quote: Chase Pickett

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1983 Audi Sport Quattro

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I had an opportunity to get one of those once, but went with an '84 Scirocco instead. That car was awesome.

Now...'08 Nissan Rogue. You're bored hearing about it already.
 

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Posted by Martin McCaffery (Member # 37) on 02-03-2011, 10:25 AM:
 
2001 Honda Civic which is apparently the WORST Honda ever made. Bought used at about 45k miles, now about 80k and I've had to replace front struts, transmission, some electronic sensor in the engine, catalytic converter ruined by the electronic sensor failure and will have to get the drivers side window motor fixed soon. Also a windshield, but not Honda's fault.

So much for doing all the proper research before buying a car
 

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Posted by Randy Stankey (Member # 64) on 02-03-2011, 10:32 AM:
 
2001 Mazda 626.

I change the filters regularly and put new spark plugs in it every couple of years. Had the brake pads replaced once. Other than that, it's been 120K miles with virtually nothing except gas, tires and oil.

The clutch master cylinder is getting weak and I'll have to replace that soon. That is the only real repair this car has ever needed. That's probably because I'm rough on the clutch.
 

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Posted by Matt Fields (Member # 3211) on 02-03-2011, 10:42 AM:
 
2006 Ford F150

I love my truck.
 

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Posted by Aaron Garman (Member # 1653) on 02-03-2011, 11:03 AM:
 
2010 Volkswagen Jetta Wolfsburg. This Jetta has the 2.0L turbo engine and a DSG transmission. Essentially, it's a Golf GTI with 4 doors and a real backseat.

I love all 200 of its horses.

AJG
 

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Posted by Robert D Hall (Member # 5674) on 02-03-2011, 11:13 AM:
 
For driveing to work a 1993 POS passo with 400000 miles on it.
For fun a 1995 ss camaro convertible its my baby i dont take it out alot.
And for pulling my camper that i stay in most the summer a 2005 3500 chevy duramax.
 

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Posted by Barry Floyd (Member # 385) on 02-03-2011, 11:14 AM:
 
2004 - F150 Super Crew. Bought it last summer after I blew the engine in my '96 F150.
 

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Posted by Jim Bedford (Member # 4) on 02-03-2011, 11:38 AM:
 
2008 Subaru Outback wagon, five speed, four cyl, very few frills. It gets about 28 mpg average and I continue to be surprised and happy with how much power it has in the mountains. Unbelievable traction and very good road handling. I've lived up here for 38 years and have been stuck in the snow maybe twice, back in the '70s.

I'm told that 14% of the cars registered in San Miguel County, CO, are Subarus (there's snow and ice on our roads at least six months a year). But it still blows my mind that there are so many of these sold in places like Florida and Arizona where you'd think that AWD would not be much of a bonus.
 

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Posted by Paul Mayer (Member # 355) on 02-03-2011, 12:17 PM:
 
Since 2008, a 1989 Toyoda pickup - I think it's an SR but it was repainted years ago so none of the original paint is visible. 4WD fuel-injected V6 with 243,000 miles on it. It's been a good truck but I don't take it for any drives outside of the valley these days.

Looking for a newer car, perhaps a recent Ford Focus (good car name for a projectionist/technician) or maybe something like a Honda Civic if I can find one I can afford.

Only two previous cars I've owned were a '68 VW Type I (1973-1995, 265,000 miles), and a '86 Mazda 626 (1995-2002, 108,000 miles)... Cars, even used ones, are very expensive to own and operate - I tend to take very good care of mine, but I drive them into the ground.
 

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Posted by Sam D. Chavez (Member # 1841) on 02-03-2011, 12:36 PM:
 
2006 Audi A4 Quatro with 6 speed manual trans. Great fun very fast car.

Has some maddening glitches like a software controlled trunk light that seems to work when you don't really need it like in daylight.
 

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Posted by Scott Norwood (Member # 30) on 02-03-2011, 12:49 PM:
 
2003 Honda Accord. Bought used in 2006 with 43k miles, now has 116k miles. It runs well and has not required very much beyond the scheduled maintenance since I bought it. It is a boring car, but it reliably gets me where I need to go. It is the least expensive car to maintain that I have owned. I expect to keep it at least until 150k miles and longer if maintenance costs remain reasonable. I will probably buy another Honda when it is time to replace this one.
 

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Posted by Aaron Garman (Member # 1653) on 02-03-2011, 12:50 PM:
 
Sam, what engine is in your A4?

AJG
 

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Posted by Bobby Henderson (Member # 840) on 02-03-2011, 01:19 PM:
 
2002 Chevy Silverado LS-1500, regular cab, sports side, short bed. Vortec 5300 engine (5.3L 327 cu.in. V8). 63,000 miles on it. Haven't had any significant problems with it. Great vehicle for a single guy. Maybe I'll get something more "mature" when/if I ever get married and need the minivan for hauling around kids and shit.
 

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Posted by Alan Plester (Member # 852) on 02-03-2011, 01:20 PM:
 
Nissan Micra, but have driven very high quality vehicles due to me working with a company that supplied cars to the tv show called
Top Gear. My real weakness is for a volkswagen phaeton,I was so taken by the vehicle, when I left the company they had planed a surprise of being chauffered home in one, all 15 miles of pure luxury, including air conditioned seats, oh how the curtains twitched.
 

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Posted by Tom Petrov (Member # 1534) on 02-03-2011, 01:29 PM:
 
Hey Alan, the Phaeton is a nice car with the W12. Too bad it failed here in NA.

The Land Cruiser 200 5.7/Diesel is also a sweet vehcile as well.
 

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Posted by Jonathan Althaus (Member # 5042) on 02-03-2011, 01:49 PM:
 
1996 F-150. 118k miles. Gets great gas mileage.....when I walk
 

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Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 02-03-2011, 02:01 PM:
 
I have always liked the sports car with a little zip. Thus two "DSM's" - a '90 Plymouth Laser RS Turbo for my fun freeway runner, and a '91 Mitsu Eclipse automatic for running around in town.



We do have a Kia RONDO for my wife to be confortable in since she doesn't prefer to ride in my sport machines...too low for her to sit in.
 

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Posted by Chase Pickett (Member # 5975) on 02-03-2011, 02:23 PM:
 
I'm like how there are so many VAG fans on here
If you don't own a Volkswagen/Audi/Skoda/Bugatti/Bent/SEAT/Lamborghini VAG = Volkswagen Auto Group

quote: Sam Graham

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I had an opportunity to get one of those once, but went with an '84 Scirocco instead. That car was awesome.

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I would absolutely love to have a Scirocco. I'm so sad Volkswagen decided not to bring them back to the U.S. But I got lucky with the Sport Quattro. The fella I bought it from sold it to me for 9k instead of the 12k he was asking because I am such a fan of Audi's.
 

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Posted by Sam D. Chavez (Member # 1841) on 02-03-2011, 02:50 PM:
 
I had a 1981 Scirocco S as well as a 1984. Also, a 1983, 1987 and 1990 GTI. Also, two 1991 16 valve GLI's.

3.2 engine in my 2006 Quatro. Maybe going toward a new S4.

I really should be driving a Buick at my age, but no can do. I'd rather eat worms.
 

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Posted by Alan Plester (Member # 852) on 02-03-2011, 02:53 PM:
 
Hey Tom... It`s nice to know someone has actually heard of one, if
I mention it over hear, I have to produce documented evidence that they exist. Its an awesome car, with the most amazing gadgets, but the aircon is just superb, it produces extremely cold air, but you cant feel it coming out of the vents??? god knows how it works, sound system to die for,vibrating seats, the list goes on and on, one of the techs had to replace a wing mirror, i think that was in the region of £300, and the windscreen is triple glazed, thats a grand, staggering money.
If you ever get a chance drive one.
 

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Posted by Bill Enos (Member # 440) on 02-03-2011, 03:00 PM:
 
95 Camry with 5 spd, only extra equipment is AC, 189,000 miles, also 92 Ford F150 manual shift, nothing extra, 166,000. The manual transmission prevents most people from asking to borrow the truck.
 

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Posted by Mark J. Marshall (Member # 1409) on 02-03-2011, 03:06 PM:
 
2006 Camry automatic. Over 200K miles on it so far, and no major problems. Before that it was a 2004 Camry and before that a 96 Corolla which had over 250K miles on it and still had the original clutch.

Toyota has been good to me so far, but my next car... I'm not sure.
 

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Posted by Jeremy Weigel (Member # 4208) on 02-03-2011, 03:15 PM:
 
2006 Mustang GT with 5 speed manual. Just paid it off last month and ready to have some fun doing a few performance mods. Let the fun begin.
 

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Posted by Steve Guttag (Member # 268) on 02-03-2011, 03:29 PM:
 
1987 Corvette Coupe (170,000+ miles, original owner, Z51 and 4+3 manual transmission)

2002 Subaru Outback Wagon with the "winterized package"...again original owner with 140,000 miles...on original clutch (5-speed manual). For the most part, trouble free but the Check Engine light has been on most of its life for one reason or another and I refuse to take it in just to clear it and it will go on if you so help as use different gas).

-Steve
 

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Posted by Aaron Garman (Member # 1653) on 02-03-2011, 03:39 PM:
 

quote: Sam D. Chavez

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3.2 engine in my 2006 Quatro. Maybe going toward a new S4.

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quote: Louis Bornwasser

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Brought it to USA and I attempt to keep it under 110.

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Just make sure when your attempts fail, to not get caught. I was arrested in October for going 120 in a 55. I didn't know you could be arrested for that, but I sure did find out. $3,300 later my license has been re-issued, and I'm clear to drive again.
 

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Posted by Jason Burroughs (Member # 68) on 02-03-2011, 05:44 PM:
 
2005 GMC Sierra 2500HD SLT with Duramax LLY diesel.

Use it to pull a 35ft 5th wheel.
 

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Posted by Richard Hamilton (Member # 321) on 02-03-2011, 07:37 PM:
 
http://www.film-tech.com/uploads/uploads0503/bmw2.JPG

Still driving it.

Rick
 

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Posted by Tom Petrov (Member # 1534) on 02-03-2011, 10:56 PM:
 

quote: Jason Burroughs

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Duramax LLY diesel.

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quote: Tom Petrov

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I know what a Duramax diesel is. But what is a LLY?

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quote: Chase Pickett

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I would absolutely love to have a Scirocco. I'm so sad Volkswagen decided not to bring them back to the U.S. But I got lucky with the Sport Quattro. The fella I bought it from sold it to me for 9k instead of the 12k he was asking because I am such a fan of Audi's.

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quote: Sam Graham

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I am kind of interested in test driving the new US Fiat 500. That thing looks like a fun beat-around-towner.

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Me too! I forgot that the 500 is coming to the US. I'll at least give one a test drive - a chance to drive Lupin III's car of choice is just too cool.
 

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Posted by Barry Floyd (Member # 385) on 02-04-2011, 03:00 PM:
 

quote: Sean Weitzel

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and my sunday driver toy that I've had for about 7 years is a 1981 DeLorean DMC-12 automatic

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quote: Bobby Henderson

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"LLY" is just a product code, not an acronym. It denotes the generation of Duramax Diesel engine (LB7, LLY, LBZ, LMM, LMK, LML, LGH). Diesel engines are great for towing trailers

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LLY is the 2004.5-2005 version of the Duramax engine. Each generation of the engine produces greater horsepower & torque than the previous.

LLY was also the 1st year that GM began implementing a lot of the emissions controls, but before the DPF. My only regret is that 2006 is the year that they started putting the 6 speed Allison transmissions in.

The Allison transmission is easily the best transmission in the pickup market.

Diesel fuel is more expensive per gallon, but is also more efficient. Without the trailer I get just shy of 20MPG in a 3/4 ton truck - in city driving.
 

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Posted by Claude S. Ayakawa (Member # 1401) on 02-04-2011, 04:11 PM:
 
There was a time when I used to buy a new car every three years. The last car I bought was in 1992 when I got a Acura Vigor. I bought the Vigor only 6 months after I purchased a beautiful black Mercedes 190e but someone smashed into the car in a parking lot and almost totaled. It was at a repair shop for almost four months and when I got it back, I did not feel comfortable driving it so I traded it in for the Acura. The Acura served me very well for a little over twelve years until it 'died'. Just when I was in the market for a used car because I did not want to buy new vehicles anymore, my cousin gave me her 1992 Mitsubishi Galant that only needed a new transmission. Otherwise the car was fine. I got the new transmission and the car was operating perfectly after the installation was done. For the past six years up until now the car has been running great. Except for some necessary repair work from time to time, the upkeep of the car has been very manageable. It also help when I do not use the car too much for long distance driving because of my preference for using Honolulu's award winning public transportation system when I do not feel it is necessary to drive.

=Claude
 

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Posted by Bruce McGee (Member # 131) on 02-04-2011, 05:15 PM:
 
1985 Oldsmobile Toronado... Nice heavy front-wheel drive car that was great to drive during the recent ice storms here in the mountains!

1984 Mercedes 190E... Nice daily driver, but horrible in the snow.

1983 Ford F-150 2WD Automatic with a 351W V8 engine. Gas Hog, but good to have when going to pick up old projection equipment, etc.

I really dont want to own a new car.
 

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Posted by Ian Price (Member # 14) on 02-04-2011, 08:02 PM:
 
Scott, I thought you were a Volvo man.

I drive a 2004 Chevy Malibu Maxx (the hatchback). It has been very good to me. My wife says that I may never buy another care unless it has seat heaters. My child likes the TV/DVD player in the back seat. It is governed to 105 I found out in Nevada.

I want my next car to be electric.
 

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Posted by David Favel (Member # 1125) on 02-05-2011, 03:44 PM:
 
'99 Audi A4 tiptronic. Basic car, but fun to drive around hills and bends.
Working with Top Gear - impressed.
 

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Posted by Joe Redifer (Member # 3) on 02-05-2011, 05:39 PM:
 

quote: Ian Price

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I want my next car to be electric.

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So that's why you were at the hardware store browsing 200 foot extension cords that were "just long enough" to reach your neighbor.
 

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Posted by Adam Fraser (Member # 1074) on 02-05-2011, 07:12 PM:
 
1999 GMC Sierra 1500 5.3 4WD is my DD. 155k

1996 Camaro Z28 is what I drive in the summer if it is not raining out. It has headers, 3.42:1 gears, intake, 3" exhaust, suspension mods, etc. etc. 100k

2004 Yamaha FZ6 is my sunny day toy, bought this one new. Has 10k miles on it.

1992 Ford Ranger 4x4 is for getting firewood on my property or just tooling around behind my house. 200k and is a piece of junk, but always starts and takes any abuse I throw at it.

I have a couple quads and a dirtbike too, but those don't see commuter duty.
 

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Posted by Scott Norwood (Member # 30) on 02-05-2011, 07:29 PM:
 
Ian--I sold the Volvo (it was getting old) and got this. I sort of miss the station wagon, but the Honda is cheaper to insure and maintain.
 

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Posted by Joe Redifer (Member # 3) on 02-05-2011, 08:00 PM:
 
Adam, you sound like the people who live across the street from me. They have way too many god damn cars.
 

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Posted by Peter Howard (Member # 3491) on 02-05-2011, 09:42 PM:
 
Really into my cars here, Mitsubishi Evo 8MR

Though i'm getting a bit partial to cars like the AMG E55 lately, supercharged 5.4
 

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Posted by Robert E. Allen (Member # 1351) on 02-06-2011, 01:52 AM:
 
1994 Plymouth Voyager mini-van 4 banger. Don't laugh. It's paid for and does what a car is supposed to do - gets me from one place to another.
 

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Posted by Tom Petrov (Member # 1534) on 02-06-2011, 04:13 AM:
 
Anyone on here a fan of the Toyota Land Cruiser?
 

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Posted by Brian D. Whitish (Member # 825) on 02-06-2011, 05:14 AM:
 
2007 Ford Fusion SEL. Best car I have ever owned by a mile. 24 MPG and 4 bags of golf clubs in the trunk.
 

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Posted by Stephen Furley (Member # 1277) on 02-06-2011, 06:01 AM:
 
Only ever owned one car, a second-hand 1967 Morris 1100. Had it for about four years and only ever drove a few hundred miles in that time, 300 of them in one day, this was more than I drove in all the rest of the time that I had it.

I hated driving, only ever did it because Mother wanted taking to various places occasionally, and when the car expired just a few months before she did, in 1982 I stopped driving, and will never do so again.

I'm lucky in that my job doesn't need me to drive, I don't have a family that need taking anywhere, and I live in London, where there are plenty of buses, so I don't need to drive.
 

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Posted by Richard P. May (Member # 3598) on 02-06-2011, 11:49 AM:
 
A question for Sam Chavez, from posting on page 2:
What kind of gas mileage do you get with the Audi described?
We had this same car (2004 model year)for 5 years, and after being disgusted with average 12 to 13 mpg in city driving, traded it for a Prius last fall.
 

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Posted by Jake Spell (Member # 5294) on 02-07-2011, 12:36 AM:
 
2006 Red Honda Element, my lunch box on wheels!! It even has stadium seating!!!!
 

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Posted by Chase Pickett (Member # 5975) on 02-07-2011, 01:12 AM:
 

quote: Richard P. May

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What kind of gas mileage do you get with the Audi described?

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I know I'm not Sam, but it depends on what engine model. There is the 1.8 liter turbo or the 2.8 liter N/A. As imagined the 2.8 gets less mpg because of the larger displacement. I'm getting about 15 mpg with one of my Audi's which has that same 2.8. But you should have gone with a VW TDI. Better mpg and when it comes time to service your Prius, you will see that they really aren't that green. In a monetary sort of way. I do some work on the side at a local shop certified to work on the Prius, and not a single piece of the drive train is inexpensive. That's the down side to hybrids. They are costly to maintain, and diesel engines like in the VW are said to not even be fully broken in until 150,000 miles, and with routine maintenance like oil changes, air filters, and spark plugs they will last forever.
 

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Posted by Sam D. Chavez (Member # 1841) on 02-07-2011, 02:27 AM:
 
My model has a manual 6 speed and a 3.2 direct injection.

I don't measure all that carefully, but it's around 22 to 26 highway and maybe 18 to 20 mpg or so in city and mixed driving.

I also have a 2.0 turbo A3, manual transmission and it's quite good at low 20's in mixed driving and amazing 27 to 30 in highway driving.

Your mileage will drop downward if you get into serious fun.
 

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Posted by Chase Pickett (Member # 5975) on 02-07-2011, 02:47 AM:
 

quote: Sam D. Chavez

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My model has a manual 6 speed and a 3.2 direct injection.

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quote: Tom Petrov

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Anyone on here a fan of the Toyota Land Cruiser?

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Yes.

 

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Posted by Tom Petrov (Member # 1534) on 02-19-2011, 12:56 AM:
 
Rick-About time someone responded. Thanks!
 

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Posted by Aaron Garman (Member # 1653) on 02-19-2011, 01:15 AM:
 
Weren't the trucks in the Jurassic Park novel Land Cruisers?

AJG
 

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Posted by Daniel Wright (Member # 1983) on 02-19-2011, 07:49 PM:
 
I thought the trucks in Jurassic Park were Ford Explorers??
I drive a 2001 Pontiac Grand Prix 140,000 miles and counting.
 

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Posted by Tony Bandiera Jr (Member # 2365) on 02-21-2011, 08:07 PM:
 
2005 black Ford Ranger pickup with extended cab. Room for tolls, etc. and my moto gear when I go out riding. 78,000 miles on it.
 

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Posted by Leo Enticknap (Member # 534) on 03-03-2011, 03:42 PM:
 
I had a seriously eye-opening car rental experience on my last visit to the US (in January). I'd booked a bogstandard compact from Hertz online, but when I got to the counter at Ontario Airport was asked if I'd like a complimentary upgrade 'to something a little nicer.' Yes, please, I replied, and isn't that nice of them, I thought! Here is the behemoth I ended up with:



Comfortable it certainly was: leather seats, every conceivable gadget you could imagine (the thing even had a THX sound system - in a car!) and every other driver on I-10 probably thinking that I was a complete w****r. It was when I got to fill the thing up for the first time that I realised why Hertz was so keen to offload it onto me. Yee-ikes! Ontario - Loma Linda - Hollywood and back to Loma Linda (about 200 miles total) drank $55 worth or so! That's significantly more in cash than my car costs to do the same distance back home, even with our ridiculous fuel taxes!

