| Blogs > beyondfantasy3 > Many Perspectives of Attitude |
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Cars Well.... I visited an upholstery shop, to inquire about re-covering my drivers seat, and the passenger seat (no one generally rides in the passenger seat). But, the original padding in the seat, was not the best of choices when they made the car. I am 98% the only person riding in my car, so the driver seat gets the most use. Yet, the passenger seat is almost as uncomfortable as the drivers seat, (hard). So, the guy said he could match the age wear of the covering so it is not a stand out. ( don't know how they can do it, but he said he could get it really close).. Either way, I'm going to have the seats re-covered, to get a very good pad installed. My current car:  The car has 196K miles on it, but after the recent work done to the engine it runs great, I've planned to have the tires rotated with the next oil change. and I will replace the headlights. ( this stuff they make them out of, seem to turn yellow and most of the chemicals they sell to clean it, does not work.) Originally the replacement units were $500 each, buy there are some after market parts which list for $159-250, I've seen them installed on a model at a lot, they look good in general, but its probably worth the $300 or so dollars to change them. As the Mechanic said, If the maintenance and upgrades sum up to less than what a yearly car payment is on a newer car. then it might be cost effective to simply do the repair and upgrade to the one I have. I don't particularly care to have a car payment, besides some of the cars I'm not impressed nor thrilled about. It seems they are made cheaper and cheaper to get the light weight requirements. I saw an accident, with a new Mustang and another new car on the news, the whole front end of one car was gone, (yes) gone!!!  Another incident I saw both doors knocked off a Lincoln, and the tires as well, it looked as if someone had began dismantling it, but this was the result of the crash. many cars when the bumper cover falls off, they look really terrible and really low grade as to what is beneath the plastic molded bumper covers. Well I know they won't be making any more rolling tank like cars from the 1950' or 1960's, but many cars look good, but the crash rating results is worst that what is often depicted in the simulated crash test. I do recall, when I had the 1989 Benz, it was a much heavier car than the 1999 Benz. I do now think I should have kept my Porsche, because they will never build another with the solidity of the 1984 Carrera, or the 1989 Targa Carrera. Both of which were very solid vehicles. I'm not sure what will be the next type of car I get when I decide to get on. But I do know it likely won't be a new car, it will be a Pre-Owned Unit. I just don't see the need for the fast price decline just because its new, when it's driven off the lot. I'm fairly sure it will be a Benz, or Porsche, although I have been thinking if I want a Corvette. Though I'm not as motivated about a Corvette as I am about a Porsche, but the matter is how old the Porsche should be. I know I can't afford a new one, and not sure If I'd buy it new even if I could afford it. The only BMW I'd consider is the 7 series, or the 6 series. But, I don't think they will be a likely choice. I've had two BMW, and some that i see, they don't seem to have the same glow after a few years. As to Paint, I think Buick LaCrosse has about one of the best factory commercial paint jobs for standard automobiles from the factor. I do think the Paint on the 84 Porsche was exceptional and the paint on the 89 Benz was exceptional... at least far better than the paint on the 99 Benz. Mustangs look good, but I question the solidity of the car, and the 5.0 the engine is crammed under the hood with very little space for maintenance, ( although I'd not do the maintenance myself, because new models and higher quality vehicles, require a computer to check the system and they are not designed for novices to work on them. besides I no longer like working on cars as I did when I was younger.) My current car, I keep the engine washed, but I have not been diligent to wax it with any frequency. I have had it detailed, but many of them, don't do the type of jobs they use to do. but it has to suffice unless I want to do it myself. I had this model car when I was 18, I had the same type of side pipes installed.  then I had this Car when I was in Service, except mine had a black top - the problem was it was a 396 with 2 bolt main, so it did not have the power of the 396 with 4 bolt main.  