Personally I prefer slow and light to fast and heavy when it comes to sports cars. The new 911’s I used to lease as daily drivers were awesome on the occasional track day but not nearly as much fun as their slower, lighter air cooled predecessors on curvy two lane backroad weekend drives. Before I signed the lease on each of those new Porsche’s I tested a Corvette. I’ve wanted one since I was a kid. But compared to even the ever bloating 911’s the Vette’s always felt...big. Which brings us to appreciation. I don’t like it. When it comes to toy cars I’m buying to drive, not profit. A decade or so ago when I transitioned from new water cooled daily drivers to old air cooled weekend playthings, the latter were comfortably affordable. But after my last SC tripled in value over five years I got out. It simply became too valuable for me to feel comfortable keeping it as a toy. Its replacement? An ‘04 Mazdaspeed Miata. Faster than most Miata’s but coming after half a dozen 911’s still satisfyingly slow and light. But if the numbers I’m seeing on Bring a Trailer for comparable low mileage examples are any indication, my Miata appears to have begun appreciating in a distressingly familiar way. Still a ways to go before it gets into serious capital gains territory but I don’t like the trend line. Maybe I need to start thinking about that old Corvette I keep telling myself I’ve always wanted. ... View more

As aficionados of the genre are well aware, the Imperial Crown Tourer directly inspired the 2001 Renault Avantime, a Gallic take on Iacocca’s revolutionary four seat luxury minivan concept. Indeed the name Avantime was a portmanteau of avant, meaning ahead, and time, meaning, um, time, implicitly acknowledging the Renault’s debt to its American predecessor, which would not of course be revealed until 2021. When asked about taking design inspiration from an imaginary minivan that wouldn’t even see the light of day for another twenty years, Renault styling chief Patrick Le Quement scoffed, calling the questioner a “typically small minded American.” ... View more

While some aspects are enviable of a dimension where Oldsmobile is as hot as politician turned rapper AOC (Covid 19 just a “scare,” badass Mark Reuss), it’s a bit of a bummer to learn that SUV’s take over the world in every possible universe. As to the Cutlass, a recent article elsewhere listing each year’s top selling car over the past several decades reminded me of the mind blowing volumes that this midsizer once moved. Capturing perfectly the Zeitgeist of the transition from the Greatest to the Boomer generation, over a four year period from ‘78 to ‘81 we’re talking close to two million Cutlasses (Cutlassii?) sold, something that no Taurus, Accord or Camry has ever managed. Would a Camaro based Cutlass hardtop capture any of its eponym’s magic? In a world in which a Ninety-Eight monster truck is as lusted after as our Escalade, I think not. Just as fat walleted shoppers walked right past gleaming ATS-V’s in Caddy showrooms to get to their seven passenger behemoths, I expect that one per-center’s looking to cash in on some of the huge appreciation of their KMart stock after its takeover of Amazon would barely cast a glance at this fetching lowrider. Still, as Bizarro Reuss would say when questioned about shoppers’ complete lack of interest in the new Cutlass: “Screw ‘em, I like it!” ... View more

Here’s the other thing about leather. It’s just so boring. When my son was buying a new GTI, he would have happily spent a bit more to get some of the features of the upgraded trim levels like better headlights or a louder sound system. But they only came with leather. To get the plaid seats you had to get the base model. And as he told me, plaid is definitely more important than seeing where you’re going or losing your hearing a year or two sooner. Raised him right. ... View more

I wasn’t aware of the silly antics of exotic car drivers shared on social media. Because I don’t use social media. Works great. I don’t have to waste time on idiocy and I still get to like exotic cars. You might give it a try. By the way, as far as I can tell, the main function of valets is to turn the light switch on your car from “auto” to “off.” Which is why leaving a well lit restaurant is followed by oncoming drivers flashing their lights at you. Or if the valet is more thoughtful, turning the light switch from “auto” to “off” when they park and then to “on” when they trade you your car back for cash, which is why when you leave the car in the garage on your return from the restaurant the lights don’t turn themselves off 30 seconds later but instead stay on all night so that the car won’t start at 5am the next morning when you thought you were leaving for a ski trip. I’m sure we’ve all been there, right? ... View more