It was fun while it lasted, but next time I think I'll say thanks but no thanks if they offer me an upgrade to what basically feels like an armoured personnel carrier...
 

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Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 03-03-2011, 09:54 PM:
 
Unless you bought the gas from them, I can't see any reason why it's to their advantage to get you into a fuel-guzzling car. They probably just were giving you an upgrade for promotional reasons.
 

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Posted by Sam D. Chavez (Member # 1841) on 03-03-2011, 10:09 PM:
 
I always order a standard car and it's on my profile with Hertz.
Last year in ALBQ they tried to upgrade me to one of those and promoted it as "like driving a leather couch."

I was going to the Telluride Film Festival at 9,000 Ft. through winding mountains so it was the last thing I would want so I said, "but I don't want to drive a couch".

I finally got a nice Jetta.
 

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Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 03-03-2011, 11:45 PM:
 

quote:

---

the thing even had a THX sound system - in a car!

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quote: Brad Miller

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Sssssssssssh!!! Don't tell Tom.

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LOL! That was funny!
 

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Posted by Manny Knowles (Member # 1171) on 03-04-2011, 01:51 AM:
 
My 2004 Saturn Ion is still going strong.

The last time I lived in the USA I also drove a Saturn.

I thought I knew what my next car was going to be (another Saturn) but they are gone now.

I guess I have a few years to figure out what comes next.

I got an emoticon on every line!

What can I say? I'm a little bored.
 

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Posted by Adam Martin (Member # 641) on 03-04-2011, 05:48 AM:
 
Uranus comes next. I hear it's spacious and has a quite comfortable ride!
 

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Posted by Rick Raskin (Member # 1561) on 03-04-2011, 07:12 AM:
 
1996 Jeep Cherokee - 200K+ -- the workhorse
2010 Toyota Camry -- Replaced the 1998 Volvo S70 that blew an engine at 170K.
 

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Posted by Manny Knowles (Member # 1171) on 03-04-2011, 08:56 AM:
 
Oh my!


 

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Posted by Leo Enticknap (Member # 534) on 03-04-2011, 03:46 PM:
 

quote: Mike Blakesley

---

Unless you bought the gas from them, I can't see any reason why it's to their advantage to get you into a fuel-guzzling car. They probably just were giving you an upgrade for promotional reasons.

---

quote: Daniel Wright

---

I thought the trucks in Jurassic Park were Ford Explorers??

---

quote: Aaron Garman

---

I seem to remember them being Toyotas in the book though

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Go Land Cruiser!
 

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Posted by Sam Graham (Member # 2889) on 03-05-2011, 11:43 AM:
 
When I found my assignment on the rental car reader board last night, I went to the assigned space expecting a Traverse-size vehicle...and found a FREAKING TAHOE.

This thing is a BARGE. A big white four-wheel drive barge with leather seating, I tell you.

It's surprisingly easy to park. Much easier than the previous generation Equinoxes with their crappy electronic steering.
 

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Posted by John Lasher (Member # 968) on 03-05-2011, 01:26 PM:
 
Currently drive the family's Dodge 2003 Town & Country, and 2005 Honda Civic Hybrid.

Getting my own car come November (possibly earlier, depending on a few things)
 

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Posted by Rick Raskin (Member # 1561) on 03-05-2011, 04:09 PM:
 
Interestingly the Volvo had it's timing belt changed on schedule and was due for another in 10K mi. The belt broke and caused the engine to get AFU. The turbo was making lots of noise for the last two years too. It was a nice car but I won't have another. And Bill, I too know of others who have had similar issues with hi-mileage Volvos.
 

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Posted by Richard Hamilton (Member # 321) on 03-06-2011, 08:56 AM:
 
Rick, your timing belt brought up forgotten memories. I took my Porsche in for an oil change, and they warned me that it was time for the timing belt to be changed. About a thousand dollars later I was lubed, oiled and timed. I think they had to dismantle the engine to get to the belt

quote: Sam Graham

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FREAKING TAHOE

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Sam, this was my last vehicle. It is basically the same as the Tahoe, but with Cadillac emblems and extra perks. The nicest, smoothest I've driven, but it cost me $20 a day in gas just to get out of the driveway.


 

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Posted by James Wallor (Member # 6154) on 03-06-2011, 04:14 PM:
 
I used to drive a 1999 Saturn SL2. The only options it had were cruise control, air conditioning, and an automatic transmission (which I hated). It was my first car that I got when I was 16, and it was a great car. I got it with about 110K, and last month it was just passed 178K. 120HP 4 banger that did an okay job, it was a good mix of power and gas mileage (usually would get 28 in the city, 32 on the freeway (75mph), and 40 on the highway (60mph)).

...but in January, when I was driving back up to college, I got hit head on and totaled the car. I was driving 50mph, just about to slow down for a curve coming up in the road, when a 19 year old girl talking on her cell phone doing 60mph came around the curve from the opposite direction. She lost control, came into my lane backwards and hit me, then spun back around into the lane and hit an Explorer.

Pictures of the cars (minus the Explorer) can be found here. I didn't see anything in the rules about linking to photo albums, only to articles... so if this is an issue, please just let me know and I'll resize the photos to allow them to be uploaded here.

For a replacement, I'm hoping to get a 02-03 Ford Ranger FX4 (manual transmission, manual transfer case) or an 05-06 Saab 9-2X Aero. I'd love a 05+ Toyota Tacoma double cab... but they're still quite expensive for me.
 

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Posted by Richard Hamilton (Member # 321) on 03-31-2011, 02:40 PM:
 
Well, I think my BMW might have died. My brother borrowed it last weekend to take his kids to Indy, about 500 miles round trip. I had it serviced before he left at my mechanics shop right up the street. No problems, drove fine. My brother used it to pick up his kids the other day from school across town. He called me and said that the engine started smoking and he stopped to put in coolant. He was only a few miles away and I just told him to drive it back and I would look at it, and to keep an eye on the temp gauge. When I looked at it, I filled the radiator but when it got half full, it started leaking from the back of the engine.

Ends up there was a hose from the top of the engine that broke and was spewing out oil all over the engine. As far as the coolant, there is a "nipple" (yes I said nipple) that is on the back of the engine block that is broke and leaking coolant. My mechanic won't work on it because he isn't familiar enough with foreign cars and suggested the dealership or a local foreign shop where I used to get my work done on past cars.

Until I get an estimate, I'm not sure what is happening. The car is paid off and last time I looked I think it booked for a few thousand. I may try to trade it in, sell it outright, or part it out.
 

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Posted by James Wallor (Member # 6154) on 03-31-2011, 10:34 PM:
 
Aw man, that's never fun. Only bad thing about foreign cars is the limitation of who is qualified to work on them.

Best of luck to you, though.
 

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Posted by Mark J. Marshall (Member # 1409) on 03-31-2011, 11:12 PM:
 
Anyone drive a Venza? My wife and I are considering getting one. V6, AWD, with a towing package to tow floats in parades and such (we own an Irish dance school).
 

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Posted by Tom Petrov (Member # 1534) on 03-31-2011, 11:16 PM:
 
Mark-

How about a Highlander. Similar type of vehicle
 

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Posted by Chase Pickett (Member # 5975) on 04-01-2011, 02:53 AM:
 

quote: Richard Hamilton

---

Ends up there was a hose from the top of the engine that broke and was spewing out oil all over the engine. As far as the coolant, there is a "nipple" (yes I said nipple) that is on the back of the engine block that is broke and leaking coolant. My mechanic won't work on it because he isn't familiar enough with foreign cars and suggested the dealership or a local foreign shop where I used to get my work done on past cars.

---

The hose at the top of your engine is just the cylinder head ventilation, and it leads into the intake. It's not a huge problem, but it does make everything dirty, and especially greasy. Those hoses just deteriorate over time. But the coolant "nipple" I'm assuming is your coolant temp sensor, and should be an easy fix. The reason your car exploded with coolant, is because if there is a leak in the coolant system, the antifreeze/H2O will boil (The high pressure in the coolant system keeps this from happening, and when there is a leak, that pressure is relieved, and you end up in a cloud of steam.) I really don't get mechanics that say they aren't familiar with imported cars (especially German cars) all the systems work on the same principles. www.rockauto.com has every part you will ever need, and for a lot less than a shop or the stealership will charge. and Tom, way to plug Toyota again. You must really like them.
EDIT: My engine temp sensor is at the rear of the engine (audi) But after looking at my buddy's E46 I think you may be referring to the hose connection for your expansion tank. Here is a link to a DIY http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1494309 This guy overhauled his entire coolant system, but you can use it just to replace what is broken.
 

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Posted by Randy Stankey (Member # 64) on 04-01-2011, 10:37 AM:
 

quote: Chase Pickett

---

I really don't get mechanics that say they aren't familiar with imported cars (especially German cars) all the systems work on the same principles.

---

I have had guys who said things like that when I asked them to work on my Mazda. I just ask them if they could do the same job on a Ford Probe. Every one of them says, "Of course!"

That's when I pull out the repair manual and show them that it says, "Mazda 626 - Mazda MX-6 - Ford Probe" on the front cover. Under the hood, the three cars are nearly identical but for the different options which may or may not have been offered on one model or the other. (Those differences are all described in the book.)

They are all three the same damned car. The only differences are the body styling and options.

If I get too much static from the guy that will usually be the last time I take the car back there again.

There was also a sticker on the passenger side of the windshield that said, "Manufactured in Flint, Michigan by American U.A.W. workers."

My Japanese car probably has more American parts content than most American cars do!
 

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Posted by Aaron Sisemore (Member # 145) on 04-02-2011, 11:28 PM:
 
2007 Scion tC.
 

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Posted by Martin Murray (Member # 162) on 04-03-2011, 02:27 PM:
 
1977 Trans-am 455 engine 4 speed transmission black with gold bird and stripes. Unfortunally it is in the paint shop being redone right now so it's back to the 2002 f-350 for a little while.
 

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Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 04-03-2011, 03:23 PM:
 
What is it with Trans Ams? My brother in law found a '77 on craigslist about a thousand miles from here and I thought he was going to wet himself, he was so excited to get it. Personally I'd rather have another '77 1/2 302 Mustang Cobra -- I had one and it was a blast to drive. I'm still sad that I traded mine off, although I pretty much wore it out!
 

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Posted by Darryl Spicer (Member # 711) on 04-03-2011, 03:48 PM:
 
I remember that the Trans Am, Firebird and Camaro of that era had a similar look about them. I think the popularity of the 77 Trans Am was boosted by Smokey and the Bandit. To me that car was a bigger star than Burt Reynolds was in that movie.
 

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Posted by Scott Jentsch (Member # 1681) on 04-05-2011, 09:54 AM:
 
I'm a huge Mustang fan, but if given the choice between the Bandit Trans Am and the Mustang II, I'd be enjoying those T-tops and looking for hitchhiking brides!

That said, I test drove a 2011 Mustang GT convertible a while ago, and I would have no trouble making that choice...
 

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Posted by Richard Hamilton (Member # 321) on 04-06-2011, 10:32 AM:
 
Chase, thanks for the links. The top hose isn't a problem, I can change that. It's just a bitch that oil sprayed (mist) over half the engine compartment. I detail the engine a few times a year and spray it off when I wash the car at least once a week, weather permitting.

My best friend is the sales/finance manager at the dealership. He explained the problem to the service manager when this first happened, yesterday I stopped by and he said it would be at least $700 to fix (the coolant leak). Only about $100 for the part, but it is labor intensive. $126 an hour. I asked him if this was something I should attempt to replace. I told him I've changed belts, hoses, alternators, water pumps, plugs, plug wires...etc, he just kind of shook his head "no". I agreed, it sounds like a bigger project than I want to attempt right now. I can still drive it to the store and back without it getting close to overheating.

Still debating on what to do with it. Last year I replaced 1 control arm $700 and new tires $500.

The car runs great. It has a K&N intake (which I recharge every few months) and a Borla exhaust system. It has a nice low "purr" to it.

Decisions, decisions...




 

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Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 04-06-2011, 04:14 PM:
 
As of next Tuesday, I'll be driving this Ford Ranger:

This will be my fourth Ranger. It's the perfect size for what I need -- good for hauling some stuff, but easily fits in the garage. I had no plans to trade my previous '02 truck but the perfect storm came up: a willing buyer for my truck + 0% financing + $1000 cash-back incentive.
 

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Posted by Richard Hamilton (Member # 321) on 04-08-2011, 01:53 PM:
 
Mike, congrats on the new truck. I had a Ranger "Splash" for a couple years. Because of the design of that model, I couldn't fit much of anything in it. It was a cool truck, the cinema owner bought it for me as a work truck. It was black with limo tinted windows (from the outside you couldn't see shit on the inside), which worked for me. It only had about 10,000 miles on it and the previous owner had already taken off all of the "Splash" decals. The only bad thing was it wasn't 4-wheel drive, I was always nervous when it sleeted or snowed.
 

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Posted by Keri Delio (Member # 6170) on 04-12-2011, 12:54 PM:
 
My daily driver is a '99 Camry 4 banger with too many mods to list ... not your everyday granny mobile

My husband & I are in the process of completely painting & restoring a '87 MR2 from the ground up literally. It's the 3rd one we've owned & the best condition chassis so far. I hope to have it up & running before the heat of summer gets here.

Our fun/weekend car is a '90 Celica Alltrac. It's not a well known car but if anyone here is a fan of WRC/Rally or play Gran Turismo or Dirt then you might know the pedigree of the car.

I love cars, specifically 80s-90s Toyotas, but really anything 70s-90s Japanese.(read J-tin)
I work with my husband on all the cars from motors & transmissions to custom interior work to paint/body on the exterior.
We keep things clean & looking nice -- no FastnFurious boy racer crapola on our cars.
 

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Posted by James Wallor (Member # 6154) on 04-12-2011, 06:29 PM:
 

quote: Keri Delio

---

Our fun/weekend car is a '90 Celica Alltrac. It's not a well known car but if anyone here is a fan of WRC/Rally or play Gran Turismo or Dirt then you might know the pedigree of the car.

---

It's not a bad car... but the latter generation was so much prettier. But despite that, I think I personally like the Cosworth Escort more and the ever-so popular Impreza.
 

---

Posted by Jennifer Pan (Member # 2035) on 04-14-2011, 12:59 AM:
 
I drive a Nissan Altima Coupe 2008. Love it!!
 

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Posted by Sam Graham (Member # 2889) on 04-14-2011, 08:40 AM:
 

quote: Jennifer Pan

---

I drive a Nissan Altima Coupe 2008. Love it!!

---

quote: James Wallor

---

It's not a bad car... but the latter generation was so much prettier. But despite that, I think I personally like the Cosworth Escort more and the ever-so popular Impreza.

---

quote: Sam Graham

---

Now THAT is a sexy car.

---

Yes, I call it my baby. My SEXAY Baby!


 

---

Posted by Greg Anderson (Member # 235) on 09-01-2011, 05:00 PM:
 


It's a 19-year-old Toyota Corolla.
 

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Posted by Aaron Garman (Member # 1653) on 09-01-2011, 05:18 PM:
 
And people wonder why American automakers aren't what they used to be? 400,000 miles FTW!

AJG
 

---

Posted by Frank Angel (Member # 248) on 09-01-2011, 05:30 PM:
 

quote: Sam Graham

---

Now THAT is a sexy car.

---

quote: Greg Anderson

---

It's a 19-year-old Toyota Corolla.

---

quote: Pete Naples

---

Tom, my mum drives a Land Cruiser Colorada, I belive you might know it as a Prado. It was my late Fathers car, and has been very good to both of them. She's planning to replace it with a RAV4, at which point I'll take the LC off her hands. It's always handy to have at least one 4x4 for the Scottish winter. I'll continue to use the Range Rover, and the wife can use the LC, the mini will be hiding from the road salt in the garage.

---

Nice!

The Toyota Land Cruiser is the shit! How many miles on your moms Land Cruiser?
 

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Posted by Pete Naples (Member # 761) on 09-03-2011, 02:41 AM:
 
Not that much Tom, I think it's in the 120,000 bracket. It's about 10 years old. Has the common rail injection turbo diesel engine. Only problems have been drivers seat squab collapses every 40,000 or so miles, alloy wheels corroding and not sealing on the tyres well (had them blasted and powder coated, sorted) and silly niggles caused by main dealership not servicing it properly. Replaced a stop lamp, didn't put the seal back on properly, light unit filled with water & corroded. Latest one was failing to renew fuel filters which caused all manner of starting & running problems. It's not going back to that dealership.
 

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Posted by Tom Petrov (Member # 1534) on 11-09-2011, 11:06 PM:
 
I am now offically driving this beast..or shall I say boat


 

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Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 11-11-2011, 06:29 PM:
 
...nothing wrong with Camrys ... and they LAST!
 

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Posted by Matthew McBride (Member # 6598) on 11-12-2011, 10:46 AM:
 
I drive a 2010 Honda civic with a manual transmission.
 

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Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 11-12-2011, 03:02 PM:
 
There is a fellow that was posted in a magazine that has logged over 1M miles on his 1990 Accord.

The vehicle still looked new like if he drove it off the showroom floor.

Definitely was a road vehicle to look that good. He definitely did a lot of travelling.

Thus, I wonder how many valve seal jobs he's done, if the motor has been replaced,even numerous times, tranny work (if it's an automatic-manuals can last forever if one does the "oil change" since manual trannies for Hondas STILL use 5w/30 motor oil), et.al.

It's possible to keep a car running great... like you do to your projectors: PM is the key.

-Monte
 

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Posted by Jake Spell (Member # 5294) on 11-12-2011, 07:57 PM:
 
I believe that its the original OEM engine, although Im sure its had new plugs, cam belts, ect. ect. He has his own Facebook page Million Mile Joe
 

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Posted by Matthew McBride (Member # 6598) on 11-14-2011, 02:02 PM:
 
It's crazy to think a car can have a million miles. I am hoping though to drive my car into the ground.
 

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Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 11-14-2011, 08:23 PM:
 

quote: Matthew McBride

---

I am hoping though to drive my car into the ground.

---

I know that a lot of us would love to think that way since we paid dear money for the things.

But the other guy on the road that think's he owns the road has different ideas that his gas guzzling SUV is indestructable and invincible. Thus he can drive the way he wants to and not get hurt while others are going to pay.
 

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Posted by Jeff Kane (Member # 6372) on 11-18-2011, 01:37 AM:
 
2009 Cadillac CTS-V 6 speed. It'll pass anything 'cept a gas station. Has a bad appetite for rear tires too.
 

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Posted by German Marin (Member # 918) on 11-19-2011, 10:20 AM:
 

2007 Skoda Octavia 1.9 TDI DSG
 

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Posted by Alan Plester (Member # 852) on 11-19-2011, 11:57 AM:
 
Really nice vehicle German, how times have changed about Skoda, would not say no to one, but since they went under V/W
ownership, ain`t the price nasty, but sure is a [now] quality car, love the whole range.
 

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Posted by Tom Petrov (Member # 1534) on 11-20-2011, 11:15 PM:
 

quote: Jeff Kane

---

2009 Cadillac CTS-V 6 speed. It'll pass anything 'cept a gas station. Has a bad appetite for rear tires too.

---

Is that your daily driver?
 

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Posted by Peter Howard (Member # 3491) on 11-21-2011, 02:40 AM:
 
Just got back from 10 days over there with the family, hired a brand new (227 miles) Escalade for the drive from LA to Vegas and back, what a GREAT suv!

If they werent 90 grand second hand in Australia, i'd buy one.
 

