HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
Newsgroups: rec.autos
Subject: Re: US CARS FOR SALE IN UK
From: lorena@sdl.mdcbbs.com
Date: 4 Sep 92 14:08:35 BST
Organization: Shape Data  (A division of EDS Ltd) - Cambridge,UK
Nntp-Posting-User: lorena


In article <1992Sep3.234441.18354@cornerstone.com>, aefron@cornerstone.com (Andrew Efron) writes:
> In article <1992Sep3.132816.1@sdl.mdcbbs.com>, lorena@sdl.mdcbbs.com writes:
> 
>> CARS FOR SALE - UK
> 
>> Pontiac Firebird Formula 400
>> 1978
spec on two cars deleted...
>> 
>> Lorena
>>
>  
> Just curious, but how can you folks afford to run a car like this out there?  
> It's bad enough here, but aren't your fuel prices two or three times ours??
> 
> Andy

We both work in computing!!  No, We currently own 6 american cars, and so 
only use the cheapest on a regular basis. The fiero is not bad consumption
(I can't remember what, but i think it's good.) The firebird isn't good
consumption, but great fun to drive!
Don't forget, we don't have so far to drive as you! 
Also, because we love driving the cars, we simply spend the money - but as i
said, luckily, we're both in good jobs.
We pay around 2.something a gallon, or 52p a litre...

> 
>  
> 
> -----------------------------------------------------------------------
> "I didn't do it to make history.  You do something that you want to 
> do or feel you have to do, because you like it and love it.  And if 
> it turns out to be history, well, so what?"
> 
> 			--Carroll Shelby, from "The Cobra-Ferrari Wars, 1963-1965"
> 
> 
-- 
Lorena Abbott (Unix System Manager)       Shape Data
 Internet: lorena@sdl.mdcbbs.com                     46 Regent Street
     UUCP: {uunet,decwrl,att}!sdl.mdcbbs.com!lorena    Cambridge CB2 1DB
    Voice: +44 223 316673  Fax: +44 223 316931           United Kingdom
From: erich.lim@cutting.hou.tx.us (Erich Lim) 
Newsgroups: rec.autos
Subject: RE: LASAR DETECTOR..
Date: 2 Sep 92 15:01:00 GMT
Distribution: world
Organization: The Cutting Edge - Houston, TX - 713-466-1525
Reply-To: erich.lim@cutting.hou.tx.us (Erich Lim) 

-> >   What I meant to say before my line got cut off was that if your
-> state >has Stalker listed, but with no city or county, it means that
-> the state >doesn't release the locations where Stalker is used to the
-> public.
-> Any word on Missouri?  I know for a fact that, at least here in St.
-> Louis, LIDAR is being tested.  How about Stalker?


  Yeah, Stalker is used and  Photo is being tested in Columbia.  The
site at where Stalker is used is witheld to the public.



Erich Lim
From: twng7309@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu (Tomas W Nonnenmacher)
Newsgroups: rec.autos
Subject: Audi mechanic in NJ
Date: 2 Sep 92 19:32:26 GMT
Organization: University of Illinois at Urbana

Hello,
Could somebody recommend to me an Audi mechanic in the Union County area of
NJ.  I live in Mountainside (near RT 22) and am willing to go 20-30 minutes 
to find somebody good.  Please e-mail.  Thanks in Advance!
-Tom
Newsgroups: rec.autos
From: knightf@infonode.ingr.com (Frank Knight)
Subject: Need Louver Sources!
Organization: Intergraph Corporation, Huntsville, AL.
Date: Mon, 31 Aug 1992 15:40:27 GMT

I'm looking for some aluminum louvers for an '80 Plymouth
(Mitsubishi) Sapporo.  J.C.W. used to have them but discontinued.
If you can help me, please E-mail.

Tks, Frank

Newsgroups: rec.autos
From: tedebear@leland.Stanford.EDU (Theodore Chen)
Subject: Re: Radar Detector: which one?
Organization: DSG, Stanford University, CA 94305, USA
Date: Mon, 24 Aug 92 02:26:39 GMT


speaking of radar detectors, i'm also thinking about buying a new one.
does anybody know of recent tests by magazines?
did consumer reports ever review radar detectors?  (i wouldn't be
surprised if they didn't.)

