Pictures

For people wondering where I get my pictures from, I get most of them from commons.wikimedia.com. All the images are public domain. If they are not, then I give credit to the person who posted it on the website. The other way I get them is from taking my own from car shows. Thank you for reading.

Top 5 Modern Luxury Car Fails

There have been many new luxury cars that have come out in the past year, but not all of them are any good. Some have gone in the total failure list. Here is a list of luxury cars that have failed to be luxury or any good at all.

1. Mercedes CLA

Mercedes CLA

When Mercedes first introduced the idea of a small luxury car that started at an appealing price, it sounded like a great idea. Sadly, they failed trying to make it happen. The Mercedes CLA is awful. The interior feels dated and the ride is bumpy. It is unreliable and doesn't even have real leather as standard, nor a sunroof or a back up camera. You must pay extra for those options.

Infiniti Q60

The Infinti Q60 has been around since 2010. It is the coupe version of the Infiniti G37. It was renamed in 2013 from the G37 to Q60. It has Nissan's old infotainment system which was found in the 2009 Murano, Maxima and many more cars of that time. With the base price at forty thousand dollars, I would rather spend my money on a BMW 4 series with starts at forty one thousand dollars.

3. Lexus NX

Lexus NX

The Lexus NX drives okay and it feels luxury. However, it is the design that has made me put it on this list. The car is shaped like a box. However, the added a bunch of lines and crazy lights that made it look weird. To add to the issue, it has an enormous grill that looks like it eats children. For the interior, they have a bulky dashboard and a hard to use touch pad.

4. Lexus RX

Lexus RX

The Lexus RX used to a car for wealthy mothers do drive around and run errands in luxury and safety. However, they changed it. Let's start with the proportions. It seems long but doesn't seem that fat. That is the least of its problems. It is ugly and the shape of the car is messed up. The only good part about this ugly thing is that it is very luxurious on the inside.

5. Infiniti QX50

Infiniti QX50

Like the Q60, this is outdated and has been around since 2008 and has the old Nissan infotainment system. It used to be called the EX35 till they updated it in 2014 and renamed to QX50. The exterior looks different, but the interior is still the same.

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5 Things I Hate About BMW

BMW's are among some of the most popular cars for people with the money to buy one. We love BMW's but no car is perfect. This is no exception so with that said, here are 5 things that we hate about BMW.

1. The Reliability

BMW 328i

BMW's are not known for being reliable. They love to start having issues after the warranty ends. All types if things could go wrong. The headlights going out are just the first sign of a line of problems. Then, the window switches break or water pump busts. There are a million things that can go wrong with this car, especially since the parts are complicated.

2. The Boring Interior

BMW X6 Interior

The BMW interior you see in most of its new cars are identical to each other.  Even on most of its new cars such as the X4, it is still identical to most of the other BMWs. IN fact, it would be hard to tell the difference of a sixty grand X5 interior and a forty grand 228i.

3.Overpriced

BMW Active Hybrid 5

Some BMW's start at a cheap price for BMW. Keyword is start. Back up camera isn't standard. Navigation isn't standard. If you want the big screen in BMW photos, you also have to pay for that. Power seats are optional. Lumbar support is optional. Aluminum trim in the lower models is optional. Sunroof is optional. Leather is optional. What is not optional? It is ridiculous.

4. Depreciation

BMW i3

BMW's don't last long, like many other German cars. If you buy a new BMW 7 series, then after five years, your car would be worth thirty nine percent of the value you bought it at new. That is astonishing. Of coarse, most BMW's are higher than that. Most of the SUV's are able to stay above fifty percent, while most of the cars are slightly lower than fifty percent.

5.  The SUV Coupes

BMW X4

BMW sparked a bad fire. They made the X6 which lead to the Mercedes GLE coupe, the disgusting and failed Acura ZDX, and the future Audi Q8. Sure, an SUV coupe sounds like a great idea, but just like socialism, it failed. However, it is sill popular. There are some key things that they missed. First of all, they aren't as practical as a normal SUV. The sloping roof cuts into head room and cargo space. The second mark is that they're too low to do any real off roading. The third problem is that they are to tall and bulky to look any good.

BMW's are great cars. However, there are things that stink about the brand.

