Car Chat

[FoMoJo]

To be fair, regular V8 Ferraris sound kind of like 4-bangers.  That's the FPC for you.

Depends on the firing order?  Sounds intoxicating on the GT 350.

[MX793]

Depends on the firing order?  Sounds intoxicating on the GT 350.

Firing order does make some difference.

[CaminoRacer]

Earlier this week, before getting rear-ended:

https://youtu.be/QEhtCXyoAXk

The wide angle lens doesn't portray the sense of speed as much. I might fiddle with the lens settings next time.

[r0tor]

That reminds me of when I got my first go-pro and mounted to my car and went ripping around in it... The watched the video and yawned and never did it again

[CaminoRacer]

I sped it up 1.25x on Instagram My rear end was wiggling around the hairpins but you can't tell too much. It's about a 1 hour drive, this was towards the beginning. After getting halfway through we were going quite fast since there was no one else on the road with us. I smelled brakes on the back half...

Even Ken Block's in-car videos don't look as fast as it really is. I was watching this one the other day:

https://youtu.be/1COvnSjLLw4

[r0tor]

It's the same effect with offroading or even snowboarding.... Steep climbs/descents that make your butt clench look flat.

I really have no use for the go-pro anymore.

[CaminoRacer]

I find mine useful for autocross, as long as I can see me driving. Helps me figure out what I'm doing wrong and where I can probably go faster.

[GoCougs]

The SQ5 sounds fantastic overall. I get many compliments, including from non-enthusiasts - both inside and outside the car. It's legit exhaust sound not the faked pumped-in stuff. There is fakery exhaust barking what with up/downshifts though, and it doesn't rev very high. No induction noise of course, other than faint turbo whistle (than can only be heard with the windows down).

[AutobahnSHO]

I haven't been behind any steering wheel since Tuesday   

[cawimmer430]

Baby Benz review.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=P-MltEnckRk

[GoCougs]

It's sure no Ferrari .

Yep; leave that to the Chevy small block (albeit not till the 327 debuted in 1962).

[Submariner]

It's sure no Ferrari .

11.5l, 250 (gross) HP

[Raza]

Is it just me, or has the GT-R aged pretty well?  True shame they never sold a lower powered version with a manual, I would have been all over a car like that.




It's not sexy, but it's muscular and attractive in a form over function sort of way.  I've resigned now that I'm probably never going to get an R34, but I could probably have gotten one of these.  But with a DCT, no way.

[MX793]

Is it just me, or has the GT-R aged pretty well?  True shame they never sold a lower powered version with a manual, I would have been all over a car like that.

Was the Infiniti G not a lower powered version with optional manual?

[Raza]

Was the Infiniti G not a lower powered version with optional manual?

Well, they shared a good bit of the platform, as I recall, but the G was hardly a lower powered version of the GT-R.  Nothing else about the cars were the same; the G wasn't even AWD if you wanted a manual.  Plus, 280hp is a lot less than the GT-R, I was thinking more like 400.  What I wanted was the same car with slightly less power and a manual, but everything else the same.  Not a family car with a manual.

[JWC]

Baby Benz review.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=P-MltEnckRk

When I worked at the Benz dealer, the 190s were the most despised model and the most welcome for a mechanic. Each one had dozens of updates to be completes. Window regulators, miscellaneous trim and engine pieces; even the horn/tow cover in the front was recalled.

[12,000 RPM]

Well, they shared a good bit of the platform, as I recall, but the G was hardly a lower powered version of the GT-R.  Nothing else about the cars were the same; the G wasn't even AWD if you wanted a manual.  Plus, 280hp is a lot less than the GT-R, I was thinking more like 400.  What I wanted was the same car with slightly less power and a manual, but everything else the same.  Not a family car with a manual.

The 400Z might scratch that itch unless you need AWD + a back seat.

I can't say whether or not the GT-R aged well as I never liked it. Driving one at the track only confirmed my suspicions. It had the character of a very fast AWD Altima. Playing the numbers game is always a losing proposition because the tide keeps rising. Then what's left?

I wouldn't run from the family sedan. A last gen 340xi or S4 both come in stick and can make the 400HP you need with little $ or risk

[cawimmer430]

When I worked at the Benz dealer, the 190s were the most despised model and the most welcome for a mechanic. Each one had dozens of updates to be completes. Window regulators, miscellaneous trim and engine pieces; even the horn/tow cover in the front was recalled.

The only person I know here who had a 190 was a friend of my father's who had a base model poverty-spec 190D and drove it for many years until he died. I bet his car is somewhere in Africa or Eastern Europe now still soldiering on. I'm not a fan of the W201 but it is a significant and innovative model in Benz heritage.

[GoCougs]

11.5l, 250 (gross) HP

One has to remember the how and the why. It was an ultra-duty diesel predecessor for industrial vehicles and applications (pumps, etc.), not a performance engine. They were actually very expensive to build (forged steel crank, 4 piston rings, ginormous bearings, two distributors and all told ~1500 lbs of metal and cast iron) and had no (gasoline) competitor. It was replaced in the mid '60s with a 637/10.4L gas V8 that was far less costly to build, and offered equivalent performance.

