HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: tmkk@uiuc.edu (Khan)
Newsgroups: rec.autos
Subject: Re: removing bumper stickers
Date: 9 Sep 92 16:28:20 GMT
Organization: University of Illinois at Urbana


In article <1992Sep9.142521.25052@dsd.es.com> pmartz@dsd.es.com (Paul Martz) writes:
>
>To remove these bumper stickers, a friend of mine has suggested
>repeated scrubbings with Dawn dishwashing liquid. Does anyone else
>have any experience in this department? Care to share your methods and
>results? Thanks for any suggestions...

A good long soak in peanut oil (a good source of which is ordinary peanut
butter) does wonders for removing stubborn stickers of many different
types. I regularly use peanut oil to remove old label stickers from
videotapes and diskettes. I don't think it'll harm your car's paint (at
least, it will probably harm it less than those bumper stickers the
previous owner stuck onto the paint :-(
From: dlou@KRUSHER.UCSD.EDU (Dennis Lou)
Newsgroups: rec.autos
Subject: Re: An Engine Treatment that actually works!
Keywords: QX
Date: 10 Sep 92 02:16:09 GMT
Reply-To: dlou@ece.ucsd.edu
Organization: University of California, San Diego


In article <1992Sep10.004958.7874@worldbank.org>, paul@.worldbank.org (Paul Buehler) writes:
|> 	them from wear. I dumped this stuff into my 81 Citation when it would
|> 	not pass emissions and bingo, I was registered for another year! 
|> 

Reminds me of a 'toxic' truck I once experimented with.  The thing had
no compression, a blown head gasket, and quite a few other things wrong
with it (it was found dead on the highway).

I dumped in motor oil honey, 120wt gear oil and ring restorer into the
oil pan.  Then I popped in some ring restorer pellets into the spark plug
holes.  Then I dropped Aluma-Seal, radiator gunk, and sodium silicate
down the radiator.

It actually ran pretty good for about 10 minutes, then it smoked even
worse than it had before.

:-) :-)

Things like these really make me wonder about the practicality of yearly
inspections...


-- 
Dennis Lou             || "But Yossarian, what if everyone thought that way?"
dlou@ucsd.edu          || "Then I'd be crazy to think any other way!"
[backbone]!ucsd!dlou   |+====================================================
dlou@ucsd.BITNET       |Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak went to my high school.
Newsgroups: rec.autos
From: barry@geovision.gvc.com (Barry Comer)
Subject: Re: I HATE SHABBY MECHANICS (was: I HATE MY DODGE)
Organization: Not officially GeoVision Systems Inc., Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Distribution: na
Date: Fri, 4 Sep 1992 20:02:20 GMT

In <1992Sep3.170154.29233@swlvx2.msd.ray.com> hsd@swlrat.msd.ray.com (HERBERT DASILVA) writes:

>  The real problem is that all mechanics care about is your $$$$, and not
>  your happiness.  After all, if they don't do it right the first time,
>  you'll be back later to have it fixed again, and they get paid again!!
>  It really pisses me off that if you don't know what you want, you'll get
>  whatever they feel like giving you!!!  There is precious little
>  professionalism in the auto industry, so when you find a good mechanic or
>  a good dealership, it's important to tell the whole neighborhood, so they
>  get all the business, and the shabby shops get as little as possible!!


	Give me a MAJOR break!!!  I used to be a mechanic at a GM dealership for
	five years.  It really pisses me off everytime some one starts ragging 
	off about "ALL MECHANICS BEING SCUM".  I know it only takes a few to 
	wreck the image, but there are more honest mechanics out there than you 
	might think.  Think how long it takes to become a mechanic, all the 
	training and the work involved to keep up on the latest models.

	$0.02
	Barry

Newsgroups: rec.autos
From: khan@mrcnext.cso.uiuc.edu (Scott Coleman)
Subject: LIDAR Stealth
Organization: University of Illinois at Urbana
Date: Sat, 12 Sep 1992 17:09:37 GMT

I went back and read the LIDAR article in April's Car & Driver. According to 
their tests using an actual LIDAR gun, stealth is a practical defense against
LIDAR (although a LIDAR detector is virtually worthless due to the very narrow
beam put out by a LIDAR gun and the fact that it does not "scatter" like a 
RADAR beam, this making it undetectable over hills and/or around curves.

I'd like your comments on the following "stealth" scheme:

For the rear end of the car, a full width aftermarket "blackout" plastic cover
which would be made of that light pink IR absorbing plastic another poster
mentioned as being available from Edmund Scientific (I think I got that right).
If the license plate is not in-line with the taillight lenses, then a separate
cover for the license plate would also be fashioned from the same material.
Alternatively, the plastic taillight lenses could be removed, and small pieces 
of the IR absorbing plastic mounted inside, then the lenses reinstalled. Either
method would still allow visible light to be reflected for safety reasons, but
would (hopefully) absorb the IR from the LIDAR gun.

For the front, a standard bra with the cutouts for lights and license plate 
replaced with pieces of the IR absorbing plastic. Of course, chrome would be 
blacked out all over the vehicle, and it would be best if the vehicle were
painted black (but that's not always practical).

Opinions? How much does that IR absorbing plastic cost, anyway? What wavelength
of light does it absorb, and what wavelength does a LIDAR gun use?

--
Scott Coleman                                                    tmkk@uiuc.edu

Free Advice: It is inadvisable to read Bush's lips at an official banquet.
From: wesf@hpdmd48.boi.hp.com (Wes Fujii)
Newsgroups: rec.autos
Subject: SEARS fraud settlements
Date: 4 Sep 92 05:32:12 GMT
Organization: Hewlett Packard - Boise, ID

I read an article in today's paper talking about SEARS admitting
consumer fraud and will be reimbursing previous customers $50 in
a gift certificate if they are one of the affected ones.  

This covers services done between August 1, 1990 and January 31,
1992.  

I've had work done between those dates.  How do I know if I'm 
affected or not?

Wes Fujii

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
* Wes Fujii               *           JAPANESE BUSINESS MOTTO           *
* Boise, Idaho            *        You can buy anything you want        *
* wesf@hpdmd48.boi.hp.com *             with a lot of money             *
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Xref: sparky rec.autos:21761 rec.autos.tech:12433
From: mucit@cs.rochester.edu (Bulent Murtezaoglu)
Newsgroups: rec.autos,rec.autos.tech
Subject: buying advice needed (Toyota Celica)
Date: 10 Sep 92 03:03:21 GMT
Organization: Computer Science Department University of Rochester


I'm helping a friend decide whether to buy the following car:

'83 Toyota Celica GT, 
2nd engine with 49k Mi on it,
5 sp. manual,
working A/C,
cruise control,
slight (pulled) dent on left front fender, 
no evidence of other collision damage,
some rust on the body (upstate NY),
some problems with the front brakes (bent rotors probably) -- some shaking
can be felt on the steering wheel when braking at >75mph.
There doesn't seem to be any recently replaced parts other than rear shocks
(owner reported).

The price is $1400 firm.


I'll go inspect the car for this guy, what should I look for?  Any known
problem areas?  Could someone give me the compression figures for this
engine?

How user servicable are Celicas?  Mr reference point is 80-84 VW's, which
I find to be easy to service meaning that all the bolts etc. are reasonably 
accessible, the FI system is simple to understand, parts that would be a pain 
to replace don't fail :-).

All opinions and suggestions are welcome.

Thanks,

-Mucit
Newsgroups: rec.autos
From: dclayton@bmerh801.bnr.ca (Don Clayton)
Subject: Re: HONDA CIVIC BASHING C
Organization: Bell Northern Research, Ottawa, Canada
Date: Mon, 7 Sep 1992 15:22:24 GMT

In article <9849.74.uupcb@cutting.hou.tx.us> erich.lim@cutting.hou.tx.us (Erich Lim)  writes:
>-> |> the Integra, I saw the price at the dealer and of course Integra's
>-> don't |> come standard with A/C. so that costs another $1000.  That
>-> really |> sucks!!
>->
>-> Actually, both the Integra GS and GSR come standard with Air, only
>-> the LS
>
>
>  No, the Integras do not come factory standard with air.  I have an
>Integra GS and no Integra's come standard with air.  It is a dealer
>installed option and ranges from $895 to $1495, depending on where you
>live.  Don't ask me why Honda doesn't put  air in as a standard, pretty
>stupid pating $18,000 for a car and it doesn't come with standard air!!
>
>
>Erich Lim
>                          

Yes THEY DO, in Canada.

Does everyone understand now???

Don
My brain, my thoughts, my words.
If I had a million dollars, I'd buy you a K-car (a nice reliant automobile),
If I had a million dollars, I'd buy you a fur coat
  (but not a real fur coat, that's cruel),
If I had a million dollars, we wouldn't have to eat Kraft Dinner
  (but we would eat Kraft Dinner), of course we would, we'd just eat more. - BNL
Newsgroups: rec.autos
From: mark@wdcwdc.sps.mot.com (Mark Shaw)
Subject: Re:    Fog out of A/C Ducts
Organization: Motorola Western MCU Design Center, Chandler Arizona
Date: Wed, 9 Sep 1992 20:26:32 GMT

|> The Air Conditioning ducts on my Infiniti G20 blow a white, mist-like fog
|> when the air has been on for a while.  No odor.  The flow seems inter-
|> mittent, as if a result of the compressor cycling on/off.  Any ideas
|> on what's going on? 

Sounds like good ole fog.  Check to see what the humidity was that day.  If you live in
Chicago, it was probably near saturation and the cold air from the A/C (particularily
right after the compressor cycles ON) is condensing out the moisture.  It should also be
aggravated by using outside air instead of recirculation of air.  

Freon is normally invisible.  Besides, if you could see it that well, you would be losing
it so fast that the A/C wouldn't even work!   This same fogging phenomenon occurs on
aircraft, as well.  Really freaks out some people who think the plane is on fire.

Ever think of moving to a drier climate :-)

regards, Mark         (mark@wdc.sps.mot.com)     Tempe, AZ
From: johnn@eskimo.celestial.com (John Navitsky)
Newsgroups: rec.autos
Subject: Re: RainX and RX-7 questions
Date: 11 Sep 92 21:46:14 GMT
Organization: =>ESKIMO NORTH (206) 367-3837 SEATTLE, WA.<=

In article <tewheele.716150141@vincent2.iastate.edu> tewheele@iastate.edu (Todd E Wheeler) writes:

[...]

>I don't know about RainX anti-foggers for the inside, but RainX works on the
>outside of the windows.  I like it most of the time...

Yes, outside doesn't seem to be a problem, it's the inside stuff that is a
problem.

>As for the RX-7... check the September?? issue of Motor Trend magazine for
>their bang for the buck contest... the RX-7 beat the pants off of all the
>other contestants.  I think it won like 6 out of 8 competition fields (or
>something like that).  It seems to be quite the performance beast!!
>
>Todd
>tewheele@iastate.edu

Yes, I read the article.  I would like to find somewhere where I could find
_more_ info for the beast.  Maybe a review or such.  

john

-- 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  John Navitsky                        e-mail   johnn@eskimo.celestial.com
                                               johnn@locke.hs.washington.ed
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: sjs@torque.bae.bellcore.com (Stephen Szymanski)
Subject: Re: Anybody into 64-73 musclecars?
Reply-To: ricks@berkeley.edu
Organization: Bell Communications Research
Distribution: rec
Date: Fri, 11 Sep 92 17:42:09 GMT

Thought I might get into the fray!  :^)

I've owned a 1970 AMC Javelin 360 for over 10 years now.  Bought
the car for $200 and yes it was a basket case.  Then again I
promptly raced it at Raceway Park, Englishtown NJ and it ran
a 15.6.  On 5 pistons!  3 pistons had cracked rings!

Over the years the car was raced off and on, for two seasons almost
weekly.  The last time I raced it was about 3 years ago.  I had
a full race cam, Torker manifold, 750 dbl-pumper full mech Holley
on it and to boot, a Ford 9" with 4.56 gears in it.  I only made
two passes with on the first night out.  It ran 14.01 without
any kind of tuning for this setup.  Then I just never got the
time to run again.

