oldshurst442

Some memorable Oldsmobiles in movie and television

I started this thread this way as a way to ease a little bit of my pain.

It has been quite a grim summer and the reason why I hadnt posted in a while.  

My wife and I lost 2 people dear in our hearts in the month of June and July.  Both young. Both tragic in the way they passed.  Both of their passing changing the course of our lives. Like drastically.  

Drama has ensued with both passings. Senseless drama.  (is there any other kind of drama?)

Just to say that with all this drama, my wife and I have both spent thousands of dollars and inherited thousands more.   Just to say...that I no longer own a restaurant.  Sold it.  Last week. 

Just to say that I am currently un-employed and it actually feels...goooood.

Sorry to have burdened the site with my personal grief.  But this site and you guys have been part of my life for a pretty while.  

Thanks for listening and well, lets talk cars again.  

PS:  I probably wont be responding to this thread again.  Maybe to actually post ghost stories.

HEY...   What a novel idea...   

We could be posting ghost stories in this thread...  

Welcome Back!  

Drinkable yogourt?

Drinkable tzatziki!!! 

@trinacriabob

I appreciate your thoughts and your insights not only on car and travel related topics, but also on the human side.  You seem to remember many folk on this site and you make sure that we all take the time to acknowledge each other's contributions on the human level.     

Thank-you!  

11 hours ago, David said:

So I have been all week in Vegas, sucky story I will post after I get back in a week as I am taking PTO off to go escape and unplug in the Canadian Rockies, Fairmount Hot springs.

I say...have yourself a jolly good time and refresh.  ALWAYS a good idea!  

PS...the great idea upvotey thingy I did on your post was for the Canadian Rockiess getaway trip for you to relax.  NOT about the naming thing for the Escalade although its probably close to what Cadillac will do.   The naming strategy is a bad idea in my opinion....  JUST  to make it clear.   Not on you of course.   On Cadillac.  

GM also has 

  to counter @smk4565's wild claims of 'if' Cybertruck has better handling.

Musk didnt think of crab walk.

Like I said... He could have had an awesome toy AND and awesome truck had he put SERIOUS thought into revolutionizng American pick-up trucks.  AND...he could have all THAT 2 years prior.  He didnt.  He let his ego and hubris dictate but alas, his mouth writes checks that his a$$ cant cash.  And so GM beat him to the punch...   

So...GM comes along with a HUMMER EV and makes for a BETTER toy.

GM takes this classic bad boy that GM make into a toy

then adds the smaller version of said toy

Both that were HUGE successes I might add and creates to ressurect the EV version

But GM also KNOWS what truck buyers NEED so GM continues on IMPROVING their work trucks and ADDS crab walk TO their work trucks and crab walk now becomes a USEFUL tool in the workplace AND for offroading...  

But GM is not done...  GM out-Musks'  ludicrousness by adding FREEDOM mode

Tesla has the right stuff as we speak.  And is selling like crazy.  HAs been selling like crazy since Tesla has been selling EVs. 

But...everybody is gonna be sellin' NEW EVs soon enough.  GREAT EVs.  Tesla has to contend with dated models. Albiet their cars are great technologically, their cars suffer from age and quality.  And Musk hasnt announced ANY 2nd generation of ANY of its vehicles.   Aside from the roadster but roadster's mean nothing when Porsche, Corvette Ferrari and all others are about to enter the EV zone...    Corvette, Ferrari, Porsche ALL have brand recognition and their performance numbers  equal Tesla's whether ICE or EV so moot point...

Tesla has to contend with dated models.  Refreshes wont cut it when BRAND new CUVs await the car buying public.  Soon enough.  

When Tesla gets 2nd gen versions...the COSTS will shoot up again.  You know...R&D.  Renovations to the production factories to assemble the NEW vehicles...   Tesla is making bank now when the cars are old and the R&D has been paid for.   Lets wait to see the costs go up when NEW tooling is required and see what that does to thier BOTTOM LINE.  And they will NEED to spend R&D money for NEW generations because the Model Y cannot sustain 1 million units as NEW FRESH models from OTHER OEMs arrive.  Its the nature of the automotive business...    

Lets talk about THOSE  'ifs' shall we?    

The 'if' Tesla's 2nd generation of Model S will sell as compared to its competion vis-a-vis what the original Model S accomplished a decade ago.   

The 'if' Tesla's 2nd generation of Model 3 and Y will sell as compared to its competion vis-a-vis what the original Model 3 and Y accomplished almost a decade ago.   And will the Model Y BE a best seller?     

The 'if' Tesla has learned to be efficient in producing WITHOUT quality hiccups with their 2nd generation models.

The 'if' Tesla could get investors to invest untold BILLIONS again with a BLIND eye...

RIP Tina.

@trinacriabob

Yes!  What a comeback!   I INSTANTLY fell in love with her the very second I saw her video and listened to her song in 1984.  My 11 year old self never knew she was a star before I was born.  But I instantly knew that other awesome songs were to come.  

