HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: lockwood@acidqueen.Eng.Sun.COM (Jim Lockwood)
Newsgroups: rec.autos,rec.autos.tech
Subject: Re: Some questions looking for answers
Date: 1 Sep 1992 00:15:28 GMT
Organization: Sun Microsystems, Mt. View, Ca.
NNTP-Posting-Host: 129.146.12.28

In article <1992Aug28.183816.10891@contel0.com> arthur@contel0.com (Arthur Resler Engineering Services) writes:
>Some Answers to questions looking for Answers

>What I think your friend is refering to is the rather loose roadholding
>of your vintage american cars. These cars were built to thrive on the
>
>Converting to radials will help imensely. 

As long as the car isn't driven at the limit of adhesion, radials probably
are a Good Thing.  At the limits of adhesion, though, once a radial starts
to lose traction, the drop off rate is fairly steep.  Bias ply tires, 
on the other hand, while having a lower upper adhesive limit, fall off
more slowly.  A 4 wheel drift ought to be easier to control on bias
ply tires.....should you have some reason to want to maintain one.



>Also get the best (metallic) brake linings you can find.


From the context of most of the comments, I assume that the car being 
discussed is old enough to have drum brakes.  

Who (and I mean with all specifics like name and phone number or address)
has metallic linings for drum brakes these days??  I would like to find
a source.



Regards,

Jim Lockwood - KM6NK
lockwood@acidqueen.eng.sun.com


Newsgroups: rec.autos,rec.autos.tech
From: feeney@tigger.jvnc.net (Michael J. Feeney)
Subject: Re: Modifying the 'Original' Monster Truck
Originator: feeney@dumbo.jvnc.net
Organization: JvNCnet
Date: Thu, 3 Sep 1992 14:21:26 GMT

In article <1992Sep03.022728.30932@datamark.co.nz> thomas@datamark.co.nz (Thomas Beagle) writes:
>In article <1992Sep2.161602.392@tigger.jvnc.net> feeney@tigger.jvnc.net (Michael J. Feeney) writes:
>>
>>My friend owns one of the 'original' monster trucks.  That's right...
>>It's a 1984 4WD AMC Eagle station wagon.
>
>Come on, you can admit it here. We know that that truck is yours! :-)

No, really! But I wish I had bought it. $1,000 for the thing.  Fully loaded,
perfect condition.  Nice dark red, fake wood paneling on the side, he even
found an old CB with fake wood trim to match the interior!

Don't get me wrong - he does not think the car is attractive AT ALL.

His wanted the ugliest nightmare of a car he could find.  He is currently
having a nice, huge steel-tube bumper put on the front (shopping carts 
no longer have to be avoided in parking lots)

I hate him for buying the thing before I could - but hey, at least someone
I know has it.


-Mike

-- 

- Mike Feeney
  Account Representative
  JvNCnet
Xref: sparky rec.autos:21307 rec.autos.tech:12120
Newsgroups: rec.autos,rec.autos.tech
Subject: Re: Modifying the 'Original' Monster Truck
From: thomas@datamark.co.nz (Thomas Beagle)
Date: Thu, 03 Sep 1992 02:27:28 GMT
Organization: Datamark International Ltd.

In article <1992Sep2.161602.392@tigger.jvnc.net> feeney@tigger.jvnc.net (Michael J. Feeney) writes:
>
>My friend owns one of the 'original' monster trucks.  That's right...
>It's a 1984 4WD AMC Eagle station wagon.

Your friend?

At the psychiatrist:
	"Well, you see, my friend has this problem with his mother."
 
At the sex shop:
	"My friend specifically asked me to get this one!"

Autograph hunting:
	"If you could just sign this for my little brother, his name's
	Michael."

