HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: qazi@csd4.csd.uwm.edu (Aamir Hafeez Qazi)
Newsgroups: rec.autos
Subject: Re: 1993 Camaro
Date: 27 Jan 1993 21:47:24 GMT
Organization: Computing Services Division, University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee
NNTP-Posting-Host: 129.89.7.4

In article <30232@oasys.dt.navy.mil> heidenre@oasys.dt.navy.mil (Todd Heidenreich) writes:
>In rec.autos, jmh@gnu.ai.mit.edu (Jeffrey M. Hoffmeister) writes:
>>
>>Too bad its so damn UGLY.  The hood that blends into the mirrrors is the
>>most god awfull looking affect since the caprice.  And the front end looks
>>like they combined the old camaro with the Geo Storm *gack*.
>>
>It is just personal taste, but I tend to disagree that it is ugly.
>I think that it looks quite good.  Anyways, with the 5.7 liter LT1 engine,
>the 6 speed transmission, four wheel disc brakes, four wheel ABS, dual
>air bags, and 235/55r-16 tires all standard for roughly $17,000 I find
>it hard to believe that there is any real competition for this car in
>this price range.

--The Z28 looks really sharp in black, judging from the photos in Car and
  Driver.  In red, I agree it does look like a giant Geo Storm.  However,
  the Camaro has become more than just a list of performance figures hiding
  an old, creaky car.  It now has a rigid chassis, good handling, good 
  ergonomics (the rows of buttons in GM's cars now seem to be gone), and
  reasonable refinement.  The engine is amazing, and the performance 
  figures totally betray the price of the car. 0-60 in 5.3 sec, skidpad
  grip of 0.91 g, 60-0 braking in a very short distance.  I don't see ANY
  Japanese car costing less than $34,000 that offers this performance,
  and those that do, with the exception of the RX-7, are almost as large
  and heavy.

  In short, the new Camaro Z28 is a revelation for the affordable sports
  car market.  Japan will probably never be able to match it for the price.

--Aamir Qazi

-- 

Aamir Qazi
qazi@csd4.csd.uwm.edu
--Why should I care?  I'd rather watch drying paint.
Newsgroups: rec.autos
Subject: Japanese cars never die!!!!
From: white_w@ab.wvnet.edu
Date: 21 Jan 93 21:41:15 -0500
Organization: Alderson-Broaddus College

	I have a little automatic 2-wheel-drive '81 subaru GL wagon, and I
would just like to put in my 2 cents worth.  I boutht the car used 9 months
ago from a dealer.  I paid $1000.  Since then I have wrecked twice (only one
was my fault).  It ate a guardrail at over 60 miles an hour, and survived.
I also sideswiped a Bonneville at about 20 (I wasn't looking behind me when
I pulled out *embarrasment*).  I have put 18,000 miles on top of the 101,000
that were on it when I bought it.  Except for new brake pads (safety
precaution) I haven't done anything to it but change the oil and beat out
dents.  I put 2000 miles on it in the last two weeks, 1000 in two days.  It
has never failed.  Show me a chevette that can say that.
				W. C. White
				White_W@ab.wvnet.edu
From: kalin@math.psu.edu ( kalin )
Newsgroups: rec.autos
Subject: cracked strut tower - any fixes ?
Date: 24 Jan 93 15:21:50 GMT
Article-I.D.: cs.C1D6oE.8p5
Distribution: usa
Organization: Math Dept

Title says it.  The rear tower has a horisontal crack about
an inch wide, exactly where it had a seam. Could this be
fixed for less than $300-$400 ?

regards
kalin
Newsgroups: rec.autos
From: ehawrysh@bnr.ca (Evan Hawrysh)
Subject: Re: >>> how do i get taur
Reply-To: ehawrysh@bnr.ca
Organization: BNR
Date: Mon, 25 Jan 93 14:59:09 GMT

