My initial conspiracy theory idea was that it was a Button move for a year, given the whole 'not racing but not retiring thing' but the whole being on a McLaren retainer thing screws that idea. Bottas would be a great move if they could get him, or MaximumV if RBR were silly enough to let him out of a contract. Patriotically I'd love to see Ricco in there, but I imagine he's locked into RBR too for a while.
Had a another business trip yesterday, so another rental to try out.
In the last few months I had
Audi A3 diesel, manual
Renault Megane GT, automatic
Opel Astra Sports Tourer, manual
and yesterday an BMW 4 coupe diesel, automatic
BMW certainly is the most idiosyncratic when it comes to the controls and interface. The way every switch and lever is designed to always be in the same position regardless of function can be annoying. Like who thought the way the turn signal control work the way it does needs a slap to the head. The idrive controller needs some time to adjust to, too. But I can see making it some sense. It easily reachable at least.
Also kinda weird that the beamer was the car with the most archaic dashboard design. All the other cars had digital speedometers, touchscreens and secondary navigation screens in the middle of the dashboard. Not the BMW. The Megane also had a HUD, lane assist, distance warning, and traffic sign recognition.
My judgement so far:
I don’t like the sound of diesel engines.
The safety systems and HUD of the Megane were pretty nice.
Sportier cars like the Megane and the BMW with their hard suspension are only more fun to drive than the other cars when you go over 150. At slower speeds I prefer it more comfortable.
A lot of the Autobahn I was driving on had roadworks anyway with an 80km speed limit and reduced lane width. Better visibility like in the Astra really trumps sportiness in that case.
Having the cars only for a single day with a tight schedule means I couldn’t really get into the control and systems the cars might have had that I didn’t get to use like cruise control, auto brake systems and what not.
And that’s it from a cyclist’s experiences in driving.
someone in Richmond is selling a '64 Honda Cub in barn find condition for $200 and that actually sounds like it could be a fun winter project - frame looks good and the existing motor turns and has spark. plus the seller is including a new carb and some gaskets he bought but didn't have time to fit. parts are wicked easy to find or even fabricate, and if the current motor is no good I can always bolt up a $250 Lifan. this is severely tempting as a winter project.
someone in Richmond is selling a '64 Honda Cub in barn find condition for $200 and that actually sounds like it could be a fun winter project - frame looks good and the existing motor turns and has spark. plus the seller is including a new carb and some gaskets he bought but didn't have time to fit. parts are wicked easy to find or even fabricate, and if the current motor is no good I can always bolt up a $250 Lifan. this is severely tempting as a winter project.
Sent him an email, with a text soon to follow. I have a friend with a lot of custom bike building experience who's 100% willing to buy it off of me, too, if the project ends up not being any fun on my end. I figure it's a perfect opportunity to figure out how a four stroke motor works, with minimal consequences and the potential reward of a working Honda!
So I got those new tyres today.. mostly. Some Kumho whatevers on the car, and the cheapest whatever for a spare.. but at the tyre shop the guy was all 'yea the rim has a bit of a flat spot here, so that's why it's not holding air...' so I took it up the road to be repaired, they stuck it on a flywheel to check it out and holy shit that junk was not round nor was it rolling vertical. So it's being mended because I want a spare that I can rely on and a new set of rims is a way off yet.
Hmm, by right front brake is making a squealing noise when I pull away from a stop, and it sounds like there's a bit of a "friction noise" when I brake. I'm at 21,000 miles on the car so I'd hope the pad isn't worn out yet. Maybe something's on the pad? I dunno, I don't really want to pay for a brake pad change and I don't have a jack/garage space to do it myself.
I mean, I technically have a garage space but our lease agreement said no car maintenance in the stall. I'm thinking that just means no fluids but I guess I'd have to talk to my landlady to be sure.
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Donovan PuppyfuckerA dagger in the dark isworth a thousand swords in the morningRegistered Userregular
Probably just a bit of sand jammed in the pad. Is there a groove developing on the surface of the disc?
Speaking of squealing brakes, holy fuck the EBC Yellows are obnoxious on the Tahoe. Fronts are great but the rears squeal like crazy under light braking. They shut up if you get on the brakes hard, but I don't drive the truck like a racecar all the time...
Probably just a bit of sand jammed in the pad. Is there a groove developing on the surface of the disc?
I checked the surface of the disc and it looks the same as all the rest of them, no noticeable groove developing.
I stopped by a shop to get it inspected and I'll go from there. If it's nothing serious then I'm out a $15 inspection fee, and if it's not the brake pad then I can get it into the dealership for a more thorough inspection and any repairs that might be under warranty.
I almost got on the wrong exit though at 475 and i75.
Also there was a place where the right lane ended and I realized too late and I was between a truck on my left and a wall so I had to pass the truck. Lucky I had room because I had to get up to like 80 or 85 mph.
One thing I really appreciate about LA is that lanes that are going to change into turn-only lanes are marked with differently shaped paint lines on the road (short and fat lines vs long and narrow lines). Most lanes that just end and require a merge are marked with both signs and arrow markers on the road.
