Michael K writes:

I have 2008 Corolla with manual shifter. There is almost no engine braking power when I downshift. I know it’s not a malfunction (it’s how it’s designed), but I would like to understand why.

For example, when I’m approaching a red light and I downshift, the car barely slows down. Even if I downshift to even a lower gear to keep the RPMs high, there is still very little braking power provided by the engine. Or, going downhill and downshifting to keep the car’s speed stable without touching the brakes works only on small hills. On a steeper downhill the car continues accelerating. Of course, it’s not as bad as if the car was in neutral, but still…

Before this Corolla I had a 97 Suzuki Swift with manual. One of the cheapest cars on the road, but the braking power of the engine was good.

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Fiat wants to get its hands on Opel, and the Opel workers don’t like it at all. Opel workers council chief Klaus Franz confirmed today that Fiat is in intensive negotiations to take over Opel. A memorandum of understanding may be signed as early as this coming Tuesday, reports Automobilwoche [sub]. Franz is very much against it:
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Just for bowel movements and mirth (PC version), I like to visit eBay’s “No Reserve” section. Where is it? Well, there actually isn’t one, but if you type in a given car or model year and then type “No Reserve,” “NR” or “N/R,” you can actually find some very interesting deals. Clicking on Completed Items will show you the market. The many (Police Interceptors), the few (Oldsmobiles), or the one (Grand Marquis). The ones with the green Sold marks and multiple bids are the ones worth a look and, of course, the deals are all over the map. But a lot of the offerings inevitably hit right around the Average Manheim Market Value. Take for instance this 2009 Lincoln Town Car with 3400 miles.

Huh? Is there anyone inside or outside of GM who seriously believes that all hell will break loose on or around June first, the federal deadline for the zombie automaker’s “restructuring”? At this point, GM planning for a summer production shutdown is roughly akin to a customer readying a garage charge point for his/her plug-in hybrid gas – electric Chevy Volt. This is the company that’s expected to kill somewhere between two and six brands. And yet, there it is, via The Detroit News: “General Motors Corp. is expected to announce Friday it’s cutting about 170,000 vehicles from its planned production this year, closing factories for as long as nine weeks this summer as the automaker works to dramatically toughen its restructuring plan before a June 1 government deadline.” Shouldn’t that be “melodramatically toughen”? If you want real drama, wait ’til the Presidential Task Force on Automobiles pulls the plug (or doubles down) on Chrysler. Then we’ll see whether or not an ocean of blood on the carpet is enough to convince GM’s stakeholders to let Uncle Sam add their scalp to his collection. I mean, take a haircut.

Now, is that a 30-mile range with the iPod plugged in?

Thanks to kamikaze2b for the link

It is often said that a man’s home is his castle. The Supreme Court has upheld this rule many times. Police may only search upon probable cause or a warrant from a Judge. When, however, can the police search your car incident to a traffic violation? Just about always, claimed the police. Not so fast, rules the Supreme Court. In a close decision, the nation’s highest court reined back the ability of police to make warrantless searches in auto stop cases. Make no mistake, you are not “home” when you are in your car, no matter how much time you spend there or what you do there. Indeed, you have a greater right to privacy walking down a street.

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Automotive News [AN, sub] reports that GM won’t even try to make a $1b debt payment due on June 1st. The non-move virtually guarantees that the firm will enter bankruptcy protection. GM CFO Ray Young says the General is “hoping” for a successful debt-for-equity exchange with its bondholders. If that effort somehow fails (as every other GM debt-for-equity swap has so far), Young says GM will enter bankruptcy protection to reduce its unsecured debt load. My, we’ve come a long way from the Voldemort days, no? Meanwhile, AN also reveals that an Italian union official claims the Fiat-Chrysler deal is “90 percent complete.” In fact (or theory), it could be signed as soon as this afternoon—an assertion that Fiat has flatly denied.

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“Just in time for Earth Day,” trumpets Chrysler Blog, “Chrysler showed off four all-electric Town & Country minivan concept vehicles to the U.S. Postal Service, with the hope that mail delivery service across the country could soon be cleaner and quieter.” Digging a little deeper, Automotive News [sub] reports that Chryco “plans” to provide a fleet of 250 EV T&Cs to the postal service, with testing to begin later this year in Michigan, NYC and North Carolina. The A123 Systems-powered EV minivans, previously seen only in Chrysler’s ENVI vaporware lineups, are reported to have a range of 40–50 miles. Just like Chevy’s Volt! With about as much chance of making it into production. Never mind; Pr waits for no man.

