HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: sylveste@ecs.umass.edu
Newsgroups: rec.autos
Subject: NOT "unintended acceleration" was cruise control
Date: 23 Nov 92 18:45:46 GMT
Distribution: usa

In article <1992Nov18.035658.14660@EE.Stanford.EDU>, sahul@loading-zone.Stanford.EDU (Zakir H. Sahul) writes:
> In article <1992Nov18.001539.17655@rchland.ibm.com>, essbaum@rchland.vnet.ibm.com (Alexander Essbaum) writes:
> |> |> stsshol@st.unocal.COM (Herb Lam) writes:
> |> |> > 
> |> |> > I have a '91 Mazda 626 with manual transmission along with cruise
> |> |> > control.  I have only tried the cruise control to see how it operates
> |> |> > but don't use it because I usually drive in fairly heavy traffic.
> |> 
> |> what if you change gears without touching the clutch (probably tricky if
> |> you're letting the cruise control do the gas)?  what about pulling the
> |> tranny into neutral while at speed?  will the engine rev maddly trying
> |> to maintain speed?
> |> 
> 
> My guess is that the cruise is killed if the driver does anything with the
> brake pedal, the clutch, or the transmission.  After all, with electronic
> control, this is not terribly difficult.  All the switches, pedals and
> sensors send events to the ECU which prioritizes and processes them.
> 
> If the engine control program is event driven (interrupts!), then each of the
> driver actions will be taken care of immediately.  Or if the program polls for
> events every now and then, then the driver actions will be taken care of in a few 
> milliseconds (on the order of 10ms).  Either way, a lot of smarts are built
> into the program to avoid destructive conditions.  
> 
> One has to be careful that a positive feedback mechanism does not exist in the
> code.  Also, safeguards such as putting a top limit on the amount of fuel
> that is ever injected, keeping engine rpm below a certain threshold, etc, etc.
> are used.
> 
> Neglect these things and .... you hear about the infamous "sudden acceleration"
> (Audi) and a few others - clearly cases of "those bugs are really features". 
> 


 Audi's imfamous "unintended acceleration" had nothing to do with bugs in 
the program or defects.  This phenomenon was found by the U.S. government
to be due to driver error.  Or otherwise known as pedal misapplication.
Unfortunatly Audi got a bad rap because of foolish people who don't know
when their foot is on the brake and when it is on the gas.



                                           Mike Sylvester  Umass
                                           sylveste@ecs.umass.edu
Newsgroups: rec.autos
From: rjwade@rainbow.ecn.purdue.edu (Robert J. Wade)
Subject: Re: HOW TO AVOID HITTING THE WALL IN GARAGE
Keywords: garage
Organization: Purdue University Engineering Computer Network
Date: Thu, 19 Nov 1992 22:13:51 GMT

In article <19NOV199212543467@lmsbv2.tamu.edu> daniels@lmsbvx.tamu.edu writes:
>ehsan@attila.UUCP () writes...
>= 
>=hi, I am sure a lot of people have a similar problem. Where can one buy
>=blocks of cement/concrete so that we know how far to drive a car into
>=garage. similar to one found in parking lots?
>
>step 1: Park your car where you would like for it to normally reside.
like...uh..in the garage?
>
>step 2: Find a piece of string and a rubber ball (or just about any other 
>        small object). 
can i use a rabbits foot?
>
>step 3: Hang the ball from the ceiling so that it just touches the center 
>        of your windshield.
horizontal center or vertical center?
>
>Now, when you enter the garage with the car, STOP when the ball touches the 
>windshield!
or...stop before the front of your car hits the wall.
>

Newsgroups: rec.autos,rec.autos.driving
From: cka52397@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu (Slartibartfast)
Subject: Re: CONSUMER REPORTS
Organization: University of Illinois at Urbana
Date: Wed, 18 Nov 1992 02:35:04 GMT