In article 218@dosgate, "tom neumann" <tom.neumann@canrem.com> () writes:
>
>Harv@cup.portal.com (Harv R Laser) writes:
>
>HR>If it's not a power antenna, and it's the stock 1-piece steel "whip"
>HR>style Taurus antenna, it does NOT go down. It'll go thru a car wash
>HR>just fine.
>
>You probably will get away with it 9,999 times out of 10,000 but:
>
>We had one customer that took their 90 Volkswagen Golf (with the
>exact same antenna you refer to) through a car wash; one that they
>had gone through many times before with the antenna attached.
>
>This ONE time the antenna got caught in the roller-brush. It picked
>the car right off of the floor as the antenna wrapped around the
>roller! It pulled part of the fender around the antenna mount up
>about a half of a foot before the roller stopped turning.
>
>It's the only time I've heard of it, and odds are you'll usually get
>away with it, but I think it would still be a bit safer to take the
>antenna off.
>
>Tom Neumann
>---

This reminds me of the time my brother took his 1976 Mustang II (boredom zero)
through an automatic wash. The roller yanked the antenna off and mercilessly
began to whip the car. Can't say it didn't deserve it though.

Evan
 

Newsgroups: rec.autos
From: bqueiser@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu (Brian J Queiser)
Subject: Re: 36 Re: Worst Car Award
Organization: The Ohio State University
Date: Thu, 28 Jan 1993 19:02:14 GMT

CENG51@maccvm.corp.mot.com (Craig Witkowski) writes:

>If beauty is only skin (sheetmetal) deep, then ugly goes right to the bone
>(chassis) with the Taurus. Or IMNSHO the Ford CLIT-Taurus because you've
>got to fiddle with the damn thing to get it moving! :)
>
>Our company has a fleet of those "quality is job 1,234,978,795,001" derelicts
>with a variety of failures within the first 25,000 miles.  My 92 wagon
>tossed its engine mounts at 4k, snapped a CV joint at 6K and while that was
>being replaced the dealer determined thaat the alternator was going south
>and had to be replaced.  I have twice needed to add power steering fluid
>due to a leaky hose connection and I only have 11k on this beast!
>
>Other unfortunate Taurus drivers at work have had transmissions and A/C
>compressors toss their cookies as well as alignments going out of whack
>(and no, the drivers were not pretending they were 4WD or NYC taxi drivers!)
>for no apparant reason.
>
>I'll stick with my personal car - A 1987 Monte Carlo SS Aerocoupe.
>Rear wheel drivin', 4 barrel V-8 ass haulin' fun!
>
>Craig Witkowski, CENG51@maccvm.corp.mot.com
>Motorola Communications & Electronics Inc.


Okay, Craig.  Carefully put down the car phone.  That's it.  Get it
away from your head.

:^/

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: DEVILBISS@OCTAVE.LARC.NASA.GOV (Dave)
Newsgroups: rec.autos
Subject: Re: Q: how do i know if i need a new catalytic converter?
Date: 25 Jan 1993 15:21:33 GMT
Organization: NASA Langley Research Center, Hampton, VA  USA
Distribution: world
Reply-To: DEVILBISS@OCTAVE.LARC.NASA.GOV (Dave)
NNTP-Posting-Host: lockheedmac6.larc.nasa.gov

 co940@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (Nicholas E. Damato) writes:

> Hi, my milage has dropped, and the car seems sluggish. it has
>about 70,000 mi, i've looked at a lot of things, but i'm
>wondering how i can tell if the catalytic is fried.
>thank you for the info.
>n.e.d.

When the catalytic converter gave up the ghost in my JEEP, the symptoms were . . . 

1.  Oil  & lots of it in the aircleaner. (due to exhaust valve blow by)
2.  Lack of power.
3.  It would rattle due to loose bits & peices inside.
4.  The exhaust was excessively hot.  Also, the converter itself will get rather hot.

