Sam scraped the Honda Odyssey. Again. This after stoving-in the Boxster's front end and then, after its repair, scraping the roadster's flanks. There was a time when I would get seriously bent out of shape about one of my cars getting bent out of shape. Love. Age. Maturity. Perspective. Cash flow. Lexapro. Although I've surmounted many of my OCD's detailing demands, I still appreciate the pursuit of perfection, and the value of persistence for those embarking on that endless, maddening quest. Not to put too fine a point on it, leapfrogging is for losers. The key to success: keep hammering away with focus, passion and persistence. Either that or read and follow The [somewhat contradictory] 48 Laws of Power. In either case, complacency is the enemy. As TTAC slowly comes into its own (which is a lot less gross than it sounds), rest assured that the editorial team will never become smug or self-satisfied. We will alway listen to criticism, and respond with respect. To that end, a simple question (flame rules active): what would you change about this website? You know; other than the fact I just sent out three New Content Notifications…
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Perhaps allow readers to submit stories/news you haven’t posted yet & can comment on ? :)
So your Odyssey is fire engine red with racing stripes? Cool!
I love this site! I’m almost an addict. :/
Maybe more variety on editorial topics? It might spark more discussion. Some of the news articles that are just several sentences long have 40-50 comments in a day. Imagine all the insightful dialogue if that news article was given 800 words and more in-depth analysis!
That’s what makes this site an extremely good read. Intelligent, humorous articles and insightful commentary!
I’d go back to full RSS feeds so you don’t lose your RSS-centric readers.
Yes! Please fix your RSS feeds!
Other than that, I’m satisfied with the site. I just wish I had more time to read it.
Perhaps have a “Page Two” for the Latest News? Sometimes so many new topics are posted in a day that some still hot topics are bumped off the bottom of the list. Once bumped, the thread dies…It does not seem that many search them out once they get bumped…
how about some good news once in awhile? If you cant find any, make it up. :)
That’s Sam?
TTAC editors/writers are the perfect ‘point’ on this site, but I’d love more of a ‘counterpoint’ opinion. It would have to be written by someone intelligent, so as not to piss off the current fan base, but I think it would promote even more discussion, which is what this site excels at.
If I could only change the background color to black; that would be perfection. It’s just a bit bright to be staring into this monitor in the late night hour.
A photoless, colorless version for better workplace viewing!
Reviews of cheap cars written with the cheap car perspective in mind. When you write that a Kia Spectra feels cheap, it’s not clear if it feels cheap compared to the Audi you drove the week before, or if you’ve actually driven the Spectra’s competition. That’s why you get so many comments saying “dude, 140hp isn’t slow, if you’re actually shopping in this segment.” We get the impression that you’re comparing cheap cars to expensive cars, and we’re not sure if it’s a misunderstanding on our part. There have been penalty boxes which have been fun to drive and we hope those priviliged enough to drive fast cars haven’t forgotten that.
Less news on the domestics, more news of interest to those of us who buy 140hp cars (for example, Mitsubishi was in financial dire straits – but I haven’t seen a follow up on their situation in forever).
But most of all… keep it up!
Lets ratchet this site to the next level with some kick-ass video content from the TTAC contributors. How much could it possible cost? Nothing professional. Just rough and raw, served up TTAC “extra crispy” style.
Long live the new flesh.
1. Easier access to the previous news stories–the ones that have been bumped. This might entail titles only instead of full descriptions, so that you could fit more on the first “previoius entries”page. As it stands, it’s a real pain to go looking for even recent threads that have been bumped.
2. Number the responses in each thread.
3. Make it so you only have to hit the “show all” button once. It’s a pain to have to hit it again after you leave a response.
These will all make my addiction more satisfying.
@ Johnny Canada,
Funny you mention that, we filmed our first TTAC video review on Sunday with a Jaguar XF Supercharged at Lake Stanley Draper in Oklahoma (the lake I have dumped thousands upon thousands of JP-8 fuel into during emergency landings). It will definitely be in the “TTAC Style”, and will be very, VERY low budget… as in we didn’t have a budget. It will include a car chase… with a Mustang GT.
