Jalopnik: Polls

Pick Your Poison: Michigan Auto & RV May 7-13

Ben Wojdyla — Fri, 09 May 2008 18:20:00 EDT

If you're anything like us, you've invested hours and hours and hours of your life flipping through the pages of your local Auto & RV. The offering printed with cheap ink and even cheaper recycled paper leaves you stained both physically and mentally. Within its pages you can find both deals and rip-offs, treasures and tragedies, but you always find something you want. As such, we picked a random page in our favorite section — Collectibles and Classics (though Under $4,000 is pretty great too) and snapped an image. Now you tell us what you'd be tempted to take home and why.

Here's the full size image: Michigan Auto & RV, page 58, week of May 7-13

Aerocoupe Grand Prix And Monte Carlo

Mark Arnold — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 10:20:00 EDT

Always wanted an "Aero Wars" muscle car from the early '70s like the Plymouth Roadrunner Superbird, or the Mercury Cyclone Spoiler II, but have never been able to afford one? Well, if you desire an attainable NASCAR homologation special, how about one of these GM G-body specials from the '80s? What we have here is an '86 Pontiac Grand Prix Aerocoupe and an '87 Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS Aerocoupe, each for sale on eBay. Now, these may not be the most desirable cars right now, but give 'em 20 years and who knows how much they'll be worth.

The 1986 Pontiac Grand Prix 2+2 Aerocoupe may have a lowly 305ci V8 connected to a 4-speed slushbox, but this isn't a car you buy for the running gear. It's all about those special aerodynamic tweaks. The aero nose, bubble rear glass and fiberglass trunk lid with integral spoiler were the parts specific to the '86-only Aerocoupe. The buy-it-now price of $11,875 isn't exactly cheap, but the Pontiac might just make you feel like Richard Petty.

Bowtie guys, this '87 Chevy Monte Carlo SS Aerocoupe is for you. Sure, the Montes were much more common that the Pontiacs, but that just means they're more affordable now. This one has a buy-it-now price of $7,900. The Monte Carlo Aerocoupe does have lots in common with the standard SS model, but that sloping rear glass sure will set you apart from the rest of the mullet crowd. Mechanically, the Chevy and Pontiac are the same, though this MC does have a few more miles on the clock than the GP.

[eBay listings here and here]

We Pick 'Em, You Choose 'Em: Vote For The Jalopnik Star Commenter Name

Matt Hardigree — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 16:30:00 EDT

If only we knew what we were doing when we starting handing out gold stars to the commentariat. Though we may have given the impression that there was some sort of incredible genius behind our decisions, it was sort of a crap shoot. There are lots of deserving commenters out there who will, if they stop pleading, get one of the awesome stars. Yes, the same ones that convey magical powers. Instead of making a diligent effort to get stars into the right commenter accounts, we decided to ask you what to call these special individuals. What we, in our dictatorial-totalitarian-undemocratic rage, deemed the ten best below, with a poll.

Can you sort through all the memes?

MaxForrest32: Cotomer Sevis Representatives

UncleBo: El Commentaminos!

BentoBoxx: Wertsmiths

FatBraff: Starred Commenters

Stoatmaster: if Sputnik = Jalopnik, Cosmonaut = Commentaut

Miscellenea : Bruce

Dolo54: The Unemployed

Dr.Danger: Jalop Laureate

SmokeyDog001 : The Fahrvergshadenfreudenungen

[Photo: Mushroom Kingdom]

And The Best Post-Apocalyptic Vehicle Is... The Sisu XA-185

Matt Hardigree — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 13:45:00 EST

We had a late surge of votes for the best post-apocalytpic vehicle contest, though it didn't change the score that much. It turns out our readers love the flexibility, mobility and amphibious nature of the Finnish Sisu XA-185 (and other Sisu XA derivatives). With the Sisu getting first place with 28.7% of the vote and the Buffalo Force Protection Vehicle coming in second with 16.6%, it's clear that in the radioactive zombie-infected future you all prefer brute force to creature comforts.

