Blade Runner Redux - Tesla Cybertruck!

[Xist]

Originally Posted by ldjessee00

What I found most shocking and was totally new information was the huge difference weight makes in being injured in an accident.

Okay okay! I will have the salad!

[slowmover]

Originally Posted by redpoint5

I'm thinking a Cybertruck could replace 2 vehicles in my stable too, albeit 2 cheap vehicles with an insanely expensive one (most I've spent was $17k, which I consider extremely expensive).

I'd let the old Dodge/Cummins go... no idea what it's worth, but probably not much more than the motor. $3-4k perhaps? I would probably also turn in the company vehicle and drive the Cybertruck instead. Work would pay some portion of the monthly payments and "maintenance", plus reimburse work miles at the federal rate.

Never selling the Acura since that's the last manual transmission my family will ever see. Plus, it's probably only worth $5k now or so, which is less than I value it at. Of course, never selling the motorcycle. Everything else can go though.

I bought my 3-model year old pickup (signature) for $19k before trade-in. Wrote off the rest of the cost. Have since spent $500 in repairs.

I mention this as last I looked, the used market is showing nearly $16k for the same as mine.

$3k depreciation in 13-years.

Rebuilding some vehicles far more cost effective than other new or used.

A friend with both a cherry ‘98 Powerjoke and a 2-million mile 600HP early ISM Cummins Peterbilt is in same position. Worth as much or more than what paid a dozen years back.

I disbelieve anything made by Tesla will ever be cheap to own. As service is where the profit lays.

Re-consider on the Dodge. If it’s pre-2008 or so, rebuild & restore can’t go wrong. They won’t make peak auto (say 1996-2006) ever again.

What has come since isn’t any significant improvement versus unreal cost raises.

.

[ldjessee00]

Originally Posted by slowmover

I bought my 3-model year old pickup (signature) for $19k before trade-in. Wrote off the rest of the cost. Have since spent $500 in repairs.

You have only spent $500 in repairs and maintenance on this truck?! Wow, that is incredible! How many miles did you put on it in those 13 years?

Never replaced the exhaust? Never had to have the transmission rebuilt, no new clutch? No headers replaced? No pan replaced?

Brakes have not needed done?

Does your state require emissions testing?

[slowmover]

Originally Posted by ldjessee00

Yes, he is a very knowledgeable with lots of experience.

What I found most shocking and was totally new information was the huge difference weight makes in being injured in an accident.

Yes. And, No. It matters what type accident. Pickups are rollover prone. A function of design. While rollovers comprise but 3% of accidents, they are 25% of fatalities.

Think, instead, stability.

Take a folding ladder. Put your cute little 105-lb wife’s feet one foot above ground. Now put your lard-butt 240-lbs with feet four foot off the ground.

Which version greater stability?

While some design factors can help (Hummer design), ground clearance and off-road capable make a high risk vehicle.

Aero is nice. But what’s the weight percentage FF/RR? 50/50 like a race car? Low center of gravity? These DON’T go with “ pickup” (or Hummer, very bad crashes at speed).

Tripping hazards. (Takes very little to get a pickup airborne). Today’s roads are better than 20 years ago. But that can rapidly go backwards.

The half-ton I previously owned was a 2001 with vestigial backseat and 6’ bed. 132” wheelbase. With driver and max fuel was just over 5,000-lbs. Same as a 120” WB 300S all else the same for weight. But all the advantages of physics accrue to the Mercedes-design sedan. Even were it 1,000-lbs lighter.

“Weight” only works in a few types of crashes. The majority of serious injury or death wrecks are single vehicle.

The heavier it is, the fewer the options avoiding a crash in the first place

My 20,000-lb Peterbilt is as scary as any other semi. Takes NOTHING to roll one. So you die when you illegally allow only a 200’ clearance between me and your rear bumper as you enter the highway? See if I care. I have to make sure I don’t roll it after smushing your insect-mobile (as they all look nowadays).

