Find or Sell Used Cars, Trucks, and SUVs in USA

8-pass Leather Clean Carfax Autocheck Wood Bose Keylessgo Rear Camera 1 Owner ! on 2040-cars

US $21,980.00
Year:2010 Mileage:72000 Color: Color
Location:

Houston, Texas, United States

Houston, Texas, United States
Advertising:

2010 Nissan Armada Titanium 4-Door SUV
Exterior Color:     Sonoma Sunset Metallic Interior Color:     Black Stock Number:605132
Mileage:72,000 Engine:V8 5.6L Fuel:Flex-fuel
Transmission:Automatic Warranty:As Is - No Warranty Title:Clear
VIN:5N1BA0ND3AN605132 CARFAX:CARFAX Buyback Guarantee
2010 Nissan Armada Titanium - Photo 1 - Houston, TX 77031
2010 NISSAN ARMADA TITANIUM ! 
FREE CARFAX Report

Get the FREE CARFAX
Vehicle History Report with
the Buyback Guarantee!
Protect yourself from:
»  Major Accidents
»  Lemon History
»  Odometer Problems


Free CARFAX Report

Vehicle Description
Ultimate Motorsport Presents
 
2010 Nissan Armada Titanium
 
LEATHER ! WOOD ! PDC ! ALLOYS ! TOW PACKAGE !
REAR CAMERA ! KEYLESS GO !
3RD ROW 8 PASSENGER SEATING !
BOSE SOUND SYSTEM !
 
CARFAX & AUTOCHECK CERTIFIED NO ACCIDENTS CLICK CARFAX OR AUTOCHECK LOGO FOR FREE
REPORTS
 
1 OWNER CLEAN LOADED NISSAN ARMADA !
 
 
ADD A 3 MONTH 3,000 MILE WARRANTY
FOR ONLY $ 295
ASK US FOR DETAILS ON A 4 YEAR UNLIMITED MILES NATION WIDE WARRANTY !!
 
PEACE OF MIND ! BUY WITH CONFIDENCE !!
 
 
70+ PICTURES BELOW AFTER DESCRIPTION
 
THIS CAR IS LOADED WITH THESE OPTIONS:
ADJUSTABLE HEIGHT PEDALS
LIFTGATE
TELESCOPING STEERING WHEEL WITH CONTROLS
CRUISE CONTROL
DUAL ZONE AC AND HEAT
ALARM SYSTEM WITH KEYLESS ENTRY
KEYLESS START GO
FULL LEATHER AND WOOD TRIM INTERIOR
HOMELINK
BLUETOOTH EQUIPPED
ROOF RACK
RUNNING BOARDS
REAR SPOILER
POWER LEATHER SEATS WITH LUMBAR
REAR CAMERA
BOSE SOUND SYSTEM WITH CD CHANGER AM FM
POWER WINDOWS AND MIRRORS
HALOGEN HEADLIGHTS
FOG LIGHTS
PARK DISTANCE CONTROL
TRACTION CONTROL
PREMIUM ALLOY WHEELS
TINTED WINDOWS
TOW PACKAGE
3RD ROW 7 PASSENGER
BOOK WITH KEY
 
 
 
MUCH MUCH MORE SEE IT TO BELIEVE IT !!!
 
Beautiful SONOMA SUNSET METALLIC on
BLACK LEATHER WITH FULL WOOD TRIM Interior!!
 
Low Buy It NOW or Make us an Offer NOW!!

100% Positive Feedback
OWN THIS BEAUTY at a Fraction of the
Original $ 45,000 Price!!!
COMPARE AT
KELLY BLUE BOOK $ 24,741
OUR BUY IT NOW $ 21,980
WOW ! WHAT A DEAL  !!!
 
WONT LAST LONG AT THIS PRICE !!! CALL US TODAY AT
281-506-8808

If You are Looking for a NISSAN ARMADA TITANIUM  with all the options with LOW MILES, You Don't Have to Look any Further!!!
DON'T SLEEP ON THIS ONE!

