DETAIL YOUR CAR

My parking lot at work is Ground Zero for various species of pigeons, sea gulls, and any other bird that feels the urge. Almost every day one lucky vehicle wins the lottery and becomes the target for a bird in need. Some cars luck out with a few precise droppings; others become victims of intense carpet bombing, covering the car from front to back in a variety of shades and colors. It can be down right nasty, and at the very least, not at all good for a vehicle’s exterior.

Between acid rain, Mother Nature’s wrath of weather fury and the birds from above, it's now more important than ever to protect your car’s finish with a little TLC. Wash your car when it’s dirty (get that bird off while it’s fresh), wax the car’s finish at least twice a year, regularly vacuum the soccer dirt away and occasionally wash the grime off of your windows. These simple acts will make you feel good about your car, and add years to your fit and its finish.

Don’t fall for the misconception that if your car has a clear coat finish you don’t need to wax it. Clear coat is not some magical, space age treatment, but is nothing more than another layer of paint that happens to be clear. It’s prone to scratches, and can show wear and tear if not taken care of properly. A clear coat finish needs a protective layer of wax just like any other. Clean and wax your car regularly.

You can’t feel good about your car if its interior is dirty or full of clutter. Get rid of the stuff. You don’t need those old receipts, sales flyers and McDonald’s wrappers. The last thing you need in an emergency stop is flying debris hitting you in the head or distracting you. While you’re at it, get your vacuum out. Having clean carpets, upholstery and dash board will make you feel like you have a new car, reenergizing your love affair with your most expensive possession.

I’m always amazed what a difference it makes to clean the windows of my car. Gradually over time, a thin film accumulates over the interior glass, especially noticeable on the windshield. Whether it’s the gaseous residue from the plastics of the interior materials, dirt, pollen or other particulates, they all adhere to the glass. The film’s affects are most noticeable during night driving where the coating adds to the glare from headlights and street lights, as well as distorting distance perception with oncoming traffic. Clean your windows inside and out, you’ll be amazed what a difference it makes.

It’s surprising how much people are willing to pay for their car, and then choose to not take care of it. Don’t let the birds win, protect your car with a little wash here and a little wax there. Your car will look and feel like new.

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AUTO HISTORY 101: Through the Past Darkly

Ever notice how history has a way of repeating itself? And, isn’t it important to learn from the past? Common sense observations, right? Well in reality, history does repeat itself, and sometimes we never learn. Such is the case of the economy and the auto crisis of the past several years. As the auto industry crawls back to life, let’s look back to its beginning.

Henry Ford began production of his revolutionary Model T back in 1909. It was a basic, rugged vehicle made of sturdy materials, with a high clearance to provide reliable transportation over the challenges of existing horse and carriage trails.
For $850, it was initially a luxury and a novelty; a status symbol for the rich, or a toy for the first motor heads. Ford was ambitious, "I will build a motor car for the great multitude,” clearly stating his goal of placing a Model T in every home. To realize this vision, Ford adapted assembly line production techniques in 1913, and applied them to the Model T. Ford quickly lowered the production time for a new car from several hours to one every 93 minutes, then eventually to its final impressive rate of 23 seconds per car. Saving time and money, the purchase price lowered to an affordable $290. Sales of the “Tin Lizzy” sky rocketed, and Ford eventually sold an amazing 15 million Model Ts before the end of its production in 1927.

General Motors upped the ante. While Ford kept the production costs and the price down by producing basically the same car every year (“Any color as long as it’s black.”), GM updated their cars annually in flashy new colors, the latest in design flare and fancy options. Through aggressive advertising, GM’s Alfred P. Sloan sold the idea of two cars in every family, along with the need to buy a new car every year. Planned obsolescence became GM’s strategy, convincing buyers that last year’s model was out of date and out of style. Anybody that’s anybody would have to buy the latest and greatest GM car. Cost was not a problem, thanks to Sloan’s new finance program, the installment plan. In the freewheeling roaring twenties, the buyer could pay monthly for a car, and then return it to the dealer for the next year’s exciting new model. Ford perfected the use of the assembly line, but Sloan revolutionized the auto industry by selling cars on credit.

