At-Risk Individual

Here's the thing.

As I'm staring down the barrel of graduating college, I am looking towards the part of my future any red-blooded American male would think about: a new car. However, I've hit a bit of a snag. While I am getting some assistance with the car I will be paying the car insurance myself. And that's the problem. I am 23, have a speeding ticket on my record, and am looking at vehicles which might actually raise my pulse on occasion. All these things make me an "at-risk individual", and apparently make insurance companies cringe at the very though of insuring me for any less than the promise of my first born.

Let's think about this for a second and break it down. The biggest thing I have going against me is my age. Apparently as a 23 year old I do drugs all the time, drink and drive, and pilot my automobile in ways that would make Ken Block cringe. Except I don't. I've never done any of those things. I have a healthy dose of respect for my fellow drivers and would not want to subject them to that peril any more than I would want them to do the same to me. However, this does not seem to even be a possibility to insurance companies. Maybe it's just a punishment fee for not living up to their expectations of people my age.

I have a speeding ticket. I want to understand this one, but I don't. It's not a reckless driving ticket. I was simply traveling at a rate that was more than what they felt the average driver is safe traveling at on that particular stretch of road. I would consider myself an above average driver, and don't feel like this particular offense makes me at-risk or even a problematic vehicle operator. More than that, I don't remember my insurance paying my speeding ticket. If there is a factor that makes me pay more for my auto insurance, shouldn't it pay out for that same factor? Instead, I was the one footing the bill.

And third, the vehicle selection. I am a young automobile enthusiasts who would like a performance vehicle as their daily driver. However, that combined with my age seems to make the insurance company think I'm going to be using it to start my own Youtube channel or apply for Octane Academy. I'm totally gonna put NOS under the hood and some sick graphics on da frame. Except I'm not. I'm young, my job doesn't pay that well, and frankly, I have better things to spend my money on than having a stable of automobiles. This will be my daily driver and I can't afford to blow it up or do anything that might sideline it. However, that concept is also lost on them.

But there's hope! Apparently in two years when I'm 25, married, and the ticket has expired off my license all will be well! My insurance will drop right through the basement and I'll finally be able to afford it. But that raises a big question. How does that help me now?

And that, that's the thing.
-Shawn

Return of the King

Here's the thing.

The King has returned! Arguably, the most famous nameplate in Camaro history has been resurrected for the 21st century. This time it's carrying the heart of the Z06 in its engine bay, and not much else.

It's down about a hundred pounds, but in the pursuit of that weight loss, it's given up several creature comforts expected in modern cars, even performance cars. A/C is optional, there's significantly less sound deadening, and the only speaker in the whole car is a small one to give you the alert sounds modern cars make when you do things they don't want you to.

So the question becomes: who's the competition? The Boss already has the 1LE to compete with, and the GT500's competition comes in the form of the ZL1. The only one I can think of is the new drag-ready CobraJet, but that's a purpose built drag car. The Z/28 is in a class of its own, but the weight savings needed to come from somewhere else to be relevant. For a 3900lb car, there's got to be other places to pull from.

So the Z/28 is a, probably, 40k track car. With that kind of money, there's much better options. Even on the new market, there's the Subaru STi and the Lancer Evo. Unless you absolutely have to have a muscle car for track duty, I just can't recommend the Z. That is until the next generation where it is lighter, faster, and even more capable, or it comes with a real option list. Because the LS7 is too good to be stuck on the track all day.

And that, that's the thing.
-Shawn

The Lexus step-child.

Here's the thing.

Lexus is more confused than the customers about the IS. I think they are stuck between making it a true sports sedan like the first generation, and the entry-lux also-ran that was the second generation. While I understand the second-gen sold more units, it also sold its soul to do so.

The first generation IS was a sedan Supra, and made no bones about it. The car was a stealth killer among the general public, and a legend to those of us familiar with Japanese cars. It did not float down the road as did the other models in its line, it pounded the pavement into submission with a 3 liter I6, routing through a 5-speed manual to the rear wheels. It was a car that was all about being driven, and riders need not apply. It was aggressive and announced itself when it entered the room.

