The fuel economy of a motor is shown by the brake-specific fuel consumption map. Every motor has a different consumption map and while certain motors can be very efficient at one load and one operating speed, it might be inefficient at other loads and operating speeds, or vice versa.

The problem is, a Honda Accord old enough to drink which has spent its life in the Midwest is not really a reliable car.  When it was newish, it was reliable, but age takes its toll on any car.  It’s why I no longer consider any NA Miata a reliable car; there will just be age related issues with it.

There’s a section of us constantly telling him to get something, anything, reliable.  But he just ignores us.

While true, I feel like Honda is being a little too realistic in this case. There wasn’t a huge gulf between Honda and Renault last year. And while I appreciate that development is hindered due to regulations so Honda doesn’t have a whole lot of possibilities to improve, I do wonder if just trying to beat Renault is…

Goodwin and 949 have broken V3s. V4s are still quite new, so in my opinion it’s in the “jury’s still out out” category. Too soon to tell since the conventional wisdom previously was that V3s would be fine and look where we’re at now.

I ask about the Recaros because Goodwin mentioned that they’re not an improvement over the standard seats, but others swear by them.

1) How are the Recaros? I’ve heard conflicting stories about whether they’re an improvement over the stock leather seats.

The 124 uses the NC Miata gearbox. Which doesn’t break when tracked regularly, unlike the ND gearbox.

You joke, but that’s ACTUALLY the reason to get one. The ND gearbox has a glass tranny reputation when tracked. If you autocross or track extensively, it’s only a matter of time before you’ll break it. By contrast, the 124 uses the NC gearbox which has been proven to reliable. The MultiAir motor is also reliable.

Right.  Basically, tuners can’t leave well enough alone.  And then they bitch at the automaker when turning things to 11 causes stuff to fail.  Newsflash: automakers aren’t obligated to design components that’ll take your mods.

The Magic Man and El Diablo

Sure, but I’m trying to convince someone to accept a car, and it’s a lot easier to do that playing up the cool factor. “It’s ordinary and practical” isn’t gonna get her out of her ordinary and practical crossover.

Trying to convince my fiance to consider a wagon (preferably one of the Volvos) a few years down the line.  This is a good article to make the point that “they’re cool now!”

Just in time for 2019.  Convenient.

I love how Japanese catalogs can make even total basket cases look great.  David Tracy take note!

Sure, they’re cheap, but they all look like they’re frowning or unhappy.  WHY?

Final generation Toyota Celica GT-S (if you can find one that hasn’t been beat to hell). Bonus points for an “Action Package” car for that full early 2000s feeling.

“So in the end I paid $10,500 for a vehicle that is worth half of that, and falling everyday.”

Happy new year and congrats on teenage moody Jalopnik! But I like my hulking Lexus SUV just fine!

I too talked my fiance from a compact luxury crossover to a Mazda CX-5. (Also, compact crossovers currently have pretty damn good resale values...)