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News volume 1: https://carkiller.com/scottykilmer/qa/news/
News volume 2: https://carkiller.com/scottykilmer/qa/news2/
Here’s one for the (Lexus) books. One of the most expensive used Lexus to exchange hands recently sold for $1,137,968: this particular example was a Lexus LFA (less than 500 ever made), 2-owner with 12,000 miles, but what made this one special was it had the ultra rare Nürburgring Package (less than 64 built).
https://www.motortrend.com/news/used-lexus-lfa-nurburgring-package-sells-for-over-1-million/
(WARNING: STRONG LANGUAGE)
Scotty gonna love it also warning for all the future buyers for Mercedes
Good luck
if it's not a question, then please post it in 'News'
Sorry
Also, our rules say no profanity. So if you're going to post videos like this with, let's call it "New York dialect" then please at least post a warning. Thanks.
VW Jetta VS. Toyota Corolla head-on collision crash test -
Do crashworthiness test results translate into real world performance?
This test shows us how safety tests don't really tell us much about crash safety in the real world. Both of these cars have the EXACT same safety rating (95% on the EuroNCAP) but their real world performance turns out to be quite different (both weigh the same).
Interesting seeing them pitted against each other seeing as how they were allies during the war. Some progress has been made in crash safety over the last 50 years though...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3gqXoftZMtk
The Jetta obliterated that Corolla!
It's too bad the VW's are such junk otherwise. (in N.America at least)
@chucktobias it would be interesting to see that Ambassador up against a modern car. The weight of it would probably do some significant damage, but there might have been more "intrusions" and stuff like that since crash safety wasn't as big of a priority back then.
@mmj, I have a '71 Ambassador and it's not bad as far as keeping damaging intrusions to a minimum. Nash and AMC had active safety programs going way back, within the limitations of the available technology. AMC's predecessor company Nash was the first American manufacturer to offer seat belts back in 1950 and included crumple zones in the basic design of its cars.
https://www.hemmings.com/stories/article/collision-course
@mmj @chucktobias
Ambassadors weighed around 3,700 pounds - that's only 400 pounds over the Curb weight of some Toyota Corollas, speaking of those: Here's the progress Toyota has made just in the last 17 years (The Corolla shown there is European Auris version - structurally identical to the the US spec, just different styling and powertrains)
https://youtu.be/zkxq2pPw0Uc
https://youtu.be/xidhx_f-ouU?t=105
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Also, here's the cheapest 2015 Nissan sedan in Mexico vs. the cheapest Nissan sedan in the US
https://youtu.be/85OysZ_4lp0
I guess some parts of the world never got to enjoy the safety progress at all...
oof. what a stark difference.
@mmj, @dan - Of course a lot of progress has been made, technology marches on. That Gremlin though really didn't do too badly for that era considering the difference in the cars' sizes. The front got scrunched up real good but the passenger compartment remained pretty much intact, though it looks like the roof buckled a bit.
There's a similar video between a Pinto 1971 and a full sized Ford Galaxie. The Pinto did not fare nearly as well. The same video includes Vega vs. Impala, and likewise the Vega didn't do all that well. (Of course the Gremlin was basically a cut-down Hornet and was of heavier construction than the Pinto or Vega.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PQ9GIzaXxk0
That Tsuru definitely looks like a car to avoid. Absolute death trap!
@mmj @ChuckTobias
The funny thing is that all of the “progress” we are seeing is just everyone mimicking what Volvo did 20 years ago.
Those things were already indestructible, they just would total other cars without any harm to the driver.
Even in collisions that shouldn’t be survivable the XC70 / XC90 would just have 0 passenger compartment intrusion - while a new Corolla can’t handle a Jetta, an older XC70 can handle a truck head-on (also 50% overlap)
https://youtu.be/6prtCtxk1ho
https://youtu.be/jGHsoF5F57s
https://youtu.be/g3UES_f3Bno
@dan, it started long before 20 years ago. The old rear-drive Volvos were tanks even 50 years ago. Really nothing like them is made today.
https://www.hemmings.com/stories/article/the-stack
@ChuckTobias
Safety wise they have definitely improved, I own a P1 Platform FWD Volvo C30 (with a Mazda built engine) and although the automatic is a nightmare, the rest feels like a tank.
They've demonstrated it in front-end Tree collisions at 30mph, Rear impact at 51 mph, pole to the door at 18 mph (instead of the regular test where it hits only the b pillar) and that's impressive.
https://youtu.be/iZD1itKATso
And on their latest ones they've began to drop them from 100ft cranes to test these scenarios, although that is getting quite unrealistic.
