Jalopnik: question of the day

What Would A Cougar Drive?

Matt Hardigree — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 11:30:00 EST

Desperate Housewives star Teri Hatcher turns 45 today, officially making her an attractive, older woman who dates younger men, i.e., a cougar. So in honor of Lois Lane, we're asking: what would a cougar drive?

In her married days, when she was just a MILF, she had to drive around in her cute little Mercedes GLK. It was good for picking up the kids, dropping off his dry cleaning and attacking the country club. But since discovering him with the au pair, she's ditched the SUV for a Jaguar XK convertible. It's sexy and fast, but also large and comfortable. It's foreign in the English, feminine way instead of the German, masculine style. She doesn't want an XKR because she doesn't know what a supercharger is, and she wants a car with an automatic transmission because she can't drive a stick. But she definitely wants to super charge your stick.

Coo coo cao choo comentariat and tell us: what would a cougar drive?

(QOTD is your chance to answer the day's most pressing automotive questions and experience the opinions of the insightful insiders, practicing pundits and gleeful gearheads that make up the Jalopnik commentariat. If you've got a suggestion for a good "Question Of the Day" send an email to tips at jalopnik dot com.)

Photo Credit: Kevin Winter/Getty Images

What Would Santa Drive?

Matt Hardigree — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 11:30:00 EST

Santa Claus is depicted as piloting a sled pulled by reindeer, a vehicle not impressive since the 18th century. The Germans have Kringle in a Focus RS. Given the world-traveling requirements for space, speed and style what would Santa drive?

There are a lot of vehicles we considered that were too heavy because, c'mon, you don't want to have an LM002 come crashing through your roof on Christmas Eve. Given an unlimited budget and a team of elven assistants it's hard not to love the 2CV Breadvan Ferrari. That's right, the space and classic delivery stance of the Citroën 2CV mated to nothing less than a Ferrari F355 chassis. This particular vehicle will get you from one end of Christendom to the other before you can say Pere Noel. And with 380 horsies, Blitzen and Donner can take an early retirement.

What do you think? You just got the job as the North Pole's main car guy. What would Santa Drive?

Question Of The Day: Your Best Car Radio Moment?

Murilee Martin — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 23:00:00 EST

Driving mix tapes were fun, and you can't beat having überbytes of music on an MP3 player, but the randomness of radio can turn a pleasant driving moment into one-a-them epiphanic experiences.

One of my all-time favorite driving radio experiences came in the summer of 1990: Highway 85, east of Bakersfield, 3:00 AM. I'm driving my '65 Impala sedan, which was equipped at the time with its miraculously-still-functional factory AM radio, and I'm twiddling the tuner knob in an effort to find something worth listening to. Between a thunderating Spanish-language radio preacher and Barry Manilow, I catch a couple seconds of what sounds for all the world like the voice of James Ellroy.

A little background here: I've been a slaveringly devoted fan of Ellroy's work since the mid-1980s, when he was an obscure crime-fiction writer with a hard-on for twisted Southern California downward-spiral narratives, and I've ripped off plenty from Ellroy's style for my own writing. I rejoiced when he finally hit the big time (in terms of book sales) with The Black Dahlia in '87, and I counted the days until the release of each of the following books in what became known as the "L.A. Quartet."

L.A. Confidential was the third book of the Quartet, and it had been released just days before; could I be tuning in some distant station broadcasting Ellroy reading from his book? Yes! With jeweler-like microscopic adjustments of the old Delco's tuning knob, I brought the author's voice back, buzzing out of the crappy dash-mounted mono speaker. He was reading from Chapter Eight, in which we learn the truth behind Lieutenant Ed Exley's alleged World War II heroism:

A little Shinto shrine, tucked into a clearing covered with camouflage netting. Dead Japs on pallets, jaundice green, emaciated. Every man ripped stomach to ribcage; ornately carved swords, blood-caked, stacked neatly. Mass suicide—soldiers too proud to risk capture or die from malaria.
Three trenches cut into the ground behind the temple; weaponry nearby—rifles and pistols rusted out from heavy rain. A flamethrower wrapped in camouflage cloth—in working order.
He held it, knowing just one thing: he would not survive Guadalcanal. He'd be assigned to a new platoon; his scout run dawdlings wouldn't wash. He could not request an HQ assignment—his father would deem the act cowardice. He would have to live with contempt—fellow LAPD men wounded, awarded medals.
"Medals" led to "Bond Tours" led to crime scene reconstructions. He saw his opportunity.
He found a Jap machine gun. He hauled the hara-kiri men to the trenches, put useless weapons in their hands, arranged them facing an opening in the clearing. He dropped the machine gun there, pointed toward the opening, three rounds left in the feeder belt. He got the flamethrower, torched the Japs and the shrine past forensic recognition. He got his story straight, made it back to battalion HQ.
Recon patrols confirmed the story: fighting Ed Exley, armed with Jap ordnance, french-fried twenty-nine of the little fuckers.
The Distinguished Service Cross—the second highest medal his country could bestow. A stateside bond tour, a hero's welcome, back to the LAPD a champion.

