Well, that’s it. The end of an era. After founding this website with zero viewers and zero page views, after nurturing it for ten years, my time at TTAC is winding down. Thanks to my wife Sam, who told me to press “send “on a post on pistonheads.com that left more than a few bridges smoldering in my wake. I thank her for understanding the sacrifices needed to do this work. Thanks to TTAC’s Best and Brightest, for making the site possible. Without your insights and appreciation, nothing. Thanks to TTAC’s managing editors—Frank Williams, Justin Berkowitz and Edward Niedermeyer—for understanding and realizing TTAC’s mission. And thanks to TTAC’s writers for their selfless dedication to the site; their passion, wit and wisdom. I shall miss you all.
TTAC Death Watch 2: How do you continue without your Soul…
Robert, I will sorely miss you. Your wit and interesting take on a wide range of automotive facets usually brightened my day.
Thank you profoundly for a job well done.
–Bill.
Thank you for what you’ve done here. Good luck with your future endeavors.
VerticalScope is the killer of communities. I weep for the future of this site.
Confession time Robert. I left GM after 36.4 years in a blinding snow storm Dec 19 2008. I sat in my Grand Am and cried like a baby. I moved on and never looked back.
Good Luck dude
And thank YOU for giving us the truth about cars for lo these ten years!! You will be missed!
Robert-
I already posted on the other thread, but again-
Thanks so much.
We shall miss you. Best of luck in your next adventure.
Has it been 10 years? Thank you for sharing your insight, wisdom, and opinions with us for so long. You will be missed, but hopefully TTAC will still do what it does best better than everyone else.
Somewhere in the RenCenter a cork popping can be heard.
Well, maybe we can now have a site that focuses on the inadequacies of all car companies, not just the Detroit 3.
RF,
Tonight’s the start of Rosh HaShana. According to tradition one of God’s judgments on the New Year is one’s parnassah, livelihood, over the next year. Perhaps this will be an auspicious time for a career move.
You and your family should have a year of blessings, health and sustenance, a good and sweet year.
Great thanks for letting me write for TTAC. While nobody likes to see their work red-penciled, most of my TTAC pieces were the better for your editing.
It’s a strange time for writers. You can find an audience, but with the implosion of newspapers and magazines at the same time that nobody’s figured out how to monetize selling words on the net (where people expect to find free content), writers and editors are in a financial bind.
Best of luck, Robert. Your writing was what kept me coming back every day for years, and I look forward to following you wherever your next chapter takes you.
You broke my heart, Fredo.
You ARE TTAC, but I know you leave great people behind to evolve TTAC even more.
Godspeed.
Posting in this thread too.
RF – I still say you should endeavour to stomp those who have crossed you and refused to give you any support, but that’s just me. I am ruthless that way.
“Work with me and I’ll be your best friend, but cross me and you will rue the day!” etc… Maybe it’s the Italian in me. I dunno.
Anyway, good luck with wherever life takes you. I also think of you whenever I see the flying V, haha.
WHY oh why did you not put up a PayPal link at the first sign of financial trouble?!? So many of us said that and it could have been used to fund reviewers. It could have bought some time. After the plea about solving a revenue problem, I never saw anything done. What a piss-poor job.
By the bellicosity of many comments on other blogs today I conclude that your reporting and opining really pulled people out of their comfort zone around the dearly cherished topic of cars.
It’s hard to be honest about product quality and business viability in a space as much about fashion and fantasy as it is about transportation from point A to point B. A space where characters like David E. Davis actually exist.
But you did it – and well!
That’s good stuff, Robert!
I will miss reading your thoughts.
Be well!
RD
I was waiting for this post. I wrote something better in the other one.
Éxito hermano. A donde vaya.
Saludos desde Venezuela.
Athos.
Good luck to you, Robert. I will certainly miss reading your thoughts. It’s been a great ride.
Don’t forget to pop in every now and then.
You have brought something to car reporting that I frankly haven’t seen before (outside of one shot articles, quickly hedged of course). I hope you’ll still guest post as often as possible.
Promise that if you find another venue you’ll find some way to let everyone know about it.
Thank you. Seriously.
As I posted on another thread… I just found out about this, dammit.
Good luck sir, I’ll miss your writing.
