Drew Dowdell

2 hours ago, ccap41 said:

While I don't exactly think anything going on is right, I also don't think trusting anything an oil company CEO says is smart either. They've kind of been known to stick it to us over the last... forever-number-of-years.

Chevron is the prime beneficiary of the Venezuelan oil situation so they have reasons to want to keep oil prices high. They're producing more and selling it higher. 

The oil companies know that the price of oil is a balancing act. They are the one industry that wants it high, but not too high.  Too high is what causes the boom and bust cycle not only in their industry but in the economy as a whole.  They also know that if they push people into EVs, chances are they aren't getting those customers back.  With EV prices getting closer to parity with each passing product cycle and charging locations expanding rapidly, they know this is a bad situation for them.  EVEN IF the US continues to lag behind the rest of the planet on EVs, losing India and South America to EVs could cause a cascade effect on them.  The Chinese EVs are already in those markets too.  The US might be the largest consumer of oil, but if we are the primary buyers costs will go up for us pushing more Americans to EVs.

That ain't no QX70.

34 minutes ago, ccap41 said:

Maybe because I'm not a Costco member, but that link didn't show any Hondas. It showed deals on Volvos, Polestars, and the Silverado EV. Also, nowhere close to 17k. The best deal was 2k off for the EX90 and only for executive members. 

Ideally, I'd love the press release green/blue. I'd settle for the other blue or red and would really not want silver, white or black. If I'm being honest though, I'm sure I'd still buy silver, white or black for the right price. Okay, maybe not black. I don't want to deal with a black color and trying to keep it clean. I've had one black car and that was enough to experience the hatred for attempting to keep it clean. 

Albert went to Costco this morning and I asked him to get a pic.  This is the very top trim Prologue, but lower trims should be similar.

23 hours ago, ccap41 said:

Dang, there are no ZDX within 200 miles of me and when I jump to 300 miles, they're more like 34-40k still... 

Do you guys have a link to read more on this Costco discount? 

I don't see it on the website @G. David Felt linked, but they have a Prologue out in front of my costco with the deal posted on it. I'll see if I can get a pic.

23 hours ago, ccap41 said:

Dang, there are no ZDX within 200 miles of me and when I jump to 300 miles, they're more like 34-40k still... 

Do you guys have a link to read more on this Costco discount? 

That blue one tho... 👀

Infiniti's last fastback SUV, the QX70, left the lineup after the 2017 model year. Nearly a decade later, the brand is back in the segment with the all-new 2027 QX65, a two-row coupe-style SUV that slots above the QX60 and takes aim at the BMW X6, Mercedes-Benz GLE Coupe, and Porsche Cayenne Coupe. Starting at $53,990, the QX65 is built in Smyrna, Tennessee and goes on sale this summer as a 2027 model.

Powertrain

The QX65 uses Infiniti's 2.0-liter Variable Compression Turbo (VC-Turbo), the same engine that now powers the QX50, QX55, and QX60. It produces 268 horsepower and 286 lb-ft of torque, paired with a 9-speed automatic and standard Intelligent All-Wheel Drive. Towing capacity comes in at 6,000 pounds, matching the QX60's rating with the same hardware. The VC-Turbo requires premium fuel and has a 6,000 RPM redline, characteristics that are consistent across the lineup regardless of vehicle size.

Design

Infiniti describes the styling as "Artistry in Motion," built around a sweeping fastback roofline and wide stance. The headline paint option is Sunfire Red, a three-layer finish with genuine gold-coated glass flecks worked into the paint, giving the color a depth that shifts depending on the light.

Interior and Technology

The QX65 carries essentially the same technology package found in the updated QX60: twin 12.3-inch displays with Google Built-In, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and a Qi2-standard wireless charging pad. An optional 10.8-inch color head-up display is available for the driver.

Audio options are a 16-speaker Klipsch system or a 20-speaker Klipsch Reference Premiere setup with individual speakers built into the headrests. Infiniti calls the arrangement Individual Audio and pairs it with a Personalized Sound app that lets each occupant tune the audio to their seating position.

