I know someone who traded in their car because they came out with a “better color”. They took a solid hit on that deal. He’s pretty much as stupid as you might guess.

If you were considering long-term ownership why did you lease?

My most recent loan was for 60 months, and that felt like forever to pay off. As much as I love that new car scent, I’ll live on a steady diet of beaters before I ever put myself through that again.

It's more a lack of impulse control than a lack of intelligence. Most people know they're making a financial mistake while they're making it, but the emotions go into overdrive (as designed) and take over the decision-making calculus.

I was waiting for this counterpoint after this morning’s “First Gear.” I’m curious as to how a collapse of the automobile finance sector would affect the economy. My first thought is that it would appear to be a lot less catastrophic than the home foreclosure boondoggle of the late ‘00s, but thinking more about a…

I mean, it also goes deeper than more expensive cars and giving lower rates and longer loans— wages have been flat for a very long time now. Income inequality is at its highest point in decades.

I love cars...as does just about everyone else on this site, but 72, 85, etc. loans is INSANE.  You don’t need to thump the bible of Dave Ramsey to know how dumb that is.  It’s just so frustrating to see this stuff.

Lots of good cars out there under 25k. Even really nice ones these days (cough Mazda3, Mazda6, Civic, Elantra, etc...). People want SUVs, and they think they want big SUVs, and you can charge for those... so people do dumb things.

Self driving trucks may ultimately be what leads us towards the driverless car revolution.  It will start with point to point on certain highways, with driver’s getting in the cabs for complex highways and cities.  Then it will move to all driverless, except for cities.  It is simply much easier to program a vehicle…

that’s a canada goose. do not fuck with. 

Blame Youtube. They changed their monetization requirements. Every video pretty much has to be 10 minutes or longer to really make any money. I’m starting to get frustrated sitting down to a video to have it be 90% filler to just make it to the 10 minute mark.

Oh, JFC. In almost EVERY single one of these scenarios, it would be perfectly socially and professionally acceptable to say “Like I haven’t heard that 15 times today!” and flip the banter.

A Map would describe it better for the 99 % of us that dont live in NYC. Fuzzy lines are current cross town routes. Bold line is a new crosstown route

I’ll play that game. My 18 minute commute turns into 90 using public transit and I’m a not unreasonable 15 miles from work.

It only sort of makes sense and leaves out the crucial detail that 60 people will not be originating or dropping off from the same location.

Eh. I work in a field that we get the same comment. I don’t really care. Sometimes it’s the opening to chat with people that you need. It doesn’t cost me anything but about 3 seconds so why make a fuss of it? 

Soundtrack by Phil Collins. Comments by Phil Dunphy.

The Quad 4 Fiero might have been pretty nifty.

Honda S2000 drivetrain (And suspension?) into anything small, RWD and European from the 50's, 60's and 70's. Top of my list for this surgery is a 1958 Alfa Romeo Giulietta Sprint Veloce or a Volvo p1800.

I have a few ideas....