alt.autos.macho-trucks 01/25/96 Alt.autos.macho-trucks is rumbling this week, with several informative threads going. Discussion about the biggest tires you can put on your Dodge Ram 3/4T 4x4 is perhaps the most interesting followed by a fleeting post about getting good torque in the dirt with three of your tires in the air! Several folks are fishing for comments about new trucks they have just bought or are considering buying, so if you're in the market for a '97 Ford 150, you might want to check it out. Paul Dever -- The Auto Channel ##--##--##news00039 alt.autos.rod-n-custom 01/25/96 If you check in to alt.autos.rod-n-custom at the moment you can expect all the regular discussion about parts for sale and how-to. You'll also find extended discussion about POR-15's permanent anti-rust coating, including results of a home test. A similar thread takes up the question of what to use for coating high-temperature aluminum parts like heads, and whether or not that's a good idea. The post that garnered the most response was a horror story about getting ripped off at a Mr. Transmission in Columbia, MO. Several people responded with tales of woe about bad experiences with Mr. Transmission, elsewhere. Paul Dever -- The Auto Channel ##--##--##news00040 rec.autos.sport.rally 01/25/96 This group is between Rallies right now, so it's a bit slow. Someone did, however, post a long article about the Monte Carlo and the Monaco Grand Prix. Discuss rally rules about about auxiliary and spot lights on cars, and about passage controls. Part of the group seems dedicated to discussing simulations of rallies on video games: you never know where a SEGA fan will show up. Buried links to cool sites (two thumbs up for Sandman) make checking out the group worthwhile--use a web browser for smooth clicking. Paul Dever -- The Auto Channel ##--##--##news00041 austin.autos 01/25/96 Want to buy or sell a used car in Austin? Then this is the group for you. Aside from insight into the Austin car market, this group currently offers slim pickings: a thread about insurance costs for hobby cars and massive cross-posting of the SplitFire spark plug thread. The jury has weighed in on the this latter issue: a practically unanimous voice has arisen from all corners of the Internet and declared that SplitFire plugs are nothing more than a marketing ploy. Caveat Emptor. Paul Dever -- The Auto Channel ##--##--##news00042 rec.autos.4x4 01/25/96 This group is absolutely filled with 4 wheel drive enthusiasts talking about everything and anything that relates to 4X4s. Current interesting threads include postings of basics technical info about tires (and links to sites with more detailed info), the value and integrity (or lack of both) of Land Rovers, how to keep your Wrangler's heater from making your feet uncomfortably hot, and extended discussion about winches. Also various posts about suspension and liftkits on different models. Paul Dever -- The Auto Channel ##--##--##news00043 rec.autos.driving 01/25/96 You would guess that it's a forum for talking about how to drive, it's true. But it also contains myriad other things, including a thread on blindingly bright fog lights and a raging argument about speeding and cops. Check out the group this week if you want to see comparisons of cars like Ford's Tempo and Topaz and Honda vs. Chrysler. Other hot topics: best car for $20k, bicycling on the streets, and how to drive with a broken alternator. Paul Dever -- The Auto Channel ##--##--##news00044 rec.autos.simulators 01/25/96 This group is all about playing racing games. Discussion ranges as far as arcade games, but mostly sticks to simulations you can run on your PC. Have you been looking for new racetracks to zoom through? Wanna tickle your system by running NASCAR on ICR2 tracks? Check out this group this week to see serious suggestions on making NASCAR 1.3 better and more realistic, and at least one post that complains that realism can ruin a game if you simulate a bad track. Paul Dever -- The Auto Channel ##--##--##news00045