Matthew
@not-a-rug.bsky.social
Seismologist with a degree in Slavic languages and literature too! Automotive masochist.
Yep, and, despite being Lucas’d into undrivable (after multiple electrical repairs including a full-vehicle wiring harness swap that still didn’t get it out of the shop’s parking space), I still still miss it
February 11, 2026 at 10:57 PM
Yep, and, despite being Lucas’d into undrivable (after multiple electrical repairs including a full-vehicle wiring harness swap that still didn’t get it out of the shop’s parking space), I still still miss it
Definitely lost, I doubt that many zoomers and younger have, or might ever, see the Patrick Swayze and Chris Farley SNL skit
February 11, 2026 at 10:48 PM
Definitely lost, I doubt that many zoomers and younger have, or might ever, see the Patrick Swayze and Chris Farley SNL skit
Also, the rich jerks that buy things based on badge alone wouldn’t touch something from something that they never heard of like ineos. I still relish the looks of disgust I got from owners of brand new range rovers in Austin when I was rolling around town in my ratty ‘90 range rover
February 11, 2026 at 10:39 PM
Also, the rich jerks that buy things based on badge alone wouldn’t touch something from something that they never heard of like ineos. I still relish the looks of disgust I got from owners of brand new range rovers in Austin when I was rolling around town in my ratty ‘90 range rover
Iirc, he tried to buy the rights & molds/bucks for the defender but JLR refused (or something like that). JLR probably considers the ineos distinct enough from their new defender that they don’t see it as a threat given the old defender wasn’t really sold much in their current main market, the US
February 11, 2026 at 10:35 PM
Iirc, he tried to buy the rights & molds/bucks for the defender but JLR refused (or something like that). JLR probably considers the ineos distinct enough from their new defender that they don’t see it as a threat given the old defender wasn’t really sold much in their current main market, the US
Wild to see this, having seen the scroll in person but never having read the novel itself. After seeing this I had to look up who actually owned it, because it was regularly on display at the Lilly Library at IU, so I wondered if the IU admin was continuing their downward spiral.
February 11, 2026 at 10:26 PM
Wild to see this, having seen the scroll in person but never having read the novel itself. After seeing this I had to look up who actually owned it, because it was regularly on display at the Lilly Library at IU, so I wondered if the IU admin was continuing their downward spiral.
yeah, that ineos was specifically going for the defender aesthetic instead of the range rover classic was both disappointing and now in retrospect telling (also now that i think about it “defender” was an odd choice for a model line that had been known as “series” or wheelbase numbers until 1991 🤔)
February 11, 2026 at 10:04 PM
yeah, that ineos was specifically going for the defender aesthetic instead of the range rover classic was both disappointing and now in retrospect telling (also now that i think about it “defender” was an odd choice for a model line that had been known as “series” or wheelbase numbers until 1991 🤔)
Yep, it’s bringing up memories of Ferrarichat that I thought were long-forgotten
February 10, 2026 at 5:50 PM
Yep, it’s bringing up memories of Ferrarichat that I thought were long-forgotten
Indeed, ‘‘twas a shitpost. Although, honestly, there is very little in terms of features that I regularly use in the allroad that weren’t already present in the Range Rover (besides heated seats and a reliable electrical system).
January 30, 2026 at 3:58 PM
Indeed, ‘‘twas a shitpost. Although, honestly, there is very little in terms of features that I regularly use in the allroad that weren’t already present in the Range Rover (besides heated seats and a reliable electrical system).
Allow me to introduce you to my cousin Marelli, while we’re at it.
January 30, 2026 at 2:40 PM
Allow me to introduce you to my cousin Marelli, while we’re at it.
As someone who went from a 1990 Range Rover to a 2015 A4 allroad a little over a year ago, I’m going to have to disagree with you there.
January 30, 2026 at 2:19 PM
As someone who went from a 1990 Range Rover to a 2015 A4 allroad a little over a year ago, I’m going to have to disagree with you there.
The introduction of roof crush rollover safety standards has bulked up a-pillars to an annoying degree that has created frontal blind spots that either weren’t there or were much, much smaller before the introduction of these standards.
January 30, 2026 at 2:17 PM
The introduction of roof crush rollover safety standards has bulked up a-pillars to an annoying degree that has created frontal blind spots that either weren’t there or were much, much smaller before the introduction of these standards.
I’ll add an even more subjective corollary to this. The overwhelming majority of convertibles would/do look better as hardtops. Generally, convertibles have wonky rooflines with the top up and look incomplete top down. The 250 Cali Spyder looks better as the 250 TdF.
January 30, 2026 at 2:13 PM
I’ll add an even more subjective corollary to this. The overwhelming majority of convertibles would/do look better as hardtops. Generally, convertibles have wonky rooflines with the top up and look incomplete top down. The 250 Cali Spyder looks better as the 250 TdF.
Going from one place that doesn’t exist to vacation in another place that doesn’t exist, eh?
You and the puffalumps are in the Illuminati, aren’t you? Or perhaps I should say the Illumpinati?
old.reddit.com/r/finlandCon...
