It's Just the Movies... It's Only Make Believe.

As an impressionable young man, I fueled my first car lusts with television shows- and movies. Knight Rider, Herbie the Love Bug, The Dukes of Hazzard, Christine, these kinds of pictures... CNBC ran a bit on 13 cars made famous by the movies- and although I'll contest- some of these cars are as obscure as the movies they stared in, having a car in the pictures can literally create a frenzy, for what would have been a "lost" or average car to begin with.

The Astrial Silver Mercedes-Benz 280 SE Convertible, as featured in The Hangover is such an example. Was the car iconic to begin with? Absolutely, it's a vintage Mercedes convertible- but truth-be-told, while there's collector interest in these hand-built four-seater cabriolets, the 280 SE is not the most preferred, investment-grade version; nor is it the most desirable- in fact, the 280SE was the middle-of-the-road variety- the more desirable 300 SE and later, low-grill 280SE 3.5 being the most sought-after, technically speaking.

They used the better part of half-a-dozen 280 SEs in the movie- and while its painful to see its abuse and destruction in the film- rest assured- the five or so cars that gave their lives to the production were in-fact saving tens or dozens down the road. (I'd say hundreds or thousands- but they never made as many...)

My point? People will be dusting-off these 280 SEs now more than ever. In fact, while CNBC claims they go for over six-figures when restored, this is only half true- nice, low-mile models can be had for less than half that quote; with only the very best of specimens, mainly the 3.5s, go for the "big" six-figure numbers.

But perhaps the biggest pop in collector interest for a single car (and ironically not one featured in the CNBC article) was for the 1958 Plymouth- as featured in the film-version of Stephen King's Christine.

They used something like 25 different 1957 and 1958 Plymouths in the films' production- destroying nearly every one of them.

Of some interest (in the original book) Christine was a specially-ordered, Autumn Red Plymouth Fury sedan- only one problem- Plymouth never made a such a car. And Autumn Red? It didn't exist.

The car featured in the movie is actually most similar to a '58 Plymouth Belvedere Sport Coupe with a Golden Commando V8- though many call it a Fury, painted Toredor Red with Sportone trim- another car that never existed in real life- Furys in 1958 came one way- Buckskin Beige with special Goldtone trim. They were limited, sport editions, of the shittiest, lowest cars Chrysler made at the time, really...

Collectors of these Forward Look beauties cringe and cry over it today- for to find any 1958 Plymouth (regardless of color and trim) is a rare sight- many surrendered to rust long ago- but the hard fact remains- it's Christine that has forever immortalized this Plymouth, and many like it as a desired collectible.

So while the movie destroyed a couple dozen cars- it saved and promoted hundreds, maybe thousands.

I guess these cars are like famous people- while many spend their lives fascinated by celebrities, truth-be-known, their just regular people with better, more visible jobs and lives than the rest of us.

But while the famous still put their pants on, "one-leg-at-a-time" (or so many still claim)- these cars are just average, made-up at best, that got lucky into the land of make believe- the movies.

The Iconic 911 Now in GTS Form for 2011

If you're an avid Porsche enthusiast, you'll know that a Porsche 911 just isn't a 911. Even stemming back to its roots in the 1960's- unless you have a 1963-68 early SWB (short wheel base) car, you don't have just a 911.

911T, 911E, 911S, 911L, 911RS- are just some of the models that tore-up the roads 40 years ago; soon to be followed by the 911 SC ("Super Carrera"), then the 911 Carrera 0f the 1980's. Come 1990- the 911 wasn't even a 911; it was a 964, in 1994- a 993 followed by 996 and 997, water-cooled for the 21st Century.

Now the number 911 is back, but it's just a marketing brand. To confuse matters even more- the 911 is available in some 20 different models!

If you thought things were confusing in the 60's & 70's- they're even more puzzling now...

Porsche’s venerable sports car classic, the Carrera- also known as the internal Type 911 now comes in no fewer than 20 different iterations- ranging from the most basic Carrera Coupe, starting at just under $78,000; all-the-way to the track-topping $245,000 911 GT2 RS.

Newest to the iconic breed which has been in continuous production since 1963 is the 911 Carrera GTS. The GTS is themed at being what Porsche Cars calls “clarity” of the 911 performance and evolution concept.

Priced above the $95,000 base-Carrera 4S, yet below the race-inspired $116,000-plus GT3, the new for 2011 GTS (which comes in both a Coupe and Cabriolet styles) is as Autoblog describes as “the new middle child of the ass-engined family,” reminding everyone of the unique rear-engine design that has been a hallmark for both Porsche and its iconic 911.

The recipe for the GTS is clear but it may not be for every Porsche enthusiast. Take the wide-body configuration of a Carrera 4S… and take-away the all-wheel-drive, upgrade the 3.8-liter S-spec engine to churn-out 408-horses (up 23-horses from the Carrera S, yet 27-horses less-than the GT3) sprinkle in some RS Sypder-style 19-inch wheels and Alcantara interior trimming as standard; and set the styling with Porsche SportDesign details- and you have the new GTS.

Autoblog reports: “Power is sent exclusively to the rear wheels (and as it should be), with a manual six-speed transmission coming standard and a seven-speed PDK as an option. Select the Sport Chrono package along with the dual-clutch 'box, and Porsche claims you'll be cracking off four-second 0-60 runs all day long… After the GTS debuts in Paris, sales of both the coupe and cabriolet versions will begin early next year, with a starting price of $103,100 and $112,900, respectively."

In reality- the GTS offers a degree of higher exclusivity and performance before going all-out both in price and performance for the breathtaking GT3 or Turbo variants.

And in another 40 years- only the true Porschephiles will ever really know the difference. Or Care-errera (if you know what I mean...)

Ward's 10-Best List- May Just Require Batteries This Year...

Every year since 1994, Ward’s AutoWorld magazine has compiled its “best automobile engines” list available in the United States, and for the fist-time since its inception- plug-in electric hybrid powerplants are included, proving that Ward’s 10 Best Engines list too is “embracing the age of electrification.”

According to Ward’s- “Both the Nissan Leaf electric vehicle and Chevrolet Volt extended-range EV earn their way onto the 2011 list, as selected by Ward’s editors after evaluating 38 vehicles with new or significantly improved engines for the ’11 model year.” But as in the past- economy is not the only criteria to make the grade- power, torque outputs as well as noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) still count.

Ward’s AutoWorld Editor-in-Chief Drew Winter insists “It’s the most diverse mix we’ve ever had, as well as the most technologically advanced.”

