Random Thoughts... [Automotive Edition]

[Nabster]

Bought a set of Continental Conti-Eco-Contacts!!!

Sounds like drifty-doo tires to me :lol:

 

[Der Stig]

After doing so much of my assignment on boxer engines, I now feel like going out and buying a Subaru or Porsche.

~Look into my signature and buy a WRX STi, 986, 911, or a Legacy Spec B~

/Hypnotist

Also, DO IT!

 

[Jay]

You know it is sad when you call the local Land Rover dealership looking for a window regulator and sunroof parts for a Freelander and the parts guy knows the numbers off the top of his head.
And that they stock them.

I took a peek into the inside of this Freelander; I have seen GM vehicles from the 1990's with a better interior, and this model is a 2007! It honestly looks like the interior of a high end tractor, why people with money would buy a Land Rover is beyond me, unless they want the badge identity and that's it.

 

[Spectre]

You know it is sad when you call the local Land Rover dealership looking for a window regulator and sunroof parts for a Freelander and the parts guy knows the numbers off the top of his head.
And that they stock them.

I took a peek into the inside of this Freelander; I have seen GM vehicles from the 1990's with a better interior, and this model is a 2007! It honestly looks like the interior of a high end tractor, why people with money would buy a Land Rover is beyond me, unless they want the badge identity and that's it.

Ask British_Rover, he's the one claiming that they're all good and great and had all the problems fixed and they're totally problem free and and and and...

In any case, it's not the LR lineup, just the Freelander that's crap. Yes, even the 'new' one.

~Look into my signature and buy a WRX STi, 986, 911, or a Legacy Spec B~

/Hypnotist

Also, DO IT!

Those are all so slow - why get one of those boxers when you can have this and the vehicle it comes in?

 

[argatoga]

You know it is sad when you call the local Land Rover dealership looking for a window regulator and sunroof parts for a Freelander and the parts guy knows the numbers off the top of his head.
And that they stock them.

I took a peek into the inside of this Freelander; I have seen GM vehicles from the 1990's with a better interior, and this model is a 2007! It honestly looks like the interior of a high end tractor, why people with money would buy a Land Rover is beyond me, unless they want the badge identity and that's it.

Trolling British_Rover?

I wouldn't compare the Free Lander to the other Land Rovers.

 

[Spectre]

Trolling British_Rover?

I wouldn't compare the Free Lander to the other Land Rovers.

Yeah, it's the X-Type of the LR lineup. Might have been great as something else but as it is, it's a total embarrassment to the badge it wears.

 

[GRtak]

Those are all so slow - why get one of those boxers when you can have this and the vehicle it comes in?

Great engine.

 

[nsx_23]

~Look into my signature and buy a WRX STi, 986, 911, or a Legacy Spec B~

/Hypnotist

Also, DO IT!

The Boxer Engines are easier to analyze compared to, say, a V8 or V12 engine.

I would've went nuts if our lecturer made us analyze a Merlin V12 instead. Then again, my next assignment is to actually design a gas turbine engine, and to say that assignment will be stressful is an understatement.

 

[airmenair]

The Boxer Engines are easier to analyze compared to, say, a V8 or V12 engine.

I would've went nuts if our lecturer made us analyze a Merlin V12 instead. Then again, my next assignment is to actually design a gas turbine engine, and to say that assignment will be stressful is an understatement.

Were you analyzing it from a thermo perspective? Is this a thermo 2 class?

 

[nsx_23]

We're developing a computer model which will essentially allow us to roughly estimate the power output of an engine by varying things like the operating parameters, ignition timing, etc.

Its like a (mini)^2 version of the software offered by Ricardo. Link

Note that mine is for a Lycoming aircraft engine though. Its a Boxer 4 layout, 360 cubic inches displacement.

 

[Spectre]

Note that mine is for a Lycoming aircraft engine though. Its a Boxer 4 layout, 360 cubic inches displacement.

If you need help, we actually do have a Lycoming engineer on the forums here. As in, he's a current Lycoming engineer who designs/tests just those engines.

 

[nsx_23]

We have a Lycoming engineer here? Never knew that....

Well, my little assignment/model here is probably more about basic engine thermodynamics than detailed engine design per se. What I want a reality check on is the Cylinder pressure as it seems rather high according to my calcs, yet the final power output matches reasonably ok with the maximum take-off rating of 180hp @ 2900RPM once I include the various efficiency factors. The exhaust gas composition seems reasonably ok compared with simple theory when I vary the model from lean to rich as well.

Its a Lycoming O-360 BTW.

