Clutch Opinion

Gaining Focus

2010-06-09T21:47:00.002-04:00

An unbelievable number of factors go into my consideration of what makes a car appeal to me strongly enough that I would want to own it. Design plays a critical role as I will not consider any car that offends the eyes. Of course, almost no design—particularly in my price range—is perfect. The first generation, pre-recall TT was purely executed and its cousin the New Beetle did a nice job as well. That's been 12 years and the best rival since is the 2011 Fiesta. Since it's a bit smaller and narrower than I'd like, I'm forced to keep looking. Calling all C-segment competitors.

The 2012 Focus has caught my eye and is a leading candidate to replace the '95 E300D as my daily driver. I'd be lying if I said its design was exclusively the reason for this as there are a good number of faults like the lower front grille and tail lights. It seems the hatch body style is beating the sedan, but both models' tail lights could have lost several square inches in surface area and done wonders for profile and rear 3/4 shots.

Proper design includes the interior, and the Focus does earn points as it includes many of the things off my dream car spec list. A strong, sporty, and comfortable steering wheel is a must as are manual transmission and analog gauges. Essentials out of the way, any car needs comfortable bucket seats and a 3-seat rear bench with each row having its own doors. After experiencing cooled seats for the first time on a 2003 Lincoln LS, I've hoped that one day I'd enjoy them as well. With luck, Ford's press release photos showing heated and cooled seats and a heated steering wheel will see their way to the US Focus. I would pass on the heated wheel though I'm sure that won't be possible with package grouping. No passing on cooled seats unless they push the Focus into some crazy stratospheric price level. It would be great if the heated and cooled seats were offered on manually adjustable seats but I will settle for those pesky motors in exchange for the glorious comfort of a cooled seat on a hot day.

I prefer having all controls, including power windows, mounted centrally but I'm not sure anyone does that these days—even the Germans have abandoned this 1990’s quality. An often overlooked component is interior vent shape. The Focus has four very similarly shaped outlets instead of typical use of different styles centrally and on the outer dash. Well done Ford. I don't particularly care for automatic climate control though it sometimes means more fan speed options which is never a bad thing.

Stereos are not a big deal as long as there is a CD slot and connections for the iPod/iPhone I'm fine with it. Sync seems like an excellent system other than the apparent problems with the iPhone, so MyFord Touch on the Focus naturally seems like a good choice. Hands-free calling without needing a headset or wires all over the car would be nice so I'm hopeful the next car can provide that without the hassle any hands-free system I've ever used has had. I hope it doesn't require Bluetooth since that drains batteries so quickly—functioning through the USB port would be ideal while charging the phone at an optimal rate as compared to 12V outlets although that’s probably not possible.

I wanted a moonroof on my NB, but it was a late availability option not available when we ordered. The E300D has a sunroof which I use at every opportunity, but a moonroof should be part of my next car. I've been aesthetically bothered by moonroofs of late since they are always just plain rectangles; they could look much better if the leading edge followed the contour of the windshield edge. To my knowledge, the Focus has not been shown with a moonroof at this point though I cannot imagine it won't be offered. Recent spy photos around Dearborn show a moonroof in the sedan so it’s nice to know it’s at least in the works.

On the mechanical aspect, I would enjoy a sport model with at least 200-hp in a Focus. For this purchase, I'm thinking this will not be able to be as important a factor given what it could do to the price combined with all of the other features I want. We'll see what things look like when it's launched and what other models are out or on their way. Even if there is a performance model in the works, I may not be able to wait its launch as I would prefer to have some time to enjoy the new car before the 80-hour work week of residency becomes reality.

No discussion of what I want in my next car is complete without mention of possibly the most important two aspects—color and wheels. Navy and gray are my colors, and I want navy paint over gray leather in a Focus. My eye tells me the dark shades should look best on the Focus; Ford, don't leave me hanging, you already have Kona blue which is just about as good as any deep blue on the market. Paint the Focus in it, too.