In article <STXTNT.92Nov17175101@rs733.GSFC.NASA.Gov> stxtnt@rs733.GSFC.NASA.Gov (Nigel Tzeng) writes:
>In article <1992Nov16.003536.14593@leland.Stanford.EDU> tedebear@leland.Stanford.EDU (Theodore Chen) writes:
>
>[stuff deleted]
>
>>this isn't the first time you've attacked what you perceive to be
>
>There still isn't anything in the same class that is "american".
>Neither the Laser, Talon, or Probe vehicles are pure "american" and
>those are the leading US contenders against the Celica, Eclipse,
>Integra, Prelude, 240, MX-6 cars.  
>
>Praise the SC all you like but it sure doesn't drive anywhere close to
>the level of the above vehicles...and heck I got a 5% discount on the
>little buggers and still bought an Integra.  Should have bought
>another Eclipse but having so much trouble with the first one I'd have
>really been kicking myself if I had the same problems again.  It sure
>was a lot more fun to drive than my comparatively placid Integra.
>
>>   -teddy
>
>Nigel
>--

	It was never meant to.  It was meant to compete with cars such as
the Escort GT, Toyota Paseo, Mazda MX-3 and cars in the $10K - $15K sporty
coupe catagory.  It does very well against its intended competition, thank
you.  


-- 
"The Clergy Dazzle us with Heaven or they Damn us into Hell"  Billy Bragg!!!!!
IIIII  L    L    IIIII NNNNN IIIII   Chintan Amin c-amin1@uiuc.edu DEPT of E.E.
  I    L    L      I   N   N   I   RUSH	YES FLOYD METALLICA PEARLJAM REM PG
IIIII  LLLL LLLL IIIII N   N IIIII   GO TARHEELS  GO CAPITALS GO COWBOYS
From: Berger@cup.portal.com (Mark - Berger)
Newsgroups: rec.autos
Subject: Re: RFI:Thermal Breakdown of PTFE products.
Date: Sat, 21 Nov 92 21:51:12 PST
Organization: The Portal System (TM)
Distribution: usa

I cannot supply a reference, but I too read that there is concern about 
acid formation when Teflon engine additives are subjected to high temps.  I
believe that DuPont is not a big fan of this use of their material (PTFE)
and has prevented the Slick 50 folks from using the trade name Teflon.
From: tut@cairo.Eng.Sun.COM (Bill "Bill" Tuthill)
Newsgroups: rec.autos
Subject: Re: Dealer List/Cost-Max SE/XGE-Camry LE-Volvo Gl 4dr
Date: 20 Nov 1992 02:37:21 GMT
Organization: Sun Microsystems Inc., Mountain View, CA
Distribution: usa
NNTP-Posting-Host: cairo

tedebear@leland.Stanford.EDU (Theodore Chen) writes:
> 
> the [Volvo 850] GLT is intended to be a sporty sedan (well, as sporty
> as volvo can get).  it bases at $24,450 which is rather higher than
> the maxima and the camry.

Maybe, but by the time you add A/C, cruise control, perhaps V6 engine,
and especially ABS to the Camry, you're way over $20k.  All are standard
on the Volvo 850 (actually the engine is 5 cylinder).  I didn't look
closely at the Maxima because it has motorized seatbelts, but I believe
the situation is similar.  Also, neither Camry nor Maxima is available
with passenger-side airbag and side impact protection system.
From: aas7@po.CWRU.Edu (Andrew A. Spencer)
Newsgroups: rec.autos
Subject: Re: Hydrogen & NOx's (Was: Rotary vs Pist.)
Date: 22 Nov 1992 00:53:13 GMT
Organization: Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH (USA)
Reply-To: aas7@po.CWRU.Edu (Andrew A. Spencer)
NNTP-Posting-Host: slc5.ins.cwru.edu


In a previous article, greg@cherokee.NoSubdomain.NoDomain (Greg Moritz) says:

>ramiro@rrunner.NoSubdomain.NoDomain (Ramiro Reinoso) says:
>
>RR> ... I saw a display ... demonstrated that rotary engines are more 
>RR> suitablefor hydrogen fuel because  the combustion chamber section 
>RR> was not the same as the intake chamber section.  ...
>
>RR> And as far as emissions, when you burn hydrogen you end up with
>RR> water vapor (very environmentally friendly).
>    ^^^^^^^^^^^
>aas7@po.CWRU.Edu (Andrew A. Spencer) responded:
>
>AS> ... with some various complications...it sounds great..but..you have 
>AS> to inject water into the combustion chamber in order to keep certain 
>AS> nasties like nitrogen(NOx's) mostly from also deciding to steal some 
>AS> of the H's O's...  it sounds realy great..but..not only would we have 
>AS> to come up with tanks practicle for a car to carry H..but also tote 
>AS> around water  ...
>
>... but mwp@iconix.oz.au (Michael Paddon) added:
>
>MP> The resulting water would be vapour at exhaust temperatures; 
>                  ^^^^^          ^^^^^^
>MP> ie. no we wouldn't have to "tote" it around.
>
>... and aas7@po.CWRU.Edu (Andrew A. Spencer) corrected:
>
>AS> you didn't read what i wrote, did you? like i said, you have to inject 
>AS> water into a H powered IC motor to get H2O out, otherwise you will get 
>AS> some nasty undesirable other byproducts.  ...
>
>I think that there is a misconception as to where the NOx emissions come
>from.  The makeup of the air around us is about 80% Nitrogen and 20%
>Oxygen (approximately).  Since that N2 gets into the combustion chamber
>and is heated up, it gets to participate in the chemical reaction with
>the Gasoline, Hydrogen, Methanol, Natural Gas, or whatever you are using
>as fuel.  
>
>I believe that this misconception arises from the NASA rockets that burn
>Hydrogen that is mixed with *pure* Oxygen.  Those do indeed give off pure
>water vapour ( which is then dumped into the atmosphere at high 
>temperature which then probably reacts with the air ... ).
>
>Do you know how the injected water prevents NOx's from forming?  
>Couldn't an H2 powered car use a Cat-converter?
>
no, i am not sure, they just said that it worked(either that, or i fell
asleep just before they mentioned it :-) but my guess would fall among the
lowering of temperature..but i am not for certain. they just said that
this is what finally worked.  in other words, no, it is not a hard and 
fast fact nor a rule, but the point being that H powered vehicles with
IC motors simply are not as wonderful as they sound, and do have certain
complications, emmisions still being one of them, since nothing is perfect.
DREW
-- 
??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
?????????????????????????????????-----whatever!
From: luiland@meaddata.com (Yum Ting Lui)
Newsgroups: rec.autos
Subject: How to wash the underside of a car?
Date: 20 Nov 1992 22:03:19 GMT
Organization: Mead Data Central, Dayton OH
Distribution: na
NNTP-Posting-Host: hercules.meaddata.com

I spray the underside of my car blindly with a garden hose, is there a
better way to do it?

Thanks,
Lui.
--

Yum Ting Lui                                  Source Packaging Systems
Mead Data Central                                 luiland@meaddata.com
(513) 865-6800 X4387                        ...!uunet!meaddata!luiland
From: leonglaw@hpsgm2.sgp.hp.com (Lawrence LEONG)
Date: Mon, 23 Nov 1992 10:45:25 GMT
Subject: Re: Mech ABS retrofit (ABS-TRAX)
Organization: HP Singapore
Newsgroups: rec.autos

