I grew up the son of a blue-blood "hot rodder" and had gasoline in my veins almost from the womb. My dad's soft spot—which I inherited from him—was for 1950s and 60s Chevrolet models (1955-57 Chevys, early Camaros and Corvette s, late 60s Chevelles, etc.).

But, while I have been lucky enough to own a couple of 1967 Camaro muscle cars and driven countless other 60s muscle cars, my favorite old car by far is the Chevrolet Corvair. I have owned two different examples of the second-generation Corvair Corsa convertible and without question, they were the most fun "old" cars I have ever driven.

No matter what Ralph Nader says, these were great cars, well ahead of their time in many ways. True, they didn't exactly push your eyeballs back in your skull in a drag race, but they rode and drove so much better than any of those classic muscle cars. If you've ever owned a car from the 50s and 60's, you know what I mean. They are simply torture to drive. They ride like @#$%^, the steering is so vague you need a grazing permit, and they usually get about five miles per gallon. Not so with my Corvairs. They were great daily drivers with a nice ride/handling compromise. They looked great too.

Lest you think I'm off my rocker with this praise, check out what the Car and Driver review said about the lowly Corvair. The truth is out there.

I am Chance Parker, and I am a Corvair lover.

14:08 | Permalink | Comments (0)

Car geeks like me are always window-shopping for a set of wheels. New, used, doesn't matter. We like to play the "Dream Garage" game at various levels of relationship to reality, from what we could do with our personal real-world budgets to how we might drain an oil-sheik-sized bank account. I tend to play the game closer to reality, and now that it's looking like I might need a family car I've been thinking about vehicles that have four doors and are fun to drive.

Problem is, I've also been thinking about fuel economy and global warming, and the cars with four doors that get good fuel economy while reducing emissions are typically not much fun to drive. The Toyota Prius Touring has European-spec suspension bits, last year's Honda Accord Hybrid was a rocket in eco-conscious clothes, and the Nissan Altima Hybrid is a surprisingly entertaining automobile, but what I really want is a Honda Civic Hybrid with Civic Si wheels, seats, suspension, and styling. Unfortunately, the chance that Honda will make such a car is highly unlikely.

I suspect that it's too late to make a serious dent in manmade emissions, and that by the time the beach homes of partisan politicians are being washed off our national coastlines and the suburban estates of business owners are forced into water rationing, anything we do to control the amount of pollution spewed into the air is going to have only an incremental effect on what is largely a natural cycle of warming temperatures and drought conditions.

However, the inevitability of climate change doesn't mean we should go ahead and keep on polluting, or using vast amounts of foreign-sourced energy. I once lived near the water in Long Beach. I know firsthand about the crap that comes puffing out of container ships burning processed bunker fuel. The stuff coats everything in sight with a layer of sticky charcoal-colored residue. Cars, windows, screens, furnishings, human lungs—everything. Plus, as a resident of smog-clogged and drought-stricken Southern California, I'm particularly aware of my contribution to pollution levels in Los Angeles as well as my use of natural resources. Clearly, something must be done to reduce the amount of toxins in the air we breathe, and by reducing oil consumption we can start to remove whatever leverage the Middle East has on our government and policymaking. Add in the impact of fuel costs on my budget—fuel costs that are more likely to rise than fall—and it's clear that I'm a Toyota Prius candidate. With the Euro-spec suspension, of course. Not much fun, but a smart choice nonetheless.

Volkswagen, however, might save me from settling for a hybrid. On the stand at the recent Los Angeles Auto Show sat a bright blue Jetta equipped with GLI wheels and red GLI brake calipers. The badge on the back said "TDI." Intrigued, I quizzed the attractive "product specialist" about the car. She explained that the display car was the new 2009 Volkswagen Jetta TDI Sport which would be limited to about 1,500 units for North America. The product specialist said the Jetta TDI Sport would get about 45 mpg in the city and around 50 mpg on the highway, and would come standard with VW's Direct Shift gearbox transmission. Price? She didn't know, but with the standard Jetta TDI starting at about $20,000, I'd guess the Sport will sticker for around $26,000 and go off the dealer's lot for as much as $30,000 after "market adjustment" charges.

That's a little expensive, but it fits into my "Dream Garage" budget reality. Besides, the Volkswagen Jetta GLI is one of the most fun cars I've driven in recent memory. VW's proposition with the TDI Sport is essentially this: Get the handling, braking, and road feel of the GLI combined with city fuel economy in the mid-40s. The new 50-state turbodiesel going into the car is expected to make about 140 hp and 235 lb.-ft. of torque, which means i'll feel quick off the line even if quarter-mile trap times are nothing to brag about. Combined with quality interior materials, supportive seats, enough room in back for a child seat, a strong record for crashworthiness, and a roomy trunk complete with plastic grocery sack hangers, this might just be the VeeDub that finally gets into me after I get into it.

For an enthusiast driver with an emerging green mindset and a need for a family four-door, the new VW Jetta TDI Sport is the clear answer to a question increasingly asked.

08:52 | Permalink | Comments (1)

In September of 1994, I flew into Bob Hope Airport in Burbank, Calif., where I had reserved a "Ford Escort or similar" for a business trip. This was the first of three successive trips I'd planned for Southern California in as many weeks, each requiring a rental car for several days at a time. It was late on a Thursday night, the rental lots were packed full of cars, and I figured I might be able to get an upgrade, so I asked the desk agent if he had anything interesting to drive. After being offered, and turning down, a Ford Probe and a Ford Mustang, I was told by the agent: "I've got a Miata sitting out there. Are you interested in that?"

