A Korean Lexus?

Source: http://www.egmcartech.com/

Can you guess what kind of car is pictured above?

Infiniti, Lexus, BMW you might think, but it's actually the new Hyundai Genesis. The car should be at your local Hyundai dealer and the Korean manufacturer hopes to take a chunk out of the above-named luxury carmakers' sales. Does it have the right features to compete amongst the S-Classes, 750's, and LS's? Wood accents, heated seats, navigation with live traffic updates, and adaptive cruise control (which is coming soon), it's all there and a loaded V-8 example will cost about $42,000.

"A V-8 in a Hyundai?" you ask.

Yes, the new Tau V-8 in which Hyundai spent over 4 years and $260 million developing puts out 368 horsepower and should be plenty of power for the new Genesis. The real question is: Will the Genesis really make waves that Hyundai hopes it will? My prediction is not exactly, at least not on our shores. You see with the weakening dollar, the current state of the economy, and with Hyundai opting to sell the flagship in their own dealerships it will be a tough sell even for cross-shoppers. Sure the styling is unique and tasteful, and the price is perfect to have people make a double-take, but unless Hyundai can get the marketing right, Lexus buyers and Mercedes shoppers wouldn't be caught dead in a Hyundai dealership. That factor alone is why Mazda gave up on trying to compete with Lexus and Infiniti back in the 90's. Good luck Hyundai!

Oxidized Advertising?

I had the rare experience of seeing the same car twice in the same day. And no, it wasn't my neighbor Pat either. In fact, I had to take my dog to the vet the other day and spotted this particular vehicle on the way to the Dr. Adam's office and then saw the very same car on my way to meeting my wife for lunch three hours later.

"Why does this car stand out?" you may be wondering.

For one it had a professional-looking vinyl decal on the back window most likely advertising the family business. In truth, the business advertised is a great concept which is a kid's fitness center. When I was growing up my fitness routine consisted of pedaling my butt to my friend's house or throwing the football in front of the house, no need for a fancy gymnasium or rock climbing walls required.

What most stood out about the mobile billboard is that the paint on both the roof and trunk was oxidized to the point of the clear coat looked like the surface of a dry, salt lake on a layer of otherwise smooth, black paint. Much like the example below:


Source: www.turboninjas.com

When I laid eyes on this car I looked at the ad and thought great job on the tax write off and obviously the car was paid off (a mid-'90's Acura Legend with a wax job 5 years overdue). To me image is everything and I personally wouldn't want my nieces scampering around this person's indoor playground. I mean: If you can't take care of your car how is your business run? It wasn't like the car was twenty years old, and the community I live in is has a reputation of affluence (trust me, I am somewhat out of place here). Are there rats running around the facility or a general lack of cleanliness rich with bacteria waiting to cause illness to the next child that grabs hold of the rings. My '69 Karmann Ghia's paint job is probably five years older and is holding up much better considering that it's been weathering the elements in Northern California and hasn't been driven in over a dozen years. There's little sign of oxidation on my VW, but rust has shown its ugly face. I certainly wouldn't plaster my name on the car in such a state but that's another blog topic.

Have you seen terrible examples of mobile advertising that make you think twice about frequenting the establishment or calling, or make you wonder if the advertiser is aware that their name is being soured by poor marketing decisions? Send me your examples.

DWD: 39, Miles: 2098. The Fit survived a trip to San Diego this weekend. Theory: Less surface area equals less odds that door edge(s) and sheet metal make contact. Or does a purple car demand respect?

Slam and Stats

There is nothing more frightening than observing a car slam into another vehicle in your peripheral, especially when your vehicle has no crumple zones or airbags to speak of. The vehicle I was riding was my ’03 Honda Superhawk and the crash occurred about four lanes away during Friday's rush hour traffic. The driver that caused the accident must have been preoccupied, but I couldn't imagine what would have caused this great of a distraction especially given the large amount of cars waiting to exit, nobody appeared to be cut off, and all vehicles in front of the errant driver were stopped. The offender slammed on the brakes and must have hit the vehicle in front at a speed between 10-12 miles per hour. It sounds minor but the force caused the vehicle being struck to plow into the vehicle in front of it. Boom! That’s three motorists whose days were ruined. In addition, the force could have even been severe enough to cause some minor neck injuries.

The accident wasn't as dramatic as the footage above, but you get the idea...

I’ve witnessed such an incident only once before in my life and the action occurred in the very next lane on the San Francisco Bay Bridge, the vehicle I occupied also offered little in occupant protection (a ’69 Karmann Ghia, my restoration project at the moment). That incident involved a family in a Camry that failed to react quickly enough as the vehicle in front of them slammed their brakes on. Airbags were only offered on ultra-luxury vehicles at the time and crumple zones and safety cages were an afterthought to most manufacturers unless you drove one of those aforementioned luxury cars or the hood emblem displayed Volvo. Is somebody trying to tell me something?

