HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: sks@cs.scarolina.edu (Shawn Sremaniak)
Subject: Re: Worst Car Award
Organization: USC  Department of Computer Science
Date: 25 Jan 93 17:52:30 GMT

rjwade@rainbow.ecn.purdue.edu (Robert J. Wade) writes:

>seatbelts and no airbag....windows didn't seal right on both cars i drove...
>of course...i never expect them too on cars where the window has no frame to
>go in...just rubber.

I never expected windows w/ no frame to completely seal either, until i
drove in a BMW 3 series coupe (318is). They have a neat little feature:
When opening the door, the power-window automatically goes down about
3/4 of an inch, and after shutting the door again it goes back up and
tightly seals... Its almost not noticeable and is very effective...

My worst car award goes to the Olds Achiva. Reasons: Exteriour styling
(looks like bad modern art); interiour styling (how can someone sane
design this kinda stuff?); and, of course the crash test results come to
mind...

============================================================================
Shawn SreMANIAK                                 sks@usceast.cs.scarolina.edu
          (no need for further comments,- my name says it all)
============================================================================
--
============================================================================
Shawn SreMANIAK                                 sks@usceast.cs.scarolina.edu
          (no need for further comments,- my name says it all)
============================================================================
From: grahamt@phantom.gatech.edu (Graham E. Thomas)
Newsgroups: rec.autos
Subject: Car Adds: Vauxhall
Date: 28 Jan 1993 10:48:05 -0500
Organization: Georgia Institute of Technology
NNTP-Posting-Host: oit.gatech.edu

I saw a nifty Vauxhall add a couple of years ago which had a
Vauxhall Cavalier doing high speed maneuvers and stunts on the
roof of a sky scraper. Power sliding to the edge of the roof
was really cool...

-- 
Graham E. Thomas
Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta Georgia, 30332
uucp:	  ...!{decvax,hplabs,ncar,purdue,rutgers}!gatech!prism!grahamt
Internet: grahamt@oit.gatech.edu
Newsgroups: rec.autos
From: michaet@hubcap.clemson.edu (michael dale townsend)
Subject: Re: Dodge Omni 89
Organization: Clemson University
Date: Tue, 26 Jan 1993 14:03:51 GMT

shaikh@ee470.ee.mcgill.ca (SHAIKH/AMIR/MR) writes:

>I was wondering...it's rumored that the Dodge Omni series has
>starting trouble in winter...is this true???

>It is also said that the 89 model of this doesn't have starting troubles...
>can anybody confirm this??

>late,r
>Amir
>shaikh@pooky.ee.mcgil.ca

One more data point:
My mom has an 89 Dodge Omni.  She has never complained about starting
troubles, even in Winter.  However, she lives in South Carolina (near
the coast), where it
gets below freezing about 20 days out of the year at most.  The car is
fuel injected, and she keep it in a carport with the front and left side
of the car protected from wind.  I don't know if that is completely
relevant or not, but I figured I'd tell you everything and let you draw
your own conclusions.  It does burn a little bit of oil, though.
Michael Townsend
michaet@hubcap.clemson.edu

Newsgroups: rec.autos,rec.autos.tech
From: bqueiser@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu (Brian J Queiser)
Subject: Taurus Technical Talk
Organization: The Ohio State University
Distribution: usa
Date: Mon, 25 Jan 1993 19:14:18 GMT

Hey!  Does anyone out there get Taurus Technical Talk, a monthly
publication out of Dallas?  They advertise in the back of C/D or
AW (I can't remember which).  I sent for their free pamphlet, which
describes what they're about, but I was wondering if they'd really
be worth the $29 they're askin' for a year's subscription.  You
know, is it a page in length with a bunch of TSBs, or is it a magazine
filled with tons of info?

Anyone?  Anyone?

