German engineering

Dave W · February 25, 2016, 08:40:44 AM

In all fairness, it was probably built in their Alabama factory.

The guy's girly screaming is almost as entertaining as the fire.

nofi · February 25, 2016, 10:03:57 AM

ish, what a drama queen, literally. the girl is much more manly.

Granny Gremlin · February 25, 2016, 10:31:41 AM

How is the left lane remaining open for so long while the thing burns. I've seen them shut down entire streets for car fires and with good reason; that shit not safe.

Pilgrim · February 25, 2016, 11:19:12 AM

What a wuss. He clearly knows nothing about cars, and his girlfriend (?) has more sense than he does.

66Atlas · February 25, 2016, 12:04:35 PM

That's why you DON'T re-heat your Chipotle burrito by putting it on the engine and driving around town.

I've driven past smoldering and smoking cars before but once the flames come out I would have expected them to shut down the road.

Highlander · February 25, 2016, 01:10:36 PM

Got stuck on our busiest motorway for a couple of hours when a 7/14 tonner carrying car/truck batteries caught fire... another time was a wood truck that piled into a bridge and burned for hours... heat damaged the bridge above the fire too... driver didn't make it but knew nothing about it... believed to have been asleep-at-the-wheel fan...

Dave W · February 25, 2016, 03:05:17 PM

The police probably hadn't arrived yet.

Quote from: nofi on February 25, 2016, 10:03:57 AM
ish, what a drama queen, literally. the girl is much more manly.

She's remarkably calm considering that she probably just realized her boyfriend is more flaming than the car.

drbassman · February 26, 2016, 07:02:04 AM

Quote from: Dave W on February 25, 2016, 03:05:17 PM
The police probably hadn't arrived yet.

She's remarkably calm considering that she probably just realized her boyfriend is more flaming than the car.

Her boyfriend?

The girl is great. She reminds me of my daughter. She works in a male dominated field and all of the guys in her office are either afraid of her or treat her like one of the guys. She takes no prisoners. It's amazing to see.

uwe · February 26, 2016, 08:36:26 AM

Tsk tsk tsk ... I told you I drive Volvos! You will never see me in a Mercedes or BMW or even an Audi, how clichéed can you get as a German lawyer? That's like playing a Fender - that bad! I'd rather walk.

Speaking of Volvos, the new V90 (successor to the V70) is out:

Gone is the purpendicular hatchback (as well as all other remnants of the once idiosyncratic "boxcar" design), where will my Ampeg fridge 8x10 cab go from now on?

It's a Volvo, but not as we know it ... the overall design ain't bad though, but you could be forgiven thinking it is a new Mercedes or BMW station wagon.

patman · February 26, 2016, 09:15:48 AM

I had two of the boxcars back in the day. Wonderful cars.

uwe · February 26, 2016, 10:10:54 AM

Middle class families (preferably with an academic or alternative life style slant) in Hollywood movies always drive Volvos - old or new. (Ok, handsome teenage vampires too.) The studios must have a whole car park of them. It's like the car brand is seen as a synonym for a sheltered life about to be invaded by the most horrible occurrences.

Bad guys never drive Volvos in the movies (Swedish crime series excepted, but then everything is weird and warped in those). Mercedes, BMW, Audi and even Jaguar, on the other hand, are seemingly regarded as either "very wealthy villain"- or "black ghetto kid/thug"-compatible.

Goes to show that Volvo owners are qualified as inherently boring/unexciting and unfit to scare anybody.

Pilgrim · February 26, 2016, 11:08:24 AM

Last week an idiot in a Ford F-150 pickup pulled a U-turn right in front of my younger daughter. Her 2008 Saab Aero V6 XWD was totaled. She loved that car, and it was really a great (and fast) vehicle. Fortunately she was OK.

I'm steering her towards an Audi A4 or Volvo S40, as she likes small to medium sedans with performance. My wife and I drive 08 and 09 BMW 3-series; she likes the cars and their performance but isn't fond of BMW hard seats.

We've driven our share of Audis and BMWs (mostly bought used with plenty of miles on them) and had excellent service from them. My experience is that the BMWs had fewer small things go wrong than Audis, but they're both solid if you keep them up well.

Does that mean we're middle class, upper middle, or uppity middle?

And BTW, I got my 1983 280ZX Turbo running last weekend for the first time in almost 3 years. I'll have it on the street this weekend! It's the car that everyones' friend had in college, and they wish they still had it.

uwe · February 26, 2016, 11:39:08 AM

"Fortunately she was OK."

Amen. Everything else is just scrap metal and plastic.

A ZX Turbo you say? You can't be trashy with more style than that!

Granny Gremlin · February 26, 2016, 03:32:46 PM

Quote from: uwe on February 26, 2016, 10:10:54 AM
Bad guys never drive Volvos in the movies (Swedish crime series excepted, but then everything is weird and warped in those). Mercedes, BMW, Audi and even Jaguar, on the other hand, are seemingly regarded as either "very wealthy villain"- or "black ghetto kid/thug"-compatible. Goes to show that Volvo owners are qualified as inherently boring/unexciting and unfit to scare anybody.

Sim Simma; who got da keys to ma bimma

Dave W · February 26, 2016, 06:32:58 PM

Quote from: uwe on February 26, 2016, 10:10:54 AM

Bad guys never drive Volvos in the movies (Swedish crime series excepted, but then everything is weird and warped in those). ...

Are there any other Swedish crime series besides Wallander?