Alternative Fuels & Propulsion RANDOM

[ykX]

2 hours ago, A Horse With No Name said:

Needlessly complex, EV can't get hre fast enough

Mechanically EVs are definitely more simple.  However, a different issue will be that they are heavily controlled by software, complicated software.  So there will be different issues.

[David]

41 minutes ago, ykX said:

Mechanically EVs are definitely more simple.  However, a different issue will be that they are heavily controlled by software, complicated software.  So there will be different issues.

Very true, This is where QA testing will have to be very solid as testing software and insuring it is not hacked as GM has stated about their new Electrical Nervous system that allows over air updates on the ICE auto's as well as EVs. Need a secure, solid built software nervous system.

[balthazar]

Only a matter of time before hacking & viruses are a defacto worry of EVs / any car with over the air updating.

[David]

7 minutes ago, balthazar said:

Only a matter of time before hacking & viruses are a defacto worry of EVs / any car with over the air updating.

no different than when people would prank some ones ice auto with sugar in the tank or other things that would bring an ICE to a halt, different hacking / viruses. Everything has a chance to be attacked.

[A Horse With No Name]

1 hour ago, balthazar said:

Only a matter of time before hacking & viruses are a defacto worry of EVs / any car with over the air updating.

Yes, but modern folks can deal with that. Try finding anyone that udnerstands a carburetor...

1 hour ago, David said:

no different than when people would prank some ones ice auto with sugar in the tank or other things that would bring an ICE to a halt, different hacking / viruses. Everything has a chance to be attacked.

That's why I carry full coverage insurance on everything I own. 

[balthazar]

Here! I understand carburetors.

 

[A Horse With No Name]

27 minutes ago, balthazar said:

Here! I understand carburetors.

 

Everything analog has become a black art though when it shouldn't be. I am learning how to effectively sharpen chain saw chains...I can get a dozen or so good sharpenings until I mess up the blade geometry and have to take them back to the hardware store to be re sharpened. I even have the fancy tool Stihl sells. 

Guy who sharpens chains is like 90 years old...does an excellent job...but they cannot find anyone else to sharpen them well. 

The simplest tasks are starting to elude us as a society, sadly. 

[David]

25 minutes ago, balthazar said:

Here! I understand carburetors.

 

You are like me and few others here part of the 1% crowd that understands those things.

Ask a Millennial about needle and seats in a carb, Glazed look. 

Ask about a float bowl, again glazed look.

Get into the details of the float or jets and glazed comatose look. Talk about the Throttle blade/s or accelerator pump and you will get some crazy response if they are fast enough to even think of where a blade or pump might be on an auto.

Ask them about how they would adjust a choke and you might just get something sexual and perverse. 

Yea, I do not think many beyond us 1% crowd would understand a carb.

[A Horse With No Name]

Just now, David said:

You are like me and few others here part of the 1% crowd that understands those things.

Ask a Millennial about needle and seats in a carb, Glazed look. 

Ask about a float bowl, again glazed look.

Get into the details of the float or jets and glazed comatose look. Talk about the Throttle blade/s or accelerator pump and you will get some crazy response if they are fast enough to even think of where a blade or pump might be on an auto.

Ask them about how they would adjust a choke and you might just get something sexual and perverse. 

Yea, I do not think many beyond us 1% crowd would understand a carb.

The bowl most millinelas would understand is called a bong, not a bowl...let's get our terminology right. 

[A Horse With No Name]

Meanwhile, in the ICE world....this looks good. Midsized trucks to me are the one real bright spot in the current barren automotive atmosphere. 

[Robert Hall]

9 minutes ago, David said:

You are like me and few others here part of the 1% crowd that understands those things.

Ask a Millennial about needle and seats in a carb, Glazed look. 

Ask about a float bowl, again glazed look.

Get into the details of the float or jets and glazed comatose look. Talk about the Throttle blade/s or accelerator pump and you will get some crazy response if they are fast enough to even think of where a blade or pump might be on an auto.

Ask them about how they would adjust a choke and you might just get something sexual and perverse. 

