Well, it's happened. $4+/gallon for gasoline is officially here. I filled up a work vehicle today, and it cost a staggering $85. Good for business? I think not, but we need the gasoline to get to each jobsite.
It's not just the private sector that's feeling the monetary crunch of the price of gasoline. The United States Postal Service, a federally controlled entity, increased postage rates once again. On May 12, the cost for sending an envelope from point A to point B increased by $0.01. That may not seem like a huge increase, but think about how many letters are sent daily. Pennies add up.
The pennies also add up on the other side. For each $0.01 price increase in gasoline, it costs the USPS $8 Million per year. Projections for this summer show that gas will increase in price by almost $0.50 from current rates. Let's get the USPS a calculator and some Prozac. $400 Million dollars this Summer alone! Now, let me ask you a question. Where are they going to make up that kind of money???
George Bush recently "proposed" off-shore drilling to help ease the burden. Thanks for the newsflash, Walter Cronchite....Economists have been pleading for new sources of crude oil for years. These same economists have been saying, FOR YEARS, that this would help our supply and help lower prices. Now, I do not blame George Bush for the lack of action on this. No, believe it or not, he's not to blame in this situation.
The blame rests on these hippie douschebags who think that oil drilling technology is still in 1885. They think that drilling automatically equals spills and ecological disasters. Spills on oil rigs have been drastically decreasing in rate over the last 20 years, and have almost been eliminated. If these people would just pick up a newspaper other than to wipe their ass with, they would realize that this is a credible solution.
It's sad that, as one of the "greatest nations" in the world, we are so easily driven into a recession by our own actions. The US is the only oil producing country in the world that doesn't practice off-shore drilling. Statistically, our demand for crude oil is the highest in the world, yet we produce the least. Scientists predict that the oil field below the Gulf of Mexico could produce enough oil to match our current yearly production for the next 10 years. One area could double our production for the next 10 years.
Let's wake up here. Even though offshore drilling would only slightly ease our current gas price woes, it is a step in the right direction to reducing our dependency on foreign oil The sooner we accomplish this, the sooner we get back to $1 per gallon.
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Monday, May 12, 2008
Gas prices rant
OK. Gasoline will be $4 per gallon by the summer. I filled up today at $3.73 in Mass, and it was a whopping $65 affair. You know what? Fine. I drive a Jeep with a V8. I accept the fact that I don't get 30mpg. I love my Jeep and wouldn't trade my daily driver for anything else.
My problem with the price hikes is that the government is tricking us into thinking that there's a gas shortage. Recently there was a press conference in which George W. Bush, our nation's illustrious President said, "It should be obvious to you all that the [gasoline] demand is outstripping supply, which causes prices to go up." — Associated Press, Mar. 5, 2008
2 Words for you, Mr. Bush: BULL SHIT
Ed Wallace wrote in a recent BusinessWeek article: "Gasoline reserves on hand are at the highest levels since the early 1990s, which is remarkable considering the nation's refineries have been cutting back on the production of gasoline because their margins have declined. In fact, average gasoline reserves on hand have risen since this past October, while oil reserves in this country have gone up virtually every week this year—and only fog in the Houston Ship Channel that kept oil tankers from unloading their crude one week kept it from being every week." Apr. 1, 2008
Mr Wallace's exposee aparrently hasn't been seen by all of America, as we are still lining up at the pumps to pay outrageous prices for our gas. In California, people are already paying $4 per gallon or more. In upstate New York this past weekend, I saw $3.93 per gallon for regular unleaded.
The thing that bothers me is that our government, oil companies, and ethanol companies are all in on this scam. It disgusts me that Bush's people are giving him information that supports this massive lie. Our Constitution gives the people the power to make decisions in this country. I say a rebellion is far past due. Our government has intentionally fooled us for far too long.
Demand is down. Prices still increase. According to basic economics, once price starts having a negative effect on demand, the price should be reduced until the demand increases. The gas companies will still make the same stupid profits, but our wallets won't feel the ache as much. That also means that people will have more money to put back into the economy, thus reversing the current recession we are experiencing.
