Ongoing General Automotive Thread 2.0

[Cappy]

I am about 90% sure these vehicles will never see the light of day, but i put my name on the list for the Alpha Ace Performance. The Jax and Truck are also pretty neat concepts.

I hope this company isn't some scam (i havent committed anything outside of an email) because they are great designs.

https://www.alphamotorinc.com/

[Table 5]

Yikes, do not like that Subaru. The world does not need more plastic cladding.

That Alpha on the other hand, looks pretty sweet.

[nik-]

Originally Posted by Northendzone

Threw two coats of hydra slick on this afternoon. The paint feels real nice.

To me the litmus test will be washing it and seeing how the water behaves. Also watching how it fairs on the next rainy day.

New question - what are some recommended shops for front end wraps these days. I looked at calgary paint protection, just because their website was first on my search.

Just out of curiosity, what made you choose Hydra Slick rather than going for a full ceramic coating?

[Scroopy Noopers]

Originally Posted by Cappy

I am about 90% sure these vehicles will never see the light of day, but i put my name on the list for the Alpha Ace Performance. The Jax and Truck are also pretty neat concepts.

I hope this company isn't some scam (i havent committed anything outside of an email) because they are great designs.

https://www.alphamotorinc.com/

Wow I would buy the Wolf (truck) immediately if I could. Love it.

[81MC]

Nothing is cool anymore. Alpha looks exactly like they took a page out of every prerunner wannabe Tacoma boys handbook. It’d be cool if a guy did it on his old 510 sure, we’ve all seen them and they look neat. But this push across plenty of manufacturers to make their OE vehicles look like a customized, special built unit just crushes the soul of it all.

[TorqueDog]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

What the heck is with the plastic fender cladding design?

Because it's 'Rugged™'.

Personally I don't take my stuff off-road and if I did I'd get the damn thing covered in 3M PPF. Otherwise, I would want all that damn plastic cladding painted in gloss grey.

[Cappy]

Originally Posted by Scroopy Noopers

Wow I would buy the Wolf (truck) immediately if I could. Love it.

All their vehicles look to run off the same chasis/body design which hopefully helps with production.

But so far, the company doesnt have much besides these press releases. Little info is available about the owners too.

I would love to get me one of these:

NSFW!

old school Alfa Romeo vibes

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by TorqueDog

Because it's 'Rugged™'.

Personally I don't take my stuff off-road and if I did I'd get the damn thing covered in 3M PPF. Otherwise, I would want all that damn plastic cladding either painted in gloss grey.

I'm not talking about the cladding in general and more the weird shape of the cladding they used around the wheel wells. I count at least nine different creases and bulges in just a fender liner. It's like one of the Subaru designers tried to make these his/her personal masterpiece.

[Northendzone]

Originally Posted by nik-

Just out of curiosity, what made you choose Hydra Slick rather than going for a full ceramic coating?

no huge reason other than i was at can tire looking at the care care aisle and saw HS. I have thought about the at home ceramic kits that range from $30 to $200. the bottle of HS was $58.

I'd assume a pro ceramic coating would be $600+

[nik-]

Originally Posted by Northendzone

no huge reason other than i was at can tire looking at the care care aisle and saw HS. I have thought about the at home ceramic kits that range from $30 to $200. the bottle of HS was $58.

I'd assume a pro ceramic coating would be $600+

You can buy a bottle and do it yourself for around $100. If you're going to the point of decontaminating and claying, you might as well go the extra $50 or so. 90% of the work is in the prep anyway, so you might as well get the longevity on the back end. There are some durability concerns with those hybrid products. They do their job, so you're still better off than you were, you just might have to re-do it again sooner than desired.

[TorqueDog]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

I'm not talking about the cladding in general and more the weird shape of the cladding they used around the wheel wells. I count at least nine different creases and bulges in just a fender liner. It's like one of the Subaru designers tried to make these his/her personal masterpiece.

Ah yes, there's that too. Also the weird decision to make the cladding protrude the least at the rear of the tire, where you might actually want it to protect the rear bumper from getting hit by debris.

[cam_wmh]

Figured this thread would appreciate this.

I live right off of the #1, and a carwash. So instead of towel drying my car, I've been doing a quick loop to the next overpass, before back to my parkade.

[burn_this_city]

Originally Posted by cam_wmh

Figured this thread would appreciate this.

I live right off of the #1, and a carwash. So instead of towel drying my car, I've been doing a quick loop to the next overpass, before back to my parkade.

Speed drying is most effective above 140

[HockeyIlliterate]

Originally Posted by Cappy

I would love to get me one of these:

NSFW!

old school Alfa Romeo vibes

Looks like a rounded Trabant to me.

[Cappy]

Originally Posted by HockeyIlliterate

Looks like a rounded Trabant to me.

same difference

Spoiler!

[81MC]

I dislike when a parts guy tells me he can’t look up anything other than by year/make/model. I have to find the book online, that they have behind the counter, to lookup their part number. Wtf?

[TorqueDog]

Originally Posted by 81MC

I dislike when a parts guy tells me he can’t look up anything other than by year/make/model. I have to find the book online, that they have behind the counter, to lookup their part number. Wtf?

Define "parts guy". Do you mean franchised dealership parts counter or Canadian Tire/PartSource worker?

[metallicat]

Does anyone have any personal experience with newer GMC Canyons/Chevy Colorado’s or the Ford Ranger?

[calgarygeologist]

Does anyone have experience with the Mazda 3 from around 2012 to 2015 especially in terms of city fuel economy? My mom is contemplating get a second vehicle as a small, city vehicle so that she doesn't have to drive her full size sport sedan everywhere. She wants something that would be very good for fuel economy but I don't think a Mazda 3 is that great for city economy.

[timun]

I have a 2010 2.5 L; generally city economy is about 10 L/100 km in the winter, 8.5ish in the summer. Not great. Any other engine is much better for fuel economy; anecdotally I know a couple people with the Skyactiv engine and 6-speed, and it's much much better.