86: The Lifesaver
 

Hey Norcal, just finished washing the 86 and cleaning globs of dirt off the wheels and got to thinking. If it weren't for this car, I'm not sure where I'd be right now.

I bought this car during my sophomore year of college where I was lacking motivation and feeling lethargic most of the time. The crazy frat parties and drinking every weekend became a vicious cycle of repetitious doom. Ever since purchasing this car last April (one year anniversary coming soon!), I feel as though something has been reflected in my school work and overall mood.

Anyone else feel as though this car has in a sense, rejuvenated and brought back your mojo? Would love to hear some responses!

:thumbup:

I feel quite the opposite, it's been taking up too much of my time lmao.

A bit, yeah. Even more so with the bike, I genuinely get excited when the weather is nice enough to take the Z out. Such a nice little escape. I've always been a car guy and a student of driving technique, and if I don't like what I'm driving then I see it as a chore. Big turn-off. I'll go out of my way to take my car instead of the wife's if we're going somewhere together.

Simply having something to look forward to is a great thing to have in your life. Especially when its something you have to do frequently, like commuting.

Love the plate!

After trading in my BMW to purchase my wife's new SUV, I was stuck with her old Toyota Camry. It's a great car and all, but it's horrific on twisties and boring to drive.

I don't drive as much as I used to when I first purchased my BRZ last year, but I find myself getting excited just to go out on errands or drive around to relax my mind on a lazy sunday afternoon.

Oh to be young...j/k :thumbsup:

^Same here, nowadays I spend more time on the forums than driving my car, but that once a week I get to drive it on Redwood Rd. on my lunch break makes it all worth it.

That plate is awesome! Lol

[ame]https://twitter.com/tnarg/status/394618774889824256[/ame]

I had a lot of changes in my life come around indirectly because of my FR-S. I now spend an inordinate amount of time and money obsessing over autox! Plus a lot of things happened in my personal life. I was pretty lonely and isolated, and now I have friends who care about me and share my interests who I wouldn't have met if not for Luna. I feel very fortunate that I impulsively bought her. It probably seemed foolish to most to buy a car like her out of the blue (I got rid of a Trail Teams FJ Cruiser for her) but I'm happier now then I've been in a long time.

I'm stupid, is the plate a reference to moms who are bad drivers in their minivans and SUVs?

I think he's saying he is a MILF Hunter LOL.

Eh. I should be spending money on my Becker Course, but I feel car parts is mo betta.

(I really don't, and I kick my self for spending money on car parts, but its so much fun!)

Nice catch!

love that plate!

Thanks for the plate-love! It's the best when I look in my rear-view mirror and people are just cracking up behind me and taking pictures of the plate. Even the moms love it!

Studying for your CPA? Good luck!

(I'm a CPA also... living the high life... :sigh:)

---

Warning, wall of text ahead:

I have a similar story to you OP, although no drinking or frat parties involved in mine. At the point where I traded my old car for my FR-S, I was at a pretty depressed stage of my life. I was doing literally nothing with my life besides idly floating through work then going home and playing video games (1200 hours in Skyrim!).

The FR-S was sort of an impulse buy (well, my old '94 Avalon was on its last legs so I needed a new car anyways). Now at the time I knew mostly zilch about cars (and I still don't know that much :bonk:) so I was thinking of maybe getting a Corolla or something similarly boring. Then I saw the FR-S and fell in love.

I was really dedicated to getting a FR-S - entered the first 86 contest, was on wait lists since before the car was officially released, drove my Avalon with non-functioning air conditioning and intermittently functioning windows through the whole summer while waiting for my FR-S (it got so hot in that thing that my phone would shut off due to overheating)...

Finally, at the end of November 2013 I finally was able to buy my baby, and a few weeks later I started looking into modding my FR-S (nothing fancy, mostly cosmetics and audio). But at the same time, I didn't really drive for fun all that much... not the car's fault, I was just still going through the motions of work and video games.

Around three months after I got the car I was doing some more research on mods and had an epiphany. "I have a cool car now," I thought. "I should be cool to match it." (Yeah, I'm lame, I know.)

I started going out more and driving the twisties for fun... started lovingly hand washing my baby every one or two weeks... finally learned how gears work and started spending 99% of my time in manual mode... and as I started getting more confidence in my ability to actually *drive* and enjoy and take pride in my car, I think that reflected in taking pride in my life as well.

I began eating right and working out, have dropped around 40 pounds over the past year and added some muscle. I stopped just going through the motions at work and actually tried to better myself, and I think I'm in line for a fat raise and possible promotion this year. I started dating again and met an amazing girl... and she loves my car also and makes me drive her along back roads and such. And every time I drive my car now, it's with a stupid grin on my face. I feel like I'm much happier now and in a better place, and have grown so much as a person since I bought my FR-S.

Well, except for the occasional bout with irresponsible manic driving on public roads. :burnrubber:

I've seen ya around Berkeley a few times. There's a guy with an M3 that has the plate "MLFHNTR"