I blogged about driver distraction and its potential impact on driving and laws to eliminate them at least those of the communicative variety, but even that legislature may only spare a few lives. The fact is more vehicles are occupying basically the same amount of roads, consider these statistics: between 1982 and 2002 vehicle miles travelled increased by 79% while highway lane miles only increased a mere 3%; total population in 1982 was about 231 million, in 2002 that number grew to over 288 million (obviously the number of vehicles occupying the roads increased), the startling statistic was that in '88 there were about 47,000 fatalities involving motor vehicles, and in spite of the increased number of vehicles occupying the roads and the growing commutes, this number has hovered right between 40,000-43,0000 fatalities every year thereafter. Certainly laws have been altered, some for the better, others with little or no benefit, but the biggest impact are the efforts made by manufacturers along with legislation requiring safety devices such as airbags of all sorts, improved structural design, and improved restraint systems (especially for kids).

Future topic: Electronic stability control and and how it will make you a better driver.

DWD: 25, Miles: 1304 The Fit survived wife's last day of work at her old job. Her commute will now increase almost 20 miles/day.

Lease a Bentley?!

Take a look at the ad to the left, now you can lease a Bentley convertible for the bargain price of $3000 per month! The dealership must be starving for business (at least on the Bentley side) as this dealership is located some 80 miles from Orange County, California where this ad was found in yesterday's paper. In fact, Riverside County and its neighbor San Bernardino County was once ranked the third-highest ranking region in the nation for foreclosures just last year. The region has also fell victim to ever-slipping home prices which also dipped to an all-time low since 2004. It's a tough marketplace and is part of the reason this dealership is willing to take out such an ad in the greener pastures of Orange County.

A little more info on the ad: the small print down below has some interesting tidbits. For one, the lessee is locked into a 4-year term and the residual buyout after the lease is up is just a measly $107,000! The generous lease also comes with a 5,000 mile/year mileage allowance (one should really limit their trips to the red carpet). It's a beautiful car don't get me wrong, but I would rather drive myself in a Porsche Turbo Cabriolet and put the $70 grand I saved into a some tax-free municipal bonds. It pays to read the fine print on any ad, and any smart consumer can do better (yes, even better than a Bentley). Caveat emptor!

DWD: 19, Miles: 876

Death Race Redux

I saw the movie Wanted today. I thought it was okay, definitely had a good twist in the plot. Of course there were previews beforehand and one of particular interest was for the flick: Death Race. It is a loose interpretation of the 1975 cult-classic film Death Race 2000 which starred David Carradine and Sylvester Stallone. The plot is set in the year 2000 (duh!) in which the United States is destroyed by financial crisis (does that ring a bell?), oh, and a military coup. The race is a cross-country tour with gladiator-like cars equipped to dismember unlucky pedestrians along the way. I suppose trying to adapt that last part into the modern remake wouldn't actually be PC, so instead prisoners are trying to kill each other on the way to the finish line. That makes much more sense!

Conducting a search for this title on Wikipedia also generated another appellation: Death Race 1976. The arcade-style video game was perhaps one of the first controversial, violent video games in history (think Grand Theft Auto for the 1970's). The modern version for the Playstation 2 and PC is called Carmageddon. And while the graphics of the original game were nothing to write home about, the thought of gremlins leaping out of your vehicle then having to run them over and upon doing so would generate a tombstone (which resembles a cross more-or-less) is pretty outrageous even by today's standards. I'm sure this game didn't gain popularity on the religious front and is a part of history we can share with our children and children's children; just make sure to show them photos or bust out the Atari 2600 for emphasis.

DWD: 16, Miles: 834: Survived a packed movie theater parking lot again. Was everyone at the movies today?!

Fender Bling and Buicks

Let's talk auto accessories, ever see these stuck on the side of a Honda or similar car:

Source: autoanything.com

Most of the vehicle owners pasting these hideous devices on the sides of their rides are younger drivers (typically 18-24 year olds) and I find it silly. I mean why would you want to make your car look like something your grandparents would drive. By that I mean this:

Source: auto.howstuffworks.com

Yep that's a Buick pictured above. As a throwback to the classic Buick's of the 50's and early 60's, Buick resurrected the side vents or port holes on the front fenders. The more holes back then meant the more money you spent as there were three and four port hole models. These non-functional adornments on the Lacrosse pictured signify that it has a V-8, and after doing some research I was surprised to learn that this car will do 0-60 in 5.7 seconds. If you're keeping tabs that puts it in Subaru WRX territory which is pretty impressive for a heavy, front-drive luxury-tourer.

On a more solemn note, the average age of a Buick owner is 68 years of age. So I suppose instead of the old-timers complaining about kids and their loud cars, they'll simply fixate their bi-focals on those fender-mounted devices and stare in admiration. Score one for gramps!!

DWD: 14, Miles: 777 (lucky day)

4-Day Workweeks and Other News

Well it was only a matter of time before this would happen: Utah is the first state to institute a four-day workweek for most of its state employees. You can bet other states will follow suit.

"What does this have to do with a car blog?" some may ask.

Well it's a trickle-down effect mostly. I would kill to have a three-day weekend every weekend and this would free up more time for my newest project, a restoration of my '69 Karmann Ghia. Besides, the extra days' expense of fueling up a vehicle could be put to better use like burying more money into my project. To put it into relative terms, the average worker commutes 29 miles per day, the U.S. average fuel economy for automobiles is about 24.6 miles per gallon, include the average jobs' two weeks of vacation per year, and in fuel cost savings alone, one could pocket $265 per year (based on $4.50/gallon).

