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Drew Dowdell

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Everything posted by Drew Dowdell

  1. Drew Dowdell
    I don't think any of the Teslas are particularly attractive... they're just jellybeans nearly completely devoid of character. However, I do love the powertrain setup on them. That powertrain in something like the Escala concept in @oldshurst442 sig would be orgasm inducing.
  2. Drew Dowdell
    That's still better than an S-Class... an S-class loses more than the entire MSRP of the Pacifica Hybrid in just 2 years. You could buy a Pacifica Hybrid, have it depreciate 100% and still be ahead on the money compared to an S-Class buyer/leaser, yet still be under warranty. So, using your logic, the Pacifica Hybrid is better than the S-class.
  3. Drew Dowdell
    Fixed it for your delicate sensibility regarding grammar.
  4. Drew Dowdell
    I dumped a rental property that I swear was cursed.
  5. Drew Dowdell
    Induction motors are every bit as capable as internal combustion and power some of the fastest land based vehicles on the planet for millions of miles of travel at 180 miles an hour.
  6. Drew Dowdell
    Another server in the network we sit in was under DDOS attack. We weren't being attacked directly, but the strain on the network caused our outbound connections to slow or fail. It has been resolved.
  7. Drew Dowdell
    Here's a CPO 2017 Regal 2.0T AWD, 13k miles, $19,899 down at Reedmans.
  8. Drew Dowdell
    With regards to Jeep, you cannot look at the entire brand as judgment against a single model or even a single powertrain in a single model. Jeep has one of the most convoluted lineups in terms of who engineered what in any brand I can think of today. Wrangler - Basic platform goes back decades, Chrysler engine, Mercedes-Benz 5-speed automatic Grand Cherokee - Daimler Chrysler developed platform with roots in the older M-Class, Chrysler Gas engines, VM Motori diesel engines (now FCA owned, but not when they were developed), ZF 8-speed automatic or Mercedes-Benz 5-speed automatic depending on age (If it has an E-shifter, it's an 8-speed, if it has a more traditional gated shifter it's a 5-speed) Cherokee - Fiat Platform modified by Chrysler for Jeep, the 4-cylinder is a code-share Global Engine Alliance engine shared with Mitsubishi and Hyundai with each manufacturer adding their own smaller touches, the 3.2 is a 3.6 Pentastar V6 that's been de-bored, ZF makes the transmission (shared with Land Rover, Acura, and a few others) New Compass - See Cherokee minus the 3.2 V6 option. Patriot / Old Compass - a hodge podge of Mitsubishi, Chrysler, Hyundai, and Daimler engineering. Uses the same 2.4 as the Cherokee and either a Hyundai 6-speed auto, JATCO CVT, or Asin manual. Renegade - Mostly Fiat, can either have a Fiat engine or the Global Engine Alliance 2.4, the Automatic is the ZF unit, the manual is a Fiat developed one. With so many variables, you have to drill down to a specific model in a specific year with a specific powertrain before you can get an idea about any average reliability. Aside from Jeep, the Regal depreciates rapidly, is very reliable, and can be had for a song. In my view, it is one of the best built of the GM vehicles in the entire lineup, even more so than the trucks or 'Burban.
  9. Drew Dowdell
    I'm going to have to stop in if/when we get to Montreal. My partner has been wanting to take a trip there for a few years now, but we couldn't make it work for whatever reason. We have a lot more freedom now as of Friday at 4pm.. so maybe in the spring.
  10. Drew Dowdell
    I have finally unloaded a gigantic financial burden. The years of stress it has caused me ...it will take a while to feel normal again. But, here's to a substantially improved future!
  11. Drew Dowdell
    With what you've shot down so far, I'm back to Equinox/Terrain or Escape. The Renegade is likely too small. The Cherokee might be an option. The V6 is better than the 4 cylinder, but harder to find and more $$.
