Wurst, Cars: My blitz through the BMW Museum

Wurst, Cars: My blitz through the BMW Museum - by Kaibeezy.

Last week I spent, um... yeesh, about 20 hours in transit for a 3 hour meeting in Munich. By the time you add up the 3-hours it should have taken to get to Edinburgh, then the extra couple of hours it *did* take due to all the construction, plus waiting around in the airport twice, 5 hours in the air, taxi and S-Bahn rides, bit of walking, and then the convenient but mediocre hotels, it's not glamorous jet-setting by any stretch. That said, there were a couple of highlights, things Munich is famous for and didn't disappoint: cars and food.

The Left-Handed Spanner: Bulbs, balls, blips, dips, sauces

A special feature by Kaibeezy: The Left-Handed Spanner: Bulbs, balls, blips, dips, sauces
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So (yes, I millennialed the start of a story; but it was originally written as an ear-haired old email, not an InstaSnap or whatever, so...), I finally got around to changing the headlight bulb in the Xantia on account of it coming up with a failure on its recent MOT for a bad nearside dipped beam. Could have been worse, the Avensis failed same day on two corroded brake pipes (“brake pipes” always makes Vince chuckle).

Coffee Brake: Birthday Badges Wrap-Up

A few weeks ago we celebrated DT's 4th Birthday with a huge selection of 100 cars from the past 100 years, and graphics guru Kaibeezy put together a bonus quiz regarding the badges.  Prizes were promised for those with good answers and it is time to deliver -- the following people get a nice, signed, dedicated 8x10 of their favorite KBZ artwork. Matt Cramer, Zach, Paulmar, Mister Lou, Hunter, & Scot.

 

Daily Turismo Fleet Update

It's been about a year since the last update on the goings on with the cars that make up the DT fleet.   There has been some additions, sales, crashes and a couple of new guys have staff  joined the staff since the last update in July, 2015.

Not the DT fleet, but there have been a few Volvos and Miatas and even a 911 in the fleet.

So, here's what's been going on with the cars in the DT fleet. 

Coffee Brake: The Last Car You'll Ever Buy

-by Kaibeezy.  Kids today have lost the nuance of a good euphemism. Think of how we used to try to preserve the dignity of our venerated elders - senior citizens, fogies, grumpies, cottonheads, coffin dodgers. Nope, now that distinguished silver haired gentleman or lady is just an "old".

Some of them drive cars. Some of them drive old cars. Some of those cars crap out, often through neglected maintenance. Like anyone else, an old doesn't want to be stuck on the side of the road when the wheels fall off, so when the 98 Accord nearly fails its annual inspection due to a dangerously rusted chassis, for example, it's time for a new buggy.

If the old asks me, which he or she did, I'm in that quandary I was in the other week re the big truck. Well, first I'm in the quandary of whether to press the issue of "should you be driving?" They'll just buy something anyway, most likely a brand new bottom of the line Accord. So I may as well make a good recommendation. 

 

Bonus Match-Up: A Truck For Katy

by Kaibeezy: My friend Katy wants a new truck. "New?!" I snorted incredulously, "gah, such a ripoff." "I know," she said, "but I can't help it, I'm in love with that new big Ford, and I've been driving this hand-me-down Buick for so long, I've paid my dues, life is short, and I want what I want."

What she (air quote) wants (air quote) is an official Red Ryder, carbine action, two-hundred shot range model air rifle... wait, wrong cliche. It's the 2016 Ford F-150 King Ranch SuperCrew. I don't know if she mentioned or even cares whether it's the regular 5.0 V8, the upgrade EcoBoost 3.5 V6, 4x4, or whatever else. Any way you rope it, you're riding a big, buckin' bronco of dang near a $50,000 car loan.

A Selection of Classics from the SF Bay Area Craigslist by Kaibeezy

DT's logo guru Kaibeezy has always claimed that the SF Bay area craigslist is by far the best place to search for an inexpensive classic car (your Daily Turismo) and at first the assertion seemed silly.  Unfortunately, my local craigslist (Los Angeles), despite its favorable weather, is filled with a disproportionately large percentage of cars that represent dashed dreams and shattered realities of the central Los Angeles life. For some reason the same blight that infects the LA craigslist does not infect the SF Bay Area craigslist in the same percentage, and inexpensive decent condition classics just fall off trees.  Check out these examples with descriptions by Kaibeezy.

DT Radio Show: Episode 3.5 (but really 4): Kaibeezy's Goin' Deep

We've got another episode of the DT Radio Show live -- well, really it's the conclusion of the last episode. Vince and Kaibeezy talk car reviews, lasagna, and the melt-in-the-mouth satisfaction that comes with answering your questions. Sit back and enjoy as our esteemed colleague from Neptune puts Vince back in his place. Listen to all DT Radio Shows here on this page or click here to listen via podbean.

DT Radio Show: Episode 3: We Talk With Kaibeezy About Pluto, Graphics, & Cars

We've got another episode of the DT Radio Show live -- Kaibeezy joins us in the studio and the result is nothing short of magic.  If you listened to the first two radio shows, you might have found the first one a bit dry (sorry, that was just me by myself) and the second (with CFlo) was better, but this interview with Kaibeezy is worth 30 minutes of your time.Listen to all DT Radio Shows here on this page or click here to listen via podbean.

Kaibeezy's Fleet Sale: '98 BMW 540i & '94 Buick Roadmaster Wagon

Quick update on Kaibeezy fleet sale  -- there is still a chance to get a celebrity owned family hauler from DT's resident logo guru and amateur snake farmer.  You can chose between this 1998 BMW E39 540i 6-spd ($6k) and 1994 Buick Roadmaster Estate ($4k).  Make an offer, the worst that can happen is -- Kaibeezy says yes and you fall into a pit of venomous cobras. 

The Left-Handed Spanner: I've Seen Things You People Wouldn't Believe

Last week's Exo-Contour post included a photo with a tantalizing secret. No, not the alluring dentist's wife (or perhaps she is the dentist), I'm talking about the sliver of chrome and headlight barely visible to the right of the 356.   The Left-Handed Spanner is a special feature column written by DT contributor Kaibeezy. 

The Left-Handed Spanner: A Thin Line Between Meh and Hate

The recent K-car feature got a good number of comments, and they continue to trickle in. This morning, in a major development, we heard from none other than the illustrious president and founder of the Chrysler K-Car Club, Guy V.Coulombe! Standing up for the K, with a stiff upper lip:

To the writer of this article, I saved that car from the junkyard last year, and it used to be in the Chrysler K-Car Club, at www.chryslerkcar.com. It is a classic car, and should be respected as such. It sold this morning by the way. 

I'm sure I speak for all DT-ers when I say, the K has our respect. Full stop.  The Left-Handed Spanner is a special feature column written by DT contributor Kaibeezy.

Image used for illustrative purposes from chryslerkcar.com.

The Left-Handed Spanner: A Big Bang

Words and seizure inducing gifs by Kaibeezy: DT posted this 1968 Ford Galaxie 500 coupe just a few weeks ago. Good looking car, nicely presented, priced to sell at $8300. So I was pretty surprised to see it back up the other day here on Craigslist, same car, same town, but at a new price of $10,300. The ad does say: "New engine has been installed", but heck, the old ad might have said that too. The two engine shots look very similar, but I'm no expert. How can we tell with more certainty?