What a total chick-mobile, I thought to myself. All my favorite car magazines said this was a terrific sports car, but none of my friends would be caught dead in such a cute little convertible with a 4-cylinder engine. But there I was with none of my friends around to jerk my chain, so I decided to see what all the fuss was about.

The rental was white, with an automatic transmission. Can't get any more "chick" than that. Figuring it wouldn't be so bad for the four days I was in SoCal, I jumped in, dropped the top, and left the airport. I didn't return the car until three weeks and 3,000 miles later.

Instead of flying back and forth between the San Fernando Valley and Phoenix, I canceled my airline tickets, got a great weekly rental rate, and I drove the cute little white Miata all over California and Arizona. When I wasn't working, I was exploring Ventura and Santa Barbara counties, top down, along the coast and through the mountains, enjoying melancholy Cowboy Junkies and The Cure CDs, sipping Yoo Hoo, pathetically wishing my old college girlfriend was there with me to enjoy the ride, and testing the Miata's limits. I only put the top up when locking the car at night and after several trips across the desert my face was a wind- and sunburned mess. On the last trip across the Mojave, it hurt so bad that I finally had to raise the top for the last hundred miles. I regretted the need to return the car, and vowed I would own a Miata one day. It was the most fun car I'd driven since one lazy summer in college, when a friend who owned a 1986 Jeep CJ7 always loaned me the keys.

Fast forward to Labor Day weekend, 1997. I'd seen the blurry AutoWeek cover shots of the redesigned 1999 Miata, with its rounded curves and exposed headlights. Yikes! I decided I'd better get the first-generation model while I still could. John Elway Mazda in Denver had the exact car I wanted, still in the factory wrappings without any dealer-added garbage like pinstripes, gold packages, or paint sealants. The salespeople knew I was in love with it, and they really bent me over to get it. The car was a 1997 Mazda Miata STO Edition, #672 out of 1,500 produced, among the final run of first-generation cars, and painted a gorgeous Twilight Blue Mica with Caramel colored leather and top. I thought I would own it until the day I died.

Since that time, I've owned four additional Miatas. The STO was sold after company layoffs made me nervous about my financial future. The guy who bought it still owns it. It's got more than 135,000 miles now, lots of dents and faded paint, and he says it's the most reliable car he's ever had in his life. I continue to offer to buy it back as a restoration project, but he won't sell it to me. Yet.

After the STO came a 2001 Special Edition with British Racing Green paint, polished wheels, tan leather, and a wood-trimmed Nardi steering wheel. I picked it up in September of 2002 from a Modesto, Calif., Mercedes-Benz dealer who was desperate to unload it before winter, saving $10,000 off the sticker price. The car had all of 5,000 miles on the clock. After a local Mazda dealer botched an oil change by installing a filter with a hole in it, I sold the BRG SE and in January of 2004 got a new 2003 Miata LS painted Classic Red with black leather. That dealer offered a discount of $6,000 off the sticker, a deal too good to pass up. Nine months later, again on Labor Day weekend, I bought a Titanium Gray 2004 Mazdaspeed Miata with a black-and-red cloth interior that was on display in the showroom. The discount this time was $6,600 off the sticker. I still have that one.

The final Miata with my name on the title appeared briefly in the summer of 2006. It was a white 1994, exactly like the rental I had first fallen in love with, but with a manual transmission instead of an automatic. It looked like it had just rolled off the production line despite the 100,000 miles it had traveled. It was immaculately maintained by its owner, with all records, a nice canvas replacement top complete with glass rear window, and in need of nothing more than a new set of shocks and struts. I paid $4,000 for the time machine, which was promptly broken into when I parked it on a side street in Long Beach. One new stereo and convertible top later, I sold it to a fellow Miata freak who could not have been happier to find such an unmolested first-generation car. It was just too nice to keep outside all the time, and too expensive to keep replacing the top every time some nitwit with a knife decided jail time was worth the risk to get a cheap piece-of-crap aftermarket stereo out of the dash.

That's my story. Sometimes I think about selling the Mazdaspeed to get something bigger, something more comfortable, something quieter, something with a back seat, something with a larger trunk, something with a smoother ride, something easier to get into and out of, something more responsible. But then I squeeze into the driver's seat, flick the top back over my head with my right arm, take off for the Santa Monica Mountains for a sunset drive, and I realize that I will always, for the rest of my life, have a Miata in the garage. Like my family, my friends, and my career, the Miata has become a part of who I am and how I identify myself. I am a Miata owner. Make all the jokes about my masculinity and testosterone levels that you like—I've heard them all, and frankly, women believe that guys with Miatas clearly don't have certain, ah, insecurities to make up for. One more thing: If you know where I can get a nice, well-maintained, unmolested 1997 STO Edition, get in touch with me.

14:40 | Permalink | Comments (2)

Two years ago, my husband Thomas decided to splurge and buy his first new, luxury, sporty car. Previously, he'd owned SUVs and one 1985 Mercedes-Benz 300 Series D-Class, which he kept in mint condition. He scoured the car buff reviews online, looked up information on independent and manufacturers' Web sites and glanced at press releases with results from J.D. Power and Associates Initial Quality and APEAL Studies to find his special car.

