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Undergrowth - Vincent Van Gogh, 1887

I do kind of miss some aspects of the pre-internet era as far as cars in that new cars were released usually around the same time every year... and the magazines would always have their new car issues which were full of surprises..always looked forward to Car & Driver's annual 'Charting the Changes' issue. Today with new car announcements year round and online it's all pretty predicable and nothing is a surprise...

Yeah, it's always jarring to hear music I enjoyed in college that was called 'alternative rock' then (Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, Alice in Chains, Stone Temple Pilots, etc) referred to as 'classic rock'...

Heck, I still can’t get past 90s music being “oldies” now.. Never though I’d consider Panera “classic” rock... ? Granted I listen to everything........

Question : in looking at vintage press photos, it was common (up into the '50s) to take photos of auto accident victims while the bodies were still on scene/in the pic. No gore or blood, you understand. Of course, it's never done in the press today. Does this sort of thing offend you? 1952 :

You really want to talk about “elitism” with that BS you spouted about me yesterday? Seriously? Next time just call yourself a hypocrite and remove all doubt. So criticize the SMK way yet use it as your reason for Diesel sales being in the toilet? What I’m seeing out of your hypocrisy is that excuses for diesels are okay but not when it comes to EVs. Face it. Outside of the heavy duty pick up market and some other commercial uses, the AVERAGE BUYER in this country (buying it for themselves and not for business) don’t care about diesels. This has been true for nearly half a century now yet the dinosaurs can’t see that very obvious writing on the wall. And regarding the cylinder count in the GM twins, that is not the problem. I drove the Colorado Diesel last year and was pleasantly surprised (thank you torque) by it. It is not lacking for ability as a commercial use truck because of having two fewer cylinders. Any reasonable person would understand that after one drive. Again though, the average buyer just doesn’t care and probably because the full size diesel pick up market is just that dominant and tends to render smaller pick ups rather useless in their eyes, whether the reason is valid or not. Oh and I provided the source of those numbers on the previous page. Since you have a habit of reading what you want to read, here’s a screenshot and said link. https://www.dieselforum.org/vehiclesales/u-s-vehicle-sales-dashboard

Quality over Quantity is a thing some people do not get when they cling to hard to a static past as being the best life could ever offer. It is also why various society's have perished.

26 years in the biz yet it is you who doesn’t get it. More and more folks are using the internet to do just that so enjoy being left behind if you seriously think that he doesn’t get it.

Yeah, I couldn't imagine buying a vehicle without actually seeing it in person or test driving it. When I bought my CPO JGC in 2017, I did a bunch of research online and checked the inventories of the various dealers around Phoenix and zeroed in on a specific vehicle that had the right equipment/mileage/price combo that I was looking for. Didn't seriously consider any other brands. Then I went to the dealer on a Friday afternoon and asked to see and test drive that specific vehicle. I was time bound in some sense in that I was in the midst of moving to Ohio and my old Jeep was dying, so I moved pretty quickly. A lot of people buy used cars on eBay and other sites and have them shipped to them, haven't tried that yet, not sure if I would.

So true and it made the Auto Shows more relevant as you actually would go to see the new releases and check them out. Now it is just a single stop sales athon mess. I will say having the autos on hand to test drive is much better than in the past. One thing I have never gotten is those that refuse to even go to a dealership to test drive and check out the auto, do 100% online even the purchase and wait for the dealership to come to them to drop off the auto and then they bitch about the auto when they could have saved buyers remorse by getting off their ass and into the dealership. I DO NOT feel sorry for such lazy people.

We so need a FART Emoji for a comment like that!

A couple random observations whilst watching a good British police drama (Line of Duty) this past week.... the Brits do seem to love their estates (wagons)...the Ford Mondeo and Vauxhall Insignia wagons have sharp, striking shapes.. And the trope about M-B taxis even pops up in a TV drama...one character (a lawyer) was driving a black late model Mercedes E-class sedan while spying on his wife, and there is a line about a random person walking up to it thinking it's a 'minicab' (British for private taxi/black car service).

Disagree. Totally. Just for the record I like the Chevy Bolt. Wouldn't own one, that is a given, but it is a much friendlier example of the genre than anything Tesla could dream up.

Maybe you meant “Pantera”? And I agree. Hard to believe that most of the good stuff from the 90s is more than a quarter century old now. The life and times of the modern old fart I guess.

I'm not a modern car styling fan but I think the Bolt looks fine, certainly no worse than any other in it's size class. But to those saying the 'Bolt doesn't sell well' are all wrong. This is the typical filter a GM vehicle must always go thru- "it must sell in the 100s of thousands because it's a GM, or it's a flop". Doesn't work that way, certainly not now. Tesla aside (and there, really only the Model 3 applies), the Bolt sells very well…. FOR AN ELECTRIC. The problem is NOT marketing or the looks or the price, it's the #4 selling BEV in the country. It outsells the Model S and is neck & neck with the Model X. The problem is electrics don't sell well compared to IC vehicles. AT ALL. The Bolt is electric. Duh.