Best of luck, Robert. Your creation and the community you’ve brought together have been a part of my everyday life for three years. Your dedication and commitment to your beliefs and values are examples to us all. You’ve left us in good hands. Go spend some time with your family for a while, but I hopefully await the day and venue when we may see you again.
Thank you Mr. Farago for giving us all a little corner of cyberspace to find Truth.
Good luck!
What happened on pistonheads.com?
Don’t look back.
As a relatively new reader I’d like to say thank you RF. Your writing style and funny albeit TRUTHful articles are what first attracted me to this site and I’ve never looked back. I wish you all the best in your future endeavors.
Stop by every now and then.
wow . . . wow.
All I can say is thank you. You can’t put a real value on the truth. And when you love cars, this site is truly priceless.
All the best.
Gotta second the PayPal button comments. I and many others stood by waiting, with checkbook in hand, but the call never came.
I would have bought a “premium” subscription, even it if was the exact same content, just to avoid the Vibrant ads!
Mr. Farago – Thank you.
Thank you for the past ten years. Thank you for the unvarnished truth. Thank you for your snarky writing and brilliant similes. Thank you for keeping the commentary reasonably civilised. Thank you for standing on the soapbox and shouting, even when nobody was listening.
I can seriously say my life is better for having interacted with you.
I can also claim to have had comments edited and comments fully deleted (never got banned, though!), by the one and only Robert Farago. I’m truly honoured.
Please don’t be a stranger. I do expect to see posts from you once in a while.
just wondering what is the truth about the truth about cars?
Wow…sad to hear it. You were quite the voice. I wish the best for you and your family in your next endeavor whatever that may be…
I have only been around for the last couple of years, but I have thoroughly enjoyed this site which is so largely a product of your work. Thanks for that!
– Pete
After he made it to the top on Al Jezzerra, I figured he’d become as suicidal as Kirt Cobain at a Barry Manilow concert. Some people just cannot handle success as well as others. Good reading RF, here is a bon voyage clickthrough just for you http://wolferadio11.wordpress.com
This is the only car blog I read because it places cars in context in all aspects of society. You created a great place to hang out and learn some things. I hope you’ll have as much creative success wherever you go.
Robert, some have come forth with offers of financial help. Others, not even. Remember back a while, when you tested the waters for imposing a very modest charge for some content (if I remember correctly) and the response was a resounding “No way”. I think I’m right about this. And you were too proud to push it. Who could blame you? But why should the readership have had RF and everything else for free? Was RF supposed to eat grass and twigs? I saw the same thing with the New York Times on line. They tried “Times Select” for a reasonable charge. I paid up and in no time was receiving a refund because it had failed to get enough support. How are they to keep this up when their readership wants the news and everything else on line for free? I notice that the Wall Street Journal is to begin charging for their on line edition. Good luck. They’re on the ropes too, BTW. One after another suffers because they can’t figure a business model that supports the internet presence, yet they feel they have to be in that game. So, good luck Robert in all that the future holds. I often disgreed with you, but I enjoyed the mental stimulation and your joie de vivre. You are an original.
You know, I’ve pretty much followed the auto industry my whole life, and when I stumbled upon your little corner of the web three years ago, you forever changed the way I view cars and the industry. I have most certainly learned a great deal from you and the B&B, and I shall be forever grateful to you.
It goes without saying that you will be sorely missed.
So now what???
All the best to you RF!!! (forgive me for thinking of Ralph Furley every time one of us refers to you as such)
-Richard
*stands at attention*
*salutes*
Godspeed Mr. Farago. Godspeed.
Best of luck Robert. We’ll miss you. You’ve changed the way I think about car reviews. Thanks for telling the Truth!
“But why should the readership have had RF and everything else for free?”
I undertand where you are coming from, and no disrepect intended to anyone, but…
….perhaps for the same reason we got Cronkite, Carson, 60 minutes, and All in the Family for free, whatever that is.
What a sad day. I will miss your writing, the sharp wit.
So I guess we can expect an announcement on Monday by the presidential task force stating Mr. Farago will be the new captain of GM. ;-)
Wow, what a shock. I didn’t see this coming.
Thank you for giving the world this site Mr. Farago.
