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Merry Xmas, Happy New Year and Happy Holidays to all here on Chears and Gears. For me, today Xmas Eve was my 30th Anniversary of Marriage. Has been a great day with my family!

Before I forget, Merry Christmas ... to any of our members who celebrate it. If you don't celebrate this time of year as such, happy holidays.

2nd gen F-Bodies were everywhere growing up, but I was always into full-size cars (even over intermediates). In fact, I used to sneer at F-Bodies. Now tho, I appreciates the hell out of them for their design.

I hate to throw out a little bit of bah humbug: this is not the time to be in the market for a car. I went onto the lots of a few of dealerships earlier today. There are very FEW new cars. The used car prices were sort of nutty: 1. There was a '19 Toyota Corolla with 51,000 miles. They want $ 21 K for it. That's a 3 year old base model. And that's almost half the mileage that I have on my car. 2. There was a '17 Buick LaCrosse with 48,000 miles. They want $ 26K for it. This a 5 year old car and a discontinued model. I noticed that there was a fair number of swales in the leather seats up front, so that the leather didn't look so taut. I did see a few new cars at a nearby VW dealership. A few were new Passats with alloys, a leather interior, and a sunroof. The sticker was a low $ 29 K. I wonder if they'd take that price as the sales price. If it's windy outside, they say, "Hang on to your hats." In this sort of market, I say, "Hang on to your sleds."

RE emissions: they go by model year. My ‘59 only has to meet whatever standard (there is one for pre-‘68) there is for ‘59, not 2025. Regardless of motor. So politicians can do zero to effect the retirement of fully legally existing autos; they can only propose restrictions to future vehicles. They cannot push ‘early sunsetting’ of existing vehicles, lest they encounter a pushback demanding financial restitution. And that existing pool is nearly 300 million. This is why politicians proclaiming they’re going to reduce emissions by 45% or 85% are either lying thru their teeth or are hopelessly naive.

In my city, the politicians here are switching to EVs for public works vehicles. The subway system here is fully electric anyway. Our subway system NEEDS to be extended although its quite a large network. A couple of new underground stations will be added in the east of the city, but its a very expensive undertaking to expand to the west. BUT...there is an expansion of an electric train above ground in the west that is more akin to our subway system so there is that. Our city busses will eventual be electric. We have a few running around as test beds. It was announced recently that are school busses will go electric. There was a plan to go all EVs with our taxis. The taxis that were based from our airport (which our airport is smack dab in the middle of our city) and our downtown core were electric, but the company was losing money due to the fact that Teslas are expensive to buy. There were other EV models in their line-up, but Teslas at that time, and still now, have the range to be viable taxis. We have discussed transport trucks in the past, you and I. I think we are both in agreement to say that electric tech as of now, does not benefit the transport trucks. So that idea to have long range transport trucks be electric will be an even longer time lapse.... But I do see your view that most cities around the world do not have Montreal's advantage. So therefore I must agree that going after the individual first IS ass-backwards. This is an easy fix actually. EV charging times with the next gen battery tech such as GM's Ultium will be considerably less than what it is now. All we need now is just EV charging stations at every location that we could possibly have them. And...having them in gasoline stations is a GREAT start... But...the private entrepreneur needs to take heed and be a part of the winds of change. In other parts of the world, including Canada, this is NOT an issue. In the US, all we get is just whining about the charging infrastructure and how there is not enough charging stations as its some kind of impossible feat to construct. Elon Musk single handedly, with help of some governments has established a charging network for Tesla owners. He is also trying to colonize Mars so... this should cease as an argument against EVs. Affordable is such an open ended term when the ATP of new US vehicles are at a stone's throw away from entry level EVs that are quite capable of delivering comfortable daily driving duties. No...cheap Chevy Spark priced EVs do not exist in North America. They do exist in China though. And in Europe some what. But I will admit, cheap Chinese shyte is NOT what North America SHOULD be importing or producing. So Ill admit that this needs more planning. But its not a feat that can not be overcome by 2030-2035. VW after all, has surpassed Tesla in the most EVs sold worldwide for 2021. And although I do not know what EV models VW offers the Chinese and European markets, Im willing to bet that most of these EVs sold are not 100 000 dollar dream machines... Im also willing to be that most of these EVs are not even 50 000 dollar 'look at me, Im a green person saving the planet, SJW type vehicles either. Im willing to bet that most of VW's EVs are of the modest kind being sold to everyday peoples. Models that North Americans do not have access to and therefore hard for us to see for realz an EV future. I see the logic fallacy of my "cash for clunkers" proposition earlier with your post here. But...with Covid making every country just print money, is it such a problem for a cash for internal combustion clunkers program? I personally dont think so. In most country's though, this what you have said, is in motion. Its in the US that is lagging. The constant whining but doing nothing is what the REAL problem is. But, not all of what I say is rosey either. Some countries do not have the clean energy to charge the batteries. I know that. Agreed and Agreed No rebuttal there from me.

That's a quickie 'shopped pic of a '21 factory photo. Here it is off google: I've read GM insider posting that he'd seen the prototype truck in person & it's far-removed from the current language- very rounded.... that this was very close to the nose of it:

So True, save and enjoy the best when you have it, never go cheap, the experience is such a letdown. After skiing yesterday, enjoyed a both of Cab Sauv 2014 from one of my favorite wineries while watching a movie. Great way to relax after a awesome day of pounding the slopes.