Also in the news: car sales have slipped even further. While GM is still outselling Toyota, I wouldn't be surprised if the tables turn by the end of the year. Truck and SUV sales will continue to tank (a huge GM seller), and if you're in the market for such a vehicle, expect to see some big incentives especially towards the end of summer.

Update on that Wawanesa quote: I got my quote about 5 minutes after I made my post yesterday and they made a killing. 12-month quote: $1409, which would save me almost $50/month. I'll eat my words and be making the switch. Thanks neighbor!

DWD: 13, Miles: 723

Insurance Rates' Fates

Auto insurance is something motorists need or should have. Here in California it is required by law to have an active policy on your vehicle or one can face stiff penalties and possibly have their vehicle impounded if caught driving without insurance. As promised, I have shopped around for online quotes from some of the major insurers in the industry. All quotes were based with similar coverage levels (except as noted) and on the same vehicles with the same annual miles with drivers of equal terms on all quotes. Here are the results in alphabetical order:

Allstate: Navigating the web page was slower than its competitors. Allstate came out the second most expensive of the comparison, so I suppose their enticement of every 6 months one goes without an accident the insured will receive a discount is great, but if Allstate wants to attract new customers perhaps they should just keep the playing field level. 12-month quote = $2436

Auto Club: My current insurer. I admit there is a reason I am not only a member, but also love their insurance. I am even including my motorcycles in this quote to show how great their rates are. 12-month quote = $2368 (cars only quote = $1887)

Esurance: This company is known for their animated ads and is strictly an online insurer, no offices here in my neck of the woods at least. Their "quote, buy, print" slogan offers the maximum in convenience. As for rates, they came out in the middle of the pack. 12-month quote = $2252

GEICO: One would be willing to bet that with their celebrity-infused advertising campaign would make GEICO the priciest of the bunch. You would be incorrect in this assumption as they came out even cheaper than my current insurer, but not by much. 12-month quote = $1822



Mercury Insurance: Their think-low commercials create visual stimuli that are easy to remember. There is some truth to the campaign as Mercury resulted in the third lowest quote. 12-month quote = $1914

Progressive: Progressively more expensive than others is more like it! I even elected to see quotes from competitors, as their website allows you to do, and my quote was magically lowered for some reason. Deceiving to say the least... 12-month quote = $2452

Wawanesa Insurance: I shopped this company a few years back and decided to get a quote as a neighbor suggested, unfortunately the company doesn't believe in instant, online quotes so I am in a holding pattern. I am willing to bet, like the quote I got back a few years back, they will not beat my current insurer's quote. You see, as long as the car you drive says turbo or "GT", had more than one moving violation in the past 3 years, or drive a car that costs more than $80,000, it'll be tough to get a decent rate. Only one of the above applies and I didn't have to take a second mortgage on my house to finance it and I am a reasonably safe driver.

I didn't go much farther in my quest for cheaper insurance as I have heard horror stories about the other major companies. The results from above are surprising and affirms my original choice for insurer, hence I will be renewing my policy. Is the $60 I would save with GEICO worth making a switch you ask? Not exactly, because I received a separate quote for my motorcycles from GEICO and their rates were almost triple what I pay now with AAA. It pays to shop around!

DWD: 12, Miles: 676

Unpinching the Pinch

We are all feeling the pinch by the rising gas costs. Some employers have accommodated workers by offering flex time or allowing others to telecommute, many motorists have cut down on their trips or consolidated errand-running, and road trips are becoming a thing of the past (at least the cross-country expeditions). Come to think of it, here in tourist-rich, Southern California I see less out of state plates with the exception of yesterday when I saw an overloaded Honda Odyssey (from Illinois I think) with the roof rack filled, a hitch-mounted carrier loaded to the gills, along with the rear sagging so low that the hitch carrier was a dip away from sparking up the neighborhood and scaring a few bystanders. Next time I'll take pictures...

But let's not forget indirect ways of saving money or at least trimming in other departments to free up more cash to fuel up your vehicle. A one-stop shop with the power to save you money in so many ways: the Auto Club. Being a member has benefits, not only are the insurance rates great, so are the free maps, and towing services are also beneficial. One other aspect that I have neglected was that the AAA card is a ticket to instant savings. Here are some examples of what Auto Club members can save on: 5% off on online orders at Barnes & Noble, members save 8% on purchases of $199 and up at Circuit City, multiple savings offers at Lens Crafters. For entertainment, Southern California members can save on all their favorite teams' selected games, Sea World offers discounts, Universal Studios also offers discounts on tickets, and there are many popular tours that are also discounted for that day trip you've been planning.

I am at my renewal point with my insurance and will do a comparison of major insurers' rates to see if the Auto Club is still the best bet. Stay tuned for those results...

DWD: 10, Miles: 629
Survived a busy movie theater parking lot today w/ large SUV's parked in small spaces!!

California Countdown and Related Studies

So the countdown begins here in California (just 3 days remain) as mobile phone users will be forced to utilize hands-free devices while operating a motor vehicle. Do you think if the censors allowed this advertisement that many folks would have voluntarily bought headsets or turned off the mobile phone while driving?


