New England Off Topic and Banter as Most Brilliantly Proposed by Cape Cod MINI

[jwardell]

Quote: Originally Posted by Sheenabea (original)

Question for all you out there with sunroofs: Is it *normal* for the frame to be able to wiggle in the space? I am able to jiggle it at least 1cm in either direction?, almost like the frame is a tad small for the space?

Yeah that is normal...but it shouldn't rattle. Try and find out what it's hitting besides the soft headliner. MOP will take care of it, but if you can fix it in 5 minutes with some felt tape or something you save yourself the trip.

[Sheenabea]

Quote: Originally Posted by blalor (original)

Yeah, it's a really poor design, but it shouldn't just rattle in place. The momos at D&R screwed that bit up when they replaced my sunroof. It's a pain to get back into position, and when you *do* get it back in, you're not convinced it's in there right. Mine was so out of whack, the sunscreen wouldn't stay shut. It's fairly easy to get back into place (if it's truly out of whack), but be careful not to get dirty fingerprints on the headliner. (ask me how I know).

Quote: Originally Posted by jwardell (original)

Yeah that is normal...but it shouldn't rattle. Try and find out what it's hitting besides the soft headliner. MOP will take care of it, but if you can fix it in 5 minutes with some felt tape or something you save yourself the trip.

Thanks for the advice. I've found that if I put pressure on that area (while driving along), the rattle stops, so I *know* it is just that area.

Josh - What about double stick tape (heavy duty of course)? How would you go about felt taping it though?

[blalor]

Quote: Originally Posted by GadgetGav (original)

Hard to believe, but Buick is making a big show at this year's bling-fest, SEMA... They are apparently taking 11 concepts to the show including this

The article is here

Their median buyer age is 65...! Average life expectancy for males is 75... Great market potential

And people wonder what's wrong with the American auto industry.

Quote:

“We started getting calls from custom shops from New York to LA about doing a Lucerne for the show,” said David Darovitz, a Buick rep.

Of course, all the calls were the custom shops responding to Darovitz's desperate pleas for help, most of which were unintelligible bouts of laughter. The custom shops that *did* take the job have no pride left, and nowhere to go but up (and also remember the mantra "there's no such thing as bad publicity").

Have you seen those stupidly ridiculous F-650s that Ford brought to the show? They've got six doors!!!

[bjl]

Quote: Originally Posted by blalor (original)

And people wonder what's wrong with the American auto industry.

I think it might help them if they tried making cars for the World market (as a whole) instead of individual markets (such has Ford Europe and Ford North America). I think they could cut costs due to less design and tooling. Then they could focus (no pun) on making better products.

[blalor]

Yeah. That and, oh, I dunno, making cars people want to buy. And I don't just mean enthusiasts. I think GM is slooooooooooooooooowly starting to go toward more of a world-wide platform concept, but probably too late to do any good. Ford's being silly with the Focus, as you allude to, Ben. The one available in England sounds like a proper car, and far superior to the one we get here. They're not even close to the same car!

There was an article on TTAC today about the "long tail" of the automotive industry and how it seems that the days of selling lots of one car have passed, and now it's down to filling lots of smaller niches (presumably at higher costs). The MINI's an example of the latter; low production numbers, and each one customizable (if not customized) to the hilt.

I read too much TTAC and Jalopnik and listen to too much of the Jalop's precast to avoid being infected with Farago's dismal outlook for GM and Ford, but do think it's hilarious (in a morbid sense) where the American auto industry is going and what the GM execs (aren't) doing to fix it. If they really do go belly-up, it's going to be bad news for our economy.

[Actual Size]

Quote: Originally Posted by GadgetGav (original)

Their median buyer age is 65...! Average life expectancy for males is 75... Great market potential.

Hey...Old Man Secco drives a Buick. That's all the testimonial anyone should need!

[Theo]

I'm at MoP tomorrow...

Theo

[jwardell]

I think its time for a new, independent, american car brand. When you look at it, we've only got three. Start with a niche product and stay small for a while.

Sheena, I'm sure tape will work too. Find out what it's hitting to make the noise then put something sticky in there to make it stop. How 'bout bubble gum?

[Sheenabea]

Quote: Originally Posted by jwardell (original)

Sheena, I'm sure tape will work too. Find out what it's hitting to make the noise then put something sticky in there to make it stop. How 'bout bubble gum?

Bubblicious or Juicy Fruit?

[jwardell]

Big League Chew.

[GBMINI]

Quote: Originally Posted by snek (original)

No, thanks - it's just that I was wondering who am I going to be hanging around with

Quote: Originally Posted by Theo (original)

I'm at MoP tomorrow...

GPMINI is at MoP ... but I may not be

[snid]

Joyrides in GPMINI!

[GadgetGav]

Quote: Originally Posted by blalor (original)

Yeah. That and, oh, I dunno, making cars people want to buy. And I don't just mean enthusiasts. I think GM is slooooooooooooooooowly starting to go toward more of a world-wide platform concept, but probably too late to do any good. Ford's being silly with the Focus, as you allude to, Ben. The one available in England sounds like a proper car, and far superior to the one we get here. They're not even close to the same car!

Wasn't the Focus touted as the first of Ford's 'World Cars'..? I'm sure it was marketed like that in the UK when it came out. Does anyone know if the US and Euro versions have diverged over the years..?

What's TTAC..?

As for a new, independent American auto maker, how about Tesla..?
http://www.teslamotors.com/index.php?js_enabled=1

[blalor]

The European Focus is definitely different from the American one. It might have been touted as a "world car", but, like many of the "good" cars Europe gets, that doesn't apply to us. The Focus ST was reviewed very favorably on Top Gear. The Civic Type R that Europe gets, America doesn't get. Diesels, certain (many) motorcycles, the list goes on.

TTAC = The Truth About Cars. It's a very opinionated and often brash independent automotive website edited by Robert Farago. He's got some very good ideas, but too often it seems like "the Truth" must be harsh and ugly. The cynicism and sarcasm are laid pretty thick at times. :-)

Does Saleen count as an independent American automaker?

[yellowmininy]

Quote: Originally Posted by rfinprc (original)

It's happened again, only bigger.

Just arrived home from the soccer gamie at Williams (daughter's team won ). Amost here, just west of 128 on Rt. 2 eastbound, a deer dodged 2 lanes of traffic on the westbound side, jumped over the concrete safety barrier, and landed on my left front headlight.

Bonnet a mess. Plastic wheel well smashed on left side. Left front marker busted. Rearview mirror damaged. Trim over left rear wheel damaged. Ironically, less internal damage than the porcupine accomplished.

Sigh.

Richard, sorry to hear about your close encounter of the Bambi kind. Glad to hear everybody is OK, and there were no quills involved.