Then came the second generation.

With a design doing all it could to copy the German competitors and a ride which was noticeably softer than the first generation, the second generation IS came into the entry-executive field fully flourished. However, it had lost the things that made it special. It was no longer the razor-edge tool it was born as. The company obviously tried to copy BMW, but lost at every turn. The 3.5 305hp V6 couldn't even be ordered with a manual. It remained in the market till this year, and is being replaced by a new model in the coming months.

However, Lexus is missing the point again.

The new car is beautiful and aggressive (save the headlights, which should be all one piece. Fire the designer that split the cluster into two), however, underneath it is virtually unchanged. How bad is it that an 8-speed in the 350 version is a major mechanical change for the new model? Where is the legitimate R&D? Where is the revolutionary turbocharged powerplant we were promised? Without any kind of effort, the model will languish.

I say Toyota pull a Civic. A full mulligan. Take the next year and develop the DI Turbo-4 they've been promising, build a legitimate manual to match it, FIX the headlights, and make a car that is underneath as impressive as that svelte new body they designed for it. Without these things, the Predator grill and fancy F-sport editions will only generate so many sales. I say let's find the guy who made the IS300 and put him back on the project. The IS was always meant to be fast over class.

And that, that's the thing.
-Shawn

I Love Weird Designs

Here's the thing.

Weird designs don't get the credit they deserve. In an industry where the safe bet is the option used 99.9% of the time, we need cars like the Juke and the Veloster. They serve a purpose. Young people need something to set themselves apart, and for those that value creativity, it's one of the most visual ways possible. The better part is that these designs often come with some quality engineering under the skin. The suspension and engine in the Juke, Veloster, and Beetle are all near the tops of their classes.

However, in the case of the Beetle and Veloster, there are more traditional looking alternatives using the same components, the Golf and Elantra, respectively. The small premium commanded by the unique-looking models is something a select group of customers are willing to pay to have their car be an expression of themselves as people. But for the platform and powertrain sharing models, beauty is only skin deep. But that doesn't make them any less better to look at.

And that, that's the thing.
-Shawn

Hybrids Are a Lie

Here's the thing.

Hybrid technology is a band-aid. It is used to boost output and efficiency of engines that would otherwise be considered a joke. The Prius has an engine that is 1.8 liters and only puts out 98 horsepower. That's barely 50hp/liter. If that was put in any other car, it would be shunned by the automotive community. However, because it has a "Hybrid Synergy Drive" badge on the back and a battery wedged in beside it, it gets a pass.

Moreover, the engine is not even the major player in the Prius' above-average fuel economy. Consider this: the Lexus CT200h has the same powertrain, CVT and all, and yet can only achieve mileage that is 80% of what the Prius does. So what makes the difference? Well, they're not under the skin, in fact, most of them are on the skin somewhere. Things like major aerodynamic work and low rolling resistance tires are the kind of primping and preening the car went through before it was allowed to step out into the world as Toyota's "God car". There's nothing to say that a well developed, modern, pure-gas powerplant with those other modifications and that much work would not do the same numbers.

The only place the hybrid methodology has anything over on other powerplants is in the city. With a sensitive start/stop system and the ability to drive slowly (read: crawl) on pure electric power, your fuel economy is practically infinite for the available range. However, should you get that horrible urge to put your foot down, it becomes no better than anything else. Which means that you have to change your driving style to get any major advantage out of your shiny hybrid batteries. And if you're going to go through all that trouble, why not do it for a car that still has guts when you want to romp on it?

And that, that's the thing.
-Shawn

First Post

Hi guys, Shawn here. This blog is going to be about the way I see things in the automotive industry. I love cars, so this will be the enthusiast perspective. I will not be pulling any punches or taking any sides, I think that kind of thinking leads us all down the path where the bean counters are free to make the cars instead of the engineers. Look for my first post in the coming hours and for updates fairly frequently.

-Shawn