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I often wonder why the media get themselves so worked up about Budget Day with all that in-depth analysis and all those 'what it means for you' featurettes. In the world of rolling twenty-four hour news coverage, Budget Day coverage is airliner-crash tv but where no-one is seriously injured. Horror! Taxes go up! Terror! The price of beer goes up! Good News! Pensioners and kiddies will be better off! It's like watching the scenes of the fuel tanks going up in fireball that'll singe your eyebrows off at five miles and then watching the scene of a small child miraculously being pulled from the wreckage. But with numbers.

But this is an airliner crash where the plane lands on someone particularly bad, like bin Laden or Mugabe... or the real threat to Truth, Freedom And Civilisation As We Know It: 4x4 owners! Oh the horror of it! All those evil 4x4 drivers trundling around the countryside squashing endangered badgers and mowing down almost-extinct water-voles, all while belching toxic gases and nuclear radiation from their exhausts, sucking down 30 gallons of unrefined crude oil per mile.

Yeah.

Right.

I'll declare my interests here: I don't have a 4x4, and most days, I ride a mountain bike to work. I recycle religiously, we turn the heating off when it's not needed. We have low-energy lamps throughout the house, we have an energy-efficient boiler. I buy locally or UK-produced food, organic if possible, whenever we can. We compost our garden and vegetable waste and reuse it to grow vegetables and herbs. I even drink local real ales! And yet I have my Dark Side... Not only are we a two-car household... yes it's true... but worse still... one of those cars is... is.... a turbo-diesel! The shame! Oh I'm sorry! I meant to say one of those cars is American with a big V8 in it.

Ok, sarcasm over with, here's the rub: Firstly, my car is a 15 years old Pontiac Trans Am with a 5.7 litre V8. It produces about 300bhp and has a 4-speed automatic transmission. Driving purely around town, I've worked out using figures from the petrol pump and the mileage on the odometer that it gets about 18 miles to the gallon. On motorways or dual carriageway journeys, using the same method, it currently gets around 27 miles to the gallon. Now as I mentioned above, I usually ride a mountain bike to work unless I've had to park the car somewhere overnight where I can't leave it during in the day, or I'm giving my wife a lift to work as well, or like last Monday, when it would actually be dangerous to ride the bike because of really bad weather, or I just haven't used the car for a couple of weeks and I just want to give it a run. I live about 2.5 miles from work, 4.5 miles if I take the scenic route (which I usually do in the car because the short route is full of other cars and half-empty buses). Consequently, I usually use the Pontiac for long journeys or uncongested routes or 'off-peak' which keeps the fuel economy honest. I do this because I bought the car to enjoy driving it, not sit stationary staring at someone else's rear lights. And because I drive occasionally rather than daily, I cover an annual mileage of about 3500 miles per year.

Here's an radical concept: What if my Trans Am is 'greener' than most other cars? What if that were true? Wouldn't that be kick in the behind for the Chancellor? And the Government? Not to mention the mayor of London - or as it also known, La-La Land. I'm sorry for those of you in London but I will not be lectured to on environmental issues by people who choose to live and work inside the M25. That place has as much to do with real life as the Klingon homeworld or the Death Star. i.e. Not Much.

Ok, I promise, no more sarcasm. Back to my thread. The best selling car in the UK is the Ford Focus and has been since it was introduced back in 1999. Now suppose, and after a couple of hours internet searching I can't confirm this, but suppose the best selling version of the Ford Focus is 1.6 litre petrol. It probably isn't but as I said, I can't confirm what is. A test by the UK magazine Autocar - a magazine not exactly world-renowned for being a bunch of ranting half-wits - averaged 33.4mpg out of such a car, and I'll assume that 'average' implies somewhere between the worst mileage they achieved and the best. Now lets compare that with the worst figues I've ever had from my Trans Am: 15mpg or so around town in the winter. Now that isn't very scientific, I'm not comparing like-for-like, but it serves the point I have to make, as you'll see. Incidentally, on a track covering 40 miles flat out, Autocar got just over 16mpg from their Focus.

Now, as I stated above my annual mileage is about 3500 miles. I have to keep an eye on this because I'm only insured to cover a maximum of 5000 miles per year. Also incidentally this has been my average personal mileage since I started driving. Getting average annual mileage numbers for UK drivers isn't as straight-forward as you might think. I found a range of figures from a range of sources, varying from 6800 to 9000 miles per year, which in all honesty surprised me because I thought it was more than that, around 10,000 to 12,000 mile per year. Anyway, one figure which cropped up more than once was 8000 miles per year, so I'll use that.

