Why JDM Imports Are So Popular

If you lived in Vancouver in the mid-2000s, this scenario will likely be familiar.

You're sitting in traffic when you suddenly notice an oddly tall cabover van in two-tone beige and brown with curtains tucked up behind the back windows and an extra mirror hanging over the tailgate. You get closer and are more weirded out to notice it's right-hand drive!

"Where did this come from??"

The Wise Decision

I hadn't made any repair or diagnostic attempts since I drove the car last in October. My plan was to wait until I had the opportunity to drop the car off at my mechanic's, so he could perform the same magic to the engine that he did to the electrical system the last time my car was there.

However, the opportunity arose to take it to a local show, scheduled for today. While pushing it to start practically every time isn't exactly anyone's idea of a relaxing Sunday drive, it would be doable if the car didn't drive any worse than it did last year.

Review: 2015 Subaru Impreza Limited w/ EyeSight

I'm merging onto the highway in my Impreza tester when a thought hits me – this car has semi-autonomous cruise control!

The bleeding edge of driving tech was at my fingertips. I'd first disappoint myself and then all of you if I didn't press this big, glowing red button...

Well, there isn't actually a big, glowing red button so much as a small army of little black ones on the steering wheel – and I had no idea which one to press.

The repair, part II

The engine has finally been tuned, and I noticed an immediate improvement. Here's what was done.

The repair, part I

I've said it before and I'll say it again: with every delay is a valuable learning experience. When the throttle cable snapped, we were to replace it along with the clutch cable (out of precaution) and do an engine tune all in one repair.

After swapping the cables out, we ran out of time.

The good news is I verified what the new cables alone specifically improved.

2015 Golf Driving Experience (part 2 of 2)

So, the Mk VII Golf. It's the newest generation model that's now on sale in North America, and it's based on VW's new modular (MQB) platform.

In essence, certain sections of the platform can be enlarged or shrunk, then assembled like Lego bricks. Thus, they can make a variety of different cars with those underpinnings, the Golf and GTI featured below being the first.

Greater economies of scale are the result for VW; more equipment for the same price is the result for us.