HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: stecz@pencom.com (John Steczkowski)
Newsgroups: rec.autos
Subject: Re: Why install custom wheels?
Date: 13 Aug 92 21:17:25 GMT
Reply-To: stecz@pencom.com
Distribution: austin
Organization: Pencom Software

In article <1992Aug13.135633.1@wharton.upenn.edu> lin@wharton.upenn.edu writes:
> 
> 
> Browsing through some auto magazines, I saw a whole lot of wheels
> advertisements.  Some of them cost over $2000 for a set.  I know that
> different tires give you different performances and their prices might
> vary quite a bit, but I'm not too sure how wheels can make such an
> improvement on your car to warrant such an expenditure.  I guess there

It's not just the performance improvement, it's the asthetic improvement.

> must be something offered by a set of BBS that my factory wheels are 
> lacking.  Can somebody enlighten me on this?  Besides, what do you do

Assuming you have factory steel wheels, an alloy wheel is lighter, therefore  
your unsprung mass is less, this can give the car a smoother ride and increase  
acceleration (less mass to get spinning).  Also, usually when people install  
aftermarket alloy wheels, they do a "plus one" meaning they get a one inch  
larger rim, and a wider, lower profile tire.  i.e. stock: 185/60/14; plus one:  
195/50/15.  This will help the car handle better, by providing a wider foot  
print, and a shorter sidewall (less sidewall flex).

> with your original wheels after installing new wheels?

Sell them, keep them for autocrossing, use them for snow tires (for those of  
you who are environmentally impaired).   :)

--
  John Steczkowski                            stecz@pencom.com
       "It's not what you fling...It's the fling itself."
                                     Chris - Northern Exposure
Newsgroups: rec.autos
From: welty@cabot.balltown.cma.COM (richard welty)
Subject: Re: Saturn featured on cover of this weeks BUSINESS WEEK
Organization: New York State Institute for Sebastian Cabot Studies
Date: Sun, 16 Aug 1992 18:01:22 GMT

In article <4806@blue.cis.pitt.edu.UUCP> macman+@pitt.edu (Dennis H Lippert) writes:
>All in all, I can see more reasons to put the 'Vette with Saturn than to
>keep it with Chevy.  Of course, tradition has a 99.999999999999999999999%
>chance of keeping it where it's at now, but...

actually, one of the major mistakes made at GM (one of many, but a major
one nonetheless) was weakening the distinction between the various
major GM brands; the Corvette is one fo the most distinctive products
associated with Chevy, and if GM wants to preserve brand identity,
then the Corvette _absolutely must_ remain a Chevy, and there must be
no rebadged Corvette in any other GM line.  it would be marketing suicide
to behave any other way.

this is not commentary from a Chevy Corvette fan, but just a cold-blooded
analysis of marketing reality.

richard
-- 
richard welty                            518-393-7228
welty@cabot.balltown.cma.com
  ``if you can read this, mario, you're too close''
    -- bumper sticker seen on a CART safety truck
Newsgroups: rec.autos
Subject: Demo Cars..
From: mjk@icf.hrb.com (Michael J. Kelley)
Date: 12 Aug 92 06:18:44 EST
Organization: HRB Systems, Inc.

My wife was looking at a 1992 Pontiac Bonneville. The car is a Demo car with
13,000 miles on it. I was wondering if a few people might comment on pro's
con's or past experiences with demo cars. The dealer wants 17k for the car.
I told my wife no way!! The cars are low 20's brand new. The car also has some
paint missing/scrapped on the front bumper. So, for all we know, the car may 
have been wrecked. 

I told her that a good price to offer would be the book value for a used 1991.
If they want to sell the car bad enough they'll take it. 

Any comments??

-- 


                                                              Mike Kelley
                                                              HRB Systems
                                                              St. College, Pa.