Autos sales soared through the 1920s, feeding a booming economy.
The support industries of steel, rubber and glass thrived, as did thousands of businesses capitalizing on the new found mobility provided by cars. Movie theatres, grocery stores and baseball games attracted thousands of auto touring families and individuals in search of new destinations and diversions with their cars. Highway construction began, gas stations were built, and life was good. Then in 1929, Black Thursday and Black Tuesday hit, and the greatest stock market crash in history was a reality. Ten years of the Great Depression followed. Jobs were lost, monthly installment payments were missed, cars were repossessed, and the idea of a new car every year was history.

Flash forward to today where buying a car on credit is a given. With new car prices regularly over $20,000, paying cash for a car is rare. Credit is an industry unto itself. Companies developed another alternative by creating lease programs where the buyer only pays for a car during a finite period of time, and then returns it to the dealer. Similar to Sloan’s plan, leasing allows a purchaser to buy a car without really owning it. In good times, credit or leasing programs can provide a buyer a new car every three or four years, and possibly a better car than they could normally afford. There is also big money to be made for the loan companies that provide the financing. But obviously, the success of either program is reliant on the buyers paying their debt.

As with the 1930s, our recent auto crisis brought all of the fun to an end, again. Before this downturn, auto manufacturers could not make enough cars. Vehicles were sold, even more were made. When auto sales reached their peak and people slowed their buying, companies made even more vehicles and marketed them aggressively with ambitious rebate plans. A vicious cycle accelerated. Manufacturers made less on each car, so they needed to sell still more just to break even. Most car makers did not succeed. Huge inventories backed up. Then the economy plummeted, people lost their jobs, cars stopped selling, auto companies were stuck in the red, and the government bail-outs are now history. Déjà vu: too many cars and too much credit.

Reflecting back to a simpler time, the days of Henry Ford providing basic, reliable transportation for $290 CASH made perfect sense. Alfred P. Sloan contributed to the Crash of 1929 with GM’s installment plan, and the planned obsolescence of their flashy new models. Could Sloan be responsible for the ills that the auto industry is only now recovering from, yet again? It’s hard to believe that lessons can’t be learned.

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Death of the Manual Transmission

Like the old saying goes, “You don’t know what you’ve got ‘til it’s gone.” My 16 year old son is a newly licensed driver. He did very well learning how to drive with an automatic transmission. Now it’s time for him to learn the manual on my Scion TC. As he struggles with the coordinated ballet of two feet, three pedals and the fine art of stalling, his frustration seems to ask, “Why?” He may have a point. It appears that it’s the beginning of the end for the good ole manual transmission.

Just about every car that I’ve owned has had a manual, except when unavailable (Ford Thunderbird and Toyota RAV4), and when I made the wrong decision as I did with my Honda Accord (its automatic began to fail after only seven years and 50,000 miles).
I guess I’ve taken driving a manual transmission for granted. I don’t remember any big deal in learning how to shift. My father’s VW Bug was four-on-the-floor. After a few tries to get used to the clutch, I just got in and drove. I’ve been driving ever since.

I have always preferred a manual. It’s fun to have total control over the car, to coordinate the transmission with the vehicle’s performance, to regulate the engine’s torque to whatever driving challenge lies ahead. It feels good to be actively involved in the car’s handling, in complete control of everything the vehicle is doing. On a snowy, slippery day, I feel safe as I decide when it’s time to change gears. And, when you’re engrossed with shifting, there’s no temptation to multi-task with cell phones or any other distractions.

