Death of the Petro Dollar has started.

TallTom said:
There are times when I read something you say and at it's core I say you and I can agree on your point.

I believe we both believe that America is in decline. I believe we both believe that our political system is broken. I believe we both believe that our enemies outside our borders are the same.

For instance a very simple notion that you won't buy Chinese made goods. I concur. Now being able to actually do it, is far more difficult to agree on. I also have taken note of some members on this board echo what others are suggesting they do in the domestic civil war going on. They propose to defeat their domestic political enemy, by making sure they not get their $$. I'm reminded of the campaign that the media championed that if we didn't donate to or support BLM we would suffer being socially outcasted as racist. Guilt us into supporting that cause. When BLM imploded, they just move on to the next weekly cause. Never once apologizing or say they will do a better job at anything. For any of the board members that donated to BLM. Sorry but not sorry. You wasted your ammo. Keep doing more of that.

I have agreed to those terms of combat. I don't shop anywhere that flys thier political agendas I disagree with. Example. I have not purchased one Nike product since they endorsed Kaepernick. Nor will I support any cause he is a part of. If it's advertised on CNN I won't buy it. CNN has ratings problems now. There is satisfaction in that. They paid damages to Sandmann. ALL GOOD.

In short I may not be able to defeat them on my own. But it leaves me more capital to spend on the things I think do.

And then I watch. Nike stock dropping? Good. I'll buy puts and make $$ on that trend. Nike will never benefit from my $$ if I can help it. My list grows. If they want economic war. Bring it.

You want my taxes? I won't give up anymore than I have to. Nobody in my govt is working for me anymore. Let the Libtards pay all the taxes. They will pay more than I will since we are declaring a proxy war on each other.

Where I think we begin to veer away from each other is what we use to justify our points. And its not personal. The internet has been a double edged sword. People use it as credible because that is exactly how they present it. In the absence of leadership, they seek it out somewhere. The internet has become a convenient flood of National Enquirer tabloids.

I have been in the middle of what is now being taught as history. What they teach as accurate history is nothing close to what I was in the middle of.

So by and large I tune out what I can't change. The machine that runs things is bigger than me. I just try and keep it from running over me.
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I like the way you think Tom... it shows the wisdom gained from a lifetime of real experience. The only point I don't agree with is the last one. While it appears on the surface you can't change things quickly... the fact that you take a position and don't compromise means your actions speak louder than words. Also keep in mind that speaking out gives others the courage to do the same. If we all align on the documents our country was founded on the rest of it will work it way back to where we should be as a country. . To borrow the Arkansas governors words... we will either choose crazy or normal as a path to continue on.

Looks to me the "Woke" crowd is taking it on the chin pretty often these days as school boards members guilty of distributing porn in the classroom got the ultimatum... resign or get charged with distributing pornograhic material to children... they have a choice. We will find out one of 2 things... will they quit or choose to get charged?
 
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Zerks said:
Another 91 Vette... this one will be a driver... not another fun one like my 91 ZR-1 was for many years with plenty miles and smiles. Lets see what happens to the prices in the next 6 months or so... I still want to get a C6 ZR-1 or another C4 ZR-1 that is well sorted out... I like everything modified a little bit. Headers and a complete custom exhaust are the first thing that needs to be addressed.
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Nice. Love the C4. ZR1s were sleepers then. Never owned a vette but I’m a Mercedes SL guy. I just bought an ‘09 SL63 AMG. It’s a garage queen so far, waiting for better weather.
 
Red05 said:
Nice. Love the C4. ZR1s were sleepers then. Never owned a vette but I’m a Mercedes SL guy. I just bought an ‘09 SL63 AMG. It’s a garage queen so far, waiting for better weather.
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A neighbor down the street has a Z06...not sure what year it is but it's a serious car with a lot of aftermarket put into it...

He said he has had Corvettes pretty much all his life (and he's 76)....he wanted to try out the new Corvette but said they (in his opinion) have ventured away from the essence of what a Corvette is.

I enjoy seeing him and his wife go by on a nice summer day, their white hair and all.....
 