Picture your favorite easy chair. It’s big. It’s wide. And the cushions beneath and behind you are flat. No unsightly and uncomfortable protuberances adjoining the back. No confining and unnecessary carbuncles abutting the bottom. Flat. Such were the seats in the land yachts of yore. And they were good. And this, my friends, is not that. ... View more

The most mind blowing aspect of driving in LA is that the traffic NEVER ENDS.  You’re coming home from a party or late show at 2am and thinking this’ll be a breeze home on the freeway. Then you merge on to the 10 and it’s freaking jammed full of 80mph road warriors. Who are these people? When we used to watch 24, the most implausible aspect of the SoCal scenarios was not Jack Bauer single handedly holding off a dozen assailants or torturing the bad guy into quickly spilling the beans, it was our hero making it from one LA location to another in under an hour. No way! ... View more

The most under appreciated 90’s car is without a doubt the Subaru SVX. Concept car looks inside and out and a fabulous GT driver. During the year or so I had one it got more attention than just about anything else I’ve owned, with the possible exception of my 3.0CS. And yet they go for next to nothing. Not sure why, but the self-destructing auto transmissions might have a little bit to do with it. ... View more

Back in the early Naughties before we outgrew that whole high flying yuppy thing, my wife’s “mommy-car” was an E39 Touring and my daily driver an R129. I used to tell people that she drove a sports car disguised as a station wagon and I drove a station wagon disguised as a sports car. ... View more

My pet peeve has long been the Porsche Boxster.   Concept:     Production car: Well, you know, not that. A true bummer because for a while there it really looked like we were going to get a legitimate successor to the 356.   But more than that, my main beef is with the whole idea of pre-production “concepts.” True concepts like the Cadillac Sixteen are amazing but increasingly rare. The so called concepts we get instead today are production models with huge wheels and tiny mirrors that inevitably look just a wee bit better than what’s put on sale a few months later. But what’s the point of getting our hopes up with a “concept” and then disappointing  us with the production model? ... View more

And as the elders of our time choose to remain blind Let us rejoice and let us sing and dance and ring in the new Hail Stellantis! ... View more

Jack’s story brings to mind a long ago family trip to Maui where the nice lady at the rental desk assigns us a brand new Buick LeSabre. Not the most exciting choice for a car nut like me but plenty of room for our two gangly tweenage sons in the back and a huge trunk for our ridiculous pile of luggage in the trunk, so OK. We weren’t planning on doing a lot of driving anyway. When we get out to the car in the lot though, my usually goofy, happy go lucky older son goes ballistic. “I’m not going to be seen riding in that,” he declares with the classic crossed arms stance of defiance. “You’re not going to be seen period,” I respond, “ no-one you know is here in Hawaii.”  But I’m thinking “Yes the LeSabre looks like a big brown turd on wheels, but how does an 11 year old growing up in the Bay Area surrounded by nothing but Honda’s and BMW’s even know that Buicks are lethally uncool?”   My better half and I watch the tantrum proceed with some amusement, and since I wasn’t exactly thrilled with Avis’ car selection anyway, ultimately junior gets his way. The family crisis ending replacement? A big brown turd on wheels Toyota Solara (topic for another day: what’s with all the brown rental cars in Hawaii?)   Bottom line: Brand may not be everything but it’s close.       ... View more

I just bought a Mazdaspeed Miata last month, but would have preferred a Solstice GXP for what to me is its cooler and much more distinctive look if only...   -the top was half as easy as the Miata’s to raise and drop -the interior was half as comfortable and well made -the car felt half as solid and connected  -the trunk was half as practical for the weekend getaways we plan to use it for and -reliability and parts availability were half as good as the Miata’s I was willing to meet the Solstice GXP half way but it couldn’t get there. Still, while I love the Mazdaspeed Miata, every time  I see a Solstice I can’t help but think: if only... ... View more