Yea, I do not think many beyond us 1% crowd would understand a carb.

Considering I haven't driven a car with a carb regularly in over 25 years, I just have no need or interest in undertanding how carbs work.   

[A Horse With No Name]

5 minutes ago, Robert Hall said:

Considering I haven't driven a car with a carb regularly in over 25 years, I just have no need or interest in undertanding how carbs work.   

Except for the vintage ones you keep at the farm...

 

Love this with the Raptor, want to see the Rivian put to the same test. Seriously. I think with a lower center of gravity and all that torque, it would put down a better time. 

 

[Robert Hall]

Just now, A Horse With No Name said:

Except for the vintage ones you keep at the farm... 

 

Unfortunately, as long as my idiot brother is alive, I can't get to them..

[A Horse With No Name]

Of course, for our ICE fans...

 

Just now, Robert Hall said:

Unfortunately, as long as my idiot brother is alive, I can't get to them..

That is sad...

 

Would love to build a clone of the GMC with a clapped out S-10 and an eelctric drivetrain....!

[Drew Dowdell]

21 hours ago, oldshurst442 said:

false.

The 3.8 liter from Buick...the one used prior to the Buick Grand National, the used used IN the Buick Grand National and all other  subsequent variants are all part of the MODERN engine. All kinds of computer control metrics and sensors in the engine from the 1970s all the way to its end of life.  

Crossfire L83 V8, L98, LT5, LT1, LT4, LS1 and so forth...all had computer controlled metrics. 

I do not know how reliable the Crossfire was, but I do think the L98 was reliable.

Some people dreaded the LT1's optispark distributor system, but I do believe its because it was misunderstood and not because it was problematic.  The LT1 itself was said to be bulletproof.

The LS engines are bulletproof as the saying goes.

Therefore...I dont think your assumption here is correct about simpler times...

And If Im to understand this whole notion correctly...

Arent electric motors even simpler in design than the internal combustion engine?

Please educate me...

 

 

I'm not sure what you're saying was false... but here's what I know about these engines.   The 3800 basic design goes way back '78 (though it had relatives from before then), but it technically did not become what we know of as the 3800 until 1988.  Various sensors had been added and changed over the years to make it more efficient. The series 1 and series II made other minor changes to the block, but it was largely the same design.  It was a cast-iron block rather than the aluminum 3.6 liter. 

The Optispark distributor system was excellent in concept, but had a design flaw that allowed moisture to build up inside.  Later versions and aftermarket replacements included drain hole to allow moisture to escape.  People bitch and moan about Optispark because at the time they were used to the distributor sitting at the top of the engine and being easy to access.  Optispark removed the necessity to access it as frequently as an old-style distributor, but it was moved under the water pump meaning that changing the distributor meant draining the radiator (!!) and doing a water pump gasket.  It was just a convenience thing for the old-school guys.  But I bet every single one of those guys would take Optispark over a timing belt driven Honda which was common at the time.  A timing belt job on them ALSO included doing a water pump swap.

@A Horse With No Name - The GM 3.6 issue are largely around the timing chain and service intervals. GM tried to extend oil change intervals on the earlier ones, but old oil would cause the motors to stretch out the timing chains to the point that the VVT couldn't compensate. Multiple manufacturers (Ford and Honda that I know of) have dealt with similar problems, so it's not a situation unique to GM. GM addressed it by strengthening the chain and shortening the service interval. Other than that, the 3.6 has been fairly reliable by my knowledge. 

Electric motors have fewer moving parts if that's what you mean by simpler design, however the electronics in them are more sophisticated and complex. There's also (usually) no multi-gear transmission to worry about. 

2 hours ago, balthazar said:

Only a matter of time before hacking & viruses are a defacto worry of EVs / any car with over the air updating.

I've actually been to seminars on this subject.  Car manufacturer are already aware and working on it.  More and more manufacturers are going to go with hardened versions of mobile device software to run their cars.  Let Google or Apple or Blackberry sort out the operating system level stuff and the manufacturer will handle the car running parts. 

