My Mopar loyalty is wearing thin.

[Serk]

I have had ford trucks for 40 years,, no problems at all and my current F150 king ranch I love more than ever.

Hey, Randy, I am cracking up about all these geezers comparing their 70s era Mopars to 21st century technology, whining, complaining, and blaming modern automotive engineers!  

As a guy that had a corvette project,
all I can say is no red blooded male EVER had a mid-life crisis and
spent his IRA cash on a

Accord.  

You're only half right... Accord, not so much... Acura NSX? Hell yeah! Or a restored Supra Twin Turbo... or a restored MR2.... I'd be ALL over that!!!

[The emperor has no clothes]

I have had ford trucks for 40 years,, no problems at all and my current F150 king ranch I love more than ever.

Hey, Randy, I am cracking up about all these geezers comparing their 70s era Mopars to 21st century technology, whining, complaining, and blaming modern automotive engineers!  

As a guy that had a corvette project,
all I can say is no red blooded male EVER had a mid-life crisis and
spent his IRA cash on a

Accord.  

You're only half right... Accord, not so much... Acura NSX? Hell yeah! Or a restored Supra Twin Turbo... or a restored MR2.... I'd be ALL over that!!!

You are too young for a midlife crisis. 

[Serk]

You're only half right... Accord, not so much... Acura NSX? Hell yeah! Or a restored Supra Twin Turbo... or a restored MR2.... I'd be ALL over that!!!

You are too young for a midlife crisis. 

46, almost 47? With 4 kids (Those count for 4 years of age each... at LEAST!!!!!)

I'm SO there...

I don't WANNA be there, mind you... But I'm there...

[GiG]

No, I am 100% right.
Not to say those aren't cool, or fun, or well engineered cars. They are.

Middle aged guys want the car they ALWAYS WANTED,,, you know...

Camaro, Vette, GTO, Charger, Mustang...


Just the way it is...





I'm gonna save up for a KIA, korean cars are SO Sexy!

I have had ford trucks for 40 years,, no problems at all and my current F150 king ranch I love more than ever.

Hey, Randy, I am cracking up about all these geezers comparing their 70s era Mopars to 21st century technology, whining, complaining, and blaming modern automotive engineers!  

As a guy that had a corvette project,
all I can say is no red blooded male EVER had a mid-life crisis and
spent his IRA cash on a

Accord.  

You're only half right... Accord, not so much... Acura NSX? Hell yeah! Or a restored Supra Twin Turbo... or a restored MR2.... I'd be ALL over that!!!

[Serk]

<-- Middle aged dude with a Corvette in the garage right now that would SO much rather have a NSX, Supra, MR2 or even a Tesla in the garage than that silly Bow-Tie wearing kid car...

[GiG]

Corvettes ain't for kids, silly. Its a 2-seater, not designed for child seats, like a soccer dad's car 

   
Re: Another tesla burns to the ground in a crash
« Reply #1 on: Today at 02:11:13 PM »

And yet I'd still drive one happily if I had the means to buy one. Perfect, no, but progress will always have some bumps along the way.


I get paid to drive & test them. I've SEEN them burn.

No thanks, that lithium ion burns hotter and faster than any power source currently in use. It actually burns up the test chambers designed to contain it. Blows the roof off. Responding FDs caint handle it.
Bugs ain't worked out, and the driving populace gets STUPIDER by the second.   Not strapping it to MY ass.

Thing is, I wont pay to be someone's test dummy... 

I remember when cars were safe and motorcycles were dangerous. 

[The emperor has no clothes]

I remember when cars were safe and motorcycles were dangerous. 

Now, that's middle aged 

[Serk]

Corvettes ain't for kids, silly. Its a 2-seater, not designed for child seats, like a soccer dad's car  

Ironic... I drove around this past Saturday in a newish Corvette(2016 Stingray, I think) with a child seat and one of my 6 year olds in it...

