Random Thoughts Thread

[David]

Crazy car and Video.

 

[daves87rs]

Just now, David said:

Crazy car and Video.

 

Yikes!!!!!

[David]

23 minutes ago, daves87rs said:

Yikes!!!!!

Crazy that the cause was quick disconnect brake lines that melted due to improper placement. Guy had money, built a beast but did not think about the heat of 1,100 HP creates.

[USA-1]

4 minutes ago, David said:

break lines that melted

break?  Oh, brake lines with a break in them?!  

[balthazar]

1 hour ago, USA-1 said:

Yep, that's my next truck, Sierra AT4 in Satin Steel Met. Gray, 6.2L, 10AT, Carbon, M-Pro. I like the monochromatic look of the black chrome grille or like my current '18 K2XX Silvy Z71 Crew with the body color grille, bumpers, door handles and mirror caps. I'll pass on all the chrome, it was "cool" in HS, not now and I'm just fine with black leather interior, thank you I've had Cashmere leather interior (Cadillac's cream color) and medium gray they just get old, I get sick of looking at the tan or cream colors for sure. Dark gray interior I'm good with as well.  

I hope you get it!

My issue with the AT4s is; while I certainly like the appearance, the 2" of lift is the last thing I need/want. Still would like to see a 'Street Boss' variant lowered 2" from stock. But otherwise, a great combo.

I still shop the locals online, and a Crew Cab / Standard Bed is still amazingly uncommon. That's my only desired combination. I would also have to strongly consider the 3.0L TD.

[USA-1]

24 minutes ago, David said:

Crazy car and Video.

 

 

 

He wasn't lying!!! 😂

[USA-1]

4 minutes ago, balthazar said:

I hope you get it!

My issue with the AT4s is; while I certainly like the appearance, the 2" of lift is the last thing I need/want. Still would like to see a 'Street Boss' variant lowered 2" from stock. But otherwise, a great combo.

I still shop the locals online, and a Crew Cab / Standard Bed is still amazingly uncommon. That's my only desired combination. I would also have to strongly consider the 3.0L TD.

I have a 2.25" TrailMaster leveling kit on the '18 K2 4x4 and it's perfect. Fits 33x12.50/18's perfectly, no cutting and no rubbing at all even at a full lock turn. Anything higher like I've had in the past is overboard and kills the handling, mpg's and causes unnecessary wear and tear on the chassis, ball joints, tie rod ends etc.

[USA-1]

5 hours ago, David said:

Was  Walla Walla Sweet Onion Harvest day. Grew and harvested all 76 onions. They are laid out to cure and then will enjoy them over the next 3 months. Sweet enough to eat like an Apple.

 

Seems Ford is finding plenty of heat lately as a Law firm files a class action lawsuite over the 2017-2019 Fuel economy of the F-150 and Ranger. Seems those Turbo's DO NOT give you V6 fuel economy with V8 power unless you guzzle gas like a V8.

Ford is also under Federal criminal investigation for emission and stated fuel economy standards for their auto fleet.

https://fordauthority.com/2019/07/ford-class-action-lawsuit-filed-over-f-150-and-ranger/#:~:text=Ford Class Action Lawsuit Filed Over F-150 And,vehicles in the 2017 to 2019 model years.

Nice crop of Walla Walla sweets!

 

Yeah, not surprised about the Ford EB V6 lawsuit. They DO NOT get good fuel mileage at all, no better than GM's 5.3L or 6.2L V8's, so what's the point? They sound like crap (Raptor) and it's a fact that those EB V6's and it's accompanying turbo have to work a lot harder than a NA V8 to move weight and keep it moving, like a heavy trailer or load of dirt or rock in the bed...hence the crappy mileage. I'll take my SBC V8 in my truck any day over a TTV6!

Edited August 30, 2020 by USA-1

[USA-1]

ICYMI @Robert Hall Sierra AT4 has black leather with the Kalahari inserts and stitching so they're not only all black or gray interiors.