###############################################################################

###############################################################################


Xref: sparky rec.autos:20242 rec.autos.driving:5010 rec.travel:12037
From: samblane@oasys.dt.navy.mil (Sean Samblanet)
Newsgroups: rec.autos,rec.autos.driving,rec.travel
Subject: Re: Alternatives to AAA?
Date: 19 Aug 92 20:27:59 GMT
Article-I.D.: oasys.23848
Reply-To: samblane@oasys.dt.navy.mil (Sean Samblanet)
Followup-To: rec.autos
Organization: Carderock Division, NSWC, Bethesda, MD


    This thread originally asked for alt. to AAA.  Here is one that
claims to have "The Best Road Service Available Today!".  I've had no
dealings with them so I couldn't tell you.  They offer a 30-day trail
period.
	 The United States Auto Club, Motoring Division, Inc.
	 250 Carpeter Freeway
	 P.O. Box 660460
	 Dallas, Texas 75266-0460

PS. I heard of them when_I bought my extended service contract for my
car.  It came with a one year free membership.

Sean
Newsgroups: rec.autos
From: meiboy@tsoft.sf-bay.org (MeiBoy of UCU)
Subject: Re: Jeep Grand Cherokee Holdbacks?
Organization: The TeleSoft BBS and Public Access Unix, +1 415 969 7958
Date: Wed, 19 Aug 1992 09:55:55 GMT

In article <1992Aug17.190651.23627@udel.edu> bragg@pecan.cns.udel.edu (Aquatic Joe) writes:
>In article <omjtj5s@fido.asd.sgi.com> lauro@kauai.esd.sgi.com (Lauro B. Manalac) writes:
>> Or, maybe I should just get
>>the Explorer. Inquiring minds want to know. Well, at least, my wife's & mine
>>want to know.
>

>What ever you do, DONT'T buy an Explorer!  That's the wosre excuse for a vehicle
>I've seen in a loong time!  If you don't get the Grand Cherokee, get a regular
>one, they're much better!
>
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

This is just begging to be flamed.

>-- 
>Adam Bragg                  |  Tick: Hand Grenade Man? What's your super power??
>bragg@freezer.cns.udel.edu  |  HGM: Super powers? Bah who needs them? I have
>darkwing@ravel.udel.edu     |        HAND GRENADES!
>                          SPOON!


Newsgroups: rec.autos,rec.boats
From: ash@ulysses.mr.ams.com (Alan Harder)
Subject: Re: Slick 50 and Synthetic Oil
Organization: American Math. Society
Date: Wed, 12 Aug 1992 16:07:38 GMT

   jhansen@convex.com (James Hansen) writes:

   > In <ASH.92Aug7152036@ulysses.mr.ams.com> ash@ulysses.mr.ams.com (Alan Harder)
   > 
   > >But Slick 50 is a motor TREATMENT.  You put in a quart, it coats your
   > >engine parts (with silicone?), and then you don't use it again for
   > >50,000 miles.  It's not an oil additive or an oil in its own right.
   > >And it's definitely synthetic!
   > 
   > Slick 50 contains PTFE (teflon) suspended in OIL.  It is not synthetic.

To pick nits, maybe the OIL in Slick 50 isn't synthetic, but the main
active ingredient (teflon) is.  On the other hand, why should I care,
since my sailboat doesn't have a motor anyhow.  But maybe I could use
it to lubricate my tiller. ;-)
Newsgroups: rec.autos
From: esprit@netcom.com (Alan F. Perry)
Subject: Re: Does anyone like the new Prelude?
Date: Mon, 17 Aug 92 00:32:01 GMT
Organization: Netcom - Online Communication Services  (408 241-9760 guest) 
Distribution: usa

In article <9208162235.AA21840@worf> dlou@ECE.UCSD.EDU (Dennis Lou) writes:
>In article <1992Aug14.193447.5152@devildog.att.com> root@acpy01.att.com (System Administrator(CXNIXCN1)) writes:
>>>I am not against HONDA, I own HONDA myself but if '94 ACCORD is not 
>>>better then Camry and '95 Legend is not better than ES300 and at least 
>>>equal to GS300, HONDA may find itself in BIG trouble in U.S.
>>
>>This is what I think HONDA Motor Co. should do to retain its market share :
>> [some good suggestions...]
>
>I wonder if Honda's decline has anything to do with the passing of
>Soichiro Honda himself.
>
>I'm sure he probably didn't have a very big hand in the company just
>before he died, but one can't help but wonder.

I am pretty sure that he was not directly involved in running the company,
but still had influence over the company.