Then I lost the signal. Still, it felt like winning the lottery, and it was my favorite driving radio moment. What's yours?

What's The Best Winter Vehicle?

Matt Hardigree — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 11:30:00 EST

It's snowing in Houston. The Weather Channel's Jim Cantore is here. It's the Snowpocalypse and everyone is freaking out. Quick, help! What's the best winter vehicle?

We've convened the winter quorum of drivers (i.e. everyone but the Houston editor) and the verdict was the awesome, the practical, the timeless AMC Eagle. Take the genius of Roy Lunn, Jeep's experience putting power down in rough places, the usability of a hatch/wagon, the low weight/maneuverability of a car and you have the Eagle. Wait? Like a crossover? And unlike putting a dent in your brand new Cadillac SRX, a few dings on an Eagle will only blend in with the rest of its crag-filled car panel. We also think the Eagle has a classic design so you can turn heads instead of turning yourself upside down in a ditch. Oh, and we'd put a set of Blizzaks on it.

Unfortunately, Eagles are hard to find around here, so help a few Texans out who are used to only seeing the world "frozen" associated with a margarita. What's the best winter vehicle?

Photo Credit: NIGEL TREBLIN/AFP/Getty Images

How Would You Make Auto Shows Suck Less?

Wes Siler — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 11:30:00 EST

Auto shows suck. Half the reveals are lame crossovers and the dry ice and laser shows, when even used anymore, could give someone epileptic fits. It all reeks of the industry trying too hard. How would you fix them?

Our answer? Less reveals, not more. We need to have auto shows go back to being what they once were — regional dealer-run (with automaker support of course) shows for selling new cars. Otherwise, if an automaker wants to get the biggest bang for their buck, they'll either adopt the "MacWorld Model" of revealing a new car at a random date on the calendar, inviting media to show up — or reveal a new car at one of the four shows with a critical mass of media — Detroit, New York, Shanghai or Paris/Frankfurt. Every other show needs to realize they're small potatoes — and the automakers should realize it as well — if they want to get the coverage they're looking for. I mean, we'll still cover them both ways — but the current way is not helping us feel all that excited about the cars we're writing about.

But maybe that's too much, maybe they just need more booth babes and more free booze. You tell us, how would you remove the suck from auto shows?

Who Should Run GM?

Wes Siler — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 11:30:00 EST

Yesterday, GM CEO Fritz Henderson resigned (or fired!) and was temporarily replaced by a random old white guy with no car company experience. Clearly Ed Whitacre's the wrong person for the job. So, who should run GM?

We think Fritz's outspoken daughter Sarah would make a fine CEO. As she demonstrated on Facebook yesterday, not only does she have an excellent grasp of social media, but she also likely has the grit and determination necessary to run a company as troubled as GM. Her lack of experience shouldn't be a problem, because after all, if you listen to Ed and the new GM board, it didn't help her dad out. Also, lack of experience ain't stopping Ed. Plus, it looks like she likes to let her hair down a bit and that's not so bad.

The biggest problem GM's had the last eight months is no matter which head of the hydra, Fritz, Ed or Bob, was used to sell the company's image — they all look the same — some random old white guy. So, you know, it wouldn't be the worst idea to put someone in the CEO slot who represents the type of people they'd like to be selling cars to as opposed to the type of people they used to try and sell cars too.

But maybe we're wrong, maybe a college student isn't the best person to run our country's largest automaker. So tell us who is.

What's The Most Optimistic Vehicle Name?

Matt Hardigree — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 11:30:00 EST

Yesterday we saw the leaked pictures of the U.S.-Spec 2011 Ford Fiesta. That anyone could have a fiesta in a car so small is a hopeful sentiment but not an extreme stretch. What's the most optimistic vehicle name?

