College Campus Car Count--kind of

My job, at a university, involves many things.Parking lot patrols and traffic control are 1 of the big responsibilities I have. As a result, I watch cars all day long and talk to the drivers if need be.I decided to conduct a car count, of sorts, to see what the most popular cars are on campus.I made a list of the cars I saw most often, and counted those models over the course of several days.Using this almost-scientific method, I've come up with a fairly accurate list.
Our school is a small, private tech/design college with a large contingency of foreign students studying abroad. There are quite a few older students who work all day and take evening classes.We have pretty unique demographics, like most colleges, and staff members park in the same lots as students, so this is not reflective of all colleges.But this is real data from someone engaged in parking/traffic duties that offers insight into the college auto market.
Here it goes. The 5 most common cars at the University I work at:

1. Ford Focus- 9 times out of 10, Focuses outnumber everything else in out lots.Its easy to understand this one. They are affordable, fuel-efficient, and just stylish enough not to hurt anyones reputation.

2.Toyota Camry-Believe it or not,it's foreign students that put this car in the number 2 spot. Camrys dominate with international students.Otherwise, they tend to attract faculty and staff members more than anything.

3.Honda Civic-Is anyone really surprised? Civics are often thought of as the ultimate students car, and it is universally popular. Civics are considered "socially acceptable" and even "cool", so its equally popular with local and international students.It seems to be desired by both faculty and students,giving it unique cross-demo appeal.

4.Chevrolet Malibu-It should be said that there are different generations of the Malibu, with different buyers. Older malibus, from the 90s to early-2000s, are popular with students. Newer Malibus are popular with faculty/staff members.

5.Honda Accord-Similar to the Civic in that it appeals to a wide, diverse audience, but not as prevalent.These cars sell in huge numbers nationally, but this is not their biggest market regionally, with the Malibu and Fusion giving it very strong competition.Still, they show up enough to edge out the Taurus and Fusion for the number 5 spot.

Notice, no Corolla on the list. It may be one of the most popular cars in the world, but are not seen in large numbers at our school.This is an example of how demographics and even regional markets can greatly differ within the same country.At other schools,the Corolla would probably be in the top 5.

Armchair tourism, part 1

I have no problem admitting my addiction to the Google Maps street view feature.Quite honestly, I think it's the best thing to ever happen to the internet.I've seen much of Florida and probably half of Taiwan just from sitting behind a screen, clicking away at the arrows. Chances are i'll never make it to Japan, France, New Zealand, sweden, Netherlands, the UK, Norway, Poland, Brazil, etc etc etc but I can see a real, accurate, complete view of them all just by firing up the computer.And of course, there are car sightings.For sure, there are major shortcomings in that department. They are still images, so you cant see cars moving every few seconds like some decent webcams show.They are 1-dimensional.And many are pretty low-resolution, so cars parked farther away or partially hidden are not very visible, like they would be in person. Still, I'm not complaining. You can see cars that were driving by or parked as the Google car was photographing the area, so there are still unlimited opportunities to catch something interesting. Best of all, even if you don't see any interesting or notable cars during your armchair tourism session, you'll at least see some beautiful views.I will randomly pick a city to look up and just start looking around,usually based on locales I'd enjoy looking at.
I could not resist Bogalusa, Louisiana. With a name like that, I just had to check it out. In that humid, hurricane-prone state, I didn't expect to find much.But then I saw this:
http://goo.gl/maps/UwQAI