The number of boats, PWCs, RVs, and other toys I have seen for sale is just stupid. People are resorting to buying bicycles to save gas, because prices are that astronomical. As I said before, let's stop wasting our congressmen's time with steriod use in baseball and force our oil companies to reduce their profits by a few Billion dollars....
My problem with the price hikes is that the government is tricking us into thinking that there's a gas shortage. Recently there was a press conference in which George W. Bush, our nation's illustrious President said, "It should be obvious to you all that the [gasoline] demand is outstripping supply, which causes prices to go up." — Associated Press, Mar. 5, 2008
2 Words for you, Mr. Bush: BULL SHIT
Ed Wallace wrote in a recent BusinessWeek article: "Gasoline reserves on hand are at the highest levels since the early 1990s, which is remarkable considering the nation's refineries have been cutting back on the production of gasoline because their margins have declined. In fact, average gasoline reserves on hand have risen since this past October, while oil reserves in this country have gone up virtually every week this year—and only fog in the Houston Ship Channel that kept oil tankers from unloading their crude one week kept it from being every week." Apr. 1, 2008
Mr Wallace's exposee aparrently hasn't been seen by all of America, as we are still lining up at the pumps to pay outrageous prices for our gas. In California, people are already paying $4 per gallon or more. In upstate New York this past weekend, I saw $3.93 per gallon for regular unleaded.
The thing that bothers me is that our government, oil companies, and ethanol companies are all in on this scam. It disgusts me that Bush's people are giving him information that supports this massive lie. Our Constitution gives the people the power to make decisions in this country. I say a rebellion is far past due. Our government has intentionally fooled us for far too long.
Demand is down. Prices still increase. According to basic economics, once price starts having a negative effect on demand, the price should be reduced until the demand increases. The gas companies will still make the same stupid profits, but our wallets won't feel the ache as much. That also means that people will have more money to put back into the economy, thus reversing the current recession we are experiencing.
The number of boats, PWCs, RVs, and other toys I have seen for sale is just stupid. People are resorting to buying bicycles to save gas, because prices are that astronomical. As I said before, let's stop wasting our congressmen's time with steriod use in baseball and force our oil companies to reduce their profits by a few Billion dollars....
Sunday, April 6, 2008
Two new exciting Pontiac previews
At the recent Detroit Auto Show, Pontiac unveiled two new models for the 2010 model year lineup: the Solstice Targa, and the G8 Sport Truck.
As from a previous post, the Solstice is my favorite car in the Pontiac linup right now. Sporty lines, good bang-for-your-buck power and performance, and a small price tag make this a very desirable car.
Now, they have added another option for it, offering a removable hard-top in coupe form. Taking the lines from the original coupe concept, it does well in sharing the convertible's sporty curves. I think it is a much better layout, especially with the added structual rigidity that comes with a hard top. The weight sacrifice? A mere 20 pounds.
The rear has a bit of a Volvo C30 vibe to it, but looks good in its application.
This is the first photo of the car with the top removed. Pontiac has done a good job continuing the lines from the windshield. This rear cargo area is much greater in size than the convertible version, as well. Wind noise reduction should be substantial.
The interior looks the same, only the rear roof overhangs the seats.
Price should be similar to the Convertible version. Pontiac claims the GXP coupe will start at $28,000, which is a couple grand less than it's topless counterpart. Early reports from Saturn are that there will not be a coupe version of the Sky. I think this is the right thing to do, I'm not sure how aesthetically pleasing the rear canopy design would be on the Saturn.
The G8 sport truck is bringing back the el Camino in true fashion. Fashioned after the G8 and riding on the same platform, Pontiac cut off the trunk and rear seats of the G8 and added a 6'2" pickup bed. It is available with a soft tonneau cover, although a hard tonneau could be in production.
The interior looks the same as the G8 sedan, just with a window right behind the front row of seating. With the popularity of pickup trucks, and the huge concentration on gas mileage, this could be a home run for Pontiac. The only issue I forsee is towing capacity, which can't be anyhting over 2000 pounds with a car's frame and driveline.
