Tim Cain’s Thursday rundown of observations and conclusions about the automotive industry spanned the gamut, and yours truly couldn’t agree more with his view that extended cab pickups boast the most pleasing profile in the segment. Few things look odder to these eyes than a full-size crew cab with a 5.5-foot bed.
He’s bang-on about the Acura RDX, too.
Unlike that 30- or 40-something friend whose politics remain frozen in time from their first semester of college, the passage of years normally brings about an evolution of views. Things change — allegiances, likes, dislikes, and even guilty pleasures. Discoveries abound that alter how we think. Each calendar year brings about at least a few realizations about society, the world around us, and how we interact with it, and the same goes for something like the auto industry.
With 2019 nearly at an end, what have you learned this past year?
It needn’t be something technical; rather, your discovery is far more likely to be of a personal nature. Something about yourself. Maybe you really didn’t want a manual after all. Maybe — just maybe — you’ve discovered the pros of an automatic outweigh the cons in daily driving.
Perhaps your long-held dislike of nerdy electric vehicles and the green-tech fan club that surrounds them fell away when Ford introduced an electric crossover with a pony badge. Unlike this time last year, maybe you can now see yourself in one. Perhaps the looming EV surge has you more than ever planning to buy that budget classic you’ve always wanted, in the hopes that whatever future government comes into power will at least let you keep that one ICE vehicle. Seeing what Europe’s up to these days, it’s not a crazy thought.
It’s possible new model introductions over the past year generated newfound respect or admiration for an automaker you previously wrote off as something that would never find a home in your driveway. Just as easily, you may have fallen out of love with an automaker that made one too many poor product decisions.
So, B&B, as you relax with your meatless burgers and Bud Prohibition Brew, what thoughts stand out from 2019? What did you learn about the industry… or yourself?
[Image: General Motors]
I learned I’m over the New Bronco. Ford, you took too long, hyped too much, and under delivered – a decade and a half?! I’ll buy a Frontier and put a cap on it.
:-/
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f9/Ford_bronco_concept.jpg
Someone that’s 30-40 and still a flaming socialist means they’re still broke.
I know people who retained their suicidal politics into successful adulthood. The key is that they envy the 0.8% who have more than them rather than focusing on the good things that they have.
Ever hear of ‘champagne socialists’? Or of the ‘Social Gospel’?
Many of the founders of Canada’s social-democratic party were evangelical Christian ministers.
I’m 50, doing quite well for myself, and find myself to be a fair amount more liberal than I was as a kid. I would even go so far as to say “European-style socialist”, but not “scare-mongering what Americans think a socialist is” socialist. I would be perfectly happy to pay more taxes to get a decent social safety net, even if chances are *I* will never need it.
I voted for both Bushes, but I wouldn’t vote for my best friend for dog catcher if he ran as a Republican these days. Their collective brains fell out and they stepped on them when Obama was elected. Not that I think the Democrats are THAT much better, but they are not bought and paid for thieves and liars.
“but they are not bought and paid for thieves and liars”
Man oh man….You might want to go have a brain scan done…very soon.
More to the point ;
The upper members of the dnc were perfectly happy to line up and the same trough with the gop and feed like the pigs they are and forget about the Middle, Blue Collar and Working classes so screw the dnc .
It’s not easy to be a Conservative these days what with all the B.S. and alt righties wrapping them selves in our flag as they sell America down the drain .
-Nate
I learned people who post “them socialists” comments on this site are both stupid AND broke.
@ Bkjote :
Will you _PLEASE_ stop using logic and facts ?! .
Sheesh (SARC.) .
-Nate
I bought a Triumph GT6 because it’s cool and also for the express purpose of learning stuff. So far I’ve mainly learned the true definitions of “snowball effect” and “money pit”. But I’m having a great time doing it.
I prefer top-end horsepower to low-end torque.
I don’t want a torque deficiency or anything, but I find something like a Mustang GT or IS350 more exciting to drive than C43 or A4.
I learned not to get too excited about things that “break the internet”, because what’s the end of the world today, tomorrow it’s, well yesterday’s news
The world may end tomorrow, but I wasn’t born yesterday.