It's a shame that these latest models have these tiny supercharged and turbocharged oil burning engines paired to complex hybrid systems. but I'm already seeing some of these reach 150k miles without any major issues and Volvo still states all Volvo cars are built to last 200k miles...
https://youtu.be/WA10onqrZzw
But it's always fun to see their stunts, like the truck stack
https://youtu.be/0F2GrIuSgZ8
They used to be designed to last nearly 20 years.
Toyota launches new miniature TINY suv thingy - the AyGo X.
It is 3 FEET SHORTER than a COROLLA.
It also has half the power (70bhp), although it weights the same (about a ton)
Powered by a 1.0L 3 cylinder mated to a cvt without a launch gear.
Rumoured to cost 15k pounds in the UK ($20k usd) over twice the price of a Dacia Sandero.
Adjustable head rests are not included. The rear sides of the the rear seats are painted metal, the doors have exposed metal, the rear windows don't lower, the rear bench looks like it's just a piece of foam without any rear contours, ...
Quite honestly, the only thing wrong with it is the price, it costs as much as a regular car like the Fiesta. But that being said - Toyota's pricing is generally meh IMO. the Corolla costs the same as an i20N T-GDI hot hatch.
GM Dealership Backs Down After Viral Post Reveals $90K Chevrolet Corvette Z06 ADM:
That's obscene.
you've got to be kidding.
everything they touch goes up in flame!
Just throw in the towel already.
Anybody making automobiles that can't figure out how to properly wire a darn trailer hitch should be in jail, or run for political office. And it should be a wet towel! @mmj
They should park right at Hyundai/Kia dealerships and factories. I think the problem would be resolved quickly then.
@g-t {blackemo}:laughtertotears:
indeed
better yet ... in front of board members' homes
I'd be surprised if I don't see a new Kia/Hyundai recall at least once a week. And it definitely takes a lot of effort to make such rolling piles of junk.
Here we go again:
“Japanese automakers Toyota, Honda and Nissan ranked at the bottom of a new Greenpeace study on 10 automakers' decarbonisation efforts, the environmental group said on Thursday.
Greenpeace ranked Toyota last out of the top 10 automakers in sales volume — the same as last year — and pointed out that zero-emission vehicles made up less than 1% of the company's sales and noted slow progress in supply chain decarbonisation.
It is a remarkable change of fortune for the world's largest carmaker by sales, considering its Prius hybrid, released almost a quarter century ago and a darling for environmentalists.The Japanese automaker is now a frequent target of criticism from activists and green investors, who slam it for not embracing battery electric vehicles (BEVs) fast enough.”
Link:
https://www.autoblog.com/2022/09/08/greenpeace-toyota-honda-nissan-failing/
gReEnPeAcE
As per usual, the greens are insane.
I just can’t help but notice how
Toyota is pretty much the only company that offers genuinely good hybrids worthy of considering over conventional vehicles. They’re literally the greenest company out there.
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Even on non hybrids, Toyotas are incredibly fuel efficient and have the cleanest exhausts with the lowest concentration of particles and harmful elements…
How do they even compare it to companies like Ford…
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But I guess that unless they’ll constantly advertise how “eco” they’re are in ridiculous TV ads the greens won’t be happy.
https://youtu.be/KeVHmLY7YZc
My opinion of Greenpeace and the rest of the "greens" cannot be posted in a family-friendly forum.
they've been trespassing and knocking at my door begging for money this week. I threw them out.
Just came across this announcement regarding Denso fuel pumps for Toyota and Lexus dated September 9, 2022 which some viewers may find beneficial.
https//www.carcomplaints.com/news/2022/fuel-pump-settlement-class-action-lawsuit.shtml
HEY Scotty,
The government of FL issued a warning that EV cars getting on fire after Ian hurricane. See this link:
The government of FL. The problems started to appear after many days from hurricane and no one know about the reason yet. They believe the Sault causing a chemical reaction with the EV and it will take up to weeks until fire come without a warning. What you think about this? And do you think this also can be the same issue for hybrid cars?
@mmj I have a question for you. I have noticed that posts such as this which are informative and interesting are grouped under the “News” heading. I understand that it is not a question and therefore relegated to the News, but when this occurs, the post becomes buried among all News items (now numbering 169) and doubtful that many people will ever see.
I thought this post about flood damaged EV’s from hurricane Ian suddenly igniting was especially interesting in light of the current discussion regarding EV’s pros and cons. Even Scotty commented sharing his appreciation for the video being shared.
So I was respectfully wondering if it was possible for you as the administrator to send News post to the New grouping to be archived, yet still keeping it as a separate post for others to more easily view and make comments. ? I was able to find it again because I had commented on it and was able to look it up under my activity.