At some point I went from being a fan of the 6-spoke wheel to the 7-spoke variety. Owning two German cars with 6’s must have done the trick. Ford has been hit or miss in wheel design though their Europe division has some excellent 7-spokes in their lineup. Now for those to find their way to the US Focus and not as wheel covers or chrome or anything other than an alloy wheel. A recent set of spy shots out of Arizona shows a Focus hatch with what appear to be 18” 7-spoke alloys that look absolutely perfect. Those wheels with the dark blue Ford center caps as seen on the EU Fiesta would be just right paired with the Navy/Kona paint.

Given the many requests and requirements I have for a new car, I'll undoubtedly have to give up more than just the diesel and rear wheel drive portions of my dream car. Ford has a lot of potential in the Focus. I am pleased it is going a bit more up market for the content improvement that allows and hope it keeps the price within reason for my budget. A navy 5-door with gray heated and cooled seats and a 6-speed manual sitting on 17-18" 7-spoke wheels sounds pretty good.

By the looks of it: Ford’s Spectacular Small Cars

2010-01-23T20:17:00.007-05:00

On December 2, 2009 the North American Ford Fiesta was unveiled to the public at the Las Angeles Auto Show. I had my eyes on this soon-to-be smallest Ford product for over a year, and to see the final result was outstanding. From the European-spec 5-door I drove around a couple of Cincinnati blocks last May, the US version managed to retain almost every miniscule detail that made the Fiesta such an appealing vehicle. Given the success of the US team, I believed the Fiesta to be the even money favorite to become my next car upon graduation from medical school in 2011.

Barely over one month later, the Ford Focus made its debut at the 2010 North American International Auto Show on January 11. Initial responses were overwhelmingly positive, yet many details of the design seemed busy, bland, or inconsistent. One element of the design spoke to me instantly—the simple, single chrome bar and large Ford Blue Oval of the upper grille with the elegantly cutout hood arching over the oval. Other specific details of the Focus seemed to pale in comparison to their counterparts on the Fiesta; nevertheless, as a complete vehicle the Focus’ design seemingly rivaled the Fiesta for style, sport, and emotion.

Fortunately, I had an off weekend from my duties at the hospital and carved out a two-day trip to Detroit to take in these two models and the remainder of the 2010 NAIAS. Upon entering Cobo, the Fiesta was the first car to catch my eye thanks to the Hot Magenta paint and its elevated platform display. That’s certainly not a color I would ever buy in any car, but it works on the Fiesta quite well.

From that moment, though, I had some reservations about what I thought to be certain—my next car. Something just didn’t come off as well as I had hoped nor had remembered from the Ocean Blue Fiesta in Cincinnati. It was tall and narrow to degrees I apparently did not notice. This is not to deride the Fiesta of its much deserved praise; I was as shocked as anyone to discover all was not exactly as hoped. The tuned white Fiesta sat to the right of the Hot Magenta 5-door, and it did it’s best to conceal some of the height and width concerns thanks to the side skirts and sharp-looking rear exhaust/faux-diffuser treatment.

Next I moved to the “inside” of Ford’s massive display where I encountered the Focus sedan and hatch slowly revolving on the raised platform. If a deeper, more luxurious red paint than on the hatch has ever been created I would like to see it. The silver sedan provided a muted contrast to the bold hatch; silver is currently out of my favor after owning a silver German sedan—just a bit too bland at times. Several opinions I had read were strongly positive for the sedan yet only marginal, at best, for the hatch. It could have been the paint, but I find both the sedan and hatch to be equally appealing which is strong work in a segment dominated by either a nice looking sedan or a nice looking hatch but almost never both.

Over the next few hours, I combed over every last detail of the Fiesta sedans on the floor and open to the public while returning to the platforms to see the Lime Squeeze Fiesta and the Focus. Time spent inside the Fiesta sedans, one a Blue Flame SE and the other a Red Candy SEL, gave me more pause as to my distant next car. Again I felt as if something were just not quite what I wanted. Yes, all of the European touches from red instrument lighting to central locking and the LED screen were just as they had been the only other time I sat in a Fiesta. It just felt different. In Cincinnati, I spent all of an hour looking at and driving the Fiesta. I went in with the attitude it was my next car and did little critical analysis. Detroit provided a different opportunity with the handsome Focus only a glance away from the Fiesta.

