Random Thoughts Thread

[David]

Glad to see even with an appointed idiot at the head of the US Dept. of Energy that they can keep updating the web site and building things that support cool stuff like an updated EV web page.

https://energy.gov/eere/electricvehicles/electric-vehicles

[balthazar]

[ocnblu]

On 11/2/2017 at 10:19 PM, dfelt said:

Glad to see even with an appointed idiot at the head of the US Dept. of Energy that they can keep updating the web site and building things that support cool stuff like an updated EV web page.

https://energy.gov/eere/electricvehicles/electric-vehicles

This downvote brought to you by a one-sided lack of policing the forum rule on "political talk".

[Drew Dowdell]

The man said the Fossil fuels prevent sexual assault. That's not political.....that's just idiotic.

[surreal1272]

3 hours ago, ocnblu said:

This downvote brought to you by a one-sided lack of policing the forum rule on "political talk".

Maybe you should review the word “context” before throwing out accusations of “political talk”.

 

This down vote brought to you by a one sided lack of context.

Edited November 4, 2017 by surreal1272

[ocnblu]

9 hours ago, Drew Dowdell said:

The man said the Fossil fuels prevent sexual assault. That's not political.....that's just idiotic.

So the rule is null?

[oldshurst442]

Fossil fuels prevents sexual assault?

 

However...I do like my fossil fuels, my music and my women ENSEMBLE!

 

 

 

 

[balthazar]

1959 BUICK INVICTA

Edited November 5, 2017 by balthazar

[ocnblu]

2018 Dodge Challenger R/T in F8 Green Metallic makes me forget my name, rank and serial number... 

[Robert Hall]

5 minutes ago, ocnblu said:

2018 Dodge Challenger R/T in F8 Green Metallic makes me forget my name, rank and serial number... 

Love that color.  Haven't seen one in person yet, only pics.  So retro. 

[oldshurst442]

I find that its awesome that Dodge continues to offer crazy colours.

I wish others would follow suit.

But maybe its because people are drab nowadays and only want yuckie silvers and grays.

Boring and safe white and black.

Its a tad disappointing...

 

 

[daves87rs]

2 hours ago, ocnblu said:

2018 Dodge Challenger R/T in F8 Green Metallic makes me forget my name, rank and serial number... 

Agree...love the color....

[ocnblu]

[ocnblu]

 

[ccap41]

21 hours ago, Drew Dowdell said:

The man said the Fossil fuels prevent sexual assault. That's not political.....that's just idiotic.

Saying the “appointed idiot at the head of the U. S. Department of energy” isn’t political? That’s not some..politician..? 

11 hours ago, ocnblu said:

So the rule is null?

It’s null depending on which side of the line you’re on. 

7 hours ago, oldshurst442 said:

I find that its awesome that Dodge continues to offer crazy colours.

I wish others would follow suit.

But maybe its because people are drab nowadays and only want yuckie silvers and grays.

Boring and safe white and black.

Its a tad disappointing...

 

 

..isn’t your Acura black..? 

[oldshurst442]

23 minutes ago, ccap41 said:

..isn’t your Acura black..? 

Charcoal black.

So in between yucky grey and boring black. Double whammy!

And the wife's Fusion is Tuxedo black. So....I am part of the problem...

When I bought the Acura:

1. Acura did not really offer great colours. And "fun" colours did not really hide the hideousness that is the TL. In black or charcoal, the car at least looks mean and stealthy instead of retarded.  LOL

2. Bought the showroom floor model they had. Got a great deal on it. Usually, that is how I buy my cars. That is all they had that night available.

 

Edited November 5, 2017 by oldshurst442

[Robert Hall]

Yeah, my Jeep is metallic black..I'd rather have had dark red, dark blue, or brown, but since I was shopping 3yr old CPO models, color choice wasn't a top criteria...main criteria for me was a well-equipped GC with under 30k miles, 4x4, sunroof, light interior color.    I do like black, though, and love the black and tan interior.