No figures have been released about pricing, although I would assume something in the $25,000 to $30,000 range.
It's nice to see these designs coming from American auto makers. They're starting to think outside the box, and even bring back some retro designs into today's marketplace.
As from a previous post, the Solstice is my favorite car in the Pontiac linup right now. Sporty lines, good bang-for-your-buck power and performance, and a small price tag make this a very desirable car.
Now, they have added another option for it, offering a removable hard-top in coupe form. Taking the lines from the original coupe concept, it does well in sharing the convertible's sporty curves. I think it is a much better layout, especially with the added structual rigidity that comes with a hard top. The weight sacrifice? A mere 20 pounds.
The rear has a bit of a Volvo C30 vibe to it, but looks good in its application.
This is the first photo of the car with the top removed. Pontiac has done a good job continuing the lines from the windshield. This rear cargo area is much greater in size than the convertible version, as well. Wind noise reduction should be substantial.
The interior looks the same, only the rear roof overhangs the seats.
Price should be similar to the Convertible version. Pontiac claims the GXP coupe will start at $28,000, which is a couple grand less than it's topless counterpart. Early reports from Saturn are that there will not be a coupe version of the Sky. I think this is the right thing to do, I'm not sure how aesthetically pleasing the rear canopy design would be on the Saturn.
The G8 sport truck is bringing back the el Camino in true fashion. Fashioned after the G8 and riding on the same platform, Pontiac cut off the trunk and rear seats of the G8 and added a 6'2" pickup bed. It is available with a soft tonneau cover, although a hard tonneau could be in production.
The interior looks the same as the G8 sedan, just with a window right behind the front row of seating. With the popularity of pickup trucks, and the huge concentration on gas mileage, this could be a home run for Pontiac. The only issue I forsee is towing capacity, which can't be anyhting over 2000 pounds with a car's frame and driveline.
No figures have been released about pricing, although I would assume something in the $25,000 to $30,000 range.
It's nice to see these designs coming from American auto makers. They're starting to think outside the box, and even bring back some retro designs into today's marketplace.
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
Massachusetts roads
I came to the realization about 4 years ago, when I started attending school in Western Mass, that they do not care for their roads. Potholes, rutting, frost heaves and the like litter the roads all over MA. Every time I bring my Jeep into my mechanic, he says that I need an alignment. Half the time he's joking to get my heartrate to skyrocket, as he normally does. The other half, he's serious. He won't believe me that I don't drive the thing like a Corvette.
Case in point: This evening, I was driving to return a couple movies just down the road. I turned onto Broadway in Chicopee, and BAM! I hit a pothole so big, it should be classified as a ditch. Both front tires dipped and I was jarred against the solid edge on the other side. It was deep enough and wide enough that my whole tire was able to dip down in. I swear, my mechanic is going to shoot me the next time he sees the Jeep.
In 4 years, I have only seen one road in the area being repaved or repaired after the harsh New England winters that we encounter. Roads are put to the ultimate test in the Winter, being scraped by 5-ton plows, having road salt dumped on them, and constant temperature fluxuations. A small crack is caused by the base layer under the pavement "heaving" from a good frost. If water accumulates in the crack and freezes, the crack expands and eventually you have a pot hole. If the pot hole goes untreated, it can get to the size of a small pond in a matter of months. Every few years (about 7-10, depending on the material used) the roads need to be resurfaced. When I moved out here, I thought I just caught it towards the later stages of the life span, but as I traveled more, it became apparent that it's a state-wide problem.
My best example: on the highway near my apartment, like most highways, there are catch basins for storm water drainage. The problem: They're not sunk into the pavement. They're exposed and they sit about 4" above the level of the pavement. And how do they "fix" them? Road cones. On top of the catch basin. Thanks. Now I can see what's slicing the sidewall of my tire at 65mph.
New York has one of the best road care programs in the country. Why can't other states learn from us? Are New Yorkers really that evil?
