2010 Formula 1 Singapore Grand Prix

City street circuit. Night race. Chicken rice. How could I say no? Click through for the full set of photos.

Monterey Car Week 2010

Here's the full photoset from my camera:

Unfortunate brands

... as seen in the Craigslist "Cars for Sale" section:

Volkswagon
Porsha
Alpha Romero
Datson
Mercedez

Valvo
Camero
Camery

Lexis

Infinity
Carmen Ghia

Karma Ghia

Cadalac

Coupe Devil

Manuel Transmission

Redio
Tacometer

Head Casket

More midlife behavior

So, I got an email from my friend Marc the other day. We've known each other since grad school, and in 2000 he bought my 1992 Honda Prelude with 69K miles -- The very first new car that I bought out of college, with a 48-month loan from the credit union.

Turns out he had just bought a new car -- a very sensible Acura TL -- and because his lovely wife Yuriko doesn't drive a stick-shift, can't really keep it around. Would I like to buy it back?

How many miles has she got now? 175K.

Has the service been kept up? Yes. With a big stack of receipts. Here's a spreadsheet summary. And I still have all the papers you gave me with the car.

What kind of shape is it in? Body is meh, with some rust and fading clearcoat in the paint. Mechanically it's sharp, the electrics work, and it's still a fun drive.

How much do you want for it? About half what you paid for your cheapest car to date.

... I'll take it! (And agree that if I turned around and resold the car, we'd split the profit. Or something.)

I brought the car home yesterday, generally tickled with the very familiar driving experience. The sunroof panel is rusted like I never thought a modern Japanese car can rust, and the body's got plenty of dings and dents (I'm looking at you, Helen "SUV Magnet" Kilber), but just the experience of going through old documents -- the original loan agreements, Clifford car alarm receipts from Whole Earth Access -- was worth the price of admission. The car also happens to be the ride for my first date with Lucy, although I'd rather not revisit the fact that it got keyed while parked outside the restaurant.

If baby boomers paying big dollars for their college rides is any indication, this just may turn out to be cheap insurance. At the least, it's interesting as a stock 1990s Honda that escaped the ricer treatment.

And would you just look at this dashboard? You can just *taste* the Japanese Bubble Economy!

Sunroof panels for 4th generation Preludes were apparently made from Soviet-grade steel:

Confessions of an overcompensating Gen Xer

Big thanks to Tamerlane's Thoughts (darned fine source for your daily recommended allowance of cars and geopolitics) for letting me explain my interests. I hope their readers receive it with more nods than shakes.

For sale: 2007 Mazdaspeed 3

Sometimes I've been known to actually *sell* cars. Especially if they're not mine. (And thus, not affecting the car count.)

It's a 2007 Mazdaspeed 3: An extraordinarily fun bundle of joy, and it's also a darned practical 5-door hatch. Definitely on my short list for The Only Car You'll Ever Need. If I had more space, I'd definitely be doing some splainin' to Lucy right about now.

Previously owned by these internet titans. Such provenance! Definitely a better deal than Sergey's old Prius that turned up on eBay.

Asking $16.5K. Craigslist ad here. Mention this post for special discounts and lease financing terms. :-)

For Sale: 2007 Mazdaspeed 3

Super Isabella, meet Giulia Super

I wish the DMV would offer registration discounts for interesting cars.

Life, Liberty, and...

On this glorious and beautiful Election Day, I enjoyed certain unalienable rights by adding this:

Yeah, OK, this ain't pursuing happiness, I'm pursuing crazy.

D-Motor vs Top Gear

Please BBC don't take this video down...


D-Motor vs Top Gear

Is that a flux capacitor you're holding?

Them DeLorean people sure do have interesting tastes. (Nothing NSFW in this eBay auction, really. Just a bit nutty on many levels.)

E28 M5 meets peak oil

Not too shabby on longer trips!

Hello from Laguna Seca

(from Bringatrailer.com, where I apparently spend way too much time lurking.)

Concorso Italiano? Here?

The new venue is a serious downgrade from the previous golf course.

Fine gift for mom: Free admission!

... at 24 Hours of LeMons this weekend, Altamont Speedway. Who wants to come watch?

C'est Magnifique!

Dear Product Planner at Matchbox Division of Mattel, Inc: I salute you.

(It's a 1968 Citroen DS)

Pickin'-N-Pullin' in Newark

Smells like... victory!

Impromptu Vintage Rally!

The E-Type is intercepted by one of Zuffenhausen's finest, sounding brilliant in the Bay Bridge tunnel.

Taxpayer Rides, DUB Edition

I'm not sayin' that a broad-daylight carjacking in a decent neighborhood is any less shocking, or more justified.

But I do, um, understand it a bit better now. Check out dem wheels!

East Bay Embarassment on I-880

You've got to be f-ing kidding me.

M5 going V1

Note to self: No fast cars for the kids. Maybe a Mercury Topaz instead.