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Hi there! I'll admit writing this feels somewhat awkward as I really don't like talking about myself. Most of the time, I'm churning out news stories and reviews for various places. But this is somewhat important. Next week, I'll be starting a new job with JATO Dynamics as a Specifications Researcher. Basically, I'll be digging into the various information about features, options, and other information on new vehicles. This may seem somewhat odd to be moving from a writing position to doing a bit of research, but it actually uses a lot of the skills and knowledge that I have gathered from being a freelancer. Also, I've been feeling slightly burnt out in terms of the writing. I've noticed that it has been taking me slightly longer to get various pieces out, along with doing anything that is sort of creative and not sounding like a MadLibs. Now for the big question, what does this mean for Cheers & Gears? For now, I'll be taking a bit of a break from writing. I won't be giving up the ghost, but not doing a constant stream of news that I have been able to do since going freelance full time since 2012. I'll still be getting various news pieces, along with reviews and the odd opinion piece up. But I hope this break allows me to recharge and get back on writing somewhat more consistent and creative. I just want to say thanks to you, the members and readers of Cheers & Gears for somehow being able to put up with my writing for quite some time. It has been fun and something I enjoy, even when the thread somehow goes off the rails.

I, in no way, am arguing your logic.... because it makes sense. But, in selling Heavy Duty Rams... I have seen several truck customers opting out of the Cummins and going with the 6.4 motor. It is, with no doubt, a good gas motor in the Heavy Duty. The reasons vary. It usually comes down to the DEF and/or the fact that the customer isn't towing as much as they thought. I, for one, would not need (currently) to buy a diesel if I wanted a Heavy Duty truck. And the $8000 plus difference in cost would also be a factor in my purchase.

So much to say yet still missed the point made but whatever. Just the same old, same old from feverant fans who make assumptions about folks who dare to criticize their favorite brand and then sidestep their errors completely to go off on yet another tangent. Whatever floats your boat. Regarding the Regal, give me an AWD Tour X with a mythical 3.6L Turbo, and I’d be a happy man although I’d be happier had GM not killed off the CTS wagon. I will always be a little sour about that one.

At one time I tried to live up to your contribution.. but it was too hard.. and only lasted a few articles. Thanks for your dedication. And Good Luck with this new endeavor

Thank you for all the time you've put in here over the years. We all appreciate it.

This was funny...ordered a DoorDash delivery of Indian food for lunch today, and the driver was the same red bearded Milennial I chatted w/ about 6 months ago w/ the black Tesla Model 3. I noticed the front fascia was scuffed and cracked..he said he had spun it into a snowbank last week. He said when it was really cold last week the door handles froze and it was hard to get into, and that he'd been having intermittent electrical issues inside..and that the touchscreen was hard to use w/ gloves (because the heater quit).

That car is so incredibly awesome. I remember getting a tour of the Mustang plant as a kid when the Mustang II was in production. Good times...and good memories of my father who is no longer with us.

Wow they managed to make it look smaller and like agile. I think the RAM looks the most luxo but this looks the most techy in top trims

After almost 2 years with my current Jeep, I'm definitely happy with the low mileage used approach (it was 3 yrs old with 25k, for close to $20k below the list of a new one).

The next vehicle has to be an SUV. Easier to get his elderly parents in and out of now that we're driving them around so much. But even still, I'm never allowed a wagon.

I'm not allowed to buy a wagon sadly

I am such a sucker for the Mustang. Even the II..... A couple of years ago, someone stuffed the 7.3 V10 in a II chassis! It was epic!!!

Cost usually. Going with the Powerstroke over the 6.2 liter is a $10k upgrade. I can't find the config with the V10.

GM already did the pushrod V8 transverse in a FWD platform back in the oughts...not the best configuration, IMO.

And low end torque, which is good for towing and Super Duty grunty stuff..

Good for toughness and more compact packaging.

I didn't think we'd see over 7 liters in a production engine again ever.

“U are a known Ford fan” Yeah, I’m not touching that other than to say that you are clearly not familiar with my work. Two Ford fans have been banned or walked away from here (and MT) at least partially because of my many criticisms of Ford. Not a bragging thing btw but just illustrating the pure absurd ness of even insinuating that I am a Ford fan much less a “known Ford fan”. LMAO if you seriously even think that.

The early Torinos. 1971. The hide-way-headlights are nice, but on the Torino, it reminds me of a 1969 Cougar. I prefer the Cougar's looks. Starsky and Hutch, but the Mercury version. A very dear family friend had one back in the day. A 1974 Mercury Cougar with a 351 Windsor I believe. Shyte brown. Kinda like this one if I remember the car correctly. As much as I hate that 1970s brown on cars, Im very fond of it on that Cougar. 1970 Lincoln Continental Mark 3 1974 Ford Thunderbird 4 door Convertible Town Car

So it's almost, but not quite a 460 cubic incher. Fabulous. Of course it will be tres useful in a truck like this. So heartwarming to see.

Me either. Why not just twin turbo the 5.0 V8 they already have? I don’t get why they still isn’t an ecoboost V8. And it can’t be fear of turbo in a pick up because the F150 is mostly turbo and the diesel in the heavy duty is turbo. I also thought that V10 died in 2010 that engine was old 10 years ago.

I would like to point out that this truck can tow almost 12 of my Ford Focus.

This thing is really moving.

Thanks. One brand fans don’t get that some of us can point out the flaws in new cars (and old cars for that matter) and not be a fan of an opposing brand or never intending on buying new in the first place. Just because I choose not to buy new does not mean that my opinion is not valid no matter what some overcompensating person says (And no, I am not referring to anyone specific here). Hell, if you ask me, it makes me financially smarter to not pay a mortgage payment on a $70-100K car or truck. Let natural depreciation take care of the bulk of money waste there and then take advantage. It’s how my wife just got a 2015 Soul with only 20k miles for less than $13K. I’ve sold cars in the past and just did some part time work at a Chevy dealership last year so I don’t feel that I’m totally talking out of my posterior here lol. Carry on folks. Who’s the communist lol?

On a side tangent, FCA needs to do an 'LA Rams' edition of the Ram in purple and yellow...

What were people still buying the gas V10 for? That's what this is replacing.

I remember riding in one at about age 6...my brother was a salesman at the local Ford dealer in the mid 70s, he'd come home with cars like a black '74-76 Thunderbird, dark blue '72 Gran Torino Sport, '76 Mustang II Cobra, etc...

Factory made VW half cab, very rare.

It lacks the sound soul and fury of the flat six Porsche has had since forever. Give me the 6 over the four. The Push rod V8 a lot of people can handle....not naming names...

Here.. put one of these two pushrods in there and see what happens

This was my thinking. Smart move to utilize the torquey design. Aren't there still rumors of a 7 liter going into the Rams?

Camry, ES too.

It doesn't have a 2-speed transfer case, no. I certainly don't see any of the engines having enough low-end torque to do that unless he was flooring it at the time AND it was a 3.5 Ecoboost. Furthermore, I don't think 4x4 models have "2wd mode". Only a few SUVs have that and I don't think Explorer is one of them. Explorer is AWD all the time. Even still, if there was a 2wd mode, it would be the front wheels that had power at the time.

It is nice to see though.

There is still room for a naturally aspirated 3.6... maybe not as a GS, but still.

This is just another application that GM needs to drop the 2.7T in. Enough of this 3.6 already.

Agree on the CTS wagon, for sure.

