THE MORNING RANT: Periodic Roundup of the EV Follies

THE MORNING RANT: Periodic Roundup of the EV Follies – 10/31/2025

September 30, 2025 was a monumental day for American taxpayers and for freedom-loving Americans, as the $7,500 federal credit toward the purchase of new electric vehicles was terminated. (Along with it, the $4,000 tax credit toward the purchase of used EVs also went away.) This had served as a $7,500 taxpayer transfer of wealth to EV buyers, who tend to already be an affluent demographic.

For anyone still interested in buying an EV, September 30 effectively served as the cutoff date. For manufacturers drowning in a glut of unsold EVs, that date also served as their drop-dead date to make whatever deals possible, because their loss per unit sold was about to get $7,500 higher in October.

While I await the Q4 2025 (October through December) sales results, which should be catastrophic, auto manufacturers are already re-trenching.

This first headline is a story that I’ve been eagerly waiting to report on for several years:

“Ford to End Production of Failed F-150 Lightning” [Yahoo Finance – 10/24/2025]

Ford’s management shows wisdom in shutting down Lightning production. The electric pickup never sold well, suggesting its launch was a terrible mistake. Additionally, the U.S. EV market is dying and will not bounce back soon. The $7,500 EV tax credit expired at the end of the third quarter.

[h/t to Ace of Spades reader “Tad P.” who not only emailed me this headline, but his subject line also properly referred to the F150 Lightning by my preferred moniker, the “F150 Conflagration.” Good job, Tad!]

The F150 ~~Conflagration~~ Lightning was supposed to be Ford’s flagship vehicle as it transitioned its customers from gas pickups to electric pickups. In fact, Ford built an entire new plant (Blue Oval City) near Memphis just to build electric pickups. The plant was originally scheduled to commence production in 2025, but Ford is now saying production has been pushed back to 2028, even though the facility has been built. Ford knows, and I know, that EV production will not happen by then. Donald Trump will still be President, and there will not be a return of federal subsidies for EVs during his administration. Ford owes its Directors and shareholders an update on what it’s going to do with its never-used, mothballed EV plant.

Fortunately, Ford’s customers never abandoned Ford, even when its executives were trying to abandon those loyal customers. The traditional gas-powered, internal combustion (“ICE” F150 is still selling like crazy. In fact, Ford is re-allocating pretty much all of its workers who had been assembling electric F150s to a nearby plant that produces ICE F150s.

“Ford F-150 Lightning Production Halted Indefinitely After Supplier Fire” [EV.com – 10/24/2025]

Ford plans to boost F-150 output by 45,000 units in 2026 through workforce redistribution and plant upgrades. Roughly 1,200 [Rouge Electric Vehicle Center] employees will transition to the Dearborn Truck Plant, supported by 90 new hires at Dearborn Stamping and 80 at Dearborn Diversified Manufacturing. The Kentucky Truck Plant will also add 100 employees to raise annual production by about 5,000 units.

Regarding the supplier fire in that headline, Novelis supplies aluminum to several manufacturers, and its Oswego plant had a fire that put it out of commission for a while. This is a handy excuse as to why Ford is suspending production of its electric pickup truck. But Ford is not suspending production of the ICE F150, which also uses plenty of aluminum. And coincidentally, the entire Lightning workforce is being repurposed to assemble 50,000 additional gas and diesel F150s per year. The suspension of EV production is not a supplier issue, it’s a lack-of-customers issue.

I’ve noticed over the years that pretty much every time a manufacturer suspends production of an EV, the official reason is that there is a supplier issue or a supply-line problem, when the reality is that there is a glut of unsold inventory.

Ford has lost $3.6 billion on its EV program through the first three quarters of 2025, with the full-year loss expected to exceed $5 billion. This comes on top of losses of $9.8 billon over the previous two years for Ford’s EV unit.

The best time for Ford to pull the plug on its disastrous EV program was several years ago. The next best time is now.

*****

The next end-of-an-era headline I’m waiting for is Rivian to announce its bankruptcy. We’re not there yet, but we’re getting closer….

“Rivian to cut over 600 jobs as EV demand flags after tax credits expire” [Reuters – 10/23/2025]

Rivian Automotive is laying off 4.5% of its workforce, or over 600 employees, an internal email showed on Thursday, as the electric-vehicle maker contends with weakening demand following the expiry of key U.S. tax credits.

Rivian lost over $10 billion in the past two full years, and it’s on track to lose more than $3 billion this year, even thogh this year included nine months with the $7,500 federal tax credit in place.

I am saddened about the laid-off Rivian workers losing their jobs, but it can never be forgotten that Rivian’s business plan was reliant on the government making it illegal to manufacture and sell traditional ICE vehicles, thus causing mass unemployment among legacy auto manufacturing operations and their suppliers.

It should also never be forgotten that Georgia Governor Brian Kemp (R?) threw $1.5 billion of taxpayer money at Rivian in the hopes that it would prosper if/when his climate-alarmist friends in the Biden administration successfully snuffed out legacy auto manufacturing.

It would behoove Georgia Gov. @BrianKempGA to start trying to claw back some of the $1.5 billion of taxpayer money he threw at @Rivian before it goes bankrupt. His left-wing foray into venture socialism relied on gas-powered vehicles being outlawed by government. https://t.co/6EV9ibrmIG
— Buck Throckmorton (@BuckThrockmort) October 23, 2025

*****

Still more bad news for Rivian…

“Rivian agrees to pay $250 million to settle IPO fraud lawsuit” [Reuters – 10/23/2025]

Rivian has agreed to settle a 2022 class-action lawsuit by paying $250 million to some shareholders who had alleged the electric vehicle maker defrauded investors over vehicle prices when it went public, according to a court filing on Thursday.
The lawsuit claimed that Rivian during and after its blockbuster 2021 initial public offering concealed that it had underpriced its EVs, leading to unpopular price hikes later.

Rivian is burning so much cash that another $250 million out the door further accelerates the day that checks start bouncing. But this lawsuit is also kind of preposterous in that anyone investing in a start-up EV manufacturer with no customer base and reliant on government outlawing its competition, is an investor who deserves to lose his investment.

*****

General Motors is also having to recognize massive losses from its EV debacle.

“GM to take $1.6 billion charge related to EV pullback” [CNBC – 10/14/2025]

General Motors will record a negative impact of $1.6 billion in its next quarter after tax incentives for electric vehicles were slashed by the U.S. and rules governing emissions are relaxed.

This CNBC piece also states that GM has an ongoing “reassessment of its EV capacity and manufacturing footprint.” I can help. Whatever the current “EV capacity and manufacturing footprint” is, that is too much. Eliminate it.

An otherwise good quarter for General Motors was ruined by its EV red ink: “GM Profit Down 56% As Revenue Holds Steady During Q3 2025” [GM Authority – 10/22/2025]

GM’s profit in Q3 of 2025 was $1.3 billion. Its profit one year prior was $3.0 billion (or $1.7 billion higher.) Pretty much the entire difference this year was the massive $1.6 billion EV charge off.

*****

With consumer demand for electric vehicles (other than Tesla) transitioning from anemic to negligible, headlines about the suspension of EV production are coming fast:

“Nissan to pause US EV production plans as tax credits dry up” [Nikkei Asia – 10/01/2025]

“The Chevrolet BrightDrop EV Van Is Dead; BrightDrop is going dark as GM shuts down the production line” [Inside EVs – 10/21/2025]

General Motors' BrightDrop electric delivery vans are no more. The automaker made the decision to shutter production of the commercial vehicle at its CAMI Assembly plant in Canada and announced the news on Tuesday alongside its third-quarter earnings.
According to GM, the reason for the shutdown is "much slower than expected" development of the commercial electric delivery van market.

“…slower than expected”?? Frankly, the failure of this awful product is exactly what I expected. Had any of GM’s executives or directors asked me about the prospects for this abomination rather than following the instructions of Klaus Schwab, there would be no surprises about the demand that never developed.

Since it’s hard to keep up with all the failed EVs that are being discontinued, Car and Driver magazine has helpfully put together an article documenting them all: “Here Are All the EVs That Were Canceled or Discontinued; As demand for EVs cools in the United States, several electric models have been killed off after just a brief time in the spotlight” [Car and Driver – 10/26/2025]

*****

Parked EVs continue to spontaneously become engulfed in runaway thermal fires. The header picture is an EV that burst into flames while parked at an IHOP in Syracuse a couple weeks ago.

There are too many spontaneous EV fires to feature them all, but this story is extremely disturbing: “Driver Burns Alive Trapped in Electric Car”

One of the futuristic features of many EVs is that the door requires electrical commands to open rather than opening via the mechanical action of pulling the inside door handle, an action which also overrides the door lock on cars with traditional mechanical handles. Relying on an electrical command to open a door means that when there is a loss of power, the driver can get locked in.

Similar tragedies have struck Tesla models in Germany, Canada and the US, where crashes left victims trapped inside burning cars after power failures disabled the doors.

It’s not just after crashes that people get stuck in their EVs because the door won’t unlock: “Arizona Man Was Trapped in Tesla on a 100-Degree Day” [USA Today – 8/02/2023]

An Arizona man told a Phoenix TV station that he was trapped inside his Tesla Model Y during a 100-degree day with no knowledge of how to get out. "I couldn't open the doors. I couldn't lower the windows," Rick Meggison, a 73-year-old resident of Peoria told ABC-15. "The computer was dead, so I couldn't open the glove box. I couldn't open anything."
Meggison said his lithium-ion battery had plenty of range on it, but a 12-volt battery inside the vehicle that powers the items that weren't running was dead.

Now that the Trump administration has eliminated almost all market-distorting government influences on auto manufacturing, it sure would be nice if someone would start building cars with fewer electronic gimmicks, focusing instead on analog controls, an absence of lithium batteries, and good old-fashioned, manual door handles.

[buck.throckmorton at protonmail dot com]

Posted by: Buck Throckmorton at 11:00 AM

Comments

(Jump to bottom of comments)

1 1

Posted by: Formerly Virginian at October 31, 2025 11:00 AM (aPBRN)

2 2

Posted by: Inogame at October 31, 2025 11:01 AM (53oGX)

3 From the news today, carmakers are about to be hit with the twin problems of their foolish, losing EV investments AND a shortage of necessary chips.

Why are our companies so stupid as to rely on a single easily blocked supply line?

Right. Because all plans are made with "best case scenario" in mind by our "elites" in the boardrooms.

Posted by: Formerly Virginian at October 31, 2025 11:02 AM (aPBRN)

4 In before the "EV are the future, you backwards dinosaur," comments.

Posted by: TheJamesMadison, having some laughs with Alexander Mackendrick at October 31, 2025 11:02 AM (GBKbO)

5 Not 3?

Posted by: Brother Tim (102mm/W59), Keeper of the Tim Continuum at October 31, 2025 11:02 AM (OUMaO)

6 Egads, that story about the guy burned alive. Horrible.

Posted by: Bulg at October 31, 2025 11:02 AM (77rzZ)

7 SPONGE!!!

Posted by: RedMindBlueState at October 31, 2025 11:02 AM (kgE5c)

8 Well, I wasn't wrong.

Posted by: Brother Tim (102mm/W59), Keeper of the Tim Continuum at October 31, 2025 11:02 AM (OUMaO)

9 Shocking!

Posted by: Commissar of plenty and festive little hats at October 31, 2025 11:03 AM (P13H6)

10 Boy! Who could've seen that coming?

Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Oh yeah? Well, You're Another One! at October 31, 2025 11:03 AM (L/fGl)

11 Electric or not - carry a hammer in your car, people.

Posted by: Yudhishthira's Dice at October 31, 2025 11:04 AM (BI5O2)

12
Had any of GM’s executives or directors asked me about the prospects for this abomination rather than following the instructions of Klaus Schwab

__________

Executives will listen to a 26 year old McKinsey MBA before they listen to an engineer with 34 years of experience.

Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at October 31, 2025 11:04 AM (7bgCh)

13 "The electric pickup never sold well, suggesting its launch was a terrible mistake."

Suggesting. Suggesting? Usually when you spend billions on a highly-pimped "this is the future" product, and the product sells so poorly you cancel the whole fucking stinking thing after only a few years, that does more than merely "suggest" the product's launch was a terrible mistake. It proves the launch was a terrible mistake.

Posted by: Elric The Blade at October 31, 2025 11:05 AM (iFTx/)

15 Congrats to Ford for stumbling on a bit of wisdom.

Posted by: Comrade Flounder, Disinformation Demon at October 31, 2025 11:05 AM (r2U5D)

16 The F-150 Lightning's fate was sealed when a YouTube video comparing the same easy 300-mile trip in a Lightning and an internal combustion F-150 went viral.

The trip in the Lightning was one catastrophe after another and ended up taking days.

Posted by: Cicero (@cicero43) at October 31, 2025 11:05 AM (dyewR)

17 Heh, I was just making a comment on George The Pirate's writing when Reef hit the power strip just right and turned off my computer.

On topic:

I think we, the horde, should form a manufacturing conglomerate and offer shit that only has mechanical or hydraulic action.

Posted by: Aetius451AD at October 31, 2025 11:05 AM (bss/y)

18 14
Posted by: Elric The Blade at October 31, 2025 11:05 AM

Stealth commenting?

Posted by: RedMindBlueState at October 31, 2025 11:05 AM (Wnv9h)

19
Because all plans are made with "best case scenario" in mind by our "elites" in the boardrooms.
Posted by: Formerly Virginian at October 31, 2025 11:02 AM (aPBRN)

__________

They figure they'll be promoted before the SHTF.

Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at October 31, 2025 11:06 AM (7bgCh)

20 speaking of ev follies, i'm starting to see ads touting the "all-hybrid" toyota corolla. the whole *point* of a hybrid is that they're not "all" anything.

Posted by: anachronda at October 31, 2025 11:07 AM (oY6Yp)

21 "Rivian lost over $10 billion in the past two full years, and it’s on track to lose more than $3 billion this year, even thogh this year included nine months with the $7,500 federal tax credit in place."

[Chuckling]

-- Initial Rivian investors who pocketed billions

Posted by: Elric The Blade at October 31, 2025 11:07 AM (iFTx/)

22 Meanwhile, in the Great White North . . .

Canada's First Female Chief Of Defense Cries While Apologizing For "Systemic Racism"

Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Oh yeah? Well, You're Another One! at October 31, 2025 11:07 AM (L/fGl)

23 The only original EV I can think of that I liked the look of was the Fisker.

Posted by: Aetius451AD at October 31, 2025 11:07 AM (bss/y)

24 Usually you have to have a winning football team to get car-b-q. Those EV companies aren't waiting for that.

Posted by: NR Pax at October 31, 2025 11:07 AM (NR6c1)

25 Closing tags.

Posted by: Aetius451AD at October 31, 2025 11:08 AM (bss/y)

26
Good news, I guess. Remember those ideas that our universe might be a simulation of sorts, that we're all in a Matrix of sorts?