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The EPA is currently soliciting comment on a proposed waiver to allow 15 percent ethanol blends (E15), and despite enduring a year of hard knocks, the ethanol lobby is making a desperate stand to reverse its declining fortunes. Peruse already-submitted comments, and you’ll notice that Growth Energy (the new K-Street tip of the ethanol spear) dominates the list with a host of spurious “supporting materials.” The group’s main argument (PDF) is fine-tuned for the jobs-crazed economic-political climate, centering around the assertion that “according to one estimate, allowing blending of E15 has the potential to create at least 135,000 jobs.” Which sounds great as long as you don’t look at the “hidden” cost of increasing blending credit receipts. Needless to say, Growth Energy isn’t asking anyone to go there, having helpfully created some talking points to help make commenting easier. We suggest commenting on the proposed waiver as well, but rather than dutifully regurgitating GE’s talking points why don’t you go through our E85 archive first. Or check out a few recent news stories after the jump which illustrate our unrelenting skepticism of so called intermediate ethanol blends.

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After yesterday’s post on rip-offs on autotrader.ca, I looked into the Internet used car sales fraud deal. It’s a BIG deal. The industry estimates that some twenty-two million used cars were sold online last year. According to a recent FBI report, the number of complaints the agency received re: Internet fraud rose 33.1 percent during the same period, representing a $265 million loss. Yes, well, that’s the reported figure. No one knows the actual size of the car classified rip-off problem and which way it’s trending (to use the proper verbization). The companies who provide the websites where these shady deals go down ain’t gonna to fill in that blank, now are they? Autotrader.com spokesman Mark Scott wouldn’t disclose the number of fraud tips sent to them by aggrieved/suspicious users. But he claims his employer investigates all leads within an hour of receipt.

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You gotta think the head of the Presidential Task Force on Automobiles (PTFOA) is in deep shit re: the growing kickbacks for public pensions scandal—given that Steve “Chooch” Rattner couldn’t be more politically connected if he was tied to President Obama with an umbilical chord made of piano wire. Not only was Rattner Obama’s personal choice to “fix” the US auto industry (i.e., Chrysler and GM), but the ex-journalist also manages Mayor Bloomberg’s personal fortune. As The New York Times reports, Rattner also knows a Senator or two. “Mr. Rattner forged close personal ties in New Mexico, which invested $20 million in Quadrangle. He met with Senator Jeff Bingaman, a Democrat from that state, on at least one occasion, according to a person with knowledge of the meeting. From about 2004 until early this year, Quadrangle also employed the senator’s son as an associate. A spokeswoman for Senator Bingaman said that the senator’s son did not raise money for Quadrangle, but instead helped make investments. Senator Bingaman was not involved in the pension process, she said.” Sure, coincidence. I buy that. But then I believe Rattner and his 24 PTFOA teammates are more qualified to run the US auto industry than say, someone with industry experience who doesn’t depend on his ability to grease political palms for his or her livelihood.

Across the e-transom this AM:

Both the existing Lorinser Limousine as well as the prototype of the extremely bold countenances: in particular their black coated grill makes them both “masked heroes of the autobahn”. The “bad touch” is additionally underlined on the four-door by the dark headlight caps and is expressed on the sports car prototype by the black-coated bonnet and roof. The fast duo also draw attention to themselves with a muscular front spoiler which is elongated further to the front. A colour-contrasted middle section of the bumper, the typical Lorinser gills in the fenders as well as the voluminous side sills skilfully underline the biceps of the automobile. In addition, the clearly-purist design of the basic bodywork is given interesting new optical emphases, including a firm rear, which the Lorinser rear apron forms with the diffuser. There is also a dynamic spoiler on the roof as well as something powerful for the ears: four sonorous exhaust pipes set off acoustic fireworks when you put your foot down. This power produces a tingle in the base of the stomach just like the power of the performance-improved engines from the Mercedes tuner.

Mike writes:

I just thought I’d pass on an ongoing good/bad incident. First the bad: my wife’s 2003 Neon went into the dealer with a mysterious problem that they have determined requires replacement of the cylinder head. In a dramatic departure from my usual luck, the car is still under the 7/70 warranty so the expense will be small.

However the factory has informed them that they do not have a replacement. They are now checking with other dealers. Given that the Neon sold in numbers that Chrysler can only dream about attaining now, I cannot imagine this bodes well for anyone who bought a current Chrysler product.

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Hello Robert,

I dropping you a note to alert TTAC readers about a growing problem in the autoblogosphere. There’s been a marked increase in fraudulent collectible car ads posted on www.trader.ca. Normally, the bogus ads are easy to spot: they tout pristine classics at firesale prices. In many cases, the “seller” only provides an e-mail contact. If they list a phone number, it’s usually a fax. But even buyers who forget that “too good to be true” means just that should caveat their emptor. Some of the ads offer desirable cars at prices that seems good but not great. I recently inquired about a Mustang. I became suspicious. When I asked for close up snaps (to see if the seller could provide them), the seller became indignant. When I stated flat out that I wouldn’t pay a cent without these “proof of life” pics, the “seller” disappeared.  

In short, be careful out there! You don’t have to be a complete fool to be parted from your money. 

Nicholas