cars – Page 2 – A Jaunty Little Blog

March 26, 2010

Road Resurfacing In Anza

Maybe a delicious beverage might help.

Friends,

Next week, the State Route 371 Pavement Rehabilitation Project begins in earnest. I don’t think I need to tell you how exciting this is for the residents of Anza, Aguanga, and the proud Cahuilla people. Next Monday, Tuesday and Thursday should be an absolute joy for those hoping to drive between, say, Temecula and Garner Valley. Or San Diego and Palm Desert. Or even Oceanside and Thousand Palms… (you’re getting a little carried away, aren’t you? -ed)

The first step is admitting that drivers will have a problem…

– bob

from Caltrans (warning: PDF link) via the Town Crier. Thanks JP!

March 13, 2010

Cosmo Makes Me Feel

Friends,

It’s Friday and I know that you’ve absolutely had it with making big decisions this week, but let’s face facts—your car is kinda crappy with its unintended acceleration and the floormats and whatnot. What you really need is a car that evokes horse racing, rainy parking lots, smiling ladies, and has its own line of man swag. Not enough? I’ll bet your car doesn’t have a theme song like the ’77 Mazda Cosmo AP does. I think you’re going to be going out on a test drive this weekend.

…for another car. That has those things. That wasn’t discontinued over 30 years ago. Sigh.

– bob

March 5, 2010

Great, Now What?

Friends,

I’ve been trying to write a post about an interaction I’m in the middle of on Facebook, but every angle I try to take on the subject seems, well, not interesting. That story is hereby spiked. What will go up is something else entirely, starting with another picture of an oddly proportioned Japanese car from the way-back machine…

1961 Subaru Roadster (that may have a different name that I can’t read because it’s in Japanese on their site). Rear-engine, 23 horsepowers of fury!

We were all entertained yesterday by the news that fierce gay rights opponent, Republican State Senator Roy Ashburn was pulled over for a DUI departing from a gay nightclub on Wednesday morning. One of those universe self-leveling moments, I think. Then I learn this morning that legal gay marriage in Mexico City had taken effect yesterday. Predominantly conservative and Catholic Mexico City? The one in Mexico? And we can’t manage it in California, which I still find baffling.
As you know, I’m a registered Democrat, but I have been fairly vocal about my “Anybody but Barbara Boxer” campaign this November. The problem is that the opponent with the highest name recognition in California is Carly Fiorina. If you put aside my animosity against her based on her record at HP that killed my last job, her mouth isn’t doing her any favors right now. She thinks that she’s a better candidate because Boxer beats white men, she’s anti-choice, and shares Sarah Palin’s values (whatever that means. sounds like pandering to tea partiers to me. – ed Check!). So maybe not anybody-anybody. Maybe Tom Campbell can help…
You remember former speaker of the California assembly Karen Bass, don’t you? She’s running for the Congressional seat being vacated by Diane Watson this year. She’s also the one who donated $20k to a ballot initiative to dissolve the citizen’s redistricting panel. Well, as a parting gift to her Democratic caucus foot soldiers in our very broke state assembly, she promoted twenty staff members and gave them 10% raises in her last days as leader. Could stunts like this account for the deep financial hole the state’s in? Is this the same speaker who kept banging the drum about “revenue enhancements” to plug the state deficit?

Whew! Now that we’ve covered that, what’s for lunch?

Your pal,

– bob

March 2, 2010

Monday Not Dealing With Real Events Post

Friends,

The brilliant Hemmings blog has been running a series on the history of the Nissan Skyline, known to most here in the states as the mighty GT-R. While you should check in on all of the posts in the series (Ken and Mary!), today’s installment features this bit that made me laugh out loud…

1981 Nissan Skyline hatchback 2000 Turbo GT-EX RHR30. Eighties turbo hatchbackery–does it get any better? NO IT DOES NOT shut up.

Checking in on bizarre Japanese high performance weirdness seems preferable today to dealing with the phone monopoly at work, the unreasonable demands of my co-workers, and other work things. Basking in the bright-white glare of yesterday’s future, for me anyway, keeps me off the dock in tomorrow’s (justifiable) homicide trial. You can get behind that, can’t you?

Your pal,

– bob

P.S. Not sure what to do about the nattering nabobs of negativism up here who thought my idea to save the Chamber of Commerce’s site was rubbish. Should we go ahead with it anyway? Thoughts?