Regards,

Brian

bqueiser@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu
------------------------------------------------------------------------
I am the engineer, I can choose K.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Department of Engineering Mechanics
Ohio State University
Columbus, OH
From: pebi@aem.umn.edu (Peter A. Bidian)
Newsgroups: rec.autos
Subject: Re: What is a Volvo 265 GL?
Date: 27 Jan 93 23:15:09 GMT
Distribution: na
Organization: University of Minnesota

rdb1@cbnewsj.cb.att.com (ronald.j.deblock..jr) writes:

>I saw a Volvo 265 GL wagon with a "For Sale" sign yesterday.  It looks like
>an old 240.  What is the difference between a 265 and a 240?

If I remember well the 26x were more upscale. I am not sure though if
the 6 refers to 6 cylinder motors and the 4 to 4 cylinder motors.

Peter
Newsgroups: rec.autos
From: sharen@iscnvx.lmsc.lockheed.com (Sharen A. Rund)
Subject: Re: elderly drivers
Organization: Lockheed Missiles and Space Co.
Date: Tue, 26 Jan 93 21:29:37 GMT

In article <1993Jan26.134714.1@mscf.med.upenn.edu> byrd@mscf.med.upenn.edu writes:
>In article <1993Jan21.181555.19554@newsgate.sps.mot.com>, mark@wdcwdc.sps.mot.com (Mark Shaw) writes:
>
>[some deleted]
>
>> What the general public needs to come to grips with is that making it possible for
>> an elderly driver to still drive to the grocery on their own is not really doing
>> them a service.  With the cost of owning a car going up each year, the real
>> solution should be to find ways to give the elderly the same mobility at a reduced
>> cost with more safety.
>> 
>> But as long as the public has this pre-occupation with driving a car as being some
>> sort of test of manhood or personal worth, I doubt if anything can be done to improve
>> the situation.
>
>Interestingly no one has brought up the possibility that it
>will get much worse, before it gets better, as baby boomers age.
 
it may or may not, because it seems that as baby boomers reach certain
ages, things that were not before are, for instance: audi's were always a
nice dependable car that you could walk into a dealership and work with the
salesman until you both agreed on a price that was fair to both - when's 
the last time audi sold their cars for less than show room price??; sweats 
were always pushed to the back of the store until they became a 'big' thing, 
now guess what's not only in prime sales places but also big money makers???; 
brie & smoked salmon was always something special for special occassions, 
guess what's become every day almost??? there aren't very many public benches
and resting places around for an elderly person or anyone, for that matter, to
stop & rest a while - I expect that as baby boomers start reaching the 
age they'll need to sit down, benches will start appearing....B-)


-- 
________________       __        ________________   "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: pacyga@rtsg.mot.com (Jim Pacyga)
Subject: Re: Politics of car buying
Organization: Motorola Inc., Cellular Infrastructure Group
Date: Mon, 25 Jan 1993 20:10:31 GMT

In regards to the post of Germany's car import percentages...

Is it not true that while the US has a rather small (close to insignifcant)
amount of imports, it is due to the fact that both GM and FORD have "large"
European design/manufacturing companies located in Europe?  Opel and Ford
of Europe come to mind...

Jim Pacyga

Organization: Junior, Architecture, Carnegie Mellon, Pittsburgh, PA
Newsgroups: rec.autos
Date: Sat, 23 Jan 1993 18:28:08 -0500 
From: "Jason M. Roth" <jr4q+@andrew.cmu.edu>
Subject: Re: Politics of car buying
	<1993Jan21.153901.29915@zia.aoc.nrao.edu>

Gustaaf writes:

>Well, I lived in Germany for seven years and I assure you, it is
certainly much more than the low teens; the lates figure I have is
around 20-25%. But this is beside the point anyway, my point was that in
a market like Germany the Japanese outsell the American made cars by at
least a factor 10 (I deliberately give a low estimate), where none of
the two receives any preferential treatment.

A factor of ten!? What is this, the New Math!? You're claiming that 2%
of all cars in Germany are American, while around a quarter are
Japanese. Of course, if you only count those designed, built, and
assembled in the US, perhaps this counts, but why would US makers bother
with their affiliates right there. If you include the European divisions
of US companies, the numbers will shift radically (as US #s would if
Ohio-assembled Hondas, Tennessee-assembled and Calif.-styled Toyotas,
etc. were called non-Japanese), and you'll find that cars tailored to
Europe, but still fundamentally American, are quite accepted in dem
Vaterland.

JMR
HSK

'93 SL2, blue-green
Newsgroups: rec.autos
From: rjwade@rainbow.ecn.purdue.edu (Robert J. Wade)
Subject: Re: LH warranty
Organization: Purdue University Engineering Computer Network
Date: Thu, 21 Jan 1993 18:53:38 GMT

In article <1993Jan21.161929.25559@lds.loral.com> mcculloc@sps203.lds.loral.com (Thad McCulloch) writes:
>I've decided to take the plunge and have placed an order for an Eagle Vision
>TSI.  The car should arrive in a couple of months.  My question involves the
>selection of the warranty period.  The Chrysler LH cars give the buyer the
>choice:  12/12 everything + 7/70 powertrain OR
>         36/36 everything
>
>Given that the LH cars are new and Chrysler being Chrysler, any 
>recommendations about what warranty selection might be the better bet?
>---------------
>Thad McCulloch
>mcculloc@lds.loral.com


i guess the answer depends on how long you *will* keep the car...if only 3-4
years i would go for the 3/36.  in fact..i think i would go for that no 
matter what since they give a choice they are confident that they won't 
be paying much out for 7/70 warranty work...so why not have the car 
repair-cost-free for everything for 3/36?  yep...i vote 3/36!
From: Harv@cup.portal.com (Harv R Laser)
Newsgroups: rec.autos
Subject: Re: >>> how do i get taurus' antenna down? <<<
Date: Fri, 22 Jan 93 10:42:32 PST
Organization: The Portal System (TM)

>i've just acquired a 1991 ford taurus, and have just realized something.
>i can't seem to get the <beep> antenna to go down!  the manual is of no
>help.  it only talks about the power antenna option, which i do not have.
>i've tried to push it down slightly, but it wouldn't yield, so i stopped
>in order to not bend it.  could it be that it just doesn't go down?!?  but
>i can't imagine why not ... how am i going to go through a car wash?  can
>someone out there please enlighten me?  thanks very much in advance.  this
>is very much appreciated.  posting or e-mail is fine with me.
>
>lancer
>dml7@cc.bellcore.com

If it's not a power antenna, and it's the stock 1-piece steel "whip"
style Taurus antenna, it does NOT go down. It'll go thru a car wash
just fine. It's a newer style anti-vandal antenna, you can bend it
quite a ways without doing it any harm, and it's very easy to
replace if you ever need do... just screws into the base. So go ahead
and run it thru the car wash.. won't hurt the antenna a bit.

Harv
From: kucharsk@solbourne.com (William Kucharski)
Newsgroups: rec.autos
Subject: Re: Before Buying Japanese.
Date: 21 Jan 1993 16:45:16 -0700
Organization: Solbourne Computer, Inc., Longmont, CO
Distribution: na
NNTP-Posting-Host: anthrax-fddi.solbourne.com

While reading article <1993Jan19.083408.4345@informix.com>, I noticed that
aland@informix.com (Colonel Panic) said the following:
 >Actually, that's not a bad example.  A recent CR rated the Probe GT and the
 >MX-6 LS in the same article.  As for repair ratings, they characterized the 
 >past years' models of the Probe as "worse than average" but of the MX-6 as 
 >"better than average".  Correct me if I'm wrong (I'm sure somebody will [-:),
 >but even in 1992 and previous, weren't they the SAME DAMN PLATFORM with the
 >EXACT SAME MOTORS?!?!

Let me start off by saying that my wife owns an 89 MX-6 and I an 89 Probe GT,
so I have some experience here, and that both cars have performed absolutely
flawlessly for the most part (yes, I'd buy either again.)