So I've been thinking about this for most of the night, and I've made a couple conclusions:
- Roads in Massachusetts suck. Well, tonight wasn't the first night that I've realized that....
- Mechanics in MA must make a KILLING off of alignments and blowouts (low profile tires can't take hitting a pot hole - the rim severs the tire....)
- Road crews in MA don't exist, other than on the Mass Pike
- The construction you do see: Fake. They're not really doing anything except enabling cops to make time and a half to "supervise"
The Final conclusion, and most importantly:
- All money allocated to road repair in MA has gone into the Big Dig for the last 15-20 years.
That's right! The largest engineering nightmare in the country went 10.6 BILLION DOLLARS (About the 2007 4th QUARTER profit for ExxonMobil) over budget. No wonder the rest of the state is littered with pot holes and exposed bridge expansion joints. Basically all of the state's money has been dumped into the largest and most dangerous construction projects in US history. Granted the project employed almost 5000 people at one point, and created jobs for many, but the lives lost far outweigh the lives saved.
The other problem is that whenever a project like this is proposed (one as simple as repaving a degraded road), the public outcry is immense! It's so controversial to close one lane for a week! I'll be late for work! Well guess what? LEAVE EARLY!
Anyway, back on point. I think it's sad that I have to save memory space in my mind so I can remember the perfect line to take around pot holes on my way to school. Road construction isn't that hard. All it takes is some time, a good engineer, and some money.
My final conclusion: I will never live in MA. Mainly for these reasons. I already dump enough money into my Jeep, I don't need to spend more on alignments and new bushings every 6 months.
Case in point: This evening, I was driving to return a couple movies just down the road. I turned onto Broadway in Chicopee, and BAM! I hit a pothole so big, it should be classified as a ditch. Both front tires dipped and I was jarred against the solid edge on the other side. It was deep enough and wide enough that my whole tire was able to dip down in. I swear, my mechanic is going to shoot me the next time he sees the Jeep.
In 4 years, I have only seen one road in the area being repaved or repaired after the harsh New England winters that we encounter. Roads are put to the ultimate test in the Winter, being scraped by 5-ton plows, having road salt dumped on them, and constant temperature fluxuations. A small crack is caused by the base layer under the pavement "heaving" from a good frost. If water accumulates in the crack and freezes, the crack expands and eventually you have a pot hole. If the pot hole goes untreated, it can get to the size of a small pond in a matter of months. Every few years (about 7-10, depending on the material used) the roads need to be resurfaced. When I moved out here, I thought I just caught it towards the later stages of the life span, but as I traveled more, it became apparent that it's a state-wide problem.
My best example: on the highway near my apartment, like most highways, there are catch basins for storm water drainage. The problem: They're not sunk into the pavement. They're exposed and they sit about 4" above the level of the pavement. And how do they "fix" them? Road cones. On top of the catch basin. Thanks. Now I can see what's slicing the sidewall of my tire at 65mph.
New York has one of the best road care programs in the country. Why can't other states learn from us? Are New Yorkers really that evil?
So I've been thinking about this for most of the night, and I've made a couple conclusions:
- Roads in Massachusetts suck. Well, tonight wasn't the first night that I've realized that....
- Mechanics in MA must make a KILLING off of alignments and blowouts (low profile tires can't take hitting a pot hole - the rim severs the tire....)
- Road crews in MA don't exist, other than on the Mass Pike
- The construction you do see: Fake. They're not really doing anything except enabling cops to make time and a half to "supervise"
The Final conclusion, and most importantly:
- All money allocated to road repair in MA has gone into the Big Dig for the last 15-20 years.
That's right! The largest engineering nightmare in the country went 10.6 BILLION DOLLARS (About the 2007 4th QUARTER profit for ExxonMobil) over budget. No wonder the rest of the state is littered with pot holes and exposed bridge expansion joints. Basically all of the state's money has been dumped into the largest and most dangerous construction projects in US history. Granted the project employed almost 5000 people at one point, and created jobs for many, but the lives lost far outweigh the lives saved.