2011’s winners and the applications tested include:
• 3.0L TFSI Supercharged DOHC V-6 (Audi S4)
• 3.0L N55 Turbocharged DOHC I-6 (BMW 335i)
• 1.6L Turbocharged DOHC I-4 (Mini Cooper S)
• 3.6L Pentastar DOHC V-6 (Dodge Avenger)
• 5.0L DOHC V-8 (Ford Mustang GT)
• 1.4L DOHC I-4/111kW Drive Motor (Chevrolet Volt)
• 5.0L Tau DOHC V-8 (Hyundai Genesis)
• 80kW AC Synchronous Electric Motor (Nissan Leaf)
• 2.0L DOHC I-4 Turbodiesel (Volkswagen Jetta TDI)
• 3.0L Turbocharged DOHC I-6 (Volvo S60)

The Ward’s 10 Best Engines competition “is designed to recognize powertrains that set new benchmarks in their respective vehicle segments.” Ward’s editor Winter continues “The one thing they have in common is they all are stand-out performers in their own way and sell the value proposition of the vehicles they power.”

Winter adds “This year’s list represents the biggest turnover in the history of the competition, with six completely new engines or propulsion systems, two heavily modified engines (from BMW AG and Hyundai Motor Co. Ltd.) and only two direct carryover engines (from Volkswagen AG and Audi AG) from the 2010 list.”

Eligible engines must be available in standard-production cars on sale in the U.S. market no later than the first quarter of the given model year. The engine also must be available in a vehicle with a base price of no more than $54,000.

During a two-month testing period, Ward's editors evaluate each engine according to a number of objective and subjective criteria in everyday driving situations without instrumented testing.

Some standout Ward’s winners in the past have included the General Motors 3800 Series V6, and the Nissan/Infiniti VQ-based V6 powerplants. Nearly every year since it’s inception seventeen years ago, a version of the Ford V8 and the BMW straight-six have made the popular Ward’s 10 Best Engines list.

Source: WardsAuto.com

He Ain't Heavy... It's My Country

Happy Holidays everyone...

Early Black Friday found me recovering from Thanksgiving. I couldn't sleep. Not sleeping in my old bedroom at my parent's house- found me flipping through basic cable (living with an HD Silver Package- I rarely catch commercials on TV) and I caught the tail-end of the new, General Motors commercial "We All Fall Down," a montage of clips depicting failure and eventual triumph. I've even heard this commercial being referred to as the "Comeback Commercial," or the "Thanksgiving Giving Thanks Commercial."

NASA, Popeye, Animal House, Evil Knievel, a boxer and President Truman- all were represented seamlessly, with the instrumentals of "He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother," a ballad first made popular by The Hollies. No spoken words, just a few written lines.

Now I'm really not a very political person. I don't spend my time acting the pundit, complaining, speculating about my country, or it's (in my opinion) slightly sorry economic and political condition. Nor will I bore you with speculations of "doom and gloom." It's just not productive.

Speculation is largely dishonorable and highly egocentric. And in the end- you're left with no real answers.

Watching the commercial which included a clip of Animal House's Brother Bluto (played by the late John Belushi) ranting about how "when the German's bombed Pearl Harbor..." (the Germans?)

Let me also quote another line from the personal favorite movie- "you fucked up... you trusted us..."

So, we all know GM has had its failures. But then again, so have we all to some extent. We all, er, f-up.

It doesn't take a Car Guy to tell you- GM and America- isn't going away; no, not anytime soon.

One thing we Americans like is a story. We love dramatics. We do it well. We're an emotional bunch. A sentimental bunch- in the right or in the wrong. That's why this commercial is so great. We love a comeback.

There's a movie playing (on premium cable) called "Away We Go," a comedy about a young pregnant couple searching the country for a place to settle- a place to call home. In the movie- a character lamented talking politics "well, if we're shit [the U.S.] everyone else is just flies on our shit... right?"

To me, that's a very clever line... despite the questionable metaphor, it's about right.

Sure, we may prop-up our failures, tell you of tales of triumph- and that's sales. We polish our turds and make them smell like roses. But there's a fair bit of truth behind the story; we can just hope there's a glimmer of truth, a real wind-up to the pitch.

If anything, it makes for great sentiment. From the country that pretty much invented... well, the whole damn thing.

Anyone else who feels differently- should go find another home, or go back to shit hole they crawled out of.

Because You Don't See Or Hear a Lot About Them... The Aston Martin Rapide- James Bond for Four

Five years ago Mercedes-Benz unveiled what they liked to call, the four-door coupe, the CLS. While I like to think CLS stands for Coupe-Like-Sedan, many scoffed at their intent to market a low-slung, obviously four-door sedan-type vehicle, albeit a bit cramped inside, and hope to pass-it-off as a coupe- which traditionally has, well- two doors.

Remarkably, they were onto something- but Mercedes, known for it’s four-door offerings in the world of luxury cars; sports coupe manufacturers like Porsche, Maserati Lamborghini and Aston Martin- traditionally two-door coupe makers are putting out their version of the coupe-squared- in other words- four doors.

Making its way across the pond from Aston Martin this spring is the all-new Rapide- the four-door, four-passenger sports car of a car (call it what you will) of what I like to think of as “James Bond for Four.”

Think Aston Martin, you think hand-built sports and grand touring coupes befitting of kings, queens and certain secret MI-6 figments of Ian Flemming’s imagination- 007; but what a lot of car people, especially car people don’t know was that the same marquee known as Aston Martin, its then owner David Brown, who bought the company in 1947 (hence the “DB” before most of the brand’s models, even today) also owned a company called Lagonda which Brown tried reviving in the early sixties with a car called the Rapide.

Rapide. Think fast, but don’t think the Spanish pronunciation which can be topped-off with an “andele, andele;” rather like “Rahh-peed” ending with something similar to what a bad dog does to a carpet when you’re not there.

The Lagonda Rapide (1961 to 1964) was basically a four-door version of an Aston Martin DB4 (for your education, Sean Connery as James Bond debuted a DB5 Vantage in Goldfinger) with Carrozzeria Touring of Milan Italian coachwork, tailfins and an oval-esque, insinuating front fascia- like a period Ford Edsel- but this vulgar four-eyed beast did 125 miles-per-hour in total comfort and poise. Roughly fifty were built and even fewer today survive. So much for the Lagonda Rapide.

Rather than try to resurrect a brand that couldn’t even be saved fifty years ago, Ford, who has owned Aston Martin for quite sometime now, had the genius thought to revive the Rapide- but under the world admired and revered Aston Martin namesake hence the car featured here.

Mercedes-Benz sometimes calls them coupes, most others sedans, the British refer to them as saloons, but as explained, the Rapide is a four-door version of an Aston Martin DB9 in which it shares much of the same components, switchgear, platform and such. Same is the normally aspired 470-horse/443 ft-lb. 6.0-liter V12 as found in the DB9, albeit with a longer wheelbase the Rapide promises to ride slightly more refined than the coupe counterpart while offering blistering road going performance for four in a hurry. The braking, handling and prowess all promise that James Bond Aston Martin feel of which the brand is known. Zero to sixty comes in a touch north of five seconds for those who benchmark a cars performance based-on acceleration alone. The only transmission offered is a rear-mounted, six-speed automatic with drive-by-wire touch-shift on the steering wheel- so, performance is quick and easy for most all.

