November of 2017 was a weird time for me. I'd been daily-driving my 1987 4Runner for about 10 months, three of which it didn't run. It was fun and ridiculous and impractical. I miss it deeply. But a otherwise benign near-death experience with Turbo in the car forced me to adjust … [Read more...] about 2018 Subaru Crosstrek Lease: A Post-Mortem
Opinion
The Lexus IS300 Objectively Sucks: A Post-Mortem
Warning: this is a real opinion, and I know it's unpopular. This is NOT going to end in me talking about how much I 'loved it anyway' because that's bullshit. My particular IS300 provided a wealth of bad experiences up until its death. I don't remember a lot about being eight … [Read more...] about The Lexus IS300 Objectively Sucks: A Post-Mortem
Making sense of the Ford Excursion used market
Too big to fail (the Ford Excursion story) The Ford Excursion is an interesting, unique, and absurdist automobile. Upon its introduction in 1999, for the 2000 model year, it was one of the largest, heaviest SUVs ever produced. It was based on the chassis of the F-250 and could … [Read more...] about Making sense of the Ford Excursion used market
Why the first generation CTS-V isn’t a future classic
Even highly credible sources can have stupid opinions. I was searching Haggertys' archives today for evidence to support the argument that a different GM sports car from the early 2000s wouldn't be a classic, and I came across this absurd statement about the first generation … [Read more...] about Why the first generation CTS-V isn’t a future classic
An Engine Swap Revolution is Coming
We've come a long way In 1990, buying a 10-year-old car or engine swap all but guaranteed that you would be purchasing some carbureted, Clean-Air-Act-choked, Malaise Monstrosity. If you wanted to perform an engine swap, nothing would make sense that was between 5-20 years old … [Read more...] about An Engine Swap Revolution is Coming