  12. Drew Dowdell
    Cubical is right
  13. Drew Dowdell
    I can't say enough good about my Encore, as you my only complaint is it is low on power, but it is fuel efficient and has been reliable for the 67k miles we've had it. The AWD system in them is excellent. CPOs can be found in the $15k range, but they'll mostly have over 50k miles on them. They are not terribly exciting, but I bet you can pick up a previous generation Equinox or Terrain 4-cylinder AWD CPO for cheap. If he can keep his foot out of it on the highway, it will do better than 30mpg. If a crossover isn't needed, the best deal on the planet for an AWD vehicle would probably be a CPO Chrysler 200C or 200S. AWD is only on the V6 models. They use a similar AWD setup to the new Twin-Clutch in the Buick Lacrosse and Ford Focus RS, which is supposed to be top of the line. Most of the complaints about the 200's powertrain come from the 4-cylinder models, the V6 has enough torque to keep the 9-speed happy. Here's a CPO 2015 200S with 21k miles for $15,448 If you really wanna go wild, you can even extend this to the 300C which is probably the best deal on a full size with AWD that you'll find. Here's one for $19,000 with 16,917 miles on it. .. and another. My experiences with the Chrysler 300 has always been positive. Stick with 2012 or newer to get the excellent 8-speed automatic (V6 Only).
  14. Drew Dowdell
    Those margins will get better as we move to EVs though. It is the relative simplicity of the electric motor and the lower overall regulation compliance needed (no emissions, easier time with crash standards) that lower the bar of entry. I'm sure we haven't seen the last new entrant into the marketplace by a pure EV manufacturer.
  15. Drew Dowdell
    It's gotta be some automatic flagging via bots. If google can match people's faces in pictures from various websites, I'm sure they can determine when it's a picture of scantily clad body parts. The web policing is only because I use google ads on this website for revenue. If I didn't use google ads, google wouldn't care. .. but they pay the best by far, so I have that deal with the devil.
  16. Drew Dowdell
    Then that right there is my point. You would plug in your EV every night when you were done... you'd start each morning with a 250 mile range. You'd NEVER stop for charging EVER in your daily routine. If you're going on a longer trip, you're already out of your routine, and there are apps to plan your trip for charging if you're going to need it. You "fill up" literally every night, in the morning, unplug the car with a full charge and go. If your daily usage is less than 50 miles, you could go the entire work week without plugging it in. You would save so much in fuel costs, that if you absolutely needed to do a trip the EV couldn't do (and that factor is diminishing daily), that the money saved in fuel would rent you a nice car for the trip.
  17. Drew Dowdell
    You don't go out of your way... that's the point I'm trying to make. How often do you go over 250 miles round trip in a single day?
  18. Drew Dowdell
    Do you regularly drive over 250 miles in a day? I'm talking anything more than 2% of your driving.
  19. Drew Dowdell
    I understand the "why", I'm just venting the frustration that every time EV's come up there is some obscure reason they'd never work large scale because (insert highly specific and uncommon occurrence here).
  20. Drew Dowdell
    I mean really... must every debate on EV's be reduced to strawman arguments? Are we really arguing over supercharger/DCFC locations relative to drag strips now as a knock against EVs? We're talking a percentage of a percentage of a percentage of EV drivers that will ever do such driving.
  21. Drew Dowdell
    *recovers from seizure* .... uh... I'll look into it.
  22. Drew Dowdell
    How do you not have the software for bluetooth streaming available at launch? Clearly the hardware is already there if they are able to do an OTA update.... but streaming is just a software package as part of the bluetooth software stack, and it's been part of the standard for near on a decade.
  23. Drew Dowdell
    And there are empty, or soon to be empty, automotive manufacturing plants all over the world. Heck, when that 3-Wheeler car company Elio finally folds soon, Dyson could probably pick up the freshly refurbished Shreveport, LA plant at fire sale price.
  24. Drew Dowdell
    I'm probably not going to be able to allow the thread..... if I get a notice from google, I'll have to take it down. They've hit me twice lately for old old threads where you guys were posting pictures that I didn't consider to be x-rated, certainly no worse than any calendar in a neighborhood mechanic's office..... but they flagged them anyway. Please tread lightly.
  25. Drew Dowdell
    Like you, my next venture has an exit goal. Grow it big enough that someone else buys it out.
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