ProPILOT Assist comes standard across both trims, with ProPILOT Assist 2.1 available as an upgrade. Surround visibility features include a 3D Around View Monitor, Front Wide View, and Invisible Hood View. Cargo capacity is 35.8 cubic feet behind the second row and 67.7 cubic feet with the rear seats folded, which is more usable space than the roofline shape might suggest.

Two Trims

The QX65 launches in two trims: SPORT and AUTOGRAPH. Full equipment details for each trim have not been released, though the AUTOGRAPH is the range-topper with additional luxury content.

See all photos in the 2027 Infiniti QX65 photo gallery.

Pricing and Availability

The 2027 Infiniti QX65 starts at $53,990 before destination charges and goes on sale in summer 2026.

More Infiniti Coverage

• Infiniti Offers a Striking New Update for the 2026 QX60
• Infiniti QX60 Drops the V6 in Favor of a Turbocharged 4-Cylinder

View full article

12 hours ago, trinacriabob said:

When people talk about electric vehicles and how they might fare for others, the other person's context needs to come into view.

Last summer, I was driving through a beachside town on the Adriatic coast in Central Italy.  I couldn't believe what I was seeing, so I had to pull over and take a photo 

This is evidently an electrified Fiat.  I don't know what this person's parking situation is, but it looks like they've got it parked on a narrow apron, are blocking the sidewalk, and the electricity is being borrowed from somewhere inside the house through a long cord.

Unless a person in Italy has a detached home that has a garage or is in a condo tower that has garages at its base, they may not have a real tidy solution for electrifying the car while it's parked and they aren't doing something else or are sleeping.  A person could be in the exact same situation in the United States and Canada.  

If you've got an EV and have a garage or carport, you can charge it as needed nightly if there are outlets available.  A friend of mine who lives in a Southern California suburb and has an 1,800 square foot house with a two car garage has 2 Teslas being charged while parked in the garage.  The same could be true in a personal garage somewhere in Europe. 

But without the garage situation established and a vehicle yet to be decided on ... and if it looks anything like the above photo ... I don't expect to be buying an electric car this next time. 

It really depends on how you're using it.  That Fiat has a really short range and a pretty slow charge speed. It's not for traveling like you do, it's for runs to the store in a city.  On the other end, something longer range 300+ miles like a Tesla, or some of the GMs and Hyundai/Kias, they make great touring vehicles.  Just look for a charging spot near your destination or most highways in the US have rapid charging now.  

Now, public charging is usually not cheaper per mile than gas. If you're doing is to save money, an EV and relying solely on public charging nets out to the same as a similarly size gasoline vehicle, but no worse. It's pretty much just equal on fueling costs.  The EV pulls ahead slightly on maintenance costs, but probably not enough to justify a purchase in either direction.(*this is assuming US electric and gasoline prices, I don't know how the numbers shake out in the EU)

One of the areas that don't see talked about much is convenience.  If you're in an area where you can charge at home and have decent public charger access, the convenience of EVs can't be beat. Just this week I had to go on a 200 mile round trip business trip. The night before I was so tired coming home I didn't stop to fill up the truck. If I had an electric, it wouldn't have mattered, but because it's gas, I had to budget extra time for stopping .  If it was a Silverado EV I could have made the trip twice on a single charge. Even a Chevy Bolt would have gotten up and back no problem without stopping. 

What I'm getting at is that the range anxiety is a lot more overblown these days than it should be.  We're not all doing cannonball runs. We stop for food, bathroom, whatever. You can charge at most Walmarts and many grocery stores now while you shop. The only time I ever had to worry about range is when I return a rental car and they want it above a certain range before I return it.

16 minutes ago, ccap41 said:

The Prologue is a sibling to the Blazer, not the Equinox. 

you're right. I get that confused because the Prologue has the motors/power/battery of the Equinox but is more structurally similar to the Blazer.  My point about the ZDX stands though, I see a few of them out there in the high $27k range. I think you'd be more satisfied with the ZDX than the Prologue at similar pricing like that. 