While we'd have opted for something more livable, like the Steeltruck 4X4, which includes a kitchen and comfortable beds, we're guessing that everyone here would rather be safe than comfortable. The Sisu also has the advantage of being amphibious, something only the Dobbertin Surface Orbiter can also claim. This has us thinking about ways we could convert the Sisu to make it a bit more amenable to daily life (you don't want to sleep outside with radioactive mutants lurking about). Looks like there is just enough room in there for an exercise bike and a full-sized bed to me.

What's Your Favorite Detroit Malaise DOTS Car?

Murilee Martin — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 11:00:00 EST

With the Malaisetastic '80 Plymouth Fire Arrow that we saw yesterday on my mind, I got to thinking about the meaning of the Malaise Era, specifically about the American-built vehicles sold during that period. Not captive imports like the Fire Arrow or quasi-domestics like the Capri, but real Detroit (or Kenosha) machinery. And, yes, I know that Jimmy Carter never actually uttered the word "Malaise" in his so-called Crisis of Confidence speech in 1979; what started as a joke term for the cars of the 1973-1983 period has now hardwired itself into my brain). Then I realized that I've forgotten the quasi-tradition of having a Friday poll for the readers to vote on their favorite DOTS machine of the week, so I owe you some DOTS poll action. That means it's time to jump like the late-70s inflation rate to pick your favorite of Alameda's Malaisewagons!

Looking at these cars, I realize that I've been remiss in not photographing early-80s Detroit iron on Alameda's streets; we have a fair sampling of such cars, so I'll be paying more attention to them in the future. If everyone has a good time with this poll, I might do a Favorite Import DOTS Malaisemobile poll later on.

1973 Pontiac Grand Am

1973 Mercury Cougar

1973 Plymouth Scamp

1974 Ford Torino

1974 Ford Maverick

1974 Plymouth Satellite

1975 Pontiac Grand LeMans

1976 AMC Pacer X

1976 Buick Skyhawk

1976 Ford Mustang

1977 Lincoln Continental

1977 Plymouth Volare

1977 Ford Granada

1977 Oldsmobile Wagon

1977 Chevrolet Camaro

1978 Cadillac Eldorado

1978 Chevrolet Camaro

1978 Pontiac Trans Am

1979 Ford Ranchero

What's The Cutoff Year For Japanese DOTS Cars?

Murilee Martin — Fri, 26 Oct 2007 09:30:00 EDT

With today's Down On The Street car a mid-1980s Japanese immigrant- and having burned through most of my stockpile of BDRE (Before Datsun Rebranding Era, i.e., 1982) Japanese DOTS photos in honor of our Japan Week festivities- the time has come for us to decide just how old a Japanese car must be to make it in the series. Here in Alameda, early ADRE Japanese cars are so common that I don't really notice most of them, but maybe they've all turned to red dust in the rest of the country...

So here's your chance to vote on the matter. Pick the latest year you'd like to see for Japanese Down On The Street Cars. Naturally, anything really rare or oddball will be exempt from the year cutoff; this will apply only to the more mundane stuff.

Jalopnik Poll: Which Dodge Dart Should Nardelli Build?

Mike Bumbeck — Mon, 13 Aug 2007 15:30:00 EDT

Of all the facts in a New York Times article focusing on incoming Chrysler fearless leader Robert Nardelli, there was one that caught our eye. Mr. Nardelli's first car out of high school was a 1966 Dodge Dart. As Mr. Nardelli's love for the company dates back to this car, it seems only fitting that he spearhead the campaign to resurrect the mighty Dodge Dart. Whether the new Dodge Dart will feature a hybrid fusion slant six drive that runs on orange peels and coffee grinds will only be told by the future. Vote on which Dart Dodge should build after the jump.

What Would Toulouse-Lautrec Drive?