Automatics are more prone to failure, and they cost a lot for repairs. A transmission job for a manual can run $1200-$1500, while one for an automatic is around $3000. Also, I like saving the $1,000 premium that an automatic adds to a car’s purchase price, along with the manual’s daily fuel savings. Up until now, a stick shift has generally saved two or three miles per gallon in fuel economy. Finally, if you are stuck with a dead battery, you can always push a car to get started with a manual.

But all good things must come to an end. As recent as 1980, 35% of all cars sold had a standard transmission. Now as little as 6% of all sales are stick shifts, and that amount seems to be steadily decreasing. 2008 was the last year that a manual could be purchased on any full sized truck, while Toyota says that now only 2% of the cars they sell are manuals. If there is so little demand for a standard transmissions, manufacturers will phase manuals out altogether, to save production costs, as well as pocket the increased purchase price that comes with an automatic. It appears that the fuel savings is no longer a benefit too. Today’s computerized automatics actually come in with better mileage numbers than the manuals. The computer now knows the ideal time to shift up and down, optimizing mileage.

It appears that, other than high-end paddle shifters and various forms of Manumatic/Tiptronic transmissions, the manual’s days are numbered. My son is doing much better with his learning how to shift. It’s a good thing because its time is limited. The manual transmission is soon to go the way of carburetors and crank windows; a piece of automotive history that will only be found in auto museums and in our memories. Down shift while you can, and enjoy the ride.

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ECONOMY CARS: Shaken, Not Stirred

I’m just back from a good old fashioned road trip. Our family of four drove 1200 miles in our new RAV4, safely and economically. Safely in that we had no “incidents”, economically in that we went from the 20 mpg of our old Windstar Van, to nearly 30 mpg with the RAV4. Thanks to last summer’s Cash for Clunkers, we drove in the near luxury of a relatively new vehicle, and saved precious dollars in fuel expense. We felt good about having helped the economy and the environment. So everything was peachy, right? Well, not quite.

On this extended trip, we experienced first hand the sacrifice that is made by trading to economy. We were shaken and stirred. Regardless of design and technology, the short wheelbase that comes with economy vehicles translates to shortcomings on the highway. At the end of our 500 mile drive, mostly on interstate highways, the whole family was exhausted. We were shaken by every expansion joint, stirred from each frost heave, and swayed after hours of wind buffeting. We realized that we had sacrificed comfort for fuel economy.

Another sacrifice also became evident. Our “greener” vehicle needed to stop to refuel. In the past, our Windstar’s 26 gallon gas tank would take us door to door, with some gas left over. Now, despite the RAV4’s more miserly manners, its comparatively miniscule 16 gallon tank could only manage half of our 500 miles. Valuable travel time was needed to refuel, at inflated interstate gas prices. It seems like a small thing, but it’s a sacrifice just the same.

Is there a vehicle that can deliver the best of both worlds; fuel economy and smooth highway driving? Mid-sized, four cylinder cars like the Ford Fusion, Chevy Malibu, Honda Accord or the Toyota Camry would probably offer compromise with less sacrifice. On the other hand, we’ll be passing them next winter with our four wheel drive engaged.

We have no reservations about our decision to downsize. After all, how often do we drive 500 miles in one day? With normal driving, we get to enjoy the fuel and operating savings throughout the year. The RAV4’s tighter suspension, shorter wheelbase, and lighter weight; all of the items that contribute to the jostling on the highway, are actually the things that make the RAV4 so much fun to drive and park around town. So, we’ll shake a bit on an occasional road trip, but we will not be stirred from the handling and dollar savings that our RAV4 offers. We think that the good far out weighs the bad. We may have been shaken, but we are certainly not stirred.

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CELEBRITY CARS: Don’t Buy Flash, Buy to Drive

You would if you could, I know I would. They can, so they do; and boy, do they. I’m talking about celebrities and their cars. With money to burn, and the desperate need to flaunt their good fortune, celebrities have the cars and trucks that you and I can only dream about. From rapper to rocker, to sports heroes and Hollywood’s elite, they all say who they are through their cars.

It seems that the majority of this privileged nouveau riche buys for flash, to show that they’ve made it. I bet that few are actually car people, or have any idea of what they buy and drive. They buy image, without a clue of what’s under the hood and chassis. Do you think that Kim Kardashian knows what she’s really driving when she climbs into her custom Bentley? She knows that it attracts attention, costs a lot of money, and has a prestigious name. On the other hand, a true car guy like Jay Leno knows exactly what he’s driving when he gets into his Bentley.

Leno’s Bentley:


There are celebrities that do buy and know what they drive. In addition to Leno, I think of fellow comedians Jerry Seinfeld and David Letterman, along with guitarist Jeff Beck and the late actor Paul Newman. These are (were) genuine car people who live and breathe cars. While they buy exotic because they can, they buy the car, not the image. Jay Leno has been into cars since his days growing up in Andover, MA. His collection now includes some 200 different cars of all kinds, shapes and sizes, many stored in his private climate controlled southern California garage. Jay does not collect these cars to show them off as a museum, but he tinkers with them, along with his staff of professional mechanics. The cars don’t sit around and collect dust; he drives them for the fun of driving. Check out some of his toys:

http://www.jaylenosgarage.com

http://www.popularmechanics.com/automotive/jay_leno_garage/1302826.html

Jerry Seinfeld is another genuine celebrity car guy. He is reputed to own and drive well over 40 unique Porsches. He has many 911s from a variety of years, at least 10 different colored Boxsters, and a choice 1955 Porsche 550 Spyder, the same model and color that James Dean was driving when he died. Seinfeld has so many cars that he used to rent an aircraft hanger to store them at Santa Monica’s airport. When he moved back to New York, Seinfeld built his own multi-million dollar climate and security controlled garage in Manhattan to store some of his collection. Like Leno, Seinfeld is not collecting cars for show; he buys and drives, because he knows and loves them.

Seinfeld’s Manhattan Garage:
http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/0527041jerry1.html


Guitarist Jeff Beck leaves the stage for years at a time, to stay home and play with his custom hot rods. He has been a car guy since his youth, just about as long as he has been playing guitar. Jeff Beck is not buying cars to show off. Beck works on them, and drives them. His has the history of accidents behind him to prove it. Jeff Beck is a car man through and through.

Jeff Beck:
http://www.carcrazycentral.com/VideoResults.aspx?query=jeff%20beck

David Letterman and the late Paul Newman were cast from the same mold: celebrities that buy to drive. They love cars to the point of buying ownership in professional racing teams, all for the love of cars. Off the track, nothing is more conservative than a Volvo station wagon. The story goes that Newman talked Letterman into buying a Volvo station wagon from the Maine company, Converse Engineering. Converse converts stock Volvos into screaming street machines by adding performance engines inside Volvo’s conservative facade. Check out David Letterman’s bittersweet telling of the story, all in memory of Paul Newman.

Letterman's detailed Newman story from You Tube (Cue in to 3:42)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nCO22jxMrrQ

The Letterman/Newman story:
http://www.swedespeed.com/news/publish/Features/printer_33.html

Letterman telling the story to Jon Stewart:
http://daddytypes.com/2008/10/05/all_i_smell_is_raw_power_and_speed.php


If I was a wealthy celebrity with money, I wouldn’t buy flash. I too would buy to drive. I would have an Aston Martin V12 Vantage for around town, a Maybach 62 for the highway, a BMW Z4 for sunny summer days, and my wife’s RAV4 to be safe in the Maine snow. With an inventory like that, I would certainly enjoy the ride.

