Random Thoughts... [Automotive Edition]

Anyone seen that Lexus hybrid commercial where Lexus dumps all thier smugness about how long they've been doing hybrids on you and then all the Lexus hybrids drive into a giant H and then a bunch more hybrids drive in circles around them?


that commercial inspired lots of daydreams for me. daydreams involving AC-130's. and daisy cutters.
 
thevictor390 said:
He gave fuel efficiency figures and you countered with emissions figures.... apples to oranges. You're right though that Americans don't pay much attention to C02 emissions, at least not nearly as much as we do to fuel mileage.
Click to expand...
Yeah in imperial :p
Fuel consumption and CO2 emissions are linked together, and is what we tax our cars after.

Now you made me go all the way to Fordvehicles.com to look for stuff. The Taurus (a V6) is advertised at 18/28 mpg, which I'll round off to 23 combined, which is 10.2l/100km, which is quite alot by european standards. Still looking for CO2 output. Nope, can't find it. The 300C, with a V8, averages 21 MPG or 11.2l/100km and a quick peek at Chrysler sweden reveals a CO2 output of 292-337.

Swedish road tax for 292g/km = 3800 SEK = ?392. In comparison the new Volvo S60 with a I6 3.0L turbo that nobody will buy because of it's high fuel consumption (avg 9.9l/100km) outputs 231g/km. They've hidden it away on the website which only lists three diesels with an output of 134-184g by default.

Ford have lifted the stuff from the Volvo C30 DRIVe and put it straight into the Focus, the result is the Focus Econetic which manages with 3.8l/100km and 99g CO2 output. As I said before, there are two completely different scales for the two continents.
 
Last edited:
Quote from a class a few days ago:

CMU Prof: "Lets talk about choices for cars after you graduate: Honda, Toyota (well that's only if you're really brave)"

:lol:
 
Last edited:
So I found out the other day that my old family doctor and I go to the same gym.

And I also found out he bought one of these in white:

hsv_e2_001.jpg


I :heart: those wheels.
 
On my boring drive to and from Sacramento, I made several "Random thoughts..." observations.

1) I saw more new Tauruses on this single drive than I have in total since it's release.

2) The Lincoln MKS is an attractive-looking car, but it's rear signal lights are quite underpowered in bright daylight.

3) Someone had one of those Lincoln-LS-based Ford Thunderbirds at a gas station, and it drew a crowd. o_O

4) There was a dealership with a big banner that said "5 cars at $5,000!" As I looked at the cars while stopped at a traffic light, I thought to myself "Hmmm...total up two of any of them and they might be worth $5,000 total on any other lot."

5) M3s sound nice. Pontiac LeManses do not.
 
Daisy Cutters are childs play. What you need is a GBU-43/B Massive Ordnance Air Blast weapon. Also called the "Mother Of All Bombs".
 
Strelok16 said:
Anyone seen that Lexus hybrid commercial where Lexus dumps all thier smugness about how long they've been doing hybrids on you and then all the Lexus hybrids drive into a giant H and then a bunch more hybrids drive in circles around them?


that commercial inspired lots of daydreams for me. daydreams involving AC-130's. and daisy cutters.
Click to expand...

That commercial would have been a lot better if they hadn't resorted to CGI. I mean, Isuzu didn't have noneodat fancy-schmancy wizardry when they made this:

 
BlaRo said:
That commercial would have been a lot better if they hadn't resorted to CGI. I mean, Isuzu didn't have noneodat fancy-schmancy wizardry when they made this:
Click to expand...
stuff like that requires the cars being physically capable of at least surviving those maneuvers if not performing them under their own power.
 
BlaRo said:
That commercial would have been a lot better if they hadn't resorted to CGI. I mean, Isuzu didn't have noneodat fancy-schmancy wizardry when they made this:
Click to expand...
That was one of my favourite car ads for many years. Up there with the Honda Accord one with all the bits making the car, especially when it first came out and they showed the full 2 min ad on TV, taking up most of the ad break.

Also, my I have no idea what my GP drives. I do know that in the surgery car park, with a few doctors, contains an Audi RS4 and a Volvo S80 diesel every day. I think his is the Volvo, unfortunately.

And another thing, while walking home today I saw a massive wanker. Guy with posh brand new townhouse, in the garage was a C-Class, a Golf and he was getting into a new white 3-series coupe. I assume he was an estate agent. He just had that look about him, you know, designer suit, sunglasses, tons of product in his hair. And I openly laughed in his face when he started up his coupe, which he had taken the badges off to try and fool people into thinking he could afford an M3, and it had a diesel rattle.
 
So I just got around to watching Black Lightning (http://forums.finalgear.com/entertainment/trailer-black-lightning-39796/)

Is it a problem that I was able to catch this... on my first viewing (usually I follow the plot the first time, and look for all the small details on subsequent viewings)... after an all-nighter (so my brain is on cruise control).

https://pic.armedcats.net/c/cr/crazyrussian540/2010/03/25/vlcsnap-2010-03-25-07h42m54s90.png


Kept watching to confirm what I thought I saw.

https://pic.armedcats.net/c/cr/crazyrussian540/2010/03/25/vlcsnap-2010-03-25-07h43m11s11.png

Yep, exactly what I thought.

https://pic.armedcats.net/c/cr/crazyrussian540/2010/03/25/vlcsnap-2010-03-25-07h43m33s250.png

And a bonus! Its a wagon! Wrong wheels though.
 
Last edited:
AiR said:
Loophole, not exemption.
Click to expand...

Exemption, the vehicle in its original state qualifies as a vehicle capabe of carrying loads = workvehicle = lower roadtax = simply the law, you CAN'T register a Pick-up as a passengercar here, you simply can't........, perfectly legal, whether you treehuggers like it or not :p
Now when you start taking X3's, and in aftermarket stripping out the backseats and installing hideous dividing walls then I would agree on it beeing a loophole, this also requires a procedure (aka 1000 miles of paperwork) called 'change of nature' , a pick-up/van doesnt.

NooDle said:
all true, but we can order a 5,7L V8 Monster and register it for 31?/year...
Hardly fair considering the heavy penalties for more "regular" engine sizes
Click to expand...

actualy that would be 148 euro's a year...... unless you can find me a 1100 kg truck with a Hemi in it :p

about the fairness......aint my fault you people don't want a 'huge truck' and rather buy an ecobox and get taxed through the nose for it, nobody is stopping you from doing the same thing us yankdrivers do, so how is it unfair?
 
Last edited:
Cowboy said:
Exemption, the vehicle in its original state qualifies as a vehicle capabe of carrying loads = workvehicle = lower roadtax = simply the law, you CAN'T register a Pick-up as a passengercar here, you simply can't........, perfectly legal, whether you treehuggers like it or not :p
Now when you start taking X3's, stripping out the backseats and installing hideous dividing walls then I would agree on it beeing a loophole.

actualy that would be 148 euro's a year...... unless you can find me a 1100 kg truck with a Hemi in it :p

about the fairness......aint my fault you people don't want a 'huge truck' and rather buy an ecobox and get taxed through the nose for it, nobody is stopping you from doing the same thing us yankdrivers do, so how is it unfair?
Click to expand...

2006-2007_Holden_VZ_Ute_Thunder_SS_01.jpg
 
^That's how this whole conversation started :p

Steering wheel, .......wrong side, remember......, I've looked into about bringing one over from Australia, that's gonna be a bitch, and the steeringwheelposition will remain a constant hassle, that's why I'm hoping for the new 'El Camino' ;)
And while that would meet noodle's V8 requirement, its still not gonna meet his 31 euros a year :p
 
Last edited:
Cowboy said:
about the fairness......aint my fault you people don't want a 'huge truck' and rather buy an ecobox and get taxed through the nose for it, nobody is stopping you from doing the same thing us yankdrivers do, so how is it unfair?
Click to expand...

hey man, fight the system all you want, I don't care

I just think it's unfair to people who DON'T want/need a huge truck but do want a powerful car
 
^Agreed on that, I will be the first to say (and I WAS the first to say) that our roadtaxsysthem is ridiculous .......V8's for the people :p
 
CrazyRussian540 said:
So I just got around to watching Black Lightning (http://forums.finalgear.com/entertainment/trailer-black-lightning-39796/)

Is it a problem that I was able to catch this... on my first viewing (usually I follow the plot the first time, and look for all the small details on subsequent viewings)... after an all-nighter (so my brain is on cruise control).

*CrazyRussian's movie screengrabs*
Click to expand...

Not really, in fact there's a database of cars in movies: http://www.imcdb.org/
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top