Sadly, this car and the abandoned pickup next to the house appear to be gone in the more recent aerial view. Its an Isuzu I-mark with the more attractive hatchback body style.I'd be surprised if more than 500 of these still survive in North America.It was quite a world vehicle.From 1976-79, they were sold as the Buick/Opel, since Isuzu had not yet started selling vehicles under their own name stateside (and even after that, they were obscure and were such a small percentage of the market most people forgot they were around).They sold poorly until being redesigned in the mid-80s.Rebadged versions under the name Chevrolet and Geo spectrum were able to find these cars more buyers.However, these earlier versions were on their own and completely overlooked in the USA. Elsewhere, things were better.The notchback versions were popular taxicabs in the Philippines (under their original name, Isuzu Gemini).They were sold as Holdens in Australia. And in Brazil it was called the Chevette. They can still be seen in that country in pretty good numbers.Truth be told, I'd be sadder about the demise of these cars if they weren't still available elsewhere as they are.They are not valuable or collectible, but extreme rarity makes them interesting, and capturing one on film in 2008 (the date of this image) was an unlikely occurance.Hopefully it's still around somewhere, but if anyone needs parts for one, they'll have to have them imported.

Forgotten Finds

I comb the ads for oddities and rarities most people have forgotten about.

60 ford pick-up - $2200 (Redford)

                         

Runs and drives,straight 6,rebuilt automatic c4.

What could you do with a 1960 Falcon pickup? Actually, a lot.Falcons were cheap, basic cars and even today sell at low prices, so they're a great "starter" cruiser for those just getting into the scene. These pickups are very rare, unusual vehicles that don't take up a lot of room.Unlike many old cars, these are cool without requiring any work and make quite a statement. Not many people nowadays even realize Ford made these,which could be a reason for the modest prices. Avoid this car if you want an investment.Buy it if you want something fun and cheap, not to mention very rare.Park it at the beach with lawn chairs in the back and you'll have more fun than anyone else.If I had money to burn and plenty of room to park it, this would be in my driveway. El Caminos are cooler and have more status as a classic, but this is a cool relic for a cheap price.

The UFA Files-part 1

First off, allow me to apologize for the bad title. Usually my standards are a little higher but I really couldn't think of anything."UFA" stands for "Unobtainable Foreign Autos". this will be an ongoing feature exposing cars that aren't sold (legally) in the USA, hence the "Unobtainable" part.

HONDA AVANCIER

Our first installment of The UFA Files will examine the Honda Avancier. Classy-sounding name.According to Wiktionary, it's a French word meaning "to advance"(when Honda introduced the Avancier in 1999, it probably was pretty "advanced").However,there was nothing French about it. It was made in Japan, and only distributed in that country as well.
Since it was based on the Accord, it was understandable that the Avancier was considered "mid-sized" and due to its wagonesque styling, was classified as a "crossover". Many vehicles in Japan are mini-cars,micro-trucks, and tiny, boxy vans.A mid-sized car like the Avancier would almost look upscale and semi-luxurious in that market.Most-likely, its target demographic would have been businessmen with families who needed extra room and wanted a more "professional" look.
From the front, there was no doubt that this was a Honda, but the back could fool a few people. The rear styling almost hinted at a slight Saab or Subaru influence. There were some akward-looking angles in the rear,typical of crossover vehicles, but Honda kept the styling as proportionate as possible,and in many ways succeeded to make it look nice.
Buyers could choose between a 4 cylinder or 6 cylinder engine, but had to settle for an automatic transmission.Manual transmissions were not offered.There was even an all-wheel-drive version, yet, no stick-shift. One can certaintly wonder if sales may have improved had Honda offered one, as well as Left-hand-drive versions to be exported outside of Japan.Understandably,it may not have worked in the US, since the comparable Accord wagon was recently dropped and there may not have been room in the North American lineup where it would have fit in, but there were other countries in which Honda probably could have hypothetically tried to sell it.
Honda discontinued the Avancier in 2003, citing poor sales. In Japan, most cars don't survive for more than 10-12 years or so before being recycled or exported to other countries (usually other Right-hand-drive markets).Now that the newest Avanciers will be 10 years old this year, expect to see them almost entirely disappear from the streets of Japan soon.Some now reside in New Zealand, a common destination for secondhand Japanese exports. Maybe enough will end up there for the Avancier to get some respect.In Japan, they will probably be largely forgotten.A sad end for a nice-enough car that never had a chance to reach its full potential.

