Random posting

[occasional demons]

It’s also hitting shares of Fiat Chrysler and Ford Motor since GM’s labor contract will serve as an outline for negotiations at its cross-town competitors. Fiat Chrysler’s stock also tumbled 10% during that time period, while Ford Motor declined 8%.

[theColonel]

GM plants in Mexico, Canada are operating as UAW strike drags on

https://www.cnbc.com/2019/10/08/gm-plan ... trike.html

[occasional demons]

GM has enough of a worldwide presence, that it can remain in existence. Not as profitably, but it could remain in business, whether or not it made or sold another car in the US. The UAW does not have the leverage of a worldwide presence. GM pulls all of it's operations out, The UAW's paying membership becomes that much smaller.

[theColonel]

GM has enough of a worldwide presence, that it can remain in existence. Not as profitably, but it could remain in business,
whether or not it made or sold another car in the US. The UAW does not have the leverage of a worldwide presence.
GM pulls all of it's operations out, the UAW's paying membership becomes that much smaller.

GM's high labor cost vs. competitors' (non-union) plants in the United States is their incentive to hold out. They can build
pickups and SUV's more profitably in Mexico and Canada for U.S. buyers.

[occasional demons]

GM has enough of a worldwide presence, that it can remain in existence. Not as profitably, but it could remain in business,
whether or not it made or sold another car in the US. The UAW does not have the leverage of a worldwide presence.
GM pulls all of it's operations out, the UAW's paying membership becomes that much smaller.

GM's high labor cost vs. competitors' (non-union) plants in the United States is their incentive to hold out. They can build
pickups and SUV's more profitably in Mexico and Canada for U.S. buyers.

And American's will buy them.

[Midnight_Rider]

And American's will buy them.

Yup, since most Americans seem to really care only about price and not their country or their neighbors having a job.

[occasional demons]

And American's will buy them.

Yup, since most Americans seem to really care only about price and not their country or their neighbors having a job.

Well that goes both ways, as some people won't buy an "Import" that has more parts and labor made in America than a "Domestic", therefore not supporting their neighbors either.

Being a global economy is tricky business. But it's better than being a hermit kingdom.

[theColonel]

https://www.cnn.com/2019/10/18/perspect ... BLtdLuiTng

[occasional demons]

https://www.cnn.com/2019/10/18/perspect ... BLtdLuiTng

Consider that employees had to go without a paycheck for more than four weeks. The differences in pay that they'll receive in the tentative agreement compared to what they would have gotten without a strike may only be enough to backfill what they've already sacrificed.

Exactly my thoughts on all of this. Not getting any further ahead, and in reality further behind adding in the stress and hardship on your family if applicable. If you are single, it is probably a lot simpler to go for over a month without pay, provided you are financially smart enough to have money in the bank for these things. Given a GM worker's wages, if you don't, then that's solely on you.

But if you are the primary wage earner supporting a family, it might not have been worth it.

[INVUJerry]

Been a few interesting months in Johnsonville.

Went to h2oi in ocean city a few weeks ago and then back down to OC for the cruisin weekend. For h2o christy drove the wagon and I took the van. During cruisin weekend she went to New York so just me and the 2 youngest went to OC. Took a few pics but spent more time enjoying myself than snapping pics. Finally got an exhaust put on my 89 caravan with the 3.0 v6, it occasionally spits flames now lol.

Only issue we had is the wagon blew a brake line on the way back from OC. I crimped it with a pair of vice grips and Christy drove it the rest of the way home since I was driving the van.

Got distracted with other projects but Franks car should be back on the road this week.

https://imgur.com/a/FbvDDOI

[Midnight_Rider]

Thanks for sharing the pics!

[occasional demons]

Sam will be responsible for helping us continue the cost reduction initiatives we have been working on over the last year as well as evaluating our current supplier base and enhancing supplier development. In this new role, Sam will help Xxxx Xxxxxx establish a truly global footprint for sourcing materials.

From an internal blow smoke up your ass fluff memo of my employer.

They have been complaining that we can't get the domestic market to buy our stuff.

But this company won't buy domestic.

News flash: Neither will our domestic market. Of course only the little guy is expected to "Buy American" but just like taxes, big corporations are exempt. They won't support US businesses, but they sure expect everyone else to.

[theColonel]

https://www.hotrod.com/articles/1984-mo ... 18406DA019

[theColonel]

https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a2979 ... KexASUOp6Y

[occasional demons]

https://www.hotrod.com/articles/1984-mo ... 18406DA019

There is a Rampage rotting into the ground on an obscure side street in a city near me. It looks like it has been sitting there for years, probably not much left of the underside.

[MyNeonSaysHi]

GREAT replacement for a Neon. Will pick one of these up slightly used in the future for sure.
https://www.roadandtrack.com/new-cars/c ... -the-year/

[MyNeonSaysHi]

GREAT replacement for a Neon. Will pick one of these up slightly used in the future for sure.
https://www.roadandtrack.com/new-cars/c ... -the-year/

Curious how well that 2 liter will hold up and the transmission....

[JeremyJ]

They are super cool little cars. I'd have no issue bombing around in one. I hope the aftermarket jumps on them.

