Agreed, it’s mostly the fault of the owner, but the most recent generation of Jetta has leather that wears much quicker than prior generations. I’ve had multiple customers try to have their insurance cover these issues, but it comes down to how you take care of the car. The GLI is noticibly worse than the GTI, so not…

Yes, my father in law DDs a 14 Santa Fe Limited. I’m also an insurance adjuster, and more than 50% of the 08+ Hyundai/Kia cars I look at have issues with interior trim peeling on steering wheel and/or center console. The customers try to get insurance to cover the damage, so I’m it’s mostly issue with them and their…

Just like Hyundai/Kia, they’re good for 2-3 years, then stuff starts tearing or paint peels. I wish I could keep track of how many of my customers with these cars try to convince me their steering wheel isn’t melting after 75k miles from their hand lotion. I’m starting to notice Mazda going down the same road with…

IIHS is what all the OEMs want to advertise now, since it’s generally accepted those tests are more strict than US gov, so IIHS is becoming our standard. IIHS sets tolerances for cabin intrusion and greenhouse deformation that at or above what he government thinks a vehicle should be. If you design a car to pass the…

That’s exactly what I was thinking. This car went over budget and came out later than planned for failing to meet Euro safety specs that are less severe than IIHS, at least that’s what the rumors were 2 years ago. I’d believe it given FCAs track record lately.

Exactly, for a truck that’s supposed to be all new and FCA poured money into, it looks like the same cab that Rams have had since 2012. At least Chevy really went out of their way to redesign the Silverado. This looks phoned in and the grille is horrible compared to the old crosshairs.

My money is on an updated Focus ST. That bumper is to a Ford hatchback, and we’re not getting the Fiesta. Maybe this one will be a 3 door and they’ll fix the poor rearward visibility...

I’m not a serious runner, but I do shop at outlet stores to get deals on older shoes. Generally I get year old models for $60-$70. Now I’ve been trying shoes at actual running shops to see what works for me, then buying that model on Amazon a year later. I run 30 miles a week and have become convinced Saucony is the…

We’re really just reverting back to how cars were originally. The Escape is essentially 110 years of evolution of the Model T. After WW2 we decided sedans were the way to go, then coupes in late 60s-early 70s, before reverting to sedans for another 40 years. We’re back where we started; a little hit of ground…

My wife hated the idea of spending extra money on heated seats (but didn’t mind for a sunroof), until we purchased our 17 Civic EX last year. Now she uses them even when it’s warmer out for some back pain, and the sunroof has only been opened twice.

I agree regarding Snokes death. If he was just a tool to show Kylo Ren letting go or being unpredictable, they definitely didn’t makenif have the impact it should have. Now I just have to wait for the inevitable book or comic series to delve deeper into that character.

My wife was the same way, until I pointed out that you could tell by the feet. Ren moved his foot when igniting the saber and the camera focused on it as the salt moved to show the red ground. Luke didn’t get as much of a close up on the feet, but he didn’t move any salt. For everyone talking about the movie being…

Agreed. As someone who bought/received every new Nintendo system for Christmas from SNES to the GameCube, I couldn’t bring myself to get a Wii or WiiU. I only got a 3DS to play Ocarina of Time when I was out of town on work trips. I finally bought a Switch when the second round became available on Amazon back in June…

A big problem I run into in my area is guys with aftermarket “HID” lights or lifted trucks; they either don’t aim the lamps or can’t, so I’m just blinded. I wish headlamp aiming would become part of our yearly state inspections, but too many Bubbas would throw a hissy fit.

I sold my 2013 FR-S to Carmax back in 2015 when I got a company car and moved to Chicago. I had roughly 29k miles on it and was offered over $17k for it. Considering that it looks like a well done modification and the miles on it are well below average, I’d be all over this if I was still in a sports car phase.…

I remember my 89 Si, I would have to order the 32 Oz drinks at Taco Bell since I could wedge the bottom of the cup between my seat bolster and brake handle. How I miss high school now, I was living the life and pumped full of Baja Blast!

They do depreciate fairly quickly, but I feel your example was mostly due to the high mileage in such a short amount of time. I sold my 2013 FR-S to Carmax back in November 2015 for $17k and only had 29000 miles on it. $7k of depreciation over 2.5 years had more to do with relatively low mileage than it being a super…

She’s only got 3 paws and is the devil, but she’s a good dog!

My wife and I moved to Chicago when she attended Northwestern for med school in 2015. We just moved back to coastal Virginia earlier this year for her residency and to be close to family, but we seriously considered staying in Chicago for a few more years for many of the reasons you listed above. I couldn’t be a…

I’ve had the same issue, but the difference was single vs married. I’ve bought 3 new cars since I started dating my wife. The first two she was just my girlfriend and I felt like I wasn’t taken seriously even though I was a early to mid 20s college graduate with a good, stable job. Fast forward to this year, I’m 27…