Studies have been conducted at all levels from state and federal government agencies to universities and independent consultants and all have their own data, but nothing conclusive. In fact
this study concludes that a ban on cell phone use while driving will yield no significant reduction in the amount of accidents. I am on the fence on this one as surely road rage and near-miss incidents will be decreased, I have personally been nearly side-swiped by two drivers blabbing on their mobile phones and that was this past week alone! AAA conducted their own study and concluded: "All forms of cellular phone usage lead to significant increases in the establishment of non-response to highway-traffic situations and increase in time to respond." It'll be interesting to see the impact of the mobile phone usage ban here in California, I am betting that there will no almost no reduction in accident rates (more drivers and novice motorcyclists on the road equals more chances for mishaps), but will certainly increase the revenues of state and local agencies as the first fine for getting caught without a hands-free device is $20 and $50/infraction thereafter. The other revenue-maker is for stores selling hands-free devices. As for law enforcement, it's an easy catch, just look at the vehicle in front with the driver's head slightly cocked to the left or right and who's driving 5-10 miles per hour below the speed limit.

If we really want to make an impact: turn off the mobile phone, all passenger seats should disappear, remove the radio, eliminate the navigation system, get rid of cup holders (eating/drinking while driving is a big distraction), take away the armrests (your hands should be at 10 and 2 anyways), and finally, remove vanity mirrors (we don't need people shaving and applying make-up while driving). Wake up earlier for crying out loud!!

DWD: 9, Miles: 607
Parked in busy, mall parking lot briefly so wife could pick up some items from one of those markets that sell goods from around the world.

Timing and Four Squares

This is the final installment on car buying: timing. If you haven't already made that purchase there are good times to buy cars and there are not so good times. Is your current car barely running, the car making a funny rattling noise as you drive along, or do temperature extremes cause your car to overheat? Sure these circumstances put some urgency into the car buying/replacement process, but the last thing you'd want to do is let the dealer know your circumstances are dire and that your current car is in the shop. You see, you want to be in control of the buying process, that's why you got rid of your trade or are about to, the reason you took a test drive initially and nothing more, and that's why you already have financing arranged. Here are just a few ways you lose control when you make a car purchase: emotions hasten decision, current car barely running/falling apart, rushed into buying due to (fill in the blank), lack of research/preparation, and the biggest trap of all, charmed by salesperson into the showroom.

This brings me to my next point:

Source: www.consumerist.com

Ever see one of these? It's the dreaded four-square, as it's known in the auto business, and this is perhaps the best method to lose all control of the vehicle purchase. Look at all those numbers transcribed! This is where car buying gets emotional and the haggling begins.

"But I am buying from a haggle-free dealership..." you say.

I hate to burst your bubble, but even haggle-free dealerships have to bargain. As long as the four-square is brought into the equation the dealer has the upper hand. At that haggle-free dealership you still have to negotiate payments, the amount your trade is worth, etc. Eliminate variables of the four square and the buyer has the face cards/aces. The top left of the image above mentions trade (the person in this example was smart and doesn't have a trade or sold it ahead of time), score one for the buyer. The top right portion is the price of the vehicle being sold: research and that price quote come into play here, and if you have the e-mail printed with the quote, even better. The bottom left: cash down, if you already have financing arranged then this won't even need to be filled out, just show the dealer that check. And the bottom right: refer to the previous statement. In poker-speak that's a royal flush. The dealer can do nothing, but walk away from the table at this point. The opposite scenario, and most of us have been there, is the salesperson talks numbers with you, presents the figures to his his/her manager, and the charades/haggling begins. Numbers get crossed out, you get angry by their low-ball offer for your trade, numbers go through your head as you ponder the monthly payment, a permanent marker is busted out as numbers are decreased here and increased there, and then finally the sale manager comes out to shake your hand two hours later. This is what makes car-buying such a hassle and why people hate the process so much. How does this tie into timing? Well a process like this can take several hours, and being prepared like a good Boy Scout is critical here.

Other critical timing factors: buy toward the end of the month when quotas need to be met or exceeded (the last weekend of the month is ideal), avoid buying in April when tax returns entice other buyers into dealerships, make a purchase in the winter when car sales are slow and dealers are hungry for business (my previous car purchase was made 3 days before Christmas and was a pleasurable experience), and finally, if you have time on a weekday buy then to make your purchase faster (less customers means less waiting).

DWD: 8, Miles: 500

The Price is Right?

There are many websites out there offering services to get you the best price for next car purchase. Autobytel and Cars Direct are just a couple of websites that essentially perform a task you can do yourself. That job is to contact the dealership. I tried using Autobytel, which cost me nothing, but didn't see any benefit. When I bought my 2008 Honda Fit Sport, I contacted every dealership within a 50-mile radius of my home, intially by utilizing Cars.com and Auto Trader's inquiry pages which essentially get you in contact with the dealership's internet team and then I contacted a few dealerships by way of their websites again going straight to their contact/inquiry page. Fill out your basic information and within 48 hours you will either receive a phone call or e-mail from the internet manager.

