It's not often that a man buys the same car twice but David Claveloux has an explanation. It really wasn't the identical car.

Until he graduated from George Mason University in 1971 he motored about in a vintage Corvair.

Upon graduation Cleveloux stopped by the nearest Ford dealer to see what he could see.

He was particularly attracted to the Torino models and was seriously considering one of them when a salesman, like salesmen are wont to do, suggested that he might like the slightly more expensive Halo version of the Torino.

Like most auto manufacturers in those days the regular models were dressed up to attract a higher price. They were produced for only three months.

That’s what I said at the end of my first test drive in the all-new Acura RLX Advance. And it must be more than sweet if Honda’s premium car division is to be a bonified player in the mid-size luxury sedan segment where it has languished for years in competition with far better products from Lexus, Audi, BMW, Mercedes and Cadillac.

But that should change with the thoroughly redesigned RLX. Handsomely restyled using advanced aerodynamics and lightweight body design, the 2014 RLX has been enlarged with a 2.0- inch-longer wheelbase and 1.7-inch-wider body than the outgoing RL. The RLX’s attractively finished cabin is now befitting of a true luxury automobile; with soothing tones, high quality materials, outstanding execution and plenty of room to stretch in comfort, both front and rear – a major complaint in the cramped RL. According to Acura, the RLX boasts the longest rear-seat legroom (38.8 inches), and best front (59.6 inches) and rear (57.0 inches) shoulder room in the mid-luxury class.

In keeping with the times, the bigger body gets a slightly small but more powerful and efficient new engine and new 6-speed automatic transmission with manual shift mode. The naturally aspirated, direct-injected 3.5-liter V-6 with i-VTEC and variable cylinder management makes 310 horsepower (up 10 over the previous 3.7-liter V-6), 272 lb-ft of torque, and a class leading EPA fuel economy ratings of 20/31/24 mpg (city/highway/combined).

Every day on his way to school Bob Mayhugh used to pass by a house where a 1970 Dodge Challenger R/T was parked in the yard.

He recalls that he always admired the Dodge but as a student he was aware that he could never afford such a car.

In 1982 Mayhugh located that same, long dormant, Banana Yellow Dodge Challenger only without an engine.

The best, most honest test drive is probably in a rent-a-car. Unlike well prepared and detailed manufacturer test fleets, the rental car is “rode hard and put to bed wet,” so to speak. Nobody baby’s these vehicles, which offer a real world preview of what ownership is likely to be like. So let me tell you about the little 2013 Mazda 3 my family recently logged some 1,200 miles on through Colorado and Utah.  In short, the more you drive this willing little sedan the more you like it.

I didn’t set out to rent a car. We were headed for a photo shoot in Moab, Utah, one of the country’s renowned off-road meccas. I wanted a Jeep, preferably the Moab edition, but none were available from the manufacturer. When I enquired about any the availability of any 4x4s in the Denver region, the guy who handles such requests said, “Sure, you want it in April 2014 or 2015?” Turns out everything is locked down well in advance of springtime in Moab.

So, a quick check with Orbitz pointed me to EZ Rent-a-Car and a fairly cheap Ford Focus airport rental. Unfortunately, after taking the shuttle bus to EZ’s off-site building I was informed that they didn’t rent cars for out of state travel. But Dollar next door did, and that’s where we picked up the Mazda 3 – for less money than EZ, I might add.

Starting in 1948 Cadillac stylists began offering, at that time, what were called fish tails on the rear fenders.

The terminology later changed to tail fins but Cadillac's identity was locked into the rear fender treatment until the final subdued tail fins on the 1964 Cadillacs 17 years later.

From the first tail fins in 1948 the fins grew until the fins achieved outrageous proportions culminating in the 1959 Cadillac models. There was nothing at all conservative about the 1959 Cadillac tail fins.

Brothers John and Horace Dodge were master machinists who built transmissions for the early Oldsmobiles and engines for the early Ford automobiles.

In 1914 they began building and selling their own “Dodge Brothers” cars. That first year 249 cars were manufactured. After the Chrysler Corporation acquired the company the “Dodge Brothers” name was dropped in 1938 and ever since then the cars have carried the Dodge nameplate.

To celebrate the 50^th anniversary in 1964 of Dodge cars that fact was spelled out along the circumference of the horn button at the hub of the steering wheel. Manassas, Va., resident Mike Fogerty sees that declaration every time he gets behind the steering wheel of his 1964 Dodge Polara 500 convertible.

Steve Sayer admits that he has always kindled an affection for early MG sports cars with their sweeping front fenders.

A few of the English sports cars passed through his hands before he learned of a 1949 TC model that was available.

The car had been restored in Great Britain before being shipped in 1978 to the United States. The restoration, Sayer says, was somewhat less than ideal.

Who would have thought that a car from your youth would reappear in your life close to a half century later. Yet, that is exactly what happened to Don Stanton.

Back in 1968 the General Manager of Orange Motors in Albany, N.Y., took in trade a clean 1963½ Ford Galaxie 500 XL that had been driven only 12,000 miles. He quickly snatched up the low mileage car and gave it to his 16-year-old daughter.

She reportedly expressed her gratitude by saying, “But Daddy, I really wanted a Mustang.”

The daughter, as daughters are wont to do, got her Mustang and the 1963½ Galaxie 500 XL slantback was sold to a young man. The car carried a VIN code of “E” indicating that it was a product of the Ford plant in Mahwah, N.J.

During the 1970 model year Dodge manufactured 543,000 vehicles. One of those cars, a Monaco four-door hardtop, was purchased by the late Leila Eley of Washington, D.C.

She bought the handsome sedan on Aug. 21, 1970 at the Kirby Dodge dealership in Arlington, Va. The base price was $3,743 but with all the optional extras the total came to $4,361.90 after subtracting some discounts.

Some of those extra cost accessories included:

* Air conditioning...............$395.95.

* Torque flite transmission....223.20.

* Gator-grain vinyl top..........110.05.

* Tinted glass...........................42.95.

* Front/rear bumper guards......33.60.

* Rear window defogger..........26.25.

* Electric clock........................16.50.

* Rear seat speaker..................15.15.

* Dual pin stripes.....................15.15.

She – and she alone – drove the 18-foot, 4-inch-long Dodge until the odometer showed about 36,000 miles. The final registration plate on the car expired in 1993.

Pontiac was busy building excitement in 1966 and Leo Cummings wanted to be a part of it.

He had his eye on a Catalina 2+2 convertible but such a dazzling car did not mesh well with the young man's family situation which included a wife and two children.

Consequently, plans for the Pontiac were placed on indefinite hold.

Besides the shark gill slits on the rear fenders what had attracted Cummings to the stylish Pontiac was the advertised performance of the car. All of the available V-8 engines delivered well over 300 horsepower.