Follow these links to see what other celebrities choose, some for flash, and some for the drive:

http://www.celebritycarsblog.com/
http://www.ridelust.com/50-celebrities-their-cars/
http://www.driverside.com/auto-library/top_10_surprising_cars_that_celebrities_drive-540
http://www.myride.com/content/shared/articles/templates/index.cfm/article_page_order_int/1/article_id_int/4004

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LEARNING TO DRIVE 101

My son is learning how to drive. I never thought that the day would come, or maybe I hoped it wouldn’t. The day of a teenage driver in our house has arrived. My son has been driving with us for over a year with his learner’s permit, but his road test and license is soon at hand. Getting a driver’s license is an auspicious day. It’s a right of passage, a sign of adulthood, a milestone that brings with it serious responsibility, as well as access to the entire world. For the child, it’s exciting, for the parent, terrifying.

Getting my driver’s license was one of the biggest days in my life. It ranks as one of my most cherished moments. For me, it was an excruciating wait to reach the age of 16, and access the key to the highway. Every day until then was in preparation for that fateful day, the day of the road test. The first memory in my life was when I was very young; maybe three years old, I got in my parents’ car and pretended to drive. Somewhere in this practice session, I decided that it would be a good idea to release the emergency brake. I coasted down the hill, through my neighbor’s fence and into the side of their house.

Mistake #1: releasing the brake.
Mistake #2: jumping into the back seat and hiding on the floor instead of applying the brake.

Oops! I guess I needed a little more practice.

Undeterred, I continued my practice through the years playing with my toy trucks and cars for hours at a time; driving, parking, K-turns, I covered every move. When I was in the eighth grade, I would drive my grandfather’s bright red Farmall tractor around his barn and back again, sunrise to sunset. At 15 and not quite street legal, I would drive my parents’ car up and down the driveway, practicing everything that I could muster within the confines of the area. When I finally took my road test, I remember waiting for what seemed like eternity for the results to be delivered in the mail. When my license arrived and I learned that I had passed, my life long dream had finally been realized.

After I got my license, I drove any and every time that I had an excuse. I would pick my sister up at school, take my other sister to her job, chauffeur my father and mother to anywhere they might be going. I took advantage of any and all reasons to drive. I still love to drive. My problem now is, so does my son. Every time that we go anywhere, he wants to drive. I tell myself that it’s good practice for his road test. We drive just to drive, we practice parallel parking, and we dodge rogue drivers, many of whom should never have received licenses themselves. There is the occasional white knuckle moment, but basically, he is already a very good driver.

After all of the years and the thousands of miles that I have driven, I have never taken driving for granted. It still holds the same thrill for me that it did at age three, although I have decided that it’s better to stick to the road instead of driving into the side of a neighbor’s house. It feels good to see my son’s excitement as he discovers the joys of driving, but I still want my turn behind the wheel.

Enjoy the ride, we are!

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2010 CAR REVIEWS: Spring Fever in Full Bloom

I love driving, it’s as simple as that; that’s why I love cars and that’s why I write about them here. The fluid interplay of the mechanics, combined with the sensory experience of the drive itself, makes every aspect of driving exciting to me and down right therapeutic. Whether I’m on the open highway, or navigating the twists and turns of one of New England scenic back roads, I love it all. Nothing helps me decompress after a hard day better than pressing the pedal to the metal and leaving my cares behind.

Enjoying a drive on my way to work the other day, it was only 39 degrees outside. Despite the brisk temperature, the VW Bug in front of me had his convertible top down. Taking the hint, I cracked open my sun roof, and then quickly sealed it again. Too cold! Regardless, spring fever was in the air. Spring is the time to rekindle the passion of driving. For that reason, spring is the time when auto manufacturers entice us with their marketing blitz of auto shows and new model marketing.

It’s no wonder that people can’t wait to celebrate the rebirth of spring, especially this year. After driving through a long dark tunnel, the auto industry is finally officially on its rebound. For the first time in too many years, Ford holds the number one sales position, outselling not only GM, but even the once invincible Toyota. People are buying cars again. I bought a car recently, as did several of my friends. I know even more people that are planning on buying soon, and now there are now some really exciting cars from which to choose. Here’s a quick overview of what’s available for 2010, and beyond.

