Year: 2024

The Fourth Yearly Sport, Off-Road, Touring by the Numbers

Wrapping up another year of my selecting the perfect 3-car garage from Bring A Trailer each week. One is a dedicated sportscar, one off-road vehicle and a car that is suitable for road-tripping, but not too sporty or off-roady.

This year I picked only 153 cars instead of 156 which is fifty-two weeks multiplied by three. Just like last year and the year before I missed picking cars one week. And just like those 2 years it was because we were in the beginning week of a road trip vacation. The following data only includes the figures for 152 vehicles because in week 15 (11/20/2023) a 1964 Chevrolet K1405 Panel Truck 4×4 4-Speed was withdrawn from the auction because while the truck was being final detailed, the seller noticed that a big crack had appeared in the paint on the roof. They were going to have to strip the roof and have it re-painted before getting relisted. I don’t know what happened, but it was never relisted.

If I actually won all auctions of the cars I chose during the past year I would have spent a total of $11,166,283, making it an average of $73,462 per vehicle. This is up almost $3 million total and eighteen thousand dollars respectively from the last year. This year’s total is actually the highest I have “spent” on cars in all four years, beating out that first year by $38,962 or half of one of this year’s average car price.

The most expensive car I picked, as usual came from the Sport category, was a 2005 Porsche Carrera GT with a mere 601 miles on the clock for $1,781,420. The most expensive auto in the Off-Road category was a 2024 Porsche 911 Dakar for $350,000, but the reserve was not met. The highest priced auto in the Touring category was a 2001 Ferrari 550 Maranello at $260,550. There were 21 vehicles that went for over six figures. The above Carrera GT was the only one in seven figures this year or any other year for that matter.

The least expensive cars I picked were all from the same week last Augusta because that was kind of the theme I picked. The least expensive Sport vehicle was a 1997 Subaru Vivio Kei car that sold for $4,600. The Touring category’s cheapest was a 1994 Autozam Scrum, a Kei van, that went for a measly $4,200. The least expensive Off-Road vehicle was actually a motorcycle, a 1980 Suzuki TS250 ER that went for a class leading $2,500.

The oldest car I chose was a 1940 Ford Pickup that was from the Touring category and from a time before they even thought of adding an F with a number. There was one more from the 40’s a 1949 Willys-Overland Jeep from the Off-Road category. There were 10 vehicles from the 50’s and twenty-one from the 60’s. There were twenty-three vehicles selected from the 70’s, 10 came from the 80’s, 24 were from the 90’s and the 2000’s was once again the most popular decade with a total of 30. There were 25 picked from 2010-2019 and the 2020’s accounted for the last eight. Taking all the vehicles into account, the average model year car was 1990.

The cars came from 52 separate manufacturers, or 53 if you consider Mercedes-Benz and Mercedes-AMG as separate. The most popular make was again Porsche with 18. The runner-up was once again BMW with thirteen, but they had company, as Toyota also tallied 13. Volkswagen was third with ten. There were 28 different manufacturers with only one car chosen.

The most chosen model name this year was Land Cruiser with just a half dozen. Beetle was the runner-up with 5 and 3rd place was the Miata with four picks. There were 86 models chosen only once.

To wrap this up, the most popular car of this year, if it existed, would be a 2005 Porsche Land Cruiser that cost $37,000.

If you enjoy this sort of recap and I can’t understand why you wouldn’t, here are the wrap ups from last year, 2 years ago and three years ago.

Sport, Off-Road, Touring

The Universal Car Edition of SORT
As of Monday, August 12, 2024 at 6:00 PM pacific time:

Sport Off-Road Touring
2006 Ford GT 2024 Ford F-150 Raptor R 1963 Ford Falcon Futura
In 1914, Henry Ford introduced the slogan “Ford, the Universal Car,” a visionary statement that encapsulated his ambition to make cars accessible to the masses. This phrase echoed the spirit of innovation. Thus, foreseeing a future where automobiles would become a ubiquitous part of everyday life.

