THE ULTIMATE CAR GUIDE: Used Car Review

Myk Belmonte pulls up the strings for our last car review for this month for its premiere. Japanese mainstream brands have their luxury divisions with Toyota having Lexus, Honda owning Acura, and Nissan with their Infiniti. The advantage is that parts, engines, and platforms can be shared while at the same time targeting the upper class market. Downside is that some keen eyed enthusiasts would dismiss them as tarted up models and some image problem. One product of the luxury division creation is the Lexus IS, whose first generation model started life in 1998 as either the Lexus IS or the Toyota Altezza. Jump in to the second generation which had its launch in the Geneva Motor Show in March 2005 and sales commenced in September of that year. Lexus Manila brought in the facelifted model as the part of their Philippine arrival back in 2009. The IS line-up accommodated the sedan and a convertible (this will have its own review soon) launched later that year.

Just last May, Lexus pulled their strings for the third generation IS available in normal and F Sport flavors. Want something enjoyable to drive but hate the exorbitant maintenance prices of the Germans, then the Lexus IS is a godsend, with prices below P2M for good second hand units. All you need is a keen eye if buying from a private owner or a dealer, but I recommend checking out the units in Lexus Manila since they are certified for your peace of mind. Being Japanese, it has some advantages when it comes to maintenance costs but having one under your garage is similar to the top of the line Camry. While there are parts shared with some Toyota models, insist on original Lexus pieces. They may be expensive, but totally worth it especially the dealership visits will give you excellent service. Sharp edges with some arrow lines are the main attraction, but you might not know that the wheelbase is wide thanks to the wheels pushed to the sides. Quality wise, it has all the gaps enclosed and the paint finish is exemplary but you'll say to yourself that it is just an ordinary Japanese sedan.

While it can stare heads, a German one will have more just like the Lexus is Enrique Magalona while a German is Daniel Padilla (sorry fangirls). With this vehicle having a retail price of P2.9M when it was new, it must have a high quality interior. And in the case of the Lexus, it does the task well and the interior is geared towards the driver. Since this is a driver biased machine, fake timber is thrown out of the options list and standard is an all black dashboard with metallic trim. While quality is tops, the buttons and switch gears look and feel they are from Toyotas, which is not a good thing. Another bad comment about the interior is that the position of controls are all situated in the middle that are placed dangerously close to one another. Drivers have to make do with a low seating position that can hamper visibility and those with average built need to adjust their seat so that they can avoid hitting their heads. Rear passengers wouldn't enjoy their places due to the driver's seat being adjusted for their convenience. While it has a stiff body, independent suspension on all sides, and powerful brakes, the IS isn't enjoyable to drive especially at speeds above 100km/h but for city duties, this is an able performer thanks to its light steering. It may be comfortable, but road imperfections can spoil the fun . The Lexus has everything that the Germans have for less, but in this case, the Germans succeed on making their cars enjoyable to drive backed up with luxury. The IS can be a great buy, but also check out similar competitors since you might love them more especially when it comes to performance and driving.

In 1911, after a court battle lasting almost three years, Standard Oil Company (New Jersey)--the parent company to Standard (Indiana) and other Standard companies--was ordered to relinquish supervision of its subsidiaries. With the end of World War I, company Chairman Colonel Robert Stewart's top priority was to find a secure source of crude oil, to meet the rapidly expanding demand for gasoline and kerosene. Before the war, Standard had depended on the Prairie Oil and Gas Company for its supply, but military needs diverted Prairie's crude to the refineries along the Atlantic seaboard. 16.4 million in cash, improving transportation capacity. Sinclair's 2,900 miles of pipeline ran from north Texas to Chicago, encompassed almost 6,000 wells, and ran through oil-rich Wyoming. 37.6 million, was the largest oil consolidation in the history of the industry, giving Standard (Indiana) access to one of the world's largest tanker fleets and entry into oil fields in Mexico, Venezuela, and Iraq. In 1929 Standard (Indiana) acquired another chunk of Pan American stock through a stock swap, bringing its total ownership of Pan American to 81 percent. Pan American also introduced Standard to the American Oil Company, of Baltimore, Maryland.

Started by the Blaustein family, American Oil marketed most of Pan American's oil in the eastern United States and was 50 percent owned by Pan American and 50 percent owned by the Blausteins. The Blausteins were initiators of the first measuring gasoline pump and inventors of the high-octane Amoco-Gas that reduced engine knocking. Though expensive, these investments proved to be sound; by 1929, the Depression notwithstanding, Standard Oil (Indiana) was second only to Standard Oil (New Jersey) as a buyer of crude oil. 78.5 million after taxes. In 1929 Stewart was followed as CEO by Edward G. Seubert, who continued to strengthen Standard's crude oil supply. With an eye to future supply security, Seubert shifted the emphasis to buying and developing crude oil-producing properties like McMan Oil and Gas Company, a 1930 purchase that provided 10,000 barrels daily. 72.5 million, giving it control over one of the country's largest pipeline systems and crude oil buying agencies. These subsidiaries now became the Stanolind Pipe Line Company and the Stanolind Crude Oil Purchasing Company; they were joined in 1931 by the Stanolind Oil & Gas Company, a newly organized subsidiary absorbing several smaller ones.