Sunday, October 10, 2010

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.

Saturday, October 9, 2010

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".

Friday, October 1, 2010

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.