My card already had a PIN we just didn’t know it. We never needed a PIN in the USA because everyone uses a signature here. (Here PINs are only needed for cash advances at ATMs which we don’t do)

Automatic motorcycles exist so learning to shift a manual bike is optional these days. In fact I would say it is better to learn without a clutch and focus on situation awareness, using good lines and the limits of traction before adding the additional step of shifting.

Yes. Chip and Signature is standard in the USA

Europeans have been using chip and PIN for credit cards for quite a while now. We ran into that problem back in 2012. We called to set up a PIN but we needed the original PIN which we didn’t have. The bank policy was that they couldn’t give it out over the phone, only send it to our mailing address on file. We ended…

They already did. The official industry standard in North America is CCS - which was developed by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE).

Not at the current stock valuation.    I expect to lose most of my money that was invested in TSLA when they joined the S&P 500.   I would love to be wrong though.  

The auto industry is a pretty small club.  One of my suppliers was in the Rivian factory 3 weeks ago and said the line is running.   Rivian says the first deliveries to customers will happen in September which is about right for cars built in July.

The elected members of Congress delegated the rule writing process to the EPA.

Changing a 12V lead acid starting battery is normal wear and tear.

We could ask you a similar question. How have you made it this far in life without figuring out that jokes and sarcasm don’t work on internet comment sections? 

While the Prius sounds like a CVT it doesn’t have belts and pulleys like a traditional CVT.   It has a single planetary gearset that is rock solid reliable.    

I had two second generation Prius - a 2005 and 2009. I sold one at 12 years / 145K miles and the other at 10 years 115K miles. My parents have a 3rd gen 2010 Prius that is 11 years old with 165K miles. My parents 2010 has required nothing but scheduled maintenance. My 2nd gens required nothing except replacing the 3…

Excellent article.    I grew up in a dead auto town in the Midwest and it rings true.  

Yes, the USA has 53 large metro areas over 1 million people scattered over a country that just the continental 48 states cover an area 3000 x 1500 miles.

I used Penske for my last big move too. (Alabama to Oregon) The truck was almost new and they had a big AAA discount. I saved several hundred dollars even after buying the AAA membership for a year. It was still expensive - about $6000 total with my father and I driving 12 hour days.

I’m also old enough to have taken home economics in school. Handy class and should be a core requirement today now that pensions are gone and pretty much anyone that wants to retire needs to be a competent investor.

I have a Hit-Air vest.   It takes 60 lbs of force to pull out the key and set off the vest.  I’ve forgotten to unclip several times and haven’t set off the vest.  

When will we get a version with 5 inches of suspension front and rear and mid-mounted pegs.

The Astro is hybrid of body on frame and unibody. The front suspension, engine and transmission is on a subframe that bolts to the body. The rear half is unibody. This makes it pretty easy to lift.

GM did a redesign between then and the end of production. 1991 was rated 1 star for both driver and passenger. 2000 it was 3 star driver / 4 star passenger.