NOTE: JUST LIKE ANY USED VEHICLE FEW VERY MINOR NICK NACKS DUE TO NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR AND ROAD DEBRIS.
REMEMBER: YOU ARE BUYING A TOP LOADED USED VEHICLE IN CLEAN CONDITION NOT A BRAND NEW ONE!

Bid with Excitement & Confidence!!!
Only at ULTIMATE MOTORSPORT !!
Good Luck & Happy Bidding!!!
FOR ANY QUESTIONS FEEL FREE TO CALL US AT
281-657-7293

So, If you are in the market for a LATE MODEL, VERY AFFORDABLE NISSAN ARMADA TITANIUM  , then you owe it to yourself to take a closer look

LOW BUY-IT-NOW or MAKE AN OFFER!!!
 
WE FINANCE ! APPLY ONLINE FOR AUTO LOANS AS LOW AS 2.99%

FOR ANY QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS FEEL FREE TO CONTACT @ (281) 506-8808
or email sales
 
DOOR TO DOOR SHIPPING AVAILABLE ASK FOR A QUOTE !
We Export For Canadian Customers
Email:
sales@ultimatems.com
Call
281-506-8808
Visit
10311 Altonbury Lane
Houston TX 77031
 
 
 
Additional Photos
2010 Nissan Armada Titanium - Photo 2 - Houston, TX 77031

ROOF RACK

2010 Nissan Armada Titanium - Photo 3 - Houston, TX 77031

RUNNING BOARDS

2010 Nissan Armada Titanium - Photo 4 - Houston, TX 77031
2010 Nissan Armada Titanium - Photo 5 - Houston, TX 77031

LIFTGATE

2010 Nissan Armada Titanium - Photo 6 - Houston, TX 77031

FLEX FUEL CAPABLE & REGULAR GASOLINE !

2010 Nissan Armada Titanium - Photo 7 - Houston, TX 77031
2010 Nissan Armada Titanium - Photo 8 - Houston, TX 77031

TINTED WINDOWS

2010 Nissan Armada Titanium - Photo 9 - Houston, TX 77031
2010 Nissan Armada Titanium - Photo 10 - Houston, TX 77031
2010 Nissan Armada Titanium - Photo 11 - Houston, TX 77031

HALOGEN HEADLIGHTS

2010 Nissan Armada Titanium - Photo 12 - Houston, TX 77031
2010 Nissan Armada Titanium - Photo 13 - Houston, TX 77031

WOOD TRIM INTERIOR

2010 Nissan Armada Titanium - Photo 14 - Houston, TX 77031
2010 Nissan Armada Titanium - Photo 15 - Houston, TX 77031

STEERING WHEEL WITH CONTROLS

2010 Nissan Armada Titanium - Photo 16 - Houston, TX 77031

ADJUSTABLE HEIGHT PEDALS

2010 Nissan Armada Titanium - Photo 17 - Houston, TX 77031
2010 Nissan Armada Titanium - Photo 18 - Houston, TX 77031
2010 Nissan Armada Titanium - Photo 19 - Houston, TX 77031
2010 Nissan Armada Titanium - Photo 20 - Houston, TX 77031
2010 Nissan Armada Titanium - Photo 21 - Houston, TX 77031

KEYLESS START GO

2010 Nissan Armada Titanium - Photo 22 - Houston, TX 77031

BOSE SOUND SYSTEM

2010 Nissan Armada Titanium - Photo 23 - Houston, TX 77031
2010 Nissan Armada Titanium - Photo 24 - Houston, TX 77031
2010 Nissan Armada Titanium - Photo 25 - Houston, TX 77031

REAR CAMERA

2010 Nissan Armada Titanium - Photo 26 - Houston, TX 77031
2010 Nissan Armada Titanium - Photo 27 - Houston, TX 77031
2010 Nissan Armada Titanium - Photo 28 - Houston, TX 77031

