Not surprised they’re raising your PST. Here they just keep jacking up our property values so that they can bleed more tax out of us that way.

I parked in a lot downtown last night, and saw a pile of Golfs and Jettas, a few Aveos, and a few Cobalts. Also saw a convertible 3-series and a Range Rover, along with another 2 Wranglers and even a Smartcar (in this weather?!)….

Anyways, I think things are going to take another turn for the worse in Montreal. The city is jacking up local taxes (parking lots, movies, etc) like crazy and the recent GST reduction is going to be offset by a new hike in the PST. Inflationary pressure is kicking in, and the foreclosures are starting in the condo market here. I think it’s going to get ugly….

By the way, our local sports radio station had the owner of a Mitsu dealer doing a little live sales pitch. He said the Montreal auto show had just started and their big announcement was the Lancer Evolution with 292 horse. I haven’t heard anything on LLN about this, only the 235 horse Lancer. Any idea if this a Canada only offering?

Let me put it this way: If someone offered to give you (free) a Civic Si or a fully restored Camaro, which would you choose? (no, you can’t take the Camaro to Barrett-Jackson…) The answer will probably have more to do with your age than any rational decision.

As for what people will collect 40 years from now, that depends on much more than just performance. What drives most collectors is sentiment from their youth. Now, there’s nothing wrong with that, I like watching Speed Channel too…

This whole debate is crap, better mileage is a good thing. The only unfortunate thing I see is that owning a car is getting more exepensive rather quickly here in U.S. where we had been spoiled with cheap gas since WW2.

As for manipulation of numbers, you tell me. If you have a problem with the system’s specifics, deal with them … but that doesn’t negate the need for the system.

‘Seriously’, you tell me … maybe it’s time to move to Qatar.

Then CAFE will be met, and people will die in crashes.

Toyota and Honda also get away with higher MPG Averages because they offer I4/V4 engines for the base model, whereas American makers use V6′s which have come closer and closer to the mileage of the I4/V4. When buying a car I doubt anyone chooses not to opt for at least a V6, as in a non-aspirated car, getting onto a busy highway is SCARY with an underpowered car.

So tell me Impulsive, who’s improving the technology and who’s manipulating fleet average numbers?

Laissez faire attitudes are the first to cry when told to ADAPT. Well, it’s time to ADAPT, bitches. Something you should have done over the last two decades.

And it looks pathetic that leaders act ignorantly in public by stating “we don’t know how we’ll accomplish the goal but we’ll do it”. Leaders lead by example and speaking publicly like this clearly shows who is NOT a true leader.

‘Seriously’, you think the oil companies now admit their control is dwindling? And maybe the reason behind investing their HUGE profits into stock buybacks instead of R&D and exploration?

If Prius is removed from the Mix GM’s economy is flush with Toyotas. Honda doesn’t have truck so they’re nearly impossible to beat.

The emissions control KILLED performance for nearly 20 years. It killed the big block, and it killed the full-size car. A Toyota Avalon is NOT a full-size car. A 7-series is NOT fullsized. Neither is a 300, S-class or anything we throw the label at these days. Back in the day normal cars were larger than a Lincoln Town Car Executive L (the 127″ wheelbase 80″ wide Lincoln). A 66 Cadillac could be had with a 136″ wheelbase (that’s more than a Suburban kids) and 85″ of width. That’s what a real car is. Its no wonder we all jumped ship to SUVs. This will kill the V8 car and make the V8 an expensive option in pickups.

Yes eventually we’ll have a Corvette with a 1000hp electric motor but in the meantime we’ll be saddled with low-po vehicles and tiny little deathboxes ala Europe. The great part of this nation is that big cars weren’t exclusive to the wealthy and neither were powerful engines. In Europe the S-class is exclusive and rare but over here a Charger Hemi can be had by most people with a modest income. I hate to see that taken away by rich folk whom this will never effect one way or the other. If I’m forced to buy a 6300lb Dodge Ram 2500 Mega Cab to get my size+engine, then so be it, but I’d much rather keep my V8 1500 Chevy or even better buy a truly big RWD Wagon.