haypops

It is illegal to drive a moving vehicle with the parking lights on in both states that I have lived in (Rhode Island and California). I assumed it was a federal regulation, but perhaps not. Check your local regulations. I believe the theory is that if it's dark enough for parking lights, then it's darking enough for headlights.

a jeep in Checkers past?

The old checker cabs were also chevy powered (small block). My Uncle almost bought one before he got his '63 Pontiac Catalina. Those were the days. origonal article Originally, a Checker Cab was a taxi produced by the Checker Cab Manufacturing Company (later known as Checker Motors Corporation) of Kalamazoo, Michigan, and operating under the name "Checker Cabs" in New York and other American cities. The company was founded by Russian immigrant Morris Markin in 1922 and produced taxis until 1982. The body style that came out in 1956 and was used until production ended is probably the one most people associate with Checkers. It's the one shown in the illustration. Checker Cabs were best known for their yellow livery, the black-and-white checkerboard-pattern stripes that ran down their sides, and their roomy interiors, which in addition to the usual back seat, included small collapsible seats immediately behind the front seats to accommodate extra passengers. The Checker was legendary for its sturdiness. Not all were taxis. Some were sold directly with some modifications to private individuals as personal vehicles. The company even marketed a station wagon based on the 1956 design as well as limousines, known as "Aerobus" and often used at airports. Checker had a showroom at the Kalamazoo plant for sales. The city of Kalamazoo one time used several Checkers in its police department. Today, many taxi companies in the United States and Canada operate under the name "Checker Cabs," although they may have no historical affiliation with the original company, and most likely do not have any Checker Cabs (per se) in their fleet. Checker Motors today operates as an automotive subcontractor, primarily for General Motors, building mostly body components. The Checker has long enjoyed a cult status. On the original Mission Impossible television show, episodes that were supposedly set in Eastern Europe often used Checkers as vehicles, as was sometimes evident in closeups of the cars.

Last weekend's Los Angeles Times has Tundra adds for the same price as a completly stripped Tacoma. I don't think they are doing very well. Although I haven't driven a Tundra, I did drive a Sequia limited. The T 100 was a much nicer truck.

I bet someone makes a stretch limo out of one.

Have you ever heard the expression " if you have to ask, then you can't afford it." Those english taxis are over $40K IIRC.

The "greenhouse" reminds me of the VW thing with hardtop. There is at least one poster here who claims to want a RWD BOF car There are a couple of posters who claim to want the 4.3 lL v-6 There is one picture with a real grill that seems slightly more "beautiful"

My #1 son in law is a car hauler. It is an incredibly hard job. His truck has less ground clearance than a Corvette, but at the same time a loaded car hauler can go over the legal height limit if loaded with the wrong car in the wrong position. Some cars cars can be backed on, most will blow out their rear windshields. If the wrong mix of SUV and smaller cars are assigned to him, then he will be over the 85,000 lb limit. There are separate weight limits for each axle further complicating loading. Some states (NY for instance) purposely lie about the overhead clearance. Other states (California for instance) limit trucks to the #3 and #4 lanes only. Those ramps get very slippery in the rain. It is all to common for a driver to fall off of the top of truck after getting out of loaded car. Frequently this can mean sprains, broken bones or lost teeth depending on how you land. Depending on the company, and depening on the dammage, the driver may have the cost of repairs taken from his check. Speaking of pay, generally they get payed by the load. This means if they get in a traffic jam they sit there without being payed. Not only do they not get payed, they loose money. Drivers arfe allowed 10 hours a day by federal law and if its spent in traffic its just too bad. This time constrinat is prbably what is the cause of the misdelivered cars in this case. The driver rushed his reading of the invoice, thought he recognized the address and didn't question himself on the car brand. My son in law never did this, but has been caught delivering Toyotas to the wrond dealer. Apparently there was anohter Toyota dealer just a couple of blocks away where the cars were supposed to go.

I have been looking over the specs of the Scion Tc and all that I can find is an optional 4 speed automatic. Can some one point me to the % speed option? One of the most reasonably priced 5 speed automatics was the first couple of years of ION sedan. The newer ones have replaced the 5 speed with a four speed automatic for improved shift performance.

click here Last year a father called Saturn coustomer service to come and get his daughters broken down Civic. Now a Lexus dealer has called a Saturn dealer because a truckload of Saturn Auras were delivered to them by mistake. GM is on the move.

USA today likes the hybrid part but not the VUE part

the woody mini is: but that little trucklet is cool?

I have a pink Schwinn 10 speed with those really skinny tires rusting in the backyard. We can't get rid of it because of th elifetime warranty. The most common transmission for Class 8 trucks (big rigs) is a 9 speed manual.

good primer on the why of 8 speeds in the lexus, etc. CVT vs 8 speed? Ford, GM, and BMW are droping their CVT transmissions. Nisan seems the bisgest incorporater of this technology. New Versa offers the CVT but is also addng the old 4 speed automatic because of supplier shortges. 8 spped going into cadillac? Perhaps but it makes more sense for the Aveo(mechanically,not marketing wise).

So I guess that means you wear a Leisure Suit instead.

I didn't know that. In some ways if follows other economic reports i have seen with the middle class (social/economic) taking it on the chin and the wealthier/professionals, etc. doing ok. Thanks for the reply as I don't expect this to be a hot topic around here.

Worhorse is a domestic supplier of motorhome, bus, and step van chassis. While not specifically a partner, they the exclusive provider of GM powertrains in this segment. At one time Ford owned this market. Worhorse started in the last 1990's and make a great product, I think. They have announced a new chassis called the UFO. Presently inexpensive class A motor homes are gas powered with the engine in the front under an obtrusive "doghouse". The higher end motorhomes offer a diesel pusher layout. The rear engine layout makes for a quieter and more roomy coach. Worhorse has announced a Vortec 8.1 L. powered rear engined chassis called the UFO. I think this may mean incremental icreases for GM in these markets. I hope the price of fuel doesn't kill this endeavor. web site for ufo website for workhorse

In case you didn't hear, K-mart bought out Sears. Blue light specials anyone?

Honda seems to do very well with the Pilot+Odyssey. Each addition to the linup has advantages and disadvantages. I think many of us are diregarding the latter. Buick's brand would be more negativley impacted than GMC's by the inclusion of a minivan. The positives are probably the same for both. Buick will do just great with the Enclave which is the best looking Lambda or crossover segment offering.

Last Iheard, the only new car dealer in La Crecentra was a front for the mob.

Although I am obviously a partisan (see signature file), the following is meant to be non-partisan. If President Bush said it was a nice day in the rose garden, 30% of the people in this country would open an umbrella. Likewise if Bush were to eat a baby live in the Rose garden, another 30% of the country would say he did the right thing. The other 40% of the country would sleep through both incidents.

I assume the value of the yen has limited effects on Toyota cars like the Camry and Corolla, and trucks that are made in the United States with american parts like Harrison, Delco, Delphi (Toyota is there 2nd or 3rd largest coustomer). Perhaps cars like Infinity, Lexus, etc. are more effected by this issue.

While I agree that any President has limited abilities to solve all problems, this president's statement that American cars suck was not helpful. I suppose he could have relieved the local manufacturers disadvantage with universal health care, but the other party would never have let him. Minimum wage workers seldom have union representation.

Maybe if he had to rebuild his own engine just once, then he would understand.