PREMIUM SOFT LEATHER

2010 Nissan Armada Titanium - Photo 29 - Houston, TX 77031
2010 Nissan Armada Titanium - Photo 30 - Houston, TX 77031

POWER SEATS

2010 Nissan Armada Titanium - Photo 31 - Houston, TX 77031

POWER WINDOWS AND DOOR LOCKS

2010 Nissan Armada Titanium - Photo 32 - Houston, TX 77031
2010 Nissan Armada Titanium - Photo 33 - Houston, TX 77031
2010 Nissan Armada Titanium - Photo 34 - Houston, TX 77031
2010 Nissan Armada Titanium - Photo 35 - Houston, TX 77031
2010 Nissan Armada Titanium - Photo 36 - Houston, TX 77031
2010 Nissan Armada Titanium - Photo 37 - Houston, TX 77031
2010 Nissan Armada Titanium - Photo 38 - Houston, TX 77031
2010 Nissan Armada Titanium - Photo 39 - Houston, TX 77031

2ND ROW SPLIT BENCH LEATHER SEAT

2010 Nissan Armada Titanium - Photo 40 - Houston, TX 77031
2010 Nissan Armada Titanium - Photo 41 - Houston, TX 77031
2010 Nissan Armada Titanium - Photo 42 - Houston, TX 77031
2010 Nissan Armada Titanium - Photo 43 - Houston, TX 77031
2010 Nissan Armada Titanium - Photo 44 - Houston, TX 77031

3RD ROW 7 PASSENGER SEATING

2010 Nissan Armada Titanium - Photo 45 - Houston, TX 77031
2010 Nissan Armada Titanium - Photo 46 - Houston, TX 77031
2010 Nissan Armada Titanium - Photo 47 - Houston, TX 77031