We think the Dodge "Dart" was an incredibly charitable name for a vehicle not particularly dart-like or dart-shaped. By the 1970s any semblance of sexiness was ripped out of the car in favor of a shape more similar to a squared-off Rubbermaid container with safety bumpers. It gets even more hilarious when you consider the Dodge Dart GT or Dart Swinger. In fact, the only reason Dart is sort of appropriate as a name is that, like actual darts, the Dodge is often found at shitty bars.

See the glass as half-full and tell us: what's the most optimistic vehicle name.

What's Your Biggest Vehicular "Oh Crap!" Moment?

Matt Hardigree — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 11:30:00 EST

This weekend Tiger Woods, Nick Hogan, and the Italian Police all had "Oh Crap!" moments in their respective cars (or, O Merda!). What's your biggest vehicular "Oh Crap!" Moment?

As always, we turn to our own stunt driver Wes Siler for an answer to this question. We're guessing there were a number of "Oh Crap!" moments leading up to the the photo above, but we can only guess because he doesn't remember them. Needless to say, there was quite the realization that something was wrong while having to explain to the medics that no, his neck wasn't messed up, it was the arm. It wasn't until he lifted his arm and wiggled it around like a tentacle that they figured it out.

What about you? Maybe you're not living as dangerously as Wes, but certainly you've almost screwed up in your own way. What's your biggest vehicular "Oh Crap!" moment?

Ford FX-Atmos or ZIS-112?

Murilee Martin — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 20:00:00 EST

Let's say you could go back to the early 1950s and snag a super-futuristic prototype automobile as your 2009 daily driver. Which side of the Iron Curtain would you choose?

What do you really need in a car? Cup holders? Side-curtain air bags? Hell no! You need huge fins, needle-sharp spikes sticking out of the front fenders, and radar! The '54 Ford FX-Atmos dream car offered all those critically important features, plus whitewalls. You want one, of course.

The question is: would you take the FX-Atmos when you could have a '51 ZIS-112? This Soviet dream car, according to the definitive Cars Of The Soviet Union was the product of Soviet designer Valentine Rostkova and packed an experimental V8 engine behind its Cylops single headlight. So, what's it going to be? Dearborn or Moscow?

Take The Same Automotive Trivia Test We Forced On LeMons Miscreants In The Penalty Box!

Murilee Martin — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 17:00:00 EST

A recent addition to the Toolbox-O-Cruelty™ used by the LeMons Supreme Court is the Trivia Test. We've got a half-dozen tests, written by members of the Court, and miscreants generally get the choice between LeMons trivia and general car trivia.

The rules of the Trivia Test Penalty are simple: answer five questions correctly and you're free to go. Each quiz has 15 questions, and most teams have to slog through all of them before they can get back on the track. The LeMons-specific tests include such questions as "Which of the following vehicles has never flipped over at a LeMons race?" and "How much does $1,500 worth of nickels weigh?" The general trivia tests include some softballs (to provide false hope to the miscreants) and some total ball-busters. Here's one of the easier General Automotive Trivia Penalty Tests for you to try out:

1. The technology inside Toyota's first automatic transmission was licensed from another manufacturer. What was it called?
A. Toyo-Matic (based on Ford Ford-O-Matic)
B. Toyoglide (based on GM Powerglide)
C. Toyo-Rush (based on Simca Rush-Matic)
D. Toyoflow (based on Buick Dynaflow)
E. UltraToyo (based on Packard Ultramatic)

2. Which of the following European cars was the Premier Padmini (built in India from 1969 through 2000) based upon?
A. Fiat 1100
B. Renault 8
C. Morris 1800
D. Skoda 110
E. None of the above

3. The license-built Soviet version of the Ford Model A was called:
A. UAZ-110
B. GAZ-44-19
C. ZIS B1
D. KIM 10-50
E. None of the above

4. In which of the following countries was the Fiat 128 never built?
A. Mexico
B. Egypt
C. Yugoslavia
D. Argentina
E. Spain

5. In what model year was the ill-fated Cadillac V8-6-4 engine introduced?
A. 1979
B. 1980
C. 1981
D. 1982
E. None of the above

6. How many ducks were in the old Cadillac emblem?
A. 2
B. 4
C. 6
D. 8

7. Which of the following 1974 cars had the lowest list price for the United States market?
A. Iso Lele
B. De Tomaso Pantera
C. Jaguar XJ12
D. Maserati Ghibli

8. Which of the following American cars was built in Brazil until 1972?
A. Rambler Rogue
B. Kaiser Henry J
C. Packard Caribbean
D. Willys Aero
E. None of the above