In rec.autos, rkast2+@pitt.edu (Rajiv K Agrawala) writes:

| In article <53060095@hpsgm2.sgp.hp.com> leonglaw@hpsgm2.sgp.hp.com (Lawrence LEONG) writes:
| >I've just seen a mechanical ABS retrofit.  Its called "ABS-TRAX" and is
| >supposed to be derived from aircraft systems.  Have you heard of it, and if
| >so, any data-points or anecdotes?
| >
| >The system consists of a small pressurised chamber which fastens (one per 
| >brake circuit) onto the master cylinder output, somewhat like a reserviour.
|
| [other stuff deleted]
|
| Forgive my stupidity, but, would it be a fair guess that "one per brake circuit" means you have to buy two systems if your car has two brake circuits?
| -- 
| /==================================================\
| | Rajiv K. Agrawala      rkast2@unixd.cis.pitt.edu |
| | Undergraduate Mech. Engrg., Univ. of Pittsburgh  |
| \==================================================/

Sorry if i didn't clarify.  One set is 2 gadgets, presumably for dual
circuits.  I guess European cars get 4.  Not sure about American cars though.

lawrence

Xref: sparky rec.autos:27746 alt.autos.rod-n-custom:180
From: sharen@iscnvx.lmsc.lockheed.com (Sharen A. Rund)
Newsgroups: rec.autos,hotrod@dixie.com,alt.autos.rod-n-custom
Subject: Re: Who's gotta l Low Rider?
Date: 23 Nov 92 23:03:16 GMT
Organization: Lockheed Missiles and Space Co.

Received: from PSUVM.PSU.EDU by PSUVM.PSU.EDU (IBM VM SMTP V2R2)
	with BSMTP id 9322; Mon, 23 Nov 92 09:50:10 EST
	Received: by PSUVM (Mailer R2.08) id 6528; Mon, 23 Nov 92 09:50:09 EST

Hi|

I got a real lowrider, the kind that cheech and chong drive around in its a
78 buick electra 225 limited . its black lacquer with red leather interior,
and has those fancy little red balls hanging all around the ceiling, and a 
big ole coon tail in mirror, it sits about 5 inches off the groung, very slick.



-- 
________________       __        ________________   "They that can give up
\_________      \     /_ \      /      _________/  essential liberty to 
 \_________      \_____/  \____/      _________/  obtain temporary safety
  \___________________      __________________/  deserve neither liberty 
                     /______\                   nor safety."  
ALL disclaimers apply ....                           --Benjamin Franklin
	  
Newsgroups: rec.autos
From: mzimmers@netcom.com (Michael Zimmers)
Subject: Re: Survey impartiality (was Re: Profits to Japan?)
Organization: Netcom - Online Communication Services  (408 241-9760 guest) 
Date: Mon, 23 Nov 1992 15:55:41 GMT

In article <1992Nov15.214038.4134@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu> jnielsen@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu (John F Nielsen) writes:

>Most people who are against the ratings do not realize that
>some American cars receive high marks while there are some 
>Japanese cars that receive low marks. And, isn't it just possible
>that the Japanese cars have been more reliable than the American?

I've been following this thread for a few posts now.  Two thoughts:

1. One facet of impartiality is performance vs. expectation.  R&T did
a piece on this several years ago, focused on their own owners' 
surveys.  The jist was that, with a few exceptions, owners' expectations
were based on consistent criteria, and that the "better" cars were
owned by people with higher standards.  No surprises there, but it
shoots a big hole through a claim that cars that are consistently
rated higher are getting softer reviews.

This is consistent with common sense, too.  People who are recent
Japanese car buyers are likely to have converted because of what
they've been hearing about Japanese quality.  No way are these
people going to be soft (expect for those whose standards have been
flattened from years of buying and driving American junk).  People
who are repeat Japanese buyers are going to expect at least as much
as they got from their earlier cars, and the fact that they're
repeat buyers suggests that their first experiences must have been OK.

2. Another aspect of impartiality (or lack thereof) has been hinted at,
that somehow certain owners want their cars to do better or worse in
the surveys.  I don't buy it.  Looking better, maybe, but why would
anyone deliberately downgrade their buyers reports?  You're sending
the wrong signals to the maker, you're making your car less saleable
on the used market, and you look like a doofus for buying it.

