Random Thoughts... [Automotive Edition]

Of course the lawyer says that. :p

One should note that nine people is two more than can be legally transported in a Scénic. Being cramped into the car that way might have prevented an effective escape.
 
Of course the lawyer says that. :p

One should note that nine people is two more than can be legally transported in a Scénic. Being cramped into the car that way might have prevented an effective escape.

There was a crash in Ireland that was worse, eight in a Passat, seven killed, plus one in other car!
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/10594606
 
From what I understood through google translate seems like they are claiming a turbo failure caused runaway diesel scenario (diesel not directly mentioned, overreving and large cloud of white smoke was mentioned though) which also caused brake issues (booster failure?).

 
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It definitely looks like that. Runaway diesels are scary but it still baffles me that the people driving these cars can't put the thing in neutral and stop. I'm not aware that an automatic Grand Scénic can't be shifted to neutral under power and TG tested that an electronic handbrake will still work while you're moving and will stop you.
 
I miss the look, not the mechanical problems.

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It definitely looks like that. Runaway diesels are scary but it still baffles me that the people driving these cars can't put the thing in neutral and stop. I'm not aware that an automatic Grand Scénic can't be shifted to neutral under power and TG tested that an electronic handbrake will still work while you're moving and will stop you.

I would be very surprised if there was a car or truck on the market that couldn't be put in neutral while moving, just because the engine might run away for whatever reason. Of course, this safety feature depends entirely on the driver knowing how to operate a car. Most drivers aren't, as we all know.

FWIW, the electric parking brake in my Insignia only works when the car is stationary or barely moving at all. If you pull the parking brake button while driving, it'll just use the normal brakes via the ABS pump and brake hard enough to feel scary the first time you try it on the road. :p

BTW, the parking brake is considered vital (as the secondary brake system) and your car will be banned from the road effective immediately if the MOT engineer manages to rip the handbrake cable off on the brake dyno. It's a weird rule considering that my car car effectively doesn't have a "backup brake" since it relies on the normal hydraulic brakes while the car is moving.
 
Today, there was a Toyota RAV4 in front of me that used a camera and a screen in place of the centre mirror. So, when looking into the car from behind, I saw a really bright screen showing my own car instead of the usual dark rear view mirror. It was highly confusing.
 
Planning a ridiculous cross-country roadtrip involving:
- Two cars
- Two car sale transactions
- A train
- Either a plane, a truck, or a second shorter road trip.

I can't do anything normal, can I?


Do you have the video to prove it? lol
 
Planning a ridiculous cross-country roadtrip involving:
- Two cars
- Two car sale transactions
- A train
- Either a plane, a truck, or a second shorter road trip.

I can't do anything normal, can I?

I've done the drive in train out and a train in drive out. Both involved Chicago...

BTW, the wife isn't budging, but I've got a trailer and cash. ?
 
It definitely looks like that. Runaway diesels are scary but it still baffles me that the people driving these cars can't put the thing in neutral and stop. I'm not aware that an automatic Grand Scénic can't be shifted to neutral under power and TG tested that an electronic handbrake will still work while you're moving and will stop you.

People panic.

The proper thing to do is to put the car in neutral, apply the hand break, and wait for a shirtless hippy to wonder by and block the intake with a beer bottle:
 
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25,000mi (40,233km) in Der Alltrack. Quite uneventful so far other than getting a nail in a tire from a job site which is in the non-repairable edge of the tire. Hopefully it won’t leak worse than it currently does. I have to fill it once a week because the TPMS moans after 5psi loss. What bugs is the sluggish DSG operation. I know it can be fixed and is not a product of design, but that requires investing in a trans tune on a car I don’t own. It is a company car after all.
 
A DSG shouldn’t be sluggish. They’re bad at creeping and bumper to bumper traffic (and that’s why I have a torque converter) but shifts should be crisp. Unless they programmed it to be slushier for the us market, anyway.

Why aren’t you just getting the tire replaced on your company’s dime?
 
So Mitsubishi is leaving Europe.

I figured this would come sooner or later after the circa 2005 Lancer that came from the factory with an aftermarket Blaupunkt and a spordy steering wheel from some accessory catalog. Everyone else had an integrated stereo by 2005 but it's as if Mitsubishi couldn't be bothered.

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So Mitsubishi is leaving Europe.

I figured this would come sooner or later after the circa 2005 Lancer that came from the factory with an aftermarket Blaupunkt and a spordy steering wheel from some accessory catalog. Everyone else had an integrated stereo by 2005 but it's as if Mitsubishi couldn't be bothered.

View attachment 3558097

I remember reviews of Top Gear showingAstons and TVRs with aftermarket stereos for a time as well. ??‍♂️
 
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