Holy SHIT did this car eat its front brake pads. They showed me the pads and they're basically non-existant.
jgeis on
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Donovan PuppyfuckerA dagger in the dark isworth a thousand swords in the morningRegistered Userregular
Factory pads are weird. Sometimes they're hard as shit so they'll last, other times they are soft to give better braking performance and pedal feel.
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sponoMining for Nose DiamondsBooger CoveRegistered Userregular
Note to self: check the subaru's brake pads. They're starting to give off the slightest squeak when I pull out of the driveway in the morning.
Oh also, my wife picked up a new Mazda 3! Her blue paint is a bit more refined than mine:
Unfortunately, a little plastic trim piece has already fallen off of the front bumper. We're not sure when it fell off, but we're gonna head to the dealer for a replacement tomorrow.
Factory pads are weird. Sometimes they're hard as shit so they'll last, other times they are soft to give better braking performance and pedal feel.
Apparently mine went with the "performance" option. Which, yeah ok I get it. But the fronts squeal like crazy if I'm just lightly using them to slow down. Ford says that's what they're supposed to sound like. Eh.
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sponoMining for Nose DiamondsBooger CoveRegistered Userregular
I can live without a new Mazda rotary sports car but the recent news really made it sound like there won't be any Mazda sports cars beyond the MX-5. That kind of bums me out. I liked owning a Mazda.
A Mazdaspeed6 is I guess the best I can hope for? I doubt that'll come out ever (and definitely not to Canada).
I like my Mini but dealing with BMW is a gigantic headache. I can't even get them to co-operate on helping me get my rebate on my winter tires.
Speaking of squealing brakes, holy fuck the EBC Yellows are obnoxious on the Tahoe. Fronts are great but the rears squeal like crazy under light braking. They shut up if you get on the brakes hard, but I don't drive the truck like a racecar all the time...
Haven't tried them on a truck but had them on 2 cars, including the Miata right now. They are a lot noisier until they break-in. They do make a scraping noise, and don't use the parking brake when it's wet if you can help it, as they will stick to the rotors overnight/etc and make a pretty jarring PANGG sound when you first start off... Pretty dusty pads.. otherwise very good, at least on lighter vehicles.
Watching a bunch of Miata-with-an-LS, S2000-with-an-LS, RX7-with-an-LS videos, and someone tell me why they don't just have V8 options for like, every car ever? For Chevy, the LS trim on their cars should mean it has a, well, LS in it.
(Don't answer that. I'm just mostly annoyed by hearing all these shitty ass exhausts on these stupid dumb cars.)
Watching a bunch of Miata-with-an-LS, S2000-with-an-LS, RX7-with-an-LS videos, and someone tell me why they don't just have V8 options for like, every car ever? For Chevy, the LS trim on their cars should mean it has a, well, LS in it.
(Don't answer that. I'm just mostly annoyed by hearing all these shitty ass exhausts on these stupid dumb cars.)
The vast majority of people don't want 525 horsepower (what the hell is wrong with them?!?), but those who do also often like their cars to be small and light, which means that if they want to put a big horsepower motor in it, it also needs to be small and light. LS's are physically tiny for their power output, and being all alloy they're also pretty light.
also a Miata with LS costs like $30,000 *just for the V8 conversion - plus the cost of the car*
so basically a new 525hp LS Miata would cost around $60,000
so .... yeah, no.
just buy a Vette if that's what you want.
(and grow a mustache)
I mean, I was mostly joking. But if you want to get into the numbers, economy of scale. Quick math tells me the V8 Mustang over the baseline is maybe $8k more, and V8 Camaro is something like $11k more. Assuming the car was designed around fitting a V8, a stock LS Miata-esque car probably wouldn't cost $60k. They'd probably charge that much to the enthusiasts, though.
Not that I need 525hp. I'd be happy with just 400.
Hey, I've got a question. Within the last three weeks, my 2016 V6 Camaro has been making a sort of creaking sound near the back left tire area (more inwards towards the center, but that is about where I hear the sound coming from as I drive) whenever I move (forward or in reverse) from a complete stop. It does not occur when I'm at speeds higher than about 15-20 mph. But as I'm reversing out of a space or if I'm turning from a stop at a light, or what have you, it makes this noise. And it continues at the same volume level until I get around 15 mph or so. What could this be? It's pretty new (just got it in March) and only has 4K miles on it. It's also a manual, if that matters.
I'm going to take it in to be looked at after the holidays, but I want an idea of what to tell them so they won't just pass it off and say they couldn't find anything. I had that issue with my last Camaro with the car refusing to go into 1st from a stop about 35% of the time. Dealership looked at it, and couldn't find an issue. I don't want a repeat of that.
Posts
Mercedes needs to be smart with this pick. I think Werhlein is way too early of a move.
Bottas is an interesting idea and the business relationships are there. I like Perez even more but it probably won't happen.
I got rear ended on the way home from work today. I am fine, car has a cracked rear bumper. THEY ALWAYS HURT THE ONES YOU LOVE!