That sounds an awful lot like a homophobic insult. Well, just relax there junior.

The Bolt seems like it would make a decent city car...but it's really tiny, goofy looking and pricey. Maybe a restyle w/ squared off mini-Silverado front end styling would help...

Then there’s some good ole depression era Mississippi delta blues.

Yep...and I am pretty open to all the 90s music, pretty much does not make a difference what it is.... Even offering stuff the will never be popular again like Ska or swing......

Pay attention next time and I won’t have to correct you (and provide a link) again Spanky.

Proper reading comprehension and sticking to the subject were never his forte. Cut him some slack.

The lower photo, aren't the oldest cars Holdens?

Found some pics of racing at Put-in-Bay in the early 1960s..they are having a vintage sports car race event next month, may go to that.

Disagree as the point is that that was then and now we have better moving forward and pointing to the past without pointing out the better in the current and how we will get even better in the future is what the end point is about.

WOW, Pulling an SMK of moving the goal post and pointing at a total different auto class rather than talking the one brought up. The mid size sale of Diesel trucks is a loss from a business stand point, the cost and increase in fuel price, maintenance, etc. the public has decided is not wanted compared to full size diesel trucks and one that I am pretty sure is in the Redneck non college educated crowd. I agree with @surreal1272 GM needs to either market it and point out the benefits of the auto, or build it as a true wanted AWD CUV/SUV.

https://www.greencarcongress.com/2019/01/20190116-dtf.html

Then here’s some classic rock for ya’. From one of my top ten all time favorite albums. Also in my top ten.

My local FCA dealer remodeled their waiting room in the last year..it's pretty decent now, adjacent to the showroom w/ a nice coffee machine and tvs. The previous one looked like it was left over from the 70s--was right next to the service bays and service counter and very loud w/ grubby carpeting. When I went in for an oil change, mirror replacement and other maintenance in June I camped out a few hours w/ my laptop and worked and it was fine.

I don’t drink coffee and the only time I can recall waiting for service vs. leaving is for tires in a stand-alone tire shop. I have far too busy a schedule to sit for hours and finger chair upholstery.

Does anyone remember service stations?

MY thinking: EV Bus :local kid pick up Big D : Will do the more rural and farther routes

CarMax data: average mercedes buyer : 43.7 yrs old average buick buyer : 45.6 yrs old

reminds me of what it will be like at the admissions office into a nursing home

Guigario is a hack.

Sitting at a buick dealer. Why are buick gmc stores always such dead sad yucky places. Go to a Honda shop it’s hopping GM needs to figure out that their dealerships and sales strategies might be a big reason folks don’t go

I will second several points echoed from the past (one of which dfelt already pointed out). The looks are a problem for a lot of folks. It looks like a CUV yet it offers nothing that other CUVs offer, like AWD or 4WD. That kills a huge subsection of potential CUV buyers looking to go green. Second, and this is the big one, has been total lack of marketing, much like the diesels certain folks here crow over. I worked at a Chevy dealership last year and during that time they had exactly one Bolt that sat for almost two months with a $44K price tag on it. Most of the sales people knew jack and $h! about the car and that price was a huge pill to swallow for a lot of folks. All of this had nothing to do with the powertrain and that’s what the dinosaurs don’t get. It has said a million times in the last, that had the EV tech gone in something more like the Equinox, sales would be better (potential high price not withstanding). I don’t know why the EV hater here doesn’t get what has been discussed a thousand times now but those are the simple facts. Diesels don’t sell for $h! here either and their issues have cost manufacturers BILLIONS. Guess, by your logic, we should give those up too right? Just for you @ocnblu, this article covers the issues facing the Bolt perfectly. Read it, understand it, and move on from your endless troll act. https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.forbes.com/sites/brookecrothers/2019/07/21/chevy-bolt-the-best-ev-youve-never-heard-of--still/amp/

Lovely looking standard cab pickup at the gas station. So rare to see them like this.

Volt was too small. So is Bolt. If you want a chance at mainstream sales you have to size the vehicle where more people want it. A plug in Malibu at volt price or less for example. The fusion energi has sold ok. Or perhaps the bolt could have been Equinox sized. I thought I saw something that said GM was looking at solid state ev batteries. Makes me wonder if all these car manufacturers are worried about getting slammed with toxic waste lawsuits aplenty when all these current hybrids are getting disposed of. i do like bolt and volt a lot. Just not practical to own with their size and limited options.

Olds F-85 export in Japan ~

Initial investment will be high but operating costs should be much lower year after year. I assume they have the break even point figured out.

