The mainstream media’s (MSM) reporting on GM’s “troubles” has evolved. Initially, the press told its audience that The General’s terminal glide path was all part of the wider economic meltdown. As the company augers in for its June 1 federally mandated Chapter 11, the reality of the situation is filtering down the info-food chain. The story has moved from financial reports to the general news to the sharp end: car reviews. For example: today’s Washington Post carries a review of the Pontiac G8 GXP that lauds the Australian V8 four door as “part old-fashioned American muscle car, part sophisticated European performance ride.” And then . . . “That’s good news. But here’s hoping it doesn’t come too late in the news cycle for GM.” Right: stupid news cycle. I blame the news cycle for GM’s upcoming bankruptcy.

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Formerly proud Toyota is staring in the eyes of another multi-billion dollar loss for the new 2009 fiscal year, the Nikkei [sub] reports. The fiscal year lasts through March 2010. According to estimates, the world’s largest automaker will report a loss of around $5 billion for the 2008 fiscal that just ended on March 31. For the new year, the loss may be steeper.

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A Stanza wagon? What the NSFW! Before you run for the exits/bookmarks, give me a minute to spell out my Curbside Classics criteria: 1) at least twenty-five years old; 2) used as a daily or regular driver; 3) shows the patina of age; 4) has a significant place in automotive history; 5) has a place in my personal automotive history; 6) has distinctive design features; 7) has an enthusiast following; 8) represents the unique carscape of Eugene; 9) is under-appreciated; and 10) inspires me to write about it. Believe me, the boxy Nissan (a.k.a. Prairie) is worthy.

I used to travel over 40,000 miles a year . . . and enjoyed it. No offices. No cubicles. Only me and the radio on the way to auctions in three different states. Heck, I didn’t even have a cell phone at the time. So long as I showed up at the auctions thirty minutes before the start nobody really cared. I read books. Wrote articles. Saw the rural south, and probably met about 2,000 people in my travels. But these days my priorities have changed . . . I hate losing all this time. And I’m not the only one.

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GCH writes:

I bought a Ford truck in March 2008. By February 2009, after 10 weeks of winter, the magnesium chloride they put on the roads where I live had eaten through the chrome on all ten pieces of chromed plastic on the truck including the grill and door handles.  Ford refused any warranty coverage whatsoever. According to Ford, it is apparently my fault I live in the mountains where mag chloride is used on the roads. The local dealer at least let me buy replacement parts at his cost. I replaced the grill with a painted one but none of the other parts are available in paint grade.

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A year ago, TTAC published a story about out-of-control Toyota Tacomas. Since then, reports continue to surface of “unintended acceleration” events in Lexus ES and IS and Toyota Camry and Camry Solara vehicles. Toyota insists that all-weather floor mats are causing the problem; the accelerator becomes stuck under the rubber. Autocoverup.com alleges, well, you know. “This is a known problem with over 432 complaints,” the site’s author insists. According to NHTSA’s Defect Investigation’s database, reports of unintended acceleration in Lexus ES models first surfaced around 2004 and continued until late 2008. One report (ODI-NHTSA Complaint Number 10252860) describes the problem:

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A review of preliminary collision data supplied by the city of Corpus Christi, Texas shows that the installation of red light cameras has done nothing to improve safety. Overall, the accident situation worsened at photo-enforced intersections at a time when decreased traffic levels have brought accident rates nationwide to an all-time low. The total number of accidents in Corpus Christi increased 14 percent, from 310 incidents to 353, at nine locations where automated ticketing machines were stationed. Contrary to the claim that red light cameras reduce the severity of collisions, the number of accidents involving injuries increased 28 percent from 140 to 179. Rear end collisions also increased by nearly a third from 160 to 208.

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Hello Robert,

I’m forwarding to you a photo of a special Trabant that I received from one of my family members in the Czech Republic (the photo, not the Trabant). Unfortunately, I don’t know the tech details. Where is this world heading when a Trabant approaches the size of a sperm whale?

Cheers,
Micheal

Fair enough. At the congressional bailout hearings, Tennessee Senator Robert Corker gave Chrysler and GM CEOs major NSFW for running their business with all the efficiency of a federal agency. (And Corker should know.) We haven’t seen such public humiliation of powerful people since the Kefauver Committee raked the mob over the coals in 1950/51. Yes, well, who’s crying now? GM’s Spring Hill plant is on Corker’s patch; as we reported earlier it’s running at 24 percent of capacity (building the fourth Lambda platform Chevy Traverse). Corker knows the Presidential Task Force on Automobiles has the ex-Saturn plant in its sights; he’s claiming it makes rational business sense to keep Spring Hill open. Yeah, right. And good on the Detroit Free Press for not gloating. “This week, Sen. Bob Corker of Tennessee continued his campaign to keep Spring Hill open, saying if politics is left out of the equation by the Obama administration, as he hopes, the plant and its 3,000 workers should survive. The evidence to the contrary is significant . . .”

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Ronman writes:

My issue is those front plastic headlight covers that go yellow. Is there an easy way DIY to polish them back to near-original state. I didn’t mention my car for the reason that I see them on a lot of different makes and models, and what annoys me even more than the inherent safety issue, is that how much would it cost manufacturers to use a good grade plastic that won’t go yellow after three years?

Shouldn’t there be a law enforcing lights that will stay clear, or are they going to start making earth saving bio-degradable seat belts that become outdated after about three years?

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It’s always interesting to see how multiple media outlets interpret stories carried communally. In this case, here’s the beef: Standard & Poor’s ratings agency cut Chrysler’s senior secured first-lien term loan (due 2013) to CC from CCC; and lowered its issue-level ratings on GM’s $4.5B senior secured revolving credit facility to CCC-. (That’s nine grades below investment quality.) Automotive News [sub] waits all the way to the second paragraph before offering Motown apologists a heart to hang on to. “The rating downgrades put extra pressure on the two iconic U.S. carmakers, whose already declining fortunes have worsened during the ongoing global economic downturn.” The Wall Street Journal [almost] gets to the meat of the matter straight off . . .

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Despite the fact that batteries were probably invented several thousand years ago, and have been used in cars since the late 19th century, they remain functionally primitive, messy devices. Compared to the absolutely amazing hydrocarbons that power today’s transportation, batteries are klunky, dirty, heavy, and slow to replenish, and, well, feel free to add any faults that I’ve missed, or make them up if you want. Mock the balky battery! It certainly deserves it.

It’s actually a shame though, because if only the battery would smarten up, and lighten up, and clean up, the green future of automobiles might loom nigh, peak oil could become another footnote in the history of technological advance, and four dollar gasoline could be a forgotten nightmare. Imagine your favorite clean electricity source replenishing the new magic batteries at your home, office, or Main Street charging station–quickly, quietly, and cleanly.

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