If I were buying a new one, I'd really want a brown one. 

Edited November 5, 2017 by Cubical-aka-Moltar

[balthazar]

[Drew Dowdell]

4 hours ago, ccap41 said:

Saying the “appointed idiot at the head of the U. S. Department of energy” isn’t political? That’s not some..politician..? 

It’s null depending on which side of the line you’re on. 

It's a job title.

The man recently said something incredibly idiotic regardless of one's political leaning, and in his particular case, that isn't a new thing.

US/Global Energy and Transportation policy as it relates to cars has always been allowed here. 

Nuance, complexity, and context are not vices. 

[Drew Dowdell]

I like black cars, but I want color in my interior. I like Cadillac's red, Jeep's blue or white, and the blue of the Chrysler 300c Platinum.

[ocnblu]

31 minutes ago, Drew Dowdell said:

It's a job title.

The man recently said something incredibly idiotic regardless of one's political leaning, and in his particular case, that isn't a new thing.

US/Global Energy and Transportation policy as it relates to cars has always been allowed here. 

Nuance, complexity, and context are not vices. 

Wow.  Just confirmed.

4 hours ago, oldshurst442 said:

Charcoal black.

So in between yucky grey and boring black. Double whammy!

And the wife's Fusion is Tuxedo black. So....I am part of the problem...

When I bought the Acura:

1. Acura did not really offer great colours. And "fun" colours did not really hide the hideousness that is the TL. In black or charcoal, the car at least looks mean and stealthy instead of retarded.  LOL

2. Bought the showroom floor model they had. Got a great deal on it. Usually, that is how I buy my cars. That is all they had that night available.

 

LOL it was at night... so they ALL "looked" black. 

[Drew Dowdell]

6 minutes ago, ocnblu said:

Wow.  Just confirmed.

 

Not at all confirmed.  We've had a great spirited and fun debate in the tax credit thread.  It's the kind of civil discourse I wish we could have here without the need for anyone to police the threads. 

If you want to have the same civil debate over Perry's statement that "fossil fuels prevent sexual assault", we can have one, but I promise you it will be short. 

[ocnblu]

If family habits rub off on a man, I've got a lot of conflicting influences running through my veins.  Dad, his dad, and my brother from another mother are all solidly in the Chevrolet camp.  No exceptions.  No discussion.  My mother was influenced during the short time she had with my father to like Chevy, but after that she's been "adventurous" and eclectic in her automotive tastes.  Her father was a Chrysler and Pontiac man, but he loved his Ford trucks, which rubbed off on his son, my uncle/mother's brother who helped raise me.  It's been Ford for him.  No exceptions.  No discussion.

Which leads to my latest automotive realization:  Despite its beercan body which makes repairing it difficult (and its gerbil engines), the Ford F150 is the best looking pickup being made right now.    And it has a Sport package that can be added to the XL trim for a relatively affordable upcharge.

The Dodge looks good too, but it is growing long in the tooth.  The all new '19, which has been photographed in the glorious nude, looks like a stunner, but it ain't here yet.  The Express trim has gotten more expensive than it used to be, too, despite it coming standard with the 3.6 and 17" alloys these days, a downgrade from earlier.

The Chevy... sad to say, is the dowdy old man of the bunch.  Awful, unless it is optioned up to the high $40k range.  WT and LS are riding on the same steel and stainless clad wheels they've ridden on since 1957.    Chevy's "Blackout" and "Custom" packages have barely made their presence known, and they are restricted, in typical GM fashion, to a few predictable color choices.

WHAT TO DO???

Edited November 5, 2017 by ocnblu

[oldshurst442]

5 hours ago, ocnblu said:

 

LOL it was at night... so they ALL "looked" black. 

British Invasion

 

And from Down Under

 

Black may not be boring!

Depending on the vehicle...but it is a colour that is overplayed.

I wanted a black Acura and a black Ford though...

 

2 minutes ago, ocnblu said:

Chevy's "Blackout" and "Custom" packages have barely made their presence known, and they are restricted, in typical GM fashion, to a few predictable color choices.