9. Which of the following German cars was built in Mexico until 1970?
A. Borgward Isabella
B. Opel Kadett
C. Lloyd Arabella De Luxe
D. Glas 1304 sedan
E. None of the above

10. Which of the following French cars was built in Argentina until 1990?
A. Renault 5
B. Citroën CX
C. Peugeot 403
D. Simca Chambord
E. None of the above

11. What kind of car did North Vietnamese leader Ho Chi Minh drive around Hanoi during the 1960s?
A. Peugeot 404
B. Citroën Traction-Avant
C. GAZ-21 Volga
D. Hongqi CA770
E. None of the above

12. How many horsepower did the 1958 Studebaker Hawk's supercharged V8 engine put out?
A. 250 horsepower
B. 275 horsepower
C. 289 horsepower
D. 315 horsepower
E. None of the above

13. What French car provided the ancestry for the suspension design of the 2004 Chrysler 300M?
A. Renault 30
B. Renault 25
C. Citroën XM
D. Matra Bagheera
E. You crazy? None of the above! USA! USA! USA!

14. Which of the following cars did mass murderer Timothy McVeigh use as his getaway vehicle from the 1995 Oklahoma City Federal Building bombing?
A. 1991 Geo Storm
B. 1975 Buick Electra
C. 1981 Toyota Tercel
D. 1977 Mercury Marquis
E. None of the above

15. The Chevrolet Corvair was made for the 1960 through 1969 model years. In what year was Ralph Nader's Unsafe At Any Speed, generally blamed for the demise of the Corvair, published?
A. 1960
B. 1962
C. 1964
D. 1965
E. None of the above

Answers below the photograph of one of the unfortunate teams that received the Cultural Revolution Penalty at Thunderhill.

1. B
2. A
3. E (it was designated the GAZ M1)
4. A
5. C
6. C
7. B ($10,295 versus $24,500 for the Iso, $13,000 for the Jaguar, and $19,275 for the Maserati)
8. D
9. A
10. E
11. A
12. B
13. B, via the Eagle Premier and Chrysler's purchase of AMC
14. D
15. D

Speaking of LeMons miscreants, here are some examples of what the justices of the LeMons Supreme Court see over and over, all weekend long. Actually, these dudes are more coherent than most, but you get the idea:

What Car Puts You To Sleep Quicker Than Tryptophan?

Matt Hardigree — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 11:30:00 EST

Tomorrow we're filling up on booze and tryptophan; the excess of food leading to imminent napping. If this doesn't work there are many vehicles designed to encourage the same feeling. What car puts you to sleep quicker than tryptophan?

When the current generation Chevy Malibu debuted it was heralded as the second-coming of the American mid-size sedan. While it's a big leap forward from the previous generation in style, sophistication and competitiveness, it's only because it's as somnabulant as any other mid-sizer. With a V6 and an automatic transmission it's like you're not driving anything at all. While this appeals to some drivers it does nothing but put us to sleep.

You'd think the Malibu Hybrid is even more of a snooze-fest but at least in the hybrid, the engine turns itself off sometimes, which is less quiet and more disquieting. Like, "Holy Shit my car just... oh, wait. Nevermind." It'll wake you up.

Before you load up on beer and tell your dad what you really think about his "new girlfriend," tell us whether there's another car more soporific to knock you out before he does.

Photo Credit: STR/AFP/Getty Images

What Will You Drive When You're 70?

Matt Hardigree — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 11:30:00 EST

A 72-year-old man just won the Baja 1000 in a Hummer H3 Alpha. An 81-year-old flew cross-country in his homemade P-38 replica. Being 70 is the new mid-life crisis. What will you drive when you're 70?

Since at least two of us already drive cars designed for AARP card-holders (Wojdyla's XJR and Hardigree's Volvo wagon), we see the opposite happening in 40 years. We'll be driving the latest super car: the Chery Wind of A Thousand Mountains, which of course traces it's lineage back to the great auto industry collapse of 2030, when Chery purchased both Lamborghini and Ferrari when they went out of business. It will also be the last gas-powered new car in existence, which we'll use to fend off scavengers who survived the robotpocalypse. We can't wait for the future.

Add a little silver to your foxy hair and look through your glaucoma-free eyes into the crystal ball and tell us: what will you drive when you're 70?

What's The Dumbest Thing You've Done For Speed?

Sam Smith — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 11:30:00 EST

Here at Jalopnik World Headquarters, we're pretty familiar with stupid. Desperation breeds bad ideas, and if you love speed, chances are you've made your share of moronic calls. What's the dumbest thing you've done to make a car go faster?