Using my Pontiac's worst figures, I'm using just under twice the fuel that an average car would use. Or looked at another way my worst figures are equivalent to an average car on average mileage covering about 7000 miles per year. Now lets assume that my 3500 miles per year is covered entirely around town, or urban if you prefer. Now let's invoke my worst fuel economy of 15mpg. that equates to 233.33(and so on) gallons of fuel used per year. Now let's take the 'average' Focus with its average annual mileage of 8000 miles per year and its average fuel economy of 33.4mpg. That equates to 239.52 gallons of fuel used per year. And don't forget, I've biased my fuel economy figures in favour of the Focus.

As I mentioned above, the other car in our household is a turbo-diesel, a Ford Focus C-MAX as it happens. Using the figures produced by its on-board computer, the best mileage we've achieved in that car so far is 50 mpg over a 172 mile journey. Travelling exactly the same route in the Trans Am, and experiencing similar traffic congestion, I achieved 27 mpg (at the pump. No onboard computer widget!). Now based on the annual mileage, that still means the Trans Am comes out better than the C-MAX, as the C-MAX does in fact cover about 8000 miles per year.

Now before you all start posting all the flaws in my theory, of which there are many I know, I'll get to the point: Staggeringly it appears that if you use a car less, it uses less fuel, and therefore emits less emissions. Even more staggeringly, if you use a car with large engine a lot less than a car with an average engine, the car with the average engine will end up using more fuel. I'm more than willing to compare average mileages and fuel-economy with a real, live, Focus owner, which may end up with me realising the unpleasant truth that my car - shock, and yea, horror, uses more fuel than a car with a smaller engine. But hey, it's a risk I'm willing to take if it causes a few myths to be busted. Apologies for the poor English there. I should point out at this stage that I am in no way associated with any 4x4 manufacturer, nor with Ford Motor Company, nor with Pontiac or GM, nor with Autocar magazine.

Now here's another radical concept: If you believe the hype, 4x4s and gas-guzzling luxury cars are destroying the planet. Next time you're sitting in a traffic jam, count the number of luxury cars and 4x4s you can see. Then count the number of nice sensible average cars you can see.

Now who's destroying the planet?

1) Drive within 5-10 miles of surrounding traffic.
In other words, blend in. If there are 8 cars all going faster than the speed limit, the officer is going to pull over the one that is going noticeably faster than everybody else. It's not a race. Stay blended.

2) Monkey in the Middle
If you're out in front, you're the one the officer can tag for speeding. If you're in the back, you can get snagged from behind. Stay sandwiched in the middle and you've greatly reduced your risk of being pulled over.

3) Follow the Leader (about 100 yards back)
Most drivers that you see driving like they have a pregnant woman about to give birth in the backseat have radar detectors (or a pregnant woman in the backseat). If you see a pack of cars or a driver that's going the speed you'd like to go, get behind them and follow discreetly about 50 to 100 yards back. If he brakes suddenly, either a radar has tripped his detector or there's something obstructing the road. Assume that the detector was tripped and proceed to blend.

4) Don't Act Sporadic
Driving aggressively, switching lanes frequently, and tailgating is a one way ticket to a... um, ticket. Not only do you increase your visibility, but your risk of being in an accident. You may be in a rush, but multiple studies have shown that in over 90% of the cases, the arrival time of 2 drivers (one driving fast and erratically during traffic and one obeying the rules of the road) usually have an arrival time of less than 3 minutes difference. And if you're in an accident or getting a ticket, those 3 minutes are miniscule.

5) Life in the Slow Lane
Avoid the fast lane and only use it to pass a slower vehicle. An officer coming the opposite way can still clock your speed and either turn around to nab you or call back to a waiting officer. Officers will typically focus on the fast lane since this is the prime location that most speeders go in excess of 15-20 miles over the limit.

6) Keep under 5 miles an hour over the limit
If you simply can't drive 55, keep it under 5 miles over the speed limit. Anything above 5 miles over the limit is next to impossible to beat in traffic court. If you must speed, keep it around 4 or 5 over MAX. The sweet spot is 3 to 4 over and most cops won't even waste their time. They're looking for someone who really stands out. Also consider that anything faster is also wasting gas in a major way.

7) Don't be a Lonely Speeder
If you're the only car on the road late at night, stay within that 5 mph over the limit window. If they are out and about clocking speeders, that is one quick way to get a ticket because they have no one to look at but you. Late at night is even worse because cops are most likely out to catch drunk drivers and will pull over even the minimalist speeder in order to see if you've been drinking. And be sure to stick to the speed limit as best as possible in small towns, because small towns are synonymous with speed traps.

