Kickin' Tires: 2010 Toyota 4Runner

In a world full of wimpy SUVs and Crossovers, it's good to see that some are still true to the Sport factor of Sport-Utility-Vehicle. The Toyota 4Runner has always been an admirable performer, especially in the off-road department. According to Toyota, of the 1.8 million 4Runners sold since 1984, over 1.3 million are still maintained and running strong.

The new 4Runner gets an all new V6 good for horsepower and torque in the high 200s, and horsepower and fuel economy being better than the previous gen's V8. The wheelbase and outward dimensions remain nearly the same, but inside cargo space is improved quite well. Add a tailgate for the 5-passenger variant, along with speakers that go into "Party Mode," and you've got the coolest tailgating machine in town.

The new 2010 4Runner will hit the ground running, due to the increase in performance, luxury, and interior space. All of that comes from Toyota without a price increase over the previous 2009 model. However, with a plethora of SUVs and Crossovers provided by Toyota, including the Highlander, RAV4, Sequoia, Land Cruiser, and FJ Cruiser, it's hard for this middle child 4Runner to really stand out above the crowd. Toyota is hopeful, and chose to go big instead of going home. We'll see how that works out when the new 4Runner launches at the end of the year.

Thanks for reading.
-Biggs

Burnin' Rubber: The Z/28 Camaro

Boom boom, pow! The new Camaro Z/28 is set to launch in 2011 with 556 horsepower and a lot more attitude and power than Bumblebee could ever hope to achieve. This car is going to be fast, hitting 60 mph in an estimated 3.9 seconds. Built to compete with the Mustang GT500, this guy won't be cheap, but don't expect Corvette-like prices, either. More to come later.

-Biggs

Kickin' Tires: 2010 Volkswagen GTI R

Ya'll ready for this?

Volkswagen is done with the R32, and has introduced the most powerful Golf yet. The GTI R is a 270hp turbocharged 4 cylinder which stomps the time records of the R32 by lightyears. It's lighter, faster, meaner, and more fuel efficient. I can't wait to drive one.

-Biggs

Kickin' Tires: The New 2010 Toyota Tundra

In 2007, Toyota's new Tundra shook the American truck-makers like a high magnitude earthquake. More horsepower, more room, more...Everything! But then, why, for 2010, is the Tundra going smaller? Dropping the 4.7L V8 to a 4.6L isn't a huge drop, but what gives? Actually, it's not giving up anything. The new, smaller V8 is producing more horsepower and torque than the 4.7L while simultaneously improving gas mileage. That's right, more power and less fuel-sucking, always a good thing.

Aside from the change in engine options, Toyota has made subtle changes to the front grill, tail lights, and a major change to the tranny: a 6-speed automatic. More gears usually means better fuel economy, which is why the new 4.6L gets 20mpg highway compared to the 4.7L's 17mpg.

The Tundra is all truck, and the 2010 Tundra continues along the path it paved back in 2007. It's one of the hottest trucks on the market, and now with a more powerful "smaller" engine, Toyota is vying to knock out the F-150 as the truck of the year. Let's just say that I'm crossing my fingers.
Thanks for reading.
-Biggs

Never Forget 9/11

It's too bad that patriotism only shines through on days such as this, only to hide in the shadows until the next national holiday. We cannot be weekend patriots.

On this day eight years ago, our world changed. America, the nation founded upon principals of freedom, constructed atop a rock of ever enduring hope and prosperity, was brought to its knees. Three thousand souls perished, and reminded us all just how fragile our world is. Fear, something our generation has not known, was introduced with such shocking force that no one could anticipate its power.

Yet this fear, the objective of terror, was quickly exterminated as millions of Americans bonded together in patriotic unity not seen in half a century. This time, the war was not on foreign soil, thousands of miles from our peaceful suburbia. This time, they brought the war home, to our land, to our country.

And now as the years fade into history, Americans forget the importance of that dreadful day. A new generation rises, too young to remember the live footage and feelings of disbelief and despair. It is our fault that they do not remember. It is our fault if we let ourselves forget. Why must we always fall before we rise up in unison? Why must we suffer consequences before we see the light?

Let us remember, always. Let us forget the meaningless things in life, that we may seek after the goodness which our country allows. Let us pursue our dreams, develop our talents, and most of all, let us seek to do good. If we do not these things, we take our freedoms for granted.

May we never forget 9/11 and what it means to be American.

