Good Timing Luck

[cjsmith]

Have I used up my good timing luck for the month or what? The best time to buy a car is a weekday morning in September. I think ladycelia started calling on my behalf in the late morning or early afternoon on Monday. I am very amused to see this now.

Maybe I've also used up my bad timing luck. I learned the day after I bought my car that Toyota plans to introduce a Corolla hybrid in 2008. Argh! One more year and I'd've had that option! It's not likely I'll get hit and totaled again that soon, even in InvisiCar, even around here. Guess that's the way the cookie crumbles.

I may indeed have a completely (good and bad) timing-luck-free rest of the month. It will be interesting to see how it plays out. :-)

Comments

[theoctothorpe.livejournal.com]

Well, you don't know what the just announced car will really be. It will probably look different, and probably have some of the problems you've found in your current round (back seat folding, bad visibility, etc).

I think you made a good choice.

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Yeah, even today's Corolla (and today's Civic too) has poor visibility compared to my old car. (Maybe that's why all the safety features in new cars: drivers can't see! ;-) ) I'm guessing Toyota would make the seats fold because they did in the Prius and the Camry hybrid... but who knows. It's just that I'd have really liked to evaluate a small-ish hybrid in my price range, and the Corolla just might have been that if it had been around.

Ah well! Next time I get wiped out, there will be even more interesting things to choose from.

[theoctothorpe.livejournal.com]

Well, it's actually the safety features that make it impossible to see. For example, the A pillar in most cars is HUUUUGE because it contains a side impact airbag. Most cars today are *far* heavier than they were, even if they have smaller interior space exactly because these safety "features". This leads to poor MPG, poor acceleration, etc.

I'm actually trying to find ways to reduce weight in my car, while still maintaining *real* safety, and reliability.

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Good point. Even the headrests are an example of this. In 1989 the rear seat didn't get headrests at all, noticeably improving rearward visibility.

Some of it is performance-related, too. Raise a car's ass and it does better in wind tunnels, but then you can't see nearly as well out the back.

could be...

[gev.livejournal.com]

...worse. could be rainin'.

but hey, the next 10 or so years should be some exciting times
for new car technology. :) Just try not to get waxed before then.

Re: could be...

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Yes, I too think there will be lots of advances coming. It will be interesting to see!