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What’s the best movie ever about cars?


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We all know that a great movie usually has at least one great car in it. But what about great movies that are ABOUT cars? I’m talking about the best movies that revolve around car culture, rather than just featuring a sweet ride in a couple of scenes.

We want to know what your favorites are! While you’re thinking about it, here are my top 5 movies about cars:

Cars

cars-lightning-mcqueen

The story of a cocky rookie race car realizing what’s important in life is as heartwarming as it is exciting. Yeah, it’s an animated “kids” movie, but adults can be entertained and learn from it just as much. We can even learn a thing or two about driving (turn right to go left!?).

Days of Thunder

days_of_thunder

Another hot-shot rookie race car driver (this time in human form) gets his shot at the racing big time. Fast cars, intense racing, true love… what else do you need? How about “the need… the need for speed!”

Talladega Nights

talladega_nights

“Shake” and “Bake,” baby! The top two NASCAR drivers always finish 1st and 2nd. But uh-oh… here comes a French Formula One driver ready to take over NASCAR! As funny as Will Ferrell is, Sacha Baron Cohen makes this movie. Darrell Waltrip and Dale Earnhardt Jr. even make appearances!

Speed Racer

Maybe it’s just because I have a 7-year-old son, but I’ve seen this movie twice and loved it even more the second time. This movie lacks real cars, is partly computer generated and has completely unrealistic race scenes. Still, the race scenes are as fun as they are furious. This isn’t just a movie about racing; it’s a movie about saving the world of racing.

The Fast and the Furious

The underworld of LA street racing: fast cars, beautiful women… so tempting even an undercover cop isn’t sure he wants to give it up!

Did I miss one of your favorites?

-tgriffith

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The $20 fill up that changes everything


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Not long ago, in this very space, I said: “Americans could very easily get used to 3 dollar gas.” Well. Silly me. I would have never guessed that within a month I’d see 2 dollar gas!

I live in a state with relatively high gas taxes, and my local station is selling regular unleaded for about $2.25. That’s incredible, considering last summer that same station was selling fuel for $4.25. I could very easily spend my time here delving into the reasons for such a dramatic drop, but that’s not nearly as exciting as thinking about the consequences of the price drop.

The little Suzuki I drive has an 11 gallon gas tank and was costing just over $40 to fill up, which for such a small car was quickly becoming infuriating. I was ready to trade it in for a Vespa and seriously adjust my driving habits even with that. I was prepared to do whatever I had to so America could cut it’s use of foreign oil and usher in the era of hydrogen to power the next generation of cars.

Then I watched prices on the digital sign at my local gas station plummet, and I filled up Friday night for just over $20. It’s the 20 dollar fill up that is changing my outlook on our country’s gas situation.

Now I’m considering trading in my Suzuki again… only this time a Tundra sounds kind of attractive. Or maybe the practicality of a Pilot. Heck, if I can fill one of those up for 40 or 50 bucks, I’ll be one happy consumer of oil; wherever in the world it comes from.

How low will prices go before they are no longer an issue?

-tgriffith

Is Ford alienating youth with newest feature?


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MyKey, as Ford is calling it, will allow parents to limit the top speed of the car, sound a continuous alarm if the seat belt is not buckled and even limit the volume of the stereo system.

The feature will be standard on some 2010 Ford models, beginning with the Focus.

I can see Ford’s strategy here of giving concerned parents a way to control the driving habits of their teens. And I agree with the fact that teens are notoriously bad drivers and probably shouldn’t be allowed behind the wheel until they are 17 or 18.

Considering all that, you might think that I’d sing the praises for MyKey, but in fact I despise the idea for one simple reason: trust.

The fact is, America’s legal driving age is 16. Whether I like that or not it’s the law. As legal drivers, we need to trust teens to make the right choices behind the wheel just as much as we trust every other legal driver.

I wonder if Ford has considered this little fact: teens are fickle.

Especially the group of teens known as Generation Y. If these teens feel a lack of trust from a corporation now, they’re less likely to give that corporation their business a couple years down the road.

When it’s time for the teens of today to make their first vehicle purchase, do you think there’s any chance that they’ll buy a Ford? The same company that didn’t even trust them with the radio controls?

This is potentially a huge alienation of the next group of auto buyers, and a real opportunity for brands like Scion to step up and embrace teens with a very simple message: We trust you.

What do you think of MyKey?

-tgriffith

Is diesel really worth it?


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Diesel fuel has been getting a lot of attention lately.

Bloggers all over the ‘net are claiming it’s the answer to slowing our oil consumption and raving about the high mileage diesel cars get. After all, Europe has been driving diesel cars for years yet American has been slow to get on the band wagon.

Cargurus.com even did a recent poll on this topic, with a majority of people who plan on buying an alternative fuel car saying they’ll buy diesel over hybrid.

While it’s true that diesels get 20 to 30 percent better fuel economy, diesel fuel is about 50 cents per gallon more than gas. On top of the higher fuel costs, diesel autos cost more upfront to buy.

I’m going to do the math right here and now, to see if going diesel on your next new auto purchase is financially worth it over a traditional gas-powered car.

The cargurus.com survey cited the 2009 Volkswagen Jetta TDI (diesel) as it’s example, so I’ll compare it to a similarly equipped 2009 Jetta SE (gas).

The SE costs $19,920. The TDI is $21,990 for a difference of $2,070.

Currently, gas costs an average of $3.48 per gallon. Diesel currently averages $4.00 per gallon.

The SE gets an estimated 20 MPG in the city. The TDI gets 29 MPG.

Assuming you drive an average of 15,000 miles per year in the city, you’ll use 750 gallons of gas in the SE for a total of $2,610 in fuel costs.

In the TDI, you’ll use 517 gallons of diesel, for a total of $2,068 in annual fuel costs.

With the TDI, you’re saving $542 per year in fuel costs. At current prices, it will take driving your TDI for almost 4 years to break even.

So the bottom line is simple: If you’re buying a diesel over a gas-powered car to keep for the long run, diesel is a good option.

I’m interested in what you think: Is diesel worth the higher MPG? I only looked at the financials; what are some other reasons to go diesel?

-tgriffith

Let’s change the driving age to 18!


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I was a horrible driver when I was 16.

Looking back I’m grateful that I never got in, or caused, a serious accident. I easily could have because I ALWAYS accelerated too fast, tried to beat read lights, ignored stop signs and wouldn’t even let other drivers change lanes in front of me.

In my mind, the road was MINE and I was going to beat the pants off everyone who challenged me. The fact is, the only people actually challenging me were other 16-year-olds.

Of course I never thought about the possibility of getting in an accident. I was too good of a driver for that and knew I could avoid any collisions (not counting the half dozen or so parked cars I hit back then.)

Now that I’ve grown up a little, I can respect the freedoms teenagers need. But I now believe driving shouldn’t be among them. Kids are too cocky and feel too indestructible to trust them behind the wheel of 3,000 pounds of steel.

That’s why I would love to see this country adopt a nationwide 18-year-old driving age.

At first I thought 21 would be an ideal age, but then talked myself out of it because nothing good can come from a kid being able to legally drink AND legally drive on the same day.

According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, the crash rate per mile driven is twice as high for 16 year-olds as it is for 18-19 year-olds. And most of the fatalities are single-car accidents caused by driving errors or speeding.

Sixteen is simply too young to shoulder the responsibility of driving safely and too often results in death. Two years of maturity will save a lot lives.

Even with all this being said, America is a car-loving nation. Citizens may not embrace this change because it would mean driving their kids around for a few more years. 

What do you think: Would you support a nationwide change to make the driving age 18?

-tgriffith