Random Thoughts... [Automotive Edition]

The F creeps closer to 100 000 km, so it was time for a healthy glug of Shell Helix Ultra.
 
OK. That one totally annoyed me: I always had to accelerate to 60 kph to get it to finally change into 4th gear. And then I couldn't slow down below 50 kph because then it would change into 3rd gear again. That's very annoying when driving in town.

wat? who the hell drives less than 60kmh in town? Oh wait, maybe that's just Munich :lol:
 
Hurrah for vacuums leaks and overly complicated emissions systems. I should probably replace the hoses on my Dad's MGB.
 
wat? who the hell drives less than 60kmh in town? Oh wait, maybe that's just Munich :lol:

Or Helsinki. They actually lowered the city speed limits from 40kmh to 30kmh because of <insert nanny-state excuse>.

Bottom line is, everyone still does 60kmh. In my taxi-driving-times, I usually whizzed through the Helsinki night at 140kmh. And did I cause massive amounts of death and carnage? No. Nothing ever happened.
 
Checked over the exhaust on the Subaru today, seems like it's in decent shape after all. An hour with the welder and it will be as new, i hope. :)
 
There might be a few of these built for the Australian market.
If so, it will be rocking the Yamaha v8 from the xc90 and RWD.

What platform would it be based off of? I was under the impression that all Volvo's were FWD inclined (XC 90 excluded)
 
If so, it will be rocking the Yamaha v8 from the xc90 and RWD.

So will the camshaft feature self removing sprockets?
 
What platform would it be based off of? I was under the impression that all Volvo's were FWD inclined (XC 90 excluded)

The v70, and it'll probably be awd if it's ever made..
 
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Hurrah for vacuums leaks and overly complicated emissions systems. I should probably replace the hoses on my Dad's MGB.

All the controls for my climate control system in the Mustang are vacuum operated. All 6 blower settings, all the flapper doors and the temperature control and mixer are operated by vacuum canisters and hoses under the dash. I fear the day I have a leak and have to find it.
 
The paint shop guy who did the panel for my F quoted 500 euro to pretty much fix up the Coup?. New paint from the side crease downwards, tidying up the rust bubbles; fixing up the sills including some welding and to fix the bubbling around the windscreen. He should probably have a look under the bumpers and the rear plate, too, and fix a couple of dents in the front. I think it's rather reasonable, since spending 500 euro in any other way doesn't really make any difference.

After the bodywork's done, the car needs some fresh shocks, fresh rubber, alignment and it's gonna be a cracking car again.
 
I've noticed that in Ford and GM commercials specifically, when talking about the competition they mostly name Japanese auto makers like Toyota and Honda, which is exactly how I think it should be.

I think the American companies need to take a "find a common enemy" approach and band together for a while and leave each other alone. There's no need for Chevy to announce how much better the Impala is than the Taurus and vice-versa. They're all doing fairly poorly, why not help each other out a bit.
 
wat? who the hell drives less than 60kmh in town?
Me - go faster and you'll end up standing at the next red light while the slower cars catch up to you.

Besides, in traffic you mostly can't go as fast as you want... and it's annoying if your automatic stays in 3rd at about 3000 rpm (or higher, the car didn't have a rev counter) just because the ingenious engineers have forgot to program it in a decent way.
 
Me - go faster and you'll end up standing at the next red light while the slower cars catch up to you.

Besides, in traffic you mostly can't go as fast as you want... and it's annoying if your automatic stays in 3rd at about 3000 rpm (or higher, the car didn't have a rev counter) just because the ingenious engineers have forgot to program it in a decent way.

A lot of the traffic lights in Munich are timed that you get a "Gr?ne Welle" at 60 or 80.... no clue why, but that's the way it is, and not only observed by me.
 
I've noticed that in Ford and GM commercials specifically, when talking about the competition they mostly name Japanese auto makers like Toyota and Honda, which is exactly how I think it should be.

I think the American companies need to take a "find a common enemy" approach and band together for a while and leave each other alone. There's no need for Chevy to announce how much better the Impala is than the Taurus and vice-versa. They're all doing fairly poorly, why not help each other out a bit.

Except for the fact, perhaps, that two of them are bankrupt and the other one has had the management foresight to not resort to taking a handout from the government?
 
A lot of the traffic lights in Munich are timed that you get a "Gr?ne Welle" at 60 or 80.... no clue why, but that's the way it is, and not only observed by me.

Many self-respecting cities have that. Two years ago, we hit 90kph through Budapest while going through an uninterrupted row of about 15 successive green lights.

Too bad our cities don't really have this kind of planning and timing.
 
I know, Munich is nice in that respect. Well, nice if you drive a car/motorcycle.

But not so nice with the 6 new invisible speed cameras they put in the newly opened tunnel :(
 
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