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Posted by Tom Petrov (Member # 1534) on 11-21-2011, 05:11 PM:
 
Peter-

Escalade or Land Cruiser?
 

---

Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 11-21-2011, 05:14 PM:
 

quote:

---

Escalade for the drive from LA to Vegas and back, what a GREAT suv!

---

quote: Monte L Fullmer

---

But the other guy on the road that think's he owns the road has different ideas that his gas guzzling SUV is indestructable and invincible. Thus he can drive the way he wants to and not get hurt while others are going to pay.

---

quote: Monte L Fullmer

---

You can buy a Chev Tahoe with the same gadgets on it and save $40K plus..... $50K is just paying for the name...and it looks better.

---

quote: Matthew McBride

---

My favorite is when they decide to merge into other lanes or make a turn at the last possible second without any kind of signal usage.

---

quote: James Westbrook

---

some social scientist can connect tailgating...

---

quote: Tom Petrov

---

and this upsets you?

---

quote: Matthew McBride

---

Yes it does

---

You should try not to let it bug you. There are far worse things to worry about in my opinion. I used to be bothered by it back in the day, not anymore.
 

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Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 11-22-2011, 11:14 PM:
 
Yeah, courtesy and safety...nothing to worry about.

You are some piece of work Tom.
 

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Posted by Peter Howard (Member # 3491) on 11-23-2011, 12:48 AM:
 

quote: Tom Petrov

---

Peter-

Escalade or Land Cruiser?

---

Escalade mate, I might be Australian but we do know the Cadillac badge from the Toyota badge.

I had a look in a Tahoe but it didnt look as luxo as the Caddy did. The kids loved the captain's chairs with armrests in the second row seats, barely got a peep out of them.

As far as driving and road manners went I was pleasantly surprised, didnt have any close calls at all and cant wait to get back over there next year and make our road trip a bit longer next time. LA to Dallas?
 

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Posted by Tom Petrov (Member # 1534) on 11-23-2011, 07:33 AM:
 

quote:

---

Escalade mate, I might be Australian but we do know the Cadillac badge from the Toyota badge. [Razz]

---

Thats a shcoker. I thought for sure you Aussie's love the Land Cruiser. Glad you like what you like
 

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Posted by Richard Hamilton (Member # 321) on 11-23-2011, 10:12 AM:
 


I've owned a couple dozen high end cars and this was probably my favorite. I ended up getting rid of it because it guzzled gas faster than I could guzzle a beer. 5.7 liter V8 moving around 50 tons of steel made for a comfy ride. When I ran out of gas, I could hop in the back seat and slide down the t.v. screen and watch local shows or a movie.

Lots of leather and wood trim.

Rick
 

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Posted by Tom Petrov (Member # 1534) on 11-23-2011, 03:16 PM:
 

quote: Richard Hamilton

---

When I ran out of gas, I could hop in the back seat and slide down the t.v. screen and watch local shows or a movie.

---

LOL

I think the Escalade you had must of had the worlds most comfortable front seats?
 

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Posted by Richard Hamilton (Member # 321) on 11-26-2011, 12:52 PM:
 
Tom, they rivaled my Corvettes seats. I think they made the Corvette seats extra soft because anytime you ran over a pebble it felt like you hit a pothole. The most comfy seats were in my '83 Vette
 

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Posted by Tom Petrov (Member # 1534) on 11-26-2011, 01:17 PM:
 

quote:

---

my '83 Vette [Wink]

---

Was that a Sting-Ray?
 

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Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 11-26-2011, 02:59 PM:
 
StingRays were the line from 1963 to 1967 for the "Vette" due to their body styling of the rear end-mainly due to the split glass rear window with the divider that matched the color of the vehicle..
 

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Posted by Richard Hamilton (Member # 321) on 11-26-2011, 03:11 PM:
 
I wish I had the only '83 made. 1982 was the last year for the C3 and 1984 was the first year for the C4. I believe the only '83 Vette is the one at the Corvette museum in Bowling Green a prototype for the 1984 model.

My last Vette, 82, best body style in my opinion.



Rick
 

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Posted by Tom Petrov (Member # 1534) on 11-26-2011, 04:16 PM:
 
Richard, that is awesome.

What kind of MPG does something like that get?
 

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Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 11-26-2011, 08:38 PM:
 
When you own one of those, MPG is the least of your worries!
 

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Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 11-26-2011, 09:56 PM:
 
Hummer H-3
Ford Expedition
Land Rover POS (dead)
 

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Posted by Tom Petrov (Member # 1534) on 11-26-2011, 11:11 PM:
 

quote:

---

When you own one of those, MPG is the least of your worries!

---

quote:

---

When you own one of those, MPG is the least of your worries!

---

Mike, so true. I had a 68 that was identical to this:


Me and my best friends nicknamed it "The Pussy Magnet" (not that I needed a car to get girls)


Rick
 

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Posted by Chris Slycord (Member # 4239) on 11-28-2011, 04:55 PM:
 

quote: Richard Hamilton

---

not that I needed a car to get girls

---

Though you did need to move to China instead.
 

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Posted by Richard Hamilton (Member # 321) on 11-28-2011, 05:19 PM:
 
Chris,
Good point. . But same results

Rick
 

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Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 11-28-2011, 06:58 PM:
 
Yea, by '82, EPA has really killed the power output and the 'vettes' with 350's under the hood-they were lucky to even muster 190hp thx to EPA. Thus, the could get that mileage rating.

68's prob had the 427-L88 motor under the hood w/4spd as an option. Running 11:1 compression using 93 premimum .. were good to get 12mpg on a slow day.

Lost a bet in riding one of these beasts: driver place a hundred dollar bill on the dash in front of me and told me I can have that hundred if I can grab it as soon as he dumped the clutch. He dumped that clutch and I couldn't even raise my arm.

After that run, we switched places and that was like handling an F-15 ... just insane power..
 

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Posted by Richard Hamilton (Member # 321) on 11-28-2011, 07:56 PM:
 
Monte, my 68 had a 327 with a Holley 4 barrel carb. Same effect, 0-60 easily in first in about 5 seconds. When those second two barrels opened up, it was insane power. My 80 and 82 were just so so, wouldn't race them against anything, but they had the looks. Plus they were automatics.
 

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Posted by Tom Petrov (Member # 1534) on 11-28-2011, 10:11 PM:
 

quote: Richard Hamilton

---

0-60 easily in first in about 5 seconds

---

And here I am thinking 5 second 0-60mph runs were something only for the present. Weren't guys obsessed with the "1/4 mile" back then?
 

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Posted by Richard Hamilton (Member # 321) on 11-29-2011, 07:20 AM:
 
Tom,
I got the car in the summer of 85, I was 18. All I know is it was fast. The 5 seconds was timed by a friend in the car with me. The engine had been rebuilt and I don't know what the horsepower was.

Here are some stats . It lists 0-60 in 6.5 at 300hp.

Rick
 

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Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 11-29-2011, 07:56 AM:
 
Richard..... You still drivin that pimmped out Escalade or did the Ex end up witn it?
 

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Posted by Richard Hamilton (Member # 321) on 11-29-2011, 08:24 AM:
 
Mark,
Traded it in when gas was about $5.00 a gallon a few years ago.

Don't get me started on my ex....this thread got me thinking. Before I was married, I owned my own house with a Porsche and a BMW sitting in the driveway. Next thing I knew I got married, both cars were sold, we bought her a newer BMW and I got her old Grand Am that she inhereted from her grandparents . Oh, had to sell the house, buy a newer better one and start living paycheck to paycheck, bitch
 

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Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 11-29-2011, 09:47 PM:
 
Boy, if Rick took that 68 on the 1/4mile track and kept his timeslips, they probably would have showed low 10's at over 130mph..
 

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Posted by Tom Petrov (Member # 1534) on 11-29-2011, 09:59 PM:
 
Monte- Are you serious about low 10's?
 

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Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 11-30-2011, 12:20 PM:
 
..why I said "probably" - nothing factual since it never happened.
 

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Posted by Tom Petrov (Member # 1534) on 12-01-2011, 09:39 PM:
 

quote: Richard Hamilton

---

Here are some stats . It lists 0-60 in 6.5 at 300hp.

---

quote: Monte L Fullmer

---

the norm was drum brakes on all four corners.

---

quote: Monte L Fullmer

---

why it prob rode so smooth

---

Thats the road-sensing/adjusting suspension that costs a fortune to replace.
 

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Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 12-02-2011, 10:28 PM:
 
Let the rich and famous(wannabes) pay for that gushy service then ..
 

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Posted by Richard Hamilton (Member # 321) on 12-03-2011, 07:40 AM:
 
Monte, It was just over 3 tons. Smooth as hell, luckily it had good brakes so I could stop the beast

Mark, on a good day driving downhill I maybe averaged 15MPG. I usually only put $20 bucks a day in it. 1 day I splurged and pulled into the little gas station near home. I went in, gave the cashier 2 hundred dollar bills and told her I was filling it up. I don't know if you've ever seen a grown man cry at the pump, but I was sobbing and stopped at $140.00. The girl was kinda shocked when I went in to get my change. I told her I had a road trip, she asked where, I replied "downtown". Downtown is about a 10 minute drive. About an hour later I stopped there again and topped off the tank, about $10.00. The cashier freaked, I just told her I wanted to make sure I had enough gas to get home. She asked were I lived, and I told her "about 1/2 mile up the road" and just turned and walked out. For that brief second, I was a

quote: Monte L Fullmer

---

rich and famous(wannabes)

---

 

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Posted by Tom Petrov (Member # 1534) on 12-03-2011, 10:38 AM:
 

quote:

---

n a good day driving downhill I maybe averaged 15MPG.

---

quote: Richard Hamilton

---

but I was sobbing and stopped at $140.00

---

quote: Monte L Fullmer

---

...can you imagine doing that on a weekly basis?

---

ummm....yeah. Only I did it $20.00 a day. Seemed to make it easier, plus I didn't have 30 gallons of gas weighing me down

I don't know which is worse, having the cashier at the gas station know you by name, or the cashier at the liquor store

Rick
 

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Posted by Tom Petrov (Member # 1534) on 12-04-2011, 04:08 PM:
 

quote: Monte L Fullmer

---

...can you imagine doing that on a weekly basis?

You'd be knee deep in numerous credit card debt and be filing Chapt 7 bankruptcy the month afterwards..

---

quote: Richard Hamilton

---

... on a good day driving downhill I maybe averaged 15MPG.

---

quote: Tom Petrov

---

the average income of the $85k LX570 12/18mpg is in the $385,000 range.

---

(and I bet their debt is three-fold or higher...they can have it).

You can get the mileage out of diesel motors due to the much higher compression which requires much less fuel, just that the BTU output from diesel is much less than gas.

What GM tried in the early 80's but failed at it miserably: taking motors designed for gas and converting them for diesel-bad move-they didn't re-enforce the cam system for the higher compression and these big V8 motors suffered cam failures on a regular basis.

Now, with diesel prices a lot higher than regular fuel, not worth having a passenger car with a diesel motor over here.
 

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Posted by Richard Hamilton (Member # 321) on 12-11-2011, 09:55 AM:
 
My family had a few diesels. When I was 16, my dad drove a diesel mercedes, I hated that car, late 70's model, no power, when you pushed on the gas pedal, it got loud and a huge smoke cloud followed you. (actually it passed you if you were downwind and hadn't had the 60 secs to get to 60MPH.)
Then he bought an Olds Delta88 that had a deisel put in. 2 huge stainless tanks in the trunk, I think it was a drug runners car .
My brother bought an early 80's Elderado that had been converted from deisel to gas. Luckily a friend of his borrowed it and filled it with deisel and ruined it (the gas cap said diesel only). Ugliest Caddy I've ever seen, no trunk and it was 2 tone brown and tan.
 

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Posted by Frank Angel (Member # 248) on 12-14-2011, 11:34 AM:
 
OK, you guys are keeping this thread going so I'll jump in. I was never a "car guy" when I was a teenager. They held only passing interest for me. In my early years I used public transportation and my thumb; back then, hitch-hiking was a viable and even reliable mode of getting from point A to point B (it wasn't illegal and you didn't even have to worry about being murdered someplace in between by a serial killer!). And in the wastelands of Texas, it was the ONLY means of transportation.

Anyway, when I moved back in NY, I really hadn't even thought of getting a car given the NYC public transit could get one withing a few blocks of anywhere you wanted to go. But then I saw THIS with a 4 Sale sign on it --
-- a 1939 Fleetwood Cadillac (Towncar model) similar too the one above except mine was gray. That was in 1978. I didn't even have a license at the time, but it was love at first sight and I knew I HAD to have that car.

And I didn't even need to get a license because there were enough of my friends and stagehands from the theatre with licenses and all I would have to do is say, "Anyone want to drive the Caddy?" I never wonted for to be chauffeured anywhere I needed to go, nearly any time of the day or night. It became such a joke that I bought a chauffeur's cap and made my driver wear it while I sat in the rear seat with the partition rolled up (yes, it had a glass window between the front and rear seats that could be rolled up and curtains that would be pulled across it for privacy). I drove thru Prospect Park like Brooklyn royalty. Once I began waving at passersby; my friend Paul, yelled back, "Stop that or I'll throw your ass out."

The car was in MINT condition. It was one of Paramount's "practicals' and was used in THE GODFATHER. I freakin LOVED that car. Owned it for only 3 years until what the police said were probably about 4 or 5 thieves broke into the garage where I had it parked and stripped it of every conceivable part -- the fenders the bumpers, the white wall tires, motor parts, etc. It was a professional job -- people in the antique car trade pay huge $$$ for parts. The police told me that had I just parked it out on the street, I would have probably been better off. Parking it in a garage shut off from view gave the thieves all night to do their dastardly work. It was heartbreaking.

After a long time getting over that, it was on to much less esoteric motor cars -- a Toyota Corolla, then a Honda Accord, then a Saturn, now a 2005 Corolla again, all of which get me from point A to point B, but none of which I love as much as my first love, that awesome Caddy.
 

---

Posted by Richard Hamilton (Member # 321) on 12-14-2011, 12:29 PM:
 
Frank,
That's awesome ...Suicide doors?

Rick
 

---

Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 12-14-2011, 01:29 PM:
 
..yep, like some of the early 60's Lincolns - suicide doors.

Bet that "Caddy" had either a 346 ci flathead V8 or a 431 ci flathead V-16 under the hood.
 

---

Posted by Tom Petrov (Member # 1534) on 12-14-2011, 11:14 PM:
 

quote:

---

OK, you guys are keeping this thread going so I'll jump in. I was never a "car guy" when I was a teenager. They held only passing interest for me. In my early years I used public transportation and my thumb; back then, hitch-hiking was a viable and even reliable mode of getting from point A to point B (it wasn't illegal and you didn't even have to worry about being murdered someplace in between by a serial killer!). And in the wastelands of Texas, it was the ONLY means of transportation.

Anyway, when I moved back in NY, I really hadn't even thought of getting a car given the NYC public transit could get one withing a few blocks of anywhere you wanted to go. But then I saw THIS with a 4 Sale sign on it -- - -
-- a 1939 Fleetwood Cadillac (Towncar model) similar too the one above except mine was gray. That was in 1978. I didn't even have a license at the time, but it was love at first sight and I knew I HAD to have that car.

And I didn't even need to get a license because there were enough of my friends and stagehands from the theatre with licenses and all I would have to do is say, "Anyone want to drive the Caddy?" I never wonted for to be chauffeured anywhere I needed to go, nearly any time of the day or night. It became such a joke that I bought a chauffeur's cap and made my driver wear it while I sat in the rear seat with the partition rolled up (yes, it had a glass window between the front and rear seats that could be rolled up and curtains that would be pulled across it for privacy). I drove thru Prospect Park like Brooklyn royalty. Once I began waving at passersby; my friend Paul, yelled back, "Stop that or I'll throw your ass out."

The car was in MINT condition. It was one of Paramount's "practicals' and was used in THE GODFATHER. I freakin LOVED that car. Owned it for only 3 years until what the police said were probably about 4 or 5 thieves broke into the garage where I had it parked and stripped it of every conceivable part -- the fenders the bumpers, the white wall tires, motor parts, etc. It was a professional job -- people in the antique car trade pay huge $$$ for parts. The police told me that had I just parked it out on the street, I would have probably been better off. Parking it in a garage shut off from view gave the thieves all night to do their dastardly work. It was heartbreaking.

After a long time getting over that, it was on to much less esoteric motor cars -- a Toyota Corolla, then a Honda Accord, then a Saturn, now a 2005 Corolla again, all of which get me from point A to point B, but none of which I love as much as my first love, that awesome Caddy.

---

Awesome read Frank

quote:

---

And in the wastelands of Texas,

---

Where are the wastelands of Texas?
 

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Posted by Bryan Pratt (Member # 6602) on 12-15-2011, 12:19 AM:
 
My wife drives a black 2010 Acura MDX.
I drive a black 2007 GMC 2500HD Duramax/Allison combo.
She has a black 2000 Mazda Miata for summer driving.
I have 99 Honda 1100 Shadow American Touring edition for summer.
If I include my daughter's black 06 honda civic, we could start a funeral car business if the theatre goes south
 

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Posted by James Westbrook (Member # 3690) on 12-15-2011, 01:33 AM:
 
Tom,
Go to Google Maps, satellite.
Type in Odessa, Texas
To the West and South are what I consider the Wastelands.
 

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Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 12-15-2011, 03:59 AM:
 

quote: Bryan Pratt

---

I have 99 Honda 1100 Shadow American Touring edition for summer

---

You can park the others..this is the "FUN" machine.
 

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Posted by Frank Angel (Member # 248) on 12-15-2011, 04:40 AM:
 
Monty, you got hit it right on the head -- 346ci V8.

And Tom, the wastelands of Texas -- hitchhiking between Calldwell TX and College Station. Pretty much all of Brazo was wasteland to a Brooklyn boy -- we are talking 40 years ago. I worked a Drive-In in Callwell for a season and then when it got cold, everything moved indoors to Mr. Mattson's hardtop -- The Mattsonian. Locals called it The Ratsonian because of obvious reasons. He was an 88 yr old crazy man so I got out of there as fast as I could and found a great gig with the Schullmans who owned quite a few theatres in the area. I wound up at this 800 seat art deco beauty -- the only theatre in town --

It's seen better days than this picture, but when I was there in the 66-69, it was really a gem in this dirt road town.
 

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Posted by Frank Angel (Member # 248) on 12-15-2011, 01:53 PM:
 
Sorry, I know, it's off topic, but I found a better picture of that beauty (LOVE the vertical lettering). It's dated earlier by only about 10 years -- what a difference a few years can make compared to the sad picture above. Even back when this picture was taken, it had sunk to porn -- usually that was the death rattle for single screens.


Too bad someone couldn't make it work as an art house. One corner of the Texas A&M campus is literally right across the street....show those kid what movies were REALLY like as well as the theatres that showed them.
 

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Posted by Tom Petrov (Member # 1534) on 12-15-2011, 09:59 PM:
 

quote: Frank Angel

---

it had sunk to porn

---

quote: Frank Angel

---

usually that was the death rattle for single screens.

---

quote: Frank Angel

---

I got to jump at the sound of splices for years after that.

---

quote:

---

had a full yard of about 400 cars and after a changeover,

---

quote:

---

Beat that!

---

You think your low , 15MPG in my Toyota Truck.

jk, how many MPG does that Yaris do?
 

---

Posted by Robert E. Allen (Member # 1351) on 12-20-2011, 01:46 AM:
 
My '94 Ply Voyager van died. I was able to pick up an '03 VW Passat station wagon for $2500 under market and am really impressed. That thing has more bells and whistles than any car I've ever owned. One really solid vehicle.
 

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Posted by Howard Johnson (Member # 62) on 12-20-2011, 05:14 AM:
 
I've had a 1993 Citroen C3 from new which has been very reliable and does 50 mpg! A bit better than all you gas guzzler owners
 

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Posted by Tom Petrov (Member # 1534) on 12-22-2011, 05:00 PM:
 

quote:

---

A bit better than all you gas guzzler owners [Smile]

---

What is that C3 pushing, 80hp?
 

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Posted by Don Furr (Member # 1469) on 12-22-2011, 05:14 PM:
 
Last week I bought a 2012 Dodge Ram 1500 Hemi Quad Cab. Drives and rides like a dream. It took $72 to fill it up today!!
 

---

Posted by Tom Petrov (Member # 1534) on 12-22-2011, 05:22 PM:
 
Don, are you pushing 400hp?
 

---

Posted by Don Furr (Member # 1469) on 12-22-2011, 07:48 PM:
 
Nope Tom....only 390 hp.
 

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Posted by Tom Petrov (Member # 1534) on 12-22-2011, 08:18 PM:
 
390hp...what is that thing like on the highway? I have 245 wishing for 300

Did you get the leaf spring rear end or the 4 link set up?
 

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Posted by Don Furr (Member # 1469) on 12-22-2011, 09:15 PM:
 
Mine has the Multi-Link Coil Spring Rear Suspension. Unbelievable ride.
 

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Posted by Tom Petrov (Member # 1534) on 12-22-2011, 09:17 PM:
 
I envy you!

I have leaf springs....but my truck is turning 300k tomorrow.
 

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Posted by Richard Hamilton (Member # 321) on 02-28-2012, 07:22 AM:
 
Test driving an X5 this morning, probably signing papers on it this afternoon. My 318is and my brothers 328 will be traded in. My nephew will be taking my brothers Audi to college and me and my brother will "share" the X5. We looked at a Land Rover last month, but my friend (sales manager at dealership) talked me out of it. Anyway, the X5 was traded in Sat night and my friend has kept it off the lot for me. He has a salesman bringing it to me this morning to test drive.

Wish me luck
Rick
 

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Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 02-28-2012, 03:33 PM:
 
Just don't let any women near it, you're liable to lose it!
 

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Posted by Mike Rivest (Member # 5500) on 02-28-2012, 05:06 PM:
 
BMW
(Bus-Métro-Walk)
in Montreal
 

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Posted by Dennis Benjamin (Member # 1137) on 02-28-2012, 07:45 PM:
 
I drive a Ford 500 and I live in Maryland.


 

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Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 02-28-2012, 08:35 PM:
 
My daughter's husband bought a '03 Nissan 350Z.

Total fun to drive, but would be more fun if it had the 6speed instead of the automatic.

.

-Monte
 

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Posted by Michael Voiland (Member # 5386) on 02-28-2012, 09:57 PM:
 
04 Ford Explorer 90 something thousand miles.
- 1 Trans rebuild
- 1 harmonic balancing pull dud
- 1 s belt tension part (name slips me)
- front and rear seals on the axles

other then that great suv that has been loaded to the ground multiple times.

-mike.
 

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Posted by Robert E. Allen (Member # 1351) on 02-29-2012, 04:49 PM:
 
My '94 Plymouth Voyager mini van died. So a couple of months ago I bought an '03 VW Passat station wagon. Once I get this big body into it it has a very smooth ride (better that the Voyager). It has more bells and whistles than I've ever had. It will probably take me the rest of my life to learn to operate them all. Those German engineers have managed to get more "get up and go" out of that little 4 banger than I've had in any car I've ever owned including the v6s. It had only 10,000 miles on it when I bought it for $2,500 under Blue Book.
 

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Posted by Clint Koch (Member # 1179) on 02-29-2012, 04:55 PM:
 
2012 VW Jetta Sports Wagon.
 

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Posted by Richard Hamilton (Member # 321) on 03-01-2012, 06:23 AM:
 

quote:

---

Just don't let any women near it, you're liable to lose it!

---

Mike, I haven't had anything in my name since my divorce.

Picked it up yesterday and am now trying to sell 2 BMWs The dealership could only offer $450 each as a trade in. A neighbor is interested and will pay $1000 for both, he knows the history of them and has stopped by a few times asking if we wanted to sell them. What sucks is I just spent $500 bucks on tires not too long ago, anyway I'll be glad to get it out of the driveway.

The X5 is nice it's a 4.4i with a V8 and my friend did me right on the price, I've read both good and bad reviews on it. This one is a 1 owner car and serviced routinely at the dealership we bought it from and where it was bought by the original owner.

I now have a new "Pussy Magnet".

Rick
 

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Posted by Jeff Taylor (Member # 443) on 03-01-2012, 09:42 AM:
 
More BMW's--2008 335xi coupe and a 2008 535xi sedan (bought them the same morning in 2008 with my grandson running amok in the dealership, so not much time to dawdle and choose), and a 2004 Lincoln Aviator for messier chores. Neither of the BMW's has 30,000 miles yet, so I'll have them for a while!
 

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Posted by Aaron Garman (Member # 1653) on 12-01-2012, 04:11 PM:
 
Just got her Thursday:



1998 1.9L 4 cylinder. 138hp, but the engine the car was originally designed for.

The heated seats and traction control should prove nice around these parts too.

Only 67,000 miles!

I've dreamt of driving this car ever since I laid eyes on it...and now I have it. Got it for a steal too: $7200!

AJG
 

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Posted by Dominic Espinosa (Member # 2122) on 12-01-2012, 04:26 PM:
 
Rockin' a 1998 Honda Civix EX 5-spd and lovin' it. Without a doubt Honda's have to be some of my favorite cars.
I had an '08 Chevy HHR before that. What a piece. 60% foreign parts! If I'm going to own a foreign car I'd rather it be up front about it!

Now, for my next domestic I'm going either older Chevy or Dodge ('70 or earlier)
 

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Posted by Chris Slycord (Member # 4239) on 12-01-2012, 07:30 PM:
 
Anyone want to help replace a head gasket on a 1996 Jeep Cherokee Sport? I sent out emails to the local tech schools/community colleges with auto programs to see if I could get it done cheaper than a regular shop. lol
 

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Posted by Richard Hamilton (Member # 321) on 08-20-2013, 11:52 AM:
 
Traded in the BMW X5 last week for a Mercedes E320 4Matic. Much smoother ride. My only concern is all the computer controlled shit. There is a battery in the trunk for the basics - start car, headlights, just normal car functions. Then there is a battery in the engine compartment for all of the electronics. There is no dipstick to check the oil level, I have to rely on the computer to warn me if it ever gets low. There is some bitch that turns down my radio and tells me where and when to turn if I typed in directions. But hey, it's just another "magnet"

Rick
 

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Posted by Buck Wilson (Member # 5885) on 08-20-2013, 01:35 PM:
 
1988 Pontiac Grand Prix SE coupe is my highway cruiser/toy car. 5-speed. 272,000 miles.

1993 Ford Festiva GL Hatch is my daily driver. Also 5-speed. I swapped in a 1.6 from a Mazda 323 (stock is 1.3) for a 30% increase in power. Thing is a blast to drive.
 

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Posted by Richard Hamilton (Member # 321) on 08-12-2014, 09:50 AM:
 
Traded in my H3 last winter for this:



I've always been a "corvette guy" and couldn't pass it up. It's not a mid-life crisis thing, I've always been a car guy. Last week when I was visiting my friend at the dealership, they looked up how many cars I had bought from them and their database only went back to about a dozen cars. We counted about another dozen from memory. Before I got married, I used to trade in cars every time I saw one I liked. Thats the hazard of having a best friend who is the manager of a high end dealership.

Last week my kids were in town and after a few driving lessons/instructions, I gave my 18 yr. old daughter a set of keys and said they can take it any time they wanted. They found "Little Red Corvette" on my usb drive and were jamming to it one afternoon when they pulled up. You can hear the music about a block away,but you can actually "feel" it about a half block away. Don't worry old people, I turn it down at stoplights and parking lots. (unless there's some teenage punk next to me hurting my ears with his distorted crap)
 

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Posted by Manny Knowles (Member # 1171) on 08-12-2014, 10:50 AM:
 
Now that I've lived in Indiana for a few years, and I've also discovered the joy of road-tripping, I'm starting to think about replacing the 2004 Saturn Ion. It runs great, and there is no "real" reason to ditch it, but I'm not exactly in love with it anymore.

I bought it when (a) I lived in Southern California, which means it lacks some of the nice winter features; and (b) I was a poor student, which means it has no comfort features for long road trips.

My next car must have:

Cruise control
GPS
Antilock braking system
Heated seats and steering wheel
...and I kinda want it to be an SUV or crossover.

That's not asking much. Right?

But, here's the thing: In terms of looks, the car that keeps turning my head is the Lexus RX300 series. The Buick Encore looks nice, but it might be a little too small. The Buick Enclave is definitely too big. Every time I see something that looks right, it's a Lexus RX3xx. Sigh.
 

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Posted by Sam Graham (Member # 2889) on 08-12-2014, 12:20 PM:
 
Since we're updating, I picked up this lovely hunk-o-awesome in April...


 

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Posted by Steve Matz (Member # 1890) on 08-12-2014, 09:29 PM:
 
The Centerline Wheels that came back to OEM Finish after
using a 7448 3M Scotchbrite Pad that Centerline told me to use.


 

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Posted by Buck Wilson (Member # 5885) on 08-12-2014, 09:42 PM:
 

quote: Buck Wilson

---

1988 Pontiac Grand Prix SE coupe is my highway cruiser/toy car. 5-speed. 272,000 miles.

1993 Ford Festiva GL Hatch is my daily driver. Also 5-speed. I swapped in a 1.6 from a Mazda 323 (stock is 1.3) for a 30% increase in power. Thing is a blast to drive.

---

Sold the Festiva to my older brother, bought a '96 Chevy K1500 Silverado. 350 V8, leather, black, great overall shape.

The 88 GP is now my daily and has been doing great, up to 283,000 miles now.
 

---

Posted by Louis Bornwasser (Member # 3063) on 08-13-2014, 07:09 AM:
 
2004 Chrysler mini van 185,000 miles; 2013 same with 8000 miles and an Audi A4 2014 with 5000 miles. One guess which is quieter and easier to drive.
 

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Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 08-13-2014, 12:25 PM:
 
Work vehicle is 2003 Ford Expedition. 287,000 miles on it. Rolled it into a snow bank last winter near Sheridan, WY when the left front tire caught a snow drift on the Interstate. State Trooper said we used up all nine lives that day. John Wilson though we were in Fargo. I also had two full Century booths in the back, pedestals and all. It landed upright atop a 4' snow bank with only a broken passenger side window. We dug it out with the help of a tow truck driver and then went off to Buffalo, got a new window installed, did the service call in Buffalo and went on to Laramie. Takes a likin, keeps on tickin. Sean Weitzel got the Century's and there wasn't a scratch on the gear.
Am going to buy another one when it hits 300K.

Wife is still driving our 07 Hummer back and forth to work and it is also our weekend off road car and has been 100% reliable. 107K on it now. We will drive it till it breaks down and have to abandon it somewhere out in the wilderness!



Mark
 

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Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 08-13-2014, 04:59 PM:
 
Still though, Mark, you guys came out of that rollover unharmed, that's the real big thing...and being no matter what vehicle you were in.

And keep saying "thank you" to that big snow drift to keep the top from caving in and stopping that roll.

That Hummer will last you two another 10 plus years since they were built pretty tough.

-Monte
 

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Posted by Buck Wilson (Member # 5885) on 08-13-2014, 08:53 PM:
 
Call me crazy, but you might be wise to keep the 300k one over getting a lower mile one, the 300k one has had everything replaced and is well and 'broken in'.

This is of course assuming it has little to no rust, a solid tranny and engine(I.e. no burning oil, etc)
 

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Posted by Sam D. Chavez (Member # 1841) on 08-13-2014, 09:51 PM:
 
Sold my A4 3.2 6 speed and got a 2014 S4, 3.0 supercharged with DSG transmission. Way too much car for an old guy but could not go out in a Buick.

Awesome ride but I do miss a truly manual transmission every now and then.
 

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Posted by Steve Matz (Member # 1890) on 08-13-2014, 10:33 PM:
 
Engines in Vettes after the Compression Ratio Drop gradually became a Joke.The 1980 California Model being the Biggest. A 305ci w/ a whopping 185HP.I was waiting for the 81 Model to have the Old Blue Flame 6 from 1953 days.

Answer to power is you pull the old SB and put a 427 L88 Engine
in.The neck snapping Torque is why Guys like BB's. The Drawback in my case on this Particlar Car was 4.56 Gearing equals about 8 miles per gallon unless your idling everywhere and the Police like to wait for you to go through the Gears to Clear the Motor Out. They like to Follow you waiting for the Moment...




 

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Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 08-13-2014, 11:39 PM:
 
Gee, with 4.56:1 final ratio gearing, I'd want to bust my neck also when the clutch got dumped.

Better make sure you're in the five point with a good head rest.

About did it in a 426 Hemi Challenger, and that was running 4.11:1 with wrinkle walls on the back end.

Yea, try the big 454 in the monster 1976 Impalas: 175HP running 8:1 compression and all plugged up with smog controls.

Even with that 454 in a 'Vette: almost lucky to see 200 HP during this era.

Total embarrassment for that huge of a motor. Should be almost a HP per cubic inch (screw the metric crap....!)
 

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Posted by Richard Hamilton (Member # 321) on 08-14-2014, 08:02 AM:
 
Steve, AWESOME Vette! What year? 80-81? Sweet engine also, did you rebuild it? I don't think I can even find the spark plugs on mine if I tried.



I can check almost all fluids. The transmission level has to be checked from underneath and even my normal mechanic said he can't get to it. Looks like overpriced dealership mechanic prices

From How Stuff Works
1997 Corvette Specifications
Exceptional braking, handling, ride, comfort, roominess, ergonomics, and value -- the 1997 Corvette C5 had it all. And it was one of the fastest cars in the world to boot. The six-speed went from 0 to 60 mph in 4.7 seconds, a half-second less than an LT4 and just as quickly as the 405-bhp ZR-1. A 172 mph top speed put it about two mph in front of the fastest C4 and just seven mph shy of the ZR-1. On the skid pad, its .93g was the best number ever achieved by a production Corvette, while braking from 60 mph was a supercar-short 125 feet.

Mines an automatic and I can't afford any tickets so I haven't really gotten on it yet. Just a couple quick times when some asshole is riding my ass and trying to pass me
 

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Posted by Steve Matz (Member # 1890) on 08-14-2014, 10:43 AM:
 
Well Richard on your Vette when the LS Motors eliminated the Distributor and went to coil packs on top of the Valve covers; they needed to put some kind of covers over the top because it was quite unattractive looking with these 8 separate coils and wiring showing. It was actually the biggest improvement ignition wise that GM Made eliminating the antiquated Distributor that has been around since the early 20th century. Now you have an individual coil for each cylinder with the same short length plug wire. You now have the most accurate Ignition timing their is; using a Crank trigger timing method that is as accurate as you will ever find. This Type ignition System is nothing new. Formula 1 Cars have used a Stick Coil type Ignition for decades.

If you remove the 2 black Plastic covers between your Cross over Fuel Injection; you will see it is just as easy as the old SB's to access your Spark Plugs. Ironic when they put this LS engine in the now defunct Pontiac GTO Years back. They put no covers on the engine at all; probably because it was the Vette engine to begin with and Chevy wasn't going to have the Pontiac division put their Black or Red(LS7) vette covers on a GTO. Pontiac never did make a set of covers and when you look under the hood without them it's not attractive at all. The New GTO was a Flop IN sales and soon disappeared so it didn't make any difference but that Engine was an LS3 Vette Engine.

The modern Chevy Engines LS3,LS6,LS7,LS9 and the new LT4 for 2015
are so much superior than the old SB mouse motors it's unreal. In fact Their Cylinder heads Flow as good or better then the Rectangular Port BB Head like on the Engine above. The new LT4 Engine for 2015 has direct Combustion Chamber injection(bypassing the intake runner)This will be the most efficient engine to ever come out of GM and they have fudged on the HP numbers(probably for insurance purposes) rating it at 650hp. However the Torque is 25ft lbs more than the LS9 engine that was rated at 638 HP. I'm estimating that this engine is probably putting out closer to 675+ HP. It will be a Monster for Power you can bet.

I have been building Engines(mostly chevy)since the late 60's and mostly BB's although I've done a number of SB's also. I love the Engines and GM's Technology Advances in the last 10 yrs on these LS Engines is quite extraordinary...

BTW: That is a 79 L82(still built in St Louis then) 4 speed. That car had the worst factory paint job I had ever seen on any prior vette I owned. The quality control towards the end of the assembly Plant in St Louis became horrible. The Bowling Green Facility was a complete 180 from St Louis for Fit/Finish,etc. They also have probably the most state of the Art Paint Facilities at BG that you will ever find anywhere...


Another L88 Engine I built around the same time.
This had 2nd Design Aluminum heads(Round Exh ports
Titanium intake valves at $78.00 a piece and hollow-
stem sodium filled Exh valves at $42.00 apiece. Pretty
expensive valve train but Titanium Valves in a BB will
give you another 1000+rpm without doing any other Modification
 

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Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 08-14-2014, 01:19 PM:
 
True, COP (Coil Over Plug) Ignition is the way to go now along with GDI (Gasoline Direct Injection).

Now, one can run almost 11:1 compression using 87 fuels due to GDI since the fuel is shot into the bores right with the piston starting to come up for compression instead of being shot behind the INT valves during EXH stroke.

This is how the MPG and HP numbers are getting better looking along with the much lowered emission numbers.

I have a 1990 Ply Laser RS Turbo that, with 1989 numbers, is getting me 190 HP at 6K RPM with 10LBs of Boost. Now, if someone builds a GDI head for this thing along with upping my compression ratio from 7.8:1 to 10.2:1, I bet that motor can push out 300HP stock with no increase in turbo pressure.
 

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Posted by Steve Matz (Member # 1890) on 08-14-2014, 02:22 PM:
 
Yeah Monte, who would have ever guessed many years ago when we were running Carbs; that you could eventually buy a 600+HP car that didn't need Sunnoco 104 and could get 20+ MPG and do high 10s,low 11s ET's at the Dragstrip. Back in the 60's if you had 425hp you were bad ass. A base engine LS3 Vette puts out more than that...they make higher HP engines every year but our speed
limit has still remained at 55mph most places. Speaking from past
expierence Big Horsepower can get you into Trouble quite easily.

BTW; Speaking of Coil Packs; The Dodge Hemi Engines not only have the convienence of the coil going right through the Valve cover because of the Spark plug Location, but it is probably the most sanitary and attractive coil arrangement compared to GM & Ford setups...
 

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Posted by Steve Matz (Member # 1890) on 08-14-2014, 08:49 PM:
 
One thing I forgot to mention to Richard about those Plastic Covers on his Engine. They should just snap off by lifting them upwards. they snap to the Fuel rail in 2 places close to the intake side and snap to 2 special studs that go through 2 of the Coils.

One thing that is kind of neat for these Engines is there are a few companies that sell custom covers. Here is a Set that is on a Camero. You can get a variety of designs whether you want a Carbon Fiber look or whatever.You can change them out in just a couple minutes. Not sure what their costing now though...


 

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Posted by Jeff Kane (Member # 6372) on 08-14-2014, 09:37 PM:
 
I have an '11 Audi S4 I bought last year with 27k on the clock. Has 48k now! Love the car despite the few quirks with the DSG. With traffic the way it is in Houston though, the clutchless aspect is a boon. Next car will be a '13 S6 once they drop into the right price range. Twin turbo V8? Sign. Me. UP.
 

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Posted by Sam D. Chavez (Member # 1841) on 08-15-2014, 12:36 AM:
 
Which quirks?
 

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Posted by Richard Hamilton (Member # 321) on 08-19-2014, 09:35 AM:
 
So my "change engine oil soon" warning keeps flashing under my odometer. According to the "official" sticker in the window, I still have 700 miles to go. I stopped at my mechanics and he said it would be anywhere from $80-$100 bucks. I called Advanced Auto Parts to see what the oil costs, and 6 quarts was about $70 off the shelf. Is oil that fucking expensive or have I neglected some of my cars? A few of them I didn't have long enough to warrant an oil change, also I just don't drive that much to log the hours/mileage on the engine.
 

