Car Talk (and Truck Talk too)

[DWB]

And yet another reason why I never buy a "top of the line" model vehicle.

If you don't want to watch this video, the bottom line is, because of water intrusion into one tail light, it cost the owner $5600 (not a typo) to repair it because of all the extra bells and whistles on that model. And this vehicle is an F-150 not a Benz.

 

Edited September 3, 2023 by DWB

[Drroogh]

10 engines that just won’t die!

[Joe_Hoopsier]

I somehow got assigned a Genesis EV rental car at DFW today. Once I figured out that it was a total EV, I pondered and scratched my head...... Thought to myself, "Self, this is an adventure that I haven't tried yet so WTH!".

Well as i start figuring all of the signs, symbols and gadgets out, this ride has 171 mile until "empty"/ drained/ dead, what ever you say, and it was 74% charged. I've got 134 miles to drive one way, from the hotel and be there at 10AM tomorrow, it was now 4:55PM.

I just need to find one of those charge station things, right? I google map, BAM, 2 miles away, no prob. Simple plug in, took 10 min's to figure out how to open the "gas" door on the ride, 3 seconds to plug it is. OK now what? Swipe card here, I swipe card.........NOT supported. dafuq? swipe, nope, swipeity swipe swipe swipe NOPE NOPE NOPE $%!@$%$@% . Google. 

Down load an app, create an account, upload card, confirm with dbl authentication.... ^3 !!!. I think I'm getting there. App says are you at station 2 @ xyzwelli'll be  , yep I am, start charge. Hot damn I have made it and by 5:35PM. .... 2 MILE AWAY FROM MY HOTEL... 

lights are scrolling up and down like a grizwold christmas vaca, cool I have arrived. .... I wonder how long it will take to charge 26% so I am totally full................... 4 HOURS 10 MINUTES.......  I will allow you to imagine the total Shot hemorrhage fit I threw in the middle of this parking lot, talking to Avis about how to get a gas car.

I unplugged, felt like tying the charge cord around the back axle, and went back to DFW AVIS to get a Merikan' car. 37 people in line to get a car from Avis..... 2 1/2 hours later, Lets go Brandon !  

[mrflynn03]

On 11/10/2023 at 3:56 PM, Drroogh said:

10 engines that just won’t die!

My 1996 Tacoma had this engine, 22re.  I put about 300,000 miles on it. Sold it for $2000 sight unseen to a guy in Kentucky.

http://blog.automotive-technology.com/the-legend-of-the-toyota-22re-engine/

Edited November 15, 2023 by mrflynn03
Incomplete though.

[mrflynn03]

21 hours ago, mrflynn03 said:

Electric cars are not viable for everyone. Nuff said. 

I could go in to it more. They are expensive, inefficient and not environmentally friendly.

To clarify, EVs are not a solution, but can serve a specific purpose.  There will never be a one size fits all solution.  Its like calculus. Study rates of change but there is no singular solution.  

Edited November 15, 2023 by mrflynn03

[Reacher]

I've posted here that I have a Kia EV6 all electric car. It my wife's primary car. We have taken road trips as far as N MI and Detroit with no issues.  You do have to understand the charging. Super Fast chargers can charge mine from 20-80% in 15 minutes. I can live with that. Charging slows down from 80-100%. Charging slows and range declines in sub freezing weather. There are fast chargers and slow chargers (designed for an overnight charge). As I almost exclusively charge in my garage, I love the simplicity. Plug in once per week. No standing in the cold at a gas station. Wife never complaining I didn't leave enough gas in the car.  No taking car in for an oil change. For me, the convenience of not having a second vehicle to maintain has been a blessing. It is really fun to drive as well. I got a Dodge Charger with the hemi engine for a rental once and after a day was bored with it. It sounded great but was no faster than the Kia.

I will say, EVs are a terrible choice for rentals where people may not have used one before, may not be familiar with the area and more. The thought of my father getting one and having to charge it is not close to being feasible. 

With that said, I think the legacy car makers are in major trouble. They cannot compete against Tesla. The cost of EVs are too high, the infrastructure is not there and won't be for a decade or more. EVs are much worse for the environment than gas or clean diesel. It is not even close when you factor in the lifecycle of the vehicle. The push for EVs has been a major boon for China. I think a good solution is eventually EVs that can swap out batteries. You run low, pull into a gas station and swap it for another. https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a33670482/nio-swappable-batteries-lease/  Carry an extra with you if needed. An EV can be good compliment to a traditional gas vehicle. I think Toyota got it right in emphasizing hybrids. To me, that is the way to go. The best of both worlds. An EV is just not practical for those who want to tow, live in an apartment and a whole host of other situations.

[Drroogh]

7 minutes ago, Reacher said:

I think Toyota got it right in emphasizing hybrids. To me, that is the way to go. The best of both worlds.

Hydrogen!! Just another form of energy storage without all of the environmental impacts of batteries! Imagine if as much effort had been invested in hydrogen as what has been put into batteries???

[mrflynn03]

9 hours ago, Drroogh said:

Hydrogen!! Just another form of energy storage without all of the environmental impacts of batteries! Imagine if as much effort had been invested in hydrogen as what has been put into batteries???

You also have natural gas and propane as a fuel option. They are cleaner burning because of shorter carbon chains and just as efficient as octane.

But the problem with alternative fuel sources is our transportation system has been built around petroleum for about 100 years so there is a major issue with infrastructure and distribution.

I think a good start would be to introduce alternatives in metropolitan areas and suburbs where and web out from there. 

[mrflynn03]

On 9/3/2023 at 7:10 AM, DWB said:

And yet another reason why I never buy a "top of the line" model vehicle.

If you don't want to watch this video, the bottom line is, because of water intrusion into one tail light, it cost the owner $5600 (not a typo) to repair it because of all the extra bells and whistles on that model. And this vehicle is an F-150 not a Benz.

 

I've learned to stay away from premium models. I had a dodge stratus coupe that came with the wife and bought a Toyota Solara from my step dad for $500. 

Parts for premium models over standard models are 2-3 times more expensive.  I put 300k on the stratus and 400k on the Solara. So I've replaced several wheel hub assemblies. Wheel hub assemblies at that time were going 50-70$ for standard. I was paying twice that because I adopted premium models.

I wouldn't have bought them if it was my choice. 

 

[Drroogh]

The World’s fastest cars!

 

[Joe_Hoopsier]

22 hours ago, Drroogh said:

The World’s fastest cars!

 

What, no Ford Pinto with the big block and twin blowers? Must have just been overlooked ! lol

[Drroogh]

12 minutes ago, Joe_Hoopsier said:

What, no Ford Pinto with the big block and twin blowers? Must have just been overlooked ! lol

Would you drive a Pinto at 300+ mph? At least you wouldn’t have to worry about getting rear ended and blowing up!😂

[Joe_Hoopsier]

39 minutes ago, Drroogh said:

Would you drive a Pinto at 300+ mph? At least you wouldn’t have to worry about getting rear ended and blowing up!😂

If I would, it would probably only be once !!! and I would never drink again, ever !!!  hahaha

[Drroogh]

On 11/14/2023 at 9:40 AM, Reacher said:

. 

With that said, I think the legacy car makers are in major trouble. They cannot compete against Tesla. The cost of EVs are too high, the infrastructure is not there and won't be for a decade or more. EVs are much worse for the environment than gas or clean diesel. It is not even close when you factor in the lifecycle of the vehicle. The push for EVs has been a major boon for China. I think a good solution is eventually EVs that can swap out batteries. You run low, pull into a gas station and swap it for another. https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a33670482/nio-swappable-batteries-lease/  Carry an extra with you if needed. An EV can be good compliment to a traditional gas vehicle. I think Toyota got it right in emphasizing hybrids. To me, that is the way to go. The best of both worlds. An EV is just not practical for those who want to tow, live in an apartment and a whole host of other situations.

Here in Michigan they are soliciting the public on ways get more money for road repairs and improvements! Seems they realized EVs don’t pay gas tax?😂 Not to mention EVs are much heavier and therefore wear on the roads are higher! Have you seen the videos of I think a Rivian truck blowing through the safety barrier? They are going to have seriously think this through now that they have already made a full blown commitment to EV???

[Joe_Hoopsier]

Is there an actual emissions law that rates the level of emissions to the size of  a vehicle? According to my sources, its easier for manufacturers to build a bigger heavier vehicle (Big SUV's) than reduce emissions, which then "force's" (some say incentivize) Merikans' to complain about the size of vehicle... 4x4's as an example.

2 unintended points means nothing

3 points means a progression, statistically.

4 points means...................................... there's a pattern. The american gov causes bigger vehicles. .. while forcing electric.. hmmmm

This started with the question, as a simple trades person, why can't I buy a simple 2 seat truck, on the cheap? I don' need my horoscope, the temp or direction I'm traveling. I need a down scale 1974 work truck, and I can not buy it. Well we now know why. I'm being protected from myself by others that know more about what I need than I do. I'm not OK with that.  

[NotIThatLives]

55 minutes ago, Joe_Hoopsier said:

Is there an actual emissions law that rates the level of emissions to the size of  a vehicle? According to my sources, its easier for manufacturers to build a bigger heavier vehicle (Big SUV's) than reduce emissions, which then "force's" (some say incentivize) Merikans' to complain about the size of vehicle... 4x4's as an example.

2 unintended points means nothing

3 points means a progression, statistically.

4 points means...................................... there's a pattern. The american gov causes bigger vehicles. .. while forcing electric.. hmmmm

This started with the question, as a simple trades person, why can't I buy a simple 2 seat truck, on the cheap? I don' need my horoscope, the temp or direction I'm traveling. I need a down scale 1974 work truck, and I can not buy it. Well we now know why. I'm being protected from myself by others that know more about what I need than I do. I'm not OK with that.  

You have to go to the truck outlets.  There is one on the north side of Indy, 465 and Michigan rd on the nw corner.  I think Chevy gm products.  You can still get the work truck with the plastic like interior and steel wheels.  I was looking at them, actually back in 18 so things may have changed.  

[Reacher]

17 hours ago, Joe_Hoopsier said:

Is there an actual emissions law that rates the level of emissions to the size of  a vehicle? According to my sources, its easier for manufacturers to build a bigger heavier vehicle (Big SUV's) than reduce emissions, which then "force's" (some say incentivize) Merikans' to complain about the size of vehicle... 4x4's as an example.

2 unintended points means nothing

3 points means a progression, statistically.

4 points means...................................... there's a pattern. The american gov causes bigger vehicles. .. while forcing electric.. hmmmm

This started with the question, as a simple trades person, why can't I buy a simple 2 seat truck, on the cheap? I don' need my horoscope, the temp or direction I'm traveling. I need a down scale 1974 work truck, and I can not buy it. Well we now know why. I'm being protected from myself by others that know more about what I need than I do. I'm not OK with that.  

Safety, fuel economy, emissions and other government regulations drive up the costs and complexity of vehicles. This then increases the costs to repair vehicles and both of these drive up the costs to insure vehicles. These regulations are regressive tax hurting the poorest the most. It keeps up the demand for public transportation which has to be subsidized as it is not self sufficient. 

 

The demand for EVs seems to have plateaued. The Biden admin is likely to roll back their regulations as a result (and because its an election year?)- https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/17/climate/biden-epa-auto-emissions.html#:.

Ford is willing to lose $5billion on EVs to meet these regulations because selling some electric Ford Lightnings and mustangs allows them to bring down their AVERAGE fuel economy and sell more $75,000 F150s. It is a terrible waste of resources, IMO. If automakers were allowed to meet the demands of the market and not federal regulations, there would be many more less expensive vehicles made.