Yeah, it’s a shame, because I love certain aspects of a bunch of their vehicles, but not the whole package.

Cars in general are pretty good and reliable these days. And with any brand, there are examples of cars that are perfect, and examples of lemons. With FCA, my sense is that many of their bread and butter domestics are decent, but the Italian brands, Dart, and 200 are pretty lousy by 2017 standards.

Yup. That said, I am a subscriber (via gift but still), and I *do* use their data - as a data point. Not my bible. CR looks at very different factors from the C&D, Jalopnik, etc. stuff that I read regularly, so it’s useful. But take it all with a grain of salt.

Okay, but I don’t think that changes the underlying point. ‘Unbiased’ doesn’t really exist, it’s just that some hide the bias better than others.

Yes, it’s true that they’re different extrapolations, and one of them has better data than the other but they’re both extrapolations. I subscribe to CR (gift), and frankly don’t pay any attention to their reliability projections for new models. They’re just based on what the company has historically done, so you…

Ah, I didn’t realize that, actually. That just adds more ammo to your point and mine, which is that ‘unbiased’ isn’t really correct. It’s impossible.

The more shrill any warning is (like the Samurai, or the removal of the Model S from their recommended list), the less likely I am to take CR or anyone else at face value.

I don’t have the magazine handy, but they do include a caveat that the rating is based on other vehicles, or something like that. But the devil is in the details, buried in the magazine (which requires a subscription), not dueling press releases between CR and Tesla.

And quite eloquently, as usual.

And the snow was 12 feet deep! Uphill going to school and uphill coming home!!

I guess what comes around, goes around...

Ha, yeah - I forgot about moving to the back for traction! Didn’t happen that often in the Chicago suburbs, because the schools would close, but I do remember doing that!!

Shit, I must be old - when I was a kid, ALL of the school buses I rode on were manuals. I graduated HS in 1985.

I just watched it again, thinking the crab angle would be the best indicator of the x wind component. It doesn’t look like it’s a severe crab on short final. Maybe 15kts x wind, tops?

“PIO” :)

For the life of me, I couldn’t even remember what TV show that was from (I Googled it). I never watched that show, either - - but I sure as heck recognize the lyrics.

In a proper crosswind landing, the upwind main is actually *supposed* to touch down before the downwind main - although it’s a little disconcerting when the bank angle is high enough that you’re afraid that the wing tip is what will touch down first...

that’s terrible... Now that shit is stuck in my head...

So, you got rid of Sergio Marchionne’s Kinja account, and now he’s emailing you directly?

Geez, talk about a facepalm. I’d be pissed.