Thomas came up with five 2006 models to consider: two compact premium conventional sedans—the Cadillac CTS and Lexus IS Series—and three midsize premium sedans—the Lexus ES Series, Acura RL and the Infiniti M. He wouldn't consider the BMW 5 Series because he had heard it was a "maintenance nightmare." My husband, a songwriter/rock musician and an information systems expert, was seeking a stylish, performance car that a tech geek and an audiophile could love.

After visiting dealerships and test driving four of the five models in his consideration set, he made a decision—and it wasn't just based on price. His choice—which has given him nearly as much pleasure as the red convertible mistress written about by social critic Vance Packard in "The Hidden Persuaders"—was and still is the redesigned 2006 Infiniti M in Crimson Roulette Pearl: a sexy, dark red.

Thomas opted for the Nissan-made V-6-powered M35 with the technology package, which included emerging features such as adaptive transmission logic, voice activated controls, backup assist, lane departure warning system (which can be turned off if it irritates you), in addition to sports suspension, since the M is built on a more rigid version of the G35 platform.

Luxury interior features included brushed aluminum trim, gray and charcoal leather. Elegant. Wheels and tires were an extra enticement for him. The Sport model came with 19-inch 5-spoke alloy wheels and low-profile tires, which are more costly but offer better handing and performance as well as a racier look. Realizing the cost of replacing one of these babies could be high, he insured the tires, which has already paid for itself.

Since the M-35 was redesigned for '06, there were a few new-model problems: early visits to the dealership to find out what was causing underbody clunking and a tear in the head liner that needed to be repaired. Both problems were taken care of. And, despite the inconvenience of bringing the car back to the dealership, my husband remains more than pleased with his sport sedan.

The dealership provided a G35 loaner each time the car required service and or maintenance and both problems were fixed. Our firm's CSI Studies find that problems resolved the first time create very satisfied customers, and those customers who receive personal communication about how the problems were repaired often return to the dealership for service—even after the initial warranty period ends. My husband will most likely return because he has been satisfied with the dealer's service.

In addition, my husband's 2006 M-Series scored well in overall initial quality and owner delight in its first year on the market. In 2006, the M Series ranked as the most appealing model in its segment, on our firm's APEAL Study and that same year, the M tied for the number-two spot in initial quality at the segment level.

For Thomas, driving the 2006 Infiniti M35 sports sedan is more than mere transportation. He can use the manual-shift mode for downshifting to accelerate in and out of traffic ahead of BMWs and Mercedes-Benz models on California's Pacific Coast Highway. There's also the joy of driving a sports sedan with tight handling and maneuverability. Out on the town for an evening, he can be a stylish bon vivant and enjoy compliments about his car from valet service attendants and owners of BMW 5- and 7-Series models when his car is parked. And, when he has shades on and is driving in Hollywood or Burbank, Thomas can look like a movie producer and appreciate glances from other motorists.

13:45 | Permalink | Comments (0)

Taking a cue from recent auto shows in Tokyo and Frankfurt, automakers at this year's Los Angeles Auto Show put "green" up front. Catch phrases such as "fuel efficiency," "sustainability," "fewer emissions," and "better vehicles for the enviironment" peppered the presentations by auto officials before the show. California's Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger attended the preview Thursday to help promote the most fuel-efficient vehicles on display.

What was interesting at the preview? Detroit-based automakers made some of the splashiest headlines at the show with their attention to fuel efficiency. Ford touted plans to make more hybrids and clean diesels as well as introduce a new line of turbo-charged direct-injection engines that will be 10% to 20% more fuel-efficient than current versions and also announced future plans to make its vehicles more aerodynamic by using more composites.

As promised a year ago, General Motors showed off more hybrid models, including versions of the new 2008 Chevrolet Malibu and the 2009 Chevrolet Silverado large pickup featuring its two-mode hybrid engine. One of the new models, the 2008 Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid, also happened to win this year's Green Car Journal "Green Car of the Year" award during the press preview. GM claims the new Tahoe Hybrid 2 WD model offers a 50% improvement in city driving (21 mpg) over the gasoline-powered Tahoe. Chrysler also promoted its two-mode hybrid 2009 Dodge Hemi Durangoand 2009 Chrysler Hemi Aspen utilities.

Automakers, especially the Detroit-based manufacturers, are exhibiting a medley of crossovers in all varieties and sizes in addition to hybrids: big utility vehicles that gulp less gas, such as the two-mode hybrid 2008 Chevrolet Tahoe and two-mode hybrid 2009 Dodge Hemi Durango. New crossover designs created some different configurations: one was the Audi Cross Cabirolet quattro concept that combines a convertible (Cabriolet) and an SUV, and another is Dodge's meld of a minivan and an SUV in the new 2009 Dodge Journey.

More fuel-efficient but more powerful engines are featured in some of the newest products. Ford, as previously mentioned, will make a new line of turbo-charged and direct-injection engines that deliver more power but are more fuel efficient. One of these first new engines will debut in the 2009 Lincoln MKS flagship large premium sedan, which was unveiled at the preview.

There also are models geared to entice the enthusiast, including the much-vaunted 2009 Nissan GT-R and the 2008 BMW 1 Series that will reach U.S. shores next year with 300 hp and a base price of less than $30,000. For young tuners, Hyundai showed off its Genesis coupe concept, which will likely be priced in the high $20,000s range.

Future technologies such as hydrogen-fuel-cell-powered vehicles also are in the forefront. Honda announced that the 2008 FCX Clarity fuel-cell car will be available to a limited number of consumers in Southern California next summer. The fuel-cell-stack-powered models can be leased for $600 per month for three years. The fee includes maintenance and collision insurance protection. Chevrolet and Ford also are promoting and testing their hydrogen-powered and plug-in electric vehicle models with pilot fleet projects in California.

The Los Angeles Show begins this weekend and lasts for 10 days (Nov. 16-25, 2007). It will be interesting to see whether visitors will appreciate or even notice the proliferation of green introductions, and whether these green models appeal. If you happen to visit the show or are interested in some of the new models that have been introduced, please look at some of the previews on our site and let us know what you think.

14:40 | Permalink | Comments (0)

In high school, I had a group of friends who were absolutely, positively obsessed with speed. If something could be modified or "improved," they were interested. They spent countless nights and weekends motorizing skateboards, building custom ATVs with way too much power, stuffing V-8s into engine bays designed for V-6s, and—my favorite—equipping a go-kart with a riding-lawnmower motor. Sans helmet or body protection, they drove it at 60-plus mph on public streets. I thought they were crazy.

Fast forward 25 years and I'm not so sure that my friends were crazy. As I flew down the back straight at Jim Hall Kart Racing School traveling nearly 90 mph, I began to question not only my sanity but also whether my life insurance policy was intact. Imagine riding barely an inch off the ground in a tube-frame-chassis kart without a roll cage or roll bar to protect you if things go wrong. The only thing standing between you and disaster are a racing helmet, your driving jacket, gloves, and your skills behind the wheel.

With only 25 hp and the ability to rev to 15,000 rpm, the kart doesn't have much pulling power from a standing start, but once up to speed, it really flies. It can go from 0-60 mph in less than six seconds—a time that can be equaled or surpassed by numerous street cars—but when the track turns, watch out. TAG karts deliver cornering forceof 1.5gs—a level of sustained lateral acceleration that exceeds all street cars.

Why did I choose this dangerous activity? I did it to improve my driving skills. Drivers in Formula One (F1) often begin their racing careers by driving in karts, and while I'm certainly no F1 driver, it's still fun to test the limits of man and machine. A typical F1 car weighs about 1,322 lbs. and generates 800 hp. It can accelerate from 0-60 in about 2.5 seconds and 0-100 in less than 4 seconds. F1 cars combine low weight with aerodynamics to create downforce—a downward pressure that "pushes" the car onto the road, which enables cornering forces of around 3.5gs and top speeds of nearly 220 mph.

In any vehicle—be it street car, F1 racecar, or go-kart—low weight brings many benefits, including increased handling and agility. In a kart, all unnecessary weight is removed. There is no roll cage because the center of gravity is about 1 inch from the ground, and there is no suspension because the driver's weight is enough to keep the wheels in contact with the track and ride quality is not a concern. The secret to the TAG kart is low weight (170 lbs).

With only 25 hp and the ability to rev to 15,000 rpms, the TAG kart has a power-to-weight ratio of 6.8 (170 lbs. divided by 25 horsepower). One of the fastest cars available today, the Bugatti Veyron, sports a power-to-weight ratio of 4.16 (4,160 lbs./1001 bhp). The Lotus Elise, which is essentially a track-ready street car, has a ratio of 10.44 (1984 lbs./190 bhp). The TAG kart is slower than the Veyron but faster than the Elise and on par with a Ferrari F430, a vehicle that sports 483 horsepower and weighs 3,196 lbs.

I had a blast driving what can be compared to a miniature version of a Ferrari F430. The limits of the TAG kart are so high that at first I was overly cautious. As the day progressed, I became more comfortable with the kart and drove faster, but my lap times didn't improve a great deal. That's because karting is so much fun that it's hard to resist the temptation to slide through corners, which is a blast, but doesn't lead to quicker lap times. It just puts a huge smile on your face.

10:13 | Permalink | Comments (0)

Initially, this blog was simply going to be a rant about all things Green, and how annoyed I was with all the "Green" marketing (there's still some of that). Look, I'm not pro-noxious gases in the air, I don't drive a gas guzzler, and I even have two trash cans in my kitchen—one for recyclables and the other for everything else. But after a rowdy discussion with my friend Monica (who is a tree hugger), I thought, maybe there's a fine line between those companies taking genuine steps toward improving the environment and those companies simply tripping over themselves to jump on the bandwagon of the "Green" marketing machine (like 30% of Red Sox Nation with their brand new hat—and don't tell me your favorite player is Jacoby Ellsbury, show me Fred Lynn, Yaz or Dewey).

First, let's look at the wrong way to do "Green." These are the companies lavishly marketing "Green" on their packaging, promoting it right next to the fact that the product is 100% trans-fat free (even though it never had trans fats to begin with; also, see the "antibacterial" craze of the late '90s marketing message not medical miracle. Lesson learned? Just wash your hands). I can't tell you how many arguments I've had with my mother-in-law over "organic" food. There are studies that will both promote and refute the impact of organics, but she refuses to acknowledge the other side. She's simply sucked in by the marketing message—if it's organic, it must be better. Forget reasonable arguments. Fish, meet shiny metal object.

Just look at NBC. This week, they're promoting their "Green is Universal" week with "Green Themed Programming." So what do they do? They have Bob Costas broadcasting their NFL game by candlelight. Are they trying to save energy or conduct a séance? Don't worry NBC, nothing hokey about that (I'm not alone on that opinion). And, by the way, what is the station doing during the other 51 weeks of the year?