Good luck . . . Dave

________________________________________________        
        If we were not crazy, we would go insane.
        If we could not laugh, we would go insane!     J. Buffett
________________________________________________
Newsgroups: rec.autos
From: jailbird@next09cville.wam.umd.edu (serial killer)
Subject: Re: Japanese cars vs. America
Organization: Workstations at Maryland, University of Maryland, College Park
Date: Tue, 26 Jan 1993 00:49:52 GMT

In article <1993Jan18.022149.19051@cronkite.ocis.temple.edu>  
zorro@picasso.ocis.temple.edu (John Grabowski) writes:
> Well, that's your story, and I have no doubt it's valid.  But I can do a
> similar story with different results.  In 1989 I bought a 1984 Chevy  
Celebrity,
> with 43,600 miles.  A friend bought a 1984 Honda Civic Wagon with 90,000
> miles the same month.  We have done almost equal amounts of driving.   
Both
> cars had had relatively few repairs by the original owners.
> 
> His Civic, though not a luxury car, has performed without a major  
breakdown
> to the present.  (It is just now starting to show its age, with 150,000  
on 
> the odometer.)  My Celeb, though more luxurious (had everything in it),  
has
> broken down more times than I care to count, and I don't mean just  
replacing
> bolts for a few bucks.  I'm talking inner tie rod (three times!), engine  
valve,
> catty converter, tailpipe assembly, altenator (twice), battery (three of  
'em),
> carbourator (three times), right front power window, and tuner on the  
radio.
> And I almost forgot the rust, especially underneath, where there's a  
little 
> hole under the driver's side about the size of a dime right now.
> 
> Yes, I'm getting another car.
> 
> So, not everyone has had your luck with American cars.  I do think U.S.  
cars
> have gotten better, but if I could afford a new Toyota Camry, I'd grab  
one.
> 
> BTW, how reliablilty statistics are compiled is not by individual  
anecdote, but
> by repair receipts from rental companies.  And long ago, industry  
observers
> began noting that rental cars made by Japanese were being repaired a lot  
less
> than those made in American.  And you can't say that those who requested  
the
> American cars were just not as careful.
> 
Hey, I have an 86 Crown Victoria with 367,000 and the only major thing I  
changed was the tranyy at 250,000.  I still take it up to 95-100 miles an  
hour at least 3 times a week with no problem.  The more you ride the car  
the better it seems to run.  I took into the mountains and saw those  
little Japanese cars try to hit 50 miles on an incline while I was still  
accelarating at 80+ miles an hour.  Americans know how to make large  
engines (they had enough practice). Mine's a 5.8L 2BBL.  If i drive it at  
65 it gives me about 16 miles per gallon and that's with the oxidezed gas  
they have here which you get 2-5 miles lessthan the old formula
From: c23st@kocrsv01.delcoelect.com (Spiros Triantafyllopoulos)
Newsgroups: rec.autos
Subject: Re: Politics of car buying
Date: 20 Jan 93 18:08:43 GMT
Organization: Delco Electronics Corp.

In article <1993Jan20.164827.26864@zia.aoc.nrao.edu> gvanmoor@nrao.edu writes:
>Interesting is that everybody seems to think that once the trade barriers are gone
>the Japanese will all stand in line to buy Chevrolets and Buicks. But will they
>want to? ....

The issue, unfortunately, is not on the trade deficit due to *cars*, but
due to *car parts*. The issue is not getting Mr. and Ms. Average Japanese
Car Buyer to buy a Taurus or a Cherokee or a 'Vette, but rather, how to
get Mr. Average Japanese Car Company to buy *car parts* from US sources, mainly
for the cars they build (assemble) in the US. And we're talking about
products ranging from fasteners to wiring harnesses to batteries to you-name-it.

>In Germany, where there are even fewer restrictions on importing cars than in the US
>(no quota, no extra taxes on light trucks), Japanese cars are almost as successful as
>they are in the US. 

I don't think so; I have the figures in the library, but I seem to remember
that Japanese car market share in Germany is at best in the low teens %,
while in the US is in the upper twenties or low thirties...

