Random Thoughts Thread

[oldshurst442]

4 hours ago, David said:

I have to say that both of these are spot on.

10 Things Toyota Owners Keep Quiet About (msn.com)

10 Things Toyota 4Runner Owners Keep Quiet About (hotcars.com)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[surreal1272]

19 hours ago, David said:

I have to say that both of these are spot on.

10 Things Toyota Owners Keep Quiet About (msn.com)

10 Things Toyota 4Runner Owners Keep Quiet About (hotcars.com)

Cute opinion based articles disguised as "news" but hey, you got to have something right? All of the data about recalls and such have been well documented and Toyota earned scorn for the larger ones (like the UA debacle). Duh. Seriously. The fact is that they had to dive back into the 90's to fill the article up with this "data" is telling. Now, if I were to find some articles on GM and their debacles in JUST the last 20 years (the biggest being bankruptcy because of decades of neglect), how long would those articles stretch? Go ahead and actually compare for once.

 

Seriously, Toyota has issues but this "crusade" to play "gotcha" just because some folks here had the nerve to actually compliment the company a few times or you just otherwise have a hate hard on for the company, is trolling 101 and just childish nonsense. You are no better than a certain German/Tesla pom pom waver who goes out of his way to be deliberately outlandish and confrontational. This is why I don't post that often here anymore. It's not worth the hassle of dealing the same wash, rinse, repeat nature of attitudes here. Sorry but that is just how I see it. 

 

Another time but I will leave this little nugget about GM from 2014 because "lest we forget...".

 

"GM has recalled more vehicles in 2014 than it has sold since its filed for bankruptcy in 2008."

 

https://www.dividend.com/how-to-invest/a-full-look-at-the-2014-general-motors-recalls-gm/

 

And I'm out (for while because hip surgery calls on Monday). 

Edited October 21, 2023 by surreal1272

[trinacriabob]

On 10/19/2023 at 2:52 PM, A Horse With No Name said:

two olds gone....79 Delta 88 also. 

Slightly painful to watch.

Who knows ... there could have been my beloved 260 V8 in that Delta 88 that someone could have set aside for me.  It would be interesting to tastefully make it into one - and only one - backyard garden planting ... surrounded by ornamental horticulture (perhaps with a birdbath or bird feeders perched atop the air cleaner assembly).  I'm joking.  However, I very much miss the purr of a new(ish) small block Olds Rocket V8.

Now ... as for the Eldorado ... how does someone let such a beautiful car - I loved that body style from 1979 to 1985 (+/-) - get into that kind of shape?  I have always disliked the Biarritz trims and the excess metal trimming that went with that ... too much.  Either sans or with a vinyl top, these were the best looking of the triplets.  There might have been malaise in its engineering (engines like a newly released 4100 Cadillac V8 with teething problems, the diesel, and the 4.1 Buick V6 as a credit option), but there was no malaise in the car's exterior styling and interior creature comforts in my book.

- - - - -

Now this is what I'm talking about!

I'm always for the alloy wheels and, at some point, there were stock Cadillac ones available

Except that they would have to be in cloth

- - - - -

I'm waxing nostalgic.

[trinacriabob]

What I had really wanted to post:

THE BIG THREE - what am I talking about?

- - - - -

As you depart anywhere, you should always ask yourself if you have these 3 things with you:

1) Your wallet (or similar)

2) Your keys

3) Your phone

I routinely do this now.  I have sometimes driven off with the phone left at home.  Also, if staying in a hotel, the magnetic keys are easy to overlook, so those get included in the keys category.

Okay, that's enough being your mother for this morning.

[regfootball]

6 hours ago, trinacriabob said:

What I had really wanted to post:

THE BIG THREE - what am I talking about?

- - - - -

As you depart anywhere, you should always ask yourself if you have these 3 things with you:

1) Your wallet (or similar)

2) Your keys

3) Your phone

I routinely do this now.  I have sometimes driven off with the phone left at home.  Also, if staying in a hotel, the magnetic keys are easy to overlook, so those get included in the keys category.

Okay, that's enough being your mother for this morning.

OMG that is scary. I do the same thing. My check phrase before I leave the house is ‘wallet, keys, phone’!