Bumblebee said:
A neighbor down the street has a Z06...not sure what year it is but it's a serious car with a lot of aftermarket put into it...

He said he has had Corvettes pretty much all his life (and he's 76)....he wanted to try out the new Corvette but said they (in his opinion) have ventured away from the essence of what a Corvette is.

I enjoy seeing him and his wife go by on a nice summer day, their white hair and all.....
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Hi. My friend just bought a AMG Bi Turbo 2 seater payed $96,000.00 for it used. My 2006 Honda Civic just turned 490000, no new car for me. I hope to get 6 700000 out of it sane motor and trans.
 
Red05 said:
Nice. Love the C4. ZR1s were sleepers then. Never owned a vette but I’m a Mercedes SL guy. I just bought an ‘09 SL63 AMG. It’s a garage queen so far, waiting for better weather.
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Funny you should mention this. I'm semi shopping for a sedan version of this.. I'm hoping to find one with the valve rattle and needing head bolts.

Once sorted, these things are monsters.

I've given up on finding an E55 AMG. Which I think is even a better platform.
 
Man this not the topic; that said, I knew I'd very probably never see another example this good; the SL got the updated head bolts at 30k, and this thing at 50k is darn near perfect with a history of MB dealership maintenance. Can't agree on an E55 AMG being better than a well sorted S63 but we all have our likes lol.
 
Red05 said:
Man this not the topic; that said, I knew I'd very probably never see another example this good; the SL got the updated head bolts at 30k, and this thing at 50k is darn near perfect with a history of MB dealership maintenance. Can't agree on an E55 AMG being better than a well sorted S63 but we all have our likes lol.
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A sorted E55 with some tweaking and tuning can push out a pretty bulletproof 600 horses.

The E63 is an awesome platform but has a lot of unneeded breakage items that were simple attempts to save money. Little O Rings that require a top end disassembly to change. Little plastic coolant pieces that get old and brittle.

It's sort of like a small block Chevy vs a Corvette. The E55 seemed to be when Mercedes figured out hotrodding in place of displacement.
 
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TallTom said:
It's sort of like a small block Chevy vs a Corvette. The E55 seemed to be when Mercedes figured out hotrodding in place of displacement.
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The reliability of the 6.2 is greatly underated. Like any vehicle, only problems make the internet, not the many with zero problems with over 100k miles. I worked at an MB dealership for 12 years before switching to strictly GM. Regardless, like I said, we all have our likes. It goes beyond engine performance. The E Classe is a great platform but IMO no match as far far as driving experience when compared to the S or SL. My '95 S W140 coupe is the quietest, smoothest car I've ever driven.
As far as acceleration, either a 55 or a 63 will surprise many Mustangs, Corvettes, Camaros and Mopars. We should start a new thread lol.
 
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Red05 said:
The reliability of the 6.2 is greatly underated. Like any vehicle, only problems make the internet, not the many with zero problems with over 100k miles. I worked at an MB dealership for 12 years before switching to strictly GM. Regardless, like I said, we all have our likes. It goes beyond engine performance. The E Classe is a great platform but IMO no match as far far as driving experience when compared to the S or SL. My '95 S W140 coupe is the quietest, smoothest car I've ever driven.
As far as acceleration, either a 55 or a 63 will surprise many Mustangs, Corvettes, Camaros and Mopars. We should start a new thread lol.
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I agree with you on the E vs S platforms. But it was pretty doable to pick up an E AMG for 15ish with under 100K. An S is more luxurious and teched up for sure. And more $. So it was a budget thing for me. Knowing full well I'd put some into it to pick up some ponies.

I couldn't see myself tackling a blown 63 series. Talk about repair issues! But if I had the skills and the cash I'd be all over one.

And you have the skills to keep these sorted way better than I do.
 
It’s good to know there’s another Benz affectionado here. Having wrenched most of my life, I really appreciate the workmanship that goes into their builds. That said, engineers from any country don’t seem to worry too much about the poor souls who later have to tear into their work lol.
 