Here is what last week’s cars sold for, or bid to (if the reserve was not met):
Sport: 1971 Volkswagen Karmann Ghia Convertible Sold for $40,000 on 8/9/24
Off-Road: 1971 Volkswagen Baja-Style Beetle Sold for $9,300 on 8/7/24
Touring: 1957 Volkswagen Custom Beetle Bid to $18,100 on 8/9/24

I Didn’t Write This

I asked GPT4 to “write a 300 word blog post on Oregon in the style of mr-miata.net” and this is what it spit out. Definitely about Oregon and I do talk about cars and road trips here, but in my style, not so much.

If you’re a driving enthusiast with a penchant for exploration, Oregon should be high on your list. This state isn’t just about great roads; it’s about the kind of driving experience that turns a simple journey into a memorable adventure. Let’s dive into what makes Oregon a top destination for the spirited driver.

Start with the iconic Highway 101, which hugs the Pacific coastline like a ribbon of asphalt. This route offers stunning ocean views, dramatic cliffs, and plenty of pull-offs to savor the scenery. The road itself is a joy to drive, with its gentle curves and occasional tight turns providing just the right amount of challenge. You’ll find yourself gliding through charming seaside towns where a quick stop for fresh seafood is a must.

For those who crave a bit more excitement, the Columbia River Gorge is your playground. Here, the landscape shifts from lush forests to striking basalt cliffs, and the road twists and turns along the river’s edge. The constant changes in scenery keep the drive engaging, and the views from various overlooks are nothing short of spectacular. Don’t miss the historic Multnomah Falls – it’s a great spot for a photo op and a brief respite from driving.

If you’re looking for a more secluded experience, head to the McKenzie Pass. This route cuts through the Cascade Mountains, offering a unique mix of volcanic terrain and alpine beauty. The drive is a bit more challenging with its series of tight corners and elevation changes, but the payoff is well worth it. The views of the lava fields and the surrounding peaks are breathtaking.

Oregon’s roads are a treasure trove for drivers, blending stunning natural beauty with roads that are just waiting to be explored. Whether you’re a weekend warrior or a road trip aficionado, Oregon has a route that will leave you grinning from ear to ear.

Sport, Off-Road, Touring

The Peoples Car Edition of SORT
As of Monday, August 5, 2024 at 9:00 PM pacific time:

Sport Off-Road Touring
1971 Volkswagen
Karmann Ghia Convertible		 1971 Volkswagen
Baja-Style Beetle		 1957 Volkswagen
Custom Beetle
After teasing about re-bodied Volkswagens in the sports category the last 2 weeks, I bring you real Volkswagens with real Volkswagen bodies.

Here is what last week’s cars sold for, or bid to (if the reserve was not met):
Sport: 1963 Porsche 356B Sold for $150,000 on 8/1/24
Off-Road: 1993 Lada Niva Sold for $8,900 on 7/31/24
Touring: 2005 Jaguar Super V8 Sold for $15,250 on 8/2/24

That Took A Bad Turn

Yesterday I was thinking about watching a movie. I have several favorites that I have watched recently so I needed to go back to pick one I have that I hadn’t watched in awhile. Because someone in a podcast recently had mentioned 90’s BMWs I thought – Ronin.

But before I opened Plex to watch it I thought I’d check our streaming services to see if there was anything new that might tempt me. Second one in on the “Movies we think you’ll like” line on Prime was a movie called The Comedian from 2016 starring Robert DeNiro. Hmmm, I was going to watch a Robert De Niro movie, this has him in it … I watched the trailer and was intrigued enough to give it a go.

De Niro plays an aging insult comic, but is best known for an old TV comedy he did and everyone remembers fondly except for him. The supporting cast are great and while there some slow spots, the movie was quite enjoyable. Until the ending. Do yourself a favor, at the one hour 51 minute mark when his stand up bit fades to black or if you see a chyron that reads “8 years later” stop watching. I’ve warned you.

25 Years Ago – Issue IV 1999

There was an article in this issue with the title of “A Boy and His Dog” and after my reminder of the 1975 movie of that name a couple weeks ago, I briefly considered using it here, but it was too long and oddly formatted as to make it more of a hassle OCRing of it. Plus I found this one a little more interesting.

A Vroom Of One’s Own

The Name Game
by Barbara Feinman

“What’s in a name? that which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet.”