However, having said that, although the drive trains are similar, the cars
most certainly are not.  The bodies are entirely different and most of the
electrical parts on the inside differ as well.  For example, if the hatch were
a source of problems (the MX-6 has a trunk), that would be enough to push
the Probe into the "worse than average" category.
-- 
| William Kucharski, Solbourne Computer, Inc.     | Opinions expressed herein
| Internet: kucharsk@solbourne.com   Ham: N0OKQ   | are MINE alone, NOT those
| Snail Mail: 1900 Pike Road, Longmont, CO  80501 | of Solbourne Computer, Inc.
| President, "Just the Ten of Us" Fan Club        | "Dittos from Longmont, CO"
From: mdennie@beryllium.mc.xerox.com (Matt Dennie)
Newsgroups: rec.autos
Subject: Re: US VS. JAPAN
Date: 21 Jan 93 14:10:54 GMT
Reply-To: mdennie@beryllium.mc.xerox.com
Organization: Xerox Corporation

In article Ao2@acsu.buffalo.edu, v064mcqs@ubvmsd.cc.buffalo.edu (NEIL GANDLER) writes:

--> Ranting and rtaving deleted

>We should impose the high tarriffs on Japanese goods that they on us. I just

--> More Ranting and raving deleted

>saying then you have no support for the American economy. Its quite obvious
>that japan is wrong in its business and political actions.
>20
>
>		Neil Gandler


Ever hear the phrase, "Two wrongs don`t make a right?"


---
--Matt Dennie                              Internet: mmd.wbst207v@xerox.com
Xerox Corporation, Rochester, NY (USA)
"Reaching consensus in a group often
 is confused with finding the right answer."  -- Norman Maier
From: dbernard@clesun.Central.Sun.COM (Dave Bernard)
Newsgroups: rec.autos
Subject: Re: Jeep Grand Cherokee?
Date: 26 Jan 1993 13:11:41 GMT
Organization: Sun Microsystems
Distribution: world
Reply-To: dbernard@clesun.Central.Sun.COM
NNTP-Posting-Host: clesun.central.sun.com


Al Chang writes:

>You have to remember, Chrysler (for better hopefully,) brought it from
>AMC. They inherited all of AMC's headache. They got sued and lost
>quite a bit of money with the wagoneer' tailgate power window. If you
>don't remember, some mother left the key in the tailgate and when a
>kid stuck their head out the tailgate and some how the key was turn
>and closed the window on the kid's head. Also, they had to deal
>with other design flaws of the jeeps and the Renaults (Premier)

>If you look at some of the components, they are being switched from
>the past Jeep sources to Chrysler's. It cost less to redesign than
>come out with a lot of flaws. So that takes time. 

Chrysler chose to buy Jeep from Renault.  It did this for business reasons-
Jeep was still a profitable line.  Chrysler has continued to sell the flawed
Jeep products, and to make lots of money on it.

Thus, I don't think this fact constitutes a defense.  I think it constitutes
an indictment.  That is, Chrysler has had no problem in cranking out what it
has known to be poorly designed or manufactured products.  So now they come out
with a brand new Jeep, and they expect all to be forgiven?

	Dave
Newsgroups: rec.autos
From: dwjz@bnr.ca (Doug Zolmer)
Subject: RE: INSURANCE RATES?
Reply-To: dwjz@bnr.ca (Doug Zolmer)
Organization: Bell-Northern Research Ltd.
Date: Thu, 21 Jan 1993 21:01:43 GMT

In article <1993Jan21.160717.1236@berlioz.nsc.com>, alan@lancaster.nsc.com (The Hepburn) writes:
|> ...and here's the other end of the scale:  I'm a married male, age 42, and
|> pay $1400 per YEAR for full coverage on a 1988 Jeep Wrangler, 1989 Shasta
|> fifth wheel trailer, and a 1990 Ford F350.  Insured through the Good Sam
|> Club and National General Insurance.
|> 

What about a 28 year old single male with a '92 Civic EX paying CDN$ 720 
(US$ 920).  This is for $400 deductible for collision and $42 comprehensive
(stereo theft, broken windshield and other non-collision stuff).  I'm also
protected against lawsuits for amounts up to $1 million.  I also get a rental
car if my car breaks down or is in an accident for up to 10 days per occurance.
I also have replacement cost for the first 24 months of ownership (that is, if 
I total the car, the insurance buys me an identical car so I don't have
to worry about depreciation).

