trinacriabob

12 hours ago, Drew Dowdell said:

Last week we had some nice weather.

time for some 2-wheel therapy 

Very nice!

I was able to see the Toronado's hood up.  Which bridge is that - Fort Pitt?

We all pick our therapy.  On her radio talk show, Dr. Ruth would sometimes ask her callers, "Have you tried TERAPY?" Classic.

The other thing is the engine.

People used to say a 350 V8 should last this long, a 3800 V6 should last this long, and the 1.8 and 2.5 in past Corollas and Camrys, respectively,  should last this long ...

If I'm not mistaken, the 1.5 T was released around 2017, for the refreshed Malibu.  I don't know what longevity this engine can attain. I  haven't heard any numbers tossed out.  How many miles have any of these units racked up and have they had any mechanical quirks?

Very interesting.

For such a significant price increase, it had better deliver.

I see a lot of things going on.  The bigger, boxier look reminds me of the Ford Flex.  The front grille, straight on, looks Chevy/GM or Ford.  The super rectangular pods on the dash, air vents, etc. go with the new look, and that overall shape when it comes to front (bucket) seats is very much to my liking.

I wonder why the engines dictate 2 separate transmission offerings.  Maybe they figured there wasn't much to gain from 2 extra gears in the hybrid.

Most of all, it will be interesting to see if the price hike will crimp sales or it will be a moot issue.

Also, all of these SUV/CUVs look deceptive from the outside, meaning you'd have a decent rearward view from the inside. 

Not.

They each require at least a "test sit."

Pros:

Front grill lamps and clean looking lattice, side sculpting, rear treatment, and just about all the assist features one would want

Cons:

I don't really like the engine (especially for this application), the dash to the right of the main cluster looks too much like that of the BMW 2 series or the more recent Buick Envision, and the outboard circular vents look cheap and say Nissan Sentra

In short, it's the vehicle's exterior appearance that is markedly improved.

I found the "official" version of this song video and have listened to it a few times.  It's in my music collection to stream, too.

https://youtu.be/w859A3YmBkE?si=OKo3QzBn0kWMBmcd

This is the title cut from the album "Break Every Rule."  I think it's the best song on the album, just like "Private Dancer" is the best (title) song on that album.  "Private Dancer" runs pensive while this one is spirited.

You can tell that those who toured with her probably liked working with her.  She's the underdog who hit it big, breaking free from Ike and running circles around him. She will be hard to forget ... electric and very cool at the same time.

I just saw this.

First, @David I will definitely be putting the TravelJohn on my list! Other suggested things to have in the travel kit are those compact camping toilet paper rolls and a small flat plastic container with some toilet seat covers.  

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That aimless car trip to decompress, and it needs to be done alone, cannot be undervalued.  Mine was a triangle, which I usually did in my Camaro. I would do this after college, but prior to moving to Atlanta for a couple of years. It would mean driving up the coast about 50 miles, driving back on an inland freeway with a stop at a Big Boy restaurant, and then taking the last freeway to complete the triangle to get home.

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@William Maley  Good read.  That Ford sedan up above, in that trim level, is attractive. They're the "same," but I took to the Mercury Milan of those same years just a little bit more.  Either away, amazing for what was once a "GM only" consumer.  There are many Fusion/Milan vehicles still on the road in very good shape.

Tesla and Boeing are sadly sort of like "two peas in a pod" these days.

Really interesting to see that Europeans will pare down the transmission offerings on a smaller car to an automatic.  That said, it appears that the 7 speed DSG automatic is now a stalwart for the companies under the VW umbrella.  It is in fact a pleasant experience to drive a VW-Seat-Ibiza product with such a unit working the gears.

There was a thread about the Chrysler 300 somewhere in the heap and I saw one just the other day.

It's the older more bulbous "Gotham City" looking version which never got my attention.  It was badged 300 instead of Lancia Thema, which had a smaller V6 engine.  I have a feeling this one has the Mopar V6 seen in North America.  The most unusual thing about this one is that the car had plates with BG, which means Bulgaria.  Its license plate also used the Latin alphabet instead of the Cyrillic one.

In photo searches, it's somewhat amazing how many big American cars, and GM colonnades, were featured from Eastern Europe - mostly Hungary and the Czech Republic.

Where will they get the parts for them when they'll need them?

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I saw this about a week ago.  I was walking past a gym and went in to inquire about pricing.  I saw this thing (see below) on the floor and asked about it.  The guy said he knew that it came from a Corvette, but didn't the year or engine size. 

Knocking on it, it was a cast iron block.  Not what one expects to see in a small bread and butter gym.

Everything is more legible and clearer from a laptop than from a smartphone.

Per the homepage, there are 2 birthdays today and I only really "know" one of the birthday folks.  That said, happy birthday (or buon compleanno) to @Paolino.  Enjoy the special day.

I figured the sales of high priced/high quality and workmanship vehicles would be low in terms of units.  They are interesting to look at, but not to own, always having to worry about door dings and small scratches.

