Autoblog

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As any kid learns on Christmas morning, expectations are a bitch. And once you've made the transition to adulthood, things don't change. It's widely accepted that most of us who pray at the altar of the car Gods are simply eight-year olds with a bit more expendable income... and for the most part, that's true. There are a few synapses that get fired when we overcook a particular corner in our daily rides, the same ones that were triggered when we yanked up on the makeshift e-brake of our Big Wheels. So when we took delivery of a 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer ES, we were expecting handling and motivation to match the new Lancer's aggressive styling, even in this just-better-than-base model. After seven days of merciless flogging, we were left with a sport compact-sized hole in our hearts, just like when Santa didn't leave the Super Nintendo underneath our tree.

If a car's been sitting at a dealership for 34 years, you'd expect it to develop a certain amount of vehicular arthritis, in the form of brittle rubber, aged braking components and rodent havens. In the case of this Volvo 1800ES, originally owned by Gordon Turner, proprietor of Turner Volvo, it's recieved regular attention during the 10,000 miles it's accrued during its time as a demo car.

For the uninitiated, 1800s are the "exotic" vintage Volvo and nice examples can trade for several thousand dollars. This one's got a starting bid of $20,000 and the reserve has yet to be met.

More after the jump.

Toyota announced today that it is recalling 54,217 vehicles sold in Japan that could possibly catch fire if parked and left running. The recall affects two models, the Harrier SUV and Windom sedan (known as the Lexus RX and ES, respecitvely, in North America). Apparently there's a possible defect in each vehicle's computer control system that could cause it to malfunction and catch fire. Two vehicles have reportedly went up in flames on account of this defect and 26 complaints about the vehicles have been filed. The units being recalled were produced between December 1997 and November 2000, and Toyota insists none were exported for sale.

The Big T has been blasted in the media this year for performing a higher than normal number of recalls yet still maintaining an image of impeccable quality throughout its brands. One wonders at what point that image will begin to fade if the recalls continue. Toyota's announcement today further justifies Ford's decision yesterday to delay the delivery of Edge and MKX crossovers to dealers until problems with the manufacturing process could be ironed out. It's always best to deal with issues in the factory rather than shifting them over to the owner's driveway.

[Source: International Herald Tribune, Associated Press]
Related posts:

• NHTSA makes Toyota modify seat latch recall
• Is Toyota trying to sneak in a recall under the radar?
• Toyota and why recalls just bounce

We have to admit that we've secretly pined for a position as a valet at some upscale nightclub or a sell-your-first-born-for-reservations restaurant. There is something intriguing about the prospect of rubbing elbows with the upper crust of socialites by driving their cherished rides that, in some cases, cost more than we'll see in net income over our lifetime.

Someone at Lexus PR seems to hold the lowly valet in similar standings, as evidenced by the site www.lexusvaletguide.com. As a way of stirring up interest in the new Lexus ES, the 38-page (gulp) downloadable handbook will clue you into the vast curiosities of the valet world with details about their lingo, proper tipping principles and how to score the much sought after "jewel case" space in the front.

The full PR-massaged press release is after the jump, which has some entertaining tidbits and a historical perspective of the valet from the mouth of its godfather. It's certainly worth the read.