You want to know a secret? The dealership that initially offered me the lowest internet price quote was the dealership in which I made my purchase. The gas prices have driven demand for subcompact cars up substantially, and here in Southern California, the Fit is particularly in demand (the dealership in which I conducted my test drive had two other customers looking at this particular model on a Sunday afternoon with temperatures soaring in the 90's). Most dealerships were not willing to go below Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price or MSRP. Some were even tricky by excluding the $635 destination charge in their quotes which is something any buyer should be aware of. What I thought was even more insane was that a lower-volume dealer just down the street from my house was actually marking the car up $1,000. The bottom line was that my phone and internet interfaces led to 2 dealerships willing to sell below MSRP but still above invoice, this is a good thing when a model is in high demand and only the motivated outlets will play this game. Out of the two, one dealer was padding their cars/deals by throwing in LoJack (the internet manager said that they install these upon receipt), which was not included in my quote. I asked if they were expecting the car soon in the trim/color I desired but without LoJack, so I could accurately gage quotes, he mentioned it would probably take a couple of weeks. A word of caution when obtaining quotes, the phone is a great way to open the lines of communication, but unless you get something in writing, a quote can appear to be a bluff by any customer calling into a dealership, and most sales associates will say anything to get you onto their lot. If you play your cards right you can win and save thousands, but if you only have a few players willing to ante up (like in my case) it's better to play it safe. I obtained the written quote, forwarded the message to the closer dealership, and they readily took the bait. I purchased my Fit Sport w/ automatic in blackberry pearl for $275 above invoice the very next day.

One final source of great information is the Consumer Reports Bottom Line Price, which tells you what the dealership actually paid for the car and can be a great bargaining tool. The report only costs $14 per vehicle and is worth every penny. This leveraging tool can be very useful for cars that aren't in high-demand or for buyers who have the luxury of time, and the patience to get a great deal. I ordered the report, but really didn't have much wiggle room as, again, the Honda Fit is selling like ice water in the middle of a desert. A great alternative available to you for free is the Edmunds True Market Value Price, or more specifically their Regional Base Price, which was only about $130 above the Consumer Reports Bottom Line Price report's dealer-paid quote.

I've had my Fit for about a week now and have decided to include a door ding log into my blogs. You see, the car doesn't feature any kind of body-side cladding or rubber trim at all; there is nothing to absorb the impact of a careless person's faux pas or the heavy door of some full-sized SUV-driving fool whom attempts to park in a compact parking space. So the official count begins: Days without dings (DWD): 7, miles on car: 443

Stay tuned...

Car Buying Pt. 2: Trading Time & Finance

So you have that old jalopy lying around, the car's barely running, the shocks squeak, and the transmission slips more than a 4 year-old on ice. What to do? Sell it yourself or drive it to the local car lot in hopes of fetching maximum dollar. If you opt for the latter, you can be rest assured that even the most immaculate of trades will lose money. My IS 300, that I could have potentially traded, would have only netted me $8000 tops for trade-in value at the dealership. I am in the position that if I sold it myself I'd get about the same as what I owe for the car. There is nothing worse than driving off a new car from the lot knowing that it will lose 20%-30% of its value, and what's even worse is that more and more people opt to trade in a car knowing they are upside-down (owe more than the car's worth) on the loan which means that it will take that much longer to be at a break-even point. Well the 20 minutes you spend listing the car yourself on Auto Trader or Craigslist, could save you thousands and put you in a better position when negotiating at the dealership. Think of it, sure you have to spend time meeting prospective buyers and answering their questions, avoiding scams, and the occasional low-ball offer without seeing the car (I never understood this one, but I got at least 2 such phone calls). Does 2-3 weeks of this equal $2000 or more and put more leverage in your favor? Sure it does and patience and perseverance always payoff!

Once you've gotten rid of your car, the next option is to obtain financing. If your credit is decent enough you could even arrange this step prior to getting rid of our ride. Your local credit union, your personal bank, Capital One, and Lending Tree are all great sources for obtaining financing. If you opt for the latter two you can even get financed while in your underwear. Either way, arranging financing before sitting down for dealer negotiations puts the buyer in power. Being in power feels great! But before you go to the dealership with check or cash in hand make sure you do this...

Next blog: The Price is Right?

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Good Homework?!

Buying a car ranks right up there with getting a root canal for most people. The typical scenario for a car shopper is browse car lot, meet up with salesperson, test drive car, go inside showroom to fill out credit app, go through the emotional process of negotiating price/payments/amount paid toward trade (as applicable)/down payment sum, make purchase if deal is made. This was a fine process back when the internet was an information system used strictly by researchers, but times have changed and information equals power for the saavy consumer. So the first part in this blog series of buying a car is doing your homework.

As mentioned, the internet is an invaluable tool in gathering info. In fact, websites such as Edmund's, Kelley Blue Book, and Car & Driver are great places to start your search. A great print resource is the April issue of Consumer Reports which reviews all new cars and also offers great advice on good bets in the used car market. Their annual issues of both New and Used Car Buying Guides are also great resources; what is really nice about Consumer Reports guides is that they offer impartial reviews on models as well as predicted reliability on certain makes/models. There is nothing worse than bringing a new car home, only to have it brought back to the dealer service center for repair.

Another great resource is to peruse the section of Edmunds that allows consumers to rant or rave about their cars. And while these are not professional reviews, it can give you some insight into what issues you might have to deal with after your purchase and/or potentially warn you of buyer's remorse.