February 24, 2010

Gentlemen! Start Your Denials!

Friends,

Toyota USA President Jim Lentz testified in front of Congress today and let members of the country’s most hated profession ask him pointed, self-aggrandizing questions filled with OUTRAGE! Lentz brought the statements, though, including this prepared thing…

“We are confident that no problems exist with the electronic throttle control system in our vehicles. We have designed our electronic throttle control system with multiple fail-safe mechanisms to shut off or reduce engine power in the event of a system failure. We have done extensive testing of this system and have never found a malfunction that caused unintended acceleration.”

Throttle-by-wire systems scare the snot out of me as a rule. Look, the robots are clearly out to kill us, that’s a given. The idea that a company as gigantic, wealthy and pervasive as Toyota can’t design an economical car without resorting to cutting the mechanical throttle linkage is pretty troubling to me. Can’t figure that out? Really?

Maybe they have let their customers down—by being punks.

– bob

February 13, 2010

Old Cars, East Asia Style

Friends,

I’m a sucker for new words, coined sometimes on the fly, perfect for the task, melodious to the ear. Today I stumbled upon a word that is so precise and that I can really wrap my arms around that I had to share:

“Mazdafarian”

A definition isn’t really required when you gaze upon this page from the brilliant Japanese Nostalgic Car blog. Mazda fans who approach the hobby with a laid-back but religious zeal? That’s as good as any.

I could waste a lot of time poking through their collections of weirdo Japanese transportation built back in the days when they weren’t intended to be appliances, but as emotional as they could be. The “J-tin” collector hobby is growing, particularly on the West Coast, and I’m gonna need to head to Orange County for the next event. I wonder if I could find a nice rotary pickup for cheap…

I don’t need another car. I don’t need another car. I don’t need another car. I don’t need another car. I don’t need another car. I don’t need another car.

– bob

(via the indispensable Hemmings Auto Blogs. Thanks!)

February 1, 2010

Happy February!

Friends,

Just wanted to drop you a little note wishing you a happy February. Yeah, I know, it’s Monday and things haven’t been working out for you today. The sink is clogged, the rain has finally leaked into that hole in your shoe, your cat has asthma, the budget you submitted is running a trillion dollars in the red…

But hey! It’s can’t be all bad, it’s February!

– bob

January 11, 2010

Ask Your Doctor If Yaris Is Right For You

Friends,

Last weekend, the engine in my Tiny Racecar decided to give up on this whole starting and running thing about 150 miles away from my house. This earned it a trip on a flatbed truck to the local dealer there, and its keys dropped in a lock box. It also earned me the chance to rent an even smaller car—a 3-door Toyota Yaris, known to the rest of the world as a Toyota Aygo.

I can understand why they’d rename the car in the states, after so many unfortunate car names like Aspire and Charade, they must have thought that they’d be mocked for the aspirational “I go.” Oh, and then there’s this…

Enjoy the go, people.

– bob

UPDATE: The comment system doesn’t seem to be working at the moment. If you have left a comment, please be patient while I try to figure out what the problem is. Thanks.

UPDATE II: Word from the dealer is that the fuel pump was kaput. Happened kind of suddenly, didn’t it? Does this kind of thing actually happen without warning? I wouldn’t have thought so…

December 22, 2009

Mountain Driving – Eyes Slammed Shut Edition

Friends,

There was 50 feet of visibility for my drive off the hill this morning. Mme. Idyllwild Weather Clam did not predict this, but she didn’t know I’d have to leave even earlier than usual. And you know what happens when you throw a curve ball to a mollusk.

– bob

December 19, 2009

Saab Dead

Friends,

Since GM can’t find a real, funded buyer for Saab, they’ve decided to fold the brand known best for its ~~weirdness~~ eccentricities. Its U.S. consumer base seemed to me to be centered in Vermont consisting largely of retired professors wearing tweed sportcoats with suede elbow patches. The pipe-smoking intelligentsia seems to have passed, or at least passed the flame to Subaru nowadays. Here’s the grim truth from our friends at The Truth About Cars…

The company’s U.S. high was 48,181 in 1986. In 2009 YTD, Saab sold 7,812 cars in the US.

So long, Swedish weirdos. We hardly knew ye.

