Random Thoughts... [Automotive Edition]

adaptech said:
I only go under my car if im working on the suspension or my gearbox :p
I have even taken out my engine and gearbox without removing the hood, try doing that with a front-hinged bonnet :cool:
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Unbolt the tranny and take it out separately.

British_Rover said:
The VW EOS is made in Portugal and that still doesn't stop the constant water leaks.
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Yep, VWs suck. Avoid them like the plague.
 
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The Manual diesel models seem to avoid most, a lot some of the problems.
 
So if you want moderate reliability get a slow one. :p

By the way I find it sad that I want a body-on-frame Triumph because of the way the hood is hinged.
 
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tigger said:
Front-hinged hoods are great until you have to do something like change out a water pump. But then, I learned long ago that it's easier to just pull the hood off whenever you're doing that kind of thing. No matter which way it opens.
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Heh - the X300 has a front hinged hood that gets way out of the way, providing excellent access to the front.
 
I can fold my hood all the way back and lean it up against my windsheild... so I think I win.

Even with the V8 crammed into an engine bay designed for an i4 I have access to everything.
 
Well, if you want to go that far, I have vehicles that have no hood, so engine access is immediate. :p
 
JipJopJones said:
I can fold my hood all the way back and lean it up against my windsheild... so I think I win.
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That's just because Jeep can't figure out any attachments more complicated than a simple hinge. I mean, look at the doors! Plain hinges WITH A WEB STRAP TO KEEP THEM FROM OPENING TOO FAR.
 
Web strap? That's fancy CJ7/Wrangler shit.

I got plain old drop in hinges. My doors open 180 degrees. :lol:
 
So when I got gas tonight in the Jeep, I discovered that my air filter had fallen off and the clamp that attached it was MIA.

So this is my current solution:



So, Epic or Fail?
 
Anyone have experience here with high-mileage Saabs? I'm seriously considering pulling the trigger on that 187k mi 9000 Aero, with only a pre-purchase inspection in the way. I wonder just how money-intensive it would be in the mid- to long-term, seeing as I have long road trips planned in April and May and would prefer to avoid breaking down.
 
Labcoatguy said:
Anyone have experience here with high-mileage Saabs? I'm seriously considering pulling the trigger on that 187k mi 9000 Aero, with only a pre-purchase inspection in the way. I wonder just how money-intensive it would be in the mid- to long-term, seeing as I have long road trips planned in April and May and would prefer to avoid breaking down.
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I wouldn't. My family used to have SAABs (the last of which was a 9000 Turbo) and they do not age well.
 
Labcoatguy said:
Anyone have experience here with high-mileage Saabs? I'm seriously considering pulling the trigger on that 187k mi 9000 Aero, with only a pre-purchase inspection in the way. I wonder just how money-intensive it would be in the mid- to long-term, seeing as I have long road trips planned in April and May and would prefer to avoid breaking down.
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Friend and coworker had one, it ended up needing repairs costing nearly twice its value (a window issue and transmission work) to keep it going before some woman in a Charger ran a red light and totaled it :lol:
 
A final thought on driving, i can confirm without a shadow of doubt that ?The touch? Is wired directly to my right foot, it sets it on ?Cruise mode?. As usual, J-Pop sets it in ?Sport? and classical has no effect. Strangely enough, the Bee Gees usually trigger Sporty driving.

I'll go to sleep now.
 
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AiR said:
The Mazda is slightly smaller (but only a few centimeters) on all fronts (except axle distance which is the same) and has a worse interior and lacks comforts like a fully adjustable steering wheel. Ford is more expensive, has more features you expect in a car (fully adjustable steering wheel), is more drivers car and has a better interior but poor utilization of interior real estate and uncomfortable seats. The trip computer does not support umlauts and Auto Motor & Sport would rather have a Honda Jazz in their Fiesta-Jazz shootout. The Mazda 2 meanwhile lost to the Peugeot 207 in the same scenario.
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Yeah, pretty much. Except here, the Ford is a few hundred dollars cheaper, has a more powerful engine standard, is more economical, and as said, better made, nicer to sit in and nicer to look at. The Fiesta has pretty much won all the awards for best small car, but the Mazda still beats the crap out of it in terms of sales. I've never really understood the Australian car market.

Is it just an Australian problem, or are motoring journalists all communists all over the world? For example, the motoring section of the Sydney Morning Herald is always full of reviews, often for something like a Porsche 911, and they usually end with something along the lines of "buy a Hyundai Getz instead, its cheaper". And every review, which might be of some sports car or supercar, always ends with "theres no auto option, therefore it is useless". Who cares? If they wanted an auto, they'd buy a different car. We don't need you to tell those that want a manual to buy a different car, because there isn't an auto.
 
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I hereby nominate Crazyjeeper for the "Red Green Would Be Proud" award.

That, sir, is an epic win.
 
People that want your advice and then don't take it annoys the fuck outta me.

My mum has a '99 Micra and apart from the roof leaking, the drivers window doesn't operate, the air con has failed, the radio doesn't light up, the rear wiper or heater doesn't work. The car is mechanically sound, she was talking to an AA man the other day and he said "We never get called out to fix these, they never go mechanically wrong."

I like the way that the car doesn't wanna die, but she wants a newer car. She only wants to spend about ?4k, so I said get a Jazz, which she likes the look of... but then "Oh what about the Micra/Corsa/Mk 6 Fiesta..... the Stilo looks nice."

I should disown her for even suggesting a Stilo.
 
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Labcoatguy said:
Anyone have experience here with high-mileage Saabs? I'm seriously considering pulling the trigger on that 187k mi 9000 Aero, with only a pre-purchase inspection in the way. I wonder just how money-intensive it would be in the mid- to long-term, seeing as I have long road trips planned in April and May and would prefer to avoid breaking down.
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They eat head gaskets if they haven't had the PCV upgrade done and the transmissions on the turbo models are kind of fragile. Sure we have 200,000 mile saabs roll through all the time but it took a lot of money to get them that far. I would pass without a stack of service reocords and a very cheap price. How much is it again?
 
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