Determined to approach this issue with as much objectivity as possible, I then made trips between the Fiesta and Focus comparing individual details one at a time. Keep in mind this was not an inherently fair and unbiased approach as I could get inside the Fiesta yet only had brief glances at portions of the Focus’ confines. It is undoubtedly going to come off more negatively than it should or than I would like regarding the Fiesta, but the following comparison is done with the goal of making a decision on which is the front-runner to become my next car.

The steering wheel in the Fiesta is a 3-spoke design that, in leather trim form, feels almost as good as I remember from the European car. The look and feel of the polymer standard wheel leaves something to be desired. This compares to a 4-spoke layout of the Focus—with a thick leather wrap and silver stitching—complete with as many buttons as some dashboards. I’m not a fan of cluttered wheels, so in this I would say the Fiesta’s looks better. That the multi-button wheel in the Focus is apparently necessary for MyFord Touch may be a redeeming factor; questions linger as to the implementation of the two instrument panel screens previewed for the 2012 Edge versus only one for the Focus. I would like to see the analog gauges with one MyFord Touch screen remain as is for the Focus.

The texture of the Fiesta dashboard did not stick out to me on the European model owing to the intense lighting of the Ford display. It’s a unique texture that reminds me of military digital camo. The feel is not bad; it’s just not my favorite. Obviously, I cannot comment on the surfaces of the Focus though the photos suggest they are quite nice and potentially even leather trimmed. Still, apparently this piano black trim theme has spread to Ford. Glossy trim pieces look nice yet the moment a slightly oily finger touches the dash, the smudge taunts until something can be found to wipe it off. Maybe the glossy surfaces are not likely to be touched or receive direct sunlight so it will not be an issue.

I found the quality of the Fiesta’s headliner to not be as thick or soft as I like to see. I realize this is a B-segment car and thin, hard headliners are the norm and even more that the headliner is almost never touched anyway. Also, the moonroof stuck out to me as being mounted too far rearward. It seemed only a precious few inches were directly over my head; my 68” frame may have something to do with that since I had adjusted the seat forward to a position near where I would drive with a manual. I haven’t seen anything concerning a moonroof for the Focus, but I have to believe there will be one available as an option. We’ll see.

Fortunately, the Fiesta retained the white and predominantly red interior lighting from Europe. The red dash gives a sporty, low-key effect to the Fiesta at night. Unfortunately, it appears the Focus will have white instrument illumination with ice-blue needles. I either have not yet seen or failed to take note of dash illumination, though MyFord Touch will be a personalized smorgasbord of color and light.

Briefly, the seats in the Fiesta seemed less firm than those I tried in May. The seats were completely redone for the US so I suppose this is what was deemed best. I was surprised to find only the passenger seatback featured a map pocket and by the loose fitting cloth or leather on the seatbacks; hopefully the latter was due to its preproduction, car show floor status. As expected, the charcoal leather with white piping looked outstanding though the fault of leather dyed in light tones became apparent as discoloration had already occurred only an hour and a half into the public show. Without sitting in the Focus, I cannot comment more than to say the seats look great although there is certainly a lot going on in terms of variety in fabrics and patterns.

Considering Ford’s strive to boast of their widespread 6-speed transmissions, it is somewhat surprising that the Fiesta’s manual transmission is a 5-speed unit. While it may not make much of a difference in EPA testing numbers, I imagine that in real world situations with extending 70-80 mph driving an extra gear would be quite beneficial. The Focus will come with a 6-speed manual. Both have 6-speed PowerShift automatics available for those that choose to live life without the clutch pedal.

On the exterior, the Fiesta excels in the details. The unique and engaging “Dragon’s Eye” headlights set a tone for the entire car that you are not looking at another bland subcompact. The shape, position, and honeycomb texture in the 5-door’s rear lights evoke quality and attention to detail. It’s worth noting that the amber rear turn signals remain for the US models. The mirrors are another aspect of the design that simply just works—integrated turn signals and a convex section in the upper, outer portion of the mirror glass to eliminate blind spots. These two features need to spread across the lineup; the Focus, too, would benefit from the convex segments though the turn signals are already present.