The other problem is that whenever a project like this is proposed (one as simple as repaving a degraded road), the public outcry is immense! It's so controversial to close one lane for a week! I'll be late for work! Well guess what? LEAVE EARLY!
Anyway, back on point. I think it's sad that I have to save memory space in my mind so I can remember the perfect line to take around pot holes on my way to school. Road construction isn't that hard. All it takes is some time, a good engineer, and some money.
My final conclusion: I will never live in MA. Mainly for these reasons. I already dump enough money into my Jeep, I don't need to spend more on alignments and new bushings every 6 months.
Thursday, February 28, 2008
It's heeerrreeeee!!
That's right. The 2008 Challenger was released 2/18 at the Chicago Auto Show. As I said in the earlier post, the production model is very similar to the concept. The tail lights are a more conventional setup with standard bulbs instead of the LED panel on the back.
The front is again more conventional, with standard housings rather than the dual projectors. The low beam HIDs have projectors, you can see them on the pic if you look close. The grille is also modified a bit with mesh blackout and a little less chrome.
Creme de la creme. 6.1L V8 making 425hp and 420 lb-ft of torque. 2008 models will only be SRT8s with automatic transmissions. 2009 models begin build in April, which is when the standard and mid-level models will be released.
The interior on the production model is where you see the most changes. No more digital gauges or accelerometer. I doubt we'll see either in the production model. I can't wait to see the pictures of the newer version of the pistol-grip shifter on the 6-speed. Heavily bolstered seats with the SRT logo are the same ones you see on the Magnum and Charger SRT models.
Pricing for the current SRT8 is around $40,000. Add the few options that are available, and you'll hit about $45,000. Pricing for the 2009 models will be released with the new model in April.
Sunday, February 24, 2008
Let's talk about global warming......
Alright, all this talk about "global warming" and "reducing our carbon footprint" has got me spewing steam. Let's elaborate a little bit.
According to these so-called experts studying our climate, our carbon emissions have created a warming effect that is slowly increasing the average yearly temperature across the globe. This is all well and good, but show me some concrete evidence. All I've seen so far is that temperatures are slightly rising, and we're getting less snow in the Northeast. The scientific information I have seen hasn't shown that the increase in CO2 has actually had an effect on average global temperature.
And where does Al "I invented the internet" Gore get off spouting all of this propoganda about Global Warming? If you watch his documentary, he is cruising around the country in his nice, comfy, Lincoln Towncar. The Towncar is statistically the most polluting sedan on the market. Mr. Gore, don't you think if you're making a documentary on global warming, shouldn't you be driving around in something a little less polluting? Let's say, maybe, a Prius? Or some other hybrid? Way to help the cause, asshole.
Anyway, let's get some specifics. At the beginning of the Industrial Revolution, the level of carbon dioxide in the air was 0.28%. In the 200 years since, the level of carbon dioxide has increased to 0.36%. That's a 0.08% increase, which is much less than the government and Mr. Gore will have you believe. People think that this is a substantial problem, but in reality, the levels of CO2 aren't "drastically" increasing. Sure, we're contributing, but it really doesn't seem to be a dire situation.
I will agree that the climate is getting milder, and that the ice caps are melting, and all the rest of the information that has been released. However, this is part of NATURAL climate change. Everyone is just unhappy because it's the first time it's happened to us. We have been tracking weather for about 200 years, so this is the first time that we have actually recorded it. Approximately 1000 years ago, the same thing happened as well. This is about the time that the Vikings and Nordic people inhabited Greenland and Iceland. What happened next? A smaller-scale ice age. This climatic rotation has been happening for millions of years. The earth will warm and cool as it pleases, and there is nothing that humans can do.
The point is, people will always have a necessity for fossil fuels. We love our toys: snowmobiles, boats, jet skis, dirt bikes, etc. We will always have a need for SUVs and trucks that consume a large amount of gasoline. Do I agree with creating hybrids and engines that consume less? Absolutely. Anything to help slow the deterioration of our fuel supply. No matter what, people will buy gasoline, whether it's $1/gallon or $5/gallon. (Of course, why do we need hybrids when Chevy produces a 430hp V8 that gets 28mpg on the highway? Small tolerances and high compression ratios.....)
Maybe we should have our congressmen spend their time on something to help the cause, like investigating why it's OK for ExxonMobil to have a $13.5 Billion QUARTERLY profit and still charge $3+ for a gallon of gas here and over $7/gallon in Europe. Why are we wasting their time with steriods in the MLB? Their steroid use has such an insignificant effect on the greater people compared to these skyrocketing gas prices!
Oh well. I guess I'll just drive my Jeep and GTO, tow my snowmobile and boat, and pay $3 per gallon for gas, and take it until the day something is done. Perfect. :)
According to these so-called experts studying our climate, our carbon emissions have created a warming effect that is slowly increasing the average yearly temperature across the globe. This is all well and good, but show me some concrete evidence. All I've seen so far is that temperatures are slightly rising, and we're getting less snow in the Northeast. The scientific information I have seen hasn't shown that the increase in CO2 has actually had an effect on average global temperature.
And where does Al "I invented the internet" Gore get off spouting all of this propoganda about Global Warming? If you watch his documentary, he is cruising around the country in his nice, comfy, Lincoln Towncar. The Towncar is statistically the most polluting sedan on the market. Mr. Gore, don't you think if you're making a documentary on global warming, shouldn't you be driving around in something a little less polluting? Let's say, maybe, a Prius? Or some other hybrid? Way to help the cause, asshole.
Anyway, let's get some specifics. At the beginning of the Industrial Revolution, the level of carbon dioxide in the air was 0.28%. In the 200 years since, the level of carbon dioxide has increased to 0.36%. That's a 0.08% increase, which is much less than the government and Mr. Gore will have you believe. People think that this is a substantial problem, but in reality, the levels of CO2 aren't "drastically" increasing. Sure, we're contributing, but it really doesn't seem to be a dire situation.
I will agree that the climate is getting milder, and that the ice caps are melting, and all the rest of the information that has been released. However, this is part of NATURAL climate change. Everyone is just unhappy because it's the first time it's happened to us. We have been tracking weather for about 200 years, so this is the first time that we have actually recorded it. Approximately 1000 years ago, the same thing happened as well. This is about the time that the Vikings and Nordic people inhabited Greenland and Iceland. What happened next? A smaller-scale ice age. This climatic rotation has been happening for millions of years. The earth will warm and cool as it pleases, and there is nothing that humans can do.
The point is, people will always have a necessity for fossil fuels. We love our toys: snowmobiles, boats, jet skis, dirt bikes, etc. We will always have a need for SUVs and trucks that consume a large amount of gasoline. Do I agree with creating hybrids and engines that consume less? Absolutely. Anything to help slow the deterioration of our fuel supply. No matter what, people will buy gasoline, whether it's $1/gallon or $5/gallon. (Of course, why do we need hybrids when Chevy produces a 430hp V8 that gets 28mpg on the highway? Small tolerances and high compression ratios.....)
Maybe we should have our congressmen spend their time on something to help the cause, like investigating why it's OK for ExxonMobil to have a $13.5 Billion QUARTERLY profit and still charge $3+ for a gallon of gas here and over $7/gallon in Europe. Why are we wasting their time with steriods in the MLB? Their steroid use has such an insignificant effect on the greater people compared to these skyrocketing gas prices!
Oh well. I guess I'll just drive my Jeep and GTO, tow my snowmobile and boat, and pay $3 per gallon for gas, and take it until the day something is done. Perfect. :)
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
2005-Current Jeep Grand Cherokee (WK)
The newest variation of Jeep's iconic Grand Cherokee is a true winner.
Introduced in 2004, the newest Grand sports an independent front suspension and 2 new engines for 2005. The 3.7L V6 has been used in the Liberty since it's induction, and DC brought over the 5.7L HEMI V8, most commonly seen in Dodge's Ram pickup.