Once you've narrowed your focus to a few cars, for example you're looking for a mid-sized sedan and you now want to compare the Accord, Camry, and Chevy Malibu, the next step is to locate dealers in your area that carry the specific model you desire with the features you want. If you are looking for a loaded model with a V-6 and navigation, don't test drive the base model with a four cylinder and cloth interior. If you can find an auto mall with all the cars you seek in one place then that is icing on the cake, but be strict on features when test driving so you can best evaluate each car fairly. During the test drive be vague with the salesperson, do not mention trade in or numbers, just mention you're there for a test drive that's it.

After the test drive is complete, make up any excuse to not go into the showroom. Perhaps the tow truck brought you into the lot and your car is in the service bay, rent a car or get a ride from a friend, but refuse to sit down with the sales associate. Your excuse: I got to pick up my spouse/kid/significant other at the- fill in the blank, you got to go to work, etc. Whatever it takes, don't get caught in the trap of sitting to talk numbers, no matter how desperate the situation or how much you like the car, go back and do more research. You'll be glad you did...

Next Blog: To trade or not to trade and financing options

$5.00 Gas?! Whatever!

My current car (or is it my wife's car?)... our car, a 2001 Lexus IS300 has served us well over the past few years, but when gas prices here in Southern California are soaring upwards of $4.85/gallon for the premium stuff (which the car requires) it's time to reconsider our priorities. I found this awesome website that the government has been keeping secret, or maybe I just haven't invested the time to look into such resources, my internet surfing split between researching prices on VW restoration parts (I finally have the Karmann Ghia here, will post about that later) and looking up the latest reviews on the new '08 CBR 1000.


Some features of the website include being able to plug in the year/model/type of car you drive now, miles driven, local gas prices, and conduct a side-by-side comparison with cars you may fantasize about, or may even consider purchasing. After extensive research we determined we are spending about $3500 per year in fuel alone and that figure is hard to swallow as we are roughly averaging 19 miles per gallon from the thirsty 6-cylinder. Of course we researched models and choices and while a hybrid is nice, these modern-day complexities are fetching a hefty sum, even for used examples, the average price of an '04 or newer used-Prius costs about $23k (a new model retails between $23,200 and $36,900). This is insane and the gas savings don't justify the outrageous markup. After a brief testdrive yesterday we decided to purchase a Honda Fit.

Next post: Buying a car and at least appearing informed...

The Metro Investment

A few weeks ago CNN reported an article on the rising cost of gas has forced consumers to get creative with ways to beat the costs at the pump. The Geo Metro, a forgotten piece of economical transport, the laughing-stock in automotive circles for its miniscule engine, a 3- cylinder powerplant producing a whopping 55 horsepower. One eBay listing was bidded up to the astonishing price of $7600 according to the article!! The price of one of these econoboxes back in the early 90's was around $9000, by my calculations those depreciation costs put almost every car to shame including such ultra-exclusive exotics such as the Ferrari 348 (cost of new example in 1992 = $94,000, cost today, about $44,000 for nice example). The Porsche Turbo from that same year cost $118K, and a used retail example according to Edmunds would only fetch $38,000 or so (still a hefty sum for a 16 year-old car).

In fact a look at eBay showed a top of the line LSI example of the Metro going for $2900 and this listing still had two days before the auction closed. As for the features on this faded puke-yellow example: it has a tachometer, automatic, air conditioning, and a flip up sunroof. No power windows, no power locks, no remote for unlocking the doors from halfway accross the parking lot.

To put things into perspective, a search of eBay for a Ford Bronco of a one-year newer vintage yielded 6 results and the only model with bids was a loaded model (leather, power seats/windows/locks, cruise control, etc.) and the highest bid was $710! Of course when one of these gas hogs gets 17 MPG tops going with the wind, it makes me glad that I sold my Grand Wagoneer a few years back!

Icy Road Beverage?

Today we got a late start and stopped by McDonald's for some drive thru cuisine. McDonald's has been touting their new Iced Coffees, so I ordered a large Vanilla variety.

"What does a coffee beverage have to do with cars?" you ask.

Well in the spirit of car culture and the American fascination with fast food, eating and drinking while on a road trip or making a quick lunch break is a requirement for pavement-bound trekkers. Drive thrus are the meccas of these weary travellers in need of sustenance.

The Iced Coffee was decent but had a funny after-taste and the coffee had a bitter flavor as if it was leftover from the previous morning. Starbucks and their iced coffee offerings is a much better alternative, but drive thru Starbucks are not that prevalent depending on your locale. The holy grail of cold coffee offerings, at least served from the drive thru and widely available, has to be Burger King's Mocha BK Joe Iced Coffee. This premium beverage is like a bag of Lay's potato chips and has you seeking more of it after your first taste.

What's the secret ingredient in the Mocha BK Joe that makes it so great? The key ingredient is the vanilla shake mix which adds a creamy flavor reminiscent of Diedrich Coffee, a once flourishing alternative to Starbucks with stores in Orange County, San Diego, and Houston, Texas. Deidrich's blended coffee drink consisted of an ice cream base which added a complex note to the drink while also adding texture. Now go take a road trip and don't forget to make a pitstop for an iced coffee delight.

GT-R: An exotic car for $70 grand?

The sports car world has, or soon will be, flipping its lid over this car:


Source: http://www.gtrnissan.com/download.en.us.html?img=nissan-gtr-image-gallery-exterior-1

Much like then Datsun did in 1971 with the classic 240Z, Nissan has done it again with the 2009 GT-R. At $70,000 this car eats Z06's for lunch and does circles around Porsche Turbos costing upwards of $125,000. In fact Road & Track tested these exact three cars, while the Corvette and the 911 lapped Buttonwillow at just over 2 minutes and 2 seconds, the Nissan accomplished the same lap almost 5 seconds quicker. A race course is truly the way to test the dynamics of a car, and by race track I don't mean the ovals NASCAR fans go crazy over. You see a road course type track with complex turns of various radii and some extended straightaways for high speed runs is what really separates the stallions from the herd. These types of courses allow a driver to fully test the handling limits of a car while also extracting the most out of the brakes when coming into a tight turn and what the go pedal does when blasting out of a turn or overcoming the wind on the straights.

Some other impressive numbers: the GT-R goes 0-60 in 3.4 seconds (only the superexotic Bugatti Veyron and Ferrari Enzo do it quicker), the Nissan can run through the slalom at 73.4 mph (faster than that aforementioned Enzo).

The GT-R is perhaps one of the most advanced cars in the world and proof of this is that fantastic lap time mentioned above while the car has the same horsepower figure as the Porsche 911 turbo yet weighs 250 pounds more than the German supercar. The Corvette has 25 more ponies than the other two, but just can't put the power to the pavement as the advanced all-wheel drive GT-R does. The GT-R is about to revolutionize the sportscar world.

Old Itch

I've got the itch to buy something old. I've been perusing Auto Trader, saw a few promising leads on eBay for a Karmann Ghia. I first stumbled upon these unique Volkswagens back in high school when the original plan was to find a reliable car for my sister, when the search turned into a personal quest, and the local paper yielded a one-of-kind example with a flat 6 stuffed in the back where the once mousy, air-cooled VW motor resided. The car was a perfect example of a wolf in sheep's clothing. The engine was sourced from a Chevrolet Corvair and had more than 3 times the power of the stock engine and at least that many multiples in the torque department.

Photo source: harrisburg.craigslist.org

The car was a blast to drive and in spite of the extra heft of the engine, it still handled well. Get aggressive on the gas and the clutch let you know it's doing double-duty with the smell which was a mix of burnt marshmallows and formaldehyde. Driving the car in the rain made for fun fishtailing and careful application of the clutch mixed with moderation of the brakes and inputs of counter-steering helped to keep this in check. The car is still in the family, but is about 15 years past due on a complete overhaul and restoration. As with most garage projects, it wasn't perfect to begin with and perhaps I could pay my brother visit to convince him that I can resurrect this fine car.

More to follow...

3-D Rd.

U23D is the theme today. The local IMAX theatre featured this excellent execution of a three-dimensional, sonic experience. The experience is well worth trying to beat the cut-off for a ticket release which for Bono and the boys would take only a few minutes, and unless you’re lucky enough to win the tickets from the local radio station, those tickets will guarantee you nosebleed status where everyone is reduced to G.I. Joe figure-sized icons and not the early large examples.

Photo from sacbee.com

What does U23D have to do with an automotive blog? Well nothing really until you experience the virtual concert. The opening song was “Vertigo” and this song has all the right mix of guitar riffs, fast beats, and lyrical genius to qualify it as a good song to blast while you’re attacking a curvy mountain road which brings us to our next topic…

Top 5 roads with the right mix of scenery and curves:
Being a California native this list is slightly slanted, but these are all stretches of pavement I’ve personally experienced:
5. California State Route 1, Shoreline Highway, between Jenner and Fort Ross State Historic Park- this stretch of road is about 5 miles long but there are enough switchbacks and coastal cliffs with spectacular views of the Pacific to make it on this prestigious list, plus this small section of road that redefines the term “hairpin”:

View Larger Map

4. Grizzly Peak Blvd, Orinda, CA- this windy stretch of road with the intimidating name (there have been no grizzly sightings in the Berkeley Hills since the 1860’s, no worries) bypasses the Caldecott Tunnel and affords some excellent views of Berkeley and the San Francisco Bay below.
3. Waimea Canyon Road, Kauai, Hawaii- this island gem descends down from one the wettest places on earth, Mount Wai’ale’ale, the road cuts through the midst of a huge 3000' deep canyon dubbed by Mark Twain as the “Grand Canyon of the Pacific”. Of course the road descends down to the shoreline affording great views of the canyon and the Pacific.
2. California State Route 330 (City Creek Road), San Bernardino Mountains- curves, breathtaking views , and a relatively high speed limit (55 MPH on most of the road) makes this 6% grade a fun road for canyon carving and also a great workout for those brakes.
1. South Grade Road, Palomar Mountain, California- this masterpiece nestled in the mountains north of San Diego redefines what a mountain road should be. There are plenty of twists and turns to make it worthy of a mystery novel. On a clear day there are views of the Pacific and with the great weather of the Southern California affords almost year-round enjoyment of this ultimate of mountain passes.

View Larger Map

Anyone have any other stretches of road to share?

