Random Thoughts Thread

[ocnblu]

dfelt is like the Oprah of C&G... EVERY POST GETS AN EV!  YOU GET AN EV, AND YOU GET AN EV... EVERYBODY GETS AN EV! 

[G. David Felt]

1 hour ago, ocnblu said:

dfelt is like the Oprah of C&G... EVERY POST GETS AN EV!  YOU GET AN EV, AND YOU GET AN EV... EVERYBODY GETS AN EV! 

Someone has to remind you and others of the benefits of Green energy, auto's, homes, etc. 

 

[balthazar]

Custom-bodied 1937 V-16 Cadillac, 1 of 2 V-16s exported to Switzerland that year, sitting in a field in soft decay, 1968 (since returned to the US and fully restored).

[ykX]

Have  a classic car calendar at work, November is 1950 Oldsmobile 88, what a beautiful car

Edited November 1, 2018 by ykX

[trinacriabob]

Random thought of the day:

The new 2019 Ford Focus is at hand (sometime next year) and, while the exterior of the vehicle is attractive and nicely detailed, its interior is not.

Edited November 1, 2018 by trinacriabob

[frogger]

1 hour ago, trinacriabob said:

Random thought of the day:

The new 2019 Ford Focus is at hand (sometime next year) and, while the exterior of the vehicle is attractive and nicely detailed, its interior is not.

IIRC Focus is no longer going to be sold in USA.

 

[Robert Hall]

1 minute ago, frogger said:

IIRC Focus is no longer going to be sold in USA.

 

Correct..the new generation of Focus won't be sold here, as part of Ford's 'kill-all-cars-except-for-Mustang' US strategy for failure.. 

[trinacriabob]

6 hours ago, frogger said:

IIRC Focus is no longer going to be sold in USA.

What?  Well, all the photos seem to show it in Europe or in China.

I was at the dealership for service this afternoon.  One of the salespeople nodded in a glum way that there isn't a (new) Verano in place.  People have asked for it.

[Robert Hall]

Amazing to realize that the only US brand compact mainstream fwd sedans left are from Chevy.  

[ocnblu]

 

[G. David Felt]

Cannot get into that front end. Blah, pass, 18 is better looking.

[balthazar]

Ram looks almost mid-sized between the two.
Silverado still coming out #1 in visual appeal, IMO...

[Suaviloquent]

I feel like the F150 is the one I would trash and beat up the most though. Nothing to do with capability or visuals, but yeah. But the F150 also looks like the one I want to smash apart with a sledgehammer. Something about built Ford tough makes me want to destructively test the Ford.

 

The Luxo-Ram, the technology and stuff (hehe who remembers that one?) SilverSierra, and then the beer can F150.

[frogger]

5 hours ago, Robert Hall said:

Amazing to realize that the only US brand compact mainstream fwd sedans left are from Chevy.  

And the current gen Cruze has tanked in sales compared to the first gen.. I wonder if the third gen will stabilize or if it will drop below 120k a year by 2020 from its peak of 273k.

 

 

[Suaviloquent]

What’s even more bizarre is that the import sedans are now mostly designed and engineered for American tastes while domestic compacts, at least after the recession and recovery almost always have their roots in cars that would be largely designed for foreign markets. 

On 10/31/2018 at 9:23 PM, dfelt said:

Someone has to remind you and others of the benefits of Green energy, auto's, homes, etc. 

 

Can you really say that while you still drive your Escalade and Denali???

[ykX]

8 hours ago, balthazar said:

Ram looks almost mid-sized between the two.
Silverado still coming out #1 in visual appeal, IMO...

I am not really a truck guy but on this picture RAM looks the most visually appealing to me

[G. David Felt]

7 hours ago, Suaviloquent said:

Can you really say that while you still drive your Escalade and Denali???

Yes, Yes I can. Current Auto List

• 1994 GMC Suburban SLE - Currently on stands, project conversion from CNG V8 to EV
• 1999 Dodge Durango SLT 4x4, bought for the daughter with the 5.9L V8, 300K miles, currently used to go back n forth from house to the Park n Ride 1.3 miles away. Less than 6000 miles a year.
• 2006 Escalade ESV - Garage kept, used for road trips only, less than 6000 miles a year.
• 2008 Trailblazer SS AWD - Main transportation that the wife drives, about 15,000 miles a year.