Magazine reviews

My father cleaned out much his his overgrown "office" library, consisting of several hundred automotive magazines.I helped myself to some.Ditto the magazines on the "free materials" table at the library inside of the
university in which I work. I've read my share of all the major titles.As a service to the non-gearheads interested in getting updated on the current events of the transportation scene, here is a rundown of the literature available. We will use a system of 1 to 5 stars, based on presentation, content, and writing.

-Automobile Magazine: The magazine covers look a bit upscale, so I originally thought it was pretentious. However, I recently read a few back issues and realized that Automobile is one of the most interesting in its class.One issue contained an article about driving through Romania in cheap, locally-produced cars (Dacias). Another article described the reactions of local residents while cruising through India in new Ford Mustangs.It is absolutely possible for non-car folks to find entertainment in some of the stories.Personally, I like the reviews of auction sales.Painstaking details are provided for the vehicles sold, along with an analysis of the sale price when compared with the going rate.Great variety.Four stars.

-Autoweek: The Readers Digest of automotive magazines.AW is a condensed, short publication covering all the bases in less space.Usually theres only 1 auction result featured, there is a page of funny material, and often 1 page with 3 cars reviewed, with about 4 reporters writing 1 paragraph for each summing up their thoughts.Good attention to motorsports. I actually took an issue to Starbucks and finished it in 1 sitting, and felt like it gave me plenty of information.Smaller size makes it feel more like an "indie" publication,which makes it seem more interesting.As a bonus, it has the best classified ad section.Definitely geared toward serious enthusiasts but best value. Five Stars.

-Car and Driver: CD is definitely the most humorous, and often has some fairly off-beat features.The "Letters  to the Editor" section can be uproarious, with truly strange letters encouraged, and sarcastic, witty responses from the editor.Articles can be about test drives and car comparisons, OR they can be about movie cars, demolition derbies and racing schools, all written in a very entertaining fashion.Exciting covers,truly entertaining articles,but usually takes me 2 or 3 sittings to finish an issue and get the most out of it.Four stars.

-Car Craft/Hot Rod: Both are pretty similar.You won't learn a thing about new cars and modern technology, and most of the cars are American.Definitely reserved for specific tastes, and very tech heavy.People with no appreciation for older American cars will be bored with these.Cool photography of muscle cars burning rubber and large group gatherings.Less inclusive than the others and only intended for 1 segment of the enthusiast community, so more of a hobby read than something to learn from.Two stars to anyone outside of the target audience.

-Motor Trend: Very informative look at supercars and future cars, but very enthusiast-oriented.The writing is dry, it can get pretty technical, and the overall design lacks neccesarry excitement for a magazine devoted to fun, recreational objects like Italian sports cars.Most cars are high-priced, and foreign.MT's car of the year award is an enviable honor that holds weight. These guys know their stuff, but need to do a better job of delivering it beyond the real serious followers.Two stars.

-Road & Track:The most pretentious. The columnists often talk about times in the past when they borrowed their friends sports car for a cross-country drive, and letters to the editor from elderly men remembering vintage races from 30 years ago.Lots of motorsports articles, and exotic cars.Limited humor, and a bit more emphasis on history.They have had printed Buyers Guides in book form that were quite good, but monthly issues are hit or miss.Two stars.

-Hemmings:Including "Muscle Machines" and "Classic Car"-Complete, thorough resource for classics and collectibles.Useless for keeping up on current trends or styles but collectibles are a big part of the enthusiastic scene and these guys have it covered. No humor, it doesnt stray from its core audience, it does its intended goal very well, but nevertheless, still limited in scope and not much for those not already interested. Hemmings Motor News is very plain, but Muscle Machines and Classic Car are nicely styled and grab attention reasonably well. Three Stars.

My top 10

My Top 10 Cars.
I'm trying to be unbiased and as reasonable as possible.These are not neccessarilly my favorites, just the best or most important for whatever reason.

