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Car Talk (Page 17)
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Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: Irvine, CA
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I totally agree that physical buttons are always better for basic controls like volume. My 2015 CR-V has a really bad touchscreen for volume control and no physical buttons. For me, as the driver, it is fine, as I also have buttons on the steering wheel, but for the passenger, it is awful.
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Addicted to MacNN
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: The Rock
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Originally Posted by subego
I was so excited when I my steering wheel first came with volume buttons.
Never used them. The knob is easier and more precise.
That’s just familiarity. I eventually started using the volume button and it’s fine, and just as precise. But for passengers, it’s impossible.
And there’s nothing worse than having all the controls on the screen—climate, you name it. Too much.
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Mankind's only chance is to harness the power of stupid.
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Clinically Insane
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Iowa, how long can this be? Does it really ruin the left column spacing?
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Looks like a bracket for a pump, possibly power steering?
Anything thick and metal should be a good engine ground. If you have a multimeter, you can measure the ohms between your proposed grounding spot and the battery negative terminal. Should be no more than a couple tenths of an ohm.
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Clinically Insane
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Location: Chicago, Bang! Bang!
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Originally Posted by Laminar
Looks like a bracket for a pump, possibly power steering?
Anything thick and metal should be a good engine ground. If you have a multimeter, you can measure the ohms between your proposed grounding spot and the battery negative terminal. Should be no more than a couple tenths of an ohm.
Thank you!
I do have a multimeter, so I’ll check.
It looks like an ideal spot. I just wanted to be sure I wasn’t clamping to a fuel pump, or something similarly bad.
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Last edited by subego; Aug 16, 2019 at 04:21 PM.
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Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: Irvine, CA
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I ordered a Tesla Model 3 performance model in metallic gray. I first choose red, but I was told it was too ostentatious so I changed to metallic gray. Where I live, there are very, very few customization options for the Model 3, so I got the 19'' aero sport wheels, which is different from the aero wheels and the sport wheels in the US. I think it is a good compromise.
Here is a comparison, with the aero sport wheels, aero wheels, and sport wheels.
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Clinically Insane
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: Chicago, Bang! Bang!
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Originally Posted by ShortcutToMoncton
That’s just familiarity. I eventually started using the volume button and it’s fine, and just as precise. But for passengers, it’s impossible.
And there’s nothing worse than having all the controls on the screen—climate, you name it. Too much.
It was left unsaid my claim of precision was per unit of time invested.
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Professional Poster
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: Nashua NH, USA
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Originally Posted by mindwaves
I ordered a Tesla Model 3 performance model in metallic gray. I first choose red, but I was told it was too ostentatious so I changed to metallic gray. Where I live, there are very, very few customization options for the Model 3, so I got the 19'' aero sport wheels, which is different from the aero wheels and the sport wheels in the US. I think it is a good compromise.
I've been enjoying my Model S the last few weeks. Same metallic gray. I went with the cream and wood interior. I'm not the customizer type so I stuck with the normal wheels. Oh the torque. The lousy torque of sedans was why I got my boxster way back when.
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Clinically Insane
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: Chicago, Bang! Bang!
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I finally read the badge they put on the back of Subarus.
Partial zero-emission? Are you ****ing kidding me?
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Clinically Insane
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Iowa, how long can this be? Does it really ruin the left column spacing?
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https://www.popularmechanics.com/car.../what-is-pzev/
You still have CO2 tailpipe emissions, though the NOx and CO emissions are lowered to levels that Honda claims are below what is generated to produce the power to charge a fully-electric car.
They also capture fuel vapor from the fuel tank that would normally be released as fuel warms and cools, and it captures fuel vapor sitting inside the engine when it's turned off that would normally evaporate and leave through the air filter.
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Clinically Insane
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: Chicago, Bang! Bang!
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Originally Posted by Laminar
You still have CO2 tailpipe emissions, though the NOx and CO emissions are lowered to levels that Honda claims are below what is generated to produce the power to charge a fully-electric car.
Thanks for the info!
Those aren’t bad things, but the name is still the kind of mutually exclusive load marketing people shit out.
Makes total sense California invented it.
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Administrator
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: California
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It won't be useful going forward - no wonder they're ending the classification. PZEV relies on the assumption carbon is emitted at upstream power plants. But California is headed for a carbon-free grid (except those mid-summer heat spikes, when we buy power from everyone remotely nearby).
The national trend has been towards carbon reduction too, mostly for economic reasons. Natural gas (which emits less carbon per KWH than other fossil fuels) is cheaper than coal, oil, or diesel. Wind is now cheaper than coal in most places. Solar is nearly as cheap as wind, and dropping faster.
As carbon vanishes from the grid, the PZEV assumptions require lower and lower emissions values. Which would require greater efficiency and specialized (expensive) hardware. Eventually a PZEV will become more expensive than a straight battery-powered EV.
