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balthazar

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Everything posted by balthazar

  1. balthazar
    mercedes sold 11,794 S-class in the U.S. in calendar year 2012. That's down from 2011 and a bit off the 2006 peak of 30,866. Clearly, the market is still speaking.
  2. balthazar
    s-class wasn't a "high-end" lux car until the 1990s. 'Mid' is closer to the truth. But the problem is, the heavy reliance on fleet sales & heavy discounts. MB needs to address this. Charge closer to sticker prices and eliminate fleet sales and the s-class drops to a fraction of its volume. They can't do that.
  3. balthazar
    The tall van is 76", that's only 6'4"; on the short side for BB players in general, no?
  4. balthazar
    I've seen AMG badges on a BMW. In fact, I've seen a notable quantity of obvious fake AMG mercedees around here- the 'brand' is already experiencing dilution.
  5. balthazar
    But those all fit horizontally; there is no need to store them vertically. Just looked at nissan's NV site, interior cargo length is 120", the high roof's height is only 76", which is 2 feet short of a sheet of drywall. It'd have to be at least 10" taller than 96 in order to turn it vertical inside. It's not for that. They have an admirable selection of interior-outfitting options, but none of them (shelving/ storage) extend higher than the standard-roof height of the van (the height of the glass in the vehicle). Again- bragging rights WRT interior cubic volume... for delivering balloons, is about all I can see it used for. Seems to make much more sense to split the difference with the standard roof (interior height : 56") and make it about 70" tall inside- that would allow average-height folk to stand up inside. Curious.
  6. balthazar
    I don't see mercedes pushing the s-class sticker up when they have to knock so much off already. Market has spoken- it's way overpriced. They need to hold the line on prices until inflation/time & the market catch up to the sticker- probably at least 3 years.
  7. balthazar

    Pictures!

