trinacriabob

Spotted August 26 while doing errands Taken while outside From the inside, as it began to drive off ... got it. - - - - - Is the grass always greener? In this case, the wallet is for sure.

Spotted August 25 Based on the size of the lettering of the Oldsmobile badge in the back, this is anywhere from a 2000 to a 2002 model Intrigue. If original, it definitely has the 3.5 L high feature (all aluminum - block and head) V6 in those years. So, this is a 19 to 21 year old car that's holding up reasonably well. I remember when I was set on buying an Intrigue! I miss not snagging a very last Olds vehicle, but am also happy that I put it off and have a dependable car with the even better Series III 3800 V6.

Spotted August 22 It said Caprice Classic on the rear deck lid, even though it has Impala SS embossed on the rear fenders. This appears to a 1996 and, with dual exhaust, appears to have the Chevy 5.7L V8 under the hood. It's a 25 year old car. People are hanging onto these!

Then, you'll have sightings like this on the same day to let the air out of the balloon ... Subaru ... at least it wasn't a wagon A boot ... haven't seen one in a long time ... I'm guessing this wasn't the first offense

Is a ladybug landing on something supposed to mean good luck? Here's one on my car after parking it and shutting the door. You don't see this often. With cameras at our disposal 24/7, I took a photo of it.

This was also at that "car show" on the street and I'm giving it separate billing. This family had purchased this Buick LeSabre for their son years ago, and it was a family project. Some humorous things on this one ... I guessed it was either a '77 or a '78. It is a '79. Not sure which LeSabre trim level ... probably up from the base model. Manual windows but air conditioned. The brushed silver dials on this model were cool, as is the imposing full-size dash, and shared with the Electra and the "grafted on" Riviera on the coupe platform for '77 and '78. I am not a fan of the dice and never will be. The tray with the shakes and malts is funny. It screams, "Trans Am ... what's your pleasure?" This inscription takes the cake! The engine is original. Its pulley configuration is Buick. Even though Olds 350 V8s and Olds 403 V8s made it into these cars, most likely into California bound ones, these folks weren't going to have that, it seemed. This is the Buick 350 V8. Affirmative, per the car's owner.

I was in a small town with a historical downtown and, without expecting to see this, there was an informal auto show of sorts on Saturday, August 21. 1) I don't know what this is, but it was ominous ... 2) I don't know what this is, but it was humorous ... 3) Ford Thunderbird ... possibly a '64 (?) ... I didn't ask 4) Chevy full-size coupe ... possibly a '61 ... I didn't look to see if it was an Impala, a Biscayne, or a Bel Air ... the original engine was no longer in there; this is a now Chevy 350 5) Cadillac '64 REAR WHEEL DRIVE (the last year for RWD) Eldorado ... WOW ... the color, one of the "firemist" series, is the one that was originally on the car ... white bench with fold down armrest ... real wood applique ... and 429 V8. The owner knew the Cadillac brand thoroughly ... from then to now! End of photos in this post

Why? If the PMD 350 and 301 were okay, why is the 265 not okay? Power issues or mechanical issues? It would certainly be better than the 231 that was standard that year, IMO.

All nice photos but thank you for this one, whereby a really big and "edgy" Grand Prix gets whittled down to a very manageable Grand Prix - sort of like a drop from a full-size Cadillac into a Seville, but not quite that drastic. From '78 to '80, this G-body was possibly the nicest one, getting even better in '81. But, then, that same year, the reskinned Cutlass Supreme coupe variants gave it a run for its money. At that point, it became a question of subtleties, customer preference, and customer loyalty. Except for "CCC," you couldn't go wrong. - - - - - Here's an '82 GP shown from a dynamic point of view: It stayed true to the inspiration of its '73 to '77 dashboard: Loved this car. Probably best when, of the engine choices, equipped with Pontiac's 4.3 L V8. Don't get me started ...

We are all awaiting a "return to normalcy," the phrase that's a keeper quoted by Warrren Harding just over 100 years ago. Here are some signs: "Cafe' 150," as seen from where I am sitting with my $1.50 meal and without a mask! If you liked your meal and your service, (and your coupon), let them know. What are you listening to? Sorry, wrong thread ...

This was a nice Regal coupe ... not so much the color. Hard to tell the year, since it's stripped of its hood ornament and I can't see the rear light assembly. Not a Limited. It has the bland bench seat. Very nice. I believe they had alloys as an option and it would like nice with some aluminum wheels. And a hood ornament worked well on these, too. It definitely raised eyebrows and won't be forgotten, but, after its successful launch via the restrained but very attractive first Seville, I always got heartburn over this one. I love the Chevy SS made for GM in Australia by Holden. And this color looks great on it. I take notice when I see one on the road. It has timeless styling (great from all angles) and, in my book, it's even nicer to look at than a Bimmer.

I was sitting at my local Starbucks and this song piped in. It was sort of slow in there and, as soon as it came on, a couple of the younger employees started to bump and grind with each other almost reflexively. And I was thinking how this song preceded their births by a decade or two! Either way, it's a great and inimitable song ... and these kids working at Starbucks have good taste!

