Do You Have An Offshore Backup Plan?
It's also one of the most liberating backdoors I know. Creating a personal escape route from potential dead ends isn't as difficult as it sounds. For example, next March I'll be visiting Punta del Este, Uruguay. This week I'm in Cape Town, where I have a second home. It's almost exactly on the same latitude as Punta del Este. If I look due west from the other side of the Cape Peninsula (my house is on the eastern side), I'm looking right at it. Perhaps that's why I always feel so at home there in March, as the Southern Hemisphere's summer winds down and the ocean breezes start to shift around to the north, just as they do in the Fairest Cape. I embraced the Uruguay opportunity some years ago for a reason: It's the only country on the planet that guarantees foreigners the right to obtain legal residence and citizenship. Central America and better than the U.S. There are conditions, of course, but they're simple and inexpensive. I wouldn't go as far as saying that life in a single country is as dangerous a dead end as my trip by the Namibian water hole. But then again, you never know what's sneaking up from behind.
So which vehicles are a thrifty, reliable choice? Toyota and other Asian imports are the least expensive cars to maintain, with the Prius living up to its reputation for reliability. Along with many Toyota models, Kia鈥檚 Soul and Honda鈥檚 Fit hold close to Prius鈥檚 low-cost lead. Toyota鈥檚 truck (Tacoma) and SUV (Highlander) are also on the low-cost leaderboard, even though the list is dominated by compact and mid-sized sedans. Toyota completely avoids the the most expensive models list. So what, specifically, makes some brands more expensive than others? Some brands have a higher incidence of routine maintenance. But some cars tend to break down in the same way time and again. We looked at which brands have maintenance requirements that occur unusually often for that particular brand. For each brand and issue, we compared the frequency to the average across all cars. Mercury is the brand that suffered most chronically from a design flaw; in this case, it had fuel pump issues. We can see some issues cross from brand to brand within the same manufacturer.
It was COLD in the shade of the Mtns! We took the southernly approach out and it was in much better condition. Then in to pick up Ignotus. Somewhere we had decided that it was now too late in the day to head out so we went back to the Saline springs. This being Sunday, Christmas Day, when we arrived there was a Potluck going on and a white elephant gift exchange. We picked a different camp hopeing to get more morning sun heat. Once there we fixed Brett's dragging brake shoe and adjusted the wheel bearing. That being done we headed off to the hot pool just as dark was hitting. This evening there was a big fire and music and plenty of socalizing. I did get in the pool as I had really bandaged up my toe and felt confident it would be OK. Brett and I were in the pool for 3 hours!
All but the base Pure Plus can be equipped with a rear-seat entertainment system. Every 2012 Range Rover Evoque comes with a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine that produces 240 horsepower and 250 pound-feet of torque. Also standard are a six-speed automatic transmission and an all-wheel-drive system with Land Rover's Terrain Response off-roading technology. In Edmunds performance testing, an Evoque went from zero to 60 mph in 7.4 seconds -- a bit slower than average for the compact luxury SUV class. However, its EPA fuel economy estimates are better than average at 18 mpg city/28 mpg highway and 22 mpg combined. Every 2012 Range Rover Evoque comes standard with antilock brakes, stability and traction control, trailer sway control, front side airbags and side curtain airbags. Also standard are parking sensors and a rearview camera. In Edmunds brake testing, an Evoque Pure with 20-inch wheels came to a stop from 60 mph in an impressive 118 feet. As with most British cars, the Range Rover Evoque's cabin puts a special emphasis on style. There are several multitone color combinations and trim types available within each "design theme" (Pure, Dynamic, Prestige). Materials quality is beyond reproach.
The 2014 Land Rover LR2 has a little more off-road capability and ruggedness than are commonly found in most other compact crossovers, this being one of its most appealing attributes. It's also quite maneuverable and easy to park, thanks to its compact size. Other reasons for picking the LR2 is its distinctive, boxy exterior, passenger- or cargo-friendly interior and extensive set of luxury features. Terrain Response and the host of electronic safety, traction and off-road aids make it a good, safe choice for whatever roads, trails or weather you might need to take on. What's new for 2014? After a significant redesign in 2013, the LR2 is unchanged for this year. All LR2s are powered by a 240-hp turbocharged 4-cylinder engine and mated to a 6-speed automatic transmission with full-time 4-wheel drive. While the suspension is tuned for comfort and to allow some off-road ability, it handles and maneuvers reasonably well in tight city spaces as well.
