@P161911 probably shoudn't have: If all you're hauling is wood chips or grass clippings it'd be fine.

Slight digression: I have to admit I don't understand what seems to be a standard enthusiast fetish for crank windows/manual locks/vinyl seat/rubber floor in a pickup. I grew up on a farm and our pickups have had carpet and cloth seats (if not leather) for the last 30 years, because they're not only the mover of big…

Since my birth year (1981) was quite possibly the lowest point ever where cars are concerned, it'll be either:

@blackfriday490: As someone born in 1981, I have absolutely no sympathy for you. You've got a great slate of choices in comparison.

@FromaBuick6: Those objections to the Skylark and Grand Am carried on into the Achieva days as far as I'm concerned. If ever I sank so low as to have to pick amongst these cars, I think I'd pick the Oldsmobiles first.

@cobrajoe: Knowing the rear suspension architecture is enough of a litmus test for me. When I got my car the MN12 had been out of production for 2 years, and I still had to convince a tire/alignment shop that there wasn't a live axle back there.

@Pibbs: The Neon's not the only car like that. A buddy had a Grand Am that had the same obstacle to belt changing. (Fortunately he came to his senses and traded for a nice Quad Cab Dakota not long after.)

@LuckyChuck: And the state sizes aren't far off from being sized based on congressional representation/electoral votes.

@ne1245: Since it's gasoline consumption, I doubt it. On a modern farm the biggest fuel users are going to be diesel.

@ranwhenparked: I'm reminded of a conversation I had with a guy at a gas station who had a pickup almost exactly like mine. I'd expressed how I half-wished I'd gotten the manual, but he was happy with the auto in his... his day job was driving a big rig, and he had a '69 383/4-speed Road Runner for his fun car. …

So weren't there at least two Jalops in the Fiesta Movement? Or has Andy Didorosi gone down the memory hole already? [chapter1.fiestamovement.com]

@FadedSpark — I Dream of birdie: Not necessarily. You can help your odds a lot by getting training (MSF Rider Course or similar), starting on a smaller bike (even a 500cc sportbike will outrun a lot of cars, and there'll always be a market of new beginners when you're ready for the bike you really want), and never…

Would you believe that this road is in Minnesota?

I don't know about you guys, but race win margins of 14 laps and 3 driver deaths/year don't seem like something to be nostalgic about to me.

@danio3834: A modest theme proposal:

@rocco.butterscotch: +1. For all the crap heaped upon the Caliber/Compass/Patriot, (some deservedly so) the Patriot can be had with an off-road package with good enough mobility to get the Trail Rated designation... probably more capable than many of the vehicles we'd consider to be real SUVs.

@timestep: I'm a fan of the 200 to 650cc single-cylinder dual-sports from any of the Japanese "big 4", provided that you're comfortable with the seat height (which will be intimidating on most unless you're above about 6' even.) They're set up to be fairly forgiving, and while they're not terribly powerful the 400+cc…

@AutobahnBurner: Obligatory motorcyclist objection: if you're running into stationary objects you're doing it wrong. The idea is to not crash or get crashed into in the first place.

Hrm. 100 more HP than my '96 T-bird, the same amount of torques, in a car that's likely a hair lighter or the same weight, with a manual, and an improvement of 4 city/6-8 highway MPG (per EPA 2008+ standard.) I hate to say it but I'm excited about a V6 Mustang for the first time in my life.

@tofuman001: The theory of street motorcycle riding is to not let those crazy people get you. Always always always looking for some escape route... the median, the ditch, that turning lane, scoot into that corner gas station's lot, slot between the cars ahead, whatever. Once moving, ready to maneuver and brake if…