Random Thoughts... [Automotive Edition]

That being said, I'm currently on a business trip somewhere that's sunny and warm (and why I'm going back to Chicago tomorrow is beyond me). So I've got a rental car. Here were my choices (please note: I work for a cheap company, so getting a rental beyond my particular needs would be quite frowned upon): Hyundai Elantra, Kia Optima, Dodge Caliber, and a Smart City Car. Yeah, I got the Elantra. First my Kia Rio experience and now this...I have got to stop using Enterprise. To think that this was the same company that let me rent a Mustang for two weeks for the price of a compact...

Was it the old optima or the new one? Same question for the Elantra, but yeah, you'd think a sunny place like that would have more interesting stuff....
 
Was it the old optima or the new one? Same question for the Elantra, but yeah, you'd think a sunny place like that would have more interesting stuff....

New to both. But having driven through rush hour in Phoenix for the last couple of days, I have to admit that both the Elantra and the Optima fit in rather well here. That's pretty much the only indictment of Phoenix that I can think of right now. Nice city.
 
Was it the old optima or the new one? Same question for the Elantra, but yeah, you'd think a sunny place like that would have more interesting stuff....

All the more interesting stuff was rented by earlier customers. :D Or that's usually what happens.
 
Why is my new car 2 weeks away from being with me, I can't handle this wait!

The world of hot-hatchery is a new and scary place for me, I hope I've made the right decision.
 
New to both. But having driven through rush hour in Phoenix for the last couple of days, I have to admit that both the Elantra and the Optima fit in rather well here. That's pretty much the only indictment of Phoenix that I can think of right now. Nice city.

Nice, any thoughts on the Elantra so far? Phoenix sounds cool too, great weather I bet!

All the more interesting stuff was rented by earlier customers. :D Or that's usually what happens.

Haha true, I thought most of the time people dont have a real choice in what they get. Clearly the fact that I've never rented a car shows haha.

EDIT: ugh: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Volk...Cars_Trucks&hash=item20b867ce92#ht_626wt_1165

It ticks almost all my boxes..except its black inside..but I could live with that....why am i broke!?!?! :(
 
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Would you guys consider this safe? Blocks placed on the optimal load-bearing position (concrete resists stress well unless forced to bend or flex) Someone on another forum was horrified. Also check out my cool automotive hideaway from the world :)

parking.jpg
 
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Uh.. yeah, that's really dumb and unsafe. Those aren't really 'concrete' blocks, those are cinderblocks. They have a nasty habit of crumbling under compressive load (that's why they are almost invariably filled with actual concrete if someone wants a wall made of them to last.)

Put it to you this way: People break those with their hands.

Jackstands: $20 at Sears.
Me laughing at you for all eternity because your dumb ass got killed when the cinderblocks crumbled and the car fell on you: Priceless.

Please, do get under that car while it's so supported. :evil:
 
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Get under the car? What do you think i had the car up for, a better view? :D

I had them like that because for this install i needed lots of room under the car, with the suspension loaded. Of course I had jackstands on the frame in case of a disaster, but the cinder blocks held the load like a champ. Maybe i should be using big wooden blocks instead, but i really do like the "car on blocks" way instead of "car weight supported on jackstands". I like the stands to be the backup, not the pure weight bearing device.


edit: Damn it now you've scared me. Wooden blocks next time for sure.
 
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Yeah I wouldn't want to be underneath that. Proper metal ramps designed for the job are what I use and are much safer.

They're also perfect for testing suspension flex (or lack of)
GjYPN.jpg
 
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Fuck that noise, ramps take up too much room under the car. (e: ^^^ never seen ones that small ^^^) This way you get all the height advantages of the ramp, with minimal work-complicating footprint. I defiantly am scared away from cinder blocks, but some more sturdy alternative (im thinking strong wood) is my car-lifting-method of choice for sure.

Also notice the way the blocks are oriented. If they were rotated and the load placed on the flat, other side of the blocks (The "people break these with their hands" side) The load would only be working on an inch or so of concrete, which i DO know breaks immediatly when flexed. The way i placed it the load is on a much wider, and much more deformation-resistant cross-section. Just trying to make it clear i did think about what i was doing first.
 
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Fuck that noise, ramps take up too much room under the car. (e: ^^^ never seen ones that small ^^^) This way you get all the height advantages of the ramp, with minimal work-complicating footprint. I defiantly am scared away from cinder blocks, but some more sturdy alternative (im thinking strong wood) is my car-lifting-method of choice for sure.

Also notice the way the blocks are oriented. If they were rotated and the load placed on the flat, other side of the blocks (The "people break these with their hands" side) The load would only be working on an inch or so of concrete, which i DO know breaks immediatly when flexed. The way i placed it the load is on a much wider, and much more deformation-resistant cross-section. Just trying to make it clear i did think about what i was doing first.

You didn't think enough. I have a client that makes precast concrete products and I once asked one of the engineers whether there was any safe orientation to support a car on such blocks.

The engineer went pale and in no uncertain terms told me to never put more than 350 pounds on a cinderblock or even a precast concrete block in any orientation without (concrete) fill inside.

By the way, they do make special ramps to fit under low cars like Jaguars and Miatas. $60 a set or so.

IMG_8479.JPG


IMG_8480.JPG


Or you could have put the jackstands under the suspension instead (with additional stands placed to stop the car in case it does fall off those). You can even get ramps where once the car is up on the support column part, you can remove the ramps and have the same freedom to move.

ramp2a.jpg


car-ramps-xt-2.jpg
 
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Sounds like someone is seeking a Darwin award....
 
Get under the car? What do you think i had the car up for, a better view? :D

I had them like that because for this install i needed lots of room under the car, with the suspension loaded. Of course I had jackstands on the frame in case of a disaster, but the cinder blocks held the load like a champ. Maybe i should be using big wooden blocks instead, but i really do like the "car on blocks" way instead of "car weight supported on jackstands". I like the stands to be the backup, not the pure weight bearing device.


edit: Damn it now you've scared me. Wooden blocks next time for sure.

i do it the other way around, i support them with jacks, but have wooden blocks under my axle fixings for when they would fail

if one of the blocks you used fail, the chance a stand holding up the car are pretty slim it think. base isn't that wide to be sure they wont topple over when a car "falls" on them, and the contact area is pretty small as well. the chance of the car missing the jacks is to big!
 
Even my regular mechanic won't touch a New Beetle. My family has been taking cars to him for over 15 years and even with that history he wouldn't take Kiki's bug into the shop. My friend with a used car lot won't buy them and tries to avoid taking them in trade whenever possible.

:( you are probably right. I think I might just do minor fix ups until it doesn't go anymore then rip out some bits to save.

I actually found some similar to this in the condo. Unfortunately, the driveway is entirely slanted and it wouldn't really be safe to use them.
 
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New to both. But having driven through rush hour in Phoenix for the last couple of days, I have to admit that both the Elantra and the Optima fit in rather well here. That's pretty much the only indictment of Phoenix that I can think of right now. Nice city.

Wait a few months and then go back. Maybe sometime around early-mid August. Trust me, you will find a reason to hate that city and it starts at about 110?F. I mean, for fuck's sake, I saw people wearing down coats in that town when the temperature was 85?, it was like I was in Bizzaro-world.
 
Wait a few months and then go back. Maybe sometime around early-mid August. Trust me, you will find a reason to hate that city and it starts at about 110?F. I mean, for fuck's sake, I saw people wearing down coats in that town when the temperature was 85?, it was like I was in Bizzaro-world.
It is supposed to be 83 on monday. I need to clean my room so I can get the A/C in the window by then.
 
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