Come on, you can admit it here. We know that that truck is yours! :-)

-- 
    Thomas Beagle | thomas@datamark.co.nz    or | A beagle a day keeps        
Datamark Intl Ltd | thomas@cavebbs.welly.gen.nz | the doctor at bay.
 Technical Writer | 		      Vote MMP!
From: hale@gws.tcom.stc.co.uk (Dave Hale)
Newsgroups: rec.autos
Subject: Haggling with car dealers
Date: 28 Aug 92 11:45:31 GMT
Reply-To: hale%mother@tcom.stc.co.uk
Organization: bnr


Does anyone have any effective techniques for haggling a car dealer in the hope of getting
a discount? 
Newsgroups: rec.autos
From: smills@news.weeg.uiowa.edu (MuffinHead)
Subject: Re: Yet another fancy piece of cops' equipment
Organization: University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
Date: Tue, 25 Aug 1992 20:45:15 GMT

kenny@osf.org (Kenneth Crudup) writes:

>All the Boston and MetroScum motorcycle cops ride Harleys. I didn't think they
>handed out anything else. If you can stomach it, check out the intro to the 
>show "CHiPs" sometime.

   Are you sure? I haven't seen the show for a long time, but I'd swear they
used Kawasaki's on CHiPs. Come to think of it, they didn't really sound like
Hogs either. (heh, pigs on hogs (no flames from law enforcement individuals
Newsgroups: rec.autos
From: alavigne@bmerh930.bnr.ca (Andrew Lavigne)
Subject: Re: HONDA CIVIC BASHING C
Organization: Bell Northern Research
Date: 2 Sep 92 10:47:15

-> >ignorant).  Honda's are EXPENSIVE, a top of the line CIVIC costs
-> >$16,000!!  That's ridiculous and they always advertise them for
-> $11,000. > Yeah, no power anything, no A/C, no radio, etc.  Top of
-> the line Accord >costs $20,000 loaded, Prelude costs $24,000 (Si 4ws
-> loaded), top of the >line Integra GS-R costs $22,000.  The prices of
-> Honda's are getting out >of hand...
->
->
-> Are these U.S. prices or Canadian prices?  The price of a top-line
-> civic in canada is about 18000 Canadian = 15000 U.S., the price of an
-> Integra GS-R is 21000 Canadian = 17500 U.S., the price of a Prelude
-> Si 4ws is 24000 Canadian = 20000 U.S.
->
->
-> Your prices seem awfully inflated;  and I've checked at many dealers
-> in several provinces over the past 6 months.

>  These prices are all U.S. and they are not inflated.  Yeah, the actual
>sticker price is lower, but after you add floor mats, the usual dealer
>prep. (rustproof, teflon wax, etc.)  That's how much it costs.   These
>prices are correct because I know someone who bought a 92' Prelude
>Si 4ws with gold trim and almost all all of the accesories for $24,000
>in Los Angeles. Another one of my friends paid $17,000 for a plain 92'
>Accord EX without any accesories and before TT&L.  And as the price for
>the Integra, I saw the price at the dealer and of course Integra's don't
>come standard with A/C. so that costs another $1000.  That really
>sucks!!

Well, the Integra GS-R (which you quoted before) comes with a/c standard, so
I don't know what you mean when you say it costs an extra $1K.  True, the
RS and LS do not come with air (and they are about 12.5k and 15.3k (US dollars)
, respectively).


Obviously, Honda prices in L.A. are way out of line.  24k us for a prelude 4ws
is 28,500 Canadian which is four thousand over what it [apparently] costs in
many other places (based on my observations and the many other posts in this
group).  

Floor mats are definitely less than 100 bucks.  I wouldn't get any fancy
teflon this and rustproof that - the dealer sticks this stuff on to make the 
bucks.  Bottom line - don't pay a thousand dollars in accessories you don't
need.  (Granted, if you get one of the base models that doesn't have A/C,
it is quite expensive).