Of course, we're comparing apples to oranges here because we don't know 
what kind of deductibles and what your liability amounts are.

|> -- 
|> Alan Hepburn           "An ignorant person is one who doesn't know
|> National Semiconductor       what you have just found out."
|> Santa Clara, Ca              
|> alan@berlioz.nsc.com                              Will Rogers

-- 
Doug Zolmer           Internet: dwjz@bnr.ca         Disclaimer: My opinions only
Bell-Northern Research Ltd.  Ottawa, Ontario, Canada         |
Dept. 7N61 - Service Control Point - Routing Services Design | Conform:- Moooo!
Xref: sparky rec.autos:32583 misc.consumers:22471 rec.skiing:9983
From: ASOLOMO@auvm.american.edu
Newsgroups: rec.autos,misc.consumers,rec.skiing
Subject: Advice On Appropriate Vehicle?
Date: 24 Jan 93 16:35:13 GMT
Organization: The American University - University Computing Center


      I have this feeling my dream car is out there somewhere -- I just need
      to find the right person to point it out to me! Here's what I want to
      head to the hills in:
         "A reliable 4WD miniwagon, '86-89, that approaches the crash-test
         data of a new Escort and gets reasonable gas mileage (25-35mpg)."

      The two cars that get me salivating are the Subaru Loyale and the Civic
      AWD Wagon. But I know the Loyale did poorly on the tests, and I think the
      Civic did too. Any *informed* advice?

         Or, if my dream car is a mythic creature, then where can I find a safe
      and reliable '86-'89 4WD vehicle of any kind in the $5K - $9K range?

                               Thanks! --
From: c23st@kocrsv01.delcoelect.com (Spiros Triantafyllopoulos)
Newsgroups: rec.autos
Subject: Re: Before Buying Japanese.
Date: 21 Jan 93 19:46:35 GMT
Distribution: na
Organization: Delco Electronics Corp.

In article <C17oxK.FKF@ccu.umanitoba.ca> cshafai@eeserv.ee.umanitoba.ca (Cyrus Shafai) writes:
>If you look carefully at the CR statistics, you will see that there is only
>a 2 or 3 percent difference between each of the ratings (ie. average to
>better than average).  This is on the level of statistical noise.   SO
>unless there is a big difference (ie. from much better than average to 
>better than average) results from CR are meaningless.

'CR Statistics' is an oxymoron.

Unless CR can prove that they have used a sample population
representative of the actual population of course...

CR is great for getting you to THINK about features, but I have had
serious questions about their credibility ever since I bought a
lawnmower based on what they said... Just like in cars, they were
quick to point out flaws or potential flaws in SOME brands but MAJOR
flaws were sometimes ignored in SOME brands.

Spiros (married to a statistician...)
-- 
Spiros Triantafyllopoulos                    c23st@kocrsv01.delcoelect.com
Software Technology, Delco Electronics       (317) 451-0815
GM Hughes Electronics, Kokomo, IN 46904      [A Different Kind of Disclaimer]
Newsgroups: rec.autos
From: battan@sequent.com (Jim Battan)
Subject: Re: goodyear eagle ga's vs gt+4 revisited
Organization: Sequent Computer Systems Inc.
Distribution: na
Date: Tue, 26 Jan 93 06:54:43 GMT

In article <Jan25.063126.22972@engr.washington.edu> eliot@engr.washington.edu (eliot) writes:
>would those of you who have goodyear eagle ga's care to comment on its
>wet performance?