 

Edited August 30, 2020 by USA-1

[trinacriabob]

Two people with masks + 1 plexiglas(s) partition = lots of repeating oneself and/or mistakes in orders

[balthazar]

13 hours ago, David said:

Crazy that the cause was quick disconnect brake lines

Why on earth would anyone need to quickly disconnect their brake lines???

[David]

1 hour ago, balthazar said:

Why on earth would anyone need to quickly disconnect their brake lines???

I have no Idea, but clearly it did not work out for the guy.

Have to say, this one is actually not bad looking for the Chevy Front end that in Chrome is so Hideous.

 

 

Storm Trooper Anyone?

 

 

[balthazar]

Really nice lookin' : 

[USA-1]

5 hours ago, trinacriabob said:

Two people with masks + 1 plexiglas(s) partition = lots of repeating oneself and/or mistakes in orders

Too true! So annoying! Especially when they look at you like you're speaking some foreign language. They need to cut some slits or drill some speak through holes in them at an avg. height. Costco is the worst, plexiglass panels all the way down the belt and counter side with no break in it at all and it's always busy and loud in there. Only cutout is where the CC machine takes your card so they can swiftly drain your bank account! Dangerous place!

13 minutes ago, balthazar said:

Really nice lookin' : 

I have a feeling it's going to be the 2022 (was 2021, thanks again Vachina) Silverado 1500 front-end refresh with maybe a few small tweaks here and there. It does look nice, cleaner and meaner.

Edited August 30, 2020 by USA-1

[David]

R.I.P. Chadwick Boseman, you will be missed and were a gentle giant in our Multi-Cultural World. I will miss you not being in Black Panther II.

 

I wonder 🤔 how they will reboot it, who will play it or will BP II have his sister from BP1 take over as BP?

[David]

Love this site for BBQ stuff.

https://www.instagram.com/bbqguys/

 

 

 

 

[David]

Interesting list of Best Places to buy tires.

https://www.cnet.com/roadshow/news/best-place-to-buy-tires-locally-near-me/

What are your thoughts on the list and where do you buy Tires?

[David]

Want your own GTO, go here to enter to win a professionally restored GTO and cash.

https://www.motor1.com/features/435323/enter-win-1967-pontiac-gto/

 

[oldshurst442]

6 hours ago, David said:

 

 

 

Im getting a heart attack just by looking at that thing.

Not saying it aint good.  Well...Ill be honest...too much shyte going on there, but yeah.

 

 

 

Edited August 31, 2020 by oldshurst442

[USA-1]

4 hours ago, David said:

Interesting list of Best Places to buy tires.

https://www.cnet.com/roadshow/news/best-place-to-buy-tires-locally-near-me/

What are your thoughts on the list and where do you buy Tires?

In the PNW Les Schwab Tires is one of the best places to buy with a decent warranty, free flat repair and air top offs, probably Discount Tire after that. I've heard Costco is a good place too with pretty good pricing and warranty, just never bought from them as of yet.

Discount Tire here, although I bought my last set of Nitto Ridge Grapplers from the lift shop that installed my leveling lift kit, actually better pricing than Discount when I price checked them. Would have never purchased Nitto's 10 years ago and was always a BFG's guy, but I like the more aggressive side walls of the Nitto RG's and the quality increased significantly after they merged with Toyo Tire and Rubber Co., both made in the same factory in Georgia. 

Edited August 31, 2020 by USA-1

[USA-1]

41 minutes ago, oldshurst442 said:

Im getting a heart attack just by looking at that thing.

Not saying it aint good.  Well...Ill be honest...too much shyte going on there, but yeah.

Right?! I started having chest pain just looking at it too!! Way too big to ever be able to eat like a human, fork and knife burger for sure! 😂

[ykX]

12 hours ago, David said:

Interesting list of Best Places to buy tires.

https://www.cnet.com/roadshow/news/best-place-to-buy-tires-locally-near-me/

What are your thoughts on the list and where do you buy Tires?

I usually buy at Costco, somewhat limited selection with only few brands they carry but pretty much unbeatable prices. Too bad they don't do alignment as well.

I don't have NTB nowhere near where I live.

Also, surprising Tirerack is not on the list.

