Lacessit

I've given you the numbers. If you don't like them, too bad. I never said the South China Sea could be mined, I said Chinese ports could be mined. A deflection of yours. You don't seem to understand China is far more dependent on America to keep its economy going, than vice versa.

You have a link to prove that ridiculous statement?

Perhaps you have been asleep while the Koreans have been taking over the mass market from the Japanese. The figures say brands such as Honda, Nissan and Subaru are being supplanted by Hyundai and Kia. Aston Martin is very much a niche luxury brand.

He can expect a wait time of 1-2 hours in Australia on the phone, maybe it is different for an international call.

In terms of the AUD, gold was 500/ounce in 1999. It's now 3000/ounce, a better capital growth than most stock markets. Gold is not an investment, which earn income. It's a currency hedge. As far as I am concerned, it is always a good time to buy precious metals. I have lost money in the sharemarket, never on gold, silver or platinum.

I'm Australian, I avoid drunk Brits and Australians. Too many thugs in the bars nowadays, I can't be bothered going there.

Centrelink requires anyone receiving the OAP to notify them when going overseas. It's another example of bureaucratic dumbf##kery, as Border Force informs them anyway. In his case, it is a grey area, because his pension is not approved yet. Ask them.

Interdicting maritime trade routes calls for the projection of sea power. While China has the largest navy, it's far from the right mix. The USA has 64 nuclear submarines, China has 6. America has 11 aircraft carriers, China has 3. The Comte de Bussy-Rabutin said God is on the side of the big battalions. Voltaire said God is on the side of the best shots. I suspect the US meets both criteria. India's advantage consists of proximity.

If a seminal thought ever appeared in your posts, it would be a clear case of promiscuity.

Wrong again. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-05-02/philip-lowe-rba-board-dinner-interest-rates/102294090

The probability of that is extremely low. Look at a map, it is a simple matter for either the US or India to entirely choke off trade and the flow of goods in the Malacca Strait. Or mine China's ports. It would destroy the Chinese economy, the Chinese know it. They are ten years away from getting a supply chain via Russia. Sure, there will be some sabre rattling. That's all it will amount to.

Thank you for defining this thread.

I don't have one, and I am not going to waste my time ferreting around in cyberspace for one. Hyundai has a reputation for reliability. My son's Kona N, one of their topline products, has no specifications in the manual about running in the vehicle. The first service is at 15,000 km. Do you really think Hyundai would risk their brand name by putting their engines out into the marketplace, without running them in first?

Please direct me to where I posted ALL engines are run-in at factory.

There are opinions, and there are recommendations by the car manufacturers. Or lack of them, as the case may be.

Saying something is a fact does not make it so, unless you have an authoritative link to back it up. Which another poster has already failed to provide. I suggest you Google the term "begging the question". How do you explain the fact my son's Hyundai Kona N has an operator's manual which does not specify any vehicle break-in procedure, and the first scheduled service is at 15,000 km?

Turbo petrol is not the same as turbo diesel, compare the torque output. I get it, you're a revhead who loves the throb of a V8. Just like Harley Davidson owners love the world's biggest vibrators. One of the funniest races I saw many years ago was between Sir Gawaine Baillie's 7 litre Ford Galaxie, and a Mini Cooper, at Sandown racetrack in Melbourne. The Ford would overhaul the Cooper on the long straight there, only to have the Mini slip through on the inside on the bend. One could almost hear the suspension of the Ford twanging.

You have a math problem - again. Your post is eight sentences.

I agree with being gentle with cars initially. Back in the day, I had 5 company cars. 4 Mitsubishis and a GM product. Standard practice was to hand the cars back after 120,000 km, then select a new one from 5 brands. The cars which were handed back went on two paths - back to the dealer, or lower echelon employees could submit bids to take them over. Some of the cars handed in were treated as if they had leprosy. E.g one sales type who ran his vehicle for 120,000 km without an oil change. OTOH, all the Mitsubishis I handed in sparked bidding wars, because everyone knew I was a stickler for regular maintenance, and addressing any problems immediately. The only vehicle which did not get a bid was the GM product, due to inherent NVH issues. Nowadays, your 6.8 L V8 would have a hard time against a turbo diesel half its size on normal fuel and oxidant. Although I haven't heard of anyone feeding a TD nitrous oxide.

There are engines that are run on a bench, most are not. "There are engines that are run on a bench, most are not." You have a link or statistics to support that assertion? It would appear you are posting a photo of some American-made V8 iron, I have no doubt such engines would need breaking in on the road. I am talking about modern turbo diesels, where the manufacturer does the job before the vehicle gets into a showroom. IIRC, it was last century when the Japanese started slaughtering the American car industry in terms of build quality. The Koreans now talk about the lazy Japanese. Both moved on to reliability, and from that to readiness for use. They are looking over their shoulders at the Chinese. Nostalgia is fine; however, I don't confuse it with modern products. Who wants to go back to mobile phones the size of house bricks? Or gas-guzzling behemoths? Come back to me when you have driven a Hyundai i30N or a Kia Stinger, although the latter is now history. Just as Detroit is.

If you are unable to read what I have posted.... oh, forget it.

You're married?

Understood, you probably won't know until you've tried running one there.

As I said, manufacturers nowadays break the engines in prior to putting in the vehicle. Perhaps you need a new prescription for your spectacles. Legend has it the Russian T34 tank would generate about a kilo of iron filings in their oil system after just one hour of operation. Oils and metal alloys have come a long way since then. I don't doubt the vehicle of your nom-de-plume would need breaking in. According to the owner's manual, a Hyundai Kona N does not. I further venture said vehicle would urinate all over your choice of vehicle on any road with a couple of bends in it.

I buy Michelins for every car I have owned, peace of mind when roads go from dry to greasy.