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Clinically Insane
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Location: Chicago, Bang! Bang!
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This roundly defeats the Lagonda in the “interesting cars parked by subego’s apartment” competition.
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Administrator
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Location: California
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I don't recognize the design. It has that "military" utilitarian look, but with house door hinges. Maybe someone rebuilt a 1960s truck (from the hood shape) by building their own cabin.
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Moderator
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Location: Nobletucky
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Clinically Insane
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Location: Chicago, Bang! Bang!
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Speaking of black, this has replaced that Army monster.
I’m ambivalent.
The pic makes it look better than it really is. Every blemish (water stain, dirt) is very clearly visible in real life. The peeling rims don’t help, either.
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Clinically Insane
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Iowa, how long can this be? Does it really ruin the left column spacing?
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I'm curious if it's a vinyl wrap or if they were actually ****ing stupid enough to spray the aerosol Plasti-Dip over the whole car. It's advertised as "just peels right off!" but it does not, at least not when you want it to. The wheels are proof that it does peel off, but not how you want.
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Clinically Insane
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Location: Chicago, Bang! Bang!
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Let’s take a look. Hold on...
It’s a wrap.
I have to say, it’s really well done, though. If I ever need a wrap, I want this ****er doing it. Had me fooled until I realized I should double-check by looking for damage on the rear bumper.
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Clinically Insane
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Iowa, how long can this be? Does it really ruin the left column spacing?
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In your first pic, I see bumps above the passenger headlight, I see white peeking through around the headlights and next to the fog lights, I see a big ol' seam directly under the fog light, and the wrinkles you posted are just shitty installation, not damage. It's a bad amateur job.
I don't know my Audi models so I have no idea what that thing cost, but apparently it cost enough that he couldn't spring $3-5k for a pro wrap job.
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Clinically Insane
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Location: Chicago, Bang! Bang!
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The sides are much better, which was where I was looking closely, so I missed the bumps and the white. All the corners are folded perfectly, which impressed me.
I know the wrap-bunching isn’t damage. What I was trying to convey is I would have missed it if I hadn’t checked the bumper for damage, and thus falsely concluded it wasn’t a wrap.
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Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: inside 128, north of 90
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why would someone wrap a car (not for advertising purposes)? cheaper than paint?
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Clinically Insane
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Location: Chicago, Bang! Bang!
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I’m imagining so for a matte job.
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Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: Irvine, CA
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I was thinking about getting my upcoming car wrapped. I read it protects the car from grit on the road such as pebbles, sand, etc. It is just a thin piece of plastic that is overlayed on the car. If it is damaged, it peels off and another one can be applied on top of it. Some wraps add the matte look also that some people like.
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Professional Poster
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Southern California
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I’ve seen a lot of matte wrapped S5/RS5’s.
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Clinically Insane
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Iowa, how long can this be? Does it really ruin the left column spacing?
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Originally Posted by andi*pandi
why would someone wrap a car (not for advertising purposes)? cheaper than paint?
A pro wrap job isn't much cheaper than a real paint job. Cheap vinyl material alone is $400-500 to do a normal car, the good 3M-branded vinyl is about $1000. If you and your buddy decide to do it over a few beers you'll end up looking like that Audi, probably a bit worse. If you go to a pro shop, expect to spend another couple grand. 3M claims their vinyl is good for 7 years, but isn't removable after 3. They only warranty horizontal surfaces for a year before the sun breaks it down and you can get fading, color change, or peeling. The advantage is that you can peel a wrap off and in theory, your factory paint is kept in perfect condition beneath it.
Likewise, you can get a cheap Maaco paintjob for $400-900. A quality pro respray will be in the neighborhood of $3000-5000. A show-car quality job will be $8000+.
Think of wraps vs. paint jobs like Henna vs. a real tattoo. Henna is fun because you get to try out a new look. Eventually it fades away and you're back to normal. With a tattoo, it's a permanent change and you better be sure you want to do it, because there's no going back.
tl;dr Millennials are unable to commit.
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Clinically Insane
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: Chicago, Bang! Bang!
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I’ve gone the full taxi.
Spot on my back has been killing me on the commute, and I thought this might help.
Limited tests now make me think it won’t, but I kinda like it otherwise.
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Administrator
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: California
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I've never understood the appeal of bead seat covers. Lots of little hard wooden balls - they've got to be uncomfortable. Are they to let air breathe under / behind you?
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Clinically Insane
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Location: Chicago, Bang! Bang!
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That’s one of the supposed benefits. It’s also supposed to be like a continuous, light massager. I decided it was worth a try because you’d figure cabbies would know.
It looks uncomfortable, but they don’t feel hard because they give with the seat. No single bead is putting that much pressure on you.