1 minute ago, ccap41 said:

Obviously. I'm also sure the lease mileage wouldn't fit my needs either. 

Oh, if you're talking for yourself try and find a ZDX. Slightly more range, nicer interior, slightly bigger, more powerful.  Based on the Blazer / Lyriq instead of Equinox.  Just harder to find.

36 minutes ago, ccap41 said:

I've seen many in the 23-27k range and they only have like 15-20k miles on them. It's hard to believe Costco pricing beats that. 

Sure, but those are used, I’m talking new.

30 minutes ago, ccap41 said:

This is disappointing. I really like the looks of the Prologue compared to its GM counterparts.

I am keeping an on eye on local ones because they've depreciated so damn much. I'd love to get into one of these. I need to get to my closest Honda dealership to test drive one. 

Costco is offering MASSIVE deals on Prologues right now, like $17,000 off plus cheap leasing. 

30 minutes ago, G. David Felt said:

I also saw that the Sony Honda Mobility EVs have been canceled now too. SHM is a dead thing along with anything EV for Honda. 

Going to be interesting to see if Honda can survive on its own going down the next 10 years for the auto industry. I also see Mazda not staying independant for long especially with the major class action lawsuit on Mazda CUVs.

With Honda's cancellation of its own planned EV product lineup, the 0 Series Saloon, 0 Series SUV, and Acura RSX, Sony Honda Mobility has announced the cancellation of their first and second models under the Afeela brand.

The Afeela concepts were unveiled at the 2023 Consumer Electronics Show to much fanfare, however, expected high pricing amid a global electric vehicle pullback rendered the Afeela brand unviable.

The Afeela 1 sedan entered production late last year based on Honda's 0 Series EV architecture, at Honda's assembly plant in East Liberty, Ohio. It is unclear how many Afeela units have been produced.

Honda said "The underlying assumptions of [Sony Honda Mobility's] business operations such as the utilization of certain technologies and assets planned to be provided by Honda were fundamentally altered." Sony and Honda will review the business direction of the partnership.

Sony Honda Mobility was established in 2022 as a way to blend the electronics and automotive expertise of the two iconic Japanese brands.

Related:

CES 2023: Sony and Honda Unveil their Joint EV Car Brand and Prototype - Afeela

2023 Afeela Concept - Gallery

View full article

4 minutes ago, ccap41 said:

These really are good looking cars out in the wild. I know the grille area has been an area of contention for some, but I think it looks perfectly fine. 

Does the non-NISMO Z already have a 6-speed transmission? Or is this is the first manual offered in the Z? Regardless, it's nice for us enthusiasts to gain another manual option. 

This is the first manual in the NISMO, and specially calibrated for NISMO.

59 minutes ago, smk4565 said:

They over priced these, and the market seems pretty stale on the Z now.

The market for all coupes is stale. But this has outsold the Miata some months 

So as I mentioned in my Has it really been 25 years? post, I have an app I've been building.  It's called Apartmatic.  It is occupant first property management software.  What does that mean?

Most property management software is geared to landlords and property managers that manage several to many units.  This software can do that of course, but what it also does is lets occupants manage their home maintenance, warranties for things they've purchased, keep receipts and other important documentation, keep track of repairs, and more.  You can scan the serial number barcode of your fridge into the software and it will look up the make and model for you AND look up parts like water filters, seals, shelves, handles and more.  It will give you the default manufacturer's recommended service interval for maintenance parts like filters, cleanouts, and more.  It will remind you when it's time to order parts and send you links to shopping sites that have them in stock.  

You can use it to maintain ANYTHING in your home.  Have a slate roof? Those need service every so many years. Enter your favorite roofer's information in and it will give you a reminder and ask when you want to send the e-mail to schedule the service.  You can enter all your service vendors in. 

Same goes for insurance. Track your insurance plans, extended warranties, keep an inventory of major purchases, have scans of the receipts, all stored in the app in case something happens.

If you're a property manager, even more things become automatic. It can use prediction to warn you of when an appliance is nearing end of life.  It can automatically route issues to preferred vendors.  You can put jobs out to multiple vendors for bid and so much more.

