It was way too coincidental to keep it to myself. (I took the pic a couple weeks ago, but the car is a common sight in our lot).

There’s one down in the parking lot:

For me, there’s more than the sense of accomplishment, it’s the realization of improvement once you start driving it. The rattle is gone! The brakes actually work! It doesn’t die at stoplights! It makes more power now!

I find working on cars to be an absolutely miserable, insufferable experience. Especially old cars, where parts/fasteners are probably not placed logically and there are sharp edges all over the engine bay/underbody because OH&S hadn’t been invented.

I agree, still, with people keeping their cars longer, manufacturing and design techniques improving quality and safety and base specs coming with more amenities,used cars are getting better.

Ah, that’d certainly affect gas mileage.

A lot of stop and go driving?

Would you rather take an ‘02 Cavalier or a ‘12 Cruze?

Does that study on porsche buyers include owners of the Macan and Cayenne and Panamera?  I’d believe that someone would own a Boxter or 911 for 10 years, but I’m not sure I believe that someone who can afford a new Cayenne and daily drives it would keep it for the same amount of time.  

Considering the S6 is rated for 18/27 mpg, only averaging 9mpg is impressive.

Honestly, I forgot that the CTS-V is still being sold. Though I wouldn’t take the C&D average MPG numbers as “real world”. No one who owns and relies on their $80k+ vehicle for transportation will abuse them as much as an auto journalist. (Well, unless that person is super rich and can afford to destroy an $80k…

Just curious, which $80k high performance sedan averages 8-13 mpg? (You’re not getting an M5 for that price, and it is rated much better than that for mileage). The only thing I can find that comes close is a Charger Hellcat that’s rated 13/22mpg. I know you might not see those numbers in the real world, but something…

I agree on the infrustructure being a major blocking point.

I’ll agree that newer used cars are better equipped, but I’m not completely sold on “better quality”.

Don’t forget about the negatives too!

Nope, I meant price. Adding a big engine and all the necessary mods to support it adds a lot of weight, but it also adds a lot to the costs, and I doubt that there are many buyers willing to pay double the base price for something that uses all the base level interior pieces, so they add some toys and luxury and bump…

A big supercharger weighs quite a bit on it’s own, plus the additional cooling, extra beef in the driveline to handle the power, bigger brakes, bigger tires/wheels, additional bracing for the chassis... Then you need to add a few more toys and luxuries inside so the huge price doesn’t seem so ridiculous.

Not sure where I got the 4500 pounds for the Caprice, but it puts the vic a lot closer to it’s competition.

They could find a way, but there’s not enough market for it. They can’t make a business case for it.

I kinda like them...