One of the saddest automotive developments in recent history is how several American states have decided that vintage cars imported from Japan are unworthy of being driven on the road. The official stated reason is that these vehicles are unsafe, but it doesn’t make any sense. Now, we have another example of how silly it all is.
Today, Thomas wrote that GM figured out how to make the 9,063-pound GMC Hummer EV accelerate faster than a Corvette. It’s equal parts hilarious and frustrating. 3WiperB:
And some people worry about kei cars being dangerous to others.
MaximillianMeen:
“We have to keep those unhinged kei cars off the roads so the real patriots can drive their 4-5 ton behemoths without the stress of running over one of those selfish toys!”
-AAMVA
To be clear, I am okay with consumers having a choice! If super quick big trucks are perfectly legal, Kei cars should be, too!
Anyway, another sad development is the depressing state of car colors. Jason wrote a Cold Start showing all of the sweet colors of the Plymouth Trail Duster compared to the colors of a modern Dodge Durango. One of the colors below is supposed to be blue. Seriously!
Rad Barchetta gets it:
A dark red, a dark blue, and six grayscale colors
Which one of those is blue? I can’t tell. Is it me? It’s ok if it is.
Today, David wrote about so-called ‘transition model-year’ cars with single-year-only parts that basically don’t exist anymore. David wrote this because he’s probably going to buy yet another Jeep. ImissmyoldScout:
Dave has child, thinks “sensible car” thoughts, throws caution to the wind, buys transition year 2-door Jeep that is totally horrible for toting said child in, and impossible to source parts for.
Yep, that tracks.
Ignatius J. Reilly:
Unobtanium is an essential element when forging a Holy Grail.
Yellowdog’s comment is so true:
Jeep has nothing on VW. VW seems to make transitions because it is Tuesday, or the cat barfed, or perhaps the gods know why. 3-5 changes during a calendar year are not unusual. For a lot of parts, finding the right one is a shot in the dark.
Have a great evening, everyone!
I’m still not sure whether David needs a spare fuel pump or an intervention.
I agree. I mean WTF, in many states you can legally drive a rusted out, busted smashed, bad ball joint, bald tires POS legally, or a Suzuki Samurai or geo metro, but not a Kei car..
I was once in the highway behind a first-gen Tundra that was dog-tracking at about a 10° angle. Like, I could see the entire left side of the truck from the same lane. It must have had broken suspension, frame, or both.
AAMVA needs to explain how that is somehow street legal, but smol and/or “foreign” cars are a safety hazard that must be eradicated from American roads.
David seems to think everything is grail rated. It’s usually just a cross and thorns though…
I am pretty sure the big trucks are safe for the drivers but maybe less for the people in the other vehicles. However in the case of the Kei cars the driver in the Kei car is in danger not the other vehicles. But I just Read Colorado approved Kei cars.