macs and vehicles....

[krossfyter]

what kind of vehicle/s do you have? what kind do you want? and what kind of vehicle do you compare your mac puter to?



its about time i make my own mac and (whatever) thread. i cant let jethatfield have all the fun!:D



I happily drive a convertable black GT 1994 toyota celica.

Someday I want to be able to own a ferrari testarossa*....yellow, black, red, white, green, lavender....whatever.... I will have to get it used though...since i will never be able to pay 100,000 - 250,000 on one..... and I dont mind it being previosly confiscated by the IRS,FBI, Department of Transportation or any local Police agency/station. If someone got killed in it and that made the price value go down...then rock on I dont mind that kinda history ....in order for me to afford this bad boy.



Carry on...

[Rower_CPU]

2 wheel drive
4 cylinder
Manual transmission
Power everything...

I love this truck! I just got it in October...a MAJOR upgrade from the '89 Geo Metro I suffered with for two years prior (imagine a 6'4", 220+ guy getting out of a Metro and commence laughing your ass off)...

Go Toyota!

[Mr. Anderson]

Beating jefhatfield to the punch, oh well. I emailed him with the movie idea and mentioned the philosophy one in another thread, letting him take credit since he had a great theme going.

My ride:
93 Mazda Navajo (Looks like a Ford Explorer Sport - 2 Door)
Black
V6
4x4

[eyelikeart]

nice car krossfyter...I used to have an '86 Celica GTS...man I loved that car...

ran it to the ground...

now I drive a '99 Camry...it's a very nice and comfy car...

but...I really want a VW Beetle...Silver....Turbo...

fits in more with my personality and the type of computers I use...he he he :p

[eyelikeart]

oh...and just wait till AlphaTech gets in on this thread! ;)

[britboy]

Originally posted by Rower_CPU
(imagine a 6'4", 220+ guy getting out of a Metro and commence laughing your ass off)...


OK :D :D :D

pretty appaling by most standards, but i have a skoda, the car to bear the brunt of all jokes! It's not that bad though, just doesn't have much style (unlike my absolutely gorgeous tibook :))

edit: oh yeah, which would i like? That'd have to be the Audi TT. That car is just sublime!

[rainman::|:|]

Originally posted by krossfyter
what kind of vehicle/s do you have? what kind do you want? and what kind of vehicle do you compare your mac puter to?

Humm... drive a purple Lumina *gags* which goes surprisingly well with our graphite iMac *gags again?*, but I think a silver Lotus would go well with a TiBook (i own neither... yet)

Dream car would be the new Lexus, with the nice screen in the dashboard, but I wonder if it would clash with anything but an iBook... Poor thing would have LCD envy anyway :)

pnw

[jefhatfield]

i have a tan volvo

i want one for my wife

my rev a ibook is like a mazda miata...round, cute, but fast (at least in late 1999);)

[King Cobra]

In my dreams...

I would win the New England Powerball lottery, spend about 0.5 million on an F60, hook up my iPod to the car and to my ears, and play a burned CD with the same songs.

Until then, I will just be using my dad's 1997 black corvette w/340BHp+ and the CD!
_______________

I think he's reading this!

[krossfyter]

Originally posted by paulwhannel
but I think a silver Lotus would go well with a TiBook (i own neither... yet)




dude!!! a silver lotus?!!!! that would hella rock. good one to go with the tibook.

[krossfyter]

Originally posted by eyelikeart
nice car krossfyter...I used to have an '86 Celica GTS...man I loved that car...

ran it to the ground...

now I drive a '99 Camry...it's a very nice and comfy car...

but...I really want a VW Beetle...Silver....Turbo...

fits in more with my personality and the type of computers I use...he he he :p



thanks.

yes the camrys are very comfy. have you hand any kinda trouble with it...in any way?

[krossfyter]

Originally posted by eyelikeart
oh...and just wait till AlphaTech gets in on this thread! ;)


he might explode this thing wide open right? heh.

[eyelikeart]

the Camry is an incredible car...it's a 4 cyl....gets awesome gas mileage...smooth ride...quite...never a problem in the 3 years I've had it...truly a great car...

as for Alpha...and I hope he doesn't mind my talking about him here...he just got a killer truck he's awfully happy about....and he's got a friggin' Harley....he he he... ;)

[cornelius]

my mean of transportation rightnow is a 21 speed Schwinn Bike "Frontier", fast,stable and smooth, metal-blue and stainless-steel kind of color. Waiting for my dad to drop some dough for me and get the 2002 Super Charged Exterra (silver lookin). my dream car convertible Audi tt, guess ill have to wait fot that one when i graduate. but maybe before if i save some money ill help my dad rebuild his original mini cooper s (i think thats the right name) is a red one,dont know the exact year,but i know its an original, and it was a racing one also. and i think that the cooper the old one and the new one (done by bmw) go with the imac,ibook and the tiboo, depends on the cooper's colors.

[krossfyter]

Originally posted by eyelikeart
the Camry is an incredible car...it's a 4 cyl....gets awesome gas mileage...smooth ride...quite...never a problem in the 3 years I've had it...truly a great car...

as for Alpha...and I hope he doesn't mind my talking about him here...he just got a killer truck he's awfully happy about....and he's got a friggin' Harley....he he he... ;)


toyotas are reliable aye!!!


i expect to go over 200,000 miles on my celica without anything major happening to it. right now im at 100,000 and its hasnt had anything wrong happen to it. eventually i will need to get new brake pads though.

[Gelfin]

Originally posted by eyelikeart
but...I really want a VW Beetle...Silver....Turbo...


Oh, you want my car. :D

Personally, I prefer not to have a car at all, but I'm at a job that isn't convenient for public transit. I got the Beetle last year because if I had to get a car, I figured I might as well get something that would be fun to drive... and it is.

[eyelikeart]

I loved my Celica a lot...but I ran it into the ground...I think it was around 175,000 miles...so be careful when u really start getting up there...he he he

my Camry is just 3 years old but I have over 50,000 miles on it...been driving it around everywhere....

sorry about the reply subject...thought I'd dedicate an ode to myself... :p

[krossfyter]

Originally posted by Gelfin


Oh, you want my car. :D

Personally, I prefer not to have a car at all, but I'm at a job that isn't convenient for public transit. I got the Beetle last year because if I had to get a car, I figured I might as well get something that would be fun to drive... and it is.



i suggest you sell your beetle to eyelike art...or something!:D

[eyelikeart]

Originally posted by Gelfin


Oh, you want my car. :D

Personally, I prefer not to have a car at all, but I'm at a job that isn't convenient for public transit. I got the Beetle last year because if I had to get a car, I figured I might as well get something that would be fun to drive... and it is.

oh hell yeah! :D

my friends (well most) think I'm nuts to want one...they think they are ugly & "gay" (should be in the other thread don't ya think?)...

whatever...I want one...and I'm jealous u have one...he he he ;)

[krossfyter]

Originally posted by eyelikeart
I loved my Celica a lot...but I ran it into the ground...I think it was around 175,000 miles...so be careful when u really start getting up there...he he he

my Camry is just 3 years old but I have over 50,000 miles on it...been driving it around everywhere....

sorry about the reply subject...thought I'd dedicate an ode to myself... :p


well yours was an 86 right? so i should be okay when i near 200,000 since i have a 94 .... im thinking. dont know.

[eyelikeart]

Originally posted by krossfyter
well yours was an 86 right? so i should be okay when i near 200,000 since i have a 94 .... im thinking. dont know.

it was an '86...which I got of out in late '98....it was getting "old"...

[alex_ant]

A bicycle, a $50-per-semester bus pass, and a pair of legs are all anyone needs. No car payment, no insurance, no maintenance, no expensive parking, much better for the environment, and good exercise! Bicycles and public transit forever! Get off your duffs, you lazy fatties!

And on that note, does anyone else like the blue Subaru WRX?

Alex

[Mr. Anderson]

Originally posted by krossfyter
what kind of vehicle/s do you have? what kind do you want? and what kind of vehicle do you compare your mac puter to?