Well, a proof was just published that this universe, reality as we know it, cannot be a simulation. Shit that goes on cannot be done by computation alone. Well, beyond me, but I understand the proof follows from Godel's Theorem among other things.

So, this shit show that modern life has become is all real, baby. Can't blame some Matrix fucking around with us.

Posted by: publius, Rascally Mr. Miley (w6EFb) at October 31, 2025 11:09 AM (w6EFb)

27
Canada's First Female Chief Of Defense Cries While Apologizing For "Systemic Racism"

--------

I hope the blubbering was preceded by a heartfelt land acknowledgement.

Posted by: Cicero (@cicero43) at October 31, 2025 11:09 AM (dyewR)

28 25 Closing tags.

Posted by: Aetius451AD at October 31, 2025 11:08 AM (bss/y)

=====

Coffee is for closers.

Posted by: TheJamesMadison, having some laughs with Alexander Mackendrick at October 31, 2025 11:09 AM (GBKbO)

29 25 Closing tags.
Posted by: Aetius451AD at October 31, 2025 11:08 AM (bss/y)

That's why they're in my nick

Posted by: Formerly Virginian at October 31, 2025 11:09 AM (aPBRN)

30 Why are our companies so stupid as to rely on a single easily blocked supply line?

Right. Because all plans are made with "best case scenario" in mind by our "elites" in the boardrooms.
Posted by: Formerly Virginian at October 31, 2025 11:02 AM (aPBRN)

Because corporate executives and the boards which 'oversee' them are thought leaders capable of following the lemming herd as well as anyone.

Everyone they know does this. All the literature they read extolls this. All the advisors they consult recommends this. To fail to do exactly the same as everyone else is to risk looking like a rebel (and not in a good way).

Posted by: I used to have a different nic at October 31, 2025 11:09 AM (ExV1e)

31
Canada's First Female Chief Of Defense Cries While Apologizing For "Systemic Racism"
Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Oh yeah? Well, You're Another One!

___________

Vimy Ridge, Normandy, the corvettes doing convoy escort in the icy North Atlantic,. Then this lacrymose bint.

Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at October 31, 2025 11:10 AM (7bgCh)

32 I'm nort a fan of EVs in general. They're a pretty stupid thing unless you view them as a cool gadget instead of an actual car.

But there is no argument for an electric pickup at all, and the Ford implementation of it was just execrable. It's one of the very worst automobiles ever created - I'd rather have it than a Trabant or Wartburg, but not a Yugo or even a Lada.

I'm not quite savage to say "the wrong Farley died," but the Lightning is a solid argument for the Ford investors who I'm quite sure are saying that.

Posted by: Yudhishthira's Dice at October 31, 2025 11:10 AM (BI5O2)

33 The lack of logic on display in corporate governance is mind boggling.

Posted by: Archer at October 31, 2025 11:10 AM (YGRGv)

34 We need a modern day Ralph Nader to rewrite "Unsafe at Any Speed - Cars with no Door Handles!"

Posted by: Tom Servo at October 31, 2025 11:10 AM (uWKK8)

35 Probably Jew disinformation propaganda.

Muslim militants post selfies with thousands of dead civilians after conquering major Sudanese city

https://is.gd/VRj7Qn

Do I have to say it? NSFW!

Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Oh yeah? Well, You're Another One! at October 31, 2025 11:10 AM (L/fGl)

36 It can be lunch time

Posted by: Skip at October 31, 2025 11:10 AM (fTEIv)

37 Checking the stock market apparently Amazon firing people is popular....

Posted by: 18-1 at October 31, 2025 11:10 AM (sKqQm)

38 Coffee is for closers.
Posted by: TheJamesMadison, having some laughs with Alexander Mackendrick at October 31, 2025 11:09 AM (GBKbO)

Good aim, alec baldwin.

Posted by: Aetius451AD at October 31, 2025 11:10 AM (bss/y)

39 29 25 Closing tags.
Posted by: Aetius451AD at October 31, 2025 11:08 AM (bss/y)

That's why they're in my nick

Posted by: Formerly Virginian at October 31, 2025 11:09 AM (aPBRN)

====

It's why I almost never use them.

Posted by: TheJamesMadison, having some laughs with Alexander Mackendrick at October 31, 2025 11:11 AM (GBKbO)

40 Why are our companies so stupid as to rely on a single easily blocked supply line?

Because if you find a way to slightly reduce costs you'll get raises and promotions.

Then if something bad happens you can just claim that it was out of your control.

Posted by: 18-1 at October 31, 2025 11:11 AM (sKqQm)

41 Everyone they know does this. All the literature they read extolls this. All the advisors they consult recommends this. To fail to do exactly the same as everyone else is to risk looking like a rebel (and not in a good way).
Posted by: I used to have a different nic at October 31, 2025 11:09 AM (ExV1e)

Also, when everything is running well, you look like an idiot because you could be making MORE money by doing away with preparations for bad times.

And then all you have to do is run away with your golden parachute when the bad times come. (And, besides, NO ONE could have forseen it! All the other companies are also ill-prepared!)

Posted by: Formerly Virginian at October 31, 2025 11:12 AM (aPBRN)

42 It's why I almost never use them.
Posted by: TheJamesMadison, having some laughs with Alexander Mackendrick at October 31, 2025 11:11 AM (GBKbO)

This. It is easy not to get electrocuted if you do not open the fucking wiring panel.

Posted by: Aetius451AD at October 31, 2025 11:12 AM (bss/y)

43 Now, if Ford can only deal with their 10-speed tranmission woes.

Posted by: Mike Hammer, etc., etc. at October 31, 2025 11:12 AM (XeU6L)

44 Thank you, Brock. AI collected some fun Farley quotes from his visit to Chinese EV manufacturers:

“It’s the most humbling thing I have ever seen."

“They have far superior in-vehicle technology."

“Beyond that, their cost, their quality of their vehicles is far superior to what I see in the West.”

“We are in a global competition with China, and it’s not just EVs. And if we lose this, we do not have a future Ford.”

“I don’t like talking about the competition so much, but I drive the Xiaomi. We flew one from Shanghai to Chicago, and I’ve been driving it for six months now, and I don’t want to give it up.”

As God is my witness, I didn't know Chinese EVs could fly.

Posted by: Oglebay at October 31, 2025 11:12 AM (GPa4z)

45 (Along with it, the $4,000 tax credit toward the purchase of used EVs also went away.)
++++
I didn't know about that one.

Subsidizing the same piece of hardware twice? Now *that* is a racket.

Posted by: Joe Mannix (Not a cop!) at October 31, 2025 11:13 AM (kBSKe)

46 speaking of ev follies, i'm starting to see ads touting the "all-hybrid" toyota corolla. the whole *point* of a hybrid is that they're not "all" anything.
Posted by: anachronda at October 31, 2025 11:07 AM (oY6Yp)

yah vipanan hai.

Posted by: I used to have a different nic at October 31, 2025 11:13 AM (ExV1e)

47 42 It's why I almost never use them.
Posted by: TheJamesMadison, having some laughs with Alexander Mackendrick at October 31, 2025 11:11 AM (GBKbO)

This. It is easy not to get electrocuted if you do not open the fucking wiring panel.

Posted by: Aetius451AD at October 31, 2025 11:12 AM (bss/y)

====

I have a couple of very specific joke structures that require them (changing what someone wrote with a strike through and then using bold to highlight the correction), but that's about it.

Posted by: TheJamesMadison, having some laughs with Alexander Mackendrick at October 31, 2025 11:13 AM (GBKbO)

48 I have a F-150. A 2019. Good rig! Too many bells and whistles though. And no CD player or cassette deck. Oh the differing.

Posted by: Diogenes at October 31, 2025 11:13 AM (2WIwB)

49 At first, I was going to comment that the driver who burned alive could have shot his way out through the window, but then I read it - China.

Nope.

Posted by: Washington Nearsider, a Black LGBTQ+ female at October 31, 2025 11:14 AM (K9xEt)

50 Ford’s management shows wisdom in shutting down Lightning production.
++++
There's some truth to that. Taking a loss that big and a humiliation that great is something many are unwilling to do. They'd rather throw more money after bad and save face until it ends the enterprise. Happens all the time.

Posted by: Joe Mannix (Not a cop!) at October 31, 2025 11:14 AM (kBSKe)

51 EVs are death boxes.

Posted by: Pudinhead at October 31, 2025 11:14 AM (jFCkp)

52 Probably Jew disinformation propaganda.

Muslim militants post selfies with thousands of dead civilians after conquering major Sudanese city

https://is.gd/VRj7Qn

Do I have to say it? NSFW!
Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Oh yeah? Well, You're Another One! at October 31, 2025 11:10 AM (L/fGl)

150,000 dead in the past two years.

Even the lies from Hamas didn't claim that many died in the war they started with Israel.

But nary a peep from the people screaming "GENOCIDE" over Gaza because all they really want to do is kill the Jews.

Posted by: Formerly Virginian at October 31, 2025 11:14 AM (aPBRN)

53 th

Posted by: Truck Monkey at October 31, 2025 11:14 AM (Bo9Yf)

54 A claw hammer is a lot more useful than a gun for escaping a car.

Posted by: Yudhishthira's Dice at October 31, 2025 11:14 AM (BI5O2)

55 Just stop putting women in charge of things.

Posted by: Bulg at October 31, 2025 11:14 AM (77rzZ)

56 rd

Posted by: Truck Monkey at October 31, 2025 11:14 AM (Bo9Yf)

57 What do you drive?

I drive an environmentally safe, sustainable, fusion reactor that will unexpectedly incinerate with the wrong supplementary, poorly regulated injection of energy.

Posted by: Rev. Wishbone at October 31, 2025 11:15 AM (uM32G)

58 Lots of states have their own tax credit. Colorado is $4k I believe. When paired with the $7500 federal credit people were leasing EVs basically for nothing. That’s $500/mo over 24 month lease paid for by the tax payer.

Posted by: Its Go Time Donald at October 31, 2025 11:15 AM (3qp0C)

59 The plant was originally scheduled to commence production in 2025, but Ford is now saying production has been pushed back to 2028, even though the facility has been built. Ford knows, and I know, that EV production will not happen by then.
++++
They plant is built. They'll use it for something. If nothing else, the government in Nashville will insist on it to save face over the boondoggle. It can *probably* be used to assemble non-EVs, with some conversion. And Ford will probably do it. And shutter another factory somewhere else to accommodate it.

Posted by: Joe Mannix (Not a cop!) at October 31, 2025 11:15 AM (kBSKe)

60 Winning strategy is to go back and make vehicles with out all the geegaws.

Posted by: Ben Had at October 31, 2025 11:15 AM (E6fZE)

61 Where's that EV Guy who loved the ridiculous Lightning so much? Is he absent today, lol?

Posted by: Yudhishthira's Dice at October 31, 2025 11:16 AM (BI5O2)

62 I’m not an EV fan but that last item had nothing to do with ‘EVs’.

But that’s why every car, IC or EV should have the window breaker/ seatbelt cutting tool.

Posted by: the way I see it at October 31, 2025 11:16 AM (EYmYM)

63 43 Now, if Ford can only deal with their 10-speed tranmission woes.
---------------
It does appear that the performance jumps are all in the transmission these days.

Posted by: Pudinhead at October 31, 2025 11:16 AM (jFCkp)

64 I’ve noticed over the years that pretty much every time a manufacturer suspends production of an EV, the official reason is that there is a supplier issue or a supply-line problem, when the reality is that there is a glut of unsold inventory.
++++
If there is more than one problem from which to choose, the most politically-correct problem will be cited.

Posted by: Joe Mannix (Not a cop!) at October 31, 2025 11:16 AM (kBSKe)

65 Because corporate executives and the boards which 'oversee' them are thought leaders capable of following the lemming herd as well as anyone.

Everyone they know does this. All the literature they read extolls this. All the advisors they consult recommends this. To fail to do exactly the same as everyone else is to risk looking like a rebel (and not in a good way).
Posted by: I used to have a different nic at October 31, 2025 11:09 AM (ExV1e)

A guess I have is that they all succumbed to the lure of "secret knowledge" from government sources, such as being assured that all governments were about to ban IC trucks and autos. Whereas anyone standing outside the system could look at that and see that this was a completely ridiculous proposition, and that any government that tried such a thing would fall. But no, Auto execs decided to jump in the boat and sink their own companies right along with everyone else.

Posted by: Tom Servo at October 31, 2025 11:17 AM (uWKK8)

66 Winning strategy is to go back and make vehicles with out all the geegaws.
Posted by: Ben Had at October 31, 2025 11:15 AM (E6fZE)

The wise yoots, at the very least, would appreciate that.

Posted by: I used to have a different nic at October 31, 2025 11:17 AM (ExV1e)

67
The six phases of a project

- Enthusiasm
- Disillusionment
- Panic
- Search for scapegoats
- Massacre of the innocents
- Raises and promotions for executive team.

Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at October 31, 2025 11:17 AM (7bgCh)

68 "I’m waiting for is Rivian to announce its bankruptcy."

Again?

Posted by: Peculiar Clark at October 31, 2025 11:17 AM (vFG9F)

69 It was annoying enough when carmakers started phasing out the good ol' DIN or double DIN radio slots in favor of mixing audio controls in with aircon controls, splitting the radio conponents and relocating into the trunk, so you couldn't put in a decent aftermarket radio wothout ghettoing it up.

So I absolutely hate with the fire of a thousand EVs the ever-more integrated and controlling electronics in cars. And I say that as an electrical/computer engineer.

Posted by: Drink Like Vikings at October 31, 2025 11:17 AM (/f54S)

70 60 Winning strategy is to go back and make vehicles with out all the geegaws.
Posted by: Ben Had at October 31, 2025 11:15 AM (E6fZE)

=====

It was disappointing to see Speed Queen switch to an electronic control panel.

Posted by: Oglebay at October 31, 2025 11:17 AM (GPa4z)

71 I carry a huge f***ing crowbar in my car.

Posted by: Bulg at October 31, 2025 11:17 AM (77rzZ)

72 Where's that EV Guy who loved the ridiculous Lightning so much? Is he absent today, lol?
Posted by: Yudhishthira's Dice at October 31, 2025 11:16 AM (BI5O2)

He's on day 12 of his cross-country trek hauling a 2-pack of Twinkies to demonstrate the utility of electric trucks. Should be to the other coast in another month or so... unless he gets dysentery.