My first car was an Austin America that I purchased on my 16th birthday with money earned from my paper route. Maybe it was a ‘68? This photo isn’t actually my car; back in the Mesozoic before smartphones we didn’t know that every waking moment was supposed to be photographed and shared so I’m doubtful that a lengthy search through the overstuffed shoeboxes in the closet would turn up anything. Anyway, my car only looked like this the day I got it. The following morning was a Sunday and it was pouring so I was excited to deliver my papers in a nice dry car. And it was going great, I was just firing those heavy Sunday SF Chronicles off left and right and having a ball. One paper in particular sailed out of my hand through the passenger window in a perfect 30 yard parabola and landed right on the doorstep and I was transfixed. Then crunch! My right front fender slammed into a tree. Lesson learned-watch where you’re going.   We jerry rigged the fender so the headlight would point more or less in the same direction as the car and that was that. Except of course that wasn’t. The Austin turned out to be just about the safest car imaginable for a new teenage driver; thanks to Prince Lucas of Darkness the car almost never ran. I ended up selling it to a guy who had another America and needed a parts car. Yep, just like the joke about needing two Jaguars except considerably lower rent.   Further lesson learned: avoid finicky unreliable old British wheels and stick to solid American iron. So I replaced the Austin America with a Chevy Vega.   Needless to say, many more lessons learned were soon to be learned.   ... View more

As a former longtime commuter from our place in Santa Cruz over the hill to Silicon Valley, I recommend that you focus on your mental health rather than your financial. Daily over 17 has broken lesser men; the key is to turn a negative into a positive. You get to drive twice a day over a high speed winding mountain road. In my case that meant offloading  my practical paid off sedan for a used Boxster S and joining a gym on the Valley side so I could hit 17 every day before 6am for a full speed assault, hopefully without use of the brakes. Luckily for me I worked  long hours so usually didn’t head back until at least 7 when a second hot wheels style run could typically be accomplished. The speed limits on 17 are agreeably (and probably absurdly) high so the CHP isn’t a problem as long as you can keep your car right side up. And it never got old. Pro tip: there are a number of websites showing the speed of traffic on 17 and there’s Twitter. Always check before heading over. Getting stuck can be long and brutal and there’s no need considering the amazing backroad alternatives. My favorite was Woodside Road then south on Hwy 1. You won’t get home any sooner but you won’t mind a bit. ... View more

I’ve been the first owner on more than a few occasions. Who knew I was entitled to shenanigans with friends’ wives and EDM fueled presentations by magicians?   ... View more

How to fill my dream three car garage? My dream would be to have a three car garage.   But given current space limitations I already own my dream trio:   The hot rod: Santa Cruz Blur XC mountain bike   The cruiser: Haibike SDURO Cross ebike   The truck: 2004 Mazdaspeed Miata ( it hauls a lot more than the other two, especially with the top down.)     ... View more

Very excited to see that Nissan will be introducing a broad range of generic indistinguishable hatchback/CUV/SUV thingies. Bold thinking indeed. ... View more

I’m all in favor of cheaper crappier cars but while today’s products can be rightly critiqued for being too well made, they aren’t necessarily any more expensive. According to the NADA guide the 1980 Datsun 210 JB mentions went for $4969 back in the day, which my official US Government inflation calculator calculates to be the equivalent of $15461 in real money. And per Nissan’s website the 210’s modern day bottomfeeder counterpart Versa starts at $14730. Probably less fun to thrash than the 210 and no doubt regrettably better built and equipped, but not really any more expensive. Or take the Datsun 810 for which JB nostalgizes. NADA has its MSRP at $8529  which translates to $26538 today. There’s no contemporary equivalent at Nissan but while few and far between two door sticks can still be had. Say for example the 2020 Camaro which stickers for $25995 (although Chevy’s website has the “net” down to $24495).  Yes it substitutes a turbo four for that six and yes there’s a whole lot more road hugging weight but more than double the horsepower is at least some small compensation. I actually like electric cars and think the whole soul thing is mostly projection, but you really don’t need to wait for the e-pocalypse if you’re hankering for a new car that’s fast and cheap. Or even better, you can follow my example and buy old cars that are fast, cheap and crappy. Trust me, it’s far more satisfying.   ... View more

So what we’ve learned from this colossal expenditure of manpower and resources is that the Range Rover is essentially useless in the jungle but quite adequate for “ less demanding, fully-charted, mostly on-road ride[s].“  ... View more