Thanks for reading.
-Biggs

Short-Throw Shifter: Trade-in Values

The hardest part about the car industry is the trade-in. A deal is often dependant upon the trade-in value, and unless the customer gets their anticipated trade-in value, they snort and stomp and flat out refuse to do business. They act as though their mother, grandmother, dog, and every 2nd cousin on their father's side have been personally insulted. I mean, I love my car too, but it's just a car, and no one should be offended if their car isn't worth as much as they'd like it to be.

I think often times consumers are afraid that sleazy dealers are trying to rip them off by offering way less than what their car is worth. Though it is commonplace, it doesn't happen everywhere. Sometimes dealers will give an honest appraisal for a trade, but due to other fishy tactics, the customer feels cheated anyway.

Sometimes the dealer feels offended in return, as a customer demands full trade-in value for their junker and less than wholesale value for the new vehicle. It doesn't work that way, and never has. The dealer is supposed to rip off the customer, not the other way around. If you're looking to pay wholesale value for a new (or used) car, then don't have hopes and dreams of getting full trade-in value for your old one.

Also, just because Kelley Blue Book says it, doesn't mean that it's true. It's a good reference tool, but no dealer is going to pay you more than what they can pay for your car at auction or wholesale. Dealers will value your trade by comparing it to similar vehicles that have been sold recently at auction.

I hope this helps to give you an idea for your next trade-in. Feel free to comment with questions.

Thanks for reading.
-Biggs

Kickin' Tires: Ford F-150 Platinum

I went to the nearby Ford dealership yesterday in hopes of getting a glimpse of the Ford SVT Raptor F-150. This specialized truck (pictured at right for Wheels of the Week) is an off-road menace, eating dirt and and gravel for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. It's upgraded suspension allows it to master places where few trucks are capable of going. On top of that, the truck looks awesome, setting itself apart from it's 150 brothers with a wider stance, a black grill, and oversized tires.

While I was there, I did take a look at the 2009-2010 F-150s, and I must say, I was impressed. Ford is actually doing some great things, and having the number one truck in the country for 32 consecutive years means they're doing something right.

Always an import guy, myself, I never imagined I'd be walking around in Ford territory. Though, after seeing Ford ride the economical tide with success, it's hard to say anymore that their build quality is poor. It makes me actually consider buying American, something that I've only had nightmares about. Bravo, Ford. Keep up the good work.

Thanks for reading.
-Biggs

Short-Throw Shifter: I'm Just an Innocent Salesman...guy....dude

Face it, car salesmen are among the most hated of all people. They are the lowest in the caste structure of any economy or social structure out there. Banks discriminate against us, customers lie to us and treat us with contempt, and we have to work on weekends! On a daily basis, a sales guy will endure 7 hung up phone calls, 16 people ignoring you completely, and 34 insults directed at their mothers (numbers may vary).

My favorite is when customers show up just minutes before closing time, expecting...no, demanding to test drive cars. Their purpose, you might ask? Well, it's certainly not to buy a car. They come to enact vengeance upon the mighty salespeople by keeping them after hours. By the end of the day, we're tired, grumpy, and ready to go home. We've already been beat up more times throughout the day than the worst UFC fighter has in his career, and no one, I repeat, no one, is going to hassle us on price EVER AGAIN!

With so many people trying to steal our cars for thousands less than what we ask, it's easy to get frustrated and defensive. I guess it's difficult sometimes to understand what "wholesale value" means. By the way, it's the price dealers pay for cars at auctions, or from one another. When we advertise a car that's being sold near or under wholesale value, that's a good thing, and please don't try to chop down the price much more than that. If you do, you're probably the type of person who wouldn't know a good deal if it ran you over.

A suggestion to you is this: show up early in the morning while we're happy and groggy. You might even get us to slip and come off the price a bit more. Make our day and buy a car early, and avoid waiting all day to come in at closing time. I don't believe that "buyers are liars," like the other places say, but please don't make me think that way. I think buyers are...flowers!

Just don't judge me for what I am. I hate those wishy-washy, slick haired, gold totin' salesmen just as much as you do, if not more. I'm not like them. They scare me, and I still beat myself up over buying a car from one of the "big guys." Those guys you can take advantage of, lie to, spit upon, etc. The government already has with the cash for clunkers deal, since they haven't paid them for 90% of the trades they've taken in. I say it serves them right; karma, baby!
-Biggs