Chit chat

[GPGuy]

Although I know that's what people seem to want these days, I think that the electronics are going a little crazy these days. Not just in trucks but in cars in general... A WiFi hotspot??? Really?!? Why does anyone "need" that?... 

[Chris]

Although I know that's what people seem to want these days, I think that the electronics are going a little crazy these days. Not just in trucks but in cars in general... A WiFi hotspot??? Really?!? Why does anyone "need" that?... 

My phone does that. Don’t really need the car/truck to. And with the GM stuff now on AT&T, it’s identical to my phone


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[Jsdirt]

6 hours ago, GPGuy said:

Although I know that's what people seem to want these days, I think that the electronics are going a little crazy these days. Not just in trucks but in cars in general... A WiFi hotspot??? Really?!? Why does anyone "need" that?... 

Nope - not me! I still rock a flip phone. 

[SarahsGMC]

don't text and drive!

 

but here have some wifi in your car...

[RyanbabZ71]

don't text and drive!
 
but here have some wifi in your car...

Don’t need to anymore. My car does text to voice. Apple car play is awesome.


Ryan B.

[SnakeEyeSS]

Now I'm deciding if I want to rent a car or not. I have a reservation for a Malibu/Fusion/Optima/Camry (three have andriod auto standard, two have radar cruise) for $346 for almost two weeks. I'll be putting on 4500-5000 miles, including some dirt and gravel roads(may be renting an ATV for some of that, have to see the area in person first). Not sure I want to spend an hour every evening cleaning the bugs(and sap if I park near trees) off the front of my Honda. Because I would. I would bring waterless wash and wax, and spray wax, and would go over it every stop.  Of course if the reservation goes wrong(happened twice before, once they gave be a car a few miles from it's retirement, another they have me a stripped down Liberty instead of a new Taurus) I'll just cancel and take my Honda with a fresh coat of sealant.

Edited July 3, 2018 by SnakeEyeSS

[KARNUT]

Now I'm deciding if I want to rent a car or not. I have a reservation for a Malibu/Fusion/Optima/Camry (three have andriod auto standard, two have radar cruise) for $346 for almost two weeks. I'll be putting on 4500-5000 miles, including some dirt and gravel roads(may be renting an ATV for some of that, have to see the area in person first). Not sure I want to spend an hour every evening cleaning the bugs(and sap if I park near trees) off the front of my Honda. Because I would. I would bring waterless wash and wax, and spray wax, and would go over it every stop.  Of course if the reservation goes wrong(happened twice before, once they gave be a car a few miles from it's retirement, another they have me a stripped down Liberty instead of a new Taurus) I'll just cancel and take my Honda with a fresh coat of sealant.

I solved that problem with spray wax and a white car. I pretty much travel to the same place, Texas to Myrtle beach. I have scoped out touch less and blue wavy type car washes at my stops over night. I wouldn’t call that anal, I hate a dirty car.


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[SnakeEyeSS]

Was looking at rental car cost for a trip, versus mileage depreciation on my car. $23 cheaper to rent with early bird and Costco savings. Thats before factoring tire wear, fluid wear,( which is over$100) time spent scraping off bugs and bird poo, etc. 

 

 

That's said, if you don't book early, Costco savings decrease quite a bit. If I booked the exact same thing today it's $100 more than a few weeks ago. You'd think it would be less if they had extra cars sitting around unused

[SnakeEyeSS]

I'm in Montana, and have put nearly 2k miles on my rental Altima. I'm not impressed. If their CVTs are good(I DONT LIKE CVTs), then their engines sound like rattle cans under load, I have driven on a crapload of 5-10% grades on this trip. Great gas mileage though. Seats support well, although there is plenty of road noise. 

 

The steering.....flying Dunkin Donuts it sucks.  Worse than a Soul, Camry, Jeep Patroit,  Corolla to name a few. If you hit a bump in a turn, the bump steers you more than the steering wheel, WAY too light and nearly zero feedback 

[SnakeEyeSS]

In the past we have discussed the bizarre parking lot layouts in the Dakotas. 

 

Didn't just drive through it this trip, actually got off the interstate in Utah. The on and off ramps system in one town (north of SLC)was so bizarre, it's like the designers overengineered the system because they thought the population was so inherently stupid they can't think for themselves. When on the roads I didn't experience the level of stupid that must be required for a government to think 6 stoplights and curbed lanes that form a figure 8 under and over pass would make any sense. I had to exit right, stop light, turn left, stop light, turn right, stoplight. 

[Jsdirt]

Just got back from a road trip out to OH. I always forget how screwed up MA is, until I see how the rest of the country lives.  No inspections there, so you're free to drive what you can afford. The way things SHOULD be. I can't even imagine how easy my life would've been over the years without state mandated inspections! I'd be MUCH richer, that's for sure.

 

Rode out there in my dad's new '19 Ram 1500. Pretty sweet ride. Got to play with the touch screen and learn that on the way out there. Most aggravating was the fact that the GPS locks you out if the vehicle is underway - so if you have no address history, the passenger cannot program the GPS until the vehicle is stopped. Boy is that aggravating!! Are they all like this?  Not a huge fan of touch screen HVAC either - several times I had the heat on in close to 100°F temps, because something got touched -also extremely aggravating. Glad my truck has NONE of this crap. Had some issues on the way back  - some strange pulsing vibration sound that I've never heard before in my life - must be those electronic noise cancelling devices bolted to the frame. That's my only explanation for what I was hearing. Always something with new vehicles ...

 

Got to tour around Amish country. Never knew their buggies have hydraulic drum brakes, and rear lights with brake & turn signals. Great people - never met a group so friendly in my life. Everyone out that way is friendly (whole country is once you leave the Northeast!). All good, God-fearing Americans. Love that.

 

Saw some nice cars out there, too. Just noticed I never got a pic of the front of the new Ram - that's the best part of the truck, too. Has LED headlights - not a single incandescent bulb in the whole truck. A $900 option.   

 

Got a couple bad cell pics of a pair of carbureted Chevy 350's running 2 HUGE generators at 3,600 RPM non-stop for an Amish store / petting zoo / farm. Coolest thing I've ever seen! A testament to the reliability AND affordability of the old 350. Will never be a better engine built than that again, sadly.

 

Saw a Lingenfelter Corvette parked out there. Had to ask my buddy with the Camaro what the heck that was. I suspected it was some high-dollar mod, and I was right, lol. Said that car is way over $100k factoring in the cost of the car itself. I'll pass on that, thanks! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited July 17, 2018 by Jsdirt
Fixed pics

[99silveradoz71]

Ah yes, Keim Lumber. My neighbor gets a lot of his project materials down there.

[Colossus]

photo links are not valid.

[Jsdirt]

Thanks man - just fixed 'em.

[SnakeEyeSS]

So I hiked for hurs in the desert today, and my best pic, going to frame it, was of a sight right off the road.