-teddy
Newsgroups: rec.autos
From: bcristi@novell.com (Benjamin Cristi)
Subject: Chevy/GMC Suburban Unreliable???
Organization: Novell Inc., San Jose, Califonia
Distribution: US 
Date: Tue, 1 Sep 1992 00:09:20 GMT

Consumer Reports has consistently rated the Suburban as an unreliable
vehicle. I would like to hear comments from current and former Suburban
owners on their experiences.  I'm planning to buy a Suburban or a Toyota
Landcruiser in the near future. I've test driven both, and prefer the
Suburban's smoother, quieter ride, and larger space inside, but reliability
is high on my priority list. Off-road capability and 8 passenger minimum
seating are requirements, so I think that rules out everything else.

I look forward to hearing your comments.

Ben

Newsgroups: rec.autos
From: jim@mwhhlaw (James P. Cavanaugh III)
Subject: Re: Some questions looking for answers
Organization: Martin Wade Hartley & Hollingsworth
Date: Fri, 28 Aug 1992 10:42:40 GMT

In article <1992Aug27.162019.21704@cbnewsl.cb.att.com>  
dpl@cbnewsl.cb.att.com (douglas.p.linden) writes:
> In article <4869@balrog.ctron.com>, smith@ctron.com (Larry Smith)  
writes:
> > In article <oyPZPB1w164w@cellar.org>, hacksaw@cellar.org (Hacksaw)  
writes:
> > 
> > >     Finally... an unrelated question. I heard something about a  
type of
> > >transmission used in some older cars. It was called Fluid Drive, I  
think.
> > >Supposedly, it was half stick and half automatic; the best of both  
worlds.
> > >Anyone have any specifics on Fluid Drive? Why isn't it around  
anymore?
> > 
> 
> If you ever drove an old Chrysler product with Fluid Drive you would  
know
> why they don't make that transmission any more.  Gawd it was awful!


	I think that Douglas is being too hard on Fluid Drive.   
Strictly speaking, Fluid Drive is nothing more than a plain fluid  
coupling between the engine and transmission.  From around 1940 or so  
until the Powerflite hit the showrooms in 54 and 55, Fluid Drive was  
mated to both straight 3 speed transmissions (mostly in Dodges) and  
with a variety of semi automatic transmissions (VacaMatic, Tip Toe  
Shift, Fluid Matic, etc.).
	The most common semi automatic form was a 4 speed unit divided  
into 2 ranges.  Shifting between low and high ranges and into or out of  
reverse required use of the clutch.  The transmission would shift  
itself within a single range.  For example, to use all the gears, shift  
(with clutch) into low range (1st and 2nd gears).  Accellerate, then  
let off the gas to allow the vacuum mechanism to shift into second.   
Then manually shift into high range for 3rd.  Lift off the gas and the  
unit clunks into 4th.
	Actually, most owners of those cars never used low range.   
Instead, those cars would get along just fine shifting up and down  
between 3rd and 4th.  At stoplights, just idle with your foot on the  
brake as with any automatic.  Chrysler claimed that the semi automatics  
eliminated 98% of all manual shifting.
	I have always understood that Fluid Drive and the semi  
automatic transmissions were long lived and mostly trouble free.   
Compared with contemporary automatics (at least until 1950 or so) they  
were smoother than the Hydra Matic and had better potential  
accelleration than the Buick Dynaflow (which was pure torque  
converter).  The primary disadvantage was that when driven the way most  
people drove them, accelleration was, er, leisurely.  It did not help  
that most Mopar engines of the day were flathead sixes that were smooth  
as butter but not overly endowed in the horsepower department. 
	IMHO, Fluid Drive and the semi automatics were a great idea  
before WWII, as full automatics were more complex and had not yet been  
fully developed.  However, by the early 50s, full automatics could do  
everything Fluid Drive could do and more.

