I recently changed the cabin filter in an Acura, and another in a Mercedes. I now understand why this really isn't a user-maintenance item. ... View more

One can only hope. I can't get past front end. ... View more

I'm on my 5th SL. I don't want an Etch-a-Sketch in my next one. ... View more

Imagine that...a day at the drag strip without the need for ear plugs. ... View more

I bought an '86 Excel new and drove it for 125K miles. Cost less than $7K with manual, radio, and AC. Other than regular maintenance and tires, it cost me $300 in service during its time. Gave it to a charity in 1998. ... View more

Personally, I never understood the whole rebadging psyche. I put the Holden grill on mine, ran it for about a month, then went back to the bowtie with a carbon fiber wrap. I found that the Nascar fans were far more curious about the SS than the Commodore. ... View more

For me, what was at the top of my list changed over time. I lived through the muscle car era, and thought I would want something from then. But as I grew older and got spoiled with 500HP with AC and ABS and leather and -real- performance and a sound system that rattles the windows in the neighborhood, the idea of driving a 50 year old car that has no AC, no disc brakes, and an AM-FM radio with the optional speaker in the rear shelf really has very little appeal to me. A few years ago, I bought a 71 RS/SS 396 Camaro, but honestly I much prefer both the technology AND the performance of something more contemporary. I think it's the difference between liking to remember how it was and liking to drive on the edge today. I would never attempt to drive a 'muscle' car the way I drive my Acura or my Mercedes AMG or even my Jeep. Sure, I'd love to have a Leno collection, but I don't have the pocketbook nor the garage space for something that doesn't literally move me.   P.S. my first car was a '68 Mustang 302 4-barrel. ... View more

I bought an SLK55 AMG P30 from Carvana in February. I was admittedly skeptical, but 7 day no-questions asked right to return, and 100 day bumper to bumper warranty. I used the 7 day window to take it to MY mechanic for a thorough inspection. He found a couple of issues, but nothing that was a deal killer. I accepted the car in the 7 day window, and then took it back to the same guy and got the problems fixed under the Carvana warranty. Almost $800 of work, cost me $50 because my guy was not on their 'approved' list. I would do it again in a heartbeat for the right car.  The only issue I have with Carvana is that the search engine on their website blows. ... View more

Since 2005, I have purchased 22 cars online. For all but 1, the first time I saw it in person was when the carrier pulled in to deliver it, or in a few cases, when I flew to the seller's place on a one-way ticket to drive it home. Ranging in price from $5k to $75k, with a few getting a PPI. A couple of mistakes along the way, but you develop a sixth sense about these things, know what to ask, and the key, determine the seller's credibility. You can just tell when it's right and when it isn't. ... View more

Would be interesting to see the data about the age of the buyer and the age of the cars for buyers/insurers of more than one car over time. I find that as I get older, the cars I buy are getting younger. I think that is because I don't enjoy wrenching as must as I used to, and I have the means to pay for a pro to do it, but I still love driving. ... View more

Don't make the holes so large that there is risk the end of the stick breaks off. That would not be a good day. ... View more

I totally get the 'different' part. I've been in the Mercedes eco-system for over 20 years in southern NH. Friends ask why I don't try a BMW or a Porsche or an Audi. It's because 1) I don't know a good one from a bad one, 2) after a few mistakes, I've learned when to separate emotion from rational thinking, 3) I don't know a trusted Euro-service center for anything but Mercedes, 4) I have a cabinet full of parts, fasteners, and oddball tools, 5) I have service docs for anything with a 3-pointed star on it, and 6) I like Mercedes. ... View more

I wonder how many "if only" buyers would still walk away if their dream car materialized. Sometimes it's the fun of the hunt more than the thrill of the kill. ... View more

Hope they close the hood before taking it to auction. ... View more

That was my biggest discovery when I did my first track event at the age of 64. At the end of that day and every track day since, I have been completely exhausted. I have a great appreciation of what it takes to drive professionally. The mental preparation is only half of it. These guys have to be physically fit, too. ... View more

uh...240Z was 2.4L. Did I miss that somewhere? Had a '72 4-speed with AC, great car. It did well. However, in retrospect, I am a bit surprised that I actually survived our relationship. ... View more

Meanwhile, here on planet Earth...I debate whether or not to sell my beloved 2005 Acura RL. It could easily bring six figures, if you count the 2 after the decimal point. ... View more