I was born at night, but not last night
I have learned, or have been learning that I am a simpleton and becoming more so. I am not excited about the telematics advancements, consumer monitoring etc technology that continues to be baked into every product but for TTAC’s sake I will focus on the automotive arena.
The other musings, the automotive sector is packing so much technology the price point continues to become out of reach for a not so significant portion of the populace. The other musing I have comes back to the idea of peak car, which I believe occurred late 00’s early teens. As the complexity increases I question the longevity of the product offerings. You could buy a Camry, Silverado, F150, or pick your poison in 2010 and be reasonably assured that with some reasonable maintenance zero reason exists as to why this car won’t go 300k miles; rust aside. Now, I am not so certain.
I’m not a Luddite, but damn, I don’t want my car or me “connected” 24/7/365. I’m starting to long for anonymity
I say that sitting at my desk with my desktop/smartphone/iPad/landline/smartTV all staring back at me “sigh”
I learned that despite the advances in EV performance, capabilities, and offerings, I will always want the security of an ICE or PHEV.
You may not be able charge your EV when you’re in the midst of a multi-day blackout.
+1 Living in Northern CA I have never had my power off for more than a day, even during the worst winter storms. That is until 2019. I learned a lot about my level of preparedness, un-refrigerated food spoils very quickly, and gas is very hard to get without power to run the pump. Generator and back up cans of fuel are now part of my future plan.
After hearing stories of fellow residents who went all electric and were stuck with no way to charge, won’t this put a damper on EV sales? Especially here in EV friendly CA? This was definitely a wake up call to the downsides of EV ownership that was previously not thought of.
During the blackout in Ontario in the summer of 2003 we re-learned that gas stations can’t pump gas if they don’t have power (electricity) and that modern cars have made siphoning almost impossible.
was just going to say this. in a multi-day blackout, you ain’t getting gas either, chief.
As I directly experienced in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma a couple years ago, you can run the gas pumps off a generator – but you are not charging a Tesla that way. At least not in any reasonable amount of time.
Down here in hurricane country, gas stations with backup generators are not THAT unusual.
I learned that adaptive cruise control is a must-have for road trips. It’s about the only automotive technology introduced in the last 15 years that I can get excited about having in my next vehicle.
wouldnt mind lane assist and pre-collision braking either. hell, makes me wanna take up drinking again in my old age if i had a car with that stuff.
If I learned something it that I don’t like adaptive cruise control because it makes me drive with the speed of the driver ahead. So, I learnd how to hold the button 2 sec to engage regular cruise control instead. Now, my car will not slow down for the vehicle ahead and I can safely change lane while maintaining the speed.
I learned it looks like I am going to have to make peace with start/stop technology, as it seems to be invading all species of car. Looks like the 2020 Toyota Highlander is the latest victim and I suspect the 2021 Sienna will also adapt this technology. Having driven a few vehicles with this feature, I still don’t like it. May have to keep the 16 Sienna a little longer.
After having rented several more cars in 2019 with forced Stop/Start, I learned I really wanted a CPO Ford Edge without it, rather than being stuck with it in a new one, and am very happy with my purchase.
Get a hybrid for REAL start/stop. The electric portion is always on, so you can “idle” at long lights and drive-thrus without breaking a sweat, AND you have instant torque when you need to move, with the ICE engine kicking in seamlessly if necessary.
+1. Hybrids do this perfectly and have a lower total cost of ownership as well.
I learned how much I Hate this feature having first experienced it this year.
Also learned that is 1000x worse on GM products because you are unable to turn it off and the engine starts with the smoothness of a Soviet tractor.
(Works much better on my Telluride but mercifully there is a button to turn it off)
Long live the resistance to the stop/start!
Just get the hybrid Highlander. It stops and starts seamlessly, almost unnoticeably all the way up to near highway speeds.
Having had a BMW M235i with start/stop, it irks me that the two cars I have bought since do not have it. Why would I want to burn gas sitting at endless FL traffic lights? To save a tiny amount of wear and tear on the starter? In other markets, Mazda DI motors can do start stop with just the injection and ignition systems alone.
The angst about this feature is just stupid.
I learned that Crutchfield still kind of sucks, and it’s better to just pay a shop to install a stereo.
@goatshadow
…feeling your pain brother!