Thanks again, RF. Its been a hell of a ride, and you’ve certainly been proven to have spoken the truth as you saw it, and you never stood down from an honest fight.
I didn’t always agree with everything you said, but I liked how you said it.
I hope for continued to success.
I found ttac about a year ago by accident. Hardly a day passed by since that I didn’t check back for your no BS reporting. Thank you for all your work and best of luck!
TTACers,
RF brought me on and I depart with him. Thanks for reading me, hating me, threatening me, laughing at me, laughing with me, supporting me, leaving great comments, being an exceptional audience :)
you have brought me much happiness
Yoo two, Robert and Jack, must be planning something. I wish you well and will miss your great write ups.
Martin
Thank you, Mr. Farago and Mr. Baruth! I found out about this site two years ago and not a day was going by that I was not looking forward reading articles on this site.
Sorry to see you go, I wish you luck in your next endeavor!
P.S. Who’s gonna race Bob Nuts… er… Lutz now?
All the best, RF… although if Jack is leaving with you there must be something truly evil afoot.
See you on the web.
This is unfortunate. We’ll miss you!
Wow. I don’t know what to say. I have that same empty feeling of dread that I had over ten years ago when I heard the news the Daimler was merging taking over Chrysler. No offense to Ed who I am sure will do a fine job. It’s just that Robert you ARE TTAC. You gave a voice to all of us even if we disagreed with you or the other writers. Thanks for keeping it real. I wish you and your family the best.
Ugh this is horrible news. As I posted in some other threads Vertical Scope is a cancer among enthusiast sites and message boards. Every one I have belonged to when VS took over has completely decimated the community. I am guessing that within 6 months this website will have only 15% of the traffic it had last week.
RIP TTAC, Robert please keep us posted about future endeavors. Best of luck to you and your family.
Good bye Jack! I for one have loved your posts, perhaps you and RF can start another message board…..?
Maxb49 :
September 18th, 2009 at 7:00 pm
Good luck!
What happened on pistonheads.com?
Anybody know the answer to this?
The pistonheads.com thing sounded cryptic. Anyone care to fill us in?
Thanks and farewell Robert. Godspeed.
I found you about 2 years ago and have visited daily since. Although I haven’t posted much over the last six months, I have been here. I will miss you.
DITTO Jack.
Onward and upward, Robert. Thanks for all your hard work and a great morning read over the past few years I’ve known TTAC.
RF,
Sorry to see you go, and it seems that the parting wasn’t what you’d call ideal.
Sorry to see that once again, a corporate talking head(s) has decided to push out a key part of what this site represents at it’s core – a site where auto enthusiasts of different stripes congregate to exchange dialogue in a quality manner instigated by your compelling choice of subject matters.
I have enjoyed your many articles and those of the writers you chose to further imbue TTAC with more TTACi-ness, and of course the best and brightest put their foot down on the only pedal that counts – the one on the left, literally and metaphorically.
Could we have helped to mitigate this from happening? Paying a subsription and getting funds to those that keep the lights on at TTAC and the proverbial wheels turning? I voted no, and still do because this is what makes this site FREE in every sense of the word.
You can’t cut your way to prosperity – it’s still about the product, and the TTAC product equation was: RF + Best and Brightest = The Truth About Cars.
Can the new TTAC flourish in the wake of RF-GATE?
Boo RF…boo.
————
And the Detroit apologists rejoice.
Wow, both Robert and Jack leaving?
I wish you both luck. Can you open up a new storefront, maybe call it “The Truth About All Things”? TTAAT could be pronounced “T’tat!”
In the meantime, I wonder, who’s next?
Thank you, Robert, for your dedication and commitment to providing a different view on the auto industry. Though I only agreed with you maybe 50% of the time, I always enjoyed reading your insights and I have a lot of respect for what you’ve built here at TTAC.
Wow. Shocked.
Thank you for enriching my free time and providing interesting slants unavailable in the MSM.
There was really no one better to cover and comment on the domestic implosion and subsequent bailout.
Your passion, wit, and metaphors are irreplaceable.
Thank you, sincerely.
(Looking forward to http://www.therealtruthaboutcars.com)
…don’t mess with RF.