Posted by: I used to have a different nic at October 31, 2025 11:19 AM (ExV1e)

73 First Watch is basically a corral for Rivians.

Posted by: XTC at October 31, 2025 11:19 AM (UnA8+)

74 I still haven't seen any charging stations for the EVs.

Posted by: dantesed at October 31, 2025 11:19 AM (Oy/m2)

75 Do they still make airline planes with fly by wire back up or is it just electronic back up ?

Posted by: the way I see it at October 31, 2025 11:19 AM (EYmYM)

76 Rivian Automotive is laying off 4.5% of its workforce, or over 600 employees, an internal email showed on Thursday, as the electric-vehicle maker contends with weakening demand following the expiry of key U.S. tax credits.
++++
A company with a negative cashflow and that has never managed to many units (albeit big, complicated units with lots of parts and engineering) has a workforce of over 13,000? How? Why?

Posted by: Joe Mannix (Not a cop!) at October 31, 2025 11:19 AM (kBSKe)

77 72
He's on day 12 of his cross-country trek hauling a 2-pack of Twinkies to demonstrate the utility of electric trucks. Should be to the other coast in another month or so... unless he gets dysentery.

Posted by: I used to have a different nic at October 31, 2025 11:19 AM (ExV1e)

=====

Going up to Oregon, huh?

Posted by: TheJamesMadison, having some laughs with Alexander Mackendrick at October 31, 2025 11:19 AM (GBKbO)

78 The computer was dead, so I couldn't open the glove box.

Quick, pay Elon a trillion dollars!

Posted by: Oddbob at October 31, 2025 11:19 AM (3nLb4)

79 71 I carry a huge f***ing crowbar in my car.

What’s in your pants?

Posted by: Born01930 at October 31, 2025 11:20 AM (zSvhM)

80 September 30, 2025 was a monumental day for American taxpayers and for freedom-loving Americans, as

that's when you were done working for Uncle Sam's tax bill.

Posted by: rickb223 Acehole Extraordinaire coined by JSpicy at October 31, 2025 11:20 AM (p6raP)

81 This CNBC piece also states that GM has an ongoing “reassessment of its EV capacity and manufacturing footprint.” I can help. Whatever the current “EV capacity and manufacturing footprint” is, that is too much. Eliminate it.
++++
Eh, probably not. EVs are niche market, but a real one and there's probably a place for the GM juggernaut in it. But a small place, justifying a small division.

Like the Corvette or the Ford GT. These are special, niche products that don't need and can't justify massive plant conversions.

Posted by: Joe Mannix (Not a cop!) at October 31, 2025 11:20 AM (kBSKe)

82
a workforce of over 13,000? How? Why?
Posted by: Joe Mannix (Not a cop!)

_________

HR. DEI. Marketing.

Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at October 31, 2025 11:21 AM (7bgCh)

83 74 I still haven't seen any charging stations for the EVs.
-------------------
They had a bunch installed on military bases but no one uses them.

Posted by: Pudinhead at October 31, 2025 11:21 AM (jFCkp)

84 One of the futuristic features of many EVs is that the door requires electrical commands to open rather than opening via the mechanical action of pulling the inside door handle, an action which also overrides the door lock on cars with traditional mechanical handles. Relying on an electrical command to open a door means that when there is a loss of power, the driver can get locked in.
++++
Not just EVs. It's increasingly common on high-end cars that want to look and behave all "futuristic." It's slick and cool.

And it has always given me the willies. Egress should always be possible without power. Systems must fail safe, not fail deadly.

Posted by: Joe Mannix (Not a cop!) at October 31, 2025 11:22 AM (kBSKe)

85 Rivian Automotive is laying off 4.5% of its workforce, or over 600 employees, an internal email showed on Thursday, as the electric-vehicle maker contends with weakening demand following the expiry of key U.S. tax credits.
++++
A company with a negative cashflow and that has never managed to many units (albeit big, complicated units with lots of parts and engineering) has a workforce of over 13,000? How? Why?
Posted by: Joe Mannix

Each person is responsible for putting one part on each vehicle. The ultimate Democrat SNAP/WORKS Program.

Posted by: rickb223 Acehole Extraordinaire coined by JSpicy at October 31, 2025 11:23 AM (p6raP)

86 They should have just let Musk have the EV market while designing an EV for future production in the event IC vehicles reach x level of vehicles purchased. But corporations are blinded by the prospect of being left behind. It makes them retarded.

Posted by: the way I see it at October 31, 2025 11:23 AM (EYmYM)

87 One of the futuristic features of many EVs is that the door requires electrical commands to open rather than opening via the mechanical action of pulling the inside door handle, an action which also overrides the door lock on cars with traditional mechanical handles. Relying on an electrical command to open a door means that when there is a loss of power, the driver can get locked in.

Burn baby burn
Dico inferno
Burn baby burn

Posted by: rickb223 Acehole Extraordinaire coined by JSpicy at October 31, 2025 11:24 AM (p6raP)

88 Since this is a post on cars, now's a the time for an episode of The Blade's Garage of Total Awesomeness. Today's episode is not about any specific vehicle, but a vehicle manufacturing process that's straight out of sci-fi.

I was in Spartanburg earlier this week, and took the BMW plant tour. It's manned almost entirely by bright orange robots built by Kuka in Germany. They twist and twirl and swing around metal components weighing 100s of pounds, with the grace of a ballet dancer. It's almost impossible to believe what you're seeing is real. If I saw this in a vid, I would think it was CGI.

Probably 95% of the car is built like this. Humans do almost nothing other than ensure the material bins for the robots are stocked. In some more advanced factories, like Porsche in Germany or Lambo in Italy (build by Audi), even the restocking is handled mostly by robots.

Well ... if the robots build the cars, who builds the robots?

If you're ever near Spartanburg, I highly recommend the tour. I tried to find a good vid that shows the robots in action, but there seems to be none available. The tech is highly secretive, so I'm not surprised.

Posted by: Elric The Blade at October 31, 2025 11:24 AM (iFTx/)

89
But corporations are blinded by the prospect of being left behind. It makes them retarded.
Posted by: the way I see it at October 31, 2025 11:23 AM (EYmYM)

__________

See also: AI

Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at October 31, 2025 11:24 AM (7bgCh)

90 I will make a prediction, one I have made before: I think Jaguar, as a brand, is dead. (International car maker Tata owns them now) All current models have ceased production, and there is no new inventory until the company supposedly will release a new line of all-electric vehicles.

Go and look at Jaguar's website, and all they are selling currently is a lonely SUV model. Nothing else. A marquee name does not survive when all the factories shut down and make nothing, much less any dealerships. My prediction is that given market conditions, the new All Electric models will never be launched, and the few fragments left of Jaguar will be transferred to other companies held by Tata. Of course they may trot out the name every so often, just for branding purposes; but that will be all.

Posted by: Tom Servo at October 31, 2025 11:25 AM (uWKK8)

91 Now that the Trump administration has eliminated almost all market-distorting government influences on auto manufacturing, it sure would be nice if someone would start building cars with fewer electronic gimmicks, focusing instead on analog controls, an absence of lithium batteries, and good old-fashioned, manual door handles.
++++
That isn't going to happen. Not the analogue controls part, anyway, in large part.

All of those switches and dials are software now. The physical stuff like door locks and handles needn't be fully electric and shouldn't be, but things like the air conditioning, lights, wipers, etc. are all networked and don't have direct connection. There are some pretty good reasons for that.

It also isn't new. I'm increasingly of the opinion that automotive engineering may have peaked in the late 90s or early aughts. There were enough electronics to make everything work really well and efficiently and flexibly, but it was still serviceable and wasn't locked-out and DRM-protected to hell. You could still usually replace parts and fix things and there weren't so many electronic controls and components that it jumped the shark in terms of system complexity.

Posted by: Joe Mannix (Not a cop!) at October 31, 2025 11:25 AM (kBSKe)

92 Nice report Buck

Posted by: Skip at October 31, 2025 11:26 AM (fTEIv)

93 Rivian lost over $10 billion in the past two full years

These executives are really good. Can you imagine stringing investors along since 2009 to convince investors, corporations, and gov'ts to give you enough money such that you could lose $10 billion and nobody says boo? The kickbacks must be awesome.

Posted by: t-bird at October 31, 2025 11:26 AM (EyazE)

94 Regarding people trapped in their electric cars, there's your dose of irony.

While everyone was terrified for decades of being destroyed by machines that got too smart, the real danger is machines that are too dumb due to being designed by imbeciles.

Posted by: ... at October 31, 2025 11:26 AM (MlvSb)

95 73 First Watch is basically a corral for Rivians.
Posted by: XTC at October 31, 2025 11:19 AM (UnA8+)

It's funny, but the first time I saw that sign I thought 'Are they trying to make a Naval/Military reference? Maybe a first responders reference?'

Posted by: Aetius451AD at October 31, 2025 11:27 AM (bss/y)

96 Go and look at Jaguar's website, and all they are selling currently is a lonely SUV model. Nothing else. A marquee name does not survive when all the factories shut down and make nothing, much less any dealerships. My prediction is that given market conditions, the new All Electric models will never be launched, and the few fragments left of Jaguar will be transferred to other companies held by Tata. Of course they may trot out the name every so often, just for branding purposes; but that will be all.
Posted by: Tom Servo at October 31, 2025 11:25 AM

And the newer body styles suck. Give me the 80's sedan.

Posted by: RedMindBlueState at October 31, 2025 11:27 AM (kgE5c)

97 My new office chair:

x.com/Rainmaker1973/status/
1983931180224278599

Posted by: Kurt Eichenwald at October 31, 2025 11:27 AM (KTeKV)

98 Rivian lost over $10 billion in the past two full years

Well, somebody made some money.

Posted by: dantesed at October 31, 2025 11:27 AM (Oy/m2)

99 When a woman finally gets in the White House they can rename the Resolute Desk to the Periodic Table.

Posted by: ... at October 31, 2025 11:27 AM (MlvSb)

100 I just came up with that one, thank you, thank you.

Posted by: ... at October 31, 2025 11:27 AM (MlvSb)

101 Go and look at Jaguar's website, and all they are selling currently is a lonely SUV model. Nothing else. A marquee name does not survive when all the factories shut down and make nothing, much less any dealerships. My prediction is that given market conditions, the new All Electric models will never be launched, and the few fragments left of Jaguar will be transferred to other companies held by Tata. Of course they may trot out the name every so often, just for branding purposes; but that will be all.
Posted by: Tom Servo at October 31, 2025 11:25 AM (uWKK

++++
They went full retard on EVs and did so at the worst possible time and may have committed homicide on the Jaguar brand. I agree that it may well be a trim level or special edition of other vehicles.

The "hot" Range Rover with lots more gee-gaws will be the "Jaguar Edition" or somesuch. But they have no products right now and by the time they ship, the EV market is going to be much smaller and still dominated by Tesla

Posted by: Joe Mannix (Not a cop!) at October 31, 2025 11:28 AM (kBSKe)

102 Which is too bad. Jaguar was a historic name with a lot of history.

I guess you could say that about a lot of dead brands.

I mean, look at Sambo's.

Posted by: Aetius451AD at October 31, 2025 11:28 AM (bss/y)

103 91 It also isn't new. I'm increasingly of the opinion that automotive engineering may have peaked in the late 90s or early aughts. There were enough electronics to make everything work really well and efficiently and flexibly, but it was still serviceable and wasn't locked-out and DRM-protected to hell. You could still usually replace parts and fix things and there weren't so many electronic controls and components that it jumped the shark in terms of system complexity.
Posted by: Joe Mannix (Not a cop!) at October 31, 2025 11:25 AM (kBSKe)

They wanted to be able to sell everything as subscriptions so that you were always paying them every month, even if you bought the car outright.

Posted by: XTC at October 31, 2025 11:28 AM (UnA8+)

104 Glamour names nine trans activists as 'Women of the Year' - including a model who was fired by L'Oreal for calling 'all white people racist'

Posted by: SMOD at October 31, 2025 11:28 AM (RHGPo)

105 They wanted to be able to sell everything as subscriptions so that you were always paying them every month, even if you bought the car outright.
Posted by: XTC at October 31, 2025 11:28 AM (UnA8+)

See also Microsoft or Apple brands.

Posted by: Aetius451AD at October 31, 2025 11:29 AM (bss/y)

106 Have any EV vehicles been driven into a lake or into a flood? When I think trapped in a vehicle that’s what I think of. Fire or Drowning equally terrifying.

Posted by: the way I see it at October 31, 2025 11:29 AM (EYmYM)

107 When a woman finally gets in the White House they can rename the Resolute Desk to the Periodic Table.
Posted by: ...

I just came up with that one, thank you, thank you.
Posted by: ...

Ouch.

Posted by: rickb223 Acehole Extraordinaire coined by JSpicy at October 31, 2025 11:30 AM (p6raP)

108 101 They went full retard on EVs and did so at the worst possible time and may have committed homicide on the Jaguar brand. I agree that it may well be a trim level or special edition of other vehicles.

The "hot" Range Rover with lots more gee-gaws will be the "Jaguar Edition" or somesuch. But they have no products right now and by the time they ship, the EV market is going to be much smaller and still dominated by Tesla
Posted by: Joe Mannix (Not a cop!) at October 31, 2025 11:28 AM (kBSKe)

Tata is Indian-owned, so maybe not a surprise their brands are going down the Ganges.

Posted by: XTC at October 31, 2025 11:30 AM (UnA8+)

109 75 Do they still make airline planes with fly by wire back up or is it just electronic back up ?
Posted by: the way I see it at October 31, 2025 11:19 AM (EYmYM)

One of the worst Airbus disasters was when the computer control system locked up on a flight from Brazil to France, I think - the plane was mid-Atlantic. It was a true nightmare scene; some of the last transmissions indicated that the crew was frantically pouring through the operations manuals and trying to reboot all the flight control computers as the plane plunged 40,000 feet into the ocean below.

Posted by: Tom Servo at October 31, 2025 11:30 AM (uWKK8)

110 How Dare You: U.N. Warns U.S. Attacks on Cartel Drug Boats ‘Unacceptable’

Posted by: SMOD at October 31, 2025 11:30 AM (RHGPo)

111 Volkswagen's timing on the introduction of the Scout EV (2027) has got to be worrisome.

Posted by: mr tmz at October 31, 2025 11:30 AM (rJ48h)

112 104 Glamour names nine trans activists as 'Women of the Year' - including a model who was fired by L'Oreal for calling 'all white people racist'
Posted by: SMOD at October 31, 2025 11:28 AM (RHGPo)

It's not shocking or transgressive anymore when they keep doing the same thing over and over again.