When Shakespeare penned those words to come out of Juliet’s mouth, he was making the point that the feud between her own family and that of her star-crossed lover was based on something as meaningless and arbitrary as a name. Well, maybe a rose would indeed smell as sweet if you called it anything else, but when it comes to naming automobiles the pros aren’t so sure: By any other name, that which we call a Miata just might not seem so appealing. Joe Grady is a linguistics professor who also acts as a consultant for a California-based company that names products, including new cars. Joe has been part of various creative teams that have named everything from pharmaceuticals to clothes, household goods, and computer stuff, including the team that came up with the car-name Alero.

The way his particular company works is that about a dozen people are put on a creative team to name a particular product. They do this through a series of meetings with each other, with the client and by sending e-mails and faxes back and forth. After the team comes up with a selection of likely possibilities, the client then tests them out on potential buyers.

I asked Joe about the creative process of coming up with new names. Was there was a formula and a set of guidelines, or was it just a bunch of people clamoring in a room? “First of all,” he explained, “a great new name that will be memorable to people isn’t going to be generated by rules.” But then he paused to think. “On the other hand, it’s not a totally random process. The process has to combine open-endedness with considerations about the personality of the car, the market that’s targeted, the company’s brand identity, and the style of the carmaker.”

I’ve always liked the way that Miata rolls off the tongue—so much so that a friend once pointed out that whenever referring to my own roadster I never called it “my car,” but always “my Miata.” So the next logical question for Joe (or maybe it was a test) was whether he thought Miata was an effective moniker. “I think it’s a good name for a few different reasons,” he confirmed. “First, it sounds Italian. Everybody associates a sports-car tradition with Italy, so that’s valuable to link up with.”

But while it may sound Italian, I pointed out, miata is actually Old High German for
reward. Joe nodded at this and replied, “Well, it’s also a very pronounceable word, so a lot of people who speak different languages would be comfortable with it. For instance miata also fits well with the Japanese language, since both Japanese and Italian like syllables to end in vowels. All three syllables of miata do, so it sounds natural in both places.”

Then Joe began speaking more rapidly—more professorially—as his ideas jelled. “Miata also conveys the idea of quickness and smallness. It fits the car because it’s a short name, all the syllables short and quick…. And the M sound suggests smoothness, softness, and energy. I’m basing this on actual research on sound symbolism, by the way; M strikes people in all those ways.

“With a car like the Miata you’d be thinking what are the key messages you want to communicate: It might be speed, freedom, fun. You’re going to use these ideas as a launching pad to come up with a name. Whether it’s a Miata or a family SUV, every carmaker has an idea of the personality of the car and who it’s intended for. You’re going to use those as your inspiration and filter.”

The backside to this issue are the many literal meanings that may already be associated with a supposedly meaningless name. In the case of Miata—as with nearly all wholly made-up product names—the word came first, a meaningless series of sounds chosen simply for its pleasant ring and sporty connotations. Only after some research did Mazda learn miata was also a word in an old, obscure German dialect—conveniently a positive one.

In other cases, that research doesn’t prove as fortunate. Pontiac’s Firebird was originally to be called Banshee, but some last-minute research showed the literal definition of banshee to be “a mythical female spirit whose wailing foretells an impending death in the family.” They figured maybe Firebird was safer…

Copyright 1999, Miata Magazine. Reprinted without permission.

 

Sport, Off-Road, Touring

Summer is Fading Edition of SORT
As of Monday, July 29, 2024 at 5:00 PM pacific time:

Sport Off-Road Touring
1963 Porsche 356B 1993 Lada Niva 2005 Jaguar Super V8
Like last week’s Sport pick, it is basically a VW Beetle with a swoopy body. 😉 Don’t see a lot of Ladas for sale here and there is probably a good reason. I can’t really explain this pick, maybe it was just the photograph of the car.

Here is what last week’s cars sold for, or bid to (if the reserve was not met):
Sport: 1979 Bianco S Series 2 Sold for $30,001 on 7/25/24
Off-Road: 2007 Hummer H2 Sold for $29,250 on 7/25/24
Touring: 2011 Porsche Panamera Sold for $27,000 on 7/25/24