The Autopian has been up and running since March 32nd, or precisely two weeks ago. We’d like to chat with you, the dear readers who have chosen for whatever reason to board this untested vessel piloted by two frankly not-100%-there captains. So let’s hang out in the comments, talk about cars, and chat about whatever you feel like discussing.
Torch will hop on in a bit; he’s doing Passover stuff. For now it’s Thomas Hundal— our car-obsessed news-writing contributor — and me, just chillin’ here in the comments section of a website that, just a few months ago, was just a figment of Jason and my imagination. Now I have an unbelievable number of responsibilities: editing basically all day, everyday; trying to get a moment to actually write my own articles; staring out at my driveway, praying I can get a single moment to wrench on a Jeep. Will all this work be the death of me? No, I’m pretty sure that Valiant Ute in Australia will, but running this site will definitely weaken me.
Anyway, you should ask Thomas weird stuff about infotainment systems and weird re-flashing mods and also any BMW ever built. He’s an absolute geek and I’d like you all to get to know him better.
I’d also like to get to know you better, so let’s hang out! (I’m not the only one with nothing better to do on a Friday night, right?).
Oh and here’s Thomas’s BMW 325i:
I would love to know why sometimes I can reply to a post or a comment quite happily, other times it tells me I need to login. When I click login it just brings me to my profile page. It’s infuriating. Any thoughts on how to fix?
Didn’t read 200 other comments before posting this, so sorry if it has been mentioned or discussed, but your load times are sometimes awful. It took me over twenty seconds from I clicked on this article until it came through.
(I’m on a fast connection in a big city, watching your stuff in Chrome on a mac)
But this site is often about old technology, so I guess the kind of retro feeling of long load times doesn’t matter so much? But at some point in time, someone could get a little bored with them.
Otherwise thanks a lot for this nice new site!
My 10 year old and I discussed the brushes on the sides of escalators during our easter vacation travels, and I told him “Well, there actually is a detail orientated guy named Jason Torchinsky over in the US, who has actually written an article on just those”, and he just asked me “Why would he do that?” 😀
Glad this place exists, I just jumped ship after nearly 9 or so years… Tired of non Auto content and just basic bashing going on and nothing worth reading any longer. Seemed people weren’t really enthusiast’s any longer and just puppets riding in cars… Glad to be here.
Autopian is the auto media that speaks to me. I love the Full-Oink, let the freak flag fly approach – indeed, there were small tastes in the previous pub., but this is everyone-esoteric served on baking brakes.
The writing is about what I love, what I go fast with and what brings personal joy. I think this site is going to be kick ass if you aren’t careful. Thank you.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IbSM-h_nmi8
Where’s your 2-stroke editor?
Still having log in issues, have to go through the circular cycling of trying to post. This is the only one that I can post to.
Me too, just now, 12:05PM CDT 18Apr2022. Get logged out depending on where I click. Took a few tries to into ‘experts/tech’.
I think there should be a 2-stroke editor: Saab, DKW, Trabant, etc. Ah! The sound! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IbSM-h_nmi8
I missed the party.
Overall I am impressed with the website and I wear my March 32nd shirt with pride.
As an aging balding monkey, do you have plans for other merch? A baseball style hat would be an instant buy for me.
There are very few minor issues that I am sure you chasing and have an ever growing list of more. The top on my list if the general speed of the site. Then again BW cost money, which I am sure will be resolved once revenue streams are set up.
BTW – Let me know if you want the Torch with Puppies picture. I can send to the tips email if you want 🙂 Of course, you would probably then banhammer my account.
YES, I want to see the puppies picture!
I will get that to you the tips email over my lunch. 🙂
It is on it’s way. May God have mercy on all of us.
Any chance for podcasts…again?
front page loads fast, but the articles are another story.
Also, please don’t fall into the false outrage of your former employer with hurr durr the car name is too long, and it makes no sense, for some bullshit that only shows on the registration/title.
I’m enjoying the whole site, but I love that I can post a comment and it will get seen!
I’ve followed a handful of other sites over the years but could never be bothered to sign on. Aaaand those other sites seemed to be progressively racing each other to see how much advertising masquerading as articles they could just jam in there. At least one of them is now recycling old content because the new (and cheaper) staff can’t do what the old (and interesting) staff did.
I may not agree with everything written here and I find some of it deeply weird*, but that’s the point. If I wanted some smooth-talking corporate stooge whispering in my ear about how I should buy a mall-crawling softroader** in the middle of articles about sex toys and dog care products, there’s a dozen sites anxious to cater to that need. I don’t have that need.
I think cars are a deeply personal thing, a means of self-expression if anything. The car reflects the driver. They should provoke thought or discussion. I don’t care how goofy that sounds, because that’s what I’m here for… and that’s also what I’m getting so far.
If the overall Autopian plan is basically, “Everything about cars except trying to sell you one, or whatever random crap Amazon has on offer,” I shall be very happy.
PS: I did have an idea for an article or three (supposing the idea has traction, pardon the pun)
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* I don’t quite share the same enthusiasm for headlights as others here, but that’s okay! Points conceded.
** I first saw “softroader” as a term here, and I totally stole it for my own personal lexicon.
Just joining my humble self to what will definitely be an awesome community. Long time reader of the other site; hadn’t posted much after remaining in greys (I think I had a temp burner account, whatevs). I might not be the most prolific poster but I’ll definitely be a reader (comments and articles of course). Keep up the great work !
We need somewhere where we can discuss our projects, I’m currently building a skoolie from a 40 ft flat nose Thomas school bus with a Caterpillar engine, also turning my 2001 C5 Corvette into a 2001 C5R, and I’m going to restore a 77 Corvette I bought after that. Don’t worry both are manuals.
I picked up the Corvette after I bought an 81 Mercedes 240D with a 4-speed for my girlfriend and she didn’t like it cuz it was old even though everything worked, and it even had LED headlights and the analog clock even worked.
So I sold that to someone from Gulfstream and I bought the Corvette.
I would love to see other people’s projects.
Overall I love where the site is going! Keep up the good work guys! The only issue I have is that the “Leave a Reply” button is at the bottom of the comments, it’s a lot of scrolling to get there.
This has to be you in a dream working on a rusty Jeep.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bRs-4AXb9_U
What is the intent for posting? Are you going to have a free-for all section, focused posting, something else? I see I have no posts, but I don’t see a place to write a post.
this is why you guys need a paywall. check out what defector is doing.