Random Thoughts... [Automotive Edition]

I went to two different VW dealers and both were the most outgoing people and during both test drives, I was egged on to give it some go which was cool.


I would tend to agree with this as I know I don't look like I'm exactly well-ish off or anything. I've heard a few stories from a coworker with friends who make quite a bit but don't look the part and therefore get turned down multiple times.

The Ford dealer I showed up in my Mustang, in a tucked in shirt and jeans, I would've thought that was acceptable wear for someone looking at a Focus ST. I guess not...
Yeah I did a test drive of the turbo beetle before the fiat which I honestly kind of feel bad for the salesman cuz I am SURE his "I found my '77 bug i had parked for the winter in a barn like 20 years ago and am so glad to have it on the road again" pitch works REALLY GOOD on most people... but I already owned a beetle so my take was "if you get rid of your bug you will regret it". Also while to turbo bug was certainly much better then mine, having two beetles seemed redundent. Also I am an idiot blah blah soul and passion so I ended up at a fiat/alfa dealer.

The fiat test drive was hilarious I told the guy what car I wanted to see and his face lit up. He brings the car out and is like, hitting the gas and giggling "LISTEN TO IT". Like it was a easy sale I was pretty much gonna buy it the moment i walked in but the enthusiasm level of OH MAN I WISH I COULD BUY THIS ONE probably sells a lot of people.

Tbh assuming it doesn't go under or something by then I'll probably just get a GTI next time because oh my god was I spoiled with that dealership. Like I will be looking for a good shop for the fiat when the warrenty is up and I have more options, but the beetle I will aiming for being able to get away with self repairs + taking it to the dealer.
 
Guys, I think I might be wheelist. Wheelist - you know, someone who discriminates based on the number of wheels. Allow me to explain:

I hate Harleys with "loud pipes" with a passion. They sound like shit and they're operated by the exact faaaaags that South Park famously described - douches who just want to show off in their assless leather chaps, while annoying everyone around them. My parents' neighbor is a prime example of this - he just HAS TO redline it up their 60 yard long dead-end street in the middle of the night whenever he comes home (I've always assumed he works a late shift somewhere).

On the other hand, my new neighbor two houses down has a Charger Hellcat and I can hear it idling in his driveway from my living room. And yet... it doesn't annoy me one bit. I can also hear him coasting down the hill behind my house and still I don't mind it one bit. Long live the V8, I say!
I would contribute this more to the fact that the guy on the bike is revving the nuts off his bike while the guy in the "cage" is not. If he did the same thing every day I'd bet you would see it differently.
 
I would contribute this more to the fact that the guy on the bike is revving the nuts off his bike while the guy in the "cage" is not. If he did the same thing every day I'd bet you would see it differently.

Or at 11:30 at night...
 
Dealership experiences:
Last time I was looking for a hatchback, the big brands here (Ford, VW, Chevrolet and FIAT) were all as expected, letting me test-drive a car for a few kilometers with the salesmen seating beside me on a pre-determined route. FIAT was the only one that let me drive the exact car I was looking for and not something similar, and that helped me decide about getting the Palio.
A few years ago, I went with my mother-in-law to a Chevrolet dealership and the salesman didn't even stop reading his newspaper before telling us: "We're low on inventory. Come back next week." What the fuck?
Renault was very good providing a car for a test drive (a Clio) but tried screwing me over when it was time to close the deal. In general, they know next to nothing apart from BRAND NEW STICKERS, MORE FUEL ECONOMY, BEST IN CLASS. Don't bother discussing technical specs.

Randomly visiting "luxury" dealerships was a surprise.
The BMW saleswoman knew EVERYTHING about the brand and the cars. She even took me to the lot to show me the 130i, which was new at the time. Surprisingly, it was the best service I ever had at a dealership, even though I clearly had no money for one and was just wasting time there.
Volvo guy was very clinical. Clearly sticking to a script, but treated me well.
I've never been to the Porsche dealership, although they have a Carrera GT for sale, so maybe I should. :unsure:
 
I do that all the time - my bluetooth module is broken :shakefist:

Entirely possible with the Tesla too I suppose.

Thinking about it I need to run an errand later and it’ll be the first time I use the CarPlay Google Maps nav for something that wasn’t just testing it. Just in time to sell the Discovery. Anyone interested?
 
Not very likely I would think, in fact Lev's being broken is literally the only time I ever heard of BT module failing.

Maybe not specifically, but software bugs and glitches are hardly uncommon, are they?

gasps Are you getting a Disco 3 or 4?

As tempting as they are, neither. I'm going to need the money and the V8 has done less than a thousand miles in the last year. In fact:

BugsyMOT.jpg


The Smart has been driven much more since last June, which is partly what I wanted. That may also be going. The bobtail is going nowhere so I'll still be Disco Stu-pour.
 
Not very likely I would think, in fact Lev's being broken is literally the only time I ever heard of BT module failing.

It's actually a known problem with the 2000s Acuras, especially the TSX and TL. Their BT modules often die an early death and they cause all sorts of very strange issues when the BT HFL module fails. I have a client with an 07 TSX - her car has a failed BT HFL and it's been disconnected. She's a Boomer, so she CBA to deal with it. Of course, she also CBA to wear her seatbelt and is known to apply makeup whilst driving.
 
What Spectre said - known issue with these cars. Oftentimes a failed BT module starts draining the battery at an alarming rate so most people just disconnect them at that point; luckily mine just simply stopped working with no other side-effects so it's still connected.



I have a decent excuse actually: "This listing was ended by the seller because the item is no longer available." :shakefist: Good find though!
 
Has to be an S2000, or a motorcycle.

Or some weirdo JDM import model that I don’t know about.
 
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