Car Chat

[FoMoJo]

https://www.hagerty.com/articles-videos/articles/2019/11/14/car-enthusiasm-is-safe-with-the-next-generation?utm_source=SFMC&utm_medium=email&utm_content=19_November_16_Weekend_News

Don't believe the hype, car enthusiasm is safe with the next generation

Encouraging.  There always was the Greasers and the Geeks.  Maybe always will be.

[Eye of the Tiger]

It's a bit late for a damn April Fools joke...



https://www.thedrive.com/news/31058/dodge-is-ranked-the-most-reliable-american-brand-by-consumer-reports

Dodge Is Ranked the Most Reliable American Brand by Consumer Reports
Just one of the positive side-effects of making the same vehicles for 10-plus years.
BY CHRIS TEAGUE
NOVEMBER 16, 2019

Dodge made an enormous jump in this year's Consumer Reports reliability rankings, climbing a whopping 13 spots to number eight on the list from last year's 21st place. This places the horsepower-loving brand well ahead of any other American automaker.

The publication lists the Dodge Challenger as the brand's most reliable model in 2019, and the family-friendly Dodge Durango as the least reliable on its "Who makes the most reliable cars?" report. Its cross-town competitors Ford and Chevrolet came in 16th and 25th place with their most reliable models being the EcoSport and Tahoe, and the F-150 and Colorado pickup trucks being their least reliable. This makes Dodge the most reliable American automaker in 2019, and as a result, the 10-plus-year-old Challenger the most reliable American vehicle.

These numbers can be somewhat deceiving, however, because most of the vehicles in the Dodge stable have been around for a pretty long time, meaning that Dodge has had over a decade to work out any kinks or issues. Models like the Challenger, Charger, Grand Caravan and yes, even the Durango, are essentially pre-recession vehicles, meaning they've cruised through the last 11 years with simply minor tweaks to the original formula.

Not surprisingly, Lexus topped the list again, beating its corporate parent Toyota who landed on the third spot this year, getting beat by none other than Mazda to second place. Consumer Reports generates its rankings from owner surveys that gather data on reliability problems over the previous 12-month period. Owners are asked questions that cover a variety of topics, from squeaks and rattles to serious engine and transmission problems. In all, the publication received over 420,000 vehicles in its latest survey.

[r0tor]

FCA FTW

[12,000 RPM]

Toyota got away with slapping a new face on the same old Corolla/Camry for like 12 years. I can't knock it

[Raza]

I'm not sure what to think of this thing...The Ferrari Roma Is a Sleek-Looking Front-Engine GT Coupe

It has classic styling lines and looks sleek and fast, but it evokes no emotion, imo.  I think designers have truly run out of new ideas, at least ones that don't look nasty.

Best looking Ferrari in years. 

[cawimmer430]

Great history on BRABUS and this monster SUV. Holy shit!

www.youtube.com/watch?v=wJ_qYLDPWQ0

[AutobahnSHO]

My cars are 155, 174, and 201 inches long. Interesting.

[r0tor]

My cars are 155, 174, and 201 inches long. Interesting.

Mostly odd, but not all 

[AutobahnSHO]

Well Impreza is actually 173.8....

[CaminoRacer]

164, 187, and 208 inches for me.

[2o6]

I think it's weird that so many new cars are "family oriented" and there's this big push towards crossovers, but so many of my peers have no intention of having kids because they're too expensive. The few friends I have who do have kids, make it work and constantly struggle, even with having two decent jobs and living in an area with a low COL.


Who the fuck keeps buying these Midsized and larger SUV's and trucks?

[12,000 RPM]

I don't mean this as a pejorative at all, but boomers.

[MX793]

I don't mean this as a pejorative at all, but boomers.

Gen Xers buy a lot of them, as most of them do have families.  Gen Z are largely the progeny of Gen X.

[12,000 RPM]

I blame boomers but our next car purchase is probably gonna be a Corsair PHEV. Wifey gets free charging, free EV parking and a healthy EV incentive from her employer. Most of our friends drive crossovers too

[MrH]

I totally get the crossover thing.  A lot of my friends have one or two kids now.  One of them is not exactly a car guy like we are, but works in the automotive industry and knows a lot about what's out there and going on in the industry..  He's strictly a sedan guy for himself, wife has a crossover.  I watch him try and load his kids into his Mazda6, and he already knows next vehicles is going to be a crossover for him too.  He says it's so much easier to get them in and out in the wife's Pathfinder.

He'll probably end up with an Outback.  Car like driving position, but raised up quite a bit and a hatch.

[12,000 RPM]

I am not ready to give up just yet.

[MrH]

I am not ready to give up just yet.

I don't even have kids and switching to a crossover for the daily grind

I'll always have a sports car of some sort though.  I think if I had to only have one car, I'd probably get a hot hatch or something.

[giant_mtb]

I think it's weird that so many new cars are "family oriented" and there's this big push towards crossovers, but so many of my peers have no intention of having kids because they're too expensive. The few friends I have who do have kids, make it work and constantly struggle, even with having two decent jobs and living in an area with a low COL.


Who the fuck keeps buying these Midsized and larger SUV's and trucks?

People with 3 or more kids love the larger, 3-row S/CUVs.  Tahoes and Traverses are pretty popular here, and are commonly family vehicles. 

[12,000 RPM]

I don't even have kids and switching to a crossover for the daily grind

I'll always have a sports car of some sort though.  I think if I had to only have one car, I'd probably get a hot hatch or something.

I am blessed with a great commute, so I'm at the point where my next car will probably be a sports car with a daycare duty beater on the side.

Man, if I could do it all over again I probably would have kept the damn Z

[HurricaneSteve]

I don't have any kids yet but I can't see myself giving up a hatchback for a CUV even if I did. They still feel too big (length & width) and need a big engine or a turbo to feel decently quick. For the time being I'm fine with a 6MT 3 and an auto Focus for daily duty and an MX-5 for the weekends.

[Morris Minor]

Lots of cars in Vietnam that I've never seen before: mostly Koreans plus Toyotas & a few Mitsubishis.  One I like (I've ridden in a couple) is the Toyota Fortuna: an SUV-bodied Hilux - diesel - manual gearbox.  I have not seen automatic transmissions. If you can't drive stick, you don't drive.

There are few private cars - especially further north from southern Vietnam.

[cawimmer430]

How desperate citizens fled the ruthless Communist regime in East Germany. They hid in the engine bay of a BMW Isetta which was modified for the task. Very interesting.

[AutobahnSHO]

Wait, they didn't like socialism/ communism???...!!!!

/sarcasm

[Galaxy]

"Do you wish to add a blower?"

"Yes"

[Laconian]

How many engines is that?

American bosozuku.

[AutobahnSHO]

how does the door open with that axe there??....   

[MX793]

how does the door open with that axe there??....   

Climbs in and out of the windows Dukes of Hazzard style.

[Eye of the Tiger]

But does it even have NAWS?

[Soup DeVille]

But does it even have NAWS?

NAWS all the things?

[Soup DeVille]

How many engines is that?

American bosozuku.

One, but 12 superchargers.


http://thor2471.com/

Its one of the most ridiculous things ever, cost like 13 million to build.

It shows up to a show or two here every summer.