I take the express bus from the area I live into the city for work daily as does my daughter. Jobs changed to the point where auto driving is very low compared to 10 years ago. This year both the Dodge and Cadillac will have less than 3000 miles put on them. 

So why as I work for a very green life, should I trade them in for less than comfortable eco cars as I await the EV CUVs that are coming? I still have an active life style in my area that I live in and I minimize my carbon footprint where ever I can. 

CHOICES people, you can spend your hard earned money how ever you want, it is yours.

I CHOOSE to include my wife in our life decisions and save for the future while maximizing my current home, auto's, life around me. That choice includes supporting the move AWAY from ICE auto's to a cleaner healthier way of transportation.

As one who loves to drive, I see nothing wrong with maximizing my investments in the auto's I choose and focusing on how I can make a difference long term for the planet, future generations and cleaner air for all to breath.

28 minutes ago, ykX said:

I am not really a truck guy but on this picture RAM looks the most visually appealing to me

Totally agree, the only way this would change is if the GMC was in the picture too as I really like the current look of GMC, otherwise the RAM wins hands down for the 3 listed.

[trinacriabob]

23 hours ago, Robert Hall said:

Amazing to realize that the only US brand compact mainstream fwd sedans left are from Chevy.  

It is amazing.  It doesn't make me happy, though.

Yesterday, I was at the dealership for service and sat in a GMC Acadia.  Nice.  A little pricey, too.  The double sliding skylight didn't help.

Well, I guess I should give up on ever seeing a reboot in the form of a svelte new Buick Riviera coupe.

[G. David Felt]

Seems Hot Wheel just released their newest "Starman" car!

https://www.greencarreports.com/news/1119662_tesla-starman-stunt-commemorated-by-hot-wheels

[balthazar]

[balthazar]

Trying --and failing-- to make a silk purse out of a (relative) sow's ear. The 1956 (Chevy-based) El Morocco ~

Edited November 5, 2018 by balthazar

[G. David Felt]

Only in Japan would you find Starbucks babes. 

 

 

[G. David Felt]

Cadillac is so Rockin it!

 

 

[A Horse With No Name]

On 11/1/2018 at 11:28 PM, balthazar said:

Ram looks almost mid-sized between the two.
Silverado still coming out #1 in visual appeal, IMO...

All three are fantastic looking trucks...but there is something about the Chebbie I really like!

59 minutes ago, dfelt said:

Cadillac is so Rockin it!

 

 

Ohhh absolutely. Been out of town for a training class....this rolled up next to me at a fuel pump...same color and everything. Gorgeous, Gorgeous car. GM is building a few cars that are starting to Rival stuff of the heydey of the 50's and 60's.

1 hour ago, dfelt said:

Only in Japan would you find Starbucks babes. 

 

 

Japanese women are beautiful...

[Robert Hall]

Speaking of the CT6, saw a dark gray one in the parking lot at Best Buy Saturday.  Very sharp, it was an '18 w/ a temporary tag. 

[A Horse With No Name]

12 hours ago, balthazar said:

Trying --and failing-- to make a silk purse out of a (relative) sow's ear. The 1956 (Chevy-based) El Morocco ~

Although I love, love love the 56 Chevy also. I have owned a 55 two door post and a 57 two door hard top. If I ever get another vintage vehicle I think I want a truck. However....if I get a car...56 Chevy would be a serious consideration.

Would give my right arm (well maybe not quite) for a 56 nomad. Or a convertible.

Saw one as a model on display at the diner I ate at with friends for breakfast Sunday morning.

On 10/31/2018 at 7:30 PM, ocnblu said:

dfelt is like the Oprah of C&G... EVERY POST GETS AN EV!  YOU GET AN EV, AND YOU GET AN EV... EVERYBODY GETS AN EV! 

There is a part of me that feels like you are the grumpy old guy (one of the two) from the Muppet Show.

