Welcome to Thunderdome

TheCatt wrote: ↑Thu Nov 21, 2024 4:47 pm

Leisher wrote: ↑Thu Nov 21, 2024 4:40 pm postpixplzthx Just make sure you're not in them!!

I'm not Gordon. I know what the people want.

I laughed a lot harder at that then Gordon would be happy about.

Some days I am a smart person who does smart things. This story is not about one of those things.

When I got my car, I couldn't believe it didn't have a "next track" button on the steering wheel. I googled it at the time, and gave up. Using my right-hand to skip songs on the center console like a heathen.

Last week I finally googled it again, and it turns out there's a programmable button that can do exactly that. Only took me 2.5 years to realize.

I lived in my house for almost 20 years before I figured out the 2 light switches that didn't work controlled the power to an outlet, in that room.

TheCatt wrote: ↑Fri Mar 07, 2025 4:08 pm Only took me 2.5 years to realize.

After 2.5 years of ownership, my wife just found out she DOES have remote start on her Mercedes.

TheCatt wrote: ↑Fri Mar 07, 2025 4:08 pm When I got my car, I couldn't believe it didn't have a "next track" button on the steering wheel. I googled it at the time, and gave up. Using my right-hand to skip songs on the center console like a heathen.

Last week I finally googled it again, and it turns out there's a programmable button that can do exactly that. Only took me 2.5 years to realize.

I love those "I'm an idiot" moments.

We recently had one at work. "Transfer" disappeared from our VoIP phones when we upgraded the system. Nobody knew what to do. Turned out, there's a physical transfer button prominently on the phone. Who knew?

Let's check in on Jaguar after their woke rebranding:

Update soon once the weather is prettier

May she never know I exist...

Leisher wrote: ↑Sun Dec 28, 2025 5:43 pm May she never know I exist...

Amen

Related...

In SC and have a rental car. AVIS gave me a brand new Lincoln Navigator. It's a beast. Three rows of seating, and every gadget you can imagine. $100K easy. It still has plastic on things. Brand, brand new.

Anyway, I've noticed while backing up one of the screens shows me an overhead view. I, literally, see the lines and cracks on the ground from an angle above the car. Where the fuck is that camera? Is it building images from a series of cameras or is there a secret drone following me that I don't know about?

Leisher wrote: ↑Thu Feb 12, 2026 9:04 am Where the fuck is that camera? Is it building images from a series of cameras or is there a secret drone following me that I don't know about?

It's a series of cameras around the car (usually front grille, rear camera, and one under each side view mirror). Its kinda cool. They use fisheye lenses, then stitch the picture together to make it look like a satellite-ish view. I think 2 of our cars have this?

Between that view and rear view cameras, backing into spots is so easy.

Cake and I were just talking about it (he's here too). I knew how it was done, the anime car gives it away, but it's so damn seamless it genuinely looks like a drone must be grabbing the footage. Very cool stuff.

I still would never buy or rent a car like this again. Way too big. I also don't like how the headrest sits.

The first time I saw it, we were test-driving a car, and I said "Wow, almost like a satellite view." and the car salesman said "It's not a satellite, it's cameras." Yeah, no shit sherlock.

Kia's version of surround view.

It's not Kia's fault you chose to live in the abyss.

Trump's EPA rolls back some Obama-era climate change regulations, and it should end the Start/Stop horseshit.

Absolutely the worst thing to happen to cars since women were allowed to drive.

But seriously, fuck this Start/Stop nonsense. It doesn't do shit for the environment. It's unsafe when you need to move quickly and your fucking engine is off. Also, it did nothing but add additional wear and tear to engines with the constant stopping and starting. I'd argue it also used more fuel as you use more to start an engine than it does when it's idling waiting for a light to change.

Leisher wrote: ↑Mon Feb 16, 2026 11:25 am I'd argue it also used more fuel as you use more to start an engine than it does when it's idling waiting for a light to change.

It doesn't, this is easily proved, lots of videos, etc. Uses surprisingly little fuel to start.

I don't like the start/stop either. Especially when it's 100 degrees outside and the AC stops briefly.

Each engine will have its own break even point. Stop for 2 seconds, you waste gas. 15 seconds, you save. But it's not like the 80's where you had to pump the peddle a bunch before you tried to start.