Spiros
-- 
Spiros Triantafyllopoulos                    c23st@kocrsv01.delcoelect.com
Software Technology, Delco Electronics       (317) 451-0815
GM Hughes Electronics, Kokomo, IN 46904      [A Different Kind of Disclaimer]
From: rhaar@albert.cs.gmr.com (Bob Haar)
Newsgroups: rec.autos
Subject: Re: Vehicle size vs. safety (was: Crash Te
Date: 21 Jan 93 14:11:27 GMT
Reply-To: rhaar@albert.cs.gmr.com
Organization: G.M. Research Laboratories

In article 9187@newsgate.sps.mot.com, mark@wdcwdc.sps.mot.com (Mark Shaw) writes:
|>In article <96654@rphroy.ph.gmr.com>, rhaar@albert.cs.gmr.com (Bob Haar) writes:
|>|> Let me add some data to this discussion. The following is paraphrased
|>|> from "Traffic Safety and the Driver" by Leonard Evans and is based
|>|> on the FARS database which contains entries for all on-road vehicle
|>|> accidents which result in fatalities.
|>|> 
|>|> The effect of relative mass is more pronounced in two-car accidents,
|>|> but even in single-car accidents, the risk of death is higher in
|>|> lighter cars. When both types of accidents are combined, a person
|>|> in a 900 kg car is 2.8 times as likely to die in an accident as
|>|> a person in an 1800 kg car.
|>
|>What does the data say about accident rates for large and small vehicles
|>normalized for age of driver?  
|>

Evans analyzed the dtat in a number of ways that involved driver's
age. If you are really interested, you should read the book. But I
will extract some information from two graphs that might be 
helpful.

On page 30, Evans show driver fatalites per billion km of travel
vs age. The graph looks like a backwards J, with the high at about
20 yeras old, the low in the forties [me!!], and then slowly rising with
increasing age. The fatalities for males at age 20 appears to be over five
times higher than at age 85.

Later, he graphs sever crash involvements per million licensed
drivers vs age. For males at age 20, the number of severe accidents
per million drivers is nearly 2,000. AT age 85, it is about 200.

And that explains why insurance rates are so much higher for
young male drivers.



---
  	Robert Haar               InterNet : rhaar@gmr.com 
	Computer Science Dept., G.M. Research Laboratories
DISCLAIMER: Unless indicated otherwise, everything in this note is
personal opinion, not an official statement of General Motors Corp.


Newsgroups: rec.autos
From: cka52397@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu (Slartibartfast)
Subject: Re: Worst Car Award
Organization: University of Illinois at Urbana
Date: Tue, 26 Jan 1993 02:42:14 GMT

In article <frank.727928633@kynok.ucs.ubc.ca> frank@unixg.ubc.ca (Murray Frank) writes:
>In <1993Jan24.141549.16369@cronkite.ocis.temple.edu> zorro@picasso.ocis.temple.edu (John Grabowski) writes:
>
>
>>I'd like to conduct an informal poll here: what do the gentle readers of this
>>group think is the WORST car being made today???  (And why?)  It must be a 
>>car still being manufactured, so a 1975 Dodge Dart doesn't count.  :-)
>
>>This should generate some healthy debate...
>From Consumer Reports the leading candidates would seem to include
>Chevrolet Blazer
>Chevrolet Camaro
>Chevrolet Cavalier
>Chevrolet Corsica
>Dodge Daytona
>Dodge Spirit
>Eagle Premier
>Hyundai Excel
>Jaguar XJ6
>Pontiac Firebird
>
>My personal "favorite" would be the Excel. (The above list is based on the 
>trouble index in Consumer Reports, and so misses out on some cars that are
>simply too low volume.) 
>A
>
>
>the trouble index in Consumer Reports) 
>
>
>
>>John
>>zorro@picasso.ocis.temple.edu
>>^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

	Well, the XJ6 you listed above, although in need of repairs a whole hell
of a lot of time, is NOT in the running unless you count service as the only 
issue, and if you count CR's somewhat weird conclusions...  (Boy you should 
have seen the Hell CR got a few months ago)  I mean, I don't think that any
Jag is great from a reliability standpoint, but they are fun to drive.