[Drew Dowdell]

1 hour ago, balthazar said:

Here! I understand carburetors.

 

Unfortunately, my carb is electronic and the machines to calibrate it are unobtainium..,... so it has to be hacked through manual adjustment. 

[A Horse With No Name]

6 minutes ago, Drew Dowdell said:

 

@A Horse With No Name - The GM 3.6 issue are largely around the timing chain and service intervals. GM tried to extend oil change intervals on the earlier ones, but old oil would cause the motors to stretch out the timing chains to the point that the VVT couldn't compensate. Multiple manufacturers (Ford and Honda that I know of) have dealt with similar problems, so it's not a situation unique to GM. GM addressed it by strengthening the chain and shortening the service interval. Other than that, the 3.6 has been fairly reliable by my knowledge. 

 

I would like to know more about this and the 3.4 Liter series of motors in early 2000's GM cars. 

Have heard of lots of trouble with the 3600....this clears things up a bit. 

1 minute ago, Drew Dowdell said:

Unfortunately, my carb is electronic and the machines to calibrate it are unobtainium..,... so it has to be hacked through manual adjustment. 

My fathers oldmobile was the same way. 

[Drew Dowdell]

28 minutes ago, A Horse With No Name said:

I would like to know more about this and the 3.4 Liter series of motors in early 2000's GM cars. 

Have heard of lots of trouble with the 3600....this clears things up a bit. 

Which 3.4 liter? The 3.4 DOHC, or the 3400?

[A Horse With No Name]

47 minutes ago, Drew Dowdell said:

Which 3.4 liter? The 3.4 DOHC, or the 3400?

My son just bought a 2004 Impala on the west coast with a 3.4, whichever one would have come in that car, presume plain 3400. New 60,000 mile high end radials, synthetic oil changes every 5000 miles since new, very careful and meticulous service records, and he paid a little over a grand for his first car. It's a nice clean ride. 200,000 on the odometer though. 

[balthazar]

2 hours ago, David said:

I do not think many beyond us 1% crowd would understand a carb.

Being I JUST heard this morning on a financial show that global EV market share is 2.6%, I guarantee you 'carb people' are far more numerous than "1%". Not carb owners, but people who understand / work with carbs.

 

1 hour ago, Drew Dowdell said:

Unfortunately, my carb is electronic and the machines to calibrate it are unobtainium..,... so it has to be hacked through manual adjustment. 

Pull the plug on the electronic carb - no one is going to worry/check if your '81 is factory spec or not.

1 hour ago, Drew Dowdell said:

I've actually been to seminars on this subject.  Car manufacturer are already aware and working on it.

I realize they're aware of / working on it; so are every computerized interface/system's companies. It hasn't eliminated the problems anywhere, entirely, yet.

Edited September 15, 2020 by balthazar

[Drew Dowdell]

33 minutes ago, A Horse With No Name said:

My son just bought a 2004 Impala on the west coast with a 3.4, whichever one would have come in that car, presume plain 3400. New 60,000 mile high end radials, synthetic oil changes every 5000 miles since new, very careful and meticulous service records, and he paid a little over a grand for his first car. It's a nice clean ride. 200,000 on the odometer though. 

Change the Dexcool yesterday and every 5 years. Get the pink/orange stuff, not the piss yellow “It works in everything!!” Prestone.

Unless you have proof that the intake manifold gasket has been done recently, budget for the gasket replacement. 
 

Other than that, it’s an unremarkable engine and will probably outlast the car if he keeps up on oil changes.

18 minutes ago, balthazar said:

Pull the plug on the electronic carb - no one is going to worry/check if your '81 is factory spec or not.

Not that simple unfortunately.  The prior owner tried that and it ran like garbage and it cost me a lot of time/money to put it back to factory.  These cars are designed to run the way they were designed to run and don't take well to people fiddling with the factory settings.  

The only thing I've looked into is a drop in EFI replacement for the E-Quadrajet. It's like $1200 just for the parts and comes with a completely new computer controller.

