Jump to content
News
Reviews
Discussons
Activity
Create New...
Close

Blake Noble

Members
 View Profile  See their activity

  • Posts

    7,803

  • Joined

  • Last visited

 Content Type 

Everything posted by Blake Noble

  1. Blake Noble
    My washing machine CAN'T HANDLE MY LOADS.
  2. Blake Noble
    High efficiency washing machines are frigging garbage. That is all.
  3. Blake Noble
    Different car, different audience. You're missing the joke. You know, I believe there isn't so much a shortage of good paying jobs out there as there is a shortage of good and reasonable employers out there. Employers can be completely 'effing unreasonable with regards to education requirements. These days, a lot of them want you to have a four year degree -- with little to no regard as to what concentration it was in -- on top of real world work experience to do stupid $15 an hour jobs; like be an assistant manager at a goddamn Trader Joe's. (This practice, in effect, makes your $15 an hour job actually earn you less than your fair share of income). Compound that problem with a predatory higher education system and the fact college education has turned into something worth far, far less than the money it takes to obtain it, and you can start to see the beginning of whole mess plaguing America's labor force come into view. * * * * * * On a serious note, the SS's alarmingly hilarious low sales figures are due to a stop sale issued by GM. The stop sale was issued because of a recall concerning the vehicle's seatbelt tensioners. http://gmauthority.com/blog/2016/07/general-motors-issues-stop-sale-for-2016-chevrolet-ss/
  4. Blake Noble
    They do, but what our friend here is trying to say is that a hybrid taxi cab benefits from a higher rate of use of its regenerative braking system versus an electric vehicle being driven normally. lol which isn't completely true.
  5. Blake Noble
    Lol wut Do we need to circle back around to the Tesla I linked to earlier? I think we do. http://gas2.org/2016/05/21/2012-tesla-model-s-needs-8500-brake-repair/ F.U.D. = Fear, uncertainty and doubt. You are writing posts that clearly illustrate a desire to propagate hate, ignorance and misinformation about electric cars. You make repeatedly make clumsy, fumbling assertions only to be proven painfully wrong each and every time.
  6. Blake Noble
    lol You know who doesn't? Taxi cab companies. You know. Like Yellow Cab. Yeahhhh... http://jalopnik.com/this-is-what-a-500-000-mile-nyc-taxi-valvetrain-looks-l-1717745908 http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1063767_ford-hybrids-prove-durability-by-racking-up-most-taxi-miles
  7. Blake Noble
    lol I forgot the Cascada was a thing there for a moment. I guess Avis really didn't care about replacing those Chrysler 200 convertibles after all. On a serious note, to answer your last question, the Regal is gaining a V6 because it's also more or less replacing the Holden Commodore in Australia. The next-generation Buick Regal, Opel Insignia and Holden Commodore are reportedly supposed to be the same car.
  8. Blake Noble
    lol I live under a rock, dude. I don't watch the news
  9. Blake Noble
    Taking bets now: GM will sell all of 10 of these in a month -- in both wagon and sedan form -- and immediately want to pull the plug in favor of selling more Envisions. It begs the question (that I'm sure Sergio Marchionne is probably asking right now): why does GM keep beating around the bush with Buick? Buick could ditch both the Regal and iPleasureMyself (aka LaCrosse), and sell only Encores, Envisions and Enclaves and US buyers would hardly even blink, let alone flinch.
  10. Blake Noble
    The SS really needed a fleet-whore model with a horribly calibrated automatic transmission, detuned V6 and cloth seats in order to be successful with its biggest fans: car enthusiasts working full-time, $10 an hour retail jobs, waiting to buy theirs used with 40,000 miles on the clock after the car does a punishing two year stint with Avis, Enterprise or Budget.
  11. Blake Noble
    That post wasn't really written thinking in terms of the present tense. Surely you can see the bigger picture here, right? The Tesla Model S was merely an example; something you can see and recognize today that is indicative of a future that is on the verge of arrival. So throwing up price is moot, really. The cost of electric car technology is improving while finding its way downmarket. Surely you've noticed that. Also, the cost of replacing of Model S battery today will not be the same cost 10 years from now, especially considering Tesla's building a huge battery plant of their own out in the desert. It should really go without saying that it will get cheaper. Where the in hell would you have to go after work on a Friday night that's 400 miles away? This is borderline absurd, sorry. Let's say you get home at around 