Random Thoughts... [Automotive Edition]

[Matt2000]

New Blipshift design is appropriate for some of us.

 

[DanRoM]

Paging @captain_70s...

 

[captain_70s]

Ordered.

It can join this, equally as fitting, golden oldie....

 

[Labcoatguy]

Had a brainwave: tag winter wheels with strips of velcro to mark which corner of the vehicle they came from so that I can rotate (or not) correctly once it's time to mount them again.

 

[NecroJoe]

I'm disappointed that when it comes time to replace our e-Golf, even looking years down the road at cars that have been announced, that there'll be so few replacements on the market in terms of EVs.

The only compact EVs left are the Mini (with only 110mi range, and only 2 doors), and the Bolt. I don't know what the options are looking like in Europe, but for example, we don't even get the VW ID.3 here.

Unfortunately, cars any longer than her e-Golf and my Mazda 3 hatch will mean that one of us will have to park on the street, and one of us will have to park sideways across our driveway, since the driveway is so short (It's actually wider than it is long).

 

[Momentum57]

I'm disappointed that when it comes time to replace our e-Golf, even looking years down the road at cars that have been announced, that there'll be so few replacements on the market in terms of EVs.

The only compact EVs left are the Mini (with only 110mi range, and only 2 doors), and the Bolt. I don't know what the options are looking like in Europe, but for example, we don't even get the VW ID.3 here.

Unfortunately, cars any longer than her e-Golf and my Mazda 3 hatch will mean that one of us will have to park on the street, and one of us will have to park sideways across our driveway, since the driveway is so short (It's actually wider than it is long).

Im hoping that the variety of EV's will increase but I also am starting to think they are just waiting for self driving pods

 

[GRtak]

I'm disappointed that when it comes time to replace our e-Golf, even looking years down the road at cars that have been announced, that there'll be so few replacements on the market in terms of EVs.

The only compact EVs left are the Mini (with only 110mi range, and only 2 doors), and the Bolt. I don't know what the options are looking like in Europe, but for example, we don't even get the VW ID.3 here.

Unfortunately, cars any longer than her e-Golf and my Mazda 3 hatch will mean that one of us will have to park on the street, and one of us will have to park sideways across our driveway, since the driveway is so short (It's actually wider than it is long).

There are a bunch of new EVs in the planning. The real problem is that the (established) automakers are going all in on SUVs. If you want something small, look to the start-ups. Nobe and Aptera have smaller 3 wheelers. Beyond that, Europe is getting a better selection of small cars.

Hell, just buy a truck and park the second vehicle in the bed! lol

 

[GRtak]

I forgot that this thing existed.





Plymouth with the weirdness turned up to 11!

 

[Momentum57]

I forgot that this thing existed.
Plymouth with the weirdness turned up to 11!

The rear wheels retracted to make one big floppy land yacht

 

[NecroJoe]

Was reading an article about the VLF Force 1, and one of the comments was "Way to [sic] heavy. Should be 3,000lbs or less." The car in question is 3,395lbs.

I started looking, and the only V10 production car ever under that weight is a Superleggera Gallardo, at over 2,954. Even a Huracan and a Carrera GT were both over 3,000lbs.

So I guess this guy complaining a V10 car isn't under 3,000lbs is a bit like complaining that your hamburger isn't chicken.

 

[Der Stig]

Booked a one way ticket to EWR next month and roadtripping a new to me bad idea home with @Nabster . 1500 miles from Short Hills, NJ to my house. One weekend of cannonballing ahead.

@EyeMWing @rickhamilton620

Where do we not spend the night in PA? Might try to get a head start that Friday night.

 

[marcos_eirik]

Impressive efficiency from the BMW iX with the smaller battery:

 

[Matt2000]

Impressive efficiency from the BMW iX with the smaller battery:

And yet I still can't be impressed when it looks like it does.

roadtripping a new to me bad idea home with @Nabster . 1500 miles from Short Hills, NJ to my house.

I believe this is known as a rescue. Of all the parts of the USA, that North-East part scares me the most.

 

[marcos_eirik]

And yet I still can't be impressed when it looks like it does.

Yes, the angry beaver look (slim headlights and beaver teeth shaped fake grille) does it no favors, but it bodes well for other cars in their range, when hopefully BMW rectifies this mistake in their design update, like they did to the ordinary 3-series.

 

[rickhamilton620]

Booked a one way ticket to EWR next month and roadtripping a new to me bad idea home with @Nabster . 1500 miles from Short Hills, NJ to my house. One weekend of cannonballing ahead.

@EyeMWing @rickhamilton620

Where do we not spend the night in PA? Might try to get a head start that Friday night.

Honestly I'm used to taking the turnpike and just driving straight through to Philly and back since I only live 2 hours away lol.

That said, nothing looks bad that way as in like unsafe per say just possibly boring AF depending on what town you stop in.

If you do find yourself stopping in the midstate, you should be fine most anywhere:

Harrisburg, despite it's bad rap, has its charms and is fairly safe if you stay in a hotel along 2nd street. Plenty to do on Restaurant Row esp on weekends. easy access to riverfront park which could be fun if you wanted to check out any events that may be going on.

suburby areas like Colonial Park, Paxtonia, Hershey (home to a cool car museum!) and Hummelstown etc are totally fine. It may be easier to handle towing a trailer if you stick to the suburbs and stay out of the city.

Anything on the west shore across the river (Enola, Mechanicsburg, Camp Hill, etc.) is fine as well. Enola is cool because there's restaurants with decks and whatnot near the riverfront on that side of the river. Dockside Willies is pretty good.

Going past the west shore, you'll hit 3 "major" towns - Carlisle, Shippensburg and Chambersburg - All three are ok. Ship (and a bit of Carlisle) are college towns. Some parts of Carlisle some may consider sketch but where the hotels are, you'll be fine.

 

[Der Stig]

@Matt2000 I have AAA with the 200 mile tow option for this reason hahah

Thanks, @rickhamilton620 , that was very helpful. Sadly won't have much time. Gonna be pedal to the metal mostly.

 

[Matt2000]

@Matt2000 I have AAA with the 200 mile tow option for this reason hahah

Gonna be pedal to the metal mostly.

This makes me excited, it must be good if you're going this far and based on the above it's probably slow and unreliable so chances are I'll like it.

I forgot to mention earlier that I always chuckle when I find that there's yet another town with a matching name to somewhere local, OG Newark isn't very far away from me.

 

[EyeMWing]

Booked a one way ticket to EWR next month and roadtripping a new to me bad idea home with @Nabster . 1500 miles from Short Hills, NJ to my house. One weekend of cannonballing ahead.

@EyeMWing @rickhamilton620

Where do we not spend the night in PA? Might try to get a head start that Friday night.

By my math, anywhere along any of the freeways in PA is fine.

 

[Perc]

I just brimmed the adblue tank in the Alltrack. It took about 7 liters which gave me 6000km of additional range on the guess-o-meter. It now reads 16500.

Yes the cost of this glorified urine is probably annoying to someone that operates heavy machinery because they use a lot more of the stuff, but in the grand scheme of car ownership I can’t say a jug every six months or so is a big deal.

 

[EyeMWing]

I just brimmed the adblue tank in the Alltrack. It took about 7 liters which gave me 6000km of additional range on the guess-o-meter. It now reads 16500.

Yes the cost of this glorified urine is probably annoying to someone that operates heavy machinery because they use a lot more of the stuff, but in the grand scheme of car ownership I can’t say a jug every six months or so is a big deal.

Putting the stuff in isn't even real arduous for machinery operators unless they're deep in the back woods. Yeah, it's one more thing to have around, but you put it in while you're putting in fuel. Takes no time.
The real "problem" they have with it is what happens when the system fails. It's the first common emissions system that simultaneously stops the whole-assed thing from running, has long parts lead times, and costs absolute bucketloads to fix. The second two really should not be the case, and you'd think they'd be in the manufacturer's interest in keeping under control.