5.6 LITER V8 ENGINE

2010 Nissan Armada Titanium - Photo 48 - Houston, TX 77031
2010 Nissan Armada Titanium - Photo 49 - Houston, TX 77031

20' PREMIUM ALLOY WHEELS

2010 Nissan Armada Titanium - Photo 50 - Houston, TX 77031
2010 Nissan Armada Titanium - Photo 51 - Houston, TX 77031

BOOK WITH KEY

2010 Nissan Armada Titanium - Photo 52 - Houston, TX 77031
Contact Information
Name: Sales Department Main Phone: (281) 506-8808 Alt. Phone: (281) 657-7293
Vehicle Features & Options
Standard Features
Appearance /
  Exterior:
  • Body-Color Bumper Color
  • Body-Color Door Handle Color
  • Chrome Door Handle Color
  • Chrome Mirror Color
  • Running Boards
  • Black Window Trim
Appearance /
  Interior:
  • 20 Steering Ratio
  • 3.6 Turns Lock-To-Lock
Comfort:
  • Height Adjustable Adjustable Rear Headrests
  • Height Adjustable Adjustable Third Row Headrests
  • Dual Front Air Conditioning Zones
  • Height Adjustable Front Headrests
  • 2 Number of Front Headrests
  • 3 Number of Rear Headrests
  • 2 Number of Third Row Headrests
  • Front, Rear and Third Row Reading Lights
  • Single Rear Air Conditioning Zones
  • With Independent Controls Rear Air Conditioning
  • Leather Shift Knob Trim
  • Leather Steering Wheel Trim
Convenience:
  • Power Adjustable Pedals
  • 4 Bottle Holders
  • Front and Rear Bottle Holders
  • Front Console With Storage
  • Locking
  • Cruise Control
  • 10 Cupholders
  • Front, Rear and Third Row Cupholders
  • Lockable Glove Compartment
  • Keyless Entry With Remote Front Windows Down Multi-Function Remote
  • Overhead Console With Storage
  • With Sunglass Holder Overhead Console
  • 12V Cargo Area Power Outlet(s)
  • 12V Front Power Outlet(s)
  • 12V Rear Power Outlet(s)
  • Speed-Proportional Power Steering
  • Steering Wheel Mounted Audio and Cruise Controls Controls
  • Tilt-Adjustable Steering Wheel
  • Cargo Area Under Floor
  • Cargo Tie-Down Anchors and Hooks
  • Door Pockets - Front and Rear
  • Front Seatback
Drivetrain /
  Suspension:
  • 4-Wheel ABS
  • Braking Assist
  • Electronic Brakeforce Distribution
  • Diameter 23 Mm Front Stabilizer Bar
  • Independent Front Suspension
  • Double Wishbones Front Suspension
  • 13.8 Front Brake Diameter
  • 1.2 Front Brake Width
  • Ventilated Disc Front Brakes
  • Diameter 22.2 Mm Rear Stabilizer Bar
  • Independent Rear Suspension
  • Double Wishbone Rear Suspension
  • 12.6 Rear Brake Diameter
  • 0.6 Rear Brake Width
  • Disc Rear Brakes
  • Twin Tube Shock
  • Stability Control
  • Tow/Haul Mode
  • Traction Control
Entertainment /
  Telematics:
  • Diversity Antenna
  • Element Antenna
  • Jack Auxiliary Audio Input
  • Driver Information System
  • Rear Headphone Jacks
  • CD MP3 Playback MP3 Player
  • Oil Pressure Gauge
  • AM/FM Radio
  • Rear Volume Control Rear Audio
  • Speed Sensitive Volume Control
  • Tachometer
  • Wireless Connectivity
Exterior:
  • Auto On/Off Headlights
  • Liftgate Rear Door
Rims / Tires:
  • Underbody Mount Location
  • Fullsize Matching Tires
  • Steel Spare Wheel Rim
  • Tire Pressure Monitoring System
  • All Season Tires
  • 6 Wheel Spokes
Roof / Glass:
  • Speed Sensitive Front Wipers
  • Variable Intermittent Front Wipers
  • Lockout Button
  • 2 One-Touch Windows
  • With Safety Reverse Power Windows
  • Rear Privacy Glass
  • Swing Out Rear Quarter Windows
  • Intermittent Rear Wiper
  • With Washer Rear Wiper
  • Front Solar-Tinted Glass
Safety:
  • Dual Front Active Head Restraints
  • With Engine Immobilizer Anti-Theft Alarm System
  • Side Impact Door Beams Body Side Reinforcements
  • Child Safety Locks
  • Latch System Child Seat Anchors
  • Front and Rear Crumple Zones
  • Energy Absorbing Steering Column
  • Heated Exterior Mirrors
  • Power Exterior Mirrors
  • Dual Front Airbags
  • Hood Buckling Creases
  • Occupant Sensing Passenger Airbag Deactivation
  • Anti-Lockout Feature Power Door Locks
  • Speed Sensitive Central Locking Power Door Locks
  • Front Side Airbags
  • Front, Rear and Third Row Side Curtain Airbags
  • Side-Curtain Airbag Rollover Sensor
  • Theft-Deterrent System
  • Dual Illuminating With Sliding Extensions Vanity Mirrors
Seating:
  • Driver Emergency Locking Retractors
  • Flat Folding Folding
  • Fold Flat Into Floor Folding
  • Bucket Front Seats
  • 8 Power Adjustments
  • 3-Point Rear Center Seatbelt
  • Reclining
  • Front Seatbelt Force Limiters
  • Front Seatbelt Pretensioners
  • 3-Point Third Row Seatbelts
  • 40-20-40 Split Bench Seating
  • 40-60 Split Bench Seating
View our eBay Feedback:

eBay Motors
ultimate_motorsport_inc
Financing Information
We Finance ! Rates a slow as 2.99% with Approved credit
Fill out our credit app today by clicking the link above !
Shipping Information
WE SHIP AND EXPORT WORLDWIDE
GREAT LOW NATIONWIDE US SHIPPING RATES !!
Canadian Customers Welcome
Email us your zip code for Special Shipping Rates !
email sales@ultimatems.com
If Outside US or Canada email us your Port City and Country
for a quote !
Dealership Information
Ultimate Motorsports
Main Phone:(281) 506-8808
Alt. Phone:(281) 657-7293
Email:sales@ultimatems.com
Business Hours:
Weekdays:9:00 AM to 7:00 PM
Saturday:10 TO 5PM
Sunday:CLOSED
Location:
10311 Altonbury Lane
Houston, TX 77031
Map of Ultimate Motorsports at 10311 Altonbury Lane, Houston, TX 77031
Terms of Sale
Standard Terms & conditions
 

PLEASE READ CAREFULLY! BY SUBMITTING A BID, MAKING AN OFFER OR CLICKING THE BUY IT NOW YOU ARE AGREEING TO THE FOLLOWING TERMS AND CONDITIONS.

Fee and Tax Information: All Texas residents will pay 6.25% state sales tax and $ 133 Title Fee. This only applies to Texas Residents ONLY! Out of State customer only pay :

All sales are subject to Texas V.I.T. tax based at a rate of .002834% of purchase price and $395.00 Processing fee.

PAYPAL IS FOR DEPOSITS ONLY. WE DO NOT ACCEPT FULL PAYMENTS THOUGH THE PAYPAL.

FINANCING IS AVAILABLE WITH APPROVED CREDIT (WAC) ONLY ! ALL BUY IT NOW PRICES LISTED ARE FOR CASH BUYERS OR IF CUSTOMERS ARRANGE THEIR OWN FINANCING !!!

IF YOU CHOOSE TO CLICK THE BUY IT NOW OPTION YOU ARE REQUIRED TO PICK UP THE VEHICLE LOCALLY AND ADDRESS ANY ISSUES BEFORE THE VEHICLE LEAVES THE LOT.

Please contact SALES@ultimatems.com or 281-657-7293
Winning bidder must contact us within 24 hours of auction end, and make arrangements for payment at that time. A $500.00 NON REFUNDABLE deposit is due within 24 hours of end of auction. The remainder is due within 7 days of Auction end. If no contact is made within 24 hours we reserve the right to re-list the vehicle, sell it to the next high bidder, or sell it otherwise.  Most banks and credit unions do not finance vehicles older than 2002 or with more than 100K miles. Make sure if financing, your financial institution accepts the year and miles of this vehicle before bidding. Please arrange financing prior to bidding.
Buyer is responsible for pickup or shipping of this vehicle. If you wish to have it shipped using a service, we will gladly cooperate, you can locate shippers by doing a search for `auto shippers`.
If you are not sure about something, Please ASK. Do not assume anything not listed is included. We reserve the right to cancel bids for excessive negative feedback. We reserve the right to end the listing if the vehicle is no longer available for sale.
Please do not bid on this auction unless you are serious about owning this vehicle.  All non-paying high bidders will be reported to Ebay, and negative feedback posted.
PLEASE ONLY BID WHAT YOU ARE WILLING TO PAY.  IF THE RESERVE IS NOT MET, WE MAY CONTACT THE HIGH BIDDER TO OFFER THE SECOND CHANCE OPTION.
By placing a bid on this vehicle you are entering into a legal and binding contract to purchase the above-described vehicle. We reserve the right to cancel all existing bids and end the auction early should the item no longer be available for sale.
By bidding and buying this auction, you enter a contract that you have read and understood all the terms and conditions of this auction. 
We reserve the rights to sell the car outside the ebay auctions. We reserve the right to end the auction anytime. We reserve the right to cancel any bid from any bidder. 
This vehicle is being sold as is, where it is with no warranty, expressed written or implied. In either case, The seller shall not be responsible for the correct description, authenticity, genuineness, or defects herein, and makes no warranty in connection therewith. No allowance or set aside will be made on account of any incorrectness, imperfection, defect or damage. Any descriptions or representations are for identification purposes only and are not to be construed as a warranty of any type. It is the responsibility of the buyer to have thoroughly inspected the vehicle, and to have satisfied himself or herself as to the condition and value and to bid based upon that judgment solely. The seller shall and will make reasonable effort to disclose any known defects associated with this vehicle at the buyer's request prior to the close of sale. Seller assumes no responsibility for any repairs regardless of any oral statements about the vehicle.
Please understand that the vehicles are Pre-Owned vehicles and at times, the vehicles may come without accessories such as extra keys, cd magazines, navigation discs, floormats, tools, and owner's manuals. Please call for the exact accessories included for the vehicle. 
Buyer's are responsible for shipping costs.
All bidders should have all questions answered and loans pre-approved before bidding. Please note that Non paying buyers would be handled by our attorney. Remember buying a car on eBay is legal binding contract.