    balthazar replied to Enzora's topic in The Lounge

    FAPTurbo, why (always) so serious?
  8. balthazar
    I see a few of these 'high-top' vans (the nissan, for EX) on the road, and I study them, trying to figure out what all that vertical space could possibly be used for. The best answer I could come up with was; helium balloon delivery van.
  9. balthazar
    Are those 14" rims?
  10. balthazar
    ^ 3rd world country in 1988.
  11. balthazar
    >>"True that. The Lexus LS mostly only sells here, and at a $30,000 discount to the S-class."<< Average transaction prices are much closer than that. S400 is averaging 85K ($8K under MSRP), base LS460 is averaging $71K (4K under MSRP). That's a 14K difference, not 30. S550 AWD is averaging 90K, LS460L AWD is averaging $81K, a difference of 9K. S-class is heavily discounted.
  12. balthazar
    2500HD ~ • Clean & AL polish the rims, new lug nuts, may paint calipers • lube chassis • new shocks • touch up some undercarriage rust (limited surface rust) • fuel filter • have to look at the auxiliary trans cooler, it started to seep. Just did the 100K trans service last month. Tires were replaced in April. Other vehicles ~ • Started the final strip of the '65 Bonne carcass, should be done in a few weeks. Already cut the trunk pan out. • Strip the '60 Bonne, a bunch of parts to store/sell off that one • Carefully strip the '64 Cat; ex-daily driver, it's a complete car. Plus I may have lost something of particular value in it years ago after those 3 are disposed of, will move my '40 Ford over to my buddy's shop: • service the rear/ rear drums/ rear bearings • extract 3 broken exhaust studs so I can get the shorty headers on & fab the exhaust • install the new radiator • rebuilt the ignition & wire the lights • finish fab'bing the floor (it's wood ) • new brake lines • Need to check if the 2-spd rear is working OK, and it's not stuck in the low range.
  13. balthazar
    Swapping an alternator is what- a 15 min job (pop off the belt/wire, undo 2-3 bolts, reverse procedure)? Via an online pic, it looks like you don't even have to remove the engine cover (if so equipped). I would think $25 is excellent vs. time spent (if it's around that for him), then he can decide what to spend it on.
  14. balthazar
    "Ferrari the Ferrari" = "VW- The Car" = 'Pontiac is car". Oy.
  15. balthazar
    ^ you can bet the next s-class will be akin to the current as the '14 Silverado is to the '13. S-class traditionally makes geological-paced stylistic moves, when they could/should've made the CLS the S-class years ago.
  16. balthazar
    Ahh; the 'baby roller', unfortunately, is a stylistic compromise because of it's truncation. I'd like to see a proposal on the Phantom platform. Or at least a heavy dose of refinement on this one. Getting that awkward Camarque vibe from it.
  17. balthazar
    In what serious way is that monstrosity 'badazz'? Looks like a parasitic twin trying to escape out the front. Yeesh.
  18. balthazar
    Really clunky, crude styling, about the least dignified luxury 2-dr out there. The 1970's 2-tone is awful. Surprising, because the sedan is pretty tight.
  19. balthazar
    What strikes me right off is the semantics of relegating "Corvette", which hereto has been top shelf... now the same singular name may well come to mean 'the cheap vette'. I believe it would be smarter to leave the Stingray name to a singular trim, and give a different "Zxx" moniker to the entry-level vette. IE; it's still a Corvette, rather than getting everyone used to the fact that everything is getting jumbled. Z01 & Z02 were used with the Monza Spyder packages, don't know if it either would register well with the purists... but something along those lines. You get me, Camino? But I agree with Camino's suggestion RE line item build possibilities. With a singular plant, this would be easier than with any other multi-plant line. What's going to really help with the discussion is some idea of pricing tiers. I have no issue with the 5.3, as long as it gets a unique tune.
  20. balthazar
    ^ CTS and XTS sales cannot intermingle on any level, as you are fond of repeating; one is FWD, hence no buyer of a RWD car would ever consider one.
  21. balthazar
    Corvette calendar year sales for '11 were 13164, they rose to 14132 for '12, so they're going in the right direction if indeed 12K is some sort of 'line'. Meanwhile porsche 911 sales were just 8528 for '12, according to this site's posted sales numbers. When the cayenne debuted, it was widely reported that porsche as a whole 'needed' the SUV to stay afloat, and indeed it supposedly is generating the capital to keep the money-losing 911 afloat. A more basic base model is not a bad idea as long as it works in concert with the Corvette aura. It will not move the needle much WRT buyer age or sales volume, but sales volume should be (distantly) secondary to product & profit. Even IF the Corvette flirts with the red ink, GM, and Chevrolet more specifically, can more than offset that red with profit from elsewhere. As iconic & class-leading as the car is, it's future should be locked in for eternity. If it wasn't shot behind the ear in 1979, it sure as hell is safe in 2015. If there's a question there from within GM, that person needs to be reassigned to the unemployment line.
  22. balthazar
    Hoping that the Lacrosse doesn't get that delineated full-width mouth below the bumper. Without dividers (tho a tired approach) and with chrome edging, all it does is make the frontal overhang look enormous.
  23. balthazar

    MightyFC

    balthazar replied to balthazar's topic in Jeep

    Ahh yes, the 'quick & dirty' method of concept vehicle construction : sawing a chunk right thru the sill of the body shell. Yea; you forget there ARE people out there who aren't 6'24" like you are, friend. Tires are reportedly 40", add the distance to where the sill would be and I estimate it to be around 46" high. For reference, standard kitchen countertop height is 36-37". This baby needs some real practical thought & engineering WRT ingress/egress if Jeep ever wanted to produce it. Coupled that with (at least here in Jersey); 40" tires aren't legal in all states. Here in Jersey, I believe 38s are the top height.
  24. balthazar

    MightyFC

    balthazar replied to balthazar's topic in Jeep

    Looks like the front fender (which looks to be plastic) opens with the door (note the seam)... which is weird, because you'd have to enter behind the tire, and that stub of fender would be in the way. Step rail/tire... grab onto bed rail?... I dunno. A 'step-friendly' rim might be the easiest way up.
  25. balthazar
    Yea... like, like... New Coke & BetaMax! I'd LOVE to see a viable steam personal transport proposal. I like the idea of electrics, they used to be one of the leading auto powerplants at the dawn of the industry (ancient concept). I don't oppose them, but I see dfelt's point that they are not quite ready for mass consumption. 10 years ago, I would've thought they would be far more accepted now than they've been, esp with the wicked fuel prices over the last 4 years.
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