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Mini has Lost Its Mojo

Have you noticed that Minis have been a little weird? The designers at Mini are going nuts in a bad way. They're killing the Mini brand by changing features that make Mini...well, Mini. Their slogan used to be "Not Normal." That was when they weren't normal. Now, they are normal.

2015 Mini Cooper

Let's look at the problems. The first half of the problem is that they are increasing in size. The 2015 two door hardtop is three point six inches longer than the 2013 hardtop. It is the longest hardtop in history. The Mini should never increase in size. They might as well called it the Jumbo if they keep on expanding the wheelbase.

2015 Mini Cooper
(They'ed gone crazy")

The second half of the problem with Mini is that they are being reasonable. They have located the window switches to the doors instead of the traditional center stack. They also increased it in size like many traditional cars. They are killing the characteristics of a Mini that make Mini special.

In conclusion, they are making their cars too traditional and big. They need to rewind and make their cars small and different from the crowd.

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The Future of Cars

What will future cars be like? We we don't know for sure, but here are the top 5 gadgets that may be found in cars of the future. What's more, these gizmos and type of cars exist today.

1. Gesture Control

BMW 7 Series

This is something new. You can swipe and make gestures in the air to do simple tasks such as controlling the volume. It is simpler and safer than reaching for a button. It is convenient. Although, I'm still waiting to see if the sensor works reliably.

2. Giant Touchscreens

Tesla Model S

These touchscreens clear the dashboard of button clutter. They control everything including the sun roof, air suspension, and much more. It looks sweat but makes the dash a little boring.

3. Auto Pilot

Tesla Model X
By Steve Jurvetson

Autopilot is already found in airplanes. Now, people are taking it further with self driving cars. A recent update in the leader right now, Tesla vehicles means that the cars can now change lanes, automatically, automatically park without anyone in it and pull itself out, and steer away when an accident could happen to the vehicle. Not only that, the vehicle can steer at low speeds. Tesla is only the leader in releasing these things. Audi and others are also working on it.

4.  Electric Cars

Nissan Leaf

Eventually, the world is going to run out of oil. What is the solution? It is the electric car. It produces zero emissions. They have instant torque like a supercharger. You plug it into a charger, and it charges like a phone. Unfortunately, there are crazy huge and expensive battery packs required so that there can be the same range as a gas car, and most don't have that. They also take longer to charge, and aren't as practical when it comes to road trips.

5. Hydrogen Fuel Cell Cars

Toyota Mirai
(No, it's not the next Prius)

These cars are just like gas cars but produce no emissions. They also refill like gas cars. They have similar gas range. Only thing is, what they run on will never run out because it is the most common element.

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Chrysler 300

Two months ago, I reviewed the Chrysler 300. I hated that car, but it has its pros and cons. Let's review them.

The Pros

First of all, the space inside the car is decent and so is the ride.There is plenty of space to seat and for cargo. There is a nice and big glove box that I can fit my head into. The materials are fairly decent, especially comparing to where Chrysler was five years ago. The U-connect is nice and big and easy to use. The ride is smooth and the car seems calm. That's unfortunately where the pros end.

2015 Chrysler 300

Cons

First of all, the V6 may have plenty of power but it feels weak and slow. It is hard to maneuver around the tight streets of Montreal. That eight speed doesn't help with Chrysler's performance case either. This car also has a good share of software glitches. For example, the open button inside the car for the trunk is nice and high so the knee wouldn't hit it. However, the trunk magically open when driving on the freeway. It is very dangerous.

Chrysler 300 SRT8

Now, we must address the looks. This car was an average sedan before it changed. It was when the PT Cruiser existed. Chrysler must have invented throw back Thursday because this is a disgusting throwback of the 70s. The car has boxy pillars and weird tail lights from cars of the 70s.

2015 Chrysler 300

Overall, I don't like this car. It is ugly, slow, and has too many software glitches that could be dangerous. However, the ride is smooth and there is decent space inside.

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5 Expensive Cars That are Garbage

Not all cars that stink are cheap. Below is the list of cars that are expensive and terrible.

1. Mercedes CLA

Do you know what car this is?
Try to guess.

The car shown above is a Mercedes. It is nothing like a real Mercedes. It is front wheel drive, unlike a proper Mercedes, which should be real wheel drive. The interior seems more dated and not as colorful as the new C300 sedan. It also doesn't look like a Mercedes, and feels cheaper.