And what about the eSurance commercial that tells us that we can cut our carbon emissions in half by carpooling? Ok, Erin Esurance is by far the hottest cartoon on TV (the pink hair makes her even hotter), but I don't think she needed consult her company's actuarial tables to figure that one out!

Even the Peanut Butter and Jelly lobbyists are going Green. I'm going to be sick.

What about a good example? Look at the auto industry. First, unlike the examples above, the auto industry has been on the Green bandwagon for years. And the industry has made legitimate progress (Do you remember the car you were driving in the 70's? Seriously, 9 miles to the gallon?). But here's the rub. I don't mind paying an extra 50 cents for organic milk so my daughter won't grow facial hair when she's 10, but a $5,000 premium to get a 42-mpg car that really turns out to be more like 35-mpg, and is basically awash on highway driving? What about the supposed tax credit? Yeah, you better make sure that it's still available on the car you're considering. And if you're thinking you're going to recoup your investment long term, think again!

But there are people. such as my friend Monica, who are willing to pay the premium because they genuinely believes it's the right thing to do. I appreciate that. But during our discussion, Monica made the fatal argument, "And if everyone was driving a hybrid car..." OK, slippery slope alert. The free market will dictate what is and isn't successful—and when auto companies find the optimal leverage point between new "Green" technologies at a reasonable premium in cars people want to drive (thank you GM) that truly benefit the consumer and the environment, the marketplace will buy. Simply put, there's just not enough value for the average consumer to make the leap. Give me MUCH better gas mileage. Give me a MUCH better price.

Kermit tells us that it's not easy being Green. But some companies want to make you think it IS easy. Thanks to the auto industry for taking a leadership role—I hope to jump on that bandwagon someday. It's just going to take a little more convincing before I'm driving or recommending a hybrid car.

09:45 | Permalink | Comments (1)

Remember when you were young, and you'd sit and watch a football game with your Dad? Maybe you were watching Walter Payton break off a 70-yard run, complete with three "made him miss" tackles. Sweetness. And your dad would say something like, "That young man is pretty good—but he's no Gale Sayers." Or, maybe he compared Aikman to Staubach, Marino to Griese, Plunkett to Stabler. You get the idea.

It was also how our parents talked about the American car companies. Our family? We were a Ford family. Not die-hard—we owned a Pontiac over the years, and a Chevy. But for the 90% of the time, Ford. Three Thunderbirds, a Country Squire, two Grand Marquis, and most recently a Montego. Yup—definitely Ford.

And I remember when we bought my first car, a 1981 Toyota Corona (purchased in 1990), and my Dad just shook his head. "This is really what you want," he asked? Well, it was really all I could afford, so I nodded my head. "Okay, but its no Ford," he muttered as he walked away.

Times sure have changed.

Stories of Marino vs. Elway has given way to tales of Manning vs. Brady. And Ford and Chevy families have turned into Toyota and Honda loyalists.

This Sunday, I'll sit down with my four-and-a-half year old daughter at about 1:15 PST. We'll watch what I'm anticipating to be the greatest non-playoff match-up of all time (well, I'll watch, and she'll enjoy some Cracker Jack), as the reigning Super Bowl Champion Indianapolis Colts (7-0) play host to a team that's positioning itself to lay claim to the title of Greatest Team in NFL History: the New England Patriots (8-0). This will be the most watched game of the year; it may even eclipse Super bowl XLII ratings (since one of these two teams will likely be playing a vastly inferior team in that game).

I'll show her Peyton Manning, and tell her how he's a two-time Most Valuable Player award winner and holder of multiple NFL records. Then I'll point to Tom Brady (actually, she already knows who Tom Brady is—is there any woman in America that doesn't know who this guy is?), who has no such MVP hardware, but has put up statistically the most astounding eight-game stretch in NFL history, and by the way, has the only hardware that matters (three Super Bowl rings to Manning's one).

And in about 10 years, we'll watch a game where some quarterback who's currently playing Pop Warner will be leading the Los Angeles Express (the expansion team LA will receive in about five years), and we'll marvel at some pass he makes. And I'll say, between sips of Sam Adams, "Well that kid is pretty good, but he's no Tom Brady."

A few years after that, my daughter is going to want to buy a car. And she'll point to an ad on the Internet displaying a well-worn car, and tell me, "Dad, that's the one I want."

I wonder what kind of car that will be.

14:43 | Permalink | Comments (0)

In early November, crude oil futures reached a record high of more than $96 a barrel. At the pump, the effect of high oil prices pinched consumers' wallets when the national price for regular gasoline jumped to more than $3 per gallon for the first time ever, according to the American Automobile Association (AAA). That very week, my niece, who drives a 1990 Mercury Mystique, phoned me while she was at a local auto store buying locking gas caps for her car's fuel tank and for her husband's 2007 Ranger pickup tank. The couple, married in May, had just moved to a larger apartment with a mountain view in Fountain Hills, a community north of Scottsdale, AZ. Their welcome was to find their gas tanks raided and nearly emptied.

Siphoning gasoline with a hose or tube that uses gravity and air pressure to pull liquid up from one container to another for profit has been done for decades and was especially common in the early 1970s during the OPEC oil embargo, especially with long lines at the pump and the threat of gasoline rationing. Now, with prices heading up, large-scale thefts seem to be on the rise. I looked up siphoning on the Internet and found sites with instructions on "how to siphon gas." The old-fashion approach was to use a hose like a straw, sucking on it to create a flow. This of course had the disadvantage of giving the siphoner a mouthful of gasoline, which could cause chemical burns and even coma or death from swallowing gasoline inadvertently or aspirating the liquid into the lungs.