(True story... Drove to Cabelas with Brian Jr.  about 30 miles away to buy some new guns with the gift cards they gave me for signing my 15 year old as an NRA life member.)

To each their own and all that... The 'Vette is kinda cool, but I really don't care for it. The Toyota/Acura usability engineering is 20+ years ahead of the Chevrolet stuff. The blind zones are bigger than the visibility zones, the bells and whistles, the HUD, the stereo, the "push a button and make the display disappear or reappear"  in the 'Vette are nice, but all the ergonomics feel a generation or two behind.

I'd take the ergonomics and human engineering of my 1993 Toyota (Or our 2006 Acura) over the 2016 Corvette all day, every day.

[Serk]

(And GiG, that's not meant to disrespect you or your experience... I'm just not a fan of the Chevy, everything about a 25 year old Toyota just felt so much better attuned to human interaction than even this new Chevy does...)

[Jess from VA]

Me, I want a reasonably fast and nimble car with a decent suspension, that is utterly reliable, easy to work on and maintain, reasonably priced, with no bells and whistles (and no cup holders) (even with roll down windows), with a good 6 cylinder with only decent mileage, and it can even be ugly (ALL function over form).

You know, a 4-door sedan that lasts 40 years with no chronic problems of any kind.

And make air bags only an option.

And close the EPA.  

[Serk]

And make air bags only an option.

Hafta look to something older than 1998, thanks to our federal betters, for that one...

Any car or light truck made after September 01, 1998 must, by law, have an explosive charge in the driver's face.

https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/federal-legislation-makes-airbags-mandatory

[Jess from VA]

And make air bags only an option.

Hafta look to something older than 1998, thanks to our federal betters, for that one...

Any car or light truck made after September 01, 1998 must, by law, have an explosive charge in the driver's face.

https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/federal-legislation-makes-airbags-mandatory

Then roll those (and many other) regulations out.  

Instead of airbags, have electric shock seats for texting drivers.  (third offense terminal)

[Serk]

And make air bags only an option.

Hafta look to something older than 1998, thanks to our federal betters, for that one...

Any car or light truck made after September 01, 1998 must, by law, have an explosive charge in the driver's face.

https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/federal-legislation-makes-airbags-mandatory

Then roll those (and many other) regulations out. 

Instead of airbags, have electric shock seats for texting drivers. 

No argument as to what should be, just stating what, sadly, is...

(First thing we do is shoot all the lawyers and legislators... Nothing personal... )

[Jess from VA]

And make air bags only an option.

Hafta look to something older than 1998, thanks to our federal betters, for that one...

Any car or light truck made after September 01, 1998 must, by law, have an explosive charge in the driver's face.

https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/federal-legislation-makes-airbags-mandatory

Then roll those (and many other) regulations out.  

Instead of airbags, have electric shock seats for texting drivers.  

No argument as to what should be, just stating what, sadly, is...

(First thing we do is shoot all the lawyers and legislators... Nothing personal... )

Well, maybe not all of them, but most of them would be OK by me.

[Serk]

Well, maybe not all of them, but most of them would be OK by me.

[Patrick]

There are good and bad in any of them, regardless of who makes it. Some of the best vehicles I've had were/are Chrysler products and the worst have been by Toyota. I was born in a Studebaker parts room and grew up with them and Ford, but, I have no loyalty [except to Studebaker].

[Bighead]

Cars quit being cool when they stopped putting Chrome bumpers on them.

[Robert]

Well most modern cars and Chrysler, Dodge also have computers in places where you would not think they should be. Sometimes the engines have computers on top of the engine and the transmissions now have computers inside the transmissions. Chrysler was taken over by Mercedes and in the newer cars you see much in design from Mercedes. Chrysler stopped being a real to me when the Hemi engine and a few others would drop valve seats.

The Asian cars seem to have less problems than their American counterparts is so many ways. Not all the time but a good portion, its almost like American cars are playing catch up on reliability.

[hubcapsc]

If my used Toyota had come from the land of salted roads, it's
frame would likely be rusted out.

-Mike "Tacomas and Tundras from that era..."

[Wizzard]

I had a midlife crisis when I turned 45 bought a corvette wrecked and rebuilt it. Got tired of the project and bought a Valk. Been happy ever since.
Gig,, yep those lithium ion batteries are almost like C4. That is why most shippers don't like them, and neither does TSA.

[MarkT]

No, I am 100% right.
Not to say those aren't cool, or fun, or well engineered cars. They are.

Middle aged guys want the car they ALWAYS WANTED,,, you know...

Camaro, Vette, GTO, Charger, Mustang...


Just the way it is...

I know what you mean.  Couldn't talk my high school buddy out of a Harley when he decided he was going to get back on a bike, like me and our other riding buddy from the 60's.  He almost got a Victory but then he ran across a super deal on a Dyna.  I told him - I don't promise I won't say I told you so...

I had a midlife crisis when I turned 45 bought a corvette wrecked and rebuilt it. Got tired of the project and bought a Valk. Been happy ever since.
Gig,, yep those lithium ion batteries are almost like C4. That is why most shippers don't like them, and neither does TSA.

There was an hour-long report on battery tech on TV about a week ago.  Featured the reason Li-Ion batteries are so dangerous.  WHY they blow up.  It was really enlightening.  Enough to keep me away from them when I have a choice.  Can't recall who made the report.

[Jess from VA]

(Wizard)  I had a midlife crisis when I turned 45 bought a corvette wrecked and rebuilt it. Got tired of the project and bought a Valk. Been happy ever since.


Mine was in my late 30s, when I finally had enough money to buy the pretty rough '69 stingray roadster drop top corvette I had always wanted.  It ran OK, but was several years of spending, rebuilding, chroming, painting, and a hundred or two weekends in my air force base mini garage (with the wife jealous of that damn mistress).

When I was all done, it was a beauty and I was proud of my work, but afraid to park it anywhere it could be dinged or stolen.  And I took a bath when I had to sell it when I got out of service and had to cross the country for my next job in DC and sell for about half what I had in it. (I would not have a garage, would not drive it in snow, and it had to go)

It was a lot of fun, and a big PITA, and it cured me of any further mid life crisis muscle car desires forever.  I still love them, but I'm never doing that again.  It was just like a demanding mistress, and could get you in about the same amount of trouble (and expense).

It's still my favorite year, make and model corvette, even though later years were certainly better better cars.

[old2soon]

Far as air bags go this old man and a good portion of his then Family are STILL HERE Because of the air bags in a 2000 Buick Lesabre.     My current cage-soon to go on down da road-94 Olds 3.8 V-6 4 speed auto overdrive when I raise the hood easy to check ALL the fluid levels AND the battery is in plain sight and easy to change out. Changing out the heater/A/C fan motor on the other hand be a gigantic P I A. As are the back row of spark plugs on the transverse mounted engine. Also thinkin the big 3 are bringing back the era of the 60s when we had 440 wedges 413 and 426 rams 428 cobra jets and the 396  427 454 big blocks. BUT I could be wrong!  RIDE SAFE.

[Jess from VA]

Well, I'm back from my trip to see my 88yo mom and brother up in Belleville MI.  The Dodge Intrepid with new battery, plugs, and fuel pump made it almost all the way up, then wouldn't start again, 30 miles from Toledo. The same intermittent no start problem, with no engine light.  Except after this last no-start (but it finally did restart), I finally did get an engine light.  So I got up to my family, and my brother took me to his local Dodge dealer so the alleged pros could look it over, and it had them scratching their heads for awhile too.  It did not need a fuel pump, it was an intermittent cam (and/or crank) position sensor(s); so intermittent, I was not getting an engine light.

