The Open Road Rambler

New Year's Day Road Trips - Part I: The Plan

2012-01-28T09:40:00.000-06:00

I love road trips. It's the idea of going somewhere I'm not. The open road, changing scenery, the mystery of what's around the next bend. Anywhere is fine. The destination is unimportant as long as I can get in the car and go. I've long admired/envied Peter Egan, who writes for Road and Track. Long before I could drive, he was writing about road trips in interesting cars, including

Guest Post - Dangers of Toxins Found in Automobiles

2012-01-07T09:29:00.000-06:00

This post is by Brian Turner. I thought I'd share it since it provides good information on some of the chemicals that can be dangerous when working on cars. Dangerous Toxins Found in Automobiles For many people, an automobile is more than just a means of transportation; it's an investment that sometimes has sentimental value. Beyond that, many individuals and families spend a lot of time in

Oldsmobile Haiku

2011-11-26T11:56:00.001-06:00

The Cutlass hit 91,000 miles recently. In honor of of the momentous occasion, I have written a haiku: My Oldsmobile Ugly, cheap, reliable It gets me places To date I've spend $800 in repairs on the car. Adding in the $1,400 I paid for it puts me at $2200 for seventeen months of ownership, or about $129 a month. For comparison, that's less money than my cable TV or electric bill. I still

Porsche Boxster: One of the Best Sports Cars Ever Made?

2011-11-11T19:36:00.001-06:00

To me, the Porsche Boxster should rank as one of the best sports cars of all time. It's not iconic like the 911, or as beautiful as a Ferrari 275 GTB. It doesn't offer the performance of a supercar. In fact, it won't put up the performance numbers of some sedans like the BMW M5 or Cadillac CTS-V. But with styling based on the 1955 Porsche 550 Spyder, razor sharp handling, and some

RX8 - Something Completely Different for $15K

2011-10-22T11:07:00.001-05:00

As the old Monte Python show used to say, "...and now for something completely different..." If you're a gear-head shopping for a used car in the $15,000 range, it's hard to ignore the Mazda RX8. This is especially true if you are a dad who wants a sports coupe, but need a back seat for two kids. Granted it's not as pretty as an Audi TT or as iconic as a Porsche 911, but unlike those cars,

The Jensen Interceptor

2011-10-10T15:24:00.000-05:00

When you think of 1960s British cars with American V8 engines, what comes to mind? The AC Cobra? Sunbeam Tiger? The Morgan Plus 8 with its GM sourced power? How about a GT with Italian styling and one of the best car names ever? The Jensen Interceptor was a limited run grand tourer produced by Jensen Motors from 1966-76. Powered by Chrysler's 383 and 440 cubic inch engines, it offered

Beater Update - Repair Work

2011-10-01T09:00:00.001-05:00

After more than a year of reliable, trouble free service, time caught up with the Oldsmobile this week. I took it to the shop, knowing it needed brake work, and walked out facing $1800 in repairs. I got the brakes fixed, and other misc. items for $800, but the other big ticket item, replacing the intake manifold gasket, will wait until I decide what to do. The 3.1 liter V6 in the Oldsmobile

The $15,000 Question - BMW E38 7 Series

2011-09-24T08:27:00.000-05:00

My wife asked me a dangerous question the other night. It was dangerous enough on its own, but that night we were drinking Pimms and enjoying the cool evening breeze: "What would you buy for $15,000?" she asked. I hoped it was a rhetorical question. Car nuts like me are a cross between serial monogamists and high functioning heroin addicts, and like an addict I became tormented by her

Year of the Cutlass

2011-07-30T08:53:00.003-05:00

I've driven my 1997 Oldsmobile Cutlass for over one year. It was originally intended to be a stopgap car. I would drive it until my wife and I saved up some money to buy a new car for her, and then I'd drive our 1999 Nissan Pathfinder.But the Cutlass turned out to be a decent car. It's not pretty, with it's metallic tan paint, dents and missing trim. But it had only 76K miles when I started

Bad Names for Cars

2011-05-21T16:02:00.003-05:00

I'm always amazed at some of the horrible names car companies think up for their cars. Whether it's something lost in translation or the automotive equivalent of bad fashion, some names are just bad and some, like Edsel, are infamously integrated into pop lexicon. Here are some of my favorites:Ford Aspire: Clearly a car for people who aspire to own something better.Suzuki Esteem: The only

Mustang Cool

2011-05-07T08:45:00.012-05:00

Mustangs are cool. They are one of the most legendary and enduring GT cars of all time. Yes, there were the neutered Mustang IIs of the mid-seventies and there's always been something a little blue collar about them. They don't have the breeding or sophistication of a Jaguar, Ferrari, or James Bond's Aston Martin. And you won't see one parked on the lawn at Pebble Beach next to a Talbot-Lago

Beater Challenge Update - $2800 Saved

2011-04-30T09:47:00.003-05:00

To date, I've saved $2800 driving the Cutlass. Other than oil changes, gas and the occasional car wash, I've done NOTHING to the car. It continues to provide reliable, if humble, transportation and averages 22-24 MPG. Car nut that I am, there are tons of other cars I'd rather own. Now that spring is here and the weather makes it difficult to be indoors, I wish I owned a convertible--something

The Lincoln in the Lincoln Lawyer

2011-04-17T09:26:00.005-05:00

It's funny how the mind of a car nut works. My wife and I saw "The Lincoln Lawyer" recently, which starred Matthew McConaughey. We both liked the movie, which features tight storytelling, authentic characters, and excellent cinematography. But I loved the old school 1980s Lincoln.I know, it's a Town Car. God's waiting room riding on four wheels. It's the kind of car you're buried in, and in

David E. Davis

2011-03-31T05:39:00.004-05:00

David E. Davis died last Sunday at the age of 80. Known as the "Dean of Automotive Journalists," he had at various points of his life been a writer, editor, and publisher for Road and Track, Car and Driver, Motor Trend, and Automobile.Davis was one of the first writers to blend facts and statistics about cars with prose. For him, an article was not just about acceleration times and braking

The Jaguar XJ6

2011-03-25T20:18:00.005-05:00

I've got Jaguars on the brain again. Specifically the 1995-1997 Jaguar XJ6 and XJR, the last cars imported to the US with the inline-6 engine. Besides the usual charms, this version of the XJ6 has something rare for a Jaguar--reliability. The drivetrains are bulletproof and the electrical systems were exorcised of all the typical British electric demons.What's more, these cars are going on 16

Beater Update

2011-03-19T20:18:00.002-05:00

The Cutlass continues to trudge along reliably. It has cost me nothing more than gas and two oil changes, which is remarkable for a fourteen year old car. And all the while it has saved me $2400 in car payments. $2400 will buy a lot. A cruise or trip to Disney World. A really nice home theater system. Season tickets for your favorite sports team. A new fridge or washer/dryer tandem. It's

Auto Show Musings

2011-03-05T09:57:00.003-06:00

I went to the KC Auto Show yesterday. Here are some random thoughts & musings:Chrysler, Ford and GM have come a long way in a short time. The quality of the look and feel of their new cars is amazing. Chrysler's new interiors are stunning as are Ford's. GM is finally building cars I'm interested in, including the new Chevrolet Cruze and Buick Regal. When it comes to imports, Hyundai and Kia

The Law of Depreciation

2011-02-26T09:19:00.007-06:00

The law of deprecation is a car enthusiast's best friend. Cars that were $50, $60, even $100 grand ten years ago can be had for pennies on the dollar today. I was reminded of this fact recently while browsing car ads online and realized there are a number of 1997-2000 Porsche Boxsters for sale below $10,000. Ironically, one of my favorite affordable Porsches, the 944, is appreciating towards

Beater Challenge Update

2011-02-20T10:33:00.003-06:00

So far I've saved about $2,000 since I started driving my 1997 Olds Cutlass Supreme back in August. The Cutlass has been reliable transportation in that time, even if it's not exactly stylish. When this model first came out, Oldsmobile was marketing cars with the slogan, "This is not your father's Oldsmobile." And it's not... It's your grandfather's. For a while, I entertained myself with the

The Samurai and the SX4

2011-01-20T20:23:00.000-06:00

About 25 years ago, Suzuki introduces the Samurai to the American market. Known internationally as the Jimny and produced since 1968, it was a small alternative to the larger Land Rover 90, Toyota FJ40, and Jeep Wrangler. Unfortunately it quickly earned a reputation in the US Market for being prone to tipping over. Consumer Reports gave it an unsafe rating, causing the company to scramble