[Robert Hall]

I went to a local auto repair/tire store chain in 2017 when I bought a set of Michelin Defenders for my Jeep. Having such a place in walking distance from home is a plus.. 

[trinacriabob]

This is a little stale dated for a spotting thread, so I'll put it here.  Since the owner probably both has a sense of humor and doesn't mind the attention, here's something I saw in the desert at Joshua Tree National Park:

Clever.

[ccap41]

15 hours ago, David said:

Interesting list of Best Places to buy tires.

https://www.cnet.com/roadshow/news/best-place-to-buy-tires-locally-near-me/

What are your thoughts on the list and where do you buy Tires?

I actually just bought a set of Nito Motivos three weeks ago from a local chain, AutoTire(parent company is a national chain though so it's only "local"). 

I was about to buy the tires from TireBuyer and have them shipped to them. I called in advance to ask about the process and he told me they can beat their prices if I bought them directly through them. I told them what my TireBuyer quote was and they beat it by $4/tire. Not a ton but install was $19/tire so it was basically one free installation, I'll take it. $660 out the door with an alignment check(no adjustments needed or it would have been an additional $85).

[ykX]

C8 Corvette vs Audi R8 vs Porsche 911 Carrera S (on track)

https://www.roadandtrack.com/new-cars/a33849608/c8-corvette-vs-audi-r8-vs-porsche-911-track-test/

Porsche 911 Carrera S ($113k min) -  1:53.5

Audu R8 ($160k) - 1:54.2

Corvette Z51 ($65k) - 1:54.6

I think when Z06 comes out it will blow both Audi and Porsche out of the water while still being substantially cheaper.

 

Edited August 31, 2020 by ykX

[David]

Dodge is pushing the $100,000 level for a charger and they are doing it by starting at $80,090 for the 2021 Hellcat Redeye edition. 797 HP / 707 lb-ft of torque.

https://www.thedrive.com/news/36090/the-2021-dodge-charger-hellcat-redeye-is-the-most-expensive-charger-ever-at-80090

[trinacriabob]

@David  I'm only on board with the looks of the car ... and NOT the $ 100,000 price tag!

[Robert Hall]

I'd be happy w/ the regular R/T in Octane Red for around $40k.  Only options I'd add would be the tan/black nappa/alacantra seats, Uconnect w/ NAV, sunroof, and the Harmon/Kardon audio.

 

Edited August 31, 2020 by Robert Hall

[trinacriabob]

@Robert Hall $29,999 special for me.  Incentives added, too.

 

[oldshurst442]

10 hours ago, ykX said:

C8 Corvette vs Audi R8 vs Porsche 911 Carrera S (on track)

https://www.roadandtrack.com/new-cars/a33849608/c8-corvette-vs-audi-r8-vs-porsche-911-track-test/

Porsche 911 Carrera S ($113k min) -  1:53.5

Audu R8 ($160k) - 1:54.2

Corvette Z51 ($65k) - 1:54.6

I think when Z06 comes out it will blow both Audi and Porsche out of the water while still being substantially cheaper.

 

And the Audi had those pure track tires plus the V10.  (Not the 1st entry R8...) 

The Porsche was the Carrera S  with carbon ceramic brakes while the Corvette was just a Stingray Z51, with street tires.  No carbon ceramic brakes.   One tiny step above base. And no camber set for the track...    Goes to show you how great the C8 is and how greater its gonna be(come) with future versions. 

 My only question would be: is the Carrera S  the equivalent of the Z51? I think the Carrera S is a tad more sports car focused than the Z51 but the Z51 is more GT focused...  Not quite the same. 

But this is where Porsche shows how much more  refined, defined and precise the 911 is over the Corvette. The 911 has many many iterations all designed for a specific task. The Corvette has only 3 to do the same thing as the 911 does with dozens of versions.  

I get it though.  The Vette is a mass produced  race machine designed to be sold at higher numbers with lower price tags. 

The 911 is meant to be a high enough produced race machine (not as high as the Vette)  to have multiple versions to specialize in certain racing areas, to be personalized and to be sold with higher price tags because of the specialized and personalized nature.

Each has carved out a nice niche for each other where they both have their perspective buyers and fan base.  