I answered the first one, but forgot the other two.

What do I want: practical-F150 quad cab. Haul people and haul crap, best of both worlds. Not very good though for parking.

impractical: one of the new minis, or a convertable turbo bug (when they become available)

My G4 Sawtooth: Stylish Audi
My TiPB: Convertable Porsche 911

Why all of these are German, I'm not sure. Just good engineering and nice looks.

[kishba]

hmm i'm in the market for my first car (i'm 17)... i need something nice, but cheap (under 2k) so i can still afford a new mac for college

any suggestions?

[krossfyter]

under 2000 ? you would have to go used and really look around.

[kishba]

Originally posted by krossfyter
under 2000 ? you would have to go used and really look around.

that's what i will probably do... just have to find some time to look around town... if you guys have any suggestions for vehicles that are affordable (like makes/models) please go ahead and let me know... even if they aren't in my price range!

[krossfyter]

okay. look in the local classifieds...that usually helps some. try.... www.carsforsale.com. .. thats a cool place to go check out even if you are not looking.

[kishba]

Originally posted by krossfyter
okay. look in the local classifieds...that usually helps some. try.... www.carsforsale.com. .. thats a cool place to go check out even if you are not looking.

hmmm... not the most omniweb-friendly web site:

"This version of the Internet Explorer Browser is not supported.

Please download the latest version of the browser and visit us again."

hehehe... luckily normal ie works!

thanks for the link

[Nipsy]

My car is a 1959 Porsche 356A 1600N Cabriolet

Simple design, well engineered, far from fast, and still running, very much like my Mac Plus

My computer which I use is a G4 QS 733/1.5GB/1TB, well engineered, pretty fast, but not screaming, and not too expensive...

Very much like the other car I want:
1988 BMW M5

[Nipsy]

Originally posted by kishba
hmm i'm in the market for my first car (i'm 17)... i need something nice, but cheap (under 2k) so i can still afford a new mac for college

any suggestions?

Everyone should own a VW Beetle (the original) once in their lives. This car will teach you alot:

About economy
About design
About engineering
About practicality
About ease of use/repair
About the beauty of simplicity

You can find a nice one (maybe with a sunroof) for $2000. AVOID RUST. You can repair anything with the car's own tool roll. You can pull the motor almost as fast as a PCI card. You can keep them running on change found in couches, and you can drive them coast to coast (regardless of which continent you inhabit).

Spending a year with a beetle will change the way you look at cars for the rest of your life (in a good way).

[menoinjun]

I own a 98 Toyota camry CE (5spd, 4cyl) with a white apple logo sticker over the rear third taillight. I hope to own an S2000 one day. I love little roadsters. (but only ones that dont look like *****es)

Also on my list to buy is a Honda Shadow or Magna motorcycle. I've had my permit for about a year, and now I just have to get my license.

-Pete

btw...I only drive manual transmission cars.

[IndyGopher]

I have a pair of Quicksilvers (dual 800 and an 867) as well as an iMac 800.. none of which seem much like any of my vehicles.. Geo Prizm, Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo, and a BMW K75 motorcycle.

As for the youngster that suggested a bicycle and a bus pass were all anyone needed, I suggest he ride his bike the 30 miles each way to and from work in 10 degree weather in the winter, and 90 degree weather in the summer.. with a pair of notebook computers and 40 pounds of tools. There's a fair chance he might actually survive the summer... but I'd put my money on finding him dead on the roadside in the winter. I'm glad he lives in an area that has adequate public transportation... but that isn't where most of the country lives.

[IndyGopher]

Originally posted by Nipsy


Everyone should own a VW Beetle (the original) once in their lives. This car will teach you alot:

About economy
About design
About engineering
About practicality
About ease of use/repair
About the beauty of simplicity

You can find a nice one (maybe with a sunroof) for $2000. AVOID RUST. You can repair anything with the car's own tool roll. You can pull the motor almost as fast as a PCI card. You can keep them running on change found in couches, and you can drive them coast to coast (regardless of which continent you inhabit).

Spending a year with a beetle will change the way you look at cars for the rest of your life (in a good way).

Oh, how I do wish that this were true... I have very fond memories of my Beetle.. but intellectually I know I am deluding myself. This is *my* take on the Beetle:

They're heinously overpriced now... they're trendy again, and priced like it.
They're hideously impractical in cold weather. Air cooled engines SOUND like a nifty idea... until you need the heater and the defrost.
They *are* easy to repair.. which is great.. and more importantly, they are FUN to work on.
In short: If you live in a temperate area of the world, and you can get one cheap enough, they're fun. I would never have one as my only car, though. Not on a dare.

[jefhatfield]

Originally posted by IndyGopher
I have a pair of Quicksilvers (dual 800 and an 867) as well as an iMac 800.. none of which seem much like any of my vehicles.. Geo Prizm, Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo, and a BMW K75 motorcycle.

As for the youngster that suggested a bicycle and a bus pass were all anyone needed, I suggest he ride his bike the 30 miles each way to and from work in 10 degree weather in the winter, and 90 degree weather in the summer.. with a pair of notebook computers and 40 pounds of tools. There's a fair chance he might actually survive the summer... but I'd put my money on finding him dead on the roadside in the winter. I'm glad he lives in an area that has adequate public transportation... but that isn't where most of the country lives.

or in san francisco, trying having a car, where there is no place to park, and when i found a place to park it was right in the middle of a gun battle, and you can literally get around with the subway and bicycle much faster and safer than with a car

there are people who make ridiculous amounts of money...mbas, lawyers, other pros, who use bikes, buses, and subways because flashing a half decent car anywhere near the finacial district is a great way to get it stolen

i think san franciso is number 2 in car theft next to new york...and remember gone in 60 seconds...the pros in the soma and tenderloin in san francisco can be off with your new car before your can even take a piss

and san franciscans make more than anybody, except for nyc again, because if they do have a car (which is stupid), they need to pay a king's ransom to park it safely

where i went to golden gate univ. in the foul soma district of sf, i used to park across the street and when class was out, i hired a taxi to pick me up because i, a martial artist, was scared ****eless (i don't believe in guns and after hours of pounding numbers and spreadsheets, i don't think i would have good aim in the dark...i would probably shoot me own foots:D

[jefhatfield]

i know it snows where you are indy gopher, but san franciso does not snow...maybe bullets sometimes

hey, where is michael douglas when you need him (stupid reference to 'streets of san francisco'...where they showed lots of guns and high speed chases...now sf is not that dangerous but i prefer to have a car and live in the rural burbs south of san jose)

[Nipsy]

Originally posted by IndyGopher


Oh, how I do wish that this were true... I have very fond memories of my Beetle.. but intellectually I know I am deluding myself. This is *my* take on the Beetle:

They're heinously overpriced now... they're trendy again, and priced like it.
They're hideously impractical in cold weather. Air cooled engines SOUND like a nifty idea... until you need the heater and the defrost.
They *are* easy to repair.. which is great.. and more importantly, they are FUN to work on.
In short: If you live in a temperate area of the world, and you can get one cheap enough, they're fun. I would never have one as my only car, though. Not on a dare.

I know what you mean about the heater boxes, but more often that is beacause people have taken them apart so often they don't seal well. If you make sure the tubes and boxes are sealed EVERYWHERE, they can pump some heat!

Also, a good thing to remember is that no-one ever cracked a block in cold weather (by using water in lieu of anti-freeze) in an air cooled car!

You gotta remember that your perspective sounds a bit seasoned (I too would no longer own only a Beetle), but for someone looking for a good first car, on the cheap, I stand by my recommendation!

