Random Thoughts... [Automotive Edition]

With a load of random junk in a car, you have to worry about it taking your head off in a crash. Not so much when in the the bed of a truck.

(I am not saying you don't have to strap stuff down, just that there is a steel barrier between your head and the crap you are hauling)
 
It's probably worth mentioning that the terms "quarter-ton", "half-ton", and "one-ton" were coined decades ago to refer to different classes of trucks, the hauling capacities of which have risen significantly over the years. For example, a Ford Ranger (which is a "quarter-ton" truck) has a loading capacity of 1260 pounds, or 0.63 tons, an F-150 (a "half-ton" pickup) 1940 pounds, or 0.97 tons, and an F-350 Super Duty (a "one-ton" pickup) 5700 pounds, or 2.85 tons.
 
Man, around here the new one series drivers seem to define an entirely new class of giga-douche
 
The guys I've seen driving their brand new 135i coupes this summer with the top down have looked like such wankers. I hate to say it, but you just look extra douchey in a shrunken Bimmer like that.

Man, around here the new one series drivers seem to define an entirely new class of giga-douche

See? I wasn't just being a hater... they look like such douchebags. Douchiest car on sale today.
 
^ I wouldn't.

Sure it's really, really good to drive, but if you like your passengers you won't ask of them to squeeze into the back of it. Also, no bootspace FTL.

It'd be an excellent second car though
 
I got one from yesterday:
Ive been looking at diesel pickups this whole week (dont ask) and realized that its fairly easy to get some insane numbers from those motors. 600hp/1000tq is very doable with just an engine programmer and a good tranny that can take the torque. There are a good number pickups out there that run 11s; high 12s is pretty easy. This got me thinking - what if you put one of those motors, say a 6.6L Duramax out of a silverado HD, into something that doesnt weigh as much as the moon, eg a Camaro? Did some research on this and turns out it has been done a few times with some really really good results.

No amount of hyperbole can describe the awesome contained within this post.
 
It's big enough for me, it's not like my current car is renowned for it's interior and bootspace. And it's still the cheapest rwd car on the market.

I was talking about the 1-series coupe/convertible... are you sure that's big enough for any type of family?

I wouldn't buy one... isn't it only very slightly cheaper than the 3-Series?
 
Why didn't the 612 have the Enzo engine?

Because they preferred the engine from the 575, which entered production before the Enzo; plus, the 575 is also a GT car, so the engine is tuned for a GT car's usage regime. The engine from the Enzo had to be worked on and tweaked before being slotted in the 599.
 
It's not that much worse than my 190E, which isn't roomy in the back either. I need rear seats for my 4 month old daughter and the occasional friend. It's no car to fit pubescent teenagers in the rear for a 14-hour drive to the costa brava no.
 
I was actually pretty uncomfortable sitting in the backseat on a drive to austria (about an hour)... and it's a 4 seater.
 
The average dad (which means moms probably there looking too) isn't looking in the back and thinking, "yea, yea the kids'll probably fit"

Props for bein a man Adu :yes:
 
How come some 300SL's have droopy headlights and not the circle ones?
 
How come some 300SL's have droopy headlights and not the circle ones?

The 300SL Gullwing always had rounds I think. According to Wikipedia, the droopy vs. circle lights on the roadsters is because of the market the car was made for.

Wikipedia said:
European versus American specifications:

These cars are also popular as U.S. export vehicles. That is, cars brought to the U.S. from Europe some years after original production. The European-spec vehicles have a number of subtle differences from U.S. market cars. The most visible is the distinctive European 'fishbowl' headlights versus U.S. sealed beam bulb headlights.

Link
 
A friend of mine let me drive his MKIV Golf TDI with coilovers, injectors and re-programed ECU. I honestly don't see that hate for Diesels on TG. Sure it didn't rev out that high but being able to pull from 1000rpm to 5000rpm redline was quite entertaining and having that kind of torque made it feel loads quicker than my miata with similar power (and lower weight).

If I could afford a Passat Tdi wagon or if Audi A4 wagons with the TDI engine were sold in the US I'd seriously consider one.
 
^I'm seriously considering a MKIV Golf TDi for a daily driver/winter car. The diesel engine is bulletproof, you get great mileage, and it will run forever. The only problem is the repetitive maintenance that comes with an oil burner. And living in northern Indiana you gotta baby it in the winter.
 
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