I’ll be honest- the Rapide is not a substitute for a proper four-door sedan. Don’t expect a lot of rear-seat comfort for four grown adults as you would an Audi A8, Mercedes-Benz S-Class, Jaguar XJ or BMW 7. The configuration is more 2+2 seating, with a large and high transmission tunnel running fore and aft the cabin, much like the Porsche Panamera.

Also like the Panamera, the Rapide is a hatchback with a large fifth door/window in the back that gives access to the rear, or boot. Conveniently- the rear seats fold flat- giving an heir of practicality to what was once just a comfortable sports car. The British may call this a shooting brake configuration; we call it here a hatchback.

What a glorified hatchback it is at some $200,000 to start. Aston Martin, Ian Callum-penned good looks with an aluminum body, a leather-wrapped, exquisitely detailed and trimmed interior, Bang & Olufsen™ sound system; the Rapide is a Savile Row suit of a car, capable of running in track sneakers and still looking proper- wince at it in a darker color, and you’d be hard-pressed to really decipher it from the typical DB9 coupe at speed- if that can ever be called “typical.”

Don’t expect to see too many Rapides on the road here, or abroad. Just a couple thousand are set-to-be-made at its Graz, Austrian plant a year. All-in-all, coupe, sedan, shooting brake, hatchback, whatever you want to call it- the Aston Martin Rapide is one cool and sultry English version of the “four-door-sports car” if there ever officially was one.

The Excitement, Fall & Truth Behind Pontiac

Some blog right? It's been the better part of a month with no posts - and while the world of cars is as perpetual and ever-changing as time itself- truth be known- a lot of it... is just spin. While I can appreciate spinning wheels- my intentions and talents however terse or infrequent they may be- is just not to spin your wheels- I actually like to add something totally unique and insightful once in a while.

And I hope you can appreciate that.

I still read a lot about cars where I can- and while its hard for me to read about something car related and just re-verb-it and claim it as my own- as many automotive journalists do, and do popularly- its just not productive, nor is it profitable (at least its not for me anyway!)

But... Sunday I caught some news that Pontiac had finally closed its doors. I've heard it, written about it and known it for like a year now; but October 31, Halloween was the final, official day. Funny, how I didn't think they had a day in mind, but rather- I thought they'd just let it go... "let sleeping dogs lie" and lay where they are- I mean, no use drawing sad news to yourself after 84 years.

The web was lit-up with images of the scalloped, split-grill of a GTO- how the once mighty image of the American performance-era was officially off-the-shelves, recalling the once bright, fast and dueling brand- Pontiac.

I thought of my grandfather, my father's father who "drove Pontiacs..." Not because "he liked them" (as another family elder once thought and told me), no- he drove them because that's what he could afford- and what was around in the used car lot. (When he bought his first new car in 1968- it was an Oldsmobile... of course, another now-dead brand...)

I then thought of my father who struggled on Friday nights, and prayed that the botched-up, heavily modified and abused '59 Bonneville his father let him borrow would start and run- just enough so he could make it home from a date... (I mention it was modified- because when he wasn't complaining of its inability to start reliably- he was laying rubber on the Grand Concourse and carving-up on the Saw Mill River Parkway... against his buddy's then-new '64 GTO... and winning too, I may add...)

I thought of my friend Fred, who for his 16th birthday got a brand-new 1965 GTO... and drove it for years both Stateside and overseas while stationed in Germany. (I have to laugh when I think how strange that car must have looked, the American car with the Italian name- cruising along the Autobahn- among Volkswagens and Mercedes-Benzes...)

I also thought of my other grandfather, my mother's father the eternal "Buick man" who bought a metallic blue Catalina- because my father told him to- anything but another Buick... (and he never, ever did buy that Cadillac my grandmother always wanted- economics aside, I like to think he didn't want to give her the shallow satisfaction...)

I also thought of Knight Rider, and the Firebird Formula V8 I kinda-sorta-wanted in middle school too, of course.

But the articles I was reading- gave a myriad of reasons why Pontiac failed. They blamed the economy, they blamed GM and the American public... They even got a retired GM engineer to testify- that the reason why Pontiac failed was, (and I'm paraphrasing now) they "didn't let the Pontiac engineers do their thing;" in-other-words General Motors went "all corporate" and instead of "Building Excitement," they built a re-badged Chevrolet or, whatever. And he's right... to a point.

They did a lot of pointing fingers as to what blunders, people, car models and such- caused the demise- and yeah- the Pontiac Aztec wasn't a winner, and yes- the G5 was a Chevy Cobalt with nicer wheels- true- but you can't kill a brand with a handful of bad cars.

Every car company has its lists of winners and losers- but much like a person who is down on his luck- or a small business that is forced to close its doors- sometimes its not the exact decision or event(s), or the actions- it just is. Its just not meant to be- for forces greater than anyone or thing, or any-one-thing could expect. It's a number of things.

There's a lot of reasons why Pontiac is no-longer here. As a car guy, and not a shallow car guy (and most of them are) who only knows the latest and greatest BMW- I can tell you- if the economy had not taken such a dip in 2008- and if GM had not gone bankrupt... You'd still have Pontiac. It's a brand- it had a heritage- and while it may have been a shell of its former self for quite a while- it was surely a great brand platform that could have been developed more if given the time- and money, too of course.

Heck- if it wasn't for China's love affair with the Buick- and Buick's quite successful transformation from being the "conservative solid choice" to being the literal shadow of a Lexus- Buick would have been axed too.

The God's honest truth is- towards the end- GM had really been making strides to try to improve the Pontiac image, and bringing something unique to the fold- case-in-point- the G8.

As a Bonneville replacement- it was sporty, real-wheel-drive, had the handling of a BMW (quite literally- the engineers who did the suspension and brakes worked for BMW at one point and designed the late-1990s 5-Series) and the edgy, modern-day looks of (I dunno) a Cadillac?

You really can't blame looks- that's too subjective. I mean, lets be honest- are there many, truly good-looking mainstream production cars being made today? Not really... Sure, Pontiacs were ugly towards the end- but then again- so was and is everything else...

But if you think about it- if Pontiac had stuck-it-out, they would have brought back the Firebird and Trans-Am with the Chevrolet Camaro... And it would have done okay against other retro performance cars- such as the Ford Mustang and the Dodge Challenger.

What if they really brought back the GTO? And not just a re-badged Holden?

I know, I know... You can't bring back an entire brand based-off two or three retro throwbacks- but... it would have been enough to get it by for a little while- it would have brought some buzz.

The devastating truth is- the shrinking middle class in America, or should I say, the shrinking perception the middle class has of itself in America- just couldn't support the Pontiac niche.

Middle America has moved-on-up into Cadillacs or down into Chevrolets- there's not much else left in the middle anymore.

The middle is driving a Toyota or a Honda... Or something else- something, and lets be totally true here- that did performance and "Excitement" better than Pontiac.