Don't worry, we still love you. If I can be partisan against Ford and Lincoln (modern Ford and Lincoln...vintage stuff, Trucks, mustangs are fantastic) you can be partisan against EV's. 

On 10/31/2018 at 9:23 PM, dfelt said:

Someone has to remind you and others of the benefits of Green energy, auto's, homes, etc. 

 

...in a way that is as satisfying as Miley Cyrus reminding us she has girly bits with her racy photographs.

Briefly enjoyable and then the stomach turns a bit.

Edited November 5, 2018 by A Horse With No Name

[A Horse With No Name]

On 11/1/2018 at 1:03 AM, balthazar said:

Custom-bodied 1937 V-16 Cadillac, 1 of 2 V-16s exported to Switzerland that year, sitting in a field in soft decay, 1968 (since returned to the US and fully restored).

Just don't drop an EV powertrain into this one....

On 11/1/2018 at 10:16 AM, trinacriabob said:

Random thought of the day:

The new 2019 Ford Focus is at hand (sometime next year) and, while the exterior of the vehicle is attractive and nicely detailed, its interior is not.

...and this is my gripe with Ford. Not that they are terrible...just that they never seem to live up to their potential with anything other than F series and Mustangs.

I am from Ohio with the Cleveland Browns...I have lived with enough frustration for one lifetime.

Although I am really more of a Steelers and Packers fan.

Edited November 5, 2018 by A Horse With No Name
spelling

[Robert Hall]

48 minutes ago, A Horse With No Name said:

Just don't drop an EV powertrain into this one....

...and this is my gripe with Ford. Not that they are terrible...just that they never seem to live up to their potential with anything other than F series and Mustangs.

I am from Ohio with the Cleveland Browns...I have lived with enough frustration for one lifetime.

Although I am really more of a Steelers and Packers fan.

Anyone but the Patriots... I'm a longtime Browns fan, though was a Steelers fan as a kid, still like them.  Also like the Packers and Broncos (long time Broncos fan).  Never got into the Cardinals though they were my local team for a while...

On 11/1/2018 at 11:28 PM, balthazar said:

Ram looks almost mid-sized between the two.
Silverado still coming out #1 in visual appeal, IMO...

Ram looks the best to me, less obese looking than the others.  Only improvements I'd make to the Ram would be smaller grille lettering and better integration of the tow hooks. 

[ccap41]

The 2019 Ram looks the best to me as well. I'm not a huge fan of the 2018 refresh of the Ford. Something about the grille just doesn't mesh as well for me. I like the more-blocky 2015-2017's. 

The 2019 Silverado only looks good with the body colored grille. The chrome looks really sh!tty to me. 

[ccap41]

This looks good to me.

This looks bad to me. 

The partial chrome/body color is, as expected from me, "Okay". It is a nice blend for those who still like chrome but they don't want an overwhelming and tacky looking amount.

It's amazing how such small changes can make me like or dislike something. I mean it's the same vehicle with all the same lines and curves but when they're colored wrong, they make the whole thing look bad.

[Robert Hall]

And this just looks ghastly to me...white paint w/ all that black plastic up front...I know, though, it's just a fleet truck  for business and not consumer use so they had to cheapass the trim.  But still, so ugly.. about as hideous as the fleet level Ford Super Dutys and E-series vans from 10 years ago.   

Edited November 5, 2018 by Robert Hall

[ccap41]

It's weird because if somebody described that grille to me, I would think it would look great but it looks bad. Something about it looks super cheap and crappy. I think it needs painted black and not plastic black. 

[G. David Felt]

1 hour ago, ccap41 said:

This looks good to me.

 

I have to agree, for the first time ever that does look nice. Still take a GMC over this, but for once the 2019 Chevy does look nice in this package.

Playing with the configurator, this also looks good to me.

[ccap41]

2 minutes ago, dfelt said:

I have to agree, for the first time ever that does look nice. Still take a GMC over this, but for once the 2019 Chevy does look nice in this package.

Playing with the configurator, this also looks good to me.