[David]

@balthazar so looking here we have 233,390 ASE repair places in the US.

https://www.statista.com/statistics/436416/number-of-auto-repair-and-maintenance-shops-in-us/

At the end of 2019 the number of registered mechanics in the US was 756,600

https://www.bls.gov/ooh/installation-maintenance-and-repair/automotive-service-technicians-and-mechanics.htm#TB_inline?height=325&width=325&inlineId=qf-number-jobs

Population of the US is 328,239,523

https://www.census.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2019/popest-nation.html#:~:text=The nation’s population was 328%2C239%2C523 in 2019%2C growing,continuation of a multiyear slowdown since that period.

This would mean we have .23% of the US population that understands Carburetors.

Welcome to the .25% club.

Honestly, I do think only 1% or less really understand Carburators.

[ccap41]

I'd also wager "carb people" are over 1% as all of the lawn care people tend to know a lot about carbs as that's what most all small engines are. 

[David]

Have to say that the 2021 Hyundai Tucson Hybrid Plug-in is an attractive CUV.

• Uses CVVD Tech Motor
• Digital Key / Smartphone app from the Sonata is used here too
• Remote Self Parking
• Apple and Android enabled

Full Spec's, pricing, gas mileage and more coming later this year as it goes on sale.

https://www.greencarreports.com/news/1129605_2022-hyundai-tucson-hybrid-plug-in-photos-mpg-specs-vs-rav4-cr-v

[balthazar]

1 hour ago, David said:

At the end of 2019 the number of registered mechanics in the US was 756,600

I'm not a registered mechanic.

[David]

4 minutes ago, balthazar said:

I'm not a registered mechanic.

True and neither am I  and yet, so many of the registered mechanics are only in select areas like Transmissions or Differentials. I still think we are only around 1% at best of people knowing about carburetors.

[Robert Hall]

1 hour ago, David said:

 

This would mean we have .23% of the US population that understands Carburetors.

Welcome to the .25% club.

Honestly, I do think only 1% or less really understand Carburators.

Even fewer can spell it correctly.  That is one of the words I do misspell.   I wonder how many auto mechanics can work on older pre-OBD-II vehicles.  

[A Horse With No Name]

15 hours ago, David said:

Have to say that the 2021 Hyundai Tucson Hybrid Plug-in is an attractive CUV.

• Uses CVVD Tech Motor
• Digital Key / Smartphone app from the Sonata is used here too
• Remote Self Parking
• Apple and Android enabled

Full Spec's, pricing, gas mileage and more coming later this year as it goes on sale.

https://www.greencarreports.com/news/1129605_2022-hyundai-tucson-hybrid-plug-in-photos-mpg-specs-vs-rav4-cr-v

It is. My other car is a 2004 aveo that I inherited from a relative withy very low miles. Deciding on what to replace it with in a few years. Leaning hard into the Bronco/Wrangler idea, but the number of appealing midsizers like this could cause me to reconsider this. Love the interior. 

[A Horse With No Name]

 

Interesting motorsports take on electrics. 

Makes so much torque it is literally tearing up the driveline in the car. 

[David]

GM's new EV power train lineup has been released.

 

[A Horse With No Name]

14 minutes ago, David said:

GM's new EV power train lineup has been released.

 

An EV Blazer would be wildly cool. 

[David]

11 minutes ago, A Horse With No Name said:

An EV Blazer would be wildly cool. 

I liked the video showing the motors that would be used for the SUV/CUV 4x4 class type of auto. Some serious power coming here. Torque will make off-roading a fun world for more people I think.

I wonder how soon they would add Crabwalk mode to other EV CUV's down the line.

[A Horse With No Name]

2 hours ago, David said:

I liked the video showing the motors that would be used for the SUV/CUV 4x4 class type of auto. Some serious power coming here. Torque will make off-roading a fun world for more people I think.

I wonder how soon they would add Crabwalk mode to other EV CUV's down the line.

Can you imagine the crawl ratio with one properly set up?