I had to laugh because around 1976, Oldsmobile sold over 1 million cars, of which 512,000 (IIRC) were Cutlasses.  Now, Oldsmobile has been absent for some 20 years.

On 1/18/2024 at 12:25 AM, David said:

Rich have gotten richer, the rest of us poorer.  People wonder why we are giving such huge tax breaks and money to companies and the 1% when the rest of us can barely afford to buy a new auto let alone a home.

Welcome to the 21st century.

It's the truth.

The worst thing that may have happened to the U.S. and Canada, and several other "first world" (somewhat of a controversial term anymore) countries, is the erosion of the middle class.

It made for a healthier country in terms of fiscal soundness, morale, and, yes, even basic health.  It's very sad.

Woke up this morning and realized it's January 20th.

That means January 20, 2025 is exactly a year away. (The leap year buys us a little more time.)

The variables are daunting.

* sigh *

I saw this today.  Generic looking and the driver was somewhere else, so probably not a fast charger.

There are either 0 or 1 car(s) at these 2 dedicated spaces.

I was listening to the news and they stated that rental car agencies in Italy are shelving 20% of their EV fleets.  It didn't name companies, so it sounds like an average or aggregate.  With the infrastructure here, and rural swaths and poorer regions, getting them charged could be a problem.

People shouldn't be scared, but they are understandably apprehensive.  Everyone wants EV infrastructure they can work with and understand.  I remember when I found a Tesla charger and was thrilled. I then came to learn it was a Destination charger.  That's why no one was around. I had to move on to a Supercharger at 11 p.m.  I had the 20 minutes, but not the molasses slow 2 hours that would have kept me up until 1 a.m.

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What I was really going to post:

I dislike and don't trust vessel dishes at eateries.  It has a smoke and mirrors aspect about it.

Joyce Cooling - given that she's from the Bay Area and the time she was born, some Italian DNA wouldn't surprise me ... the city's demographics are much different now

Sporting a "don't be giving me any crap as I walk down this Berkeley street" look - I don't know if that's really Berkeley; however, I have a weird "relationship" with the place

I would just hear her stuff come on some jazz stations when channel surfing and figured she would be more of a tree hugger than being quite hip, with the NorCal coastline in the background

On 1/14/2024 at 4:37 PM, Robert Hall said:

And yes, that is a crucifix..the owner of the body shop is a part-time pastor I think.  Small town Ohio.  Steve Gump and his team at Hill Valley Auto does great work, very reasonable rates.   Newcomerstown, Ohio, about 10 miles from where my family farm was.  The '69 Mustang and '67 Cougar are stored there, they are working on the '69 this winter. 

I'm sure you miss your Buick..served you well for a long time..have a found a new ride in Italy? 

As for the crucifix and all the other consistent demographics, don't get me started on schemata.  I could extrapolate and then some.

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Yes, I'd have to say I miss it.  It and the Buick coupe before it were the most reliable cars I've had, bordering on almost unbelievable.

As for a new ride, I'm going to hold off.  I know driving has always symbolized freedom for me and I do do enjoy it, but I want to make sure everything gels a little more.  First, transit is very good and popular and I just got a monthly pass for 34 Euro!  That even includes some local train use, which makes it even more appealing.  As for cars, I will have to do some research, both in published form and by asking around.  I'll have be making trips back in both April and July, so I don't want to buy a car just yet.

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At this point, I'll list some cars I'm considering (alphabetically) and ALL of them must be automatic.  With that comes learning whether it's a decent automatic and whether it appears to have been taken care of.

Alfa Romeo MiTo - the most "exotic" on the list

Citroen C3

Fiat Tipo 4-door (only, not the wagon) - definitely practical and you don't see all that many

Ford Fiesta - a little nicer looking as a coupe, IMHO       

Ford Focus

Hyundai i-10

Hyundai i-20

Kia equivalents to the Hyundais above or similar

Opel Astra - this was sold as a Saturn in the U.S.

Opel Corsa

Opel Karl - yes, it's related to the Chevy Spark, but the dash and finish inside are nicer

Renault equivalents to the cars in this list

Seat Ibiza - now related to VW and it shares tech with them, but a little nicer looking than its Teutonic relatives

Smart four four

Toyota Yaris

VW Polo

- - - - -

I'll also have to consider whether I will default to a sedan even though most of the coupes are more attractive and will have to consider trunk capacity (I'd like to be able to fit one regular suitcase, a duffel or gym bag, and possibly the tote that slides on top of the regular suitcase.  Also, as with anywhere else, there are so many gradations in styling/appearance, trim, color, engine/trans. choices across adjacent years.

This Joyce Cooling is talented.

Native San Franciscan

1 hour ago, David said:

I agree, happy birthday to @balthazar I think the lack of folks wanting to stay focused on ICE, old autos drove him to other areas on the internet to chat with others as I have not seen him pop in to comment on anything in the last year plus I think.

I think that, once we branched out from mostly GM, the focus should be pluralistic ... for anything that was, is, and will be on the road and that members like.  I obviously still love and carry a torch for GM's colonnades, from 1975 through their derivatives until ~ 1987. (I don't ever see becoming a fan of Tesla, specifically ... especially after being "traumatized"by one ... lol.)