	Case in point:
		I drove my 1987 Honda Civic to NC two weeks ago from my home in
	MD, and I hated it.  No power, and it gets skittish at 85-90 MPH.  My
	Dad's friend, who I stayed with in Durham, has an XJS (1990), and even
	though I'd hate to own it, I LOVE to drive it, it does 115 down the 
	highway easily...  Don't tell the NCHP, though...


	Everything is of course IMHO...


-- 
 Chintan Amin  The University of Illinois, Urbana Champaign  c-amin1@uiuc.edu
  "Public speaking is very easy!" <-- Quayle 10/88  ;-)
  "Unfortunately, the people of Louisiana are not racists" <-- Quayle, 10/12/90
NeXTMail Accepted at cka52397@sumter.cso.uiuc.edu  Go Illini Holiday Bowl 1992
Newsgroups: rec.autos
From: mohamed@gpu.utcs.utoronto.ca (Mohamed Tarikh)
Subject: Help in buying Saturn
Organization: University of Toronto Computing Services
Distribution: can
Date: Sun, 24 Jan 1993 13:33:54 GMT

Hello,

I am considering buying a new 1993 Saturn. I realize that they are new on
market, but i am interested in feedback from people who have bought one.
I have two choices either to buy Saturn or Toyota Corrola.

Thanks.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mohamed Tarikh,                 ________________ _      .    ____      *
Network Operations Centre..*  <<\_______________|_) .  ___==/    \==___
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Mohamed@gpu.utcs.utoronto.ca  *     .                        .  *     . .      
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Newsgroups: rec.autos
From: kensib@cary112.its.rpi.edu (Brian C. Kensing)
Subject: wanted: full range box
Reply-To: kensib@rpi.edu
Organization: Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY.
Date: Thu, 28 Jan 1993 12:43:57 GMT

	I am looking for a full range box preferably with 12's or 15's for an S10 Blazer for around $200.  Send email to kensib@rpi.edu

						Thanks,
						  Brian
Newsgroups: rec.autos
From: bob1@cos.com (Bob Blackshaw)
Subject: Re: Probe GT suspension
Organization: Corporation for Open Systems
Distribution: usa
Date: Thu, 21 Jan 1993 21:31:45 GMT

In <1993Jan19.222331.17633@ulysses.att.com> jdt@ulysses.att.com (Jonathan D. Trudel[ftd]) writes:

>In article <107308@bu.edu>, heiser@acs.bu.edu (Bill Heiser) writes:
>|> In article <C0tr2p.MyL@wiretap.spies.com> jcmiller@wiretap.spies.com writes:
>|> >I really like the Probe GT except for the harsh ride. During a test
>|> 
>|> Then why don't you get the regular Probe?

>Well, I'm not the original person, but since I test-drove a new GT, I
>can venture a guess -  the Probe doesn't "stay put" on the road. 
>Instead, it reacts to every change in the road and the body is
>almost constantly moving as a result.  I don't care that the ride

Oh sh*t, was this one of the improvements? My 89 will accelerate
quite reasonably from a dead stop with no hands and straight down
the road. At speed, it tracks like a cannonball down a chimney.
Guess I'll have to go back to GM for the next one.

>itself is harsh, but the chassis is seemed unsettled all the time.
>It's something that I would hope new struts can fix.

>I may buy it anyway, but I'm waiting to see what the new Jetta GLX is
>like first (at least, there are plenty of places that sell the right
>sort of parts for the VW).

Bob.