What Porsche does is incredible in how they achieve those performance figures (efficiency) and Corvette is also incredible because of how they achieve their performance figures...but you have the extra criteria of a selling price point.  

And yes, the Z06 will be a beast.

Active aero is rumoured.  THAT is gonna be huuuuge for the Corvette.  No Corvette has had full on active aero.  Pass through air, sure, but not full blown, 100% active aero.      

Edited September 1, 2020 by oldshurst442

[David]

😆 Read this on the brobible.com web site.

BEST VINTAGE SUVs TO BUY

https://brobible.com/gear/article/best-vintage-suvs-for-sale-online/

• 1953 International Harvester Travelall R-110
• 1955 Willys Wagon
• 1957 Chevrolet Suburban
• 1970 Chevrolet K-5 Blazer 4x4
• 1971 International Harvester Travelall
• 1973 VW Thing EV
• 1974 Ford Bronco
• 1977 GMC Jimmy 4WD
• 1977 Toyota FJ Cruiser Land Cruiser 4x4
• 1967 Ford Bronco is the pick of the week with a 347 Stroker Engine, dyno @ 476 HP 412 lb-ft of torque, Auto, and much more.

[daves87rs]

15 hours ago, trinacriabob said:

This is a little stale dated for a spotting thread, so I'll put it here.  Since the owner probably both has a sense of humor and doesn't mind the attention, here's something I saw in the desert at Joshua Tree National Park:

Clever.

NicE!!!

[USA-1]

1 hour ago, David said:

😆 Read this on the brobible.com web site.

BEST VINTAGE SUVs TO BUY

https://brobible.com/gear/article/best-vintage-suvs-for-sale-online/

• 1953 International Harvester Travelall R-110
• 1955 Willys Wagon
• 1957 Chevrolet Suburban
• 1970 Chevrolet K-5 Blazer 4x4
• 1971 International Harvester Travelall
• 1973 VW Thing EV
• 1974 Ford Bronco
• 1977 GMC Jimmy 4WD
• 1977 Toyota FJ Cruiser Land Cruiser 4x4
• 1967 Ford Bronco is the pick of the week with a 347 Stroker Engine, dyno @ 476 HP 412 lb-ft of torque, Auto, and much more.

I'd take a 70's or 80's K5 or Jimmy. Have always liked the K5, love the square body years, miss my '86 3/4 ton 4x4 long bed Chev., never should have sold it was super clean.

'55 Willys would be cool too.

Built like these ones...

Edited September 1, 2020 by USA-1

[ocnblu]

An idear for Balthy: 

[A Horse With No Name]

On 8/10/2020 at 6:40 PM, balthazar said:

That is an awesome-looking SUV. Love the bumperless look up front.

The new Chevy's have really grown on me. Hugely. 

8 hours ago, David said:

😆 Read this on the brobible.com web site.

BEST VINTAGE SUVs TO BUY

https://brobible.com/gear/article/best-vintage-suvs-for-sale-online/

• 1953 International Harvester Travelall R-110
• 1955 Willys Wagon
• 1957 Chevrolet Suburban
• 1970 Chevrolet K-5 Blazer 4x4
• 1971 International Harvester Travelall
• 1973 VW Thing EV
• 1974 Ford Bronco
• 1977 GMC Jimmy 4WD
• 1977 Toyota FJ Cruiser Land Cruiser 4x4
• 1967 Ford Bronco is the pick of the week with a 347 Stroker Engine, dyno @ 476 HP 412 lb-ft of torque, Auto, and much more.

I love all of the above...

13 hours ago, Robert Hall said:

I'd be happy w/ the regular R/T in Octane Red for around $40k.  Only options I'd add would be the tan/black nappa/alacantra seats, Uconnect w/ NAV, sunroof, and the Harmon/Kardon audio.

 

That would be a wicked ride. 

19 hours ago, ykX said:

C8 Corvette vs Audi R8 vs Porsche 911 Carrera S (on track)

https://www.roadandtrack.com/new-cars/a33849608/c8-corvette-vs-audi-r8-vs-porsche-911-track-test/

Porsche 911 Carrera S ($113k min) -  1:53.5

Audu R8 ($160k) - 1:54.2

Corvette Z51 ($65k) - 1:54.6

I think when Z06 comes out it will blow both Audi and Porsche out of the water while still being substantially cheaper.