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Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 08-19-2014, 10:04 AM:
 
That price is undoubtedly for pure synthetic oil, but it still seems a little high. Some brands like Royal Purple are premium priced, but you can often find some brands on sale for in the 6-7 dollar range. You will find as many different opinions on the "best" oil as there are people! But Consumer Reports says to just buy a good brand name, don't mix brands in one oil change, and just shop for the best price.

The price you were quoted by your mechanic includes a new filter and of course labor, so it's not really out of line.
 

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Posted by Richard Hamilton (Member # 321) on 08-19-2014, 11:41 AM:
 
From the manual:

"What Kind of Oil to Use
Look for two things:
GM4718M
The Corvette engine requires a special oil meeting
GM Standard GM4718M. Oils meeting this Standard
may be identified as synthetic. However, not all
synthetic oils will meet this GM Standard. You
should look for and use only an oil that meets GM
Standard GM47 18M.

NOTICE: If you use oils that don’t have the GM 4718M
Standard designation, you can cause engine
damage not covered by your warranty."

Mobile 1 is a substitute and thats what they quoted me at the parts store.
 

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Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 08-19-2014, 12:16 PM:
 
Here, we sell that type of oil (Mobil 1 synthetic 5w30) for $9.39 a quart and it goes on sale twice a year (spring and fall) for $6.59. The price you got from Advance figures out to $11.67 a quart which does seem high but who knows, it could be driven by location, high wages in your area or something like that.

You could also buy it on Amazon Prime....I just found it on there for $8.36 a quart in a 6-pack.
 

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Posted by Steve Matz (Member # 1890) on 08-19-2014, 12:40 PM:
 
Contrary to what GM or the other Car MFGers say; Your LS Engine doesn't need to have Synthetic Oil. They are just getting Kick backs from the Oil Companies for Promoting it. They can say all they want about going 10 or 20 thousand or whatever between oil changes. Any Competent Person that cares about their Engine(especially a VETTE Engine IS going to change his oil and filter every 3 thousand mile or less. Obviously you can't be putting expensive synthetic at that price and mileage. I have used Petroleum oil in everything I raced and owned since the 1960's. Mostly Valvoline Racing oil or Castrol R. The Petroleum Industry must have really did a good PR Campaign years back to convince people that their Engines needed Synthetic Oil. LAZY MAN'S OIL. People that don't change their oil for 20,000 miles are Lame...

quote: Richard Hamilton

---

NOTICE: If you use oils that don’t have the GM 4718M
Standard designation, you can cause engine
damage not covered by your warranty."

---

quote: Steve Matz

---

Automakers are still after Profits

---

quote: Steve Matz

---

I never said Auto Parts Stores were part of any Scam.

---

quote: Buck Wilson

---

That has got to be one of the most ridiculous posts I've seen on this forum.

I don't even know where to begin.

---

quote:

---

Every business on God's green earth is after profits. The more the better!

---

quote: Mike Blakesley

---

The price you got from Advance figures out to $11.67 a quart

---

quote: Steve Matz

---

People that are too lazy to change their own oil or have it changed by someone only once or twice a year usually are the ones that have problems down the line and they can't figure out why

---

Steve, The problem is I can't change it myself. The car was designed to be light, so there is no spare tire, so - no jack or points to jack it up if I used a different one from another car. I don't know if a floor jack will slide underneath it, and if so I wouldn't be able to see were to place it. I thought about a set of ramps, but I think the front is is too low and long that it would hit before the tires hit the ramps. Also the tires may be too wide for ramps. If that did work then I would also want to buy jack stands for safety. Anyway I would attempt to do it, it seems alot easier, less time consuming and about the same cost to let my mechanic do it. ( I don't own jack stands or ramps anymore since my divorce. If I'm lucky I might be able to find one of each )
 

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Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 08-21-2014, 09:32 AM:
 

quote: Richard Hamilton

---

the price they gave me was for a 5 quart jug

---

quote: Mike Blakesley

---

If you drive a car 15,000 miles a year, you would drive 100,000 miles in about 6 1/2 years. If you change the oil every 7,000, that's about 14 oil changes. If synthetic costs $3 a quart more than regular oil and you use 5 quarts in a change, that's $210 more that you've spent in those miles, or $32 a year. It's not exactly major bucks.

---

Here is a video form Brad's mechanic that's just down the street form Film-Tech. Let that "less friction" aspect sink in a little bit there Steveo.

Brad's Mechanic On Synthetic vs. Regular Oil
 

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Posted by Steve Matz (Member # 1890) on 08-21-2014, 03:53 PM:
 
Well all I can say is People are going to use what they want and believe as far as Choosing what oil to Run in their Engines.Arguing which is better is futual because Most people are caught up in advertising hype and generally believe what they see and hear on TV,Magazines,etc. I have built a lot of Both Motorcycle and Automotive Engines over a 50+ year span and I can't remember ever having any Engine Failures(Racing Engines also) and having excessive wear tolerances on torn down Race Motors concerning use of petroleum oils.

Just like the 1st video said; most Synthetic Oils are not pure Synthetic,many still have petroleum additives;only a small number are pure 100% synthetic and those will be the most expensive. I would bet if you talked with a TECH from the "AMERICAN PETROLEUM INSTITUTE"(API)which aren't getting paid from any company when they grade oil,will tell you that probably 90% of the Engines that the MFGer's Customer manual emphasize using Synthetic Oil will tell you it's not neccessary. As far as Friction and Break down comparisons.(Read Below)

HARLEY-DAVIDSON when it was R&Ding The Alloy XR750 Race Engine back in 1970;Put an Engine on a Test Stand and ran it 200 straight hours using CASTROL R Oil. The engine ran hours at idle and low rpm as well as Redline(8500RPM)continuously. When they tore the Engine down and measured every piece relating to Reciprocating and Rotating Parts; the most wear which was only .001(thousandth of an inch) was in the Piston/Cylinder wall clearance.This being a short stroke engine(79mm) which generally because of extreme Con Rod Angularity tend to wear faster than a Long Stroke configuration; in short this engine was still in like new condition. So saying that Premium grade petroleum oils break down easier and sooner is BS. BTW: This same engine design is still being used by HD in AMA Grandnational DT Racing going into it's 42nd straight year...

I'm done posting on this Subject...Use what you want to use;it's supposedly still a Free Country!
 

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Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 08-21-2014, 07:08 PM:
 
Steve...

I don't need to talk to a tech from the oil industry nor do I pay attention to,advertising hype. LaVezzi did all that leg work for us many years ago on the research side. I have seen the mileage increase on my Hummer when I switched to all synthetics in the drive train. I have seen first hand the life span and accumulated crud of projectors running mineral base vs. Synthetic. I was convinced of it's advantages from what I saw in projectors long before the Hummer came along.

Mark
 

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Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 08-21-2014, 09:26 PM:
 
From oil to sparkplugs: Whether to use standard copper core, or get buggered in to using IR, or Platinum?

My turbo setup uses standard copper core, but with the grooved electrodes. I change those out every 12k miles

My KIA uses IR plugs and even they are supposed to last until the block freezes up, I plan on doing a change when the block hit 50K miles.

I refuse to use Platinum since platinum is such a poor conductor of electricity.

-Monte
 

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Posted by Buck Wilson (Member # 5885) on 08-21-2014, 11:29 PM:
 
Basically all about choice. The cheaper copper plugs conduct the best but last the least amount of time. Then Platinum, then Iridium.

I use whatever the car came with factory. Though if it called for copper, I tend to bump up at least to platinum because I just really don't like changing plugs that often, especially in a transversely mounted V6 engine driving the front wheels. Those back 3 are just.......... the worst.
 

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Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 08-21-2014, 11:45 PM:
 
I remember, with a Dodge V6 Caravan we had, I had that wild hair up where the sun doesn't shine to try platinum plugs.

Thus went with those Bosch +4 plugs, which was a total mistake!

My mileage dropped horribly to where I yanked them out after two months being installed and went back to copper core with grooved electrodes to get my mileage back.

Yes, the back three are a pain to get to, but with the right extensions, it really isn't that all bad to do that changeout.
 

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Posted by Steve Matz (Member # 1890) on 08-22-2014, 02:35 AM:
 
Here is a Champion Racing Plug(N57R)that we used in the BSA and Triumph Twins back in the 60's and early 70's. The Ground Electrode is recessed back inside so as to avoid being hit with a High Compression/High domed Piston when reaching TDC.You needed a special tool to set the gap which was generally .025
They were Cold Plugs and could foul easy if you did excessive lugging around the pits warming up your engine.

The old Harley Racing V-twin called the KR would generally run an N57R in the front cylinder and a N54R in the rear to compensate for the lack of air that wasn't getting to the rear cylinder. Generally even though the rear cylinder still heated up to excess they generally could finish even a longer race on Mile Tracks. However my Good Friend who was leading the 50 mile AMA Springfield National back around 66. He lead from the start to 49 and 3/4 miles before on the final turn 3 had his engine go dead.He had burned a hole in the rear piston and ended up finishing last an losing a substancial Payday which he had in the bag until the piston failure. Even going 3 steps colder in heat range didn't keep the HOG from lunching that piston;one of the disadvantages of a V-Twin not being able to cool the rear cylinder like the front from lack of airflow being blocked by the front cylinder.

They were good Plugs although we generally also used NGK's with external ground electrode when we were sure they wouldn't get hit by the piston. I see these old plugs selling on Ebay anywhere from 5 dollars to 30 dollars a piece for NOS. they sold for about a $1.50 ea in the early 70's...If you ran these in a Car Engine lugging around town, you would probably be losing cylinders at a fast rate...




 

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Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 08-22-2014, 10:13 AM:
 
Steve,

I used a set of those plugs on a pair of BX-80's and they fouled up almost immediately. I'll stick with the synthetic plugs for now!

Mark
 

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Posted by Buck Wilson (Member # 5885) on 08-22-2014, 10:50 AM:
 

quote: Monte L Fullmer

---

I remember, with a Dodge V6 Caravan we had, I had that wild hair up where the sun doesn't shine to try platinum plugs.

Thus went with those Bosch +4 plugs, which was a total mistake!

My mileage dropped horribly to where I yanked them out after two months being installed and went back to copper core with grooved electrodes to get my mileage back.

Yes, the back three are a pain to get to, but with the right extensions, it really isn't that all bad to do that changeout.

---

Monte, those plugs are indeed horrible. Any more than one ground strap and you're just wasting your time and money, and they do exactly as you described. There is a good platinum stock option, ACDelco rapidfires, that aren't completely retarded and I've never had a problem with.

As for rear plug access, I know they aren't all bad, but some are..... and this is what I'm dealing with:


 

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Posted by Steve Matz (Member # 1890) on 08-22-2014, 03:52 PM:
 
Here is an old trick procedure Racers did to Sparkplugs to permit better Flame Travel by unshrouding the Spark. It works in
street applications and will help your gas mileage along with HP
increase if you have an efficient ignition. It is called Side-Gapping and has been used for decades. Don't spend a lot of money on a Plug when you with a little time and effort can produce a Plug as good as any expensive Performance or Race type Plug. I have done this for years on SB & BB Chevy engines that I built going back to dual point distributor days...

With Modern High Energy Ignitions using a 20 to 50,000 volt coil per cylinder it works even more efficiently. Take your time;follow the directions in the link photos and you will be more than pleased with the results in your engine...

http://www.instructables.com/id/Save-Gas-And-Incerase-Horsepower-By-Side-Gapping-S/
 

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Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 08-22-2014, 10:38 PM:
 
Question on "side gapping:" - with this setup, wouldn't the electrode experience more wear along with the ground tang wear causing the gap to widen more sooner?

Be interesting to try out on some old plugs I have .. and have the Dremel tools available.

Buck: with that V6 setup of yours, that's a "ramp and crawl underneath the car" job to get to the back three !

-Monte
 

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Posted by Steve Matz (Member # 1890) on 08-23-2014, 01:45 AM:
 

quote: Monte L Fullmer

---

Question on "side gapping:" - with this setup, wouldn't the electrode experience more wear along with the ground tang wear causing the gap to widen more sooner?

---

Monte; I had a little concern about that myself when GM started using HEI Distributors in the mid 70's; but saw no wear difference than an older points Type. The convincer is My brother restored a 1964 Comet about a year and a half ago. He put a 347 Stroker SB from Ford racing in it.I did his Plugs(Autolite) back then and he was using a MSD 6AL Ignition Setup. Now that's a High Energy Ignition.He originally had a Holly 4779 750cfm Doublepumper on it and decided he wanted a Vacuum Secondary 3310 for some better gas mileage and more street ability.

The plugs had already been in the engine almost a year and no problems. When he rejetted the 3310 and did a couple fullout Redline passes;then pulled the plugs to see if was still running rich or not; He told me the electrode still looked the same and the plug gap was still right at .035...If that Ignition didn't hurt those plugs and the 50,000 volt MSD Coils that guys are putting on the LS Motors aren't; than there's nothing to worry about...GO FOR IT! (slightly chamfer the edges with a points file or even a woman's nail file;then no hot spots!
 

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Posted by Richard Hamilton (Member # 321) on 08-23-2014, 04:23 AM:
 
Guess where I'll be this afternoon!! CAR SHOW!

Over 4000 custom cars

This week reminds me of when I lived in St. Augustine. The streets would be packed with bikes because of Daytona's bike week. Here it's just old hot rods and muscle cars filling up the streets.
 

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Posted by Steve Matz (Member # 1890) on 08-23-2014, 01:32 PM:
 
DAYTONA BIKE WEEK(March) Only supercedes STURGIS for Motorcycle Rallies and Racing. I went to Daytona every year from 1967 to 1982 mainly for the Daytona 100 & 200 Roadrace. Yamaha won the 100 race for so many years they should have renamed the event as the YAMAHA 100. The last time Harley-Davidson won the 200 race was 1969(Cal Rayborn) In order for HD to win another roadrace they conned the AMA into instituting an 883cc class. Well of course they won that race who else made a 883 Motorcyle? What was hilarious though is the 125cc Moto-GP Bikes could turn faster lap times. Color TV Commentator and former RRer Nick Inaush(sp);referred to the 883 Race as "Watching Paint Dry" Class which didn't please HD Brass since he said it on National TV
 

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Posted by John Roddy (Member # 7348) on 08-23-2014, 02:20 PM:
 
I've got an '03 Ford Ranger (Regular-cab XLT, Sonic Blue, 2.3L I4, RWD). It's such a small truck, but still great. I'm really starting to understand why Ford trucks are so popular. Shame they discontinued the Ranger line though.
 

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Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 08-23-2014, 02:45 PM:
 

quote: John Roddy

---

Shame they discontinued the Ranger line though.

---

quote: Mike Blakesley

---

I heard they're still making them in Brazil....maybe I'll have to go down there and buy one and drive it home! But I will cross that bridge in a few years I guess.

---

Good luck on that Mike; I doubt you would be able to bring that Truck back in the US. South America doesn't have anywhere close to emission standards as we do, even the NON-STRICTIST States outside of California. The Old Volkswagon Beetle was being made down in VENEZUELA and called the "FUSCA"(sp) It looks identical to a 73 beetle but you can't import one back to the States because it won't pass Emission Standards. They were like 8 thousand dollars just a few years ago. I heard they may not even be produced any longer but that would sure be a bargain price when you see what a new one cost. You can thank the good ole EPA for the import ruling. They are so concerned for our welfare
 

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Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 08-23-2014, 06:17 PM:
 
I wasn't serious about going to Brazil, that would be crazy.

I have gotten 2 recall notices on my '11 Ranger, one was about a fuel emission sensor problem (which it turned out mine did not have the "bad" part, the issue had been fixed before mine was built) and one about the multifunction switch being prone to shorting out. The switch was just replaced last Tuesday, although it had been working fine.

The truck is 3 years old, about 90% stop-n-go type in-town driving and never a problem yet, except some jackass put a small dent in the right front fender.
 

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Posted by John Roddy (Member # 7348) on 08-23-2014, 08:26 PM:
 
It's to my understanding that Ford trucks are notorious for having lots and lots of stupid little issues that can easily borderline the level of recall-worthy. I actually just recently repaired a vacuum leak caused by a plug that fell out. That's it. There was a plug on the intake manifold, and then it fell out. Why is it even there? Why isn't better secured? Etc.

But hey, it's a trade-off. For the amount of little issues they have, they're insanely easy to fix. Pretty cheap too. Replacement parts don't tend to cost too much.

*EDIT: Ford and Mazda shared production on the Ranger/BX000. In 2011, Ford discontinued the Ranger in North America, but they still make a T-something version of it internationally. I believe Mazda still does their rendition of the truck too.
 

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Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 08-23-2014, 11:54 PM:
 

quote: John Roddy

---

It's to my understanding that Ford trucks are notorious for having lots and lots of stupid little issues that can easily borderline the level of recall-worthy.

---

quote:

---

Buck: with that V6 setup of yours, that's a "ramp and crawl underneath the car" job to get to the back three !

---

No easier that way either unfortunately!

The best way to do it(also specified in the factory service manual) is to remove the strut tower brace(Metal bar from one strut tower to the other to improve handling/body rigidity), then remove both front upper engine mounts, then pull the engine forward about 3 inches and replace one of the front mounts except with one bolt going through a maintenance-only hole in the mount to keep the engine forward.

Still one hell of a job, guaranteed to have your arm all cut up and bleeding by the end of it, but at least possible at that point.

Fun times.
 

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Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 08-24-2014, 12:33 AM:
 
Heard workers at the Hermosillo Mexico plant only makes 7 bucks a day building cars for Ford.
 

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Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 08-25-2014, 05:08 PM:
 
Steve Matz and all: Changed out plugs today and did the "side gap" mod on the new plugs I bought to be installed in my Turbo Laser.

All I can say is: "Very Impressive" - one can tell the increased power when the fuel mixture is more ignited when one can feel a decent increase in power.

I even had to turn down the idle speed a bit since the tach jumped up almost 100 rpm at idle after the changeout.

Not too bad at all.

Thx - Monte
 

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Posted by Steve Matz (Member # 1890) on 08-25-2014, 06:30 PM:
 
Thanks for being the Forum's Test Mule Monte!

Maybe why Ford has these recalls is the Assembly Line Workers seeing what the yearly salary of their CEO is. I just got my September "CAR and DRIVER" and on page 16 called Money Makers-It
lists the Yearly Salaries of 7 CEO's....Check out what FORD'S CEO
makes compared to GM & TOYOTA's BOSSES

FORD MOTOR CO ....ALAN MULALLY.....$23,204,534.00

GENERAL MOTORS ...DANIEL AKERSON....$9,068,476.00

TOYOTA ...........AKIO TOYODA.......$2,216,766.00

VOLKSWAGON .......MARTIN WINTERKORN.. $19,920,167.00

DIAMLER...........DIETER ZETSCHE....$11,148,281.00

BMW...............NORBERT REITHOFER..$9,336,037.00

TRW AUTOMOTIVE....JOHN PLANT........$17,820,986.00

Privately held CHRYSLER doesn't share details
of CEO SERGIO MARCHIONNE's pay,other than to say
he didn't accept a salary in 2013(oh poor me )
but the Italian half of FIAT CHRYSLER paid him about
5 Million...

I suspect the reason GM's CEO isn't on par with FORD
is the Big coverup on the Gas Pedal issue. Things always
have a way of coming back on your company. If you check the
salary of former GM CEO's,This guy is on welfare

Toyota really stumps me; but this is what it should be;No CEO
Should be getting the kind of pay they do for essentially sitting
on their A$$ in an office atmosphere.The disparage in pay from the
employees that actually MFGer and Assemble your Product is completely ridiculous
 

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Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 08-25-2014, 06:42 PM:
 
Maybe you'd prefer a country where the salaries are regulated by the government, would that be better?