There is an entire listing to leasing to move-in workflow. Full payment and financial system, tax reporting, P&L reporting, unit turnover automation, and more.

I've been building this thing from scratch, out of spite and frustration. No investors, just me being stubborn. If you want to help me out, sign up for the beta at https://www.apartmatic.com/beta and I'll send you the invite link as soon as it's open. It's free and always will be at the Home level. I don't need "looks great!", I need "this is confusing" and "why can't I do X" and "I clicked this and it broke."

C&G's 25th birthday is coming up in August of this year and I wanted to give you some updates.

I haven't been posting as much lately, but that doesn't mean I'm not here.  I am working on a massive overhaul of the site ahead of our 25th birthday.

Background:  The Invision Community software we are on is V4. Support for V4 is tapering off rapidly as V5 was released over a year ago.  V5 is a major change to how the software operates and as a result many of the plug-in authors who wrote software that I purchased for us have abandoned their projects. This has put me in the position of holding off on V5 until I can get certain things built or replaced.

In the meantime, I'm also making a lot of changes in the background that will translate over to V5 seamlessly.

What's done:

• The Garage has been completely replaced.  The author of the Garage plug-in abandoned it years ago. His site is still active but loaded with spam posts.  I used Claude Code to reverse engineer his plug-in into an IPS.Pages app (the app that runs our Articles system and comes with the main software).  My primary goal here was to get all of your vehicle profiles transferred into the new system and preserved prior to a V5 upgrade. I will make the Garage prettier once we move.
• Fixed an issue where Google treated the comments forum of an article as duplicate content. This watered down our search results significantly, hindering people from finding the site. It will take Google months to figure all this out and fix it, but it will improve things going foward.
• Fixed an issue where Google was only able to read 500 of our Albums.

What's in progress:

• Albums are getting massive search engine optimization overhaul. I'm using AI to read every single one of our nearly 2000 albums to properly optimize them for search results.  For albums, the AI downloads the thumbnails, analyzes the pictures, adds meaningful descriptions, and special tags that help the search engines. It then finds the article that album is associated with and creates links to each other. Instead of Image01.jpg the search engine now sees "2027 Nissan Z NISMO front three-quarter view at dusk". This process is very resource intensive and the AI can only do about 50 a day. 
• Articles are getting optimized as well. We have almost 7,000. You will probably have noticed this in the latest articles from @G. David Felt and myself. When one of us posts, the article is held hidden until I run the optimization process on it. It adds Headings, image tags, and meta tags for the search engines. It will do minor grammar and spelling checks, but the AI has very strict instructions not to change the tone, voice, and feel of the article. What you are reading is by us even if it gets a little punctuation and grammar polish after. In addition to SEO changes, older article sometimes use formatting that no longer works in the current software. There's frequently broken image links, pagination that doesn't work properly, and more.  The AI is fixing it all. 
• New fields have been added to Articles that you can't see. It allows us authors to classify the article based on news, opinion, new car release, historical, and more. Also make, model, model year, size, class, and others.  What this will allow me to do is build Hub pages.  We will have an EV hub for example. The current Auto Show categories will go away and be replaced with Auto Show Hubs.  Major brands that get a lot of search traffic will get their own hubs, so we'll likely have a GMC hub and Mercedes-Benz hub.  These hubs will consolidate content from Articles, Albums, and Forums into one space.   Want to look at all content for GMC from 2018 - 2020? You'll be able to filter on that.  The AI is also going to back fill this data to all of our old articles. I completed the first test run of 50 articles this morning. Only 6,950 to go! 
• Our weekly newsletter is about to resume. You can manage your Subscription preferences in your Account Settings. 
• We have officially opened the doors to welcoming AI Crawlers and instructed them to cite us correctly if they use our information. We now have a published AI Crawling Policy and the background site instructions for the crawlers to follow. 

Roadmap - There's a lot to do still before our birthday!

