Dude, don’t buy a salt car and ship it to Hawaii. Buy a car there. You’ll be surprised at whats hanging around and what shape it’s in. No convertibles, you’re not going to tan, you’re going to burn. Probably for years, so maybe make the car AFTER your next one a convertible. Maybe.

Probably easier and just as fun to swap a J35A7 from an Odyssey

Have you ever considered playing the lottery?

That’s ok, this is a discussion of engines, and pass-lock is security, so; not related. AKA apropos of nothing.

Dude, almost nobody can challenge a 3.5 EB, especially the 2nd gen motor. If you pop for silver-core spark plugs, they’re the most bullet-proof V-6 of the last 10 years, which is a bit of a let down, because the 4200 could have been a contender if it had been engineered right. God knows the 3.6 didn’t bring anything…

You see this is much more interesting. A Buick super-six who’s only REAL problem is factory standard oil leaks and cooked ignition modules. An I-6 is smooth, but a 3800 is well packaged and nigh indestructible.

Ah yes, Fouled intake valves, coked oil control rings, blow-by for days, and of course, sloppy, slappy timing chains. #progress

Let’s be careful to not overlook the inherent problems with the architecture of the engine family; hindsight being 20:20. Who here hasn’t fished 1 or more dead coils out of waste-oil soup in the valve cover? Anybody fight with a thermostat? or timing chains? Is there any reasonable excuse for the broke-dick cluster-fuc…

Nobody can afford to keep a front end under one.  If you think yours is fine, you obviously haven’t had a mechanic shake down the front end lately.

1. I’m a pro mechanic in an aftermarket shop, and I can tell you that no living person has ever fixed their Volvo. Not first owners, not 4th owners, none. You don’t want sloppy seconds after a Volvo owner.

Every time I see one of these crossovers (only seems to be CUVs) with antlers clipped into the side windows and a red ball stuck on the grill, I smile, and imagine a new creative way to destroy them and humiliate and/or emotionally obliterate the driver. I have a rich fantasy life.

I have serious concerns for your mental well-being.

I’d like it a whole lot better if it were shaped differently, say, like a cube, or a delicious pancake.

I’d pay $2000 for the guy to crush it, but only if I get to watch.

The only real red flag is a seller that won’t let you take it to your mechanic for a pre-purchase inspection. “What ya hiding guy?” A lot of us like to think we’re a good judge of horse-flesh, so to speak, but if you can’t walk under it and shake the wheels, bang on the underbody with your fist, check for history…

I’m from Michigan, driving in the winter without a blower motor is like Tuesday. Just another day. If I (as a resident of MI) wasn’t paying the highest car insurance premiums in the entire country, maybe I could afford to fix my busted shit.

Right? I was in a class where it was specifically pointed out that your garden variety 9mm off the shelf FMJ round could penetrate 18 layers of drywall, or basically 9 walls (which is why you are discouraged from using them as a defense round, over-penetration is a thing). Hollow core doors, plywood, whatever. Even…

This one’s for liffie420, since we’re on the subject of guns in this thread.

Or how about the dumbest? Like newer Subarus. How in the name of God is a vacuum gauge labeled “MPG” important enough to take the place of a coolant temp gauge? And why replace it with blue and red idiot lights?

There IS no other audience, THAT’s the point.