Have they never heard of the concept of "diminishing returns"?

Posted by: XTC at October 31, 2025 11:31 AM (UnA8+)

113 They wanted to be able to sell everything as subscriptions so that you were always paying them every month, even if you bought the car outright.
Posted by: XTC at October 31, 2025 11:28 AM (UnA8+)
++++
That has been much more recent, but the level of electronic integration and connectedness has made it possible. But I don't blame the excessive amounts of software and programming and radios for the development. They were there, and the executives found a way to ... ahem ... "monetize" it.

BMW is egregious in this regard. Most of what they build is top-spec because it's cheaper to assemble one or two variants even if it means they're assembling everything with every option. Manufacturing is so much cheaper that it still works out. That's cool. Good industrial efficiency and customer wins.

Except that the customer doesn't win, because he has to pay a subscription to turn on hardware BMW put in the car but won't let him use. That is bullshit. The customer paid for that hardware.

Posted by: Joe Mannix (Not a cop!) at October 31, 2025 11:32 AM (kBSKe)

114 Watching Mecum on utube Now those are cars

Posted by: doug at October 31, 2025 11:32 AM (Hy+R4)

115 "Now that the Trump administration has eliminated almost all market-distorting government influences on auto manufacturing, it sure would be nice if someone would start building cars with fewer electronic gimmicks, focusing instead on analog controls, an absence of lithium batteries, and good old-fashioned, manual door handles."

Not gonna happen for a million reasons, the primary one being that buyers want this shit, and are willing to pay for it.

That might not be true in the future, but right now buyers are giddy for as much electronic and digital stuff in the car as they can get. In almost every instance where a digital option is available to replace an analog one, the buyer chooses the digital option.

Some of the newest and most expensive vehicles have entire dashboards that are one yuge touchscreen.

People want driving aids and the advanced "self-driving" tech. They want screens and moving icons and flashy tech. In a few years, the passenger-side touchscreen will be in almost all new cars.

This trend will continue for the foreseeable future. There's no turning back now.

Posted by: Elric The Blade at October 31, 2025 11:32 AM (iFTx/)

116 EVs should be only be developed for the colonization of the Moon and Mars, where the atmosphere will inhibit spontaneous combustion and ICE transportation is impossible.

Blast off, fucksticks!

Posted by: Rev. Wishbone at October 31, 2025 11:32 AM (uM32G)

117 106 Have any EV vehicles been driven into a lake or into a flood? When I think trapped in a vehicle that’s what I think of. Fire or Drowning equally terrifying.
Posted by: the way I see it at October 31, 2025 11:29 AM (EYmYM)

In fact, that's how Mitch McConnell's sister died last year.

It's an open question as to whether she drove the car into the lake (she was alone) or whether some AI took control of her vehicle, locked all the doors, and drove it into the lake with her inside.

Posted by: Tom Servo at October 31, 2025 11:33 AM (uWKK8)

118 How Dare You: U.N. Warns U.S. Attacks on Cartel Drug Boats ‘Unacceptable’
Posted by: SMOD at October 31, 2025 11:30 AM (RHGPo)

I would tell the UN :

I guess we’re at a stalemate because we find Cartel Drug Boats coming to the US Unacceptable.

Posted by: the way I see it at October 31, 2025 11:33 AM (EYmYM)

119 ... That might not be true in the future, but right now buyers are giddy for as much electronic and digital stuff in the car as they can get. In almost every instance where a digital option is available to replace an analog one, the buyer chooses the digital option. ...
Posted by: Elric The Blade at October 31, 2025 11:32 AM (iFTx/)
++++
This happened in the 80s, too, and then fell out of fashion as people realized it sucked and was less reliable. It'll happen again, probably.

But yes. The trend the past few years has been, "check out this smartphone on wheels." I don't like it, but lots of people do.

Posted by: Joe Mannix (Not a cop!) at October 31, 2025 11:34 AM (kBSKe)

120 In fact, that's how Mitch McConnell's sister died last year.

I think it was his sister-in-law (Elaine Chao's sister), not his sister.

Posted by: Bulg at October 31, 2025 11:34 AM (77rzZ)

121 Never own a range rover out of warranty.

Posted by: Its Go Time Donald at October 31, 2025 11:35 AM (3qp0C)

122
It's an open question as to whether she drove the car into the lake (she was alone) or whether some AI took control of her vehicle, locked all the doors, and drove it into the lake with her inside.
Posted by: Tom Servo at October 31, 2025 11:33 AM (uWKK

Did she name her car ‘ Christine’ ?

Posted by: the way I see it at October 31, 2025 11:36 AM (EYmYM)

123 Never own ~~a range rover~~ any European car out of warranty.
Posted by: Its Go Time Donald at October 31, 2025 11:35 AM (3qp0C)
+++++
FIFY

Posted by: Joe Mannix (Not a cop!) at October 31, 2025 11:36 AM (kBSKe)

124 121 Never own a range rover out of warranty.
------------
Snort.

Posted by: Pudinhead at October 31, 2025 11:36 AM (jFCkp)

125 How Dare You: U.N. Warns U.S. Attacks on Cartel Drug Boats ‘Unacceptable’
Posted by: SMOD at October 31, 2025 11:30 AM (RHGPo)

How dare the King? Because he can, faggots.

How dare YOU? Get back in your place, immediately cease and desist from your chronic lèse-majesté, and ferpetessakes, the next time you come calling, go to the fuckin' service entrance.

We don't want the real countries seeing the coolies on our veranda.

Posted by: Yudhishthira's Dice at October 31, 2025 11:36 AM (BI5O2)

126 You can’t make most large commercial transport with true mechanical linkages as a backup because a human is not able to exert the control authority needed. You could design some elaborate mechanical advantage system but a basic boost assist would be more reliable as a backup. And multiple electro-servo redundant systems with fallback loop damping would be just as good.

Posted by: banana Dream at October 31, 2025 11:37 AM (KTeKV)

127 The coolest thing I ever saw with regards to an EV was when someone posted a video of his Tesla being "summoned" in a flooded parking lot to the owner so he wouldn't get wet.

There was like, 4 or 5 inches of water in the lot, so it's not like the car was submerged.

But it was pouring down rain and the car drove itself to where he was waiting, under some store's awning.

So, like a once, maybe twice in a lifetime sort of thing an EV would be nice to have for.

Posted by: Martini Farmer at October 31, 2025 11:37 AM (Q4IgG)

128 They roll out these new autos and two months later there is a massive recall. It's happened over and over.

Posted by: Case at October 31, 2025 11:38 AM (9HFDU)

129 I don't have any experience with EVs, so I will just read what you mooks post.

Posted by: Don Black. Message: I just want to take you higher at October 31, 2025 11:38 AM (AOsQT)

130 I had a 90s-vintage Volvo. Three of them, actually. They cost a fortune to service but, to their credit, needed service very infrequently. That was a bulletproof era for Volvo. The 850 was a workhorse. I lost one to theft and one to wreck. The first went away thanks to the truly dreadful automatic transmission reliability problem the early ones had. The stickshifts were nearly impossible to break, though. My last one had well over a third of a million miles and the only truly major and expensive services it needed were timing belts and one clutch. One. In 300,000+ miles.

Posted by: Joe Mannix (Not a cop!) at October 31, 2025 11:38 AM (kBSKe)

131 “If you’re a billionaire, why are you a billionaire? No hate, but yeah, give your money away ..." ... to me.

Swiss bank account available upon request

Posted by: SMOD at October 31, 2025 11:39 AM (RHGPo)

132 I'm increasingly of the opinion that automotive engineering may have peaked in the late 90s or early aughts. There were enough electronics to make everything work really well and efficiently and flexibly...

ABS and EFI. Maybe back-up cameras. Everything else is useless fluff.

Posted by: Oddbob at October 31, 2025 11:39 AM (3nLb4)

133 >But it was pouring down rain and the car drove itself to where he was waiting, under some store's awning.
---

I think Iron Man's car does that

Posted by: Don Black. Message: I want to take you higher at October 31, 2025 11:39 AM (AOsQT)

134 How Dare You: U.N. Warns U.S. Attacks on Cartel Drug Boats ‘Unacceptable’

Someone's ox is getting gored.

Posted by: t-bird at October 31, 2025 11:39 AM (EyazE)

135 ABS and EFI. Maybe back-up cameras. Everything else is useless fluff.
Posted by: Oddbob at October 31, 2025 11:39 AM (3nLb4)
++++
Modern traction and stability control (really, an add-on use of the existing ABS infrastructure) was game-changing. Also dates from that era.

Posted by: Joe Mannix (Not a cop!) at October 31, 2025 11:40 AM (kBSKe)

136 Elaine Chao's sister was diagnosed with a rare Chinese disorder called Sum Ting Wong.

Posted by: ... at October 31, 2025 11:40 AM (MlvSb)

137 I don’t mind the subscription stuff. Like heated seats. You only need that a few months of the year. Pay for when you need it only.

Posted by: Its Go Time Donald at October 31, 2025 11:40 AM (3qp0C)

138 I don't have any experience with EVs, so I will just read what you mooks post.
Posted by: Don Black

You can always post about boobs, you know.

Posted by: Bulg at October 31, 2025 11:40 AM (77rzZ)

139
ABS and EFI. Maybe back-up cameras.

_________

Heated seats

Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at October 31, 2025 11:41 AM (7bgCh)

140 130 I had a 90s-vintage Volvo. Three of them, actually. They cost a fortune to service but, to their credit, needed service very infrequently. That was a bulletproof era for Volvo. The 850 was a workhorse. I lost one to theft and one to wreck. The first went away thanks to the truly dreadful automatic transmission reliability problem the early ones had. The stickshifts were nearly impossible to break, though. My last one had well over a third of a million miles and the only truly major and expensive services it needed were timing belts and one clutch. One. In 300,000+ miles.
Posted by: Joe Mannix (Not a cop!) at October 31, 2025 11:38 AM (kBSKe)

I still don't know how, but one of my uncles managed to squeeze nearly 500,000 miles out of his Toyota (I don't remember which model).

Posted by: XTC at October 31, 2025 11:41 AM (UnA8+)

141 That might not be true in the future, but right now buyers are giddy for as much electronic and digital stuff in the car as they can get.
Posted by: Elric The Blade at October 31, 2025 11:32 AM (iFTx/)
++++
This happened in the 80s, too, and then fell out of fashion as people realized it sucked and was less reliable. It'll happen again, probably.

But yes. The trend the past few years has been, "check out this smartphone on wheels." I don't like it, but lots of people do.
Posted by: Joe Mannix (Not a cop!) at October 31, 2025 11:34 AM (kBSKe)
______

True, but the 80s tech wasn't ready yet, and after the initial buzz wore off, buyers recognized they were essentially alpha testers. The tech is 100x better now, and can do things the 80s tech couldn't dream of. Some of the stuff is indeed useful and clearly a step forward from analog.

A few companies are toying with the idea of stepping back from digital, but the reaction has been "this sucks." Bentley has a rotating dash feature where you can hide the touchscreen. I've tried it; it's more trouble than it's worth. Ferrari doesn't have touchscreens in some new models. It's a disaster. Etc.

Posted by: Elric The Blade at October 31, 2025 11:41 AM (iFTx/)

142 But it was pouring down rain and the car drove itself to where he was waiting, under some store's awning.

So, like a once, maybe twice in a lifetime sort of thing an EV would be nice to have for.
Posted by: Martini Farmer at October 31, 2025 11:37 AM (Q4IgG)

If you can summon it like that, someone else with an override code can summon it with you inside it.

A lot of people suspect that the US is doing that with all of the F-35's it's selling.

Posted by: Tom Servo at October 31, 2025 11:42 AM (uWKK8)

143
“I don’t like talking about the competition so much, but I drive the Xiaomi. We flew one from Shanghai to Chicago, and I’ve been driving it for six months now, and I don’t want to give it up.”

Posted by: Oglebay at October 31, 2025 11:12 AM (GPa4z)

None of the Xiaomi models are legal for use on US highways, as they haven't been tested to US road and safety standards. They can only be imported for occasional R and D use, on industry test tracks or private roads, and forget trying to get it registered. So he's admitting that he committed a crime by using this Chinee POS driving around Chicago.

And us unwashed proles can forget about even trying to bring a fully US-compliant Toyota Hilux truck into the US because of some stupid politics.

Posted by: IllTemperedCur at October 31, 2025 11:42 AM (y9nCu)

144 I just want the air conditioning back in my Subaru Forester.

Posted by: Bulg at October 31, 2025 11:42 AM (77rzZ)

145 I don’t mind the subscription stuff. Like heated seats. You only need that a few months of the year. Pay for when you need it only.
Posted by: Its Go Time Donald at October 31, 2025 11:40 AM (3qp0C)

The day I subscribe to allow myself to use a built in "feature" on my car will be the same day I bed Karen Gillan. And it will take about as long.

Posted by: ... at October 31, 2025 11:42 AM (MlvSb)

146 I don’t mind the subscription stuff. Like heated seats. You only need that a few months of the year. Pay for when you need it only.
Posted by: Its Go Time Donald at October 31, 2025 11:40 AM (3qp0C)
++++
I think it's bullshit. The hardware is there on the car. They installed that hardware and then sold it to me. I paid for it. I own it. I am just not allowed to *use* the physical equipment I own without their say-so and paying their vig. Nothing has to be fitted. No equipment changes. It doesn't even require a new firmware version. It's just straight rent-seeking.

Posted by: Joe Mannix (Not a cop!) at October 31, 2025 11:43 AM (kBSKe)

147 >>>>>Volkswagen's timing on the introduction of the Scout EV (2027) has got to be worrisome.
Posted by: mr tmz at October 31, 2025 11:30 AM (rJ48h)
**********
I think South Carolina ponied up some big dollars to entice VW to build that scout plant there as well.

Posted by: Rufus T. Firefly at October 31, 2025 11:43 AM (ZTKaB)

148 ABS and EFI. Maybe back-up cameras. Everything else is useless fluff.
Posted by: Oddbob

ACC, blind spot monitor, auto brake, parking sensors. I don’t buy cars without those features. And yes I realize I’m not a real man for using parking sensors, lol.

Posted by: Its Go Time Donald at October 31, 2025 11:43 AM (3qp0C)

149 But it was pouring down rain and the car drove itself to where he was waiting, under some store's awning.

So, like a once, maybe twice in a lifetime sort of thing ~~an EV~~ a $5 umbrella[\b] would be nice to have for.

Edited for budgetary reasons.

