To lighten yesterday’s post, here’s some humor culled from der5er:

An honest man was being tailgated by a stressed out woman on a busy boulevard.

Read more

Sorry I have been absent so long.

So what does the past three personal observations say about the automotive industry? In my opinion, both nothing and everything.

Read more

Land Rover:

I know of no one who owns these SUVs. However, they’re quite common down here in Orange County, California. Reports gleamed from reviews indicate that they’re expensive vehicles not only to purchase (when compared to other luxury SUVs like Lexus) but to maintain since reliability is not high.

Lexus:

Nearly as common as Honda’s in SoCal. And many of my peers either own one or want one.

Read more

Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep:

In 1996 I bought my first and, so far, only new car, a Dodge Neon. My choice was a surprise to everyone, who knew my nickname for the curvy vehicle was “the bubble car” when it debuted.

But after checking out the Mercury Mystique and a slew of other vehicles, I knew I found the right vehicle when I first slipped into the driver’s seat. The interior felt spacious and the view–which wouldn’t be duplicated until I sat in minivans years later–was expansive.

Biggest issues? With the first month the horn would go off until it drained the battery. That was replaced under warranty. I later had to replace the radiator after 90,000 hard-earned miles. But except for some other minor work (mostly my fault. One should change the oil every 3k-5k miles instead of 8k-10k), the car held up well. Only the electronics ultimately led me to donate the vehicle after reaching reaching 180k.

I knew a goodly number of folks who have Neons, mostly high school and college students. They found them cheap to purchase and have enough power to get them to and fro.

Read more

As a fledgling car enthusiast out here in Orange County, Southern California, I’m always interested in hearing what non-enthusiasts think about cars. Ultimately, they’re the ones who determine which vehicle–and its manufacturer–succeed or fail in the marketplace. If what I’m hearing is true, then karma’s a real bi@!$ for several automakers.

Read more

When I tell people I do free-lance reporting for the automotive industry, one of the most common questions(besides “can I go with you when you test-drive a car?”) is about auto shows.

Read more

A recent review of the new Toyota Yaris sent me into a flashback. The reviewer, Anita Lienert, mentioned how small and unsafe she felt in the subcompact, feeling other drivers, especially those in SUVs, seemed to be out to “get” her.

Read more