Calling all car buffs...

[lunchmeat]

I think so, I've never seen the movie.

[TransWarpDrive]

The first car my folks had was a Hudson Hornet, my dad wanted something with lots of power to pull our Spartan house trailer.

You mean like the old car that Paul Newman voiced in "Cars"........

Yes, Mr. Newman's character was indeed a Hudson Hornet.

[TransWarpDrive]

A close friend of mine told me about a mid-70's Opel Manta coupe he bought as his first car. He loved the car, but it had one very weird problem: every now and then, the car wouldn't start - the starter wouldn't even turn over when my friend twisted the key in the ignition. Every time he took it in to the dealer to try and have it fixed under warranty, however, the car started right up. One day, several months into this problem, my friend got into his car to get to class on time (he was in college back then). Naturally, as you might have guessed by now, the car wouldn't start. He turned the key, and - *click* - nothing happened. This was the last straw. My friend got so mad, he started kicking the floorboard under the emergency-brake pedal, on the left side. After about five minutes of that, he stopped and turned the key, figuring he'd give it one last try before calling for a tow truck. Amazingly, the car started right up! When he examined the sitch later, my friend realized what had happened: the car's fuse box was located - you guessed it - on the floorboard, on the driver's side, under the emergency-brake pedal! It turned out that the fuse that controlled the starter motor kept coming loose from time to time. By kicking the fuse box, my friend managed to push that fuse back in to where it made contact once more, allowing him to start his car. One time after that, he had a passenger in the car when the fuse wiggled loose again. When the car wouldn't start, my friend turned to his passenger and said, "Don't be alarmed by what you're about to see (or words to that effect)." He then proceeded to vigorously kick the fuse box several times, after which the car started right up. He told me the expression on his passenger's face was priceless....
My friend never got the fuse problem fixed; in his words it was a "cheap anti-theft feature."

[campy]

My friend never got the fuse problem fixed; in his words it was a "cheap anti-theft feature."

I never locked my old Pontiac the last 5 years I drove it. I figured a 1990 minivan with over 100K miles was its own anti-theft feature.

[TransWarpDrive]

My friend never got the fuse problem fixed; in his words it was a "cheap anti-theft feature."

I never locked my old Pontiac the last 5 years I drove it. I figured a 1990 minivan with over 100K miles was its own anti-theft feature.

They did a TV ad parody on "Saturday Night Live" once, where they promoted a luxury car that outwardly resembled a beat-up junker. The car's appearance was intended to deter thieves (like your minivan) ....:P

[TransWarpDrive]

Volkswagen's got a new car coming out: it's called the CC Coupe, even though it has four doors. Its design was inspired by Mercedes-Benz's CLS-Class four-door coupe, in that both cars have a sloping, "fastback"-style roofline on what's essentially a sedan. It's slightly larger than the current Passat; and, IMHO, much better-looking (VW changed the Passat's design for 2006, the year after I bought mine).
Right now, all they have about the car on their website is a photo gallery. Once it goes on sale here in the States, they should have put more info on the site.

[campy]

much better-looking (VW changed the Passat's design for 2006, the year after I bought mine).

Isn't that so annoying? I remember right after I bought my '90 Pontiac, the '91s came out with a bigger engine, a four-speed transmission instead of a three and ABS brakes. And they improved the center console for '92, I think.

[TransWarpDrive]

much better-looking (VW changed the Passat's design for 2006, the year after I bought mine).

Isn't that so annoying? I remember right after I bought my '90 Pontiac, the '91s came out with a bigger engine, a four-speed transmission instead of a three and ABS brakes. And they improved the center console for '92, I think.

Yeah; it's annoying when they make improvements like that after you buy a new car. I'm just glad I bought my Passat when I did, because its design is far superior to the current one.

[canuck31003]

My next job might be in Canada. If so, I'll have to sell my beloved R32. It will be 2019 before it can be insured in Canada.

If I do need a new car, I'm thinking a 3 series, G35 Sport, or a Mazdaspeed3. I'd consider a Cooper S except that they appear to be all backordered.

[TransWarpDrive]

My next job might be in Canada. If so, I'll have to sell my beloved R32. It will be 2019 before it can be insured in Canada.

If I do need a new car, I'm thinking a 3 series, G35 Sport, or a Mazdaspeed3. I'd consider a Cooper S except that they appear to be all backordered.

Sorry to hear you might have to sell your VW, canuck. Why the 11-year wait before your car can be insured up there, anyway? I've never heard of such a rule before.
As for me, I'm still waiting for VW to debut that new CC four-door "coupe" here in the U.S. So far, their website still only says that it's "coming this fall."
I did, however, get an invite from my local dealer to come test-drive the new Routan minivan.