Re: New Car Reviews

On 8/19/2026 6:35 PM, Noah Sombrero wrote:
> On Wed, 19 Aug 2026 15:38:33 -0700, dart200
> <[email protected]> wrote:
> 
>> On 8/19/26 2:01 PM, Wilson wrote:
>>> On 8/19/2026 4:33 PM, 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?
>>>
>>> I think a big part of it is economics. I've shared what some believe,
>>> that a declining population will result in widespread dislocation. Not
>>> having enough people to keep the lights on and the farms running sort of
>>> thing. Hoping they're wrong about that. Unless something big changes it
>>> looks like it's gonna happen around the world.
>>>
>>
>> a large portion of the workforce are doing things that are completely
>> non-essential to the actual running of our economy. the popular estimate
>> by the late david greaber is ~50%. i personally think that's much
>> higher. nvm all the advanced automation we've barely begun deploying.
>>
>> we'll be fine with population decline, especially if we decide we want
>> to willfully cooperate instead of suffer thru the inefficiencies of
>> endlessly antagonistic competition.
> 
> What that means is a lot fewer jobs available.  How will the rest of
> us live?
 >
Where's the motivation? Why would anyone want to buy a new car unless 
they need one to commute to work?

That being said, I belong to the North Bay Car Club that focuses on 
classic cars.  meeting monthly on the second Wednesday at Round Table 
Pizza on Occidental Road.

https://cruisinnorth.com/