Things I don't understand, or time to post a rant.

Okay, good to see everyone's blood flowing and some interesting responses.
It was getting kind of boring around here.

If I offended anyone, I don't apologize, it's good to see everyone standing up for their convictions. Nobody has to agree with me.
Stick to your guns!

I do have three cats so maybe someone should point out the stupid things cat owners do.

Now, on to SUVs.

 

Again, I have no problem with SUVs. I love 6-eyed Shaman's Jeep. (I think he's the one with the old Jeep).
I once helped rebuild the body of an old Willy's CJ, maybe a 1945. But then the dude put two different gear ratio differentials in it and tried jumping curbs so he blew out one of the rear ends.

Anyway, I have no problem with SUVs that get used as SUVs. I have a problem with those people that buy one and never take it off road or refuse to drive it in the snow. (My mental problems are manifesting here again.)
Don't get me wrong I think Fiat/Chrysler is doing great selling Jeeps. When I go past a Chrysler dealer all I see are Jeeps and pickups. Maybe I'll rant about pickups next.
I hear most U.S. car makers are getting out of the car business, not enough profit.

Many years ago I owned an AMC Gremlin. For those of you who don't know what a Gremlin is, AMC took one of their cars and chopped off the back end. And made a Gremlin.
Here's one exactly like mine, notice the dog in back:

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Thing was, with no back end, rear wheel drive, and all the weight up front they had zero traction, especially in the snow.
Once, with my Gremlin, I passed a Jeep CJ going uphill in the snow. He was stuck, I was not.
The guy had no concept of momentum.

So why buy an SUV if you don't go off road, or drive in the snow?
I've asked, most people tell me they like to sit up high so they can see the road. Of course every other Tom, Dick, and Harry have SUVs, so that doesn't work very well.
I have a Miata, and you can't get much closer to the ground than in a Miata, doesn't bother me.
Or they want it for bad weather. But nowadays you don't really need an SUV in the winter, even in the north. You need it maybe two days out of the year, so just stay home for two days.

Well how about all the room? One word, minivan.
I can fit an entire sheet of plywood in my minivan and close the hatch, the rear seats fold into the floor, and it acomodates seven comfortably.
And it has more headroom.

I will agree an SUV has a greater towing capability. But count how many SUVs are towing anything next time you take a ride.

Anyway, I was bored, so excuse the rant.
Now, tell me how wrong I am!

 

NOOOOOOO! Don't put a bigger engine in that Jeep!
You'll ruin it!

I'd love to drive an old Jeep with a flat head four Go Devil engine, no synchromesh, and manual steering. Maybe a hole or two in the floor, at least no rubber boot on the shifter, better yet a three on the tree.
I used to love to drive my father's old '49 Studebaker one ton dually stake truck. I used to practice speed shifting on a completely non synchro tranny with a granny gear. Grind me a pound.

He also had a Model B dump truck that I can remember riding in, but he junked it before I was big enough to try and get it started.

Wish he would'a kept that thing.​

 

The Gremlin X was the bomb... as much fun as a Corvair! And almost as dangerous in a wreck.

Someone please destroy all Escalades... they are an affront to the sensibilities of our planet.

 

Never saw I am Legend.

German Shepherds are pretty smart. I was to young to remember much f the first one my family had but the second we got from someone. She was registered but the previous owner had taught her to be violent so we had to cure her of that. She got one of our kittens one time, that was nasty and she could kill a groundhog in about 2 seconds, she didn't like groundhogs for some reason. she was too fast to stop.

One time a state cop followed me home because of my car and long hair and when he got out of the car he was met by the Sheperd. He puled his gun and almost shot her till we told her to stand down. She was trained pretty well, but didn't allow strangers on the property.
The standard poodle was smarter though.

My neighbor has a beautiful Shepard she got in Maine, but she isn't trained at all. Jumps on my wife and I all the time. Not fun getting hit by a 100 pound Shepard. She also drug her owner down when she got tangled up in her lease, broke her wrist. She's been in therapy for over a year now.