The recent reintroduction of the Ford Taurus as a full sized, near luxury car was greeted with glowing reviews and has been selling well. The redesigned Ford Mustang of 2009 (sold as a 2010) has faced stiff competition from the successful launch of the recently resurrected Chevy Camaro. Ford is fighting back this summer with a reinvigorated V6 Mustang as a 2011 model. An all new 3.7-liter engine will deliver a whooping 305 HP, even more horsepower than what used to come out of the V8 of the signature Mustang GT. Preorders are hot. The icing on the cake is that this engine is EPA rated at 31 mpg on the highway and 19 mpg in the city with the available six speed automatic transmission. To conquer the muscle car wars, Ford is also releasing as a 2011, a new V8 in the GT which is expected to produce 412 horsepower and 390 pound-feet of torque. With this assault force, Ford hopes to retain its leadership crown as it battles the Camaro SS’s 426 HP and the Dodge Challenger’s SRT8’s 425 HP.

Speaking of Ford, its much anticipated European inspired Ford Fiesta is due to hit our shores this summer with a spunky 1.6L Ti-VCT Duratec® I4 engine and an expected 40 mpg highway figure. A spirited “pocket rocket” that should deliver a lot of fun for its drivers in town and on the highway. Close behind is a makeover for the slightly larger Ford Focus, due in early 2011. This too is expected to be an economical and a more exciting performer.

GM is raging a valiant fight to stay alive with the critical and sales success of its redesigned mini-SUV, the 2010 Equinox. Its four cylinder front wheel drive model comes with a standard 2.4-liter engine, producing 182 horsepower and 172 pound-feet of torque. The Equinox can handle any road and still deliver an amazing EPA mileage rating of 22 mpg city/32 mpg highway/26 mpg combined. For even more power with a little less mileage, there is an optional 3.0-liter V6 with 264 HP and 222 lb-ft of torque. Both engines come with a nice six-speed automatic transmission. Word is out about the Equinox, as GM is having trouble keeping up with demand.

My favorite addition to the GM line is the new and improved Buick La Crosse. Its picture is worth a thousand words: this is one beautiful car. The stodgy heritage of a floating, bloated Buick has now been replaced with this beautiful image, with sporty handling to boot. If the new La Crosse drives half as well as the reviews claim, GM will have a sales leader on its hands. Building on this momentum, Buick plans to launch a similar but smaller design in its 2011 Buick Regal. Billed as a “sports sedan”, GM is optimistic that it can capitalize on this European inspired design, satisfying a new niche for Buick.

Chrysler’s struggle to survive relies on its new relationship with Fiat, and new models that they can pool together from both sides of the Atlantic. Jeep is to be pared down to only essential models, the Mercedes influenced Chrysler 300 will be refined with new verve and the Fiat 500 will return to our market as an economical alternative. Of the Big Three, Chrysler’s direction (and future) seems a bit tenuous, but the jury is still out.

The Japanese are not about to sit back and watch the domestics steal their thunder. The introduction of the Honda Cross Tour has taken the cross over in a new direction. Is it a car, or is it a truck? Isn’t that what a cross over is supposed to be anyway? Honda also added pizzazz to its line with the return of the iconic Honda Civic Si. Talk about a “pocket rocket”, this Civic moves with its well refined 197 HP, 2 liter Honda engine, but still retains mileage of 21 city/29 highway.

Nissan is attracting attention with their unique Cube, Subaru continues to perfect its line of sturdy 4x4s and Hyundai is following it successful launch of the near luxury Genesis with a more luxurious Sonata for 2011. This list of exciting choices could go on forever, but it’s more fun to drive them.
Spring fever is here, and so it the lust for driving and the cars themselves. What better way to enjoy the road than in a new set of wheels, especially when there are so many good choices?

Enjoy the ride!

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