I have 'em in 215/60VR15 on a Lexus Coupe.  They are quiet (yes, that's
the first thing that comes to mind), pretty sticky in the dry and
wet, but absolutely terrible in the snow.  I push them pretty hard
and have only seriously broken them loose laterally once in the dry
(around a corner at about 40 mph with four in the car).  The car's
traction control usually kicks in before I can cause acceleration-
induced lateral skids.  I find that the car tracks ruts much more
than my Accord; I attribute this somewhat to the GA's.

> also, are they M+S rated? 

Nope.

>a more general question: does M+S mean the same thing as "all-season"
>or is one the subset of the other?

I'm sure it depends on the mfgr.  My guess is Goodyear's M+S has
different uses from their GT+4.

>tire rack has a really wierd ad out for the eagle ga.  there are two
>prices for 215/60VR15's.. $93 and $122 (or something like that).

I've only seen them in the $120 range.  I'd stay away from the $93
variety (maybe HR rated?).

-- 
Jim Battan - Sequent Computer Systems, Beaverton, OR
battan@sequent.com or uunet!sequent!battan
+1 503 578 5129
From: eliezer@physics.llnl.gov (David A Eliezer)
Newsgroups: rec.autos
Subject: Re: Insurance Rates
Keywords: Insurance
Date: 22 Jan 93 01:26:00 GMT
Reply-To: eliezer@physics.llnl.gov (David A Eliezer)
Organization: Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory

A useful tip that I can shed on insurance rates -- shop around 
because there are insurance companies that specialize in different
types of customers.  The reason I say this is my own recent experience.  
I recently moved back down to the US, after a 3 year stint at a Canadian
university, to take up a job in California.  My car is an 87 Integra,
and I haven't had an accident in 12 years (there was one, but ruled not
my fault, and so does not appear on my record).  I was able to obtain 
verification of this for the insurance companies.  
	Nevertheless, because my driving record was considered "not
verifiable" (because out of country), State Farm Insurance would
not insure me at ANY price, and suggested I call a broker.  That
broker, who represented something like 15 insurance companies, 
told me that the *cheapest* of all the insurance policies she could
write me would be $5280/year.  Another broker told me a similar thing
(this was for liability, comprehensive, collision, and the premiums 
separately were all about a third of the total).  It looked like
I was doomed.  
	However, it turns out that there are insurance companies that
specialize in customers with my kind of record, and one made regular
trips to the lab (Livermore labs), California Casualty.  I spoke to them,
and THEY INSURED ME FOR $1068/yr. !!!  This is the same price my friend 
got, who has a clean record and NO weird international problems.  This is 
for liability, collision,  and comprehensive, all with fairly high deductibles
(about $500 for collision and comprehensive, if memory serves).  So.  
Shop around.  

						Dave Eliezer
						eliezer@physics.llnl.gov

PS  I'm new to this network.  Do I really need some sort of disclaimer?
Why? 


Newsgroups: rec.autos
From: brawicz@fraser.sfu.ca (Boleslaw Andrzej Rawicz)
Subject: vans with lifts in germany
Summary: Is it possible to rent a van with a lift in Germany?
Keywords: van lift germany
Organization: Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, B.C., Canada
Date: Tue, 26 Jan 1993 19:06:49 GMT

Hello:
  I will be in europe in july, frankfurt being the first
destination (airport), and was wondering if it's possible
to rent a van (preferrably a Daimler-Benz, but no smaller
than a VW Eurovan) with a lift/elevator so that it
would be possible to drive an electric wheelchair into it?

thanks,
  B. Rawicz

-- 
 ---------------------------------------------------------------------
|        _______    At Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, B.C., Canada |
| ______/__|__|_\--,                                                  |
| \=(o)=======(o)=/~ @@@ @@  @   @    @    SFU e-mail: brawicz@sfu.ca |
Xref: sparky rec.autos:32597 misc.consumers:22479