Sunday Open Thread | 38 comments (38 topical, editorial, 0 hidden)

Praise Yurp (4.00 / 3)

So I sold off my Jeep (sad panda) and got a Fiat 500. And, in addition to pretty much tripling our gas mileage, we're having a blast.

Also, while I will not relinquish Italian engineering jokes (and will not stop giggling at the parent company of Ferrari naming its subcompact engine the "FIRE" engine), Japanese and American automakers please take note: Laying out things under the hood is a clean, logical, easy-to-access way? Good thing. Jamming the engine so far back it's practically sitting on the radio (lookin' at you, Toyota)? Not good thing.

Now would you guys please send diesel ones over before my wife decides she wants one?

Be nice to America. Or we'll bring democracy to your country.

by Drew J Jones (pedobear@pennstatefootball.com) on Sun Apr 15th, 2012 at 12:01:57 PM EST

Re: Praise Yurp (none / 0)

Italian engineers are very good, and this from a mechanical engineer.

by stevesim on Sun Apr 15th, 2012 at 02:03:43 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Praise Yurp (none / 1)

I know, but I still get to make the jokes.

Be nice to America. Or we'll bring democracy to your country.

by Drew J Jones (pedobear@pennstatefootball.com) on Sun Apr 15th, 2012 at 02:26:47 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Praise Yurp (none / 1)

Specs' red one is over two years old, and the only problem was when thugs broke the window to find there was only a 3-foot sunflower to steal, which they didn't. (They left the Johnny Cash tape.)

"Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one's courage." - Anaïs Nin

by Crazy Horse on Sun Apr 15th, 2012 at 03:52:59 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Praise Yurp (none / 0)

Different engine and tranny though. But the engine's from the same plant as my wife's Jeep, and they tend to put together very solid, if somewhat unrefined-sounding, engines. And the tranny's from Japan, so it should be pretty good. (GM generally tends to do the best automatic trannies, from what I've seen, but Aisin is pretty good, too.) Having gone over it pretty thoroughly, I'm pretty impressed at how they didn't cheap out on underlying components.

Be nice to America. Or we'll bring democracy to your country.

by Drew J Jones (pedobear@pennstatefootball.com) on Sun Apr 15th, 2012 at 04:34:49 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Sunday Open Thread | 38 comments (38 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)

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