[alex_ant]

Originally posted by IndyGopher
As for the youngster that suggested a bicycle and a bus pass were all anyone needed, I suggest he ride his bike the 30 miles each way to and from work in 10 degree weather in the winter, and 90 degree weather in the summer.. with a pair of notebook computers and 40 pounds of tools. There's a fair chance he might actually survive the summer... but I'd put my money on finding him dead on the roadside in the winter. I'm glad he lives in an area that has adequate public transportation... but that isn't where most of the country lives.
What the hell, gramps? I do that all the time. Uphill, both ways, and barefoot, might I add! And I have the gaping infected pus-leaking sores in my feet from my steel pedals to prove it. You forgot to mention the snow, as well - at least it helps to numb the pain. Except I'll admit I don't carry any tools - only dead animal carcasses and coonskins for me.

Alex

[eyelikeart]

I know exactly what u are talking about jef...

When I was there last October...I kept thinking how much of a royal pain in the @ss it would be to have a car there. For me, though, it was more about the steep hills and the stress your transmission & brakes must go through to go up and down all the time while in the city.

what really blew my mind was the street which had steps to go up the sidewalk...I just can't remember the name of it...but I have pictures of me going up it!! :p

[rainman::|:|]

Okay, I told RJ about this thread, and he wanted to give his two cents: His perfect combination would be the Twentieth Anniversary Mac, and the Pope-mobile. And i don't think he's kidding...

pnw

[3rdpath]

my first car was a 71 bug convertible. its easy to romanticize it now but man i was glad to sell it. it was hotter than the depths of hell in the summer( texas in july). it originally had a/c but lots of luck getting above 45mph with it on. at least it didn't vapor lock every summer like my 911s did. if you left the top down in the sun the seat would scald the shinola out of you. it always leaked oil-marked it's territory like a dog on a walk...the floorboard rusted thru because the top leaked and during the winter my hair( wet because i overslept) would get frost on it as i drove to high school. BUT the girls thought it was cute so i wasn't a total loser. i couldn't even compare it to a mac- it was more like my atari megaST 4. its a coin toss as to which one was slower.

after a slew of exotics that almost put me in the poor house i bought an isuzu trooper in 1990 and i think, barring something outside of my control, it'll be my last car. its totally no-frills, extremely reliable, will climb a cliff in 4 wheel low, and i don't worry about door dings, shopping carts or what i haul inside it. i'd compare it to my trusty beige G3 running os8.1( yes, 8.1!). it NEVER crashes and always gets the job done. alas it will be gone if something comes out at mwny.
p.s. i'd love a good deal on a nissan figaro (purple, thank you):)

[edesignuk]

I drive the new Mini Cooper, it's great!
It's red, with white roof, wheels and wing-mirrors.

[iGav]

I wanted a Audi TT, you can get left hookers in the UK for about £14k now.... but without the p*ssy modification that induces the car to understeer rather than oversteer......

But have you ever seen the insurance quote for a 24 year old on this 225 BHP 4WD beauty??? It bears more than a striking resemblance to my phone number.....

If the TiBook was a car, it'd be the Audi TT......

If I had the cash, and insurance was no problem, I'd have a Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution 7 GSR, it's such a cool car..... I would then proceed to spend my days taking the piss out of Ferraris, Porsches and anything else that wanted a damn good spanking!!! :p

I used to have an original Beetle, what a great car, especially it's ability to accelerate on snow...... truely mental....... however it's lack of braking and turning ability in snow was also abit questionable when I encountered a slight problem with the position of lamp post........

[mcrain]

Originally posted by Nipsy


Everyone should own a VW Beetle (the original) once in their lives.

My first car was the VW Thing. Everything you like about the Beetle was present to an even greater degree in that car.

Right now I drive either a Chrysler Cirrus, a Dodge Durango 4wd, a Bianchi road bike, or my Harley Lowrider Custom. If I'm not riding, I'm running or swimming.

I'm rooting for Steve Larson at Kona!

[Vilacr]

I have a triple black 2001 Camaro SS 325 hp this baby screams....just like my 550 tibook. I am in the market for the new vette...I love that car.

[jefhatfield]

Originally posted by iGAV
I wanted a Audi TT, you can get left hookers in the UK for about £14k now.... but without the p*ssy modification that induces the car to understeer rather than oversteer......

But have you ever seen the insurance quote for a 24 year old on this 225 BHP 4WD beauty??? It bears more than a striking resemblance to my phone number.....

If the TiBook was a car, it'd be the Audi TT......

If I had the cash, and insurance was no problem, I'd have a Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution 7 GSR, it's such a cool car..... I would then proceed to spend my days taking the piss out of Ferraris, Porsches and anything else that wanted a damn good spanking!!! :p

I used to have an original Beetle, what a great car, especially it's ability to accelerate on snow...... truely mental....... however it's lack of braking and turning ability in snow was also abit questionable when I encountered a slight problem with the position of lamp post........


audi tt and tibook...i once mentioned that to my wife

[iGav]

audi tt and tibook...i once mentioned that to my wife

She obviously made you choose then..:p

OK.... Taking bets....

Did the boy jefhatfield choose the sleek and slinky audi tt vroom vroom
or
Did the boy jefhatfield choose the smooth and sassy apple tibook.....


PLACE U'R BETS NOW............

sleek and slinky audi tt....
smooth and sassy apple tibook
sleek and slinky audi tt....
smooth and sassy apple tibook

BETTING FINISHED........

u bet sleek and slinky audi tt....
U WONG........

u bet sleek and slinky audi tt....
U .......... U........ U WITE......

BONSAI!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! heheh :p

[alex_ant]

Originally posted by Vilacr
I have a triple black 2001 Camaro SS 325 hp this baby screams....just like my 550 tibook.
Hahaha, I am a fellow TiBook 550 owner and that's the funniest thing I've read all week. :)

[3rdpath]

being a recovering car-a-holic , i have warned my wife that a sudden infusion of capital ( lotto, inheritence or god forbid-hard work) could pitch me into a relapse of untold magnitude.

camera pans over a lush open field to an immense greene and greene inspired craftsman structure:

and in my newly built-multi-level garage would be a spanking new tt, next to my shelby ac cobra, next to an empty space for my new ford gt40, which is next to my toyota fj55( lovingly restored to level three by TLC, van nuys, ca.), next to my 300sl gullwing aluminum racing edition, next to my RR flying spur, next to my 1954 vette( which has a dead mint lake placid blue 1954 stratocaster in the trunk), which is next to my new custom built twin-turbo porsche( not sure if it's by ruff or b&b)

and thats just one row of the first of three floors......

cue david wilcox singing " my old addiction- Chet Baker's theme"

fade to black

[Hemingray]

Macs and Volkswagens!

White '95 Volkswagen Eurovan.

And a colored Apple sticker in the back. :D

[AlphaTech]

2002 Black Ford Ranger XLT Off-Road 4x4 SuperCab 4 door. 4 Litre V6, 5 speed automatic trans. with 207hp and more torque then you know what to do with.

2002 Luxury blue Harley-Davidson Softail Standard, 88ci twin cam with counter-balancing. Vance and Hines Big Shot exhaust pipes, Screaming Eagle air filter, HD saddlebags (large leather ;) ), and a windshield (with quick disconnect mount).

Both are sweet and have plenty o power (truck can pull almost 6000 pounds on a hitch, and carry about 1600 in the bed).

I equate the Harley to Apple systems. It may not be the fastest one out there, but you get there in style and comfort :D. Fit and finish on Harleys are the standards that the rest aspire to. Also, because I don't go ripping down the highway on/in either vehicle, I don't get pulled over for speeding, and then get there sooner :D .

I have decided that all my vehicles from now on will be American (in name if nothing else, except that I know HD's are made here).

