BMW e90 328i. Unfortunately the E90 335i has both unreliable engine (the 07 to ‘10 N54 engine) and is far too fast for a young driver (all years). The 328i has a much more reliable engine, is fun to drive and has a reasonable amount of power for a new driver (don’t give a teenager 300 horsepower. Even 240 is a lot).

Some neighborhoods don’t require permits, but you are STILL required to pay for a city sticker if you’re a Chicago resident. Was your car Illinois plated and registered to a city of Chicago address? If you had out of state plates or your car was registered in Illinois outside of Chicago, you don’t have to buy the city…

Maybe EVs require permits, except if charging? Either way, he hasn't got a ticket yet so charging seems to be the safe harbor. If a Bolt parks in a regular spot without a permit, who knows? 

In Chicago, you have to pay $200 just to park anywhere in the city, and that’s not including the cost of the permits and meters on top. Literally just a sticker saying you paid the city, so you can pay the meters more. He’s going to learn quickly about the real world.

You could buy either of these used for under $25k. Depreciation isn’t bad, because the first owners took the hit.

DIN made sense when radios were gigantic, heavy and unreliable. You could swap them easily. Today they’re light, compact and reliable.

I interned at Toyota for a year. Never a fan of the brand before, but after seeing how it works on the inside, you can’t help but admire their discipline, organization and values - even here in the US. It’s run in a way that feels very well-thought-out and resilient, and above the flavor of the month trends in the…

Don't forget the all electric Focus! It was... An attempt! 

My employer ended their corporate contract with National and made everyone switch to Avis or Hertz. Was a huge downgrade and everyone complained so much, they reinstated it the next year. It's really a cut above the others. Especially when something goes wrong, they handle it properly without trying to screw you over. 

Minimalist, timeless, well built and fits like a glove. Bonus was the LED lights on the tach that showed how far you could Rev at that engine temp.

I'll never use them. My friend showed up to JFK with a Cheap-O-air flight to Greece. She had the confirmation number (and the credit card transaction) but the airline didn't have a ticket. Cheap-o-Air never picked up the phone, so she paid $2k for a last minute flight at the counter to avoid missing our 3 week…

Uber doesn't work well outside of Oahu and the main towns in Maui. Hawaii is a state best enjoyed out in nature, which means a car is a must. 

Yes National has cars. I made a reservation in Kauai for July a couple of weeks ago, and it was normal priced. They have the best cars and service anywya

You forget that these companies were about to go under, and used car prices were sky high last year.

I don’t love digital gauges either. It’s too much info for something I need to consult every few seconds while driving. It’s also yet another screen, on our screen burdened eyes.

Chrysler loved the covered cap solution in the early 2000s. Those had plenty of issues, but at least they looked nice for the first couple of years. 

It’s probably OEM, but this isn’t uncommon on ebay or Ali express knockoffs. Chinese wheel factories make tons of knockoffs for every brand and they often do this.

It’s only 4 MPG, but that is 28% better. That’s not insignificant.

I rented a mid-level Camry SE 4 cylinder and thought “my God, what an excellent car this is”. I was disgusted when Avis only had it left, but it was a great car. Handled well, super comfortable, excellent fuel economy and decent acceleration. I imagine the top spec V6 models are genuinely sporty cars.

The Dodge Journey was our last true “people’s car”. It was compact, 7 seater, optional AWD, decently efficient, and generally reliable... And absurdly cheap.