Newsgroups: rec.autos
From: alves@gaul.csd.uwo.ca (ToM aLVeS)
Subject: Any Saturn Owners Out There?
Organization: Computer Science Dept., Univ. of Western Ontario, London, Canada
Distribution: World
Date: Sun, 24 Jan 1993 16:31:46 GMT

Greetings!

   I am presently considering the purchase of a '93 Saturn SL1 and am
insterested in hearing from anyone out there who has purchased a Saturn, 
whether or not you are happy with it.  I'm looking for an economical and
reliable highway car and would like to hear how these cars are standing up
to everyday driving.  E-mail would be greatly appriciated.

Thanks to all in advance.

Tom Alves
alves@gaul.csd.uwo.ca
-- 
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tom Alves, Compsci Undergrad, UWO, London, Canada
alves@csd.uwo.ca
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Newsgroups: rec.autos
From: eap@leland.Stanford.EDU (Eric Perozziello)
Subject: The Car Book
Organization: DSG, Stanford University, CA 94305, USA
Date: Wed, 27 Jan 93 18:48:39 GMT


Heard on KGO this AM:

Jack Gillis, author of "The Car Book" (a guide to car 
purchace) says :

We find that the Japanese car manufacturers have worse
warantee service, and higher maintenance costs.
They can get away with this because the American buying 
public perceives japanese quality as being higher.
       ^^^^^^^^^


Newsgroups: rec.autos
From: gvanmoor@nrao.edu (Gustaaf Van Moorsel,,,)
Subject: Re: Politics of car buying
Reply-To: gvanmoor@nrao.edu
Organization: National Radio Astronomy Observatory
Date: Thu, 21 Jan 93 15:39:01 GMT

In article 1jmb5tINN4qn@armory.centerline.com, jimf@centerline.com (Jim Frost) writes:

>Until January 1, 1992 there were extreme limitations on Japanese
>imports into Germany, so I would be really surprised if in the last
>year they've managed that much penetration.
>
>jim frost
>jimf@centerline.com


You are misinformed. There is no such thing as extreme limitations. And if so,
that would prove my point even more: if Japanese sell 10 times as many cars as do
the American manufacturers even under 'severe import limitations against Japanese', 
imagine what unlimited import would mean to that ratio.
---
 --------------------------------------------------------------------
|Gustaaf van Moorsel          *   *                gvanmoor@nrao.edu |
|NRAO, P.O.Box 0          *           *     *         (505)-835-7396 |
|Socorro, NM 87801, USA                           fax (505)-835-7027 |
|                                     *    *                         |
 --------------------------------------------------------------------

Newsgroups: rec.autos
From: underdog@leland.Stanford.EDU (Dwight Joe)
Subject: 1992 Ranks for Most Popular Automotive Manufacturer in the USA
Organization: Miners for a Heart of Gold
Distribution: na
Date: Mon, 25 Jan 93 07:57:49 GMT


Here are the leaders in automotive sales, excluding trucks, in the USA.

(1) General Motors
(2) Ford
(3) Honda
(4) Toyota
(5) Chrysler

Here are the leaders in total automotive sales, including trucks, in the USA.

(1) General Motors
(2) Ford
(3) Chrysler
(4) Honda
(5) Toyota

Source:  Fortune Magazine

I'm a little suspicious about #4 and #5 for the second list above 'coz
my memory ain't what it used to be, but I'm _relatively_ sure.


------------------------------------------------------------------+------------
Jinsei no imi wa nan desu ka.                Sister, can you      |   \|  |`
Shitte itara oshiete kuremasen ka.           spare a coin?        |    | -+-
                                                                  |   /| / \
Copyright 1992, 1993    Disclaimer:  1 + 1 = 3                    |
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Newsgroups: rec.autos
From: goyal@utdallas.edu (MOHIT K GOYAL)
Subject: Rain-X?
Organization: Univ. of Texas at Dallas
Date: Wed, 27 Jan 1993 18:14:21 GMT

Does this product really work?

If so, are their any side-effects, or consequences?

Thanks.