I’ve tried to teach this to my kids too, especially after I got called to pay for daughters gas one time she only had Apple Pay and they only took cards. I was like, take your wallet with you!

 

———

———-

BLAZER EV CAUGHT IN THE WILD BY ME!!!!  Looks a fair amount smaller than I perceived it to be.   Doesn’t seem to be super roomy and seems to ride a lot lower than I thought  

 

interior looks pretty cool

Edited October 21, 2023 by regfootball

[Robert Hall]

Wallet, keys, phone, water bottle.   The last time I went out of town (took an Uber to the airport, flew down to Dallas for a few days for work), I was in panic mode as I was getting ready to leave..couldn't find my wallet..usually leave it on the desk in my office or in a drawer by the front door where I keep car keys...ended up finding on my bed in a pair of jeans..

The Blazer looks sharp, didn't realize it was at dealers already...

[trinacriabob]

On 10/21/2023 at 4:23 PM, regfootball said:

OMG that is scary. I do the same thing. My check phrase before I leave the house is ‘wallet, keys, phone’!

I’ve tried to teach this to my kids too, especially after I got called to pay for daughters gas one time she only had Apple Pay and they only took cards. I was like, take your wallet with you!

- - - - -

It's imperative to do this ... especially when traveling.  There is no rewind button.  The only thing that is more easily remedied is the replacement of hotel magnetic cards if they know you at the front desk and/or you have other ID.

- - - - -

I'm all for color returning to automotive cabins.  This red, however, is a bit loud.  Some of the colors they are bringing back are too strong, like the "brick" brown/red interior, too.   As for this (E) vehicle, it's as long as the learning curve to operate it is not too lengthy and difficult.

Edited October 23, 2023 by trinacriabob

[trinacriabob]

Is there a market for used vinyl, meaning old school record albums? 

I've been going through family stuff and found some.

If so, where would you sell them (flea market/swap meet, other) and what's a way to gauge a reasonable price for an item?

[G. David Felt]

On 10/21/2023 at 5:58 AM, surreal1272 said:

Cute opinion based articles disguised as "news" but hey, you got to have something right? All of the data about recalls and such have been well documented and Toyota earned scorn for the larger ones (like the UA debacle). Duh. Seriously. The fact is that they had to dive back into the 90's to fill the article up with this "data" is telling. Now, if I were to find some articles on GM and their debacles in JUST the last 20 years (the biggest being bankruptcy because of decades of neglect), how long would those articles stretch? Go ahead and actually compare for once.

 

Seriously, Toyota has issues but this "crusade" to play "gotcha" just because some folks here had the nerve to actually compliment the company a few times or you just otherwise have a hate hard on for the company, is trolling 101 and just childish nonsense. You are no better than a certain German/Tesla pom pom waver who goes out of his way to be deliberately outlandish and confrontational. This is why I don't post that often here anymore. It's not worth the hassle of dealing the same wash, rinse, repeat nature of attitudes here. Sorry but that is just how I see it. 

 

Another time but I will leave this little nugget about GM from 2014 because "lest we forget...".

 

"GM has recalled more vehicles in 2014 than it has sold since its filed for bankruptcy in 2008."

 

https://www.dividend.com/how-to-invest/a-full-look-at-the-2014-general-motors-recalls-gm/

 

And I'm out (for while because hip surgery calls on Monday). 

Thanks for the humor, Good Luck with the Hip surgery. 

GM has their fair share of dirty laundry too, no lie there, pretty much every auto company does.

[A Horse With No Name]

On 10/21/2023 at 9:56 AM, trinacriabob said:

Slightly painful to watch.

Who knows ... there could have been my beloved 260 V8 in that Delta 88 that someone could have set aside for me.  It would be interesting to tastefully make it into one - and only one - backyard garden planting ... surrounded by ornamental horticulture (perhaps with a birdbath or bird feeders perched atop the air cleaner assembly).  I'm joking.  However, I very much miss the purr of a new(ish) small block Olds Rocket V8.

