Recent Comments:
VW diesel-hybrid is DOA {Autoblog}
Apr 24th 2008 3:50AM I'm waiting for Mr. Fusion.
Ford gets dinged again for Bridgestone debacle, lawyers make out like bandits {Autoblog}
Apr 16th 2008 11:40PM I'm going to go out on a limb here and say a few things:
1. Class-action lawsuits are a joke. The plaintiffs end up with very little and the lawyers get all the $$. I have been involved in several class-action lawsuits and the most I could have gotten was $20 for some RAM I bought 8 years ago.
2. The company was Firestone, but they are owned by Bridgestone.
3. The main reason the SUV's rolled when the tire blew out was because of people who cannot drive. I am going to stand by my remark: people who rolled their SUV when the tire blew out did so because they overreacted and did not know what to do in that situation. Several respectable sources ran simulations, some with real Explorers, and the general result was that you could bring the SUV to a safe stop EVEN WITHOUT HOLDING THE STEERING WHEEL. People are just too sensitive to come out and say what the real issue was.
Acura prices 2009 TSX just below $30k {Autoblog}
Apr 14th 2008 10:25PM That thing's fugly with a capital F. What were they thinking with that giant Acura crest in the grill? Instead of reserved good looks like a well-tailored suit, they go for garish bling. Sad.
Next-gen BMW 7-Series to get 8-speed automatic {Autoblog}
Apr 14th 2008 2:35PM I'm not sure why all the hubbub over moving what is essentially a glorified switch to the console. Removing it from there frees room for other things, and 90% of the people don't use anymore than P-R-N-D anyways.
New 2010 Ford 4.4-liter diesel engine scooped! {Autoblog}
Apr 13th 2008 4:26PM I'm with you on this. Around town here, Diesel is currently $4.00+, which is 25% higher than regular unleaded. If the diesel engine gets 20% better mileage, than you're losing money on this deal. Especially when you factor in the extra upfront costs of purchasing the diesel and the extra maintenance costs of replenishing the aqueous urea. For truck drivers who do real hauling this could be an interesting choice, but for everyone else it's just a waste of money at this point.
Carmakers reducing options, saving money {Autoblog}
Mar 31st 2008 9:27PM This is good from a cost perspective, both for the manufacturer, the dealer, and to you. For the manufacturer, they can order larger quantities of pricier products like NAV systems and thus get a better discount. The dealers profit because they can make more sales since they're more likely to have the car you want, and you profit (if you choose to see it that way) by taking advantage of reduced pricing on option packages vs. individual pricing. Yeah, it can be kind of hard if you only want a specific feature and it's in a $2000 package, but that, methinks, is rather more the exception than the rule. Also, you don't have to drive around all day to different dealers looking for the Focus with color 4, and options A, B, D, F, Y, U, I, L, K, but not H, T, or R.
Custom-ordering a car is a way around this, but most dealers want you to buy what's on the lot and won't haggle much on a car ordered from the factory with specifically the options you want.
$100K for a Tiger Woods-used Enclave? Seriously? {Autoblog}
Mar 30th 2008 5:01PM Here's how I imagine the pitch to Tiger went:
Buick: We'll pay you a million dollars to be our spokesperson.
Tiger: I don't know, that's kind of an old man car...
Buick: Two million.
Tiger: ..maybe a corvette or something, now that would be awesome...
Buick: Four million.
Tiger: ...or a Lambo, hey can we get Lamborghini on the phone....
Buick: Here's a blank check. Please don't make us beg...
Buyers dropping more coin on the 2008 Chevy Malibu {Autoblog}
Mar 30th 2008 4:55PM Because they know all they sold ya was a guaranteed piece of *crap. That's all it is. Hey, if you want me to take a dump in a box and mark it guaranteed, I will. I got spare time.
Prius fighter: Honda reveals details about new global hybrid {Autoblog}
Mar 29th 2008 5:21PM All good points, with the exception of Vintage's non-sensical ranting.
There are many good reasons to buy a hybrid, and in AZ and a few other states, one of THE major reasons is to gain access to the HOV lanes during rush hours without carpooling. Since that law was enacted here, I have personally seen hybrids multiply like bunnies on the road. Every time I sit in rush-hour traffic, I see at least 4 dozen Prius' float by in the HOV lane. And my commute is only about 1/2 hour.
I think the failings of the current Honda hybrids - actually, all OTHER hybrids that are not Prius' - is that they are jammed into a car designed primarily for a gas engine. In the Civic, I think this results in less trunk space. Thereby, the car is at once not recognizable as a green car and also less useful as a regular car. The Prius was never designed to be a non-hybrid, therefore it's designers can take into account factors like luggage and people space. In fact, the Prius is actually very efficient in terms of both gas and space. It is a mid-size car with the body of a compact car.
I would welcome a hybrid at a $20K starting point, as the Prius is a few thousand more than that to start and not often discounted.
U.S. smart fortwo sales so strong, Penske wants 15,000 more {Autoblog}
Mar 26th 2008 2:12AM Just got the latest Car and Driver and they test a Smart. The MPG was not encouraging, to say the least. Thirty-two (32) MPG. That's barely better than my 4 year old Hyundai with a 4-speed auto (about 28-30MPG on average). The official EPA figures are 32/40. If you're buying it for gas-saving reasons, you're better off getting a hybrid with real-world MPG 39-45MPG. It looks like the only real reason to get it now is to be hip or if you live in a congested city.