Every now and then it can be uncomfortable on the coccyx, but a little butt wiggle shifts the beads around.
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Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: inside 128, north of 90
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I thought they were for massage, rolling on the muscles?
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Clinically Insane
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Location: Chicago, Bang! Bang!
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Exactly! That’s the main sell. I thought it might make that spot on my back a little more tolerable.
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Moderator
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Location: inside 128, north of 90
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every desk chair should have them.
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Clinically Insane
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Iowa, how long can this be? Does it really ruin the left column spacing?
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I'm pretty sure my grandma had on in her 1990 Oldsmobile Cutlass Ciera. She was also a school bus driver.
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Clinically Insane
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Iowa, how long can this be? Does it really ruin the left column spacing?
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I've only had my current car for a little over two years now, but that doesn't stop me from shopping around.
Things I like about my current car:
- Roomy (need to fit car seats and kids behind me, a tall person)
- Quick
- Comfy
- AC seats for my sweaty ass
Things I don't like about my current car:
- Ford SYNC 2 (shitty, also no CarPlay)
- Thirsty (averaged 19.2mpg over the last 27,000 miles)
- Not a hatchback
Obvious answer: The same car but newer, so it comes with CarPlay. Same roominess, quicker (newer version is 3.0 twin turbo vs. 3.7 NA), same comfy, same AC seats. Downsides are just as thirsty, still not a hatchback. Would probably run about $26k for one with the right options.
Weird answer: second gen Chevy Volt.
Advantages:
- Hatchback
- Anti-thirsty (300-some cars on Fuelly are averaging about 80mpg, would save about $1000/year in gas)
- CarPlay
- Still kind of quick (0-60 and 50-70 times are within spitting distance of current car, definitely faster than my 2013 Focus hatch)
- Decent tech available, at least on par with current car
- A decent one is under $18k
Disadvantages:
- Not quite as roomy - 35" rear legroom vs current 38". Not sure if kids would fit. It's about the same as a current BMW 3-series
- No AC seats
People seem to like them, and it's a shame that GM a) didn't really market the car at all and then b) killed it. It had a lot of things going for it - decent performance, range (and no range anxiety), roominess, good tech, not a Prius, etc.
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Clinically Insane
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Location: Chicago, Bang! Bang!
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The brown registered to me as beaded seats for a second.
I kinda like the Volts.
Edit: I’ve only seen one in the flesh. I think it was an earlier model. It had a bit of a “retrofuture” look.
As an aside, in car design I’m beginning to see the ascendancy of, well... the robot, power-fantasy shit we doodled as teenagers in the 80s. Steel lightning bolts. Steel lightning bolts everywhere.
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Last edited by subego; Sep 5, 2019 at 11:29 AM.
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Clinically Insane
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Location: Chicago, Bang! Bang!
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Originally Posted by andi*pandi
every desk chair should have them.
Well... if I could put an Aeron in the car, I’d probably be happier with that.
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Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: inside 128, north of 90
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Laminar, When are your kids old enough to just have boosters, which take up less room?
I have the opposite problem, tall kids. We bought a 2007 Honda Pilot with 3rd row for road trips and carpooling kid trips, but now noone wants to sit back there in tinykneeroomland. Some of younger daughters friends still fit so it worked for a beach trip. 2 adults, 6 kids. Cars should come with a cone of silence for the driver.
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Clinically Insane
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: Chicago, Bang! Bang!
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Just drove for an hour. You know, I’d say the beaded seat did help my back. Not entirely, but it was better than usual.
I’ve also got to say this new toll road is spoiling me. Did 85-90 most of the way. Beat Waze’s initial prediction by 8 minutes.
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Clinically Insane
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Iowa, how long can this be? Does it really ruin the left column spacing?
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Originally Posted by andi*pandi
Laminar, When are your kids old enough to just have boosters, which take up less room?
The oldest is 6, 48" tall, and just moved to a slim backed booster that uses the car's seatbelt. The youngest is 1, tiny, and just moved to the 6 year old's former front-facing seat.
I no longer need the immense rear legroom that a rear-facing seat requires, which is why I'm entertaining something else. My biggest problem is that a booster raises legs up to where shoes have to fit between the rear seat bottom and front seat back, the legs aren't long enough to tuck feet under the front seat. I'd have to test fit.
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Last edited by Laminar; Sep 5, 2019 at 04:38 PM.
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Professional Poster
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Southern California
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Friend had a Volt, hated it, bought a Model 3.
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Clinically Insane
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Iowa, how long can this be? Does it really ruin the left column spacing?
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First or second gen Volt?