Pocket Rockets

2010-11-20T15:44:00.004-06:00

One of the classic philosophical questions car nuts ask themselves is, "Is it better to drive a fast car slow or a slow car fast?"The answer to that question changes ever few years, but today the answer is "both". Allow me to explain.Today is the "good ol' days" of the internal combustion engine. At the far end of the spectrum you have supercars producing upwards of 700 horsepower. In the

Beater Challenge: $800 to $0

2010-11-06T09:28:00.002-05:00

It's been awhile since I posted to this blog. It's not from the lack of ideas, but a lack of time. Occasionally, reality intrudes on my Walter Mitty escapism...For now, I'll just post the results of the Beater Challenge. By this point, I would have paid $800 in car payments for the Honda. $800 is about half of what I paid for the Cutlass, which has cost me exactly $0, except for gas and an

How often should you change your oil?

2010-09-18T09:08:00.004-05:00

How often should you change your oil? If you lived in the era of the shade tree mechanic or run a garage, your answer is probably "faithfully every 3,000 miles". That answer may have been correct in the era of carburetors and bias-ply tires, but not today. Oil, like the cars that use it, has changed over the last thirty to forty years. Now you can go 5,000, 10,000, even 15,000 miles between

Beater Challenge Update for September

2010-09-11T08:18:00.003-05:00

I've gotten to know the Cutlass pretty well in the last month and I've discovered there's things I like about the car and things I don't. It's not as refined as my old Infiniti and it lacks that car's performance. If you've ever driven a mid 1990s GM car back to back with a Toyota Camry from that era, you know what I'm talking about. The Cutlass came standard with features like keyless entry,

Curse of the Jaguar

2010-09-04T21:20:00.003-05:00

I have to confess that I get weak kneed at the sight of a Jaguar. Like malaria, a fever comes over me long years after the bite of the mosquito. Only my mosquito was a late-seventies Jaguar XJ-S, a sleek coupe adorned with sail panels framing the rear window like flying buttresses adorn a Gothic church. I saw my first one on the way home from forth grade. It was parked behind a chain link

Edmunds' Long Term Miata Project

2010-08-22T14:56:00.004-05:00

In March, Edmunds' Inside Line added a 1994 Mazda Miata project car to their long term fleet. They paid $1,750 for a white one with over 170K miles, in need of a tune up and a thorough cleaning. The Edmunds' blog is a good source for information on new cars as well as projects and cars of the recent past. The posts on the Miata are no exception. But the blog also reveals some other things

The Great Beater Experiment

2010-08-14T08:43:00.007-05:00

Which costs less money, driving an old beater or buying a 2-3 year old used car? Having driven older cars for a while, I think I know the answer--it's always cheaper to drive an older, paid for car than making car payments. But I've never kept track of exactly how much I saved.So now I'm going to perform an experiment.I am buying my Grandma Ruby's 1997 Cutlass. After driving it for two months,

Power!

2010-07-31T13:06:00.003-05:00

Jeremy Clarkson, the lead presenter for BBC's "Top Gear" television show, is famous for shouting POWER! His yawp is usually reserved for cars by Mercedes and Lamborghini with massive power. But I think even he would agree that the power made by the latest four and six cylinder engines is astonishing. When I was a kid, 200 horsepower was a lot. Most V8s of the early 1980s struggled to reach

Alfa, Miata or MG?

2010-07-18T10:02:00.006-05:00

Car enthusiasts always face tough choices. You’d think it would be the opposite--anyone with motor oil in their veins know more about cars should be more informed, enabling them to make better decisions. But in most cases, more information just leads to more choices. Case in point: Let’s say you have about ten grand in your pocket and an extra space in your garage. You want a roadster,

A Tale of Two Cutlasses

2010-07-01T06:22:00.011-05:00

I had to say goodbye to the Infiniti last week. There was too much wrong with it and I couldn't justify spending more to fix it than the car was worth. So I sold it and began a furious week of car shopping.I spent Friday and Saturday looking at used cars in the $8-$12,000 range. It used to be you could find a decent five year old sedan with around 60K miles in that price range. Not anymore.