I traded it for this model car - it was very "pumped up"  I also had this model car at one time    I've had other interesting cars, 1955 Ford, 1957 Chevy, 1962 Chevy 67 Volkswagen, 1968 Mustang, 1982 Nissan 300zx, 1991 Lincoln Mk7 and 530 BMW and a 535 BMW along with various others vehicles over the years I thought about buying an older car and make a performance street rod, but am not sure I want to do it, but I do like some that I see. I saw a excellent "Stingray" yesterday, from the 1960's it was simply beautiful, I've looked at some on the internet, which have been restored beautifully. Now, that is something I'd like to have, but the really top notch ones are very costly. It's a beautiful car. I am not interested in any of these little 'toy like cars" they sell with comical commercials, and often I feel bad for the people who purchase them as everyday cars they drive over distances great than the car was made to withstand on a daily basis over the length of time it takes to pay it off. I like the Telsa, because I like the new technology aspect of it. But I don't think we are as advanced in Battery systems as we need to be. We also don't have the available 'charging stations" that may come into play within the next 5 years or so.  Cars I like |
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It's good to have cars that one likes and takes care of. I don't think in terms of having a "new" car... just one or two that I like. I'd like to get another TR6, and I also like the TR4 model as well.. I did not like the TR7 at all
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I haven't seen TR's in a long time though I did spot a TR4A recently, also a MG Midget (last week). Must be getting old, trying to remember the carbs? SU's? and there were some carbs to boost the power but I can't remember the name?  Oh! Weber's, and sync them up was so much fun. Want a fun car to drive get a circa 70, TVR if you can find one (Triumph 6 cyl motor) The body is a copy of car named Vixen which had a 289 cyl (Ford) in it. I had a 70 Jag XKE Conv. I think it was the only Britt car I owned. I had additional supports added to the A-Frame connection points, because the original metal was too thin, as well on the rear, a re-enforced support where in the rear also. As Later, I put over-sized tires on it, and that created a need to re-enforce the rear suspension supports., The front A Frame suspension supports was just made weak, over-all It was an excellent car, good handling, good power and very fun to drive. I kept it for 20 yrs. I made the mistake of 'giving it away"... It'a amazing some of the decisions we make.... I've enjoyed all these various cars. The Barracuda was a monster, with the fully spec'd out engine, tarantula intake with a holly 780 dual feed. I could open the dumps on the header, and it was simply "radical", the vibration and sound just made you feel good, the way it rumbled. It was a true dancer, hit it just a bit, the stabilizer snap tight, and it was ready for the run.... 
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chrysler made very good engines, at one point their car body image suffered, then they descended into the crap market with the K-Car, under the Lee Iacocc aim of low cost vehicles. but in the past few years they have come back with a bang!!!! During the 1960's and parts of the 1970's they built excellent "Power Machines" !!!!! Charger, Road Runner, GTX, Barracuda, Even the Duster, Swinger and etc. Do you remember, the Pontiac GTO with the 3 duces. These cars came during the Era when America has reached a pinnacle in automotive excellence. I don't know what happen in the 1980's we lost too much of the edge, and Imports had picked up on the excellence modeling, and they introduces innovations, which left us in the dust... its like we went into a crap making mode that covered too many models during the 1990's. We even got lost in trying to make 10 named cars from every model we produced, which resulted to crap production and things were just bad.
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Remember for many years, Mustang lost its way- they made some big tank crap, and then they made those cheaply throw away models, and they gained some ground when they came with the 5.0, they went into a lull, until they came back with the remake of 73 Boss 302 Styling. Even Corvette went into some really crap years with the floating ships that lost all the distinction early Corvettes earned for the brand. Porsche made some non descriptive stuff in the 1990's with those awful protruding huge front bumpers. they did ok with the "944 styling", but they insulted it with the 924 cheapy version of 944 modeling. the 928 was ok, but they tried to do too much with it, and it just never caught on to be what it can be. Now they have the Panamera which is the outgrowth of the 928. I'm not much for their pursuit into the SUV arena and I don't care much for the Cayenne, which to me is the cheap version of the 911 for the economy minded who wants something that looks like the 911 class. I think some of this stuff happens, when the 'Old Designers" won't get out of the way and let the new designers come in. And the old designers won't teach the core principals to the new designers, so something get's lost in translation of modeling and styling. It seems to take them years to get back on track and find out how to re-engage the principles and then adapt their new imagery to respect the principles. We see that took a long time to come to The Camero, and the Mustang, Hopefully they don't loose their way again.