I believe that the two biggest hits that Honda has taken in recent years
were the death of Mr. Honda and the crash of the U.S. car market.  Like
other companies that "lost their way" after a strong leader dies, Honda
is suffering.

I believe Mr. Honda was technology-driven and the people that followed him
were market-driven.  I don't think the company would get out of F1 if Mr.
Honda were still alive.

I believe that it was a mistake for Honda to expand to the point that they
have a top-selling model and they should have concentrated on the niche
market of the Honda enthusiast.  Right now, they are more concerned with
selling lots of cars than selling interesting cars.

I hope that Honda comes back around (unlikely) or Mr. Honda's son at Mugen
continues his father's tradition by providing bits that can be added to
the cars from the factory to make them more interesting.

Sorry about rambling.

Incidentally, I like the exterior of the new Prelude.  I really dislike
the dash on it, though.

alan
From: carl@Cayman.COM (Carl Heinzl)
Newsgroups: rec.autos
Subject: Re: BMW Highway Patrol Car
Date: 21 Aug 92 19:42:02 GMT
	<1992Aug20.191653.12279@igor.tamri.com>
Organization: Cayman Systems Inc., Cambridge, MA
In-reply-to: salil@igor.tamri.com's message of 20 Aug 92 19:16:53 GMT


>this year, the Motorsport folks increased the engine size to 3.7L, but not
>for the US market.  This was to make sure the M5 was a match and perhaps

The real questions is... when will the new engine be available in the
US market.  I hear rumors of 347 HP from the new engine, is this accurate?!

-Carl-
--
From: bense@oasys.dt.navy.mil (Ron Bense)
Newsgroups: rec.autos
Subject: Re: Yet another tire inflation question
Date: 18 Aug 92 11:47:57 GMT
Reply-To: bense@oasys.dt.navy.mil (Ronald Bense)
Distribution: usa
Organization: Carderock Division, NSWC, Bethesda, MD

In rec.autos, vpopesc@opus.uucp (Valentin Popescu) writes:

>           The front tires are rated for 1019 lbs @ 44 PSI max
>           The rear  tires are rated for 1019 lbs @ 35 PSI max

Since you are driving a front wheel drive, the back tire pressure isn't
as important as it might be. Your car weighs ~2800 lbs, if I'm guessing
right, so ~3100 lbs with two average people. your front tires should
be pumped up to somewhere between 40-44 psi, and the back at ~32 psi.
Why? Because you have non-standard, non-passenger tires on the front
and the tire is designed to run at a different inflation pressure than
normal passenger tires (those with the 'P' designation). Try this configuration
out and see how it handles. The Dunlops D60 M2s also had a maximum of
44 psi, and I ran them at 36 (NTW set them here), 38, 40, 42, and 44.
I got the best driving out of them at 44, although it was a bit rough.
Have fun.

Ron

Potassium Benzoate included as a preserver.
From: mtt@ESD.3Com.COM (Michael Throm)
Newsgroups: rec.autos
Subject: Re: Honda Civic Hatchback Si
Date: 20 Aug 92 19:40:26 GMT
Organization: 3Com Corporation

In article <1992Aug20.110201.291@doc.bmd.trw.com> mcrosbie@doc.bmd.trw.com writes:
>
>I have a 92 Civic Si and am less than pleased with it in several ways.  The
>moonroof sticks when you are trying to close it.  The dealer has sprayed it
>with lubricant, but it still sticks.  It requires several tries at opening 
>and closing of the roof to get it to close properly.  It must be an alignment
>thing, but the dealer is unable, unwilling, or uninterested in trying to 
>resolve it, since it will close with several tries.  Sometimes it even closes
>on the first try.  But it is still frustrating.
>
>Other problems have been the dealer installed air conditioning.  It is not
>cold.  It is cool, but not nearly as efficient as other air conditioners I 
>have known and loved.  The dealer says it is cooling properly and won't do 
>anything more about it.  It is a poor air conditioner.  Also, initially the
>belts squealed with the air conditioner on.  They have been adjusted to resolve
>this problem, but it doesn't cool any better.
>
>The speedometer is off by about 10mph at speeds 50-70 mph.  It reads faster 
>than you are going, so you think you are traveling 65 and everyone around you
>is zooming by.  I have tested it against 2 other cars and against mile markers
>on the road and it is inaccurate.  The dealer refuses to fix it.  They said all
>speedometers are off by some small degree, and this one is within tolerance.
>
>This car was bought because it was suppose to be the best in quality and 
>maintenance.  So far, I am not impressed.