I have installed quite a few aftermarket stereos over the years, two from Crutchfield, and never once have I been satisfied with the sound quality. Unlike you, I have decided that I will only purchase a car with a good stereo already in place…I am not going risk all the frustration of spending good money to result in a stereo that sounds like a 1970’s pocket transistor radio.
The rear deck subwoofer in my 2005 Avalon (360W 12-speaker JBL Synthesis system) was blown when I got the car. I considered replacing some components, but just refoamed the subwoofer instead.
Look on the bright side – at least head units are DIRT cheap compared to back in the day.
But I’m with y’all – even the base factory systems in my GTI and Fiata are as good or better than the systems I spent REAL money on to put in various cars back in the day. I have no interest in aftermarket audio anymore for modern cars, and trying to find something to put in my old crockes that doesn’t look like Tokyo-by-night sucks. And all the decent looking head units are expensive and unreliable (giving the stink-eye to Nakamichi in particular).
I have learned that the sedan is doomed. Not to be wiped off the earth doomed, but, with the exception of Camcord, Civic, Corolla, perhaps Altima, Sonata and a few luxury offerings….the sedan is not long for this world.
I believe this because I bought an Accord this year. I car I have always shopped but walked away from with a ..”meh”….over the years. This year, I was so surprised at everything it offered at an extremely reasonable price that I jumped on the train. A great looking (subjective I know), comfortable, well equipped vehicle that handles far beyond anyone shopping for a mid size commuter vehicle has a right to ask for. A slick 10 speed auto, a fun sport mode, 0-60 in 5.5 seconds (with 2.0t), a limo like back seat for passengers……..and….they still can’t sell them.
Don’t get me wrong, the are selling them in good numbers, but those numbers are still dwindling despite what I believe is a concerted effort by the likes of Honda, Toyota, Nissan, Hyundai to throw everything they have at this new crop of sedans to keep them viable in the marketplace. This is peak sedan. We are here. If they cant hold on to sales volume with all the goodness bestowed upon them in their current forms at current prices….I just dont see how anyone outside of the volume leaders can hang on to their sedan offerings.
I believe the only hope is that crossovers and pickup trucks become so ubiquitous that people just yearn for something different and remember…”hey, there are still sedans…there must be reason that they worked for everyone for nearly 100 years, maybe I should check it out.”
Accord great looking? Are you speaking about 2014?
Last gen was not for me. I much prefer current gen provided you get chrome unibrow blacked out
I wanted to like the Accord so badly. Loved the features and the chassis, but I just didn’t fit in it. The center console and my right leg didn’t get along. And when I had an LX model as a loaner, the seat killed my back. I wasn’t planning on getting that trim but still it left a bad taste in my mouth. Wound up in a new Passport instead.
One feature that I love about my base Mazda6 – manual lumbar support. And the seats by far better than Accord. Most Hondas have bad seats
My entry level 2019 Mazda6 turbo has electric lumbar adjustment for the driver. Works a treat. The front passenger is lumbered with a manual seat.
What I love is the heated steering wheel – oh bliss. The lane keeping assist tried to drive me where I didn’t want to go. It got turned off on delivery – there’s even a dedicated switch, and you can do it in the screen menus too. Double the pleasure of turning off the most annoying nanny of all.
Rear blind spot detection: thumbs up, it works amazingly well as does the rear side detection and the radar cruise. Along with a hot steering wheel, these are things I learned in 2019.
However the AEB is like the Mazda3, just a touch too concerned at bringing the vehicle to a complete halt even if the danger has passed and you’ve lifted your foot off the brake pedal. It’s not consistent, so you never know when it’ll happen again – hopefully never on ice. The owner’s manual is bloody awful and explains nothing about the “philosophy” of each nanny. It’s just a dull recitation of how to adjust the feature, and nowhere is there an essay on how all these nannies work as a team, and how the driver can interact with the assistance. Poor.
Thanx for the 2019 Mazda6 details .
I don’t get to drive newer cars so learning about these little details be they good bad or frustrating is very interesting .
-Nate
Nate, think about dropping in on a dealership occasionally. (Bonus: you can leave pretty much any impression you want with them – one of my favorites is ‘eccentric guy who might have money.’)
