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.

Here's a CPO 2017 Regal 2.0T AWD, 13k miles, $19,899 down at Reedmans.

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.

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.

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!

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 $$.

Cubical is right

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).

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.

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.

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.

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?

Do you regularly drive over 250 miles in a day? I'm talking anything more than 2% of your driving.

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).

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.

*recovers from seizure* .... uh... I'll look into it.

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.

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.

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.

Like you, my next venture has an exit goal. Grow it big enough that someone else buys it out.

Tell us about your restaurant @oldshurst442

It has nothing to do with exterior size. It has to do with what the cars are priced against. Americans value interior space. The other players in the XJ's price class are just roomier inside.

@oldshurst442 - I split this into its own topic so as to not derail the original one too much beyond where it has already gone. Short version: My parents own a boat propeller performance tuning business, and an avocado orchard with 90 85 trees and 4 varieties after the hurricane. Long version: The avocado farm is not a working farm at this point. They bought it out of foreclosure and have spent most of their time rebuilding the house on the property into something livable. Their first night in the new house was the night I arrived to help them prep for the hurricane. Regarding the boat business. Imagine if you could, that you could take your tires to a shop and that shop would modify your tires to make your car a bit faster, a bit more fuel efficient, or both. My parents do that with boat propellers... and my dad is so good at it that they do virtually zero advertising and they keep a steady business going. They are almost entirely word of mouth and they are the go-to people when cheaper shops screw up your propellers. They take all of the vital statistics of the boat. Weight, width, length, engine size, engine speeds, rated horsepower, torque, gearing, all of that and more. They put all of that into a program which then designs the ideal shape of the propeller for that boat. They then scan each blade at set radii with an extremely precise scanning device and compare that to what the computer generates. They then use hamers, hydraulics, and some proprietary machinery my dad invented to shape the propeller into the exact design that the computer spits out. This results in ultra-balanced, very efficient propellers that will often result in a 2 mph - 5mph increase in speed and a reduction in fuel usage. That may not sound like much, but when you're talking about a 150 ft. yacht, that is a HUGE increase. So, if you have a big boat and you want to go faster than your friends, you go see my parents. If you have a really fast boat and you want to make sure you go faster than the Coast Guard (it is Miami, you don't ask questions), you go see my parents. If you hit coral with your $50,000 propellers and you need them fixed back to better than factory tolerances, but you already had a "cheap" shop do it and they still vibrate when you're out on the bay, you go see my parents. I come from a line of entrepreneurs. My parents, both grandfathers, two of my great grandfathers, all owned or ran their own companies. I'll be starting a 5th company of my own in 2018.

I really like the XJ, but due to it's interior "coziness" it feels like it competes more with a 6-series sedan or CLS. It seems a lesser league than the 7 and S and even CT6 based on that.

Hey, that worked for Saturn for 15 years. I'm sure @balthazar will have something to add, but Sears has already sold it's own brand of cars called the Allstate....they were rebadged Henry Js