For instance- the Solstice was a great little roadster- it just didn't tickle the fancy of enthusiasts quite like the Mazda MX-5. Close- but no cigar or smoking tailpipe.

The macro-truth is- middle America, which is what Pontiac had thrived-on for decades- doesn't have the confidence, the faith nor the belief in the American car like it once did.

Yeah, people still lust after Corvettes and Cadillacs- but tastes (and images) have largely shifted gears... forever. They'll never be as they were. And the recipe is not as simple as wedging the bigger engine from a Bonneville into a smaller, lighter Tempest.

And in marketing (and business too) unless you're able to meet that niche at that exact point-in-time- you're going to waiver and fail. You either have it- or you don't- there's little chance of catching-up.

While Pontiac had it in spades for so, so long; a performance image that lasted from the late-50's through the 1960's up until (I think anyway) the 1980's- their ultimate incarnations came-up- just so-so.

Like I said before- I still read a lot about cars and write about them where I can- but like Pontiac building and marketing cars, sometimes its just not productive, nor is it profitable to do so.

In the end- you just hope the people remember. And smile.

Pontiac- they don't make them like they used to... They just don't "Build Excitement" like that anymore.

I've Heard Google...

I've heard Google has latent plans of taking over the world, they've certainly redefined it... However, this is plain stupid.

At what point-in-time are we going to stop the Internet and the online revolution take-over every nook of our daily lives; specifically, how we drive?

Actually- I'm not worried about it. Because cars that drive themselves, or the ideas of them, have been around long before the Internet... and Google.

Personally, I think this is a PR ploy on Google's behalf to stir-up some emotions, looking beyond the fact that Google, thus far, is widely regarded as a "one-trick-pony" to those in-the-tech-know.

It's certainly not original- General Motors at one time during the 1950's (when the Cadillac was "The Standard of the World," not Google...) thought of implanting America's roads with a magnetic strips- their cars would steer to them- much like a toy slot-car would.

I'm not mad at Google- I like them... they own Blogger- and without them- well, I wouldn't be writing this.

(Well, writing this on here.)

But one thing I will be doing, right now- is going to the store, in my own car, that doesn't drive itself, thankfully.

The car, it's not a toy.

I'm Not Surprised... Almost a Third of All Cars Sold.

I'm getting really sick of reading about auto recalls- there have been dozens of major recalls spanning the automotive globe- from cheap, to expensive, to exclusive- chances are- it's been recalled in 2010.

A few million, a couple hundred thousand... a couple hundred- any amount- it makes news these days.

But not to sound the pundit, or the "hater" I'm just not surprised Tesla Motors, the exclusive Silicon Valley maker of all-electric roadsters recalls 439 Roadsters, about 34% of all the cars it has ever sold.

I know, I know, it's a new technology, their a small company, yeah, yeah; but as you know- I'm not firm supporter of all-electric cars.

My days of playing with electric R/C toy and hobby cars have forever turned me off to the technology- I mean, something you have to charge like a cordless phone? Please. Like hybrid cars, its an "intermediate technology" at best. It's not progress.

But what's most amusing- is- according to the Associated Press:

"The automaker plans to introduce its next-generation electric sedan, the Model S, by 2012, and is working with Toyota Motor Corp. to develop an electric version of Toyota's RAV4 small crossover vehicle."

They're working with Toyota... of all companies to work on a new electric vehicle. Another company well-aware of the negative effects a recall can have...

But with Toyota- another a recall is just another proverbial pimple on the "asshole of recall progress;" whereas for Tesla- another recall can mean the whole ass of all-electric "progress".

Not to Be Outdone... BMW Recalls

Even the wildly successful, defiantly (and proudly) independent automaker BMW has hopped on the recall rage/trend of 2010- but wait, explain something to me...

"In some cars brake fluid has leaked into the hydraulics, preventing pressure from building up. The customer notices this since he needs to apply more pressure to the brake, but the brakes still work,"

Quoted directly from the company... courtesy of Yahoo! and Reuters. It's probably a typo- but that's what it read...

Explain something to me- or maybe I'm losing it for a second.... "brake fluid has leaked into the hydraulics..."

Aren't the braking systems hydraulic by design to begin with? And they're hydraulic with what? Water? Iced Tea? Piss?
Brake fluid (I thought) is the fluid in the hydraulic system, that constitutes a modern-day braking system in a car.... It's like saying... "the salt water has leaked into the ocean..."

And if the fluid is leaking out of the system, well... It's not good- but it happens.

And this problem hardly qualifies, IMHO, as a recall- sounds like something of a quirk- something that happens with age or use. It's called- "the shit may wear out..." not a recall.

It happens all the time- the cars get old- they wear out- something breaks, causing it to not perform like it once used to or should...

It's not like the problem persists in brand-new cars- or low-mileage cars.

Sure, it's the braking system- and you don't want them to break... Well, you do... just you want them to work.

That's my Yogi Berra bit of the minute.

Regardless- recalls have been the new catchphrase/bit of PR and news agencies, auto manufacturers and maybe even car dealer associations around the world lately.

Read about it, get scared... come in, get your car fixed... look around. It gets the cars in the news, and people in the door.

Perfect.

Is It Still the Next Honda?

Just as many would argue that Hyundai is the next Honda- long considered the maverick leader in Japanese car engineering- known for its hands-down quality- Hyundai has spurred a recall of its popular Sonata sedan, er, four-door coupe.

About 140,000 of the sleek Sonatas are suspect of having steering problems. Nothing, compared to the all-time Recall King of 2010- Toyota.

Hyundai is proof that recalls, again, happen to best of them. Just make sure an industry benchmark gets recalled first.

How does that saying go? Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery?

I've also heard- Hyundai is the Korean Toyota...

2010 Will Certainly Be The Recall Year of the Rich & Famous Too!

I'm convinced the media is stroking the egos of the working middle class? Why? Because the media has reported, blogged and done everything possible to exploit the fact that expensive cars, not just say Toyotas, get recalled too.

Case-in-point- the Ferrari Italia- which has developed a cache of being the Ferrari that likes to melt heat shields.... But just now, Bentley Motor Cars is recalling several hundred cars (under 1,000) because... The lauded "Winged-B" hood (or bonnet if you insist) ornament does not retract good enough in the event of an accident.

Now, this is not a big deal at all, its probably just a spring-load issue- but I certainly wouldn't want to be a pedestrian when the stainless-steel ornament comes at me... Oh no... But come to think of it- if you get hit by a Bentley- don't you think the least of your worries is the hood ornament?

Think about it for a second... if you must. It doesn't take a physics or an actuary accounting degree to realize the trouble you're in if this hood emblem is going to risk serious injury to a person.

Maybe they just don't want to be sued?

But anyway- as a Car Guy Who Gets It- I can attest- expensive cars get recalled all-the-time; they get recalled a lot- but now the cache of a recall is not exclusive to lesser cars alone, no... The recall is for the well-to-do... Too.

