The requested work thread...

Speaking of $100k vehicles.... I see more and more Tesla Cybertrucks around here, too. So I've been able to look at them more closely. Holy crap, the body panel work on them looks like a cheap refrigerator! Bumpy, uneven sheet metal. Besides looking like the truck came from a 6 year old's drawing, the construction looks like it was done by the same 6 year old.
 
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Racer88 said:
Years ago, my brother had a Grand Cherokee.... a disaster of a car. I guess it's true... your mileage may vary.

I see those Wagoneers around here fairly often. They're huge. But if I'm spending $100k+ on a vehicle (looking forward to such a dilemma!)... It won't be ANY domestic marque. Hell.... American pick-up trucks are now closing in on that number. Crazy. I remember in high school, guys got pick-up trucks because they were cheaper than a car. Now they're more expensive!
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Yep. A nicely equipped pickup now 80 grand. And more depending on what's on it. You can still get 2WD a work truck for 50-60 something. Depending on the model and size. But that's still a lot of money.

A friend of mine bought a KIA and loved it. I admit it was a decent car inside and out. Ran well. Economical to operate. The maybe not so funny story is ... he told me he had a sneezing fit while driving and hit a curb at 25 mph. The repair was $3k. So you have to take the good with the bad with all cars.

When my wife and I go to the beach... the #1 car stuck in the sand (and frequently turning into a bonfire due to a tranny fire) is the Ford Explorer. Locals call them Ford Exploders. The #2 prize for stuck vacationers goes to Subaru. People believe the commercials. It's not an off road vehicle.
 
Here's what I was referring to re: ratings: https://www.jdpower.com/cars/2021/jeep/grand-cherokee

My parents had a Murano. What a piece of shit. Blew the head gasket twice. Warranty took care of it... but WTF. My father spontaneously decided to trade a like new Lexus RX 350 for the Murano. I accused him of having dementia. Those cars are not in the same league. When the Murano broke down and went back to the dealer for major engine repairs twice, he still refused to admit that trading the Lexus was a dumb move.
 
Racer88 said:
Speaking of $100k vehicles.... I see more and more Tesla Cybertrucks around here, too. So I've been able to look at them more closely. Holy crap, the body panel work on them looks like a cheap refrigerator! Bumpy, uneven sheet metal. Besides looking like the truck came from a 6 year old's drawing, the construction looks like it was done by the same 6 year old.
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Who cares if it looks like a Picasso?

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I've seen a few Teslas and Rivians on the sand lately. They seem to navigate it with no issues. The Rivian looks cool but I wouldn't t buy one. They are not making money and may never be profitable. Possibly fold.
 
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Bongo Lewi said:
A friend of mine bought a KIA and loved it. I admit it was a decent car inside and out. Ran well. Economical to operate.
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We've got two Kias (kids' cars). They're good for the money... until they hit about 100k miles. Then plan on spending a lot of money to keep them running. We won't buy Kia again.

Bongo Lewi said:
The #2 prize for stuck vacationers goes to Subaru. People believe the commercials. It's not an off road vehicle.
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Speaking as a 3-time Subie owner (WRX, STI, and now Outback)... the Outback is built for what we call "soft-roading." It is a true AWD, which can't be said for almost all others CLAIMING to be "all wheel drive." It is not an off-road 4X4. But in rain, sand, mud, snow.... fantastic.

My WRX and STI, on the other hand, were real-deal track performance monsters (that could accommodate a baby seat in the back!). Bang for the buck, nothing could touch them on the track. And for 3x - 4x the money... not much could touch them.

Unfortunately, CAFE standards eliminated the STI from the US market. And the WRX has been "gentrified" to the point of being more of a luxury sedan with all the creature comforts... than a bare-bones performance sports sedan. It doesn't even look like a proper "WRX" anymore.
 
Racer88 said:
We've got two Kias (kids' cars). They're good for the money... until they hit about 100k miles. Then plan on spending a lot of money to keep them running. We won't buy Kia again.


Speaking as a 3-time Subie owner (WRX, STI, and now Outback)... the Outback is built for what we call "soft-roading." It is a true AWD, which can't be said for almost all others CLAIMING to be "all wheel drive." It is not an off-road 4X4. But in rain, sand, mud, snow.... fantastic.

My WRX and STI, on the other hand, were real-deal track performance monsters (that could accommodate a baby seat in the back!). Bang for the buck, nothing could touch them on the track. And for 3x - 4x the money... not much could touch them.