Thank you.
@avalon04
News discussion is not the primary mission of this site, so it will always take a back seat. This was the best solution we came up with, which works within the rigid framework that is this forum software.
When something new is posted to the 'News' topic, it will show up in the "Recent Posts" list at the bottom right of the page so you can see it there. In addition to that, the entire 'News' topic is bumped up to the top of the topic list, indicating that there is a new addition to it. Once you have the News topic open, you can click the "Last Post" link (in the red bar) to jump directly to the last posted item. The title will be shown in bold text, indicating that you have not read it. Therefore, there should be no way that you don't find it.
But I'm always open to suggestions, and I'll do what I can to make things better (within my capabilities).
If you are really interested in this topic, I can also suggest that you bookmark it in your browser. Then use the sorting drop-down menu near the top, and sort replies by "newest".
@mmj Thank you for your response.
@mmj And thanks also for all that you and the moderators here do behind the scenes to keep this the quality forum that it is.
IMHO, it has to do with several factors: infrastructure, culture/allure/status, engineering/quality*.
With infrastructure, Tesla built up a pretty good network in California. Way better and much earlier than any other state. Especially in major cities, in Northern California, they are all over the place.
California is California. And it’s “cool” to have a Tesla, especially the Y and the 3. It’s probably the most successful electric car today, and that breeds other folks to jump on board. The model 3 has been out for about 5 years. And the Y just a bit shorter. And it seems to be following the trajectory of the Prius, which had a massive following in California. It’s also a “status” symbol.
And lastly quality. TBH, Tesla fit and finish is horrible. Absolutely horrible. But I think people look past that, because the actual insides of the car, the motor and the battery, is pretty decent quality.
On paper, I think many folks try to justify the purchase price, by saying they will save on gas, but I think that is a myth. Electricity seems to be on par with gas prices. (Just mental math, I haven’t really pulled the numbers).
One of the big reasons I personally dislike Tesla, is not the electric part, not the fit and finish let, but is because of the user interface. So many menus!!! No tactile feedback. And they started a trend that other car makes are copying, which makes me loathe Tesla even more.
I’ve never loved knobs and buttons so much. I much prefer knobs, but I’ll take buttons over a screen.
The average cost of a new vehicle is near $50,000 which is up 30% since 2019
Add to that the automakers’ new mantra: keep production low and profits high
I was suspecting something similar for a long time, there's no reason why they don't import cheaper cars into the US - surely there must be some demand for cheap workhorses.
There are plenty of cars that might interest consumers that are under $20k (I drive a car that's significantly less than 20 grand and I don't feel like I've sacrificed a thing), with very good competition in the $20k-$30k bracket that don't compromise on safety, handling, plushness while being decently spacious and having just about enough power to keep moving...
Sadly this might be also serve as an invitation for the Chinese automakers who are currently storming the European market
BYD - where I live they're on track to land in the top 5 automakers this year, and that's not a cheap car!
Chery - land rover / jaguars Chinese manufacturing partner
Lync&Co - marketed as "Swedish Premium with a Twist"
AIWAYS - owners of a huge manufacturing company supplying "Groupe Renualt", Ford and Isuzu.
And there are just countless others like WEY, Haval, Hongqi, ORA with more established companies being GEELY and MG - and they have nailed the esthetics, the fit and finish, but I would be very cautious about reliability - a lot use Volvo technology, some use GM engines, and most of the non EVs use the BMW Steptronic / Renualt EDC7 gearbox.
And don’t get me started on EVs. In my home state of California, Model Y is ranked number 1 in 2022 new car sales among light duty vehicles while Model 3 was ranked number 1 in car/sedan sales. Average price was well past $50,000 (I don’t remember the exact figure).
@DayWalker , well that's Tesla being Tesla - their prices don't have much to do with manufacturing costs.
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where I live the Geometry C is the 5th best selling car and it's a futuristic pure EV for the price of a well optioned Corolla Hybrid.
And quite honestly? It does feel like a Volvo (manufactured by Volvo's owner Geely), I don't even know what to think of it - quite a lot of the people I know bought these and all are ecstatic about them and I get that interior, exterior, dynamics are all done extraordinarily well, I just don't trust it one bit.
https://youtu.be/PYk91PP9dQk
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And on the 11th spot is a PH-EV... It undercuts its competition significantly and in the entire midsize-SUV space it has only lost out to the Hyundai-Kia (Euro) Tucson and SWB Sportage. And here too I kinda get it, It's much more plush, it has 300 horsepower, and it still gets at worst 30mpg when it runs out of the 40 mile EV range.