Now ... as for the Eldorado ... how does someone let such a beautiful car - I loved that body style from 1979 to 1985 (+/-) - get into that kind of shape?  I have always disliked the Biarritz trims and the excess metal trimming that went with that ... too much.  Either sans or with a vinyl top, these were the best looking of the triplets.  There might have been malaise in its engineering (engines like a newly released 4100 Cadillac V8 with teething problems, the diesel, and the 4.1 Buick V6 as a credit option), but there was no malaise in the car's exterior styling and interior creature comforts in my book.

- - - - -

Now this is what I'm talking about!

I'm always for the alloy wheels and, at some point, there were stock Cadillac ones available

Except that they would have to be in cloth

- - - - -

I'm waxing nostalgic.

I really like cars of that Era. This was painful to watch for me.  My first date was in a 79 Delta 88, and I have tons of fun memories of that car. 

10 hours ago, trinacriabob said:

Is there a market for used vinyl, meaning old school record albums? 

I've been going through family stuff and found some.

If so, where would you sell them (flea market/swap meet, other) and what's a way to gauge a reasonable price for an item?

Go to a vinyl record store. Alternately, would trade good Italian food for Vinyl as I listen to it all of the time. I actually prefer it.

 

This is actually a thoughtful video. 

 

 

 

[A Horse With No Name]

Also thoughtful. 

 

[Robert Hall]

10 hours ago, trinacriabob said:

It's imperative to do this ... especially when traveling.  There is no rewind button.  The only thing that is more easily remedied is the replacement of hotel magnetic cards if they know you at the front desk and/or you have other ID.

- - - - -

I'm all for color returning to automotive cabins.  This red, however, is a bit loud.  Some of the colors they are bringing back are too strong, like the "brick" brown/red interior, too.   As for this (E) vehicle, it's as long as the learning curve to operate it is not too lengthy and difficult.

On the last trip also had to double check myself when I was checking out of the hotel that I didn't leave my eye meds in the suite fridge.

 

On 10/21/2023 at 9:56 AM, trinacriabob said:

Slightly painful to watch.

Who knows ... there could have been my beloved 260 V8 in that Delta 88 that someone could have set aside for me.  It would be interesting to tastefully make it into one - and only one - backyard garden planting ... surrounded by ornamental horticulture (perhaps with a birdbath or bird feeders perched atop the air cleaner assembly).  I'm joking.  However, I very much miss the purr of a new(ish) small block Olds Rocket V8.

Now ... as for the Eldorado ... how does someone let such a beautiful car - I loved that body style from 1979 to 1985 (+/-) - get into that kind of shape?  I have always disliked the Biarritz trims and the excess metal trimming that went with that ... too much.  Either sans or with a vinyl top, these were the best looking of the triplets.  There might have been malaise in its engineering (engines like a newly released 4100 Cadillac V8 with teething problems, the diesel, and the 4.1 Buick V6 as a credit option), but there was no malaise in the car's exterior styling and interior creature comforts in my book.

- - - - -

Now this is what I'm talking about!

I'm always for the alloy wheels and, at some point, there were stock Cadillac ones available

Except that they would have to be in cloth

- - - - -

I'm waxing nostalgic.

I love the crisp '79-85 e-bodies, esp. the Eldorado.. also the B- and C- bodies of that era.   A dark red w/ white interior Eldo convertible, an early 80s Buick Electra coupe, and a Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham de' Elegance (white w/ red leather interior) would be in my dream car garage.

Edited October 23, 2023 by Robert Hall

[A Horse With No Name]

Music for Monday. 

 

The Blazer looks amazing!

 

 

[A Horse With No Name]

Ford Truck holds up well after getting hit by train. maybe I shouldn't have bitched so much about Ford...

 

 

[G. David Felt]

16 minutes ago, A Horse With No Name said:

Ford Truck holds up well after getting hit by train. maybe I shouldn't have bitched so much about Ford...

 

 

Lately I am seeing plenty of Fords along the freeway getting towed as well as Jeeps GCs.

On the Jeep side, I am very pissed with Stellantis/Jeep as they have major poor quality issues on their 2011 to current 3.6L V6. Seems from dropped valves to full heads blowing up and leaking water pumps into the engines causing said engine to blow.