>Erich Lim
Andrew Lavigne
alavigne@bnr.ca
From: wiryaman@riscee.pko.dec.com (Santa Wiryaman)
Newsgroups: rec.autos
Subject: Re: Haggling with car dealers
Date: 31 Aug 92 16:52:29 GMT
Organization: Digital Equipment Corporation, Maynard MA

In article <1992Aug28.202612.29164@awdprime.austin.ibm.com> ...@cs.utexas.edu:ibmaus!auschs!tmn1.austin.ibm.com!tung writes:
>
>You will hear some noise about the dealer taking better care of you if
>you bought it through them. Ignore this. The warranty is honored by all 
>dealers. If I thought a dealer treated others worse because they did not
>buy from there, I'd go elsewhere.
>

The way I see it is that all dealers have to honor warranty service.  However,
they are not obligated to schedule it within a reasonable time and complete
the service at a priority.  Sure they make money on warranty service, but
it is paid far less by the manufacturer than a non-warranty service, i.e.,
there is no mark up they could enjoy from non-warranty service.
So if a dealer's service dept. is quite good, and people line up to get their
service, who do you think makes a good business sense to be serviced first?
You can fight all you want with them to get the service fast, you can threat
them to notify the manufacturer or BBB, but say if they reluctantly agree,
I will question the competency of the service that is being reluctantly done.

I would rather deal with a dealer within a convenient distance from me with
a reputable service department, even if it is slightly more expensive.  I will
specifically ask and investigate how they treat their sales customers on
warranty service.  I just don't want to be hassled with long service appoinment
at a close by dealer or having to go >50 miles to get a broken cup holder fixed
on a working day.  More and more dealerships now are open on Saturdays for
service, a good consideration for me in choosing a dealer.


-- 
Santa Wiryaman

INTERNET : wiryaman@riscee.pko.dec.com
UUCP     : ...!decwrl!riscee.pko.dec.com!wiryaman
From: cbh@opus.mlb.semi.harris.com (Cherie Slasor)
Newsgroups: rec.autos
Subject: Re: Best time to buy a car?.
Date: 27 Aug 92 15:20:44 GMT
Distribution: na
Organization: Harris Semiconductor, Melbourne FL

In article <1992Aug26.182744.13689@midway.uchicago.edu> howard@chsun1.spc.uchicago.edu (Eboni Howard) writes:
>A while ago I read a post asking when was the best time to buy a car.  I have
>not seen a reply to this answer, I don't think.  When is the best time of the
>year to buy a car?  I heard that during December or January is a good time because dealers are trying to get rid of the old models for the new year models.
>For example, getting rid of the 92's for the 93's.  Is this true?  Can you get a good deal on a car during this time or is there a better time of the year?
>
>Eboni
>howard@chsun1.uchicago.edu
>
>
>-- 
>Eboni
>howard@chsun1.uchicago.edu

I had always heard that this was the best time to buy a car.  Late summer,
from July thru September or so.  That was why we waited until the end of
July to start looking.  Definite mistake.  Both the Saturn SC and Maxda MX6
were pretty well out of 92's by then.  Maybe if we had made a decision
before August we would have found one but other things intervened and
they were all gone by the time we got serious.

So if you definitely want a particular model, and that model is a good-selling
one, don't wait too long.


-- 
====================================================================
Cherie Slasor			     |	Harris Semiconductor
Phone:    (407) 724-7607	     |	P.O. Box 883, MS #62B-022
          cbh@mlb.semi.harris.com    |  Melbourne, FL   32902-0883
From: snively@scsi.Eng.Sun.COM (Bob Snively)
Newsgroups: rec.autos
Subject: Timing Belts on Small Cars
Date: 31 Aug 1992 23:42:30 GMT
Organization: Sun Microsystems
Distribution: usa
Reply-To: snively@scsi.Eng.Sun.COM
NNTP-Posting-Host: scsi


I have lately been approached by both the Honda service people 
that work on my 89 Civic and the Toyota service people that work on
my '84 Corolla to replace timing belts somewhere between 
60 and 100 thousand miles.  Costs over $300.  Sounds to me 
like service padding.

Does anyone have real numbers on the statistics of timing
belt failures and the actual consequences to the motors that
would help guide me on this question?

Please reply directly as well as through the news group.

Many thanks,

Bob Snively
Newsgroups: rec.autos
From: rll@frieda.mitre.org (Roberto L. Landrau)
Subject: Re: Wrong Speedometers
Organization: Research Computer Facility, MITRE Corporation, Bedford, MA
Date: Wed, 26 Aug 1992 10:59:25 GMT

In article <SYNTH.92Aug18162545@deepthought.unm.edu>,
synth@deepthought.unm.edu (Synth F. Oberheim) writes:
>>>Many, many cars in production today have their speedometers
>>>calibrated high,

Can you name a few?  Any references?  All the ones I have seen
never state a speedometer error > 1-2 MPH at various speeds.

