Re: New Car Reviews

On Thu, 20 Aug 2026 07:58:44 -0400, Noah Sombrero <[email protected]>
wrote:

>On Thu, 20 Aug 2026 03:01:48 -0000 (UTC), Tara <[email protected]>
>wrote:
>
>>Julian <[email protected]> wrote:
>>> On 19/08/2026 23:05, Tara wrote:
>>>> On Aug 19, 2026 at 5:47:23?PM EDT, "Julian" <[email protected]> wrote:
>>>> 
>>>>> On 19/08/2026 22:22, Tara wrote:
>>>>>> On Aug 19, 2026 at 4:58:52?PM EDT, "Julian" <[email protected]> wrote:
>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> On 19/08/2026 21:33, Tara wrote:
>>>>>>>> On Aug 19, 2026 at 4:31:16?PM EDT, "Tara" <[email protected]> wrote:
>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>> On Aug 19, 2026 at 4:12:29?PM EDT, "Julian" <[email protected]> wrote:
>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>>> On 19/08/2026 20:56, Wilson wrote:
>>>>>>>>>>> On 8/19/2026 3:32 PM, Julian wrote:
>>>>>>>>>>>> On 19/08/2026 19:46, Wilson wrote:
>>>>>>>>>>>>> On 8/19/2026 11:31 AM, Julian wrote:
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> On 19/08/2026 16:04, Wilson wrote:
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> On 8/18/2026 8:02 PM, Dude wrote:
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> On 8/17/2026 8:43 PM, dart200 wrote:
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> On 8/17/26 7:56 PM, Dude wrote:
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> "We planned on a year of bare-bones motoring. These features
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> make us feel like we're cheating." - Aaron Gold, Aug 17, 2026
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Motor Trend:
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Five—No, Six—Sorry, Eight—Features I Didn't Expect in Our
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> $25,000 Kia K4
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> https://tinyurl.com/2mmsamkj
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> most of those are software feature that cost zero to replicate
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> once implemented. the fact they aren't standard across all new
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> cars is kind of a market failure imo
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> You forgot to mention the Kia warranty:
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Powertrain Warranty: 10 years or 100,000 miles for engine,
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> transmission, and drive parts.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Basic Warranty: 5 years or 60,000 miles for most other vehicle
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> parts (bumper-to-bumper).
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Anti-Perforation Warranty: 5 years or 100,000 miles for rust hole
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> damage on body sheet metal.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Roadside Assistance: 5 years or 60,000 miles for 24/7 help like
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> towing or flat tires.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> They need those because they have a deservedly bad reputation for
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> reliability.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Certainly a decade and more ago and until five years ago
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> easily stolen but, at least in Europe, they are well above
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> average, in the top 10, for reliability.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> https://www.whatcar.com/news/are-kia-cars-reliable-most-and-least-
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> reliable-models-revealed/n27619
>>>>>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>>>>>> I might be behind the times in my negative attitude towards the Koreans.
>>>>>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>>>>>> "Kia (and sister brand Hyundai) transformed from lower-tier
>>>>>>>>>>>>> reliability in the early 2010s through major quality investments,
>>>>>>>>>>>>> platform sharing, and engineering improvements. Recent models are
>>>>>>>>>>>>> generally viewed as dependable daily drivers with competitive build
>>>>>>>>>>>>> quality.
>>>>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>>>>> "Made in Korea" signified "Cheap imitation" until the 1980's which
>>>>>>>>>>>> fixed the post war economy and facilitated big national investment
>>>>>>>>>>>> in the likes of Samsung, Hyundai, LG and Daewoo. By 2000 they were
>>>>>>>>>>>> becoming among the elite in advanced heavy, shipbuilding etc., and
>>>>>>>>>>>> electrical/onic engineering.
>>>>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>>>>> There's one thing they are not very good at making and that is
>>>>>>>>>>>> people...
>>>>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>>>>> According to United Nations and demographic projections, South Korea's
>>>>>>>>>>>> total fertility rate is expected to slowly rebound from its historic
>>>>>>>>>>>> lows to approximately 1.0 child per woman by 2050, remaining well
>>>>>>>>>>>> below the 2.1 replacement level needed for a stable population
>>>>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>>>> That country is going to go extinct unless they change that.
>>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>>> Yes, and they know it. In 2024 the rate was the global lowest.
>>>>>>>>>> https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-68402139
>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>> Why is the population decline upsetting to many people (other than to those
>>>>>>>>> who don't want more kids).
>>>>>>>>> Honestly, I don't understand and would like to.
>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>> Is it for purely monetary reasons?
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> It's a big factor when the young have to support so many pensioners
>>>>>>> and the cost of living is high but everywhere women get educated the
>>>>>>> birth rate drops.  "as women got more autonomy, making household
>>>>>>> decisions, more power, they have to make some kind of compromise between
>>>>>>> raising children and having more, kind of, autonomy in the workplace."
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> I understand why women aren't having as many kids, all that, all those reasons
>>>>>> you list. It appears that those who think it's a bad thing are looking at the
>>>>>> 'big factor' then - the young having to support the elders and not having
>>>>>> enough young to do that is a purely monetary concern. It would be a painful
>>>>>> transition but when all the current oldies die, it will gradually even out
>>>>>> with a lower population (young and seniors) balanced out over all. But for
>>>>>> now, the complaint and worry about low birth rates is a monetary concern. I
>>>>>> don't know why but I thought maybe it might be more than that.
>>>>>> In ten years, who knows what the world will look like and women may be in a
>>>>>> better position then to want more babies. Or not.
>>>>>> We women, really do have a lot of power don't we. :) In concrete reality, this
>>>>>> is a new concept.
>>>>> 
>>>>> Pretty much the only places with stable or growing birth rates are those
>>>>> where women have little or no rights, education and independent means.
>>>>> 
>>>>> The UN expects the population to peak at just over 10 billion in 2080
>>>>> and then gradually decline sustainably as more women are emancipated
>>>>> being progressively harder to keep them in the dark in this world.
>>>> 
>>>> If it's a gradual decline, the change could happen with a minimum of pain if
>>>> we accept and adjust to it. I admit, I want a lot fewer people on this planet
>>>> mainly for the good of the planet. For creatures (humans included) - room to
>>>> breath and grow...not too much though :)
>>> 
>>> As far as I can tell there are always exactly the right number
>>> of people on the planet for the good of the planet. I just can't
>>> rustle up enough conceit to think otherwise.
>>> 
>>> 
>>
>>
>>
>>“Conceit..is to human character what salt is to the ocean; it keeps it
>>sweet, and renders it endurable. “
>>-Oliver Wendell Holmes
>>But everyone knows that’s just silly. 
>>
>>If you claim a virtue, does that make you conceited?
>>Surely not. 
>>
>Unless you lack that virtue.  Then it makes you virtue signaling, self
>righteous, etc.
then it makes them virtue...
-- 
Noah Sombrero mustachioed villain
Don't get political with me young man
or I'll tie you to a railroad track and
<<<talk>>> to <<<YOOooooo>>>
Who dares to talk to El Sombrero?
dares: Ned
does not dare: Julian  shrinks in horror and warns others away