You’re mostly correct, but I’d say the V6 was peak sedan.
I drove last gen v6 and walked away pretty quickly. Not bad, but I suggest you give the current 2.0t a chance if you haven’t. It’s a pretty nice mill.
“… throw everything they have at this new crop of sedans to keep them viable in the marketplace.”
This isn’t a planned investment to revive a dying segment, it’s product lead times. Sedans only just died. The previous generation of sedans were largely set in stone 10 years ago and cut down to match the recession going on at the time. The cars that we’re just seeing now were planned 5 years ago during a fat recovery. Upscale on their own merits, more upscale against their meh predecessors.
The cars for the post sedan world aren’t here yet. They won’t be hail marys. They’re carryovers, cancellations, and crossovers instead.
I never really liked the V6 engines of the 1960’s & 70’s, thirsty beasts they were .
Not long ago I foolishly bought a cherry Toyota Camry V6……
Oops .
That was a $4,500.00 mistake .
-Nate
I hate both sedans and crossovers. But gun to my head, I would take a crossover every time. Sedans are utterly useless devices. Crossovers are hatches and wagons ruined, but at least they can hold a decent amount of cargo, and you can get in and out of the back seat easily without folding yourself in half, and have decent headroom once you are in (not counting stupid “coupe” crossovers).
Its funny, I feel like I hear this more and more with regard to the reason people shun cars in favor of crossovers. Having to stand up from a low sitting position is just too onerous. Bending my neck is far too much of a chore. I can understand that once you reach a certain age you are not as limber as you once were. I am not young, but not yet where I just cant do it a few times per day. I guess its sort of the reason we have 10 times the amount of handicap parking spots at supermarkets today as opposed to when I was growing up. It’s all just too much work.
@ TheGamper :
As an old cripple man I can tell you that a normal height pickup truck is still easy to get into and out of…..
Plus of course : PICKUP TRUCK yay =8-) .
-Nate
I’ve learned that with the increase in technology being packed into vehicles that I can no longer afford, or am willing to pay for or possibly even obtain the type of vehicle that I want.
No touch screens. No screen tacked onto the top of the instrument panel.
I want analogue/dial displays and dials and slides rather than buttons.
I want a vehicle that I can operate while wearing warm gloves.
I want a reduced tumblehome and integrated gutters to stop the rain and snow from falling onto my car seat.
I want an increased greenhouse with actual back seat headroom.
I want velour or at least durable cloth seats.
I want 60/40 back seats that fold flat.
I want a head rest/restraint that doesn’t push my head forward and cause headaches.
I want automatic lights mandatory on all vehicles, because I see at least one vehicle every night on the highway that only has on its daytime running lights.
Finally I want all drivers to be better trained and more attentive. Even if only to make up for my mistakes.
Amen.
Much of the above is why i went with my CPO Q50 – it has two screens but small by today’s standard, BUT has buttons and dials for climate, audio, etc. It also checked the headrest issue you raise – I hate cars with those stupid forward pushing headrests.
In the future I hope the after market suppliers who make “old looking” gauges, etc for resto-mods made them for all cars so I can remove the 4 x 5 foot screens that will no doubt be coming.
My benchmark is a 1970s AMC Hornet. The first time I drove one was in the winter in the dark to pick up a pizza from a renown mom and pop shop in another county. One glance and I knew where every control was. I operated everything by feel, so I could keep I eyes on the dark rural roads with the dash lights turned way down low. It was like I’d been driving it for years.
http://theamcforum.com/forum/uploads/2481/77_AMX_dash_after.JPG
Also, the pizza lived up to it’s rep. I should have got two.
;-)
You knocked it out of the park, especially about dials, headrests and gutters. But you left out one thing.
Before they bury me, I would like to see the return of the vent window. Unfairly maligned two generations ago as a cause of stolen cars, it allowed the ability to suck out unwanted air, be it too hot, humid or smoke filled, without a moonroof.. It should be offered as an option on new cars. People would pay their money and even their higher insurance premium.
Nobody has bested the 3-knob setup for climate control ease of use. Add buttons in the center of each knob, as some have done, for recirc, a/c, and rear defrost, and you have perfection. Now if you must have dual-zone temperatures, add a 4th knob for the passenger side.