• V5 Upgrade - I am planning for this to happen in June of this year, possibly earlier if I can get the hubs pages built faster. There will be a significant update to the look and feel of the website when this happens. Our current theme vendor also quit now that V4 is done.
• Dedicated App - We already have the progressive web app, but for August I am planning on releasing native iOS and Android apps in the app stores.
• Automatic distribution to Social Media - draw in more traffic to our articles.
• We will have a slight tweaking of our branding. If you get the site update e-mails, you'll see the beginnings of it already.
• We'll have some updated graphics for Pride month and for our Birthday coming out mid-summer.

What Else?

• I've been elected to the board of the Washington Auto Press Association (WAPA) for 2026. It will give me better access to content making opportunities.
• I'm actively developing another app of my own for your homes that you will all be invited to the Beta for. I'll make another post on that later today. Assuming that app takes off, I will be quitting my other consulting gigs that I've been working at full time for over a year with and focus on Cheers & Gears plus my other app called Apartmatic.

2 minutes ago, ccap41 said:

The things is, there was not a single thing stopping the legacies from jumping into the EV world head-on also. They knew they were funding Tesla and they could have stopped the bleeding early on with investing into BEVs. They had the ability to offset their own efficiencies, but chose not to. Right? Or was there something in writing that wouldn't allow that?

There was no money in it and except for Tesla, there's still no money in it. Even the Chinese EV manufacturers are being propped up by their government or by income from other lines of business (BYD is a huge leader in heavy trucks, buses, and construction equipment).  And I'm having serious doubts about Tesla now too. Tesla is alive on hype alone. 

Less then 10 years prior all three of the domestics were facing annihilation unless the government stepped in. It was, and still is, cheaper to just pay for clean energy credits from somewhere else than it is to spin up an entire EV platform. 

Even a gasoline platform can take a billion dollars to start, that's how much Sergio spent on the Giorgio Platform to get two Alfas, two Jeeps, and the Maserati Grecale.  That's what Benz spends on the S-Class platform. In the era after 2008, none of them were willing to take chances on unprofitable product. 

GM and Hyundai should really get a lot more credit for what they've done with their EVs.  GM's EVs don't make the headlines as much as everyone else's but the flexibility of their platform is unmatched by even Tesla. 

Ford should get a lot more credit with the Lightning and Mach-E.  The Lightning may not have been the absolute best solution, but it was a fantastic result for the incredibly short development time it had.  People look at the Lighning as a failure today, but look how fast Ford got that to market and, aside from some product mix mishaps, it's a perfectly capable truck for family duty.

Ahead of the New York International Auto Show next week, Nissan dropped the details on the refreshed 2027 Z set to debut there, and there are some genuinely good updates in here for enthusiasts.

The prime headline: The Z NISMO is finally getting a six-speed manual. Nissan didn't just bolt in an existing unit, either. The transmission was specifically engineered for the NISMO grade with an upgraded clutch and a shorter shift stroke for quicker, more satisfying gear changes. The twin-turbo 3.0-liter V6 got manual-specific tuning for throttle and ignition timing too, so it should feel properly dialed in rather than like an afterthought. The NISMO also gets GT-R-derived two-piece iron-aluminum front brake rotors that Nissan says reduce brake pad temps significantly during track use while also shedding 19 pounds off the nose.

The suspension was retuned to account for that weight loss, and there are steering rack revisions that reportedly cut internal friction by 20% for a cleaner, more natural steering feel.

Sport and Performance grades get a front-end refresh with a new bumper and grille design inspired by classic Nissan sports cars, plus a "Z" badge on the nose instead of the Nissan logo. Performance adds new forged 19-inch wheels and a tan interior option. All models get an improved fuel tank design to keep fuel delivery consistent during high-G cornering, and Performance gets larger-diameter monotube shocks for better ride quality and handling predictability.

See all photos in the 2027 Nissan Z NISMO photo gallery.

There's also a new color: Shinkai Green Pearl Metallic, paired with a Super Black roof. It's a modern take on the green from the classic S30 Z, and it looks sharp. We'll get you pictures live from the show next week. The 2027 Z hits dealerships this summer.

Pricing hasn't been announced yet.

View full article

1 hour ago, ccap41 said:

The auto industry also has the ability to just "do the right thing" on their own, right? i get that the president is a POS and he makes bad decision after bad decision, but this also needs to be put onto the auto manufacturers. They had 15 years to get to the point of building affordable BEVs with adequate range, but they sat on their hands until like 2019 or so, while getting our tax dollars. Now that they aren't getting our extra tax dollars they just decide to cancel them? That sounds exactly like the "corporate greed" that all of us regular people are sick and tired of. 

Sorta true sorta not.  It implies that Tesla had some sort of magic but what it really was was funding from the legacies. For many of the early years of Tesla, the only way they made money was buy selling clean energy credits to the legacy makers. Big gas trucks literally funded Tesla's growth. The legacies didn't get tax dollars for EVs until later. The Bolt was developed with GM knowing it would lose money on it because GM would never be able to sell the clean energy credits like Tesla did.  The big tax incentives same later after 2020 during the Biden administration and it was the only way the legacies didn't lose their shirt on EVs.

But if you think about it. Ford, GM, Chrysler, Nissan, Volkswagen, and Subaru can't even make a profitable mid-size sedan right now, much less make money on EVs.

On 3/20/2026 at 6:53 PM, G. David Felt said:

OUCH Apple is paring the tech options.
Apple quietly kills 15 devices - is yours on the list?

Most of that is old stuff. M5 processor is out now and six of those devices are M3s, one is an M2 iPad.  The iPhone 15 Pro an Pro Max were not some of Apple's best work and we're on 17 now. 

6 hours ago, Robert Hall said:

$45k for an appliance FWD CUV w/ a 4cyl in white w/ a gray interior is pretty depressing to imagine.   My Jeep was in that price range 12 years ago, much nicer design inside and out and well equipped w/ a V6 and AWD...and with inflation, the equivalent spec to that on a 2025 is about $53k..same engine and transmission, AWD, same color scheme, trim level and options. 

My sister's '23 Chevy Equinox LT was $34k out the door new at the end of 2022.  She got $15k in trade on her 2015 Trax and paid cash for the difference. 

I just can't with 4-cylinder turbos on premium aiming products. No one has really fixed the NVH of these engines and they all sound terrible. I'd really rather a small displacement 6 cylinder, say 2.5 liters with a turbo for premium stuff. Buick to Benz, they all sound bad. 

1 minute ago, G. David Felt said:

Interesting, programmable door handles, if you unlock the auto, they will stay out, but if you approach it while locked with the fob, they will pop out and if within 3 min you do not open a door, pull back in keeping the auto locked.

 

Yeah, and if you’re a dumb dumb, like I expect that user was they left the key fob inside the car

1 minute ago, G. David Felt said:

Yes they retract when you get in to drive or lock it, but when the auto sits unlocked, they stay out and I know how easy it is to possibly break them as I was going between auto's at my 24hr fitness this week and thought it weird that they were out and as I went between, the door handle hooked my work out short pocket and bent a bit before I unhooked myself.  As I walked to enter the gym, a person came out and locked it, clearly forgetting they had left it unlocked. 

To me a hook type door handle is more dangerous than the circle loop door handle that pops out of my EV9.

Now I do get the fact that some companies like Tesla have failed to make sure the door handles pop out for emergency release / escape. Cadillac is also guilty of this for both outside and inside door handles.

Kia / Hyundai / Genesis did the following:

Mechanical backup access:

There is a hidden physical key slot behind the driver’s door handle area.

Using the physical key lets you mechanically unlock the door even if the handle doesn’t pop out or during a power outage.

All EVs have a manual interior door release that works without power so that people inside can always get out no matter the situation.

This is all on my quick info card on the EV and I checked online with the Kia digital manuals. Hyundai and Genesis also say the same thing when searching online.

I think that was “user error” of the person who was driving that particular vehicle.

4 hours ago, G. David Felt said:

What specifically do you not like about them?

I love the pop outdoor handles on my EV9. They are way better than the stupid approach Cadillac took.

Cadillac leaves them out and are a danger as they are a hook that can easily get broken.

lol no they don't. those retract.