2. BMW X6

BMW X6 (Older One)

Families buy SUV's for practicality. This does none of the things people buy an SUV for.  The sloping roof line eats headroom and cargo space, which means less practicality. It doesn't drive as well as a car and doesn't go offroad as well as a proper SUV. This is more expensive than a regular X5, its brother, and yet it isn't as practical as the X5. Simply, this "SUV coupe" is a total failure.

3. BMW X4

BMW X4

BMW thought that this X6 madness was so great that they made another one that is just as bad but smaller. Just like its brother, it has the same exact faults. It doesn't drive as well as a 328i, and it is just like the X3, terrible, at off roading.

4.Smart Fortwo 2009

Smart Fortwo (2009)
By Magnus Manske

The second generation Smart Fortwo was expensive and low quality. First of all, it had an automatic robot transmission and manual wasn't available in America. The car was so small that the seats were not aligned. The car was too big for it to park in weird ways. The price was crazy. The tiny little car started at more than ten grand in which people could have gotten a Nissan Versa.

5. Lexus IS 250

Lexus IS200T
By Altair78

This Lexus is terrible. First of all, it is ugly as Lexus doesn't know young and hip people.  Second of all, Lexus messed up in technology. There is a weird remote touch system that is in an awkward position and it doesn't have a back button. Third of all, it is poorly engineered. The front passenger space is tiny because of the ultra-fat console area that houses the remote touch. 

Thank you for reading. Remember to comment and give me feedback Also remember to follow the blog to get more car articles.

5 Monumental American Failures

Some cars that come out of one of the most power countries are excellent. Take the Corvette for example. It is engineered to kick German butt without the German price. Unfortunately, there are some monumental failures that are listed below.

1. Chrysler PT Cruiser

Chrysler PT Cruiser

This car is known as the PT Loser. It's easy to see why. This car is trying to bring back the hot rod and when American cars were cool. Unfortunately, it meant making it look disgusting. Further more, it is horribly unreliable as broken timing belts are common. Base engines have poor acceleration, and this car loves to drink gas.

2. Pontiac Aztec

Pontiac Aztec

This car is practical. That's the only good thing about it. Everything else is a fail. This car looks ridiculous. Surprisingly, the man who designed this car would later design the Corvette C7. They were trying to make it look in your face. They definitely succeeded. This car was so lame that it came with a tent  The car has the same acceleration as a Prius but not as efficient.

3.Ford Mustang II

Ford Mustang II

The original Ford Mustang was cool. The Mach 1 was cool. The Mustang II, also known as the Ford Rustang, wasn't cool. First of all, it didn't look so hot like a Mustang should have. Second of all, it was slow like a Mustang should not have been. Surprisingly, it was a hit when it came out because it was one of the best things money can buy in the seventies.

4. Ford Pinto

Ford Pinto

The Ford Pinto was dangerous. If this car was rear ended, then it would catch on fire. If only Ford had spent a couple more dollars, then these cars would not have caught on fire. 

5.Chevy Vega

Chevy Vega

This car was one of GM's earlier attempts to stick their heads into the fuel efficient car market. This car was terribly unreliable. One of the reported issues is that it loved to rust. Parts of the body weren't primered, but it's not like the primer worked. Mechanical problems included excessive engine shaking, oil leaks, and overheating. This car is another domestic failure.

Thank you for reading. Anything I missed? Then tell me in the comments section below. Remeber to follow the blog.

Why the Tesla Model X Sucks

Why does the Tesla Model X suck? There are many reasons as to why the Model X sucks. These reasons are all be listed below.

The Model X
By Don McCullough

First of all, it's got those stupid falcon doors. Sure, it makes getting in easier. However, opening them at a tight parking space can be challenging. Opening up at a parking space with two cars sandwiching you can also be challenging.

Model X
By NRMA New Cars

Second of all, it's got that weird SUV coupe design. That idea is for morons. The design cuts into cargo space and headroom. It doesn't make the SUV handle like a car. It also doesn't make it good at offroading, especially since they are trying to make it like a car that is taller. This idea doesn't make the car look any better either. It makes it look like it has funny proportions.

Tesla Model X
By Sarah Larson

The Model X is Tesla's long waited new cars.Those falcon doors and the way that they designed the car makes this car terrible. The idea of this car sounds great, but they didn't apply it well. Thank you for reading the blog. remember to like this and to follow the blog. I will see you again.