Don't Call It a Chevy

2010-06-10T20:27:00.006-05:00

There's a rumor going around that the GM corporate brass doesn't want employees referring to Chevrolet as Chevy. It supposedly cheapens the image and dilutes the Chevrolet brand. Seems crazy to me, but not any more than Ed Whitacre, a former AT&T executive and current GM CEO, appointing himself head of product planning. Chevrolet makes cars. The company was founded by Louis Chevrolet almost a

Deepwater Wake Up Call

2010-05-30T09:14:00.005-05:00

I've been following the news on the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico with a lot of interest. The whole mess is like watching a bad disaster film from the 1970s. But instead of Paul Newman and Steve McQueen battling to put out a blaze in a high rise, you have a bunch of petroleum executives running around, pointing fingers while trying anything with a 50-50 chance for success.Now entering its

V8 Lullabies

2010-05-07T05:26:00.005-05:00

At the end of Thomas Harris’ book, The Silence of the Lambs, Clarice Starling falls asleep leaning against a washing machine. Harris writes that the washing machine comforted Clarice because its sound was the closest thing to what we hear in the womb.In my own experience as a father, I’ve learned that repetitive songs and sounds at bedtime have a soothing affect and help lull children to

More thoughts on NASA

2010-04-24T08:33:00.006-05:00

I've been harping about the demise of the shuttle program and NASA's lack of direction lately. I really think we are missing a grand opportunity--not just to explore space, but the opportunity to enrich our lives here on Earth.Many of our advances in microchips, lighter metal alloys, fuel cells, and other technological, medical, and scientific achievements have come about from the space program.

Alan Shepherd's Corvette

2010-04-17T20:55:00.005-05:00

If you were a boy growing up in the 1960s you may have idolized NFL quarterbacks like Johnny Unitas or Joe Namath, or baseball players like Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris. But the true superstars of that era, and the heroes everyone admired, were astronauts.Much has been said about the 1960s. Vietnam. Hippies. Woodstock. But to my eyes, one of the most remarkable achievements of human kind

Shuttle Launch

2010-04-09T19:56:00.003-05:00

Last Monday, I had the opportunity to watch the Space Shuttle Discovery takeoff from the Kennedy Space Center, with my son and father-in-law. It was a special treat. Words cannot describe the thunder of the rockets, a sound that can be heard from as far away as Orlando. From just a few miles, it was like being pushed back by a wall of sound. Amazing.Discovery lifted off at6:21 AM and created

Top 10 Signs You Might Be a Car Nut

2010-03-15T19:19:00.002-05:00

David Letterman's ratings took a beating last week when Jay Leno has bullied his way back into the late night battle. So in Dave's honor, I thought I'd come up with my own Top 10--Signs You Might Be a Car Nut:10. When your doctor asks your blood type you reply, "30 weight non-synthetic".9. You name one of your kids Porsche. 8. You have owned more than one car a year.7. You suffered through the

Miata Mania

2010-03-05T20:15:00.003-06:00

Yesterday was the first day above fifty degrees in three months. As a result, Miatas were out in full force. I've never been a huge fan of Miatas, but this year they really appeal to me. In the spring, I get an itch to buy a convertible, like an old MGB. But there's a lot to be said for the Miata, which is a modern interpretation. And unlike the MG, the Miata is dead reliable and cheaper to

A Tale of Two Porsches

2010-02-27T14:24:00.007-06:00

The Porsche 911 is an icon. There is no debate, it is the Mona Lisa of cars. Far from perfect, it has stood the test of time, much in the same way as Francis Ford Coppola's Godfather movies. But there is always some debate about it being the best sports car ever. I would even argue it's not the best Porsche. Thirty years before Porsche committed blasphemy by introducing the Cayenne, a V8

Cheap Supercars - Ferrari Testarossa

2010-02-20T10:50:00.004-06:00

Today I was browsing Ebay, looking at some of my favorite cars, when I stumbled across a handful of Ferrari Testarossas and saw this fact:THE BUY IT NOW PRICE ON A MID-1980s TESTAROSSA IS $50k!Fifty grand. For less than the price of a new Porsche Boxster or even a Corvette, you can buy the ultimate 1980s supercar. Sonny Crockett could afford to buy his undercover car on his cop's salary,

Toyota - Then Again Maybe Not

2010-02-08T06:11:00.002-06:00

Looks like I spoke too soon on Toyota. It appears the fix to their problems may require more than a metal shim. There may be problems with the drive by wire and braking software, which is a lot more complicated than a piece of metal.Still, I have to question the driving skill of people who experience the issue. Why can't they just put the car in neutral? Or as a very last resort, turn off the

Toyota Gets It

2010-02-02T06:28:00.002-06:00

Yesterday, Toyota announced it had a fix for the sudden acceleration problem that affected most of the cars in its lineup. The fix, adding a shim to the pedal assembly, is simple but effective and was quickly approved and implemented. Yet Toyota is still being blasted in the media for not responding quick enough to the problem. I disagree. The problems began occurring less than a year ago and

The Best Snow Car I Ever Owned

2010-01-26T19:51:00.005-06:00

The best snow car I ever owned was a 1990 VW Fox. I don't know if it was the narrow 155 x 75R 13 inch tires, light weight, or ground clearance but it would power through a foot of snow with no trouble.That's not to say it was the best car I ever owned. The car was made out of leftover parts from a mid 80s Audi and the reliability was suspect. It had more personality quirks than Woody Allen. To

Colin's First Pinewood Derby

2010-01-23T16:04:00.003-06:00

My son Colin had his first pinewood derby today and won the award for Most Artistic Car. Colin designed the car himself and did most of the work. His car was competitive and got faster as the day went on. Colin was disappointed he didn't win, but I couldn't be more proud.

Who Killed the Diesel Car?

2010-01-15T11:17:00.002-06:00

In 2006, an independent film called “Who Killed the Electric Car?” explored the demise of the electric car industry in the United States. Just over three years later, it appears the electric car has more lives than a cat. Not only is there a thriving cottage industry for electric cars and electric car conversions, but several major car companies plan to roll out electric cars in the next three

The Best Cars for Snow

2010-01-09T08:49:00.011-06:00

My friend Jody, who writes a blog called the AgrOpinion, likes to challenge me with car questions. Recently she asked me what I thought was the best snow car.In most cases, it would have to be something with all wheel drive or AWD. All wheel drive is different than traditional four wheel drive because all four wheels are always connected to the drivetrain by a fluid-filled center differential.

Toyota in Trouble

2010-01-06T11:17:00.003-06:00

Last fall Toyota issued a recall to fix issues related to unintended acceleration on a majority of their cars and light trucks. The problem could have ballooned into the one that almost destroyed Audi twenty years ago. But instead of mechanical problems, faulty engineering, or demonic possession, the fault was attributed to floormats. At about the same time, it was announced that Toyota is

Open Road Car of the Year

2009-12-29T14:54:00.006-06:00

This is the time of year Motor Trend and Car & Driver publish their Car of the Year or 10 Best Cars awards. But my pick for the Open Road is not on their list--it's the 2009 Dodge Challenger R/T. Why did I pick the Challenger? It's the one new model I've seen that invokes a positive emotional response in just about everyone who sees it. But it also is practical, with room for five, a large trunk

When I Grow Up I Want to Be Walter Rohrl

2009-12-17T11:20:00.006-06:00

When I grow up, I want to be Walter Rohrl. A former rally car driver, he currently tests Porsches at the Nurburgring in Germany and plans to race a stock Porsche 911 GT3 at the 24 Hours of Nurburgring next year. The GT3 is the closest thing you can buy to a road going racecar. The Nurburgring is the ultimate racetrack, with 14 miles of blind, off camber corners and elevation changes that will

Winter Driving for Idiots

2009-12-10T16:56:00.006-06:00

Winter blanked much of the Midwest this week. For those drivers who have never seen the white stuff we call snow, or who have forgotten how to drive in it since last year, here's a quick guide.1. Four wheel drive does not make you invincible. At best it helps keep you from getting stuck, but the same laws of physics apply to SUVs as do any other car on the road. More so if you're dumb enough to

What the Head Wants

2009-12-05T10:13:00.010-06:00

My 1997 Infiniti has started showing its age. A few months ago the starter went out. This month, I'm dealing with a heater/blower fan problem, a vibrating/rubbing sound from the right rear wheel at highway speed, and problems with my stereo. For sometime I've also noticed oil spots on the driveway, where I park.None of these problems are fatal. They are the flaws of a twelve year old car with

GM on the Fritz

2009-12-04T12:23:00.004-06:00

In a surprising move this week, GM dismissed CEO Fritz Henderson and granted Saab a stay of execution. Henderson, who took over GM after Rick Waggoner was forced out earlier this year, had been with GM for 25 years. I suspect Henderson was asked to resign because he was too much of a company man, too much of the "old way" of doing business that has plagued GM since before his arrival. GM's