Mad About... The Wrong Watch

I'm a huge Mad Men fan- have been since the beginning... Multiple Emmy Award wins, countless raves- millions of fans around the world. It's a great show.

But what's unique about the show is its accurate depiction of life 45 years ago. Every week we're reminded of a historical event, a fad- a trend. The way life was.

The show is good, it's very good.

A few weeks back I commented on Don Draper's choice of watch- or rather, Jon Hamm's Rolex Explorer. Explorer I (One) for those who collect...
I've said it before, and I'll say it again- it's the wrong watch for the character- and specifically the time.

Here's why- like I've said in prior posts- no ad man in the 60's would have worn a steel-bracelet Rolex, let alone, an Explorer.

An Oyster Perpetual, an Air King or Datejust- maybe... But not the Explorer- what is actually a stripped-down, easy-to-read mountain climbers watch- a watch actually worn on Mount Everest and as described in the original Ian Flemming novels of 007 James Bond.

If Don Draper was a Vietnam War, and not a Korean War vet- maybe a Rolex GMT Master or Submariner would have been proper- after all, they were tools bought in the PX during the time- but what irks me the most about the whole Mad Men, Don Draper Explorer I thing is- it's the wrong watch- and specifically, the wrong reference.

In my prior post- after just the first episode of Season Four- I thought it a Rolex Explorer Ref. 1016- this would have been the correct version for 1965... And you would think the costume department was doing their homework... But seven episodes into the season- you're seeing this Rolex more and more. And more.

Pouring a drink, lighting a cigarette, picking up the phone, thumbing through a portfolio- even serving a can of Dinty Moore Stew- the watch is clearly a sapphire crystal, Ref. 114270 or similar- something out of the 1990's or later, made up until just last year.

The giveaway is the sapphire, flat crystal- something Rolex had not invented/brought-out until the late 1970's with their Beta Quartz and Presidential Day-Date models.

Eventually Submariners and all-gold GMT Masters got the scratch-resistant sapphire glass crystals in the early 80's- the pedestrian Oyster models didn't get them till around 1990.

The sapphire crystal is commonplace on most any modern watch- rumored to be scratch-proof, that's not entirely true- they scratch. They also chip and can shatter, which is something their acrylic predecessors wouldn't do- no matter what.

But the sapphire crystal was the answer to replacing your watch glass every year because of scratching- they run around $150 to replace and are not considered wear items anymore during a routine Rolex service- so, if you want another- you have to pay extra during a service.

Rolex has since started curving their sapphire glass crystals- giving them more depth, coating them with anti-reflection films- there's even a model that has a green-tinted sapphire crystal, the Milgauss.
What does this have to do with cars? Nothing- but the actor and Rolex "Don-ning" Jon Hamm was contracted by Mercedes-Benz to be the new voice of the brand.

Clearly the people at Mercedes-Benz were moved by this- from Season One.

"It's not called a car... It's called a Mercedes-Benz." That's coming next... watch.

But it's not a big deal, its still the best drama on television- but for all the Mad Mennies who have narrowed their lapels and ties, invested in pocket squares or have re-discovered and accepted Brylcreem- don't wear the modern-era, Rolex Explorer I with the light-refracting sapphire crystal- you would be making a mistake.

It's like driving a dark-blue '86 Cimarron- and thinking you're Don Draper in his powder blue metallic with the white-top '62 Coupe de Ville- it's just not the same. But they're both Cadillacs- if you could believe that...

But they did get the Cadillac showroom scene dead-on-correct- if you ask me... Back in Season Two.

Play With S&%! Your Hands Still Get Dirty...

Even if you're Jay Leno- arguably one of the most high-profile car enthusiasts out there- with literally hundreds of millions of dollars, acres of cars and a full-time staff devoted to the restoration and upkeep of one of the more eclectic, diverse collections ever amassed- you still break down in traffic.

Clearly- this isn't the first time the late-night joke-man has broken-down.

I'll attest that you're not a true car guy unless you've truly, honestly broken-down in an automobile.

It's humbling, sure. But, like anything else truly remarkable in life- classic car ownership does not go without its pitfalls.

But not many but Jay have the bragging rights to say- they've broken-down in a steam-powered car in the 21st Century.

That makes Jay Leno- one of the truest, and bluest Car Guys That Gets It.

Those Cruel Canadians Twist a Wicked on the Speed Bump

Just when you thought there was nothing not to like about Canadians- look what they did to the speed bump... Their idea of keeping speeders inline is applying decals/optical treatments that resemble a little girl playing with a ball or little children playing in the middle of the road so you slow-it-down.

The little girl is affectionately known as "Pavement Patty." Nice. Sounds like a limited-edition Garbage Pail Kid- remember those? Or the pet-name name for that slutty, easy, streetwalker local, around-the-way-girl named Patricia.

That's a potentially alarming, nasty bit of trickery that I believe could make old people to swerve and crash into actual people or surrounding things; or cause people to get rear-ended, or maybe both? This is how I see it playing out in America anyway...

Reminds me of growing-up in Northern New Jersey- when the affectionately dubbed Super Mario, (actually an Italian-American teenager named Peter about 1o years my senior) would speed-down the street in his Super White first-gen Toyota MR2.

Fat Nancy S. a neighbor (also known as "Flesh Mouth" to those who got to know her up-close and personal...) would yell "slow-down" and give you or Super Mario a dirty look.

Dirty looks from fat ugly people have been known to start bar-fights, ignite World Wars... Rouse neighbors at the bat-of-an-eye. But it never stopped Super Mario in his tracks...

And if it were Fat Nancy's spoiled-rotten kids in the street playing- you'd really want to run-them-over, but that's another memoir for another post...

But Super Mario, er, Peter didn't slow his MR2 till my father called his- threatening to throw a brick at the windshield to his son's minty, white Toyota.

It's no Pavement Patty- but a brick to the windshield would make anyone, yes, even Super Mario slow in his tracks at least a bit South of Canada, in Bergen County, New Jersey

An Embarrasing Day... Potentially For Cars.

Five years ago, I kicked myself in the ass for not inventing the magnetic yellow ribbon- you know, the kind you see plastered all-over rears and tailgates on cars- and have come to symbolize everything from Autism Awareness to the local Zoo.

But now, a new accessory is threatening, no challenging, even the likes and tastes of the good-old JC Whitney catalog, eyelashes for cars?

I don't give this clear and present fad any credibility. A few years ago, exhaust whistlers were all the rage in some parts of the country.

Funny thing about bad taste- it never goes away... It just evolves, over time. Like a virus.

Remember this gem? It's a great clip- an all-time classic!

Because Recalls...

Shouldn't be exclusive to Toyota drivers alone, Ferrari is recalling its 458 Italia supercar amid concerns of fire...