THAT video and song would be 

And my all time favorite song from her:

And to no surprise about hearing her again and loving her, a duet with Bryan Adams is released and beomes another hit.  Another song that I LOVE from her

And with this next song, came a lyric that I still use today as an expression for me to announce my greatness to people.  Especially when I was playing hockey and baseball but in my everyday life, I mock people with my arrogance of me being the best and better than all the rest.  I point to the useless souls that I mock as I loudly say " I am better than ALL THE REST!!!" 

I am simply the best and BETTER than ALL THE REST! 

6 hours ago, ccap41 said:

This picture is awesome and you can see Busch Stadium 3 (where my beloved Cardinals play) under construction in the upper left. 

By the looks of nothing being built up yet, this was taken in 2004, the year the Cardinals lost to the Red Sox in the World Series and I was only a freshman in high school. Ohhhh how time flies! 

I saw that picture and I immediately knew that I had to post it.  JUST for you!!! 

I should have personalized the post to you, but...  Its OK

32 minutes ago, smk4565 said:

and all the stuff they promise,

Musk's mouth is known to write checks his a$$ cant cash.

54 minutes ago, smk4565 said:

Stellantis won't be.

Stellantis sells quite a FEW EVs in Europe.

VW is giving Tesla a run for their money in Europe.  SHYTE... VW I think has Europe's crown in EV sales.  And you wouldnt know it, but Stellantis is hot on their heels...  

So...add things up dude.  Stellantis could very well be in 2nd place in EV sales in Europe while Tesla is in 3rd possibly.  Either way...its a hot race. But Stellantis is NOT hurtin' by ANY stretch. I would argue that its Tesla that is losing the European battle front... 

https://qz.com/stellantis-2022-results-electric-vehicles-fiat-new-500-1850144027

https://www.autoblog.com/2023/02/22/stellantis-profit-sales-ev-push/

https://europe.autonews.com/automakers/among-europes-electric-car-leaders-stellantis-passes-tesla-challenges-vw

Just click on the links...   These links are recent.    The oldest being in August of 2022.  The one that states that Stellantis beat Tesla sales and is challenging VW for the crown.    Just so you know...  Stellantis sold 288 000 EVs in Europe... and their profits also rose.  Their EV sales sored 41% CONTRIBUTING to their profits...     Again...do the math... 

31 minutes ago, smk4565 said:

Lot of low volume trucks.  2 Hummer's sold in Q1

0 Cybertrucks were sold tho...

ZERO

31 minutes ago, smk4565 said:

Also the Tesla Model Y has a better profit margin than a gas Escalade.

No it doesnt.

31 minutes ago, smk4565 said:

 How long before the Chevy Blazer EV has a better margin than the Escalade and sells over 1 million units a year?  My guess is never.

Why 1 million?

Tesla does NOT sell 1 million of any unit.

They barely sell 1 million vehicles.

General Motors sells 8 times that. 

31 minutes ago, smk4565 said:

 My guess is never.  And that is what GM, Ford, Toyota, etc are up against.  Making 20% margin on $50,000 electric cars when GM can't even make that on ICE SUVs that are $75-100,000.

You are one confused individual.

Tesla STILL relies on carbon units to make a profit...

Tesla has buyers.  Has a LOT of buyers.   But Tesla hasnt got shyte on efficient production that could maximize profits.  They had to resort to slashing prices and you know what?   THAT cost them DEARLY on profit margin.  Enough that investors started whining...   

But it is what it is...

You keep believing the Mickey Mouse stories of Tesla.  The ONLY reason why Tesla is still operating is because investors have invested BIG TIME on Tesla and cant back down now.  They are hoping apple pie in the sky dreams thatb Elon promised.  They are banking on it.  But reality says otherwise.  They dont have the leadership, the know-how, the products to make a dent on GM, Ford or Toyota.  Let alone VAG and Hyundai.   Market share IS slipping.   And they dont have FRESH product to counter...  The fan club buyers can buy only so much...   A Cybertruck is just a toy.  A crap toy at that as the Hummer, even if only sold 2, will be ramped up...   Its DELIBERATELY been halted.  The demand is there.  The SAME demand that Tesla has got with its Cybertruck.  But the Cybertruck is still in the oven.  And even when it does come out, it WILL have plenty of teething issues as the Cybertruck has NOTHING related to the other EVs Elon sells.  And like usual, the delays will happen...  But...by THAT time, General Motors will have ramped up their EVs...   Coinicidentally, when the Cybertruck is fimally scheduled to come out, so are the GM truck EVs, along with a dozen other EVs...    

Elon reminded us a week ago or so, that the roadster is on again...  

By THAT time, Chevrolet will have sold and delivered AT LEAST  8000 and possibly more E-Rays.   E-Ray is a hybrid.  True.  But when Elon mentioned and showcased the Roadster 2.0, the mid-engined Corvette was still wrapped in mystery and in denial.  I mean NOBODY thought that Chevrolet would EVER engineer a Corvette like that. You know... such a thing as a mid-engined affair let alone an ELECTRIC version of it...

Good Night dude.   Sweet Dreams.  

31 minutes ago, smk4565 said:

So the question is where will the Cybertruck price out?

Good question.

But if we go with Tesla precedence and not with Musk's lyin' words, the Cybertruck will probably be priced ABOVE GM and Ford...

