As they say in the sales training video, image is everything. You have to dress right, live in the right place, and drive the right car...

I think the real cause of drivers not turning on their headlights isn’t DRLs, but instead it’s instrument-panel gauges that are always lit up. Many new cars have the speedo/tach constantly lit, and the center-stack screen is also always lit. There’s no visual queue inside the car to let the driver know they’re not…

That, plus the fact that there are enthusiasts like me that are also interested in minute details of regular, everyday cars. I always enjoy reading your posts, Tom!

I agree — pricing and incentives need to be spot-on from the start. VW also needs to alleviate reliability concerns by upping their warranty. Take a page from Hyundai’s book — out-feature, out-warranty, and under-price compared to the competition. 

I came here to say this very thing! I’m not defending the BMW driver, but... The dashcam driver should not have disrupted the flow of traffic and given up his “right of way” to allow the school bus in line. As drivers, we have a responsibility to keep traffic flowing. Letting others in is polite, and we should…

This is brilliant! I’d totally rock this. I imagine a breakfast variant stuffed with eggs, bacon, and sausage.

I once used that “eyesore” rule to get the only justice I could out of a very bad situation...

I love these old Volvos, but $9,300 is way too much especially when rust is involved.

This is sad because it’s true.

Thanks for shining light on this issue! I see it all the time — a car with DRLs and always-on instrument backlighting driving through the darkness without the headlights turned in. It's a big safety issue. My solution is this: any car that has those two features (DRLs and always-backlit instruments) also needs to have…

I was 10 years old when Sterling launched in the US, and I absolutely loved them. The styling really hit home with me. I remember seeing their display at the Philadelphia Auto Show and begging my dad to trade in his ‘85 Volvo 740 on a Sterling. Fortunately he knew better and held onto the Volvo, which would later go…

I’ll even give you a name to start out: Auber — Austin’s legal alternative to Uber.

AND the methodology for calculating fuel economy has changed — I bet the ‘89 SHO would have a lower rating using the current method.

I followed Tom’s advice to the letter — secured financing through my bank and handled the paperwork via VW Credit through the mail. It ended up going just fine and I certainly did save money on document fees. I am now the proud owner of my own car!

That was the main source of my anger in this whole situation. VW was perfectly happy letting me drive the car for months after the recall was issued with no fix in sight, but the minute I wanted to buy it, the car was suddenly a huge liability. I get it from a business perspective, but it sucks from a…

My lease was through VW Credit, and I was surprised to find that they would happily sell me the car. They were quite surprised that the dealer refused!

Hey Tom! Thanks for your advice a few weeks ago, and I’m glad it sparked a post here on Jalopnik. As a follow up from my initial situation — I did end up purchasing the car off lease outside of the dealership. I arranged my own financing, handled the paperwork through the mail, and ended up with a total $49.00 in…

Is that 20k miles, or 20k in warranty claims? I wonder which will come first?

Nice price all day long!!!

I wish the front wheels could be maybe 2” further forward.