And yet, will it fall apart? probably yeah.
https://youtu.be/RJiVsa6rjN8
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What I mean by sub $20k cars is the route I personally, mechanical simplicity - $13k pre-tax with a conventional auto, 1750lbs towing allowance, 5 star safety rating and "augmented driving". No clue why they don't import them into the US.
https://youtu.be/nCvsfDgojl4
(^ the car here is very oddly spec-ed.)
April 28, 2023 - 'Hero' 7th Grader Grabs Steering Wheel and Stops School Bus After Driver Passes Out
Brave fella!
And here is the key take-away, folks:
"He's been on my lap driving country roads, pulling in driveways since about 4 years old," said Steve (father). "Driving side by side with me in the passenger seat about 9, driving golf carts. He's a good driver," he added with a laugh. "He could probably drive one of the cars out of here and be OK. He's very attentive to his surroundings," Steve continued.
"I asked him, 'Dillon how did you know what to do?' " added his mom. "'How did you know how to drive that bus?' He said, 'I watch her do it every day,' so he pays close attention to everybody."
He is going to be a conscientious driver.
https://twitter.com/ABC/status/1651759972974465024
Mic drop -
PS. It’s only run 70,000 odd miles!
This whole EV thing is a show for people to say "we care about the environment." If someone really wants to save on gas they should go for a good quality hybrid. Anyone who jumps on this EV bandwagon deserves to pay this amount for a battery replacement.
Energy Secretary’s Not-So-Excellent EV Adventure
It’s rather amusing when promoting electric vehicles goes spectacularly wrong.
Summer road trips are always an experience, as Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm just found out. Granholm set off on a four-day excursion in an attempt to promote the ease, convenience, and necessity of electric vehicles (EVs). She had an entire entourage of EVs with her, including the Cadillac Lyriq, a Ford F-150, and a Chevy Bolt. What she didn’t quite account for was all the extra planning and thinking she had to do to make this trip feasible. Even with all the help she had at her fingertips, the trip wasn’t exactly a model vacation.
NPR sent a correspondent on the trip with Granholm to detail the journey. While documenting the trip, Camila Domonoske couldn’t help giving away important details that immediately undermined the purpose of the road trip — to be an EV advertisement. What was alluded to but not explicitly mentioned is that, along with their entourage of electric vehicles, there was also an advanced team of gas-powered cars used to ensure rescue and assuage other logistical concerns they had with their EVs. But even with NPR’s guaranteed leftist slant, it was hard to gloss over what happened next.
Granholm’s biggest hiccup happened just as she was traveling through Grovetown near Augusta, Georgia. Granholm and her team needed to stop for a fast charge, and her gas-powered advanced team encountered a major problem. The charging stations were almost full, so one of the team members used their non-electric vehicle to save the last free charging station for the energy secretary.
Along came a family on a road trip who also had planned a stop at this station. They noticed the gas car in the only free electric charging station. It was a hot day, they had an infant in the car, and their car was quickly losing charge. The injustice of being edged out of a station because of a gas car was deeply frustrating. So frustrating, in fact, that the family called the cops. Unfortunately for the family, there was nothing the police could do, so they were forced to wait. Granholm’s team eventually did some juggling, including sending the other EVs in the entourage to other, slower charging stations so that the family could charge their EV.
This ironic situation and very bad PR for the energy secretary was the icing on the cake of a frustrating road trip.
The planning that goes into a road trip with an EV is ridiculous. In spite of apps that should help locate a charging station on the fly, there is a lot more thought needed when picking one. You need to make sure there is a charging station within the EV’s driving radius. Then you need to make sure it’s the speed-charging station you need: 20-30 mins (fast) or 3-5 hours (slow). Then you have to make sure the location is compatible with your needs. Fast charging is preferable near a restaurant, and slow charging is preferable near a hotel. This is going backwards vis-à-vis all the advances that we have made in road-tripping with gas vehicles — you plug in your destination and there are easy gas stops all along the way.
Moreover, we don’t really have the infrastructure to support a high volume of EVs on the road. There aren’t enough charging stations or units at the stations. EV owners occasionally report encountering a charger that won’t work, causing more delays, frustrations, and anxieties.
Then there’s the impracticality of having to make long stops for recharging. Even having to stop 30 minutes for a fast charge is slow when compared to stopping at a gas pump.
Not only that, but charging an EV is still more expensive than pumping gas. According to Business Insider: “Charging any of these vehicles at home will run about $12.62 per 100 miles while fueling one at a gas station may run about $11.08. That difference, while not incredibly substantial, may add up — and when these drivers go to a public charging station, they’re likely to pay about $16.10 per 100 miles.”
