Q-I’m the proud owner of a 1972 Beetle and was forced to accept another name-calling session about the Beetle from a person of such limited point of view as you. “Ugliest thing on the highway since roadkill” as you describe it. Thank God not everyone thinks as you do. I entered 19 shows last year and won 18. You’ll be hearing from many of us. While we’re eating sushi, you’ll be eating crow. M.B., Walnut, Ill.
A-Congratulations on winning all those awards. Did your Beetle win any? Actually, in regard to the column asking people to vote on whether they’d like to see VW build the Concept 1 clone of the old Beetle, we heard from lots of Beetle lovers, more than 1,500 (See story on page 1). You were the only one unable to understand that while we (and a few others) considered the Beetle ugly, we certainly hope VW would build the Concept 1 because the automaker hasn’t built much worth buying since then.The final vote was 1,578 in favor and 27 opposed. By the way, when it comes to sushi versus crow, crow sounds mighty good. Tastes like chicken.
Q-I have a half ton Chevy pickup with rear-wheel anti-lock brakes. My coworkers said it would be better if the front wheels had the anti-lock rather than the rear wheels. What do you say? M.O., Peotone
A-When Chevy offered ABS on its truck, it went with rear wheel initially for three reasons-it didn’t have enough availability of ABS to offer it on all four wheels, it didn’t want to price the truck so high that people would buy a Ford, it figured that if on only two wheels it should be on the rear where the load is going to be when you haul 2-by-4’s, sod, furniture or refrigerators.
Q-I keep hearing there’s a law requiring manufacturers to continue to furnish parts for many years after a car is produced. True? I hear it’s 10 years. Would that apply to Peugeot? I’d like to buy a used one. A.R., Chicago
A-No such law, though the story has been propagated for decades that automakers must continue to make parts available for 10 years after a car is discontinued. Buy a used Peugeot? Why? Did your Sterling stop running?
Q-How could you pan the 1994 Honda Accord and 1994 Acura Integra when Car & Driver named them two of the best cars for 1994? Over the years, you always have negative reports about any car not made by the Big Three. G.W., Oak Forest
A-The question is, why did Car & Driver name Accord and Integra two of the best cars for 1994? Over the years those cars getting negative reviews are those that deserve negative reviews regardless of country of origin. To say that only imports have been reviewed negatively and only domestics positively indicates you either don’t read very often or you can’t read at all.
Q-Thanks for documenting the transparent payback auto magazines get for naming a Car of the Year (Transportation, Dec. 26), such as Automobile magazine naming the Chrysler Neon car of the year after Chrysler sponsorship of a “Great Drives” special edition produced by Automobile. R.M., Chicago
A-The awards can be puzzling, such as the Honda Accord built in Marysville, Ohio, being named Import Car of the Year by one buff book. Import? Marysville?
Q-I’m tired of the hoopla about battery cars. Batteries are inefficient. Who wants an electric car? Quit wasting time and money on this pipe dream. Let’s get busy on a system that will actually work. Build electric roads. If the entire interstate were converted to an electric roadway, then electric cars would be practical. S.C., Chicago
A-The sad thing is that you probably are serious.
Q-Where can I purchase the cupholders shown in the Jan. 9 Transportation section and how much would they cost? E.T., McHenry
A-The cupholders cost about $22,000 because to get them you have to purchase the Ford Windstar mini-van they come in. The cupholders go on sale March 24.
– To the reader who called: Chrysler has put a hold on orders for the midsize Dodge Dakota pickup truck when equipped with 5-speed manual transmission, V-8 engine and limited slip differential. Chrysler said the 5-speed is a new transmission and they are still working on durability issues with it and the limited slip.
– To the reader who called: Chrysler says the reason you’ve had to wait so long for delivery of your ’94 four-wheel-drive Dodge Ram pickup truck is that orders far exceed expectations. It was anticipated 4-by-4s would account for 30 percent of orders but have run “considerably higher,” Chrysler said, thanks to a snowy winter. Also, because of the demand for 4-by-4s, suppliers of four-wheel-drive components, especially front axles, can’t meet demand, Chrysler said.
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Send your questions about cars and trucks to Jim Mateja, Chicago Tribune, 435 N. Michigan Ave., Chicago, Ill. 60611.