Having driven AMC Hornets, Gremlins and Pacers etc. I can definitively say they weren’t fun to drive although they were for the most part stout and reliable .
I too miss “no drafts” (vent wings) and yes, they were the cause of many if not most break ins during those years when so equipped .
-Nate
How do you beat the ease of use of just setting a temperature and forgetting about it?
The best auto climate systems allow exactly that.
I can’t stand 3-knob systems because I’m always having to twiddle something or other. Temp too hot, temp too cold, not enough air, too much air, twiddle, twiddle, twiddle. The best auto systems, which in my experience tend to come from Toyota and Honda, just know and get it right with no twiddling.
You must live in fairweather land. I have auto temp, but it’s useless driving in freezing precipitation conditions. If you don’t keep the windshield warm and turn on the wipers, you’ll be driving blind as mush is spread over your line of vision. You need full output on the windshield in those conditions, rather than basking in 72 degree heaven.
Typically, on the auto systems I’ve owned, hitting the defrost button and leaving everything else in auto is enough to take care of that. (The Highlander has a heated windshield which does the same, without changing climate control settings.) But the coldest it ever gets around here is about 15-20 degrees. It’s not a deep-freeze place.
I’m pretty sure Dal is talking about the world famous “Ranco Valve” ~ a manual hot water control valve that works sans electricity ~ you set it and for get it and it’s simply wonderful .
It’s the base of AMC’s “Weather Eye” heating / ventilation system beginning in the 1950’s IIRC .
It worked so well GM bought ans used them in the late 1950’s for a few years .
My anti AMC bias is because of the ponderous steering and heavy feeling clutches and so on that make driving a chore instead of a delight .
-Nate
BMW makes the best auto HVAC system, in my experience. I literally never touch it in mine, summer or winter, in a place with 110F+ annual temp range.
But the two are not mutually exclusive either, and for cheap cars that level of automation is not likely to be practical.
Otherwise, add manual transmissions and hatches without lift-kits and I like Arthur’s list rather a LOT.
I learned that PHEVs are figments of imagination. They exist, but on some other planet or in another dimension not accessible to potential buyers like me.
I learned I would really rather have a manual trans than an automatic and that cars really are better without complex/buggy infotainment systems. And I would say peak car was 1967. Now, back to my cave.
@hpycamper
I shared your sentiment until I watched crash test videos of old cars on youtube. Now, I want the newest, stoutest, best rated crash protection I can find. I like old cars a lot, but I don’t want my skull crushed by a collapsing A Pillar!
R Henry
Good point; back then the most important safety feature was the driver.
“What thoughts stand out from 2019?”
– The world will be a better place with a smaller, more focused GM.
– I would now consider a hybrid as my next used vehicle.
– I might look at Mazdas before buying my next used vehicle.
– Some of the commenters have really upped their game recently.
– If you can change the oil with the vehicle on the ground, leave the vehicle on the ground.
– Buying tools in advance, even without a specific job in mind, has helped me numerous times this year while in the middle of a job.
My mechanical engineering student son (junior year) has decided after working on his car with me that he would like to do oil changes/routine maintenance/simple R&R himself, but farm out anything more than about “two layers deep” (the wheel hubs/bearings tried his patience).
I learned that GM and Ford only care about immediate profits, not long-range corporate survival. For that matter, most companies feel the same way. I also learned (about myself) that I take a bit too long to learn things like that. This has probably been obvious for a decade to everyone else.
I think that’s pretty much everybody unfortunately.
Boeing comes immediately to mind . . .
1. I’ve learned that getting older doesn’t mean you have to feel older, but putting on a few extra pounds while getting older definitely makes you feel older.
2. Due to an unfortunate recent experience I am now 100% convinced there are no winners in a road rage incident.
3. And for as much as I laugh at the soccer moms driving their Suburbans and Tahoes in the summer, every time I see them driving without concern on a Minnesota winter day I can’t help but think they know something I don’t.
More details on 2?
My TSX wagon doesn’t have a spare, just this last week I got a nail in it and loses air after about a week. Sure the fix a flat air pump works to slow that leak down, but if that nail comes out I’ll be screwed. So I’ve scheduled an apointment for Monday to put the snow tires on (which I should of done earlier) If I had a spare I’d be more confident of driving around. Maybe I should of had my snow tires mounted on some rims?