While all this is going on, my brother and I are walking around looking at new shiny trucks and cars.  I've posted before (a number of times) about looking at the long & tall Sprinter as a way to roll an Interstate in with no trailer (I hate towing stuff), and drive a camper size big van long distances, then roll the bike off and ride all around without having to ride from VA to Montana. But the Sprinter is no longer a Chrysler/Mercedes partnership, just Mercedes now, and like $55K and up and too spendy for me.

So long story short, I traded the 31K Intrepid in on a new (demo 2017 w 600 miles) 2500 Dodge Ram Promaster Van, tallboy with 159" wheelbase.  It was modestly optioned up with many nice things like 6way adjustable lumbar seats, huge mirrors with defroster, cruise, window in side door, back up camera, and a radio with enough hookups to talk to the space shuttle (phone, computer, bluetooth, GPS, and power and USB ports... I won't use any of it but the radio.  I don't want my car talking to me.)  And they ate the cost of fixing my trade in.

I only got KBB on my car, but I saved right at $10K off the sticker on the 2500 Van.  It really helped that this dealer sits right next to the Chrysler plant that manufactures the engines for my truck, and no transfer or other added fees I would have had to pay at a VA dealer at all.  But I get to spend a day or two at my local DMV getting it all sorted out.  My insurance only went up a few dollars... USAA.

I had to study up on the manual to learn how to use virtually all the controls... and I still kept turning off my cruise control thinking it was the turn signals on my long drive home yesterday.  

The back up camera (no rear windows) is pretty cool, and has green lines superimposed on the image to help you line up your backing up, and it reminds me of the way airplanes land on aircraft carriers by flying the ball.  There's also a chime that goes off if you're about to back into things, which I am trying real hard not to do.  

The front wheel drive, 6cylinder gas, 3.6Liter, 24valve, DOHC, 280HP is plenty peppy, and the 24 gallon tank is nice, and I had my first ever $70 fill-up yesterday.  And you get a full size spare with the same wheel/trim as is on the van.

I'm pretty happy with it.  It has stability control but the first few times I did a hard turn at speed, my instinct was it was going to roll over, but it doesn't.  And the turning radius for such a giant truck is phenomenal; it's almsot like it turns around in a circle without the rear wheels moving... they do, but it's an amazing turn radius.  

But the best thing of all is you sit way up high and can see everything down the road through the giant picture window of a windshield.  You look down into every 2500 or 3500 pickup truck on the road, and semi truck drivers are only a little bit higher.  The damn thing is a monster. And I'll need my 8 foot step ladder and stick brush to wash the roof.

I've never named a car or a bike.  But I am thinking of naming this the USS Yorktown (the back up camera and size made me think of it). (Of course it's white, like all the ones you see).












I'm not going to do this, but look at what they did with this one.

http://www.promasterforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=68474

USS Yorktown underway.



 



 

[Ramie]

There are good and bad in any of them, regardless of who makes it. Some of the best vehicles I've had were/are Chrysler products and the worst have been by Toyota. I was born in a Studebaker parts room and grew up with them and Ford, but, I have no loyalty [except to Studebaker].

I used to think the hardest thing I ever did was to change the spark plugs on a Studebaker with a big v8 engine.  Until I worked on my daughters Chev traverse 6 cyl.  Had  to take of the intake manifold to get at the rear spark plugs.

[The emperor has no clothes]

Congrats, Jess. That looks pretty versatile. 

[Hook#3287]

Nice ride Jess

Looks very comfortable.

[¿spoom]

There are good and bad in any of them, regardless of who makes it. Some of the best vehicles I've had were/are Chrysler products and the worst have been by Toyota. I was born in a Studebaker parts room and grew up with them and Ford, but, I have no loyalty [except to Studebaker].

I used to think the hardest thing I ever did was to change the spark plugs on a Studebaker with a big v8 engine.  Until I worked on my daughters Chev traverse 6 cyl.  Had  to take of the intake manifold to get at the rear spark plugs.

Absolutely, I've got one of each, and I'll take the 289 Stude any day over the 3.8L Buick