Sorry, offline for a few days.

The small volumes that constitute Spyker production (when they are actually making cars and not running from their creditors) mean that things like that goofy-looking shift linkage, ridiculous (and not allowed in America) propeller-inspired steering wheel and similar components are made in far smaller batches than…

Damn, you beat me to this...by about 18 hours. But that was exactly my thought.

I once spent a day driving a Spyker. This was a C8 Spyder, circa 2007. It had a version of the Audi A8's V-8 (not even the S8). I have never driven a street car that felt so alive. Everything happened right away! 

It was eye opening and even that mutant-looking exposed shift linkage turned out to work pretty well. I…

We just put new composite decking on ours. Looking forward to sitting out there when spring arrives.

The first Spykers sold in the U.S. had an exemption of the 5-MPH bumper rule. I once interviewed Victor Muller about that (name dropping; sorry) and his explanation made sense to me: A Spyker is typically the owner’s seventh car or so, which means it rarely gets driven and almost never on the street where it will be…

NBC did this in 1980, in a late-season meaningless game between the Jets and Dolphins (I know, that’s sort of a redundant statement). Nobody complained, except perhaps the “talent.”

Yes. Even the first-gen Eco model was actually enjoyable to drive with a manual. No, GM won’t be publishing a fake Nurburgring lap record any time soon, but it was light years better than any Cobalt that came before it.

No snark. No wit. No biting comment.

Just this: Cruze does not suck. And it’s surprisingly good with a manual transmission. I was sort of shocked at how good the car was.

I think the increase in deaths probably has a lot to do with miles driven. The Great Recession halved car sales almost overnight. We, as Americans, for the first time since the Feds started measuring data, were actually buying measurably less gasoline (several percentage points down—it had never gone down until 2009),…

In most states, trucks exceeding a specific GVWR are automatically registered as commercial vehicles. A fire truck would surely qualify, though most fire trucks probably have some sort of municipal/government tags.

I wonder if you can get vintage/classic/antique plates for big trucks in Virginia?

I think they are more typically required by a developer rather than a municipality. Since it may take several years to sell out a development, they can control all aspects of life outside your walls to keep property values up while they build out. If someone starts going full Ozarks style and keeping his major…

Agreed 1000%.

But non car people that buy these things for the badges on their hoods and trunks seem to love them. So, the makers will keep making them.

Would it be so hard to make the damn things optional? Even a delete option?

The shame, to me, is that this happens so rarely. There are countless people and corporations who get away with it scot-free.

Knowingly sell bad peanut butter that sickens hundreds and kills nine; get an essential life term in prison. It can happen here.

Ugh, the Gowanus. I do NOT miss driving in New York rush-hour traffic. And I didn’t even do it every day that I lived in the area. That’s what trains and buses and subways are for.

Still, you are a better man than I for walking away.

I suspect that a modern, super-high-tech Ferrari like the La Ferrari requires use of the dedicated electronic tool, which apparently requires Ferrari authorization. They also apparently published a guide to how to do and when to allow a customer to request it. We need to see this document, but that sounds pretty…

I got tapped at an intersection once, with a new teenager driver behind me, creeping up and not paying attention. My car was in pretty good shape (still fresh A2 Jetta GLi 2.0 16V) and the bumper cover was clearly roached. She was upset, but her mom got out of the passenger seat and started blaming me. Thafuck?

While I…

Fresh road kill on two wheels ups the sphincter factor geometrically. The slippery, gooey remains of even a squirrel can ruin your whole day, or at least your undershorts.

Also, bonus points for CB 400F. I never owned one, but they are wonderful little bikes.

Wera make some quality-ass tools. Highly recommended.

Wera make some quality-ass tools. Highly recommended.