Perhaps the biggest hiccup of all for the “green” electric vehicles is that, ultimately, they aren’t cutting carbon emissions. Those charging stations are run by electricity, and electricity is primarily produced by carbon-emitting plants (mostly because ecofascists are against carbon-free nuclear power). The more electric needs there are, the more electric plants are going to be needed to provide enough electricity.
The “green technology” of electric vehicles doesn’t match the hype of climate activist politicians like Secretary Granholm. It is not close to where it needs to be to present a positive, practical, and energy-efficient means of transportation. If having the cops called on Granholm didn’t illustrate that fact, the other inconveniences of the trip should have.
Another point that should indicate to the “green energy”-pushing politicians that they’re doing it wrong is that they feel like they have to sell it to the American people. If the tech were practical and improved the lives of everyday Americans, they would buy it unsolicited. That’s how cars gained prevalence in the first place over horses and buggies.
Everyone wants " shiny" things until they break.
I'm like Scotty, I plan to drive my cars until they can drive no more. 2007 Equinox has 295,000 miles, 2000 Grand am 334,000 and 2002 Silverado 234,000 all going strong.
According to the UK Advertising Standards Authority (ASA), both adverts “condoned the use of vehicles in a manner that disregarded their impact on nature and the environment. [...] They had not been prepared with a sense of responsibility to society.”
“These adverts epitomise Toyota’s total disregard for nature and the climate, by featuring enormous, highly polluting vehicles driving at speed through rivers and wild grasslands,” said Adfree Cities co-director Veronica Wignall.
Some need to learn it hard way
https://youtu.be/ZEI_7b_HT_A?si=znpYBbWMmkEazOoS
Scotty also commented it in today's live talk.
didn't see that coming 🙄
These guys tested range loss of a Tesla in cold weather. Considering that, charging stations are going to be used more frequently than in warm conditions
https://youtu.be/aIUrOkttv7g?si=45g_0tBuQZ3mR-7j
And here it is
https://youtu.be/yd0xnH6THss?t=113s
This vehicle might well be the electric car that everyone has been looking for, no more worries about range or charging problems!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T-LegOd8Jxo
A Twike! {blackemo}:laughtertotears:
Seems suitable for new Mr Bean series
Scotty read what had happened and commented
https://youtu.be/GCMIqXx5p9k?t=180s
"How does GM find it ok to sell these expensive crate engines and not test them? "
GM applies the same attention to detail and quality checks with crate engines that they apply to complete cars. Look at the Corvette C8 - major failures and problems on their low volume "halo" car right from day one.
15 March 2021 - Politicians Mad USPS Won't Have More EVs in Its New Postal Truck Fleet
Above, (ugly) electric mail truck (thingy).
Politicians can't get it through their skulls. These things are expensive. Who's gonna pay for it.
"Scotty" is never wrong!
This is being spiked all over. During the "recent" Cold spell in Texas: There was no way to recharge EV's. Most recharging stations get their power from "Fossil Fuels", or "Frozen Wind Generators". Even the Texas Nuclear Power Plant was not allowed to power up more than 30%. In the "Green New Deal" Era; there won't be enough Power to run any EV Fleet! Be sure to tell AOC about this! Oh an by the way: to fully charge an EV was over $700.00. 🤣 😛 😜 😝 🙃
here in Canada, VW is also buying up parking companies. They really want to monopolize the market, and the government is helping them. Scary.
I didn’t know GM made amphibious trucks..
anything is amphibious after enough Canadian whiskey
Hahaha sounds promising
Volkswagen is really rebranding as ‘Voltswagen’ in the US
“Volkswagen is changing the name of its American brand to Voltswagen, in a not-so-subtle nod to the German automaker’s multibillion-dollar effort to become the biggest electric vehicle manufacturer in the world.”
https://www.theverge.com/2021/3/30/22357166/volkswagen-name-change-voltswagen-us-division
Turns out the name change was an April Fools joke.
Hahahaha can’t believe you fell for it!
I didn't want to say anything but ... {pear}:laughingoutloud:
My opinion: Australians are lucky they are not being forced to buy EVs as we in EU are going to be
Australians want to buy electric cars, but car makers say government policy blocks supply
I also wonder who are those who 'want' to buy EVs.
Did you guys see the video of the heist evasion? (search 'Leo Prinsloo')
That Toyota took a beating.
that guy has balls of tungsten carbide
It seems that was the only option to survive
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4EEIXFr1bBg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7mZ9hDmmOsA