Cars and other kinds of motoring gibberish

Rain in Spa, Hamilton Wins[/list:u]1 Lewis Hamilton McLaren 1:22:44.933
2 Felipe Massa Ferrari 14.461
3 Nick Heidfeld BMW 23.844
4 Fernando Alonso Renault 28.939
5 Sebastian Vettel Toro Rosso 29.037
6 Robert Kubica BMW 29.498
7 Sebastien Bourdais Toro Rosso 31.196
8 Timo Glock Toyota 56.506
[/list:u]Both Toro Rosso cars in the points! :shocked:

Hamilton stripped of Belgian GP win

Lewis Hamilton has been stripped of his Belgian Grand Prix victory after being handed a 25-second post-race penalty.

bmwracer wrote:Hamilton stripped of Belgian GP win

Those Ferrari bastards did it again!!! :grumble: [/list:u]At a racing forum I check out everybody's screaming bloody murder. Here's a typical post, by a member who goes by the name Tifosi 77[/list:u]

I'd call this penalty a joke, but I think jokes are meant to be funny.

There is some question as to whether or not the penalty is even subject to appeal. Normally, cutting the track is a drive-through, and those penalties cannot be appealed. In the final laps of a race, however, drive-throughs become time penalties. But, in terms of their 'appealability', do they remain drive-throughs at heart?

I think the FIA will have McLaren on a technicality. Again.

After Schumacher and Todt left, I was really hopeful that Ferrari would tone down the political crap. But it seems they are as conniving as ever. And the FIA is only too happy to lend a helping hand.

[/list:u]Edit: Here's one of the "calmer" posts:

Best finish in years and they find a way to fyuck it up. The guy who was not a factor all day is handed the race. Ridiculous! All of this AFTER----AFTER---the national anthem has been sung, the champagne sprayed, pictures taken, the interviews done, and the hardwork by teams completed. The FIA, staying true to form, manages to AGAIN cheat the fans, cheat the sponsors, and cheat McLaren.

[/list:u]

^ The FIA is making F1 a joke... Just like the IOC has done to the Olympics. :shakehead:

I need a new timing chain and an Oxygen sensor for my '96 Pontiac Grand AM. I've been told that it'd be ~$1,200 to have everything done :shakehead:. Should it really cost me that much? I mean, I've tried to find the kit myself, but most kits only come with the gears and the actual chain. I also need a tensioner and the guides...I'd really love to find a cheaper way to do this :shamefulcry:.

shoujo22 wrote:I need a new timing chain and an Oxygen sensor for my '96 Pontiac Grand AM. I've been told that it'd be ~$1,200 to have everything done :shakehead:. Should it really cost me that much? I mean, I've tried to find the kit myself, but most kits only come with the gears and the actual chain. I also need a tensioner and the guides...I'd really love to find a cheaper way to do this :shamefulcry:.

It's not the parts that's the killer: it's the labor, which is typically around $80-$100/hour. :sweat:

The suspension work on my car cost me $1300, with $800 of it for labor alone. :puppydog:

Changing the timing chain is pretty labor-intensive: a lot of stuff has to be removed to get to it... Changing the O2 sensor is relatively easy: you just have to jack up the car, unplug and unscrew the sensor, then screw in a new one.... :)

bmwracer wrote:
It's not the parts that's the killer: it's the labor, which is typically around $80-$100/hour. :sweat:

The suspension work on my car cost me $1300, with $800 of it for labor alone. :puppydog:

Changing the timing chain is pretty labor-intensive: a lot of stuff has to be removed to get to it... Changing the O2 sensor is relatively easy: you just have to jack up the car, unplug and unscrew the sensor, then screw in a new one.... :)

Yeah, it'll be $650 for labor alone :shakehead:. I was told that the timing kit would be ~$550, but I found most of the stuff that I needed at auto parts places for a total of about $260 :grumble:. I'll just change the O2 sensor on my own and have the guy fix the rest...

shoujo22 wrote:Yeah, it'll be $650 for labor alone :shakehead:. I was told that the timing kit would be ~$550, but I found most of the stuff that I needed at auto parts places for a total of about $260 :grumble:. I'll just change the O2 sensor on my own and have the guy fix the rest...

Sounds like a plan. :victory:

My new ride:

[image]

^ A little tough to get into, ne? :beaten:

bmwracer wrote:^ A little tough to get into, ne? :beaten:

That's why I'm in the gym again. I'm working on it! It's still slightly bigger than my other car:

[image]
:P

shoujo22 wrote:

Yeah, it'll be $650 for labor alone :shakehead:. I was told that the timing kit would be ~$550, but I found most of the stuff that I needed at auto parts places for a total of about $260 :grumble:. I'll just change the O2 sensor on my own and have the guy fix the rest...

i've not had a car, til now, that had a timing chain before, but my 94 acura had the timing belt, water pump, tensioner, bearing, all the associated gaskets, oil change, coolant flush and refill done for $480. I can't imagine it'd be that much more for a GM.. i mean the parts are usually way cheaper.

Tu_triky wrote:

That's why I'm in the gym again. I'm working on it! It's still slightly bigger than my other car:

[image]
:P

Ah, the Smart car: They have those here too.

Anime Dad wrote:

Ah, the Smart car: They have those here too.

Nice. They only introduced those into the market here recently.

Tu_triky wrote:

Nice. They only introduced those into the market here recently.

They make good city cars, but I wouldn't want to take one on my twice-daily commute :sweat:

Anime Dad wrote:

They make good city cars, but I wouldn't want to take one on my twice-daily commute :sweat:

Yeah makes sense. I see your point. Probably not the most pleasant car on longer highway commutes...

and you'll have dingos chasing you everywhere trying to bite the bumper off and take it back to feed the pups.

krim wrote:and you'll have dingos chasing you everywhere trying to bite the bumper off and take it back to feed the pups.

Nah, dingos are fine. It's the koalas you have to be careful of ;)

Tu_triky wrote:That's why I'm in the gym again. I'm working on it! It's still slightly bigger than my other car:

[image]
:P

The Pantera is a bigger car. :beaten:

bmwracer wrote:
The Pantera is a bigger car. :beaten:

Exactly, buddy. :hehe: