mustang84

I'm conservative...I have to be. I spend probably $1000 each year of my own money just on supplies for my arch projects. I wear nice clothes, but I only buy new ones two or three times a year so I don't spend money on clothes very often. I also like to buy CDs, but I never pay more than $10 for one anymore...I usually buy them used from thrift shops for $3 a piece. I can't believe that I used to spend $19 per CD back in high school...that was a big waste of money. I'm pretty good about saving money, too. I work long hours in the summer and make quite a bit, but I only spend a fraction of it so that I'll have enough left over for tuition, food expenses, etc. I still drive my beat up Lumina and probably will for another two years. It runs fine....that's all that matters. My sister, on the other hand, burns though money like none other. She'll spend $80 here, $65 there...on all kinds of things that she really doesn't need. She really needs to learn how to save before she goes off to college, or else it's going to be Ramen night -- every night.

Ford Media * Ford Motor Company's December U.S. sales totaled 267,881, down 9 percent compared with a year ago. Full year sales totaled 3.17 million, down 5 percent. * Full year car sales totaled 1.04 million, up 2 percent compared with a year ago as consumer awareness and demand for new Ford, Mercury and Lincoln cars accelerates. December sales of Ford Fusion, Mercury Milan and Lincoln Zephyr were 33 percent higher than previous month. * Full year CUV sales climbed 28 percent; Ford will introduce two more CUVs in 2006. * Ford's F-Series truck is America 's best selling vehicle for the 24 th year in a row as full year sales eclipse 900,000 for the second year in a row. * Land Rover achieves record monthly and full year sales. DEARBORN, Mich., January 4 – Ford Motor Company achieved its first full year increase in car sales since 1999. Full year 2005 car sales totaled 1.04 million, up 2 percent from a year ago. Growing consumer awareness and demand for the company's new mid-size sedans (Ford Fusion, Mercury Milan and Lincoln Zephyr) built on the success of new cars launched in late 2004 -- the Ford Five Hundred and Mercury Montego sedans and Ford Mustang. Combined sales for the Ford Fusion, Mercury Milan and Lincoln Zephyr in December were 11,808, up 33 percent from November. The cars were introduced in October. "Consumer response to our new mid-size sedans has exceeded our expectations," said Steve Lyons, Ford group vice president, North America Marketing, Sales, and Service. "We're confident we can build on our car sales success in 2006." Consumer demand also continues to grow for the Ford Five Hundred and Mercury Montego full-size sedans. December sales for the Five Hundred were 45 percent higher than a year ago and Montego sales were 87 percent higher. In their first full year, Five Hundred sales totaled 107,932 and Montego sales totaled 27,007. MORE AT LINK

I don't know about other states, but here we had to have a manditory 30 hours of driving experience, not including the time spent with an instructor. Six of those hours had to be nighttime driving. Everything had to be logged. During the time spent with the instructor, we started off small driving around town and doing easy parking, with the final lesson being freeway and urban driving in Omaha. As for driving in general, I also tend to be more courteous than most drivers. If I'm sitting in a huge backup of traffic and someone in the opposite lane is wanting to turn into the shopping center, I'll pause to create a break in traffic so they can get through rather than making them wait for the whole line to pass. I use turn signals 95% of the time, dim my brights on the highway, and keep safe distances. I won't deny that I'm a pretty bad speeder, but I always keep a safe distance and pay attention to brake lights so that if someone makes a sudden stop, I won't be swerving out of the way. I practice defensive driving and try to anticipate what the other drivers are going to do. Especially with the big E-350 van I drive for work (with blind spots as big as the state of Montana), you really have to know what is going on around you at ALL TIMES. I rarely talk on the cell phone while driving. Pretty much the only time I'll answer the phone while driving is on a straight away with little traffic. If I'm going to call somebody, I'll usually pull over so I'm not fumbling punching in numbers while trying to drive. Cell phone drivers in general get on my nerves, especially when they can't keep a constant speed because they're too busy gossiping about what went down at work that day. Today on my way back from a delivery in the van, some dude driving a Galant at 70 MPH in heavy Des Moines traffic was brushing his teeth... :rolleyes:

If you're planning on going to college, definately get something with 4 doors. It makes moving so much easier. Insurance companies are outrageous when it comes to coupes...especially if you're still in high school. It's pretty much why I've stuck with my Luminas for the past 5 years, even though I badly want something else....I know insurance will bite me in the ass until I turn 25.

