Author: Kim du Toit

News Summary

Bad News


...one would have thought...


...dangerous for whom?  Asking for a friend.


...I’m taking bets that most if not all of the 400 aren’t native-born Frogs.  What, nobody wants to take a bet?


...in which we play our popular “Guess The Race” game.


...and one more time...


...I hope it crashes with lots of Irish politicians on board.  Would serve them right, the anti-Semitic assholes.


...just wasn’t his day, was it?


....ummmm if her body is covered, she’s not “completely” nude, is she?  Nevertheless, here’s the proof:

I report, you opine.

Car Treatment

Drive Time

From Reader GT3Ted:

  1. How many miles do you drive a year? — less than 100 miles per week, about 4,000 per annum.  Some weeks I don’t go out at all, other than a quick trip to the grocery store (about half a mile from the house).
  2. Primary trip type ? I’m assuming you don’t have a daily 30 mile comment to the city in stop & go heavy traffic 5 days a week — my only “regular” commute is to the range (4 miles), and that only once or twice / week.
  3. Short forays into the Texas Heat? Or more weekly 100 mile adventures? — the furthest I ever drive, and that maybe once a month, is to visit the Son&Heir or the Sooper-Seekrit Mailbox place, a 40-mile round trip.  Longer trips, maybe once a year.
  4. How religious are you about fluid changes? Not just occasional trips to Jiffy-lubes. When if ever did you have the transmission oil flushed and renewed. Engine coolant flushed and renewed? — I do a major fluid change every 25,000 miles, oil changed and fluids checked every 3,500 miles.  My transmission belt(s) will be due a change at the next major service (150,000 miles), which is going to cost me quite a bit.

I take car maintenance seriously, ever since my dad (an engineer) once said, “Look after a car engine properly, and it will last just about indefinitely.”

And I drive a car gently (nowadays;  not as a youngin of course, because hormones/testosterone):  no heavy acceleration, no speeding, none of that stuff.

The Search Continues

Drive Time, Old Fartism

At the risk of boring everyone, I’m going to continue the thread of “If the Tiguan were to blow up suddenly, what car could / should I replace it with?”

It will be a regular, but occasional post.

Here are my criteria:  preferably pre-1995, stick shift, costing no more than $40,000, reliable (for an older car), roomy (i.e. no sports cars — I still have stuff to schlep around).

And then there’s this one — lamentably in Yurp, which means shipping costs and some kind of import duty — but it still gets my juices going:

1993 BMW 30 Touring ($37,000)

I’m actually a huge fan of small station wagons — I’ve owned three before: VW Jetta, VW Passat and Opel Ascona (Chev Cavalier, for my Murkin Readers).  I loved all of them, without exception, and would take one over any SUV, every day of the week.  Moreover, I loves me my 3-series Beemers;  I still look back on my 318i with fondness and longing.

I’m a little leery of the stated mileage (only 29,000? WTF).

And then there’s this (from the website):

“The E30 Touring represents the last 3 Series BMW built in a truly ‘old-school”’way: without intrusive electronics, with analog gauges, genuine steering feel, and that unmistakable E30 atmosphere.”

I think they’ve been reading my blog.

Different Wheels

Drive Time

Following yesterday’s rant about modern-day cars and their godless, snooping manufacturers, I want to say this.

One of these days, I’m going to need a new car — the Tiguan’s odometer is nudging 150,000 miles pretty hard, and every time I set off on any kind of trip, I’m apprehensive.

I have no idea how I’m going to afford it without draining our meager savings;  I may have to auction off almost all my guns to a certain group of gun-loving Readers I happen to know, just to defray some of the cost.

But just so everyone’s clear on the topic:  given all that’s appeared above, there is no way I will ever consider a “new” car — i.e. one made since the mid-1990s — but I’ll aim for one made without too much electronic equipment.  Here’s an example:

1993 Mercedes Benz 300CE ($38,000)

Less than 35,000 miles, that lovely 3.2-liter engine, and a Euro-spec stick shift… oh be still, my beating heart.

Of course, by the time I would actually be in a place to buy this magnificent car, it would be long sold (because duh);  but it should give you an idea of the direction I’m aiming.

There’s another option:  American cars.  But to find one of those that was made before 1995 and hasn’t been hot-rodded to hell and back?  That makes me really nervous.  (And I can’t go with a truck — New Wife is adamant on this.)  Plus, except for the 65 Mustangs, American cars of that era a generally fugly.

I will accept any and all thoughts on the topic.  Be kind, willya?