– bob

December 10, 2009

I’m The CEO! Marketing Edition

Friends,

Since we here in the United States of America essentially own two car companies, now seems to be a perfect time to help our charges move some iron. Who wouldn’t want to get paid, after all? But really, so far the ads have been dismal…

No wonder the Obama administration thinks we’ll lose $30 billion on the bailout. What we need is chicks! Double entendre! Muscle cars! Incredible deals!

They’ll be streaming into the dealerships. Trust me.

– bob

Thanks to my new favorite place, TheAMCForum.com. Thanks!

November 20, 2009

I’m The CEO! Product Planning Edition

Friends,

General Motors, the global manufacturing behemoth that we American taxpayers *cough* own, just doesn’t seem to understand what vehicles Americans can actually use. I haven’t been shy about my hope that somebody will bring back the compact pickup of the 70s. No, not the metal dashboard, lowest common denominator death wagons we drove back then, but not the squished versions of full-sized trucks Nissan and Toyota are pushing.

Could we use Brazilian front wheel drive unibody pickup with a 1.8 liter flex fuel four? Could GM own the segment for small pickups with a vehicle they already build with a motor they already (I think) sell here? A segment that Volkswagen and Chrysler abandoned in these United States nearly thirty years ago?

Could they sell enough to make enough money to give you and me back our money? Could you use one? Discuss.

– bob

NOTE: The ’84 Dodge Rampage picture in the Chrysler link is our friend Nick’s very own trucklet seen at Nick’s Garage. He’s a good guy, really knows his stuff and I’m sure this Fiat thing is killing him. Thanks, Nick!

November 12, 2009

The Eleventh Hour of The Eleventh Day of The Eleventh Month

Friends,

Today is Veteran’s Day. That these proud men and women only get a single day to honor their service seems not to be enough. I’d like to propose that we recognize their sacrifice every day in a very particular way. While every single veteran of our armed services should have every possible need provided for them in perpetuity, at least you can do something symbolic to show your support.

I suggest that you befriend a veteran tomorrow and take them for a ride in your Jeep. Your new friend should be reminded that things might get bouncy.

– bob

November 6, 2009

I’m The CEO! What Did We Buy?

Friends,

You may remember back a few hundred days ago when we bought a ten percent stake in the Chrysler Corporation, then gave the company to the quality mavens at Fiat. The day before yesterday, the new bosses unveiled their plans for new products. If the company lives long enough, it appears that they’re looking to build some real crap. I’m really only interested in Jeep though, and there was a presentation for that (warning: PDF link). Let’s take a look at how little they understand the American market!

What first caught my eye was their discussion of the history of the brand…

First crossover? (it’s not hyphenated, by the way. and what the hell is with the greengrocer’s apostrophe? -ed That’s my gig, isn’t it?) Are they talking about this, perhaps?

Elegance WITH capability is clearly evident here, so we can’t quibble there. Just look!

But what about the children? Jeep appeals to everyone, after all. But how on earth can we indoctrinate the children? It’s already happening, people…

Oh, James.

Jeep has also inspired people to join together all over the world to chase oil leaks and replace broken axles. Even in Hemet…

But moving forward, how will Jeep keep the hardcore fans involved while appealing to new buyers? The lifestyle set, if you will…

Um, holy crap? Is this the new face of Jeep? The clip art lady with a cheap hat? I’m sure we’ll see her at the next Jamboree in her Compass. Along with this guy…

He might be from Hemet. Or somewhere else…

Oh, you young aspirationals. So furry. Maybe you’re not interested in rockcrawling after all. We can help…

Can we talk about genetic mutations for a moment? Perhaps you’d like a Fiat Panda with a seven-slot grille in 2013.

WTF.

– bob

UPDATE: Oops! Forgot to credit The Truth About Cars and Allpar. Thanks guys!

UPDATE II: It turns out that Chrysler Corp. dealers hate the new ads too. Kinda like saying that leeches are sick and tired of the whole vampire meme, but we’ll take it where we can get it.

October 14, 2009

The World Of Yesterday’s Tomorrow, Today!

Friends,

I spent almost an hour last night with a pollster asking me what I thought of the major car manufacturers doing business in the United States (but no questions about tesla? – ed They didn’t even ask about Fiat. Hell, they didn’t even know that Chrysler owned GEM.). Do I trust the big Detroit 1.5 that we Americans currently own? Not so much. Are they making strides to care for their workers? Aw geez, not really. Technological leaders? They might want to lead their own selves to financial stability first, so no. The big question…

“Are you likely to consider a Buick for your next car purchase?”

Laughter.

– bob