Permanent Car Spotters

[Robert Hall]

Went to the beach today and on the way home saw a Cybertruck for the first time in traffic...Ohio plate 'CYBRTRCK'.   Hilarious looking, like a rolling dumpster from behind.   Also saw a sharp clean black w/ red interior '87-90 Mustang GT convertible rolling top down.  Saw a bright orange C8 Z-06 parked at a restaurant.  At the beach I saw a modded, beat up early 90s Firebird w/ hole in the hood, chrome air cleaner sticking through, big wheels and tires. 

[ccap41]

On 7/16/2024 at 11:02 AM, G. David Felt said:

Saw my first BMW M series Hybrid plugin SUV at work here today.

They're ugly things but they go like stink. 30 miles of electric range isn't too shabby for something with 644hp. 

Edited July 22 by ccap41

[Drew Dowdell]

2 hours ago, ccap41 said:

They're ugly things but they go like stink. 30 miles of electric range isn't too shabby for something with 644hp. 

I can't wait for the refresh into something palletable. 

[G. David Felt]

2 hours ago, ccap41 said:

They're ugly things but they go like stink. 30 miles of electric range isn't too shabby for something with 644hp. 

 

13 minutes ago, Drew Dowdell said:

I can't wait for the refresh into something palletable. 

The thing is a fat pig that does not fit in the parking stalls and slower than stink on charging. Pretty bad, found out it is a salesperson here at Dell and they have stated they love how fast it is, but the battery is so small for any real pure electric driving and the charging is slower than crap. They charge as they get free parking for less cost charging than the cost of parking in the garage. ?

[ccap41]

48 minutes ago, Drew Dowdell said:

I can't wait for the refresh into something palletable. 

Yep. they're just awful all-around. It isn't like the sedans who just have a nasty grille section. These are more of a mess from bumper to bumper, IMO. 

34 minutes ago, G. David Felt said:

 

The thing is a fat pig that does not fit in the parking stalls and slower than stink on charging. Pretty bad, found out it is a salesperson here at Dell and they have stated they love how fast it is, but the battery is so small for any real pure electric driving and the charging is slower than crap. They charge as they get free parking for less cost charging than the cost of parking in the garage. ?

Nobody with a plug-in hybrid really cares about charging speeds. They're only using this because it's free to them. Level 2 is more than enough for any plug-in hybrid (well, the Ram REV or whatever may be a different story, but it's not out yet). 

30 miles of range is plenty. Realistically, anything more than that has too heavy of a battery and may as well just be a full EV as you lose efficiency with either wasted battery weight or wasted engine/transmission weight.

[G. David Felt]

28 minutes ago, ccap41 said:

Yep. they're just awful all-around. It isn't like the sedans who just have a nasty grille section. These are more of a mess from bumper to bumper, IMO. 

Nobody with a plug-in hybrid really cares about charging speeds. They're only using this because it's free to them. Level 2 is more than enough for any plug-in hybrid (well, the Ram REV or whatever may be a different story, but it's not out yet). 

30 miles of range is plenty. Realistically, anything more than that has too heavy of a battery and may as well just be a full EV as you lose efficiency with either wasted battery weight or wasted engine/transmission weight.

Around here with traffic congestion back to PrePandemic levels, the 30 miles would seem like enough but it seems when you live on the Eastside, then your 20 miles one way is too long to get to work and back and if it is hot where you use the climate control, then 30 miles is more like 25 or so, so I get the drive to work, charge, drive home and charge, but your right, might as well get a full on EV. Still an Ugly Porky Pig of an SUV and I love SUVs, but this one just does not click for me.

[ccap41]

2 hours ago, G. David Felt said:

Around here with traffic congestion back to PrePandemic levels, the 30 miles would seem like enough but it seems when you live on the Eastside, then your 20 miles one way is too long to get to work and back and if it is hot where you use the climate control, then 30 miles is more like 25 or so, so I get the drive to work, charge, drive home and charge, but your right, might as well get a full on EV. Still an Ugly Porky Pig of an SUV and I love SUVs, but this one just does not click for me.

If it's traffic congestion, you should actually be getting more than a highway/city average rating, A/C or not. That's one of the biggest advantages of an EV, their incredible city ratings as they're constantly recouping energy decelerating or traveling at speeds where drag from windspeed is next to zero. 

[G. David Felt]

42 minutes ago, ccap41 said:

If it's traffic congestion, you should actually be getting more than a highway/city average rating, A/C or not. That's one of the biggest advantages of an EV, their incredible city ratings as they're constantly recouping energy decelerating or traveling at speeds where drag from windspeed is next to zero. 

