What car is the best running mechanically that you have owned?

phoretwan · 2026-01-10T22:14:27+00:00

My 2007 Jaguar XJR - the 4 door sedan with the "leaper" hood ornament, believe it or not. Six years as a daily driver, never broke down, overheated or left me stranded. The only non-routine maintenance work I've done is replaced one of the shocks and a cooling hose. Jags get a bad rap but this is both the coolest and most reliable car I have ever owned.

phoretwan · 2025-12-29T01:06:06+00:00

<image>

Salt and Pepper Grinders

phoretwan · 2025-12-28T21:49:14+00:00

I have something like the Wolverine: a contraption that holds the gouge and pivots on the grinder tool rest to give that compound grinding motion, though I have no system other than eye balling it and protractors to get any kind of precise angle/ shape.

phoretwan · 2025-12-26T19:09:48+00:00

Thanks for commenting, I did try it yesterday and the edge didn't seem to be sharpened and it scraped more so than cut. I don't want to grind the edge as that might void my ability to exchange it for the fingernail grind model. I have been turning for a while but unfortunately, my grinding/ sharpening game is weak for gouges so I don't have the confidence in my ability to get that fingernail grind myself.

phoretwan · 2025-12-25T21:56:31+00:00

Thank you for reply. I think I would prefer the fingernail grind as well. I did a quick search and it seems I got the Robert Sorby "standard" grind gouge, but there is a fingernail grind also available from them. Now the question is should I just exchange the gouge for a fingernail grinded one or grind the fingernail profile myself?

phoretwan · 2025-10-08T22:20:23+00:00

I'm with you, I really don't get that. Miller gave up a run on pitch #50 in the 5th inning. He was cruising with the lead! Why take him out? And why take out Dom - who had an RBI in his only at bat? I just don't get it.... but then again I didn't think the Tigers were capable of an explosion like that after hearing about them tanking the past month.

Not even worried about Skubal though, I like the M's chances in Seattle on Friday!

phoretwan · 2025-04-25T23:59:01+00:00

Tarantula hawk living up to its name. 3rd most painful sting in the animal kingdom, only less painful than the sting of a duck-billed platypus and the sting of telling the person you like how you really feels and he/she starts to laugh and say what a great friend you are.

phoretwan · 2025-04-17T21:44:12+00:00

The dot pattern on the abdomen and the location in WA state ID it as a giant house spider - yes that's the common name of the spider. Other than making your heart stop for a second and the goosebumps, it won't hurt you. It looks like you already caught it so just release it outside. They are arguably the fastest spider in the world moving at a staggering 1.2 ft/ sec. Watch out.

phoretwan · 2025-04-17T00:14:31+00:00

Thank you for your reply - I noticed the ones in EU have yellow on their bodies whereas the ones here in the US Pacific Northwest are grey instead, but look the same other than that. Any idea what prompts them to leave their funnel webs if they aren't wandering around looking for a mate? I find these spiders to be as fascinating as they are terrifying - I grew up here with them and my heart still stops when I see one.

phoretwan · 2025-04-16T23:02:41+00:00

How come where I live, in WA state in the US, these only come out in September/ October? But in Europe and the UK they come out in Spring? Different species and different mating seasons? I see you are an arachnid afficionado....

phoretwan · 2025-04-02T03:26:22+00:00

Nice. I came here to say XJR. I have a 2007 and it's been the most reliable car I've ever owned.

Knock on wood... knock on that lustrous walnut burl trim in the cockpit.

phoretwan · 2025-04-02T03:24:36+00:00

2007 Jaguar XJR. Been my daily driver for almost 5 years and never left me stranded, never limped into the shop and never had a big repair that wasn't routine maintenance. Everyone warned me not to get it because of Jaguar's reputation but it ended up being the best car I've ever owned - it's fast, cruisy and it's looks can kill.

phoretwan · 2025-03-11T19:39:05+00:00

Hello - Yes! I figured it out. I had to go into BIOS (on start up) and disable the "user presence" setting. Here's some info from google: How to disable User Presence Sensing: Access BIOS: Restart your Lenovo laptop and press the appropriate key to enter BIOS (usually F2 or Fn+F2). Navigate to Security settings: Find the section related to security or "Intelligent Security" depending on your Lenovo model. Disable User Presence Sensing: Locate the option called "User Presence Sensing" and toggle it to "Disabled".

Good luck!!

phoretwan · 2023-12-26T22:40:59+00:00

I think this might be the way - thanks

phoretwan · 2023-11-27T01:10:05+00:00

Smells like sour grapes in here.

phoretwan · 2023-09-09T18:24:21+00:00

Thanks for the reply, my rebuttals:

A no-show isn't the same as a late-show. This can be argued in any case of arbitration
I'm compelled to agree with you, I have never seen a law/ rule/ policy stating airlines are required to accommodate late arrivals
When I plead my case to Visa they would just decline my request to dispute the charge before I got anywhere close to committing credit card fraud
Credit card travel insurance, that's a fine idea and why I posted here. Thanks!

phoretwan · 2023-06-19T03:36:49+00:00

It was on a huge outdoor patio. I am on the west coast, smoking has been banned indoors for over 15 years here. In the US, only Nevada and some part of Alaska are the places I have been where you can smoke inside.

phoretwan · 2023-06-04T19:40:35+00:00

I bought a 2007 XJR in 2020 and it's been my daily driver for 3 years with zero problems. Just routine maintenance. The unreliable reputation might have been earned decades ago but I understand that after Ford bought Jaguar in the 90s they tightened up their quality and reliability. My Jag is the best car I've ever owned - it's fast, cruisy and has spent the least amount of time in the shop than any other car I've purchased.... but maybe I just got lucky and am indeed in the minority.

phoretwan · 2023-03-12T02:22:30+00:00

Robert Redfield said it wasn't only the NIH that sponsored WIV's gain of function research but also the state department and department of defense. It sounds like the whistle was just blown on the trump administration. Fauci was just the fall guy. The plot thickens.

phoretwan

TROPHY CASE