Kind of the ultimate Blazer....Rock crawling saturday morning, smooth and quiet to the country club or dinner Saturday night. 

On 9/10/2020 at 5:20 PM, ccap41 said:

That VW looks as awkwardly shaped as a Bolt. 👎🏼

I agree with you. I think Vw will botch the electric car launch and damage what breand equity they have left. 

[ocnblu]

On 9/15/2020 at 8:08 AM, A Horse With No Name said:

Like I said, was not impressed with it in the Colorado.

You know your Ranger is DOHC, right?

[balthazar]

On 9/14/2020 at 7:47 AM, surreal1272 said:

Well then it seems like to me that Rivian is more concerned with putting out a quality product and not a sub-quality product by having “speedy” production. Quality over quantity. I’m not really sure how you make this out to be a negative somehow. 

Not calling it a negative at all, just adding some clarity RE Rivian being in regular production right now. According to what was presented here, they are not, yet.

Hopefully Rivian DOES insure the best product they can build come out of the gate- that has not unilaterally been the case over at Tesla.

[A Horse With No Name]

12 hours ago, ocnblu said:

You know your Ranger is DOHC, right?

Yes I do. I have no problem with the DOHC, just was less impressed with the 3600 when I drove it. 

12 hours ago, balthazar said:

Hopefully Rivian DOES insure the best product they can build come out of the gate- that has not unilaterally been the case over at Tesla.

For most of the country, not just Tesla.

Would love to see Ford build an electric Super Duty for heavyduty use....these people could use a good EV.

[Drew Dowdell]

19 minutes ago, A Horse With No Name said:

Yes I do. I have no problem with the DOHC, just was less impressed with the 3600 when I drove it.

What was the issue?  For me, the 3.6 was one of the bright spots when I drove the truck.  I just hated the seating position.  The 3.6 in the Camaro is fantastic.

[balthazar]

^ My son would agree via his recent rental use. 275HP / 295 TRQ, said he had it to 110 on a barren interstate, with ease. I drove it maybe 3 miles to refuel it/return it, and it was fantastic.
 

EDIT per Drew (below) : 335 HP.

Edited September 17, 2020 by balthazar

[A Horse With No Name]

20 minutes ago, Drew Dowdell said:

What was the issue?  For me, the 3.6 was one of the bright spots when I drove the truck.  I just hated the seating position.  The 3.6 in the Camaro is fantastic.

It just didn't feel very responsive. To be fair, I only drove one truck, could have been an issue with that particular truck.  But after driving it, Colorado was behind Ranger, Gladiator, and Tacoma in terms of how the power train felt. Just my  subjective experience. 

18 minutes ago, balthazar said:

^ My son would agree via his recent rental use. 275HP / 295 TRQ, said he had it to 110 on a barren interstate, with ease. I drove it maybe 3 miles to refuel it/return it, and it was fantastic.

I will have to try it in a Camaro then. 

...and I really don't "want" to dislike the 3600. Would love to own a Blazer V6, given my desire for a mid size SUV as an eventual vehicle as a driveway mate for the Ranger.  If the 3600 in the blazer drove well, I definitely would move it up on my list. 

[Drew Dowdell]

2 minutes ago, A Horse With No Name said:

It just didn't feel very responsive. To be fair, I only drove one truck, could have been an issue with that particular truck.  But after driving it, Colorado was behind Ranger, Gladiator, and Tacoma in terms of how the power train felt. Just my  subjective experience. 

I will have to try it in a Camaro then. 

No, @balthazar's son must have had the Colorado.  In the Camaro it makes 335 hp and 284 lb-ft of torque. 

[David]

3 minutes ago, A Horse With No Name said:

It just didn't feel very responsive. To be fair, I only drove one truck, could have been an issue with that particular truck.  But after driving it, Colorado was behind Ranger, Gladiator, and Tacoma in terms of how the power train felt. Just my  subjective experience. 

I will have to try it in a Camaro then. 

I wonder if the programming in the Truck is slow and delayed compared to the Camaro for shift points and throttle response.

