Small cars with style: Mazda 3 5-door

This car is number 2 on my list of cars I would consider if forced to buy a new car right now. I've really liked it since it first arrived in 2005, and am excited to see how the next model develops. Based on the European Ford Focus, it features European handling, and mostly understated styling, though it looks it best from the rear, like most cars I like.

In Europe, you can get it without the roof spoiler, which improves it's appearance, ad I'm not a fan of add-on spoilers.

Wish it had more wheel options, though.

Small cars with style: Golf GTi

I've been mentally assembling a list of stylish small cars that I notice in San Francisco. Lately I really like the 5-door Volkswagen Golf GTi, particularly in bright red. The 3-door version looks ungainly at the C-pillar, but with 5 doors everything is most attractive. I also like the contrasting black trim, very 1985.

Gas prices still aren't high enough

Anyone that has known for more than a few years has known of my desire for US gas prices to match those in Europe. It's the only way to get people to change their habits, other than Fascism.

As a teenager in Georgia, I used to work at a convenience store, and one of my jobs was to change the prices on the sign in the parking lot, a thankless task. It bothered me that in 1984, it was cheaper to buy a gallon of gas over a gallon of milk.

While I'm sorry for those people that aren't wealthy and must use their car for a living, in the USA we've had unnaturally low gas prices for too long. They should have been $4.00 plus many years ago, then this wouldn't be so painful.

As gas prices have increased in the SF Bay area, I've secretly cheered them on. It strangely makes me happy to pay so much, as it's what I wanted all along.

$5.00 plus for a gallon of gas, please.

Reference New York Times article

Small Cars with Style

I've been thinking for some time that eventually, people will value small cars in the same way they value small phone, music player, cameras, etc. Europe has long had luxury in their smaller cars, but they still fall in a price segment below their larger siblings. The New York Times today had an article that touched on this.

I'm visualizing a time when people buy cars more for style than performance, because a car's performance becomes less of a differentiator when your prime concern is comfortably and economically getting from point A to B. Realistically, the difference between cars like the Toyota Yaris, Nissan Versa, and Honda Fit come down to style and features, not performance, because the general quality perception of all these makes is fairly even.

People will want more and more car customization, like we've been seeing with BMW's Mini, Fiat's new 500 and to a degree, Volvo's C30.

Penis Measuring and Speed

Since day one of the automobile speed has been a fascinating venture. With the emergence of the car, the inevitability of racing implied faster lap times under competitive conditions.

Is this the ultimate in the automotive experience? To go fast?

Or is this the result of an extension of the penis? Or a lack of an extension of it? All opinions are welcome here.

Simple Fun

Have fun driving this rally car Anyway You Want at: http://carlosulloa.com/

Slow Car Movement, part2

Slow cars are fun cars. Any idiot can drive a high-powered sports car or sedan quickly. But it takes a real driver to propel an underpowered car to it's limit. And a lot more fun. And with great character.

We don't have enough new slow cars today. We could though.

Some examples of previous slow cars:

BMW 1600


Saab 99 EMS

Fiat 130


Alfa Romeo Alfetta


Triumph Dolomite

Slow Car Movement: 1971-75 Opel Manta

Very often I see and/or think of a car that deserves admiration. I also find these cars fall outside the routine "Cool Car" lists.

Today I saw an Opel Manta parked on O'Farrell Street. White, factory alloys and looking clean. I think these were imported to the US in the 70's, but I never drove/rode/sat in one. This car caught my attention tonight, staying quite stylish when compared to a typical late-model 2-door coupé from Honda, BMW or Infiniti.

The OpelClub.com writes of "two coupes, standard and Rallye. The latter sported a racy matte-black hood, twin upper-bodyside tape stripes run up and over the rump, fog lights, twin chrome extensions on a single tailpipe, tachometer, oil pressure gauge, ammeter, clock, exposed-lug wheels with chrome rings, and a 3.67:1 final drive (versus 3.44:1) for sprightlier takeoffs."

I like "sprightly take-offs"! This implies a car that is eager and energetic, though not one with brute force. How refreshing.

Also from OpelClub.com, "In the day, Car & Driver characterized the Opel as 'uncommonly well engineered for its price," initially a reasonable $2490. "It's German in the same way Porsche's and BMW's are German...The engine has manners...The ride is well controlled and the car never floats or wallows.'"

Sounds like a nicely-balanced car.

Rebound cars

A rebound car is the car you own after the previous one fucks you over after much investment and angst. I've had two.


My first rebound car, a 1982 Oldsmobile Omega was lent to me by my parents after my 1977 Saab 99 was rear-ended and totaled after a tortuous summer rebuilding the engine and transmission. Technically it didn't fuck me over, but the experience did. I hated the Oldsmobile, but it was my means of transport until I could save enough money to get something else. I was terrible to that car, and it was terrible to me, but we needed each other. This car was actually a hand-me-down from my Grandparents to my Mom before she bought her Saab (with my recommendation). In that way, it was my Mom's rebound car as well.

The Omega was one of GM's attempts at blending luxury with economy in their new front drive x-platform. My car had wire-wheel hubcaps, white-wall tires, and a very sumptuous crushed blue velvet interior that I could never see as ironic. The power steering pump was loose, so when I tried to steer the car quickly, the assist cut-out, causing the wheel to jerk and rebound in my hands. Every dollar spent on that car was one dollar less than what I needed to get another Saab, so I left it unfixed. Fortunately, the car wasn't very fast, so my propensity for speeding tickets began to diminish.

My second rebound car, a 1990 Acura Integra LS. My parents helped me buy this after my 2nd Saab, a 1980 Saab 900 Turbo that I also built back from the dead at great expense, later developed a unsolvable fuel-injection problem that left me without the money to fix it.

I decided I wanted a reliable Japanese car, and picked the Acura as a sporty, economical front-drive hatchback that offered some of the joys of my Saab 900. I enjoyed 2+ years of complete reliability, only spending money on service items and tires. It handled well. was quiet on the highway, and I never surrendered to the impulse to modify it in any way.

When I moved to New York, I left it with my parents. I was good to that car, but admit it never had the soul and style of a Saab.

Car names

I have always resisted naming my cars, finding the practice much to precious for my sensibilities. Many times I have been asked if my car has a name and the response has been "Yes, Saab 9-3". However, a recent acquaintance heard my car start up for the first time and said "ooh, she's growly", Now I have decided that after 6 years of ownership, my car is indeed a girl, or maybe a woman. How many human (or goddess) years does one car year represent? Certainly not as many as dog years, let's say one car year equals 5 cars years. My car is 30, mature, but still flighty and adventurous. A great dating age.

My car was born Swedish. It took 6 years to decide she was a girl (I'm sure my mechanic knew after peering under her skirts). and I think I'm ready to consider a name. Today I wonder if people have better relations with named cars? Will a name improve my carmic rating?

I love my car. She's perfect for me. I feel absolute carma every time I see her and after every drive, long or short. She's safe, strong, sexy and stylish, yet practical, understated and sweet. Consequently, I think she needs a Swedish name and found the following useful swedish name site.

I like: Antonetta, a Swedish form of French Antoinette possibly meaning "invaluable."

I'm also considering: Linnea, meaning "twinflower." (Linnéa): Swedish name derived from the name of the flower, known in English as the "twinflower." I like this quite a bit, as it reflects the dual nature of her personality.

One more: Mia, a Danish and Swedish pet form of Maria, meaning "beloved."

I'm just not sure that naming my car is going to improve my relationship with her. I'll never get a vanity plate with her name, and will reveal her name only if someone asks. It needs to be something only she and I understand. That seems carmic.