My son's 2017 engine with only 120,000 miles needs a new engine as the water pump leaked into the engine and blew the heads. Both Jasper and Frazer motors highlights the poor problems with the 3.6 and how they both in newly built 3.6L V6 engines has corrected this but Jeep has not and as such, while you see plenty of stories on reliability on this motor, the motor is not as reliable as the marketing has stated as they put it into so many autos now under Jeep, Ram, Dodge and Chrysler. 

Seems Stellantis is using this as a way to have end of life on their auto's to force folks to buy a new auto. Sucks as I have never had a blown engine in my life and now my son is dealing with this. We are considering having one of the newly built Jasper or Frazer motors installed into his Jeep to get it going and in then unload it in a few years.

Right now, if you have a Jeep with the 3.6L engine @Robert Hall I suggest you get rid of it before it hits 100,000 miles. Alex did all the maintenance on it and the dealership is now being very coy about why it did what it did. 

I can tell you my family will not be buying anymore Jeep products.

[A Horse With No Name]

3 minutes ago, David said:

Lately I am seeing plenty of Fords along the freeway getting towed as well as Jeeps GCs.

On the Jeep side, I am very pissed with Stellantis/Jeep as they have major poor quality issues on their 2011 to current 3.6L V6. Seems from dropped valves to full heads blowing up and leaking water pumps into the engines causing said engine to blow.

My son's 2017 engine with only 120,000 miles needs a new engine as the water pump leaked into the engine and blew the heads. Both Jasper and Frazer motors highlights the poor problems with the 3.6 and how they both in newly built 3.6L V6 engines has corrected this but Jeep has not and as such, while you see plenty of stories on reliability on this motor, the motor is not as reliable as the marketing has stated as they put it into so many autos now under Jeep, Ram, Dodge and Chrysler. 

Seems Stellantis is using this as a way to have end of life on their auto's to force folks to buy a new auto. Sucks as I have never had a blown engine in my life and now my son is dealing with this. We are considering having one of the newly built Jasper or Frazer motors installed into his Jeep to get it going and in then unload it in a few years.

Right now, if you have a Jeep with the 3.6L engine @Robert Hall I suggest you get rid of it before it hits 100,000 miles. Alex did all the maintenance on it and the dealership is now being very coy about why it did what it did. 

I can tell you my family will not be buying anymore Jeep products.

kind of scary.

 

Right now, I like the idea of Ford or Chevy /GMC for trucks.

She gets it right...

 

 

[Robert Hall]

Interesting about the issues w/ Mopar 3.6 engines..for every story I've heard of people having issues, I've read about people putting 250k-350k miles on them without issues.

My Jeep is almost 10 years old, w/ 77k miles.  Still no issues..

[G. David Felt]

32 minutes ago, Robert Hall said:

Interesting about the issues w/ Mopar 3.6 engines..for every story I've heard of people having issues, I've read about people putting 250k-350k miles on them without issues.

My Jeep is almost 10 years old, w/ 77k miles.  Still no issues..

Glad you have not had issues, Jasper and Fraser have been very clear on the motor issues and the updates they did to correct them.

JASPER Remanufactured Engines & Transmissions (jasperengines.com)

This independent review hits the big 4 main issues with the Pentastar 3.6L V6.

The 4 Most Common FCA Pentastar 3.6L Engine Problems (tuningpro.co)

Some of the most common issues with the Dodge, Jeep, Ram, Chrysler 3.6 Pentastar engine include:

• Cylinder head (2011-2013)
• Rocker arms
• Cooling system
• Oil pump

CHRYSLER 3.6L VVT MOPAR CRATE ENGINE | Fraser Engines and Transmissions (fraserengineco.com)

I get it that due to the wide use of this motor, it comes across as reliable, but with Stellantis high Lease rate, I suspect the full picture is not known of the shortcuts Stellantis has taken in the past for the PentaStar 3.6L V6.

At least it is good to be aware of the potential issue with this engine.

[trinacriabob]

2 hours ago, Robert Hall said:

Interesting about the issues w/ Mopar 3.6 engines..for every story I've heard of people having issues, I've read about people putting 250k-350k miles on them without issues.

This is a weird one.  That's for sure.  But I've heard the same about some other domestic engines.

Considering it's GM's flagship V6 now, different years of G.M. 3.6 OHC V6 have behaved differently.  They put out 300 hp in the last W-body Impala, so they are considerably more powerful than the old school OHV V6s.  But some of the problems I've read about are costly and disturbing.

