So, why can't we sue the Lt Governor for exceeding the speed limit, or at least get the police to send him a speeding ticket? All the evidence is there, and a regular citizen would get such treatment, so why not force the issue here?

The only "true" way is to perform UOA (Used Oil Analysis)... of course, such efforts are rather overkill for most people since it costs time and money to do that. I perform these on my car because I drive it rather hard and it's turbocharged. However, since I use synthetic, I seem to be fine to carry it on for over 7500 miles without issue (mfg suggests 3750).

That being said, most modern cars can go 6000 miles without any issues, even on regular oil. If you really want to dig into it, BITOG is a great resource, and the forums there can get yourself REALLY anal about the process: http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/

In my experience, even on my older car (non turbo)... I was going 6000 miles without issue, and with good UOA results. I recommend at least 6000 miles on most cars these days, because I haven't seen a single one which required less.

For example, from BITOG we see good results from:
1) ~14k miles on the factory fill from a 2011 Chevy Cruz http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.p...

2) ~7000 miles on Citgo cheap synthetic-blend oil on a 2000 Bonneville http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.p...

3) ~6000 miles on the factory oil for a 2011 Accord http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.p...

and that's just trying to find people using standard oils (non-synth, even though #2 is a blend). The point is, standard oils are pretty darn good these days... on a modern car, it's not even worth looking at until 6k miles, in my opinion.

Of course, don't go taking my advice blindly. Ideally, you should check YOUR car. And you should be aware of any warranty issues with doing this. I voided my warranty with modifications about 2 months after I bought it, so I knew I didn't need to keep to the crazy-short oil change schedule.

In the end, don't come crying to me if your car breaks down. >> I << have had no issues with 6k oil changes...

A few further comments:
1) Blue light bulbs are not brighter than stock "yellow" ones. Yes they "look" like HID, but everyone knows what they really are. And they are less safe than "yellow" bulbs... remember "BluBlocker" sunglasses? They are effective because our eyes have more trouble seeing blue-lit objects (which appear hazier).
2) Bigger brakes don't always increase stopping power. If you can already lock the wheels or trigger the ABS, you already have enough braking power. Bigger brakes will just get you to lock wheels sooner, which is pointless... because you haven't increased stopping power. Big brakes can help improve pedal feel and reduce brake fade, but these aren't problems faced by most owners (except those who autocross or race, for example).
3) Drilled/slotted rotors don't help braking either (see above). It's not a performance upgrade, and may even be a downgrade. Better brake pads are the key to better brakes, not whiz-bang/bling-bling items like holes and slots. Drilled rotors can actually be a hazard, as most are made poorly and can lead to cracking and breaking.

Excellent advice. One more things to keep handy: Cellphone charger (so that you're not left without it, in case you get stuck AND without a charge).

Beyond that, another good thing is to practice driving and skidding YOUR car in an empty parking lot, to see what it does and how to manage it. This helps reduce your fear of skidding (it's an unnerving feeling) and what your car will do (ABS pulsing, noises, spin speed, etc) and shows you the real traction limits of your car/setup, and can help you learn what to do and what NOT to do when you first encounter a skid. If you can start a skid and stop it without losing control (and without stopping completely) then you are better prepared for when you NEED to make this happen. It doesn't guarantee a skid-free solution, but it's always better to be prepared, just in case.

I'm not sure if you get the idea of what is being presented here. They aren't determining speed of the vehicle by any continuous measurement. They simply see that you travelled X feet in Y seconds, and therefore speed = X/Y. So, yes it's not a continuous speed measurement, but it is a valid speed reading (assuming the calcs are done right, which is another issue.)

Furthermore, if the average speed is above the limit, then the instantaneous speed must have been at or above the average as well, during the distance measured. Granted, you still aren't being caught AT the point of the infraction, but I imagine the kangaroo courts we have won't see it that way anyway, so you will be found responsible.

The key will be the measurement of distance, accuracy of reading the plates, etc. I think the only initial defense would be for the equipment to prove (with pictures and data) that the distance was setup right, and that the same car was caught both times. This SHOULD be the way it is enforced, but I imagine they will shortcut this and screw the defense anyway.

Thankfully, these are fixed cameras, so they are easy to eliminate or identify... which is better than nothing.

As for

One more note - Automatics require more maintenance than manuals... and from what I have seen, they tend to fail after about 100k miles. If you don't keep the car that long, then it's a non-issue... but I have rarely seen an automatic last without issue beyond that. On the other hand, I have owned many relatively powerful manuals, and none of them have ever failed in any way.

On the other hand, in the USA, autos are easier to sell too... if you need to SELL it (ie, not trade it in).

As for the hydraulic fluid clutches, I have never heard of a problem from those failing due to lack of maintenance. Yes, you are supposed to change them like brake fluid, but I've never seen an unmaintained one "fail" either.

It's amazing how many people skimp on tires, and then go off and buy AWD/4WD vehicles thinking this will magically solve the problem. The simple fact is, good tires are the best way to go... AWD/4WD is only needed for those who still have problems after getting good tires (speaking only of winter-driving issues... there are other reasons for AWD/4WD of course).

"Make a recording". While I agree with this sentiment, you must be careful because some states have crazy/idiotic laws aganst this. Massachusetts, for example, prohibits sound records of two parties unless BOTH consent or unless the recording is done in public)... this would make any such recording POTENTIALLY illegal. (Hell, there was a case in NH where a homeowner who was being harassed by the local police had signs and posters up about video cameras, yet they threw him in jail (at first) for recording the police. WTF?! And this in the "Live Free or Die" state!?)

The potential-issue is whether the side of a highway is considered public or not. IANAL, so I can't answer that, but I would love to hear from an MA lawyer what they think here.

That being said, there is nothing illegal about writing down notes and taking pictures with your camera phone (no sound in that!)...

One thing to keep in mind, a TBI system (throttle body injection) can certainly replace the carb, but it's not as efficient as port-injection (fuel injection near the valves, like most modern cars). The latter costs more and requires a new intake manifold, sensors, etc, bringing the total to much higher than "$1500". Still, the TBI setup is likely far better than a carb, so it's a good place to start.

Also note, any of these would require welding on a bung for the O2 sensor. So, it's not as easy as a "water pump"... but it's not too bad if you can find an exhaust shop to do that part for you (and if you can get the exhaust piping off at all!)

I'd definitely say the better upgrade is the overdrive, as posted in the example above... FI is a good second step.

Frankly, as a citizen, I fear our government more than criminals. The system has way too much corruption, and breaks the very rules they are supposed to uphold. We see this all the time in basic traffic cases. If "trivial" cases like these are screwed up, what hope do we have when more important cases are brought to trial?