It would be awesome to get some actual measurements... yet I can't tell you if the Taurus fan does pull 35A continuously.

As an aside... I know there's an American company that makes these nifty relays for automotive use: they ramp up the fans to full power, instead of on/off.

Good discussion.
Have a good one!

Your answers are insightful, yet I will correct you on the fans.

The internal HVAC fan can pull 30 Amps (check out the fuse... that's normal, not out of the ordinary).

30A * 12v = 360 watts

Now, the "condenser fan" ... usually cars don't have specific fans for the condenser (usually).
If they're electric fan, they have one (or two) fans behind the radiator.
When the a/c engages, they turn on the fans regardless if the engine temperature needs it or not.
And those motherfuckers will pull a bitch of power.

One fan that comes to mind because of its popularity in engine conversions is the Ford Taurus electric fan.
On high-speed, it will pull 35amps.
35A * 12v = 420watts

So... Chromium Book?
Sorry sorry... couldn't resist.
=)

Don't forget the techno music... it's a must!

I am unaware of any manufacturer that has keyless "entry" that does not provide for manual entry.

I reply as a car afficionado:
C6 Corvettes and I believe Tesla Model S.
=)

Replying both to you, and GP.

As a recent vB admin/installer (started 4 years ago), I have good things to say about it.

I started with the late 3.x (3.8?).
Then immediately migrated over to 4.0 when it came out.
Have always done upgrades of v4 within 1 week of them coming out.

Honestly, between vBulletin.org and vBulletin.com's support, it's awesome.
I was amazed you said their support wasn't good... because I have always had every question answered, and problem solved.

The latest vB 5, well... yes, it's still in Beta, and I haven't even tried it.
When the release actually comes out, I'll probably upgrade in short order.

I will admit that the licensing thing they did was a mess.
To get over it, I just paid whatever and got done with it.
Yet from what I read, yes... it was a mess, and a screwing to previous loyal customers.

One the other hand of all of this, if the guy is starting out from scratch his forum installation, then he shouldn't mind the quirks of the new vB.

Personally, I chose vBulletin because the best communities I had been part of have been running on vBulletin.
Good discussion guys =)

They're like... right next to each other.
Just walk over and inform them:
"Hey, this nuke isn't for you... it's going over your heads towards North Korea. Promise. G'day mate."

"While no lives were threatened, a backup camera would have saved both of us from having to deal with a collision that cost far more than any camera system on the market."

Any camera system?
Wait until Monster comes out with their version!
Monster Lens!
Monster Camera Photon Sensors!
Monster LCD/Plasma/OLED UltraSlim iDisplay!
And best of all, Monster CABLES connecting them all!

"Shade-tree mechanics are going to disappear."

I disagree.
I used to think like that.
Until I realized that hardships will not keep people away from doing what they like.
When teenagers get their cars, they start tinkering them.
The ones that are into mechanics (shade tree), rip into them.
Yes, it was easier in the 30s, 40s,... all the way until 70s.
Then the emissions systems and computers started... I will admit there was a period of low-activity.
Yet we go back to tinkerers (hackers!).

Lets be honest... do you think they're going to sit back and cry a river because they can't work on their cars?
Because their cars are full of computers?

Fuck no.
They're going to get on the internet, exchange knowledge there.
They're going to crack how the engineers locked their ECUs.
Or they'll just swap out ECUs all together, and install MegaSquirt (or Motec, or Electromotive, or... whatever).
They're going to figure out how to work the sensors, actuators, etc.

They (we) are not taking this sitting down and crying.
Harder? Maybe.
Yet I assure you sir, the era of the shadetree mechanic isn't going down, and it isn't over.
It won't be over.
=)

Evade? I dunno.
Avoid? Yes.

Anybody has cared to check the vacuum's bags?

*1950s build quality... oops

Usually no.

I don't go up to big chains like McDonald's, as they're set with their service contracts... plus the oil is already in the pick-up company's container (so it is at that moment, their oil... not mine, nor McDonald's).

Yet small restaurants, Chinese food places, etc., they're all super cool.
They're all like "um.. yeah. Sure!"

I always pick-up the oil in the "carboys", those square containers (5 gal).

If you're thinking about it, GO FOR IT!
And I can't say enough about the WVO Designs' centrifuge.
That thing is amazing.
Astonishing build quality (yay! We're back to the 1050s build quality!).
The oil comes out of it looking like light beer... freaking clear!

=)

Long time /. reader here.
This is cool news... just because!
I own a 1995 Dodge Ram 2500 with one of those 5.9 Cummins engines (CTD = Cummins Turbo Diesel).

Mine has the legendary Bosch "P-Pump".
These engines last over a million miles with proper maintenance.
The only electrical thing in those engines are:::
Starter
Fuel Solenoid (cuts off electricity = cuts off fuel = engine dies)

I freaking love my truck.
I constantly get around 19-20 mpg.
Love the sound, love the turbo whine.

Oh, and did I mention that I run it on vegetable oil?
Just go to any restaurant, offer to pick it up... get the best looking one... and drop it in the bed.
Then go home, I filter it via a centrifuge (awesome USA product: WVO Designs' RawPower centrifuges!)... then drop it in the tank.
The exhaust smells like BBQ (not so much "french fries", as it is commonly believed).

Differences between dyno-juice and veggie-oil?
Absolutely none that I can feel.
Same power... same milage... same everything.
In fact, engine runs quieter and smoother with the veggie oil.

This truck is cool!
Final geek cred: Who went to pick-up the new POWER6 as/400 full-rack, with new tape drive, one disk array, and the HMC, to the dock, when the delivery company dropped the ball?
A '95 Dodge Ram with the CTD.

Shout out to the cool people over at CumminsForum.com!

Do you know what the word "relatively" means?

Relatively speaking, no.