A Model 3 would be cool, but they're still over $40k used. The Volt is FWD which is great for the snow. I'd have to get an AWD 3 to manage winter time, which bumps the price up a bunch. The back seat is the same size between the two. I'm sure the 3 is much better to drive, but the cost:value isn't there for me.
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Clinically Insane
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: Chicago, Bang! Bang!
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Teslas aren’t naturally AWD? I figured one of the deals with electric was squirting go-juice wherever.
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Clinically Insane
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Iowa, how long can this be? Does it really ruin the left column spacing?
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Originally Posted by subego
Teslas aren’t naturally AWD? I figured one of the deals with electric was squirting go-juice wherever.
Base config is RWD. Dual-motor upgrade is $8000 more new or used.
Peak capitalism. No matter how easily or cheaply something can be done, identify exactly how much someone is willing to pay for that feature and charge them at least that amount for it.
For the Model 3, dual motor also gets you either "long-range" or "performance" variants, contributing to the higher cost.
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Moderator
Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: Gothenburg, Sweden
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Originally Posted by Laminar
The oldest is 6, 48" tall, and just moved to a slim backed booster that uses the car's seatbelt. The youngest is 1, tiny, and just moved to the 6 year old's former front-facing seat.
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Please reconsider when it comes to the youngest. Age 1 is much too soon to move to a front facing car seat. I have worked with car seats for years and seen crash test videos - that is not safe. Even a moderate crash leads to neck injuries. My nephew was kept in the rear facing seat until he was 4, and he is tall for his age (he is 5 now, and taller than your 6-year old).
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The new Mac Pro has up to 30 MB of cache inside the processor itself. That's more than the HD in my first Mac. Somehow I'm still running out of space.
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Moderator
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Location: inside 128, north of 90
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How could a 4yo fit in a rear facing seat? We had to turn my son at a year also because his knees were in his face.
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Posting Junkie
Join Date: Nov 1999
Location: Cape Cod, MA
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We still have our daughter, who is nearly 2 years old, in a rear-facing seat as well. I was told to keep her there until she no longer fits facing that way anymore?
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Moderator
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: Nobletucky
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My granddaughter is 19 months old and has already outgrown the rear-facing carseat. Boy-howdy, was she overjoyed to be facing forward.
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Clinically Insane
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Iowa, how long can this be? Does it really ruin the left column spacing?
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Originally Posted by andi*pandi
How could a 4yo fit in a rear facing seat? We had to turn my son at a year also because his knees were in his face.
That's the best practice. A convertible rear-facing seat lets bigger kids remain rear-facing for longer. Basically keep kids rear facing as long as there's any physical way to do so.
Maybe I'll buy one of those old station wagons with a rear-facing rear seat and just keep the kids back there.
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Moderator
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: Nobletucky
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Originally Posted by Laminar
Maybe I'll buy one of those old station wagons with a rear-facing rear seat and just keep the kids back there.
Speaking as a former kid who regularly had to ride back in those seats, I’d advise against it. Exhaust fumes had a way of seeping back into that area. You’d get out of the car a little woozy, especially after a long trip. Depends on how you feel about your kids, of course.
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Moderator
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Location: inside 128, north of 90
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My vivid memory of riding in the back of one of those station wagons is being stuck in traffic, and looking out the back window all I could see was MACK filling the frame. It then occurred to me I was in danger of becoming squashed.
but at least that station wagon had real installed seats, if not seatbelts. I also recall riding in the back of a pickup truck with no seat or nuthin.
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Moderator
Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: Gothenburg, Sweden
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Originally Posted by andi*pandi
How could a 4yo fit in a rear facing seat? We had to turn my son at a year also because his knees were in his face.
There must be some difference between the seats, then, because in Sweden it is standard to turn kids around when they’re age 4 or so.
I’m actually not a big fan of car seats for larger children. You need a cushion to raise the child (because the seat belt will not hold them otherwise - the child will slide forward under the seat belt, so-called submarining) but having a complete seat is in my view an effect of older cars without real head restraints in the back seat.
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The new Mac Pro has up to 30 MB of cache inside the processor itself. That's more than the HD in my first Mac. Somehow I'm still running out of space.
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Clinically Insane
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Iowa, how long can this be? Does it really ruin the left column spacing?
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Originally Posted by P
There must be some difference between the seats, then, because in Sweden it is standard to turn kids around when they’re age 4 or so.
Kids generally start in a baby carrier that latches into a base.
That's what kids grow out of pretty quickly. This one will fit kids up to 35lbs and up to 32" tall. That's basically a one to two year old.
Then you can switch to a larger rear-facing seat like this one:
That's rated for up to 40lbs in rear-facing config, which is basically a 4 year old.
Laws vary by state, but generally kids have to be rear-facing until 1 year of age, then it's some kind of booster until 6 or so. Best practices are well-shared and say to keep kids rear-facing as long as possible.
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