Well your NOT alone.  I have a '91 civic hatchback and have had workmanship
and petty design problems tarnish my belief in Honda.  The doors don't fit 
properly and rattle when driving on silghtly rough city streets. The dash
doesn't align properly, and little pieces have fallen off here and there
either by themselves or by doing something as simple as adjusting the 
rear view mirror.  I've also had the exhaust system taken apart to find
a rattling noise there too.  I'll not think of Honda first this time.
I guess hoping for two good Hondas in a row is too much to expect.


Mike T.
From: jcyuhn@crchh574.BNR.CA (James Yuhn)
Newsgroups: rec.autos
Subject: Re: $758 for an oil change?
Date: 18 Aug 92 20:29:40 GMT
Reply-To: jcyuhn@crchh574.BNR.CA (James Yuhn)
Organization: Bell-Northern Research Ltd.

In article <16rkbkINN3hl@seven-up.East.Sun.COM>, jfox@hooksett.East.Sun.COM
(John Fox - SunExpress IR) writes:
|>In article 22971@bnr.ca, jcyuhn@crchh574.BNR.CA (James Yuhn) writes:
|>> |> [ Stuff Deleted ]
|>>    
|>>   These kinds of prices are what keeps the dealer in business 
|>>   folks. Just for reference, I performed all the 30K mile services
|>>   on my SHO. Here's what I spent, off the top of my head:
|>>  
|>>   Two bottles of antifreeze, plus distilled
|>>   water, and a good garden hose                     $10
|>>   Six quarts Mobil 1 and a Fram filter              $25
|>>   Three quarts Amsoil ATF                           $18
|>>   Grease seals and grease for rear bearings         $10
|>>   Air Filter (Fram)                                 $10 (?)                 
|>> Bottle of Techron  (Can't remember price on this) $??
|>>   Bottle of Castrol LMA brake fluid                 $5 (?)
|>>   Rotate tires                                      $Free
|>>                                                    ---------
|>>   Total Cost                                        $78 +
|>>    
|>>   The Taurus has no grease fittings, so one doesn't 
|>>   require a front end lube. I still need to replace 
|>>   the fuel filter, but that is about a $10 part, and
|>>   an easy hours labor, from start to finish. Spark
|>>   plugs are a 60K mile service item. SHOs have no
|>>   distributor.  
|>>   
|>>   So, for less than a hundred bucks, I have performed 
|>>   the same services, using higher quality fluids and 
|>>   lubricants than the dealer supplies for more than 
|>>   five times that amount of money. Total time invested
|>>   is maybe six hours. (I work slow, OK?)
|>>  
|>>   Just thought it makes an interesting comparison, and
|>>   shows that a little knowledge can go a long way toward
|>>   saving a few dollars.
|>>  
|>>  --------------------------------------
|>>  Jim Yuhn
|>>  Bell-Northern Research
|>>  Richardson, TX
|>>  
|>
|>
|>Jim, what use does an SHO have for auto tranny fluid?
|>
|>
|>
|>John
|>
  
  John,
  
    Taurus SHOs, like many other modern vehicles, use ATF
    to lubricate their manual transmissions. Ford specifies
    either type F or Dexron II for the transaxle in the SHO. 
    It's my understanding the redline MTL works well too.
 
    Jim
From: derx@vax5.cit.cornell.edu
Newsgroups: rec.autos
Subject: Mazda 323--Geo Metro '92
Date: 14 Aug 92 13:10:14 EDT
Distribution: rec
Organization: Cornell University

Hi, netters. I am a poor grad student, and have an old Toyota Tercel, which
costed me several hundreds dollors everytime it went to a garage. I am really
troubled by it, so want to spend all my savings on an ecnomical small car
(new). I am thinking about Mazda 323 (2dr hatchback, 5speed, power steering,
with or without air conditioning) or a Geo Metro ( similar as above). I want to
know if you have good or bad experiences with any of them. I am also planning
to buy one some time in September--when dealers are having clearnce for 92
model. If you can tell me the invoice prices for dealers of those models, I
will appreciate. A local dealer is advertising "clearance" price for Geo Metro
'92 of $6375+tax & title, Is this a good deal?
Thank you in advance.