Posted by: Oddbob at October 31, 2025 11:44 AM (3nLb4)

150
Vile reptilian harpy Jennifer Welch gives us more insight into her true nature:

https://is.gd/ti6t65

Jump to about 1 minute in. She tells the story of encountering a street bum masturbating while she's in NYC. He looks up at her, and reached completion.

She liked it, taking that as proof that she's still got it.

Posted by: publius, Rascally Mr. Miley (w6EFb) at October 31, 2025 11:45 AM (w6EFb)

151
“Rivian to cut over 600 jobs as EV demand flags after tax credits expire”

I wonder if there is any correlation...

Posted by: Thomas Paine at October 31, 2025 11:45 AM (+yTgC)

152 I don’t mind the subscription stuff. Like heated seats. You only need that a few months of the year. Pay for when you need it only.
Posted by: Its Go Time Donald at October 31, 2025 11:40 AM (3qp0C)

Wut?

You're paying the cost of those heated seats in the purchase price, and they cost you nothing when you're not using, and a seriously tiny amount when you do. The time and effort it would take to activate/deactive them is worth more than the cost of operation.

This kinda stuff is just pure rent-seeking by manufacturers of durable goods who look at the SaaS scams that software companies get away with, and turning chartreuse with envy at the greed and lack of integrity.

Posted by: Yudhishthira's Dice at October 31, 2025 11:45 AM (BI5O2)

153 139 Heated seats

hmm.... *scribbles note* just put the volatile lithium batteries under the seats and call it a feature.

Posted by: anachronda at October 31, 2025 11:45 AM (oY6Yp)

154 ACC, blind spot monitor, auto brake, parking sensors. I don’t buy cars without those features. And yes I realize I’m not a real man for using parking sensors, lol.
Posted by: Its Go Time Donald at October 31, 2025 11:43 AM (3qp0C)
++++
Parking sensors are superior to backup cameras, in my opinion. Audible cues during maneuvers that don't take eyes off mirrors and windows are great.

I hate blind-spot detection. Every one I have encountered thinks the "blind spot" is big enough to comfortably hold a couple of buses. I am not a crazy aggressive or cut-it-close kind of driver, but those blind-spot detection systems were designed by ninnies.

Adaptive cruise control is cool, though.

Posted by: Joe Mannix (Not a cop!) at October 31, 2025 11:46 AM (kBSKe)

155 The "subscriptions" for things like heated seats aren't really what the media has been click-baiting us for. You don't need a subscription to use the heated seats. You can get in the car and push a button to turn them on, no subscription needed.

What you do need a subscription for, however, is to use the company's wireless network service to remotely turn on the car and activate the heated seats. That involves apps, cell and digital networks, and the company's cloud infrastructure. That's not a feature "built into" the car.

I don't like paying for that either, but that's not the same as buying a car and not being able to turn on heated seats without a monthly fee.

Posted by: Elric The Blade at October 31, 2025 11:46 AM (iFTx/)

156 ABS and EFI. Maybe back-up cameras. Everything else is useless fluff.
Posted by: Oddbob at October 31, 2025 11:39 AM (3nLb4)

I'm starting to really like my backup camera. It has a *much* greater field of view than I do from the driver's seat. Especially if there are SUVs on both sides of me.

Posted by: Polliwog the 'Ette at October 31, 2025 11:46 AM (lFFaq)

157 11
‘ Electric or not - carry a hammer in your car, people.’

I never leave the house without one.

Posted by: Paul Pelosi at October 31, 2025 11:46 AM (jbnUc)

158 146 I think it's bullshit. The hardware is there on the car. They installed that hardware and then sold it to me. I paid for it. I own it. I am just not allowed to *use* the physical equipment I own without their say-so and paying their vig. Nothing has to be fitted. No equipment changes. It doesn't even require a new firmware version. It's just straight rent-seeking.
Posted by: Joe Mannix (Not a cop!) at October 31, 2025 11:43 AM (kBSKe)

It's "You Will Own Nothing, and You Will Be Happy" bullshit.

Posted by: XTC at October 31, 2025 11:47 AM (UnA8+)

159 If I buy something, with heated / air conditioned seats or a backup camera, or some other "feature" I would not, in addition to paying for those amenities pay again for some bullshit subscription to use them.

Satellite radio and RT traffic is bad enough.

Posted by: Martini Farmer at October 31, 2025 11:47 AM (Q4IgG)

160
I had a 90s-vintage Volvo. ... My last one had well over a third of a million miles and the only truly major and expensive services it needed were timing belts and one clutch. One. In 300,000+ miles.
Posted by: Joe Mannix

This things are like the 1970s Honda motorcycles that were designed to run on regular leaded gas. Ugly as sin, but never break down and are basically unkillable regardless of how shitty the owner maintains them.

Posted by: BifBewalski at October 31, 2025 11:48 AM (N/GS5)

161 I think it's bullshit. The hardware is there on the car. They installed that hardware and then sold it to me. I paid for it. I own it. I am just not allowed to *use* the physical equipment I own without their say-so and paying their vig. Nothing has to be fitted. No equipment changes. It doesn't even require a new firmware version. It's just straight rent-seeking.
Posted by: Joe Mannix (Not a cop!) at October 31, 2025 11:43 AM (kBSKe)

Peloton works this way. You buy the bike then pay a subscription to use it.

I don’t own one and I think the whole peloton thing is kinda gay. just saying it’s not something unique to bmw or cars.

Posted by: Its Go Time Donald at October 31, 2025 11:49 AM (3qp0C)

162 >>>Ford plans to boost F-150 output by 45,000 units in 2026 through workforce redistribution

good -- build more V8s, not turbo 6s and 4s. And build more low trim levels with less electronic crap on it while you're at it

you go to the lot and there is 400 Lariats with all the bells and whistles and like 2 XLs

Posted by: brak at October 31, 2025 11:49 AM (jGJov)

163 She liked it, taking that as proof that she's still got it.
Posted by: publius, Rascally Mr. Miley (w6EFb) at October 31, 2025 11:45 AM (w6EFb)

This demands a new rating system on ace. Because I don't think they are picky.

Like, "she's a Hobo 6".

Posted by: ... at October 31, 2025 11:49 AM (MlvSb)

164 ... What you do need a subscription for, however, is to use the company's wireless network service to remotely turn on the car and activate the heated seats. That involves apps, cell and digital networks, and the company's cloud infrastructure. That's not a feature "built into" the car. ...
Posted by: Elric The Blade at October 31, 2025 11:46 AM (iFTx/)
++++
Yes, it is.

The heating elements, control mechanisms, interlocks, etc. all already exist. They are built in, just turned off and disabled you can't use them unless you pay more to use what is already there. That the company has to stand up a major IT infrastructure to handle the on/off call is beside the point. They wouldn't have to maintain that infrastructure if they *weren't* rent-seeking in the first place. They would just turn it on at the factory and ship it.

And yes, OTA updates are a thing now, too - but that infrastructure is needed for that anyway and it is paid for through savings at the service department. Exploiting that infrastructure to enable rent-seeking and then blaming the costs to run it in order to justify the rent-seeking is bullshit.

Posted by: Joe Mannix (Not a cop!) at October 31, 2025 11:50 AM (kBSKe)

165 ACC, blind spot monitor, auto brake, parking sensors. I don’t buy cars without those features. And yes I realize I’m not a real man for using parking sensors, lol.
Posted by: Its Go Time Donald at October 31, 2025 11:43 AM (3qp0C)
++++
Parking sensors are superior to backup cameras, in my opinion. Audible cues during maneuvers that don't take eyes off mirrors and windows are great.

I hate blind-spot detection. Every one I have encountered thinks the "blind spot" is big enough to comfortably hold a couple of buses. I am not a crazy aggressive or cut-it-close kind of driver, but those blind-spot detection systems were designed by ninnies.

Adaptive cruise control is cool, though.
Posted by: Joe Mannix (Not a cop!) at October 31, 2025 11:46 AM (kBSKe)
_____

I once hated blind-spot detection, but the newer systems are more advanced and useful. In places with a lot of traffic, the detection does help to warn you of idiots doing idiotic things.

Most cars have backup cams and parking sensors. The future is 3D overhead views of the car that are so realistic and accurate you'd swear a film crew is on a crane above you. A few cars already have this, but it's an expensive option.

Posted by: Elric The Blade at October 31, 2025 11:50 AM (iFTx/)

166 Peloton works this way. You buy the bike then pay a subscription to use it.

I don’t own one and I think the whole peloton thing is kinda gay. just saying it’s not something unique to bmw or cars.
Posted by: Its Go Time Donald

I never understood why you need a stupid "instructor" on a screen to pedal a stationary bike.

Posted by: Bulg at October 31, 2025 11:50 AM (77rzZ)

167 I hate blind-spot detection. Every one I have encountered thinks the "blind spot" is big enough to comfortably hold a couple of buses. I am not a crazy aggressive or cut-it-close kind of driver, but those blind-spot detection systems were designed by ninnies.

Posted by: Joe Mannix (Not a cop!) at October 31, 2025 11:46 AM (kBSKe)

=====

I have a Jeep Grand Cherokee, and the blind spots in that car are HUGE (doesn't help matters that my son installed window deflectors so I could smoke when it was raining).

Posted by: Jordan61 at October 31, 2025 11:50 AM (DRSnL)

168 YouTube TV customers watched ESPN go dark Thursday night as talks between the Google-owned platform and sports network broke down, leading the channel — along with other Disney-operated channels — to disappear from the platform. A deal between the two sides could not be reached, and by late Thursday night, the stations, which include ABC, FX, Disney Jr. and National Geographic, along with ESPN channels, went dark for more than 10 million YouTube TV customers, escalating the prolonged back-and-forth between the two sides.

Posted by: SMOD at October 31, 2025 11:51 AM (RHGPo)

169 Posted by: Elric The Blade at October 31, 2025 11:46 AM (iFTx/)

I think it's BMW that was recently walling off "features" by subscription tier.

Posted by: ... at October 31, 2025 11:51 AM (MlvSb)

170 >This kinda stuff is just pure rent-seeking by manufacturers of durable goods
---

I bought an electric range from Amana. Good product. Now the original warranty is about to expire and they want to sell me extended coverage. Not for a one time price, but for a subscription of $9 a month. In perpetuity, for as long as I want the coverage. Depending on how long I live, I could end up paying more than the price of the range.

Posted by: Don Black. Message: I want to take you higher at October 31, 2025 11:51 AM (AOsQT)

171 Peloton works this way. You buy the bike then pay a subscription to use it.

I don’t own one and I think the whole peloton thing is kinda gay. just saying it’s not something unique to bmw or cars.
Posted by: Its Go Time Donald at October 31, 2025 11:49 AM (3qp0C)
++++
Yes, and it's BS there, too, if you actually can't use it without the subscription. I get the subscription thing for Peleton, because there is value there. Real-time classes, special "course" configurations, tuning to your usage, etc. But if you don't see the value in that or think it's too expensive and just want to ride but it still won't work because there are no unlocked local controls (I don't know if there are or not, as I don't own one), then that crosses the line into rent-seeking bullshit.

Posted by: Joe Mannix (Not a cop!) at October 31, 2025 11:52 AM (kBSKe)

172 I once hated blind-spot detection, but the newer systems are more advanced and useful. In places with a lot of traffic, the detection does help to warn you of idiots doing idiotic things.
Posted by: Elric The Blade

My wife's RAV-4 has an extra little mirror embedded in the bigger mirror that takes care of the blind-spot issue.

Posted by: Bulg at October 31, 2025 11:53 AM (77rzZ)

173 Hey Jordan!

Posted by: SMH at God's mercy at October 31, 2025 11:53 AM (22p5n)

174 157 11
‘ Electric or not - carry a hammer in your car, people.’

I never leave the house without one.

.. had a friend who always carried a hatchet in his car.
He said it was a real overwhelming decider.

Posted by: SMOD at October 31, 2025 11:53 AM (RHGPo)

175 Hi Bulg. : )

Posted by: SMH at God's mercy at October 31, 2025 11:53 AM (22p5n)

176 On cars you can eliminate 90% of blind spots with proper side mirror positioning. Fuck I sound like Wesley Crusher.

Posted by: ... at October 31, 2025 11:54 AM (MlvSb)

177 all I know about Rivian is that they were supposed to be a woke alternative to Tesla

Posted by: runner at October 31, 2025 11:54 AM (g47mK)

178 SMH. Good morning, darlin

Posted by: Ben Had at October 31, 2025 11:54 AM (E6fZE)

179 Hi, SMH! How's it going?

Posted by: Bulg at October 31, 2025 11:54 AM (77rzZ)

180 What you do need a subscription for, however, is to use the company's wireless network service to remotely turn on the car and activate the heated seats. That involves apps, cell and digital networks, and the company's cloud infrastructure. That's not a feature "built into" the car. ...
Posted by: Elric The Blade at October 31, 2025 11:46 AM (iFTx/)
++++
Yes, it is.

The heating elements, control mechanisms, interlocks, etc. all already exist. They are built in, just turned off and disabled you can't use them unless you pay more to use what is already there. That the company has to stand up a major IT infrastructure to handle the on/off call is beside the point. They wouldn't have to maintain that infrastructure if they *weren't* rent-seeking in the first place. They would just turn it on at the factory and ship it.

Posted by: Joe Mannix (Not a cop!) at October 31, 2025 11:50 AM (kBSKe)
__

The external wireless system and network that allows you to control the car remotely is not built into the car. It's an external system that requires maintenance, upgrades, power, and capital. When you buy a physical phone, you get the phone. You don't also get the phone service for free.

Posted by: Elric The Blade at October 31, 2025 11:54 AM (iFTx/)

181 I also like “useless” things like ventilated seats, climate control where you set the temp vs setting fan speed, all the checks on the engine health. My truck has a tow thing where it senses the length of that is being towed and has trailer backup assist in the camera that is AI generated. That’s pretty fucking cool when you’re backing up a 30 ft trailer.

All sorts of cool tech that is “useless” but can come in handy.

Posted by: Its Go Time Donald at October 31, 2025 11:55 AM (3qp0C)

182 My wife's RAV-4 has an extra little mirror embedded in the bigger mirror that takes care of the blind-spot issue.
Posted by: Bulg at October 31, 2025 11:53 AM (77rzZ)
++++
A few bucks are Autozone or retailer of your choice and you can stick 'em on to any car. I have them on my car that doesn't have 'em built in.

Old old old old "tech," but boy do they work well.

Posted by: Joe Mannix (Not a cop!) at October 31, 2025 11:55 AM (kBSKe)

183 Ben Had!!!

How are you doing?