 

WHAT TO DO???

 

 

DONT BUY IT AT NIGHT!

YOU MIGHT END UP WITH A BLACK CAR THINKING IT WAS RED, GOLD OR GREEN!

Black cars are Karma Chameleons!!!

 

But they look better in the shade!!!

Montreal's own Gino Vanelli!

 

 

 

[ocnblu]

OK thanks

[oldshurst442]

25 minutes ago, ocnblu said:

OK thanks

You could always lean on me for advice...

 

 

[daves87rs]

8 hours ago, ocnblu said:

If family habits rub off on a man, I've got a lot of conflicting influences running through my veins.  Dad, his dad, and my brother from another mother are all solidly in the Chevrolet camp.  No exceptions.  No discussion.  My mother was influenced during the short time she had with my father to like Chevy, but after that she's been "adventurous" and eclectic in her automotive tastes.  Her father was a Chrysler and Pontiac man, but he loved his Ford trucks, which rubbed off on his son, my uncle/mother's brother who helped raise me.  It's been Ford for him.  No exceptions.  No discussion.

Which leads to my latest automotive realization:  Despite its beercan body which makes repairing it difficult (and its gerbil engines), the Ford F150 is the best looking pickup being made right now.    And it has a Sport package that can be added to the XL trim for a relatively affordable upcharge.

The Dodge looks good too, but it is growing long in the tooth.  The all new '19, which has been photographed in the glorious nude, looks like a stunner, but it ain't here yet.  The Express trim has gotten more expensive than it used to be, too, despite it coming standard with the 3.6 and 17" alloys these days, a downgrade from earlier.

The Chevy... sad to say, is the dowdy old man of the bunch.  Awful, unless it is optioned up to the high $40k range.  WT and LS are riding on the same steel and stainless clad wheels they've ridden on since 1957.    Chevy's "Blackout" and "Custom" packages have barely made their presence known, and they are restricted, in typical GM fashion, to a few predictable color choices.

WHAT TO DO???

You would figure GM would have a nice affordable package for it's base trucks too. For those who don't need it to have a bunch of junk (cause it's a truck) and just have a package to make it not look like a work truck (like a sport package).

Would want my truck to be simple.....just need AC and a radio here....

[balthazar]

ocnblu~ I'm kinda blown away by the current crop of trucks because I'm in such an old one ('04) and they've REALLY moved on from that point in time. Lot-walked a Ford dealer recently and the F-150s were very impressive. Also a fan of the Dodge's recent looks. Chevy is probably my least favorite (and I don't really care for the look of the GMT-800 I'm in, either, but couldn't bypass the deal); the front fascia is made up of like 150 pieces. For the GMs to come to the 'styling level' of the other 2 I have to be in a Sierra Denali.
My '04 replaced a '94 F-150, which is still a quite pleasant/cohesive/non-fussy design.

You seem to place great importance on newness & aesthetics, which makes your decision something only you can answer.

[Robert Hall]

14 hours ago, ocnblu said:

If family habits rub off on a man, I've got a lot of conflicting influences running through my veins.   

<snip>

WHAT TO DO???

So the newness has worn off the Compass, and you are ready to move on to the next fling? 

[ccap41]

23 hours ago, Drew Dowdell said:

It's a job title.

The man recently said something incredibly idiotic regardless of one's political leaning, and in his particular case, that isn't a new thing.

US/Global Energy and Transportation policy as it relates to cars has always been allowed here. 

Nuance, complexity, and context are not vices. 

So is President of the United States, Congressman, or Senator. Does that no longer make them a politician because it is their job title? 

[Drew Dowdell]

Oh jesus tapdancing christ, we can't be mature and not pedantic on this?  There is going to be some crossover of policy, political figures, and automotive.  There were automotive execs on government advisory councils. Trump just asked the PM of Japan to build more cars in the US instead of Japan, which only goes to show how badly read Trump is on the industry.   These are things we should be able to post articles about and discuss, but for those who can't handle it in a mature fashion, I'll just mod them into oblivion in those threads.