[cawimmer430]

Speed limits are uncivilized. Period.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=P0BR89gscGE

[cawimmer430]

Interesting statistics from Welt.de.

The first graphic shows the number of cars in different European countries which would have to share a public charging port if all cars in those countries became EVs overnight.






The second graphic shows the current number of registered EVs in those countries which have to share a public charging port. Keep in mind that most people in Germany are not home owners with garages but apartment dwellers who often park on the street.





Link: https://www.welt.de/wirtschaft/plus232113225/Elektro-Autos-So-schneidet-Deutschland-im-Ladesaeulen-Ranking-ab.html

[Galaxy]

But you are missing an important part. Currently you have to visit a gas station every-time you fuel up. With electric cars you visit a charging station on those rare occasions that you do an overland trip. Otherwise the car starts the day "fueled up " in the garage.

Street parking is going to be an issue.

[MX793]

But you are missing an important part. Currently you have to visit a gas station every-time you fuel up. With electric cars you visit a charging station on those rare occasions that you do an overland trip. Otherwise the car starts the day "fueled up " in the garage.

Street parking is going to be an issue.

There are a lot of people that don't have a garage at home to park in.  Or who can't install a home charging setup because they rent.

[AutobahnSHO]

There are a lot of people that don't have a garage at home to park in.  Or who can't install a home charging setup because they rent.

A huge majority of Germans don't have garages. Tons of city people around the world face the same reality.

[AutobahnSHO]

As I go browsing Carmax and Carvana, the 2017 Chevy Volts which were $11k a few weeks (months?) ago are now $19k.



Such a wacky world we live in. (cue political rant about Covid and labor/ goods shortages and ....)

[FoMoJo]

There are a lot of people that don't have a garage at home to park in.  Or who can't install a home charging setup because they rent.

Extension cord out the window?

[MX793]

Extension cord out the window?

It takes a very long time to charge a car using regular household 120V, 15A.  It takes at least 24 hours to charge a Tesla (48+ for some extended range models) on a household 120V-15A.  A level 2 (240V-50A) home charger will do it in like 8-12 hours.

[FoMoJo]

It takes a very long time to charge a car using regular household 120V, 15A.  It takes at least 24 hours to charge a Tesla (48+ for some extended range models) on a household 120V-15A.  A level 2 (240V-50A) home charger will do it in like 8-12 hours.

EU plus much of the rest of the world has 220, 230, 240 volt standards.  Don't know how much difference that would make.

[MX793]

EU plus much of the rest of the world has 220, 230, 240 volt standards.  Don't know how much difference that would make.

It's not just voltage, it's power.  Typical Tesla has a max charge rate of 11.5 kW.  A standard American outlet can deliver 1.8kW, plus there will be conversion losses since batteries need DC.  A NEMA 15-50 can output 12kW, granted there will be some losses when you convert from AC to DC.  Still, you are going to be much closer to the max possible charge rate for a Tesla.

Europlug is higher voltage (250VAC) but much lower amperage at 2.5A.  Much less power than a standard American outlet and will actually take longer to charge an EV.

UK outlets are around 230VAC and can handle up to 13A.  These should charge faster than an American 120V/15A, but not as fast as an American 240V/50A.

Can't speak for Canada (assume it's the same as the US), but US households all have 240VAC 3-phase service into the building which is then broken out at 115VAC single phase at the breaker box to go to the outlets.  Major appliances like clothes dryers and electric ranges usually run on 220-240VAC, so there will usually be a few 240VAC 3-phase outlets.  Many home garages don't have such an outlet, but it's not hard for an electrician to install one since the power source is there.

[FoMoJo]

It's not just voltage, it's power.  Typical Tesla has a max charge rate of 11.5 kW.  A standard American outlet can deliver 1.8kW, plus there will be conversion losses since batteries need DC.  A NEMA 15-50 can output 12kW, granted there will be some losses when you convert from AC to DC.  Still, you are going to be much closer to the max possible charge rate for a Tesla.

Europlug is higher voltage (250VAC) but much lower amperage at 2.5A.  Much less power than a standard American outlet and will actually take longer to charge an EV.

UK outlets are around 230VAC and can handle up to 13A.  These should charge faster than an American 120V/15A, but not as fast as an American 240V/50A.

Can't speak for Canada (assume it's the same as the US), but US households all have 240VAC 3-phase service into the building which is then broken out at 115VAC single phase at the breaker box to go to the outlets.  Major appliances like clothes dryers and electric ranges usually run on 220-240VAC, so there will usually be a few 240VAC 3-phase outlets.  Many home garages don't have such an outlet, but it's not hard for an electrician to install one since the power source is there.

Yes, Canada is the same as US.  Very simple to install 240VAC 3-phase outlets, depending on access to the control panel.