I saw a newish Armada today. That thing is a bombastic tub of lard. What were they thinking? Within half an hour, I saw a Juke, and was studying its ugly and oddly placed lamps. I realized that Nissan makes some ugly vehicles.

I was looking around to see what the next Camry might look like. If you look at 2022, the price on the basic 4 cylinder LE keeps going up. Before discounts, you're looking at a MSRP of about $26K to $27K. I had a rented Camry in February. Some may dog it all they want, but I was surprised to see how nicely the 2.5 liter 4 cyl. (normally aspirated) drove with an 8 speed automatic with smooth, purposeful shifts. And that, with that "big" of an engine and no turbo, the great highway fuel mileage it pulled in. So I found this one image, and one link points to it as being a design 2017 and another link points to it as being the future. Here it is: Well look at that. It looks more Alfa Romeo up front than appliance. The front is a big improvement. The sweep on the side is reminiscent of the Verano. The roof shape is like that of the very first Aurora. And, then, the rear sail panel / C-pillar is sort of messy, like that of the current Nissan Altima. It's hard to comment on the rear fascia because you can't see it. This is the direction the next Camry design should be going. I like this front end. I think there are three things on the current car that need to go away: 1) the chunky multi-layered lower plastic grille - awful, 2) the rear sail panel curvature that looks like it belongs on a '72 Caprice, and 3) the annoying 45 degree diagonal in the center stack, made even worse by a "laptop left open" infotainment center. Don't be hitting the next redesign with the ugly stick. What needs to stay is a proven, normally aspirated 4 cylinder engine with decent displacement and their nicely calibrated 8 speed automatic transmission.

I used to listen to her religiously when she was on the air dispensing advice. As did many of my friends. - - - - - So, a younger person is on the line telling her they are beginning to experiment sexually. RW: "Do you use condoms?" Caller: "Yes." RW (rolling those r's like only a native speaker of German could): "Brrrrravo. I like to hear dat!" My friends and I would be doubling over laughing.

I've wound up in several Rios as rentals over the past few years. They're competent little cars. However, the last one I had - a 2021 - had a CVT (IVT). The ones prior to that had 6 speed automatics and their shift quality was good for the price point.

When I was a kid, I would inhale Nutella ... and not put on any weight.

@A Horse With No Name I thought it was fiction, but it's fact. All those places in the UK exist! I wonder if that's how they try to amp up some humor to combat the drizzle and the overcast skies. I'm not one for Northern Europe. A few trips told me that. I've constantly got the Mediterranean on the brain.

Well, more fodder against CVTs. I periodically surf (no, not that kind) and end up on review sites like Edmund's, KBB, etc. I was looking at reviews on small Hyundais and Kias. In the past, owners have sounded off positively, raving about their reliable value-packed cars. I looked at some more recent reviews. There are still some glowing reviews, as well as some readers who think their cars are turds. What are they complaining about in their reviews? It's the transmission. In the past year or two, these cars have switched from a geared 6 speed automatic to a CVT, which they call IVT, and where the "I" stands for "intelligent."

Today is National Waffle Day. Done right, waffles are an art form. Here are some chocolate ones, topped with strawberries. Damn. Can't indulge ... going for fasting lab work in the morning.

Here's a trifecta of songs that I listen to at times to irritate myself and which might possibly irritate you, too: 1. 2. 3. In my world, this is "the Tampa Sunshine Skyway Bridge song."

Saw this yesterday. I'm going along the interstate in Appalachia. Coming the other way (north) was a flatbed truck carrying a large object with a familiar shape ... the curved roof, the orange/red/blue striping ... was I dreaming? It was an old MARTA rail car. Where was it going? And why? Toward PA or upstate NY? To be recycled or repurposed? Then, about 2 minutes later, I saw another one, so I was not dreaming. I could not possibly take a photo. But I looked and found the exact same situation, uploaded onto RailPictures-dot-net back in 2006, so a nod to that site and its uploader. Too funny. I used to ride this system and these rail cars daily for 2 years in my 20s.

I keep looking for news and I just found this ... https://jeepusaprice.com/new-2023-dodge-charger-redesign/ The next Charger shown here is shown as a COUPE. Wow?!? As in: "I don't know what to make of this." The front is too retro. I don't like the hemmed in, coved in front fascia. Hideaway lamps are cool, but will they work? The Charger started to look good with the front fascia/grille turning the corner into the front fender with the last refresh. The dual recessed insets on the front door look weak compared to the bigger one right now. The roofline looks too chunky. The rear fascia is much like that old Intrepid-like sketch or model of a new Charger. The light bar is thin and up high, which is okay. Keep the "camber" in it. Again, when the Charger last got refreshed, the rear light bar arching upward toward the center made it look better. As for this sketch, the trunk sill is too high. They keep pushing the release back. We are about 3 years out from the next Charger. So, in the next few years, the Chargers they build ought to be flawless because "practice makes perfect." But, also, I don't think this is it - as in NOT the next Charger.

True. Or guys who were of the "Fast Times at Ridgemont High" tribe.

You're being economical with your assertion, yet covering a lot of ground (literally in the photo). What I mean is that, while not voiced, you may also mean that you own one of these stickers in your thoughts: These used to be somewhat common. Why did people have to get so politically correct?