About Rider79

Rider79

I see my 1977 Dodge Royal Monaco in the VW Polo ad!

Rider79

I am still trying to figure out who - or what - Jaco and Vulfpeck are.

Rider79

I thought of Maxwell Smart, when "spy" and Karmann Ghia" were used in proximity. Never could understand how someone who had been driving a Sunbeam Tiger, could possibly be happy with a Ghia (or an Opel GT, for that matter). I always wanted a Ghia convertible, until I drove one ( a 1974); it was like sitting in a bathtub - a tall-sided bathtub, at that. A few years later, I bought a new 1979 Beetle convertible; not as well-styled, perhaps, but a much better car to drive. I saw a Type 34 once, back in the 1970's; when told it was a Karmann Ghia, I thought it must have been a very old one. Now, I find out they were not Beetle-based. Interesting, indeed.

Rider79

Who, or what, is BAP?

Rider79

Grasshoppers are better, especially if chocolate-covered. And, we get exercise catching them! ;<)

Rider79

I worked with a guy who bought one of these new, I think a 1990 or 1991. Last I saw it, the car had over 300,000 miles, and was still going. The wagon versions would be my preference, as is true with most European cars of that era.

Rider79

Boy, that Avista looks soooo good. No electric for me, though. If it was produced with the Cadillac twin-turbo 3.0 V6 (400+ HP) and AWD, and in that red colour, I would be all over it. Of course, it won't be; as the article says, if it was ever produced, it would be as an SUV. :<(

Rider79

You ARE joking - yes? The first series Sparks were fun to see, though, with their incredibly long faces.

Rider79

I'm 66, and I very much like the classic Chargers (especially 68-70), but even I know that it is time to move on. We should be happy that four-door Chargers still exist, and that not everything is an SUV or four-door pickup.

Rider79

Those swollen fenders remind me of the unnecessary changes made to the Mercury Capri version of the Ford Mustang.

Rider79

A poor color choice, but only for camouflage.

Rider79

I read a test of the Tempo, when the V6 debuted in it. Car & Driver said something like, "With 18 months to live, Gramps gets a heart transplant."

Rider79

You gravitated to the diesel Ranger, and you think the Tempo "couldn't accelerate to save its life"? Not only was the Tempo probably quicker (I don't feel like digging out period tests), but it did not stink of diesel exhaust.

Rider79

Or, just don't buy the stuff made in China - like the Buick Envision.

Rider79

Funny thing - my 2015 Impala is, quite literally, the best overall car I have ever owned. And I have owned a LOT of GM cars, from model-years 1968 thru 2015.

Rider79

Well, we do need some editing; people are getting really lazy in their writing nowadays. There is nothing cute or noble about poor grammar.

Rider79

Instead of the new Cadillac Blackwing, I would rather have the CT6 Blackwing. AWD for year-round use, plenty of interior and trunk space (unlike the CT5), and to my eyes, better-looking. No stick, but I have an older Mustang GT convertible for the days when I feel the need to shift my own gears - if I can get the car away from my wife!

Rider79

Wish I had bought a 2017 SS in the fall of 2017, when they were giving 20% off sticker. So, about $40,000 plus tax. Now, 3.5 years later, a low-mileage one will likely be $45-55,000, depending.

Rider79

You are entitled to your opinion, my friend.

Rider79

I just cannot imagine buying a car online, sight-unseen, with nothing to corroborate the seller's representation of the car. Yet, people do it all the time - and not necessarily low-buck cars, either.

Rider79

Cool article. But...what is the "exotic lineage"? Sounds like a rather normal lineage, honestly - not that there is anything wrong with that.

Rider79

Drive for pleasure? I did that during the first lockdown, April and May 2020. Just had to get out of the house, and see the spring flowers and such. Fortunately, I don't live in a "police state" that arrested folks for being out of the house without permission. I hope to do more pleasure driving this year.

Rider79

Good article. Gotta say, though, I agree with your wife on the planning aspect. Every time I don't thoroughly plan a trip, I end up missing something that I have heard of, wanted to see, but did not know was on my approximate route. By planning intensely, do I miss some things that a free-form traveler might see? Maybe...but I don't know about those, probably never learn about them, and those have no regrets. I am an inveterate planner (and not just for trips), always have been, and probably always will be; it brings me great comfort. As for the Grom - well, aside from the ridiculous looks of the bike, and of an adult on one, I would be quite worried about modern fast, distracted traffic, if I was going so slowly. I used to take 20-40 mile rides on a Honda C70 (Passport), top speed just over 40 MPH. I was younger and (probably) more foolish then; now, I just stick to our local road, and lots, pastures, etc. Any further, I take the motorcycle!

Rider79 · ‎14-05-2021

I don't think you saw the Bronco, but rather, the Bronco Sport.

Rider79 · ‎14-05-2021

Most folks will be happy to forego a smelly diesel.