You and the puffalumps are in the Illuminati, aren’t you? Or perhaps I should say the Illumpinati?
old.reddit.com/r/finlandCon...
The Finland Conspiracy and all you need to know about it.
Reposted as the last one was archived. This is a subreddit designed to discuss and theorize upon the belief that Finland is not a real...
old.reddit.com
January 28, 2026 at 7:25 PM
Going from one place that doesn’t exist to vacation in another place that doesn’t exist, eh?
You and the puffalumps are in the Illuminati, aren’t you? Or perhaps I should say the Illumpinati?
old.reddit.com/r/finlandCon...
You and the puffalumps are in the Illuminati, aren’t you? Or perhaps I should say the Illumpinati?
old.reddit.com/r/finlandCon...
thanks! my ushanka definitely completes the look but any pics of that full ensemble are sitting on a misplaced sd card lol. I say go get yourself a great coat too
January 27, 2026 at 3:28 AM
thanks! my ushanka definitely completes the look but any pics of that full ensemble are sitting on a misplaced sd card lol. I say go get yourself a great coat too
I feel that, I’ve had this from when I was studying in Russia for a semester over 15 years ago. I don’t get much opportunity to wear it anymore being in TX past 7ish years, but I’ve been hesitant to wear it when it’s gotten cold enough the past year. Does the fur collar help it not look too fascist?
January 27, 2026 at 2:29 AM
I feel that, I’ve had this from when I was studying in Russia for a semester over 15 years ago. I don’t get much opportunity to wear it anymore being in TX past 7ish years, but I’ve been hesitant to wear it when it’s gotten cold enough the past year. Does the fur collar help it not look too fascist?
Indeed. I’ve often wondered if the original owner had a bunch of McDonald’s franchises and registered it as a company car with that hideous color scheme as part of their justification for why a Ferrari could be considered a McDonald’s company car
January 26, 2026 at 9:38 PM
Indeed. I’ve often wondered if the original owner had a bunch of McDonald’s franchises and registered it as a company car with that hideous color scheme as part of their justification for why a Ferrari could be considered a McDonald’s company car
Oof, reminds of a 599 that I saw on autotrader years ago. I only saved one picture of it, but you can extrapolate that it’s roughly the inverse of that 360
January 26, 2026 at 9:26 PM
Oof, reminds of a 599 that I saw on autotrader years ago. I only saved one picture of it, but you can extrapolate that it’s roughly the inverse of that 360
Been offline for a bit, but I’m glad to see that your experience with these kits alleviates my longstanding concerns with Mattel/Megabloks products!
January 25, 2026 at 12:37 AM
Been offline for a bit, but I’m glad to see that your experience with these kits alleviates my longstanding concerns with Mattel/Megabloks products!
Very good to know! I will give them credit that they seem to be more ready to invest in model-specific-molds for bricks than Lego anymore. The larger scale Aston DB5 from Lego looks terrible IMO (too flat) [also my dad was a mold/tool/die-maker so I am forever cursed with knowledge of plastics]
December 31, 2025 at 12:41 AM
Very good to know! I will give them credit that they seem to be more ready to invest in model-specific-molds for bricks than Lego anymore. The larger scale Aston DB5 from Lego looks terrible IMO (too flat) [also my dad was a mold/tool/die-maker so I am forever cursed with knowledge of plastics]
I’m very curious how this experience goes and how turns out. I had pretty bad experiences with Mega Bloks as a kid compared to Lego (mostly qc related like badly warped bricks), so I’ve avoided them like the plague ever since. Maybe Mattel’s acquisition of them turned things around for the better…
December 30, 2025 at 11:55 PM
I’m very curious how this experience goes and how turns out. I had pretty bad experiences with Mega Bloks as a kid compared to Lego (mostly qc related like badly warped bricks), so I’ve avoided them like the plague ever since. Maybe Mattel’s acquisition of them turned things around for the better…
I remember reading a study or journal article from the late 90s or early 00s a few years ago that compared the rates and types of injuries in accidents with seatbelts only vs with airbags only vs with airbags and seatbelts. Iirc, injury rates were best for just belts. I’ll try to find it after work
December 30, 2025 at 5:14 PM
I remember reading a study or journal article from the late 90s or early 00s a few years ago that compared the rates and types of injuries in accidents with seatbelts only vs with airbags only vs with airbags and seatbelts. Iirc, injury rates were best for just belts. I’ll try to find it after work
Yep, she did a much better job playing a general in Resident Alien than this
December 29, 2025 at 8:22 PM
Yep, she did a much better job playing a general in Resident Alien than this
Be safe on the drive/ride to your house (and the crawl up the front steps if you didn’t bring your crampons with you)
December 29, 2025 at 4:40 AM
Be safe on the drive/ride to your house (and the crawl up the front steps if you didn’t bring your crampons with you)
lol given my personal experience with a Ford product catching fire, that is not surprising to hear
December 29, 2025 at 2:51 AM
lol given my personal experience with a Ford product catching fire, that is not surprising to hear