Today's cars

[crockett]

No paranoia is ignorance let's get back to firearms and ammo

GM sold driver data to insurance companies, harvested through their OnStar system that is installed in EVERY GM vehicle, and then the insurance companies raised premiums on drivers, based on their driving style, without consent. The FEDERAL TC caught and fined GM, I linked it, and you call that paranoia?

I started this thread and the topic is "Today's cars" in the "Off topic" area of the forum, and not "firearms and ammo".

How about you f off from my topic?

[John A.]

I think it was progressive that "let" you drive around with their little gadget plugged into your cigarette lighter for a month to base your insurance rates on your driving.

That was voluntary though.

Lot different when you're being spied on involuntarily and even worse when the company is profiting from it.  Sadly, I'd bet that even if they were fined, GM still made money from it.  That's how it usually works.

Crockett, I remember reading a very good thread on akfiles from someone that formerly worked for the state department who detailed how to disconnect all the tracking crap in their GM vehicles because they would often be traveling or escorting dignitaries or other sensitive things and they would disconnect all of the onstar stuff because it was a security issue for them.

There is a downloadable pdf file that details the steps to be taken in the topic. 

https://www.akfiles.com/forums/threads/disable-tracking-on-gm-vehicles-with-onstar.522468/

If they were concerned that their (governments) privacy was being compromised, why anyone would think it's OK for THEIR privacy to be compromised and was acceptable? 

[crockett]

I think it was progressive that "let" you drive around with their little gadget plugged into your cigarette lighter for a month to base your insurance rates on your driving.

That was voluntary though.

Lot different when you're being spied on involuntarily and even worse when the company is profiting from it.  Sadly, I'd bet that even if they were fined, GM still made money from it.  That's how it usually works.

Crockett, I remember reading a very good thread on akfiles from someone that formerly worked for the state department who detailed how to disconnect all the tracking crap in their GM vehicles because they would often be traveling or escorting dignitaries or other sensitive things and they would disconnect all of the onstar stuff because it was a security issue for them.

There is a downloadable pdf file that details the steps to be taken in the topic. 

https://www.akfiles.com/forums/threads/disable-tracking-on-gm-vehicles-with-onstar.522468/

If they were concerned that their (governments) privacy was being compromised, why anyone would think it's OK for THEIR privacy to be compromised and was acceptable? 

Yeah, its petty easy to locate the module and pull the GSM / WIFI / BT card out. Some just unplug the antennas but that doesn't cut it. When I GSM tower is close enough, it will still establish connection with the traces on the board that also act as an antenna.

They need to be careful with posting photos and details, because it will also eliminate the crash based auto 911 call. You will give up some safety that could save your life if nobody else sees your crash and call in for help.

GM for sure still made a profit, and I could care less about that. But I don't want my insurance rates to go up, just because some algorithm considers me a higher risk just because I pushed it a for a few seconds on a highway ramp with nobody being around, or being penalized for doing an evasive maneuver because somebody was about to hit me.

I'm sure my premium would be much higher based on GPS and location data. But the reality is, I have zero crashes or insurance claims on my record. My premium should be going down every year.

[sqlbullet]

No paranoia is ignorance let's get back to firearms and ammo

In fairness, this is the "Off Topic - Anything but firearms" area.

[sqlbullet]

I have zero crashes or insurance claims on my record. My premium should be going down every year.

Amen brother.  I have never been "at fault" in an accident.  I have been rear-ended twice, both times while stopped.  No claims and only one ticket in 40 years of licensed driving (more like 45 years of actual driving - farm life).  That ticket was 17-18 years ago and was unjust (cited for failure to stop, but the cop couldn't see the intersection clearly from his vantage - I stopped at the line, then crept forward past a hedge to be able to see if it was clear and then went, which he saw as a roll and go since he couldn't see the stop).

Insurance is set up to get money, not to actually insure people.

[crockett]

I have zero crashes or insurance claims on my record. My premium should be going down every year.

Amen brother. I have never been "at fault" in an accident.  I have been rear-ended twice, both times while stopped.  No claims and only one ticket in 40 years of licensed driving (more like 45 years of actual driving - farm life).  That ticket was 17-18 years ago and was unjust (cited for failure to stop, but the cop couldn't see the intersection clearly from his vantage - I stopped at the line, then crept forward past a hedge to be able to see if it was clear and then went, which he saw as a roll and go since he couldn't see the stop).

Insurance is set up to get money, not to actually insure people.

I was rear-ended too, sitting at a red light, by a black female. She didn't even make any effort to come out of her car too look at the damages she caused. I walk up to her window, and asked if she's ok. She never asked me in return. I had to call police in order to get a report for HER insurance.

Officer asked her for proof of insurance and she provided something in paper form.

Fast forward 3 weeks or so: her insurance calls me, and tells me that they won't cover the damages on my car, because the owner of the car only made the first installment payment in order to get the proof of insurance, and never paid the next 3 payments. They long dropped her.

I called her, she didn't expect my call, and she promised to send a check for the repair costs. I never got anything in the mail and she ghosted my phone number ever since.