 

I am hugely impressed by all of the previous generations of the Z06 so...yes...

So we did a thing....bought a 2020 Ranger, SXT, fX4 packages, black. My wife doesn't like to brag so I promiesed I would not post pics on line. But very happy with it. 

 

Two wheel drive Extra cab, decent little truck. 

[Drew Dowdell]

On 8/30/2020 at 8:23 PM, David said:

Interesting list of Best Places to buy tires.

https://www.cnet.com/roadshow/news/best-place-to-buy-tires-locally-near-me/

What are your thoughts on the list and where do you buy Tires?

I only buy from Costco anymore because they only stock excellent quality tires as prices better than any competition.  I have searched and price shopped tires for the fleet many times over the years and every time I've NOT used Costco, I've gotten burned.  Also, Costco doesn't give me lip about warranty replacement, they just do it as long as it's still in warranty.  And if you buy the tires there, the road hazard warranty is free for the first 5 years. I've used that benefit a couple times.

CNet is correct in that the selection of tires they have is limited. When I first needed tires on the Encore, they didn't stock the size from either brand they carry (Michelin or Bridgestone) and I ended up going with a local chain.

Narrowing it down a bit further... I'm pretty much only ever buying Michelin Defenders.  I've had good results from them on the Honda for 2 sets of tires and the warranty is long.  That's what the Avalanche will get once it is time and the Encore will be scoring a set this fall if we keep it into winter.

[USA-1]

6 hours ago, ocnblu said:

An idear for Balthy: 

CL ad - "She's a little thirsty, but man she runs good" 😂

[David]

^ Cannot agree more with @Drew Dowdell About the Michelin Defenders. They have worn so even and well and I suspect will go well past their mileage warranty on my Escalade and SS. Better wearing than the Bridgestone which only sips to the 50% mark compared to Michelin which does it to the 10% mark. A superior tire and yes does cost more, but worth it!

[Drew Dowdell]

18 hours ago, Robert Hall said:

I'd be happy w/ the regular R/T in Octane Red for around $40k.  Only options I'd add would be the tan/black nappa/alacantra seats, Uconnect w/ NAV, sunroof, and the Harmon/Kardon audio.

 

If FCA would sell the LX platform cars with a V8 and AWD, I would soooo be there. 

13 hours ago, David said:

😆 Read this on the brobible.com web site.

BEST VINTAGE SUVs TO BUY

https://brobible.com/gear/article/best-vintage-suvs-for-sale-online/

• 1953 International Harvester Travelall R-110
• 1955 Willys Wagon
• 1957 Chevrolet Suburban
• 1970 Chevrolet K-5 Blazer 4x4
• 1971 International Harvester Travelall
• 1973 VW Thing EV
• 1974 Ford Bronco
• 1977 GMC Jimmy 4WD
• 1977 Toyota FJ Cruiser Land Cruiser 4x4
• 1967 Ford Bronco is the pick of the week with a 347 Stroker Engine, dyno @ 476 HP 412 lb-ft of torque, Auto, and much more.

I'm surprised the '63 to '91 Jeep Grand Wagoneer isn't on the list.  I would totally daily a '91.

[Drew Dowdell]

6 minutes ago, David said:

^ Cannot agree more with @Drew Dowdell About the Michelin Defenders. They have worn so even and well and I suspect will go well past their mileage warranty on my Escalade and SS. Better wearing than the Bridgestone which only sips to the 50% mark compared to Michelin which does it to the 10% mark. A superior tire and yes does cost more, but worth it!

I buy the Defenders because they drive well, ride well, and I get good fuel economy with them.  A big However, is that I never get full treadlife out of them. I rely on that long warranty because I kill them in about 35k miles, but I get more than 50% off the next set of tires.  Michelin has to be losing money on me when I buy tires.

