Money well spent?

[jeff_macadams (imported)]

Don't get Paolo started on Mopars. He wont just blister them, he'll do it to your reading glasses too

Gotta say, the Mopars and Fords that I have had over the years have had far more problems than the GM vehicles. That said, there is an exception. The Dakota pick up trucks are pretty good. The large Rams are utter rubbish but the little Dakotas seem to do quite well.

Also have to say that the GMC we recently owned had more than it's fair share of troubles too. I think GM quality has declined in recent years. My GM car is 22 years old (1986 Fiero GT) and is still ticking over just fine at 114,000 miles and has far fewer problems than my friend's 2000 Malibu which has already had two engines replaced at 56,000 miles on the clock.

Best cars I have ever had though? Toyota Camry and various VW and other European cars. Sorry, that's my experience (Euro and Asian cars are in my experience just better). But why is that? It's not the American worker, it's the American POLITICIAN and their ilk inside the motor and insurance corporations! The American worker can do fantastic work (look at all the Honda and Toyota cars built in the States).

[Paolo]

My one experience with Ford back in the day was with an almost totally rebuilt from the ground up 1980 Mustang which eventually evolved into a hybrid Turbo-T-bird drivetrain (1987) in that body. It was in a state of constant repair, but then again, I was NOT kind to it when I was behind the wheel. It liked to burn almost pure alcohol quite well, although the modified carb usually melted down once a year.

I had a 1988 Dodge Dakota, new, and it was nothing but problems.

The main one was when the 10% ethanol thing came into play, and the injector/fuel system kept failing. Finally, we bolted the intake/carb off a 1987 Shelby Charger onto it and that was the best thing for it.

I had a lemon law suit pending on it when another dealer made me a deal on a 93 Dakota I could not pass up. THAT one was great - in fact, it was a tank. I loved it.

My next one was a 2002 Dakota and just under 3 years, it was in the shop ... well ... I stopped counting at the 70 visit mark. I filed suit on that one and got enough money out of it to get rid of it with "LEMON" stamped all over its title.

I then got a 2004 Explorer. So far, the only problem has been ME ripping out the power steering system on a large chunk of hidden ice last winter!

But back to the topic at hand. Cows seem to like it. Whenever I drive by a pasture, they all look up and moo at me. I have no idea why. It's quite disturbing. As I said, it's also got an E85 motor in it, which mainly consists of fuel sensors, special lines, pumps and injectors that won't dissolve under the onslaught of alcohol like the modified Mustang did.

Still, at the rate it sucks it down, I can't afford to use the stuff without going broke. The price on E85 is too high to be economical.

What it's got to do with cows taking an interest in it, I have no idea...

[Uncle Flo (imported)]

Perhaps the exhaust smells like cattle feed. --FLO--

[MacTheWolf (imported)]

I spent part of my early life growing up on a farm just outside of Vassar, Michigan and I always loved the odor of hay mixed with manure. Then again, it had a similar aroma to my grandmother's cooking.

If corn can be used as fuel, why not hemp or actual marijuana (Cannibis sativa). I'd love filling up at a cannibis station