I never finish anyth
In the last few months I had
Audi A3 diesel, manual
Renault Megane GT, automatic
Opel Astra Sports Tourer, manual
and yesterday an BMW 4 coupe diesel, automatic
BMW certainly is the most idiosyncratic when it comes to the controls and interface. The way every switch and lever is designed to always be in the same position regardless of function can be annoying. Like who thought the way the turn signal control work the way it does needs a slap to the head. The idrive controller needs some time to adjust to, too. But I can see making it some sense. It easily reachable at least.
Also kinda weird that the beamer was the car with the most archaic dashboard design. All the other cars had digital speedometers, touchscreens and secondary navigation screens in the middle of the dashboard. Not the BMW. The Megane also had a HUD, lane assist, distance warning, and traffic sign recognition.
My judgement so far:
I don’t like the sound of diesel engines.
The safety systems and HUD of the Megane were pretty nice.
Sportier cars like the Megane and the BMW with their hard suspension are only more fun to drive than the other cars when you go over 150. At slower speeds I prefer it more comfortable.
A lot of the Autobahn I was driving on had roadworks anyway with an 80km speed limit and reduced lane width. Better visibility like in the Astra really trumps sportiness in that case.
Having the cars only for a single day with a tight schedule means I couldn’t really get into the control and systems the cars might have had that I didn’t get to use like cruise control, auto brake systems and what not.
And that’s it from a cyclist’s experiences in driving.
Do eet!!!
I mean, I technically have a garage space but our lease agreement said no car maintenance in the stall. I'm thinking that just means no fluids but I guess I'd have to talk to my landlady to be sure.
You can't give someone a pirate ship in one game, and then take it back in the next game. It's rude.
I checked the surface of the disc and it looks the same as all the rest of them, no noticeable groove developing.
I stopped by a shop to get it inspected and I'll go from there. If it's nothing serious then I'm out a $15 inspection fee, and if it's not the brake pad then I can get it into the dealership for a more thorough inspection and any repairs that might be under warranty.
It was tough but I survived.
I almost got on the wrong exit though at 475 and i75.
Also there was a place where the right lane ended and I realized too late and I was between a truck on my left and a wall so I had to pass the truck. Lucky I had room because I had to get up to like 80 or 85 mph.
Need more practice. To bad I'm sick today.
Oh also, my wife picked up a new Mazda 3! Her blue paint is a bit more refined than mine:
Unfortunately, a little plastic trim piece has already fallen off of the front bumper. We're not sure when it fell off, but we're gonna head to the dealer for a replacement tomorrow.
Apparently mine went with the "performance" option. Which, yeah ok I get it. But the fronts squeal like crazy if I'm just lightly using them to slow down. Ford says that's what they're supposed to sound like. Eh.
That is just absurd
A Mazdaspeed6 is I guess the best I can hope for? I doubt that'll come out ever (and definitely not to Canada).
I like my Mini but dealing with BMW is a gigantic headache. I can't even get them to co-operate on helping me get my rebate on my winter tires.
Haven't tried them on a truck but had them on 2 cars, including the Miata right now. They are a lot noisier until they break-in. They do make a scraping noise, and don't use the parking brake when it's wet if you can help it, as they will stick to the rotors overnight/etc and make a pretty jarring PANGG sound when you first start off... Pretty dusty pads.. otherwise very good, at least on lighter vehicles.
if you went through the pantheon of NASCAR drivers from the mid-90's, it would be very hard to find one less notable than Mike Skinner
Yea.
That might be the joke (but I've not seen it).
I'm just gonna pull off the one on the opposite side and try to model and 3d print a new one
Base:
Painted:
Mounted with Blizzaks: :cool:
You can't give someone a pirate ship in one game, and then take it back in the next game. It's rude.
The main roads were fine, just wet; but my street had lots of snow.
Nothing like going sideways down the street at 20 km/h
the seating are is almost as big as some peoples offices
F150? What is this commie bullshit? F550 or go home. I mean, who doesn't need the ability to tow their own F-35?
(Don't answer that. I'm just mostly annoyed by hearing all these shitty ass exhausts on these stupid dumb cars.)
The vast majority of people don't want 525 horsepower (what the hell is wrong with them?!?), but those who do also often like their cars to be small and light, which means that if they want to put a big horsepower motor in it, it also needs to be small and light. LS's are physically tiny for their power output, and being all alloy they're also pretty light.
so basically a new 525hp LS Miata would cost around $60,000
so .... yeah, no.
just buy a Vette if that's what you want.
(and grow a mustache)
Not that I need 525hp. I'd be happy with just 400.
I'm going to take it in to be looked at after the holidays, but I want an idea of what to tell them so they won't just pass it off and say they couldn't find anything. I had that issue with my last Camaro with the car refusing to go into 1st from a stop about 35% of the time. Dealership looked at it, and couldn't find an issue. I don't want a repeat of that.
You can't give someone a pirate ship in one game, and then take it back in the next game. It's rude.