Today, there are more sophisticated ways to steal fuel—and we can expect more thefts. Less than two weeks ago, a 70-year-old man was arrested in central Florida for stealing thousands of gallons of gasoline from gas stations. The alleged thief used a stolen box trailer with two tanks that could hold more than 6,500 gallons and used a battery-powered siphon to remove gas from the stations' underground reservoirs. Then he reportedly sold the fuel through his towing business.

Stories like that one, and about my niece's experience with a smaller gasoline theft, make me wonder about whether high prices at the pump will create greater problems in the near future. Since it's likely that the price of gasoline will continue to climb, it may be time for me to buy a locking gas cap for my Escape, especially since I park my vehicle on the street. And it may be time for state authorities to crack down on private party thefts, as well as on massive retailer fuel thefts.

14:33 | Permalink | Comments (0)

I know this comes across as a bit cliché but I pretty much decided to buy a hybrid car the moment I stepped out of the theatre after seeing Al Gore's An Inconvenient Truth. I always considered myself someone who was concerned about the environment, but as I drove home in my comfy SUV—predictably purchased after the birth of my first child—I realized I had become a big, fat hypocrite. Figuring out how to wash away my eco-unfriendly sins became my top priority.

Luckily, I work at J.D. Power and Associates, where car experts just happen to be at my beck and call. I figured that one of the guys in Detroit who works with our alternative powertrain research would be as excited as I was about my revelation. Here's how the conversation went:

Me: I'm buying a hybrid!!
Consumer Hybrid Expert: Why would you do that?
Me: (uncomfortable laugh) Um, huh?
Nerdy Researcher: You know you're not going to get as great gas mileage as they say, right? Buyers are saying so in the firm's studies.
Me: OK. But they're still really cool. Cameron Diaz drives one, you know?
Non-Tabloid-Reading Researcher: There's also the fact that you're paying a huge premium to drive a hybrid. Why don't you get a Civic or Corolla? They also get very good mileage, and they cost thousands less.
Me: Right, but would Leonardo DiCaprio be caught driving a Honda Civic?
Hollywood-Hating Researcher: Look, hybrids are great. They do get great gas mileage. Just know that you're not going to save money by driving one because of the premium you're paying for the car.

Yes, I was dejected, but not completely deterred. Still, I'm a practical girl and I don't take car-buying lightly. It's a lot of money and a decision I'll have to live with for quite some time. So in addition to test driving the Toyota Prius—my hybrid of choice—I decided to look at other options, which included the Toyota Corolla and Yaris and the Honda Civic and Fit.

Since I'm not great with delayed gratification, I started with the Prius. At the time, they were still in short supply, so finding one to test drive wasn't easy. But when I did, I loved it right off the bat. It's surprisingly spacious inside, plus I had no idea how many fun little gadgets came with a Prius. Along with its space-age shape—which I'll admit took me a while to warm up to after first seeing it a few years back—it includes lots of high-tech goodies I would never expect in a compact car. For one, it has a push-button starter, which allows me to start the car with my bulky keys resting happily in my purse—something I had only previously seen on a high-end Mercedes-Benz. There's also a touch-screen display that controls the climate and audio functions, and creates a handy chart every 5 minutes to calculate exactly how well I'm doing on gas mileage. Best of all, there's a backup camera. While there's little chance I won't see someone standing behind me when I put this small car in reverse, you have to admit that's pretty cool.

But even a moderately-equipped Prius was going to cost $25,000, which is pretty steep for a compact car. So my research continued. I test drove the Corolla and sat in the Yaris. Both were fine, able cars and thousands cheaper. The same was true of the Honda Civic and Fit.

But none of those cars inspired me. I figured, if I'm going to drop a significant amount of money on a car, I want to really love it. I want to feel good about getting in it every day. And I want to do my part to make Al Gore proud. I had never purchased a car in the past with the intent to somehow save myself money, so why would I be pressured into the need to do it now? I honestly feel that a good number of people who buy a hybrid aren't doing it to help their bottom lines when they're at the pump. It's really not about money. They want to feel that they're not excessively adding to the global warming problem, and are maybe even setting an example for others in the process.

A year later, I'm still a proud Toyota Prius owner. Sure, I've never gotten the 60 mpg Toyota promised me (they've since revised the stickers to say 46 mpg, which is much more realistic). And while I paid more for the car than other compacts, it does feel good to be spending less than half as much on gas than I did for my SUV. Plus, you can't put a price on feeling environmentally superior to all other cars on the road.

12:12 | Permalink | Comments (7)

I have a double standard when it comes to talking on a cell phone in a car. Let me have my hands-free connection in the car for quick work-related communication, updates to family members and calls about medical or automotive-related problems, but please only allow my younger sons, who are 18 and 20, to use their cell phones for emergencies when they are behind the wheel. Some reasons for my double standard:

First, when I commute to work—it may take two to two-and-a-half hours in start-and-stop traffic on California roads and freeways—I tend to get fidgety or fatigued. A short conversation on the cell phone helps break up the long drive and provides me with a chance to check in with my 89-year-old mother in Minnesota. She lives alone and is mainly housebound, except for a bridge game or dinner with friends.

Secondly, the cell phone connection provides access to co-workers who can call me with an assignment or update. It's also a great way to keep abreast of news from associates and friends in other parts of the country. A quick update call sometimes is less distracting than listening to the radio recapping the day's news and is less of an escape than head-banging to the sounds of a favorite rock group such as the Red Hot Chili Peppers, STP or System Of A Down.