Jim Cavanaugh
From: erich.lim@cutting.hou.tx.us (Erich Lim) 
Newsgroups: rec.autos
Subject: RE: HONDA CIVIC BASHING C
Date: 1 Sep 92 20:12:00 GMT
Distribution: world
Organization: The Cutting Edge - Houston, TX - 713-466-1525
Reply-To: erich.lim@cutting.hou.tx.us (Erich Lim) 

-> **** Who told you that top of the line Accord is $20,000? ****
->
-> 92 Accord EX 4 dr. 5 spd. can be bought at $17,000 including TAX,
-> LICENCE, mat, rear mud guard, other misc. processing fees.  I mean
-> the DRIVE OUT price. ( California sales tax is 8.25 % !! )
-> 92 Accord LX 4 dr. 5 spd. can be bought below $14,900 including the
-> same thing above ---> I bought it at that price.  You can get a
-> better deal.
-> Automatic trans costs you 630 more, 2 dr costs you 160 less.  It's a
-> little more expensive than usual American cars, but IT'S NOT
-> EXPENSIVE considering its quality, refinement, etc.

   The ACCORD $20,000 is for a 4-dr EX sedan with auto, wing, mudflaps,
sunroof visor, and all that crap BEFORE you get to the bargaining table.
 Yeah, you can get an Accord cheaper than that cause they aren't selling
to well now and there are too many of them being sold.  In fact, Honda's
American plant has ceased production of all Accord's for the next 6
months.
                                         Erich Lim
                                                                                                                      
Newsgroups: rec.autos
From: mperlman@nyx.cs.du.edu (Marshal "Airborne" Perlman)
Subject: 100+mpg/oil co.s buying them out
Organization: Nyx, Public Access Unix (sponsored by U. of Denver Math/CS dept.)
Disclaimer1: Nyx is a public access Unix system run by the University of
Disclaimer2: Denver for the Denver community.  The University has neither
Disclaimer3: control over nor responsibility for the opinions of users.
Date: Wed, 2 Sep 92 01:55:21 GMT


Well..your ideas seem a bit far fetched..but somewhat true too..

If I was an Oil Company President..I'd have anyone who made
a real effective Carb or FI system KILLED. REALLY. 

I'm not in that situation..and am waiting for GM to start building their
100MPG+ car that was in Popular Science (it is a EXISTING thing..not on
the drawing board)...

I am not admitting to killing anyone..so sit down...

--
Generic Signature:
Marshal Perlman - Huntington Beach - California - USA - Earth - Milky Way
yaW ykliM - htraE - ASU - ainrofilaC - hcaeB notgnitnuH - namlreP lahsraM
                                                        :erutangiS cireneG
Xref: sparky rec.autos:21365 rec.autos.tech:12156 misc.consumers:16085 sci.environment:11040 talk.environment:3542
From: tmkk@uiuc.edu (Khan)
Newsgroups: rec.autos,rec.autos.tech,misc.consumers,sci.environment,talk.environment
Subject: Re: Carburetors, gasoline, and why I don't recycle
Date: 3 Sep 92 18:44:33 GMT
Article-I.D.: news.Bu0MqA.7IM
Organization: University of Illinois at Urbana


In article <jgraham.715448959@bronze.ucs.indiana.edu> jgraham@bronze.ucs.indiana.edu (the End) writes:
>Well now that those working in the auto industry have pointed out the
>errors in Eric's post, I would like to share a little annecdote. When
>I was a youngster in the sixth grade (1975) a kid in our class
>interviewed a local citizen who had developed an automobile engine
>that ran entirely on hydrogen. From the sixth graders report to the
>class we learned that the developer was unable to interest anyone from
>the auto industry in his engine, and at the time I was mystified by
>this seemingly illogical situation.

What's so illogical about it?

Do you have any idea of how EXPENSIVE it is to make liquid hyrdogen?
Even discounting the environmental impact (i.e. you generate more
pollution when burning the coal to make the electricity to separate the
hyrdrogen from the water than you would simply by burning the equivalent
amount of gasoline in your car's engine), it's many times more expensive
to separate hyrdogen from water than it is to refine gasoline from crude
oil. Faced with the choice between a more expensive hyrdogen car which
only takes fuel costing $5/gallon and a normal gasoline powered car, Joe
Average Consumer is going to take the gasoline car every time. The auto
makers weren't interested in the hydrogen car because there's absolutely
no market for it.