Little Repair Shop of Horrors

In my short life I've heard one too many stories of people getting screwed by dealers and repair shops. In a recent experience a former coworker of mine took her car to the dealership to have her tire replaced. Total cost of repair was in the neighborhood of $300! I've had family members also report of similar fates when faced with dealers trying to up sell them on a tire replacement when they came in for a simple oil change. Personally, I've had my share of terrible service like the time I took my car in for a fender bender and the simple 5-day repair ended up taking twice as long. This facility was a recommended shop by my insurer and is not one I'd send my enemies to.



Can one avoid these nightmares disguised as businesses? Here are some simple rules of thumb:

1. Dealers thrive on lack of knowledge and will take any opportunity to sell you something you don't necessarily need. This overall theme spans from the showroom to the finance department and into the repair shop, and any hint of unpreparedness will guarantee an opportunity for them to pounce on you like a field mouse being swiped up by a barn owl. Bottom line: don't fall for their tricks and do your homework before stepping onto the car lot.
2. Car repair shops also rely on lack of expertise and will also take advantage of you when you're not looking. Avoid shops that look untidy or if the person running the establishment gives you the creeps. Bad vibes = bad repairs and huge headaches!
3. Get an educated opinion before you take your vehicle in for repair. If you know someone that knows enough about cars, let them look at the problem if it's not too much of a problem. Call them if you're stranded even. An easily-remedied dilemma such as a dead battery is simple to fix and can avoid having to be towed to a shop in the first place.
4. Do research before taking a car into the shop. If that check engine light came on it's usually an emissions related failure and some models are notorious for common problems. Go to forums such as Edmunds for some insight into your car's troubles. The fix could require only 5 minutes worth of labor, some basic hand tools, and could save you hundreds!

5. Get a recommendation before leaving for the shop. I know I shared my insurance horror story up above, but in spite of the delayed service, the repair was still done to my satisfaction. I took my Jeep to have a transmission rebuilt at a local shop and was fully satisfied with the experience, the maintenance tech even showed me the part that had failed, and I have since recommended this shop others and have not once received a call with bad news or someone cursing me.

Any of you have any horror stories to share?

Minty Fresh Headlights?

As promised I busted out the toothpaste and got polishing. When you think of toothpaste beyond the dentist-recommended two-minute routine of minty, circular motions, brushing teeth is essentially a form of polishing with a mild abrasive. The result is a clean, slick surface and fresh breath.

Before:


This is a headlight after 50,000 miles, the clear plastic covers oxidized and hazy (kinda like the sky over San Bernardino on a hot summer afternoon).



This 99 cent travel-sized Crest is good enough for at least 5 pairs of headlights. Apply the paste in small circles, let it dry to a haze (about a minute), and then clean off with a mild cleaner (such as a diluted solution of Simple Green). The whole process took less than 5 minutes.

After:


Like the miracle of an infomercial, the results are astounding! As you can see the headlight shows much brighter and perhaps the biggest return is the improved visibility.

Now get drivin'!!

Alfa-bet Soup

Alfa Romeo is coming back to America. What is an Alfa Romeo? Unless you've owned one or can recall the movie The Graduate where Dustin Hoffman's character drives a great example of the marque's design passion, a '66 Spider 1600, you may not be familiar with the Italian automaker. Alfa disappeared into obscurity, at least on our shores, back in the mid-90's, shortly after Renaults became rebadged Chryslers when Lee Iacocca took over Jeep and AMC back in 1987.

The model with all the buzz, and perhaps one of the most beautiful cars to ever be produced is the Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione, it will be hitting our shores this summer, and 90 lucky Americans will be driving this compact and curvaceous Italian GT coupe.



As you can see, this car, much like Maserati, which has also recently returned to our shores is looking to harness raw desire in anyone who has any resemblance of taste. It starts with the short overhangs both front and rear that make car the look like it's ready to attack the curves of a mountain road. The side glass with its single panel appears as if was guided by a French curve and several carefully-executed hours.

If you've got the lust for the 8C with a V8 originally sourced from the Ferrari Modena, and $250,000 burning a hole in your pocket, go and sign up for one. This is one Italian that will turn heads.

Stay tuned when I'll test toothpaste on my car in hopes of fighting that terrible gingivitis...

Intro to Car Point

I'm a self-confessed car nut. It started when I was 4 years old and spent much of my time sketching cars on a desk my father built from solid pine, sweat, and laquer so thick you could of swore there was a sheet of glass covering the piece of furniture. I've read about cars since I was 12 (that was about the same age I actually started to enjoy reading, as long as it wasn't of the assigned variety). Does all of this make me an expert? Not exactly, but like a sports buff who can spit out the ERA stats of the Yankees back in '81, I can tell you the performance numbers of almost every Porsche built since the brand's beginning. I don't work in the industry so my views aren't overly jaded, although I do have biases based on experience and observations while sitting in gridlock along the 91 freeway (a notoriously gridlocked freeway here in Southern California).

As for this blog, my purpose is to educate, test, rant, rave, enlighten, repair, explain, discuss, break, install, damage, and not all necessarily in that order, about the car itself, products used to fuel it, fill it, clean it, repair it, and outright improve it. Stay tuned...