Alaska’s National Parks have zero competition in the lower 48. If you want supreme wilderness on a grand scale, Alaska is the place to go. Get there before it all melts or succumbs to oil production!

A car can become pretty boring overall when you don’t even enjoy driving it on public roads and rarely use it as such.

Chevy SS? Shit, I feel like plenty of Chevys could fit this bill. He just wants something boring, old-school, and with a manual, it seems.

Ricky? Is that you?

But what about the “don’t tow with FWD or you’ll destroy the transmission” lines I always hear?

Oh... I thought this would actually touch on the increased range for the extra $$$$. Do that one next! Math-i-tize me, Captain!

You’re definitely on “the list” now.

It seems like the Buick must have been a small portion of the problem, and he chose to register it instead of keeping it “inactive” and under a tarp.

I learned so much today.

This was exactly my thought when my wife and I owned a 4cyl Jeep and drove it back and forth between Chicago and the burbs. It felt like all it needed was a sixth gear!

They’re proving that it could work from a logistical standpoint, not a financial one. As EVs become more widely adopted, like say in 20 years, “the guy” can upgrade to a $2000 2017 Model E.

That adds a whole new level to this investigation!

I’ve always loved your hilarious style of writing, and I think this line accurately sums up why:

Why do they always say ridesharing will be the first use? I don’t think I would trust random civilians with ground-breaking technology... Look at the nightmare we’ve created on public transit!

I hope you follow this up with a real test: drive the Karma as normal, solar roof sending some electrons to the main battery, and drive the Karma with a cover over the solar panel. Will it make any noticeable difference?

Nothing teaches you about thermodynamics quite like a Jeep top that was removed in the warm sun and strenuously replaced in the cold rain.

Good to know! She’s actually in the sub-$5k range, so not a good fit. That’s what sucks though- for the uninitiated, buying a really cheap car can be so daunting, yet at that level you really have none of the “luxuries” you get in buying new/not as cheap.

Out of curiosity, is there anyone out there like you, but for used cars? I’m currently helping my sister-in-law buy her second car, but I live in L.A. and she is moving from Alaska to California, and stopping home in Illinois (where she has official residency) to buy the car, so I’m obviously not much of an on-site…

Ugh. A black Jetta, I shit you not. I test drove one with my parents at 16, a ratty manual, nothing necessarily special. Still, thanks to the fact that it seemed to need a brake job, we decided on an automatic ‘94 Grand Prix GTP instead. That Ponti ended up with a dozen problems, and it just never inspired me to…