The New Cars

[Stanley]

While my Z is in the shop, getting some body repairs, the other driver's insurance is providing me with a rental. Well, sort of providing; I have to pay $17 a day insurance, which adds up.

Anyway, not really impressed. It's a 2015 Chevy Malibu. I opened the hood but couldn't tell if it was a 2.0 or 2.5 engine. It gets off the line OK, probably due to high tech stuff in the transmission. But my more or less stock '73 Z with AT would cream it zero to sixty or sixty to ninety without even trying. For that matter, I bet a '65 Chevy Malibu with AT and a six would cream it. Is that progress? Guess GM doesn't care.

I'm sure there are a lot of great new cars, I've never owned anything newer than a '77. Rented quite a few, though. The only one I liked was a '94 Mitsubishi (Westbound on the 10, after crossing the bridge at Blythe and stopping for inspection, I was taking it slow, since that area is well patrolled. When I looked down at the speedometer, I saw (to my horror and pleasure) I was doing 115). But the rest were turkeys.

It does kick the datto-san's arse in one respect though: the radio. Never knew there were that many stations.

All I'm saying, if you buy a new car, take a real test drive.