Big Brother Wants to Know Where You’re Going, All the Time

A device similar to the one police can put on your car, whenever they want, without a warrant

The Washington Post recently had an article about police using GPS tracking devices on citizens cars without warrants. Apparently, it’s a lot more common than you may think.

Police are saying that it’s the same thing as a policeman tailing and following a suspects car. Other people are saying that’s a load of ridiculous horseshit.
I’m absolutely flabbergasted that this is really happening in the United States. The blame lies squarely with the public. People either don’t have the testicular fortitude to stand up and say this is wrong, or they’re not intelligent enough to realize what a dangerous precedent this sets. It just isn’t the way a free society is supposed to operate.

If you do nothing, then nothing will get done. This sort of thing will continue and it will get worse. Your freedoms will further erode. You have to make a choice now, before it goes too far. You have to decide, where do I draw the line? You have to make up your mind now and figure out what’s “too far” for you. Maybe it’s a national ID card, or national curfews, or maybe its concentration camps; it’s different for each person. But you have to think hard about what kind of society you want to live in, because things are obviously changing.

Go here to find your state legislators, Governors, representatives, and senators and write them. Let them know how you feel about this issue.

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Tires on New Cars: Replace After 20,000 Miles?

Expensive car, inferior tires?

I think car manufacturers and tire makers have a deal with each other. Here’s why:

I bought a 2007 Suzuki SX4 two years ago to serve as a commuter car. Today it has 22,000 miles on it, and last week I had to replace all four tires, because the front ones were nearly bald.

I figured I just had a case of bad luck and partly blamed myself, since I failed to rotate the tires on a regular basis. But the guy at the tire shop said he’s noticing a common trend: People are coming in for new tires with about 20,000 miles on the odometer. 

I got home and started searching online, and sure enough I found forums where people complain that their new cars need new tires after only 14,000 to 20,000 miles. A guy here made it 18,000 miles with a 2007 Lexus ES 350. Same thing here on a Mercedes GL450.

What’s the deal? Are car companies cutting costs by putting inferior OEM tires on their vehicles?

While I don’t doubt that could be a possibility, I think the bigger picture is a lack of proper tire maintenance. The guy who sold me the new tires for my Suzuki recommended having them rotated every 5,000 to 6,000 miles; maybe if I had done that in the first place the originals would’ve gone another 10K or so. 

Also, please keep an eye on your tire pressure. As temperatures rise, tires that were properly inflated in cold weather could suddenly be overinflated. Measure your tire pressure “cold.” If possible, park the car in your garage overnight, and check the pressure in the morning.

Even with proper maintenance, tire life is another thing to consider when buying a new car. Check to see if the tires come with a warranty, and if not, use it as a negotiation tool to inch your price down.

When selling a car, consider doing what the guy who traded in the car my wife bought did: He felt bad getting rid of a car with used tires, so he put on brand-new 18″ Yokohamas before getting rid of it. Sweet!

Has anyone else noticed a short life for tires on new cars? How many miles do you typically get out of a set of tires?

-tgriffith

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