Since then, I ripped all the speed stuff off, and have brought the
car back to pretty much original.  Stock manifold, 390 cam, stock
3.54 AMC posi and stock rims.  It is sooooo nice not the be polishing
chrome all the time anymore!  :^)  Just hose the dirt off!

The car stands out since there are so few of them around here.
It has the RamAir package (working) on it and the GoPackage which 
gives it the heavier sway bars and disc brakes as well as 
heavy-duty cooling.

The car is quite clean so I always
get looks and good comments on the car at car shows.

Then of course there are those people who never heard of Javelins or
AMX's and can't figure out at all who makes the car.   :^>


******************************************************************************

Disclaimer:

The opinions expressed herein are solely my own and are not shared by Bellcore
nor any of its owner companies.

******************************************************************************

Steve Szymanski 
Bellcore 				RRC-1E222
444 Hoes Lane				(908)699-5026
Piscataway, NJ  08854			sjs@bae.bellcore.com
Newsgroups: rec.autos
From: rll@frieda.mitre.org (Roberto L. Landrau)
Subject: Re: GMs plan: New Credit Card (MC, then possibly VISA)
Organization: Research Computer Facility, MITRE Corporation, Bedford, MA
Date: Mon, 14 Sep 1992 11:43:34 GMT

In article <BuF1oJ.4Ju@news.cso.uiuc.edu> tmkk@uiuc.edu (Khan) writes:
>Think of it - either way, you'd be able to "do the impossible" and get $3500
>off the price of a Saturn! ;-)

This was my first reaction, too (where do I sign up?).  However, the
commercial specifically lists Chevy, Buick, Pontiac, Cadillac, GMC,
Oldsmobile, but no Saturn.
--
The opinions stated above are not necessarily my employer's.
----------------------------------------------------------------
Roberto L. Landrau    KC1YP    landrau@mitre.org  rll@linus.mitre.org
The MITRE Corporation  Bedford, MA 01730          rll@linus.UUCP
From: smorgan@Veritas.COM (Steve Morgan)
Newsgroups: rec.autos
Subject: DeLorean Motor Cars
Keywords: DeLorean classic investment
Date: 13 Sep 92 13:02:01 GMT
Distribution: usa
Organization: VERITAS Software

I've recently become interested in purchasing a DeLorean, partly for fun and
partly as a potential investment. I don't know whether this is the appropriate
news group for a discussion of this nature. If it isn't, would someone please
point me in the right direction?

What are the pitfalls of owning a DeLorean? Why are they relatively inexpen-
sive compared to other classic cars? (I think I can get a very nice one for
$13-15K.) What can anyone tell me about their repair record? How hard is it
to get parts, repair manuals, parts manuals, owner's manuals, etc.?

How many DeLoreans were manufactured? Were there substantially different models?
Someone mentioned a GT model. Someone else told me that not all DeLoreans have
stainless steel bodies (i.e., some are painted). And still someone else made a
remark that would suggest that some DeLoreans do not have gull-wing doors.
Obviously, I don't have any idea whether any of the above are true, nor even
how I might find out the answers to these questions, nor which questions that
I haven't even thought of but that I should find out the answers to.

Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks,

- Steve Morgan -
-- 
Steve Morgan 			ARPAnet:  veritas!smorgan@apple.com
smorgan@veritas.com		UUCPnet:  {apple,pyramid}!veritas!smorgan
Newsgroups: rec.autos
From: harling@pictel.com (Dan Harling)
Subject: Re: Passive or Attack Belts
Organization: PictureTel Corporation
Distribution: na
Date: Wed, 9 Sep 1992 18:06:04 GMT

In article <1992Sep8.160646@krusher.UCSD.Edu> dlou@ece.ucsd.edu writes:
>
>In article <1992Sep8.221240.17297@viewlogic.com>, brad@buck.viewlogic.com (Bradford Kellogg) writes:
>|> 
>|> In article <1992Sep8.150708.17048@pmafire.inel.gov>, russ@pmafire.inel.gov (Russ Brown) writes:
>|> |> 2. Is there any trend in the direction of eliminating them?
>|> |> 
>|> Unfortunately, no.
>|> 
>
>Here's a simple solution: Just have 20/20 or 60 minutes to a segment on it!
>
>Unfortunately, they'd probably praise them rather than comdemn them.