The headlights on the Focus lack the dramatic shape of those on the Fiesta. On the silver sedan, a US-spec halogen unit was shown while the hatch featured projector beams and an LED strip across the top. Both were housed in typical chrome housings which I strongly prefer to the black housings shown in some photos on the Fordvehicles.com site. The taillights are even worse with their excessively stretched portions extending onto the side of both the sedan and hatch. Neither of the extensions looks good, perhaps the sedan looks slightly less bad as the extension is not quite as long. If the taillights dropped their excessively large non-illuminated portions and the extensions on the sides of the car, they could be salvaged. As it stands, this is my biggest complaint with the new Focus.

The wheels for the SES/SEL Fiesta are 16” 5-spoke units do not match the car in any way and are my biggest disappointment with the Fiesta. Visually, they have a way of making the wheels look smaller than they are thus making the car look even taller than it is. Although the SE’s 15” wheels give up an inch in diameter, the 8-spoke design is much more suited to the Fiesta. Really, almost any design would be better than the overly open 16” look. To contrast, the 19” wheels shown on the Focus will not be standard issue, yet it is not outlandish to believe that 17”s will be part of the top of the line models and possibly even 18” styles optional.

In summary, the Fiesta excels in the details, especially those of the exterior. The Focus seemingly lacks any showcase details outside the grille, yet it is a case where the whole is much greater than the sum of its parts. This is not to suggest the Fiesta is not far and away better than the other B-segment competition but rather demonstrate my personal preferences for some things that are much more easily accomplished in a C-segment vehicle such as the Focus. The price point allows for more premium-appearing trim pieces such as the nicely detailed power window switches, the sleek dash appearance, and enough space to allow for a center armrest/console without intruding upon shifting space.

As it stands, what I took away from the NAIAS is that Ford is on a role in product development. Their 2011 Fiesta offers those looking for the best B-segment car just that. It will be nimble, agile, fuel efficient, and feel like much more of a car in terms of feel and features than its competitors. The Focus promises an equally engaging drive though with the penalty of additional weight. It gains features that will not be available on the Fiesta at least until its next redesign. With much surprise, the Focus is now the leader to become my next car for a host of reasons both from a design and features standpoint and the fact it should provide a more habitable space for rear seat passengers and cargo.

An introduction

2009-12-06T22:04:00.004-05:00

This is the first blog entry in well over a year. I could go on and on about the factors that led to the long period of inactivity; instead, I am going to introduce myself and suggest the direction I expect this blog to take if I ever make future posts. Healthcare, its implementation and regulation, are of interest to me as a medical student, and I am certain some of my thoughts on the topic will show up here. It will surprise me if that becomes the main focus given my hobby of just about anything automotive. The industry’s concerns and business situations, the products they produce, and the impact on people create a wealth of material on which to comment. College sports specifically basketball and football are another pastime that keep me going. None of any of this would matter if not for my amazing wife and great family, so thanks to them for tolerating the passions that have a way of occupying quite a lot of time in addition to the dedication and commitment medical school requires.

As for the reasons I have chosen the online name of azulejost, it all goes back to high school Spanish class. Spanish quickly became an interest from my first semester of exposure thanks, in part, to an excellent teacher. He began calling me Azulejos, Spanish for tiles, as a variation on Tyler. Sometime later, I needed an online username and azulejos was taken. With all of the t’s in my name, adding a t to the end seemed the best choice, and as a bonus created an ending -jost that reminded me of the strong German racing heritage of Joest. A unique word that I could link to Spanish, German cars and racing, and most importantly my actual name seemed to make azulejost a perfect choice. So there is the explanation, surprisingly enough the azul- was not chosen, consciously at least, in any way as a link to my favorite color of blue. That just makes it all the more appropriate.

The story behind Clutch Opinion is much shorter. Manual transmissions have always been my preferred gear selectors for any vehicle. A three pedal layout can add enjoyment to just about any vehicle—endless stop and go traffic being the exception proving my rule. From fast cars to slow trucks and anything in between, getting smooth transitions from crankshaft to the wheels can turn a boring drive into a personal challenge for the driver. You know why opinion is in the title; I will seek to provide factual information along with my own commentary. So there you have it—now to see what follows.