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yes, I had that conversation with the auto repair shop a few weeks ago, about some of the systems on the car, which are in principal pointless, but someone came up with it, and someone bought into it, and all it did was complicate the process of the engines function without actually contributing anything to the betterment of the vehicle. My TR6 ( 1973) was of the simplest cars to work on, and it did not take much to keep it going great. If it had simply been fitted with something other than a hydraulic clutch assembly, and given an electronic ignition and fuel injection. it would have been as modern as today cars, along with the digital dashboard you mentioned and 4 wheel disc brakes. but by the time they made the TR7, it was a total disaster and cost the brand to totally collapse. It never recovered from that disaster. I have a friend who has a 55 Chevy, who did exactly what you described, his car is as efficient and functional as any of the stuff on the road. If you remember, way back on the 327 Engine they had the Heads which had two humps on the marker plate area, which designated it as suitable for fuel injection. but Chevy did not move to incorporate fuel injection until many many years later. they spent years and decades paying with carburators, instead of moving to fuel injections. It took the dominance of Imports to convince the US auto makers to move to fuel injection.. Mostly because of the money people behind the "keep the carburetor" lobbyist who fought against fuel injection. It took the move to go to front wheel drive, before aluminum head and blocks became common, and that was only because of weight control necessity to include the transmission in the front. We unfortunatly had a great lead, and then we became a back running follower. I look at Trucks now, and they jack them up with the big wheels, and technically, they have no better clearance under the bottom than other trucks.. because in the wrong terrain, the shock holder assembly is vulnerable as is the rear end gear assembly. this could be re-engineered in ways to give full clearance for rough terrain. with better rear wheel independent suspension. The units have enough HP that it would be no noticeable power loss but it would give it a far better full on traction capability far superior to what currently exist. If you look at the rear assembly of many SUV, especially the small one, its a disaster the low grade structure and system they are equipped with. The engineers know how to make it better, but the executives are thick headed and will fight the engineers to no end. That's why Chevy has so many re-calls, because of Ignorance in the Executive suites. They are so arrogant they will fire the engineer who speaks up, and destroy the memo's that address the problems. They would do better to Ignore the stock ticker, and pay attention to actual production and actual sales, and then review their service request numbers. But today, Executives are trained to review the wrong things. One should be very careful buying a car today. Study the spec's, check the reviews and then fully inspect the vehicles and don't be distracted by the amenities. Tell them when you go to purchase the car, don't provide to offer any additional anything, No special warranties, and such things. because the small print always takes away what ever they claim to offer. Get away from thinking any favors are provided to you. If it say's cash back, TAKE THE CASH, and if they don't give it, leave the car with them and go find someone who will honor their sale promotion. don't buy the extra's that you know you won't utilize. You don't need a DVD player behind each seat, and a lot of other junk they sell with the vehicles. Make sure you know if the dealer has installed any kill button that can disable your vehicle at the dealers request. Be careful with GPS systems, some have built in data collectors and some have ability to send data back to the manufacture. Most have the ability for the Insurance company to download your driving habits. Most shoppers have no idea what they have agreed to, nor what information they have authorized and never ever trust the Finance people, they are there to make a commission, the only purpose you serve to them is being an avenue for them to gain a commission. You draw the bottom line, don't let the dealer tell you what his bottom line is. Because remember, if you have patience, and don't have an obsession to have the car RIGHT NOW, then you are in control.. when you act like you will die if you don't get it, they have no problem pushing you to death level extremes. when you walk out, they are counting their commission, and delighted at you being a easy mark.
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I took a course to train auto sales people for dealership(s).... when the course was over, I did not pursue the work that was offered, because I did not like the lack of ethnic that was emphasized. I know I would have trained them to respect the customer, know the product and make no false claims and don't mislead people to what they can't afford. I think I could have made a difference, but I also was not interested in traveling back and forth across the country to train these people. I also could not take money from people whom I know would not be a good candidate for these positions. I was not going to support hose who were unethical and greedy. And I would demand that the service department establish codes and policies to meet the terms and agreements being sold or offered to the customer.