Linn
Newsgroups: rec.autos
From: simon@wlbr.iipo.gtegsc.com (Mark Simon)
Subject: Re: Toyota markups
Organization: GTE Federal Systems
Distribution: usa
Date: Sat, 22 Aug 92 00:23:39 GMT

In article <1992Aug20.133613.27515@engage.pko.dec.com> you write:
>In article <1992Aug19.222426.22766@wlbr.iipo.gtegsc.com> simon@wlbr.iipo.gtegsc.com (Mark Simon) writes:
>>
>>The sleazeperson will whine that they need to cover other costs like
>>advertising.  Tell him to take it out of the $600.  I bought my '91
>>Celica GT this way in Dec. '90 (actually, the dealer wanted $660 more
>>and I relented).  I saved over $2,500 this way (better than the $1,000
>>rebates off LIST that the dealerships usually offer).
>>
>>Good luck.  The Celica is a great car.
>>
>>-- Mark
>>
>
>If it was a manufacturer's rebate, it is off whatever price the dealer agreed to
>sell the car, not from LIST price.  So if the dealer cost was really accurate,
>then they made $1,600 profit, not $600.  This is a tactic dealers like to play
>with rebate.  If you want to deal from list price, they'll give you the rebate.
>If you want to deal from dealer's cost, they try not to include the rebate,
>and at closing they'll ask you to sign the rebate form, assigning the rebate
>to the dealer.
>
>
>-- 
>Santa Wiryaman
>
>INTERNET : wiryaman@riscee.pko.dec.com
>UUCP     : ...!decwrl!riscee.pko.dec.com!wiryaman

Santa,

I was generalizing about rebates in my post, but I did see an
advertisement on the t.v. and called the Toyota 800 number.  During
the time I was buying, the rebate was a factory to dealer rebate.  I
was told that the dealer was given a certain amount of money a month
to use on rebates for a certain model, and the dealer could chose who
would get the rebates.  I didn't sign any papers, so I don't know if
the dealer took some of the rebate money to make a larger profit, or
if they saved it and used it to get back what was taken off the list
price of another car.

Either way, I saved more than $2500 compared to the "list price".

-- Mark
From: jtchew@csa3.lbl.gov (JOSEPH T CHEW)
Newsgroups: rec.autos
Subject: Re: Police Tauri
Date: 13 Aug 92 22:44:16 GMT
Organization: Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory - Berkeley, CA, USA
Distribution: usa
Reply-To: jtchew@csa3.lbl.gov
NNTP-Posting-Host: 128.3.254.198
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.3-4   

>Does anyone know how the police package Tauri are configured? 

Far as I know, they are similar to the LX -- not SHOs.  In theory, 
they are specially made with a thicker floor pan, heavy-duty 
alternator (~~ 100 A to stuff electrons into all those radios,
computers, and flashing lights) and cooling systems, and H-rated 
tires.  I seem to recall that you also get undercover hubcaps and, 
in tribute to the chemical status of many of the guests, a rubber mat 
instead of carpet. In practice, I've heard that they are often just 
kludged out of existing LXs by the dealer.  The engine is the stock, 
normally aspirated 3.8-liter V6, and the transaxle an AXOD overdrive.  

It isn't that fast by today's standards (mid-120-mph range, max),
but performance is an overrated criterion for cop cars.  It's 
nice to have sprightly takeoff and rolling acceleration so that 
you can safely merge into traffic, get onto the bad guy's tail, 
and either convince him to pull over or radio-in a description.
But hot pursuit is being limited by a lot of departments (e.g.,
they might be permitted to chase you but not do much to forcibly
stop you) because it proved to be too hard on innocent bystanders
and too good for their personal-injury lawyers.

--Joe
"Just another personal opinion from the People's Republic of Berkeley"
From: pnelson@opus.Tymnet.COM (Phil Nelson)
Newsgroups: rec.autos
Subject: Re: Saturn featured on cover of this weeks BUSINESS WEEK
Summary: misc. comments
Date: 14 Aug 92 04:28:21 GMT
Organization: BT North America (Tymnet)


 Sounds like Stempel doesn't get it.

