Edmunds Members - Cars and Conversations (Archived)

laurasdada

70s predicted here on the South Shore. Still don't have a convertible yet. The lousy Bimmer dealer actually cashed my check!

ab348

I did a little intelligence work on the lady Driver thought was a scammer when I went back to the mailboxes just now. She parks her C400 (I gave it a closer look to confirm) in a reserved parking spot (1 of just 3 such signed slots) for the outfit that actually owns the building. That company used to run the cable/internet provider here for the whole city before selling out to one of the national firms for big bucks a while back. They kept their real estate and this building is where they now manage their holdings/investments. Seems pretty legit. Maybe I should make a friend of her.

houdini1

ab348 said:

I did a little intelligence work on the lady Driver thought was a scammer when I went back to the mailboxes just now. She parks her C400 (I gave it a closer look to confirm) in a reserved parking spot (1 of just 3 such signed slots) for the outfit that actually owns the building. That company used to run the cable/internet provider here for the whole city before selling out to one of the national firms for big bucks a while back. They kept their real estate and this building is where they now manage their holdings/investments. Seems pretty legit. Maybe I should make a friend of her.

Now you're talking !

driver100

I don't know, a few problems;
1) She worked for a cable company which is very questionable (and must have been fairly high up), and
2) She buys a Mercedes and thinks the ride is too tight.

Tell her not to buy a BMW. An Audi might be a little gentler.
Be careful, they may have security cameras and they might think you are stalking her.

fintail

ab348 said:

fintail said:

For USDM anyway I think C400 was MY 2015-16 only. It was the highline non-AMG car and in theory could have had a sticker maybe just over 60K USD, but not sure how many/any were built that way.

MB "sport" suspension tuning can be harsh, especially on runflats or bad roads.

I tried telling her that the ATS suspension is quite firm also and that Cadillac is now much like M-B in that department but she seemed to have it in her head that they were still soft like in the old days.

She needs a car with "luxury" trim, or better yet, air suspension. That, and I think all cars are firmer these days, I suspect for the false pretense of sport.

sda

I remember being impressed by how compliant yet not floaty while providing good, fun handling my friend’s 77 BMW CSI drove. Yes, years ago but it really was a mind changer for me. A stiff suspension isn’t a requirement for good handling though that seems to be today’s flavor.

henryn

I don't mind a firm or even hard ride for a performance car. For a daily driver, I definitely want something that can absorb the bumps and potholes with minimal jarring to my spine. And I definitely need a car that can make it over the speed bumps they have in some of the residential areas around here.

A friend of mine has a late model Camaro, maybe 10 years old, heavily modified, really souped up, lowered, etc. A ground pounder in the old style, when she starts it up you can hear it at least a mile away. The kind of exhaust that would have been completely illegal back when I was young. And fast, really really fast, I don't think it's ever been to the track but I would guess sub 12 second quarter mile times.

But it won't make it over speed bumps without dragging various components underneath. And you talk about a harsh, spine breaking ride, great jumping Jehoshaphat!

Going back about 50 years, I owned a 69 Dodge Charger with a 440. The engine was balanced and blueprinted, a cam that idled with a ridiculous lope, headers and big dual exhaust. Even with all of that, my best time in the quarter mile was around 13.2 seconds. Modern cars blow right by that, and are much more comfortable.

I guess it would be nice to own another car like that Charger, but I would drive it very rarely if I did own it. A new Mustang GT would be faster, more comfortable, and cost considerably less. Nostalgia will only take you so far.

oldfarmer50

henryn said:

I don't mind a firm or even hard ride for a performance car. For a daily driver, I definitely want something that can absorb the bumps and potholes with minimal jarring to my spine. And I definitely need a car that can make it over the speed bumps they have in some of the residential areas around here.

A friend of mine has a late model Camaro, maybe 10 years old, heavily modified, really souped up, lowered, etc. A ground pounder in the old style, when she starts it up you can hear it at least a mile away. The kind of exhaust that would have been completely illegal back when I was young. And fast, really really fast, I don't think it's ever been to the track but I would guess sub 12 second quarter mile times.

But it won't make it over speed bumps without dragging various components underneath. And you talk about a harsh, spine breaking ride, great jumping Jehoshaphat!

Going back about 50 years, I owned a 69 Dodge Charger with a 440. The engine was balanced and blueprinted, a cam that idled with a ridiculous lope, headers and big dual exhaust. Even with all of that, my best time in the quarter mile was around 13.2 seconds. Modern cars blow right by that, and are much more comfortable.

I guess it would be nice to own another car like that Charger, but I would drive it very rarely if I did own it. A new Mustang GT would be faster, more comfortable, and cost considerably less. Nostalgia will only take you so far.

If you had that Charger now you would probably be disappointed. Compared to a modern version it would be like riding a buckboard. A couple years ago I got the chance to drive a friend’s 60’s Mustang GT and I was not impressed with the power, ride or handling. Not to mention that an antique like that would be worth too much to risk being a daily driver.

qbrozen

BUT, if modding a car anyway, you could have a ‘69 Charger with hellcat drivetrain and magneride suspension that would look and drive amazingly well.

driver100

qbrozen said:

BUT, if modding a car anyway, you could have a ‘69 Charger with hellcat drivetrain and magneride suspension that would look and drive amazingly well.

....or, just buy a new one!

qbrozen

driver100 said:

qbrozen said:

BUT, if modding a car anyway, you could have a ‘69 Charger with hellcat drivetrain and magneride suspension that would look and drive amazingly well.

....or, just buy a new one!

That would be my choice, too, but some folks want to be different.

oldfarmer50

The nice weather must have energized me today (sunny, upper 60s). I poured concrete to repair the front porch landing, cut and hauled brush and for the trifecta I gave the Kia the old Fluid Film rustproof treatment in the door sills and rockers.

Now tomorrow I have to go to work to take a rest.

Oh yeah, I took the convertible back out of the barn for the last chance to enjoy (politically correct) Summer.😎

snakeweasel

henryn said:

Going back about 50 years, I owned a 69 Dodge Charger with a 440. The engine was balanced and blueprinted, a cam that idled with a ridiculous lope, headers and big dual exhaust. Even with all of that, my best time in the quarter mile was around 13.2 seconds. Modern cars blow right by that, and are much more comfortable.

13.2 second quarter mile would be pretty good for a late 60's car, likely topping out close to 105.

explorerx4

With modern tires, that Charger would have been quicker.

henryn

explorerx4 said:

With modern tires, that Charger would have been quicker.

Yes, trying to "hook up" the tires for the "launch" was a great challenge. At the track, the real pros do several burnouts to heat up the tires, make them softer and stickier. I couldn't afford to burn up tires that way. And one thing I forgot to mention -- the rear end was regeared to 3.92 with limited slip, which helped but not enough.

qbrozen

Michaell

Since I always root for the underdog, let's go Phils!

stickguy

might have saw the biggest spacing of gas levels today. stopped at Valero. RUG was $3.39, so pretty cheap for around here. But Mid grade was $4.79! a $1.40/gallon upcharge. But premium was only $.20 more at $4.99.

oh, and one of the few around that still offers a dime discount for prepaid cash. That would make it the same price as the Citgo up the road (still pretty sure that is the lowest in the region). but that is a bit further out and less convenient (plus the pumps are so close together you can barely squeeze 2 cars in at the same time).

ronsteve

@stickguy said:
might have saw the biggest spacing of gas levels today. stopped at Valero. RUG was $3.39, so pretty cheap for around here. But Mid grade was $4.79! a $1.40/gallon upcharge. But premium was only $.20 more at $4.99.

oh, and one of the few around that still offers a dime discount for prepaid cash. That would make it the same price as the Citgo up the road (still pretty sure that is the lowest in the region). but that is a bit further out and less convenient (plus the pumps are so close together you can barely squeeze 2 cars in at the same time).

Not surprised to see that from Valero.

I think the spread is widening in a lot of places. The spread from unleaded to premium at Costco here in Louisville is 70 cents and I’m seeing more and more 70-80 cent spreads out and about.

henryn

A few days ago when I filled up the Pacifica at a Chevron station, I happened to glance at all of the numbers on the pump. 87 octane was $3.19, and that's the only number I usually pay attention to. But in this case, the spread was eye-opening. 93 octane was $4.79, a spread of $1.60 per gallon. I was so surprised by that, I walked over to the next lane and verified the pump there had the same prices.

Today, I was at HEB, and 87 octane was $3.01, 93 octane $3.55. If you need 93 octane, you need to be a VERY careful shopper.

explorerx4

Not all grades of gas get filled at the same time, so the spread between grades is going to change.

stickguy

I got burned a few times only looking at the RUG price. though usually I got mid if not RUG.

Mid was always the most confusing. I always understood they only had 2 tanks, and mid was just a 50/50 mix. so seems like it should be half way in between. not skewed way toward the PUG price like that.

but, I guess I should not expect logic, since pricing is done to maximize how much they think they can suck out of your wallet, and I assume they figured out that the rich folk that won't put the cheap stuff in, will pay extra for the privilege. or maybe, just not careful enough to notice!

explorerx4

I usually see 87/89/93, so mid is not 50/50.

stickguy

question for you pump your own heathen state people. do you use the little clicker on the pump handle? I never have. Actually am pretty sure there used to not even be ones on the pumps. but i do see they have them now. I have never actually used one in over 40 years of driving (and plenty of that not in Jersey!)

kyfdx

explorerx4 said:

I usually see 87/89/93, so mid is not 50/50.

33/67

kyfdx

stickguy said:

question for you pump your own heathen state people. do you use the little clicker on the pump handle? I never have. Actually am pretty sure there used to not even be ones on the pumps. but i do see they have them now. I have never actually used one in over 40 years of driving (and plenty of that not in Jersey!)

Do you mean the lever that holds the pump open, so you can let go of it?

Everyone does that..

stickguy

kyfdx said:

stickguy said:

question for you pump your own heathen state people. do you use the little clicker on the pump handle? I never have. Actually am pretty sure there used to not even be ones on the pumps. but i do see they have them now. I have never actually used one in over 40 years of driving (and plenty of that not in Jersey!)

Do you mean the lever that holds the pump open, so you can let go of it?

Everyone does that..

well, obviously not everyone. but at least I don't have to worry about it failing and spraying gas all over! really not a big deal. I have to stand there with my hand on the handle anyway.

stickguy

explorerx4 said:

I usually see 87/89/93, so mid is not 50/50.

we don't have 93 around here (well, maybe Sunoco still has it like the old days when they had 4 grades). I might have to double check locally but at the old place it was always 87/89/91 at premium.

Michaell

In Colorado it’s 85/87/91

henryn

stickguy said:

kyfdx said:

stickguy said:

question for you pump your own heathen state people. do you use the little clicker on the pump handle? I never have. Actually am pretty sure there used to not even be ones on the pumps. but i do see they have them now. I have never actually used one in over 40 years of driving (and plenty of that not in Jersey!)

Do you mean the lever that holds the pump open, so you can let go of it?

Everyone does that..

well, obviously not everyone. but at least I don't have to worry about it failing and spraying gas all over! really not a big deal. I have to stand there with my hand on the handle anyway.

I worked two summers at a full service gas station, 1965 and 1966, when I was 14 and 15. I pumped a lot of gas, I washed a lot of windshields, checked a lot of engine oil and tire pressures. My favorite story from those days ...

One of our regular customers came in, someone we saw regularly and knew. He had just purchased a brand new Ford half ton pickup, and we (my boss and I) were admiring the truck. Back then, the dealerships did not give you a full tank of gas, barely enough to get to the nearest gas station, so he asked for a fill up. I started the pump, and went back to the conversation about the new truck.

A few minutes later, I walked back around to check on the pump, and it was still going. I looked at the meter on the pump, and it was showing something like 50 gallons and still going strong, so I immediately clicked it off. In those days, in Ford half ton pickups, the gas tank was inside the cab, behind the seat, running all the way across the cab. The hose from the inlet to the top of the tank was half on and half off at the tank, and gas was just pouring into the cab, filling it up like a bath tub.

Needless to say, the truck owner was really p_____d. My boss and I were more concerned about how to get rid of that gas without burning down the station!

tjc78

@qbrozen said:

I’m sure it was a good time, but a bad game for the Phil’s. History making but not in a good way.

driver100

stickguy said:

kyfdx said:

stickguy said:

question for you pump your own heathen state people. do you use the little clicker on the pump handle? I never have. Actually am pretty sure there used to not even be ones on the pumps. but i do see they have them now. I have never actually used one in over 40 years of driving (and plenty of that not in Jersey!)

Do you mean the lever that holds the pump open, so you can let go of it?

Everyone does that..

well, obviously not everyone. but at least I don't have to worry about it failing and spraying gas all over! really not a big deal. I have to stand there with my hand on the handle anyway.

We used to be able to do that. But, there were lots of spills in those days, people would put the hose in the tank, and then clean their windows or go inside and buy something, and when they came back gas was all over the cement....big cleanups. They actually made it illegal to make pumps that could be left unattended. But, thanks for the memories!

qbrozen

Terribly frustrating to watch. Could just see it happening as the Phils pitchers repeatedly would get ahead of a hitter and then proceed to fail at finishing, working the count to where they had to put the ball in the middle of the plate. Of course, that doesn’t matter when the offense doesn’t put up numbers. Very sad to see their “undefeated at home post season run” fall.

ab348

Gas prices here are regulated by the govt (uh-oh) based on the NY spot market price which is somehow seen as a barometer for prices here. They get changed every Friday unless there is a big swing during the week one way or the other.

What I find odd is the difference in price among the 3 grades (we have 87/89/91 or 92 depending upon brand). The difference between 87 and 89 is about 10 cents a liter. The difference between 89 and 91 is maybe 2 or 3 cents per liter. I think someone is making bank on the 89.

Sandman6472

Went to a nearby Shell station after work last night & it was still at $3.15 for regular. Pretty low for our neck of the woods right now, so I put in about $11.00 & the tank is now full. Not sure if we'll ever see $2.50 petrol anymore in the United States but sure hope one day we will get close.

kyfdx

stickguy said:

kyfdx said:

stickguy said:

question for you pump your own heathen state people. do you use the little clicker on the pump handle? I never have. Actually am pretty sure there used to not even be ones on the pumps. but i do see they have them now. I have never actually used one in over 40 years of driving (and plenty of that not in Jersey!)

Do you mean the lever that holds the pump open, so you can let go of it?

Everyone does that..

well, obviously not everyone. but at least I don't have to worry about it failing and spraying gas all over! really not a big deal. I have to stand there with my hand on the handle anyway.

Anyway.. it's typical to use them. In KY (and, probably most places), you are required to stand by, in case of problems. Although, when it's cold, you'll see people get back in their cars. I never do that. 30 years ago, you might find an old pump where the shutoff didn't work correctly. But, I never see that, now.
Some stations have removed the metal tab, so you can't be hands-free. Maybe, they've had issues.

driver100

Someone sent me a very technical report showing where raw materials come from for EV batteries. The report shows there aren't that many sources for these materials in the world, and China is way ahead in developing and having access to those sources. It is questionable whether you can find enough of these rare metals, fast enough, to produce all EVs on the governments timetable.

qbrozen

driver100 said:

Someone sent me a very technical report showing where raw materials come from for EV batteries. The report shows there aren't that many sources for these materials in the world, and China is way ahead in developing and having access to those sources. It is questionable whether you can find enough of these rare metals, fast enough, to produce all EVs on the governments timetable.

The gov just wants us to find other ways to make batteries, that's all.

stickguy

Whoever perfects making long range batteries out of stuff like beach sand and cow manure is going to make a fortune!

Seems like in the old days, people invented solutions. Now they just complain and yell at each other saying it can’t be done.

kyfdx

Ford and Honda aren't worried about it. They just invested $14 Billion combined for battery plants in Tennessee, KY and Ohio

driver100

Maybe because of some pressure, Toyota and Honda seemed hesitant to go all in 100%, until they were criticized.

henryn

driver100 said:

stickguy said:

kyfdx said:

stickguy said:

question for you pump your own heathen state people. do you use the little clicker on the pump handle? I never have. Actually am pretty sure there used to not even be ones on the pumps. but i do see they have them now. I have never actually used one in over 40 years of driving (and plenty of that not in Jersey!)

Do you mean the lever that holds the pump open, so you can let go of it?

Everyone does that..

well, obviously not everyone. but at least I don't have to worry about it failing and spraying gas all over! really not a big deal. I have to stand there with my hand on the handle anyway.

We used to be able to do that. But, there were lots of spills in those days, people would put the hose in the tank, and then clean their windows or go inside and buy something, and when they came back gas was all over the cement....big cleanups. They actually made it illegal to make pumps that could be left unattended. But, thanks for the memories!

Here in the USA, only 2 states have disallowed the use of the automatic shutoff gas pumps:

New York is one of two states in the nation – Massachusetts being the other – where gas pumps don't come with what's known in the industry as hold-open clips. And gas stations in New York often come stickered with big warnings saying in essence 'Don't wedge anything into the pump handle to hold open the trigger or Johnny Law will come down on you.'

stickguy

Odd because I’m almost positive the one I used yesterday had the little clip thing on it.

jmonroe1

explorerx4 said:

We are having warm weather in norther Ohio too. They are calling it Second Summer(Indian Summer is not appropriate anymore).

———————————————-
I’m not surprised Indian Summer is no longer “appropriate”. I wonder If Custer would be allowed to say that he was killed by Indians. Might have to re-write some history books, now.

Anyway, I was told years ago by a guy I worked with who grew up on a farm, that it’s not officially an Indian Summer (sorry for my in-appropriateness) until there is at least an 80 degree day following a first frost.

jmonroe

ronsteve

jmonroe1 said:

explorerx4 said:

We are having warm weather in norther Ohio too. They are calling it Second Summer(Indian Summer is not appropriate anymore).

———————————————-
I’m not surprised Indian Summer is no longer “appropriate”. I wonder If Custer would be allowed to say that he was killed by Indians. Might have to re-write some history books, now.

Anyway, I was told years ago by a guy I worked with who grew up on a farm, that it’s not officially an Indian Summer (sorry for my in-appropriateness) until there is at least an 80 degree day following a first frost.

jmonroe

The generally accepted definition in meteorology doesn't specify 80 degrees, just unseasonably warm. But it does specify that it has to happen after there has been a frost (if not a freeze). I always got a little prickly when I heard the phrase thrown around about any warm, nice days in November in coastal NC, because we hadn't had a frost yet!

venture

I was out torquing around on a few roads in my neighborhood and came nose to nose, at a small intersection, with a white '67 Corvette coupe. I don't know if it's local - I never saw it before.




This thing was immaculate if it was original. It even sounded like OEM mufflers. You know - the ones that sound like something is rattling around in there. I don't know how anyone could keep it this nice.

If it was restored (most likely) they did an amazing job.

He was turning left, and I let him go first because I didn't want to hold him up, but, more importantly, I wanted to see the side and back.

It looked like this driving away:


I was going to try to see where he was going and stop to chat, but he was driving a Corvette and I was driving a John Deere.

I had a '67 Coupe as did Mike. mjloyd has a "63 Coupe. My most favorite.

qbrozen

how coincidental. We saw a Stingray split-window on the way to the game yesterday. He was in front of us merging onto a bumper-to-bumper highway (I295). I wondered aloud if the car would be angry having to be in that traffic.

driver100

@venture
It looks pretty good but can look even better in the right color and with the right trim;

venture

driver100 said:

@venture
It looks pretty good but can look even better in the right color and with the right trim;

That's a modified '63. Nice car except someone ruined it.

venture

qbrozen said:

how coincidental. We saw a Stingray split-window on the way to the game yesterday. He was in front of us merging onto a bumper-to-bumper highway (I295). I wondered aloud if the car would be angry having to be in that traffic.

I almost always drove mine year-round, but that was a long time ago. A '63 like you saw, if in nice condition, now exceeds $100,000. I think it would be angry.