Car Thread

Gator-Don

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I love talking about cars. Anyone else? What's your favorite brand and model. What was your first car? What are you currently driving? Have you ever been in a fender bender? A bad ticket?

Let's talk cars.

(Meanwhile, crickets.)


I generally like German cars and by the picture I believe you will know which manufacturer. The one on the right will out live me. Our_Mercs-Web.jpg
 

78

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I generally like German cars and by the picture I believe you will know which manufacturer. The one on the right will out live me. View attachment 38587

The aggressive retooling of the front grill over the last few years has attracted a large number of younger buyers. I in particular like the GLE.
 

Gator-Don

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Our utilization is only 3,000 miles a year. The GLK350 is a 2012 with 27,000 miles and still has a trace of the ''New Car Smell" and still seems to us like it's new. The 560 SEL has a whopping 64,000 and smells inside like an expensive leather purse.

I'm about to undertake replacing all the lights both inside and out with LED's on the SEL. The old US headlights are not very bright with that funky plastic cover.

The GLE's are good looking. It amazes me how much technology is being packed into the latest cars. Personally I think a lot of people are going to have accidents playing around with it all. Especially the auto pilot.
 

Concrete Helmet

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I just donated the last Mercedes I'll ever own to Cars for Kids today after watching it sit undrivable for the last 8 years....we left it parked at the office to make it look like someone was there all the time. I worked great until the local homeless bums figured out how to get into it a while back without breaking the windows. The smell of urine was so strong around it Sunday when I ran to the office to reboot our server so I could work from home that it tipped me off what was happening ..... I guess they felt the same way about it as I did...Anyway I've never owned such POS's as the 2 we owned between 2004 and 2012 that you couldn't give me one.
 
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Gator-Don

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So what are you driving now?

I take it your have a Shelby Mustang from your posts in other threads. Nice!
 
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Gator-Don

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My only problem with the newer "compact" SUV's is the tailgate openings have become smaller and they restrict the dimensions of what you can get inside. They are actually crossovers in my mind.
 

78

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Mercedes reliability has always been an oxymoron. Look at freaking Land Rover solidly cemented at the bottom.

7238a3278efa3925625bbf3b709ec9bd.jpg
 

Gator-Don

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My biggest fear for the Mercedes gas cars is the timing chains. When I initially start both I have the window down a bit and listen for a weird rattling noise. That would be an indication that the timing chain is loose. I'm sure I don't have to tell you what happens when it fails, but for those who don't - it wrecks the engine. I'm going to put the SELin the shop and have the valve covers removed to check the tension, guides, and such, next week. Both cars are surprisingly easy to work on.

I really like Toyota/Lexus. I had a Land Cruiser (company issued) when I lived In Saudi Arabia. It was a 1980 model with no power steering, locking hubs, an A/C, 4 speed plus a 2 speed reverse gear, and a radio. If I hit a big pothole the steering wheel would almost jerk my spine out of my ass trying to keep it straight. But it was extremely well built and never broke down.
 

Gator-Don

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Sweeeeet!!! Nice shots. I'm hoping they open up mechanics row at Sebring this year. Last year it was closed because of the Wuhan gain of function diddling.

Where were you?
 

Spectator

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Jan 15, 2021
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I just got home from Sebring, I was at turn 7, hairpin, SCCA Hoosier Super Tour this weekend. About 280 cars, 80 were Miatas. Some guy in a BMW almost knocked down our wall.

Last year's 12Hr I was turn 17, no fans are ever there. Where they grid cars for practice and qual. and impound tech inspection. This year the WEC is coming back, so far its back to the old normal open access for fans at Sebring. This week back to Daytona IMSA practice, then the Rolex24 next week. My favorite weeks of the year.
 

Gator-Don

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Jun 1, 2016
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I just got home from Sebring, I was at turn 7, hairpin, SCCA Hoosier Super Tour this weekend. About 280 cars, 80 were Miatas. Some guy in a BMW almost knocked down our wall.

Last year's 12Hr I was turn 17, no fans are ever there. Where they grid cars for practice and qual. and impound tech inspection. This year the WEC is coming back, so far its back to the old normal open access for fans at Sebring. This week back to Daytona IMSA practice, then the Rolex24 next week. My favorite weeks of the year.

We always settle in in the family area and setup on the berm near the vehicle bridge so we can get some sleep. Last year was hilarious with the signs on the fences stating no one was allowed there with a mask. There must have been neatly a hundred mask less people sitting there happy as clams, ourselves included. We walk down to the hairpin with maybe fifty laps to go. We had gotten all three shot so we didn't worry much.

Can't wait to tell my buds that they have opened up access. Thanks for the info. Regrettably it is the only race I am able to attend.
 

Spectator

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273034035_5087634431246603_7970865998768538344_n.jpg


The Rolex24 was an instant classic. One of my fellow corner marshals was injured by a crash early in the race. I heard he was treated and released from the hospital with a lot of broken toes. TV said he was flagging the next day but he only returned to say hi to the crew on turn 6.
Helio Castroneves won overall, but the story of the day was two Porsches going door to door in the final laps, literally. I watched as they knocked each other around going into the horseshoe on the final lap then banged door to door, drag racing to my station at the dogleg. They made it through the infield and fought around to the bus stop where they hit again, and one of them spun in the grass.
 

Spectator

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Sebring was a blast for 4 long days. Saw a lot of cool cars, including this pair of Scuderia Cameron Glickenhaus machines.

276081643_5228004173876294_3858948301027902818_n.jpg
 

Spectator

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Jan 15, 2021
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Ferrari Days next month, April 9 at Daytona is open to the public for $20 you can tailgate all day in the infield, see a couple Ferrari Challenge North America Series races and former F1 Cliente cars, and filthy rich drivers in XX Programme possibly crashing an exotic Ferrari in hot lap sessions. Sweet V12 sounds up close.

Ferrari Racing Days: Daytona 2022 - Ferrari.com
 

Spectator

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I snapped this crappy phone pic today of a $2.6M car. Someday when people have their own rocket ships they will be copied from this design. Ferrari only made about 40 FXX cars, not many are Evo package. Man the 6.3L V12 engine sounded mean. 848hp + 187hp electric. Over 1800lbs of downforce.

278063699_5281221031887941_1399705153179602651_n.jpg
 

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