Not if you suggest it in the form of a conspiracy theory.  You know,
like the one about how the auto manufacturers lobby for "retirement
incentives" for old cars in the name of Environmentalism (e.g., getting
rid of old cars is the same as getting rid of *polluting* cars), but
the ulterior motive is to promote the sale of new cars as replacements,
like they did in the early 30's.

Oops, there I go making waves again...  :-)
____________________________________________________________________________
Daniel A. Harling                        (harling@pictel.com)
PictureTel Corp.             Opinions expressed are not necessarily those of
Peabody, MA  01960                 PictureTel, but they ought to be!
Newsgroups: rec.autos
From: jnielsen@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu (John F Nielsen)
Subject: Re: Hyndai Excel
Organization: The Ohio State University
Date: Tue, 15 Sep 1992 14:48:32 GMT

>Actually, I read that phrase too, but it was for the Yugo.  Perhaps you
>should check to see that the pages in your "Consumer Reports" book doesn't
>jump from "H" to "Y".  I don't have the book in front of me or else I
>could quote you more.  In some catagories, the Excel of that year was rated
>higher than the Civic, but overall Honda came out ahead.
>But just in case these hearsay arguments are unconvincing, I should point
>out that the Excel was either the third or fifth largest selling import
>in that class in the late 80s.  Now it's not a Rolls Royce I'll grant you,
>bet generally an "unreliable" car doesn't do so well in sales.

Just got back from the library, here is what I found:

May 1990 CU, pg. 365

"If you drive this car without knowing how inexpensive it is, you'd
still say it was cheap." <-- that was the quote I was refering to.

More quotes:

"The Excel is still years behind the state of the art for small cars.
Ride and acceleration needs to improve  , as does bumper protection.
Reliability remains a far cry from that of the best Japanese."

In case you think they changed their minds recently:

1992 CU buying guide:
"Hyundai technology is still lagging and reliability is still a
problem." Looking at the trouble index -- it gets a nice big black
mark(worst possible).

Now, go ahead find those quotes, I  am *really* interested in reading
them. Are you still sure you read the correct car?

Also, check to make sure you had in fact read Consumer Reports, there
are other companies that do ratings, but none of them have the same
non-attribution policy CU has.

Oh and in case you still think I read about the Yugo, from the 1988
issue of CU this is what they said:

"The Yugo is the cheapest car on the market. Unfortunately, it is one
of the  worst cars CU has ever tested."

And, for those of you who seem to think CU downplays the value of
German cars browsing through the magazines, they seemed to like them
a lot(BWM 535i had impressive handeling and braking, and in general
was a good a car as a Lexus with different virtues.)

john






































-- 
-------------------------------------------------------------------
John Nielsen   MAGNUS Consultant            ______   ______   __  __	
"I can't compete with you physically,      /\  __ \ /\  ___\ /\ \/\ \
and you're no match for my brains."   	   \ \ \/\ \\ \___  \\ \ \_\ \
From: quan@hpcc01.corp.hp.com (Suu Quan)
Date: Thu, 10 Sep 1992 20:21:29 GMT
Subject: Re: Fred Puhn (Was: front disc brake question)
Organization: the HP Corporate notes server
Newsgroups: rec.autos

Thanks to all who responded here or privately.

You've convinced me to "do it myself". I went to a friend, ask him to show
me how once, and did the other.