8) Radar Love
If you just can't help yourself, a good radar will run about $250-$300, but it's way less than the cost of higher insurance premiums and the cost of the ticket itself, so if you're just incurable of the lead foot disease, get one.

9) Keep a Low Profile
If the cop has got a choice at pulling over the guy in the green Toyota minivan and the guy in the cherry red Ford Mustang with neon light foot runners, who do you think is going to have the honors of talking with the officer?

10) You Lookin' at Me?
Nothing says "I am aching for a ticket" than doing more than one of the above looking like and then being rude or belligerent. Don't look like you just crawled out from under a bridge and certainly don't be short with the officer if you do get pulled over. Nothing will get his hand writing that ticket quicker than being ugly to him if and when you get pulled over.

Follow these rules, and you'll have a great chance at not getting pulled over and ticketed for speeding. If you need a new ride, head over to Drive It Off The Lot to see the absolute best deals on cars and trucks being auctioned right now! We scoured the country for awesome deals on cheap cars and cheap trucks posted them online for you to see. Enjoy.

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Honda OSM Concept: Such a Tease!
Honda has unveiled the OSM (Open Study Model) roadster concept car at the British International Motor Show, and it claims that it is a green "low emission" prototype. But Honda is playing it very close to the vest, so that's all we know.

Source: Treehugger

ＭＯＤでなんか人だかりが出来てる車があった。気になるっしょ、って事で行ったら「ＦＥＲＭＡＮ３」なる名前が付けられた車が。

sorry, it ain't my taste for the car :(

ゴメン、俺の趣味じゃーない:(

My commute is 30 miles each way and I travel both ways at the early edge of the 880 traffic, so unless there is an accident I get to do 35 - 60 mph the whole way. A beater pre-smog sedan with a 5 speed and an economical engine would be a perfect commuter for me.  I didn't have much to spend initially so I had low expectations about what I would find, but I figured I could drive the 1959 Sprint until something turned up.

Last Saturday I went by a friends Alfa repair shop to buy some Sprint interior trim I needed for the Sprint Veloce and this car was parked on the street out front.  I asked what was going on with it and I was told the engine was coming out then it was going to the local Alfa pick-n-pull, unless of course I wanted it.  I asked how much and for the same price as the hand full of Sprint interior trim I bought it.

1972 Berlina 11500*3000189, California Blue plate 564 GQB.  Originally Silver with black interior.  Doesn't look too bad.

The Berlina was a running driving car before the engine blew up about 3 months ago and everything works.  I have receipts going back to about 50,000 miles in the early 90's and it has been very well cared for over the years.  The Pirelli P3000 Cinturato's are like new and most of the brake system has been replaced in the last 8 years.  The two big things I need are an engine and a windshield.  The interior is pretty rough but all there and it has a working period Blaupunkt radio. 

A tree fell on the car and put a dent int he passenger door and broke the windshield!

Interior is rough but usable.  Berlina pieces come up on eBay and the Alfa BB regularly.

Anyone out there in Alfa land have a Berlina windshield that's better than this one for sale?  Email me at sprints@giuliettas.com.  Next installment will cover my engine options as I try and create a 30+ mpg commuter.

Cheapest Gasoline - CNBC.com

1965 SS Impala

Here is my latest toy, I am sure I will be bored with it after a couple months, it seems to be the way I am. I kinda live my life around my cars.  Hmmm...

This car is a real SS big block car,396, turbo 400, and a 12 bolt rear. bucket seats,console,and a/c  the paint is awesome, interior is great. and she will be for sale here shortly.  around 18K

"Chrysler doesn't have a single big-selling model in its entire inventory of passenger cars. The only profitable asset the company still has is its Jeep brand (a small miracle, that, given the Patriot/Compass/Commander albatross hanging around its neck)."

The rest of the story from the American Spectator here.

Would this be good or bad for Jeep? Share you thoughts below.

Be a nice family car, right, Mike? "Yeah, if she's the member of my family you're asking."

(More pictures after jump.)

The rear right passenger door earned some dents from that silly moment.  I was on denial at first that there were dents...and unlucky me, there are 4 small ones :-( 

The root cause?  Weird enough, a lump of stones in the middle of EDSA existed at that very moment.  Lots of cars are avoiding it but there is one stupid driver who did hit the lump.  Just because he (i was guessing the driver is a HE)  is driving a Toyota Fortuner which can run on terrain, doesn't mean he can drive like a mad cow.  Of course those big tires crushed the cake-like lump of stones and UNFORTUNATELY hit Sylvester.

I have no plans of having a paint wash-over this early ~ whew.