And don't think it has anything to do with disagreeing on politics.  There are plenty here who I disagree with on those terms who do handle themselves in a mature fashion and debates with those people are fun and interesting. 

[balthazar]

"mod into oblivion"

[ccap41]

1 hour ago, Drew Dowdell said:

Oh jesus tapdancing christ, we can't be mature and not pedantic on this?  There is going to be some crossover of policy, political figures, and automotive.  There were automotive execs on government advisory councils. Trump just asked the PM of Japan to build more cars in the US instead of Japan, which only goes to show how badly read Trump is on the industry.   These are things we should be able to post articles about and discuss, but for those who can't handle it in a mature fashion, I'll just mod them into oblivion in those threads.

And don't think it has anything to do with disagreeing on politics.  There are plenty here who I disagree with on those terms who do handle themselves in a mature fashion and debates with those people are fun and interesting. 

Hey, do what you want to do but don't say one political figure doesn't matter and others do based on which political position said POS is in. They're all junk, is that surprising to you? 

"Hey this politician did something sh!tty" - Nobody surprised

Just asking for some consistency from our leader. 

[Drew Dowdell]

21 minutes ago, ccap41 said:

Hey, do what you want to do but don't say one political figure doesn't matter and others do based on which political position said POS is in. They're all junk, is that surprising to you? 

"Hey this politician did something sh!tty" - Nobody surprised

Just asking for some consistency from our leader. 

As I stated, if it involves the automotive industry in some way..... 

[ccap41]

lol then they all do..in some way.. 

The sh!thead president has plenty to do with the auto industry... but we don't want to talk about his madness. 

[Drew Dowdell]

3 minutes ago, ccap41 said:

lol then they all do..in some way.. 

The sh!thead president has plenty to do with the auto industry... but we don't want to talk about his madness. 

I mean if the policy being discussed is industry related....  it doesn't mean that we should get into the weeds on the healthcare debate just because the auto manufacturers issue health insurance.  In the case above, it was the head of the Dept of Energy talking about how fossil fuels are needed to prevent sexual assault... which is simply ludicrous.... yet that same department has information for EVs on its website. 

[ccap41]

Alright, man. Whatever you wanna go with..

[Robert Hall]

Quote of Trump in Japan:

"Try building your cars in the United States instead of shipping them over. Is that possible to ask? That's not rude. Is that rude? I don't think so," Trump told executives from local automakers during a trip to Japan.

I guess he in unaware of the Japanese plants in the US built over the last 35 years...

[Drew Dowdell]

7 minutes ago, Cubical-aka-Moltar said:

Quote of Trump in Japan:

"Try building your cars in the United States instead of shipping them over. Is that possible to ask? That's not rude. Is that rude? I don't think so," Trump told executives from local automakers during a trip to Japan.

I guess he in unaware of the Japanese plants in the US built over the last 35 years...

A Honda rep this morning - "95% of Hondas sold in the US are built in the US"

[FAPTurbo]

that out of context cherry-picked quote is nearly as dumb as rick perry...

[daves87rs]

5 hours ago, balthazar said:

"mod into oblivion"

[Drew Dowdell]

What's everyone think of the updated front page?

[ocnblu]

11 hours ago, Cubical-aka-Moltar said:

So the newness has worn off the Compass, and you are ready to move on to the next fling? 

I'm paranoid over it.  Too many stories from others.  Mysterious noises in driveline.  Clutch feels soft already... or is it only in my mind, being fed tales of exploding clutches in Darts at 20k miles...  I know I drive it properly... I learned to drive in a '69 F-250 with 3 on tree and no power steering, not to mention many John Deeres... this is a commuter vehicle that does not get abused... I went four wheeling once in it, and I did not burn the clutch... I know how to keep my foot off of it.

I need to settle down until something tangible happens.  Maybe turn up the radio and sing. 