Posted by: SMH at God's mercy at October 31, 2025 11:55 AM (22p5n)

184 87
‘One of the futuristic features of many EVs is that the door requires electrical commands to open rather than opening via the mechanical action of pulling the inside door handle’

There’s no excuse for not having an easy to operate mechanical exit in anything or place that can catch on fire.

Posted by: Dr. Claw at October 31, 2025 11:55 AM (jbnUc)

185 I don't care about heated/air-conditioned seats, but a heated/air-conditioned steering wheel would be nice.

Posted by: Bulg at October 31, 2025 11:56 AM (77rzZ)

186 150
Vile reptilian harpy Jennifer Welch gives us more insight into her true nature:

https://is.gd/ti6t65

Jump to about 1 minute in. She tells the story of encountering a street bum masturbating while she's in NYC. He looks up at her, and reached completion.

She liked it, taking that as proof that she's still got it.
Posted by: publius, Rascally Mr. Miley (w6EFb) at October 31, 2025 11:45 AM (w6EFb)

So I guess for her own self esteem, she should spend more time visiting high security lockups for sex offenders.

Posted by: Tom Servo at October 31, 2025 11:56 AM (uWKK8)

187 I still haven't seen any charging stations for the EVs.
Posted by: dantesed
---------

Around here, they are located at the prime parking spots.

Posted by: Mike Hammer, etc., etc. at October 31, 2025 11:56 AM (XeU6L)

188 SMH, life on the farm is good

Posted by: Ben Had at October 31, 2025 11:56 AM (E6fZE)

189 184 There’s no excuse for not having an easy to operate mechanical exit in anything or place that can catch on fire.
Posted by: Dr. Claw at October 31, 2025 11:55 AM (jbnUc)

"We want the self-driving system to be able to kill you if we deem it necessary" is the reasoning.

Posted by: XTC at October 31, 2025 11:57 AM (UnA8+)

190 ‘ Electric or not - carry a hammer in your car, people.’

If a .45 acp won't bust a window, a piddly assed hammer won't.

Posted by: rickb223 Acehole Extraordinaire coined by JSpicy at October 31, 2025 11:57 AM (p6raP)

191 The lightning was a really dumb truck scrambled out in a hurry to take advantage of subsidies etc. It was a normal F150 converted into electric, and was not well done. Even for an EV it was a bad job, with poor hauling capacity, bad range, and the electric parts were very open to water from the road.

Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at October 31, 2025 11:57 AM (dfIr7)

192 Also - subscriptions for software products are gayer than Tyler Robinson.

For me there's no way around it - the software I need for work is all owned by monopolies.

But it's like making a handyman rent his hammer.

Posted by: Yudhishthira's Dice at October 31, 2025 11:58 AM (BI5O2)

193 Ben Had, how many acres is your farm?

Posted by: Bulg at October 31, 2025 11:58 AM (77rzZ)

194 There's an untapped market for "jailbreaking" vehicle options. I'm sure it exists, but it's not widely known.

The software used in most vehicles is very similar and pretty unsophisticated for what it does. Thieves were able to reproduce the keyfob tech to open, and then steal Kia's by the thousands not long ago.

Then someone figured out how to steal a vehicle more complicated than that by tapping into the "network" by plugging a laptop with software on it into the vehicle's headlight fixture. Tap a few keys, open the door and do a remote start. Drive off.

Posted by: Martini Farmer at October 31, 2025 11:59 AM (Q4IgG)

195 The external wireless system and network that allows you to control the car remotely is not built into the car. It's an external system that requires maintenance, upgrades, power, and capital. When you buy a physical phone, you get the phone. You don't also get the phone service for free.
Posted by: Elric The Blade at October 31, 2025 11:54 AM (iFTx/)
++++
That is a service charge. The equipment is *mine.* If I choose to subscribe to services, cool. But locking out core functionality by choice in order to extract more money from the customer is still a load of crap. The two things - remote control services and subscriptions for fixed hardware enablement - are not the same, even if they share a common delivery infrastructure.

One requires real-time support and access. The other requires a software "switch" to be flipped to turn on stuff that exists in the vehicle. I can use my phone without a network connection to use software I have locally installed. The phone doesn't suddenly say that some blocks of local storage capacity or processor cores or parts of the screen or whatever are unavailable if I don't pay Samsung a monthly vig.

Posted by: Joe Mannix (Not a cop!) at October 31, 2025 11:59 AM (kBSKe)

196 Highway deaths per 100 million miles driven in 1990 was 1.96. In 2000 was 1.50. Today it’s 1.20.

All these “useless” safety things in cars have saved a lot of lives.

Posted by: Its Go Time Donald at October 31, 2025 11:59 AM (3qp0C)

197 It is looking like the Pritzger/Johnson troops in Chicago will never give up their attacks on Fed ICE and Guard troops. No matter how many get arrested, it doesn't have the needed effect. Are we headed for something on the scale of what happend in Rio de Janiero, in which a police force of 2,500 went after drug gangs and almost 70 were killed, including 4 cops?

Do any of these protesters have the kind of burning hatred for the opposition that they will strap on a vest with a trigger and die for the cause?

Or will they just continue to escalate in numbers, using tactics right up to the line of almost-arrest, hoping to spark a shot and achieve a martyr.

Posted by: M. Gaga at October 31, 2025 11:59 AM (zeLd4)

198 There’s no excuse for not having an easy to operate mechanical exit in anything or place that can catch on fire.
Posted by: Dr. Claw at October 31, 2025 11:55 AM (jbnUc)

Would you be for regulating this though? I might. Does that make me a dirty commie leftist? Maybe.

I like food labels too.

I know the libs use safety and for the chiddrins to fuck us every which way and enrich themselves at our expense, but there is a place where a regulatiion can be sensible and not onerous. But it's a slippery slope.

Posted by: ... at October 31, 2025 12:00 PM (MlvSb)

199 I also like “useless” things like ventilated seats, climate control where you set the temp vs setting fan speed, all the checks on the engine health. My truck has a tow thing where it senses the length of that is being towed and has trailer backup assist in the camera that is AI generated. That’s pretty fucking cool when you’re backing up a 30 ft trailer.

All sorts of cool tech that is “useless” but can come in handy.
Posted by: Its Go Time Donald at October 31, 2025 11:55 AM (3qp0C)
______

Yes. The theme of this post seems it be "we don't need all this junk," but if you read the comments, there are an awfully large number of "junk" options that people here do really like, and will pay for. Which of course is why cars offer all this stuff. People want it.

It's not even stuff that actually does anything. It can be trim materials. Buyers spend tens of thousands -- and in some cases hundreds of thousands -- for carbon-fiber interior and exterior components, alcantara interiors, etc.

Posted by: Elric The Blade at October 31, 2025 12:00 PM (iFTx/)

200 She liked it, taking that as proof that she's still got it.
Posted by: publius, Rascally Mr. Miley (w6EFb) at October 31, 2025 11:45 AM (w6EFb)

She looks familiar for some reason. Some tv show or movie.

Regardless, she is a repugnant never was. One thing about the internet is people dredge it's depths looing for someone who says something horrifying. Then this person is elevated to a thought leader among the opposition. Then they are burned down to the treeline (or nuked from orbit.)

It's like strawmanning in a lot of ways as an argument.

Posted by: Aetius451AD at October 31, 2025 12:00 PM (bss/y)

201 Hey SMH!

Posted by: Jordan61 at October 31, 2025 12:00 PM (DRSnL)

202 I don't care about heated/air-conditioned seats, but a heated/air-conditioned steering wheel would be nice.
Posted by: Bulg

Remote start where the vehicle is warm when you get in it in winter is nice.

Posted by: rickb223 Acehole Extraordinaire coined by JSpicy at October 31, 2025 12:00 PM (p6raP)

203 Thx Buck. I just wish the smug would leave EV owners.

Posted by: Smell the Glove at October 31, 2025 12:00 PM (8vl0d)

204 I still have the first edition (1996) RAV-4 that I bought new for my then-wife to drive.

Bare bones - manual transmission, hand crank windows, manual door locks, manual heat/AC control, etc.

I don't drive it much, but when I do, I harken back to the days when a car was just a car.

Posted by: one hour sober at October 31, 2025 12:01 PM (Y1sOo)

205 This escalator brunette in tight jeans likes her boyfriend's balls-to-the-wall fast EV sedan:
http://tiny.cc/hcgu001

Posted by: Joe Mannix (Not a cop!) at October 31, 2025 12:01 PM (kBSKe)

206 My new ICE car, bought this week, is a 2025 brand new Subaru Impreza base 4WD ICE vehicle with 3 total added accessories. It even has a key still to start the car.

$24,500 cash with no trade in. The distortion of the EV market apparently did not hit Japan, so they have real value cars still to sell. And they didn't load them up with junk my kids (and spouse) didn't need.

Posted by: Nova Local at October 31, 2025 12:01 PM (tOcjL)

207 Morn' all.. My Daughter has a Tesla and likes it... Got it a year ago right before the election... Of course they have gas cars for any long distances.. Great for her to and from work...

Posted by: It's me donna at October 31, 2025 12:01 PM (VE6XX)

208 A few years back, I was doing contract work for EVBox here in Illinois -- they were a Europoor outfit (snort) looking to exploit Biden-loot in the US. They had Governor Flintstone front the money for a facility in Libertyville. We were doing OK with setting up the manufacturing operation but the engineering out of Europe left something to be desired. Oh, and the accounting too...which is why it shuttered in 2024.

Posted by: Big Fat Meanie at October 31, 2025 12:02 PM (qwx/I)

209 Is harken the right word there? I don't know. Should've checked first.

Posted by: one hour sober at October 31, 2025 12:02 PM (Y1sOo)

210 ACC, blind spot monitor, auto brake, parking sensors. I don’t buy cars without those features. And yes I realize I’m not a real man for using parking sensors, lol.
Posted by: Its Go Time

I won't buy a vehicle with auto brake or steer assist. Way too dangerous. Good luck if you ever drive in rain or ice.

Posted by: Thomas Paine at October 31, 2025 12:02 PM (+yTgC)

211 You're not a man unless you have to give your car a running start like Fred Flintstone.

Posted by: ... at October 31, 2025 12:02 PM (MlvSb)

212 $24,500 cash with no trade in. The distortion of the EV market apparently did not hit Japan, so they have real value cars still to sell. And they didn't load them up with junk my kids (and spouse) didn't need.
Posted by: Nova Local at October 31, 2025 12:01 PM (tOcjL)
++++
Dang. If that deal's available where I am, I might find myself in the market...

Posted by: Joe Mannix (Not a cop!) at October 31, 2025 12:02 PM (kBSKe)

213
Remote start where the vehicle is warm when you get in it in winter is nice.
Posted by: rickb223 Acehole Extraordinaire coined by JSpicy at October 31, 2025 12:00 PM (p6raP)

I like the heated steering wheel when it's cold.

Posted by: CaliGirl at October 31, 2025 12:02 PM (AZf41)

214 I could live with a truck that was not huge Manual. Crank windows. Heated seats.

Not all options are created equal.

Posted by: Aetius451AD at October 31, 2025 12:02 PM (bss/y)

215 >I would tell the UN :

I guess we’re at a stalemate because we find Cartel Drug Boats coming to the US Unacceptable.

Posted by: the way I see it at October 31, 2025 11:33 AM (EYmYM)

I think LOLGF is more succinct.

Posted by: Heavy Meta at October 31, 2025 12:03 PM (GTqXr)

216 harken

----

Hearken

Posted by: Yudhishthira's Dice at October 31, 2025 12:03 PM (BI5O2)

217 The external wireless system and network that allows you to control the car remotely is not built into the car. It's an external system that requires maintenance, upgrades, power, and capital. When you buy a physical phone, you get the phone. You don't also get the phone service for free.
Posted by: Elric The Blade at October 31, 2025 11:54 AM (iFTx/)
++++
That is a service charge. The equipment is *mine.* If I choose to subscribe to services, cool. But locking out core functionality by choice in order to extract more money from the customer is still a load of crap. The two things - remote control services and subscriptions for fixed hardware enablement - are not the same, even if they share a common delivery infrastructure.

Posted by: Joe Mannix (Not a cop!) at October 31, 2

________

Give one actual example of a locked-out core component in the car that you paid for that doesn't rely on an external network that nonetheless needs a subscription to activate. I don't think they exist, or at least I've never encountered one.

Posted by: Elric The Blade at October 31, 2025 12:04 PM (iFTx/)

218 212 $24,500 cash with no trade in. The distortion of the EV market apparently did not hit Japan, so they have real value cars still to sell. And they didn't load them up with junk my kids (and spouse) didn't need.
Posted by: Nova Local at October 31, 2025 12:01 PM (tOcjL)
++++
Dang. If that deal's available where I am, I might find myself in the market...
Posted by: Joe Mannix (Not a cop!) at October 31, 2025 12:02 PM (kBSKe)

Even I have the savings to pull that off...

...assuming the dealership and my bank would both be on board, anyway.

Posted by: XTC at October 31, 2025 12:04 PM (UnA8+)

219 Morning, folken,

The 'Net was out in my area this morning; I had no way to connect. Service is now restored.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at October 31, 2025 12:04 PM (omVj0)

220 My '21 year model Multistrada motorcycle has ACC, ABS, and blind spot detection in it. The ACC is very handy in traffic where nimrods can't or won't pick a consistent speed. The blind spot detection is kinda meh, and my head is on a suped up swivel whenever I ride anyway.

Posted by: BifBewalski at October 31, 2025 12:04 PM (N/GS5)

221 It is looking like the Pritzger/Johnson troops in Chicago will never give up their attacks on Fed ICE and Guard troops. No matter how many get arrested, it doesn't have the needed effect. Are we headed for something on the scale of what happend in Rio de Janiero, in which a police force of 2,500 went after drug gangs and almost 70 were killed, including 4 cops?
___

There's a young man who attends my church, who's also in the National Guard here in southern IL.
He's currently deployed to the Chiraq AO.

Please keep him and his battle buddies in your prayers.

Posted by: SMH at God's mercy at October 31, 2025 12:04 PM (22p5n)

222 212 $24,500 cash with no trade in. The distortion of the EV market apparently did not hit Japan, so they have real value cars still to sell. And they didn't load them up with junk my kids (and spouse) didn't need.
Posted by: Nova Local at October 31, 2025 12:01 PM (tOcjL)
++++
Dang. If that deal's available where I am, I might find myself in the market...
Posted by: Joe Mannix (Not a cop!) at October 31, 2025 12:02 PM (kBSKe)

And that included all taxes, fees, everything...out the door price. But you don't get accessories and cool things, which I did not want, b/c they break...and thus why I gave up my 2014 Subaru and let insurance total it...it made so much sense to trade up for what they were giving me not to fix...

