2002 Mazda Tribute - unibody SUV based on the Ford Escape. I got Seven Year Itch with my beloved Accord V6, and the ESS-YEW-VEE thing was all the rage, so I caved and traded in for a loaded ES V6 4wd version with 18k. I almost immediately regretted it, but couldn’t get out of it. I figured since it was really a…

tl;dr, but yeah we don’t so much have that in Southeast Michigan. Only one I know for sure is “The Reuther”, I-696, but again, more than 99% of the time we refer to it as “696" (“Six Ninety-Six”, often without the “I”).
I-75 does have sections designated “The Fisher Freeway” and “The Chrysler Freeway” but these are…

It gets weirder. In Metro Detroit (where I recognize SBroz as being from), we have M-24 (which he mentioned), and also US-24 (which you mentioned). Both, by the way, are accessible from I-75, although those access points are at least 60 miles apart (I forgot the mile marker where I75 meets US24; I know I75 meets M24…

Reports of the Beetle’s death in Mexico have been greatly exaggerated.

Feels down on power because it is down on power; for some reason I’ve never fully understood, according to the spec sheet, the automatic NC is rated 166 hp while the MT is rated at 170 hp.
Still, despite the stigma which many here are wont to attach to automatics, I don’t think you’re missing out on anything with the…

Yeah, I figured it was at least partly my fault (caveat emptor), and yeah they were cheap so I kept them. I did finally go back and report incorrect product information (a year-and-a-half later!), so hopefully that will help.

+1 on this comment about Amazon’s cross-reference.
Funny story: I was doing the water pump / timing belt on my NA Miata a couple summers ago, and was going to replace the crankshaft & camshaft seals (along with a bunch of other parts) as recommended by most. I decided to go with the Timken seals as they were…

Not so much of a getting-the-wrong-part issue, but back in about 2005, before I learned how to change my own brake rotors, I took my 2002 Mazda Tribute with about 50k to Pep Boys. The Tribute was basically the same under the skin as the Ford Escape of that time - built using Ford parts, including a Ford Duratec…

“Fifty Shades of Brown”

Need a torch, preferably MAPP (yellow bottle) instead of propane. Heat the bolts until they glow, spray whatever penetrating lube you have in there. As it cools it will draw in the lube to the threads via capillary action.

Also, 6-point sockets ONLY in the underbody areas. I tried using 12-points on the rear caliper…

Best innovation in Detroit since the fire station using an empty pop can and fax machine as an alarm.

“The more I drove it, the more the road became the animal, furiously lashing and bucking and throwing itself about, trying, in vain, to dislodge the tenacious flea that clung effortlessly to it.”

I might need a cigarette after reading that.

It will stay with me like Tom Wolfe’s “solar plexus”.

Datsun Roadster. Just for the element of mystery.

“as the Detroit Auto Show ends”

Huh? It hasn’t even started yet. They haven’t even had the black-tie charity event yet. The public show starts this coming weekend.

“Remember, most of the country does this pretty much non-stop without getting murdered.”
With the possible exception of Detroit.

In all honesty, I was more intrigued by the Kevin Pietersen interview...and more put off that Clarkson, an Englishman, refused to acknowledge even the existence of, let alone the exponentially growing popularity of, T20 Cricket. (Which by the way, only lasts 3 hours, rather than 5 days.)

I love the look of that Audi. It reminds me so much of the ‘87 VW Fox I had in college. It was the cheapest VW in the line-up and only FWD with a 4-speed manual, but it also had a longitudinal engine layout instead of transverse. I remember taking it up to a ski resort up north and it looked so pretty parked in the…

“Um, hey, you’re, um, on my car. That’s my car. Please get off my car.”

She Thinks My Heated Seats Are Sexy.