Yes that would be true if in the actual city creeping along, but around here having to take a freeway that is one hour to go 15 to 20 miles on the freeway is terrible. Freeway is far less efficient than local driving with regen on. I have not heard or read anything that BMW has very good regen, so freeway creeping is pretty bad on battery power.

In the last 5 years the King County area has grown by 1 million folks with no improvement in the freeway system, just more congestion. As such, driving from my house which was a 15 to 20 drive in 2019 if I was not in the commute traffic to downtown Seattle is now 30 to 35 minutes. If I am in the normal commute traffic it takes 1 1/2 to 2 hrs. As such, working from home is the best to no have to deal with 2 to 4 hrs. a day wasted on the freeway commuting.

Sadly, EV or ICE, freeway crawl is still worse than city driving especially during the summer here. Thought I get it things are hotter where you live. Hybrids do much better than ICE and plugin are just meh in what owners of them have to say that I hear.

[ccap41]

10 minutes ago, G. David Felt said:

Yes that would be true if in the actual city creeping along, but around here having to take a freeway that is one hour to go 15 to 20 miles on the freeway is terrible. Freeway is far less efficient than local driving with regen on. I have not heard or read anything that BMW has very good regen, so freeway creeping is pretty bad on battery power.

In the last 5 years the King County area has grown by 1 million folks with no improvement in the freeway system, just more congestion. As such, driving from my house which was a 15 to 20 drive in 2019 if I was not in the commute traffic to downtown Seattle is now 30 to 35 minutes. If I am in the normal commute traffic it takes 1 1/2 to 2 hrs. As such, working from home is the best to no have to deal with 2 to 4 hrs. a day wasted on the freeway commuting.

Sadly, EV or ICE, freeway crawl is still worse than city driving especially during the summer here. Thought I get it things are hotter where you live. Hybrids do much better than ICE and plugin are just meh in what owners of them have to say that I hear.

Averaging 15-20MPH sounds more like stop and go rather than creeping along. Averaging that sounds more like traveling between 30-10MPH, plenty of opportunities for regen. It's certainly slow but not so slow that an ICE is just idling along at 5-10mph. Regardless, averaging 15-20mph sounds pretty ideal for an electric vehicle. 

[Robert Hall]

Also reminded the other day how Ohio has no safety inspections...saw a 90s GMT 400 era Chevy pickup rolling down the road with crazy front wheel camber and the bed sides rusted and flared out/sagging on each side, rusted front fenders and doors.    Also was behind for a while a mid 90s S10 pickup, riding lower on the left side than the right with what I thought was a big mud flap flapping in the wind on the right...but it was ahead of the rear wheel.  It pulled off later and I got a good view of the right side, the 'flap' was a big chunk of rear bed side/fender that was rusted out and hanging loose behind the cab ahead of the wheel arch... 

[G. David Felt]

4 hours ago, Robert Hall said:

Also reminded the other day how Ohio has no safety inspections...saw a 90s GMT 400 era Chevy pickup rolling down the road with crazy front wheel camber and the bed sides rusted and flared out/sagging on each side, rusted front fenders and doors.    Also was behind for a while a mid 90s S10 pickup, riding lower on the left side than the right with what I thought was a big mud flap flapping in the wind on the right...but it was ahead of the rear wheel.  It pulled off later and I got a good view of the right side, the 'flap' was a big chunk of rear bed side/fender that was rusted out and hanging loose behind the cab ahead of the wheel arch... 

I so facepalm this as I totally agree with you, I have come to feel Washington state needs to have yearly vehicle safety inspections. I am seeing so many autos from the South/Southeast that are in terrible condition driving on the roads with same issues or worse, accident damage that has fenders, bumpers, etc. bent way out that could hurt people as well as cause damage to other autos. The number of autos I am seeing on the road with no taillights, single headlight, no markers working, third cyclops brake light not working, time to make people realize driving is a privilege earned and not a right and driving dangerous autos on the road is a danger to all.

[Robert Hall]

Took a Sunday drive out east into the rolling hills, on the way there saw a gorgeous dark turquoise '68 GTO convertible w/ white interior, rolling top down. Also a gorgeous '69 Buick Electra convertible in a silver green w/ matching interior, top down.   Came up behind a black w/ yellow stripes late model Camaro w/ Hertz Hendrick #24 logos...must have been a special edition for Hertz.  Followed a sharp recent silver blue w/ white stripes Mustang Shelby GT500  with a nice burble tune.  Saw a yellow T-Bucket Model T hot rod w/ an older guy w/ long white hair and beard driving.   Saw a sharp metallic gray Ferrari SF90 and a clean black '66 Ford Fairlane 2dr about a mile apart on a backroad..Found a tasty Mexican restaurant in the small town of Middlefield, Ohio. 