What's so illogical about that?
From: mjt@voodoo.boeing.com (Jim Tallant)
Newsgroups: rec.autos
Subject: Re: DENTS IN CAR HOOD
Date: 28 Aug 92 23:18:06 GMT
Reply-To: mjt@voodoo.boeing.com
Organization: BoGart System Tools

In article <BtI8BK.BuE@wpi.WPI.EDU>, beuf@wpi.WPI.EDU (Richard J Fuller) writes:
|> 
|> After taking delivery of my Brand New Geo Storm two 
|> weeks ago I went on a weekend trip with some friends
|> 
|> 
|> One rather STUPID one decided it would be cool to jump
|> up on my hood and fool around.  Well needless to say he
|> left a rather noticeable dent right in the center.  
|> 
	[edited]
|> 
|> I called a dealer and they told me rather rudely "Get a rubber mallat
|> and bang them out yourself"

Or maybe use the rubber mallat on your "friend".


-- 
Jim Tallant 					      mjt@voodoo.ca.boeing.com
==============================================================================
I came, I saw, I had no idea what was going on, so I left.
< The above is my opinion alone, not that of my employer >
Newsgroups: rec.autos
From: hbt@athena.mit.edu (Helen B Tatistcheff)
Subject: Civic Si Question
Keywords: Maint.
Organization: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Date: Tue, 1 Sep 1992 01:41:15 GMT

Hi,

My '92 Civic Si is coming up on 1000 miles.  When I picked it up they told
me to bring it back for a "1000 mile checkup."  The salesman said they would
change the oil and "calibrate things."  This is not listed in the maintainence
scheduled in the manual.  I'm all for changing the oil pretty soon, but
I'm suspicious about anything else they're going to want to do to extract
money from me.  Anybody have advice/experiences?

Also, my manual says that I need a Honda wrench to get the oil filter off.
Is this true?  Do I really have to have their wrench?  How much do they cost?
Do I have to get it from the dealer or would a normal auto parts store
have that?

Thanks in advance.

-Helen
-----------
Helen Tatistcheff | Saddle up your horses, we gotta trail to blaze
hbt@athena.mit.edu| Into the wild blue yonder of God's amazing grace.
617-253-1670      |                                     -Steve Curtis Chapman
From: dlou@ECE.UCSD.EDU (Dennis Lou)
Newsgroups: rec.autos
Subject: R. Welty + all Alfisti !
Date: 23 Aug 92 16:19:56 GMT
Organization: University of California, San Diego


Richard, please forward this to the Italian cars mailing list.  Thx.

I would limit this distribution to CA, but my news poster won't let
me.


The other day I saw a sight that could make me cry.  I was in the
junkyard and I saw a bright red 1987 Milano Silver and at first
glance, it appeared that nothing was wrong with it.

It turns out that it had run over a curb at high speed which bent the
frame rails under the engine, the oil pan and two of the rims 
rendering the car undrivable and unrepairable.  Except for a worn out
driver's seat side bolster, the rest of the car is in pristine
condition.  There were no scratches in the paint, no other interior 
anomalies and a clean engine (it's got a brown tweed interior).

Anyway, I thought this would the absolute perfect parts car for Milano
owners or GTV6 owner wishing to upgrade.

The junkyard is Klauers in San Jose (north location; there exists a
south location too).  The number is 408 452 1275.

I'm still sniffling over the fact that someone would do such a thing
to such a grand Alfa :-) :-(

--
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.
From: marquis@netcom.com (Roger Marquis)
Newsgroups: rec.autos
Subject: Re: Alfa Spider Veloce
Date: 29 Aug 92 04:20:23 GMT
Organization: Netcom - Online Communication Services  (408 241-9760 guest)

In article <1992Aug17.130818.10364@searchtech.com> belinda@searchtech.com (Belinda Hoshstrasser) writes:
>Hi!  Does anyone have first hand experience with an Alfa Romeo
>Spider Veloce?  I went out looking at cars this weekend and
>fell in love with one!  