[MyNeonSaysHi]

Yeah for sure. I know the gen that came out a while ago, was not too impressed. Lots of kids with vapes own them. They are usually slammed with some sort horrible exhaust on them.
Would make a fun daily driver

[JeremyJ]

A guy at work asked me about my car today. He didn't know anything about the SRT-4 and was surprised to hear it was turbocharged. It's always fun to educate people about the car. Especially since they're so rare anymore.

[Midnight_Rider]

I had to make a supermarket run on Thanksgiving Day. Since I seldom get to drive the SRT, it was really fun to have it out, especially being out of town where few see my car (it was scheduled to be at the dealership there in town the next day). A couple of teenagers really checked out the car as I drove by them to find a parking spot. After I used the fob to lock the car (horn honk), one of them had to use his remote to honk his horn as I walked by. LOL

[occasional demons]

I have used the settings to disable the door lock horn on the RKE on all my cars that have it. It's just one of those things that annoy me. I can hear the solenoids just fine.

It only disables the lock chirp, the panic button still works all too well.

[JeremyJ]

Ugh. It's supposed to snow today and all next week. Temps in the low twenties for a day or two. My Durango died and I have "extreme summer performance" tires on the Neon. I'm also out of PTO at work, so staying home will literally cost me. I have a mechanic friend coming over this weekend to check out the Durango with me, so send me some positive vibes that we can get it fixed. It has some sort of electrical gremlin. I hate chasing those down.

[occasional demons]

The irony is I have a set of winter tires that are like new from my '01 that I may never use, because I really don't want to have to drive my neons in the salt if I don't have to. That's why I got the Subaru as the "sacrificial anode"...

It just had a jihad doe charge the Subie on Sunday. It took it probably a lot better than the neon would have. Trashed the headlight, front fascia, fender, and dented the hood. She decided not to run like her entourage, but spun around put her head down, and rammed the car. She lost that battle. At least she was staying low, and didn't roll up the hood and come through the windshield.

I zip tied the fascia back together, slapped a used headlight in, and beat the fender out. Cheaper than the $500 deductible, and being the car is 9 years old, and had over 200,000 miles, they probably would have totaled it, and I would be stuck trying to replace it for what little they would have paid out.

I have to review my policy. and will likely be dropping full coverage on it, since with the current damages, they probably wouldn't even give me $400. Minus the $500 deductible, I would get $0.00

[INVUJerry]

A few weeks ago a cop backed into our $200 PT Cruiser. A 2gn guy did me a favor and wrote the estimate up pretty high so it would be totaled. I bought the car back and ended up with $2000 in my pocket. I ended up buying a 2000 suburban. It has a lot of miles and some rocker rust but the interior is in great shape. It’s got a modified exhaust, a 3” body lift and 33” tall tires. It’ll definitely help during the winters in PA. Plus, it’ll be able to tow my neons on my (brand used) tow dolly I bought for $300.

https://imgur.com/a/oQS79TZ

[MyNeonSaysHi]

^Hahaha thats crazy. Its nice when insurance works out in your favor..

So how does that work out, I am sure it varies from state to state. But if they total out your PT how do you make it road worthy again with a rebuilt salvage title? I know out here you cannot drive a salvage title car on the road unless it gets fixed and inspected.

My fiance had a guy back into her drivers side door and damage it. Instead of just taking the insurance check for $1800 or so, she had it fixed. The car was still driveable, just had dents and scrapes and missing a mirror on the drivers side. Was a 2002 Envoy with over 200k miles.

Weather has been crazy out here! Thursday hit a record high of 66, the following day it was 14 out with the windchill!! There was an ice storm and we got like 3 inches of snow. Crazy midwest weather.

[occasional demons]

Here in Ohio, you don't necessarily need to repair anything to make the salvage title an R title. As long as it is in safe road condition, it doesn't need to be fixed. Granted this is for stuff like being side swiped, where the cosmetic damages were too costly to repair, or a ton of hail damage.

My daughter had a car pull out into the side of her 300M, it creased the two doors, and rear quarter. They totaled it. She bought it back, scheduled an inspection, drove it there, and they approved it for an R title.

If you need to buy body parts to fix it, you need the bill of sale, the VIN number of the car(s) the parts came from, etc. If the paperwork doesn't check out, you get rejected. Everything must be in order. When I went for inspection on my '01 I was a bit nervous, since I got some of the parts off eBay. They don't like eBay receipts for some reason. But apparently I didn't have enough for concern. I was the only person that day that they approved. Every other person there had some issue with the records/receipts.

[INVUJerry]

I did have to go get a salvage title. I would have to get an enhanced inspection done to put it back on the road but the car isn’t in the best of shape. I bought it to be a donor for Jonny’s car and now it’ll get to fulfill that prophecy.

[MyNeonSaysHi]

Ahh gotcha makes sense. I was just curious how all that works out.

[JeremyJ]

I got my Durango back on the road just in time for our first snow. It's handling the weather like a champ. Meanwhile, the Neon takes a nap in the driveway.

I'm trying to sell my Jeep XJ. I keep getting low-balled and it's driving me nuts. At the same time, I need it gone, so I may cave to the lower offers. Such a bummer, though.