Oh definitely, the GMC looks way better all around but there's one body configuration that looks pretty good in Silverado clothes. 

[A Horse With No Name]

48 minutes ago, ccap41 said:

It's weird because if somebody described that grille to me, I would think it would look great but it looks bad. Something about it looks super cheap and crappy. I think it needs painted black and not plastic black. 

See...odly enough I of all people really like all of the current F series. And the Ranger is growing on me. Polarized to a hard no at first but liking it more.

17 minutes ago, dfelt said:

I have to agree, for the first time ever that does look nice. Still take a GMC over this, but for once the 2019 Chevy does look nice in this package.

Playing with the configurator, this also looks good to me.

Agreed.

1 hour ago, Robert Hall said:

And this just looks ghastly to me...white paint w/ all that black plastic up front...I know, though, it's just a fleet truck  for business and not consumer use so they had to cheapass the trim.  But still, so ugly.. about as hideous as the fleet level Ford Super Dutys and E-series vans from 10 years ago.   

Fleet truck. Now the 60s and 70s Chevy trucks could rock that look.

[Robert Hall]

16 minutes ago, A Horse With No Name said:

See...odly enough I of all people really like all of the current F series. And the Ranger is growing on me. Polarized to a hard no at first but liking it more.

Agreed.

Fleet truck. Now the 60s and 70s Chevy trucks could rock that look.

Those had white trim, though..not black plastic crud.  The work trucks of 40-50 years ago look much better than this pig, IMO.

32 minutes ago, dfelt said:

I have to agree, for the first time ever that does look nice. Still take a GMC over this, but for once the 2019 Chevy does look nice in this package.

Playing with the configurator, this also looks good to me.

That doesn't look bad... the white w/ white trim doesn't look good to me, but I don't like most anything in white.  White w/ black trim and black wheels looks revolting to me, but some people like it. 

Edited November 5, 2018 by Robert Hall

[ccap41]

20 minutes ago, Robert Hall said:

White w/ black trim and black wheels looks revolting to me, but some people like it. 

I'm a huge fan of that look. That or silver with black trim/wheels. 

[Robert Hall]

I generally don't like white vehicles, only thing white I dislike more are white kitchens.   But a few cars look great in white, IMO...like vintage or modern Shelby Mustangs in white w/ blue stripes,  or Porsche 911 RSes in white w/ red or green stripes and wheels. 

[ccap41]

I think white kitchens will age very poorly. It's a HUUUUGE fad right now but I don't think they will look good in 10-20 years. 

[Robert Hall]

2 minutes ago, ccap41 said:

I think white kitchens will age very poorly. It's a HUUUUGE fad right now but I don't think they will look good in 10-20 years. 

I think we are past white kitchens, gray or black ones are in now.  I'm not really a fan of gray ones either.   

[ccap41]

1 hour ago, Robert Hall said:

I think we are past white kitchens, gray or black ones are in now.  I'm not really a fan of gray ones either.   

I still see white ones in recently remodeled and a couple friends of mine have either bought a home or painted theirs white. 

I'm a fan of a dark stain when it comes to wood. Don't paint wood. 

[Robert Hall]

My kitchen looks like it was remodeled maybe 15 years ago.  it's cherry wood w/ beige corian beigish countertops, stainless steel appliances.   It's ok, don't plan on remodeling anytime soon, other than replacing the light fixtures and adding a disposal.

In keeping w/ the randomness, whilst browsing Trulia I found this home nearby that I absolutely love...great location, views, layout.

https://www.trulia.com/p/oh/moreland-hills/120-skyline-dr-moreland-hills-oh-44022--2045327133

Edited November 5, 2018 by Robert Hall

[ccap41]

5 minutes ago, Robert Hall said:

My kitchen looks like it was remodeled maybe 15 years ago.  it's cherry wood w/ beige corian beigish countertops, stainless steel appliances.   It's ok, don't plan on remodeling anytime soon, other than replacing the light fixtures and adding a disposal.