I fell in love too.  I never used to go for drives 'just for the fun of it'
but since I bought a Spider I frequently go for relaxing drives through the
hills.

>I am mainly concerned with reliability.  I take good care of
>my cars and like to keep them for about 10 years.  Will the
>Spider be in the shop a lot?

If you are mainly concerned with reliability then you might consider a
Miyata or other, more mainstream convertible/targa.  Any Italian car will
need more maintenance than a comparable Japanese or American car.  

>Any comments, both positive and negative from people who have
>owned Alfa's will be greatly appreciated!

I'm on my 2nd Spider and plan on owning many more.  If you are looking for
a utility vehicle then you might not be happy with an Alfa, but if you want
a visually stunning example of Italian design, that handles completely
neutral, is much quieter than an air cooled Porsche, not as pretentious
as a Ferarri or Maserati, better looking than any other convertible ever
made, has a about 5x the trunk and rear seat storage of a Porsche or Miyata
and is more fun to drive, by an order of magnitude, than just about
anything else on the road today then you should consider an Alfa.

Used Alfas are the best deals as these cars depreciate considerable in
their first couple of years.  Be sure to have the oil changed every 4K and
a complete tune-up every 12K or so.  

If you do decide to get an Alfa rest assured, you'll never regret it.

Roger (marquis@well.sf.ca.us)
Newsgroups: rec.autos,pnw.forsale,uw.forsale
From: klg@statsci.com (Kevin L. Gross)
Subject: WANTED: 1956 Chevy or GMC Pickup
Reply-To: klg@statsci.com (Kevin L. Gross)
Organization: Statistical Sciences, Inc
Date: Thu, 27 Aug 1992 17:30:21 GMT


I'm in the market for a 1956 Chevy or GMC Pickup Truck. If you have one
for sale or know where one is, I'd be interested in hearing about it. I
might even be interested in a '55, '57 or '58, but I'd prefer the '56, cuz
that's the year I was born and I like the '56 style the best.

   email: klg@statsci.com
   dayphone: 206-283-2388
   evephone: 206-744-0845

-Kevin

-- 
-Kevin L. Gross          klg@statsci.com           Disclaim THIS: 
 This message is protected under the 1st Amendment to the Constitution
 of the United States of America. I'm protected under the 4th, 5th and
 9th Amendments among others, or at least I used to be.
From: teoallan@hpsgm2.sgp.hp.com (Allan TEO)
Newsgroups: rec.autos
Subject: Want to fuel inject a Mercesdes 280s
Date: 28 Aug 92 05:34:19 GMT
Organization: HP Singapore Notes-Server


Hi,

Is there a way to modify a 10-20 year-old car, eg.
1970s Mercedes Benz 280s, to be more fuel efficient.
How about fuel injection?
Can someone suggest something?

Regards,
Alan
From: jfox@hooksett.East.Sun.COM (John Fox - SunExpress IR)
Newsgroups: rec.autos
Subject: Re: Some questions looking for answers
Date: 27 Aug 92 15:36:20 GMT
Reply-To: jfox@hooksett.East.Sun.COM
Organization: Sun Microsystems, Inc.
NNTP-Posting-Host: hooksett.east.sun.com