6 pm from work, after working an eight to ten hour day. I'd reckon you'd probably be pretty goddamn tired and want to at least sit down for an hour, but let's keep going. If you could travel 400 miles in a straight line and manage an average speed of 60 mph, it would take you how long? Probably five or six hours, give or take, to get to where you need to go, provided driving conditions are perfect, which they rarely ever are. So let's assume you work an eight to ten hour day, get home at 6 pm, sit your tired ass down for an hour and leave out at 7 pm. You'd get to wherever you had to go at 1 am. Again, I'll ask: where the hell are you going? The only thing I can think of that you can do during the early morning hours of any given Saturday mainly involves nudity, drinking and maybe gambling, and you don't necessarily have to drive 400 miles away from home to experience that. Where are you buying a new Cadillac ATS, Chevy Cruze and Corvette for $66,000? I'm not sure if you can even do that with their used equivalents...
  12. Blake Noble
    Which are... ? When it comes to basic maintenance, in comparison to a typical gasoline-powered car, a Tesla Model S has fewer moving parts and systems that require service. Mostly, you have braking, steering and suspension systems to keep up with. And, quick fact: Thanks to the Tesla's nifty regenerative braking system, you actually replace brake pads far less often on a Model S than, say, on a Toyota Camry. (In fact, one Model S owner used his mechanical brakes so rarely, the calipers seized up and the rotors were corroded. The car had 60,000 miles. Do that with a Camry. You can't.) So let's see, with a gasoline-powered car I have to worry about: Oil and oil filter changes. Engine air filter changes. Changing the transmission fluid and filter. An engine rebuild or replacement at some point in the vehicle's future. A transmission rebuild or replacement at some point in the vehicle's future. Fuel delivery system service and repair. Filling the car up with gasoline on an average of every three days. That's just the start. I don't worry about any of that crap with a good electric car.
  13. Blake Noble
    I'm defensive of them because not necessarily because of my ownership of them, but because these cars deserve to be judged and enjoyed based on their own merits and not what they lack compared to their V8 counterparts. These cars do have a unique flavor of their own to offer and appreciate. Let me touch on this thought of mine for just a minute: I sincerely believe the "no replacement for displacement" mentality that lingers over the Mustang, Camaro and Challenger like a sour fart is what'll ultimately doom these cars when internal combustion engines go the way of the carrier pigeon, Soviet Union and Member's Only jackets. And what I've seen unfold in this thread only further solidifies that notion, honestly. If these cars survive electrification, it'll be nothing short of a damn miracle because the shear number of all of the old folks and folks who are "old at heart" dying from heart-attacks at the silence of a electric Mustang burnout alone will likely justify some sort of government '90s assault weapons-style ban on electric cars, despite the fact an all-electric Mustang could give way to the best driving Mustang of all time, if not simply the best all-around Mustang ever. I said they were more "fun" because you can use more of the car in legal driving conditions. Remember the driving conditions I mentioned earlier? I've never set a tire on a drag strip and I don't carry a stopwatch around. I do plenty of driving on curvy country roads and backroads (US 421 in particular is a real treat) and anything packing more than 300 to 325 horsepower would be pretty much useless. Really, 300 horsepower can be a bit too much at times. Reference that James May segment I posted. There's less power with a V6 Camaro, Mustang or Challenger, sure, but there's more usable power. Sure, with a V8 model you can go 0-60 faster than the taco squirts, and down the quarter mile quicker than an ape with a hot fire poker up its ass, but those are ultimately just numbers on paper. It doesn't count for much if you can't use those numbers in the real world. Well, hey, it was the late '90s. Compared to what automakers were using less than 10 years prior, those tires were probably something for the Camaro then. Today, we're used to 17 inch wheels as standard equipment on Camries and Malibus. Well, yah. I really don't know where to go here but I wasn't originally trying to directly compare the Camaro to the FR-S... No worries. I didn't mean to come across abrasive, either. Defensive, maybe. But then again, I'm not used to an argument being this civilized around here, sadly. I'll agree that the Challenger is a Fatty McFatpants that needs to go on a diet. But I'm sticking to what I said earlier: the V6 SE and SXT cars are better at backroad exploration than the R/T models. But, really, a Challenger is best at cruising down boulevards and interstates and going on long distance trips. It's a big, comfortable car. It's half family car, half grand tourer. It's basically a Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme coupe wearing a pony car pelt. (Not much different, then, than the Challenger in Vanishing Point if you think about it a bit.) And, really, what engine you have under the hood is moot when all you do is loaf around on straight-stretches of road. And I'm proud to march to the beat of different drum here.
