Random Thoughts Thread

[FordCosworth]

4 minutes ago, surreal1272 said:

It's not speculation when you used the combo argument just last month. He is spot on whether you agree with it or not. 

Liar.

I have never combined Ford/Lincoln sales 

 

[surreal1272]

4 minutes ago, FordCosworth said:

Liar.

I have never combined Ford/Lincoln sales 

 

No I am not and I am talking about your combo argument you used last month when comparing the F-Series sales to all of GMs pick ups. That is clearly comparing manufacturer vs. manufacturer sales, just like I did with full size pick up sales this month (which you complained about). The only thing that has kept you from doing it here is because Lincoln no longer has a pick up to combine sales with. Again, we are talking about a perfectly legitimate comparison of manufacturer vs manufacturer sales.

 

Fact. 

Edited March 2, 2017 by surreal1272

[surreal1272]

On a much more positive note, I am so looking forward to my first whole weekend off in over a month. Clear skies and 80 degrees of pure perfection to look forward to. Going to work on my RAV4 interior project a little more with more pictures to come. @dfelt I actually did manage to get the cig lighter hooked up in a better spot but I need to correct some cosmetic work before I'll be happy with it. Almost done with all of it. 

[G. David Felt]

59 minutes ago, surreal1272 said:

On a much more positive note, I am so looking forward to my first whole weekend off in over a month. Clear skies and 80 degrees of pure perfection to look forward to. Going to work on my RAV4 interior project a little more with more pictures to come. @dfelt I actually did manage to get the cig lighter hooked up in a better spot but I need to correct some cosmetic work before I'll be happy with it. Almost done with all of it. 

Cool, looking forward to seeing a pic or two of the final work.

[Frisky Dingo]

I just got done with a lengthy drive in a 2017 AMG GTS, and I have to say.......

 

 

[ccap41]

That's absolutely one of mah dream cars.

[Frisky Dingo]

1 minute ago, ccap41 said:

That's absolutely one of mah dream cars.

It was bad ass. The power delivery and the sound are just amazing. It's so much quicker than it's power rating suggests. And it's so approachable and easy to drive. And the steering and handling......my gawd. Easily among the very best front-engined RWD cars I've ever been in.

It felt like a plusher, faster, less demanding Z/28.

[Stew]

After much thought and deliberation I have to sell the bug, the Z71, and the MotorSports Dakota, leaving the Camry and 4x4 Dakota. 

[ccap41]

Why's thaaaaat?

[Frisky Dingo]

1 hour ago, Stew said:

After much thought and deliberation I have to sell the bug, the Z71, and the MotorSports Dakota, leaving the Camry and 4x4 Dakota. 

 

 

[Stew]

I am gonna go back to driving the 4x4 and start putting money back for a down pay,emt on a, probably used in a year or 2, ZR2.  It has my heart haha. 71 or Canton All-Terrain sans the chin. 

Edited March 2, 2017 by Stew

[ccap41]

ZR2 would be bad-ass!

If money weren't a thing, would you want the diesel or 3.6?

[G. David Felt]

28 minutes ago, ccap41 said:

ZR2 would be bad-ass!

If money weren't a thing, would you want the diesel or 3.6?

Wonder if GMC will get a Syclone then since the ZR2 is back for Chevy?

After all the TTV6 would be awesome in a new Syclone pickup truck AWD.

[Stew]

31 minutes ago, ccap41 said:

ZR2 would be bad-ass!

If money weren't a thing, would you want the diesel or 3.6?

I honestly think I would still go V6 because it is much quicker, should still get ok fuel economy, and you get the new 8 speed auto (pretty sure the diesel still makes due with the 6 speed). 

1 minute ago, dfelt said:

Wonder if GMC will get a Syclone then since the ZR2 is back for Chevy?

After all the TTV6 would be awesome in a new Syclone pickup truck AWD.

That would be awesome. 

[ccap41]

26 minutes ago, Stew said:

I honestly think I would still go V6 because it is much quicker, should still get ok fuel economy, and you get the new 8 speed auto (pretty sure the diesel still makes due with the 6 speed). 

Understandable. I usually enjoy the low end grunt but the diesel in this case is pretty damn slow. I bet it would be pretty whoop ass of road though, the diesel.

[Stew]

36 minutes ago, ccap41 said:

Understandable. I usually enjoy the low end grunt but the diesel in this case is pretty damn slow. I bet it would be pretty whoop ass of road though, the diesel.

Oh very true, would be a blast while crawling

[Stew]

Everytime I get an inquiry on the bug I get sick to my stomach.........