I do have a different standard when it comes to cell phones and teen drivers, especially because teens are text message experts. Text messaging definitely causes them to take their eyes off the road. And, in recent research, Ford showed that teen drivers using cell phones are much less responsive to dangerous incidents and obstacles in the road than adult drivers talking on their phones. Using a driving simulator to compare responses, Ford found that 13.6% of adult drivers talking on the phone miss obstacles in their path, while nearly 54% of teen drivers using cell phones miss obstacles and dangerous incidents. That's a big difference.

In addition, Federal highway safety regulators say that teen drivers do not connect their use of cell phones with their high rate of minor fender-bender crashes. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration points out that teen drivers need to be reminded when road conditions make it too risky to answer or make a call in the car. On the Website www.nhtsa.gov, the group has even suggsted distributing hands-free sets to teens at no cost.

Federal and state authorities also say that teens need to focus on gaining driving experience first. In my state of California, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger in September banned the use of cell phones and other digital devices by teenagers while driving. On July 1, 2008, California will join 15 other states (including New York, Connecticut, New Jersey) and the District of Columbia to stop teenagers from multitasking while behind the wheel. On that same day, all California drivers will be required to use hands-free devices.

Listening to music plays a major role in a teen's life, especially when driving. NHTSA also acknowledges that teens in a focus group said that adjusting the radio or switching CDs could be enough of a distraction from the road to cause a crash. If too loud, the music also can distract from hearing police, fire engine and ambulance sirens. Teens say they would appreciate suggestions on how to accommodate their passion for music while maintaining their focus on the road.

One strategy that Federal safety regulators suggest in training teen drivers is to create scenarios of what might happen when someone tries to answer a cell phone, search for a new CD, or spill ketchup on his lap while driving. These could be developed as Flash animations that can be run on Web sites such as Hotmail or Yahoo.

If all cell phones are banned, my double standard won't apply. In that case, we might not be able to relay requests for roadside assistance, medical or emergency events. If hands-free phones do prevail, automakers and electronics suppliers will continue to develop more sophisticated devices—just as many vehicles are now equipped with Bluetooth technology. So until cell phone rules change, I vouch for my double standard as a parent—allowing hands-free phone use for adults and banning talking on the cell phone for teen drivers—except in emergencies.

10:46 | Permalink | Comments (0)

This morning, as I sipped my daily cup of McDonald's Premium Roast coffee and checked my e-mail, a message from Chrysler's head public relations honcho Jason Vines informed me that the company was dropping three Chrysler-brand models and one Dodge. Within the automotive community, this move was widely expected. In fact, JDPower.com is running a poll right now asking which of nine current models should be excised from the lineup. The news in the press release was not surprising: the Mercedes-based Chrysler Crossfire is dead, the Chrysler PT Cruiser Convertible is gone, and the slow-selling Chrysler Pacifica "sport-tourer" will vanish. However, the company's decision to kill the Dodge Magnum caused me a pang of regret.

Just the other day I was on the Dodge Web site, building a Magnum SXT to see how much a 2008 model would cost. I've been a fan of Chrysler's big cars since they debuted to critical acclaim and sales success in 2005, and after a recent stint in a rental 300 reinforced their appeal (despite it's weak 2.7-liter V-6 engine). Now that my wife and I are planning a family, and my Mazdaspeed Miata weekend toy is nearly paid for, it's time to get a car that can handle child seats, strollers, and diaper bags. My first choice would be a Mazda 6 Wagon, but that model is cancelled for 2008. The Magnum was a natural alternative, especially with its 2008 restyling which gives its nose a much better look. It's big inside, it's comfortable, it's stylish, and with the 3.5-liter V-6 under the hood of the SXT version, does a good job of blending performance with fuel economy.

Now, however, the Magnum is facing extinction. Timing isn't clear, but based on the elimination of the third shift at the Magnum's assembly plant in the first quarter of 2008 and the planned addition of the new Challenger to that factory at about the same time, it looks like I might have until summer to take advantage of buying one. Maybe the Magnum's cancellation is a blessing in disguise. When a car is unceremoniously killed by the manufacturer, slow sales are usually the reason. Add the taint of lame duck status, and it's almost guaranteed that discounts on the Magnum will be substantial six months from now. Couple those discounts with Chrysler's lifetime powertrain warranty, and the Magnum is looking very good, indeed.

As for Chrysler's other cuts, the choices make sense. The Crossfire never created the intended halo effect for the winged-logo brand; the PT Cruiser Convertible, though its one of the only comfortable 4-seat ragtops on the market, came too late to capitalize on PT fever earlier in the decade; and the Chrysler Pacifica clearly overlaps with the Town & Country minivan. But the Magnum, even at its low-volume sales rates, is too cool to be killed. Yeah, when viewed clinically it's just a station wagon, but how many station wagons can you think of that, if the customer wishes, can be equipped with a 6.1-liter Hemi V-8 making 425 horsepower like the SRT-8 model pictured here?

13:46 | Permalink | Comments (2)

I live by the motto "it's the little things in life that make living so grand," so perhaps you'll understand how three little moments in my life proved so exciting to me.

