alt.autos.ferrari 01/22/96 This bright red newsgroup is currently very calm. The only activity has been generated by a widely cross-posted message asking how to find share-ware or free-ware programs that will help analyze horsepower and shiftpoint, as well as other automotive calculations. From across the web an answer came back. Check out: http://biorobotics.ee.washington.edu:80/BRL/fbody/ The poster of this address insists that a "great program for analyzing all sorts of things" lives there. Summarized by Paul Dever ##--##--## alt.planning.transport 01/22/96 This list is currently hosting an argument about whether owning automobiles is a right or a privilege. It has been cross posted to several groups aimed primarily at discussion of politics and social issues, so some auto-buffs might find it a bit far afield. In particular the libertarians have entered the fracas and are fiercely defending their opinions against the more liberal or progressive participants in the debate. Not for the faint of heart. Summarized by Paul Dever ##--##--## alt.autos.mercedes 01/22/96 This lonely group has only had one post recently. Someone has asked for opinions about the pros and cons of buying different, older Mercedes models. Specifically the prospective buyer wants to know about models from the late seventies (1977-1980). He wants to hear a comparison between the 300D and the 240D and also between the 300D and the 300SD. The questioner limited the survey to responses about automatics. Stay tuned for the results of this straw poll. Summarized by Paul Dever ##--##--## alt.autos 01/22/96 This newsgroup is plugging along with offers of different cars for sale: an '85 Toyota MR2 and a 1965 Opal GT, for instance; and an odd request for information about how much it may cost to repair a "huge" '75 Chevy Convertible with sagging doors. The author sums that problem up eloquently by stating: "your doors would sag too if they were hanging out for 21 years" Summarized by Paul Dever ##--##--## rec.autos.subaru 01/22/96 This newsgroup sports one lonely request for information concerning a miserable stalling subaru. Another post thanking participants for the many personal replies to a question posted, however, suggests that sometimes the group gets hopping. Check back for future developments. Summarized by Paul Dever ##--##--## alt.autos.antique 01/22/96 Right now this group is hopping: Rivieras, Crosleys, Mercury Montclair Breezeways, and more for sale; discussion about the maximum safe overbore for cylinders in a Journal 327; and debate over the best air compressor you can get for your buck--these are just a few of the hot topics circulating in this news group which is dedicated to antique and collector cars. Summarized by Paul Dever ##--##--## rec.autos.camaro.firebird 01/22/96 This is the group for gearheads dedicated to their Camaros and other muscle cars. Currently arguments rage as car lovers discuss whether Mustangs are better than Camaros or vice versa; the pros and cons of using Splitfire plugs vs. multiple discharge ignition systems; and what makes the ultimate difference to how your car handles a sharp curve on a rainy day: its weight or its tire treads. As if that weren't enough, the question of what new gasoline formulations might do to your car has arisen, alongside reports of how the East Coast's big winter storm affected the performance of Camaros and Transams. Summarized by Paul Dever ##--##--## -3