Stupid is as stupid does. Ever set a race car on fire by cramming too much tire underneath it? (Been there.) Ever build a LeMons car out of an overly complex, doomed-to-fail supercar just because it had twelve cylinders? (Ditto.) If you haven't cocked things up in the name of cranking the speedo needle off the dial, then you're probably not trying. We know you're out there, and we know you've blown up way more machinery than we have, all because you Just Weren't Going Fast Enough.

If you're still here, then it couldn't have been that bad. Dumber things will happen, and they will probably happen to you. And us. But the question remains: To date, what's the dumbest thing you've done for more speed?

(QOTD is your chance to answer the day's most pressing automotive questions and experience the opinions of the insightful insiders, practicing pundits, and gleeful gearheads that make up the Jalopnik commentariat. If you've got a suggestion for a good "Question Of The Day," send an email to tips at jalopnik dot com.)

What's The Worst Special Edition Car?

Matt Hardigree — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 11:30:00 EST

We learned today the California Special returns for the 2011 Mustang, making it the 3,457th special edition 'Stang. Being mostly trim-unt-wheels, we don't really see the draw, begging the question: what's the worst special edition car?

In our minds, the worst is the King King Crew Member Edition VW Touareg. That's right, you're forking out money not to have a vehicle driven by a star of King Kong, nor a vehicle robust enough to tackle King Kong's island, but rather a vehicle designed to mimic what a crew member of the film King Kong drove around in to get Peter Jackson coffee and donuts. For $57,000. And if the indignity of actually paying that much money to remember a movie unloved by most wasn't enough, you also get a giant embarrassing King Kong logo on the B-pillar reminding people this isn't just an expensive VW, it's an expensive VW driven by a moron.

That's bad, there may be worse, what's worse than that?

BTW, pictured is the StudioTorino Fiat 500 Diabolik, a close runner up.

(QOTD is your chance to answer the day's most pressing automotive questions and experience the opinions of the insightful insiders, practicing pundits and gleeful gearheads that make up the Jalopnik commentariat. If you've got a suggestion for a good "Question Of The Day" send an email to tips at jalopnik dot com.)

What Car Scares The Crap Out Of You?

Matt Hardigree — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 11:30:00 EST

As automotive journalists we're given cars to drive. Some impress us. Some bore us. A few cause us to take deep breaths before attempting to drive; and we know we're not alone. What car scares the crap out of you?

At the top of our list is the Viper SRT10, a car which manages to approximate the feeling of tumbling over the side of a cliff only to discover you've landed perfectly on a branch and are therefore, hyperventilation and adrenaline aside, alive. Other super cars are designed, by virtue of having so much power and being driven by important rich people, to give you a sense of control in most situations. The Viper SRT10 was not. Driving it you feel completely out of control no matter where, when or under what conditions thanks to a shaky chassis, too much horsepower and horrific sight lines. And should you survive the drive — and this isn't a given — pull over to the side of the road after a long run and you've got to be careful you don't give your calves and hands third-degree burns from the fire-inducing exhaust pipes.

Not like that's always a bad thing. Now that we've revealed our fears, let us peer deep into your soul: what car scares the crap out of you?

(QOTD is your chance to answer the day's most pressing automotive questions and experience the opinions of the insightful insiders, practicing pundits and gleeful gearheads that make up the Jalopnik commentariat. If you've got a suggestion for a good " Of T he Day" send an email to tips at jalopnik dot com.)

What's Your Favorite Soviet Car?

Matt Hardigree — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 11:30:00 EST

On this day in 1970 the Soviets landed their Lunokhod 1 unmanned rover on the moon. It was big, heavy, and looked like a B-movie prop — but it worked. Much like Soviet cars. What's your favorite Soviet car?

There are many, many Soviet cars we love but when forced to choose just one we feel it's important to remember that Stalin ruled his realm with an iron fist and any car we pick will have to contain similar metallurgical properties. Therefore we're picking the largest, toughest, and sexiest of all Russian cars: the Series III Volga M21. With enough clearance to climb over political dissidents, a powerful-for-Soviet-era 80 HP inline-six for outrunning the KGB, and a sexy look it was the car to have. Today the car is a legend and the preferred platform for serious customizations. Heck, one of them can even fly.

Okay Comrade, your turn. In Russia, car picks you. But this isn't Russian, this is America, so you pick your favorite Russian car.

(QOTD is your chance to answer the day's most pressing automotive questions and experience the opinions of the insightful insiders, practicing pundits and gleeful gearheads that make up the Jalopnik commentariat. If you've got a suggestion for a good " Of T he Day" send an email to tips at jalopnik dot com.)