I have seen this in two totally different GM auto's with the same engine and it really does suck when GM does this as I felt it gave a great experience in one auto and a sucky one in the other and unless you had driven the better programmed one, you would leave with a bad taste about the motor. 

Sad that GM does that as where I noticed it was in a comparison of Cadillac to Chevrolet auto with the same engine/transmission. Sucks that they do that.

[A Horse With No Name]

23 minutes ago, David said:

I wonder if the programming in the Truck is slow and delayed compared to the Camaro for shift points and throttle response.

I have seen this in two totally different GM auto's with the same engine and it really does suck when GM does this as I felt it gave a great experience in one auto and a sucky one in the other and unless you had driven the better programmed one, you would leave with a bad taste about the motor. 

Sad that GM does that as where I noticed it was in a comparison of Cadillac to Chevrolet auto with the same engine/transmission. Sucks that they do that.

Actually this discussion is helpful to me as I am learning something about myself as a car buyer and will do it smarter the next time. 

When I have a bad experience at a dealership, even a dealership I trust, time to try another dealership. 

Byers has always been good to me, but they kind of let me down this car buying cycle. Had a less than stellar experience with Byers Toyota when I looked at the Tacoma and a dismal experience with Byers Chevrolet when I looked at the Colorado. Both dealers really pushed hard to sell me a crew cab 4wd instead of an extended cab 2wd, and were just not that productive to deal with in terms of checking out the vehicle. 

Not sure some of the subjective in my mind here is not just my particular experience and not the powerplant. 

That being said, we have a Traverse as a company vehicle at work that I drive on a fairly regualr basis and an not terribly impressed with it. 

I really need to get a rental with a 3600 in a RWD configuration and spend some quality time with it when I am not looking at a vehicle to come up with an intelligent opinion I think. 

 

[David]

1 hour ago, A Horse With No Name said:

Actually this discussion is helpful to me as I am learning something about myself as a car buyer and will do it smarter the next time. 

When I have a bad experience at a dealership, even a dealership I trust, time to try another dealership. 

Byers has always been good to me, but they kind of let me down this car buying cycle. Had a less than stellar experience with Byers Toyota when I looked at the Tacoma and a dismal experience with Byers Chevrolet when I looked at the Colorado. Both dealers really pushed hard to sell me a crew cab 4wd instead of an extended cab 2wd, and were just not that productive to deal with in terms of checking out the vehicle. 

Not sure some of the subjective in my mind here is not just my particular experience and not the powerplant. 

That being said, we have a Traverse as a company vehicle at work that I drive on a fairly regualr basis and an not terribly impressed with it. 

I really need to get a rental with a 3600 in a RWD configuration and spend some quality time with it when I am not looking at a vehicle to come up with an intelligent opinion I think. 

Being that I buy many auto's for my extended family, one thing I have always felt strongly about is setting the ground rules with the sales person.

When I go on a lot, greeted by the sales person, I stop and set the rules of how, what and why I am there. If just window shopping, I let them know to not waste their time. If shopping seriously, I usually have a set idea of what I want to look at and specifics I am interested in such as their best interest rates they have compared to my own bank or the bank that my family member is able to use.

I always am very clear on what I am looking at and want to see and that I am not there to look at other options as they will be working with me as the representative for said family member. 

I will be honest that in how I approach auto buying has shocked and thrown off the sales person. I have had more than one walk away crying as I did not play their game for monthly auto payment, sales process that they were trained on. Experienced quality sales people know to roll with the flow and can get a sale when I am there to do a serious look and possible buy.

I always sit down and in a sense qualify my own family member on what they are looking for, wanting and minimum to maximum dollar range. Making them write up a list of what they want helps to narrow down the auto they should look at.

Not gonna waste my time, theirs or the sales person. So far seems to make a solid auto buying experience.

Hope this helps on how I do it for the future.

[A Horse With No Name]

6 minutes ago, David said:

Being that I buy many auto's for my extended family, one thing I have always felt strongly about is setting the ground rules with the sales person.