I had not had a leaky tire for decades. Then I get my 2016 Prius sans a spare, and last summer got two flats on two separate occasions, causing to me to very much want a spare tire.
Buy the fix a flat system the garage would use…the T handle spike with the plug and glue. Cheap, and the first time you use it it pays for itself. My fleet gets a lot of mileage…so one car gets a usually sheetrock screw in the center of the treads, and the raspy T handle saves the day one a year.
I learned that even though modern Automatics are better than they were 20+ years ago, that it is still best to check the box for the mig engine and a manual and if it isn’t offered, move on to somewhere that it is.
I learned that one should always look at the forums in-depth for a specific car model before they purchase said car. Chronic issues manifest themselves in the forums long before the general public is alerted to them. While people generally go to forums to complain, there is merit to the trends one sees.
I learned that since GM started using parts made of Chinesium for vehicles assembled in Mexico, quality has gone way downhill and many of their flagship models rank dead last in all reliability metrics. A GM truck or SUV buyer should be ready for any litany of issues – from wheel bearings, to struts, to transmission problems, to cam lifter failures, to torque converters – you name it.
I learned that car dealer service departments are all in cahoots with each other, and that if you get a “no trouble found” at one dealer, or a “no service bulletin issued”, you can expect the same at every other dealership – even though they are well aware of the problem at hand and it is bubbling through the corporate ranks at the time.
I learned that the only manufacturer today that actually stands by their cars is Toyota, and that is sad to me because I am not a huge fan of their lineup. But their willingness to jump in and cover chronic issues outside of warranty definitely builds confidence in the brand.
I learned that most new cars today dont just have a markup – but a ghastly markup – and nowadays a good negotiator can easily get 10-20% off of MSRP even when financing through said manufacturer (depending on the model).
I didnt learn all of these this year – but this is the best advice I can give any car buyer based on what I have learned and confirmed.
And just to be fair:
Ive also learned that if you buy a Ford Expedition, you can expect the struts to give up the ghost before 20000 miles, puke up their oil all over your driveway, then wait for a repair while driving a much smaller loaner. Ive learned that if you buy an F-150, you should expect problems with the new 10 speed transmission and engine oil consumption (should you opt for the 5.0L).
I’d like to consult with you before my next vehicle purchase, you sir are very wise
@SSJeep
“I learned that the only manufacturer today that actually stands by their cars is Toyota”
No personal experience here, but my best friend is CFO for a 7-store auto dealer group. They have a Ford store, a Honda store, a Nissan store, and Toyota/Lexus stores. My friend has attended dealer meetings put on by all the manufacturers. He tell me, unequivocally, that Toyota is ALL ABOUT working with dealers to make sure everything is perfect–in terms of operations AND profitability. In contrast, he tells me Nissan is simply awful in every way, Honda is full of themselves, Ford is laid back, ie “You order the cars, we’ll send ’em.”
“Honda is full of themselves….” Yep!!
What I have learned is that everybody is corrupt: the politicians, the courts, the unions, the car companies – everybody. After reading what auto companies record with their “connected” electronics, I’m sorry I sold my 1972 Dodge Dart many years ago. It’s still on the road, and doesn’t look half-bad. I’d miss the power windows and power side mirrors and not much else.
I’ve learned the art of patience while commuting (around an hour to, and another from, work). And that road rage is very real and that I can also control that.
I’ve learned I am not against EV’s but I am against anonymous pod-like transportation.
I’ve learned that the ICE is going to be gone before my time is up on this planet, and I’ve made peace with that.
And last, I think I’ve learned that the world isn’t as bad a place as the news would have you believe.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year everyone!
I was already headed in this direction, but 2019 is the year it crystallized:
I really don’t give a sh!t about insane power and grip anymore. At all. I have zero desire for more power than is required to accelerate 55-85 decisively to pass a truck. I have zero desire to pull turns at .9 g. I just want a comfy ride but with good body control, accurate steering, and reasonable responsiveness to input.
So I feel bored by supercars, Hellcats, Shelbys (except the GT350 and that’s purely because of the sound), and any variant of a normal car that sacrifices comfort for performance numbers.
