Random Thoughts... [Automotive Edition]

4/4 of mine are A-OK for driving, which is annoying because I want two of them to become money and it can't happen because of lockdown. Grr. I'll have to renew the insurance on those damn things soon and that's just money I could do without spending. Can't believe I have four...
 
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DISCONTINUED: The car monitoring device Automatic will be killed off on May 28th.

I've owned it for a good number of years it's too bad because it was a great product. Used it on our Toyota so never read codes, but helped with picking up our car at the airport when we forgot our ticket.
 
DISCONTINUED: The car monitoring device Automatic will be killed off on May 28th.

I've owned it for a good number of years it's too bad because it was a great product. Used it on our Toyota so never read codes, but helped with picking up our car at the airport when we forgot our ticket.

At least it's an add on and not something built into the car.
 
So they have a rebate form... its owned by SiriusXm so doubt much to pay out. Though I did buy it in 2018 so its lifespan was numbered (or atleast the five years of 3G service, accident notification, roadside assistance). Solid product I only imagine that business sales were off.

The more I think about it... WOW what a deal I got and two thats why they went out of business
 
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All of my cars except the Miata run. Only it, the Volvo and the Xsara are road legal. Merc MOT runs out in 10 days, should book an inspection soon.
 
annoying because I want two of them to become money and it can't happen because of lockdown.
I feel your pain.


I want my car gone but that ain't gonna happen anytime soon.
 
Don't get me wrong, I really want to keep the Smart as I know the thing inside and out now, it's foibles are fixed and it's still a fun toy. I just don't have anywhere to store it.

It's currently taking up space in the garage that I would like to fill with a Tesla, I just had to go out and clean bird dirt off that and some of it has already marked the clear coat. Good thing it will be machine polished before ceramic coating is applied.
 
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I just sold my first ever outer track rod end for an Opel Insignia, a car that was launched 12 years ago. It also fits the Zafira, Ampera and Chevy Cruze among others.

Shitty GM quality, wouldn't you say?
 
I just sold my first ever outer track rod end for an Opel Insignia, a car that was launched 12 years ago. It also fits the Zafira, Ampera and Chevy Cruze among others.

Shitty GM quality, wouldn't you say?

Who makes the OEM part? GM Themselves or someone like Delphi? That's a good part to be... good. Land Rover OEM parts are often Delphi but I won't try and argue that the build quality of those isn't shit most of the time. :p
 
Could be worse. Could be a FIAT where the filter is under the car and you have to reach behind the exhaust manifold. My mechanic loves changing that filter. :ROFLMAO:
I am... not looking forward to that. The beetle's was obnoxious enough of being at some fucked angle under the bumper where you couldn't see what you were doing at all.:|

I like driving, but commuting to places for so many things sucks a lot. driving for fun and driving to commute are different things.
see what I have done my whole life is plan out specific routes that can be enjoyable for anywhere I need to go to daily or similar.

Ex, this is the normal way to go to the community college I went to, vs the way I still go for the fun of it because it's a nice drive. Don't much anymore cuz the cops are too aggressive.
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I don't usually go out to drive just to drive and mostly just sort of plan more elaborate routes to go places shitty drivers in front of you can ruin it but they care ruin pretty much every drive anywhere that isn't a passing area anyway.

But I guess that IS all I do now because the only place I have been in the past month is the chiropractor.

... the search for the fucking mouse in the beetle continues it smells like a gerbil cage now and I have checked the filter and the blower motor which OH BOY sure is fun having to disassemble half your dashboard and dislocate your clavicle and not even solve the problem. At least the motor is still working.
 
I realize that I have the same problem with cars that I do with most motorcycles. There are a lot of cars that I don't want to own, but I have yet to see a car model that I can't find something redeeming about or appreciate at least driving. There are always those unmaintained rustbuckets that are unsafe to be on the road, I'm not talking about those but rather entire model lines.
 
There are a lot of cars that I don't want to own, but I have yet to see a car model that I can't find something redeeming about or appreciate at least driving. There are always those unmaintained rustbuckets that are unsafe to be on the road, I'm not talking about those but rather entire model lines.

You need to drive a low end Peugeot, something just expensive enough to disallow being cheap as its redeeming feature.
 
I realize that I have the same problem with cars that I do with most motorcycles. There are a lot of cars that I don't want to own, but I have yet to see a car model that I can't find something redeeming about or appreciate at least driving. There are always those unmaintained rustbuckets that are unsafe to be on the road, I'm not talking about those but rather entire model lines.

Jeep Patriot! Tell me what’s redeeming about that.
 
It's a great exception to my rule.
 
So the Smart ForTwo actually is a good car. It's a lil city car kinda zippy to move ya around... I like driving them.

As for the Pontiacs their redemption is in their existence that their not a Chevy just like every Buick is ok because it's a bit cheeper than it's Cadillac counterpart
 
So the Smart ForTwo actually is a good car. It's a lil city car kinda zippy to move ya around... I like driving them.

*Raises eyebrow*

As for the Pontiacs their redemption is in their existence that their not a Chevy just like every Buick is ok because it's a bit cheeper than it's Cadillac counterpart

There is that, there is also the fact that, in the correct spec, they could be reliable enough to be cheap transportation as a little old lady car. I knew a particular nurse who ran a Sunfire until about 2010. She never extolled the virtues of the car, but it was good enough for her.

Tangentially related: A shoutout to my old pedriatician, who I saw the other day and seems to be running the same 1998 Tundra he bought new. And indeed keeps it like it has just driven off the brochure.
 
What about the Smart ForTwo or Pontiac Sunfire or its predecessor the Sunbird?
I would at least drive the ForTwo for the novelty and to experience a wheelbase that short. The Sunfire was at least attempting to be stylish and fun while also being economical, it was perfect first car for a high school girl.
 
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