People who gripe about high-paid CEOs and who think their money should all be taken and given to the "little people" forget one thing: There is only one CEO in a given company! But there might be tens of thousands of workers! Just to do some very quick math, if a CEO is making 20 million dollars, and there are 50,000 workers in the company, and you took the CEO's entire wage and distributed it to the workers, they would each get a whopping four hundred bucks. Not exactly money that's going to put them on the road to a better life.
 

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Posted by Steve Matz (Member # 1890) on 08-25-2014, 07:03 PM:
 

quote: Mike Blakesley

---

Maybe you'd prefer a country where the salaries are regulated by the government, would that be better?

---

Maybe that might not be a Bad Idea; Then a $10,000 Car wouldn't be costing a consumer $25,000. The CEO is just the tip of the iceberg. as you go down the ladder to ASST CEO,PRESIDENT,GENERAL MANAGER,REGIONAL MANAGER,ETC. ALL these people are also paid Millions of Dollars even when some of the companies were showing Red Ink. Maybe you like seeing see a Car Price jump a couple thousand dollars or more Mike. I think the Auto Industry has become one of the biggest consumer Ripoffs in History. If with all the Bells and whistles; I would still take a 55 built Cadillac over a 2014. Everything Plastic and Composite but cost more than custom metal. People just accept the Auto Industry raising the price of a Car each year and the Big Brass getting Pay Raises plus Bonus's that are in 7 figures or higher,,,

If you agree with a CEO's pay then campaign for him to get more Money so you can pay more for your next year's car
 

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Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 08-25-2014, 07:54 PM:
 
The other thing people don't think about, which is also math related, is how much it would cost to give all those workers a raise. If you decided to supplement the above-mentioned 400 bucks with a raise of, say, $2,000 per worker...that would cost the company a hundred million dollars, far more than any group of executives would earn.

Giving more money to the workers is great, but it's only one piece of the puzzle. For one thing you have to determine how much that raise is going to impact the selling price of whatever widget they are producing.

quote: Steve Matz

---

Maybe you like seeing see a Car Price jump a couple thousand dollars or more Mike. I

---

It certainly would cost that much more, if your idea of paying all the assembly-line people a lot more would come into effect. A group of highly paid executives is cheap compared to the total amount of money earned by a pool of thousands of assembly line workers making union wages (not to mention benefits).

There is also competition among companies for talented people to run companies. And what do you think they compete with? That's right....$$$.
 

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Posted by Jeff Kane (Member # 6372) on 08-25-2014, 08:40 PM:
 
Sam,

It's a delay when accelerating from highway speeds; about 1-2 seconds from foot-to-the-floor until acceleration. Using the paddles to manually downshift two gears seems to speed things up a bit. I'm sure it's as the DSG is selecting gears and it's not a big deal but I'd prefer if it DIDN'T do that. Otherwise the thing is glorious.

Houston streets are not kind however. Just had to get my third set of tires in a year (thank you road hazard protection!). This time I took their advice and went with a different size that provides more sidewall. Hurts the handling a bit but after the third round of sidewall bubbles and flats in six months I was done. I have to drive in some very very poorly maintained areas.
 

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Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 08-25-2014, 09:14 PM:
 
Yea, I know some about that as well: For my KIA, stock was 205/60R16's and those tires went thin with wear bars showing with just 34k miles on them.

Upgraded and went wider with 225/55R16 so I can have more rubber on the road, spread the weight out a bit more, and to get more stability. Just have to keep them at the right pressure and keep them tight.

So far, it's working great.
 

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Posted by Steve Matz (Member # 1890) on 08-25-2014, 10:35 PM:
 
Mike; I'm not campaigning for assembly line workers to get a pay raise; I think they make too much already;blame that on the UAW.

What I'm saying is why should the white collar guy with an MBA or Master's in anything be making 100 times more than a person that is actually building your product and getting it out the door to be sold and getting the profit back to the Company.

It's like a Movie theater years ago. The General Manager makes more than the Projectionist, and may have more education Academic wise. But who becomes more important when it's time to run the Movie.Most Managers in older days couldn't run a projector or any piece of equipment in a Booth if their life depended on it. I'm not saying that upper Brass shouldn't make less then the Blue collar Guy. I'm saying he doesn't have to make a Salary that is so far out of wack with the People that do the real work; making them feel less important than a piss ant!
 

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Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 08-25-2014, 11:36 PM:
 
So you're not saying the workers make too little, you're just saying the top levels make too much, is what I'm getting.

But there again it all comes down to competition. The manager, executive, CEO or whatever that can deliver the best results is going to get more compensation, it's just the way things are. If a guy can make his company #1, then the competing company is bound to want to lure him over to them so he can make THEM #1. And the BIGGEST thing they really have to bargain with is more money. And when the company is really big, they have lots of money to play with, hence the large salaries of CEOs and other executives.

I'm not saying that I like the salaries those guys are making; I'm saying that I understand why they are making them.
 

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Posted by Steve Matz (Member # 1890) on 08-26-2014, 12:01 AM:
 
It's their Arrogance that pisses me off more than anything. When the Big 3 CEO's wanted Congress(TAXPAYERS) to Bail them out a few years ago. They still took their Private Jets to Washington, and were Limoed right up to Capitol Hill essentially begging for Money.

Even some of the Congressman jumped on their A$$ saying you need
Money from the Taxpayers but you come here rolling in wealth. One of their excuses was they couldn't take an ordinary plane fight because of Security Reasons. What a load of BS.Most Americans wouldn't know they were even sitting next to the CEO of G.M,FORD,or Chrysler and could care less to boot. Their Arrogance and Stupidity on that Venture showed me that they think their better than the common man. If they were all doing such a great job as CEO of their Company; why were they going to Washington begging for Money in the first place. They all Dragged their Companies into Red Ink forgetting that many People were buying Toyotas,Hondas, and Nissan Automobiles also.When you start getting the attitude that your the king of the hill; you can get your legs chopped out from under you pretty Quick. Probably why Toyota outdid GM in Sales several years running and their CEO is making 4 times less Money...
 

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Posted by Richard Hamilton (Member # 321) on 08-26-2014, 12:06 PM:
 
Speaking of tires, I know I need to start saving or collecting donations now. The car has lower end tires on it.

Falken 245/35 ZR19's on the front.

Ventus 275/35 ZR20's on the rear.

I know I'm looking at about a grand if I replace all 4 (with the same quality). I would "guestimate" that there is at least 80-90% left on them. (hope).

A few weeks ago I took it to Best-One which is a national chain just to have my front tires rotated, and what they told me was if I had it there by 7:30a.m., I would be done by 8:00a.m. I knew that meant swapping the tires on the rims. They saw my car the day before when I asked about having it done and they said "no problem". It took 3 guys 4 hours to do. When I got home I noticed one of the rims was so marred from their mounting machine that I took it back and they had to call in a company to grind it, sand it, and resurface it. I got home about 4 hours later. So now I'm worried about who to take it to when I have my back tires replaced.

Heres a pic that I took shortly after I got it. Detailing it to go check out a car show. It kinda gives an Idea how wide the tires and the overall width and stance of the car.


 

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Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 08-26-2014, 03:27 PM:
 
Richard... You may have to take it to a Cheby dealer so it gets handled right.... Those three guys probably never ever touched a Vette before you drove in.

Mark
 

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Posted by Steve Matz (Member # 1890) on 08-26-2014, 09:19 PM:
 
Most Tire Repair shops rarely see VETTES because Vette owners in general put on half or more miles a year than a typical passenger car.The machine they use for removing/remounting makes a huge difference in how your rim is going to be treated. This Video shows IMHO one of the best Tire Changing Machines in the business for doing Aluminum/custom mag type Rims. It is the HUNTER AUTO 34 and is probable one of the most gentle machines on Aluminum around.It may look like the attachments are(beader roller,depresser,etc.) are scratching the wheel but they are composite/plastic so their not hurting the rim. A couple other Tire Changers that I would trust for custom Alloy wheels are the ATLAS TC205 & The TCE 4335THP. Ask to see the Business's Changer before you trust them with your wheels. If the breakdown attachments aren't composite like the HUNTER MACHINE than I would pass if your wheels mean anything to you.

You can always do them manually with plastic type tire tools. You need a lot of GOJO and some practice. the beads on some tires are really a bitch. I probably did a couple hundred Motorcycle tire changes so when I manually did a couple sets
on my cars it was pretty much the same operation;just dealing with Bigger Tires and stiffer bead. You have piece of mind when you do it yourself knowing that some tireshop Dork isn't going to scratch/gouge your Nice Rims...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fX43c-gBamk
 

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Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 08-26-2014, 10:49 PM:
 
Mike...

I have several Brazilian connections if you need to bring in a new Ranger...

Mark
 

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Posted by Steve Matz (Member # 1890) on 08-26-2014, 11:14 PM:
 
One of Mark's Brazilian Connections


 

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Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 08-27-2014, 12:26 AM:
 

quote: Steve Matz

---

One of their excuses was they couldn't take an ordinary plane fight because of Security Reasons. What a load of BS.Most Americans wouldn't know they were even sitting next to the CEO of G.M,FORD,or Chrysler and could care less to boot. Their Arrogance and Stupidity on that Venture showed me that they think their better than the common man.

---

Well...I agree that was a bad p.r. move, but arrogant, not so sure. Heck, even small companies have private jets. My wife works for a company that has one. It's just way more practical for their executives to get around -- they can visit maybe half a dozen places in a day using the jet, where if they flew commercial they would have to find flights, book tickets, maybe make connections, and basically go through all the hassles of flying (which we all know and hate). It would waste a ton of time and they would only be able to get a fraction of the traveling done vs what they can do using the jet.

Security? I don't doubt that any of those guys could pass through an airport un-recognized, but when you are a highly-placed person you just never know who might be "lurking" for you. Who knows, their company's insurance policies may even REQUIRE them to use private transportation or at least have a bodyguard along for the ride. So I don't begrudge those guys their private jets. A better move for them may have been for all 3 of them to come to D.C. on one jet. As for the limo....well, you need to get from the airport to the destination, right? A limo is just a fancy taxi.

The economy was deep in the toilet when those automakers went looking for assistance. You can't blame all of it on their "arrogance." The bottom line is, if any of the them had gone out of business this country would have lost hundreds of thousands of jobs, and overseas automakers would have been happy to pick up the slack. So the government helping them out was a good move in my book. (Actually, Ford never asked for a bailout.)

I fear if we get any deeper into this subject we'll be in forbidden political territory so maybe we better just agree to disagree on this one.
 

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Posted by Chris Slycord (Member # 4239) on 08-27-2014, 02:24 AM:
 

quote: Steve Matz

---

It's their Arrogance that pisses me off more than anything. When the Big 3 CEO's wanted Congress(TAXPAYERS) to Bail them out a few years ago. They still took their Private Jets to Washington, and were Limoed right up to Capitol Hill essentially begging for Money.

---

So, if they asked for the same amount of money but drove in Pinto's, you'd be happy?

And incidentally, GM and Chrysler paid back the money they got plus interest and while Ford argued for the bailout, they didn't ask for themselves to get money; they argued that if the other 2 companies imploded, then so would the companies that make supplies for all 3.
 

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Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 08-27-2014, 12:10 PM:
 
That's spot on Chris!
 

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Posted by Steve Matz (Member # 1890) on 08-27-2014, 12:30 PM:
 

quote: Chris Slycord

---

So, if they asked for the same amount of money but drove in Pinto's, you'd be happy

---

No,I would have been happier to not have them go to DC in the 1st place. Why didn't they ask EXXON for a loan since the Automotive Industry is their Best Customer. Then Taxpayers wouldn't have to bail out Corporations that didn't use good Business sense when calculating their over all Sales. I noticed a couple CEO's still accepted their year end bonus while the company was still in Red Ink. If your happy paying these Guys ridiculous Salaries that's Fine, but it's the whole team that are responsible for making profits.The Blue colar workers aren't making the Companies Decisions...
 

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Posted by Richard Hamilton (Member # 321) on 08-29-2014, 06:53 AM:
 
Does anyone have any experience with a Chevy SSR? My brother is looking at one and I told him I never really got into them, but since it is now a rare breed I'm kinda interested. It's an '04 with under 50k miles, 5.3 V8, and leather interior. It's in the lower 20's. I've heard from a couple people that the engine is the same as a Corvette. I didn't test drive it, but it had a pretty mean "growl" when my brother started it. He said it was quick as hell when he got on the expressway.

After reading about it on Car And Driver I saw this :
"The 5.3-liter V-8 has been replaced with a 6.0-liter LS2 V-8 that churns out 390 horsepower and 405 pound-feet of torque. It's the same engine found under the hood of the Corvette"

So it's not the same engine but evidentally still quick.

Any opinions or horror stories would be appreciated. He is planning on trying to make this happen either tomorrow or Tuesday.
 

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Posted by Steve Matz (Member # 1890) on 08-29-2014, 02:52 PM:
 
The SSR's weren't even built in a GM Facility.Chevrolet farmed them out to an independent Contractor and supposedly ended up losing money on most of them. They didn't sell like they thought they were going too,and a lot of them stayed in the Pipeline. Chevy was selling them at under cost at one time just to get out from under them...

If you like Retro Looking Pickups they are pretty kool. Don't get in a Fender Bender though. Parts are scarce and expensive...

ENGINE was basically an LS1 Vette Motor. LS1's used cathedral intake ports...
 

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Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 08-29-2014, 05:00 PM:
 
I don't think I've ever looked up a part for one. Must not be many (or any?) of them around this region.
 

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Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 08-29-2014, 11:39 PM:
 
Saw an '03 SSR for sale the other day via an independent seller. He was asking $15K for it.

Prob knew that he would lose his shirt on the sale, but had to get rid of this "tinker toy" of a pickup.

Right off, when I saw this vehicle come out of the halls of "Roger Smith" and GM, I knew that the big question that all is going to ask? "What do you do with this thing? You have a big 'Vette' motor up front in a chassis that can't do what an actual pickup can do!"

Same goes back in the mid 70's when Chev tried to breathe some new life in their disastrous Vega with dropping that Cosworth designed 2.3L motor in it. That made the price of that Vega jump to almost $6k to where three more "K", one can get a real sports car, being the "Vette", with a V8 in it.

That Cosworth designed motor would have pumped easy 180hp out of it if the Gov't didn't put their stinky fingers in it forcing GM to drop the HP down to 110 with all the smog junk that the motor had to be subjected under with.

Yet, Cosworth collectors are now getting that original HP out of that motor with interesting rebuilds and slight mods.

-Monte
 

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Posted by Steve Matz (Member # 1890) on 08-30-2014, 02:33 AM:
 
Speaking of Good Ole ROGER "THE DODGER" SMITH; This POS almost bankrupted GM.He also turned Flint,Michigan into a Ghost Town;closing plants and thousands of Workers losing their Jobs,homes,etc. This is what I mean about a CEO with big ideas
about Robotics to replace humans so Guys like himself still get the big Bonuses at the end of the year. He was too gutless to face Michael Moore in"ROGER AND ME" so Moore could show him what he did to Flint. While I'm sure he was basking in Wealth on Christmas Eve that same year, fired UAW Employers were being evicted from their Homes...This Guy never did a day on an assembly line...

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0809792/bio?ref_=nm_ov_bio_sm
 

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Posted by Jim Henk (Member # 3628) on 08-30-2014, 02:50 AM:
 
Now that you mentioned it, I once had an old 71 Vega. My very first car.

It melted.

Sigh.
 

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Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 08-30-2014, 08:53 AM:
 
There was an SSR on the showroom floor when we bought our Hummer. Never did figure out why it was at the Hummer Dealer and why they ever made that thing in the first place...
 

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Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 08-30-2014, 06:37 PM:
 
Then, if bad wasn't enough, GM about destroyed Pontiac with the most "fugliest" vehicle to be manufactured in 2001, being the "Pontiac Aztek."
 

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Posted by Steve Matz (Member # 1890) on 08-30-2014, 11:37 PM:
 
If "HARLEY EARL" knew what GM did with Oldsmobile and Pontiac;he would still be rolling over in his grave. OLDSMOBILE was founded in 1897. Chevrolet didn't appear until 1911...
 

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Posted by Steve Matz (Member # 1890) on 08-31-2014, 12:32 PM:
 
This is unrelated to most of our thread but is probably not known even by Chevy Fans.Many people believe Chevy's 1st ohv V8 came about in 1955. NOT TRUE! As far back as 1917 Chevy produced an OHV V8 Engine referred to as the D Series. It was 288ci with 55hp;They were built from 1917 to 1919(total production 2781)both in USA and Canada. They were discontinued after 1919 mainly because of the Cost. $1400.00 in 1917 was a lot of money for that time. I have only seen one in my lifetime. It was in a Museum in Rapid City,South Dakota. That particular engine had exposed Valve Train. If that Museum is still going I'm sure it's still on Display. In 1998 Only 15 D Series Chevys were listed in the Auto Registry. Chevy waited another 35 years before producing another V8 Engine and look where that went...



1917-1919 Chevrolet D Series OHV V8 - 288ci 55hp



1955 Chevrolet Smallblock OHV V8 - 265ci 180hp (no oil filter provision in 55 engine)
 

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Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 09-01-2014, 04:39 PM:
 
Oil sump air cleaner. GM's trademark back mounted dist. assembly. Dodge also had the rear mounted dist. for their 318's.

I remember those little 265's, just like FORD and their little 260's that were first shoved in Fairlanes, Comets and the first year of the Mustang.

How about the all aluminum 225ci V8 in the early 60's Olds Cutlass with the rear mounted auto tranny?
 

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Posted by Steve Matz (Member # 1890) on 09-01-2014, 06:47 PM:
 

quote: Monte L Fullmer

---

How about the all aluminum 225ci V8 in the early 60's Olds Cutlass with the rear mounted auto tranny?

---

quote: Monte L Fullmer

---

GM's trademark back mounted dist. assembly.

---

Yeah,whats ironic is NASCAR's CHEVY RO7 Engine uses a Front mounted Distributor like a FE Ford....I don't even know why NASCAR still makes them run distributors;it took forever to finally let them run a throttle body fuel injection. Maybe in another 5 years


NASCAR 358ci Chevrolet RO7 Racing Engine ( note where distributor is)(also look at the diameter of those plug wires)
 

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Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 09-01-2014, 10:22 PM:
 
100Kv Wires?

Almost looks like Carbon Arc solid copper wires coming from the "genny", or rectifier.

Prob has to be that high of voltage to blast in some serious compression ratio.

(lol .. bet the plugs are side gapped.. )
 

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Posted by Steve Matz (Member # 1890) on 09-02-2014, 12:51 AM:
 
There is another serious performance gain you can achieve concerning your ignition and Sparkplug Wires.Most all OEM/Aftermarket plugwire sets in Passenger cars/trucks use Suppression core wires.This combined with resistor sparkplugs eliminates any Radio interference on AM/FM Stations.Even the Good High end wire sets like ACCEL & MSD still have a lot of resistance(over 5000ohms per foot) If you don't listen to your Radio and just play CD's you can buy plug cables that use solid stranded copper wire.This makes for a very efficient ignition;no voltage resistance from the coil to the Plug.I would recommend around 8mm diameter cables. I know Accel use to make this in custom length sets for Distributor type ignitions. Now that everything is some type of coilpack ignition(with equal length wires), it should be even better since the wire length from Coil to Sparkplug is usually under a foot and you also won't need Resistor Plugs...
 

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Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 09-02-2014, 02:33 AM:
 
..and even better with the new C.O.P. (Coil Over Plug) setups since there is no wires from dist. or coil (if using the waste spark type ignition) to speak of.

-Monte
 

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Posted by Steve Matz (Member # 1890) on 09-02-2014, 12:25 PM:
 

quote: Monte L Fullmer

---

..and even better with the new C.O.P. (Coil Over Plug) setups since there is no wires from dist. or coil (if using the waste spark type ignition) to speak of.