A disappointing day. As a daily reader of TTAC for the last 5 years or so, I must say;
I applaud Robert in your dedication to the site. It won’t be the same without you.
I wonder how things will progress without the steady hand at the wheel?
I read a post on Autoblog AND Jalopnik about the departure, it was surprising to see that, when there was no mention of anything on TTAC!
Will we see a resurgence of RF on another site? I sure hope so.
Good Luck Robert.
I love the smell of bridges burning in the morning…
Best of luck, Robert. Please let us know what you’re up to.
Godspeed, sir.
I was never a fan of your writing style; your tendency towards alliteration, drawn-out metaphor, and general gimmickry always reminded me of the buff books I fled from… but who the hell cares, because you told it like it was, pulled no punches, stood up for yourself even when in the minority, and put together one of the most reliably informative and relevant blogs about something so many people worldwide feel so passionate about. You’ve also managed to attract some top notch conspirators, and my world has certainly been enlightened by the likes of Goolsbee, Lieberman, Lang, and Schmitt as well as Mr. Niedermeyer himself.
In the process, you and your top notch writers have managed to get all of us involved, using our ideas, our words and photographs, and our post-article comments to advance the discussion into a (usually) far more academic space than most car blogs are willing to tread.
I trust TTAC will continue down that road, and look forward to seeing where Mr. Niedermeyer takes it.
Regardless of whether or not we agreed with your editorial decisions over the years and subjects, we will always recognize you as the originator, and appreciate the great contribution you have made to the century-old addiction to automotive passion. Hope to hear good things in the future.
– Jeff in Seattle (with the help of F. Booker Noe)
Godspeed, RF!!! You made it through the bankruptcy you predicted and chronicled!!!! Your unflappable wit will be missed!!!
rolosrevenge! Give EN a chance!!! Hell, he’ll do just fine!!!!!!
Good luck gentlemen! Maybe with R.F. gone TTAC will actually be able to score some press cars to review. But without Jack around to drive them, it won’t be the same.
I’ll offer my last thoughts on Robert’s body of work here: After reading this site for the last few years I believe the rift between RF and many of us here in Michigan, isn’t logical but idealogical. Many, many of us saw what was coming to the D3 for along time. Thats what attracted me to this site in the first place, you seemed to see what was actually going on. The only difference is while we were all rooting for it NOT to happen. For Ford, and G.M. to fix what was broken. For Chrysler to finally find an owner group that was more than just a bunch of corporate raiders. Mr. Farago seemed to WANT the big 3 to fail, and fail hard. Perhaps not fully envisioning the consequences that would bear. Now the shit has hit the fan, and we’re all worse off for it, tens of billions in the hole, tens of thousands without jobs, and nothing else, no catharsis, no lessons learned, no brave new world. Thats the problem with pessimism, you always end up being right, but the victory is hollow. Regardless I’ll keep visiting this site, and keep hoping the truth changes.
“…Farago says he will be launching a non-automotive website, but gave no further details.”
The Truth About Snow Blowers?
Robert, sorry to see you go. But all things end. I’m just glad I had a chance to help out in a small way at the beginning.
Bob Elton
I am not really a car guy. I enjoy driving and can do a few things on the car, but that’s about it. I don’t read car mags or other car sites, yet for several years I have been a daily reader here at TTAC. Why? The truth. Writings were both insightful and well done. They do not pander or politic. The truth hurts but we need to hear more of it, so even if a light was shining on just a little part of the world we live in, I always enjoyed seeing what was being revealed. RF thanks for such a pursuit of the truth. You are gifted in this regards. Please don’t stop telling us The Truth. Gather other truth tellers from all walks and put it out there for the world to hear. Manufacturing ethics, Media misinformation, whatever… Just keep bringing the Truth and helping us see
John Rippy
Wait a minute!! Wait a minute!! What the heck!! You just can’t leave like that!
Where are you going, what are you doing.
WHAT AM I GOING TO DO.(french keyboard and I can’t find the question mark.)
Seriously, what’s up why are you leaving, is it something I said. I can change.
This site and your writings and the posts by the B&B are my daily car addiction.
I feel like I have a monkey on my foot. Don’t go!!!!
My best wishes in whatever you choose to do next, Robert, as well to your successors here. This is an outstanding site.
