Wow! I am also ready to give up on dealerships, but the insults you described are unbelievable.

‘01 Golf owner that the wife brought to the marriage. 155K miles with original clutch, new suspension and new factory cat. I have the Bentley manual and no fear! Just replaced the thermostat which cost $30 vs friend’s Mini Cooper where the same procedure cost $600!

Free is not always a good deal. I got the prior gen Passat free as well from my parents. Service was up to date but the second engine rebuild was too much for me. Not VW fault. The first was a hydro-locked engine due to a big puddle and the deer carcass that rolled at me from underneath the tractor trailer I was…

Another reason to drive a manual - I don’t recall seeing instances of unintended acceleration.

Tom, thank you for sharing the insights about VW dealers. It is challenging to remain a VW enthusiast despite the shenanigans of the typical VW dealership.

I have laughed at badge engineering since High School when I complemented my friend on his Escot. It was then that he pointed out that it was a Mercury Lynx!

I hear Florida has a real issue with people leaving licensed weapons in unlocked cars.

Hence, I will never purchase a former rental vehicle.

I am sure that Carbon Fiber Intake really made a big difference!

Thank you for the write up. I was wondering how the trip went, especially if the RAM would make it without an issue. Well Done Sir!

I wish. But we can’t have that here in the US. Instead we are dedicated to fugly SUVs! It is hard enough to buy a manual car and some manufacturers just quit making them. Soon a clutch will be a enthusiast only option!

I wish. But we can’t have that here in the US. Instead we are dedicated to fugly SUVs! It is hard enough to buy a manual car and some manufacturers just quit making them. Soon a clutch will be a enthusiast only option!

I drove one of these for a month as a rental car in Europe. Loved it. Hence my thing with manual wagons. The US was making nothing like it at the time. What, an Escort wagon? I recall it was very quiet and comfortable. A real autobahn cruiser that would not kill you at the pump.

I had an ‘86 MkII Golf, and drove it 170K+ without fault. The injector lines were braided stainless steel and looked really sweet. Have not seen that feature since. Manual windows and steering!

This is a San Diego Craigslist car. Tempting, but you have to ask yourself - What could go wrong?

Never mind that. I took a quick look at the Vancouver police twitter link, and look at how they ticket cell phone use! Very Impressive!

As a bicyclist, I hate these things. Never see one at dusk with the headlights on.

With the given aerodynamics of a barn and the requirement to the off-road capable like no other SUV, you really can’t be surprised. Just compare a Wrangler to any other SUV the next time you see one in the parking lot. I did just last week. I am astonished that most people use these vehicles for vehicles for every…

Way cool costume. Thanks for including the link to Clay’s prior article about this vintage BMW 1602. I forgot how much I liked the first time. Really well done!

I remember seeing 49 mpg in the first generation CRX advertisements. Circa 1984. In the the US it was a 2 seater, but the Japanese model featured two more seats in the back.