All vehicles are sold "AS IS". This is in full accordance with the laws of the State of TEXAS regarding motor vehicle sales. You the buyer/bidder must have a complete understanding that this vehicle is used and we do not know the complete history of this vehicle. We are presenting this vehicle to the best of our knowledge. The accuracy of our description is based on any and all information that we were able to obtain concerning this vehicle either by records, previous owners statements, or other statements if any made by the persons who sold or traded in this vehicle. We ULTIMATE MOTORSPORT Inc or any of its employees or agents will not be held responsible. All buyers are responsible for having an independent inspection completed on their vehicle of inetrest prior to sale or close of auction. You are welcome to fly in or schedule a inspection with several companies in Houston area to have a car professionally inspected.

WE ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY REPAIRS OR INSPECTIONS PRIOR OR AFTER THE SALE OF AN AUTOMOBILE. ALL VEHICLES SOLD AS IS WHERE IS !!

WE WELCOME INSPECTIONS BUT PLEASE DO INSPECTIONS BEFORE THE SALE IS CONFIRMED ! 

This Agreement will be governed the laws of the State of Texas (without regard to principals of conflict of laws). Any claims arising out of or related to this Agreement or the Goods shall be brought exclusively in Harris County, Texas. Bidder submits to the jurisdiction of all such courts. BIDDER AND SELLER HEREBY WAIVE ANY RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY ACTION TO ENFORCE, DEFEND, CONSTRUE OR OTHERWISE CONCERNING THIS AGREEMENT OR THE GOODS. If it is necessary for bidder to commence litigation to enforce any portion of this Agreement, Seller will be entitled to recover from Bidder its reasonable attorneys’ fees and costs, including the reasonable fees of in-house counsel.

Auction Views:  

Auto Services in Texas

Zeke`s Inspections Plus ★★★★★

Automobile Parts & Supplies, Battery Storage, Battery Supplies
Address: 1006 S Frazier St, Hufsmith
Phone: (936) 441-3500

Value Import ★★★★★

Used Car Dealers
Address: 1210 N Wayside Dr, Winchester
Phone: (866) 595-6470

USA Car Care ★★★★★

Automobile Parts & Supplies, Auto Body Parts
Address: 202 Cypresswood Dr, Klein
Phone: (281) 355-5800

USA Auto ★★★★★

Auto Repair & Service, New Car Dealers, Automobile Body Repairing & Painting
Address: 12113 Garland Rd, Rowlett
Phone: (972) 247-4098

Uresti Jesse Camper Sales ★★★★★

Automobile Parts & Supplies, Truck Accessories, Transport Trailers
Address: 13070 Interstate 35 S, Atascosa
Phone: (210) 623-2411

Universal Village Auto Inc ★★★★★

Used Car Dealers, Wholesale Used Car Dealers
Address: 6223 Richmond Ave, West-University-Place
Phone: (832) 320-9600

