Hasta La Gadget!

Here’s more no-surprises news: The median age of passenger cars is creeping up, to 9.4 years old in 2008 compared to 9.2 years the previous two years, says R.L. Polk, an auto information provider. A decade ago, in 1999, the median age was 8.3. The median age for trucks also climbed to 7.6 years vs. 7.3 and 6.9 the past two years. (Trucks wear out faster now, the opposite of a generation ago.) In 1999 it was 7.2 years median truck age. At the same time, the scrappage rate – when vehicles go off the road for good – is falling historically, but it’s been up and down the past two years, at 5.1% for cars and 5.6% for all vehicles in 2008. Polk says the upward blip is from vehicles of the late 1980s and 1990s falling apart the last couple years. But in 1970 the scrappage rate for cars was 9.5% and 8.7% for all vehicles.

What it means: Better-built cars last longer and drivers make marginal cars last longer when the economy sucks. Older fleets means less life-saving technology (stability control, airbags) and fewer tech gadgets (Bluetooth, iPod adapters, navigation). In the future, automakers may be selling fewer replacement cars.

iSimple has unveiled the TranzIt, a universal interface that can be used with any car stereo via an antenna bypass, letting iPod and iPhone owners connect their devices to their car stereos.

The $89.99 (MSRP) device claims to offer static-free listening via any FM car stereo—the driver sets radio preset as an iPod channel (such as 87.9 or 88.3 FM, the same as with wireless FM transmitters), plugs in the iPod, and turns on the iSimple Tranzit. I’m assuming that means that although there’s no static via this method due to the wired connection, you’re still restricted to the frequency response of an FM station, meaning that the signal will top out at around 15 KHz and won’t sound quite as good as a solution (like the iSimple Gateway) that uses the dock connector or even the headphone jack.

Once connected, the owner can browse and select tracks using the iPod directly. An iPhone owner could conceivably stream Internet radio via Pandora Mobile, AOL Radio, or Last.fm as well. The connection also offers battery charging while the iPod or iPhone is docked; it’s compatible with the iPhone, iPhone 3G, iPod touch, and newer generations of the iPod nano. Users can also substitute a headphone-style auxiliary input to use with other MP3 players.

In a time where automakers are struggling to stay afloat, Honda is actually increasing its production of hybrids like the brand new Insight in order to meet demand, the New York Times reports.

Originally, Honda planned to sell 100,000 new Insights in America over the next year, with an additional 60,000 slated for Japan, but the “response has been overwhelming,” said Hiroshi Kobayashi, deputy chief operating officer for Honda’s domestic operations. “We will have to increase production plans,” he said, though he declined to give new numbers. The new Insight isn’t quite as thrifty as the Prius, averaging 41 mpg on the EPA cycle, but it’s reported to have a sportier demeanor at the wheel than Toyota’s hybrid icon.

Honda hasn’t announced pricing for the new Insight. But it’s widely expected to come in at around the $20,000 mark, or about $4,000 less than the base cost of the 3rd generation Prius, also due this Spring. Even so, Honda is likely to report its first quarterly loss in 15 years this quarter—similar to what dozens of other automakers have been up against lately.

Diesel enthusiasts can rejoice: after a year of significantly higher prices, the average cost of a gallon of diesel fuel has fallen back below the price of premium gasoline, according to Autoblog.

Diesel now averages $2.18 per gallon, compared with $2.19 for premium gas and $1.96 for regular. Now that we’re finally beginning to see some clean diesel vehicles that match gasoline cars for clean emissions and beat them on EPA fuel economy estimates, the falling cost of diesel fuel could help spur sales of cars like the 2009 Volkswagen Jetta TDI, the BMW 335d, and the various Mercedes BlueTEC models.

I’ve driven both the 335d and the Jetta TDI recently. Both cars are solid options for environmentally-minded enthusiasts, and have a much greater cruising range than their gasoline-powered counterparts. The 335d is also ridiculously quick; Car and Driver clocked its 0-60 time at 5.7 seconds, and the 425 lb-ft of torque makes it feel even faster from behind the wheel.

Should you buy a car from an automaker facing bankruptcy? What if you’re looking at a car loaded with technology features? Here’s a Q&A:

Q: Why are some automakers on the verge of bankruptcy?
A: They’re the ones (typically) making the cars few buyers want, or they have cloudy product plans for the future. And they’re paying the penalty for sweet union contracts that never imagined there’d times like this.

Q: Like American automakers? Like Chrysler?
A: Like Chrysler specificially. A lot of people in the industry think Chrysler’s a goner. Chrysler has brand equity in the Jeep name and a lot of people still like their minivans and pickups. But there’s not a whole lot more.