Speaking of V6s, the 3800 had its issues as a Series II engine.  Blame it on the plastic intake manifold, for which they recommended a fix.  There are many cars still on the road with this engine, such as early 2000s LeSabres, 2000s Bonnevilles, etc.  It leads me to wonder who had to rebuild it, who caught the plastic intake manifold leak in time, and who never had issues with it. 

The same goes for the Ecotec 4 and the Iron Duke 4.  They get mixed reviews.  Some say they are in it for the long haul and others say they have their problems.  Maybe it depends on the year and the application.

But to have a major issue with the N.A. 3.6 V6 engine in a Cadillac CT6 is not defendable.  It should go 250,000 miles.  That's what you're buying, among other things.

[G. David Felt]

4 hours ago, A Horse With No Name said:

She gets it right...

 

Agree, she nails it for woman to not walk away from but run away from.

2 minutes ago, trinacriabob said:

This is a weird one.  That's for sure.  But I've heard the same about some other domestic engines.

Considering it's GM's flagship V6 now, different years of G.M. 3.6 OHC V6 have behaved differently.  They put out 300 hp in the last W-body Impala, so they are considerably more powerful than the old school OHV V6s.  But some of the problems I've read about are costly and disturbing.

Speaking of V6s, the 3800 had its issues as a Series II engine.  Blame it on the plastic intake manifold, for which they recommended a fix.  There are many cars still on the road with this engine, such as early 2000s LeSabres, 2000s Bonnevilles, etc.  It leads me to wonder who had to rebuild it, who caught the plastic intake manifold leak in time, and who never had issues with it. 

The same goes for the Ecotec 4 and the Iron Duke 4.  They get mixed reviews.  Some say they are in it for the long haul and others say they have their problems.  Maybe it depends on the year and the application.

But to have a major issue with the N.A. 3.6 V6 engine in a Cadillac CT6 is not defendable.  It should go 250,000 miles.  That's what you're buying, among other things.

I have a brother-in-law that had bought one of the Buick GS supercharged V6 cars new, it never made it past 77K miles and he blamed it on GM building shitty autos. Sadly, the reason the motor failed him was he never did any maintenance on it. No oil changes and especially the required 30K mile Supercharger maintenance. Yes, GM figured out how to make a supercharged motor go 100K tune up/maintenance a few years after the GS first came out with this motor, but he failed to read his auto manual and know the maintenance. I have zero respect for those that blame an auto maker when they do nothing to take care of their auto.

[A Horse With No Name]

Her voice is amazing...

 

 

[A Horse With No Name]

20 hours ago, David said:

Glad you have not had issues, Jasper and Fraser have been very clear on the motor issues and the updates they did to correct them.

JASPER Remanufactured Engines & Transmissions (jasperengines.com)

This independent review hits the big 4 main issues with the Pentastar 3.6L V6.

The 4 Most Common FCA Pentastar 3.6L Engine Problems (tuningpro.co)

Some of the most common issues with the Dodge, Jeep, Ram, Chrysler 3.6 Pentastar engine include:

• Cylinder head (2011-2013)
• Rocker arms
• Cooling system
• Oil pump

CHRYSLER 3.6L VVT MOPAR CRATE ENGINE | Fraser Engines and Transmissions (fraserengineco.com)

I get it that due to the wide use of this motor, it comes across as reliable, but with Stellantis high Lease rate, I suspect the full picture is not known of the shortcuts Stellantis has taken in the past for the PentaStar 3.6L V6.

At least it is good to be aware of the potential issue with this engine.

The old inline six in the Cherokee and Wrangler is bullet proof, sort of like the old Slant 6. For Chryco to build the slant 6 in the 60-s-70-s and the inline six of the Cherokee/Wrangler and then do the 3.6....

 

 

Insane...

 

[A Horse With No Name]

 

[G. David Felt]

1 hour ago, A Horse With No Name said:

 

That is sexy, should have been built, I know folks that would have bought it then. Course now everyone wants raised SUVs and Trucks except for a minor portion of folks that still want cars.

?

Wonder if @oldshurst442 would buy it and drive it?