[evildead]

I Drive a 2000 Ford Mustang
its White and has 2 White Apple stickers
and I compute in my 867 Quicksliver

[Gelfin]

Originally posted by jefhatfield
or in san francisco, trying having a car, where there is no place to park, and when i found a place to park it was right in the middle of a gun battle, and you can literally get around with the subway and bicycle much faster and safer than with a car

Heh. If it was in the middle of a gun battle that's probably why there was parking available. :) Seriously, I've been here more than two years, and I've heard maybe one gunshot since I moved. I live out in the Sunset District, though, which is much safer than most places in the city.

and san franciscans make more than anybody, except for nyc again, because if they do have a car (which is stupid), they need to pay a king's ransom to park it safely

Yeah, I only have street parking at my apartment. I hate it and my insurance premiums suffer for it. Thing is, there ARE garages attached to my apartment building, but they're always sealed up and the windows are boarded and stuff. Tenants can't use them. I'm picturing my landlord keeping bodies on meathooks in there or something.

where i went to golden gate univ. in the foul soma district of sf, i used to park across the street and when class was out, i hired a taxi to pick me up because i, a martial artist, was scared ****eless

Yeesh, yeah, my first job in SF was in SOMA. I had to walk three blocks from the Civic Center MUNI station to get to work, and it got kinda scary after dark. It was not really any fun in the daytime either. At the time everyone was whining about dot-coms and "gentrification," but walking down 7th and 8th Streets, I could never see how gentrification would be such a bad thing.

Anyhow, I never take my car downtown unless there's just no other option. I got the car because I work in San Mateo now. Besides being fun to drive, I got the Beetle because statistically it's one of the least stolen cars (I suppose thieves don't want a "gay" car either ;)), and in crash tests the Beetle sustained less damage and cost only a tiny fraction of what other cars cost to repair. Add to that that VW now includes safety features approaching Volvo-grade, and that the car is more or less built like a crash helmet anyway, and it was pretty easy for me to overlook the wannabe-hippie crap and buy one. In less than a year I've already had a crazy woman run into me on the freeway, and the Beetle's damage was pretty much limited to a couple of paint scuffs.

[AlphaTech]

Originally posted by Rower_CPU
2 wheel drive
4 cylinder
Manual transmission
Power everything...

I love this truck! I just got it in October...a MAJOR upgrade from the '89 Geo Metro I suffered with for two years prior (imagine a 6'4", 220+ guy getting out of a Metro and commence laughing your ass off)...

Go Toyota!

Man, I hope you didn't pay a lot for that toy... ota... :D

From my viewpoint, if you are going to have a truck, get 4 wheel drive. Also get an engine that won't strain when a second person gets into it (i.e. a 4 banger). Manual tranny is good, if you like it, but how many gears? My 2002 Ranger has a 5 speed automatic and power everything too. Plus the 4 litre V6 has more then enough power for anything I could possibly need to do with it. :D You can never have too much power.

[AlphaTech]

Originally posted by Nipsy


Everyone should own a VW Beetle (the original) once in their lives. This car will teach you alot:

About economy
About design
About engineering
About practicality
About ease of use/repair
About the beauty of simplicity

You can find a nice one (maybe with a sunroof) for $2000. AVOID RUST. You can repair anything with the car's own tool roll. You can pull the motor almost as fast as a PCI card. You can keep them running on change found in couches, and you can drive them coast to coast (regardless of which continent you inhabit).

Spending a year with a beetle will change the way you look at cars for the rest of your life (in a good way).

a vw beetle will also teach you how to drive with your knees up at your ears, or in your chest. How to accept humiliation from every other vehicle around you, and how to make people snicker as you go by. To me, the vw bugs/beetles are fugly and I will NEVER own or drive one.

The only repair I needed to do to my last truck was a break job. I let it go a little longer then I should have, so I had to replace the front discs too (went over 40,000 miles, most of it stop and go highway or back roads). I now have a brand new 2002 model with more options/features that I wanted but couldn't get in the first one. Next time I need to move, I will have a trailer hitch on it by then, I will just rent a trailer and use that. With being able to tow almost 6000 pounds, I could probably put everything I own in the trailer. Then put the helpers that are assisting me move either in the cab of the truck, or let them ride in the bed.

If it has 4 wheels, it's a truck. If it has 2 wheels, it's a Harley or nothing at all.

[Rower_CPU]

Originally posted by AlphaTech
Man, I hope you didn't pay a lot for that toy... ota... :D

From my viewpoint, if you are going to have a truck, get 4 wheel drive. Also get an engine that won't strain when a second person gets into it (i.e. a 4 banger). Manual tranny is good, if you like it, but how many gears? My 2002 Ranger has a 5 speed automatic and power everything too. Plus the 4 litre V6 has more then enough power for anything I could possibly need to do with it. :D You can never have too much power.

Not too bad...about 10K after warranty and new security system...well below KBB value:)

I debated 4WD, but in the city I just don't need it. Plus it drops your fuel mileage and gas in CA is already expensive enough:rolleyes:
This 4 cylinder has great power, more than enough...especially compared to the 3 in the Metro.
5 speed manual w/ cruise baby! To me automatics are just wrong for trucks...if I'm hauling a load, the stick gives me much better control than an auto jumping into and back out of overdrive...to me it feels like I'm actually in control and not just along for the ride, probably similar to you on your "hog". :D


Sorry it took so long to get back to you. We had a power outage at work...stupid construction workers hit a line or something...

[Vilacr]

Alex...
Do you not think your ti 550 is fast or was it about my SS? My SS is supposed to go from 0 to 60 in 5 sec. I say supposed to b/c I have never tried it.

[alex_ant]

Originally posted by Vilacr
Do you not think your ti 550 is fast or was it about my SS? My SS is supposed to go from 0 to 60 in 5 sec. I say supposed to b/c I have never tried it.
Sorry - the Ti. I should have said, if you think the TiBook 550 is fast, you must not be running OS X. :)

Everyone is telling me to get more RAM, but c'mon, 256MB should be enough. It just should. I had 32MB in my computer 3 years ago and did just fine on that. *Sob*

Alex

[jefhatfield]

Originally posted by Gelfin


Heh. If it was in the middle of a gun battle that's probably why there was parking available. :) Seriously, I've been here more than two years, and I've heard maybe one gunshot since I moved. I live out in the Sunset District, though, which is much safer than most places in the city.




wow, you must make great money...i would love to afford the sunset district (or the richmond, castro, or nob hill), but tenderloin, soma, mission, and hunter's point is all i would be able to afford and all those areas in sf are dangerous

i had a friend move from northern central california to the mission district, because the rent was all she could afford, and she said she knew she must have been in one of the more undersireable neighborhoods with what she saw and any press on how the mission was being yuppified and made safe was a bunch of hogwash...way too dangerous

i guess if you came from the south bronx, the mission would look safe:p

[Vilacr]

I've maxed the ram to 1 gig and it is plenty fast. I guess the ram makes a big difference.

[AlphaTech]

Originally posted by alex_ant

Sorry - the Ti. I should have said, if you think the TiBook 550 is fast, you must not be running OS X. :)

Everyone is telling me to get more RAM, but c'mon, 256MB should be enough. It just should. I had 32MB in my computer 3 years ago and did just fine on that. *Sob*

Alex

Today 256 is nothing. The company that I work for just updated it's hardware standards and the minimum people will be getting in any Mac is 384MB. It used to be 128, but no longer. I wouldn't go any less then 512MB is any of my systems, no matter what OS you are running. I also have the GB of RAM in my 500MHz TiBook. Remember something, the more phsyical RAM you have, the less the computer will need to go to the hard drive to make virtual memory. Virtual will always be slower then real memory, since hard drives are typically slower then the memory chips are.

As for having 32MB in that computer, what size was it's hard drive??? Things have changed more then a little in the past 3 years.

[oldMac]

I drove my '98 Prelude back and forth to work from my apartment in Bernal Heights (sandwiched between the Mission District and 101) and the Financial District for a good part of last year.

I guess I must have been lucky. Bernal Heights actually has a good bit of street parking. Probably the only place I saw in SF that did, though.

Of course, much of the time I took the Muni to work down Mission street.

While I must say that SF was a bit filthier than I would have liked, overall it's a pretty nice town. I'm back in Chicago now and I have to admit that it feels safer here. For example, I've never witnessed a purse snatching in Chicago. I can't say the same for SF (and I've lived in Chicago a lot longer.)

The most ridiculous thing is how people in SF need a lifetime ambition in order to own a house... Even if it's in one of the less savory areas of SF.