In article <Aug20.212410.42095@yuma.ACNS.ColoState.EDU>
cc433336@LANCE.ColoState.Edu (Constantinos A. Caroutas) writes: 
>>I believe it is intentional. 

In article <BtJz5y.Mpz@zorch.SF-Bay.ORG> phil@zorch.SF-Bay.ORG (Phil Gustafson) writes:
>There are several reasons for making speedometers (and odometers) read
>high:
>  1. Customer thinks the car is faster than it is.
>  2. Customer thinks his gas mileage is better than it is.
>  3. Warranty lapses sooner.
>
>For the record, my last two cars (VW and SAAB) are within 1 MPH at 60.
>Those Europeans don't screw around.
>Phil

Car & Driver, Motor Trend, etc. (even Consumer Reports, I think)
publish the accuracy of the speedometer at various speeds.  I don't
remember ever seeing an error > 2 MPH.

By the way... some manufacturers include a mechanism in the odometer
to prevent you from rolling the numbers backwards (red marks appear
between the numbers if you attempt to do so, from what I have read in
the owner's manual).  Do they include any mechanisms or seals that can
tell if the speedometer has been disconnected?  What prevents the
owner from disconnecting the speedometer just before the warranty runs
out and using a different speedometer (or just the tach)?  Wouldn't it
be a cheap ``extended warranty''?
--
The opinions stated above are not necessarily my employer's.
----------------------------------------------------------------
Roberto L. Landrau    KC1YP    landrau@mitre.org  rll@linus.mitre.org
The MITRE Corporation  Bedford, MA 01730          rll@linus.UUCP
From: str@maredsous.Eng.Sun.COM (Todd Rader)
Newsgroups: rec.autos
Subject: Re: DRIVING X/C, LAW ENFORCEMENT FREQ'S/INFO NEEDED
Date: 26 Aug 92 00:02:27 GMT
Reply-To: str@maredsous.Eng.Sun.COM
Distribution: world
Organization: Sun Microsystems
NNTP-Posting-Host: maredsous

In article 19699@mnemosyne.cs.du.edu, mperlman@nyx.cs.du.edu (Marshal "Airborne" Perlman) writes:
%I will be driving X/C (cross country) on Sept. 11th...I'll be taking
%the I-10 from it's begining (yes..it begins in the WEST and ends in the EAST)
 ^^^
%to it's end.

 [ stuff deleted ]

%Who patrolls the I-10? State Police? HP? Sheriff? 7th Generation Inbred-Webbed-
              ^^^

%Marshal Perlman - Huntington Beach - California - USA - Earth - Milky Way
                   ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

One can spot a Southern Californian a mile away :-)
Organization: Carnegie Mellon, Pittsburgh, PA
Newsgroups: rec.autos
Date: Thu, 27 Aug 1992 20:12:26 -0400 
From: University Entrepreneurs Association <ue33+@andrew.cmu.edu>
Subject: Re: used '91 535i vs. new '92 929

>I was wondering if there are any people out there with experiences with
either >the Bimmer 535i or the new Mazda 929.

These are different cars. I have a 535 and I love it.  The new 929 rides
softer, is less of a sports car, more of a luxury car.  BMWs have
stiffer suspension and you have to like that sort of feel.
From: little_re@lrc.edu
Newsgroups: rec.autos
Subject: Re: need info on all-new Ford Probe GT
Date: 2 Sep 92 09:14:36 EDT
Organization: Lenoir-Rhyne College, Hickory, NC

> When is this car to be put on sale??

    Now.

> Have someone seen it 'in flesh`??

    Yes.

>  is it as good looking as it looks in pictures?

    Yes, except one of the cars was the NASTY lime green color that Ford
is putting on the car.  Where did they come up with that color???  (A
message to Ford - loose it!!!) The other one is arrest-me-red.   GORGEOUS!!!

> And what is the estimated price for GT model???

    $18,000 something.  I didn't really pay that much attention.  The plain
Probe was around $16,000. 

--
Rich Little		
LITTLE_RE@LRC.EDU	A hotrodder is someone who is completely 
Lenoir-Rhyne College	baffled by people who are NOT into cars!
Hickory, NC
From: v087mxgb@ubvmsb.cc.buffalo.edu (Shawn E Thompson)
Newsgroups: rec.autos
Subject: Re: THE DOOR HORROR
Date: 3 Sep 92 00:55:00 GMT
Organization: University at Buffalo
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.41


similar sick story:



a good friend had a 1962 (I think) MG. Just had it painted
orange. Beautiful car (love of his life). He went to
football practice on a Saturday (no school in session).


Saw a relatively empty parking lot and parked at the 
opposite end from all the cars (I mean there were 
literally *hundreds* of empty spaces (maybe more)
between the few cars (close to the buildings) and his
car (at the last row away from the buildings).


He practices and comes out to find a white car parked
in the spot *next* to his car. This cars door had orange
paint on it his door had a white gouge on it.


what the hell  kind of moronic, inconsiderate fool
does this kind of thing without even realizing that
they are having an affect on someone else.



??????????????



Some comedian (I can't remember who), had a plan:


give everybody a splatball (paint-ball) gun. Every time
some idiot does something stupid you shoot his car. Once 
a cop sees this cars with red splotches all over they 
figure "hey, that guy's an a$$hole!" and give him a 
ticket.  



My kinda theory!



Shawn Thompson
Newsgroups: rec.autos
From: geoff@netcom.com (Geoffrey Leach)
Subject: Trucks for towing
Date: Wed, 02 Sep 92 16:59:07 GMT
Organization: Netcom - Online Communication Services  (408 241-9760 guest) 
Distribution: na

I need to get a full-size pickup with the capability of towing 5 tons.
What should I be looking for in terms of engine hp?  Anything else in
addition to HD suspension and towing package?

And while we are at it, anyone care to reccoment their favorite make/model?
The budget is %5000, which I think gets me in the early 80s.

I'll summarize email for the net.

-- 
Geoffrey Leach		geoff@netcom.com
From: geoff@ITcorp.com (Geoff Kuenning)
Newsgroups: rec.autos
Subject: Re: THE DOOR HORROR
Date: 2 Sep 92 09:35:52 GMT
Organization: Interrupt Technology Corporation, Manhattan Beach, CA

In article <1992Aug31.095500.1@dac.mdcbbs.com> asr_2@dac.mdcbbs.com writes:

>     So there I am just cruising down to drop off a video at the store.
>     Park my car(waaay far away so no stupid jerk will bang door into my
>     wife's wedding present-BMW 325i convertible).  As I walk out of the
>     store I see this moronic woman park next to my wife's car and kick 
>     her door open with her foot!! Taking off about a half inch square 
>     of paint from the wheel well.  She of course doesn't even give a damn
>     and refused to acknowledge the fact that she had done anything at all,
>     after I had just seen it.  Needles to say I was a little incensed but
>     felt that if I said anything I would lose it and physically DAHMER
>     her and her husband.  
>        WHAT the h*ll is this damned disease that causes stupid low life
>     scum to do this!!  I need help I mean WHY! WHY!

Here's an easy cure for this problem:

When you first purchase your nice shiny new vehicle, take a hammer and
go out to the driveway.  Make dents in your nice shiny new vehicle
until you are no longer concerned with the way it looks.  Now go back
in the house, drink a beer, and thank yourself that you are no longer
one of those fools who gets all excited about inevitable dents.

In other words, learn to accept what you can't change.  Is a little
bit of scratched paint *really* worth hemorrhoids?

(Or, as a note left on the Rolls of an a**hole who always parked
across two spaces to protect his finish put it, "If you can't afford
the paint job, don't buy the car.")

