Automobiles

[robin3mj]

Anybody in the 'salon want next crack at this paperback? Finished it last night - $10 to cover shipping to the US and it's yours. Leave the guy a good review online if you enjoy it to pass on the karma.

The author was featured on Matt Farrah's podcast a few weeks ago.

Attachment 125082

RP
-with Skyline fever as of late.

This was a good book, if a little way too in the weeds for a non JDM geek. I’m now reading his other one “Slow Car Fast” and it’s a little more generalized but very good. Worth a look.

[vertical_doug]

I have some real memories in a Skyline GT-R R32 from the early 90's with a co-worker who was slightly nuts. We did a few runs late at night from either Tokyo to Osaka, or Osaka to Tokyo for work. He drove way too fast with way too much radar equipment.

[vertical_doug]

Found one of these bad boys behind Harrods today.

A Huracan Sterrato.

[Too Tall]

This appeals to me. Spec. racing with retired Crown Vic Police cars. Racing junk is really speaking to me.

https://www.racespecp71.com/

frontpage.jpg

[Saab2000]

Found one of these bad boys behind Harrods today.

A Huracan Sterrato.

Should have moved closer. There’s an orange car blocking it.

[robin3mj]

Found one of these bad boys behind Harrods today.

A Huracan Sterrato.

The only thing wilder than the Porsche Dakar these days. I prefer the German one for its looks and heritage but I’ve read a few reviews of the Lambo and it seems to be a great, albeit expensive, way to put a sh1t eating grin on your face.

[ides1056]

This appeals to me. Spec. racing with retired Crown Vic Police cars. Racing junk is really speaking to me.

https://www.racespecp71.com/

frontpage.jpg

This may be in your future:

https://www.theguardian.com/australi...back-australia

Racing junk for a good cause.

[one60]

The only thing wilder than the Porsche Dakar these days. I prefer the German one for its looks and heritage but I’ve read a few reviews of the Lambo and it seems to be a great, albeit expensive, way to put a sh1t eating grin on your face.

MVDP has one!

Screenshot 2024-02-25 at 9.28.46 PM.jpg

[Too Tall]

Yeah man! Jay, that would be a blast. Kennedy's have a way of redeeming themselves every once and a while...mostly the women (sigh).

Curiously, I know a chop shop that regularly puts Crown Vics out the door. Why would I know that? My former office window had two views, looking over the Nats baseball field and to the left was the chop shop. Holy cow, they could turn a mashed up wreck into a cab in less than two days. Gives you confidence eh?

[robin3mj]

Arrived today. A little dirty from the transport, and the “service engine soon” light is on, but otherwise it appears to be in really nice shape. Haven’t had a manual transmission in a few years- forgot how much fun they are.

[sk_tle]

MVDP has one!

Screenshot 2024-02-25 at 9.28.46 PM.jpg

So he also drive a cross car?

[vertical_doug]

We definitely need a cross car just in case we need to drive across some cobbles in a mews.

[sk_tle]

Speaking of rugged supercars, yesterday I saw a number of renault 4 coming back from Morocco where they participated in the 4L Trophy race last week. No pic from myself as I was riding my motorbike.

[caleb]

Both our Outback and XC90 are going to need brakes in the somewhat near future.

It seems that there's a school of thought/automaker policy out there now that rotors should never ever be turned. They're essentially a disposable part.

Others disagree and take the old line that well maintained rotors can last the life of a vehicle.

Have the rotors themselves changed in the past 20 years?

Or is treating rotors as disposable parts just one more move toward a throwaway culture that should be resisted?

[Too Tall]

Both our Outback and XC90 are going to need brakes in the somewhat near future.

It seems that there's a school of thought/automaker policy out there now that rotors should never ever be turned. They're essentially a disposable part.

Others disagree and take the old line that well maintained rotors can last the life of a vehicle.

Have the rotors themselves changed in the past 20 years?

Or is treating rotors as disposable parts just one more move toward a throwaway culture that should be resisted?

It is one more move tword a throw away society. If they are easily resurfaced and you have a shop with the skillset Bob's your Uncle.

[caleb]

It is one more move tword a throw away society. If they are easily resurfaced and you have a shop with the skillset Bob's your Uncle.

Very good to know. A search turns up several local shops that do it, including some O'Reilly Auto Parts stores that will do it while you wait. Let the resistance begin.

[j44ke]

Why do hybrids need to be plug-in hybrids? That just feels like collusion between automakers and energy companies. Can't hybrids make their own power? They are basically generators on wheels.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/clima...lug-in-hybrid/

[caleb]

Re: plug-ins. How is it that the RAV4 hybrid starts at $31,725, but if you want to be able to plug the battery in it'll cost at least $43,690?*

*https://www.toyota.com/rav4prime/

[echappist]

In case anyone wants to read the article in post No. 6917 above, gift link here.

[j44ke]

Re: plug-ins. How is it that the RAV4 hybrid starts at $31,725, but if you want to be able to plug the battery in it'll cost at least $43,690?*

*https://www.toyota.com/rav4prime/

I think that is because Toyota's plug-ins have two motors - an electric motor and a hybrid motor - while the hybrids have just the one hybrid motor.

I don't understand the necessity of a separate electric motor that requires plugging in to recharge versus just charging off the power produced by the hybrid gas-electric and regenerating brakes. It feels like the reflection of some sort of regulatory aspect that allows the car to be called XYZ and thus possibly creates subsidies for the construction or the purchaser - or the structure allows for greater efficiency or lower emissions claims (like the stupid on-off-on-off idle "feature" that everyone turns off) or some other thing that has little to do with advancement of design.