[afonso]

I have a white VW Gold with a white Apple Sticker on the back :)))

Later all,
Afonso

[afonso]

Man, you really need to come to London...

You would need to reincarnate to continue to save money to own a house...

You wouldn't believe the house prices in London...

Actually, you wouldn't believe the house rent prices in London, let alone to buy them! :)

Later,
Afonso

[3rdpath]

i thought home prices were out of hand here in california until my friends told me what they paid for their flats. holy cow!!!!makes my $325/sqft seem like a steal...in my opinion, home ownership is highly over-rated.

homes are a liability, not an asset.:eek:

[jefhatfield]

Originally posted by 3rdpath
i thought home prices were out of hand here in california until my friends told me what they paid for their flats. holy cow!!!!makes my $325/sqft seem like a steal...in my opinion, home ownership is highly over-rated.

homes are a liability, not an asset.:eek:

homes pay off in the long run, and with capital gains tax and other taxes and expenses, to make the profit worthwhile, it takes half a lifetime to see it work in a practical way...same goes for individual stocks

i have an acquaintaince that bought and sold eleven houses in fifteen years and came out of it all in huge debt...nothing in life comes that easy ...as the dot.bomb devolution has shown us:(

[3rdpath]

i'm still not convinced that a home is an asset. i've run the numbers under many scenarios and when you factor in interest paid, insurance, taxes,( eathquake insurance here in ca), repairs and commission to sell-well its a pretty marginal call. i'll agree that after approx 18 years things look better but its still a tough call.

my house has had an insane increase in value since i bought it three years ago but:
1) its all on paper
2) everything else here has gone up pretty much the same-i'll only make money( and keep it) if i buy a comparable house in frognot, texas....

you do get the security that you won't get booted if you own a house and it will make your wife happy....( which has an infinite value:D ) as compared to losing the house to your wife which has a very finite value...:mad:

my neighbor bought his home in 1989 and was upside down until this year-thats ZERO appreciation for 13 years. so in my mind its a toss-up.

as for stocks...my short terms % gains have been excellent( though i don't have the guts to play big dollars so the dollar gains aren't impressive). i thought it was funny that apple was just labeled a " strong buy"--where were the analysts when it was below $15.00?

anyway, my 2 cents....time for a stogie:D

[jefhatfield]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by 3rdpath
[B]i'm still not convinced that a home is an asset. i've run the numbers under many scenarios and when you factor in interest paid, insurance, taxes,( eathquake insurance here in ca), repairs and commission to sell-well its a pretty marginal call. i'll agree that after approx 18 years things look better but its still a tough call.

my house has had an insane increase in value since i bought it three years ago but:
1) its all on paper
2) everything else here has gone up pretty much the same-i'll only make money( and keep it) if i buy a comparable house in frognot, texas....

you do get the security that you won't get booted if you own a house and it will make your wife happy....( which has an infinite value:D ) as compared to losing the house to your wife which has a very finite value...:mad:




i know what you mean 3rd path...people often don't look at the hidden expenses...he he my friend bought his house in monterey in 1980 for 204k, put 20k into it and now, after dot.bomb, it is worth 210k...he can't live long enough to cash in big becasue he suffers from muscular distrophy and i think he was banking on having that house help him in his last days which it probably won't which is sad...great thing is that he is almost 50 and still alive with this terrible illness

a famous rock star i know of got als in the 1980s or early 90s and was expected to live just months...last i heard he is still alive and composes on computer (jason becker)

but i know what you mean by real estate prices...california has been hit hard and one carmel house i know of went from 750k to 310k but the price will go up again in the next ten years

[jefhatfield]

i forgot to mention that muscular distrophy kills a lot of people before they even reach adolescence and my friend still can drive at 50!

[Biggles]

What I have:
'99 VW Jetta (black) V6

What I want (although the jetta is still very awesome):
Aston Martin DB5 (sliver)

[iGav]

You are so right about London.....

It has to be one of, it not the most expensive city in the world to live in......

Rent is extortionate even in the less than desirable areas and justs gets worse the more central you become......

As for house prices..........:p

[Mr. Anderson]

Originally posted by 3rdpath
i'm still not convinced that a home is an asset. i've run the numbers under many scenarios and when you factor in interest paid, insurance, taxes,( eathquake insurance here in ca), repairs and commission to sell-well its a pretty marginal call. i'll agree that after approx 18 years things look better but its still a tough call.


I bought my first house two years ago, and I'd say its a definite asset. Not only has the value gone up about 40% since then (the market is crazy right now) but in the US you can write off the mortgage interest on your income taxes. That's a huge savings, so long as you have a mortgage.

[AlphaTech]

I looked at house prices withing MA a couple of years ago and then briefly when I was moving (thought about buying). To move to where I wanted (closer to work), the minimum cost of a house that doesn't require insane amounts of work is around $250-$300k (single family, two bed, one bath and smallish too). My sister bought a house back in 97 and it has already gained (on paper, according to the bank, not appraised value) over $25k. That one needed a good amount of work, which they have put into it so far, with more planned. If the market continues as it does (at least here in MA), her house will be worth even more. The only problem is, in order to move to someplace better, it will cost them more then they could ever get for the old place. With today's market, at least up here, you pretty much need to look at buying a house, and keeping it for a long time. A minimum of 10-15 years, otherwise you will loose out too much.

I am willing to rent the place I have now (apartment in a two family house, in a nice area, about 15 minutes from work where I have a driveway for my vehicles and a storage area in the basement). for at least a few more years. I would need a second income in order to afford a house that has what I want/need. Maybe when the truck and motorcycle are paid off I will look into houses again :D.

[3rdpath]

Originally posted by dukestreet


I bought my first house two years ago, and I'd say its a definite asset. Not only has the value gone up about 40% since then (the market is crazy right now) but in the US you can write off the mortgage interest on your income taxes. That's a huge savings, so long as you have a mortgage.

the savings from your write-off of mortgage interest and taxes isn't 100%-it only saves you what you would pay in taxes. so if you're in the 30% tax bracket, you're only "getting back" 30% of each dollar you paid in interest and taxes. it certainly helps at the end of the year but its not a sound financial reason to buy a house. and when you factor in everything i mentioned earlier, well its still a toss-up.

i'm not saying home ownership is bad-far from it, just from a financial perspective its not the best use of capital. when you factor in the emotional issues ( and the premium you're willing to pay for them) it can certainly be a positive experience- but thats not the same as thing as an asset. ( financially speaking, since we've been talking $$$):)

[krossfyter]

seems i will be going the kit car route. this is the only way i can afford my dream car at the moment.

check out what i found...

this car is built on a twin turbo k-reg MR2 so it is fast and sounds good.
the seller is looking for around 16,750 which is fair value for this quality and detail on k reg twin turbo.



AWSOME!

[jefhatfield]

Originally posted by 3rdpath


the savings from your write-off of mortgage interest and taxes isn't 100%-it only saves you what you would pay in taxes. so if you're in the 30% tax bracket, you're only "getting back" 30% of each dollar you paid in interest and taxes. it certainly helps at the end of the year but its not a sound financial reason to buy a house. and when you factor in everything i mentioned earlier, well its still a toss-up.

i'm not saying home ownership is bad-far from it, just from a financial perspective its not the best use of capital. when you factor in the emotional issues ( and the premium you're willing to pay for them) it can certainly be a positive experience- but thats not the same as thing as an asset. ( financially speaking, since we've been talking $$$):)

there are definitely more efficient uses of capital, but they are often over the heads of the average person so home ownership becomes an easy way out...in some areas, it really is the best use of capital...but not anywhere near silicon valley...:(

[Mr. Anderson]

Originally posted by 3rdpath

i'm not saying home ownership is bad-far from it, just from a financial perspective its not the best use of capital. when you factor in the emotional issues ( and the premium you're willing to pay for them) it can certainly be a positive experience- but thats not the same as thing as an asset. ( financially speaking, since we've been talking $$$):)

But I have to live somewhere, right. Why spend it on rent when I can own and have something when I'm done. To me, renting is like throwing money away. Besides, I've seen my house go up 150k in value in the past 2 years. After we put another bathroom in the basement and go to 3 br, 2 1/2 bath we'll be able to get even more. This is what I call an investment, and a good use of capital, since we put only 5% down to begin with.