Great story. Our family vehicle was a more mundane '60 Ford wagon. Lot's of good memories of family road trips in that car. My dad died in '65, and mom eventually traded the wagon on the 1st of 2 Chevelles, a '65 that would later be replaced with a '70. I was a Ford kid, and I didn't understand why she thought anything made by Chevrolet could replace a Ford. Looking back on it, I get it, and I wonder if dear old mom had a brand new shiny super-stock Dodge parked in a rickety old garage somewhere. Would love to find all 3 of those cars to see how they are getting along. ... View more

I just bought an SLK55 from Carvana. 7 day right to refuse, 100 day warranty, delivered to my door. Right at KBB. What's not to like? Certainly, I had no more opportunity to kick the tires than with the 20 that came from eBay, and none of those had a warranty.   My son sold his Prius to Carvana, got more than any dealer would give him on trade.  They sent a truck to pick it up, and handed him a check. ... View more

I think a large part of the big auction venue is flashing the money. B-J and Mecum and others have long excluded the buyer with modest means. I've tried to imagine myself sitting there and bidding $50K for a nice Camaro or $150K for a resto-mod of some sort, but the practical side of me knows it will never happen. So, those with enough money to buy with pocket change will continue to go and back-slap their rivals, and the auction houses will make money on both ends and the TV rights, and the rest of us, like me, will change the channel and dig through CraigsList, and eBay, and BaT, etc, looking for that sleeper, real vehicle with potential that we can actually afford. ... View more

Since the tonneau is removeable, I assume it provides no rollover protection from a tracking perspective. What good is a harness bar without rollover protection? I'm an occasional tracker, 3-4 times a year. not looking for a full-time track vehicle. I'd love a convertible Super Snake or GT350/500, but all models require rollbar for tracking. Will there ever be a production convertible Mustang that can be tracked?  Never mind tracking, unless this is intended to be a garage queen, a stable of 850 horses should justify some safety features, no? ... View more

Rarity does not guarantee value. Sure, if I had bottomless pockets and a superdome for storage, it would be an interesting addition to a collection. But its profile certainly does not appeal to my taste. I am likely to own, at best, 1 supercar in my lifetime, and it will be one I will drive, and this one would not be a contender. ... View more

And the newer twin-turbo used in 63 models is actually 5.5L. Mercedes now says the model numbers were never intended to represent engine size. Right. ... View more

The 396 in my 71 RS/SS Camaro is really a 402. ... View more

The wife and I like to cruise in a 2-seat convertible, but can't take the dog. Dog liked the truck, but we couldn't let the top down. Solution: Jeep Gladiator, a JL with a bed. We no longer have the massive RAM that we used mainly for dog transport, and the occasional load of sod. A good compromise for us. First week with the Gladiator, I had a bucket of stone dropped in the bed, quite capable. And puppy is happy, too, but it's winter, and we've yet to go top off/down. Weird thing is, I've never done much off-roading, but this thing begs for it.   Oh, we still have the 2-seater.  Some things have no substitute. ... View more

And the Second Law of Stuff is that after the stuff has expanded to fit the space available, there is always room for a little more stuff. ... View more

I had C6 427 Collector Corvette (essentially a Z06 convertible). One of my nags was the amount of heat generated in the cabin by the exhaust running through the driveshaft tunnel. Literally enough to keep coffee warm in the console-based cup holders. Not that that's a bad thing when you want coffee, but not pleasant if you like spirited summer driving, and more prominent if caught in traffic. I wondered if this was a GM oversight, or if the previous owner had removed heat shields for some reason. I was considering lining the tunnel, but ended up selling before that project started.   I assume this is not an issue with the C8.   😎 ... View more

Just sold my Chevy SS with 6MT. Why'd I do that? ... View more

This is the new source of income for many companies. I service a specialty clock made in Switzerland and used to be able to buy parts from the manufacturer. Now, they have quit selling parts to independents like me, and customers are forced to take their clock to a 'certified' shop (which is basically a retail dealer) and pay exorbitant prices for both parts and labor. Unfortunately, if manufacturers of anything bind together, they can make the purchase price just the beginning of the income stream.  This has the unspoken side-effect of making quality less important to the manufacturer.  They just need to be able to get through the warranty period. ... View more

For me, this is spot on. When I heard the rumors that the C8 would be mid-engine, I sold my C6 427 Edition, stashed the cash, and made plans to order a C8 as soon as possible. But when I saw the styling, as much as I tried and wanted to like it, I just couldn't do it. It simply does not work for me. I'm not sure Chip's proportions support the mid-engine layout, but if the C8 had looked more like this, there would be one in my garage now (or at least on somebody's build sheet in Bowling Green). ... View more