1. 1980s Mercedes-Benz: In many areas, cars older than 1992 or so are very rare. Rust is usually the culprit, but in other places, either strict emissions/safety inspections or general dislike of anything old (particularly in Taiwan) vehicles get recycled and anything over 20 years old is a major rarity. These old Benzes are the exception.They are the ONLY older cars still existing, and usually have very high mileage but little or no rust.Sadly, newer Benzes don't have the quality that the old ones did, but I think theres sufficient proof to factually say that the old MB's outlast all other passenger cars.

2. VW Beetle:Most-produced car ever.cheap. Easy to work on.Popular all over the world. Still beloved by millions.It spawned many imitators and competitors.I've checked Craigslist in certain areas for '70s cars, and most of the ads were Beetles.They were an unmatched success story, the likes of which we may never see again.

3. Buick GNX: The muscle car era was over by 1987, but the GNX is indeed a muscle car.There have been allegations that the GNX could compete on the drag strip with the Dodge Viper and 90s Corvettes.Whether true or not, it was appropriate closure for the muscle car scene, no matter how belated.

4.Chevrolet Corvette: Yes, the corvette had some bad moments, but it came back better than ever and finally made the Europeans scared.People who weren't fond of American engineering or what the big 3 could do eventually started changing their mind.The recent Corvettes are world supercars that give badly needed competition to a very exclusive field.

5.Rolls-Royce: Most cars become outdated after a certain age and lose their luster.Not a Rolls. Kings, sheikhs, princes, and other gentlemen of distinction still have 30 or 40 year old Rolls-Royces and nobody thinks less of it.No matter how old, ANY RR will cause people to turn around and look, wondering who is driving.One of the few cars you won't need to upgrade to the newer version of.

6.1959 Cadillac: The epitome of luxury cars AND classic cars. Talk about old cars, people think about chrome and tailfins. Talk about luxury, people think about big, long exaggerated cars.Few cars represent their era or status like a '59 Caddy,and thats one reason why its so iconic now.

7. Jaguar E-type: One of the greatest designs ever. Few people will disagree.

8. Ford Model T: without the model T, we wouldn't have the car industry we do. Japan wouldnt have the car industry it does. China wouldnt have the car industry they are building up. Cars for ordinary folks is a universal thing now.Houses have driveways.We ask people how many cars their household has, not if they have one.Yeah, the model T did completely change the landscape of the land and our lifestyle with it.

9. 1955-57 Chevy: An iconic, legendary classic, which started as an affordable, mass-produced car for everyone.Its still one of the most popular classics.Proof that cars don't have to be expensive and rare to be cool.Its one of the most popular and well-recognized vehicles, and an important part in the history of the car as a hobby and passion for many. The 1964 Chevy, a popular lowrider, could be included as well.

10. Datsun Z-car: Sporty Japanese cars make up one of the largest segments of the auto enthusiast scene nowadays, and the popular Z-car was the first one that mattered.When historians trace the roots of the current import scene, it will inevitably lead them to the Z. It was so important and revolutionary that eventually Nissan bought back a few to refurbish, and sell at dealers.

Who am I? I'm Colin. Born and raised in the Detroit area,the automotive capital of the world.I like discussing a lot of things but cars are the most important because the auto industry essentially built my hometown and created the suburbia I grew up in.I look at the growing auto markets and economies in the world and realize it started here and I grew up not only surrounded by it, but IN it.My father is directly involved in the industry. I myself have been contracted to work sites operated by the auto companies.
This blog is from a son of the car industry, musing about the state of the car scene, car culture,the used car market, and basically any other auto conversation. Hey, I'm a guy. This is one of the things we talk about.And for me, its personal. Cars put food on the table and clothes on my back while I was growing up.My father does automotive work for a living. My brother can fully rebuild a car until its better than new, and I've worked security jobs at major automotive centers.I can't escape it, so I might as well embrace it.