I do realize that in other locations, things might be different, and even on a short term renting is better than owning. But around DC, if you bought and then sold your house a month later, chances are very high you'll make money on the deal.

[krossfyter]

....

[mischief]

I haven't owned a car for about 6 years now and I'm looking to buy one this fall. I know what I like but I want some advice:

2002 Celica GT-S in Carbon Blue. Manual 6, spoiler, security, ABS, front and side Airbags, sunroof. Front wheel drive 4Cyl.

2002 Mustang GT in DK metallic blue. Manual 6, spoiler, security, ABS, front airbags, Rear wheel Drive 8 Cyl.

They're so damn close..........similar weight.......similar features.

The Mustang I'd feel more comfortable under the hood, it has a bigger engine and rear wheel drive.

The Celica has better safety features and is far sexier.

Ack!! Help! :p :D

[krossfyter]

I would go celica...everyone and thier mother has a mustang.

The streets are saturated with these. Both good cars. Although Toyota is more reliable.


One man asks an auto worker "Whats wrong you look a little bothered"

The auto worker says " Im working on a Ford, that outa tell you something".

[AlphaTech]

krossfyter, I have always had Ford vehicles and have always had great results with them. I turned in my 99 leased truck last month and am buying a 2002 model (more features that I really wanted in the first, but didn't have a choice since it was a lease).

My mother has a 97 Contour and my sister has a 2000 Windstar (think it's a 2000 model). Granted the vehicles are not that old, yet, we haven't had anything other then routine maintenance. The only costly thing I had to do to my 99 truck was a break job (and I let it go a little too long, oops).

I always tell people to get the largest engine that they can. Even though a 4-cyl (or 4 banger) might be 'peppy' a V6 or V8 will have more power. There is also something to be said for the sound a V8 makes when it is idleing or when you rev the engine :D.

Just like with a big V-Twin.

[mischief]

Does anyone know if a rotary engine is available that fits the Celica? The 3 Cyl rotary that was sold in Japan for the RX7 was SICK. It sounded like a freaking jet engine.:eek:

[jefhatfield]

Originally posted by krossfyter
I would go celica...everyone and thier mother has a mustang.

The streets are saturated with these. Both good cars. Although Toyota is more reliable.


One man asks an auto worker "Whats wrong you look a little bothered"

The auto worker says " Im working on a Ford, that outa tell you something".

i have a volvo and i am passionate about swedish made volvos, but ford bought them out as well as buying out jaguar

i have nothing against ford, but the new volvos, though much prettier, do not hold up in the same way that the swedish made volvos did (my mechanic at the volvo dealership warned me)

but i have to commend the fact that ford-made volvos and jaguars are now much more affordable and accessible for mechanics to fix...so that may be a good thing

i like american products if they are computers (apple), guitars (fender) or work boots (carolina and red wings), but for most other stuff i like european and asian( porsche, volvo, bmw, toyota, nissan, lexus, german chocolate and beer, italian clothes, french wine, mexican soda, and other non-us made products)

i wish i could always buy american but then i really would not have a computer since no computer is copletely built with all american compnents anymore...and neither is any car for that matter...so you would see me walking around naked with red wing boots on playing on a fender electric guitar

no, that would be a very scary sight:D

btw - kross, did you get my private message?...i don't use this function often:D

[Backtothemac]

Wow, joining in on this one late.

93 Mazda MPV Minivan (for the wife) 150,000 miles.

83 Mazda RX-7 Restoration project.

[AlphaTech]

jefhatfield, things I buy that are American, in name if nothing else, Ford trucks, Harley-Davidson (new ride is sweeeeeet :D), clothing (100% cotton and stampled 'made in USA') as much as possible (about 90% or more). Of course my Mac systems, not sure how to classify the peecee, since I built it :D, monitors (ViewSonic, think they are a US company, could be wrong there) and Sam Addams beer. I'm sure there are other things that I am leaving out, but they are minor. I am so happy with the Harley and Ford, that I will never consider purchasing any others (MIGHT consider getting a Dodge if they give me more for the $$).

Things that I purchase that are not made here (that I can readily recall)... Irish beer (gotta love it, stouts and ales) and coffee beans (grind them for home).

[mischief]

Special thanx to Popular Mechanics for the data.

Celica GT-S:

180 HP/130 Ft.-Lb./1.8L V4 into 2425Lb of curb weight with 29/36 mileage and more safety features.

13.5 Lb/Hp.
18.7 pounds of weight per foot-pound of torque.

Mustang GT:

260HP/302 Ft.-Lb./4.6L V8 into 3114 Lb of curb weight with 19/27 mileage and one more model (Cobra) above it.

11.97 Lb/Hp.
10.3 pounds of weight per foot-pound of torque.

[3rdpath]

let me first say you make some good points-and you're not wrong.
but having said that-i don't agree with you....( no-one is surprised by now):D

my assets make me money-real money in the bank. my house costs me money every single day. has it's value gone up insanely since i bought it? yes! is that gain realised? nope. this real estate market we're in is an anomaly. much like the tech bubble of not too long ago. the real estate market does this cycle and some people get burned( by buying too high or leveraging themselves against paper gains). will my house be worth more when i sell it? i hope so. will it offset the commissions, closing costs, interest, taxes, insurance and maintenance that i paid thru the years? only time will tell. do i have capital making me better money elsewhere right at this very moment? heck yes!

many people won't agree with what i have to say. viva that! i could be wrong!

:)

[AlphaTech]

mischief, are my eyes playing tricks on me, or does the Mustang have a better power to weight ratio then the toy... ota does???

Which engine is in the Mustang??? Is that the 302 V8 (5 litre) or are they using a different one??

I loved the 302 that was in the 78 Fairmont that was my first car. That baby hauled a$$ in a major way, even though it didn't look like it would. Light body, large engine, sweet combination.

[Rower_CPU]

Damn, Alpha...what you got against Toyota (all one word, capital T)? :p

As far as I'm concerned, they're the best out there. And I'm not alone on this either. There's a reason people call them F. O. R. D.

Truck guys that swear by American made go Chevy. They say Fords haul better, but overall have more problems. My coworker's Dad is a mechanic who has to have a special "Ford bag" of tools for all the starter/ignition problems he sees EVERYDAY.

Toyotas have a much higher resale value than FOrds...wonder why?

BTW - Toyota Tundra is the safest full-size truck in America...Ford F-150 crumples like an accordion in crash tests...

[AlphaTech]

Rower_CPU, I still will NEVER buy a toyota... no matter what people say about them, or Ford's.

4x4 trucks, hold their value much longer, and higher then 4x2 trucks, that is a known fact. Maybe one of the reasons the toys hold their value longer is because people actually use their Ford, or American, made trucks more and harder. I have never seen a toyota truck at a construction site, always American made. Of the trucks that I passed on my ride to work today (used the Harley), most of them were Fords. Between the phone company trucks doing work (road work) to the superduty turbo deisel haulers.

[mischief]

The Mustang was the standard GT 4.6L V8

The Cobra goes to: 320Hp/317Ft-Lb/4.6L.

What gets me about the Celica is the Torque! That's where that big ass block comes in. Though, I have to ask myself: Is the ability to tow a trailer worth the extra Gas? I'm sure when I test drive them out on Steven's Creek it'll be difficult to really tell them appart without a Sumo for a passenger.

It sux cuz the mustang is WAY too common. I wanna know if the Celica is available with a larger engine outside the US or if I can get a blower package.

If I had the extra 10 grand to blow I'd consider the Firebird ......... but then I'd have to deal with bad visibility on top of bad gas mileage. I think I'm just gonna have to torture some salesmen and find out what I'm comfortable in.