I do want smoothness, refinement, and quiet, and I have not been able to get over a distaste for four-cylinder sound. So my fleet has two V6es (one accompanied by three electric motors) and a standalone electric motor in it.
The older I get the less desire I have to get a new vehicle. I don’t dislike all modern technology on vehicles but much of it I will never use and is more likely to break. Also not a fan of CVTs and turbo engines because they will not last as long but I fear that in the near future all ICE vehicles will have both. If that is the case then I look forward to electric vehicles but I will keep what I currently own for much longer than I planned.
“Few things look odder to these eyes than a full-size crew cab with a 5.5-foot bed.”
As a Dad with a house and 3 kids spanning 10 years in age, I’m thankful to have one. It’s my Swiss Army knife.
When a man says he approves of something in principle, it means he hasn’t the slightest intention of carrying it out in practice. – Otto von Bismarck
I’ve learned to expect that this lousy comment interface will not be fixed.
I did not purchase a car this year, but I have a substantial amount of hands-on maintenance and repair and selling experience. My impressions:
1) The Internet can save A LOT of time and money when hunting for car parts. I needed a cheap used Izusu 3.2 V6 to get a friend’s Rodeo going. I found one on ebay (sold by LKQ) and had it delivered to my garage door in 6 days for $1000. It was in good condition and ran perfectly. I have not trudged through a muddy wrecking yard in many years. I think those days are behind me.
2) Some seemingly simple car projects can become nightmares. The simple job of getting new tires for my wife’s 2011 CX-9 became a two-week battle for mileage credit, wrong size replacements ordered, correct size unavailable to vendor, etc..etc. Nobody intended to screw things up, but it sucked nevertheless. America’s Tire, in the end, provided great service at the right price.
3) Amazon branded oil in the the 6-1 quart packs are my favorite. Synthetic is about the same price as dead dinosaurs, and is highly rated. Since both my vehicles use a bit of oil between changes, having the 6th qt (compared by buying the 5qt jug) is perfect.
4) I don’t understand why some ordinary people spend so much time creating youtube videos about how to complete obscure repairs on obscure cars, but I am glad they do! Thanks to ALL of you!!!
5) Even when I clearly include the verbiage “I will only negotiate on price in-person” in my Craigslist postings, I get countless texts with the “Will you take $ XXXX.00” I have learned that many Craigslist shoppers are complete idiots.
6) The Craigslist shopper who purchased my resto-modded 1968 Mustang did so without driving it or even lifting the hood. Just gave me the money and drove off. This buyer had no idea how cars work…yet purchased a 52 year old car. I really don’t understand how a person can buy an old car and expect it to be as reliable as a new car. I didn’t sell this guy a problem car, but I know that it will need regular, careful attention, just because it is a 52 year old car that has had LOTS of work done to it. I actually pity him, he will be learning some expensive lessons.
7) Of the 5 individuals who checked out my Mustang, 3 were scouts seeking old American muscle cars for export to Europe. We could not agree on price, but I found it interesting to know that rust free SoCal muscle/pony cars attract worldwide attention.
“Amazon branded oil …..”
When Pep boys runs their rebate deals (nearly always some deal available), it is way better than Amazon. You can get synthetic oil + filter for about $17-20.
But yea, Amazon oil has all needed certifications.
I learned that reading is a lot more enjoyable than endless scrolling on social media platforms. I was moving along at a good clip, reading 12k pages by August, and then made the mistake of looking at the Facebox for 5 minutes. Now I’m back in that whole cesspit. It takes up entirely too much of my time
Will try again to pull away and might deactivate my account altogether.
I also learned that radar cruise is wonderful, adaptive high beams are a nice touch and I’m not as offended by crossovers as I thought, having just paid money for a CX-5.
That 2020 seems to be the start of Malaise era II as more and more choices are drying up. It is just so difficult for me to get enthused about frumpy low powered 3 and 4 cylinder CUV’s and monster sized 4X4 4 door pickup trucks with grilles I can crawl into and hide. If people actually thought about there auto purchases the way they do about cell phones imagine how different the sales figures could be. The vast majority of CUV’s are simply driven to work and the store with the owners convinced they somehow can’t live without AWD or sitting up a few more inches. I don’t mind these vehicles are choices but when they start eradicating everything else out of existence I draw the line!
