interview
Interviews with car salesmen, mechanics, truck drivers, and those who make the wheels of the auto industry go 'round.
What Happens to Old Formula 1 Cars? Fate, Museums, and More
After a race is over, most race cars head into the pits for repairs so they’re ready for the next one. But what happens to the cars that are done for good? Like, say a new season has started and certain teams won’t be using their old cars anymore—where do those end up? Are they sold off? Do they land in a museum? Honestly, it just depends on what the team decides.
By Pinesthi Mukti Rizky Wibowo8 months ago in Wheel
Why Cadillac Struggles to Match Mercedes and BMW in U.S. Prestige
This question came up when I saw Cadillac trying to make a comeback with the Celestiq and some other pricey EVs. I mean, for decades now, it has felt like most people don’t really get Cadillac anymore—even in the U.S. A lot of folks prefer European cars over Cadillacs, and that’s one of the reasons the brand’s been slowly fading. In 2024, Cadillac probably sell around 100K cars, while Mercedes can hit 300K a year in the U.S. That’s kind of weird, especially since Cadillac is supposed to be a classic American brand. So what happened?
By Pinesthi Mukti Rizky Wibowo8 months ago in Wheel
MKIV Fans Betrayed: Why the New Supra Disappointed
This thought hit me when I saw some people talking about the Supra Mk5. It seems like Toyota never really planned to keep the Supra going in the first place. Back then, it was just a regular sports car—kind of like a Corvette or any other performance car on the market. When the Mk4 was discontinued, Toyota probably didn’t see a good reason to keep making it.
By Pinesthi Mukti Rizky Wibowo9 months ago in Wheel
The Shift from V6 to Turbocharged Four-Cylinder Engines: What’s Behind It?
I think car enthusiasts have felt this shift for a while now—over the past few years, it seems like we’re getting fewer and fewer big-engine options. A lot of muscle cars and high-performance models that used to come with V8s are now being downgraded to V6s. In some cases, there’s even an option for a turbocharged inline-4. Sure, those smaller engines might deliver decent power, but they don’t have the same feel or character as a big V8. So what’s behind all these changes?
By Pinesthi Mukti Rizky Wibowo9 months ago in Wheel
What Happened to GM? The Surprising Reasons for the Auto Giant’s Demise
I got the idea to write this because I noticed that General Motors just isn’t as big as it used to be. A few decades ago, they practically dominated the market—especially in the 1950s and ’60s—when most cars in the world came from the U.S. Sure, there were other companies around, especially from Japan, but they weren’t major players yet. Then by the 2000s, GM seemed to be on the decline. So what happened?
By Pinesthi Mukti Rizky Wibowo9 months ago in Wheel
The Decline of the 3-Seater Front Bench: Why Aren’t Cars Made This Way Anymore?
For those of you from the older generation who remember this—up until the 1980s, you could still get a front bench seat that fit three people comfortably, especially in full-size American cars. I guess that was the peak of American comfort and engineering. You could just sprawl out on those things and ride in style. But a few decades ago, they pretty much vanished. So… why did they go away? Let’s talk about it.
By Pinesthi Mukti Rizky Wibowo9 months ago in Wheel
Hertz Tesla Sell-Off: Can the Market Absorb 20,000 EVs?
Some time ago, we were all a bit surprised when Hertz decided to sell off at least 20,000 used Teslas. There’s no clear reason why they did it, but I think it might be because Hertz realized buying EVs wasn’t the best move for their business — or maybe they just found the cars weren’t as suitable for rental use as they thought. Rental fleets have to meet strict standards, so in that sense, their decision makes some sense. Hertz is definitely going to sell off some cars from time to time — that’s just part of staying in business and keeping the wheels turning.
By Pinesthi Mukti Rizky Wibowo9 months ago in Wheel
Did the U.S. ever have a match for the Sierra Cosworth or Lotus Carlton in the '80s and '90s?
The idea of fast cars in America has pretty much always been the same: take the cheapest cars and stuff the biggest engines into them—that's the whole muscle car thing. Europe, on the other hand, leans more toward smaller cars with small engines and sharp handling. I guess that’s because the roads over there are a lot different than in the U.S.
By Pinesthi Mukti Rizky Wibowo9 months ago in Wheel
Slate Auto's Electric Pickup: A Bold Design That Highlights Battle Scars
I just read about this company called Slate that’s making small, no-frills pickups you can get for cheap. Actually, the idea is kind of interesting. The Slate Truck is an electric vehicle that costs under $20,000 (after federal incentives) and is supposed to go into production next year. It only seats two, but it has a bed big enough to hold a sheet of plywood. It gets about 150 miles on a charge, only comes in gray, and the only way to listen to music while driving is if you bring your phone and a Bluetooth speaker. It’s basically the bare minimum of what a modern car can be—and yet, it’s taken three years of development to get here.
By Pinesthi Mukti Rizky Wibowo9 months ago in Wheel
Were older cars really more reliable than new cars?
That's a question that comes up a lot, especially because so many people say it—but honestly, it's just an illusion. Modern vehicles don’t need maintenance as often as classic ones. It's just that classic cars are easier to tinker with because they were designed that way.
By Pinesthi Mukti Rizky Wibowo9 months ago in Wheel
Why Starting on a Smaller Motorcycle is Best for New Riders
Actually, this is another really common question for beginner riders. Sometimes we wonder if motorcycle licenses should be divided into different tiers based on engine size. As far as I know, in a lot of countries, beginner licenses are limited to 125cc bikes, and you move up based on your skills. The better you get, the higher the level you can ride.
By Pinesthi Mukti Rizky Wibowo9 months ago in Wheel
