robertmo wrote on 2020-11-09, 06:15:

it is strange people are not using LNG/CNG.
CNG can even be charged at home.

They have bad emissions, less efficient, slower engines and more expensive fuel (due to expensive infrastructure).

The gas tanks also take a lot of cargo space in a regular car. You'd need a truck or a pickup for it to be efficient, but they already have excellent diesel engines available, so the savings are quite low. Also you can fill up your tank with petrol/diesel anywhere, but depending on where you live, you have to search for a place to fill up a CNG tank. For me it would be easy as there's one on my way to work, but if for some reason that is out of order, then the nearest is 50 km away!

CNG/LNG fuel is more cheap, it is more clean. And buying a diesel small car is so backwards. It is more pollutant, and engine is more expensive, and more expensive to maintain, and have more problems in cold weather. And a really laugh that even Porshe is making diesel engines, why, if you can afford that car, but like to hear and smell the diesel, what is wrong with you, really.

You do know diesel cars have had DPF filters for over a decade now and AdBlue/Eolys type add-on liquid? They don't smell like anything, even less than a petrol powered car. I don't get the argument about the engine being more expensive, most CNG cars have petrol engines and also a small petrol tank so they are hybrids so technically there's no difference. The other thing is there are a lot more variety in different makes and models if you opt for a petrol/diesel car. CNG is almost like an electric car at the moment, except nobody is developing new models and you are stuck with old cars converted to CNG. I'm pretty sure electric car will take over in a few years and others will be left in history.

don't you think cars are already obsolete?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7r1mkllHzV8

Here's my main ride 🤣, 97 Ford Aspire, I have 2 of them, picked them up for around $500/ea, just needed work, been driving for years, can't beat 40mpg, they're getting a bit rough nowadays though. I have a bunch of classic Fords from 40-70's too that I prefer over newer vehicles.

rushmusashi wrote on 2020-11-23, 18:30:

Here's my main ride 🤣, 97 Ford Aspire, I have 2 of them, picked them up for around $500/ea, just needed work, been driving for years, can't beat 40mpg, they're getting a bit rough nowadays though. I have a bunch of classic Fords from 40-70's too that I prefer over newer vehicles.

First time I see this model, was it introduced only in specific markets?
You do seem like an old-Ford guy so it seems appropriate to confess my love for MKIII Capris

konc wrote on 2020-11-23, 18:56:

First time I see this model, was it introduced only in specific markets?
You do seem like an old-Ford guy so it seems appropriate to confess my love for MKIII Capris

I'm not sure, I'm in the US so it was at least released here, I believe either just the body or the whole car was made by Kia, some Kia parts fit

Capris are cool looking, I like a lot of the older 60-70s 4/6 cyl bangers too 🤣

Norway sold almost 2 thousands less EVs in March '21 than two years ago in March '19.
Bare in mind people revert from public transport to cars during pandemy now

following relative stability (in tech and fuel) and growth (in numbers) over the last few decades the automobile world is undergoing some big changes lately and its mostly coming from a combination of electric motors and computer power enabling some very sophisticated self drive features. These changes point in a direction of being less reliant on a specifically tailored fuel infrastructure (no need to go to gas station) and also less reliant on specific skills (driving!)

the pandemic hasn't changed that much, but has 'paused' many things we were used to and might have accelerated some changes

at some point in the future a car will simply drive itself. What would be the point - at that stage - of owning one at a cost of $20k+ when you can just get the equivalent of a self drive uber and pay per trip. The difference between private and public transport will become blurry and eventually merge (and with it, the numbers of cars drop as the idle time per car drops)

ownership was partly predicated on the practicality that you couldn't loan out your car without needing to coordinate human drivers, take that away and every car becomes a self drive taxi

it's not just software and media that's moving to 'software as a service', it appears to be almost everything

"you will own nothing and you will be happy!" , i've heard that somewhere...!

meanwhile, a note of appreciation for those in the thread that buy used cheap cars and keep them going, cars from the late 90's and 2000's are often great combinations of modern enough to drive happily and simple enough to keep going

coin-op car machines 😉

My everyday car is Ford Mondeo 2009 MK4 with 2.0 petrol engine.
Fun/retro car is 1997 Nissan Primera GT.

rushmusashi wrote on 2020-11-23, 18:30:

Here's my main ride 🤣, 97 Ford Aspire, I have 2 of them, picked them up for around $500/ea, just needed work, been driving for years, can't beat 40mpg, they're getting a bit rough nowadays though. I have a bunch of classic Fords from 40-70's too that I prefer over newer vehicles.

Hahha Kia Pride. Did you know they make 4 door sedans of these? I saw a few in Korea when I lived there, and I was like, why don't they have these here?

This is one of mine:

Very likely the only one in Canada, let alone the US. Albeit someone posted a pic of an M150 converted to a trike at a junkyard.

TBH it probably won't see the road this year, I have my hands full with a stock 1987 Hyundai Pony and a modified 4G63 Pony this year. I'm hoping the former will make its way back to my driveway this month.

Jed118 wrote on 2021-04-10, 03:18:

This is one of mine: […]
Show full quote

This is one of mine:

Now that is some twisted sh*t right there! Canadian with a Matiz! My ex had one and it was an abysmal little thing. I mostly drive automatics and once forgot it was a manual and almost broke the transmission by hitting reverse without clutch. 🤣 I also see a Hyundai Sonata on the driveway, what the hell is wrong with you?!

sf78 wrote on 2021-04-12, 09:27:

Jed118 wrote on 2021-04-10, 03:18:

This is one of mine: […]
Show full quote

This is one of mine:

Now that is some twisted sh*t right there! Canadian with a Matiz! My ex had one and it was an abysmal little thing. I mostly drive automatics and once forgot it was a manual and almost broke the transmission by hitting reverse without clutch. 🤣 I also see a Hyundai Sonata on the driveway, what the hell is wrong with you?!

🤣 the Sonata was a $1500 purchase as the two door Accent I had which was very hard on getting a child in and out of. This one is bigger, and in great shape. Came from an older man, full service history. Can't go wrong with it. The Matiz was imported with me from Korea, where I bought it almost instantly (randomly actually, it came up in my feed) as I was working in a valley of a rural area, a walk to the bus stop was 40 minutes. I had a bike too, to get to the nearest city, but if I wanted to go into a larger city, I needed a car. So randomly I got this thing and it worked very well. 100,000 Km on it and not a single breakdown. I travelled all over Korea with it, I tuned it up a bit and drove it pretty hard, so I had to replace a piston ring here in Canada. Fortunately parts are cheap in Poland so my dad brought that stuff with him on a visit ($4 for the set, $20 for all the gaskets I had to touch along the way into the engine) and I did the job in my driveway in half a day. While I was at it, I changed the clutch and CV shafts, some mounts, all that for under $100. Since 2015 I pretty much used it as a daily driver (April to November) but last year, maybe 400KM, and this year probably will be just as little, as I have two Hyundai Ponys that I can't wait to get out onto the roads.

The Matiz though, I love that car. 51 MPG, $35 to fill the tank, you can park it anywhere, it has good acceleration in the city (highway speeds are a different story) insurance is cheap, the AC works well, it has power steering, windows, locks, all in a 1999. What more would I need? People ALWAYS ask what it is, it's a hit at car shows and meets. And I paid $1000 for it. 😉

robertmo wrote on 2020-11-14, 20:20:

don't you think cars are already obsolete?

No bus or train will ever go directly from my home directly to the place I want, whenever I want, with a baggage bigger than I can carry.

My daily is a 2006 BMW 325i.

I sometimes drive my wife's car to work, 2016 Kia Sportage EX.

I also have two project cars, only one of which is currently driveable although it does need some work.

1982 Corvette.

My long term (10 years plus) project car is currently undergoing a transmission swap and paint/body work. - 1981 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am.

I don't have any easily accessible pictures right now.

robertmo wrote on 2020-11-14, 20:20:

don't you think cars are already obsolete?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7r1mkllHzV8

Certainly not.

Especially not where I live.

Many people in this world don't live in ultra urban areas with public transportation.

Plus people do have kids to transport, ever take a screaming toddler or 3 month old baby with colic on a bus or a train?

Not to mention groceries or supplies to haul.

Sorry I dind't meant to attack anyone, just this kind of comment always hits me a little sorely.

Jasin Natael wrote on 2021-04-12, 16:36:

Certainly not. […]
Show full quote

robertmo wrote on 2020-11-14, 20:20:

don't you think cars are already obsolete?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7r1mkllHzV8

Certainly not.

Especially not where I live.

Many people in this world don't live in ultra urban areas with public transportation.

Plus people do have kids to transport, ever take a screaming toddler or 3 month old baby with colic on a bus or a train?

Not to mention groceries or supplies to haul.

Sorry I dind't meant to attack anyone, just this kind of comment always hits me a little sorely.

It's a common answer from an urbanite European. My parents lived in Poland recently for 5 years - they're elderly, and do have drivers licenses. NONE of them drove for those 5 years - there's no need. Excellent public transportation and mostly what you need is in walking distance. Indeed, I think I only drove in Poland once, that was 2 years ago to my cousin's wedding.

Not so much in a suburb or rural area. The only way we can get away with essentially one car right now is that I work from home and my wife is taking distance learning courses. The singe car we have barely gets used, it might as well be a big V8 and fuel consumption really wouldn't matter. I'm going to turn one of my project cars (an automatic Hyundai Pony) into a grocery getter come September when I'll have to at least for a while return to work, that way my wife can have something to drive if she needs to.

Otherwise, public transport for me means taking a bus to a train, train to a subway, and subway to another bus. 3 out of 4 operated by different carrier companies. The daily costs (even with passes for each one at a student rate) outweight parking costs for my car, and doubles my commute time in one direction. Paying more for an increased commute? And now with COVID, being locked up in a recirculated-air type enclosure?

I'll take the car any day.

rushmusashi wrote on 2020-11-23, 18:30:

Here's my main ride 🤣, 97 Ford Aspire, I have 2 of them, picked them up for around $500/ea, just needed work, been driving for years, can't beat 40mpg, they're getting a bit rough nowadays though. I have a bunch of classic Fords from 40-70's too that I prefer over newer vehicles.

90's Fords are great. This is what I have.....it was my first car (in family since new), I'm driving it till I can't do so safely. At this point this feels safer than most modern cars to me. I do all my own work on it and it is super cheap to do so with the best parts possible, comparatively speaking - for example I changed my clutch for $150 last year and it never shifted or drove better.

robertmo wrote on 2020-11-14, 20:20:

don't you think cars are already obsolete?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7r1mkllHzV8

Maybe in other countries that have good public transit that's not too repulsive and poorly kept, or cities where you can walk everywhere (I'm a big advocate for walking as a walker myself). In America though...everyone's lifestyle varies so much it's almost impossible to blanket automotive need.

When I traveled abroad in 2017 I got a good taste of commuting around England/Holland/Germany while I was there. While not that much different, I did notice public transit seems far better kept and far more together than in the states - at least from my experience. Lots of bikes in Holland - I'm kind of jealous TBH. Did a lot of walking - some on a level that people look at me funny in the USA for doing on the norm before the pandemic happened. Some of the places I've lived/travelled in the states had horrid busses that smelled like pee, trains that were practically a secret to the commoners, and taxis that had me understanding why Uber/Lyft was such a success.

The talk I hear of car obsolescense in the past several years is not necessarily the end of the car per-se, but the end of driver-owned/managed vehicles. IE, you'd have a series of self-driving EV's running around town that you can hail like a Taxi cab to get where you want to go on demand, and nobody would own their own car anymore. But right now I live in Reno and we have "Hot August Nights" and thusly a lot of car people (myself included) around here who love owning/maintaining our own vehicles. I kind of fear what's going to happen is the same thing that divided us over guns in our country - one group of people are going to scream our rights are being taken away and badly manage special interest groups over it, while another side is going to push to have car ownership and handling either illegalized outside of large corporations that can handle the logistics, or hopefully, more stringent driving standards put into place as I agree there are a TON of people on the roads who should not be.