(And yes, I own a nice car.  Two years old.  Keep it very clean, looks
really sharp.  Lots of tiny have-to-squint-to-see-them dings, one of
which I did myself, none of which affect my enjoyment of the vehicle's
comfortable interior, high power, and superb handling.)
-- 
	Geoff Kuenning   geoff@ITcorp.com   uunet!desint!geoff
Newsgroups: rec.autos,rec.autos.tech,rec.autos.sport,rec.autos.driving,alt.autos.antique,news.answers
Newsgroups: rec.autos
Date: Thu,  3 Sep 1992 10:17:30 -0400 
From: University Entrepreneurs Association <ue33+@andrew.cmu.edu>
Subject: Re: LS 400
	<199209021822.AA05408@hawkeye.osc.edu>

>I'm considering buying a 90 model [Lexus LS400] with
>45,000 miles. Most of the driving was done on the highway. The previous
>owner, whom we've talked to, bought the car in late 89 when they first
>came out so I guess technically speaking, it is approaching 3 years of
use (?). 
>I'm trying to determine if I'm being unreasonable letting the high mileage 
>bother me. 

From my experience, it is not high mileage at all.  Not only is my
friend's LS400 engine keeping up well in the 40K mile range, but also
the interior.  If the car has been well maintained, I would not consider
45K miles to be high at all for a LS400.  I have a friend with an Acura
Legend that just topped 200K miles; It just needs regular care (oil
change at 3-4K miles).

>Oh, by the way, the dealer wants $27,000 for the car. I keep thinking that
>if I'm going to pay that much maybe I should get a brand new car (i.e., 92
>Lincoln Continenals are going for $24,000). Or maybe I should wait for
>a MB or Lexus with less miles. The problem is that this car is very unique
>(a taupe-like color that I've yet to see; cloth interior which they don't
>make anymore and was very rarely requested when they did.I like the cloth 
>better than the leather because it feels much more plush IMHO and is unlike
>any other cloth interiors I've ever felt). 

It sounds like US$27K is a little high.  I think that you can get a
newer LS400 for that.  Check the NADA wholesale book, add any options to
the wholesale price, add or subtract for mileage, then add 10-20%.  
That should give to a good ballpark figure.

>Anyway, it's a question of whether or not to let this unique car go and 
>whether or not to let the mileage bother me. Your opinion?

I wouldn't be bothered with the milage, and it is up to you if the cloth
config. for that car is so rare.

Newsgroups: rec.autos
From: leonard@aix3090b.uky.edu (Leonard Lauria)
Subject: Re:  timing belt
Organization: University Of Kentucky, Dept. of Math Sciences
Date: Thu, 27 Aug 1992 10:26:06 GMT

I just talked to my Mit dealer (service manager).  He did in fact say
that damage could result from a broken timing belt.  He said there
were problems with belts, and they broke within the first 5000 miles.
Some, bad problems, others no problems, and a few in between.  He
felt that I should not worry as I have over 35,000 on mine.

Cost would be around $300 to replace BOTH timing belts...there is a smaller
secondary belt behind the first belt...and the 3 other belts, A/C, etc...

Not bad I guess..I looked at my service manual, and the process does not
look bad...just alot to it!   (o the cost above also included replacing the
automatic tensioner) 


He also went on to say that alot of 16 valve performance engines were like
this...is this true?  Where is there a comprehensive list of what engines are
free-wheeling or not, vs. performance or not??

Thanks!

Leonard


--

===========================================================================
   -This space intentionally left blank.
From: kenny@osf.org (Kenneth Crudup)
Newsgroups: rec.autos
Subject: Re: $758 for an oil change?
Date: 25 Aug 92 21:12:31 GMT
Organization: Open Software Foundation

In article <1992Aug25.172438.14752@engage.pko.dec.com>
sontakke@helix.enet.dec.com (Vikas Sontakke) writes:
>It is no wonder if you get ten ... [ Merkur] owners in one place, nine
>will be willing to strangle their respective dealers.

:-)

	-Kenny "no more American-designed cars" Crudup
-- 
Kenneth R. Crudup, Contractor, OSF DCE QA
OSF, 11 Cambridge Center, Cambridge, MA 02142	+1 617 621 7306
kenny@osf.osf.org			OSF has nothing to do with this post.
Not one of the "PC" weenies.
Newsgroups: rec.autos