Oh, that's nothing. I was waiting to get my hair cut last summer when a woman sitting in the chair was talking to the hair stylist about how "those Honda Prius hybrid cars run on electricity and can get up to 100 mpg, I hear." Then she went on a five minute rant about how American cars are all gas guzzlers and are the source of all our oil problems. I really wanted to comment, but I just shook my head and kept reading my magazine.

Is this another Camry reskin? If it's like the last ES where it was essentially a Camry with different headlights and taillights, what's the point with the Avalon around? Especially if Lexus is trying to comptete with BMW and Mercedes Benz. From what I can see from the spy shots, the shape looks very similar to the '07 Camry.

Don't you find it a bit strange that Camrys prior to 2001 were nearly all rated with happy, satisfied faces, but after that the discontent began to rise? Just look back at the early 90s...nearly a perfect track record. Yes, yes, yes...this is all unscientific owner reports, and there may be the poster here and there that overexaggerates his or her problems with their vehicle, but come on, it's not like there is a secret crusade at that website to undermine the Camry's percieved quality. You don't think that Toyota may be experiencing growing pains with its massive worldwide expansion? All this talk of "#1 in '06" is making the heads at Toyota to lose track of what originally made the company so great, IMO...attention to detail and quality. Slow and steady wins the race. Have you already forgotten the doubling of Toyota recalls in 2005 vs. 2004?

New Years Eve - rode back on the 7.5 hour trip from Chicago, got home about 9 PM, unpacked for half an hour, then left for Creighton University in Omaha to party with some friends for New Years. Stayed sober enough so I could make the hour drive home at about 2:30 AM because I had my parents' new Explorer since my car is getting fixed. New Years Day - Woke up around noon...was tired the entire day. I didn't really do anything. Jan 2 - Called some firms up to inquire about arranging a visit (figured it was worth a shot even though they were probably all closed for the holiday)...they were all closed for the holiday. Then I walked to the GM dealer to see if my car was sitting inside, and it was, so I should have it back tomorrow. I didn't really do much else today because it rained most of the day and I was without a car, so I ended up watching the movie State of the Union...it wasn't very good, IMO. I just didn't get into it. And now I'm getting ready to go to bed because I have to be to work at 7 AM tomorrow.

It was 34 F and raining earlier, now it's just cloudy and cold. There is nothing worse than getting rain on a day when the temp is barely above freezing.

According to the website, even though it's in a concrete tomb with some type of protective wrapping around the car, the vibrations from heavy traffic nearby may have caused the concrete to crack over the last 50 years. It's interesting to note that they included a 5 gallon can of gasoline in the trunk, plus other items from 1957.

How cool is this? I bet the people of 1957 never expected that Plymouth would be phased out in 2001. Time Capsule "This is the sort of thing that could happen only in Tulsa," spoke Lewis Roberts Jr. during dedication ceremonies marking the observance of Tulsa's Golden Jubilee Week. "TuIsarama!" chairman Roberts' made his remarks as citizens prepared to entomb a new 1957 Plymouth Belvedere Sport Coupe as part of a time capsule buried on the southeast corner of the Tulsa County Courthouse lawn. Why would anyone want to bury a new car? Roberts was asked. "The 'Tulsarama!' committee," he replied, "decided on the event after looking for a method of acquainting the citizens of the twenty first century with a suitable representation of 1957 civilization." "In our judgment," commented W.A. Anderson, Jubilee chairman, "Plymouth is a true representative of automobiles of this century - with the kind of lasting appeal that should still be in style fifty years from now.... Tulsans think big. And we feel we can over come any technical difficulties we encounter [burying the Plymouth] including the possibility of striking oil in our excavation!' Supplied through the cooperation of the Plymouth Division of Chrysler and Tulsa Plymouth dealers Wilkerson Motor Company, Cox Motor Company. Vance Motor Company, Forster Riggs and Parrish-Clark, the Belvedere has remained buried since June 15, 1957. As part of the "Tulsarama!" festivities, citizens of Tulsa were asked to guess what the population of Tulsa would be in the year 2007. The guesses were then recorded on microfilm and sealed in a steel container buried with the car. When the car and artifacts are excavated, the person whose guess is closest to Tulsa's 2007 population is to be awarded the Belvedere. If that person is dead, the car is to be awarded to his or her heirs.

I apparently live on a baseball field.

We're only encouraging this nation's obesity problem to continue by accomodating for the severely obese in mainstream products. A line needs to be drawn somewhere.

I knew these cars weren't selling to young people...every Scion I have seen has been driven by a middle-aged baby boomer. Same with the Element. One man I saw driving a Scion xB looked like he was in his 70s. Twentysomethings generally don't have the money for a new car, and if they do, they don't want a rolling box on wheels.

Satty and I are the frontiersmen of the board right now...nobody is west of us yet.

My old 1990 Lumina Euro after meeting the trailer of a turning semi truck while legally parked. The guy never stopped (and possibly didn't even realize he had caused any damage). It ripped a huge gash along the entire driver side, busting out the windows and deforming the doors. The mirror was found about half a block away. We managed to track down the company and they paid us $3000 for the damages. It only took $500 plus labor to get new doors put on, and we did a cheap bondo and paint job on the rear fender...so we came away nearly $2500 better than before. I drove it for two years after that because it still ran perfectly, even if it was a mess cosmetically.

A '67 Olds 442 just went for $100,000. That's the only one I've seen break the 100k mark so far. A '32 Ford Pro Street with over $135,000 invested in it only went for $45,000. Ouch.

I wish they would have taken some cues from the 1971 Imperial with the fuselage style body. The "fuselage" Chryslers had a flowing, sleek design that would be a nice change in direction from the blocky 300. '71 Imperial 01 '71 Imperial 02

Drop a supercharged 302 into a stock 1980 Ford Fairmont. They won't know what hit em.

Interesting...I always thought it was Bro-em.

I missed the part about it being our car, so here's a pretty beat up Lumina. I've heard '90-'94 Luminas don't fare well in crashes. Not sure what happened to this one though...the C-pillar was sheared in half.

Was a Mercury Montego

I got braces the summer before my freshmen year in high school and had them on for just under 2 years. I've always had a small mouth so my teeth were always crowded and I ended up having four permanent teeth pulled (plus wisdom teeth a couple years ago). The braces will make your teeth sore for a while, but after they start moving into position it isn't too bad. Everytime they change rubber bands and tighten wires it'll be sore for a couple days, but if you take some Tylenol it's not too bad. When you first get braces on (if you get conventional ones), your mouth will feel full with all these wires and brackets all over the place. I played trumpet for high school band, so they had to give me some wax to put on the brackets until I developed callouses on my lips. Braces ruined my ability to play the trumpet though...it's so hard to hit high notes when you have a mouth full of metal. Make sure if you have conventional braces that you really try hard to brush around the brackets and between the wires. I have certain spots on my lower teeth where I didn't get in as well with the toothbrush and it caused some decalcification on the bottom of the teeth. I think I ended up buying an electric toothbrush to help me get my teeth cleaner. All in all, I think my braces were only about $3500. They gave me a retainer to wear after I got them off, but I stopped wearing it after a while and my teeth shifted JUST enough so that it doesn't fit anymore, but they still look good. I got lucky, because some people's teeth go completely back into their old positions if they don't wear the retainer. Braces are definately worth it in the end, however.

Speaking of which...tonight I saw a cream colored Chrysler Lebaron from the 80s with chrome door trim, wire whitewall wheels, a special Thunderbird-like vinyl top (with little porthole windows), and a Maserati logo in place of the five-pointed diamond. It was parked in a handicapped spot.

Ever since yesterday, the layout of topics has changed. After the initial topic is posted, all posts afterward are links that you have to click on to view the post. I'm not sure if I accidentally changed a preference or something, but it's time consuming scroll down and click on every post. Does anyone know how to get it back to the old style? Here's a pic to better show what I'm talking about