TTAC Commentator halftruth writes:
Hi Sajeev, I currently own a 1965 Chrysler Newport stock set up with single points and no mods to the engine. For the most part the car runs well but, I have run the gamut of replacing typical tune up items such as filter, plugs, belts and the like but have a very annoying problem: I have been thru 10, yes 10 sets of spark plug wires and they have all arced causing the car to idle funny and affect it’s overall driving performance. (Read More…)
We’ve seen the sequence too many times before. Enthusiasts beg GM and Ford to offer their international products in the U.S. They offer one. It fails to sell. It gets canceled. Nevertheless, Ford plans to replace its entire small-to-midsize lineup with vehicles developed in and primarily for Europe. So this time it had better work […]
U.S. passenger vehicles emit about 20 percent of the nation’s carbon emissions and consume about 44 percent of its oil. With that in mind, the Obama administration will reveal (some time this week, Thursday probably) its proposal for fuel efficiency and emissions requirements for cars and light trucks for model years 2017 and beyond. (Read More…)
The girlfriend had become a wife. A beautiful wedding that would forever change two lives took place on a sunny Georgia afternoon, June 12th, 1999. My wife was the oldest of six and would be the first in her family to marry. I, the youngest of four, would be the last. Both families were conservative and traditional in that all too regional way. My cut-throat New Jersey mentality was tempered with a determination to do what I wanted to do in life. Damn the shackles of the corporate world and the pointless long hours. I would find a way to beat the system and enjoy free time instead of paperwork and fluorescent lights. ‘She’ wanted to be a mom. But that was years down the road… or so I thought. (Read More…)
We’ve seen the writing on the wall for a while: VW is dead set on finally making a profit in North America. In order be profitable, VW has to cut the manufacturing cost of its vehicles. As the Phaeton’s fate showed, America just isn’t ready for a VW that comes with sticker shock as a standard accessory. With the new “economized” 2011 Jetta in the wings, VW tossed us the keys to a 2010 Jetta TDI Cup Street Edition for a week as a farewell to the A5. (Read More…)
Ryan writes:
This is Ryan in Chicago again . I am still driving an Acura 2004 TL with about 80k miles, but with winter on the way, I get the itch to switch to a more winter/city car. I used to park in a heated garage at home and work. Now I am relegated to the street parking all the time. Here are my thoughts: – the tl is going to really suffer with all the time in the cold and snow – I am planning on adding a nice sporty car ($40k) to the mix next spring – I always thought a solid cheap AWD vehicle for driving around (and parking) in the city like bronco, wrangler, outback would be great I look forward to your ideas. (Read More…)
Sorry, Hemi Cuda fans, but this is one of my most prized CC finds. As you know all too well by now, CC is not about haunting car shows for immaculate trailer queens. It’s about documenting the cars that were once so (kind of?) common on our streets, and now are mostly gone. When is the last time you ran across a gen1 I-Mark? There’s probably a thousand Hemi Cudas (genuine or clone) for every I-Mark still soldiering along. And let’s not forget that in addition to just its rarity, the I-Mark also represents GM’s first big global car adventure. The T-Cars were made and sold by the millions all over the globe. I assume you recognize a mildly disguised Chevette or Opel Kadett C when you see one? (Read More…)
To every tire —Turn, turn, turn
There is a season — Turn, turn, turn
And a wheel for every tire
In your garage
A time for max g — A time for low mu
A time for low profile — A time for thick chine
A time to enter turns sideways
A time to refrain from entering turns sideways
I’ve had winter tires for at least one car in my mini-fleet for ten years now. I only really “need” them about ten days a year. For at least three months each year, however, they provide security, confidence, and personal travel flexibility that more than justify the expense. A quick check of my fellow Ohioans’ tread patterns shows that I’m in a clear minority, unfortunately. For those of you who aren’t blessed with a San Diego, Phoenix, or Miami ZIP Code… what are ya’ll doing to prepare for winter?
Minicars, that Japanese specialty with a pint-sized (0.66 liter) enginelet, still commands a market share of more than 30 percent in Japan. It used to be more. Toyota didn’t play in that segment, that’s what Daihatsu was for. Today, The Nikkei [sub] reports that Toyota will enter the minicar market. Wait a minute, wasn’t that what Daihatsu was for? Oh, they still are … (Read More…)
Last minute shopping before a trip; where do I head? Walmart, of course, because of the Curbside Classics in the parking lot. No time for a full-on Walmart Concours today, but I do need a cart. Oh here’s a nice one that should do the job. And there’s another… (Read More…)
Edward is on a bender vacation all week south of the border. I’m heading to Paris (autoshow, among other attractions) Tuesday morning. Will I find old Citroens on the streets? Anyway, that will leave TTAC Niedermeyer-free, temporarily. The show will go on, thanks to our remaining intrepid cast of characters, but with the possibility of some reduced content, most likely the domestic news blogging. Full throttle activity will resume next Monday, at the latest. Au Revoir!
Well, the Metro’s rear window managed to stump the B&B. How rare is that? Ok, I’m going to give you a consolation prize: a very easy Clue. Or is it?
We’ve followed the ups and downs of Segway since its inventor, Dean Kamen introduced it in 2001 with the following (under)statement: “the impact of this in the 21st century will be just like what Henry Ford did at the beginning of the 20th century.” The Segway, he said, would “change lives, cities and ways of thinking.” Now comes word that Jimi Heselden, who bought Segway this past January, died when he apparently drove one of the off-road Models X2 off a cliff and fell to his death. Accidentally, it is presumed. According to a statement from the West Yorkshire police force, “The incident is not believed to be suspicious.” Our condolences to Mr. Heselden’s family, whose lives certainly have been changed by the Segway.
Thanks to a tweet from Ward’s Auto, we now know that GM Vice Chairman Tom Stevens has spilled the beans at the Directions in Engine-Efficiency and Emissions Research conference that a GM diesel passenger car is coming to the US. What was notably missing is a nameplate. Your mission is to come up with which car it will be.
Maybe Henry Ford’s conquest of the automotive world with one model in one color is a little too ambitious a goal to repeat, but Alan Mulally is determined to take Ford further (back) in that direction. From 97 unique models in 2006, Alan’s goal is to keep reducing the body count: “there will be less than 30, on our way to 20 to 25”. (Read More…)
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