Author Archive for Jason Lancaster
Jason Lancaster is the editor and founder of TundraHeadquarters.com. He has nearly a decade of experience on the retail side of the auto industry, and another decade of experience of the part and accessory side of the industry.
Are All Chevy Truck Guys This Dumb?
OK, so obviously I just asked a stupid question. While there are certainly dumb Chevy truck owners, the vast majority of Chevy truck owners are just like everyone else.
Still, videos like this one make you wonder:
Ya – that just happened. Here’s what I see:
King Of Hammers Is In Two Days – Race For Access Fundraising Drive
King of Hammers (KOH) is one of the coolest truck racing events in the world (right up there with the Baja 1000 and the Dakar Rally) because it combines two difficult off-road activities – high speed desert racing and extreme rock crawling – into one difficult day. The challenge for participants is to design a rig that can complete both portions of the race in the fastest time possible…and that’s a bit of a pickle.
Note: While the race itself is fascinating, let’s take a moment and note that the race is only possible because the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) grants use of some of the land used in the race…I’ll come back to this topic in a minute.
Image copyright Pirate4x4 - click the image above to see more pics and learn more about the KOH
NHTSA and NASA Say Toyota Electronic Throttles Are Just Fine
Today, NHTSA announced that Toyota’s electronic throttles aren’t responsible for any instance of unintended acceleration – at least not any instance that NHTSA could study. According to Department of Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood:
“The jury is back. The verdict is in. There is no electronic-based cause for unintended high-speed acceleration in Toyotas. Period…Our conclusion — that Toyota’s problems were mechanical, not electrical — comes after one of the most exhaustive, thorough and intensive research efforts ever undertaken.” [From Detroit News]
Let me say that one more time: after one of the most exhaustive, thorough, and intensive research efforts ever undertaken, NHTSA couldn’t find one flipping thing wrong with Toyota’s electronic systems.
This news comes as no surprise – in July 2010, early results from the NHTSA investigation were leaked to the New York Times. These early results showed that, in the vast majority of cases, unintended acceleration was caused by “pedal misapplication” (that’s safety-nerd-speak for “foot on the wrong pedal.”
NHTSA’s team of investigators, working with experts from NASA, couldn’t find one single shred of evidence to support accusations of electronic throttle problems.
Not one.
It turns out that the early analysis offered – over-sized floor mats, improperly placed floor mats, the rare “sticking pedal”, and driver confusion – were indeed the cause of all of these complaints. The questions are, now that this crisis is over:
- What will Toyota do to put this information in front of the public?
- How many people who argued that Toyota was at fault – or at the very least got caught up in all this mindless hysteria – will admit they were wrong?
- How many people will ignore this information because it suits their financial purpose?
Sean Kane, a supposed “auto safety” consultant, continues to say that Toyota’s electronics are at fault (link). This is the same Sean Kane who gets his checks from product liability lawyers suing Toyota for billions…but why is anyone listening to him now that he’s clearly been proven wrong?
2011 Tundra Named IntelliChoice Best Overall Value
Intellichoice has named the Toyota Tundra the best overall full-size truck value for 2011. The “Best Overall Value” award is primarily a financial award – IntelliChoice choses winners based on their overall cost, including maintenance, repairs, and resale.
the annual Best Overall Value Awards help to identify best-in-class vehicles that deliver outstanding value and lower than expected costs over time; offering consumers a quick reference to determine which vehicles give them the most bang for their buck
Frankly, it’s no surprise that the Tundra is the winner of this award. The Tundra has won awards from
Chrysler’s Super Bowl LIE
If you watched the commercial breaks during yesterday’s Super Bowl – you know, the one where the Steelers dug themselves a huge hole before eventually losing the game – you might have seen a very well-done Chrysler commercial staring the new Chrysler 200 and hip-hop mogul Eminem.
While this commercial is definitely compelling, it’s based on a tremendous lie: While the new Chrysler 200 is built in Detroit, it’s no more “American” than any vehicle built on U.S. soil by Honda, Toyota, or Hyundai. Why, you ask?
Because Chrysler is owned by FIAT, and Fiat is based in Italy. See the ad below:
