Automotive enthusiasts?

@RD4590
I think the military will continue to use diesel for the foreseeable future, military vehicles are exempt from emission control, diesel is not a volatile fuel (a lit match thrown into diesel will extinguish), it has a much longer shelf life than petrol, military generators and cookers are diesel powered; it’s practical to use one fuel for everything.

@ЅℰℒᎯℙℋℐℰℒ
I rarely see Lincolns, probably because they’re too damn expensive. An Aviator is like $80,000. It’s not that special.

They’ve certainly improved since the vectra, but are still some of the worse vehicles on the road IMO.

They can’t make a decent engine for shit, failed head gaskets at <40k miles are common, oil pressure sensors leaking or failing completely (causing all the oil to be pumped out in seconds), unreliable/short lived coil packs, even the hydraulic tappets fail.

I told my neighbour not to buy a Vauxhall 2 years ago, (he asked me to recommend a vehicle) it’s currently sat on his driveway with a blown head gasket at only 34K miles.

Vauxhall diesels are decent, they use Fiat and Isuzu engines.

I’ve not had much experiance with their direct injection turbocharged petrol engines, maybe they are better, but I doubt it.

I knew the new Rivian looked familiar. This is the R3

@ЅℰℒᎯℙℋℐℰℒ
I never see Lincoln navigators from 2017 or older. Seems like only 5 people or so have the 2018 or newer model in my town while Escalade is much more popular across all years

Aviator is a great choice and is a very powerful SUV but they’re so overpriced, I’ve seen maybe 3 of them

Speaking of uncommon cars… I saw a newish Lexus GS and a 2nd Gen Chevy Volt this weekend. Both uncommon

@midob
Buick in China sells rebadged Vauxhalls/Opels. I heard its double-clutch gearbox is horrible and wears out like toothpaste.
My uncle has a petrol Insignia and that engine is pretty much lifeless. So I’d say your doubt is correct.
When you say GM uses Fiat’s diesel engine, do you mean the JTD/JTDM/Multijet series? The ECU on diesel Alfa Romeo 159 (with JTDM engine) tends to break down without warning, resulting in loss of engine and all electronics. I’m not sure if it’s a problem with other cars.

@kleptomage
Second-hand Navigator costs over $100k in China. It’s absurd.

@RainbowDash69
That Lexus looks retro from this angle uncommon for Lexus.

@RD4590
Yep, they use Multijet engines, I’ve not heard of ECU failures personally but it doesn’t suprise me; they use Marelli ECU’s, certianly not as good as the Bosch EDC series most other manufacturers use.

While we’re on the topic of SUV’s, I’ve always admired the Land Rover L322, you can pick up a fully loaded one for peanuts now; trouble is they’re unreliable moneypits, I still have a soft spot for them though.

@midob
last 4×4 developed in Gayton with this unspeakable British subtlety

As car industry in China prospers, we now have our own cockmobile brand.
Li Auto. SUVs cost equivalent of $90k. It’s fat, dull, uninspiring and unimaginative. Fat even by SUV standard. Its owners are without exception, fat, dull, uninspiring, greasy, pompous, ignorant, self-centered asshole, who spend more time on cigarette and dinner with associates than on family. They think they ought to run everything. And they are becoming one of the biggest menace on our highway.
Basically some BMW wankers found an alternative that makes themselves look a bit more patriotic, socially.

And this is Yangwang U8, a BYD with 1184hp.
They may sell it globally. And if you ever saw one of these, RUN, run for your precious lives.
BYD SUV drivers are horrible creatures. They have no concept of what they’re handling. And they tend to think they can take on anyone only to end up in a ditch, or down a cliff. And they’re starstruck on the brand, like Tesla fanboys, though worse because they added patriotism into their stupidity.

Ironically BYD did make a car that I may like. This is the Dolphin.
I’ve been on one (albeit in the back), and it feels like like a proper hatchback. Steering is more agile than expected. Interior is simple and more spacious than it looks. The range is about 300km in winter. And the driver is respectful.

I’m not keen on buying a vehicle from a Chinese company.

@kleptomage
Me neither, I’m just sharing some cars that might somehow emerge in the western world and why you should run away from it.

Oi nice! They finally making them Triton/Strada looking good now.

I’m sorry I brought even more abomination.
This is Li-Auto Mega. I’m sure you already know who they copied right?
What’s worse, this is probably the most expensive production van in the world, ¥600k, about $85k/£‎66k. AND IT’S A VAN.
And those reviewing this rubbish is obviously on the pay roll. In one line this dude said “It doesn’t have soft-closing doors but if you close it gently it still closes without making a noise”, and now it’s a meme.

@𝐒𝐞𝐚𝐫
Bloody hell what sort of mutation has happened to its front.
I can see a Dacia Sandero, a Ford Raptor and a Range Rover Velar all in one.

I bought the Kia Sorento about a month ago. They didn’t put on the plates at the time of purchase. I got a postcard about 3 weeks ago that said the plates were ready to be picked up and I sent an email to the address on the card asking them to mail me the plates because I don’t feel like wasting a couple hours driving. A week went by with no response or plates. I sent another email last Monday. Still nothing.

I called the dealership and they said they mailed the plates today and they would come in two days. I don’t believe them. The timing is too suspicious, but what can I do but wait?

I should have never bought a car from that sleazy Kia dealership. If I had bought that truck I liked from the local Ford dealership, I bet I wouldn’t have had to deal with them losing track of their paperwork, this runaround with the plates or that scumbag in finance trying to trick me into taking a worse loan as if I don’t know how interest works.

@kleptomage
typical

@RD4590
The vehicle is all right, but Kia dealers earn their reputation.

Goodwood Festival of Speed will feature MG’s 100th anniversary this year.

Here’s a juiced up MG B, with a 3.5L Rover V8. It was a flop because the original MGB has a 4-pot, and the chassis couldn’t handle the V8.

Well, I’m surprised. My plates and stickers actually arrived when the dealership said they would. They sent a thermos too, as some kind of apology gift, I suppose. That’s sorted out now.

@RD4590
In summer I occasionally see cars like the MG in the background. Or they could be Triumph cars. I’m not entirely sure. In any case, it’s always nice to spot unusual vehicles.

@kleptomage
Being in America it could also be Austin Healey.

@RD4590
I’ll take a photo the next time I see one.

One of these days I’m going to get one of these