#271444 - 07/12/2005 18:41
Re: Are most British car reviews this pompous?
[Re: wfaulk]
|
old hand
Registered: 17/01/2003
Posts: 998
|
Quote:
. But I just don't understand who's buying any Pontiac or non-compact Chevy or Ford.
I have a hard time understanding why anyone would want a four door. It just comes down to different priorities, budgets and likes, I guess.
I got a Pontiac Grand-Am GT as a rental car a few years ago and it was a blast to drive in CA on some canyon roads.
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#271445 - 07/12/2005 18:44
Re: Are most British car reviews this pompous?
[Re: boxer]
|
carpal tunnel
Registered: 25/12/2000
Posts: 16706
Loc: Raleigh, NC US
|
Well, just because it's bad one place doesn't make the bad in another place okay. But point taken. Regardless, I certainly don't ever remember any anti-English sentiment in the US during my lifetime. (Well, ISTR there was an episode of The Andy Griffith Show where Ernest T. didn't want to share the drunk tank with an "Englishter" (Bernard Fox), but that's apparently because he was an "Irishter".)
_________________________
Bitt Faulk
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#271446 - 07/12/2005 18:47
Re: Are most British car reviews this pompous?
[Re: rob]
|
old hand
Registered: 17/01/2003
Posts: 998
|
This is the answer to this post -> Quote:
It's just a bit of tongue in cheek racism - most automotive hacks write like that. It's nothing personal.
translated -> British humor we US’ers just don’t get.
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#271447 - 07/12/2005 18:56
Re: Are most British car reviews this pompous?
[Re: wfaulk]
|
pooh-bah
Registered: 16/04/2002
Posts: 2011
Loc: Yorkshire UK
|
Quote:
I certainly don't ever remember any anti-English sentiment in the US during my lifetime.
No, me neither, I always have a great time, but I always feel that I'm being treated as a curiosity, but then I have the same feeling in the UK.!
In the 70's, Mrs.Boxer and I went in to a bank in Valdosta, Florida to cash a cheque: The teller/cashier said: "Could you say that again, hey girls, just come and listen to this accent"!
_________________________
Politics and Ideology: Not my bag
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#271448 - 07/12/2005 19:01
Re: Are most British car reviews this pompous?
[Re: boxer]
|
carpal tunnel
Registered: 25/12/2000
Posts: 16706
Loc: Raleigh, NC US
|
I can assure you that the vast majority of Americans think that most English accents are attractive, though, so I doubt they were making fun of you. Well, most southern English accents, and some urban northern English accents. Though I doubt most people can really peg the differences.
_________________________
Bitt Faulk
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#271449 - 07/12/2005 19:12
Re: Are most British car reviews this pompous?
[Re: boxer]
|
old hand
Registered: 17/01/2003
Posts: 998
|
I think most of us in the US love the UK accent. And the sayings and expressions you guys come up with are great.
I was on a business call with a bird in the UK and she did something wrong and the asked “Oh, have I been naughty?” I thought I was going to lose it. I instantly had this vision of some S&M paddling session.
The one nice thing about that accent is I can understand people from the UK better than many people here. Well, I guess you’re doing it right, after all, you did cook up the language.
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#271450 - 07/12/2005 19:22
Re: Are most British car reviews this pompous?
[Re: wfaulk]
|
carpal tunnel
Registered: 20/12/1999
Posts: 31578
Loc: Seattle, WA
|
Quote:
Well, most southern English accents, and some urban northern English accents.
Boxer is from Scotland, if I recall correctly? Could be remembering wrong. 
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#271451 - 07/12/2005 19:38
Re: Are most British car reviews this pompous?
[Re: tfabris]
|
pooh-bah
Registered: 16/04/2002
Posts: 2011
Loc: Yorkshire UK
|
Boxer's from Kent, South of London, but has lived in Yorkshire, 200 and something miles North, since the early 70's, that may be just next door to you people, but it's a whole cultural difference here! Scotland is one of my most favourite places, we went three times, last year.