Last week I read of the suspicious, worldwide problems the owners were having of the limited-production, some $230,000 Ferrari super sports car. One burst into flames in Switzerland, another in China... France too...

Well, I'll say this- it takes more than two Ferrari owners worldwide to stir a concern- five fires have been reported, up to ten accidents have been rumored since the cars Summer 2010 introduction.

What's the world coming to?

Purportedly, a heat shield could come lose near the wheel housing, causing it to deform, heat and catch fire by the exhaust components. Or something like that.

Sounds like a reasonable, if not minor fix if you ask me...

Shit, the heat shielding on my '95 VW Jetta came lose all the time- and all I ever got to show for it was a resonating rattle at around 3,100 RPM, no fires... No crashes. And no glue!

I'm generally cool with complicated, exotic cars breaking- their supposed to- if you want reliable, buy a Toyota (right) but I do have a problem when I read-

Ferrari said the company is asking owners of the cars produced before July 2010 to bring them in to have the glue replaced with mechanical fasteners.

Glue? Are you kidding me?

For the record- when the heat shields on the old VW fell-off, it was because the fasteners were for shit...

But for $230,000- you get glued-on heat shields. They thought they out-smarted the old metal/mechanical, for shit clips trick...

Also for the record- when I thought I had a similar heat shield problem on my '85 Mercedes-Benz- much to my amazement (and chagrin) the axles had failed...

The car ran anyway.

Come to think of it- I'd hate to see a Ferrari run with failed axles.

Out of 1.33 Million Recently Recalled- Many a Corolla Will End Up...

In Afghanistan. Ever wonder where old cars go to die? If you're not one to drive a car into the ground yourself- and if you drive a Toyota Corolla- chances are- it may end-up in Afghanistan. Some 90% of the cars in the country are... you guessed it- Toyota Corollas.

It has also been reported in some online sources (Wikipedia)- that a Toyota Corolla has been sold every 40 seconds for 40 years.

That's a lot of cars- no matter how you want to slice and dice the information.

I thought it interesting... So when Toyota does a recall, as they did yesterday on one of their biggest sellers- well... You can be sure it's worse, a lot worse... In Afghanistan, of course.

Another Recall for Toyota... Is This Still News?

When you've recalled millions of cars over the course of a year- what's another 1.33 million?

This time- the Corolla's engine control management module, thing, device- is causing cars to suddenly stall.

Just when you think Toyota is getting out of its hot water, between the lawsuits, the recalls, the negative press...

Just when you start believing the crap they talk about on their commercials... How they're spending a million dollars an hour on your safety...

Even as the automotive press, despite their shady reputation as of late- still sings the praises of their products... Toyota is still announcing new recalls.

At least they're consistent, no?

Next thing you know- that Predawn Grey Mica color they've been slinging the shit-out-of in their ads for the all-new 2011 Sienna is going to test to cause forms of cancer...

(Well, that's not true... But it still won't hide the fact that you're driving an 8-passenger minivan...)

Evidently- Predawn Grey Mica is the new black... But don't they wish it was a Predawn to a day when Toyota is not known for their product recalls?

Eventually- that day will come again... We think.

Oh, BMW... We've Always Liked Thee Zippy

As parents, or so I've been told, one of their missions is to make sure their children seek-out the "right thing," whatever, however you define "thing."

Was it Spike Lee who taught us to Do The Right Thing? Right or wrong, I can only write about it... I'm not a parent. But I do know what I know- a thing, or two about cars.

My mother, God love her, somehow got it into her head that she wanted a new car after thirteen years. Something "zippy," as she called it- something smaller, sporty, easy and fun to drive; yet comfortable and smooth like her '98 Lexus ES300.

While many would think this "zippy" would be easy... You don't know my mother- or my father, or our, my family's foray into performance, luxury automobiles.

No, zippy... it ain't easy, not even in the least.

I guess you could credit a lot of my initial automotive enthusiasm on my parents; or maybe it was my father- for before my mother ever really had a say on what she drove (personally, I don't think the woman really cared... but now into her sixties, and having driven everything from Hondas, VWs, Nissans and Volvos to Mercedes-Benzes, BMWs and her beloved Lexus- she may well have a pretty good idea by now...) my mother drove what my father put her in. And he put her in some neat cars, looking back.

While all the cars were certainly nice cars by any conventional measure of the word- some, however, stick into memory as being real Deuseys... (No, she never drove a Deusenburg.)

Coming out of a fog of not one, but two very sedate (okay, read "slow" if you must) Mercedes-Benzes and a Peugeot 505 that wouldn't run right, 1983 brought to my father with the need for something different. Something fast, snappy, something zippy.

While most everyone else upwardly mobile was puddling around in 121-horse ETA-tuned BMW 528Es, my father gave my mother a Charcoal Metallic 533i, a limited-production, ultra-high-performance sedan (for the time) coming out of the Carter-era smog regulated '70s when there wasn't much performance- no, not even for The Ultimate Driving Machine...

Hailed as the "fastest sedan in the world" the Big Six 533i was as racy as it got- in a time, well, before most of mainstream America knew their B's from their M's, or their W's; nevertheless the difference between a BMW Big Six and an ETA-tuned 5-Series.

Gee, 181-horsepower sure seemed like a lot in those days. The car was so high-performance, BMW made the wheels on the 533i to fit one tire, and one tire only- the Michelin TRX. Want another kind of tire? You had to change the wheels entirely.

You so much as spit in front of that car- it spun-out. It didn't go in the rain. It idled erratically, smoked, burned oil and boiled-over in city traffic. BMW had to swap-out mom's short block, and every other 3.2-liter straight-six that year under warranty in 1983. The price you paid for fast. Zero-to-60 in 7.7-seconds.

Legend has it- my mother got pulled over doing over 100 miles-an-hour in it. The State Police had her in hot pursuit- they finally got her over the bull-horn, commanding her to pull over... My mother denies having been speeding, if she did, she didn't know it. The 533i saw very well to that...

The 533i was the first BMW, but it wasn't the last... Over the next 25 years- there would be a lot of great BMWs and a lot of other nice cars too. But you always remember your first...

2010, like 1983 before it- will forever be the year zippy came back into our lives.

While they've driven and considered everything from a VW Passat and Honda Accord to an Infiniti G37 and Mercedes-Benz C-Class, I'm thankful both my parents did the right thing and went back to BMW.

After all, they're my parents.

It just seems right, like tradition in a way- and I'm especially thankful for them splurging on the twin-turbo-charged, 300-horse six-cylinder engine, a throw-back to when "35" meant "Big Six," or to my mother, just "zippy." They did it all by themselves too...

They really deserve it, it only seems right. After all, they knew fast BMWs before most everyone else... And you cannot argue with the reputation BMW has built for itself in the years since- I hear they even go in the rain now.

But after the better part of 30 years, I'm glad my mother is finally getting what she wants- an Alpine White BMW. 300-horses... This one even has the innovative xDrive all-wheel-drive, something also unfathomed in 1983.