  14. Blake Noble
    Jesus, dude... Alright then, let's do this, I guess... The 245/50R16 tire size you mentioned for the Z28 were a Z-rated tire offered as optional equipment for 1998. They were not the standard tire for that year. All base Z/28s had 235/55R16 tires... and, hey, wouldn't you know it? Those are the same tires that my V6 Camaro had. I've discovered there's some confusion as to whether or not Y87 cars had upgraded suspension parts. I've seen a few sources say yes, others no. I've been under the impression the suspension was upgraded somehow over a basic non-Y87 car. So I decided to do a little research. It appears whatever source you've quoted is ultimately correct. However, with that said, it's possible Y87 cars likely use different steering arms from base V6 cars to use the V8 steering box. If so, I suppose some sources might be counting that as an "upgraded suspension." My apologies for further propagating that confusion. ...But, while researching the above topic, continuing on with V6 vs V8 suspension differences, all '98 and up V6 and base V8 F-Body cars actually use the same rear coil springs (code TJ). Obviously the front springs are different between the two to account for a lighter/heavier engine, not necessarily to make the handling worse or the ride any softer. Again, only SS and WS6 cars had upgraded springs all the way round. So, once again I'll ask, what downgraded suspension? So to recap: The Camaro I owned had the same 235/55R16 tires as a base model Z28 for 1998. The Camaro I owned I believe had the Y87 package, which meant it shared the same steering box and rear differential as a 1998 Z28. It's also possible the steering arms are shared as well. The Camaro I owned had the same rear coil springs as a base model '98 Z28. The front coil springs were different to compensate for difference in weight of the V6 versus the V8 engine, not to compromise the ride or handling. This is true for all 1998 Camaros -- base V6, Y87 V6 and base Z28 -- with the exception of SS models. As an aside, at this point, it wouldn't surprise me if even the shocks are the same between base V6, Y87 V6 and base Z28 Camaros built in 1998, although I haven't researched this yet. The tire and suspension differences are so minor between the car I owned and a base Z28 I don't see how anyone could argue the V8 absolutely handled better, unless we're talking about an SS model which could boast a slight advantage over both the V6 and Z28. But at that point, what engine the car has becomes completely irrelevant. Sure, you can say there's a V8 better than the V6, but you'd be choosing to be ignorant to the fact that it's also better than a similar V8 car as well. Moving forward now... Using quarter mile times in a discussion about handling is totally irrelevant. I don't think you make left and right hand turns in a straight-line drag race. Or are you onto some new fun trend that you'd like to share? Curb weight has little to weight distribution. For example: it's possible for one car to weigh 3,000 lbs. and the other 3,500 but both have the same 55/45 weight distribution. So your point is... ? The V6 Camaro has 57/43 weight distribution. The FR-S is 53/47. I thought that was interesting. Ultimately, though, you are missing the point of my mention of the FR-S in the last bit of my post, just like how you're missing the entire message of my original post. On that last note, let's see if using a British accent fixes that, for whatever reason: Does that make it any clearer? You're trying to dispute that entire notion based on -- what? -- two out of the four cars I've owned that I'm basing my impression on? I need a goddamn Advil now.
  15. Blake Noble