Then I researched her online and this is what I found out:

- lives in the hood and doesn't work, hence nothing to get through a lawsuit
- posted every day on FaceBook that she can't wait for her boyfriend to come out of jail
- boyfriend was sentenced to 15 years

According to some sources, 20 to 25% drive around in FL without insurance.

And guess why my premium doesn't go down even though I have zero claims. I keep paying for all those that are under or not insured and cause crashes.

Now I pay even more, because I paid the repair out of my own pocket so I don't have a claim on me.

And guess who's tax money is being used to pay for her EBT card and her boyfriend's incarceration.

Needless to say, she never got a ticket either.

Zero consequences for her, but all her consequences for me.

That is the crooked reality we live in.

[sqlbullet]

I guess I lucked out twice.  First time I was sitting still waiting on a car in front to turn left, mid-block.  I saw the guy coming behind me and saw him check to change lanes rather than slowing...Time he needed if we was going to have to stop.  He couldn't change lanes and with the delay he couldn't stop. I locked down my brakes so I didn't hit the car in front of me, plus I had left a decent space.  It didn't look bad, but was over 5k in damages.  This was back in the early 90's, so the car was actually close to totaled. Other guy did have good insurance so it was paid for and I got a rental for two weeks while they fixed it.

Second time it was at a stop light and the teen behind me was not paying attention and hit the gas when the left turn lane next to us moved.  She got a nice hole in her grill from my trailer hitch.  My Suburban was undamaged.  Poor girl was terrified to tell her dad.

[crockett]

I guess I lucked out twice.  First time I was sitting still waiting on a car in front to turn left, mid-block.  I saw the guy coming behind me and saw him check to change lanes rather than slowing...Time he needed if we was going to have to stop.  He couldn't change lanes and with the delay he couldn't stop. I locked down my brakes so I didn't hit the car in front of me, plus I had left a decent space.  It didn't look bad, but was over 5k in damages.  This was back in the early 90's, so the car was actually close to totaled. Other guy did have good insurance so it was paid for and I got a rental for two weeks while they fixed it.

Second time it was at a stop light and the teen behind me was not paying attention and hit the gas when the left turn lane next to us moved.  She got a nice hole in her grill from my trailer hitch.  My Suburban was undamaged.  Poor girl was terrified to tell her dad.

Things had been better in the 90s. And the 80s. That's at least my opinion. You could buy a new, simple, single cab truck for 6 grand. Much easier to work on, no computer, no computer needed to repair them. Nobody distracted with smartphones either.

If I could go back, this would be my last post on this forum...

[sqlbullet]

As crazy as it sounds, I really don't mind OBD-1/Ford EEC-IV engine controls.  They are simple enough to be worked on, add a fair bit of efficiency, are way better than mechanical injection systems and can be hot rodded fairly easily.  Chevy TBI is in the same vein.

Two of my kids still have Bronco's with these engine control systems and they are dead nuts reliable.

[crockett]

As crazy as it sounds, I really don't mind OBD-1/Ford EEC-IV engine controls.  They are simple enough to be worked on, add a fair bit of efficiency, are way better than mechanical injection systems and can be hot rodded fairly easily.  Chevy TBI is in the same vein.

Two of my kids still have Bronco's with these engine control systems and they are dead nuts reliable.

I grew up on carbs and chokes - easy to adjust.

And when you live in a state with 4 seasons of summer - like I do - a carb will be very happy to start the engine easily, year round.

One of my first cars was an 80s VW Polo, the smaller version of the Golf. An engine swap was a thing of 2.5 hours.

New cam? 1 hour. You remove the cylinder head cover, there are zero obstructions, you pull the lifters.

You could separate the engine from the trans enough to pull the clutch, without removing either.

They came in at 1300 pounds. Even a 75 HP engine made that car zippy enough to go 115 MPH.

Power steering? Doesn't need one.

Used engine from the yard that is working and comes with a warranty? 500 bucks.

Had more room in the back than many of today's crossovers.






Swapped engines in a barn...

[sqlbullet]

I cut my teeth on a 1981 Toyota Tercel coupe with a four speed manual.  All my friends in rural midwest America drove early 70's V8's.  They could kill me in the 1/4 mile, but stood no chance on the twisty back country roads.

[The_Shadow]

Well this is my first car that my dad gave me 1972 with 149K miles and it burned oil.  My dad had me using it like a dump truck hauling dirt from in a big wooden box in the trunk from the back of the property.  The drive was between the pine trees which the car barely fit between on the trail to and from.

It is the Chevy B210 4 dr with the 265 V8 2bbl carb 3 speed manual on the steering column.  I pulled the motor and brought it to high school shop class and boiled the block in caustic soda, cut the ridge from the cylinders, worked the valves and then put it back together where I used it for some hard use for few years. Shifter linkage on the column was worn out and I put a Hurst floor shifter inn her. Also had to rebuild the standard transmission twice because the first was worn out and the second was from racing in reverse.
I wish I had pictures of it after I did some body work, cleaned sanded and painted it RED with a brush with Rust-oleum paint. It came out really well and is why I'm sad I don't have pictures of that.  I had some Black interior from a 1957 that I reworked mine with.

Picture is me driving and my two brothers and two cousins on each outer sided.