Red05 said:
It’s good to know there’s another Benz affectionado here. Having wrenched most of my life, I really appreciate the workmanship that goes into their builds. That said, engineers from any country don’t seem to worry too much about the poor souls who later have to tear into their work lol.
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As a certified Mercedes guy, keep your eyes open for a good car for me.
 
Zerks said:
I will never forget the day I saw a CL65 AMG ( I think ) that was in immaculate condition with about 85K on it sell for 22K on Barrett Jackson... it was probably worth 45 to 50K at that time... 600 hp TT V12.
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I'm not touching a V-12. There's a reason they get cheap. I'm not even sure I'm wanting to jump in on a 63 series unless it was very discounted.
 
We saw more than one bi turbo V12 spinning the front main which leads to catastrophic failure. In contrast the 6.2 in the 63’s has a bulletproof bottom end. Service it, make sure it’s got the updated head bolts (in ‘09 and ‘10 the original bolts were prone to corrode and break), and it’s as dependable as an old small block Chevy.
 
Red05 said:
We saw more than one bi turbo V12 spinning the front main which leads to catastrophic failure. In contrast the 6.2 in the 63’s has a bulletproof bottom end. Service it, make sure it’s got the updated head bolts (in ‘09 and ‘10 the original bolts were prone to corrode and break), and it’s as dependable as an old small block Chevy.
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Yep. Back to where we started. A well sorted 63 with a set of long headers is an old school tire melter.

If I can come across one with the death rattle and needing head bolts...........
 
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TallTom said:
I'm not touching a V-12. There's a reason they get cheap. I'm not even sure I'm wanting to jump in on a 63 series unless it was very discounted.
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Just like some of the engines we see that are inherently weak in one area their is a fix for them if you are willing to invest the money. I don't know much about Mercedes, however, a proper rebuild with upgraded parts likely solves the issues you mentioned. I know, Mercedes should have figured that out ahead of time.

One thing I never understood is why Cadillacs Northstar was allowed to continue production without upgrading the headbolt system... by the 3rd year of production ( 1994 ) Cadillac already had high mile Northstar engines dying the same kind of headbolt death... did they address it? Well, sort of... here you go at coolant change time... put these mothball looking pellets in the coolant system and it will plug up the leaky head gaskets because the headbolts are failing... great idea? I don't think so. These engines were popular for a brief period in sand rails and other car swaps. In fact a friend of mine recently built a super charged one to an estimated 525 hp and put it into a 2007 XLR which is basically a C6 Corvette chassis with a Cadillac body on it. He likes the push button hardtop convertible feature. He has more patience than me... he got the wiring harness all sorted out after many hours of messing with it and said it was a pain.

I just recently learned the #3 connecting rod on ZX-14 motors are a bit prone to failure. At a 167,000 one of my Concours group riders lost that bearing on a long distance tour trip. Engines for these are cheap and easy to find... it was an 08 model and the swap happened pretty quick and wasn't horribly expensive. He said he has abused that last engine for its entire life. 10,500 rpm was a common sight on his tach.

The car that rates right up there with the super horrible ones was the 745 BMW. When is the last time you saw the German Staff car in either a 745 or slightly less horrible 750 series? I am talking about early to mid 2000 models... you can hardly give one away now.
 
Zerks said:
Just like some of the engines we see that are inherently weak in one area their is a fix for them if you are willing to invest the money. I don't know much about Mercedes, however, a proper rebuild with upgraded parts likely solves the issues you mentioned. I know, Mercedes should have figured that out ahead of time.

One thing I never understood is why Cadillacs Northstar was allowed to continue production without upgrading the headbolt system... by the 3rd year of production ( 1994 ) Cadillac already had high mile Northstar engines dying the same kind of headbolt death... did they address it? Well, sort of... here you go at coolant change time... put these mothball looking pellets in the coolant system and it will plug up the leaky head gaskets because the headbolts are failing... great idea? I don't think so. These engines were popular for a brief period in sand rails and other car swaps. In fact a friend of mine recently built a super charged one to an estimated 525 hp and put it into a 2007 XLR which is basically a C6 Corvette chassis with a Cadillac body on it. He likes the push button hardtop convertible feature. He has more patience than me... he got the wiring harness all sorted out after many hours of messing with it and said it was a pain.