Posted by: Nova Local at October 31, 2025 12:04 PM (tOcjL)

223 Gayle King planning her exit at cBS.

Posted by: Big Fat Meanie at October 31, 2025 12:05 PM (qwx/I)

224 >>Hearken

Thank you. I'll go edit my comment. Oh, wait...

Posted by: one hour sober at October 31, 2025 12:05 PM (Y1sOo)

225 The bottom line is that EVs were always a novelty item, a fad that the government propped up by printing money and handing it out. And it was always for the rich. Middle class families cannot afford a new EV because not only are they rather expensive, but cannot act as a primary vehicle, so it has to be a second purchase.

So the left, in its idiotic push to eliminate gas powered cars, stole money from the public to help wealthy people buy a second car.

Which is odd no matter how you spin it.

Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at October 31, 2025 12:05 PM (dfIr7)

226
Oh dear, a little more cash in our pockets. Where's the next bonfire?

Posted by: American industry at October 31, 2025 12:05 PM (xJGPn)

227 Casey Putsch says he can build a basic car for around $20,000.

Gubmint won't let him.

Posted by: ju at October 31, 2025 12:05 PM (EgpoY)

228
And good morning.

Posted by: Blonde Morticia at October 31, 2025 12:05 PM (xJGPn)

229 223 Gayle King planning her exit at cBS.
Posted by: Big Fat Meanie at October 31, 2025 12:05 PM (qwx/I)

Hope they kick her out... Literally

Posted by: It's me donna at October 31, 2025 12:05 PM (VE6XX)

230 Take 10 minutes and listen to this interview.

https://tinyurl.com/2mp9tj8b

Posted by: JackStraw at October 31, 2025 12:05 PM (viF8m)

231 speaking of ev follies, i'm starting to see ads touting the "all-hybrid" toyota corolla. the whole *point* of a hybrid is that they're not "all" anything.
Posted by: anachronda at October 31, 2025

***
True. But I think they want their customers to know these are NOT EVs.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at October 31, 2025 12:05 PM (omVj0)

232 146
‘ They installed that hardware and then sold it to me. I paid for it. I own it.’

I bet there’s an electric solution to this problem such that they never know about my ‘unauthorized’ use.

Posted by: Dr. Claw at October 31, 2025 12:05 PM (jbnUc)

233 I don't want any back up sensors, cameras, or a monitor in the dash. I don't think those exist in new models.

Posted by: Thomas Paine at October 31, 2025 12:06 PM (+yTgC)

234 My wife wants to buy a new car, as her older one has 140,000 miles of wear on it. Can the horde suggest the least spy-ware laden vehicle available today? She likes a smaller SUV body type, and today drives an Audi Q5.

My own car is 21 years old and reports nothing to no one, and I am not replacing it. Probably ever.

Posted by: Huck Follywood at October 31, 2025 12:06 PM (h06tk)

235 Give one actual example of a locked-out core component in the car that you paid for that doesn't rely on an external network that nonetheless needs a subscription to activate. I don't think they exist, or at least I've never encountered one.
Posted by: Elric The Blade at October 31, 2025 12:04 PM (iFTx/)
++++
Heated seats. Built in to the car and no external dependency *other* than the mechanism to turn it on and off - a mechanism that exists only to synthetically create an external dependency that never existed before BMW decided to start rent-seeking.

Posted by: Joe Mannix (Not a cop!) at October 31, 2025 12:06 PM (kBSKe)

236 Glenn Howerton (Dennis Reynolds on "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia") has an amusing story of his own Tesla follies. He parked his car in an underground parking garage and it lost power or something. He was not locked inside the vehicle. Instead he was locked out of it. Because it was underground, it couldn't connect to the wireless network in the region. It took him about three days to get that car out of the underground parking garage when all he needed was a bit of juice.

Posted by: "Perfessor" Squirrel at October 31, 2025 12:06 PM (RnixX)

237 GOD gave us petroleum. It is the way.

Posted by: Eromero at October 31, 2025 12:06 PM (jgmnb)

238 Where is the Boss, or is it too early?

Posted by: tubal at October 31, 2025 12:06 PM (PCK5/)

239 Amen Eromero!

Posted by: SMH at God's mercy at October 31, 2025 12:06 PM (22p5n)

240 It can be spelled either "hearken" or "harken."

Posted by: Bulg at October 31, 2025 12:07 PM (77rzZ)

241 Will do SMH.

Posted by: ... at October 31, 2025 12:07 PM (MlvSb)

242 I won't buy a vehicle with auto brake or steer assist. Way too dangerous. Good luck if you ever drive in rain or ice.

My new K4 has both of those but it also has a way to disable them too.

Posted by: CrotchetyOldJarhead at October 31, 2025 12:07 PM (3Ope8)

243 Give one actual example of a locked-out core component in the car that you paid for that doesn't rely on an external network that nonetheless needs a subscription to activate. I don't think they exist, or at least I've never encountered one.
Posted by: Elric The Blade at October 31, 2025 12:04 PM (iFTx/)
++++
Heated seats. Built in to the car and no external dependency *other* than the mechanism to turn it on and off - a mechanism that exists only to synthetically create an external dependency that never existed before BMW decided to start rent-seeking.
Posted by: Joe Mannix (Not a cop!) at October 31, 2025 12:06 PM (kBSKe)
___

Huh? There are three new or nearly-new BMWs in my (extended) family. All have heated seats. None require any subscription. You push a button and the seats turn on.

Posted by: Elric The Blade at October 31, 2025 12:08 PM (iFTx/)

244 238 Where is the Boss, or is it too early?
Posted by: tubal at October 31, 2025 12:06 PM (PCK5/)

Sometimes he is right on the dot (my guess is if he has a post scheduled) and other times it is up to 20-30 mins after the noon hour.

Posted by: Aetius451AD at October 31, 2025 12:08 PM (bss/y)

245 242 I won't buy a vehicle with auto brake or steer assist. Way too dangerous. Good luck if you ever drive in rain or ice.

My new K4 has both of those but it also has a way to disable them too.
Posted by: CrotchetyOldJarhead at October 31, 2025 12:07 PM (3Ope

Almost bought the K4 this week...but that dealer lied to me so I walked...

Posted by: Nova Local at October 31, 2025 12:08 PM (tOcjL)

246 240 It can be spelled either "hearken" or "harken."
Posted by: Bulg at October 31, 2025 12:07 PM (77rzZ)

Hearken the Heralden Angels Sing, I am thinken.

Posted by: tubal at October 31, 2025 12:08 PM (PCK5/)

247 God chucked a meteor at the dinosaurs so that we could drive cars, damnit.

Posted by: XTC at October 31, 2025 12:09 PM (UnA8+)

248 There are still cheap cars available. A base Honda Accord is $30k. Or you can buy a $100k Suburban with all the stuff. And 1000 options in between.

There’s something for everyone.

Posted by: Its Go Time Donald at October 31, 2025 12:09 PM (3qp0C)

249 Heh. That reminds me. It has been sprinkling here for around 3 days. At the beginning I was getting on the freeway and put a bit too much acceleration on and broke the rear wheels loose. Got it under control quick, but it is always fun- and a good way to wake up.

Posted by: Aetius451AD at October 31, 2025 12:10 PM (bss/y)

250 80% of All Teslas built since 2012 23 years ago she still on the road and reporting daily to Tesla their existence
Tesla with highest verified mileage is a German taxi with 1.3 million miles.
Toyota has set a date for its first solid state battery 2027
750 mile range and 10min recharge.

Insurance costs are within 1% for EVs and ICE cars. The risk for fire damage is higher for gasoline cars.

Posted by: Aliassmithsmith at October 31, 2025 12:10 PM (NBSkv)

251 It can be spelled either "hearken" or "harken."
Posted by: Bulg at October 31, 2025 12:07 PM (77rzZ)

True.

But it's been about half a millennium since it was a spelling in common usage. It's been "hearken" since the advent of Shakespearian English started sloughing off older German usages.

Posted by: Yudhishthira's Dice at October 31, 2025 12:10 PM (BI5O2)

252 If someone wants to buy a car, today is the day - all the monthly fees dealers need to pay hit on the 1st of the month, so they look to clear cars the last week of fall months, especially 2025 new model ones, b/c the 2026s are there...

Posted by: Nova Local at October 31, 2025 12:10 PM (tOcjL)

253 Huh? There are three new or nearly-new BMWs in my (extended) family. All have heated seats. None require any subscription. You push a button and the seats turn on.
Posted by: Elric The Blade at October 31, 2025 12:08 PM (iFTx/)
++++
It depends entirely on initial configuration.

You can pay the dealer up-front and they turn it on and it stays on. If you don't, you can turn it on later and pay a subscription. Either way, it is an upcharge for kit BMW installed at the factory. You get to choose the depth and vigorousness of your butt-pounding, but not whether you receive one. Every BMW shipped has heated seats, even if you don't get that package or whatever. The payment is to turn it on, since they decided they just couldn't bear putting a "premium feature" on every model just because it saved a bundle on supply chain management and assembly.

Posted by: Joe Mannix (Not a cop!) at October 31, 2025 12:11 PM (kBSKe)

254 Posted by: Nova Local at October 31, 2025 12:08 PM (tOcjL)

Go find another dealer and buy one. I have about 5500 miles on mine to date and I love it. I'd highly recommend them. Especially the heated seats and the big display.

Posted by: CrotchetyOldJarhead at October 31, 2025 12:11 PM (3Ope8)

255 248 There’s something for everyone.
Posted by: Its Go Time Donald at October 31, 2025 12:09 PM (3qp0C)

Except for people with sub-50k/year jobs.

Posted by: XTC at October 31, 2025 12:11 PM (UnA8+)

256 True. But I think they want their customers to know these are NOT EVs.

I agree. And hybrids are a lot smarter and more useful than pure EVs. You have the advantages of both, although is usually more expensive as a result. Prius are a really successful example of this idea, largely ruined by how they are generally owed by self-promoting leftist twerps.

Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at October 31, 2025 12:11 PM (dfIr7)

257 So Sparkle Markle's boy toy Harry supports the No Kings movement... That can't be true can it ?

Posted by: It's me donna at October 31, 2025 12:11 PM (VE6XX)

258 Capitalism =Free Agency=God's plan of happiness

Posted by: Elrond Hubbard at October 31, 2025 12:11 PM (pIZjG)

259 ASS is kinda stupid.

Well, if EVs are so much better, they will take over the market without incentives. That is how the marketplace works. If they are so clearly superior, they will win out.

Posted by: Aetius451AD at October 31, 2025 12:12 PM (bss/y)

260 Thanks, ellipses. : )

Posted by: SMH at God's mercy at October 31, 2025 12:12 PM (22p5n)

261 227 Casey Putsch says he can build a basic car for around $20,000.

Gubmint won't let him.
Posted by: ju at October 31, 2025 12:05 PM (EgpoY)

Nissan Versa is $20k. Kia Soul is $22k. So Casey Putsch (whoever that is) is kinda full of shit.

Posted by: Its Go Time Donald at October 31, 2025 12:12 PM (3qp0C)

262 I can't stand BMW styling, that grille is hideous and whoever told them it was a good idea was an idiot. The bigger idiot was the bosses who okayed it.

Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at October 31, 2025 12:12 PM (dfIr7)

263 254 Posted by: Nova Local at October 31, 2025 12:08 PM (tOcjL)

Go find another dealer and buy one. I have about 5500 miles on mine to date and I love it. I'd highly recommend them. Especially the heated seats and the big display.
Posted by: CrotchetyOldJarhead at October 31, 2025 12:11 PM (3Ope

Too late...and my Subaru is sweet

...

Posted by: Nova Local at October 31, 2025 12:12 PM (tOcjL)

264 257 So Sparkle Markle's boy toy Harry supports the No Kings movement... That can't be true can it ?
Posted by: It's me donna at October 31, 2025 12:11 PM (VE6XX)

He being a ginger dunce Oaf, I would say yes.

Posted by: tubal at October 31, 2025 12:13 PM (PCK5/)

265 So Sparkle Markle's boy toy Harry supports the No Kings movement... That can't be true can it ?
Posted by: It's me donna at October 31, 2025 12:11 PM (VE6XX)

=====

Anything to spit in his father's and brother's face, I guess.

Posted by: Jordan61 at October 31, 2025 12:13 PM (DRSnL)

266 So Sparkle Markle's boy toy Harry supports the No Kings movement... That can't be true can it ?
Posted by: It's me donna at October 31, 2025 12:11 PM (VE6XX)
++++
Hey, member of the British Royal Family, the US supports it, too. In reality. It's why you needed a passport to get here.

Posted by: Joe Mannix (Not a cop!) at October 31, 2025 12:14 PM (kBSKe)

267
Harry and Sparkle are next in the defrocking if they keep it up.

According to the DM if you can believe it, this is all William (and Kate). He's settling family business before he takes the throne, which likely won't be long, considering Chuckle's health.

Posted by: publius, Rascally Mr. Miley (w6EFb) at October 31, 2025 12:14 PM (w6EFb)

268 Huh? There are three new or nearly-new BMWs in my (extended) family. All have heated seats. None require any subscription. You push a button and the seats turn on.
Posted by: Elric The Blade at October 31, 2025 12:08 PM (iFTx/)
++++
It depends entirely on initial configuration.

You can pay the dealer up-front and they turn it on and it stays on. If you don't, you can turn it on later and pay a subscription. Either way, it is an upcharge for kit BMW installed at the factory. You get to choose the depth and vigorousness of your butt-pounding, but not whether you receive one. Every BMW shipped has heated seats, even if you don't get that package or whatever. The payment is to turn it on, since they decided they just couldn't bear putting a "premium feature" on every model just because it saved a bundle on supply chain management and assembly.
Posted by: Joe Mannix (Not a cop!) at October 31, 2025 12:11 PM (kBSKe)
______

I think you are just wrong, dude. There are no BMW subscription fees or fake costs to "turn on" heated seats that have that option installed. But whatevs. It seems I can't change your mind, so YDY.

Posted by: Elric The Blade at October 31, 2025 12:15 PM (iFTx/)

269 So Sparkle Markle's boy toy Harry supports the No Kings movement... That can't be true can it?
Posted by: It's me donna

I heard that the British version is "No Tyrants." The "No Kings" is really "No Trump," so there's no contradiction in his supporting it.