Photo Credit: 57Sweptside

What's Your Most Expensive Car Repair?

Matt Hardigree — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 11:30:00 EST

While $18,000 for a relatively minor fender bender is ridiculous, it's an expensive car. That said, we've seen repair bills wildly exceed the value of the car itself. Commiserate with us. What's your most expensive car repair?

Ben Wojdyla, not surprisingly, has us all topped on this one. We've had some expensive repairs, but his uncommon 740 Volvo diesel endured an uncommonly pricey experience. A victim of its own uniqueness, the car was purchased for $2,000 and not long after purchase, there were transmission issues. Two months later the problem was sorted out. The total cost of getting it to work? About $1,700. As a percentage of the value of the car it's 85%. For all that scratch he could have just purchased a $3,700 car.

What about you? Shock us with the final bill price. What's your priciest car repair bill?

(QOTD is your chance to answer the day's most pressing automotive questions and experience the opinions of the insightful insiders, practicing pundits and gleeful gearheads that make up the Jalopnik commentariat. If you've got a suggestion for a good "Question Of The Day" send an email to tips at jalopnik dot com.)

Photo Credit: AFP PHOTO / QASSEM ZEIN

What Would Jason Drive?

Matt Hardigree — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 11:30:00 EST

It's Friday the 13th, which numerology has dictated is not a good day because on Friday the 13th a big, crazy hockey player named Jason kills people. Jason typically walks, which is a waste of energy. What would Jason drive?

We came up with the Ford SVT Raptor, which I could explain in a post but it makes more sense if you read this.

Take us through your thought process. What Would Jason drive?

(QOTD is your chance to answer the day's most pressing automotive questions and experience the opinions of the insightful insiders, practicing pundits and gleeful gearheads that make up the Jalopnik commentariat. If you've got a suggestion for a good "Question Of The Day" send an email to tips at jalopnik dot com.)

What's The Lamest Excuse For A Crash You've Heard?

Matt Hardigree — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 11:30:00 EST

The excuse given for the Bugatti Veyron Crash earlier? "A low-flying pelican." Ridiculous. Can you top that? What's the lamest excuse for a crash you've heard?

We're also including "lamest excuse given" in this for those bold enough to admit when they're completely full of it. Our favorite comes from a friend-of-Jalop who crashed into another car and then went off the track at Northern Illinois' own Blackhawk Raceway. The friend was in an E30 race car and the person he crashed into was driving a Fox-Body Mustang. His excuse? "Dude, Mustangs just have more brakes." Yeah, sure. It's what Mustangs are known for...

What about you? Surely you or your friends/family/lovers have done worse and claimed more.

(QOTD is your chance to answer the day's most pressing automotive questions and experience the opinions of the insightful insiders, practicing pundits and gleeful gearheads that make up the Jalopnik commentariat. If you've got a suggestion for a good "Question Of The Day" send an email to tips at jalopnik dot com.)

What Military Land Vehicle Do You Want As A Daily Driver?

Matt Hardigree — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 11:30:00 EST

It's Veterans Day, and we honor those who serve (really, we should probably make it Veterans Year) by honoring the vehicles they drive every day and ask: what military land vehicle do you want as a daily driver.

As excited as Siler is by the possibility of driving around NYC every day in an M1A1 with a bumper sticker reading "Free Driving Lessons" on the back, we're going with something we could actually drive every day. We've chosen the 4x4 Pinzgauer over other possibilities because a deuce-and-a-half is difficult to parallel park without "accidentally" crushing Mini Coopers. We'd go with the 4x6, but have you ever seen a valet manhandle anything with more than four wheels? It's like they've never competed in the Paris-to-Dakar rally before, or something.

The Pinzgauer is all we need in a daily driver: a convertible on the nice days, a wagon when we've got people to haul, a truck when we've got lumber to haul, and an off-roader when we've got to escape the zombie apocalypse. Plus, it's great for meeting girls.

Hey, lady, wanna see my Pinzgauer?

In honor of the veterans, let us know what olive green vehicle you'd like to push around your patch of friendly soil.

(QOTD is your chance to answer the day's most pressing automotive questions and experience the opinions of the insightful insiders, practicing pundits and gleeful gearheads that make up the Jalopnik commentariat. If you've got a suggestion for a good "Question Of The Day" send an email to tips at jalopnik dot com.)

Photo Credit: John F. Williams/U.S. Navy via Getty Images