 The only things I don't like about the Saturn are that it looks too much
like a Japanese car, and it doesn't have a V6 (for comparison, about the
only things I like about my Chrysler LeBaron are that it has a doesn't
look too much like a Japanese car, and it has a V6). I should have bought
the Saturn.

 I hope GM is not so stupid as to try and get away with rebadging mediocre
GM products as Saturn. Just make 'em right, guys, then you won't have to
rebadge them.

 Does Ford have to wait until all the trekkies die off before they start a
Jupiter division? :-).

--
Phil Nelson . [ames|pyramid]!oliveb!tymix!pnelson . Voice:408-922-7508

  To make an apt answer is a joy to a man,
       and a word in season, how good it is!            Proverbs 15:23
Xref: sparky rec.autos:20278 misc.forsale:24110
From: lke@cbnewsj.cb.att.com (lun.k.eng)
Newsgroups: rec.autos,misc.forsale
Subject: 1990 MERCURY SABLE GS $8,800.
Keywords: MERCURY, SABLE, SALE
Date: 19 Aug 92 13:25:01 GMT
Distribution: nj
Organization: AT&T

4 SALE:

1990 MERCURY SABLE GS - GREYISH BLUE, 40k MILES @$8,800.

AIRBAG
3.0 V6 W/ 4-SPEED AUTOMATIC
A/C
POWER LOCK/WINDOWS/TRUNK/GAS CAP
ALLOY WHEELS
TILT STEERING
CRUISE CONTROL
INTERIOR/EXTERIOR LITE GROUP
BENCH SEAT W/CENTER ARMRESTS (FRONT & BACK)
CLOTH/VELOUR INTERIOR (DARK BLUE)
AM/FM DOLBY STEREO AUTO-REVERSE CASSETTE W/ 4 SPEAKERS

CALL LENNY @908-957-6648 (MONMOUTH AREA)
From: rjs@hpfcso.FC.HP.COM (Bob Schneider)
Newsgroups: rec.autos
Subject: Re: Hottest-looking car of all time
Date: 17 Aug 92 14:07:35 GMT
Organization: Hewlett-Packard, Fort Collins, CO, USA

jitloke@tekig5.pen.tek.com (Jit-Loke Lim) writes:

>>OK, I'll bite. How about the 1000SEL Benz?
>>(P.S. What da ya mean you've never heard of the 1000SEL? heehee)
>
>Actually I heard that someone my uncle used to work for in LA owned one. 
>HoweverI never got to see the car. Could you please provide more info? Thanks.

	I've seen a 1000SEL limo operating out of Colorado Springs,
	Colorado. It was clearly a body shop stretch job of a late
	1980's gas powered "S" class sedan, but, there appears to be 
	some gold colored package of trim on the market that includes a 
	Benz looking "1000SEL" badge. My guess is that it was a stretched 
	560SEL and the engine is still 5.6l and not 10l. Since the engine
	compartment hadn't been stretched, it's easy to conclude that a
	10l engine simply would not have fit (just look at how little
	free room there is in the engine compartment of a 560SEL).

Bob Schneider     rjs@fc.hp.com
Lines: 22
Date: Tue, 18 Aug 92 12:09:42 MDT
From: earlyd@ee.byu.edu (David Early)
Newsgroups: rec.autos
Distribution: world
Organization: Brigham Young University, Provo UT USA
Subject: Re: 240Z restoral (was: Datsun 240Z/260Z)


Thanks for the reply.

Got a couple more for you.

I am taller than your average human being, but not NBA material. 
At 6'5", am I going to be too big for this car??  Also, I may have to
settle for a later model year and may have to go up to a 
76,77,78 280Z (The models made before the major body style
changes).  I think we'll skip the 260 era (I'v heard they were
not so good).  This car will be used mostly for around town driving.


You mentioned the dash.  Here in Utah, the older cars almost
always have a cracked dash.  Exactly how bad is the cost?
I will do all the work, but if the dash costs $400, maybe I'll keep looking
until I find the good dash.


Thanks for the input.

Dave Early