 

[public]

As I habitually browse used-car websites, I tend to run into interesting cars. I've made up a comparison of three late-eighties hot hatches in my mind, namely the Toyota Corolla FX16 GT 16-valve (178k, 2900 eur), the Volkswagen Golf GTI Mk2 8v (220k, 3000 eur) and the Opel Kadett GSi 2.0 16v (220k, 3490 eur). All are well-kept and tidy, all are light and punchy, and all are very expensive for their age. The Golf is a German import, which makes it least likely of the three to have rust; the two others most likely have some rust somewhere.

Which one of these three would be the best buy for 3k? The Toyota has very reliable iron under its hood, but seems to have led the toughest life, judging by the photos and the ad. The Golf is described to be "a pearl, for a good home, not for tuning", but has the least amount of oomph. The Opel is the least well put together, probably the worst to drive and probably has rust in the rear arches (for that price it better be rust free), but produces the most power and has the best equipment. I'd go for the Golf, but the Opel has a digi dash and the Toyota's a track weapon...

 

[NooDle]

^between those 3, Golf definately. I had one and it shits all over the Opel
(dunno about the Yoda, but it does come from the time when they made interesting cars so it may be worth another look)

good to hear that other people play this game also...

 

[Der Stig]

It's a toss up between the 'Yota and the Golf for me. The classic MKII lines and the BBS wheels are, well classic, but the 'Yota is a sleeper and a decent looking hatch to boot, not to mention how durable it is.

 

[Labcoatguy]

The Toyota will have the 80s Toyota rust problems, so be sure to check out all possible rusting points (wheel arches, suspension mounting points, radiator supports, hoses, etc). I'd love to have one as a city runabout with a 2ZZ engine and everything rustproofed, but that's best left for a future project.

 

[public]

good to hear that other people play this game also...

I do this every day. I fire up the site, choose the price range of 1-5900 euro (best for the most interesting old cars), check "new and updated within 24hrs" and sort the results by km. Then I post the interesting old low-km cars on IRC for a couple of petrolhead friends to comment ("nah, too expensive/red/has a tow bar/where's the service history/too much km/euro plates") :lol:

 

[Interrobang]

On the subject of in-car videorecordings ...

This might help with the (I?d say) small number of insurance frauds, but might be very problematic down the line. Now, this is all fine if you can use these to prove your innocence, I think nobody will disagree on that.
But what if this get?s compulsory some years down the line? They make it sound like it?d getting rather cheap to have one of these. So insuarances will hand them out, maybe offer a discount on your police if you agree to have them run all time (first, and then make you pay extra if you don?t want one - because they?ll say you?re hiding something) ... and if you then do have an accident will use this against you if they can. Maybe the accident wasn?t your fault, but the video shows you doing something wrong some hours earlier. Up goes your premium. If the accident was your falut, maybe they?ll try to blame it further on you (you being negligent) so that they don?t have to pay at all. And what about the police? If you have such a device on board, they will want to see what?s on it after a accident. Here, they?d certainly fine you for every traffic violation they find on that thing ... even if you gave it to them to prove that your innocent in an accident.
Or am I slowly getting paranoid?

 

[Spectre]

On the subject of in-car videorecordings ...

This might help with the (I?d say) small number of insurance frauds, but might be very problematic down the line. Now, this is all fine if you can use these to prove your innocence, I think nobody will disagree on that.
But what if this get?s compulsory some years down the line? They make it sound like it?d getting rather cheap to have one of these. So insuarances will hand them out, maybe offer a discount on your police if you agree to have them run all time (first, and then make you pay extra if you don?t want one - because they?ll say you?re hiding something) ... and if you then do have an accident will use this against you if they can. Maybe the accident wasn?t your fault, but the video shows you doing something wrong some hours earlier. Up goes your premium. If the accident was your falut, maybe they?ll try to blame it further on you (you being negligent) so that they don?t have to pay at all. And what about the police? If you have such a device on board, they will want to see what?s on it after a accident. Here, they?d certainly fine you for every traffic violation they find on that thing ... even if you gave it to them to prove that your innocent in an accident.
Or am I slowly getting paranoid?

Why ?

Because when I pointed this out some time ago, I was told that I was paranoid and that it would never happen.

Got news for those people; insurance companies are already making such equipment 'mandatory' - they're already appearing in commercial vehicles such as trucks and taxis, using the rationale you mentioned above. They're already in most city buses in the US; one of my clients is having to install them in all his trucks from little F-250s on up to the big long haul rigs because the premiums without them are extortionate.

People never believe me when I make predictions about how technology will be abused by the government and other institutions, but I'm (sadly) right about 95% of the time.

You are aware that they are already convicting people of offenses based off of 'black box' recordings made by vehicle computers prior to crashes, right? I predicted that would happen when OBD-II was introduced and got laughed at for it.

So in other words, welcome to my world - circa 1995. You've got some catching up to do.

 

[argatoga]

Further proof insurance companies are evil.