The Goodyear Triple treads on the Encore have lasted 55k miles and technically still have treadlife left before needing to be replaced. But they are dryrotted and hard. The car rides rough and we noticed an immediate hit to our fuel economy when we first put them on. It came with Continental ContiTracks and we were able to cruise at 34mpg in it. These days with the Goodyears, we barely manage 30mpg highway. 

The new Costco ad is offering $110 off a set of for Michelins, so I think it will be going in for them before the end of the month. 

[USA-1]

Hard to go wrong with Michelin. I put a new set of the Pilot Sport 4S ZP on the C5 last Summer and she rides better, quieter and handles so much better than the Goodyear Eagle RF's. To be fair the Goodyear's were older, but it never hooked up during "spirited driving" (GM legal counsel language that cracks me up) even when they were new like the Michelin's do. They are getting great wear as well, Michelin's rubber compound chemistry is pretty amazing. 

[Robert Hall]

I've been happy w/ the Michelin Defenders on my Jeep...I've put close to 20k miles on them over the last 3 years.  The original Goodyear Forteras were pretty worn down at 30k miles. (assuming they were the original tires on it when I bought it with 25k miles in April '17). 

[David]

44 minutes ago, Drew Dowdell said:

I buy the Defenders because they drive well, ride well, and I get good fuel economy with them.  A big However, is that I never get full treadlife out of them. I rely on that long warranty because I kill them in about 35k miles, but I get more than 50% off the next set of tires.  Michelin has to be losing money on me when I buy tires.

The Goodyear Triple treads on the Encore have lasted 55k miles and technically still have treadlife left before needing to be replaced. But they are dryrotted and hard. The car rides rough and we noticed an immediate hit to our fuel economy when we first put them on. It came with Continental ContiTracks and we were able to cruise at 34mpg in it. These days with the Goodyears, we barely manage 30mpg highway. 

The new Costco ad is offering $110 off a set of for Michelins, so I think it will be going in for them before the end of the month. 

Are the Defenders on a 2wd auto? I have never heard of folks getting only half life out of those tires. They have wore so even and good for me on both SUVs. Course AWD, Winter I run them at 36 PSI, Summer I run at 40 so they stay very even and have great grip. Best Tire I have ever had on my auto's.

[USA-1]

18 minutes ago, USA-1 said:

Hard to go wrong with Michelin. I put a new set of the Pilot Sport 4S ZP on the C5 last Summer and she rides better, quieter and handles so much better than the Goodyear Eagle RF's. To be fair the Goodyear's were older, but it never hooked up during "spirited driving" (GM legal counsel language that cracks me up) even when they were new like the Michelin's do. They are getting great wear as well, Michelin's rubber compound chemistry is pretty amazing. 

 A lot of History and Engineering going on here:

"The Pilot Sport 4S ZP is Michelin's Max Performance Summer run-flat tire developed in conjunction with some of the most demanding vehicle manufacturers.

The asymmetric tread pattern of the Pilot Sport 4S ZP features side-by-side, 24 Hours of Le Mans-derived compounds. The low-void outer shoulder utilizes a new dry-focused hybrid tread rubber for improved dry handling and braking over the previous generation tire, while the center ribs and inboard shoulder feature a silica-infused wet compound designed to increase wet braking performance. The computer-modeled Variable Contact Patch 3.0 optimizes pressure distribution across the contact patch through turns, reducing hot spots and improving tire life during aggressive use.

Internal construction of the Pilot Sport 4S ZP features twin steel belts reinforced by a spirally wound hybrid reinforcement ply. This hybrid aramid and nylon belt offers a lightweight, high-strength reinforcement above the steel belts to enhance high-speed handling, wear and durability. Specifically tuning the application of the cord filament provides Michelin engineers the ability to balance tension and strength, and a single-ply, polyester cord casing balances trade-offs between ride quality and responsive handling."

1 minute ago, David said:

Are the Defenders on a 2wd auto? I have never heard of folks getting only half life out of those tires. They have wore so even and good for me on both SUVs. Course AWD, Winter I run them at 36 PSI, Summer I run at 40 so they stay very even and have great grip. Best Tire I have ever had on my auto's.

Come on David, you know Drew has a lead foot!