A Saab Story

2009-11-27T14:10:00.003-06:00

Saab has just been taken off life support and is expected to die in the next week. Koenigsegg pulled out of the deal earlier this week and today the Swedish government announced they will not bail out the company if GM chooses to liquidate it. Until it was assimilated by the Borg-like GM, Saab was known for making quirky, performance oriented hatchbacks. Afterwards they churned out re-skinned

Cars I'm Thankful For

2009-11-22T19:11:00.004-06:00

With Thanksgiving in four days, I thought I'd share a few car related things I'm thankful for. I'm thankful Route 66 lives. Someday I will drive the entire stretch from Chicago to LA--hopefully before it's over restored like a Corvette at a Barrett-Jackson auction. But it's good to see people taking an interest in a road that has added as much to our nation's history as the Santa Fe Trail and

Buick Regal, Sports Sedan

2009-11-13T12:22:00.005-06:00

I'm having a hard time saying Buick Regal and sports sedan in the same sentence with a straight face. It's an oxymoron, but that's what GM is positioning the Regal as for its relaunch next year.To be fair the new Regal will be based on the Opel Insignia, which has won accolades in Europe. Buick is also undertaking a huge effort to remake itself, much like Cadillac did ten years ago. And the new

Mr. Automatic

2009-11-09T08:11:00.005-06:00

There was a time when I'd only buy a car with a manual transmission. Slushboxes, as automatics are sometimes called, were boring to my way of reckoning and they robbed power from the engine. I liked revving the engine, snapping off crisp up-shifts, and listening to the exhaust crackle as I downshifted. It was a way to satisfy my inner Walter Mitty as I pretended to race at Watkins Glen or

Scary Halloween Cars

2009-10-30T12:02:00.003-05:00

In the spirit of Halloween, here are some thoughts on scary cars. Cars can be scary looking. Some of the chrome laden grills from the 1950s look frightening, like the era's Packards, Buick, and thanks to Stephen King's Christine, the 1958 Plymouth Fury.Cars can also have scary names, like Fury, Demon, or Tempest. Or they can be scary to drive because they are extremely fast, tempermental or

Top Gear Withdrawl

2009-10-29T08:00:00.003-05:00

I'm going through "Top Gear" withdrawl and it's worse than the Swine Flu. "Top Gear" is a show produced by the BBC about cars, with Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond, and James May as presenters. But it's more than a car show. Imagine the dry "Motorweek" combined with equal parts of "Monty Python" and "Jackass" and you get the picture. The show also features epic journeys, like driving across

I Miss Pop-Up Lights

2009-10-24T10:57:00.006-05:00

Although the 1980s are not considered a high watermark of automotive design there was one element from that era that is missing today. Pop-up headlights.Pop-up and hidden lights originated in the 1930s with cars like the Cord 810 and the Buick Y-Job concept car. They reappeared in the 1960s on the Corvette, Buick Rivera, Pontiac GTO and Dodge Charger. Before long they spread to Italian makes

The Green Mileage Myth

2009-10-21T11:40:00.000-05:00

I like the concept of hybrid vehicles and realize driving a hybrid can be fun. Not like autocrossing or flogging a sports car along a winding road, but it does have entertainment value. Hybrid technology is also interesting to me, even if it's not new. The Germans started using hybrids almost a century ago. They called them U-boats.Where I have a problem with hybrids, is when they are labeled a “

24 Hours of Lemons

2009-10-16T16:07:00.003-05:00

A new budget racing event is taking the auto world by storm. Known as the 24 Hours of Lemons, it is a two day race held in events around the country. To enter, all you need is a $500 jalopy and a sense of humor.For more information, and to check and see if there is an event near you, check out http://www.24hoursoflemons.com

White Sands and Blue Corvettes

2009-10-07T08:21:00.018-05:00

In the early 1990s, a movie came out that left an indelible footprint on my brain. It was called "White Sands" and starred Willem Dafoe, Mickey Rourke, with a then unknown Samuel L. Jackson.The movie was forgettable, except for about five minutes when Willem Dafoe's character blasted along a desert highway in a vintage Corvette Sting Ray. The Nassau blue Vette, set against the barren, rust

R.I.P. Saturn

2009-10-03T12:11:00.007-05:00

Saturn is dead, but in truth the lineup has been in God's waiting room for quite some time because of its lousy lineup of warmed over Opels and other GM vehicles.The concept was good, just poorly executed. Saturn sold cars at a fixed price and provided a superior ownership experience. The company was constantly rated at the top in consumer satisfaction and brand loyalty. But loyalty will only