I think I need sheepskin seat covers for the Caddy like I have in the Jeep...black leather seats get warm on a hot day, even w/ the AC cranked down. 

Edited July 29 by Robert Hall

[G. David Felt]

CoWorker bought themselves a brand new Cadillac Lyriq

[Robert Hall]

Came out of Ace Hardware this morning, saw a gorgeous black CT5-V series parked near my CT6.  On the way home, saw a gorgeous copper w/ white interior  '62 de Ville convertible parked in a small lot, top down.   Beautiful weather today. 

[G. David Felt]

Ran some errands this morning and saw a mint condition CT6 Blackwing in glossy black burbling along the road, sounded really good compared to the crack high pitch noise of the mustangs and other luxury brands. Cadillac nailed the defined muscle sound of the exhaust. Noticeable, but not annoying.

[Robert Hall]

On my vacation of the last week (9 days, 7 states, 2300 miles) I did see a variety of interesting cars. 

 I saw a number of ‘tuner’ style Japanese sports cars/etc on the road an in parking lots the last few days in the Outer Banks of NC.  Some slammed, some with cambered wheels, custom paint, giant wings.  Acura NSX, 3 Mitsubishi 3000 GTs—incl a beige Spyder and a black RHD GTO, a couple Evos, a gray R32 Skyline GT-R, lots of Civics.  Must have been some event going on.  When I was in Myrtle Beach last week, I found out had been Mustang Week—-saw a bunch of sweet Mustangs of all eras on the way into town.    Saw a white Ferrari Roma today, first I’d seen.  Saw a minty gold ‘83 RX-7 on I-64 in VA (guessed it was an ‘83 because the plate said ‘FINE 83’.  Also saw a couple nice 90s 993-era 911s in traffic.   Saw a gorgeous white w/ turquoise interior '66 Eldorado convertible rolling top down in Murrell's Inlet SC.

I did see a Bronco Outer Banks edition in that sweet green in, of all places, the Outer Banks (Corolla, to be specific). 

I also toured a car museum outside Myrtle Beach, 100 cars from a collection, heavy on the Mopars..several late 60s-early 70s Hemi cars.  Some that stood out was a red '69 LeSabre convertible, an unrestored Verduro green '69 Grand Prix, and a turquoise '63 Catalina 2dr SD. 

2300 miles of driving over 9 days and 7 states, alas most of the freeway traffic that I saw was pretty boring.    I only saw 2 CT6s--both pre-facelift, one gray, one white.  A few 2nd and 3rd generation CTSes (no Vs, coupes or wagons), a sharp dark blue ATS-V coupe, a light silver blue CT5-V, a couple regular CT5s.   At a rest stop, a mint condition silver early '00s DTS pulled up beside me as I was getting out, older couple...I said 'Sharp Caddy' to the driver, he said the same to me about my CT6. 

Talk about stereotypes--I was walking on the beach at Myrtle Beach state park and came back to the lot and there were two C8 Corvettes parked side by side--a black convertible and bright blue coupe--both drivers looked north of 70 w/ white tennis shoes, jorts and polo shirts..they were chatting about their cars.. 

Edited September 16 by Robert Hall

[Robert Hall]

Last day of summer, saw a gorgeous olive green ‘69 Chrysler 300 convertible rolling along top down. 

[Robert Hall]

Was a rainy fall day here in NE Ohio, so a good day to visit a museum.  Went down to Warren and toured the National Packard Museum (right next door to the Packard Music Hall where I saw William Shatner on stage Thursday night doing a q&a after a showing of Star Trek II:Wrath of Khan).  Beautiful vintage cars in this museum. I wonder if Balthazar would have appreciated it.   

[surreal1272]

So, it finally happened. I was really hoping to avoid seeing one of these things up close but, yet, here it is as I park right beside it. Now if you will excuse me, I have to go wash my eyes out with some battery acid.

 

Oh and those horrible panel gaps and alignment issues are VERY real!

 

 

 

Edited September 30 by surreal1272

[ccap41]

3 hours ago, surreal1272 said:

So, it finally happened. I was really hoping to avoid seeing one of these things up close but, yet, here it is as I park right beside it. Now if you will excuse me, I have to go wash my eyes out with some battery acid.

 

Oh and those horrible panel gaps and alignment issues are VERY real!

 

 

 

I've caught a handful out in the wild. I'll be honest, they certainly are eye-catching. They're hideous, but do catch the eye. 