DRIVEN: 2020 Subaru Ascent Premium (AWD 2.4 turbo) HIGHS: -Finally, what the market was looking for, a worthwhile Subaru entry into the 3 row crossover segment. And packaging, size wise, styling, just about perfect for Subaru -2.4 engine can snarl, nice go juice, and the CVT is actually fairly responsive. Moves out well, or at least feels like it does. Makes the Ascent feel sporty actually. -As mentioned above, packaging is just about perfect for Subaru. It might be considered a tweener, but it does not feel hulking or girthy...and it still will be garagable for many of those folks that would shop import brands. Cabin width not as wide as a Traverse, noticeably so...but conversely feels like a nice size upgrade from an Outback. Maybe if you try to have three in the second row its a concern but otherwise should be ok. Plenty of comfort remains and the third row is decent sized for leg room. This may be the sweet spot size of a 3 row for many customers. -Cloth seats were attractive and did feel nice at the bottom. -Simple clean dash layout, noticeably signature Subaru. Some interesting trim. -Open and airy feel inside the cabin, and likewise visibility out. In particular in front it doesn't feel significantly larger in front then a Forester or Outback. -Carlike ride and handling. At least in line with the sort of current expectations of a Subaru / Toyota / Honda type of customer. And reasonably quiet inside. -Nothing particularly egregious, and entirely in line with Subaru and Japanese car in general brand character. If you are a Subaru fan, this is your manna, this should EXCITE you. LOWS: ...all that said (above) -A few times I caught the CVT with its pants down and it went into slow response / rubber bandy mode. -Dash, to me, did feel plain and basic (and that also is entirely in character for a Subaru). I will go on record saying that a Traverse is nicer inside and much more interesting. -Steering felt light and numb enough that I can't say it was anything besides decent. All while being a huge upgrade in steering compared to other Subarus I have driven the last few years. It is very much improved compared to those. And the suspension was composed enough in the Ascent that it didn't bounce and bob and weave like I had when i drove a Forester before. -I didn't dissect the cargo area greatly but I do think maybe it is down a little bit in terms of usable dimensions compared to say, a Traverse or Atlas....probably as useful or more useful than an Acadia. -At the end of the day, apart from the kind of lively powertrain, the whole rest of the vehicle is MILQUETOAST. Which, if you are a Subaru fan, should EXCITE you. I mean, I think a Santa Fe may be more appealing emotionally. I was expecting something to feed the soul here, there is nothing. How they made it still feel lifeless while still miraculously making this vastly improved over other Subarus, must have required special skill. SUMMARY: At the end of the day, a perfectly innocuous but highly useful device that absolutely fulfills the Subaru brand character while at the same time borders on being something equal to the NPC version of an automobile. And some will absolutely love that. While superbly capable, I think I VASTLY prefer my GM's or even the VW Atlas. Seek those out instead if you want ANY personality in your 3 row family hauler.

I think so. The two sedans towards the back. No idea why they would be in Ohio in the 60s though. Edit: That pic came from a website about the PIB races, but I suspect they grabbed a pic from a later Australian race—the Valiant appears RHD. And there is a 65 Mustang in there, and the last PIB race was 63. When I was out there yesterday, I saw several markers that indicated the route of the original races, and I remembered a Road & Track article I’d read about it years ago. A neat footnote in the history of racing in Ohio.

Thank goodness for the Internet, you can now save all that time looking online, download any PDF file you want on a specific product line all from the comfort of your bed. Decide what is of interest to go look at, then get up, shower, get styling and go check out the ones of interest. So much more efficient in the 21st century.

Sadly wagons represent far less than that when it comes market penetration. (At least in the US anyway).

Sorry, I do not like boy toys, wrong plumbing for me. Ya know you love electrics, but I understand, hard to change tune! ?

Lets talk about why BOLT does not sell well. A number of valid bullets to take into consideration: It is not a Tesla Public hate for all things GM Lack of proper marketing Lack of training of Chevrolet Sales people on how to sell an EV. Lack of public knowledge on how to fuel up on the road. Lack of EV brand perception. Hatred created by killing the original EV1 by GM. Cost especially with cheap fuel and cheaper trucks / cuv / suv Washington DC Versus GM Politics. Global demand is up, but limited production due to battery pack production is holding back increased sales - Read the Fool.com Investment Analysis which covers the global demand for the BOLT. To quote the electric power research institute in Palo Alto CA: Mark Duvall, director of energy utilization for the Electric Power Research Institute in Palo Alto, told the San Jose Mercury News, “It takes a long time to change someone’s inherent perceptions about new technology…especially with one of the two biggest purchases people make.” https://www.plugincars.com/why-238-mile-chevy-bolt-not-selling-hotcakes-132776.html https://www.torquenews.com/5477/2019-chevy-bolt-hasn-t-been-selling-very-well-and-it-isn-t-car-s-fault https://www.fool.com/investing/2018/07/05/is-this-why-sales-of-general-motors-chevrolet-bolt.aspx End result is that the BOLT and all other Electrics are held back by battery production, limited supplies, higher costs till economy of scale kicks in and Limited options. Final part is IGNORANCE with a BIG DOSE of a lack to learn and understand changing technology.