Davey G. Johnson — Mon, 15 Jan 2007 20:15:00 EST

Lately, we've been rather consumed with the Silver Jews' "Punks in the Beerlight," a song that drops a totally sensical nonsensical non-sequitur in the form of diminutive French painter and poster artist Henri Marie Raymond de Toulouse-Lautrec. Considering he died in 1901, there wasn't a vast vehicular choice available to him. But were the man alive today, loaded with the cash that's changed hands over his art since his demise, what would dear Henri drive? – Davey G. Johnson

Speculating On Speculation: What Would You Call That MoFo?

Ray Wert — Mon, 18 Sep 2006 21:06:37 EDT

Although a merger of unequals between the Goliath-like General and the futzing-around FoMoCo won't be happening, it doesn't mean bloggers can't dream. Tonight, we'll go to sleep with mergers and acquisitions of automakers dancing in our heads, with Alan Mulally courting Rick Wagoner with sugar plums on a candyland-like people mover, flowing on an elevated chocolate river (just like the original Detroit People Mover was designed to do). Ok, really...that's more of a nightmare, but whatevs. Anyway, help us dream a dream of a mega-merger:

The Jalopnik July Sales Figure Poll

Ray Wert — Tue, 01 Aug 2006 16:43:46 EDT

Since GM got off pretty easy, beating analyst expectations and only dropping 19.5%, there's a clear winner when it comes to Big Three sales figures. But...both DaimlerChrysler and FoMoCo had some pretty piss-poor sales numbers in July — both down 34% in overall sales for the month. With that type of a photo finish, we need a poll to settle this fair and square...like a game of rock, paper and scissors...but less scientific.

Worst Survey Ever: Freep Runs Poll On US Auto Ownership With Dubious Merit

maustin — Wed, 26 Jul 2006 14:45:53 EDT

So the Detroit Free Press (and local TV station, WDIV) polled 800 Michigan residents about what kind of cars they own. The results were that 45 percent own GM products, 39 percent own a Ford, 22 percent own something from Chrysler, and 15 percent own a foreign car. Yeah, that's ~~111~~ 121 percent. Here's the explanation behind the fuzzy math — the poll didn't account for multiple cars in the same household. So it actually tells us almost nothing while falsely suggesting some kind of domestic market dominance. Of course, they could have done something like tally up the percentages of vehicle registrations, but that would almost be too easy.

Poll shows Michigan residents support American automakers [freep]

Gen Xers Like H3. Why?

Davey G. Johnson — Wed, 31 May 2006 17:30:00 EDT

The pollsters never quit. Anytime we've been metricked to death, they come up with another metric to measure us by. This time around, it's buzzworthiness. And since we could care less about Gen Y (sorry, Ray), and the boomers annoy us to no end (sorry, Farago), we're gonna focus on Generation X, whom, as our friend Lew once succinctly put it, was "raised by rockstars."

Raised by what the Harrises refer to as "pre-Boomers," we grew up in Catalinas, Ramblers, Colony Parks, Firenzas (the less said about that car, the better) etc., while our friends' boomer parents tended to drive Volvos, BMWs, Hondas and Toyotas. We back the pre-boomers; they invented hot-rodding and rock 'n' roll, after all. But shame of shame, this generation of ours which we hold so precious; which grew up on the American indie underground; which birthed giant-killers such as Nirvana and Jawbreaker; the Descendents and Green Day. Their buzzworthy vehicle of note? The H3: an underpowered, overweight vehicle mainly suited to off-road duty.

The boomers, meanwhile, chose the Charger, an overpowered, big, fast beast of a mother. Christ man, their sense of self-entitlement has done in our navel-gazing faux-artiness again. Meanwhile, Gen Y chose the Cobalt. Criminy. No future for you, indeed.

Who are these people, and how do we share any semblance of a demographic with them? The H3? Screw that. We're gonna start wearing porkpies and Sans-A-Belt slacks and rolling correct in the right lane with the blinker on. Secession is on, mofos.

Demographic Groups Rank Most Buzz-Worthy New Vehicles [Harris Interactive]

Related:
Porsche Owners Happiest With Cars, Survey Says [Internal]