selling vehicle, the Accord, with a new model. Think that might affect the numbers a tad? Unlike GM or Ford, they have fewer models and the introduction of their #1 vehicle in a new body style would have a disproportionate effect on sales.
Honda's Ridgeline sales are way off too.
GM and Ford make gas sippers too, they just aren't that appealing. And even the appealing ones they usually goof up a little on.
Give them a couple years, and once their best talent concentrates on the smaller cars rather than trucks, they may catch up.
Is it over yet? Oil prices drop like a rock {Autoblog}
Jul 19th 2008 9:12PM The term is "dead cat bounce" for the market rise.
Markets adjust. Rapid rises and falls will happen. But the bull market for oil and almost all commodities is a secular one. I wouldn't toss too many "happy days are here again" parties with my money unless I wanted to have a lot less of it in 1-2 years.
Wishful thinking is going to make a lot of investors poor. But what's worse is that people with no money to invest are the ones who will really hurt.
Investors with sense can easily hedge against rising oil prices by investing in it.
If you're wrong, the economy prospers and you keep your job and you'll take a small loss and life goes on. But if you're right that money you made in gold/oil/commodities may help you survive tough times.
But if you bet on oil falling, the stock market recovering, and it doesn't pan out, you may have a smaller 401k as well as no job.
GM: Take our cars please! - 0% financing extended until 7/07 {Autoblog}
Jul 1st 2008 4:01PM Well, this guy IS an economist. It's all spelled out if you take the time to read it.
www.shadowstats.com
As are dozens of other financial experts who agree we've been in recession since at least fall '07. And I'm not sure how often the dow has fallen 20% (14,000 to 11,350 ) during a period of "growth".
You see, your government has over the years changed the way they calculate the GDP deflator so that it only appears we're not in negative growth. Hedonics is a particularly abused technique used to hide inflation.
I guess everyone can use more education, eh?
First Drive: 2009 Chevrolet Traverse {Autoblog}
Jun 30th 2008 10:54PM And my E90 BMW 325i gets just 21mpg city. That's about 30% better than the Lambdas. But the lambdas acheive about 30% better than the old body on frame SUVs of comparable size. So it's a huge improvement if you factor in passenger and cargo capacity!
And GOOD LUCK fitting more than 4 people in the BMW, and forget any luggage if you have 4 aboard. I have to move things around to put 2 decent sized suitcases in the trunk. Asking 6-8 passenger vehicles to achieve similar fuel economy is not a fair comparison.
People are overthinking this. These are $30K plus vehicles. The poseurs who could never really afford them are forced out. But the REAL market is still there. How big it is is undetermined.
But compare the Lambdas at maybe 18mpg combined with that BMW at 24mpg combined. That's just $666 a year more in fuel IF the BMW uses regular, but it doesn't, so it's more like $500/year. BFD! They probably spend more than that on coffee each year.
Tons of hysteria here. If you're not able to afford it, don't buy one. But if adding less than 1% to your annual family budget puts you in a jetta wagon (still nice) instead of a roomier ride, so be it. You probably dont' need to be talking about buying new cars anyway! Save your cash and buy something used.
First Drive: 2009 Chevrolet Traverse {Autoblog}
Jun 30th 2008 10:35PM I've owned and driven every brand of pickup, several SUV's, and 4 sedans. In every case, they acheive almost exactly what the EPA numbers suggest, sometimes higher, when driven the way the EPA tests are conducted. When they underperform, it is always because I'm either driving 80mph on the highway in a pickup, taking it from 17mpg to 15mpg, or in a car sitting at lots of street lights.
I've owned cars that got 36mpg highway when rated 31 (Saab 9-3) and the biggest gas hogs around (dodge rams). If your vehicle is not getting the numbers on the sticker, it's likely you've got a mechanical problem, the fuel is some sort of summer blend that's affecting it, or most likely you're driving in conditions harder to acheive good mpg in than you think.
The typical grocery toter SUV is driven near the mall, hardly the best place to cruise and acheive 23 mpg.
First Drive: 2009 Chevrolet Traverse {Autoblog}
Jun 30th 2008 10:26PM I fricken love it. The styling differences are significant enough to induce me to test one, whereas the previous lambdas were all not quite there for me in terms of styling. What really makes it interesting is that it handles better than the others, apparently. It's likely no BMW X5, but it's also much more affordable.
Rendered Speculation: Next-gen Mazda3 {Autoblog}
Jun 30th 2008 10:01PM I like it. It would make an aready great value and special car even better. Not in the market for another car for a while, but I'd shop one if it looked like this.
The Mazda 6 did NOT come out looking like in the press release photos, though.
VW decision on U.S. plant in July, sorry Michigan {Autoblog}
Jun 30th 2008 6:20PM "only 3 levels above" , eh? Like a regional manager of chain of restaurants is "only" 3 levels above the busboy? (busboy-front end manager-general manager-regional manager) 3 levels is a lot.
He got there, you can too. It's called liberty and opportunity. It's up to you to make the decisions in life to acheive it. Or are all management positions there hereditary? You'll find that if you quit looking in other people's wallets you'll have more energy for fattening your own.
VW decision on U.S. plant in July, sorry Michigan {Autoblog}
Jun 30th 2008 6:13PM While you're correct that corporate management in many industries has lately seemed to be looting the companies they are supposed to shepard, you're mistaken if you think bonuses amount to much in the big picture. They can be offensive morally, but they're nothing compared to the cost of benefits that are hamstringing the companies.
Also, you're missing the point of life insurance. It's to meet your family's needs if you unexpectedly die. A 75 y/o man is likely already at or past his life expectancy for a man of his generation. The cost of such insurance is so high as to be impractical. If a man has worked a full career, retired, and hasn't saved enough to support a spouse if he dies at an advanced age, he's made mistakes only he is to blame for.
The whole idea that someone else is responsible for your welfare is rotting this nation from the inside out. That sense of entitlement and dependence in your comment has more to do with why everything is not financially cheery in the household than anything an auto manufacturer did or didn't do.
VW decision on U.S. plant in July, sorry Michigan {Autoblog}
Jun 30th 2008 6:05PM Also, states, unlike the federal government, can't print money to cover their deficits! They have to borrow it on the open market. And they know if they become too indebted, the cost of borrowing further rises and eventually they get cut off.
