You can say that. What you’re missing from that is that product lifespans lasted, well, forever. See the note about the 1976 Chevette vs. the 1987 Chevette. Other than a couple of pieces of exterior plastic, it was the exact same car. My mom’s 1975 Cutlass was not significantly different under the sheet metal from her…

Okay. I’ll bite. I’m old enough to remember when a Mercedes-Benz or a Volvo with 100,000 miles on it was not a big deal, when it was a big deal on just about every other car. In 1977, my parents moved us to a neighborhood where one family had 5 Mercedes-Benzs, all with six-digits on the odometers. All gasoline…

You’re hanging out with the wrong people. The conversation I just had was “My Mercedes with 89,000 miles is losing oil. I think it’s burning it, but I can’t tell.” To which I responded, “Well, mine burned oil and leaked at that mileage.” And do you know what the response is? In unison, we both said, “Well, oil’s…

No. Not all cars were shitty 40 years ago. Most cars were, but no all.

We played with lawn darts...”Jarts.” We didn’t wear helmets for bicycles or minibikes. We rode our Schwinns barefoot. Boating? Well, if you did, you kept the lifejacket under the seat. Sunscreen? Never heard of it. Car seats? We didn’t have those either, which was good because Mom and Dad smoked in the car, and since…

no you don’t. you only think you do.

I was alive 40 years ago, and can remember how crappy these cars were. It took GM four decades to sell, in great numbers, a decent economy car in the US. The Opel Kadett was a good car, as was the Manta. The Chevette and its many decades of successors, was not.

I find these “nice price/crack pipe” cars way more interesting than the tow-truck bait that Tavarish always tells us is a better deal than a Corolla.

With those rubber band tires on those rims, you’ll find yourself at the tire store in fairly short order.

“I S I M L” ... eh, whatevuh.

But will Islamics Sit In a Levante?

Have any Islamics Stated they will sit In the Levante?

If you’ve read a book called, “The Millionaire Next Door,” you’d know the answer is “Ford Taurus.” Probably three to five years old.

The crummy thing about this is what I experienced a couple of years ago when this was common in New York City. And since they were doing it in New York City, out here in my quiet hamlet of New Jersey, some decided they wanted to get in on that too. So off-road dirt bikes (not dual sports, dirt bikes) were tearing up…

It’s pretty amazing, isn’t it? The CX-5 and Mazda3 are both fun to drive, and you can still get really decent gas mileage with them, if you want to.

It’s too bad someone hit the front end with the Ugly Stick.

I don’t doubt it. My 1993 Miata is good for 35 mpg on the highway, about 28 in the city, but only if I try.

Yeah. I’m waiting for that moment. Americans spend more in restaurants than grocery stores now. I seriously doubt the reduced energy costs will get passed along with significant savings to consumers on durable goods. If the price of a new washing machine drops from $500 to $480, are you gonna go for it just for the…

My new Mazda3 gets better fuel economy than a Miata.

No. I’m not worried about cheap gas. It’s not as if everything else is cheap, too. If anything, it helps offset the increased costs of insurance (pick any...home, health, auto).