In article 4869@balrog.ctron.com, smith@ctron.com (Larry Smith) writes:
> In article <oyPZPB1w164w@cellar.org>, hacksaw@cellar.org (Hacksaw) writes:
> 
> >The Buick is driven by the rear-wheels. My
> >friend(self-proclaimed auto-expert) says that RWD cars are, by their
> >very nature, unsafe and should not be driven at fast speeds(for example,
> >55 mph on a highway). No question in my mind that the car feels different;
> 
> Your friend is certainly self-proclaimed, for only a fool would make such a
> claim, and no one certifies fools.  Were this true, _every_ high performance
> car, from the Mustang to the Corvette to the Lamborghini Countach would be
> front-wheel drive.  They are not.  In fact, the number of powerful FWD cars
> in the market today can be counted on one hand, the number of powerful RWD
> cars is legion.
> 
> Following is very general:
> The handling differences are undetectable until you push the car into a slide.
> RWD cars will tend to oversteer under throttle, which brings the tail out as
> you accelerate.  FWD cars will tend to understeer under throttle, which means
> they will be less inclined to turn where you point the car.  When you lift
> the throttle, FWD cars front wheels will grab and try to pull the rear around
> (lift-throttle oversteer), where RWD cars will try to straighten out.
> 
> What this means is that if you over-throttle and slip on a slippery surface,
> you regain control in a FWD car by lifting the throttle and steering _away_
> from the skid, in a RWD car by lifting and steering _into_ the skid (to regain
> traction) and then away.  Since many people will instinctively steer away
> from a skid, FWD cars are slightly more "intuitive" for uneducated drivers,
> which most people are, and so have a "safer" reputation.  If, on the other
> hand, you drive a lot, or have driven many older cars, then you have already
> developed the "into and out of" reflex, and FWD cars can be very dangerous
> with that reflex (which is why my wife and I don't like them).  Furthermore,
(text deleted)

I can't agree with your statement on correcting sliding situations.
To correct oversteer, whether driving a fwd or rwd, you turn into. Turning
away in a fwd will only compound it. It's how you work the throttle that
differs when handling oversteer between front and rear wheel drive.
Note this is all in terms of general characteristics. Certainly there are
models that defy the general rules...


John
Newsgroups: rec.autos
From: "Amy Young Leith" <alyoung@kiwi.ucs.indiana.edu>
Subject: Re: Strike at Saturn?
Organization: Indiana University, Bloomington
Distribution: na
Date: Sun, 30 Aug 1992 09:33:46 -0500

In article <1992Aug30.072311.8708@leland.Stanford.EDU> underdog@leland.Stanford.EDU (Dwight Joe) writes:

>Get real, Mr. Sahul.  Here's another bub who does not criticize
>an unfair system in Japan.

I do not think that the taxes are fair to an equal trade economy as
we'd like it, but I still do not believe that *anything* besides
giving them away, would make the Japanese buy American cars.  And then
they'd probably only do so as a last resort.  

Why?  

Same reason I don't buy American cars.  I'm not going to throw my
money away on a product that's not the best.  If the UAW started
churning out econonical, sporty, dependable cars, I'd buy one in a
second.  However, I'm not going to support a twisted industry because
of pity if they can't survive in the realities of supply and demand.
If they aren't selling as many cars as the foreign people, THIS SHOULD
TELL THEM SOMETHING ABOUT THEIR PRODUCT AND THEY SHOULD MAKE CHANGES
ACCORDINGLY. 

>All factors held constant, except the price of American
>cars in Japan being made the same as the price in the USA,
>the number of vehicles sold in Japan _will_ _increase_.  That
>extra 1 million dollars, for example, in income will be useful
>for the survival of the companies.

How do you know it would increase significantly?

>Yeah, 1 million dollars is peanuts to Mr. Sahul.  But that could
>be a few less unemployed folks America.

And a few other reasons for Chrysler, etc all to continue to make less
than dependable cars. 

>What's really stupid is that although no where in my post do I
>say that the American companies are faultless, Mr. Sahul decides
>to go on this tangent.

You heavly imply that regardless, Americans should buy American, as if
this will solve all problems.

><sarcasm on>
>
>I propose that we continue with opening the market in Japan
>to USA goods but that we _not_ waste our time asking Japan
>to widen the markets in the general sense.
>
>Why?
>
>There are a whole bunch of foreigners in this country (yeah, I make
>the conclusion that Mr. Sahul is a foreigner) who do not criticize

And so what is he is "a foreigner?"  I find your "sarcasm" quite
offensive. 

amy
-- 
alyoung@kiwi.ucs.indiana.edu for personal mail
			    All business mail to alyoung@silver.ucs.indiana.edu
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
		  I'm on my own time.  I only speak for myself. 

Xref: sparky rec.autos:21091 rec.autos.tech:11964