Unfortunately, CAFE standards eliminated the STI from the US market. And the WRX has been "gentrified" to the point of being more of a luxury sedan with all the creature comforts... than a bare-bones performance sports sedan. It doesn't even look like a proper "WRX" anymore.
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Agree it's not an off road vehicle. Also true AWD is not the same from one SUV to another. The Soob is not geared for off road and the ground clearance isn't there.

It bears mentioning lesbian dog breeders from Oregon and Washington give Subaru the highest marks. Ask me how I know!

I rented a Subaru while visiting Chicago on a miserable snowy, icy day and it did well.
 
Alex said:
You need a Dune Taxi to go electric in the sand.


View: https://youtu.be/H1tmzvmxJnw?si=X1s6JU0MAdcmbFlz
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After completing a gig in the UAE, I did this a few years ago in the Arabian Desert. I had some extra time and decided it would be a hoot. My young companion got carsick. Afterwards we rode camels to a bedouin camp where we spent the night. Sat around a fire and ate with our hands. Slept on rugs with our camels right outside the tent. Not a lifestyle I was accustomed to but I rather enjoyed it.
 
Ohyeah, driving in big dunes is an adrenaline rush! Speed is definitely your friend, as is a surprisingly low tire pressure.

If you are ever in southern Utah there is a place called Coral Pink Sand Dunes state park. It is as colorful as the name describes and you can drive anywhere on it. That whole area is spectacular, Zion NP, Capitol Reef NP, Lake Powell. But those dunes are kind of a hidden gem, especially if you have a Jeep.
 
Back in my dealer days, a commonly installed in-line fuel filter would come with two 3/8"-ish caps on the nipple at either end. In the course of a week I'd end up with handfuls of them in a coffee can. The caps were the perfect size to slip over the nozzle of a blow gun. I'd sneak up behind someone and blast a cap at their ass with the airhose. :devilish: POP! It would leave a welt if I got close enough! :D

Do they even put fuel filters on cars anymore? :unsure:
 
Bobster said:
Back in my dealer days, a commonly installed in-line fuel filter would come with two 3/8"-ish caps on the nipple at either end. In the course of a week I'd end up with handfuls of them in a coffee can. The caps were the perfect size to slip over the nozzle of a blow gun. I'd sneak up behind someone and blast a cap at their ass with the airhose. :devilish: POP! It would leave a welt if I got close enough! :D

Do they even put fuel filters on cars anymore? :unsure:
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On newer cars, the fuel filters are usually integrated into the FPM (fuel pump module). I know the plastic caps you mention though. Transmission coolers, ac condensers, etc.. come with em. I never once thought to shoot em off my blow gun. There will be a shenanigans video come Monday afternoon(ish) lol
 
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True. They started doing that in the 90’s….sending unit and fuel filter in one tidy assembly and I think we first ran into that in the Dodge fleet vehicles we had. Of course, the industry largely (but not completely, thankfully) followed suit… oh what fun. I don’t miss it one bit. More power to ya if you like it. lol
 
I remember a story when I was in high school about a mechanic who stuck an air line in a co-workers pants and blew up his large intestine, killing him. Probably an urban legend, but in every workplace there's always that guy who is preoccupied with putting something in other guy's asses. :)

In college I briefly held a summer job in a chemical plant being a gofer, occasionally cleaning and doing whatever else they told me to do. There was a guy working there they called Goose. He got his nickname because he made a habit of grabbing your ass every chance he could. You could tell this was something he truly enjoyed doing. The other guys in the maintenance shop laughed when he did it.

The first time I let it go. The second time I gave warning. The third time I told him he was going to lose some f---ing teeth if he did that again. I'm not a big guy but was an athlete and boxed in CYO since I was 11. I was never reluctant to deliver a punch in the face.

I needed the money but quit after three weeks. The place was full of weirdos. Maybe it was the chemicals?
 
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One Ping Only said:
True. They started doing that in the 90’s….sending unit and fuel filter in one tidy assembly and I think we first ran into that in the Dodge fleet vehicles we had. Of course, the industry largely (but not completely, thankfully) followed suit… oh what fun. I don’t miss it one bit. More power to ya if you like it. lol
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I don’t. I hate doing this for a living. My problem is I’m stuck. Getting out of this industry to do something else would require taking a cut in pay large enough that I’d starve. Literally. I mean, I can put my Hobbies on hold, cut back here, get rid of that, etc… however, I have a wife and 2 kids depending on me. I did start up a little company called OffRoad Recovery Assistance. Issue is that there is not a big enough call for the specialized recovery I can do to sustain a living solely on it.
 
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