So, I see no reason to cheapen the results of these surveys.  You do
have to know what kind of car you want, and apply your criteria to
the choices available.  As a sports car enthusiast, for example, I'd
find the Honda Accord unacceptable.  Yet it's hard to imagine a car
with much more satisfied buyers.  Once you're talking apples to apples,
I'm inclined to put quite a bit of stock in the surveys.

-- 
Michael Zimmers                                    |  Home:  408 996 1984
SoftHelp                                           |  Work:  408 996 1965
Software Solutions for Open Systems                |  Data:  408 996 1974
From: leonglaw@hpsgm2.sgp.hp.com (Lawrence LEONG)
Date: Mon, 23 Nov 1992 10:34:24 GMT
Subject: Re: Ford kicked my ass in court
Organization: HP Singapore
Newsgroups: rec.autos

In rec.autos, jimf@centerline.com (Jim Frost) writes:

| andrew@frip.WV.TEK.COM (Andrew Klossner) writes:
| >When you write a letter of complaint to a big corporate entity, you're
| >a lot more likely to get an answer, and maybe some real action, if you
| >keep it short.  Don't tell your life story, don't berate the BCE for
| >not living up to their ads, don't use lots of flowery adjectives.
| >Spend one short paragraph describing the problem, one short paragraph
| >telling what remedy you want (just one remedy, don't give them multiple
| >choices), and send it off.  The BCE flunky that has to read these
| >things wants to get the gist of your message in thirty seconds.  If it
| >takes much longer than that, your letter will get shuffled to the
| >bottom of a tall pile of similar letters.
|
| >This note was 13,000 words long -- four pages in 10-point type.  It may
| >be awhile before anybody at Ford reads it.
|
| >(If you're writing a letter for the record before you go to court, that
| >of course is another matter.)
|
| This is only partially true.  If you find the name and address of
| several real live people in responsible positions -- particularly if
| one or more is the boss of the others -- and you send copies of the
| letter to all of them (indicating names in a Cc: at the bottom),
| you're likely to get a response.

I second this.  A mechanic at my local car distributor negligently broke some
parts during repair (dumb ass found that a safety catch prevented the sunroof
from being acciedntally removed.  Instead of releasing the catch, just used 
brute force and broke the catch).  Supervisor & service manager gave me a sob 
story of how little this guy earns, and that the cost of the part would be 
deducted from his pay etc and so I should just accept the loss.  2 letters and 
no solution.  Wrote to the same managing director, sales manager and copied
the service manager; immediate response within a week.  Part repaired, no 
charge, profuse apologies.  Try it.

good luck
lawrence

ps. the car was not a Ford.

Newsgroups: rec.autos
From: lnewman@nssdca.gsfc.nasa.gov (Leonard Newman)
Subject: Isuzu Rodeo
Organization: Goddard Space Flight Center
Date: Mon, 23 Nov 1992 18:29:00 GMT

I am interested in purchasing the Isuzu Rodeo, and was looking for 
input on it's cost, ride, engine power, reliability, any major trouble
if any.

Thanks in advance.
From: squigg@gssec.bt.co.uk (Stephen Quigg)
Newsgroups: rec.autos
Subject: Re: G20 vs. Altima, Fast vs. Slow
Date: 17 Nov 92 13:41:08 GMT
Organization: BT Glasgow Systems and Software Engineering Centre, Scotland.


-- 
In article <1992Nov16.181041.8764@kakwa.ucs.ualberta.ca>, fengxi@prancer.eche.ualberta.ca (Fengxi Zhou) writes:
|> shyguy@ocf.berkeley.edu (David S. Shy) writes:
|> 
|> : As far as I can tell, speedometers are not really a measure of how fast
|> : a car can go.  (but this is only from my own personal experience.)  As far
|> : as I know and from my firends experimentations, *most* cars can go faster
|> : than what the speedometers says... except our family's '84 volvo... it
|> :
|> Well, the speedo on my 92 civic sedan says it can "possibly" reach 240kph 
|> (150mph?).  But I think I really need a pair of afterburners to do that. 