I just recently learned the #3 connecting rod on ZX-14 motors are a bit prone to failure. At a 167,000 one of my Concours group riders lost that bearing on a long distance tour trip. Engines for these are cheap and easy to find... it was an 08 model and the swap happened pretty quick and wasn't horribly expensive. He said he has abused that last engine for its entire life. 10,500 rpm was a common sight on his tach.

The car that rates right up there with the super horrible ones was the 745 BMW. When is the last time you saw the German Staff car in either a 745 or slightly less horrible 750 series? I am talking about early to mid 2000 models... you can hardly give one away now.
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I dated a woman that had a 750il. That car was horrible! BMW takes their customers for quite the ride when that car comes into the shop.

And it was in the shop A LOT!

When it was good, it was a stunning car to drive. But it would be cheaper to be addicted to drugs.
 
Zerks, and the Northstar head bolts aren’t the problem; it’s the density of the the aluminum in the block. The bolts basically pull the threads out of the block. There is a bulletin to install steel time sert threaded inserts into the block but to do it properly it requires engine removal and we saw more than one come back even with the courser threaded inserts pulled as well. The problem seems to vary from one engine to another as if in production there was a fairly widespread quality control problem. The block is 2 piece; upper and lower with the crankshaft sandwiched between so the lower half does the job of main caps in a conventional design. Cool design but the split also was a source of oil leaks probably because of the composition of the block. Termed mid case leaks it was as common as the head bolt hole problem. It was pretty much solved by the early 2000’s but by then the models had changed enough to go with a different engine. It’s a shame as a healthy Northstar is an impressive engine.
 
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Red05 said:
Zerks, and the Northstar head bolts aren’t the problem; it’s the density of the the aluminum in the block. The bolts basically pull the threads out of the block. There is a bulletin to install steel time sert threaded inserts into the block but to do it properly it requires engine removal and we saw more than one come back even with the courser threaded inserts pulled as well. The problem seems to vary from one engine to another as if in production there was a fairly widespread quality control problem. The block is 2 piece; upper and lower with the crankshaft sandwiched between so the lower half does the job of main caps in a conventional design. Cool design but the split also was a source of oil leaks probably because of the composition of the block. The problem pretty much went away in the early 2000’s but by then the models had changed enough to go with a different engine. It’s a shame as a healthy Northstar is an impressive engine.
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Ok... well... whatever you say. The Northstar technology was heavily influenced by it big brother which was the LT5 Mercury Marine engine that I am very familiar with in 20+ years of ZR-1 ownership. The oil leaks you refer to are not found in the LT5 so it must be another engineering defect with the Northstar. That would be another failure prone area they failed to address. The bottom part of the engine is a one piece girdle that adds strength to the block. It was revised for the 1993 production run ( 2 bolt to 4 bolt in the gen 2 LT5 motor ) after roughly 1500 Gen 2 LT5s had been built. 1992 was the final year for LT5 production at Mercury Marine in Stillwater Oklahoma. Had Chevrolet continued with the LT5 the next version ( Gen 3 ) could have easily made 500 hp and would have featured VVCT and other airflow improvements. The LT5 was sort of doomed from the start because the bore spacing was limited to 4.4 inches by the Chevrolet engineers while Lotus really wanted to go with a bigger bore to un shroud the valves for better airflow into the combustion chambers. In 1992 Chevrolet had determined that the 1997 C5 would not get an all aluminum quad cam engine. Too heavy and too big were the main concerns with the LT5... cost of production was probably another so the LS series was born instead. The tooling for the Mercury Marine LT5 was melted down for recycling and now is gone forever. Meanwhile, superior engines are still being improved and the ICE is still evolving in spite of the electric car evolution that has issues of its own. The first point is electric cars require much larger quantities of oil based fuels to produce them as compared to ICE cars.

I once met a guy in 2003 that was driving a 1998 SLS and he was on his 3rd Northstar... both times replaced under warranty for free!
 
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