I want to guess, but looking at that image makes my stomach turn...

Have at it, folks -- I'm sure someone can look at it long enough to know what it is.

I thought that SAAB and Saturn already did take too many liberties with not using the GM parts bin, and were therefore not profitable because of the additional development costs not recouped by higher selling prices.

And when they were strongarmed into using the bin more, they became typical GM-middling and less interesting, so no one wanted them anymore.

Shall we discuss my finder's fee?

1983 242 GLT (turbo/manual)


<a href="http://kansascity.craigslist.org/cto/4884376176.html" target="_blank">http://kansascity.craigslist.org/cto/4884376176.html

T-Bird turbo coupe, con manuel:


<a href="http://kansascity.craigslist.org/cto/4869100428.html" target="_blank">http://kansascity.craigslist.org/cto/4869100428.html

Here, to render every other argument invalid, is a time-capsule 1982 Mazda B2200 diesel:


<a href="http://kansascity.craigslist.org/cto/4888638005.html" target="_blank">http://kansascity.craigslist.org/cto/4888638005.html

I don't have anything to add, I just want to express my amazement at your negative points. I've never seen that before.

Either there's an error, or you're one of the world's foremost troll-masters.

Um, ditto?

You would think that with the advancement in tech, they'd figure out how to make the systems simpler, not more complicated, but what they really do is make it easier for the experts to work and harder for the rest of us.

Hell, I don't even have a physical computer at work anymore. My KVM plugs into a little not-really-a-computer that gives me access to a virtual computer that's really just a set of resources carved out of a server sitting in a data center (which is onsite, thank the gods). Therefore, despite being reasonably competent with computers, I can't do a damned thing to mine. I have to go talk to the guys in desktop support for the simplest matter that I'd fix on my personal computers without a moment's hesitation.

Well, I bought my scanner pre-smartphones, whippersnapper.

My point is that it should be built in to the cars, since the computer knows the code and has a means to display it.

My understand is there are a handful of cars that actually do this, but I don't recall off the top of my head which 'uns.

I don't have a specific instance I've encountered, however I'd be happy to rant about something that has always bugged me.

Since OBD2 and digital odometer readouts became a common thing about 20 years ago, we've been "blessed" with a car computer that can tell us what it thinks is going wrong with certain car systems.

Difficulty: it does this with a light that does no more than tell us to rush quickfastandinnahurry to the nearest dealership (if they had their way) to plug into their fancy computer, which can read and interpret the otherwise-meaningless alphanumerical codes.

For many, that's fine. They don't want to get their hands dirty anyway -- leave it to the professionals.

But for those of us who like to get our hands dirty, or simply can't afford not to, one simple step (Mechanics Hate It!") could have made our lives simpler: have that digital readout give us the code. OBD2 has standardized codes, so we could cross-reference and decide whether that P0420 (my van's havin' a toke!), which on our 150k motor could mean a new cat convertor (and thusly, a new manifold because they are one) or a new oxygen sensor, is something about which we give a rat's rear end (yay no emissions testing!).

Instead, I had to shell out $100 (I know they can be had cheaper now) for a little computer that would tell me what that little sad engine light actually means. It means nothing. It means run a tank of high test through the motor and watch the light disappear magically on its own. It means it's damned cold and perhaps that old sensor isn't too happy in the cold anymore. It means I know why my gas mileage has gone to poo, but I'll be taking a screwdriver to the guts of that catalytic convertor and paying for the 'spensive gas before I pay Honda more than it costs to feed my family for two months for a new one on an aging van.

[deep breath]