I think that I've missed my own point, which is, that journalists, press or TV, have to hype things up, not that I feel that either of our nations remotely have a problem with each other.
_________________________
Politics and Ideology: Not my bag
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#271453 - 07/12/2005 20:14
Re: Are most British car reviews this pompous?
[Re: wfaulk]
|
carpal tunnel
Registered: 08/07/1999
Posts: 5543
Loc: Ajijic, Mexico
|
But I just don't understand who's buying any Pontiac Perhaps the people who might be considering a Miata/MX5? Autoweek magazine did a comparison test a couple weeks ago, and the results were.... surprising. If you don't want to wade through the entire article, the closing paragraph has the gist of it: But with all things considered, three factors weigh heavily in favor of the Solstice: fresh, good looks, better on-road ride and handling, and superior driving comfort. While we would be happy with either in our garage, for this test the Pontiac Solstice is our pick.
For Pontiac to have come up with a first generation car that can go toe to toe with the until now undisputed leader in the category is pretty impressive. tanstaafl.
_________________________
"There Ain't No Such Thing As A Free Lunch"
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#271454 - 07/12/2005 20:35
Re: Are most British car reviews this pompous?
[Re: SE_Sport_Driver]
|
old hand
Registered: 15/02/2002
Posts: 1049
|
Quote:
I don't just haul stuff, I haul a LOT of stuff. And I need an open top to do it. I have forklifts drop cubes of masonry block, ceramic tile, scaffolding, etc into my bed. I need an open top to do that.
Can't beat a pickup or flat-bet truck for that.
Quote:
Those vans seem like they'd be perfect for our plumbers, electricans and the like.
That's it exactly. I talked to a hardwood flooring guy who switched from 1 ton GMC vans to the Sprinter, and he ranted an raved about how great it was and how much money he was saving on fuel. Its a great candidate for ambulances, too. I talked to a Sprinter paramedic unit and they said it took some getting used to because its quite a bit narrower than the boxes they put on the back of trucks.
Quote:
I wonder if they're offered in AWD. Many of the construction sites are so muddy that you need 4x4 to not get stuck.
I believe they are RWD only. At least, they were when I went to test drive one a couple of years ago.
Jim
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#271455 - 07/12/2005 23:04
Re: Are most British car reviews this pompous?
[Re: Redrum]
|
old hand
Registered: 14/04/2002
Posts: 1172
Loc: Hants, UK
|
Quote:
I think most of us in the US love the UK accent. And the sayings and expressions you guys come up with are great.
The nuances of language can catch you out.
There was a letter in the paper a few weeks back - a lady was in Australia and met the local rugby team just as they were leaving for a match - she said to them "well we're all rooting for you" (meaning, in a way "we're supporting you"). They replied "thanks but we can manage that ourselves!", leaving her wondering what "rooting" meant in Oz. I didn't know either until I looked it up 
Gareth
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#271456 - 07/12/2005 23:20
Re: Are most British car reviews this pompous?
[Re: TigerJimmy]
|
old hand
Registered: 14/04/2002
Posts: 1172
Loc: Hants, UK
|
Quote:
I talked to a Sprinter paramedic unit and they said it took some getting used to because its quite a bit narrower than the boxes they put on the back of trucks.
The Sprinters are popular as ambulances in the UK because they are damned quick, that's why they are also popular with parcel couriers!
The standard ambulance used to be a Ford Transit or LDV with a fibreglass rear (like this) and powered by a Rover V8 (derived from a Buick design).
Several ambulance services have tried a right hand drive Chevy Blazer (part-made in Australia) with a Wheeled Coach box rear (like this, but they found as well as costing a fortune to run the gearboxes used to blow up quite often, especially in hilly areas.
However they liked the box rear because as well as having more room it was stronger and therefore safer in a crash, so quite a few services seem to be buying Sprinters with a separate box rear, eg. London like this
Gareth
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#271457 - 08/12/2005 13:51
Re: Are most British car reviews this pompous?