Hummer, the Moral Choice

2009-09-29T12:56:00.002-05:00

In a recent survey, Hummer owners said their purchase was a "moral choice." While I'm not exactly sure what that means, I do think the Hummer backlash has gone too far. I would never own a Hummer, and find them largely repugnant. But I do admire their off-road capabilities and can appreciate why people own them. A Hummer is a status symbol, just like a Toyota Prius. I know, the two vehicles

A Solution for Commuter Hell

2009-09-25T12:00:00.004-05:00

When I was in England last spring for a wedding, I couldn't help notice how easy it was to get around without a car. We stayed with family in Chiswick, on the west side of Greater London. By train, it was 30 minutes to Central London or an hour to Brighton on the English coast. I am a certified car nut. I have motor oil in my veins. But I would gladly commute on a train if I could avoid the

Civic Duty

2009-09-18T07:50:00.005-05:00

My car was in the shop this week, thanks to a bad starter, so I had the chance to borrow a 2002 Honda Civic.Driving a Civic is like dating an aerobics instructor. It's lean, well toned and light on it's feet. But it's also noisy and bounces around a lot.It's still a nice car, but I'm looking forward to getting my Infiniti back.

10 Cars for $10K - 80s Collectibles

2009-09-05T11:18:00.017-05:00

The average car nut is usually forced to make a choice. Buy a reliable daily driver and a toy or one car to fit both requirements. The second route is straightforward. Instead of opting for a Camry, like most normal people, the car nut picks something like a Mini Cooper, Dodge Challenger, or BMW M3--all of which have a degree of practicality but can also induce face splitting grins on

Dead Head Sticker on a Benz

2009-09-02T08:12:00.005-05:00

With apologies to Don Henly: Out on the road today, I saw a Dead Head sticker on a Mercedes Benz. It wasn't a Cadillac like the song, but a new Bluetec Diesel.Summer is almost out of reach. Days are cooler. The kids are back in school and football season is starting. Soon the leaves will change and the crisp fall air of mornings will be greeted with frost.

A Blow to the Head

2009-08-30T11:31:00.008-05:00

Composer Rob Dougan's lyrics, "Love, like a blow to the head's got me reeling," apply to my car obsession. It's hard to describe to someone who doesn't have 30-weight oil in their veins. But most gearheads fall somewhere between functioning heroin addicts and serial monogamists, unless they are collectors like Jay Leno, who practice auto-bigamy on the same scale Roman Grant collects plural

Poke-Mazda and Acura's Madam Guillotine

2009-08-27T11:31:00.003-05:00

Mazda has a history of building affordable, fun to drive cars--most of which are beautifully styled as well. The RX-7, RX-8 and Miata stand out, as do many of their sedans like the Millenia and Mazda 6. The Mazda 3 used to be in that group until recently, when they stuck a Pokemon character on the front end. To be fair, I was caught off guard. I approached the new Mazda 3 from the rear. From

Same Old GM

2009-08-14T08:12:00.003-05:00

This week GM trotted out the Chevy Volt again. This time to announce the car gets a stunning 239 mpg as estimated by the EPA. Whether the Volt gets 239 mpg or just half that number, it’s a major achievement. But there is one problem with the Volt. It’s made by GM.Forty years ago, GM made cars that were aspirations. In the days they controlled 50% of the market, their cars were beautifully styled

Motorbike Mania

2009-08-11T13:47:00.001-05:00

Recently, I stumbled across this motorbike. I’m not sure who makes it but I was struck by its rugged, simplistic beauty and filled with the desire to own one. In college I owned a Honda 50cc motorbike and I used to cruise the city in the pre-dawn hours of morning, after I got off work. I had the streets to myself, riding with the company of my thoughts and the buzz of a two stroke engine.For

More Cash for Clunkers

2009-08-07T18:15:00.001-05:00

The Senate voted yesterday to extend the Cash for Clunkers by approving an additional $2 billion for funding. I still think it’s a waste of money, but it is a popular program and at $3 billion total, it’s a drop in the bucket compared to the bank bailouts or the real pork in the stimulus package. I stated in a previous post that my car, a 1997 Infiniti I30 does not qualify for the program. Not

What would Darth Vader Drive?

2009-07-31T19:42:00.004-05:00

My seven year old son is into Star Wars in a big way. Last week he got a new Darth Vader action figure, which I noticed is sporting a silver chain around his neck. I don’t remember the Dark Lord of the Sith wearing a chain before, but I may have missed it because it’s actually a pretty tasteful, contrasting silver. Times change. I guess anyone who wears a cape these days needs some bling.

Get Smart

2009-07-28T20:45:00.004-05:00

To be honest, I never “got” the Smart car. I dismissed it as a cute, compact, efficient but highly impractical runabout. For less money you can buy a Toyota Yaris hatchback, which is about the same size but holds four people.Last weekend my kids and I stumbled on the Kansas City Smart Car Club picnic at a local park. After talking with one of the owners, I realized I’d missed the point.

Cash for Clunkers

2009-07-25T12:45:00.005-05:00

Cash for Clunkers didn’t start out as a bad idea. It took Congress to make it one. Originally intended to provide an incentive for replacing old, less efficient cars with newer, cleaner, more efficient ones, the program now reeks of bacon and is no different than any other pork laden half-measure enacted by Congress over the years. Known as C.A.R.S., for Consumer Assistance to Recycle and

In Praise of the Beater

2009-07-17T19:32:00.014-05:00

Henry David Thoreau wrote about the futility of acquiring material wealth. If he were alive today, his argument would apply to cars as well. Thoreau would be appalled with our car culture, shunning it for public transportation. But if he had to drive, I’m sure he would own a beater. A beater is the

The New GM

2009-07-11T09:15:00.005-05:00

GM reemerged from bankruptcy yesterday and it was the biggest story since Michael Jackson’s funeral. All of the media outlets are talking about the new GM. GM is leaner and meaner! GM is reinventing itself! GM is the New Coke! But what about GM really changed? They still have the same management, the same brands and the same cars. The company is like your irresponsible sibling that

Revenge of the Metro

2009-07-09T19:57:00.004-05:00

In the July edition of Car & Driver, the editors compared the Toyota Prius and Honda Insight hybrids to a 1998 Geo Metro. Guess which got the best mileage? Okay, it was a trick question—the Metro tied the Prius in Car & Driver’s test. I’ll admit I’m fascinated by hybrid technology, but I think people drive hybrids to make a statement. The Prius is a status symbol, just like a Porsche or a

Of Friends and Road Trips

2009-07-08T20:43:00.004-05:00

Last week I took a road trip to an old friend’s wedding. It was four hours across Missouri to St. Charles, but twenty years down memory lane. I have driven I-70 close to a hundred times in at least a dozen different cars. Most of the trips, all of the early ones, were made with my group of friends in college. Trips home for the holidays in my drafty, heater-less VW Thing. Driving all

The Drama of Formula One

2009-06-28T11:49:00.016-05:00

Americans don't get Formula One. It's not because of any deficiency on our part, or because the cars don't always turn left or run in circles. It's not because of CART or the Indy league which has cars that sort of look like F1 cars. And it's not because there are a lack of Americans in it. The problem, it's boring to watch. The only drama comes from behind the scenes, not in the race

Big Three Win J.D. Power Awards

2009-06-23T19:23:00.017-05:00

For a time in the 1990s, all my friends and I drove Hondas. I'm not exactly sure why but maybe it was a combination of herd mentality in twenty-something adults, who yearn to be different, coupled with an evolving sensibility that let us escape our teen years largely intact. Hondas looked nice and were quality made automobiles that rarely broke. By comparison, nearly everyone I knew was

Chrysler's Italian Americans

2009-06-22T06:00:00.017-05:00

There is a misconception that Fiat now owns Chrysler. That is not entirely true. Fiat bought a 20% stake in Chrysler with the option to own as much as 49%. Sergio Marchionne, Fiat's chief executive does not seem intent on assimilating Chrysler like Daimler did, leaving it an empty shell that churned out unreliable products made from obsolete Mercedes parts. Instead, Marchionne seems to want to

Welcome!

2009-06-20T20:31:00.004-05:00

I have always been a car nut. There should be a support group for head cases like me, but instead I rely on the compassion and common sense of my beautiful wife. Ever since I can remember I’ve been fascinated by cars. I learned my colors from the cars I saw, only instead of red car, blue car, it was red Pontiac, blue Dodge. When I was nine, I saw my first Jaguar E-Type. The