Salluzzo on US Healthcare

2008-06-22T21:10:00.002-04:00

Departing Wellmont CEO Dr. Richard Salluzzo expressed his support of a universal health care system in a recent interview with the Kingsport Times-News. Dr. Salluzzo is a physician and administrator who will be leaving for a similar position in Cape Cod. He has led Wellmont through a period of significant growth, acquisition, and success in the Tri-Cities region of southwest Virginia and northeast Tennessee.

Dr. Salluzzo comes out in strong support of a single-payer plan which he supports with many interesting statements. There is no doubt that the current health care system needs change, and Salluzzo suggests that ten to thirty percent of hospitals will close if no changes are made. Later in the same article he is quoted as saying "‘so the question is -- do we have to have 30 to 40 percent of our hospitals close before we react?'" It makes one wonder if his percentages are mere conjectures with no supporting evidence or if he paraphrases studies.

Salluzzo states, "'The Bush administration says we don't want government mucking up health care like it mucks up everything else. But in all reality, the government funds 70 to 80 percent of health care already between Medicare and Medicaid. So we already are a government-run system that's badly run. The idea that they could muck up the other 30 percent is kind of silly.'" Yet he acknowledges there is a "$70 trillion Medicare deficit."

He advocates a strongly regulated certificate of need process for service locations including hospitals and outpatient centers. Another issue he has with the current system is the reimbursement procedure which is based on per capita income which varies across the country. He points out that "areas with greater per capita income often have healthier populations, whereas those with lesser income levels often produce sicker people." In addition to these problems, the health care system faces a shortage of physicians that is expected to double by 2015 from 100,000 to 200,000 according to Salluzzo.

Finally, he laments a lack of knowledge among the lawmakers in Washington. "'They don't know anything about health care. ”If they spent as much time going to Sweden and the United Kingdom as they do going to Iraq, maybe they'd learn something.'" He now says the country is ready for a plan similar to that of Hillary Clinton's 1993 plan. "'More than 50 percent of the CEOs and doctors would embrace it. They’re tired of it. They're tired of all the paperwork."

In researching Salluzzo’s political contributions, it is surprising that in 2006 he made $6,600 in contributions to Republican Bob Corker and the National Republican Senatorial Committee. Granted, while employed at Conemaugh Health System in Johnstown, PA in 2004, he made contributions to Democrat John Murtha, Republican Arlen Specter, Democrat Gephardt for President's primary, and Republican Bush-Cheney's primary. Also in PA, Salluzzo made similar donations to Specter and Murtha in 2002. So there does not appear to be a significant left or right leaning that could give rise to his sentiment.

Salluzzo's admission that the current system is broken and that the government accounts for 70 to 80 percent of the funding do not appear to be in any way related in his mind. He continues the thought by saying it is "silly" to think the government would mess the remainder up should they become the single-payer. How is this the case? What evidence is there to support the claim that the government could somehow be immune to screwing up coverage on those it does not yet cover? Could it be that the system is broken, as is, because the government represents such a large portion of the funding? This, coupled with the massive $70 trillion deficit in Medicare does not exactly inspire confidence in the government's ability to successfully manage a health care system for those it currently covers, much less the entire nation. The "government-run system that's badly run" as he refers to our present situation is not a result of using private insurance to account for 20 to 30 percent of the funding. Private insurance needs to realize the need to improve their coverage and access in order to avoid future government intervention that may result, in the short term, in a near complete loss of consumer base. Granted, as systems such as Canada’s show, in the long term private insurance will see a return to their options as government coverage will not be found sufficient for most citizens.

Ultimately, the only advantage show by a universal single-payer system is that it would be funded by the government and virtually immune to fiscal responsibility. The debt load faced by such a system would undoubtedly skyrocket considering we already face a $70 trillion deficit in Medicare. We cannot continue to allow the government to absorb responsibilities outside of those granted by the Constitution and subvert the capitalist economy that provides the engine for our growth. Until the US government stops printing money without any regard for the value of the dollar and allow us to go deeper into dollar-weakening debt, politicians and unwitting citizens will falsely believe that the government is the answer to any ill or shortfall its citizens face.