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Very good comment: since a car was rescued, and a new one wasn't purchased to replace a scrapped one. many people have no idea of concern to think in these terms. All across the world there are junked out cars littering acre's of land, some triple and quadruple stacked. Never to be used again in this lifetime. It's like car tires, over the decades, its insidious we have not found a mass practical use for grinding these things down and recycling the raw materials. The summary is: its too costly, so we litter massive area's with mountains upon mountains of old tires. In 100 years the kids are going to look back at us, and think how primative we were. They will see how wasteful we were consumed with being, and how we bought into disposable units, because the greedy manufactures dictated to us, to be and accept this way. They will wonder, how could we cry dependency on foreign oil, while we have become among the bigger exporters in the world. But its amazing how much people will accept if someone is wearing a suit and claiming a title. We have a "question nothing mentality if a degree is mentioned", and we get duped each time, and life's hardships grow greater as we waste natural resources at rates and volumes we would be astounded to know. We'd find a way to not believe the truth presented. I see many in the parking garage under our building, who change out their cars frequently, and often when many make well over the 100k they change them out, for cars that practically cost 100k. I think in 25 yrs, China as well as many Asian nations, along with many western nations will wish for the days of the bicycle, the rickshaw and other lesser costly means of transportation. We may become a society in the west, that may thirst for days when public transits becomes a more efficient model. Currently, Between Automobile Companies, Trucking Organizations and most certainly the Airlines, there is lots of money spent to fight against "high speed rail systems". Cars are great to have, but there was never a need to have a massive "disposable car industry". Companies at one time relied on replacement parts as a big part of their business model. Today, they limit accessibility to replacement parts, many things can only be obtained from the dealer, at an accelerated labor rate to install it. I do have faith in the younger generation, to become more environmentally aware and concerned about the durability of goods, and improving the quality and standards of service. Sad to say, but we are the generation that has destroyed so much, yet we think we've done so much, but the offsets does not equate to show a true positive. Our landfills, tell a story in which we bury quickly.
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Cuba and the old cars that exist there, is a testament to the long term durability of older made cars. and they serve the same purpose, 'providing transportation". We in America buy into the commercial spills.. I no longer even follow the look of the new models. many of them look the same with a different set of tail and head lights, some look really big and bulky, but their quality is not equal to the looks. My Boss was telling me, that I should get a new car, we met disagreement on that point, Besides I doubt the boss is going to increase the pay to make the payment, but I don't see a need to have a new car, just for the sake of saying its new. They all sit on the parking lot all day, exposed to the weather. At home, my car remains in the garage when I'm not heading to go some place.
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We had similar experiences, I got my first car at age 15, by 17 I was an excellent mechanic, I could rebuild engines, re-assemble manual transmissions, had rebuilt front ends, changed out rear ends and many many things which was just what I did as a kid, I worked at a service station and did the mechanic work that came in even before I finished high school. during my 20's I kept mine going, but I had many other hobbies during those years, Only by the time I was 30 or so, I did not work on car too much. I paid cash for my "current" car when when I bought it, Although, I made a big mistake when I Financed my Harley, and I made another big mistake when I bought it off the showroom floor. (something I will never do again). I've fought Harley about over-charge and filed on them with the BBB, then the BBB wanted to charge me $500 to arbitrate. I financed the Suzuki M109R which was another mistake, I bought it off the showroom floor. (something I will never do again) . but now both are paid off. I gave the Suzuki to my son, I have the Harley, I can't digest some of the cost they want for various things, such as $800 for custom mufflers. I think that price is insane for "mufflers". I don't think it needs any more stuff than it already has on it. If someone else does not like it, that's fine, it's not theirs. they can do what they want to their own, but it does not make sense to take perfectly good parts off and put on some different one just because they are shiny. It has only 4000 miles on it, I bought it in 2006, it is a 2007 model. I may keep it, but I certainly won't be adding any more chrome to it than it already has, because it is a hassle to keep it polished. I'm just not one who likes rubbing on a bike all day. I cleaned it Sunday, and it took far too long to do so. At age 60, many priorities change. the things that matters with cars, is that they start when the key is turned, and the things on it that are suppose to work, will work. My basic yearly car stuff include maintenance servicing, road side service plan, and insurance and fuel. I like not having a car payment. I will have the seats re-padded, and new floor mats, maybe next year I will repaint it and change the headlights to get rid of the oxidized plastic which is common to the original lights. maybe because of the mileage, I will change the shocks. I had the transmission serviced, and hopefully I can get many more years of usage from the car.
