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stevew

resident influencer
Sep 21, 2001
40,494
9,524
auto union type c/d

 

Westy

the teste
Nov 22, 2002
54,232
20,016
Sleazattle
These Nokians should suffice for the little blue box on wheels. I think they're worth more than the car, as well.. :brows:


Looks like I am going to have to try to get home from work early on Monday if I want to put my snows on when it isn't pitch dark, raining, or snowing.
 

canadmos

Cake Tease
May 29, 2011
20,190
19,156
Canaderp
Looks like I am going to have to try to get home from work early on Monday if I want to put my snows on when it isn't pitch dark, raining, or snowing.
That's basically what I did today. Tire shop is booked until Christmas (theyll swap and do everything when buying new tires), so I just told them give me the wheels back and I'll swap them myself.

Rain and dirt driveway at home is not a good combo for trying to jack the car up. So did it in the comfort of the empty 4th level of a local parking garage. Looks like moarrrrr rain is coming too.
 

Montana rider

Turbo Monkey
Mar 14, 2005
1,741
2,164
Couldn't find the gif thread, but this seems like an appropriate spot:

 

canadmos

Cake Tease
May 29, 2011
20,190
19,156
Canaderp
Think of the possibilities...and no cart stand needed!

There's a guy on YouTube who started with one like that, now it looks like this. A twin turbo, manual, methanol fueled, low 7 second 1/4 mile monster.
 

Jm_

sled dog's bollocks
Jan 14, 2002
18,852
9,557
AK
Rented a Tiguan for the last week and a half in AZ. Real impressive gas mileage for an SUV-type thing, 34 average in mountainous terrain both-ways and always above 30 for any trips. Real infuriating climate control without physical buttons. Also seemed way harsher than it should with that much wheel travel, maybe related to eco-tires, but the shocks on my stinger are better, which shouldn't be the case IMO.
 

canadmos

Cake Tease
May 29, 2011
20,190
19,156
Canaderp
Rented a Tiguan for the last week and a half in AZ. Real impressive gas mileage for an SUV-type thing, 34 average in mountainous terrain both-ways and always above 30 for any trips. Real infuriating climate control without physical buttons. Also seemed way harsher than it should with that much wheel travel, maybe related to eco-tires, but the shocks on my stinger are better, which shouldn't be the case IMO.
It's the pretend "sportyness".
 

Jm_

sled dog's bollocks
Jan 14, 2002
18,852
9,557
AK
Drove the 'maro today with the studded Toyo G3 Observe Ice G3. The front end goes where you point. The rear end breaks loose so easy...but not scary with the tires. Just like to get some miles and use on it in the winter. Got a nice 19" winter wheel setup.
 

Jm_

sled dog's bollocks
Jan 14, 2002
18,852
9,557
AK
The ID.4 also went full capacative-screen-all-the-things and it's super annoying, agreed.
It had a 100% digital screen, that wasn't nearly as annoying as trying to get a specific temp set on the button-less climate. Once I had the XM dialed in, it wasn't bad for the radio/audio. With significantly different temps in morning and afternoon, it was annoying as hell to try and get a specific temp dialed in. The active cruise control was pretty good though, responsive without much delay. It should be the same chassis as what, an Q5 or something? But yeah, I think the spring rate was high and the shocks were crappy instead of having stiffer anti-sway with higher quality shocks. Handling wasn't bad for an SUV, neither was power, probably a 2L turbo variant, but not sure if it's worth the ride sacrifice. Again though, impressive mileage. I was expecting to put more $ into it when I was filling, but the tank was normal to smallish and the mileage was just that good.
 

Jm_

sled dog's bollocks
Jan 14, 2002
18,852
9,557
AK
Apparently some models, at least the Golf R, will be going back to buttons. Oopsies VW?
There was an ergonomic study recently reinforcing the superior function of buttons. Touchscreen can be extremely flexible and has it's ergonomic purpose, but it doesn't apply to every possible situation, like driving, flying, etc. It's clear in some cases it's just being done to cut costs, vs provide a good interface. In other cases, ergonomics are being sacrificed to seem more "high tech". A prime example is a Prius I rented a while back that has no display in front of the driver, and then critical/important information is actually displayed in front of the passenger seat on a display. Absolutely horrible ergonomics. Some of the more "raw" vehicles seem to do pretty well here, but some of the newer ones seem to be playing a game of cost-cutting and faux tech.
 

CBJ

year old fart
Mar 19, 2002
12,862
4,159
Copenhagen, Denmark
Apparently some models, at least the Golf R, will be going back to buttons. Oopsies VW?
Not saying this is incorrect but the UI UX designers also have failed or been over ruled by car designers. Looks like work done by unsupervised interns. The haptic fad is another mystery.
 

canadmos

Cake Tease
May 29, 2011
20,190
19,156
Canaderp
Anyone here have or have used a latest gen Mazda 3? Can you fit a bike in the back with the front wheel off?
 
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Toshi

Harbinger of Doom
Oct 23, 2001
38,032
7,550

boogenman

Turbo Monkey
Nov 3, 2004
4,290
973
BUFFALO
There was an ergonomic study recently reinforcing the superior function of buttons. Touchscreen can be extremely flexible and has it's ergonomic purpose, but it doesn't apply to every possible situation, like driving, flying, etc. It's clear in some cases it's just being done to cut costs, vs provide a good interface. In other cases, ergonomics are being sacrificed to seem more "high tech". A prime example is a Prius I rented a while back that has no display in front of the driver, and then critical/important information is actually displayed in front of the passenger seat on a display. Absolutely horrible ergonomics. Some of the more "raw" vehicles seem to do pretty well here, but some of the newer ones seem to be playing a game of cost-cutting and faux tech.
I recently took delivery of a 2022 Ford Expedition and I can't stand that everything is controlled with the screen. I miss my old fashioned 2015. Am I getting old?
 

Sandwich

Pig my fish!
Staff member
May 23, 2002
21,031
5,921
borcester rhymes
Cars have gotten good...I took my genesis back to NY for thanksgiving, and it made spending 6hr in the car so painless. I know hurr durr big cars bad, but between the lane keep assist, radar cruise, the quiet cabin and reasonably powerful motor, it was one of the best drives I've ever had, and it really drove home the difference between when I first started driving in a 92 honda civic, and this white whale of a car. Thing is basically no fun to drive on a back road, and there are certainly more reasonable cars to commute in, but I am absolutely floored by how effortless this car makes driving.
 

dump

Turbo Monkey
Oct 12, 2001
8,195
4,419
Anyone here have or have used a latest gen Mazda 3? Can you fit a bike in the back with the front wheel off?
Sedan - In the back seat? No. In the trunk with the 2/3 seat down? My 26” barely fits. Haven’t tried with a modern bike but I doubt it.
 

canadmos

Cake Tease
May 29, 2011
20,190
19,156
Canaderp
Sedan - In the back seat? No. In the trunk with the 2/3 seat down? My 26” barely fits. Haven’t tried with a modern bike but I doubt it.
Sorry no I meant the hatchback.

I had a 2005 Mazda 3 hatch and one fit, but these newer ones look perhaps a tad smaller and have a more of a sloped rear window.

Still just browsing around pondering what the next car will be...

Still no word on when the Toyota Corolla Cross hybrid will be available. :brow:
 

Jm_

sled dog's bollocks
Jan 14, 2002
18,852
9,557
AK
Sorry no I meant the hatchback.

I had a 2005 Mazda 3 hatch and one fit, but these newer ones look perhaps a tad smaller and have a more of a sloped rear window.

Still just browsing around pondering what the next car will be...

Still no word on when the Toyota Corolla Cross hybrid will be available. :brow:
I had an elantra GT N-line and was really comparing closely against a GTI/Golf. IMO, these are just a little too small. You can make them work...but it's just a little too much trouble with forward seats slammed forward and just barely fitting the fork in, etc. That's the primary reason I got out of the E-GT, just a little too small for this kind of stuff. So yeah, I'd imagine a Mazda 3 would work with the front wheel off...but it's not going to be very optimal, you need a little more room than these hatches usually provide IME.
 

canadmos

Cake Tease
May 29, 2011
20,190
19,156
Canaderp
I had an elantra GT N-line and was really comparing closely against a GTI/Golf. IMO, these are just a little too small. You can make them work...but it's just a little too much trouble with forward seats slammed forward and just barely fitting the fork in, etc. That's the primary reason I got out of the E-GT, just a little too small for this kind of stuff. So yeah, I'd imagine a Mazda 3 would work with the front wheel off...but it's not going to be very optimal, you need a little more room than these hatches usually provide IME.
Yeah it's right on the border with them. With that older Mazda and my Subaru wrx, I didn't have to move the front seats at all to get a bike in. I'd like to keep it that way. This is with medium sized bikes - are you on larges?

One car I keep eyeing up is a Kia Rondo, as they are longer and seem like they could swallow a bike easily. But then I try to google what problems they have there are reports of random engine and steering issues. :fie:
 

dump

Turbo Monkey
Oct 12, 2001
8,195
4,419
Sorry no I meant the hatchback.

I had a 2005 Mazda 3 hatch and one fit, but these newer ones look perhaps a tad smaller and have a more of a sloped rear window.

Still just browsing around pondering what the next car will be...

Still no word on when the Toyota Corolla Cross hybrid will be available. :brow:
Yeah, I used to do this many moons ago with a volvo 850. Now I just hitch rack it on my 1up since I’m almost always carrying 2 bikes.
 

StiHacka

Compensating for something
Jan 4, 2013
21,560
12,504
In hell. Welcome!
Sorry no I meant the hatchback.

I had a 2005 Mazda 3 hatch and one fit, but these newer ones look perhaps a tad smaller and have a more of a sloped rear window.

Still just browsing around pondering what the next car will be...

Still no word on when the Toyota Corolla Cross hybrid will be available. :brow:
Toyota GR86 with a hitch rack. :brows: That's my plan for my next ride. :busted:
 

Toshi

Harbinger of Doom
Oct 23, 2001
38,032
7,550
Yeah it's right on the border with them. With that older Mazda and my Subaru wrx, I didn't have to move the front seats at all to get a bike in. I'd like to keep it that way. This is with medium sized bikes - are you on larges?

One car I keep eyeing up is a Kia Rondo, as they are longer and seem like they could swallow a bike easily. But then I try to google what problems they have there are reports of random engine and steering issues. :fie:
Kia Rondo was discontinued a while back at least in the US. 4 or 5 speed slush box iirc. Not a modern design even when new, even though I do like a tall Eagle Vista type wagon.