Three different 4wd systems are available: The no-frills Quadra-Trac I, with a full-time 4wd transfercase and no 4Low option, it is truly an on-road biased system. The NV-147 transfercase is the brains behind the system. It uses a hydraulic gerator pump to transfer torque from the rear axle to front axle. The BTCS is equipped on these as well.
Quadra-Trac II is the next step up, a full-time 4wd system with the 4Low option. It utilizes the NV-247 transfercase, which uses a similar gerator pump as the 147. However, along with the 4Low option, it comes with BTCS or Brake-controlled Traction Control System. This system modulates brake pressure to a slipping wheel to maximize traction. The system can modulate traction to a single side up to about 70%
Quadra-Drive II is the creme de la creme of 4wd systems. It has the same NV-247 transfercase, but to modulate traction from side to side, it uses electronically controlled Limited Slip Differentials. This system can transfer 100% of torque to a single wheel. It is the most advanced 4wd system that Jeep offers.
On-road capabilities on this Jeep are hands-down the best ever for a Jeep. Having driven one, I can attest to this fact. I wouldn't want to take a long trip in any other vehicle. The suspension absorbs bumps and body roll is quaffed by some beefy anti-sway bars. Through the twisties, this is definitely an SUV at heart, and handles as such. On the highway, though, this is one smooth ride.
During the search for my father's new vehicle, I drove the Honda Pilot and Ridgeline, GMC Yukon, and Toyota 4Runner. The Jeep was, by far, the best SUV on the market.
Off-road capabilities are limited now due to lack of aftermarket support and that dang Independent Front Suspension. Here's a pic of a lifted Commander (same platform) flexing on a rock.
The rock is about 15" tall. If you look, you can see that the passenger side tire is off the ground. Any other vehicle with a solid front axle would have that tire planted firmly on the ground. Even though these Jeeps are good off-road, they are not as good as previous Grand Cherokees.
Here's a couple pics of the 2008 upgrades. The front fascia has been modified a little bit, along with the headlights. New options include HID headlights, the new MyGig multimedia system, and updated seats and interior amenities have made this a much cushier ride.
Overall, I give the new Grand Cherokee a B+, mainly because of the plastic-like interior components and some other small amenity issues, as well as the decreased off-road capabilities. This is still truly a Jeep, though.
Superbowl commercials
Audi's comeback to the Superbowl commercial stage made a huge impact on many car guys all over. The use of the famous "Godfather" scene had me curious from the beginning, and laughing my ass off when it was the front end of a car (Mercedes, maybe?)
But when that drool-inspiring R8 came into view, everyone in the room went quiet, and the awesome tones of the exhaust was all you could hear. It was truly a great commercial, especially for the first Superbowl commercial for Audi in 20 years.
However, I believe the greatest commercial to come out of last weekend has to be the new Porsche Cayenne GTS commercial. If you haven't seen it, here it is.
Truly the perfect car commercial. I have no words to describe the thoughts and feelings that come through me when this airs. Every car buff in the world can relate, along with anyone who has the slightest interest in cars. This commercial could have shown any car with any type of following or history and rang true for that company.
The absolutely perfect commercial to portray Porsche's committment to their vehicles and storied history in racing and road cars.
"Wow" is right.
But when that drool-inspiring R8 came into view, everyone in the room went quiet, and the awesome tones of the exhaust was all you could hear. It was truly a great commercial, especially for the first Superbowl commercial for Audi in 20 years.
However, I believe the greatest commercial to come out of last weekend has to be the new Porsche Cayenne GTS commercial. If you haven't seen it, here it is.
Truly the perfect car commercial. I have no words to describe the thoughts and feelings that come through me when this airs. Every car buff in the world can relate, along with anyone who has the slightest interest in cars. This commercial could have shown any car with any type of following or history and rang true for that company.
The absolutely perfect commercial to portray Porsche's committment to their vehicles and storied history in racing and road cars.
"Wow" is right.
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