    Certainly, you do realize you've just made an argument here that's about as watertight as the Titanic. Skinny tires? My fourth-gen, six-banger Camaro and Firebird were both equipped with the same exact 16-inch wheels and tires as the Z28 and Trans Am, respectively, for 1998. (Only SS and WS6 models had 17-inch wheels and tires. Additionally, all Camaros and Firebirds used the same dual-piston brakes starting that year, regardless if they were V6 or V8-equipped.) In fact, the Firebird I owned was also equipped with the Y87 performance package that earned the car a V8 steering box and an upgraded suspension. I can't remember if the Camaro I had also packed the Y87 package, but I'm leaning toward yes since it had the Z28's 16-inch wheels and I remember the window sticker showing the car to be pretty much a fully-loaded V6 car, save for leather seats. So then, so much for a downgraded suspension. Let's also dig a little deeper, think with an open-mind for a second. Those V6 cars actually had most of the engine's weight placed behind the front wheels, and weighed a few hundred pounds less than their V8 counterparts. Obviously, these factors had positive effects on how the V6 cars handled. Facts aside, driving impressions are, like styling, ultimately a subjective matter. The stock tires on a Scion FR-S, for example, are actually pretty frickin skinny. But, if I recall correctly, most reviewers praise the FR-S as being fun to drive and a good handling car, just slow. Hmmmm...
  16. Blake Noble
    My first thought: lol Jeep really hates XJ Cherokee fanboys, don't they?
  17. Blake Noble
    And to this I say: Meh. V8s are overrated. Yes, they make a good noise. Yes, they offer more in the way of straight-line speed. But so what? I can claim ownership of both a fourth-gen Chevrolet Camaro and Pontiac Firebird, a Dodge Challenger and a late-model Ford Mustang. None of those cars were equipped with their optional V8s; they were all lowly V6 models. But that doesn't mean they were any less fun. Actually, what you give up in raw grunt you earn back in handling (it's especially true for the Mustang). And, personally, I relish good handling over a V8's thump since I find myself traveling more on Kentucky's curvy backroads versus our interstate highways or bypasses. However, for the times I have traveled on straighter blacktop, I've always found the V6 to be adequate. Then there's the money you save on the purchase price and, obviously, on insurance costs and at the gas pump. I guess what you do lose and never gain back is image. But, you know, I could care less about my car giving some mediocre middle-aged bald spot a hard-on between traffic lights. I didn't buy my car for someone else to enjoy -- selfishly, it's for me and me alone.
  18. Blake Noble
    Well, I mean, it's a Jeep. Electrical problems have been standard issue on all Jeeps since the late '90s.
  19. Blake Noble
    Agreed; they should go in order to clean things up a bit, make things less overwhelming to navigate.
  20. Blake Noble
    Eh, you'd have to pay me $27k to put up with that nervous nine-speed nincompoop Chrysler uses as a gearbox in that car. That's a shame, really. Aside from the transmission, I think the 200 is still a charming car and something of a tragic lost opportunity for the brand.
  21. Blake Noble
    Nope. Well, not in the case of the first car I linked to at least, anyway. Full disclosure: I just took a job with that dealership and I can confirm that car, to my knowledge, was not a service demo. By 'limited' are you referring to the Malibu Limited, the previous generation car that GM has kept around to sell alongside the new car for fleet buyers? If so, both cars I linked to are new generation models.
  22. Blake Noble
    For those of you wondering, right now you can nab a brand-new 2016 Chevrolet Malibu LS for around $17,000, or about $6,000 off sticker. That's actually roughly what you'd pay for a smaller Chevrolet Cruze LS. Here's a dealer local to me selling a 2016 Malibu LS for $16,986, and another selling one for $17,995. That really illustrates just how desperate some manufacturers are to move mid-sized sedans. Hmmm... I wonder how cheap the Chrysler 200 is right now, especially considering they were desperate to give those away before everyone else?
  23. Blake Noble
    Interesting take. I wasn't too impressed with either of the two Sonics my last job used as delivery cars. I thought the ride was crashy and the brakes were too grabby.
  24. Blake Noble
    Oh, I would go out on a limb and say we'll see him yanking that string with all his might when gas prices move beyond $2.50 to $3 a gallon again.
  25. Blake Noble
    My guess: BMW's kidney grille. It first debuted in the '30s and has been in consistent use ever since.
×
×
  • Create New...

Hey there, we noticed you're using an ad-blocker. We're a small site that is supported by ads or subscriptions. We rely on these to pay for server costs and vehicle reviews.  Please consider whitelisting us in your ad-blocker, or if you really like what you see, you can pick up one of our subscriptions for just $1.75 a month or $15 a year. It may not seem like a lot, but it goes a long way to help support real, honest content, that isn't generated by an AI bot.

See you out there.

Drew
Editor-in-Chief

I've whitelisted
Continue without support

Write what you are looking for and press enter or click the search icon to begin your search