I did buy : $24.00 worth of brake pads
	     $4.00 worth of a T40 special wrench head

So I saved $57 + tax. My brakes are working fine, except for the squeaks
they make, now when I press on the pedal.
Xref: sparky rec.autos:22029 rec.autos.tech:12615
From: rodder@ccwf.cc.utexas.edu (Jon D. Rodder)
Newsgroups: rec.autos,rec.autos.tech
Subject: Re: Unsafe Safety Belts - CBS 'Street Stories' Report
Date: 14 Sep 92 17:15:16 GMT
Followup-To: rec.autos
Distribution: usa
Organization: The University of Texas at Austin, Austin TX

In article <1992Sep11.202427.3767@iscnvx.lmsc.lockheed.com> sharen@iscnvx.lmsc.lockheed.com (Sharen A. Rund) writes:
>
>better yet - all cars should come equipped with seat belts like
>the racers and pilots (even cabin attendents) use - they come up
>over both shoulders and buckle higher up on the chest
>
Buckle on the chest?  All of the race harnesses I've seen belt in the LAP,
with the lap belt running accross the lap, instead of across the abdomen
where most stock belts like to run.  I imagine the biggest reason cars
don't come with real belts in convenience...  I have a diest 4-point
harness in my Camaro, and I really don't enjoy the extra effort it takes
to buckle it compared to street belts....  it gets really tedious when
you make a lot of short trips. But I understand the importance of
good belts and put up with its tediousness--do yyou think Joe Driver
would be as tolerant?



-- 
Jon D. Rodder
rodder@ccwf.cc.utexas.edu

67 Camaro RS - 350/4spd
79 Rx-7 - 12A/Holley 4bbl
89 Jeep Wrangler - 258/PIECE OF JUNK!
From: johns@trident.datasys.swri.edu (Stephen Johns)
Newsgroups: rec.autos
Subject: Re: ANGLED LINES YIELDING SMALLER SPACES???
Date: 9 Sep 92 18:57:29 GMT
Organization: Southwest Research Institute, San Antonio

In article <basiji.716053503@milton> basiji@milton.u.washington.edu (David Basiji) writes:
>beuf@wpi.WPI.EDU (Richard J Fuller) writes:
>
>It's more obvious if you take it to an extreme...angle the spaces
>from the 70 degrees or so that you drew here to 10 degrees or so.
>The spaces most definitely do get narrower.

We are making two completely different assumptions here.  If you say the
width of a slanted space is 4 feet, the 4 feet is the length of the line
which is perpendicular between the parallel lines.  The four feet is NOT the
width between the "starting points" of the parallel lines.

___________  <-- Arbitray intersecting line, NOT 4'
\          \
 \          \
  \      ____\  <-- pretend its perpendicular.
   \------    \     it is 4'
    \          \


-- 
Stephen Johns, Research Analyst
Southwest Research Institute, SA, TX 78228 (512) 522-5751
Newsgroups: rec.autos
From: eliot@stalfos.engr.washington.edu (eliot)
Subject: Re: Winter tires VS All-season
Organization: clearer than blir
Date: Mon, 14 Sep 1992 19:12:30 GMT

In article <9209141818.AA11600@ucbvax.Berkeley.EDU> lcheng@WATSON.IBM.COM writes:
>Recently, <eliot@lanmola.engr.washington.edu> and others wrote about
>the thrills of winter driving with an AWD Eagle Talon.

Your attribution is incorrect.  I did not write about the thrills of
winter driving.  If anything, I was also encouraging prudence and
saying basically the same thing as you are below.

>ABS does not guarantee shorter stops in the snow.  

[etc etc]

>Look, having 4 snow tires with an AWD car in the snow is a lot of fun
>but one shouldn't be seduced by the extra traction.  Prudence, as
>always, is a must.


eliot
From: asberry@hpcc01.corp.hp.com (Kevin Asberry)
Date: Fri, 4 Sep 1992 10:32:26 GMT
Subject: Re: Re: QUESTIONS ON HONDA CRX (the Del Sol is here!)
Organization: the HP Corporate notes server
Newsgroups: rec.autos

  My sister-in-law has had her Del Sol Si for a few weeks now (leased).  The
only problem is, the dealership in our area was asking just over 20 grand!
A bit out of line, considering it's the direct replacement/makeover for the
CRX.
  Oh well, my next car buying adventure won't be for another few years, when
my wife's new car is paid off.  I'm driving her '85 Civic wagon, since my '89
Mustang GT went back to Ford with with terminal engine problems.

Newsgroups: rec.autos