[ccap41]

3 minutes ago, Stew said:

Everytime I get an inquiry on the bug I get sick to my stomach.........

Just think, "it's all for the ZR2".

[Stew]

6 minutes ago, ccap41 said:

Just think, "it's all for the ZR2".

Very true, still hurts.  i like that little car more than i realize haha.

[ccap41]

4 minutes ago, Stew said:

Very true, still hurts.  i like that little car more than i realize haha.

Haha so sell the truck and keep the Bug!

[Stew]

9 minutes ago, ccap41 said:

Haha so sell the truck and keep the Bug!

I am thinking maybe sell the motorsports and z71.  Keep the camry, 4x4 dakota, and Bug.  The 2 are just taking up space right now.  Hmmmmm   Could still trade the bug when i am ready and use the on-time payments to build credit so i don't get raped on the interest rate next time haha.  Truth is i didn't think i would have anyone interested in the bug for what i owe on it, but boy was i surprised lol.  

[Frisky Dingo]

So I finally just got to take a new turbo 911 991.2 out!! Car was a loaded out C4S Targa with PDK and all the sport options. Wow, what a car. The PDK definitely suits this car better than the earlier NA 991.1, imo. And rest assured, nothing has been lost in the switch to turbo power. There's no lag to speak of. It's so linear and pulls so hard to redline, it feels like an N/A car. The only giveaways are the sound of the turbos spooling and the fact that this thing inhales 20 mph jumps at a pace the earlier .1 cars could only dream of. And the exhaust still sounds fantastic. Muffled ever so slightly by the turbos and slightly lower in pitch and frenzy, it's still all 911.

I'd be lying if I said the extra weight and lower stiffness of the Targa negatively impacted the driving experience. Certainly not with having a go in a Coupe right before or after. The AWD is noticeable, however. In a good way. Although the standard RWD car hooks up well (in .1 guise, anyway), the extra driven wheels really instill a new layer of confidence, much welcome with that healthy power bump. Turn-in feels the same, the handling demeanor feels the same, it just gives you a greater sense of indestructibility. 

And now for the somewhat bad. The car I drove was a 155K. For a non 'Turbo', non- GT 911. That's a big pill to swallow. I went and built the AMG GT S I drove out, and it came in at.......155K. The AMG feels like a far more special car. It's faster, more unique, sounds better, has a nicer interior, and just generally more enjoyable to drive. In short, there's no way I'd pay 150K for this particular 911.

I think the problem with the 911 is that makes it so good- the steering, the handling, the grip, the unique driving feel, the heritage, and how they all work together to meld into such a cohesive and usable package- can be had in a base model 7MT non-S Carrera. In fact, I built out a nicely equipped 7MT C2 and easily stayed a near sport sedan MSRP away in price- under 110K. To spend half a 100 grand more for essentially the same car doesn't make sense to me. I'd skip right past it and go to a GT3 or R8, even. 

The question you're probably wondering is, is it better than the 991.1? Eh, I'm not sure. It's faster, it's more flexible. I don't know that I enjoyed driving it any more. I'm not sure I enjoyed it any more than taking a 996 C2 out a few days and flogging it. I still think the modern 911 to get is a 6MT 997 S Coupe, .1 or .2 either one.

So, yeah. There it is. Awesome car, too much money, imo.

Edited March 3, 2017 by Frisky Dingo

[ykX]

@Frisky Dingo wow, what dealership are you working at to get to drive such cars?

I was under impression you work at VW dealer?

Great reviews, thanks.

Edited March 3, 2017 by ykX

[Frisky Dingo]

11 minutes ago, ykX said:

@Frisky Dingo wow, what dealership are you working at to get to drive such cars?

I was under impression you work at VW dealer?

Great reviews, thanks.

I do work at a VW dealer. But we're in one of the wealthiest areas of St Louis, and we're really more like a highline car dealer that happens to have a VW franchise, lol. We sell probably 60-70% used.

We currently have a 17 Tesla Model X P90D, a 17 Maserati Gran Turismo Corsa, 16 Z06 Vert w/ Z07, 17 Jag F Type SVR, 17 AMG C63 AMG, and 17 Alpina B7 on our showroom right now. All of them, and the aforementioned AMG GT S and C4S Targa came from the same individual. 

I got to go and pick up a few cars from his storage warehouse yesterday and see some of his other cars. He has a Ford GT (old one), Alpina Z8, Ariel Atom, McLaren 570 S, Bentley Conti GT3-R, Carrera GT(!!!), 918 (that we sold him), new NSX, new Raptor, a 512 BB, and an R8 V10 + all stored there. We are getting him a 2010 Veyron that should be here next week some time.  