Given limits on size where “more” doesn’t benfit (is harmful), a car of

122” wheelbase
4,000-lbs curb weight
Fully independent suspension
Short front & rear overhang

Is the best vehicle available. Ergo, the Dodge Charger/Chrysler 300. Long production means no gremlins plus high reliability. Fleet vehicle. Fix it anywhere by anyone. Excellent performance & fuel economy with V6 engine. Pull a 7k Airstream if you want. All five family members aboard.

Build an insulated temp/humidity controlled garage.

Laugh at the electric idiots for the next 15+ years.

The early production Magnum wagon was exported to Europe as a Chrysler with a snappy 3.0L Mercedes turbodiesel & 5-Auto. Do a retrofit with something similar as time goes on.

Laugh louder and longer.

.

[ldjessee00]

It will be interesting to see the weight distribution of a Cybertruck production unit.

I am guessing it will not be as even front to rear as the model X, or as low, but still probably lower than most ICE pickups.

[slowmover]

Originally Posted by ldjessee00

You have only spent $500 in repairs and maintenance on this truck?! Wow, that is incredible! How many miles did you put on it in those 13 years?

Never replaced the exhaust? Never had to have the transmission rebuilt, no new clutch? No headers replaced? No pan replaced?

Brakes have not needed done?

Does your state require emissions testing?

Truck has just shy of a quarter-million. Two sets of tires. One brake job (maintenance category, not repair; re-line only). Original clutch. The $500 was u-joints, a blower fan, and an ignition switch plus some misc. Oil changes at $120 are 15k/light duty or one year. Towing/heavy/high heat at 7500.

Truck has always been emissions-exempt.

Time is now the problem (with high heat). Age. Dry rot.

.

[redpoint5]

Originally Posted by slowmover

Re-consider on the Dodge. If it’s pre-2008 or so, rebuild & restore can’t go wrong. They won’t make peak auto (say 1996-2006) ever again.

My dream truck used to be a 2003-2004 Dodge, the one with common rail but before the emissions stuff.

My truck doesn't have a single thing right with it except the motor. Stuff needing work:

Front end
Transmission
AC
Speedo/odo
Probably rear diff
Windshield
Headliner
Somethin's squealing under the hood (bad bearing somewhere?)
Cooling fan will not disengage (clutch?)

I fixed the perpetually dying lift pump by going aftermarket.

The thing needs $10k of work.

Somewhere around 350,000 miles on that body, and 21 years. My truck is old enough to drink now.

[ldjessee00]

Ford recalls over 200,000 trucks over defect.
https://www.sacbee.com/news/business...238108304.html

I know recalls happen, I know lawsuits happen, but looking over the last year or two for Ford, there are several about MPG, truck issues, diesel issues...

[botsapper]

...with a rear manufacturer's plate on the 405 freeway, on the way to Malibu for a special Tesla marketing presentation.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_c...ature=emb_logo

[freebeard]

It's amazing how Wikipedia has an entry for this: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Incremental_sheet_forming

I was thinking about bead rollers:

Incremental sheet forming (or ISF, also known as Single Point Forming) is a sheet metal forming technique where a sheet is formed into the final workpiece by a series of small incremental deformations. However, studies have shown that it can be applied to polymer and composite sheets too. Generally, the sheet is formed by a round tipped tool, typically 5 to 20mm in diameter. The tool, which can be attached to a CNC machine, a robot arm or similar, indents into the sheet by about 1 mm and follows a contour for the desired part. It then indents further and draws the next contour for the part into the sheet and continues to do this until the full part is formed. ISF can be divided into variants depending on the number of contact points between tool, sheet and die (in case there is any). The term Single Point Incremental Forming (SPIF) is used when the opposite side of the sheet is supported by a faceplate and Two Point Incremental Forming (TPIF) when a full or partial die supports the sheet.