Its more the case in Europe that because the speedo is so badly calibrated , you
can get the speedo right round ....

I drive a Vauxhall(GM) Astra 1.3 ..... GM says it can go at 106mph ...
.....coming down the motorway one night , I got the speedo to say 117mph!!!!

Most people here think that means their 80bhp car CAN go that fast , and brag
about it constantly ...

What people were saying about civics being unsafe at 90mph : I used to drive one
every few weeks at more than that speed sometimes ,and it was always completely
composed ,but then they probably fit stiffer dampers for us Europeans ,what with
our different handling tastes etc ...!

Stephen Quigg
squigg@gssec.bt.co.uk 
British Telecom , GSSEC , Glasgow
(Nothing in any of my mail represents my Employer in any way)
From: mchaffee@ux4.cso.uiuc.edu (REAL LIFE?!?!  HA!!)
Newsgroups: rec.autos
Subject: Re: Stick VS Auto.
Date: 22 Nov 92 17:53:48 GMT
Article-I.D.: news.By4ppp.Muv
Organization: University of Illinois at Urbana

rambler@pnet51.orb.mn.org (Dan Meyer) writes:

>No engine braking when driving an automatic? There is a lever that will
>select a lower gear ( similar to the one on a manual transmission ) 
>that you can pull down into a lower gear. 

Yes, but with wear to the transmission; it's not designed to be manual-shifted
for the purpose of engine-braking, and doing so will increase wear.

>One big difference is that you cannot accidently grab low gear at 80 mph
>and grenade your engine!!!

Any driver with half a brain would realize he was trying to grab low at 80
on a manual.  Come on!  The amount of effort you would need to get the thing
past the first-gear synchro would be astronomical.  And at 80mph, I think you
would probably centrifuge the clutch disc into pieces long before you even let
the clutch out.
===
Michael T. Chaffee        |******BOYCOTT COLORADO******|  ______    
mchaffee@ux4.cso.uiuc.edu | Professional Slapthologist |  \    /     HATE
Member, Universal Life Church, Sect of Loons           |   \  /  can never be
Annoyance Theatre Platinum Member |     Evil Genius    |    \/  a FAMILY VALUE
From: c23st@kocrsv01.delcoelect.com (Spiros Triantafyllopoulos)
Newsgroups: rec.autos
Subject: Re: Question about buying American?
Date: 18 Nov 92 21:27:07 GMT
Article-I.D.: kocrsv01.1992Nov18.212707.3472
Organization: Delco Electronics Corp.

In article <BxxI2D.32A@news.cso.uiuc.edu> djm48887@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu (Dan Moisson) writes:
>I have a question about buying American cars.  I am sure if we all
>could find the perfect vehicle for us that was produced by
>an American car manufacturer, we would.  Like, helping our
>country out if possible.  Therefore, knowing the situation
>with the Diamond Star and other "joint" ventures, is there
>any advantage to the good ole' U.S. to buy say a Plymouth Laser
>over a Mitsubishi Elcipse?  Or Stealth vs. 3000GT?  ie, would it
>help the US more by buying a US name plate??

No need to worry. 

If the purchase of import, transplant, or twin (i.e. above) cars is
accompanied by the purchase and installation of a 3x5 inch
self-adhesive USA flag in the rear window, preferrably over the
defogger, the consumer has nothing to worry about :-)

(explanation: just about every Accord I see in Indy has this;
many Camrys, and the occasional landcruiser; never on Mazdas
or Nissans...)

Spiros
-- 
Spiros Triantafyllopoulos                    c23st@kocrsv01.delcoelect.com
Software Technology, Delco Electronics       (317) 451-0815
GM Hughes Electronics, Kokomo, IN 46904      [A Different Kind of Disclaimer]