If you have $30k hanging around and not in your retirement account, you’re by definition “affluent”. How much do you think someone has to make to be “affluent”? I know it depends a bit on where you live. $100K in one location is poverty wages whereas it’s good money someplace else.

These K cars are basically toys on US roads. The K trucks can barely go highways speeds. You’re not going to convince me that crappy old K truck from the ‘90's is what the “kids” want today. They’re just novelties for people who want to be different.

Thanks.

Show me a new plane I can buy for $40k? I’m interested. I assume it’s not a para-glider.

Tell me you have absolutely no idea how the FAA process for aircraft modifications works without telling me you have absolutely no idea how the FAA process for aircraft modifications works

I worked for a startup like this. Blew through $250 million and had nothing to show for it. I found it to be the most professionally rewarding experience I ever had. The company tried everything to be relevant and I just followed along learning new tech with each failed shift in ideas.

wondering why MGBs haven’t caught the crazy train to at the very least even the seedier parts of of downtown Cantaffordia.

This is what I’m thinking.  Set a sunset date for leaded fuel then stick to it.  Don’t ban the planes, ban the leaded fuel. People can adjust or not. 

Funny you say that. I was looking at the engine picture here and thinking how primitive it all looks. Like someone stuck a VW beetle engine in there. Spark plug wires and a distributor. What looks like a carb. All of which would be too unreliable for a modern car much less an airplane.

Particularly a Ford. They always fuck up the first year models. 

Is anyone impressed beyond an “oh, how about that?” level 

In your “can’t or don’t have a place to work on cars” shoes, I’d replace it when it gets to be 10 years old. Buy something 5 years newer. Then repeat. If it wasn’t “Covid days”, I’d suggest replacing it now.

On the Fit, there’s no reason to replace the water pump till it’s bad. It’s not under the timing cover and is driven by the accessory belt.  On cars with timing belts, you normally change it when you change the belt.  88K miles for a water pump on a Honda is low miles.  Many last the life of the car or at least…

I don’t consider the Crosstrek to be in the same class as the HR-V or CH-R.  It’s a step up from them.  As you point out. 

I thought this was odd too. Average fleet age suggests this isn’t true.  Might be true for affluent people. 

CH-R and HR-V seem to be in the same market segment. I wonder how the HR-V did? 

Back in the day weight was equated with safety on people’s minds. Considering how VW’s would fold up in a crash or their seats would pop loose it wasn’t an unreasonable assumption for the time.

Tips in general feel dirty. Charge me for my stuff what it would cost and pay your help a fixed hourly rate that make sense. Using voluntary random tipping to cover payroll should be banned. I’d simply force the service industry to pay at least minimum wage. Why are restaurants and places like Starbucks treated…

So what is standard procedure when you get caught in one?

I wouldn’t play this silly game. As you say, leaving a bigger tip is much more wholesome.