Posted by: Bulg at October 31, 2025 12:15 PM (77rzZ)

270 That is how the marketplace works. If they are so clearly superior, they will win out.

Yes, but the left doesn't believe in the free market, the intelligence of the general public, or the strength of their own ideas, so they force the ideas upon everyone by the power of the government.

Turns out that incandescent light bulbs really are a poor choice compared to new tech, but the left didn't believe that anyone would figure that out, and forced crappy inferior choices that cost a lot more on everyone through law. Eventually everyone would have gone to the newer bulbs on their own but it would have taken too long, I guess.

Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at October 31, 2025 12:15 PM (dfIr7)

271 It can be spelled either "hearken" or "harken."
Posted by: Bulg at October 31, 2025 12:07 PM (77rzZ)

True.

But it's been about half a millennium since it was a spelling in common usage. It's been "hearken" since the advent of Shakespearian English started sloughing off older German usages.
Posted by: Yudhishthira's Dice

Harken back to those days of yesteryear!
Hi ho Silver! Away!

Posted by: rickb223 Acehole Extraordinaire coined by JSpicy at October 31, 2025 12:15 PM (p6raP)

272 255 248 There’s something for everyone.
Posted by: Its Go Time Donald at October 31, 2025 12:09 PM (3qp0C)

Except for people with sub-50k/year jobs.
Posted by: XTC at October 31, 2025 12:11 PM (UnA8+)

As I posted above a brand new Nissan Versa is $20k. It’s basic A to B transportation and someone making $50k can afford it. Or buy a 3 year old Camry for $20k.

It’s not all doom and gloom man. Don’t fall into the Democrat world where everything is awful all the time everywhere .

Posted by: Its Go Time Donald at October 31, 2025 12:16 PM (3qp0C)

273 NOOD, y'all

Posted by: Jordan61 at October 31, 2025 12:16 PM (DRSnL)

274 244 238 Where is the Boss, or is it too early?
Posted by: tubal at October 31, 2025 12:06 PM (PCK5/)

Sometimes he is right on the dot (my guess is if he has a post scheduled) and other times it is up to 20-30 mins after the noon hour.
----------------
He is causing confusion and delay.

Posted by: Pudinhead at October 31, 2025 12:16 PM (jFCkp)

275 Nood. Plot.

Posted by: Aetius451AD at October 31, 2025 12:16 PM (bss/y)

276 I can't stand BMW styling, that grille is hideous and whoever told them it was a good idea was an idiot. The bigger idiot was the bosses who okayed it.
Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at October 31, 2025 12:12 PM (dfIr7)
___________

"Hold my beer"

-- Ferrari 849 Testarossa

Posted by: Elric The Blade at October 31, 2025 12:17 PM (iFTx/)

277 If Harry does believe in NoKings , William when he becomes king should say "first, no prince for you"

Posted by: Smell the Glove at October 31, 2025 12:17 PM (8vl0d)

278 I believe BMW discontinued the heated seat subscription after all the complaining.

Posted by: Its Go Time Donald at October 31, 2025 12:17 PM (3qp0C)

279
Buck,
No mention that the subsidies continue ever after the tax credit is gone.
Does anyone know how much Tesla makes on each car selling CAFE credits? That is another subsidy but instead of coming from tax payers, it comes from ICE buyers.

Posted by: bob (moron incognitus) at October 31, 2025 12:17 PM (PJNNK)

280 BMW, Mercedes, etc all do have subscription-only options, but most of the stuff comes with the car. Most of it is stuff like launch mode and extras such as Remote Engine Start, Drive Recorder, Traffic Camera, and Parking Assistant, none of which I would want.

Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at October 31, 2025 12:18 PM (dfIr7)

281 Where is the Boss, or is it too early?
Posted by: tubal

People are stocking up on malt liquor. Tomorrow may be too late.

Posted by: t-bird at October 31, 2025 12:18 PM (EyazE)

282 Modern English is a testament to Shakespeare's genius. He was just like "this clunky Germanic language is inhibiting my megabrain from expressing itself properly. I'm changing it. Drastically." And everyone else was just like "yep, this is our new language now."

Posted by: Yudhishthira's Dice at October 31, 2025 12:18 PM (BI5O2)

283 And hybrids are a lot smarter and more useful than pure EVs. You have the advantages of both, although is usually more expensive as a result. Prius are a really successful example of this idea, largely ruined by how they are generally owed by self-promoting leftist twerps.
Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at October 31, 2025

***
Buick's LaCrosse in my year (2016)had a hybrid model, or whatever eAssist is. I never saw one for sale used -- I guess people hang on to them. The ICE engine in it is the 180-hp 4-cyl. that I found anemic in the Regal, so I wanted the V-6 model. Which I have. It returns amazing fuel mileage for such a big car: on ethanol-free gas on my IN trip, at 70 mph w/ A/C on, it clocked 34.7 mpg.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at October 31, 2025 12:18 PM (omVj0)

284 So Sparkle Markle's boy toy Harry supports the No Kings movement... That can't be true can it?
Posted by: It's me donna

I heard that the British version is "No Tyrants." The "No Kings" is really "No Trump," so there's no contradiction in his supporting it.
Posted by: Bulg

If Trump were King, the government would be open.

Posted by: rickb223 Acehole Extraordinaire coined by JSpicy at October 31, 2025 12:18 PM (p6raP)

285 Electrical door open commands/locks scare the crap out of me.

Posted by: WisRich at October 31, 2025 12:19 PM (G0vdT)

286 >The 'Net was out in my area this morning; I had no way to connect. Service is now restored.
----

I had a brief outage at 4am MT

Posted by: Don Black. Message: I want to take you higher at October 31, 2025 12:21 PM (AOsQT)

287 It would help if electric cars did not all look like some form of a Prius, designed by and for soy boys. Even Tesla has that look, possible exception being the model S.

Posted by: Ripley at October 31, 2025 12:21 PM (GUOwU)

288 There's a (formerly) beautiful house on a hill in a very fashionable part of Irving, TX that burned down about 18 months ago. The EV in the garage burst into flames. Garage was consumed, about 1/2 of the rest of the house burned, the rest was heavily damaged from smoke/water/etc. The house is a total loss. Unclear if anyone was hurt.

No reconstruction has occurred, it appears to be stuck in insurance/lawsuit hell. It's a daily reminder that EVs suck.

Posted by: Sloucho at October 31, 2025 12:22 PM (GD3mD)

289 One of the worst Airbus disasters was when the computer control system locked up on a flight from Brazil to France, I think - the plane was mid-Atlantic. It was a true nightmare scene; some of the last transmissions indicated that the crew was frantically pouring through the operations manuals and trying to reboot all the flight control computers as the plane plunged 40,000 feet into the ocean below.
Posted by: Tom Servo at October 31, 2025 11:30 AM

If you're talking about the one I'm thinking of, the problem was that one pilot was commanding the nose up and one was commanding nose down after the pitot probe had iced up so the FMCS couldn't fly it.

The inexperienced pilot in the left seat didn't realize that the aircraft was in a stalled attitude and so kept commanding pitch up because the indicated airspeed was over Vne and the more experienced pilot in the right seat did recognize the stall, so was commanding pitch down, but the left seat always overrides the right seat or some such.

The problem with highly automated systems is that they can have surprising behaviors that you may have to figure out on a moment's notice. Or you die.

Posted by: Cybersmythe at October 31, 2025 12:22 PM (AnKDS)

290 269 So Sparkle Markle's boy toy Harry supports the No Kings movement... That can't be true can it?
Posted by: It's me donna

I heard that the British version is "No Tyrants." The "No Kings" is really "No Trump," so there's no contradiction in his supporting it.
Posted by: Bulg at October 31, 2025 12:15 PM (77rzZ

------

Be hilarious if William has hairy thrown in jail when he becomes king.

Posted by: Lemmiwinks at October 31, 2025 12:23 PM (vYgDJ)

291 Rivian is a slimy company. They won't officially state how many people are currently employed at the Normal IL plant (which has sucked down zillions of tax dollars) and locals say the numbers that are bandied around aren't supported by the cars in the employee parking lot.

Posted by: Bigsmith at October 31, 2025 12:24 PM (1Au9i)

292 You know, in the late 80's when a Ford back-of-the-cab gas tank started on fire you would have thought the world ended... and now they subsidize death in the form of EV's to save Gaia. Or something.

Posted by: Danimal28 at October 31, 2025 12:24 PM (1E4GV)

293 https://www.youtube.com/shorts/-BDGv6smiZY

Posted by: SMOD at October 31, 2025 12:25 PM (RHGPo)

294 I think you are just wrong, dude. There are no BMW subscription fees or fake costs to "turn on" heated seats that have that option installed. But whatevs. It seems I can't change your mind, so YDY.
Posted by: Elric The Blade at October 31, 2025 12:15 PM (iFTx/)
++++
Ah, I just looked it up again. They quit doing it. They did roll it out and the backlash was so extreme they walked it back.

Posted by: Joe Mannix (Not a cop!) at October 31, 2025 12:26 PM (kBSKe)

295 If someone made a vehicle that had a small diesel engine charging batteries to drive an electric motor in each wheel and it didn't feel like you were trapped in a smart phone, I would be interested

Posted by: Lemmiwinks at October 31, 2025 12:30 PM (vYgDJ)

296 All Teslas built since 2012 23 years ago

Go on. Tell me you're a math major.

Posted by: Way, Way Downriver at October 31, 2025 01:12 PM (zdLoL)

297 As usual, Buck Throckmorton continues to trash his reputation as an honest commentator by spreading falsehoods about Tesla—the only successful new American car manufacturer in the last 100 years.

The EV that caught fire in Syracuse, NY, was identified as a Tesla, although it clearly isn’t one.
The driver who burned alive? That incident involved a Xiaomi SU7 in China—a vehicle recently introduced and not yet sold in the U.S.
And the “Arizona man trapped in his Tesla on a 100-degree day”? Yes, that was a Tesla—but the car has a manual door release, which the 73-year-old driver apparently couldn’t locate.

Is Tesla at fault here? Maybe, maybe not—but that doesn’t seem to matter. The goal is simply to attack Tesla and spread misinformation, for reasons best known to the accuser.

Posted by: DominicanVoices at October 31, 2025 01:21 PM (9IJFs)

298 Posted by: It's me donna:

"...My Daughter has a Tesla and likes it... Got it a year ago right before the election... Of course they have gas cars for any long distances.. "

Why do they need a gas vehiche for long distances? Have they ever even tried to do a long distance trip with their Tesla? Or do they assume that is going to run out of juice before they arrive at their locations? I travel from DC to New York a few times a year to visit relatvies and I see Tesla's on the highway all the time doing. I see them at rest stops recharging (you can add 200 miles of range in 15 minutes). People have to stop to rest anyway, at least every two hours of driving to rest, take a leak or whatever, so what's the concern?

Posted by: DominicanVoices at October 31, 2025 01:28 PM (9IJFs)

299 osted by: "Perfessor" Squirrel:

"Glenn Howerton (Dennis Reynolds on "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia") has an amusing story of his own Tesla follies. He parked his car in an underground parking garage and it lost power or something. He was not locked inside the vehicle. Instead he was locked out of it. Because it was underground, it couldn't connect to the wireless network in the region. It took him about three days to get that car out of the underground parking garage when all he needed was a bit of juice."

That's not what happened. The problem with Howerton’s Tesla Model X was caused because the key fob failed in an underground garage with no cell signal, locking him out—not in—and the battery never died. The ordeal lasted just over 24 hours across Friday night to Saturday evening, not three days, and the fix required a flatbed tow, not “a bit of juice.

Posted by: DominicanVoices at October 31, 2025 01:36 PM (9IJFs)

300 PPosted by: bob (moron incognitus):

"No mention that the subsidies continue ever after the tax credit is gone.
Does anyone know how much Tesla makes on each car selling CAFE credits? That is another subsidy but instead of coming from tax payers, it comes from ICE buyers."

These subsidies are called "regulatory credits" and they were eliminated too back in August. It's hard how much the company made per vehicles as they are not allocated in a uniform manner. It represented from 1.5% to 2.8% of Tesla's revenues and last year it represented 43% of net income in the first three quarters. They are still used overseas, so Tesla is expected to get $1.5 billion this year, but is expected to fall to about a third of that for 2026.

Posted by: DominicanVoices at October 31, 2025 01:54 PM (9IJFs)

301 I have a Tesla Model 3. Bought it when the crazies were attacking Musk because of Doge. Good car.

Posted by: Ted Torgerson at October 31, 2025 01:56 PM (wGerL)

302 I never said that the car that spontaneously burst into flames in Syracuse was a Tesla, nor did I state that the crematorium on wheels was a Tesla. But they were EVs, which is my point.

Posted by: Buck Throckmorton at October 31, 2025 02:00 PM (WLaG3)

303 Buck and his regularly scheduled anti-EV tirade full of half truths and misinformation. EVs are far less likely to be involved in a fire than an ICE vehicle, and even more so than a hybrid ICE vehicle, which is about 150x more likely to catch on fire.

And an old man died in his 2007 Corvette because he couldn’t get out. Door controls are too much for some people to figure.

I’ll continue to enjoy my cheap to operate EV that drove me from TN to Orlando and back while I sat and listened to podcasts for $45 in electricity each way.

Posted by: Novanglus at October 31, 2025 02:04 PM (Z9qjN)

304 Posted by: Buck Throckmorton:

"I never said that the car that spontaneously burst into flames in Syracuse was a Tesla, nor did I state that the crematorium on wheels was a Tesla. But they were EVs, which is my point"

You didn’t—and I should have been clearer about that. I did say you were spreading falsehoods about Tesla because the report from Syracuse was inaccurate. That’s not a Tesla; the 'reporter' was never on-site (it’s a studio recording), and they’re merely commenting on a video apparently provided by someone else. That’s low-quality journalism, and you’re linking to it.

As for the fire in China—that speaks more to abysmal quality control there. I get it: you don’t like EVs, and that’s your right. But I have to say, you seem more focused on narrative than accuracy. At this point, I’ll assume that’s your general approach—not just in the claims I can fact-check, but in everything you write.

Posted by: DominicanVoices at October 31, 2025 02:12 PM (9IJFs)

305 “ That's not what happened. The problem with Howerton’s Tesla Model X was caused because the key fob failed in an underground garage with no cell signal, locking him out—not in—and the battery never died. The ordeal lasted just over 24 hours across Friday night to Saturday evening, not three days, and the fix required a flatbed tow, not “a bit of juice.”

That’s why I always carry my RFID key card. But, it sounds as tho he didn’t have his phone set up as a key, as the phone to car connection is Bluetooth. Sounds like a skill issue.

Posted by: Novanglus at October 31, 2025 02:15 PM (Z9qjN)

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