Auto Racing & Performance

ABC news reported today that the Heads of the BIG 3 auto makers went to DC to plead for money. All three arrived in separate private jets, a trip in a private jet from Detroit to DC costs about $20,000 dollars. An economy ticket would have been $288. One of the CEO also made over 25 million dollars last year.

Now they are pleading that the Government Bail them out and give them 25 billion dollars. As a CEO you probably deserve a reasonable salary, but if the ship you are leading is about to sink to the bottom of the sea, my tax dollars should not be there to throw you a life line. If the CEOs are not feeling the pain, then my Tax dollars need not be used to heal the wounds.

The season Is winding down now and I finally have some time to write.   Sorry I have not maintained this site,  but I now have help.  I hope today.com people will give me a 2nd chance.  I will keep you posted.

New Subaru Impreza released on Greece

The World Rally Championship (WRC) heads to Greece next weekend (May 30^th) for the Acropolis rally. The WRC has been dominated in recent years by Citroen and Ford, but Subaru is out to change that and make it a 3 person race again. Their hopes lie in the new Subaru Impreza.

Fans of the Subaru Impreza WRX know that the latest model only comes in hatchback, this maybe because WRC has been ruled by the hatches of Ford and Citroen and in 2008 those cars still dominate. Subaru’s goal is to change that this weekend when they finally roll out the new WRC Impreza, a move many feel Subaru should have done much earlier in the season.

The Greek Acropolis rally will serve has the race proving ground for the new Subaru Impreza and a tough grueling test it will be.

Are you flying to your next race?  Well that checked bag might cost you some money.  Just like Europe,  American Airlines will soon start charging you per bag that you check on to the flight.

But hopefully your pilot wont be romping around the woods naked like Pinnacle Airlines Inc

It is Fleet Week in NYC, and i am sorry to say there are no Air races like the ones on the west coast.

They do have a lot planned  check it out here http://www.cnrma.navy.mil/fleetweek/

Following up on yesterday’s post,

We all have different tastes when it comes to the right car, but what do you look for in a car? I will tell you what I look for.

1. Small:  I like smaller cars. It has to fit into a compact parking space
   
   
2. Reliable:  The car has to have bullet proof reliability
   
   
3. Handling: The car has to drive like a go-Kart
   
   
4. Acceleration: The car must be able to get out if it’s own way, but it doesn’t have to have killer 0-60 times.
   
   
5. Looks:  The car should look reasonable well to me. (Though this contradicts what I currently drive)
   
   
6. Fun to drive:  Whatever I drive it has to be fun,  I love driving and I have to love what I drive. 

Tell me what you look for in a car?

Today, Driving a large SUV is likely to award you mean looks and verbal lashings from your friends and neighbors, as you are not doing your part to help the environment. Being green and worrying about the environment is all the rage now and you better conform. Couple that with the fact that it now cost over 100 dollars to fill up the gas tank on one of these beasts and you will soon be searching for a new ride.

Cars of today and yesterday

Just a few years ago in the late 80’s and early 90’s it was easy to find a cheap car with about 90 hp, that hot good gas mileage. While this car can get you around town, it is no tire scorcher. Believe it or not these cars could get you near 50MPG.

Fast Forward to today and most hybrid cars can’t match that MPG and cost 3 times as much. Amazingly cars today have more Horsepower, more technology, better engines, and more emission controls, but can’t out perform cars that are 20 year old when it comes to MPG or performance.

Why no better MPG?

In the 90’s a Honda Civic weighed in just over 2000 lbs while a 2008 Civic pegs the scale at 2800 lbs. That is a 50% increase in weight. To carry this extra weight they also bumped up the HP to 140. Another 50% increase. The end result is an almost flat improvement in gas mileage at 29 MPG for today’s Civic.

Why are cars so fat?

Well one is that we are fat. A lot of Americans are not comfortable in smaller cars so the car companies have to make them bigger. Government requirements, Cars how more stuff in them, because the Government tells them they have to do it. Front and side airbags, tire pressure monitoring, super strong impact areas. All this adds weight.

We don’t want Strippers.

Strippers, cars that have little to no options. We want all the shiny things, GPS, 15 way power seats, 47 cup holders, 88 Speaker sound system, and 352 Televisions. And a lot of this stuff is not optional any more.

What can you do to save weight on your car?

Get rid of stuff, anything that you do not need in your car, take it out. In an extreme example, I took out everything from my 1988 BMW 325is that I didn’t need. When I mean everything I mean it. I took out all the seats except the driver seat. I took out the carpet, and the center console. Leaving the spare tire, a jack and my ipod. My gas mileage went from 23 MPG to 26.5 MPG. Considering I drive 60 miles a day, it is worth it for me.