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I watched a show about the Porsche 911 Carrera, like the one I had with the tail and flaired fenders, the picture above is not my exact car, but it is the exact models that I had. I should have kept both of them. I'd probably like to have another one, which was a simply wonderful driving car, except I did not like the Ricarro Seat in the Carrera with the tail. I did like better the seats in the white one (Targa Carrera) the older models had poor air conditioning vents, that would be an upgrade item if ever I was to get another older model. I liked all my cars, but I still like the 69 Grand Prix, I think it was a well built car, very powerful and a nice sleek design. The TR6 is a classic body that made for a great design of a sports car. The Barracuda was 'pure power". It's just amazing the things we let go over the course of life, never really thinking about the long term value of keeping them and keeping them in top condition. It's the process of living and learning.
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I remember the days when cars were really inexpensive. It was amazing back then, even 6k for a Corvette was considered expensive, when many cars sold for a few thousand dollars 'new". Amazing, those days are gone. The price I sold my Porsche for in 2010 is now considered a give away price. The price of the same car "now" would cost me 3.5 or more times to get the same car. I'm still going to keep my current car, as I said; re-do the seats in the front, headliner, headlights, and maybe a fresh paint and some shock absorbers/struts. Later; I may look for another Porsche, but it will be purely for occasional recreation usage only.
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When I was about 6-7 years old, I remember my beautiful garden at home which fulled with beautiful flowers, roses, jasmine, frangipani, beautiful nusa, hibiscus, and many more - was changed into a garage. Mom won an auction for the damaged cars from one of a big company here and brought them all home. There were more than 10 cars. Soon Mom got busy hired people and bought all things needed to juggle these damaged cars into new ones. They fixed the machines, paint new colors and sold them out. One of them was a land rover. I like it and very happy when Dad drove us to school with it. Looked cool.  If Mom were alive, I bet she would enjoy to talk about those damaged cars. What kind of cars they were, and how much she bought and sold them later . It was crazy things in my eyes at that time. I was shy to take friends home because the beautiful garden soon became so messy with all those workshop goods.Now, when I look back, I really proud with my mom. It was about year 77-80. When women busy took care their kids and being a full time mom? My mom did many things to make money, while at the same time she took care of us as well. Besides the damaged cars, fix and sell business? she made cake for weddings, bought two trucks and rented them out, bought baby cows and sold them once they were big enough, had small chickens+ducks farm at home, had a drugstore at one of the big hotel here, etc.. She didn't keep her money only for her family, but she shared and help people too. There were many beggars who came to our house and asked for free lunch. What a great woman she was, wasn't she? Proud to be her daughter.  - Very smart woman.
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Thank you, Trusty and Beyond. We had an accident at home once. The worker open the hot radiator cap, and the water burst out to his body. It caused quite severe burns on chest and hand. Mom took him to the hospital and he had to stay on bed for few months before he could get back to work. He and his family lived with us, so Mom took care everything. Saw how Mom handled things was a lifetime gift for me and my sisters. She showed us how to treat people. There are many people who hire people to do various works, (under terms which is not a structured and registered business), who assume it to be the sole responsibility of the person they employ to cover themselves if they are injured. It appears that your family was financially astute and prosperous through their own resourcefulness; which is a good thing. But more importantly they remained morally and integrity based in soundness of humane compassions and not distorted by the acquisition of financial means. It does not always rub off on all the offspring's, but in some cases the offspring's who give close attention, get the message and the learning and go about to be good civil citizens with humane compassions in what they do and how they do it. Your references seem to indicate that you and your sisters got the message and learning from the examples.
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Each car has a lot of memories tied to it. various cars bring with it various interesting experiences during driving. over many years, they were delightful vehicles.
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