You’re talking about 2,700 lbs - about 200 more than a Honda Fit - and two grand less than a base 3 cyl, 77hp Mitsubishi Mirage penalty box.

Other than the vicious premature frame rust that will kill the truck dead in any area with road salt, sure. On the upside, I think Toyota may still be buying back some of those trucks and/or doing free frame replacements for some owners.

You can buy a brand new Nissan Frontier for $17,990 MSRP. How much cheaper do you think new trucks can get?

Yup. I had several customers with these, and they all sucked. Leaks (coolant and oil) and electrical problems on all of them. They also flunked emissions testing with regularity.

Most likely an electric field interruptor loop buried in the pavement. You need a certain amount of steel above it to interrupt the field, which activates the gate when the button is pushed. In other words- a car (or big motorcycle, or some other big chunk of ferrous metal) needs to be over that loop-shaped line cut…

Mitsubishi had crummy little shitcans for sale that year, too

Just being on modern suspension, tires and brakes is a revelation if your daily ride is 24 years old.

Ford could call the ranger a F100 and roll the sales into the “F series” in the ads...

So you bought a new $40,000 truck with your own money, right? For my $40,000 I’m keeping my truck for at least 15 years and I want the body to stay dent free.

So now, the Miata, toyobaru *and* fiat roadster will use the Miata platform?

You’re aware that you can’t correct 8 years of disastrous presidential fiscal mismanagement in a few years, right? And that Bush’s wars and tax cuts continue to do massive fiscal damage, long after he is out of office?

You can buy a digital hour meter for about ten bucks from Amazon or Grainger and installing it is fairly straightforward with an engine wiring diagram.

It’s not the power trains so much as it’s the small overlap crash test, side impact, 8 or more airbags, stability control, etc etc.

Note: the labor time guide is just that, a general guide, not a bible that covers every possible situation.

In Philly, the police can (and often do) seize your car on the spot if you get caught driving without valid registration or insurance. You can’t get it back until it’s properly registered and insured, and the impound, tow fee, ticket and daily storage can easily add up to more than $400.

If you don't already know about it, google the Ford SHOgun...

Other than RWD, my ‘13 Fit sport was $17,500 new, has 117hp, 5 speed, 2400lbs. Drives and steers like a taller go-kart.

Ah, it’s 74hp not 77. Even at 1980 lbs, that’s a poor power to weight ratio, -about 26 lbs/hp... But at least that's better than the 48 hp, 1,600 lb 1987 Chevy Sprint (33lbs/hp).

I was pointing out their existence as an actual new American motorcycle that isn’t a cruiser, not making a value judgement.

Ok? I was just pointing out that they do exist, and make actual American motorcycles that aren't cruisers.