More on cars

[stationary_jew]

Made another trip to car dealerships yesterday, to finish looking at Hondas and get more details about the Jetta (necessary because the Diesel version doesn't appear on Volkswagen's websites at all, and the brochures are all Wacky Volkswagen Marketing Fun™ with no specs whatsoever). With Honda, I was expecting to confirm that the hybrid Accord and

Comments

FYI

[freakengine]

The other day, on NPR, I heard why vehicle mileage ratings seemed to be so off the scale compared to actual MPG. Apparently, the dynamometer that the EPA uses to measure MPG hasn't be updated or adjusted to account for such things as air conditioning, higher average cruising speeds and changes in tire technology since the 1970's. The EPA is adding new tests for the 2008 model year to show more realistic MPG.

From Consumer Reports:
The United States Department of Energy and the EPA maintain a Web site with fuel economy information, including testing results and frequently asked questions. Some of the reasons listed as to why a consumer's fuel economy may differ from the EPA estimates include factors related to driving conditions, driver behavior, vehicle maintenance, and the contents of the fuel being used. You can find this information at www.fueleconomy.gov

[troutqueen]

We bought our VW from Gossett, and it was simply an awful process. (Not as bad as the Saab dealership, but still...). If we purchase another, it won't be from Gossett, that's for sure! Their commercials are offensive, and I hate their sales folks.

[stationary_jew]

I'm expecting Saturday's salesman to ignore my "I prefer not to be called" sometime within the next couple of days; he'll be getting an earful of how his commercials and his aggressive idiocy have combined to convince me to seek transportation elsewhere.

[stationary_jew]

There's a limit to how much information you can reasonably withhold when they appear to be taking seriously your offer to buy a car for half of sticker price; phone numbers which they could easily get in any event are beyond that limit. They get one call, which will involve specific instructions not to call again. A second one gets them a harrassment complaint.

[scrapyard]

I think the most racist commercial I encountered here was that one they ran a few years ago for Mrs. Winners fried chicken that was pretty much EXACTLY LIKE the commercial for the General's Fried Chicken that the general gives in Undercover Brother, only the one for Mrs. Winners was REAL, and not the product of brainwashing from the Man.