[Re: tanstaafl.]
|
carpal tunnel
Registered: 25/12/2000
Posts: 16706
Loc: Raleigh, NC US
|
I knew I should have mentioned the Solstice. It does look pretty nice.
_________________________
Bitt Faulk
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#271459 - 08/12/2005 14:46
Re: Are most British car reviews this pompous?
[Re: andy]
|
pooh-bah
Registered: 25/08/2000
Posts: 2413
Loc: NH USA
|
That makes sense. I don't think there's really much style to be found the greater Detroit metro area.
-Zeke
_________________________
WWFSMD?
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#271461 - 08/12/2005 18:30
Re: Are most British car reviews this pompous?
[Re: andy]
|
pooh-bah
Registered: 13/09/1999
Posts: 2401
Loc: Croatia
|
Quote:
I don't really see how the XC70 is comparable to the WRX. It is 200kg heavier, which would explain why it is 3.5 seconds slower to sixty.
I agree, they are quite different beasts, but we were simply talking strong(ish) 4x4 non-SUVs.
_________________________
Dragi "Bonzi" Raos
Q#5196
MkII #080000376, 18GB green
MkIIa #040103247, 60GB blue
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#271462 - 08/12/2005 18:41
Re: Are most British car reviews this pompous?
[Re: Ezekiel]
|
carpal tunnel
Registered: 25/12/2000
Posts: 16706
Loc: Raleigh, NC US
|
Actually, there's a lot of style in the greater Detroit metro area (see Bloomfield Hills, Grosse Point, etc.). It's the incorporated area that's lacking in so many ways.
_________________________
Bitt Faulk
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#271463 - 08/12/2005 18:42
Re: Are most British car reviews this pompous?
[Re: SE_Sport_Driver]
|
pooh-bah
Registered: 13/09/1999
Posts: 2401
Loc: Croatia
|
In '70s and '80 Ford Transit van was legendary among "guest workers" returning after a few year stint at German construction sites to start a small business of their own. Or you could see them overflowing with Turkish families driving Ruhr-Anatolia non-stop.
_________________________
Dragi "Bonzi" Raos
Q#5196
MkII #080000376, 18GB green
MkIIa #040103247, 60GB blue
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#271464 - 08/12/2005 19:29
Re: Are most British car reviews this pompous?
[Re: Ezekiel]
|
carpal tunnel
Registered: 27/06/1999
Posts: 7058
Loc: Pittsburgh, PA
|
"Take him to Detroit!
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#271465 - 08/12/2005 19:47
Re: Are most British car reviews this pompous?
[Re: tonyc]
|
pooh-bah
Registered: 06/04/2005
Posts: 2026
Loc: Seattle transplant
|
wav file! http://members.tripod.com/~JB5353/kfm/kfm.html8th down from the top. Shucks- I woulda linked it directly, but I couldn't.
_________________________
10101311 (20GB- backup empeg)
10101466 (2x60GB, Eutronix/GreenLights Blue) (Stolen!)
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#271467 - 09/12/2005 00:17
Re: Are most British car reviews this pompous?
[Re: tonyc]
|
veteran
Registered: 21/01/2002
Posts: 1380
Loc: Erie, CO
|
Funniest. Movie. Evar.
/goes to Amazon to order
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#271468 - 09/12/2005 02:59
Re: Are most British car reviews this pompous?
[Re: SE_Sport_Driver]
|
pooh-bah
Registered: 25/08/2000
Posts: 2413
Loc: NH USA
|
Present company excepted, of course!
-Zeke
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#271469 - 09/12/2005 10:00
Re: Are most British car reviews this pompous?
[Re: g_attrill]
|
enthusiast
Registered: 06/08/2002
Posts: 333
Loc: The Pilbara, Western Australia
|
Wombat: Eats Roots Shoots and Leaves 
_________________________
Peter.
"I spent 90% of my money on women, drink and fast cars. The rest I wasted." - George Best
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
|
Previous Topic
Index