---

Yes Monte,this benefited the Mopar Hemi engine quite well since the coil could go right over the sparkplug down in the valve cover. Unfortunately non-hemi engines with their Plug locations where they are still have to have a short length of wire;which is still better than the Distributor type ignition where you have basically 8 different lengths of wires on a V8. If coil technology advances enough where you have a 20 to 50,000 volt coil just big enough to slip over your sparkplug than GM,FORD,and the other Mfgers can have what the Dodge Hemi is already enjoying


Note: Actually Coils used on Formula 1 cars are small enough that you could have a direct coil/plug fit. F1 Engines however use tiny 10mm Sparkplugs. (the size my 1st little Honda 50 C110 engine used back in the early 60's...
 

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Posted by Sam D. Chavez (Member # 1841) on 09-04-2014, 08:45 AM:
 
The aluminum GM engine used in the Cutlass and Buick if I recall, was sold to British Leyland and used in Land Rovers and other models for a time. Still may be in use.
 

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Posted by Richard Hamilton (Member # 321) on 09-06-2014, 09:39 AM:
 
O.K. I washed my car and have to show off some pics.

1st is what people see when they approach it.


2nd is what they see if they glance inside.


3rd is if they look back at the dash.


And last is what they can't see unless they do a little digging.



I actually lucked out with the stereo. I didn't know it had a touch screen for the first few days. I hit a button and out it came

A couple weeks later some guy stopped me at a hardware store and asked how I liked my Vette. He had traded it in. He had the sub enclosure w/speaker at home which he sold to me for 50 bucks.(it's about a thousand dollar speaker/box).

I bought the amp from a good friend in Florida.

It's got Dolby Digital and DTS, now I just need to get it THX certified!
 

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Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 09-06-2014, 06:45 PM:
 
Extremely....NICE ride.
Definitely a "chick magnet" vehicle !
Love the "T-top" (or, is it a targa?)

Good luck with it!

-Monte
 

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Posted by Steve Matz (Member # 1890) on 09-07-2014, 12:36 PM:
 
I don't care what they say; Corvettes have used some type of HIDE-AWAY Headlight System going back to 1963(Splitwindow))When I first saw the new 2006 C6 Front Clip with those headlamps that everybody uses;I thought it was a VIPER

I don't like the Current Headlight Clear Covers;Cheap A$$ Plastic that dulls down Fast.I was hoping GM Vette Stylists would have got enough Complaints from Older Owners to go back to a 40+ yr tradition that has probably gone the way of 35mm Film


Replacement cost for one of these plastic headlight assemblies
is only around 400 dollars each
 

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Posted by Richard Hamilton (Member # 321) on 09-09-2014, 11:03 AM:
 
So, I'm taking my brother to get the SSR today. To get this



We talked for a couple days about getting this ,


Which would mean me trading in my Vette and paying half the car payment. I decided I like my Vette too much. Even though I would drive it 95% of the time, I take too much pride in my cars and would be nervous anytime he drove it
 

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Posted by Steve Matz (Member # 1890) on 09-09-2014, 02:13 PM:
 
This Car is over 20 years old; will still do 217 mph and there are only 2 of them in the USA Out of reach for most pocket books. was over $900,000 even back then.

Yes, you guessed it "The Russian YUGO" NOT!




 

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Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 09-09-2014, 05:10 PM:
 
$24K for a Tonka Toy show truck that's 10 yrs old and you can't do anything with it?

He can get a new Colorado with that price...
 

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Posted by Buck Wilson (Member # 5885) on 09-09-2014, 05:27 PM:
 
I think I'm going to have to go with Monte on this one. Yowzers.
 

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Posted by Steve Matz (Member # 1890) on 09-09-2014, 07:05 PM:
 
This Link won't make you feel any better about an SSR

http://content.time.com/time/specials/2007/article/0,28804,1658545_1658544_1658543,00.html


1GCES14P74B110180

VIN for 2004:
1GC= US built Chevrolet
E= 6-7K GVWR w/Hyd Brakes
S1= SSR, 4x2 1/2 ton
4= 2 door cab
P= LM4- 5.3L V8- SFI engine
0= Check digit
4= Model Year 2004
B= Plant- Lansing, MI
1= Regular Production
03362= Production Sequence number
 

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Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 09-14-2014, 06:21 PM:
 
Okey, I'll confess: I had a 1972 Gremlin X with the 304 V8 three speed on the floor. 3.91:1 for the rear end.

Bought it new that year for $2700 bucks.

Yanked all of that smog junk off the motor to help it function better...and better gas mileage - from 15mpg up to 18mpg on the highway.

Thing had electric wiper than the vacuum ones that were installed in the initial 1970 builds.

True, ride was a bit rough as mentioned on these vehicles. Rear hatch window would love to pop open due to the single latch that was used. I had to modify that latch a bit to keep that window from popping open.

For this price, it was still, three times the better car than the Pinto and Vega of the same year.
The Vega had disc brakes up front whereas the Gremlin was all drum.
Vega has all coil suspension where I had leaf in the rear end making the Vega a lot smoother vehicle to drive.
Pinto wasn't really all that bad either, but who thought of putting the muffler right next to the gas tank should have been shot.

Heavy Chevys didn't like me too well since I had a light body and a snappy V8 up front to pop off the line quick.

Seen guys mod this car up with moving the firewall back a few feet to drop in a Hemi 426 with wrinklewalls on the back end and beat 427 L88 'Vettes in a heartbeat.

Had that Gremlin for 4 years and never went to the shop for any repair. When the embargo really grabbed the economy and fuel prices shot up like a rocket, I let the vehicle go for a Toyota Corolla..and been import vehicle since.

People hated AMC, but they were built tons better than any of the Big Three that came out during this era.
 

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Posted by Steve Matz (Member # 1890) on 09-14-2014, 09:59 PM:
 
Since you brought up GREMLIN(NASH) Remember Clark Kent's car in TV's SUPERMAN Series...1953 NASH-HEALEY

The Nash-Healey’s American debut came at Chicago in February 1951. Priced at $4,063 in Nash showrooms, it was expensive and few were sold. With only 250 sold in two years, A total of 162 roadsters and hardtops were constructed during this year. The hardtop versions are often referred to as the LeMans hardtop. In 1953, the Nash-Healey carried a hefty sticker price of $3,982.




Lot of money for a Reporter's salary back then.So Clark just
compressed this piece of Coal/Carbon into a Diamond; Sold it and paid Cash for the 53 Nash-Healey
(True Story - )

quote: Monte L Fullmer

---

People hated AMC, but they were built tons better than any of the Big Three that came out during this era.

---

The Big Three use to say "AMC" really meant "Almost Made Cars"
(How Cruel can Some People Be)
 

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Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 09-15-2014, 04:04 PM:
 
My father's 1955 Nash Ambassador PininFarina Edition was almost five grand ... expensive vehicle to have in 1955 !

Prob so, for AMC did use a lot of Chrysler and GM parts for their vehicles.

that 304 used Delco ignition (even the dist has the window to adjust the points with the allen wrench), and the wheel, brakes and axles were Chrysler.
 

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Posted by Steve Matz (Member # 1890) on 09-16-2014, 04:46 PM:
 
AAH YES; The 55 AMBASSADOR BIG CAR!

http://www.lov2xlr8.no/brochures/nash/55nash/bilder/2.jpg
(click on the brochure to enlarge to full size)
 

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Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 09-17-2014, 03:23 PM:
 
Thx Steve for ths link ! Father had the big Red Custom located in the upper corner with the Continental Kit.

Customs had the optional setup where the back of the front seat laid completely back to the edge of the back seat where you now have a bed for overnight camping.

Did some camping in that vehicle a few times in my very young years..

Vehicle was Canary Yellow with the white top. Had the straight six with side draft Holleys and an oil bath air cleaner.

thx - Monte p.s. - have to find picts of our Nash which are on slides and scan them for printing and viewing.
 

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Posted by Steve Matz (Member # 1890) on 09-17-2014, 05:44 PM:
 
TV's SUPERMAN which ran from 1952 - 59 had to of had some NASH Sponsorship because all the COP CARS and The Chief of Police and Daily Planet Editor all drove NASH Cars. I don't remember ever seeing a NASH Commercial though. Most early TV shows in the 50's usually had FORDS for police cars except "HIGHWAY PATROL"(Brodrick Crawford) They drove Oldsmobiles. NASH's to me were like CHECKER Automobiles; Not the most attractive vehicle but built like a Brick $HIT House for Reliability and Durability. Just like Preston Tucker; even if you build a superior car at the right price; the Big 3 will gangup on you to get you out of the Business...
 

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Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 09-17-2014, 10:58 PM:
 
Yet, sadly, Mr. Tucker sunk his own business with all of those allegations against him.

Yep, we NASH/Rambler/AMC users knew that the Big Three hated our vehicles since they were built far better than any of theirs and convinced customers of the same with their propaganda and ad campaigns

And with AMC grabbing a hold of JEEP didn't sit will with them either
 

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Posted by Steve Matz (Member # 1890) on 09-18-2014, 12:18 AM:
 
Even though NASH and HUDSON merged in 1954 to form AMC;The 2 nameplates continued to be separate brands until 1957. If your Dad had ordered the Optional V8 available to the 55 Ambassador series 80 he would have actually received a 320cu inch PACKARD Engine that was also available to the 55 HUDSON HORNET SUPER.

The 1st true AMC/RAMBLER V-8 appeared in 1956 as a 250cu inch engine. It was considered a light weight V-8 tipping the scales at around 600 lbs in most configurations. From the start it was designed to be the stepping off point for a whole new family of OHV V-8 engines originally known as RAMBLER V-8's and later thought of as AMC V-8's. Whats pretty amazing that nobody ever talks about;is they had a 327cu inch Engine with the same 4.00" Bore & 3.25" Stroke that the Chevy had; only they had this Engine in 1957 when Chevy was still using 283cu in Engines. Chevy didn't start putting 327cu inch Engines in their cars until 1962 Models appeared. Many Chevy Enthusiasts still think the 327 was one of the best engines Chevrolet ever made. So maybe they should thank Rambler for the Original Bore/Stroke Configuration...
 

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Posted by Steve Matz (Member # 1890) on 09-19-2014, 02:00 PM:
 
MONTE: I found a Modern Version of what was probably one of your Favorite Songs back in the Day ENJOY!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=enqNl7tdLR4
 

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Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 09-20-2014, 12:34 AM:
 

quote: Steve Matz

---

Whats pretty amazing that nobody ever talks about;is they had a 327cu inch Engine with the same 4.00" Bore & 3.25" Stroke that the Chevy had; only they had this Engine in 1957

---

Seems I do remember that Ramblers, esp the Ambassadors had that 327, but thought it came from Chevy, but now I know.

Is this the same 327 that powered the early JEEPs, or was also Chevy 327 in these rigs?
 

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Posted by Steve Matz (Member # 1890) on 09-20-2014, 09:18 PM:
 
I remember seeing JEEPs in the 70's that had 350 Chevy Engines.Rambler used their 327 up through 1966 in Classic 550,770,Rebel,Marlin,Ambassador 880,990 & DPL V-8. That Engine started out as a 287ci V8 with a 3-3/4" Bore; then they punched it out to 4.00" to get the 327 engine. 2 versions,one making 250HP and one making 270HP. Interesting the 250hp engine used a Carter WCFB 4-bbl Carb and the 270hp engine used a Holley 4150C clear back to 1958. Chevrolet didn't start using the 4150 series Holley 4 bbl until 1965-1/2 in the mid-year 396/425hp Corvette Engine. Looks like Rambler beat Chevy again in something Chevy used on most of their Muscle Car Engines in the later 60's,early 70's. The 3310 series 780CFM Holley is a 4150 series Carb...
 

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Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 09-20-2014, 10:23 PM:
 
And you know that GM isn't going to fess up with admittance now, will they - that dinky Rambler Corp and the "Romney Rocket" beat them to their game hands down.

Seems that Rambler also introduced the diagonal flow braking system where the lines ran diagonally instead of in pairs like the others did. If one line broke or just let go, the opposite side - both front an back - were not affected, an the driver still had braking control. GM and others didn't adopt this until much later.

You think that the Big Three will fess up to this also?

Why I had total respect for Rambler and AMC - they built cars the way they should have been built.
 

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Posted by Steve Matz (Member # 1890) on 09-20-2014, 11:36 PM:
 
Here is the Block and complete Engine that many people no nothing about. The BUGATTI VEYRON is still considered the fastest production built car in the World at something like 256mph. Yes Folks that is a 16 cylinder engine block referred too as the W16. Engine makes over a 1000+ HP and the Car cost over a Million Dollars. I believe the final VEYRON's were produced last year; Now Bugatti has a newer type VEYRON that's in production. Put that Engine in that little NASH METRO and you would really have a Monster




 

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Posted by Buck Wilson (Member # 5885) on 09-21-2014, 12:55 AM:
 
That, there, is one hell of an engine. Wow.
 

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Posted by Sam D. Chavez (Member # 1841) on 09-21-2014, 11:04 AM:
 
I believe this was an outgrowth of the VW VR6 engine where you have a 15 degree V6 with a common cylinder head. This was later modified to two banks of VR6 joined by a common crankcase to a WR12. This version is stretched to a WR16.

The VW Phaeton had a WR8 engine, another variant of the original VR6.
 

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Posted by Steve Matz (Member # 1890) on 09-21-2014, 12:08 PM:
 
This is a pretty interesting piece on how to Find a W16 Engine right off the Street in Budapest! Checkout that Engine Block in the 1st Picture(9 main bearings)

http://jalopnik.com/5401978/how-i-found-a-bugatti-veyron-engine-on-a-budapest-street
 

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Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 09-24-2014, 05:25 PM:
 
Ya, the Jetta has that W-6 in their vehicles. Looks like a straight four with just a longer block to take the 15 degree head style.

Ya, that W-16 is a 488ci motor.

Quad turbo that can suck 8 buck a gallon, 100 octane street gas out of the 20 gal tank in 15 minutes to get the 1001 HP rating.

In normal mode, standard HP is about 260.

-Monte
 

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Posted by Steve Matz (Member # 1890) on 09-24-2014, 10:16 PM:
 
Getting back to the Subject of One MFGer taking credit for someone elses invention. Although I love Chevy Engines; I don't like anyone taking Credit for something that wasn't their idea.

From the time the little 265 OHV V8 appeared in 55,almost every Chevy V8 has used Individual Stamped Steel Rocker Arms that pivot on a fulcrum ball over individual Studs in the Head. This was not a new innovation by Chevrolet. Pontiac came up with this idea clear back in 1948. Chevy has never admitted though that it wasn't their invention and Pontiac never seem to rub it in their Face. I'm sure just like a lot of inventions; not just Car related Things, Someone else did the actual inventing but didn't get the Credit for it because they didn't know the Ropes on Patenting or had to deal with Large Corporations that had deep pockets and Lawyers to cheat people out of what was rightfully there's...
 

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Posted by Steve Matz (Member # 1890) on 09-29-2014, 01:40 AM:
 
Well this really surprised me. I thought for sure Rick Hendrick(Hendrick Motor Sports) would go for this 1st production 2015 Corvette VIN 001. He already got 001 on a 2014 Coupe and Convertible at Barrett Jackson Auction last year. He is probably more excited that his Driver Jeff Gordon won today's NASCAR Race at Dover,Delaware than worrying about the Vette.

Whats even more surprising is I know the Guy that got the new Vette. Dave Ressler is a long time Vette Collector and Chevy Dealer.His Dealerships are in Montana(Bozeman) and N.DAK. He and Hendrick have awesome Corvette Collections. Ressler still owning the rarest production vette from 1953 VIN 003 (if you know where 001,or 002 is GM will make you an instant Millionaire but I believe they are no longer around.

I don't know why for some reason and this goes back decades. They always choose White and usually an Automatic Trans for the 1st Production Vin 001. I wish once they would chose one with a new color and put a traditional manual Tranny Back. Even though he got it for a bargain price of $400,000 while Hendrick paid a Million each for his Cars; the money is going to charity so it's for a good Cause ...

www.corvetteblogger.com/2014/09/27/2015-corvette-stingray-with-vin-001-raises-400000-for-charity-at-barrett-jackson/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+CorvetteBlogger+%28Corvette%3A+Sales%2C+News+%26+Lifestyle%29]http://www. corvetteblogger.com/2014/09/27/2015-corvette-stingray-with-vin-001-raises-400000-for-charity-at-barrett-jackson/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+CorvetteBlogger+%28Corvette%3A+Sales%2C+News+%26+Lifestyle%29
 

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Posted by Steve Matz (Member # 1890) on 10-01-2014, 08:35 PM:
 
New 2015 Z06 CORVETTE is Bad A$$ right out of the Box
0-60mph-2.95 seconds...1/4 mile E.T.- 10.95 @ 127mph

http://www.corvetteblogger.com/2014/10/01/chevrolet-releases-the-official-performance-statistics-for-the-2015-corvette-z06/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+CorvetteBlogger+%28Corvette%3A+Sales%2C+News+%26+Lifestyle%29]http ://www.corvetteblogger.com/2014/10/01/chevrolet-releases-the-official-performance-statistics-for-the-2015-corvette-z06/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+CorvetteBlogger+%28Corvette%3A+Sales%2C+News+%26+Lifestyle%29
 

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Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 10-11-2014, 04:06 PM:
 
Like to see those timeslips .... - Monte
 

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Posted by Steve Matz (Member # 1890) on 10-12-2014, 10:59 AM:
 
I'm sure the time slips are Legit Monte,but like all these Performance Cars that are tested for 0-60 mph - 1/4 mile e.t.- skid pad, etc. they use professional Drivers, not the type Guy that usually buys a Vette. In my experience,I have found that that even a reasonably experienced Vette owner will have at least a 2+ 10th slower E.T. Than what MFGer,and some of the Car Magazines test results show. It is a Super Fast Car though. I'm sure they even fudged on the HP like the Challenger SRT's 707hp Claim. The Vette's Torque Figure alone calculates more like 675+ HP. Just your typical Grocery Getter HP Car of Today !
 

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Posted by Richard Hamilton (Member # 321) on 10-27-2014, 08:10 AM:
 
o.k. so I freaked out all my friends, family, neighbors, loved ones...... I traded in my corvette a couple weeks ago for a 2010 cadillac CTS (black on black, i tinted the windows, sweet car). Today i'm going to look at a 2008 corvette that was just traded in on sat. Black on black...maybe pictures to come? Hopefully
 

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Posted by Richard Hamilton (Member # 321) on 10-27-2014, 01:22 PM:
 
So I just got the call from my buddy at the dealership. Everything is approved. Now they are detailing it and going over every thing. I haven't test drove it yet, but my buddy said it should be a good car, clean history and the guy traded it in for a newer Vette. The only bitch is my insurance goes up .90 cents a month. . Budget wise I'm towards the top of my comfort zone. Hopefully I'll keep this one
 

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Posted by Steve Matz (Member # 1890) on 10-27-2014, 02:24 PM:
 
Richard; If your going to keep this one;go buy a 2015 LT4 Crate Engine when available. Not only will you have a close to 700hp
Tire Shredder;but with the 4 cylinder deactivation feature you can still get 26mpg....The Best of Both Worlds


2015 ZO6 LT4 Corvette Engine-650hp (actually closer to 700hp)
 

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Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 10-28-2014, 12:13 AM:
 
At least the ALT still will be easy to remove when it gets cooked - not buried down by the compressor where you gotta yank out the radiator to get to it.

And this motor is naturally aspirated?

When they deactivate the four jugs, do the valves hang open to kill the vacuum, or just the injectors shut down and you got four jugs becoming air compressors?

-Monte
 

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Posted by Steve Matz (Member # 1890) on 10-28-2014, 02:28 PM:
 
OK MONTE;Here Goes


Cylinder Deactivation (Active Fuel Management)

To provide maximum fuel economy under light load driving conditions, the engine control module (ECM) will command the cylinder deactivation system ON to deactivate engine cylinders 1 and 7 on the left bank, and cylinders 4 and 6 on the right bank, switching to a V4 mode. The engine will operate on 8 cylinders, or V8 mode, during engine starting, engine idling, and medium to heavy throttle applications.