32 minutes ago, smk4565 said:

If Tesla beats Ford and GM on price, it is kind of game over for Ford and GM.

And a big NO to that regardless of where the Cybertruck is priced at.

And do you know why?

Ive ranted about this sort of thing on another thread.  Its about normalizng EVs.  Not subjuctating them to some irrelevant childish toy.   

Childish toy.

The Ford Lightning has a plethora of actual work truck related features that NORMALIZE it as a legit electric vehicle work truck...

If Elon wasnt so gung ho about saying that he wants to re-invent the pick-up truck, the Cyber truck works PERFECTLY as a childish toy for the rich folk.  But the Cybertruck is NOT about BEING a childish toy you see.  It is suppose to BE a legit work truck meant to revolutionize the American pick-up truck...

The thing is, Ford actually put some thought into it and actually DID revolutionize the pick-up truck by NORMALIZING the Ligntning by it looking like an actual vehicle with some gosh darnit features...

If Elon didnt go with a shock value design and Elon never went with useless with bullet proof windows for a work truck that didnt actually do any bullet proofing as per the ONLY advertising reveal it did and had  Elon KEPT the stainless steel body and the some sort of magic frame and FOCUSED on ACTUALLY revolutionizing the work truck and put some thought into it, he would have done it.  And if he actually DONE the Cybertruck as he said he would and actually RELEASING it 2 years ago, he WOULD HAVE HAD a GREAT childish toy.  But he did NONE of those things. ZERO!!! 

And last but not least on my point to make. GM has MORE THAN a couple of electric trucks that will go on sale or that are on sale as of NOW that just do the childish toy a helluva lot better...

 To come shortly

Eventually

And just newly announced

What Im proposing doesnt mean that I want the Lyriq to be called Sedan deVille. What I am saying is that the name Lyriq doesnt reflect the idea of this particular CUV to be THE  Cadillac that every hard working succesfull American strives to buy and drive.  Sure, the Lyriq name suggests that Cadillac would be THE luxury brand that is most sung about, but its such an insignificant suggestion that actually, honestly, NOBODY gives a shyte about!!!  

This particular CUV/SUV should have had a name that INSPIRES hard working succesfull Americans to be PROUD of their Cadillac purchase.  It has the looks.  It has the goods..  It doesnt have the name....   And...the NAME is a HUUUUUGE part of it, in MOST cases in the automotive world.     

20 minutes ago, Drew Dowdell said:

Off-topic, but I saw my first one in the wild yesterday, and it's a really handsome vehicle.

I bet it is.  Its got great proportions.  Not only that, its stately.  A great modern day Sedan deVille replacement.  

But the name doesnt reflect that.

When GM goes all electric, and more specifically Cadillac...

I wonder when the novelty and marketing spiel will wear off of having IQ as an identifyier of Cadillac EVs? 

Ive said this before, if a company wants to normalize EVs, then companies should start to behave in every aspect of their EV endeavors as EVs being normal automotive transportation.   From the looks of the EV to the naming of the EV.  (some people will bitch about the usage of EVs as well, but those people are just mis-informed morons that probably hail Tucker carlson and Laura Ingrahim as good peoples) 

EQx and xxxIQ and xxxx-E  (as in Golf-E) and EVx (as in EV9) etc are ALL UTTER SHYTE!!!

I get the transitional naming from the ICE age to the EV age thing, but its still behaviour that is NOT normalizing EVs.  Its putting the EVs in a niche situation signaling that there is an ICE option.  And to convince a very very skeptical American buying public that is fed BULLSHYTE about EVs on an hourly basis, THAT kind of naming just puts the EV model jwith a shytty patronizing EV centic name behind the 8 ball... 

The Escalade EV should NOT be called Escalade IQ.   Firstly, "IQ" should be dropped IMMEDIATELY.  Its a very infanitile way and concept of using IQ  as indentifiers for representing EVs...   

IQ meaning level of intelligence.  EV adoption.  Marry both to get a word with IQ at the end to signify EV+EV adoption=intelligence.   

Its extremely childish to make such a connection.  Its super cringe and it cheapens the brand.

Celestiq (the name) means NOTHING.    Its going to go on a 300 000  dollar plus boutique hand made vehicle. But the name doesnt do justice for what the vehicle itself REPRESENTS for Cadillac and for GM EVs on the whole.  Its not even a clever name.    Maybe Majestiq would work?   But NO!!!!   Its a STUPID childish game to do anagrams like that.  Its elementary school...    

Lyriq?

Its cute and all.  Its got a message behind the name.  Cadillac has been sung about millions of times.   But cute wears off quite quickly.     Tesla's S-3-X-Y  was cheeky...   But the novelty has worn off...    There is no more cute to that.   Elon speaks and it AINT SEXY.  Its more like Shut Your FAT TRAPPER Musk boy!!! 

Food for thought! 

My take on this IQ naming thing:

Ascendiq, Optiq, Symboliq, Vistiq,  Lumisiq...

Escalade IQ???

Celestiq and Lyriq?

Not much better than alphanumerics I say.  

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Ack!!! Ack!!!

RIP  Jim Brown