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Cars

  • American Interiors

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    2 min read

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    Photos from the artist website, and Hyperallergic.

    Given that Americans spend more time in their cars than on vacation. American vehicles are literally, a dashboard confessional for many, others an elysium.

    From M L Casteel’s website:

    American Interiors depicts the psychological repercussions of war and military service through images of the interiors of cars owned by veterans in the USA. 

    While some car interiors paint a grim, even bleak picture of veteran life — others are more interesting. Some are quite lively, and a reminder that our lives are complicated. Our country’s system is in shambles. The nightmares of country’s skirmishes and campaigns abroad that persist on were not created, nor are dealt with equally. I applaud anyone who can deal with the horrors of war.

    I believe Casteels photography shines a light on problem in America that no one is willing to talk about: plainly, America doesn’t care about their veterans. We build monuments to honor them and praise their services but when it comes time to write a check, raise taxes or give our veterans the medical/psychological help they need — no one is willing to help.

    I really hope the private citizen sentiment changes in my lifetime. M L Casteel’s book compiling his photography of veteran’s car interiors over a five-year period, can be purchased from Amazon.

  • On Stick Shifts

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    2 min read

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    This morning I came across an annoyingly sensationalized headline from CNBC regarding stick shifts (in Audi vehicles):

    The market for sticks is at a point “where it’s not a necessity or even much of an option,” said Mike Fiske, senior analyst at IHS Markit, who studies automotive powertrain issues.


    Look no further than Audi. The luxury automotive brand, part of Volkswagen Group, confirmed that it will no longer offer any manual-transmission vehicles in the U.S. beginning with the 2019 model year.

    I learned how to drive in a 1991 Ford Escort, replete with a broken A/C unit, manual transmission, leaky radiator and manual roll-down windows. The Texan summers were not kind to me nor that poor Escort. I have to say it’s a real treat to drive a manual sometimes. But, automatics are real smooth nowadays. Automatic trannies are very efficient by comparison, sure. But, that comes at a price. For one, they simply “don’t last as long as they used to,” or so the saying goes. Automatics have wholly separate electronic systems, separate pumps and liquids to maintain. That sucks. Anyways, the triage and repair of either transmission types are nightmarish and always expensive. As far as 4-wheeled transport goes, I can’t say I would prefer owning one over the other.

    At any rate, since when was Audi an auto trendsetter in the US? If you brush past the hyped interview quotations, and drab figure comparisons, you find the real nugget of the story:

    But while the manual transmission may be on its way out, the automatic transmission shouldn’t get too comfortable. In fact, its days could be numbered, too.


    That’s because electric vehicles, which enthusiasts believe could eventually overtake gasoline powered cars, don’t have transmissions at all.

    Well, I can’t wait. I want to live in a world where I don’t have to worry about transmissions anymore. In case you’re wondering, most electric vehicles have a two or single-speed gearbox, instead of a multi-speed gearbox.

  • Care by Volvo Vehicle Subscription

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    2 min read

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    Wow. This is really something else. For a base price of $600/month, you can essentially lease a Volvo XC40 — a crossover class. But, this is really a subscription service. You can subscribe through the app on your iPhone with Apple Pay too. It has all sorts of perks:

    • Upgrade to a new vehicle after 12 months
    • Park assist, and other Volvo car features
    • Car insurance
    • Routine maintenance
    • Roadside assistance
    • Zero money down

    Not shabby, considering insurance premiums on new vehicles can often break the bank. And let’s not forget how expensive car maintenance can be. 

    The xc40. From Volvo

    The downsides? Roberto Baldwin (@strngwys) at Endgadget writes:

    As always, though, there are caveats. To qualify for Care by Volvo, you have to fit within certain insurance and credit parameters, as determined by Liberty Mutual. So if you have good credit but you have a few points on your driving record that put you outside what an underwriter finds acceptable, you’re out of luck. There’s no $650-per-month option for a bit higher insurance or to cover your bad credit. It’s all or nothing.

    Further reading: