Fifty150

I suspect that there is already a portion of the population that can't find their way home without the assistance of a GPS.

There will always be some who insist on tradition. Nothing wrong with that. A microwave will never roast a chicken properly. In the automotive world, the Amish still insist on a horse & buggy. OldSchoolFool, your days of not having a camera are numbered. All new passenger vehicles are now required to be sold with cameras. Eventually, you will find yourself with a pair of wire cutters, manually over-riding the camera, just to prove to everyone else that it isn't needed. The rest of us will depend on the camera so much, that we will forget how to turn our heads and use the mirrors.

Make me think of that auto-pilot car that struck the pedestrian, while the human behind the wheel was watching some sort of entertainment on her phone. So sad. In theory, with all vehicles automated, and in communications with the municipal traffic control system, as well as other vehicles in the proximity, there would be no stop and go traffic. All traffic would flow seamlessly, in a safe speed, and all collisions would be avoided. If all vehicles were automated, they could drive 75 mph, bumper to bumper & fender to fender. All vehicles would be parked properly with the minimum needed space between bumpers, and no bumpers would be tapped. You wouldn't have some idiot taking two parking spaces, or leaving 10 feet between bumpers. Mike Chell could commute with a pillow & sleep mask. I could drink a 6 pack. I've been waiting for the day of self driving cars since the movie "Total Recall" with the "Johnny Cab". Now if only we can get robot maids at home, like The Jeffersons.

I'm with you. We don't need more laws. We're not enforcing the laws that we already have on the books. I'm all for less government. But those kinds of topics are for discussion in other forums. Let's get back to the fun stuff, like laughing at 70's haircuts and 80's technology. Sort of reminds me of the first time my beeper went off as I was cruising down A1A, Beachfront Avenue. Almost spilled the beverage I had in my clip-on cup holder.

Funny you should say that. Some of the commercial vans don't have rear windows. Some don't even have a rearview mirror: there's nothing to see when you don't have a rear window.

I used to drive 1/4 ton pickups. Toyota Tacoma (which I really like) now cost more, and they don't sell Ford Ranger anymore. The Honda Ridgeline is not a real pickup. GM trucks proved to be in need of more maintenance when in fleet service, or at least that is what I heard. I can honestly say that In over 10 years, my 1/2 ton has seen regular fluid changes, 1 new set of brakes, and that is it. Zero problems with blown gaskets, failed cooling system (water pump, thermostat, hoses, fan), fuel injectors and fuel pump, exhaust, suspension, et cetera. I would go back to driving a smaller pickup, if they didn't go up in price so much. Problem is that I'm not spending the same amount of money for less truck. Hoping that my Transit Connect will hold up 10 years with just oil changes and brakes. The mechanics in the Corporate Yard tell me that those Dodge Police Package cars are nice, but something is always going out. And that the new Interceptor version of the Explorer has driveline, braking, and suspension issues.....they think it's because it's a souped up Taurus disguised as an SUV, and not a real truck.

It happens. Everything is a distraction. And even without added distractions, collisions still occur. People have crashed their cars since there were cars to crash. But that doesn't make it okay to keep adding to our list of things that distract us while driving. I remember my dad telling me that cupholders were unsafe. This was back when not all cars had cupholders, and I bought a couple of those cupholders that clipped onto the door. You let people drink while they drive, and they will swallow wrong and choke, spill all over themselves, et cetera. He was right, of course. I've spilled more coffee on myself than I care to admit, and I've choked on fluids going down the wrong way.

If it was new, just let the dealer figure it out. Should be covered under warranty. The other option is just to wire up the camera yourself to the reverse lamp circuit, and install your own monitor. Not a great option. But it will work. My XL didn't come with a camera. I installed an aftermarket camera and aftermarket monitor sourced from amazon.com. It wasn't all that hard to do. I have had zero problems.

Cost will vary depending on labor. Did they use OEM or aftermarket? Parts are priced by vendor. Every shop marks up the parts. Depending on local market, the same repair can double in cost. Same way a local garage charges $100 per hour, and the dealership charger $200 per hour. A lot of aftermarket parts are priced at half of what the Ford Motorcraft is listed at.

I know your daughter's virtual twin. She ran into me, while I was in the crosswalk. i was on foot!

Sounds like 1 bad experience too many. This is why I do not go "corporate dining".

https://www.sears.com/craftsman-2-1-2-ton-floor-jack-low-profile/p-00950165000P?plpSellerId=Sears&prdNo=33&blockNo=33&blockType=G33

You would think that the height of the bumper would have broken that deer's legs, effectively preventing him from running away.

The first cell phones were actually car phones. Handset mounted onto the dash. Back when Miami Vice was still on the air. I had more hair on my head, and everybody else had powdered sugar on their nose from eating too many donuts.

I didn't know that the CRV came with such luxury options. You must have the most expensive CRV that they offer.

You would think that the dealer would know if recall affected him, via VIN number. I remember once when I was at a dealership for a coupon oil change. After the oil change, the car went from the oil change / service bay, to the next building where they did major mechanical work. The tech had a repair notice in his hand. Factory wanted him to change the sticker under the hood to indicate use of 5W-20 motor oil, and install a new oil cap marked 5W-20. Weird, but there was another instance where the dealership called me to come in, so that they could install new stickers on the door indicating the recommended PSI in the tires.

Pardon. I was not familiar with that colloquialism. I've only known that as a tire plug kit. I carry those as well.

Amazing that the boar got up and ran off. My brother in law hit a deer, messed up the entire front end of his new Honda, and the deer still got up and ran off. He was upset that the deer didn't die. He would have field dressed it right there while waiting for the tow truck. You could salvage a lot of good meat from fresh road kill.

I remember how distracting it was to change the 8 track.

It never ends. McDonalds is like a cult. Those Happy Meals are so addicting, with their free toys, that you will find yourself going there even without the kids.

Then you can have unfiltered air going directly into your engine. That does not sound appealing.

On my friend's BMW, that sensor always fails. I went with him to the dealership, and saw the dealer spray the windshield with a hose. It worked about half the time. Since it was BMW, dealer ordered a new sensor from the factory, and had it installed, while he drove off in a loaner. He never thought about it again, until the next rain. Same problem. Dealer ordered another sensor. I guess that technology has not yet been perfected by BMW or Ford.

There is a market for that. Luckily, most of us here are not poor or desperate enough to buy things like that off a card table. But a lot of people do. They buy counterfeits, thinking that they're saving money. Or, that's all that they can afford. That is why there are so many Ninety-Nine Cents stores. Look at Japan, with the 100 Yen Shops like Daiso & Ichiban Kan. Not just here in USA, either.

I just found a fuel filter for a '97 Explorer.