When commanded ON, the ECM will determine what cylinder is firing, and begin deactivation on the next closest deactivated cylinder in firing order sequence. The Gen IV engine has a firing order of 1-8-7-2-6-5-4-3. If cylinder number 1 is on its combustion event when cylinder deactivation is commanded ON, the next cylinder in the firing order sequence that can be deactivated is cylinder number 7. If cylinder number 5 is on its combustion event when cylinder deactivation is commanded ON, then the next cylinder in the firing order sequence that can be deactivated is cylinder number 4.

Cylinder deactivation is accomplished by not allowing the intake and exhaust valves to open on the selected cylinders by using special valve lifters. The deactivation lifters contain spring loaded locking pins that connect the internal pin housing of the lifter to the outer housing. The pin housing contains the lifter plunger and pushrod seat which interfaces with the pushrod. The outer housing contacts the camshaft lobe through a roller. During V8 mode, the locking pins are pushed outward by spring force, locking the pin housing and outer housing together causing the lifter to function as a normal lifter. When V4 mode is commanded ON, the locking pins are pushed inward with engine oil pressure directed from the valve lifter oil manifold (VLOM) assembly solenoids. When the lifter pin housing is unlocked from the outer housing, the internal pin housing will remain stationary, while the outer housing will move with the profile of the camshaft lobe, which results in the valve remaining closed. One VLOM solenoid controls both the intake and exhaust valves for each deactivating cylinder. There are 2 distinct oil passages going to each cylinder deactivation lifter bore, one for the hydraulic lash-adjusting feature of the lifter, and one for controlling the locking pins used for cylinder deactivation.

Although both intake and exhaust valve lifters are controlled by the same solenoid in the VLOM, the intake and exhaust valves do not become deactivated at the same time. Cylinder deactivation is timed so that the cylinder is on an intake event. During an intake event, the intake cam lobe is pushing the valve lifter upwards to open the intake valve against the force of the valve spring. The force exerted by the valve spring is acting on the side of the lifter locking pins, preventing them from moving until the intake valve has closed. When the intake valve lifter reaches the base circle of the camshaft lobe, the valve spring force is reduced, allowing the locking pins to move, deactivating the intake valve. However, when cylinder deactivation is commanded ON, the exhaust valve for the deactivated cylinder is in the closed position, allowing the locking pins on the valve lifter to move immediately, and deactivate the exhaust valve.

By deactivating the exhaust valve first, this allows the capture of a burnt air/fuel charge or exhaust gas charge in the combustion chamber. The capture of exhaust gases in the combustion chamber will contribute to a reduction in oil consumption, noise and vibration levels, and exhaust emissions when operating in V4 mode. During the transition from V8 to V4 mode, the fuel injectors will be turned OFF on the deactivated cylinders. The ignition system secondary voltage or spark is still present across the spark plug electrodes on the deactivated cylinders. If all enabling conditions are met and maintained for cylinder deactivation operation, the ECM calibrations will limit cylinder deactivation to a cycle time of 10 minutes in V4 mode, and then return to V8 mode for 1 minute.

Switching between V8 and V4 mode is accomplished in less than 250 milliseconds, making the transitions seamless and transparent to the vehicle operator. The 250 milliseconds includes the time for the ECM to sequence the transitions, the response time for the VLOM solenoids to energize, and the time for the valve lifters to deactivate, all within 2 revolutions of the engine crankshaft...
 

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Posted by Buck Wilson (Member # 5885) on 10-28-2014, 04:35 PM:
 
The engine pictured is supercharged
 

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Posted by Steve Matz (Member # 1890) on 10-28-2014, 05:34 PM:
 
The Supercharger on this new LT4 Engine is Actually Smaller(CFM wise) than the one used on the 638HP LS9 Engine but it's efficiency along with Direct Combustion Chamber Fuel Injection has enabled it to produce a good 25+hp more than previous LS9 Engine...
 

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Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 10-29-2014, 01:26 AM:
 
That Deactivation sequence listed above reminds me when GM did it with their Cadillac 6-8-4 setup on that 368ci V-8 back in 1981.

Also, with the sparkplugs still firing, looks like this is using the "Waste Spark" system were two plugs are firing at the same time, but 180* out of phase with each other with one plug firing electrode to terminal and the other is firing terminal to electrode - meaning one coil firing both plugs.

Thx for the post though.

-Monte
 

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Posted by Richard Hamilton (Member # 321) on 10-30-2014, 09:27 AM:
 
So after some minor confusion on the year of the car, i got it the other day. Before I went to look at it, I called and just asked some salesman what year it was. I heard him ask some one else and he said 08. It's actually an 05. It's weird, my insurance actually went up 7 dollars a month for the older model.

After driving for a day, I found out the OnStar won't connect, but the best surprise so far is a little switch on the side of the center console I stumbled upon. Being adventurous, I had to switch it. My car went from a mild regular sounding daily driver to a throaty muscle car. Dual exhaust mode! Aftermarket and I haven't checked it out yet.
 

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Posted by Steve Matz (Member # 1890) on 10-30-2014, 01:04 PM:
 
Nice Throaty Exhaust

http://www.superchevy.com/how-to/vemp-0710-c6-corvette-exhaust-install/
 

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Posted by Buck Wilson (Member # 5885) on 10-30-2014, 04:58 PM:
 
Richard, OnStar went from analog to digital a while back, bricking all devices prior to I believe 2007? 2006? I know 2005 is analog for sure though.
 

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Posted by Richard Hamilton (Member # 321) on 11-04-2014, 12:00 PM:
 
o.k. time for some pics.

The CTS. Very nice car.



Front of the new Vette!



Side shot.



And last, what I suspect people see when I pass them!!



The sun was shining just right for that last pic.

After driving it for a week, I have to say it is by far my favorite.
 

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Posted by Buck Wilson (Member # 5885) on 11-04-2014, 03:27 PM:
 
LOVE the wheels on the Vette!
 

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Posted by Sammy Ross (Member # 8284) on 11-18-2014, 02:25 AM:
 
Ford Falcon it is!
 

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Posted by Richard P. May (Member # 3598) on 11-18-2014, 09:30 AM:
 
Lexus ES300 Hybrid and Prius 3.
Both use about half the amount of gas previous cars consumed.
 

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Posted by Barry Floyd (Member # 385) on 11-18-2014, 03:28 PM:
 
After years and years of wanting one of these since I was a teenager, this past Friday morning I made the trip up to Jeffersonville, Indiana to pick up this Craig's List find.

It's a beautiful 1981 Delorean DMC-12. Completely stock with 8637 miles on it. It's been sitting for a while, so we're going to go through it with a fine toothed comb and replace the fuel system and all of the belts and hoses.

Cleaned up pretty well. My wife took this photo in the driveway with her tablet. It's got a "tilt shift" thing going on that makes it look like a model car sitting in the driveway.


All day Saturday and Sunday, me and my 14 year old son cleaned every square inch of this car, then rolled it into the garage to be stored away for the winter.

(Yes.. way in the back of the garage are two Strong Platters and the 35mm projectors and lamphouses from the drive-in. I just couldn't bring myself to throw them away.)

The interior of the car is absolutely flawless with the exception of a crack in the dash binacle (which you can't see in this picture)

 

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Posted by Sam Graham (Member # 2889) on 11-18-2014, 03:50 PM:
 
Wow. Nice find.
 

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Posted by Mitchell Dvoskin (Member # 751) on 11-18-2014, 03:56 PM:
 
Don't forget to tune the Flux Capacitor. You don't want to accidentally end up in 1957 and find a Drive-In theatre where your house is now...

I almost bought one of these back in 1981 new from the dealer. I didn't because I was going thru my "convertible" period back then and felt it was too confining. It did not help that shortly after taking one for a test drive, I blew the doors off one on the Garden State Parkway driving my 10 year old Mustang Mach1. On the other hand, I still think it is one of the sharpest looking sports cars ever built.

Good luck with it.
 

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Posted by Steve Matz (Member # 1890) on 11-18-2014, 07:33 PM:
 
Only one problem with a DELOREAN They all look alike. You need to do something like this one to set yourself apart from all the rest.


Customized DMC-12 minus FLUX CAPACITOR

quote:

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After years and years of wanting one of these since I was a teenager(toddler)

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Barry wanted one of these Deloreans going way back
 

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Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 11-18-2014, 09:49 PM:
 
Drove one with the 5sp in it. Total Fun!

Manual trannies are the only way to go.
 

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Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 11-18-2014, 10:25 PM:
 
Oh I don't know. I've had both....I prefer the automatic and always have. But then I'm not the "burn-out" type of driver, usually at least!

I think it's mostly because I do a lot of stop-n-go driving in this small town. Hardly ever get to do any freeway driving, so I got tired of constantly shifting all the time. I've been all automatic since I got rid of my last Mustang.
 

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Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 11-19-2014, 12:24 AM:
 
Oh agree Mike if a lot of 'stop and go' driving is involved. Thus, as with sparkplugs and choice of oil used, it's all personal preference.

In that same breath, I picked up this little number yesterday:





2014 Dodge Dart SE Rally. Six Speed Auto with the Manual-Matic transmission. Works good in doing engine breaking when needed. Got a good deal for a year end vehicle.

Thing that is interesting with Dodge, now part of FIAT, is that they took this FIAT designed chassis and came out with this compact vehicle..including a motor, designed by Hyundai (almost looks like a Mitsu motor) and built in Michigan.

The vehicle carries a 2.4L DOHV "TigerShark" motor (notice that I used the "V" instead of the "C") and let the You Tube video explain why below .. being the motor is called a "Multi-Air" motor.

Multi Air Technology

Instead of using the GDI (Gas Direct Injection) with setting the injectors to fire directly into the bores, this method does the hydraulic variable valve timing to do the same function.

Quite interesting..

-Monte
 

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Posted by Steve Matz (Member # 1890) on 11-19-2014, 12:38 AM:
 

quote: Monte L Fullmer

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Manual trannies are the only way to go.

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Posted by Sam Graham (Member # 2889) on 11-19-2014, 02:59 PM:
 
**touches Monte's Dart**
 

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Posted by Steve Matz (Member # 1890) on 11-19-2014, 07:21 PM:
 
Chevrolet was down at ATLANTA RACE WAY doing a promotion for the 2015 ZO6 Vette and filmed this Footage. I would like to get a 2015 but News flying around that even Big Allocated Chevy Dealers are only going to get an eyedropper of Cars. One Texas Dealer already had 60 ZO6's orders with Bowling Green (that's over a 100,000 per car)and is getting snubbed...

Another GM BS Tactic so they won't have to fill orders on Dealers that order a Base model which is still close to 80 grand. If the old antiquated ST.LOUIS Facility could build over 53,000 cars back in 79; than BG should have no trouble Filling orders. Right now they Build Cars at the rate of 7 per hour. Gonna have to speed it up UAW Workers; this 2015 could be the Biggest Seller ever if Chevy lets it....

http://www.corvetteblogger .com/2014/11/19/video-2015-corvette-z06s-on-the-track-at-road-atlanta/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+CorvetteBlogger+%28Corvette%3A+Sales%2C+News+%26+Lifestyle%29
 

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Posted by Steve Matz (Member # 1890) on 11-25-2014, 12:07 PM:
 
Not only are the reviews fun to read for Corvette enthusiasts and the buyers that may have a Z06 on order, but the pictures and videos are great as well. So make a pot of coffee and throw a couple of logs on the fire because you’re not going to want any interruptions one you start reading.

Here’s a short list of magazines that have tested the Corvette Z06. If we missed one, let us know and we’ll update the list.

Automobile:
http://www.automobilemag.com/features/magazine/1501-2015-chevrolet-corvette-z06-review/

Autoweek:
http://autoweek.com/article/car-reviews/2015-chevrolet-corvette-z06-first-drive

Car and Driver:
http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/2015-chevrolet-corvette-z06-full-test-review

Hot Rod Magazine:
http://www.hotrod.com/cars/new-car-reviews/1411-2015-corvette-z06-first-drive/

Motor Trend:
http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/coupes/1502_2015_chevrolet_corvette_z06_first_test/

Road and Track Magazine:
http://www.roadandtrack.com/car-reviews/first-drives/2015-chevrolet-corvette-z06-first-drive-review

Super Chevy Magazine:
http://www.superchevy.com/features/2015-chevrolet-corvette-z06-first-drive-breaking-boundaries/

Top Gear Magazine:
http://www.topgear.com/uk/car-news/corvette-z06-c7-first-drive-2014-11-25?imageNo=9

Yahoo Autos:
https://autos.yahoo.com/photos/2015-chevrolet-corvette-z06-first-drive-1416601721-slideshow/
 

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Posted by Steve Matz (Member # 1890) on 12-02-2014, 09:27 PM:
 
The 2015 ZO6's are Finally going out to the Dealers This Week.
I wish they would of protective wrapped the older vettes from the 60's to 80's like these are. Seems like a Guy always had Paint Issues after they Came off the Convoy Carrier back then...

http://www.motorauthority.com/news/1095723_2015-chevrolet-corvette-z06-starts-heading-out-to-dealers

BTW: If those are ZO6's which they are supposed to be...10 of them are worth over a Million Dollars in Dealer Cost
 

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Posted by System Notices (Member # 2357) on 09-12-2016, 11:14 PM:
 

It has been 650 days since the last post.

 

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Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 09-12-2016, 11:14 PM:
 
Thought I would reactivate this old thread with my new ride. After 24 years of driving Ford Rangers, I upgraded to an F-150.

I liked the Rangers because of the size, but now that I'm married I find that we like to go places with other people, and our other car (Ford Escape) is too small to haul anybody in comfortably, so the pickup is basically a family car combined with a hauler for me. It's got about every gadget known to mankind on it which is cool - the Rangers were pretty bare-bones. I'm still learning what everything does.


 

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Posted by Domenic Howard (Member # 9709) on 10-19-2016, 09:46 AM:
 
Honda accord 2005 for me
 

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Posted by Sascha F. Roll (Member # 9043) on 10-19-2016, 11:16 AM:
 
Speaking as a german, this might not be a huge surprise:

'2005 VW Golf V
'2007 BMW 120d
'2007 BMW 525d (Station W.)
'2010 BMW 530xd (Station W.)
'2010 BMW 530d GT
'2010 VW Sharan 2.0 TDI (7 Seats)

... and the current one:
'2012 BMW 530d (Station W.)

... The best one was for sure the 2010 530d Gran Tourismo.
 

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Posted by Manny Knowles (Member # 1171) on 10-19-2016, 12:50 PM:
 
Finally sold the 2004 Saturn Ion last year and bought a 2015 Chevy Volt.
 

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Posted by Martin McCaffery (Member # 37) on 10-19-2016, 03:09 PM:
 
A few years ago my sister gave me her 2010 Acura RDX and took the aforementioned piece of crap Honda Civic which was then passed to her son and then to our nephew, getting worse and worse until it finally caught fire.
The Acura is definitely not me nor something I would think of buying, but it was free. So luxury is ok and every time I have to fill up with premium I just say to myself "Free Car, Free Car."
 

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Posted by Michael Kurtzke (Member # 7512) on 10-19-2016, 03:36 PM:
 
I bought my 2014 Honda Accord V6 about three years ago and I love it! It gets great gas mileage on the highway [~38mpg] plus with about ~280hp I can get around pretty quickly if an auditorium goes down!!


 

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Posted by Buck Wilson (Member # 5885) on 10-19-2016, 04:47 PM:
 
My current cars-

1988 Pontiac Grand Prix
1990 Ford Festiva(currently down with a bad fuel pump)
1993 Ford Festiva(Heavily modified, I use it for my newspaper delivery route)
1996 Chevrolet K1500 Silverado Z71

All but the truck have a manual transmission. The Grand Prix has 285,000 miles. It won't die.
 

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Posted by Kenneth Wuepper (Member # 1174) on 10-19-2016, 06:40 PM:
 
Be careful Buck. That's what they said about the Titanic!

KEN
 

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Posted by Harold Hallikainen (Member # 5405) on 10-19-2016, 10:21 PM:
 
Currently drive a 2008 Honda Fit with manual transmission. I bicycle to work, though (10 minute ride).

Harold
 

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Posted by Bill Brandenstein (Member # 7758) on 10-19-2016, 10:44 PM:
 
As one who has cycled through SLO while on vacation, I must say I'm envious of your commute, Harold!
 

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Posted by Buck Wilson (Member # 5885) on 10-20-2016, 02:54 PM:
 
Honestly, Ken, It'd be a bit of a relief. I can't drive it as much as I'd like, It's just sitting around taking my money, but I feel obligated to keep it for sentimental reasons! Haha
 

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Posted by Rick Raskin (Member # 1561) on 10-20-2016, 03:20 PM:
 
Still driving my 1996 Jeep Cherokee and 2010 Toyota Camry.
 

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Posted by Sean McKinnon (Member # 612) on 10-23-2016, 03:29 PM:
 
Not sure if or how long ago I updated this but as of now I am driving my 1999 35th Anniversary Edition 4.6 Litre Mustang GT 5 Speed with a modified intake, exhaust, suspension (lowered 2.5" with 18" wheels), short throw shifter, Audio system with Kenwood head unit and Amp, JVC Speakers, and a Bazooka (hey, it was free I just had to build my own wiring harness) Tube type sub all run through a very large (forget the actual microfarad spec) capacitor (no dimming head lights here).

And...

A stock completely unmodified 2002 Ford Crown Victoria LX. Interesting thing is both the 4.6 Mustangs, Crown Vic's, and Mercury Maurauders, and Grand Marquis all use the same engine just with different tuning, intakes, and shift points (on the automatics).

I once acquired a black P71 (Crown Vic Police Interceptor) with a blown engine which I wanted to build into a mock Maurauder by adding an after market exhaust and a manual 5 speed tranny from a Mustang but I never got to it and ended up just junking it $400 down the drain. It's too bad would have been a great sleeper/drag car.
 

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Posted by Barry Floyd (Member # 385) on 11-13-2016, 07:17 PM:
 
Since I'm really allowed to have a girlfriend (according to my wife), this is about as close as it gets.


Bought this back in November of 2014. At the time we bought it, it hadn't run since 1995. Parts of it came home in the bed of my truck, the rest came home on a trailer behind my truck.

Took us until October of 2015 to get it to run. Rebuilt or replaced pretty much everything. It's an original August of 1981 build.
 

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Posted by Mitchell Dvoskin (Member # 751) on 11-14-2016, 12:00 PM:
 
I hope the flux capacitor is in good condition. They are no longer available from the manufacturer.
 

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Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 11-14-2016, 12:43 PM:
 


2000 Ford Expedition. Only 254K miles and was going strong until last Wednesday when the torque converter seal let go, so its in the shop getting fixed today. Going to get another year out of this if its the last thing I do. Until now this car has had a total of $428.00 in repairs, gas pump went out a couple years ago. Of course tires, brakes and oil changes are normal maintainance. And some of you may know this as the vehicle that I rolled three winters ago near Sheridan, WY. It had 1K pounds of projection gear in the back that I had just pulled out of a theater in Worland. The only casualty was a broken passenger side window. That none of the rear windows broke was amazing. Centrifugal force kept it all in place I guess. State trooper said we used up all nine lives that day. It landed right side up in a 6 foot deep snow bank and ten minutes later a tow truck happened along. And after a couple hours of work got it off the snow bank and on to his truck. He took the Expedition and us down to Buffalo, WY where I got a used window at the bone yard and had a glass guy there install it, then went on to the next service call. Its been the most amazing vehicle I've ever owned, still uses very little oil and gets ~24 MPG (5.4 L engine) if I keep the speeds not over 75 mph. I plan on getting another one. Oh, and Sean Weitzel got the projectors that were in the back of this during the roll over.

Mark
 

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Posted by James Wyrembelski (Member # 9037) on 11-21-2016, 01:42 PM:
 
I have a 2009 Mercury Grand Marquis. The last of the large size, rear wheel drive American cars. Can't beat the ride. White and black, and fun to scare people with due to its cop car looks.

And my 1987 Mercury Sable LS with only 75K miles. We call her the "spaceship". Love those lights stretching over the front with no air grille.
 

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