Alleged Violations at IU

2008-02-14T23:00:00.004-05:00

Nearly two years ago, Indiana University opted to replace men's basketball head coach Mike Davis. IU couldn't tolerate Davis' antics that resulted from being the unfortunate successor to Knight, and it seemed that another coach could restore the luster to the proud tradition within Assembly Hall.

The search for the next coach seemed to settle on Steve Alford, then coach of Iowa, due to his ties to IU and Oklahoma's Kelvin Sampson. Sampson had been placed on probation by OU following some 500+ illegal recruiting phone calls over a period of several years dating back to 2000. Nevertheless, Sampson was hired along with his probation. Some debate ensued over whether Sampson had the resume to merit a job at one of the historically best jobs in all of basketball. Others were astounded that a program so quick to terminate Knight could hire someone with known baggage.

More than improving the success of the team, Sampson's first season was marked by the recruiting of current freshman Eric Gordon. Gordon had verbally committed to Illinois, but upon the firing of Coach Davis and the hiring of Sampson, he began to voice his interest in playing in his home state. After a visit to campus, Gordon signed his Letter of Intent with IU, fueling speculation of shady recruiting tactics on Sampson's behalf. Not only had Gordon verbally committed to IU, but Sampson hired two former coaches of Gordon Sr., Jeff Meyer and Ray McCallum, as well as an assistant coach on Eric Gordon's AAU team, Travis Steele, as video coordinator. Somehow, all of these hires raised nary an eyebrow of the national media.

Regardless of the ethics of recruiting verbally committed players in college basketball, Sampson became the target of additional scrutiny. Then, last fall IU released their self-investigation which had uncovered violations Sampson had committed during his short time in Bloomington. The Orange Krush and others begin to wonder if Sampson could be trusted at all. Illinois fans felt a convicted cheat had used dirty tricks to lure away a prized recruit that would have gone a long way toward making many of this year's close losses victories. Thus, the constant harassing of Gordon and his family when IU visited the Illini.

One week later, an NCAA notice of allegations is released citing five major violations committed by Sampson and his staff. Following a day of media frenzy, Indiana loses at home to Wisconsin in a crucial Big Ten match-up.

Indiana clearly has a decision to make. Sampson has shown that he cannot be trusted to police himself, nor does his staff abide by probation policies. Without a doubt, Sampson has done more than enough to merit his termination, regardless of the NCAA's judgement in June. The IU in-house investigation substantiates that he has a wanton disregard for the rules. The NCAA's allegations merely compound that and suggest he lacks control of his program and the honesty demanded by his position.

Sampson should have coached his last game for Indiana, and should he be convicted by the NCAA later this year, his last collegiate game on Wednesday against Wisconsin. It is only fitting that a coach with blatant disrespect for the rules to which he is subject lose his final game. Sampson was given a chance to change course with his hire in Indiana; unfortunately, he demonstrated his inability to avoid temptations of landing recruits.

Sampson and his staff are not alone in the blame. IU AD Greenspan should also be shown the door for allowing a man of questionable moral character to take control of a program long respected for its upstanding, clean record. The hire was inexcusable, but Greenspan had to know that any violations would demand far reaching terminations.

Some reports have stated that no player currently on IU's roster is named on the NCAA allegation; however, it has been stated by reputable sources that one player is, in fact, a freshman for the Hoosiers. As much as it pains me to suggest, IU must self-impose a post-season ban provided a current player is named in the allegations. Should no current players be named, such a measure would be excessive and unfair to the student-athletes. That being said, Sampson cannot be allowed to coach or interact with this team for the remainder of the season. An assistant coach unnamed in the NCAA report should be named interim head coach while Sampson and anyone named in the report receive suspensions or are fired.

Hoosier basketball will overcome this setback. Heads must roll in order to preserve the tradition that is Indiana basketball and show that repeat violations will not be tolerated. Your time in the NCAA has passed, Kelvin Sampson.