[oldshurst442]

52 minutes ago, David said:

That is sexy, should have been built, I know folks that would have bought it then. Course now everyone wants raised SUVs and Trucks except for a minor portion of folks that still want cars.

?

Wonder if @oldshurst442 would buy it and drive it?

Lets see.

For:

NOT a Toyota

 

 Against:

Not a real production car

 

For: 

still a classic GM Pontiac from the '50s

 

Against:

still truckish in looks.

 

Verdict

Ill pass. 

 

 

[A Horse With No Name]

13 hours ago, oldshurst442 said:

Lets see.

For:

NOT a Toyota

 

 Against:

Not a real production car

 

For: 

still a classic GM Pontiac from the '50s

 

Against:

still truckish in looks.

 

Verdict

Ill pass. 

 

 

Camino and Baltazar might have different ideas. 

Shop safety...only takes a second..

 

 

[G. David Felt]

1 hour ago, A Horse With No Name said:

Camino and Baltazar might have different ideas. 

Shop safety...only takes a second..

 

 

Ouch, glad it was not worse, it could have been so much worse. Yup, need to always be alert and follow better safety.

[A Horse With No Name]

Interesting...

[A Horse With No Name]

Feel good story for today...

 

 

[A Horse With No Name]

Rescue of damaged Navigator, it got stuck, then a flood came...

 

 

[ccap41]

1 hour ago, A Horse With No Name said:

Rescue of damaged Navigator, it got stuck, then a flood came...

 

 

I love MORR videos. I watch a ton of their stuff on my way to and from work on the bus. 

I watched this last week and man, that thing was junk when they got to it. 

[A Horse With No Name]

1 hour ago, ccap41 said:

I love MORR videos. I watch a ton of their stuff on my way to and from work on the bus. 

I watched this last week and man, that thing was junk when they got to it. 

Teenager must have had fun explaining that to his parents...'

Canary in the coal mine for the economy-Freighter airlines, car dealers, other starting to struggle. Slow down?

 

[trinacriabob]

On 10/23/2023 at 1:18 PM, A Horse With No Name said:

kind of scary.

 

Right now, I like the idea of Ford or Chevy /GMC for trucks.

She gets it right...

 

 

Interesting to watch, even though I raced through the list.  The common ones I see are immature communication style, requiring too much attention, doing the revolving door with friends, and controlling ... the last one is almost worse if done passive-aggressively rather than directly.

This presenter has a lot to say and has a good speaking style.  I did not check into the "about" part of the video to see what her education and background are.

I know some that, based on the externalities, make people wonder why they are still on the shelf.  Get into their heads and you will soon know why.  What they seem to have in common is serious trauma in their formative years ... and I won't go there.

Thanks for posting this.

[trinacriabob]

What I was really going to say ...

Last call for LaCrosse ... what that really means is last day for LaCrosse.

Yesterday, I sold my car, for which doing research on it and clicking on the links brought me to C&G.  (Lucky you!)  I handle change fairly well, especially while traveling, but I don't handle moving on to another car all that well.  I usually deliberate a lot on choosing a car because they are big ticket items and, when I have bought - or was given - one I liked, I have taken excellent care of it and don't want to part with it. 

I was in a funk when I came home yesterday, but, eventually, I was also relieved and am dealing with it better today.

This is the last photo I've taken of the car.  I had cleaned it thoroughly and, with the lighting, the photo doesn't show the sheen that's still in the metallic paint and the tidiness of the interior.  It was taken yesterday. 

[oldshurst442]

I was sent home early by my employer today.  

Turns out that customers are shyte.  Shyttier than my former customers when I had my restaurant.  

Turns out I cant tell them how I truly feel.  

He got my back, my director that is.  But I need to learn that in the corporate world, Karens are not exactly frowned upon. We just ignore a Karen, smile and direct the Karen gently outside the premises.  And if that dont work, we let the director handle the situation and he will give a corporate smile and he will gently escort the Karen to where the Karen needs to go.   I cant tell a karen to go to hell.  My director cant either.  But he did tell me I need to manage my emotions better. I...as a manager, need to calm things down and not escalate further.   And hence why I was told to go home to relax. 