Change requires stretching.  I've stretched some from only GM to other domestic manufacturers ... then to foreign brands ... and prospectively most likely to something just a bit larger than the basic econobox.

On 11/10/2023 at 8:42 PM, Robert Hall said:

 Looking forward to getting it home and enjoying it again like I did in Colorado in my 20s. 

 

I just noticed this. That's impressive.

Was that an illuminated crucifix on the building's wall?  Drive-through religion?

5.0 liter V8? Manual? I'm thinking you probably would have enjoyed the twisties of the Front Range with a stick (even more).

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What I was going to post ...

What did I do to my car today?

Well, I THOUGHT about the car.  It would have been its 16th birthday.

I sold it with 128K.  There is almost no doubt that, aside from smaller annoying fixes, the powertrain could deliver at least twice that.  They'll have to take care of it.  I'd hate to see a babied 3800 Series III not delivering the service it so easily can.

* sigh *

I was scrolling around earlier today and saw the birthday list.  Then, I ran errands and also went to Ikea.  I checked it again later to make sure I didn't have sleep in my eyes ... and didn't want the day to pass without wishing @balthazar a happy birthday.

I saw this interesting video on what a Boeing 797 could be.  

I disagree with his thoughts about the 787 being sort of a gamble. It's great. It's got range to go very far and also works for 2 to 3 hour flights.

The 787 rolled in the 757 and 767, so it was good that way, although it's more similar to a 767.  I didn't know there was that much love for the 757 ... and that it left a gap.

The 737 is one of the best planes ever.  It's boring, but has been a workhorse for decades.  Now, if all these MAX issues could be resolved and fade into the rear view mirror.

The biggest thing is that Airbus is scoring big with the 321-XLR, which carriers are increasingly using for transatlantic service.  I flew on one for 7 hours for a 177€ deal back to North America and it was better than okay.  It was better than doing it on an older Boeing 757, though both are 3-3single aisle.

So, this 797 is meant to go head-to-head with Airbus.  It will be like a long 737, have longer range for transoceanic service, and, best of all, this concept shows it having 2-3-2 twin aisle seating, so 7 seats across.  You really want that on a long haul flight.  It opens up the feel of the cabin.  

I'm no marketing researcher.  Boeing has their work cut out for them.  They also have to deliver with this latest 777, which is behind schedule.

I think this line-up from big to small looks plausible:

777 - their biggest remaining airliner and as close to a 747 as we'll get anymore

787 - aka the Dreamliner

767 - they have kept a line in operation, but only for freighters - UPS, Amazon Prime, etc. use them a lot!

797 - new plane to slot into niche

737 - local and domestic workhorse

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What do I know? I just know which airplanes I like, but that's aside from how they pencil out. Primarily, I wish Boeing success.  

I'm surprised and not surprised.

I'm surprised because they had made a commitment and were making a statement.  I'm also surprised that they didn't buy them with any volume purchase incentives.

I'm not surprised because many renters did not like the Teslas.  They do not have a scan code with a "to do list" for you because it's not obvious what you should be doing to operate all the "necessary" aspects of the car.  Or a sheet they hand you with your rental leaflet. A person sometimes even has to hunt around to find how some things work on a newer ICE car.  We're no longer talking 1999 Cavaliers where you could hop in and go.

I'm open to EVs in a rental fleet.  I will plan and work around the charging and range issues. The dashboard and its interfaces basically need to be more user-friendly and intuitive.  That's what I ask.

As I read the comments, I learned that this was a reboot of a song done by 4 or 5 guys earlier on.  This reboot is better.

Decent music started tapering off right around this time.

I can't remember if I was in a rented Grand Am or G6, but I definitely remember where I was.

On 12/31/2023 at 2:29 AM, David said:

Interesting take on 2024 interest rates.

https://www.businessinsider.com/fed-rate-cut-outlook-economy-recession-forecast-2024-inflation-ubs-2023-12

Interesting story on China's Economic situation.

China's $10 trillion hidden debt mountain could be the 'ticking time bomb' that Joe Biden warned of (msn.com)

I am a little stressed right now as I read about the polls and polling.  I  know there are more qualified people available on both sides who aren't showing up or aren't monopolizing the media with theatrical high drama.

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What I was really going to say:  health care professionals don't like smart people.  You can read an awful lot about things on line and, if think in visual and diagrammatic terms, you can practically self diagnose. I have correctly done it numerous times.

I had to trade in my last doctor after 3 years because he was so crass, but his medical assistant had a pleasant demeanor.  Now, I have a doctor I like enough, but his medical assistant can sometimes be a mercurial sn@tch.  I think I go in too late in the day, so she's probably on edge craving a smoke break.

This is why I do what I can to avoid the doctor's office.  My only vice is the occasional buffet or Brazilian steakhouse visit where they shave off the meats right at the table.

My dad didn't stay on his medication regimen for decades and courted cardiac issues later. My mom was never in the hospital between having me and passing away.