In keeping w/ the randomness, whilst browsing Trulia I found this home nearby that I absolutely love...great location, views, layout.

https://www.trulia.com/p/oh/moreland-hills/120-skyline-dr-moreland-hills-oh-44022--2045327133

The exterior is not very attractive to me. The inside looks really nice but if it were mine, I'd like a darker wood for the kitchen. Pretty much everything else looks really awesome though. 

[Robert Hall]

3 minutes ago, ccap41 said:

The exterior is not very attractive to me. The inside looks really nice but if it were mine, I'd like a darker wood for the kitchen. Pretty much everything else looks really awesome though. 

Yeah, not a fan of the kitchen, but I love the location on a bluff overlooking the river and woods...and all the glass..enough room to build another garage also. 

[G. David Felt]

18 minutes ago, Robert Hall said:

My kitchen looks like it was remodeled maybe 15 years ago.  it's cherry wood w/ beige corian beigish countertops, stainless steel appliances.   It's ok, don't plan on remodeling anytime soon, other than replacing the light fixtures and adding a disposal.

In keeping w/ the randomness, whilst browsing Trulia I found this home nearby that I absolutely love...great location, views, layout.

https://www.trulia.com/p/oh/moreland-hills/120-skyline-dr-moreland-hills-oh-44022--2045327133

That rocks! I wish I could find something like that here in Washington. I love the layout, the land, the whole thing is just awesome! Enough space for a decent workshop!  

[A Horse With No Name]

Front doors and kitchen needs to go. Other than that, 8.75 out of ten. I would like it better if it were a little more edgy and contemporary. Could also do with real wood passage doors rather than the pressed fiber board doors.

[Robert Hall]

7 minutes ago, dfelt said:

That rocks! I wish I could find something like that here in Washington. I love the layout, the land, the whole thing is just awesome! Enough space for a decent workshop!  

And it's 2500 sq ft on the first floor, and 2300+ sq ft in the finished basement.  Would be fun to set up a home theatre and hobby room down there..

5 minutes ago, A Horse With No Name said:

Front doors and kitchen needs to go. Other than that, 8.75 out of ten. I would like it better if it were a little more edgy and contemporary. Could also do with real wood passage doors rather than the pressed fiber board doors.

I'd go for more MCM looking front doors in orange or red, with little rectangular windows set in...(which is what I'm thinking of for a new front door for my current house...my current front door is very generic). 

[frogger]

Not really a fan of too many paint colours in a home and the kitchen/baths could use a refresh but I do like it otherwise.  Hopefully the windows are recent/energy efficient, would suck to move in and see them full of condensation all winter long.

 

 

 

[balthazar]

I definitely prefer a ranch, but I'd pass on that house. Entire approach to house is asphalt- not liking that. Deck ( re-seal every 2-3 years) & windows are nice but I'd gut out the kitchen. Would be nice to rip those numerous soffitts out, but they must be there for some reason.

One of my customers bought their house in '16, she gutted the kitchen- white cabinets, pickled hardwood flooring, predominately white marble countertops. Looks fantastic. She has a great eye, did something I'd not seen before but I really liked : the entire first floor is one color- grey walls w/ white trim. It made me realize there's arguably an element of the schizophrenic to paint every room a different color.

Edited November 5, 2018 by balthazar

[A Horse With No Name]

14 minutes ago, balthazar said:

I definitely prefer a ranch, but I'd pass on that house. Entire approach to house is asphalt- not liking that. Deck & windows are nice but I'd gut out the kitchen. WOuld be nice to rip those numerous soffitts out, but they must be there for some reason.

Yes to gutting out the kitchen. Lowes pickled oak construction grade cabinets need to go.

1 hour ago, Robert Hall said:

And it's 2500 sq ft on the first floor, and 2300+ sq ft in the finished basement.  Would be fun to set up a home theatre and hobby room down there..

I'd go for more MCM looking front doors in orange or red, with little rectangular windows set in...(which is what I'm thinking of for a new front door for my current house...my current front door is very generic). 

In my Ideal world basement would be saved for a monster model railroad.

Currently eating Thai food with my daughter. Explained to the waitress that if I was being carried out on a stretcher after eating the curry it was probably spicy enough.