It honestly sucks, because it's a pretty awesome vehicle otherwise. Had it not had the stupid styling, which also leads to the finger-cutting-off-abilities, I'd want one. They look SO bad though.  

[G. David Felt]

@surreal1272 @ccap41 The CyberJUNK is a joke and IMHO a alpha test that people are paying for so Tesla can figure out how to build a so called truck. Rivian is so far superior in this manner.

Tesla Cybertruck breaks down after going through car wash | The Independent

Another story on the car wash problem.

Can You Put a Cybertruck Through a Car Wash? (dailydot.com)

Seems according to Tesla, one has to go through a very detailed change to use an auto wash, they recomment washing the CyberJUNK by hand.

Cleaning (tesla.com)

What a joke, I just pull into a touchfree auto wash in my EV9 and it gets nice and clean and I drive away, no need to do all this crap and yes the EV9 has auto sensing wipers, but just one turn on the stalk and it is off and they are already hidden out of the way.

[Robert Hall]

Saw a Cybertruck in traffic the other day, had a great personalized plate-- 'DMPSTR'. 

 

[surreal1272]

2 hours ago, ccap41 said:

I've caught a handful out in the wild. I'll be honest, they certainly are eye-catching. They're hideous, but do catch the eye.

It catches the eye alright...like how pink eye catches your eye. For the same reasons, it needs to be gone lol.

 

And Happy B-Day btw!

[G. David Felt]

Saw a 1995 Buick Road Master Special Edition Station Wagon with fake wood siding and all the trimmings, seen better days, driven by a boomer and even had the crazy bumper sticker of "Trump is My President" ?

[Robert Hall]

Beautiful fall weather here in NE Ohio this weekend...lots of color.  Took a drive out in nearby Geauga County--lots of rolling hills, lakes, rivers..beautiful part of the state.   Saw a brown Ferrari F488 Pisa spyder, a bright blue Lotus Emira, and a bright blue C8 Corvette convertible on the same hilly stretch of road, out enjoying the fall sun.  Also saw a ghastly Pepto-Bismol Pink Cybertruck.   

 

A couple pics of the lake at Punderson State Park and a pic of my back yard.

[Robert Hall]

Had to make an impromptu road trip to Louisville, KY and back this weekend for a funeral..drove down Friday evening (dry and sunny) and back yesterday (constant heavy rain up I-71`).  Saw a few interesting cars out and about-- a dark colored AMG GT cabriolet and dark Aston Martin DB 12 convertible near Columbus, a couple new generation Mustangs (a bright blue Dark Horse, a bright red convertible).   Louisville and Cincinnati were easy to get around, Columbus was a mess--soggy and sloggy, tons of construction and closed ramps to other freeways--couldn't get on the 270 belt line going north from the southwest on 71 so had to go all the way across the city to 270 northbound on the east side--took an hour to traverse the city (3 lanes narrowing to 1 for construction, accidents everywhere in the heavy rain). 

Once again, the CT6 proves itself as a great road trip car..750 miles round trip, averaging 29.5 mpg.  Felt solid and secure in fast traffic in heavy rain.   When I filled up Friday as I was leaving, it said my range was 525 miles.  Not sure it's quite that good, but yesterday after driving about 375 miles since filling up yesterday morning I still had about 1/4 tank. 

Edited November 11 by Robert Hall

[trinacriabob]

Before I forget, I'll put up this one ...

This thing - maybe a 10 year old Buick Verano - almost looks as if enshrined in a glass case!  It looks great for enduring the frozen tundra of the GTA. It's actually in a winding pathway under nicer office buildings to access the subway station.

I miss these great little cars ... quiet, smooth, nimble, very comfortable up front, fairly good on fuel, and with commendable build quality.

[Robert Hall]

Saw a bright green wrapped Cybertruck w/ Waste Management decals..done up as a dumpster.   Drove by the local Tesla store the other day, they had 3 Cybertrucks on the lot all covered in snow.. 

Saw one of the new '24 Mustang Dark Horse editions in that neat blue out in the muck, getting salty. 

[G. David Felt]

39 minutes ago, Robert Hall said:

Saw a bright green wrapped Cybertruck w/ Waste Management decals..done up as a dumpster.   Drove by the local Tesla store the other day, they had 3 Cybertrucks on the lot all covered in snow.. 

Saw one of the new '24 Mustang Dark Horse editions in that neat blue out in the muck, getting salty. 

So then Tesla is pre-rusting your new Cybertruck for you!  Just do not put any magnets on the truck, they rust faster that way.