[elky] Re: Truck Discussion

  • From: Chris Lindh <chrislindh@xxxxxxxxx>
  • To: elky@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
  • Date: Thu, 25 Mar 2010 17:05:15 -0400

As to what I'm looking for... it's a vehicle big enough for the family of 4
to take on trips, with a manual transmission so I won't hate it the other
99% of the time I drive it.  Neither of us would consider a minivan, and I
don't see an SUV as any more utility than my wagon... just taller like
Robert said, which is unused space (we're short).  The CTS-V comment was
regarding Brian's car (congrats on the almost-sale!).

As to why I need a manual transmission... well, because I do.  There are
certain things in our lives we will not compromise on... maybe you wouldn't
eat mustard if your life depended on it? maybe you only buy Behr house
paint?  Me?  I'm opinionated, picky, generally cantankerous, and if I'm
driving I want to row my own.  (As a side benefit, have you ever had
autotragic repairs or replacement done? cashectomy anyone?)

Oh I forgot to mention the best part.  Bright and early Monday morning I
have both my boys in their car seats I'm driving out of my neighborhood and
the accelerator pedal drops to the floor (and the RPMs drop to idle).  When
you've had this happen before you know what it is without looking... the
accelerator cable broke.  I idled into the next neighborhood and tried to
kludge a fix, but I ended up having to limp it back home.

Evidently as a part of the conversion the cable had a stop on the pedal end,
and the stop broke off.  What throttle cable was used in the conversion?
Volvo? LT1? Universal?  I have no idea.  Finding a replacement would not be
easy.  Luckily there was enough cable to put a stop back on, the pedal is
just a bit higher now.  The Volvo is reliable... until it isn't.

As if I needed another reason to want to get a new (or newer) vehicle...

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