Similar thing happened to a buddy many years ago. He was driving his '67 Firebird 400 from Atlanta to Daytona. Right rear drops and starts dragging. He see his RR wheel/tire go past him, with the axle still attached. Ruined an otherwise perfectly good trip to Daytona. I am guilty of replacing brake pads on a '71 Celica and hearing the washboard banging as I left for work the next day. Forgot to tighten on both sides. ... View more

I assume you mean the GT3 is BEHIND you, not in front? ... View more

I would not use BaT as any sort of benchmark. ... View more

They had the announcement and early reservations yesterday (2/1). I was able to reserve one of 250 CT5-V Blackwings. ... View more

I don't think they will miss you. ... View more

One note: All 2013 Corvettes had 60th anniversary badges on front and rear, the door sills and the convertible waterfall. The 427 Collector Edition convertible was available in all 2013 Corvette colors. Mine was Cyber Gray over Ebony/Red. Z06 drive train and body style, but it was determined that the aluminum Z06 chassis would flex too much, so it was built on the steel Grand Sport convertible chassis. According to GM lit, RPO Z25, the 60th Anniversary Design Package, was an option for any 2013 Corvette, but I have never seen it on anything other than the 427 Collector Edition, which is what the Mecum car was. And Z30 60th Anniversary Stripe Package was an option on cars with Z25, also on the Mecum car.  Z25 cars without Z30 are far more rare. ... View more

The effect of the .COM bubble is back in spades. The stock market continues to go up, and everybody's got spendin' money. I'm an old geezer with a good bag of play money. Prices for what we think we 'always wanted' go up.  Personally, I'll take something more contemporary with 500HP, AC, leather and a good sound system (rattle-the-windows good), and be very happy with it ... View more

So....if a replica of a 30 year old car is sold today in California, would it have to meet current CARB requirements? ... View more

I often wonder about some of my past rides - '88 Fiero GT, '89 20th Trans Am, '90 IROC convertible - but of course none are particularly noteworthy except to me. I do know what happened to my very first car, a '68 Mustang coupe, 302. My car was well known in the Atlanta suburb where I lived. I sold it locally to go to college. I heard many years later that the car had stayed local, and the 3rd or 4th buyer did his own brake job, and promptly totaled it. Rest in pieces, my old friend. ... View more

I would love to see what a contemporary Pontiac Fiero would be like. I owned several of the V6 GTs, and the last year '88 GT with a 5 speed was a blast. Imagine what a mid-mounted V6 could be today. ... View more

Not a fan of the new trend of front grills that remind me of my last large-mouth bass.  I would throw this one AND the Lexus back. ... View more

Goldfinger. I doubt seriously that a Ranchero would handle the 2+ tons of a Lincoln (especially if dropped), but I also doubt that a Lincoln could be crushed into a 1 meter cube. Some 'Hollywood' in that scene. ... View more

Would it help me cut a few tenths off my time at Watkins Glen? I believe my problem has been kindly described as 'old man and the C". ... View more

In Italy, watch for the ZTLs (zona a traffico limitato, ie. restricted traffic zones) often found in small towns, or inside the old city walls .  Many warnings are easily identified; others, not so much.  There is nothing to stop you from simply driving through even if you don't park, but they are closely monitored and you will get a fine for up to $500 through your rental car company. ... View more

In summer of '70, I equipped my '68 Mustang 302 with a Holley/Edelbrock combo. a Crane cam, Heddman headers, and Mallory distributor.  In that process, I ordered the Crane cam/lifter kit from a catalog at a local parts shop in the Atlanta suburbs that dealt in routine auto parts, paying a 50% deposit.  When the kit came in, I didn't have the balance to pay for it, so they agreed to hold it for a while.  During that time, they put the kit on display in the store.  Crane did excellent packaging expressly for display purposes where the lid of the box simply slid off and the polished cam and lifters could be seen through a sheet of clear plastic.  It was beautiful.  When I finally got the money to pick it up, the owner of the shop said that the display had been a big hit, and 3 other customers had ordered Crane kits.  Within a year, that shop was specializing in speed equipment and went on to become a major supplier in the south.  Me and the Mustang cruised the burger joints and hangouts for a couple of years and made many memories until time for college and I traded it for a Toyota.  I later heard that the new owner had totaled it. ... View more

2007 Ram quad-cab with Thunder Road package.  I run moonshine in my spare time. ... View more

I've envisioned myself with a DB5.  The plate always says "BNDJBND", although it rotates of course.  For me as a kid of the 60s, Sir Connery is the only James Bond, although Daniel Craig's interpretation is entertaining.  Forget the others. ... View more

67 here.  I have the same appreciation of 'turn-key' ready. ... View more