On 1/14/2016 9:28 PM, wrote:
On Thursday, January 14, 2016 at 6:05:30 PM UTC-5, Mr. Luddite wrote:
Mrs.E. came home from running down to the local store this afternoon
and told me she thought she was getting a flat tire. Said she heard
something and car felt funny after that.

Went out to check. Yup. Flat tire alright.

She should stick to riding horses.


http://i802.photobucket.com/albums/yy303/Eisboch/tire.jpg

Back when the whole fiasco over Explorers being unstable when a tire blew, I had one.

I was doing 75 or so and encountered a chunk of 18 wheeler brake drum on the interstate. There was nowhere to go, so I centered it and hoped for the best. It hit the front diff shield (4x4 Explorer), flipped around underneath, hit the gas tank shield, then cut a big gash in the rear left tire sidewall, producing an instant flat at 75mph. It wagged around in the road, but I just let off the gas and coasted over to the shoulder. 20 or so minutes, and I was on my way on the spare.

After that, I saw a show where they tested the Explorer in sudden flat situations. They experienced the same as me... it is no big deal when you have a sudden flat. It is just the bad drivers doing stupid things, like jerking the wheel when it starts wagging around.

Glad your wife made it hone safely.



Yeah, fortunately she was coming home from a store just a couple of
miles from the house and was driving at turtle speed (as she puts it)
due to recent snow and ice cover on roads. She heard a bang but didn't
put it together. Don't think she has ever had a tire go flat or
have a blow out before, so she just kept driving.

On Thu, 14 Jan 2016 22:18:05 -0500, "Mr. Luddite"
wrote:

On 1/14/2016 9:28 PM, wrote:
On Thursday, January 14, 2016 at 6:05:30 PM UTC-5, Mr. Luddite wrote:
Mrs.E. came home from running down to the local store this afternoon
and told me she thought she was getting a flat tire. Said she heard
something and car felt funny after that.

Went out to check. Yup. Flat tire alright.

She should stick to riding horses.


http://i802.photobucket.com/albums/yy303/Eisboch/tire.jpg

Back when the whole fiasco over Explorers being unstable when a tire blew, I had one.

I was doing 75 or so and encountered a chunk of 18 wheeler brake drum on the interstate. There was nowhere to go, so I centered it and hoped for the best. It hit the front diff shield (4x4 Explorer), flipped around underneath, hit the gas tank shield, then cut a big gash in the rear left tire sidewall, producing an instant flat at 75mph. It wagged around in the road, but I just let off the gas and coasted over to the shoulder. 20 or so minutes, and I was on my way on the spare.

After that, I saw a show where they tested the Explorer in sudden flat situations. They experienced the same as me... it is no big deal when you have a sudden flat. It is just the bad drivers doing stupid things, like jerking the wheel when it starts wagging around.

Glad your wife made it hone safely.



Yeah, fortunately she was coming home from a store just a couple of
miles from the house and was driving at turtle speed (as she puts it)
due to recent snow and ice cover on roads. She heard a bang but didn't
put it together. Don't think she has ever had a tire go flat or
have a blow out before, so she just kept driving.

Mercury?

On 1/14/2016 10:57 PM, wrote:
On Thu, 14 Jan 2016 22:18:05 -0500, "Mr. Luddite"
wrote:

On 1/14/2016 9:28 PM, wrote:
On Thursday, January 14, 2016 at 6:05:30 PM UTC-5, Mr. Luddite wrote:
Mrs.E. came home from running down to the local store this afternoon
and told me she thought she was getting a flat tire. Said she heard
something and car felt funny after that.

Went out to check. Yup. Flat tire alright.

She should stick to riding horses.


http://i802.photobucket.com/albums/yy303/Eisboch/tire.jpg

Back when the whole fiasco over Explorers being unstable when a tire blew, I had one.

I was doing 75 or so and encountered a chunk of 18 wheeler brake drum on the interstate. There was nowhere to go, so I centered it and hoped for the best. It hit the front diff shield (4x4 Explorer), flipped around underneath, hit the gas tank shield, then cut a big gash in the rear left tire sidewall, producing an instant flat at 75mph. It wagged around in the road, but I just let off the gas and coasted over to the shoulder. 20 or so minutes, and I was on my way on the spare.

After that, I saw a show where they tested the Explorer in sudden flat situations. They experienced the same as me... it is no big deal when you have a sudden flat. It is just the bad drivers doing stupid things, like jerking the wheel when it starts wagging around.

Glad your wife made it hone safely.



Yeah, fortunately she was coming home from a store just a couple of
miles from the house and was driving at turtle speed (as she puts it)
due to recent snow and ice cover on roads. She heard a bang but didn't
put it together. Don't think she has ever had a tire go flat or
have a blow out before, so she just kept driving.

Mercury?


Yeah ... a "Mountaineer" or something like that.
Another example of a basically decent vehicle with too many
doo-dad things like hydraulically operated running boards with
a windshield wiper motor for the hydraulic pump that
crapped out, motor driven rear seats that she never uses because
the thing is basically a hay wagon, and a bunch of electronically
controlled operator controls that are nothing but confusing. I think
I've driven it once since she bought it. Runs good, rides good, has
plenty of "pep" but too complicated for it and the driver's own good, IMO.

I am a believer that the more crap you put in front of a driver, the
more the crap takes away from the driver's attention to what he or she
is doing. That's why, after owning several "exotic" cars, I am happy
driving my plain jane F-250. I rarely even use the radio.

The only one I had that was an exception was the Porsche. Simple, fast,
and handled like it was on rails.

On Thu, 14 Jan 2016 23:21:06 -0500, "Mr. Luddite"
wrote:

Mercury?


Yeah ... a "Mountaineer" or something like that.
Another example of a basically decent vehicle with too many
doo-dad things like hydraulically operated running boards with
a windshield wiper motor for the hydraulic pump that
crapped out, motor driven rear seats that she never uses because
the thing is basically a hay wagon, and a bunch of electronically
controlled operator controls that are nothing but confusing. I think
I've driven it once since she bought it. Runs good, rides good, has
plenty of "pep" but too complicated for it and the driver's own good, IMO.

I am a believer that the more crap you put in front of a driver, the
more the crap takes away from the driver's attention to what he or she
is doing. That's why, after owning several "exotic" cars, I am happy
driving my plain jane F-250. I rarely even use the radio.

The only one I had that was an exception was the Porsche. Simple, fast,
and handled like it was on rails.




Sounds like the Lincoln. The damned owners book is an inch thick and I
know there are lots of things we have never turned on yet.

Mr. Luddite
- show quoted text -
"Yeah ... a "Mountaineer" or something like that.
Another example of a basically decent vehicle with too many
doo-dad things like hydraulically operated running boards with
a windshield wiper motor for the hydraulic pump that
crapped out, motor driven rear seats that she never uses because
the thing is basically a hay wagon, and a bunch of electronically
controlled operator controls that are nothing but confusing. *I think
I've driven it once since she bought it. *Runs good, rides good, has
plenty of "pep" *but too complicated for it and the driver's own good, IMO.

I am a believer that the more crap you put in front of a driver, the
more the crap takes away from the driver's attention to what he or she
is doing. * That's why, after owning several "exotic" cars, I am happy
driving my plain jane F-250. *I rarely even use the radio.

The only one I had that was an exception was the Porsche. *Simple, fast,
and handled like it was on rails. "


Yup..if she was driving a basic compact car she would probably have had a better feel for what was going on.

On Fri, 15 Jan 2016 05:05:07 -0800 (PST), True North
wrote:

Yup..if she was driving a basic compact car she would probably have had a better feel for what was going on.

The Mountaineer is basically the same vehicle as the "Roll Me Another
One" Explorer so it could get exciting.

On 1/15/16 11:09 AM, wrote:
On Fri, 15 Jan 2016 05:05:07 -0800 (PST), True North
wrote:

Yup..if she was driving a basic compact car she would probably have had a better feel for what was going on.

The Mountaineer is basically the same vehicle as the "Roll Me Another
One" Explorer so it could get exciting.



About six months ago, we got my wife a new car, maybe one step up from
your basic compact. We shopped five or six dealers, looking at several
brands of four door sedans, including two "fancy lines." She ending up
liking the Toyota Camry best because "it's a simple car, well-made, nice
ride, and peppy." I was pretty surprised at how well it performs, since
she opted for the naturally aspirated four cylinder engine.

On Fri, 15 Jan 2016 11:21:45 -0500, Keyser Söze
wrote:

On 1/15/16 11:09 AM, wrote:
On Fri, 15 Jan 2016 05:05:07 -0800 (PST), True North
wrote:

Yup..if she was driving a basic compact car she would probably have had a better feel for what was going on.

The Mountaineer is basically the same vehicle as the "Roll Me Another
One" Explorer so it could get exciting.



About six months ago, we got my wife a new car, maybe one step up from
your basic compact. We shopped five or six dealers, looking at several
brands of four door sedans, including two "fancy lines." She ending up
liking the Toyota Camry best because "it's a simple car, well-made, nice
ride, and peppy." I was pretty surprised at how well it performs, since
she opted for the naturally aspirated four cylinder engine.

===

If you want "peppy" take a ride in the V-6 Honda Accord, zero to 60 in
6 seconds.

On 1/15/2016 11:21 AM, Keyser Söze wrote:
On 1/15/16 11:09 AM, wrote:
On Fri, 15 Jan 2016 05:05:07 -0800 (PST), True North
wrote:

Yup..if she was driving a basic compact car she would probably have
had a better feel for what was going on.

The Mountaineer is basically the same vehicle as the "Roll Me Another
One" Explorer so it could get exciting.



About six months ago, we got my wife a new car, maybe one step up from
your basic compact. We shopped five or six dealers, looking at several
brands of four door sedans, including two "fancy lines." She ending up
liking the Toyota Camry best because "it's a simple car, well-made, nice
ride, and peppy." I was pretty surprised at how well it performs, since
she opted for the naturally aspirated four cylinder engine.



If this house deal goes through and I find myself in a position where I
don't need a big truck for plowing or towing, I'll probably look for a
small, economical car like the Camry. Haven't done a lot of looking or
researching yet but I wouldn't mind getting something smaller as long as
it is comfortable. The Mini Cooper I had a year or so ago was a lot
of fun to drive but it was like riding on a high performance roller
skate. I can't imagine taking a long distance trip in it.

Kinda like the looks of the Ford Fusion also but don't know much about
them. Only problem with the imports ... Toyota, Nissan, etc., is that
they all look the same to me. And most I see are grey for some reason.

Keyser Söze
- show quoted text -
"About six months ago, we got my wife a new car, maybe one step up from
your basic compact. We shopped five or six dealers, looking at several
brands of four door sedans, including two "fancy lines." She ending up
liking the Toyota Camry best because "it's a simple car, well-made, nice
ride, and peppy." I was pretty surprised at how well it performs, since
she opted for the naturally aspirated four cylinder engine."

Too bad Toyota discontinued the V6 when they redesigned the Camry four or five years ago. It's a nice engine...plenty for my Highlander, the way I drive. Not sure if Camry has gone to the CVT type transmission yet. That seems to be the future but I'm not convinced the slightly better gas mileage is worth any negative traits...such as when towing etc.