Its funny as in my restaurant, myself, my former partner, RIP, or my manager,  never felt the need to gently deal with a Karen.  We dealt with Karens bang and boom.  But that was with a small family restaurant. 

*SIGH*  

Welcome to the corporate world...

Oh well...

 

PS

The 25 plus years that I had the restaurant, only in the beginning did I have CONSTANT Karen problems.  Oh yeah...THAT phenomenon aint new.  But my partner and I chased ALL the bad in faith customers away and we CULTIVATED a clientele FREE from that kind of buklshytte!!! 

This new job and Karens are...EVERYWHERE!!!

[oldshurst442]

PSS:

little adjustements NEED to be made.

I aint THE boss.  I am A boss.  

Not THE Boss.  

 

HUGE reality check I just faced today.  

Im humbled and THAT is a GOOD thing!!! 

[G. David Felt]

On 10/25/2023 at 7:12 AM, A Horse With No Name said:

Interesting...

Everyone is jumping on the bash EV band wagon and those that promise and then do not deliver. Even Toyota Chairman and prior CEO who hates EVs has said see, I told you so, public does not want EVs attitude. Such turds cannot see the future over their own greed of today and money.

I get that GM is delaying the Equinox launch till next year. We are in very uncertain times and with the current interest rates, most are not willing to buy now unless they have too.

[A Horse With No Name]

Corvette goes to auction...

 

[trinacriabob]

On 10/25/2023 at 10:17 AM, A Horse With No Name said:

Feel good story for today...

Ha.  Atlanta suburbs story.  

Very heartwarming and funny.  I probably would have googled how to tie a Windsor knot and looked for a YouTube or diagram.  But, hey, it worked out for him.

I lived in the metro Atlanta area for 2 years.  I couldn't believe how well I adjusted to it coming from the West.  There isn't much uptightness to be found.  Most people are outgoing and a good many are sassy.

[A Horse With No Name]

9 minutes ago, trinacriabob said:

Ha.  Atlanta suburbs story.  

Very heartwarming and funny.  I probably would have googled how to tie a Windsor knot and looked for a YouTube or diagram.  But, hey, it worked out for him.

I lived in the metro Atlanta area for 2 years.  I couldn't believe how well I adjusted to it coming from the West.  There isn't much uptightness to be found.  Most people are outgoing and a good many are sassy.

I loved my time living in Atlanta. 

[A Horse With No Name]

Gorgeous

 

[G. David Felt]

3 hours ago, A Horse With No Name said:

Corvette goes to auction...

 

These type of people irritate me as this is all about him making money and now with prices going down he is not happy. Poor him, there are folks living a much worse life than that and yet he still thinks he is being informative and helpful when his whole focus is flipping autos for a profit. 

I do not hold it against him as it is his business, but the attitude from the beginning to the end sucks I feel.

On cool notes, my friend check out this crazy wood working project. Love it.

Awesome Staircase From an Old Beam — Blacktail Studio

[A Horse With No Name]

2 hours ago, David said:

These type of people irritate me as this is all about him making money and now with prices going down he is not happy. Poor him, there are folks living a much worse life than that and yet he still thinks he is being informative and helpful when his whole focus is flipping autos for a profit. 

I do not hold it against him as it is his business, but the attitude from the beginning to the end sucks I feel.

On cool notes, my friend check out this crazy wood working project. Love it.

Awesome Staircase From an Old Beam — Blacktail Studio

I love black tail Studio!

 

Interesting on EV front...

 

[trinacriabob]

The ideal weather across an ideal year:

- 3 months of summer

- 1 month of winter

- 1 month of spring

- 7 months of autumn (and peak color)

[oldshurst442]

On 10/25/2023 at 7:54 AM, A Horse With No Name said:

Camino and Baltazar might have different ideas. 

I agree.

BTW

What is Baltazar doing these days?

I know Ive read a post of yours not so long ago that you talk to Baltazar from time to time.  Not often I know.  

But I do wanna know how he is dong and if he will evah come back?   I miss him.  

[oldshurst442]

1 hour ago, trinacriabob said:

The ideal weather across an ideal year:

- 3 months of summer

- 1 month of winter

- 1 month of spring

- 7 months of autumn (and peak color)

oh...kay.  I could accept that kind of situation. 

