Hmm...I point out that there are newer towns/suburbs like mine with bus lines, walkability for services, bike and pedestrian trails, and how I am not lonely or isolated because I am not out in a truly rural area, but I am healthier and safer than I was as a kid. I then pointed out that while Houston is a good example…

I have spent my entire adult life in the suburbs after growing up in a small, but densely populated steel town with no parking and having to walk or take a bus everywhere. I was even lucky enough my parents bought one of the few non-duplexes in the neighbood, and we had a side yard instead. And yet, we all knew when…

1974 Dodge Monaco. It’s got a cop motor, a 440 cubic-inch plant. It’s got cop tires, cop suspension, cop shocks. It’s a model made before catalytic converters so it’ll run good on regular gas.

VW Golf Mk.1

And towing trailers too

Absolutely! You shouldn’t be able to drive something like the new Hummer with the same license as a Mitsubishi Mirage. It’ll never happen in the US though because manufacturers wouldn’t sell as many large vehicles so they’d lobby their asses off trying to kill it. They know that most people wouldn’t want to be…

Before everyone starts yelling at you, I’m going to tell you I agree.

I mean, if we do it for large or specialized vehicles, why not supercars? I think it makes sense. Now if only speeding fines were created in proportion to income, we’d be good.

Thank you for mentioning that hydrofoils are not new. There are a bunch of boat companies acting like they’ve cracked the secret to life, the universe, and everything.

Car was unstoppable

One of the things you’ll notice in that picture of the Corolla hatchback, is how steeply raked the rear cargo area is at the back. Along with the rake of the rear seatback, you’re now dealing with an irregular trapezoid cargo shape. The hatch supposedly has 5 more cubic feet of room back there than the sedan, but the…

Let me guess.. You’re under 30, have no mobility issues, and can’t imagine being *gasp 50.

I don’t know how many modern compact cars or hatchbacks you’ve driven lately, but most of them suck in interior room as well. High beltlines, thicker pillars, and pinched shoulder areas all in the name of safety and styling - which, to be clear, is not wrong. Safer cars are better cars, but there are compromises.

Also,…

There was absolutely nothing wrong with the Solara, convertible or otherwise. It’s the car for someone who wants something practical and dependable, but wasn’t completely ordinary. They’re objectively good, decent looking cars. 

That’s because it is full of errors and make no sense. Among them, the Vibe was a Pontiac. The Matrix was built in Canada. The California plant was not a Toyota plant. It was the illegitimate child of the GM Toyota affair. The Vibe was, except for the 5 speed whose output bearing would fail, the best cars GM ever…

It’s not even boomers. Us Gen-X kids are now 50. We were the first of the “extreme” sports generation and the first people to pursue  our more dangerous sports into our 40s and 50s. We have bad knees, bad hips, bad shoulders... low hatchbacks don’t work for us. 

Hi. I’m 51 years-old. Both of knees have had reconstruction after a lifetime of outdoor, active sports. Getting in and out of a regular height car is kind of uncomfortable now. I still recreate in places that require some extra ground clearance. I still need to carry kayaks, skis, climbing gear, bikes... often at the…

Fat boomers who wouldn’t be caught dead in a subcompact hatchback are suddenly throwing money at whatever POS slightly taller subcompact CUV is being marketed

Changing your diet too quickly can be counterbalanced by not changing your diet at all. While changes have to be sustainable (and quick ones aren’t, usually). You also can’t expect to see improvements if you’re doing 15 minutes of cardio and compromising on your diet by driving 5 beers instead of 6 and only eating 3/4…

Screw it, I’m not engaging in the Two Minutes Hate today.