Italians

In today's entry, I am going to write about the weaknesses and strengths Italian cars have

2013 Fiat 500

Here is what Italian car makers are good at. They are good at making cars with style. There are retro cues and signature cues that make their cars so stylish. For example, take the Fiat 500 as shown above and below. The 2013 car is retro and looks like an original one that mutated.

Fiat 500

The Italians are also good at making cars that are interesting. For example, the Fiat 500 has a colored dashboard that matches the exterior color. The 500X is like a giant mutated 500.

Best of all, the Italians are superb at making performance cars. Lamborghini, Ferrrari, Alfa Romeo, and Maserati are all from Italy.

Lamborghini Aventador (Batman's Lamborghini)

Their cars are fast and loaded with tech such as magnetic dampers and an advanced hybrid powertrain system that is nothing like your Prius. 

Here are some things that Italian car makers are not good at. They are not good at making cars with good assembly quality. Nor are they good at making cars that are reliable. Back in the 80s, Fiat exited the American market because their cars were unreliable and nobody bought them.

In conclusion, Italian cars may not be practical to own but they are much different from the rest of the world. Thank you for reading. Remember to follow and like the blog. Please comment on waht I can improve on.

The Italians are Back

 The Italians are Back

The Italians are back and this time it looks like they are here to stay. With Fiat's first return to the US in 2011 after a long absence, they have brought some serious competition to the other brands such as Mini and Smart. But this year has got to be Fiat's best yet!

 Original Fiat 500 Abarth

They are bringing all sorts of things from commercial vehicles to performance vehicles. Unfortunately, they are still being assembled poorly, but they have made huge strides of improvement over their cars form the eighties. Below is the list of stuff that Fiat has brought over.

 Alfa Romeo 4C

For performance cars, they brought Alfa Romeo back to the US. You might be going like," this isn't a Fiat, it's an Alfa." However, because Fiat bought Alfa Romeo, it is a faster Fiat. They only brought part of the lineup and that is the new 4C and the new Giulia. These cars are awesome. The 4C is a car that brings back pure joy of driving, while the Guilia aims to be better than the 3 series. Good luck Alfa. BMW is the best and has been for years now.

 Ram Promaster City (Fiat Doblo) By Praiselightmedia

For commercial vehicles, Fiat has brought over the Fiat Doblo. But, instead of making it under Fiat, they made it under Ram. These European styled vans bring a fight to the other European styled vans such as the Ford Transit and Transit Connect.

 Fiat 500X

Fiat has brought over their own cars, the 500 family. Unfortunately, they are all bad. The 500L is dull to drive. It is also expensive and no match to the new CUV's. The 500X is so slow that is takes 16.8 seconds to run the quarter mile. The 500 is slow and unimpressive in fuel economy. The 500C isn't a legitimate convertible cause it has two huge roof beams that cannot be removed.

Fiat has brought over some great things and some not so great things. The brand is doing a lot better. Thank you for reading. Feel free to comment below. Remember to follow the blog.

The Luxury CUV Trend for 2015

The Luxury CUV Trend for 2015

Ever since the BMW X1 came to America, Audi, Lexus, and Mercedes have brought their entries of the X1 to America. For the luxury segment of the CUV, the entries are all the size of a Toyota Rav4. The Lexus NX 200t is based on the Toyota Rav4 which is bigger than the new breed of compact utility vehicles.



I have bad news. All the options available are pretty bad. The Audi Q3 is a sad car. I doesn't look good. There isn't enough power which makes it feel like it has got no power. Also, some of the good stuff on Audi vehicles are not available, such as MMI Touch, which is a touchpad. This car feels too cost down.

 BMW X1

The BMW X1 is the "sporty" one of the group. The rear seat is a bench wrapped in leather while the suspension is made of rocks. Interior materials are poorly chosen by BMW as there are hard plastics everywhere. This car also feels too cheap. Luckily, they have made a new X1 and I hope that these issues are resolved.

 Mercedes GLA

The Mercedes GLA is a Mercedes A Class on stilts. It may be a new car but it feels dated. The interior is from 2014 Merecedes, but people, it is 2015! Plus, there is no technology found on the newer Mercedes such as the C Class. This is a big disappointment, so I don't care about it anymore. It feels like it is designed by lazy and cheap people.

