Your next car?

[dazzleman]

Caddy's doing alright; it's nearing 100k miles now, so I imagine my mechanic is going to try to talk me into some pretty pricey maintenance items. It may need new tires by then, too, and I'm thinking of downsizing down to 18" rims because 20"s just don't have much treadlife at all. I once considered this thought blasphemous; chalk it up to me getting older everyday.

On the plus side, I'm usually able to find myself in an empty stretch of freeway doing 90+ on the way back from L.A. every weekend.

Nice.  Glad to hear you take that skirt off every so often.  I love those super fast drives.  I was really disappointed because I had one planned for 2 weekends ago, coming back from Boston, and got hit with freezing rain instead.

[Vinsanity]

Nomis:

Tesla Motors plans to debut cheaper car in early 2015

That may be a little past your time table, though...

[Vinsanity]

Nice.  Glad to hear you take that skirt off every so often.  I love those super fast drives.  I was really disappointed because I had one planned for 2 weekends ago, coming back from Boston, and got hit with freezing rain instead.

Hey, quattro lives for triple-digit runs through freezing rain!

It was nice knowing you, Dave!

[dazzleman]

Hey, quattro lives for triple-digit runs through freezing rain!

It was nice knowing you, Dave!

[Eye of the Tiger]

You just have to remember to avoid the understeer. A little Scandinavian flick is the best way to turn a Quattro. Even on dry pavement.

[Raza]

It worked for me.

It saves weight, but it also increases your center of gravity.

[SVT_Power]

It saves weight, but it also increases your center of gravity.

What exactly is "increasing" a CoG?

[Rupert]

Making it more... centered? Or more gravity. Maybe it's making the center of gravity more in the middle of the car and also increasing gravitational acceleration to 9.9 m/s/s.

[Expeditioner]

Making it more... centered? Or more gravity. Maybe it's making the center of gravity more in the middle of the car and also increasing gravitational acceleration to 9.9 m/s/s.

Perhaps it makes the center of gravity BIGGER. Mind = blown.

Sent from the center of the universe.

[Rupert]

I bet there are black holes involved.

[Soup DeVille]

Making it more... centered? Or more gravity. Maybe it's making the center of gravity more in the middle of the car and also increasing gravitational acceleration to 9.9 m/s/s.

Master Roshi says it is essential to remain well centered.

[Eye of the Tiger]

Ramcharger
http://charlotte.craigslist.org/cto/4210854053.html

[NomisR]

Well, after a Rotary vehicle, a sub 2000lb car, now, I can add a plug in hybrid electric thing to my resume...

Today, I saved about 45 mins on my way to work... i'll take a couple pix when I get around to it..

[Raza]

What exactly is "increasing" a CoG?

You're taking weight off from below the center of gravity, so shouldn't that raise it?  Does it not work like that?  I slept through that class I didn't take.

[MrH]

You're taking weight off from below the center of gravity, so shouldn't that raise it?  Does it not work like that?  I slept through that class I didn't take.

Yeah, CG is just a location though.  You're raising it, but it isn't a value, so you can't really increase it.  You can increase a dimension, but you can't really increase a location.  Ya dig?

[Raza]

Yeah, CG is just a location though.  You're raising it, but it isn't a value, so you can't really increase it.  You can increase a dimension, but you can't really increase a location.  Ya dig?

Jeez, infer a little.  When I said "increase", I clearly meant "increase its height".  Excuse me for not writing everything out when talking about pube shaving.   

[Rupert]

I actually didn't know what you were trying to get at. I'm not even sure that shaving your balls would raise the c of g, at least not in all cars. Balls are probably towards the upper end of the mass of the car on most cars.

[dazzleman]

I actually didn't know what you were trying to get at. I'm not even sure that shaving your balls would raise the c of g, at least not in all cars. Balls are probably towards the upper end of the mass of the car on most cars.

I wonder if the owner's manual would have that information.   I don't see how it couldn't.   That's pretty important to know.

[Raza]

I actually didn't know what you were trying to get at. I'm not even sure that shaving your balls would raise the c of g, at least not in all cars. Balls are probably towards the upper end of the mass of the car on most cars.

Dave's quite old, so I imagine they hang lower than the average ball.   

[SVT666]

Dave's quite old, so I imagine they hang lower than the average ball.   

They're probably hairier too.

[Eye of the Tiger]

At $17,900, and with 45 mpg highway, the 2014 Fiesta SE Ecoboost 1.0 turbeau I3) manual hatchback is the most likely contender for my next car.

[FlatBlackCaddy]

At $17,900, and with 45 mpg highway, the 2014 Fiesta SE Ecoboost 1.0 turbeau I3) manual hatchback is the most likely contender for my next car.

Get the ST, it's only like 4 grand more and it still gets 38 on the highway.

[Eye of the Tiger]

Get the ST, it's only like 4 grand more and it still gets 38 on the highway.

Premium?

[FlatBlackCaddy]

Premium?

Fuel you mean? Probably recommended but not required, it might make 5-10HP less on regular. Most modern turbo cars have enough room in their engine controls to use regular, I believe.

[Eye of the Tiger]

Fuel you mean? Probably recommended but not required, it might make 5-10HP less on regular. Most modern turbo cars have enough room in their engine controls to use regular, I believe.

I would like to believe that, as well. And yes, of course I would like an ST that also gets way better MPG than the Accent.

[FlatBlackCaddy]

I would like to believe that, as well. And yes, of course I would like an ST that also gets way better MPG than the Accent.

It's pretty common with todays cars. Here it is, straight from the 2014 fiesta st owners manual.

FUEL QUALITY

OCTANE RECOMMENDATIONS

Regular unleaded gasoline with a pump(R+M)/2 octane rating of 87 is recommended. Some stations offer fuels posted as Regular with an octane rating below 87,particularly in high altitude areas.Fuels with octane levels below 87 are not recommended.Premium fuel will provide improved performance and is recommended for severe duty usage such as trailer tow.

[FoMoJo]

I wonder if the owner's manual would have that information.   I don't see how it couldn't.   That's pretty important to know.

Did you get that new Audi yet?

[dazzleman]

Did you get that new Audi yet?

I'm going to the dealer on Tuesday.  I wanted to go today, but I wasn't ready.

[FoMoJo]

I'm going to the dealer on Tuesday.  I wanted to go today, but I wasn't ready.

Ahhh...Christmas present to yourself.

[dazzleman]

Ahhh...Christmas present to yourself.

Exactly.