One was when I read the statement, "I am not a back rest" on a Harley-Davidson poster, encouraging women riders. From then on, I was no longer content just to be a passenger on a bike. I had to grip the bars myself.
Another special moment came after I'd completed the Motorcycle Safety Foundation riding course, grabbed my certificate, and headed straight for the Department of Motor Vehicles. To add "Class: C M1" to my driver's license was to add a secret badge of honor. Not that anyone, other than perhaps a traffic cop, would notice, but I knew it was there.

A third great moment: receiving my first "Harley-wave" as a rider. To me it represented a sign of recognition, comradeship, and respect from a fellow biker.

My first bike was a Harley-Davidson 883 Sportster. As excited and proud as I was to own my Sporty, I was already anticipating the day when I could get my dream bike: a Softail Deluxe. The Softail Deluxe is reminiscent of vintage bikes. Its overall look is classic, with white-wall tires, two-tone paint, vintage logo on the tank, and of course a nice big cushy old-style seat.

One day while visiting my local Harley-Davison dealership, I noticed a brand new Softail Deluxe in the showroom. After admiring it, sitting on it, touching it, and allowing myself to daydream about owning one someday, I asked the sales manager if the dealership planned to offer demo rides anytime soon. The manager asked me if I had my motorcycle license, to which I proudly, and probably too loudly, replied, "YES, I do."

"Let's go," he said.

What the salesperson probably didn't realize was that as much as I wanted this big-girl bike, I was intimidated by it. My Sporty was an 883CC, while this bike has a 1450CC v-twin engine: a lot more power and a much bigger bike. Was I strong enough and experienced enough to handle it? I confessed to the sales manager that I'd only ever ridden an 883CC. He assured me not to worry: "As soon as it gets moving, it's very fluid and easy to manage." So I hopped on, started her up, and rolled the throttle.

Excited and anxious, I told myself, "If you can just make it out the dealership driveway (three sharp turns and past the service garage) without dropping it, you're home free." I knew that if I was going to drop it at all, it would be right there in front of all the experienced Harley riders and not in the privacy of a desolate road.

First turn, no problem. Second turn, no problem. Past the garage full of experienced riders; last turn, out the driveway. . . and I was free at last.

After that demo ride, I gained the confidence I needed to upgrade to my dream bike. The moment I got home, I put my Sporty up for sale, and began the search. Two weeks later, thanks to my husband's excellent research and negotiating skills, I was the proud owner of a 2005 chopper-blue and white Softail Deluxe.

Harley's mission statement begins with "We fulfill dreams..." and in my case, their statement was true.

11:37 | Permalink | Comments (11)

Ask 100 individuals who work in the U.S. automobile industry to name the best company in the business and 95 will say Toyota. I may be one of the other five. I think that I can make a case for American Honda, the U.S. arm of Honda, as the best carmaker. Honda does not get anywhere near the visibility and headlines of Toyota in the U.S., partly because Toyota is on the verge of passing (or already has passed, depending on whom you talk to) General Motors to become the largest automaker on the planet, based on annual sales volume.

Regardless of the reasons why, American Honda is content to be "under the radar" and chooses not seek out the headlines or the limelight. But considering several key measures of performance in the U.S. market, Honda does very well: better than any other automaker including Toyota. Some examples:

• Honda's vehicles (both Honda- and Acura-brand models) retain more of their original value after three years of ownership (67.95%) than those sold by any other organization in the U.S. Honda is more than two percentage points ahead of the runner-up, Toyota, in terms of retained value.


• Honda ranks No. 4 after Porsche, Lexus and Lincoln in the J.D. Power and Associates 2007 Initial Quality Study (IQS) and scores the fewest problems per 100 vehicles (PP100) among all non-premium brands. In addition, Honda ranks No. 5 after Buick, Lexus, Cadillac and Mercury on the firm's Vehicle Dependability Study, which is based on responses from owners of 3-year-old models.


• Honda and Acura rank number one and two, respectively, on predicted reliability in the latest results from Consumer Reports.


• Eight of American Honda's 14 models rank in the top three in their respective segments in U.S. sales; and among the six not in the top three, one is fourth and two others are in segments where another Honda model already ranks in the top three. In summary, only three of Honda's 14 models are not segment leaders.


• Honda's U.S. market share has grown every year since 2000. Its share is now 45%—more than three percentage points higher than in 2000.


• The Honda brand has never resorted to using customer cash rebates in the more than 40 years that the company has been selling new vehicles in the U.S. In addition, it's been more than 20 years since Acura primed sales with customer cash rebates.


• Six of nine Honda-badged vehicles sell at premium prices (i.e., above the segment average price), while two of the remaining three models sell at prices within 2% below the average. Only one Honda model sells for substantially below the segment average price.


• Through the first eight months of 2007, less than 4% of Acura and Honda products have been put in to fleet service—corporate or rental.


• Another powerful sign of Honda's strong position as an auto- and engine-maker is being promoted in a company ad, which states that in the past two Indianapolis 500 races, all 66 of the entries were powered by Honda powertrains, none of which broke down during the two races.

If there's a weak spot in the Honda lineup, it's the Acura brand. Acura has struggled since Lexus and Infiniti launched in the 1990 time frame. Acura has yet to establish itself as a legitimate luxury nameplate. The lack of a V-8 engine and a high-end image-building luxury sedan have hurt Acura.

However, based on most of the Honda sales volume, residual and quality data listed, it's hard to argue with the ongoing, slow-but-steady success of the Honda nameplate. That's why we can take the position that the Honda and Acura brands together have performed with a degree of excellence unmatched by any other multi-franchise OEM in the U.S. market.

09:51 | Permalink | Comments (0)