 

Edited November 7, 2017 by ocnblu

[Robert Hall]

46 minutes ago, ocnblu said:

I'm paranoid over it.  Too many stories from others.  Mysterious noises in driveline.  Clutch feels soft already... or is it only in my mind, being fed tales of exploding clutches in Darts at 20k miles...   

 

Bummer...1st year gremlins, maybe?  Have you checked the Jeep forums for similar experiences?     

[ocnblu]

Just now, Cubical-aka-Moltar said:

Bummer...1st year gremlins, maybe?  Have you checked the Jeep forums for similar experiences?     

No, when I had my last truck I joined a Colorado/Canyon forum, but it crashed so many times and log-ins were lost I got tired of re-joining.  Some nice guys over there.  I think single-model forums are the depths of despair... so much crying in beer, and it is all very concentrated.

 

Actually, for a very early first-year vehicle, it has been almost as good on paper as my Colorado was... so far.  Typical Jeepiat electrical issues have been mild as of yet, for example.  I put 39k on my Colorado, with a broken oil cooler line and a reverse camera that intermittently failed being my two issues with it.

With the Jeep, sometimes on the 1-2 shift, there is a jerk in it after the clutch is released.  Not sure if it is slippage or even an engine computer glitch.  There is a clacking noise under it when rolling very slowly to a stop, and when letting out on the clutch, say, on a hill where a little slipping is necessary to keep from rolling backward, it sounds like the release bearing is ready to fail... something I haven't heard in any of my manual transmission vehicles since my '94 S-10 at 125k miles.

Listen to me whine... sorry.  I can usually go longer before my grin fades, and most of the time I have continued to speak well of my past loves... not sure with this one.

[Robert Hall]

13 minutes ago, ocnblu said:

No, when I had my last truck I joined a Colorado/Canyon forum, but it crashed so many times and log-ins were lost I got tired of re-joining.  Some nice guys over there.  I think single-model forums are the depths of despair... so much crying in beer, and it is all very concentrated.

 

Yeah, I see a lot of that on Jeep Forum and the WK2 FB page I frequent..though mostly w/ the WK2s it's a lot of Millenials asking how to black out their chrome, and modifying their vehicles..

 The WK2 GC having been around since '11 has some well known issues, but mostly they seem to be electronic glitches w/ UConnect and the touch screen controls.   I've had a couple minor issues w/ mine in the 6 months I've had it, with the outside door lock sensors and the alarm system and inside locks.  And the Bluetooth and my iPhone pairing is inconsistent.  But I've been happy overall so far..put 6000 miles on it so far. 

Edited November 7, 2017 by Cubical-aka-Moltar

[ocnblu]

Just now, Cubical-aka-Moltar said:

Yeah, I see a lot of that on Jeep Forum and the WK2 FB page I frequent..though mostly w/ the WK2s it's a lot of Millenials asking how to black out their chrome.   The WK2 GC having been around since '11 has some well known issues, but mostly they seem to be electronic glitches w/ UConnect and the touch screen controls.   I've had a couple minor issues w/ mine in the 6 months I've had it, with the outside door lock sensors and the alarm system and inside locks.  And the Bluetooth and my iPhone pairing is inconsistent.  But I've been happy overall so far..put 6000 miles on it so far. 

That is another thing.  The bluetooth system in my Compass sucks... never a dropped call in my Beetle or my Colorado... works about 50% of time in Jeep.

[Drew Dowdell]

I thought all Chrysler vehicles made that clacking sound when coming to a stop. I know every Chrysler minivan does it and the Journey too. 

[Robert Hall]

1 minute ago, Drew Dowdell said:

I thought all Chrysler vehicles made that clacking sound when coming to a stop. I know every Chrysler minivan does it and the Journey too. 

Not sure if its something in the drivetrain or the wheel bearings or something, I've heard it (or something similar) in my GC with the windows down when coasting or stopping.   

[ocnblu]

Hmmm...maybe that's why when I voiced concern over it, our Jeep store service advisor acted like I was hearing things.