Drew Dowdell

How many miles on the car?

Not all CVTs are bad. Though I haven't driven the OS to know if that one is or not.

What is it with German brands and their desire to call each and every body-style or engine-option variation a model? Back in the day, you bought an Oldsmobile Cutlass, but that wasn't the end of the story. You could have bought a 2-door coupe, 2-door hard top, 4-door sedan, 4-door hard top, convertible, wagon, or a 442... or you bought an Eighty-Eight, again with just about all of those available variations. Up to 14 different options, but in the end, just two models. Mini has 8 "models" but they are all just variations on two cars... at it's base, Mini has the Mini Cooper which is the basis for 6 "models" and the Countryman which is the basis for 2 "models" BMW is just as bad. Audi is worse. *might turn this rant into a longer Op Ed later.

LOL! Wow! I struck a few nerves there!

Those of us into cars are a special breed. Many of us keep our cars as if they are another member of the family. So when we see friends or relatives mistreat their vehicles, it raises hairs on the back of our neck. What annoys you the most about these people? Is it: How messy they keep their car? I have a relative that just picked up a clean used Ford Explorer 6 months ago. I saw it when he first got it and while it is a 2006, it was clean and in decent shape. I saw it again over the holiday weekend and it was loaded with junk, brake dust all over the wheels and in need of a bath. Their disregard for for regular maintenance? Back in high school I had a friend who had a 1986 Mercury Cougar. It was a 10 year old car but in showroom condition with low miles. A few years into it, I noticed the oil change reminder sticker had never changed and the ink on the reminder had completely faded away. I asked him when was the last time he changed his oil and he replied "uh... never". Well, the next weekend he came over so I could change the oil for him. It came out thicker than crude. The engine survived though and ran just fine after the oil change. While I was under there, I looked at his tires and they were down to the cords. We had a talk about that later. The way they drive? Pretty self explanatory here. Are they shaving while talking on the phone while eating a taco while driving? Their lack of passion? I had a friend in college who had a '98 Toyota Corolla and he thought it was just the bestest car ever! He was fairly devastated when someone broke into it and stole the stock cassette / CD player. I felt they did him a favor. Their misuse or misunderstanding of how certain vehicle features work? This is my personal pick. In my house, I pick out the vehicles and manage their care and feeding. What I can't seem to get through is that in a car with automatic temperature control, you don't need to set it to max because the system will manage the fan speed for you. Every time I get into our Buick Encore, I have to set the climate control back down to 72 from the 85 it is at when I get in. In the summertime, it works in reverse. Other: Something else I didn't list? Put it in the comments below.

If the O2 sensors aren't getting the amount of exhaust they expect, they'll throw a code.

Wtf? Why?

Happy Birthinday big man!

I've driven a prototype. RAV-4 feeling inside.

Also, it's really easy for him to say this when his main competition's base models are $29,900. He can price his base model at $30,000.01... just 100 dollars and one cent more... and still not be fibbing.

he implies that the reason Benz and Audi went down market was because of CAFE, but that isn't the reason. They are doing that to chase volume and are diluting themselves in the process

You know what, they could probably put this on the 200 platform and still give it a unique and attractive shape.

I've seen a number with factory CB. It's apparently an easy thing to swap out (I don't know what you do for the antenna) and they show up on Ebay with enough frequency that there had to be at least some take rate on them.

but you've gotta turn up the sport mode to get it... which is my point. it's not a FWD/RWD thing, it is a suspension tuning decision by Audi.

I think the J-bodies, X-Bodies, and whatever Chevette/J1000 was didn't get them. I'm pretty sure the FWD A-bodies did. I know that as late as 1985 the CB was still being offered on the E/K bodies. I've never seen it on them after the 1986 change over.

I really wanted the 159 to come here. :-( It's so handsome. If I ever moved to the EU, I'd try to find a low KM used one. And that sexy retro interior!!

Consolation prize, we have the guy who pushed hard for the last few versions, as a high end exec at GMNA.

I'm really surprised that it took them this long.

The snow started here in Pittsburgh now. It's coming down pretty good.

Buick does just fine with the Regal and Verano T handling and they're FWD. They also don't beat you up over the road... so what is Audi's excuse?

Diagree. I think Toyota is going to take this platform and expand it into more sports cars for Toyota and Lexus as well. Which means that its base form is going to remain.

It highly depends on where they are built. I would avoid any Mexican built VWs, but the German built or Chattanooga built ones seem to be solid.