Goodbye Prince of Darkness…you will be missed
All of the above and more. This sucks. I don’t know what to say. Your writing is what hooked me and the rest followed.
I will never look at a buff book again in the same way, nor ever buy a car from that frigging GM [why pay twice even with a rebate?]because of this site, your brain child.
No disrespect to the contributors at TTAC, but this is a real body blow to professional journalism. The establishment media could never hold a candle to your efforts.
If you aren’t going to ask the tough questions, or are hamstrung from doing it by corporate thugs, why do the job ?
Your integrity remains. Best of luck
Robert,
I am very sorry to see you go. I stumbled across the TTAC website just a few years ago when looking for car reviews, and was immediately drawn in by your unique writing style. Your mix of facetious, grandiloquent speech, and frank opinion points to spice up news pieces made TTAC a pleasure to read. You created a site that provides us with a mix of news we can’t get anywhere else, entertainment, editorial opinions, educational content, plus a sense of community. I really appreciate all your effort of doing in-depth research, straight-shooting coverage of un-PC topics despite it making your site an occasional lightning rod for angry companies, politicians, and readers, and tireless editing. Having done a lot of technical writing, I know how much effort actually goes into writing clear, unambiguous, interesting work that still includes a lot of information. This, plus the site being a source of interesting news, not to mention intelligently written and funny reader comments, has made this site a daily read for me.
Thank you for creating a great website, and best of luck in your future endeavors.
Thanks and good wishes!
I bookmarked this site and came back every day for the writing and the insights, not for the car reviews.
It won’t be the same without you Robert. You have made a lasting mark that will guide others in this realm. Best of luck with your next endeavor.
Mission accomplished.
Thank you, Robert.
re: “RF brought me on and I depart with him. Thanks for reading me, hating me, threatening me, laughing at me, laughing with me, supporting me…”
Jack Baruth / September 18th, 2009 at 9:17 pm
it’s all about you, jack. right to the bitter end. always has been. always will be. farago’s leaving is a true loss. you – not so much.
It’s been a rollercoaster for sure. Some days I love TTAC, the next I’m complaining. Still, the gift of perspective and understanding another viewpoint has been worth the effort. You made it possible by being balanced and knowledgeable.
Good luck in your next endeavor but I don’t think you need it.
Best to you Robert and your new pursuits. I’ve only been coming here about a year but you got me thinking again about American icon GM and why I hadn’t considered their cars since my 88 Camaro and 80 Sunbird Formula.
(So Jay Leno is out after 1 week? Hmm…)
Hoisted on his own petard .. tsk, tsk … The sky did indeed fall, and its a tough act to follow, but, thank you for all the insights. Best of luck.
I just turned 53. I still cannot understand why all good things must come to an end. You will be missed.
I started reading TTAC a couple of years ago because I was interested in the American car industry, and this was the only site telling it like it was.
You have performed a valuable service for your readers, RF, by your fearless reporting and opinion pieces.
To you and your Vrystaatse meisie, “Veels geluk en voorspoed.”
Obviously, as others have said, this has the money men’s ugly hoofprints all over it.
If we see the criticism of Detroit suddenly vanish from this site in favor of feel-good mush and uniformly Edmundesque positive reviews, we’ll all know even better what happened.
Robert, now that you have Steve Jobs’ past, may you also have his future.
You will be missed, sir! I still cannot believe that I can measure the amount of time I’ve been reading this site nearly every day in years. TTAC is a wonderful accomplishment to attribute to you. Best of luck in your future endeavors!
Thanks for doing this for as long as you managed to keep it going. Good luck with whatever’s next.
press “send “on a post on pistonheads.com that left more than a few bridges smoldering in my wake. ???????????????????????/
what the hell is that about?
i’m expecting a post clearly citing “the truth about Farago ditching the truth about cars”
Farago, i will miss your witty and cynical yet truthful writing… and will be googling your name to see where you pop up next…
Will most certainly miss you and the rather different take on the automotive world. Is the break complete – aka does it mean we will not even see the odd RF contribution anymore, or will we have the pleasure of your continued engagement with the truth, albeit at a significantly less than full time level?
Thank you for your contributions to automotive journalism. Good luck!
Has the beloved Robert surfaced anywhere?