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Toyota FJ Cruiser: The Unlikely Collectible

Last updated: Sep 19, 2019 at 3:38PM
Published on: Jan 27, 2016 by tgriffith

2014_toyota_fj_cruiser

I may have accidentally cost myself a lot of money.

Since my son was about 10, he’s been in love with the Toyota FJ Cruiser and obsessed with having one as his first car. Being a loving and supportive dad, I told him that I’d pay half and match his contribution to buying one when the time came.

My son is 14 now, and his driving years are getting frighteningly close. He’s still set on having an FJ Cruiser, but prices haven’t exactly fallen like I expected.

Insead, some used FJ Cruisers are selling for more than when they were new. What’s going on?

Five Biggest Impacts from the 2016 Detroit Auto Show

Last updated: Oct 23, 2019 at 11:56AM
Published on: Jan 15, 2016 by Keith_Griffin

Last week I wrote about seven Detroit Auto Show debuts to watch. The only one I got remotely wrong was the 2017 Chrysler Town & Country, but that was only because FCA pulled a fast one and changed that vehicle’s name to the Chrysler Pacifica.

Here are the five vehicles that made the biggest impact at the North American International Auto Show, which runs through Jan. 24 at Detroit’s Cobo Hall.

Chrysler Pacifica Replaces Town & Country, Goes Hybrid

Last updated: Jan 28, 2016 at 3:51PM
Published on: Jan 12, 2016 by tgriffith

2017 Chrysler Pacifica

In 2002 Chrysler introduced a vehicle that it thought would be the next big thing in the new crossover SUV market.

The vehicle, a luxury people-mover with three rows of seats, was supposed to offer the capacity of a minivan, the stance of an SUV, and the handling of a sedan. Chrysler expected to unload 100,000 of those vehicles every year.

Problems arose quickly, though. This vehicle, the Chrysler Pacifica, didn’t excel as a minivan, was too expensive to compete with other luxury SUVs, and had an engine that barely gave it enough oomph to pass on the highway.

Chrysler discontinued the Pacifica in 2008. Yesterday the company brought it back, only this time the nameplate will grace the rear hatch of what used to be the Chrysler Town & Country.

10 Best Cars to Tackle Winter: 2016 Edition

Last updated: Sep 27, 2019 at 1:57PM
Published on: Jan 8, 2016 by John Harrington

Every neighborhood has one. The guy with the monstrous SUV and a driveway covered in ice. No matter how shiny their brand new snow-blower is (they usually have a snowblower), when the white stuff starts to accumulate, they hop in their Suburban, step on the gas, and let the 4-wheel drive do the rest. The machine specifically designed to clear driveways never even gets primed — why let your hands freeze pushing that contraption around when your SUV isn’t even really stuck?

Cars You Want to Find in Your Driveway on Christmas Morning

Dec 25, 2015 by tgriffith

Porsche911CarreraGTS4

I have a dream that one day I’ll wake up on Christmas morning and my wife will present me with a small wrapped box. I’ll hesitantly unwrap the box and find a new set of keys.

I’ll look at her with watery eyes that harbor a skeptical but hopeful anticipation. She’ll smile, give me a knowing nod, and then run to the front door, fling it open, look into the driveway, and see a silver Porsche 911 wrapped in a red bow as snow begins to gently fall.

These are the kinds of things I dream about, and I’m confident that someday it’ll happen. In the meantime, I’d like to celebrate this Christmas Day with a few pictures of cars that look great with a red bow on top, and hope that maybe next year my dreams will come true.

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