I wouldn’t recommend going 20 over the limit at night. In terms of cruising efficiency, I think the 55mph is significantly outdated. Modern vehicles and transmission are probably more efficient at higher speeds, although that probably varies greatly from vehicle to vehicle. 

I’ve been on straight 2-lane highways where the speed limit is only 55 mph. I feel like the municipalities do this on purpose to get speeders and generate revenue.

While I hate reckless drivers, 20 over the speed limit can feel very ordinary, especially with good road conditions. That’s only 75 on a 55 highway, which doesn’t really feel that fast, although the ticket will put a nice dent in your wallet.

Gotcha. Makes sense.

I think my parents visited twice my freshman year, then the next time was my graduation. This guy is just looking for an excuse to take road trips with a vehicle. I feel like a large SUV or van would be more suitable for visits with many people, cargo, and a crate; and a small sports sedan or coupe would be better for…

I assume that if he’s bringing the crate, there’ll be a doggo inside, which would definitely not make it collapsible.

I originally thought a Grand Cherokee Trackhawk, but those prices, even used, are insane! The next best thing is a Grand Cherokee SRT with the hemi-V8. A bit more of a sleeper than the Benz or Beamer, but maybe doesn’t look too special. The Volvo is another great choice as well, as well as a very slightly used A6…

They probably threw in an O2 sensor just for shts and giggles.

Yeah, not a great color scheme. At least the bars go in opposite direction. A green/red motif would be better.

Way too complicated for me. Sounds a little bit like short-selling, but I’m clearly not an expert. I use the old infomercial strategy of “set it and forget it.”

I’m not sure, but a famous example is Buffett’s $1 million dollar bet against a hedge fund guy. Buffet invested money into a low-cost index fund, and the hedge guy did hedge things. After 10 years, Buffet’s account had performed better, at an average of 7.1% per year versus the actively-managed hedge fund’s paltry…

My “let it ride” fund has a combination of ETFs and recently, corona-related stocks like Moderna (to the moon) and Gilead (meh). The hardest part is to realize when to sell and take the current gain (or loss), or continue to hold. The best advice I was given is that just accept the fact that you will never be able to…

For “retail investors”, the best way to invest is a low-cost index fund, and to invest over time, preferably 5 years or more. Anything else is akin to gambling. Sure, the media likes to profile the winner like they do with the lottery, but most people lose at the individual stock game. Fun to do and speculate, like…

Here’s another gas station mystery that Jalopnik should definitely consider: the quality of gas at each station. From what I understand, most gasoline comes from a few refineries and are largely the same, and each “brand” just add various detergents, or in some states, varying amounts of ethanol. However, some people…

There has to be a TV show, or at least a YouTube channel, where a deranged man goes around to repair old vehicles and flip them for profit. The old Wheeler Dealer with Edd China was probably the closest (and bestest) show that comes to mind. This show would add the component of a sketchy drive cross-country, although…

Thanks for the fantastic and informative article. As an engineer, the “energy balance” method is a great and easy tool to analyze complex dynamic behavior. It took me until graduate school to realize that all the complex Newtonian physics used to calculate instantaneous velocities and accelerations can be replaced…

This would be a good system for civil unrest and even more inequity. States with sparse population and low economic output will have to cut back more on services and infrastructure, leading to even poorer conditions. People and industries will move out, making the cycle worse. This is analogous to making the minimum…

Let’s assume an average toolbox is 20 lbs, plus additional gear like various power tools. Doing that 10 - 20 times a day, 300 days a year, gets old really quick. Also, good luck getting a compressor or water heater out of the bed of a truck, which is chest height. Much easier and simpler in a van with a low floor.

My personal motto is, “drive what you want, but don’t be a d!ck about it.”

Most general contractors, plumbers, and HVAC businesses and tradesmen I’ve seen have switched from pickups to vans. Same with deliveries. I think vans have found a useful niche in the automotive landscape. Not to mention the ever-so popular #vanlife movement.