[Drew Dowdell]

8 minutes ago, David said:

Are the Defenders on a 2wd auto? I have never heard of folks getting only half life out of those tires. They have wore so even and good for me on both SUVs. Course AWD, Winter I run them at 36 PSI, Summer I run at 40 so they stay very even and have great grip. Best Tire I have ever had on my auto's.

It was on the AWD Honda CR-V. I'm pretty good about tire rotations too. I have it done at every oil change and on the CR-V that was at 7,500 miles. Keep in mind that the quality of the roads here in PA are substantially different than what you have out your way. 

[Drew Dowdell]

1 hour ago, USA-1 said:

 Come on David, you know Drew has a lead foot!

I do, and the thing that saved me from costly tickets was the fact that none of my 3 vehicles had over 160hp.

Now I have a vehicle with 326 horsepower (and probably a CAI coming soon). 

I gotta watch myself in the new wheels.

[USA-1]

4 minutes ago, Drew Dowdell said:

I do, and the thing that saved me from costly tickets was the fact that none of my 3 vehicles had over 160hp.

Now I have a vehicle with 326 horsepower (and probably a CAI coming soon). 

I gotta watch myself in the new wheels.

Install CAI and buy a Hypertech MaxEnergy handheld tuner. It really helps throttle response and you can disable the AFM V-4 crap that eventually destroys the engine, run a reg. or premium fuel tune, adjust for tire size etc...  I can attest to the fact that it's totally worth it and it works well. I've also found over the years that Magnaflow has some of the best sound and build quality for AM exhaust with their flow through design it lets her breath, but it doesn't have that obnoxious drone sound that develops in the cab like some other brands.

[David]

Seems Jeep has released details of what is coming in the 2021 Gladiators and while new features is hitting every trim line, there is a New Willey package you can order your Gladiator with along with an 80th Anniversary package.

It also seems that the Ford Bronco has Forced Jeeps Hand. Before you had to always purchase more expensive packages to get certain features. Example is that if you wanted the rear and Forward Trail cam feature on a base model. No Can Do unless you buy the Rubicon package. Now it seems from the Base model to the Rubicon you can get many different features at all levels individually without purchasing the whole upper level package and this includes that the 2021 Gladiator will have a Diesel option that the Grand Cherokee and RAM have had.

https://www.motortrend.com/news/2021-jeep-gladiator-changes-willys-anniversary-first-look-review/

[David]

Multiple news releases now that folks around the world are getting back to work and especially now that auto companies are getting their employees setup to work remotely.

First up is the new 2021 Rolls-Royce Ghost in the new design with V12 6.8L power. Possibly the last for them. Starts at $332,500 with a 563 HP / 627 lb-ft of torque motor rated at 12 mpg city, 19 mpg highway, 14 mpg combined EPA certified. 0 to 60 in 4.5 seconds for a 5,628 lb auto.

https://www.motor1.com/news/441836/2021-rolls-royce-ghost-v12/

Next up, Nissan Z Proto is the next release that will happen in 2 weeks. This is a surprise as it was not expected till 2022 for the 370Z replacement. Be very interesting to see what they have come up with in this Prototype for consideration. Hopefully something better than the ugly Supra that was released by Toyota.

https://www.motor1.com/news/441906/2021-nissan-z-proto-teaser/

Last story I found was that the next Ford F-150 Raptor will have two engines. Guess the RAM TRX Hellcat has kicked off the next round of Power War's being the Supercharged V8 versus Twin Turbo V6. Not for long as Ford it would seem has decided to bring back their own Supercharged V8 to battle with Ram. Interesting is the big metal things hanging down right in front of the rear wheels. Any thoughts on that?

Engine one seems to be a PowerBoost HO V6 Hybrid for the base engine. Possible engine from the Aviator Hybrid for the Raptor.

Engine two would be a Supercharged 5.2L V8 over 700 HP in a Limited release of the truck. This could be the Supercharged 5.2L V8 from the GT500 Mustang. This would push this limited Raptor to over $100,000 dollars.

https://www.motor1.com/news/441835/ford-f150-raptor-engine-rumor/