As the son who knows cars- I can dutifully support- they couldn't have done better for themselves; because really, when it comes to zippy, no one spells it better than B, M & W.

And if my mother doesn't like it- well, she's just crazy. But that's another blog, for another time. Lets keep our fingers crossed...

I can only wish them well, hope they drive safe and enjoy it!

I mean, it's a BMW... What's not to like?

Wait, I'll let my mother answer that one...

Zippy... meet crazy.

Chrysler Unveils a New Police Cruiser- But Will It Get Out of It's Own Way?

The web/blog-sphere is all abuzz on the purportedly "all-new" 2011 Dodge Charger Pursuit read- the car car your local municipality would probably order for police duty? And most certainly yellow the car you'll be hailing on New York City streets in a few years too.

Doesn't look all that new to me- maybe it's a revised edition? Maybe most of the new is much to what this car guy can't see.... Or tell, or really care for anyway. Only real change- from what pictures I can see- are the tail-lights.

Standard is a high-output, (rather large bore too) 3.6-liter Pentastar V6- of course, the 5.7-liter Hemi is still available... Special electronics, lights, packages... You get the picture.

It's the car Robocop would have driven if he wasn't driving a Taurus, or was it a Lumina? Who could remember... Bad movie. Or rather, bad series of movies.

I'm happy to see Chrysler picking up where Ford is leaving-off with it's venerable Ford Crown Victoria being dethroned from what has been the all-time police cruiser favorite since the Dodge Diplomat of the early 1980s- think Hill Street Blues era. Maybe it was a Plymouth Fury? Same thing...

Ford is retiring the Crown Vic Interceptor and all its real-wheel-drive, re-inforced body-on-frame glory next year... Passing police duties to a special SHO/SVT-esque Taurus.

But as a kid who watched a lot of police dramas re-runs of the 60's, 70's and 80's growing up- to see Chrysler getting deeper into police duties is rather comforting. TJ Hooker, CHiPS (when they weren't riding Kawasaki motorcycles) the Blues Brothers; Roscoe in The Dukes of Hazzard... All drove MoPar police cruisers....

Hell- in the Dukes of Hazzard- the orange Charger was the car getting chased by the police- now the cops drive Chargers... Oy, how things have really come full-circle now.

But if Chrysler really wanted to strike that chord- they would have put the revised tail lamp treatment/fascia back in the chrome bumpers.... Or vertically stacked the headlights.

Wait- there are no more chrome bumpers... Oh well, you can't go home again.

But having a few friends who are policemen, I just hope Chrysler has made the "all-new" 2011 Charger Pursuit more maneuverable than the car it replaces; because yeah, the Charger with the 5.7-liter Hemi is very fast, it just can't be tossed and spun-around as well as the Crown Vic that's "going away for a while."

My Apologies... Really... But It's Summertime...

Sorry for being so mute this last week or so... It's just that- well, there's really nothing too monumental worth noting lately... Nothing professionally, nothing personally, and nothing car-wise- as professional and or personal as that may be. It's the tail-end of Summer.

With cars, the summer is always a bit slow. Hell- even the best Autoblog (one of the larger, more popular auto-related blogs out there...) can muster lately is a bit on Mike Tyson's Bentley Continental Coupe- I mean really, who cares???

I did, however, find it ironic that not a day after GM had announced its profitability last week, they too initiated a some 250,000 unit product recall- something to do with the seat belts in some SUVs/Crossovers...

But after the myriad of recalls from Toyota- well, everything else is just a small recall. But 2010 has proved-to-be the recall year to remember.

Anyway, I'm anxiously awaiting the 2011s to be coming out- many of which that are out- are just warmed-over versions of the 2010s.

Eh, summers suck... Markets are slow, people are on vacation- both literally and mentally. And if the best you can must is a bit on Mike Tyson's Bentley Continental Coupe, well... Bloggers like me just won't even bother to bend your ear on it...

Because if you remember- Mike Tyson's been known to bite ears.

My Hero Don Draper Wears...

An incorrect Rolex... In Season Three (or Two?), Mad Men's top ad-man got a Cadillac- in Season Four it's become very apparent that the quiet Midwesterner wears... a Rolex watch?

For a television show, so scrutinized on a weekly basis for its accuracy to the period- I'm a bit shocked at this... Don Draper, wearing a 36mm, no-date Oyster Perpetual, most probably an Explorer I Ref. 1016?

Not that I don't like the watch- I just don't think its, well... accurate. The Cadillac yes, the Rolex Explorer, the acclaimed watch worn during the first climb to the top of Mt. Everest? Not so much...

While I clearly wasn't around, I will contest- no man, let alone an ad-man from 1960's Westchester County, NY knew what-the-hell a Rolex watch was in (what is now) 1964, Season Four, of AMC's Mad Men.

A Bulova Accutron or an Omega maybe. But a Rolex? Not very likely.

Truth-be-known, a Rolex really wasn't half the watch a period Omega was back then- the Rolex, in my opinion didn't reach its popularity in mainstream America till the 1970's... That's when it, the Rolex, got famous... In the 1980's, well, it got infamous... And the rest is history, for better or worse.

In an entertainment industry that is laden with product placement, endorsements and the like- I doubt the Rolex is anything more than Jon Hamm's own personal watch...

I'm not the only one speculating on Don Draper's stupid watch, many other, more popular publications and blogs have been speculating for years...

While some have claimed a Jaeger LeCoultre Reverso, others have maintained a Rolex Cellini of all wrist creations- depending on the season.

But speaking of product placement- I can't wait till the Seventh Season of Mad Men (at the rate this show is going- it's going to happen!) when Don trades the old Cadillac for a '68 BMW 2002- but... That, I know- would also be totally wrong...

Then again, BMW is a big sponsor of the hit series... And they'll do anything they can... well, to get you into one of their Series!

With Mad Men and television- we are talking advertising after all, right?

Here I Go Again... For the 10,000,000th Time...

One of my favorite music videos/songs from the 80's goes to Whitesnake... And alas, 9,999,999 also feel the same way on YouTube- having watched Here I Go Again 10 Million Times.

Whether it be a bad break-up from a girlfriend, or just a bad day at the office- it's one of those songs that goes great with a bittersweet triumph, going boldly well... you get the picture.

And as far as cars go, well... I'll say this- never in my life do I wish I were the hood of a Jag XJ6 (or two...)- incidentally- both the white and black Jaguars in the video belonged to David Coverdale, the long-haired front man for Whitesnake.

Incidentally, Tawny Kitaen too belonged to David Coverdale...

One thing I will contest- neither the '87 XJ6 or Tawny have held-up very well to the tests of time- but you have to hand it to those over-engineered, heavy-gauge steel hoods of the old XJs....

Why? Because I don't know any other hood in history that can take a prancing Tawny Kitaen undamaged.

Why so strong? It's British... If it's not put-on extra thick, or overbuilt... It's coming-off...