Stay tuned, and hope ya’ll are looking forward to it as much as I am.
Ambitious… but rubbish!
It’s all good for me, except..
Maybe a gallery, more photo’s of reviewed cars and maybe a headshot of the reviewer(helps visualise the words when you see the author).
Dunno why, just does.
Other than that, all good.
Fix search? It’s very haphazard – you know something is there, but finding it is at times a weird experience. :-)
I wouldn’t mind having a spot on here where we could just post thoughts and musings on various auto related topics as they come to mind. They wouldn’t have to follow any certain theme, but they could still be thought provoking and entertaining.
Just a thought…
I agree with the earlier comments about making it easier to keep up with bumped threads/news stories; I get frustrated on trying to catch up with the posts if I’ve missed a day because of the extra effort it takes. Just an additional list or two of past headlines, or maybe a subset of most-commented-upon stories in the last week or so, might be good.
I also agree with ZCline about getting an intelligent counterpoint in here. I know you’re not afraid to allow dissenting voices to be heard, but it’s obvious that many of those to whom “challenges” have been issued aren’t willing to bite. If you personally know intelligent commentators whose opinion differs from yours, perhaps a polite invitation to write a counterpoint would get some activity going on that end. Of course, the people I’d love to hear from most on this site–Elon Musk, Maximum Bob, etc.–will never dare write an opinion here. Pity.
By the way, RF, it seems like the tanking of the auto industry has injected new life into TTAC. The site is the best it’s been in the last several years, I think. Maybe it’s the gratification of seeing all your predictions coming to fruition. Regardless of the reason, kudos on the continually improving quality of the site.
How about you let civilians (those not working for/at TTAC) vote on comments left by fellow commenters. Kind of like a plus or minus next to each comment.
Does this make sense?
I would like your writers to read some good pro-Ethanol books such as David Blume’s Alcohol Can Be A Gas or Robert Zubrin’s Energy Victory to see that E-85 is the best way to go for fueling our automobiles. All of the myths that I’ve read at this site and elsewhere critical of E-85 are completely trounced in those books. You might want to invite commentary from these writers or others who support E-85.
I would agree with some of the comments about accessing older blog posts.
I enjoy the Daily Content (QOTD and the PodCasts), perhaps they could get their own static location on the homepage, perhaps in the space on the left-hand side of the screen? That way it’s easy to see when they have been updated, rather than searching all the news feeds. I still read all the news feeds, but the Daily stuff isn’t ‘news’ so it could get it’s own location.
Perhaps some comparison reviews that stretch over 2 Part Reviews?
Overall though, fantastic site. It’s grown quite well over the 3+ years I’ve been visiting almost daily. Kudos
Great site and I think likely the most fearless automotive blog going right now, so keep it up. PLEASE stay irreverent and feisty, mediocrity is a slippery slope which is crowded at the bottom.
I do agree, constructively speaking, with the several previous comments that there needs to be more counterpoint in the editorials. If there’s not a differing opinion on your bench, then I like the idea of inviting an industry figure or even a lowly commenter to take a crack at it.
I was going to leave it at that, but I tried to be professional about this and read everyone else’s comments first. Jawguard, dude, I haven’t read the books you mentioned, but unless they contain secret incantations from medieval alchemy, corn juice is simply not a viable way to operate gas powered vehicles. Examples such as Brazil’s sugar cane bio-diesel show that it’s possible, but corn juice just doesn’t contain enough energy. I’m not a chemist, maybe you are, but in my viewpoint the single biggest mistake in this country’s energy policy in the last 30 years is ethanol. It seems it would be not only cheaper to pay the farmers not to grow it, but likely more energy efficient too.
OK, sorry ’bout that, I’m done,
I agree with galleries and video. That would be nice. Even if the videos are just shot’s of the car with no narration. (I used to love the Winding Road videos.)
The first transplant car manufacturer was actually Rolls Royce, which manufactured cars in Springfield, Massachusetts in 1920.
Just a guess…lower front bumper from a Ford GT?
Johnny Canada:
Correct. A souvenir from The Robb Report Supercar Shootout, whereby their top writer hopped a guardrail and ended-up six inches from a 30 foot cliff face.