Random Thoughts... [Automotive Edition]

It was targeted at our car. The nearby cars next to or behind weren't affected at all. All sparkling clean.

Well, in Singapore where law is extra-tight, this is vandalism =/
 
Homer_Bart said:
It was targeted at our car. The nearby cars next to or behind weren't affected at all. All sparkling clean.

Well, in Singapore where law is extra-tight, this is vandalism =/
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I'd say you're lucky then. There's a Volvo down my street that has what looks like queso poured all over the windshield. (Queso: A delicious combination of melted cheese and salsa. Not so delicious once it's baked on a windshield for two days.)


&^%$ I have to go to SEMA now, I just saw the Camaro GS Racecar concept that GM is bringing. The blacked out Camaro with the red-halo headlights looks pretty sinister too. Pictures are on Autoblog, this stupid computer won't let me post them.
 
Well that's not so bad, looks like a good wash or if not a good detail will take care of it.

On a different note, what's that gray box stuck to the front windshield Homer_Bart? Some kind of payment system for tolls or something?
 
Adunaphel said:
Do it, you won't regret it! They're really nice to drive with very good handling for a car this age (that's one thing the W126 won't give you), nigh indestructible, and pretty comfy to be in. Just don't expect many luxuries, almost nothing was standard kit and all extras cost you an arm and a leg and a kidney for good measure.
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I am really tempted, but space is an issue, I already have 2 cars. we'll see..

Regarding the extras, luckily the majority of cars in that class and above are sold with "full optional" in Italy, so I'll get pretty much every extra that was available. Any more info about the model would be much appreciated :)

edit: mamma mia, its a stunning car :drool:

https://pic.armedcats.net/j/jo/joe365/2008/11/03/DSC00293.jpg
https://pic.armedcats.net/j/jo/joe365/2008/11/03/DSC00289.jpg
https://pic.armedcats.net/j/jo/joe365/2008/11/03/overview12.jpg
 
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Adunaphel said:
Do it, you won't regret it! They're really nice to drive with very good handling for a car this age (that's one thing the W126 won't give you), nigh indestructible, and pretty comfy to be in. Just don't expect many luxuries, almost nothing was standard kit and all extras cost you an arm and a leg and a kidney for good measure.
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Hmm, how is the W126 in comparison then? I'd probably use it mostly as a freeway cruiser and not a corner carver, but I'd like to take it into the hills once in a while.
 
Shawn said:
Well that's not so bad, looks like a good wash or if not a good detail will take care of it.

On a different note, what's that gray box stuck to the front windshield Homer_Bart? Some kind of payment system for tolls or something?
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We've sent it for a good wash the rain these few days and everything looks fine again :mrgreen:

That box is a a so-called "in-vehicle unit (IU)", used for highway tolls and Singapore's version of London's Congestion Charge, and also automated carparks.

Land Transoprt Authority said:
The ERP system uses a dedicated short-range radio communication system to deduct ERP charges from CashCards. These are inserted in the In-vehicle Units (IUs) of vehicles before each journey.

Each time vehicles pass through a gantry when the system is in operation, the ERP charges will be automatically deducted.
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The ERP toll gantry with money-eating radio system:
027_ERP_gantry.jpg


The IU
534094349_9328996fe6.jpg


Overall, although the ERP isn't that fair in its pricing on the tolls, it is efficient, much more the what's in the UK. But the IU also encourages more people to build automated carparks. Boohoo.
 
Hmm, so I wasn't far off. It doesn't record you speed or anything, does it?

The concept of tolls is foreign to me. I think there was one tollway in our province that was recently made free.
 
Shawn said:
Hmm, so I wasn't far off. It doesn't record you speed or anything, does it?

The concept of tolls is foreign to me. I think there was one tollway in our province that was recently made free.
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Nope. It only deducts money and takes down the car's plate number if the card's empty. Foreign cars are exempted from paying though.

The government is moving on to build more and eat everybody's money up, in their excuse is to reduce the number of cars on the road. Any Singaporean will know it's a big joke! :lol:

DTMracer said:
This is the worrying bit.
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He like revving the car hard and driving quickly, but his driving skills are really awesome and not just reckless speed :p
 
Still funny to think that lightly covering a car in dust is vandalism... see that thread about the dude whose WRX got treated with paintstripper, then talk to me about vandalism

then again : if you empty your ashtray in Singapore don't you go to jail for that? It's ridiculous...

On a brighter note : the pictures Avanti posted make me all gooey... mmmmm ... mercedes..... mmmmm *drool*
 
^ Come on man, this is a country where chewing gum is banned. Things seem to be really different over there, including their definitions. :D
 
Homer_Bart said:
He like revving the car hard and driving quickly, but his driving skills are really awesome and not just reckless speed :p
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Awesome driving skills or not, driving like a dick isn't about to make you popular with people.
 
DTMracer said:
Awesome driving skills or not, driving like a dick isn't about to make you popular with people.
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Agreed :cool:


For the offence of littering:
First-time offenders face a fine of up to S$1,000. For repeat offenders--it's a fine of up to S$2,000 and a Corrective Work Order (CWO).
The CWO requires litterbugs to spend a few hours cleaning a public place, for example, picking up litter in a park. The litterbugs are made to wear bright jackets, and sometimes, the local media are invited to cover the public spectacle. Naturally, the authorities hope that public shame will make diehard litterbugs think twice about tossing their scrap paper or cigarette butt on the roadside.
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Come over and you'll realise how clean the streets are, and how much greenery there is. No piece of undeveloped land is left bare and not covered with grass, and trees are virtually everywhere :mrgreen:

That's all folks for a law-strapped country! :D
 
It feels so good to drive the Xtrail after a couple of weeks in the Civic, i remember why i love driving it in the first place, the engine pulls so much better and the high driving position is <3.
 
avanti said:
Any more info about the model would be much appreciated :)
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What's to say about them, they're known to be bullet-proof. Only weakness i know of is the same as the 190E, they can rust beneath the plastic side panels. They can take a bit of a beating, but still you'd do well to look for a car that's been properly maintained.

Labcoatguy said:
Hmm, how is the W126 in comparison then? I'd probably use it mostly as a freeway cruiser and not a corner carver, but I'd like to take it into the hills once in a while.
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Oh, it's not bad, but the W124 is nicer to drive. The W126 is more geared towards comfort than the W124, so it has softer suspension than the W124, but it's no wallowy boat, nor does it really shun cornering. Both cars are great cruisers though.
 
I saw a Scion Toaster for the first time in England today. What a Beast. ;)
 
I was bored... ok really bored, and was checking out GM/Ford/Chryslers/Toyota USA websites.

All the 'family cars' either have a 1.8 or 2.4L engine's (some have a 2.2)... why no 2L? :blink:
 
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