Tawny Kitaen, eat your heart out.

If you want to see more of Tawny- watch Bachelor Party... If you want to see an old XJ6- check the junk yard... But I dare you to find a collapsed hood... Bonnet, "if you're nasty."

Working On Forever- How Maintaining an Old Mercedes is a Lesson in Future Mortality

Probably the single most fun thing I do- the most enjoyment and happiness that I get out of anything- and despite hardly being a "master" at it, (I will contest, the more I know of anything- the less of a master I know I am) is working on old cars- specifically, my very-own, 1985 Mercedes-Benz Turbodiesel.

Over the years I've dabbled in it enough to do it okay- to a point- I mean, I can't do major engine or systems work- I just don't have the tools, experience or the facilities- but what I can do- I do... and I like it- its one of the few things- besides jogging that makes me feel good about myself.

I fiddle around and tinker more than anything. Since as long as I can remember- I've been screwing with this shit- I've learned mostly by getting frustrated, making mistakes and picking the brains of professionals.

Lately- the old car- well, has been running like shit. Actually it runs okay- just the idle has been erratic. I had a sneaking suspicion that its fuel related- so I purged the mechanical fuel injection system- using a highly-concentrated detergent additive and a 20 oz. Gatorade bottle and some plastic tubing to act as a separate, bypassed, secondary and contained fuel system. Then I replaced both the primary and the secondary fuel filters- the turn of an adjustable wrench and a few screws later- I had new filters and clean injectors.

I then gave it an Italian Tune-Up- ask any real car guy and they'll attest- you can fix most anything with an Italian Tune-Up- think of it like exercise for machines and an excuse to drive in a lower gear and a little crazy, if only in the name of maintenance... It's the automotive equivalent to hitting the side of the television... or the ol' Seeburg if you're The Fonz.

Why am I going through all this? Because working on a car built literally of cast iron, aluminum, real rubber, copper, brass and steel- to last forever- I began to wonder- are the new Mercedes-Benzes today, or any other cars rather, made to last forever like these older ones?

Let me clarify- nothing is made to last forever- just sometimes, rarely- you get a machine that was built during a time and place, for a price, with basic, proven technologies and materials- that could last a very, very long time if well taken care of (read with simple tools and know-how)- like the old Mercedes- call it "forever" if you must.

That's not to say they don't fall apart- they do- but like the Brooklyn Bridge- whatever that eventually breaks- can be fixed or replaced (at a pretty price mind you) if you care to do so- and viola- you still have a great car in the end- or an on-going hobby at least.

Now, there comes at time when something happens and well, it's time to say good-bye. Nothing will last forever... It's just how you care to define forever- or prolong the inevitable?

Many of you who read The Car Guy Gets It know I'm also a bit of a horologist- or someone who studies the arts and sciences of timekeeping- basically I like watches. While horologists can't define forever, gosh-darn-it- they'll try to measure it... One tick at a time...

Ask any seasoned watchmaker and they'll tell you- high-grade watches can last several lifetimes- literally hundreds of years if properly looked-after. Watches like these can cost tens, or hundreds of thousands of dollars... Lots of money. Very few people wear them enough to realize forever, of course and none of them live as long to prove it... So... anyway- they're good conversation pieces for the mortal living at best.

Good, high-quality wristwatches can last maybe 30 to 40 years if worn everyday. Like a Rolex has a real-world wrist-life of around 35 years. That's not to say there aren't 60 year-old Rolex watches being worn- there are- but they're collectors' items at best. Rolex, the manufacturer- won't even support their existence with service, parts and expertise. In other words- they want you to buy a new watch after 35 years... That's what they do. It's business- to sell new watches.

Cheaper wristwatches- like quartz, battery operated-stuff- (stuff with a microchip or a circuit board) have a wrist-life of much less- maybe fifteen years or so... If you're lucky. Then it's a throw-away and an excuse to go to the mall to buy another watch. Again, there are outliers to the "rule," but they're seen as liabilities at best to any a horologist- one tick closer to gone, unless you're a hobbyist, of course- keeping shitty watches alive...

Okay- back to cars. So, I didn't solve my rough idle (but I have clean injectors, new filters and a better idea of- now- what it is...) and I got to talking to an old mechanic friend of mine- of whom I've been trying to re-connect-with for months... I was feeling like a mechanic all-day- why not try to talk to a friend who actually is a mechanic?

Lucky for me- I made contact- it was really nice catching-up. In talking about the business of fixing cars- my friend- an accomplished Mercedes-Benz mechanic for many, many years made a very good point to me- discussing about the virtues of older verses newer German cars like the Mercedes-Benz or the BMW... These newer cars, like the ones they're making today- just aren't going to last forever- forever is bad for business.

If it will be ten to fifteen years- it will be forever... Okay- maybe twenty years... But will you see people like myself wrenching the new cars of today in their backyards twenty years from now? No.

He continued... "look at the cars of just ten-fifteen years ago- the wiring harnesses go, they dry-up- and then that's it... you're screwed... what a nightmare..."

Like the watchmakers- the car manufacturers are in the business of not only selling new cars, but also fixing them... rather, making sure you can't do it without them... And cars today are sporting technologies and sciences that make The Apollo Program look like wind-up Mickey Mouse watches in comparison. That, and the materials they use today just aren't meant to survive- some car makers like BMW boast how environmentally friendly their cars are; able to be broken-down quickly and friendly too, of course.

Makers today are more interested in selling a recyclable product than building anything forever- not only is it good business but it's a good image and a marketing tool.

Toyota once ran a commercial where they made, out of sticks and leaves- a pile of bio-degradable shit made-up to look like a Prius- and time-lapsed the decomposition in an open field. Nice... if you're into John Denver too, of course.

But like the cheap, throw-away, battery-operated wristwatches- the technologies behind today's cars relies heavily on computer chips- silicon. Once the silicon chipboard or motherboard dries-out, breaks/shorts... it's throw-it-away, say good-bye.

Now if you dig deep- you'll learn- there's a big to-do about making sure the suppliers and venders of all these high-tech auto bits of today will still be available, if need-be tomorrow, forever from now. There are agreements and plans in-place- but... It's complicated and well, no one knows what the future is going to bring. Forever is not guaranteed for anyone, and alas not anything- especially new cars.

As for my old Mercedes, well, I'm literally a two open-ended-wrench-turns away from a fix, I think... I'm 99.9% sure I know what it is now, thanks to some online reading and some friendly advice from an old friend... I'm also 99.9% sure that twenty, thirty years from now, I'll be bent over the left fender of some old Mercedes (quite possibly the one I'm driving now...) trying to figure-out something on a nice, Saturday afternoon.

I could only hope- after all, the future isn't guaranteed for anyone you know.

But maybe, just maybe there will be a fix for the future tinkerer. Maybe there will be an app for that... Or something... for making an old pile of whatever- quite literally- last forever.