The Lexus NX is aimed at a younger market. They missed and hit the middle of nowhere target. It looks like a monster that eats children. The "young" touches are stupid, such as the little portable mirror. The infotainment system is even harder to use with the stupid touch pad. The only good thing about it is that it doesn't feel cheap. But, this car feels like it is made by old people.

In conclusion, these people don't know how to design CUV's. The Germans make them feel cheap, while I don't know what the Japanese are doing. Please remember to slam that like button and that follow button. Feel free to comment and thank you for reading.

The Prius: 4 Things that Need to Go; 4 Things that Need to Stay

The  4th generation Prius is being revealed very soon. The Prius has been a pretty bad car. Here are 4 things that need to go in order to make the next Prius better and 4 things that need to stay.

Down below is the list of stuff that needs to go away.

1. The Looks

 2010 Toyota Prius (Not US Spec)

Let's be realistic. You can make a car aerodynamic and look good. Some have pulled it off with family liftbacks (Tesla). Others have not (Toyota). Please, you can make a family liftback look good and be aerodynamic. It looks like a lizard with fangs.

2. The Center Mounted Gauges


Center mounted gauges are a stupid idea. You're supposed to look forward when driving, not to the side. For one thing, it is standard to have the gauges in front of someone, not to the side. It means that it will take some time getting used to. What is the the point of center mounted gauges? The speed of the Prius is nothing to showoff to your friends.

3.The Funny Gear Selector

 Gen 2 Prius Interior

The Gear selector on the Prius is weird. Very weird. For some reason on these eco cars, they have to have a weird gear selector. I don't get it. Drive is left and towards you while reverse is left and away from you. Park is directly down and towards you. It is absolutely complicated and also takes time getting used to.

4.The Slowness


Hybrids are not supposed to be slow but are made to be efficient. However, people have decided to make them slow. You can make them more light weight. You can give the engines turbo chargers. Turbos help get better fuel economy and can be speedy. Hybrids don't have to slow.


Now, it is time to list the top 4 things that need to stay on the Prius.


1.The Space on the Inside


There is a lot of space for cargo because it is a liftback and there is no metal in the way. It is relatively tall so there is a lot of headroom. There is also plenty of leg room in the back seat.


2. The Fuel Economy


The Prius gets 50 combined mpg. That is very good for a car that isn't a plug in hybrid. The only non-plug-in hybrid car that I can think of that get's better fuel economy is the Elio. Of coarse, it is not for sale yet.


 Gen 2 Prius


3. The Reliability


The Prius is one of the top ten cars that can go up to 200k miles. That is a lot of miles. It also saves a lot of money because you don't have to use your money to buy a new car. Sweet.


4. The Size


The Prius has excellent proportions. It is small enough on the outside for it to be easy to park due to it's small size. Because it is relatively tall, it doesn't feel cramped on the inside.



 Prius V


If Toyota follows these tips, then they will make the Prius a much better car and also keep the things that matter on a Prius.


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Toyota Needs to Drop Scion (Re-upload)

So far this year, Scion sales have been horrible. They only sold 3838 cars in June 2015. Bear in mind, Scion sales have never been too hot.Why does Toyota keep Scion? Scion is terrible and I'm here to tell you why.

 Scion xD (a box)

There are many issues. One of them is not having many choices. There are only three choices. You can get a sedan, a coupe, or a hatchback, and all the choices are no good.

These "boxes" have plain interiors with silver trim that is easily scratched and  plastics void of color. None of the components seem to be assembled as well as those in cars made by Toyota usually are. Meanwhile on the outside, the hatchbacks are so boxy that the only car that is boxier is the Honda Vamos.

Honda Vamos (by Kuha455405)


 Scion tC

The coupes, as you can see above, are not much better. The FR-S is a cheap Subaru BR-Z. It is also a Mazda Miata coupe, which is its competitor. But, the Miata is better. It is more high tech with more safety options. However, Mazda still manages to keep it light. The tC is a worse than the FR-S. It is not as fun to drive. The Scion tC is just a more expensive and powerful Honda Civic, which is its competitor.

 Scion xB(other box)


The sedan, the Scion iA is ugly but high tech. It is okay but the looks ruined it from being a good car.

Scion was a bad idea in the first place and it is still bad. Sales are bad. The cars are not unique nor attractive. 

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