Any time I buy a new or CPO car, and for all my customers who are doing the same, to make sure you get the low promo rate from the captive finance company you want to prequalify in writing and take that to the dealer. this avoids the bait and switch of the dealership either tacking on a few points to your loan for…

I do vintage Cadillac work, and these are now old enough for vintage plates so I may actually use it at some point in the future. But I did put the publication number in the earlier post so you can find it online if there’s any available ones out there. Or if there’s a specific section you need, let me know.

No problem :P

The knock sensor on older Northstar engines is threaded into a blind hole in the right bank of the upper crankcase. The PCM actively uses it to set timing. (page 2-31, Northstar Engine Mechanical Systems, GM publication 16014.11-1).

I sure hope not!

I can’t speak for everyone, obviously, but our 2019 Bolt EV had the main touchscreen go blank intermittently on startup and not wake up, requiring replacement of a module buried deep behind the dash. It also has a slight metallic low speed tin-can rattle noise from the rear suspension - since the first two months of…

1972 Super Beetle - 368,000 miles

Uh, what?
I service managed three major market Ducati dealerships (Manhattan, Los Angeles, SF bay Area) and we sold lots of bikes to Honda, Kawasaki and Suzuki owners. Also, Ducati moved into the lower end of the market very successfully - the #1 selling model in the USA is the more affordable Monster line. That’s why…

Some of us know Buc’ees, Sheetz, Wawa, OnCue *and* Kum & Go

Chargepoint’s model seems pretty good for them, because he’s right - most EV owners charge at home unless they have no other choice. That said, the two free chargers at my local mall are always in use, every time I’m there. And I do go there instead of other locations because there’s the chance I can score some free…

Hell, I’ve towed a ton and rented a lot of uhaul equipment over many years and I still get the insurance every time. Because some dumbass is going to cut me off one of these days while I’m driving something too heavy to stop quickly. Shit happens.

Oh, for sure. Probably far too much work to be worth it, but the end result would be wild if you were a fabricator with time on your hands and a thing for practical sleepers

Wrecked AWD 2.0T TourXs are going for pretty cheap on Copart, and a Trifecta tune brings that engine up to 290hp/330 lb-ft.
Imagine that plus the 8 speed automatic and AWD in that 2900 lb (4 cyl/automatic) Celebrity body.

I helped owners with valuations back when I had a shop. Insurance companies are in business to *not* pay your claim fairly. I can’t tell you the number of times an insurance company - or their hired appraisal company -  baldface lied about a valuation in order to short pay a claim.

Total NP. That’s in amazingly good shape, and the Iron Duke/3 speed automatic is simple, easy to repair and maintain and as bulletproof as a stone axe. It’s not a refined engine by any means but it will run forever with basic maintenance, parts are dirt cheap and available, and these cars had lots of space inside plus…

23 real world MPG for a nearly 300hp, 4200 lb AWD brick with big, heavy tires and wheels is pretty good for a non hybrid.

For comparison, a much slicker 4200 lb RWD 260hp LT1 ‘95 Caprice was lucky to break 17-18 mpg on the highway. And that was with 225/70-15 tires, a lot less frontal area and better aero overall. I…

The number of non-enthusiasts who are aware of the existence those things is tiny. And in my entire life I’ve never seen a tow truck operator use one, even once. FWIW. 

That’s fair, I guess. But considering the totally insane nature of this thing, if it had ever made it out there don’t you think you would have heard of that happening, assuming that’s something you care about?

Yeah, that’s the real question, right? I could see people who live in the city or in apartments buying this with the REX when they don’t have a plug available where they park. It’ll be interesting to see how these sell, and how well they hold up once they’re out of powertrain warranty.

I mean, I’ve gone for 14 years now, my crew includes people who have been going since 1993 and there’s enough documentation before that going back to the first Black Rock Desert Cacophany Society Zone Trips in 1990/91 so that a huge fuckin’ airliner based ten wheel truck would have gotten some mentions and pictures,…