Random Thoughts... [Automotive Edition]

Newest piece of "art" in my house. It was taken a few weeks ago at a "Track Night in America" event at Gingerman Raceway. Obviously, its me driving. I just passed the GTI, not about to be passed.

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I'm actually headed back to gingerman tomorrow for the event called Gridlife. Should be fun. I'll update my PYC thread after since a lot has changed with the car.
 
I've just realised, I barely see any first gen X3 anymore. Same goes for first gen X5, but that doesn't really surprise me. And same goes for forst gen ML. But I've always liked the X3.
 
I've just realised, I barely see any first gen X3 anymore. Same goes for first gen X5, but that doesn't really surprise me. And same goes for forst gen ML. But I've always liked the X3.

The first gen X3 was just a cut down X5 with the same widespread miserable problems as the parent vehicle, so that's no surprise. The first gen ML had some engine issues, but the big show stopper was the fact that it had the same terrible 5Gtronic auto transmission that came in the E55 and XJR that costs $10-18K to repair/replace when it fails.
 
Someone on my street has a crusty ML, I've seen a few early X5's. those BMW's seem to have piston ring or head gasket issues as they all push out blue-ish smoke.
 
Someone on my street has a crusty ML, I've seen a few early X5's. those BMW's seem to have piston ring or head gasket issues as they all push out blue-ish smoke.

Down here the automatics (which most came with) fail long before they can get to that point; at least those are 'only' about $4-6K to rebuild. They're also emphatically in the category of "minimum $500 per quarter unscheduled maintenance charges" BMWs (at least over here), so the maintenance costs as they get older start piling up swiftly.
 
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New tires for the Merkur 's new wheels where delivered this morning, but I've been stuck at the drag strip all day. Hopefully the hillbilly tire shop in town isn't busy in the morning and I can get the mounted and balanced.

What is your maximum bid? I can get it to Ringmeet with MWF and then post it to you together with the matching H4 headlight clusters.
They go for $150-$200 here, but I don't think I'd want to be into it for more than $100.
 
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Perhaps Tesla bodywork is a bit more expensive than we'd expect...

Looks like State Farm Insurance would rather write it off than try to fix it.
 
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After purchasing my first ever GM car, I've started noticing they do have things in common even between the US and Europe even when they don't use the same actual parts.

Little things like the volume knob with the center button that doesn't rotate, or the way the center of the temperature knob is split. My light switch is the same, the upper half is for the front foglights and the lower half is for the rear one.

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Is that the new Chevy mylink or whatever it's called in Europe?
 
Ur a bolt
 
You're a dolt.
 
That's a Bolt.

...which doesn't answer the question. ;)

From what I understand, it's branded as Chevy MyLink, but it's not quite the same. I *believe* it doesn't have it's own navigation, as it's a BYOM system with both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
 
Random Thoughts... [Automotive Edition]

Which is totally fine. There's no point anymore supporting in house navi when phones get updates faster and don't require to be turned on and connected to wifi for updating maps.
 
They go for $150-$200 here, but I don't think I'd want to be into it for more than $100.
Bid 75 pounds. Let's see what happens.
 
Little things like the volume knob with the center button that doesn't rotate

I actually don't mind this. The VW method of having the whole volume/power knob turn is frustrating beccaise the power symbol is never perfectly vertical unless you solely use the steering wheel controls.
 
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