Auto blog

This is what happens when you drive your Nissan Leaf beyond empty

Thu, Jul 24 2014

If you see an AAA truck bringing someone a can of extra gas, it's rarely a big deal, but when an EV driver runs out of charge, people pay attention. Whether its a writer for The New York Times or hardcore Tesla fans, people are curious about this newfangled technology and the things that could go wrong. "I don't know what the opposite of range anxiety is. Range annoyance?" – Robert Llewellyn Well, few people have more fun with their EV than Robert Llewellyn, the actor (best known for Red Dwarf) and star of his own pro-EV show Fully Charged. And he's good at educating people on the EVs as well. In the latest episode, he tries something in his first-gen Leaf that he's never done before: drive until the battery is completely empty. When the car just keeps on going well beyond the official range estimate, Llewellyn gets frustrated. "I don't know what the opposite of range anxiety is," he says. "Range annoyance?" After 91 miles, he finally comes to a stop. Watch the video below. In the end, all Llewellyn needed to do to get up and running again was to get towed home and plug in. A few hours later, he was ready to go, this time with his range estimate at 93 miles. Compare that with the dangers to your gas engine if you run out of gas and you might wonder why so many people worry about an EVs range. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

Watch some vintage F1 cars blast up a Japanese mountain road

Mon, Dec 28 2015

It's a rare treat to see classic Formula One cars racing anywhere, but watching them on a Japanese mountain road is absolutely sublime. The folks behind Motorhead from Japan took over the toll road's twisting stretch of tarmac to turn this impossible dream into a reality. The unusual opportunity of a closed mountain road would be a waste for only two vehicles, and there were plenty of drivers in amazing machines that wanted to blast up the hill. After the vintage F1 cars got their turn, some drifters in a Nissan GT-R and a Toyota GT86 added some tire smoke to the misty mountain air. A couple more GT-R racecars and some modern sports cars eventually joined them. Before the rain hit, this team had quite a party going on. This video features amazing camera work, but the music unfortunately drowns out the chance to hear these amazing racecars. If watching this leaves you wanting more, Motorhead released a video last year of another group of impressive performance vehicles on the mountain road.

A car writer's year in new vehicles [w/video]

Thu, Dec 18 2014

Christmas is only a week away. The New Year is just around the corner. As 2014 draws to a close, I'm not the only one taking stock of the year that's we're almost shut of. Depending on who you are or what you do, the end of the year can bring to mind tax bills, school semesters or scheduling dental appointments. For me, for the last eight or nine years, at least a small part of this transitory time is occupied with recalling the cars I've driven over the preceding 12 months. Since I started writing about and reviewing cars in 2006, I've done an uneven job of tracking every vehicle I've been in, each year. Last year I made a resolution to be better about it, and the result is a spreadsheet with model names, dates, notes and some basic facts and figures. Armed with this basic data and a yen for year-end stories, I figured it would be interesting to parse the figures and quantify my year in cars in a way I'd never done before. The results are, well, they're a little bizarre, honestly. And I think they'll affect how I approach this gig in 2015. {C} My tally for the year is 68 cars, as of this writing. Before the calendar flips to 2015 it'll be as high as 73. Let me give you a tiny bit of background about how automotive journalists typically get cars to test. There are basically two pools of vehicles I drive on a regular basis: media fleet vehicles and those available on "first drive" programs. The latter group is pretty self-explanatory. Journalists are gathered in one location (sometimes local, sometimes far-flung) with a new model(s), there's usually a day of driving, then we report back to you with our impressions. Media fleet vehicles are different. These are distributed to publications and individual journalists far and wide, and the test period goes from a few days to a week or more. Whereas first drives almost always result in a piece of review content, fleet loans only sometimes do. Other times they serve to give context about brands, segments, technology and the like, to editors and writers. So, adding up the loans I've had out of the press fleet and things I've driven at events, my tally for the year is 68 cars, as of this writing. Before the calendar flips to 2015, it'll be as high as 73. At one of the buff books like Car and Driver or Motor Trend, reviewers might rotate through five cars a week, or more. I know that number sounds high, but as best I can tell, it's pretty average for the full-time professionals in this business.