Recent Comments:
Correction: Pontiac G8 GT will NOT have an optional 6-speed stick {Autoblog}
Jun 24th 2008 10:21PM How incredibly disapointing. I was actually considering, and I'm not kidding here, going to my local dealership and putting a down payment on a Manual GT for whenever it comes in. Unless the Manual GXP is within $2K of the GT with Auto, forget it, there are other beasties I can get into that offer what I'm looking for (which is sporty + RWD + Manual + seating for 5).
GM struggling to recruit engineers for advanced projects {Autoblog Green}
Jun 16th 2008 9:14PM I agree with you Sean. I know I'll get heckled for this comment, but when I came out of Engineering school 8 years ago with a BS in Mech E, I had excellent grades, a shining extracurricular record that contained many auto-related activities including racing and SAE events. I applied to each and every domestic company there was and they showed no interest whatsoever. I had no shortage of other offers, but felt like I was settling (at least at the time, I've made quite a sucessful career for myself since then). Again, 4 years ago, I tried to get a job within the Auto Industry, this time armed with excellent experience and advanced degrees, still, no interest. I am not trying to toot my own horn here, but I think that I am exactly the type of motorhead engineer they need, but they aren't really looking for types like me. They are looking for cheap overseas engineering, just like GE does (and fails out IMO). This is no more than a PR move to make it seem like it's what they HAD to do because they couldn't find any talent here.
Chrysler working "intensely" on Hornet-like small car {Autoblog Green}
Jun 12th 2008 10:39PM They have a good size small car, it's called the Caliber and it's been poorly executed. It has a nasty interior and a buzzy rough engine lineup. Spending a ton of cash on making a better Caliber that isn't sold as a Jeep could go a long way for them.
Big trucks not the only victims of $4 gas, minivans hurting, too {Autoblog Green}
Jun 9th 2008 9:47PM It's a shame because minivans really are an excellent offering for those with a large family. I was in the market for a minivan but settled for a 7 passenger Toyota Rav4 with the 4cyl and although I traded off some leg room, I regularly get 29mpg on the highway and 22 around town. Not too shabby. I really liked the Mazda5 but I needed that one extra seat. If only it had a rear 3 seat row option it would have been PERFECT. I'll be glad to see this market segment heat up again.
So just why is diesel so much more expensive than gasoline now? {Autoblog Green}
Apr 16th 2008 9:31PM why not the LS2LS7?, The point I see that he's trying to make is that Valero is a middle man. Their profit margin is calculated by ((sale price - cost)/sale price), so as sale price goes down or cost goes up, the margin worsens. They are buying the oil from companies that are getting (notice I didnt' say asking) more for the raw material (So the cost increases). Simultaneously, the market is not allowing them to charge more (increase sale price) because A) competitors that are both producing crude AND refining are holding prices low and B) the consumers are starting to buy less as we've seen in the last two months which have both shown a decrease in demand.
That being said, Diesel fuel requires LESS refining than Gasoline, however thats the first I've heard as to it requiring more crude.
All that said, higher Diesel fuel costs wont keep me from buying one as I will certainly be creating my own biodiesel blend for the summer months.
Big Oil launches counteroffensive {Autoblog Green}
Apr 12th 2008 9:50PM Additionally, I should comment that I agree that the biggest problem is that greed and lazyness has prevented us from using our own sources of oil and instead forced us to go after the "easy" sources. Perhaps at $110 a gallon, those other technologies will become feasable and the technologies will come online, allowing us to become energy independent until the whole hydrogen/electron economy infrastructure is completed.
Big Oil launches counteroffensive {Autoblog Green}
Apr 12th 2008 9:46PM Texmln, BlackBirdHighway, you folks are spot on. These people are business owners, ones that
A) Are in the right business at the right time and B) Have made some saavy decisions.
The most saavy decision was to make their product a commodity such that investors can "bid" on it.
Let's say you start a company making batteries for EVs, you get grants and tax breaks galore for helping save the environment and pushing future technologies which help you to make better batteries and lower costs. You get the great idea to take your company public and allow investors to buy your batteries at the current market value. Suddenly everyone wants electric cars, your business skyrockets and demand is pushed beyond your ability to produce. Then price escalates to match. With Big Oil, the grants and tax breaks galore were taken back long ago, the only remaining tax breaks that are there are the ones that every big business gets. The ones that they get for having employees, pensions and health benefits.
The other issue is that Oil is purchased in US dollars. As the value of the dollar sinks in our crappy economy, the world continues to pay the same amount in their currency, but since 8 years ago a Euro was $.90 and today it's 1.58, if they were buying a barrel of oil before for 61 Euro ($55), then today they are buying it for 61 Euro ($86). Now there have been some supply and speculative buying that affect things as well, but that's the majority of it right there folks. The speculators are not under the influence of big oil, they are under the influence of greed, and to date it has paid off for them. If you want to go after someone, go after them.
Lastly, Tim, do you vote? Then yes, you have the ability to vote for someone who is not the big ticket, take note when you go to the polls, there are other options besides D and R. It's just that people are so pig-headedly bipartisan in this country that they (we the people) continue to vote that way because they act like it's their favorite team and they've always rooted for them, and they always will. Just so happens the 2 most popular teams have the deepest pockets because people believe whatever they are told. Watch Idiocracy then tell me it's not true. Sadly the elected elitists that somehow we keep voting into our house and congress keep on lining their own pockets and pushing their own personal agenda.
In the Autoblog Garage: 2008 Saturn Astra XR {Autoblog}
Apr 8th 2008 8:52PM That's not a fair statement Chris, the 22K that this test vehicle is VERY well equipped, don't forget that on the low end, including AC and delivery, these are 16,955. That includes very impressive list of standard features as well in a car that just does not "feel" like an econobox as it has a premium feel even in base trim levels.
Standard features like;
4-one touch power windows, Heated mirrors, Cruise Control, Trip computer, exterior Temp display, Tilt AND telescoping wheel, 4 wheel disk brakes w/ ABS, variable speed wipers with rain sense, dual illuminating vanity mirrors, front, side and curtain airbags, TPMS, DRL, Engine immobilizer, etc... the list goes on man.
These are standard features that are either not available or are parts of option packages on your typical super econoboxes like the Fit, Civic, Corolla, Etc... This car IS a bargain. It's not a Ford, but "Drive One" and see. I drove it a few weeks ago and my ONLY complaints were the lack of power, which I could live with and the gearing ratios in the Manual transmission which could have been spaced a little better IMHO. But neither will keep me from buying an '09 for my wife next year. Hopefully they will make the switch to the 1.4 liter turbo ecotec.
NADAguides: America's interest in compact cars on the rise {Autoblog Green}
Apr 8th 2008 8:10PM Too bad more people don't put the Astra on thier list (which I hear is not selling well) Which is a much more efficient vehicle than the 3. Problem is that GM needs to tweak that Manual Tranny gearing to be a little more spread out, lower 1st, higher 5th and better spacing between. Problem is, it won't sell well, then GM will assume it's because americans don't like hatchbacks or small cars. Then they'll come out with some hideous beast which resembles the last ION. *Sigh* You ask 100 people at random what a Saturn Astra is, I'll be 99 people will have no idea. Bad marketing, good product though.
Allentown, PA "America on Wheels" museum to open, includes an EV1 {Autoblog Green}
Apr 3rd 2008 9:19PM Pretty sweet, this is only a few miles from my house, I'm looking forward to checking this out.