I would want to modify it just a tad for MY ideal weather.  

• 4 months of summer
• 3 months of Spring (1 month...month and a half of that crappy winter to spring transition as that is necessary for MAPLE SYRUP.  I LOOOOVE maple syrup.  I also love when summer is oh so close and you could smell summer coming  in that nice warm spring breeze air. ) 
• 1 month of winter (2 weeks of snowstorms because I actually do like them. And also necessary for that maple syrup. 2 weeks of freezing weather. Because of that fantabulous maple syrup)
• 4 months of autumn.  The North East colours.  The summer is over breeze.  Even the winter is coming coldish air breeze is nice too.  

Edited October 27, 2023 by oldshurst442

[oldshurst442]

I LOVE Montreal from the last week of April/1st week of May all the way to the last week of December.  

I HATE Montreal from January to April.  Only thing keeping me alive in Montreal IS the maple syrup! 

[trinacriabob]

Good morning:

[trinacriabob]

I'm amazed at the sorts of things automakers themselves are saying about EVs.  What it's doing is pushing back their adoption over I.C.E. vehicles.

- - - - -

I'm not that high maintenance, but, when I did have the "pleasure" of trying one for about 7 hours, all I was asking was for:

1)  a dashboard I could understand (the above is a photo of a 2020 Chevy Bolt appended to a review) ...  an instrument cluster in front of the driver that makes sense and is sort of minimalistic, an infotainment system that looks similar to the ones we know, a climate control system that is intuitive.  Will you look at that !?!

2) a range of about 400 miles, but I'll settle for 350 miles.

- - - - -

Here's a link to the article about the author's Seattle to Portland jaunt in the car, in which he praises the simplistic controls with an obvious purpose:

Review: Seattle to Portland in a 2020 Bolt EV (newatlas.com)

- - - - -

I'm not interested in paying this kind of money for a sled.  However, as a daily driver and with a plug in the garage that wouldn't overcharge the battery, that day will eventually come for many folks.

Edited October 28, 2023 by trinacriabob

[trinacriabob]

Random thinking ... thinking out loud ...

What to get if getting a "hobby/fun car" to have as a second car at some point in the future ...

- - - - -

Door #1?

'94-'96 Chevrolet Caprice RWD sedan with 4.3 L V8

I like these cars, their spacious interiors, and their engines.  That small V8 puts out 200 hp.  The best looking exterior of these 3 years goes to the 1996.  These are supposedly reliable cars.

- - - - -

Door #2?

Mercury Grand Marquis with 4.6 SOHC V8

I have come to respect these cars and an experience in a rental with the 4.6 V8 gave me a positive impression of them.  These cars are long-lived.

- - - - -

Door #3?

2006-2007 Chevrolet Monte Carlo LT with 3.5 VVT V6

Do it ... or maybe not. Get that W-body coupe - yes, coupe - you once wanted, given that the engine has turned out to be okay. If not pimped out and in clean, stock form, these tend to catch my eye.

- - - - -

Door #4?

'81/'82 Cutlass Supreme Brougham with the 4.3 Olds V8 or '85 Pontiac Grand Prix LE with the 4.3 Chevy Vortec TBI (for corporate sharing) V6 coupes

 

I've always liked these and had an '84 Cutlass Supreme coupe.  I believe that, at this point, you can pull off the Computer Command Control (CCC) and simplify things.  The sensors could/would go, I think, and changes would be a different stock carburetor (for the Olds), a different distributor, and the deactivation of the sensor/chip in the automatic transmission.  The catalytic converter could/should remain.

- - - - -

Door #5?

'75, '76, or '77 Cutlass Supreme, Cutlass Salon, Pontiac Grand Le Mans, or Buick Regal coupes

Engines would be the Olds 260 c.i. V8, the 250 Chevy c.i. (for corporate sharing) L6, or the Buick 231 c.i. V6.  Because these were odd-firing years for the Buick V6, an even-firing crate engine would have to be ordered and swapped in.  There is no CCC in these years and a simple THM 350 propels these cars.

- - - - -

Any of the above would have to have been very well maintained and with sound mechanics and bodies/interiors.  

If you have any ideas, try to put them in the perspective of what I'd like rather than the brand and car you are partial to.