Rider79 · ‎14-05-2021

And that extra torque is mainly due to the turbocharging, which the Canyon V6 lacks.

Rider79 · ‎13-05-2021

Indeed - 4th-gen Camaro, C4 Corvette, etc. - like darts, compared to today's Camaro, Mustang, etc. Only the C8 Corvette is low and sleek, among American cars.

Rider79 · ‎13-05-2021

I'll take the pair of Vespas, thank you.

Rider79 · ‎05-05-2021

Good news!

Rider79 · ‎05-05-2021

The LS4-powered 2006-2007 Monte Carlos SS's were far from withered: 0-60 in the mid-fives, per mag tests of the time. I had a 2009 LS4 Buick Lacrosse Super, and it MOVED. Wish I still had it.

Rider79 · ‎05-05-2021

I recall it being called the "A-special", back in the day.

Rider79 · ‎05-05-2021

The Grand Prix did not go thru an ugly phase in the mid-1970's; in fact, it stayed quite attractive and relatively similar in style, from 1969 thru 1977. There is no way anyone who cares about cars even a bit would confuse a 1970-72 Monte with a 1973-77, even if they did not know what year either car actually was.

Rider79 · ‎05-05-2021

Amen!

Rider79 · ‎05-05-2021

"Almost as important, these Monte Carlos look very much like the anemic 1973–77 malaise-era Montes." The beautiful 1970-72 Monte Carlos look VERY LITTLE like the baroque, ugly-toad 1973-77 Montes, other than being of similar long-hood/short-deck proportions. Perhaps the author needs new glasses. ;<) The 1972's, in my opinion, look even better than the 1970-71's, due to the changed grill, and parking-light location. I guess they were not available with the 454, though. In any event, glad to see these cars are perhaps finally getting their due; they were always even better-looking than the attractive Malibu of the same years, with an an air of class that the Malibu lacked.

Rider79 · ‎05-05-2021

Arctic Cat used to have a minibike with a Sachs 2-stroke, and a two-speed automatic.

Rider79 · ‎05-05-2021

The article says that the Super Cub was discontinued in 1974 in the US, but wasn't the C70/Passport the same basic bike? It was sold into the 1980's. I have a 1980 and 1981, and they are a lot of fun to ride.

Rider79 · ‎04-05-2021

None of these boxes, thanks. If the 1989 BMW was a convertible, well, now let's talk.

Rider79 · ‎04-05-2021

I'm 65, and I don't much like them yet. My dad called sedans "old men's cars", and did not buy a four-door from 1950 until 2002 (guess he finally got old enough).

Rider79 · ‎03-05-2021

Not many better-looking 1980's or 1990's cars than the C4 Corvette, so much better and sleeker than the big-butt C5. I drove a 1996 once, and it certainly was no noisier than I would have expected for a performance car of that era, and the price was right; I should have bought it.

Rider79 · ‎28-04-2021

"Dweeby"? Hardly. You are thinking of the Prius, Leaf, etc.

Rider79 · ‎26-04-2021

?????

Rider79 · ‎26-04-2021

What about the Hemi 4-cylinder in the 1971 Dodge Colt? :<) It was pretty darn quick for a 4 of that era. Of course, it was not a 426, so just an honorable mention.

Rider79 · ‎24-04-2021

Lotsa work went into this. What a waste - this thing is a half-step above atrocious. Why a half-step? Because of the quite attractive black-and-gold colours.

Rider79 · ‎21-04-2021

I rarely have that moment of disappointment at "old car rattles" and such; I guess I just expect such things. My vehicle friends are old and a bit arthritic, and perhaps so am I.

Rider79 · ‎16-04-2021

I still like these - preferably in Scat Pack trim, in B5 Pearl Blue. No damn black wheels, though! Interesting that these are now called "muscle cars", when originally they were "pony cars". Of course, given the growth in size and weight, "pony cars" might not be a appropriate name anymore.

Rider79 · ‎15-04-2021

As one of only two real car enthusiasts in my wife's large family, I am (happily) charitably tolerated.

Rider79 · ‎15-04-2021

Original Passport? Actually, maybe the original Honda Passport was the 1981 C70 step-thru (they were just C70 before 1981). ;<)

Rider79 · ‎15-04-2021

As the owner of 4 odd-ball-variety Plymouths over the years, two of which I still have (and I wish I still had my aqua 1992 V6 Duster two-door - what a fun little car!), this seems kinda cool. Too bad it is such a bland colour, and not bright red or maybe teal. Still, the five-speed and sunroof add some interest. I hope it brings lotsa bucks, so maybe - MAYBE - the new owner will keep it stock and low-miles.

Rider79 · ‎15-04-2021

That carb idea was silly, anyway; all one needed was a Burmese Gas Snake to get great MPG.

Rider79 · ‎15-04-2021

Why what?