When I go on a lot, greeted by the sales person, I stop and set the rules of how, what and why I am there. If just window shopping, I let them know to not waste their time. If shopping seriously, I usually have a set idea of what I want to look at and specifics I am interested in such as their best interest rates they have compared to my own bank or the bank that my family member is able to use.

I always am very clear on what I am looking at and want to see and that I am not there to look at other options as they will be working with me as the representative for said family member. 

I will be honest that in how I approach auto buying has shocked and thrown off the sales person. I have had more than one walk away crying as I did not play their game for monthly auto payment, sales process that they were trained on. Experienced quality sales people know to roll with the flow and can get a sale when I am there to do a serious look and possible buy.

I always sit down and in a sense qualify my own family member on what they are looking for, wanting and minimum to maximum dollar range. Making them write up a list of what they want helps to narrow down the auto they should look at.

Not gonna waste my time, theirs or the sales person. So far seems to make a solid auto buying experience.

Hope this helps on how I do it for the future.

I do the same thing kind of. 

Especially if I am just looking, I do not intend to waste their time or their gasolene with a test drive. 

Sadly, didn't buy a Gladiator. My salesperson at Jeep was just stellar. 

Was not interested enough in the Ridgeline to darken the door of the Honda showroom. 

In a truck frame of mind...love this just fine as ICE...worth every moment to watch. 

 

[Drew Dowdell]

1 hour ago, A Horse With No Name said:

Actually this discussion is helpful to me as I am learning something about myself as a car buyer and will do it smarter the next time. 

When I have a bad experience at a dealership, even a dealership I trust, time to try another dealership. 

Byers has always been good to me, but they kind of let me down this car buying cycle. Had a less than stellar experience with Byers Toyota when I looked at the Tacoma and a dismal experience with Byers Chevrolet when I looked at the Colorado. Both dealers really pushed hard to sell me a crew cab 4wd instead of an extended cab 2wd, and were just not that productive to deal with in terms of checking out the vehicle. 

Not sure some of the subjective in my mind here is not just my particular experience and not the powerplant. 

That being said, we have a Traverse as a company vehicle at work that I drive on a fairly regualr basis and an not terribly impressed with it. 

I really need to get a rental with a 3600 in a RWD configuration and spend some quality time with it when I am not looking at a vehicle to come up with an intelligent opinion I think. 

 

What year Traverse?  You have to remember that even the new Traverse is a pig when it comes to weight.  The old one was over 5,000 lbs with just one person in the vehicle and it was relying on a 288 horsepower / 270 lb-ft of torque V6 to move it. 

[A Horse With No Name]

1 hour ago, Drew Dowdell said:

What year Traverse?  You have to remember that even the new Traverse is a pig when it comes to weight.  The old one was over 5,000 lbs with just one person in the vehicle and it was relying on a 288 horsepower / 270 lb-ft of torque V6 to move it. 

I would have to check on the actual year. I think it is about 4 years old. 

[David]

FORD Expanding Michigan Factory for Electric F-150 production. $700 million expansion at Rouge plant comes with 300 additional jobs.

This is good news, sadly they have stated mid 2022 when the Electric F-150 will start rolling off the assembly line going to dealerships. Ford has stated that the Electric F-150 will be faster, stronger and higher pulling capability than and ICE F-150. Ford also has stated that the Electric F-150 will have 40% less maintenance than a comparable ICE unit.

https://www.wsj.com/articles/ford-to-expand-michigan-factory-for-electric-f-150-11600345800

 

[balthazar]

Wait- so it still has 60% of IC maintenance?? I've been misled up til now! :P

[David]

17 minutes ago, balthazar said:

Wait- so it still has 60% of IC maintenance?? I've been misled up til now!

I was also surprised by that info, not sure why the maintenance is still so high. Be interesting to learn what they have on the truck that is requiring so much maintenance.

[A Horse With No Name]

Speaking of the electric F150....

 

 

I love that Ford is doing this. 

And a bit of ICE love, adore this old Chevy!

 

 

Edited September 17, 2020 by A Horse With No Name