[Gelfin]

Originally posted by jefhatfield

wow, you must make great money...i would love to afford the sunset district (or the richmond, castro, or nob hill), but tenderloin, soma, mission, and hunter's point is all i would be able to afford and all those areas in sf are dangerous

Whew, I wish. I do all right because I write software, but I'm paying about a third of my take-home in rent. When I moved out here, it was closer to half. And I've got an unusually big apartment for an unusually low price. Before I moved to SF I was living in a 1200sq.ft. luxury apartment for under seven hundred a month (downside: you have to move to Alabama to accomplish this). Moving to SF means major sticker shock, but I'd much rather pay that than move out into the burbs somewhere. I just love the city. I couldn't get a shoebox studio in PacHeights or North Beach on what I make, and I'd have to marry someone making at least as much as I do to afford even a tiny starter home in any part of the city. There are deals to be found in pretty much any part of the city, though. Especially now. And I just like the "feel" of the Sunset. It's very "neighborhoodsy." Not too dangerous, not too expensive, not too disgustingly hip and trendy, and with good transportation. The trains, to me, are the difference between Sunset and Richmond.

i had a friend move from northern central california to the mission district, because the rent was all she could afford, and she said she knew she must have been in one of the more undersireable neighborhoods with what she saw and any press on how the mission was being yuppified and made safe was a bunch of hogwash...way too dangerous

Believe it or not there was some minor difference. Walking around lower Market and SOMA subjectively felt a lot less safe to me after the dot-coms started going down. There was a problem with dot-commers coming in from places with lower rents and moving into the Mission because that was one of the few places where rents looked manageable. Then they got here and because they were paying such cheap rent (relative to what they were making), they were able to afford huge stupid SUVs, and then they sped around the district in their too-big-for-a-city vehicles, yelling into their cell phones and threatening to run over people who could afford neither cell phones nor cars. Resentment was to be expected. It's like rich kids buying up a bunch of stuff in a thrift shop. Certain people are going to get annoyed, and with good reason. Really not relevant, but that's my take.

[rainman::|:|]

Originally posted by krossfyter
I would go celica...everyone and thier mother has a mustang.

For once i agree with you :) Mother-in-law has a 'stang (a little old but not that old) that she tried to give her daughter. She's like "Oh, thanks mom, but I think i'll move into the city this fall so i won't need it"

Lord. wish someone would give me a mustang... they're a cliché but still nice...

and still not as bad as BMW's. every third car i see on the road is a BMW now, they have incredibly low resale value, at least the lower models. It's nice to see Z series every once in a while, i worked for a guy with one last summer... but the sedans are just annoying now...

beyond that, i dunno squat about cars :) Besides how to accidently start them on fire. My dad's poor truck... :/

hehe
pnw

[mischief]

The following is a list of crash fatality stats for about 3years from 1994 to 1997.

Format: Driver/Passenger/deaths per million vehicle years/multiple vehicle/single vehicle/Rollover deaths

Mustang (non-convertible): 122/90/138/52/86 with 383,341 registered.

Celica:16/11/73/41/32/14 with 218,211 registered.

Suddenly that Celica looks a whole lot better.:D

[Rower_CPU]

Originally posted by AlphaTech
Rower_CPU, I still will NEVER buy a toyota... no matter what people say about them, or Ford's.

4x4 trucks, hold their value much longer, and higher then 4x2 trucks, that is a known fact. Maybe one of the reasons the toys hold their value longer is because people actually use their Ford, or American, made trucks more and harder. I have never seen a toyota truck at a construction site, always American made. Of the trucks that I passed on my ride to work today (used the Harley), most of them were Fords. Between the phone company trucks doing work (road work) to the superduty turbo deisel haulers.

Let me provide the following side-by-side comparison from KBB to illustrate:

1996 Ford Ranger Super Cab
Engine: 4-Cyl. 2.3 Liter
Trans: 5 Speed Manual
Drive: 2 Wheel Drive
Mileage: 79,000
Air Conditioning
Power Steering
Power Windows
Power Door Locks
Tilt Wheel
Cruise Control
AM/FM Stereo
Cassette
Sliding Rear Window
Bed Liner
Alloy Wheels


Retail Value $8,230



1996 Toyota Tacoma Xtra Cab

Engine: 4-Cyl. 2.4 Liter
Trans: 5 Speed Manual
Drive: 2 Wheel Drive
Mileage: 79,000
Air Conditioning
Power Steering
Power Windows
Power Door Locks
Tilt Wheel
Cruise Control
AM/FM Stereo
Cassette
Sliding Rear Window
Bed Liner
Alloy Wheels

Retail Value $10,730

What do you think? Don't give me that "Fords are actually used hard" argument again. These are identical mint/good condition trucks...

Now, why won't you buy Toyota? They do have factories and manufacturing plants here in the US...or is that not good enough for you?

Are you a Ford zealot? Do you blindly follow the assumption that American made is better?
:p

[palala]

I drive a decomissioned cop car. Specifically it is a 1995 Chevy Caprice 9C1 police package with the Corvette LT1 engine. Basically it is a police version of the Chevy Impala. I did not actually paint mine like this (Its Phtoshop of course), but I was going to send this to Apple PR and see if they would give me a Ti-book or something to that effect if I actually did do this.

[Rower_CPU]

Sweeeeet!!!

That would be awesome to do a car...let us know if they go for it...

[mischief]

Check this out: A V10 propane Crown Vic:http://popularmechanics.com/cgi-bin/spy.pl?cat=det

Picture a Police issue Crown Vic that can do 0-60 in less than 6 seconds!:eek: :confused: :p :cool: :D ;)

[Vilacr]

Mischief...
I have a Camaro SS, which is basically the same as the firebird WS6 and I must say I love my car. The power is unreal and the 6 speed makes me feel as if I'm in NASCAR.If you want power go for the mustang but, if you want style go for the celica. I prefer American vehicles for they are easily fixed as opposed to foreign vehicles.





P.S. The mustang GT will smoke the celica from 0 to 60

[mc68k]

My dream car is the Weigert Vector W8 Twin Turbo (pictured)

My "mac" is a S900/Pulsar

•G4 oc'd to 510MHz Running cool at 32C (Swiftech + Delta)
•OS 9.2.2 and OS 10.1.3
•Case mods galore

I guess you could liken this comp to a "tricked out" jalopy

[Specs] http://www.supercars.net/cars/1991@$Vector@$W8.html

[krossfyter]

...

[iGav]

As abit of a european car lover (don't know that much about US cars as very few are on sale in the UK), this thread has been making interesting reading.......

I've only driven 2 cars in the states, the 1st been an Oldsmobile Intrigue 3.0 V6, and a VW Jetta V6........ Both nice mid range cars..... However, what do Americans do with the handling and power.....?? I can't make a comparison to a european version of the Intrigue but the VW Jetta I can as they sell them over here as the VW Bora....... both had ulra soft suspension so the cars just didn't handle when pushed hard, and the performance wasn't mindblowing for V6 engines..... like the Intigue took 8 seconds to hit 60 (its was a auto so I know that'll slow it down...) but for a 3.0 V6...... it's tragic.....

Is it something to do with pollution laws? I know California and maybe other states are alittle on the restrictive side with regards to emissions, is this why alot of US cars have huge power outputs (I'm not talking your sports cars here, just ordinary saloon/sedan cars) to get respectable performance? As opposed to using 1.6 to 2.0 that are the norms in the UK??

just curious.....

[AlphaTech]

iGAV, I haven't timed my truck for accelerating up to 60, but the next time I have the chance, I will. I need to check into performing a few mod's to it :D. Like K&N air filter, and maybe a dual exhaust system. Those are performance boosting items that shouldn't bust the bank. Living in MA, I have to make sure it will pass the emmisions test before I do the exhaust system. With less restriction on the exhaust, it should deliver more power to the wheels. Still, I do have 207hp currently in a 4 Litre V6 with enough torque to pull almost 3 tons :D.

[iGav]

So it is pretty much the exhaust emissions thats the problem then?

Those Pickup things you have in the states are outrageous...... there's a Ford one, and it's like huge..... very very long, and very very wide...... and probably very very powerful.....