[FordCosworth]

1 hour ago, Stew said:

Everytime I get an inquiry on the bug I get sick to my stomach.........

If it was a Type 1 split-window or oval, I can understand that.

The new one (PQ34/35 ) is just a Golf/Tiguan/A3 in drag.

 

[Stew]

28 minutes ago, FordCosworth said:

If it was a Type 1 split-window or oval, I can understand that.

The new one (PQ34/35 ) is just a Golf/Tiguan/A3 in drag.

 

Good bones, fun to drive, a 2.0 turbo that lives up to it's FE claim.  He TUrbo is closer to a GTi than a regular golf.  it gets the 2.0T, 6 speed manual, and the GTi's rear suspension and front brake based torque vectoring. 

[ykX]

Consumer Reports just released its top 10 recommended cars for 2017 and Chevy Cruise and Impala beat Japanese in their respective categories.

http://www.consumerreports.org/cars-best-cars-top-picks-2017/

I wonder if all those that always say that CR is full of sh..t will say the same thing now as well?  

[ccap41]

..Jeez I hate the Impala so much.. The whole "Large mainstream sedan" segment just blows. They're all old and hideous compared to the rest of their respective lineups.

32 minutes ago, ykX said:

Consumer Reports just released its top 10 recommended cars for 2017 and Chevy Cruise and Impala beat Japanese in their respective categories.

http://www.consumerreports.org/cars-best-cars-top-picks-2017/

I wonder if all those that always say that CR is full of sh..t will say the same thing now as well?  

Yes. Because there's another Audi on there.

[Stew]

1 hour ago, ykX said:

Consumer Reports just released its top 10 recommended cars for 2017 and Chevy Cruise and Impala beat Japanese in their respective categories.

http://www.consumerreports.org/cars-best-cars-top-picks-2017/

I wonder if all those that always say that CR is full of sh..t will say the same thing now as well?  

Still think they are full of it, but hopefully the sheeple will buy some Impalas and Cruzes.

[Stew]

I think mother Nature is having a bi-polar Vortex.  Day for yesterday it was warm with storms and chances of tornadoes.  I wake up to snow on the ground this morning.  Gotta love Kentucky weather.......

[ccap41]

46 minutes ago, Stew said:

I think mother Nature is having a bi-polar Vortex.  Day for yesterday it was warm with storms and chances of tornadoes.  I wake up to snow on the ground this morning.  Gotta love Kentucky weather.......

Our weather has been all over the place as well the past week. Luckily, not as cold as yours though.

[G. David Felt]

1 hour ago, Stew said:

I think mother Nature is having a bi-polar Vortex.  Day for yesterday it was warm with storms and chances of tornadoes.  I wake up to snow on the ground this morning.  Gotta love Kentucky weather.......

 

34 minutes ago, ccap41 said:

Our weather has been all over the place as well the past week. Luckily, not as cold as yours though.

Yea, Washington is crazy too, 60 Degrees on Wednesday and sun, Rain today and a high of 40 and by Sunday we are supposed to be back in snow.

Winter storm watch for the mountains from yesterday at noon to next tuesday.

Lovely Snow falling at Steven Pass, cannot wait to go up and ski.

https://www.stevenspass.com/site/mountain/cams

[Stew]

18 minutes ago, ccap41 said:

Our weather has been all over the place as well the past week. Luckily, not as cold as yours though.

I wish it would just decide spring is here haha

[G. David Felt]

2 hours ago, Stew said:

I wish it would just decide spring is here haha

NOOOOOOOOO

We need more Snow pack, Remember California produces a major share of Veggies for North America and we need more water in the snow and mountains to help bring prices down.

Plus I want a nice LONG ski season!

Yes I am being Selfish!

[Stew]

12 hours ago, dfelt said:

NOOOOOOOOO

We need more Snow pack, Remember California produces a major share of Veggies for North America and we need more water in the snow and mountains to help bring prices down.

Plus I want a nice LONG ski season!

Yes I am being Selfish!

Ok, how about this.  Send the warm weather this way and we will send you our remaining cold and snow hehe. 

[ocnblu]

The way my house speaks to me when it's windy.

[balthazar]

1948 Packard Eight, out of barn after 30 year slumber. Check that hood ornament and the little grille screens.
This was the bottom line Packard in '48; there was the Super Eight and Custom Eight above it. All 3 had the butter-smooth I-8 but with 288, 327 or 356 CI displacements, respectively.