That no auto journo will publish a negative review for fear of getting kicked off the gravy train.
This is an ever-present reality of publishing. The only way around it is to pay much more for an ad-free publication–a business model which never really seems to work for hobbyist publications, print or online.
I doubt we will see ICE vehicles ever hit another renaissance due to regulations around the World making it harder for ICE vehicles to comply with the more stringent economy and emission standards. There is only so much more gains in efficiency and lower emissions that the manufacturers can get from ICE and the ones that are being implemented are smaller displacement 3 and 4 cylinder engines with turbochargers and CVT transmissions. V8s and even V6s will become rarer as standards become more stringent. The only renaissance will be in EVs when technology makes batteries smaller, cheaper, and longer range along with more infrastructure to support EVs. Auto manufacturers are hitting a wall to where it will not be feasible to make ICE vehicles because it will be impossible to make them compliant especially at a price that most of us can afford–the low hanging fruit for the most part has already been harvested. I have reached a point where I will keep my vehicles another 10 years especially since they have low mileage and wait to see where EVs and self-driving end up. I would rather wait than buy a turbo 3 or 4 with a CVT–you don’t need turbocharging and CVTs in an EV. I would rather deal with the low mileage vehicles I own with 22k and 45k miles than spend 30k or more for a new ICE vehicle that will probably not last 10 years.
I do believe we will have another renaissance in vehicles but it will be EVs not ICE.
I’m wondering what all the government regulators are going to do after the switch to EVs, as there won’t be any more emissions to regulate.
Regulate non-auto emissions, of course. There’s plenty of death-dealing crap in the air from other sources too.
After about a four year absence I learned that I can still not only operate a clutch but rather enjoy it….
My left foot was waving in the air as I drove SWMBO’s station wagon to – day .
I learned that listening to pre teens can teach me a _LOT_, if I actually listen .
-Nate
@Nate re the phrase ‘SWMBO’. Are you a fan of John Mortimer (Rumpole) or Henry Rider Haggard? Personally I first learned of this phrase from Rumpole as portrayed by the inimitable Leo McKern.
Guilty as charged Arthur .
Hopefully I have read every Rumpole book there is .
I’m not fond of plonk tho’ .
-Nate
@Master Baiter–I wouldn’t worry the regulators will come up with something else to sustain their bowl of rice.
I mostly learned that I could use a slightly larger car, as I’m now typically carting around a stroller that takes up about 80% of my trunk. But, I’ve also learned that there’s pretty much nothing new that I wouldn’t resent a little every month when the payment came out.
Also, what few cars remain are getting smaller and smaller greenhouses, and a BMW 2002 looks better every day.
High performance street cars exist as tools for a’holes to be even better a’holes.
After two Lemons races, I learned this year that a racetrack is the most addictive thing I have ever encountered on my time on the earth….and that while I’m a better driver than 90% of the mass population, on a track, I’m fighting from the 50th percentile. Humbling AND addictive…..
I learned that I really like to have more than one vehicle. I just love cars too much to accept only a single driving experience the whole year long. I love my primary car, yet I will still deliberately choose the wife’s SUV or Grandma’s old Accord regularly, just because I can.
_THIS_ .
I can only drive one at a time and barely able to maintain them yet my back yard, girlfriend’s garage and street parking are all jammed with my jalopies .
Time to change .
-Nate
I suffered MMS for A LONG time (Multiple Motorcycle Syndrome (usually four at a time)). Becoming a father and NOT wanting some other guy raise my son was the only way I was able beat it.
As for cars, a tight budget is the only way to beat it back, but (hopefully) such periods are only temporary!
I learned which kind of snow cables fits my car’s wheels. I learned that they’re horrifyingly expensive. I learned how to put them on. I learned that they’ll fling themselves right back off again into the pines if your tires are spinning fast on ice. I learned that driving in winter suuuuuucks, and I don’t begrudge people whatever people think they need to get through it: AWD, snow tires, chains, sand, salt, shovels, mini pickaxes, scrapers, brushes, magic spells, a one-way ticket to coastal California.