You just simply don't get those things on the road over here!!! our roads ain't wide enough for a start!!! :p

[AlphaTech]

Are you referring to the F350 SuperDuty??? :D... Long truck, can haul more then is sane, and far enough off the ground that some people need a step ladder to get into it (if you are under 5'6" I'd say).

I love the open spaces here in the US, which is probably one of the reasons that I really don't like going into the big cities (such as Boston or NY). They are more fun either in the truck (or your car of choice) or on the motorcycle. I am searching for some nice and twisting/winding roads to take the bike on this year.

[iGav]

Are you referring to the F350 SuperDuty???

That sounds like the mama.... it's ********* huge.........

I do love the roads in the US.... I had the pleasure of driving from San-Francisco upto Seattle over 2.5 weeks (in the Intigue funnily enough) must say i didn't mind driving in the cities, particularly in SF because of the hills.... they're wild, and you get to give it some serious ooomph up those hills!!:p however the whole Red light but you can sometimes still turn right even when there is a red light on caught me out a few times!! :D as did the side the streering wheel is on!!

For twisty roads on the way up to Seattle, when highway one turns inland on Hardy Creek slide in Northern California, the road twists and turns up into mountains, and the roads are just amazing.... very quiet but it's just a mind blowing drive.... that's however when I found out the Intrigue doesn't handle, goes ok in a straight line, but give it a corner and I really thought it was going to wallow off the mountain roads, so I backed off after that.....

I loved the drive though, I covered almost 2000 miles in 2 weeks from zig zaging every where and doubling back on myself, because I forgot to take pictures......

and petrol (Gas) is so cheap compared to here where we pay almost £4 a gallon!! say $6 dollars a gallon in US I think if you converted it!!

Outrageous!!

[jefhatfield]

oh that's right;

of american products i like besides fender guitars and apple computers are harley davidson motorcyles

since i am not in the market for one, any motorcycle looks cool to me...not owning one makes anything on two wheels look very sexy

it's funny to see a person with a perfectly good harley and you compliment them and they say, "yeah, it's pretty good but i would rather have such and such a model from such and such a year in such and such a color"...spoiled!!!!:p

[AlphaTech]

jef, I absolutely LOVE my Harley (2002 Softail Standard). I had pretty much no choice in the color, but it is a very nice one (HD calls it Luxury Blue). With what I have done to it, it is one sweeeeeet ride. I can't imagine wanting a different one, at least until something even better (to me) comes out. I am looking forward to riding this one for the next 15-20+ years. I might be ready for something new by then, if I haven't completely re-built my current one by then. That is one of the wonderful things about HD's, I can get after-market parts and truely customize it over the span of years to get a totally different ride.

iGAV, I guess Ford did something right with the Ranger. The suspension and handling are very nice. You don't feel every nook can cranny in the road, but you can also turn very sharp and maneuver quite well no matter what speed you are traveling at.

I just need to see how I can put the motorcycle in the back of the truck to take a long trip with it. I am starting to plan on going to visit a friend in FL next year, and want to bring the motorcycle with me. I would feel safer going down those highways between MA and FL on four wheels. Some road conditions are just dangerous on two wheels (the long grooved pavement when the crews are working). With it in the bed, I also don't have to worry about securing a trailer. I would need to get some ramps though, which isn't too bad, and cheaper then getting a trailer.

[iGav]

Alpha, I guess the pickups need stiffer suspension for the loads they carry.... that said, they do shift, particularly those F350, I spent alot of time following those as I wasn't to sure about overtaking them as they're that long!!:p I jest. Its seems to be just some of the saloon/sedan cars that suffer ultra soft suspension in the name of comfort!!

A good idea about putting the bike in the bed, I can well imagine that some road conditions are unsuitable for smooth riding!!

The one thing that I was really stunned by in the states and why I now understand why the roads are so huge... is those bloody huge RV things.... you know the ones that are as big as a house and tows no, not small cars or traliors but Jeep Cheerokes and huge 4x4s....... they're wild!!

[AlphaTech]

Ahhhhhh, America, where big... nay, huge, just isn't always big enough :D.

My Ranger has a 5-speed automatic in it, that shifts faster then I could. My mother has a 97 Contour with the 2.4 litre V6 (over 200 hp) that hauls a$$ too. She loves it (more becuase it has a manual transmission). I told her to get the V6 and not the 4 cylinder, and she is very glad she did. The suspension in that car is stiff... more like a racing suspension then a 4 door sedan.

Then again, mom also used to race Corvettes when she was younger. She used my father's 67 GTO and blew them away in the straights. They usually could catch up to her if there were enough turns, but then she would pull away again. Dad had 'tweaked' the GTO for performance (he was a mechanic at the time).

Just a family of speed addicts (the kind that needs wheels) :D

[mischief]

2001 Lamborghini Diablo LE

2003 Ducati Multistrada

:p :D :eek: ;) :rolleyes: :cool:

[mcrain]

Can you explain to me how I'm supposed to get my bike into the bed of a pickup truck? There is no way I'm willing to risk running it up a thin ramp, not when I've put as much money as I have into it.

By the way, the truly great thing about HD's is if you don't like your bike, you can always change it. Mine looks completely different than it did just a year or two ago.

[jefhatfield]

Originally posted by AlphaTech
jef, I absolutely LOVE my Harley (2002 Softail Standard). I had pretty much no choice in the color, but it is a very nice one (HD calls it Luxury Blue). With what I have done to it, it is one sweeeeeet ride. I can't imagine wanting a different one, at least until something even better (to me) comes out. I am looking forward to riding this one for the next 15-20+ years. I might be ready for something new by then, if I haven't completely re-built my current one by then. That is one of the wonderful things about HD's, I can get after-market parts and truely customize it over the span of years to get a totally different ride.

iGAV, I guess Ford did something right with the Ranger. The suspension and handling are very nice. You don't feel every nook can cranny in the road, but you can also turn very sharp and maneuver quite well no matter what speed you are traveling at.

I just need to see how I can put the motorcycle in the back of the truck to take a long trip with it. I am starting to plan on going to visit a friend in FL next year, and want to bring the motorcycle with me. I would feel safer going down those highways between MA and FL on four wheels. Some road conditions are just dangerous on two wheels (the long grooved pavement when the crews are working). With it in the bed, I also don't have to worry about securing a trailer. I would need to get some ramps though, which isn't too bad, and cheaper then getting a trailer.

it is good that will appreciate your ride!

[AlphaTech]

Originally posted by mcrain
Can you explain to me how I'm supposed to get my bike into the bed of a pickup truck? There is no way I'm willing to risk running it up a thin ramp, not when I've put as much money as I have into it.

By the way, the truly great thing about HD's is if you don't like your bike, you can always change it. Mine looks completely different than it did just a year or two ago.

There is a company that makes ramps for motorcycles. You can get either one, for just the wheels, where you better have some good (and strong) friends there to help out. Or you can get two or three so that you can ride it up and use your feet to balance. I believe they make the center one wide enough so that you could put your feet down, if you had to. I would get one (or however many I need) that gives me enough width to use my feet as I put it into the bed. I try and find the url for the company that makes them, if not a mailer from them. Check your motorcycle mag's, I am sure they advertise in them. I think these are also the ones with a hump in them to make it easier and they fold either in half, or into thirds for easy storage. I intend to put them into the supercab part of the truck when I take the trip. That way, they are locked up until I need them.

[DakotaGuy]

I have two vehicles and I love both of them almost as much as my macs!

1995 F-150 SuperCab 4x4 XLT 140,000 miles
2000 Mercury Sable LS 24 Valve 37,000 miles

My truck is for going off road and in the ice and snow and getting dirty. I haul my big boy toys, a 4 wheeler and a Snowmobile in it. It is Black w/Gray at the bottom and aluminum wheels.

My Sable is red with tinted windows, moonroof, Mach sound w/6 disk changer and tan leather interior. It is for crusing the Interstate.

My Macs...well they are for everything else.