Dismissively dubbed the 'bathtub Packards', they were widely panned stylistically at the time. Hard to say how they fared sales-wise; Packard didn't adhere to model year breaks until 1951- the '48s were built from August '47 thru May '49. In fact, in November of '48, dealers were instructed to return the data plates to he factory, and got code-updated plates they reattached, making them '49s (officially: '23rd Series').

I never cared for them; I always tended to agree they were just too amorphous… but they've grown on me (at least the front clips) in recent years. Doc Brown drives a '48-50 Custom Eight in Back to the Future.

Edited March 5, 2017 by balthazar

[daves87rs]

Weather is interesting...going to be a stormy spring......

[Stew]

I am halfway expecting a 3 foot snow here in April 

[G. David Felt]

Schools delayed, heavy traffic all for a dusting of snow around Seattle. Gonna be a nice Cool week with plenty of mountain snow.

[Stew]

In the heavy rain this morning, I realize the lack of a rear wiper on the bug is a bit of an omission. 

[daves87rs]

Going to be very windy tomorrow!!!

[surreal1272]

Meanwhile, winter has been brutal here.

 

[balthazar]

Was talking to a friend of mine. He just sold his 2011 VW TDI back to VW. Here's the deal he was offered :

• either keep his car and get 2 debit cards; 1 for $5K to go toward car repairs, the other $5K for personal use/whatever. So 'keep your car and here's 10 grand hush money'.

• He chose to sell his car back, VG condition, only 46K miles. He bought it new for $24K, VW gave him a check for $21.7K. 'Here's hush money 2.0'.

Says he loved his VW, wife has a VW A6 but it's a bit too large for her, so he might buy a new VW A4 and trade the 6.

[Robert Hall]

10 hours ago, surreal1272 said:

Meanwhile, winter has been brutal here.

 

I won't miss it...too early to be this warm.   

[G. David Felt]

14 hours ago, surreal1272 said:

Meanwhile, winter has been brutal here.

 

Keep it and send me all the freezing snow producing weather. Ski season has been awesome!  

[surreal1272]

14 hours ago, Cubical-aka-Moltar said:

I won't miss it...too early to be this warm.   

Doesn't really bother me anymore but I understand the issue. The strange thing is that it has been very up and down this "winter" to me. 50s one week and 70s and 80s the next and back down to the 50s again. Mother Nature is clearly off her meds. 

10 hours ago, dfelt said:

Keep it and send me all the freezing snow producing weather. Ski season has been awesome!  

LOL! Sure thing! I used to not mind the snow until I started having to to go work in the mess, which meant sharing the roads with people who absolutely can not drive in it nor should they. I lived in Prescott, AZ for five years (about 90 minutes north of here in the high mountains) and had to drive 25 miles one way to work (graveyard shift on top of that) and it was no fun when it snowed (and Prescott gets it pretty good most winters) and here I was driving a RWD Magnum. It did awesome in it but only because I drove with some common sense lol. As a result though, I have hung up my snow shoes and will not miss it. It wasn't good on my aching joints and bones (old fart diseases I guess). 

[G. David Felt]

1 hour ago, surreal1272 said:

As a result though, I have hung up my snow shoes and will not miss it. It wasn't good on my aching joints and bones (old fart diseases I guess). 

 Yes Gas does play games with the Joints! Just pop and crack as you speed along under Turbo mode!  

[balthazar]

Randomly (OK: not) looking at 1949 Ford models. There were 2 series:
• Ford Six/Eight,  • Ford Custom Six/Eight

Maybe you'd call that "4", they were coded differently but production wasn't broken out between, say; Ford Six and Ford Eight. Of course in this period, it's very simple: 1 wheelbase, and either an I-6 or V8, and the same sheet metal.

Here's the interesting part ~

Custom Six 4-dr sedan
Custom Six 2-dr sedan
Custom Six 2-dr club coupe
Custom Six 2-dr convertible
Custom Six 2-dr station wagon 

[G. David Felt]

21 hours ago, balthazar said:

Randomly (OK: not) looking at 1949 Ford models. There were 2 series:
• Ford Six/Eight,  • Ford Custom Six/Eight

Maybe you'd call that "4", they were coded differently but production wasn't broken out between, say; Ford Six and Ford Eight. Of course in this period, it's very simple: 1 wheelbase, and either an I-6 or V8, and the same sheet metal.

Here's the interesting part ~

Custom Six 4-dr sedan
Custom Six 2-dr sedan
Custom Six 2-dr club coupe
Custom Six 2-dr convertible
Custom Six 2-dr station wagon 

Interesting history lesson here to go along with wondering if the change over to EV's could just repeat this.