Then maybe I'm wrong.. I'm confusing U with someone else.. Who are U? Actually.. Doesn't matter to me in the end.. U know that. Cause U know me. pfft Sorry I don't put much thought into posting these days.. but today I'll put a little thought into it.. GM, Ford, Chry.. all have a much more storied past, with two still remaining steadfast in RWD motivated vehicles... way more than Hyundai. Personally I like the diversification of GM's portfolio of vehicles. My only complaint about the company as a whole stems from their heavy reliance on the 3.6L in so many vehicles that would benefit from existing twin turbo engines they already have tried and true. The Regal, Malibu, Impala, XT5, and XT6 included. Going back to the secondary subject, the Stinger, the Regal being the first, I am not attracted to the vehicle.. or anything from the Hyundai camp. Simple as that. The Regal is a more attractive vehicle for various reasons, and if I desired a mid-sized RWD vehicle I'd shop at neither. How is that hard to comprehend considering I have one of the epitomes of RWD mid-sizer sedans in my garage? Is there an issue because I won't downgrade.. or go balls to the wall in support of GM bringing a RWD sedan to the market for "every man?" My resume of RWD is solid.. past and present. I drive RWD almost daily in the winter with the Yukon. I drive RWD every weekend with the Z06. I drive RWD on every date nite with the CTS-V.. I drive RWD to every cruise with the 66 Impala SS. To some.. I might just have a RWD fetish.. I'm a RWD junkie.. I go cuckoo for RWD. My next car? RWD based AWD CT6V most likely. After that.. RWD based AWD Escalade most likely. Am I supposed to get upset that GM has also decided to appease the market whims of its primary customers in the CUV game.. women.. with FWD based vehicles that have one of the most advanced AWD systems on planet Earth? Nope. That goes for every one of the C1XXs.. the E2XXs. I mean... U are complaining about the fact that outta 16 actual cars GM sells here in the U.S. only 5 are RWD.. but give no evidence or credibility that more RWD available would make the the vehicles more desirable. In fact.. WHAT DO U DRIVE? I know for fact that the Chevy SS was available from the end of 2013 to the end of 2017.. Did U buy? Well why not? I mean the car is still basically brand new. I'm sure U could find a nice one still available GM Certified with under 10K on the odo. How about a Pontiac G8? a used one has to be going for under $10K by now?. U better be driving RWD. Otherwise , or by just looking at the market.. one might see that RWD doesn't sell in huge quantities outside of niche and luxury. GM has niche and luxury RWD based cars. I'm looking at the Stinger's numbers for '18.. it sold 16,806 vehicles. Genesis sold 9200 vehicles for all of 2018.. 3 vehicles included in that summary. This is to anyone... Back to FWD vs RWD in C/SUVS. The XT5 sold more than the X5. More than the GLE. The Lexus RX sold more than any of them. The MDX.. right up there. Of course only at Cadillac does having FWD CUVs damage the brand. BULLS#!+!!! Tell me why? Personally I'm of the mindset of as long as these CUVs fund me keeping the CTxs and Escalades in the line-up then I'm good. As long as Blazers, Equinoxs, and Traverses keep me getting Camaros, Vettes, and Tahoes.. GREAT Hell the only reason why FCA keeps the Charger, 300, and Chally going is because of net profit due to the fact that the platform is literally 1000 years old. I applaud their duping some into believing that the "Corolla Philosophy, but adding in a big engine and going fast in a straight line" is the American way. OH.. and just to piss someone out there who refuses to embrace change and moving into that change.. I hope EVs take over the entire automotive landscape by 2022

You are correct. I’ve never had a brand allegiance but I had been really liking Cadillac until lately. That little exchange is a great a example of why I took a little break from the forums. I just can’t take certain things that seriously anymore.

And I would agree with this 100%!!! I would own a Hellcat/Red Eye first. Or a Scat Pack. A Mustang GT, any engined convertible, GT350 in second place and Id skip the Camaro entirely. Maybe Id do a Trans Am 455 SD from Trans Am Depot in 3rd place instead of an outright Camaro.

Funny thing about 60s-70s Fords is the engines are usually pretty solid and reliable. It’s the bodies that rusted horribly here in the land of salty roads.

2019 GMC Terrain SLT AWD 2.0t in Sedona with Black Package. What do you guys think of this FWD-biased lease appliance?

...and Holy crap that is an impressive towing number!

For some reason, I was reading the Wikipedia article on the LS4 last night...had some unique parts for fitting in a transverse config, incl. a remote water pump..don't think I've ever seen one in person. The MC only got that engine option in its last 2 years, the '06-07..the 2 years it had the updated Impala-ish front end.

Thanks and good luck!

All-new 7.3L gas V8 available! 2020 F-Series Super Duty!

I keep searching, but I have not found a replacement for my Jeep. It is a perfect size. It has no power so I cannot get myself in trouble. It goes well in inclement weather. It has a stick. It is comfortable. It gets decent mileage for my commute. AND it is green. Turning over 37k miles soon. I've paid down on it a good bit, but I am always concerned about resale with any of my vehicles due to the number of miles I accumulate. So still I search. Silverado is too big and expensive, no regular cab shortbed available. Colorado has nothing substantively new since its resurrection. Passport is Asian in decent, even if it is as American as a Honda can get. Ram Classic is neat, and available in regular cab shortbed, but it is old. F-150 is too big for garage and is made of beer cans. Ranger is cool, leary of fuel mileage with EB 4. Blazer is too much money for what it is in the trim level I'd settle for. Edge is nicer than Blazer, really. Maybe the 2020 Trax/Granite/Encore will be a lively competitor. Keenly innerested in passing judgment on them. I wonder what is coming to Chicago? Is anyone donning their Kevlar vest and hitting the show? Do we have a preview, or is everything a secret?