Random Thoughts - Part III The Search for Spark (No Politics)

[ScoobsMcGee]

Originally Posted by Tcoat

The Lava was the longest I ever owned a car.

Same for my BRZ. I've had it for over 8 years now which is more than twice as long as the closest comparison. I am also fickle and make poor financial decisions when it comes to cars...

[Teseo]

Originally Posted by Tcoat

The Lava was the longest I ever owned a car.

Man... those pictures of yours with that orange blazing in the snow was legit.

[Ultramaroon]

Originally Posted by Teseo

Man... those pictures of yours with that orange blazing in the snow was legit.

You know @villainous_frx is tracking the piss out of it, right? Needs tcoat-shaped decals.


edit: Oh, I see that you do. NVM

[spike021]

My parents have an old 08 or 09 Camry and apparently it failed smog due to a cap or something from this part being broken from age: https://parts.toyota101.com/productd...3dj2wvizpvshba

Their usual mechanic supposedly asked Toyota how much it would cost just for the cap (? maybe, i got this from my dad relaying it to me) and Toyota supposedly told the mechanic "$1100". So my dad called me a few mins ago and asked if I knew anything about it. Of course I don't, lol, but I do know it's easy ish to look up parts online. So I checked parts.toyota.com and found it for like $166 + $15 if shipped from a Bay Area dealer.

I think the mechanic is a good guy (older but parents have gone to him for years). So either he made a mistake or he's trying to scam my parents out of almost a thousand dollars...

edit: my dad just called me back. he told the mechanic what I found. apparently the guy is saying it's _not_ this part, but some wires or something attached to it?? But won't provide a part number for that. I'm like, wat, why give my dad the part number if that's not the part you need?

So who knows.

[villainous_frx]

Originally Posted by Ultramaroon

You know @villainous_frx is tracking the piss out of it, right? Needs tcoat-shaped decals.


edit: Oh, I see that you do. NVM

It's still seeing snow, but hopefully not past this year. Today at work I cleared about a foot of snow off of her

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by Ultramaroon

You know @villainous_frx is tracking the piss out of it, right? Needs tcoat-shaped decals.


edit: Oh, I see that you do. NVM

I sometimes just link his build thread when people start preaching "they are only good to 100Kmiles" or "It will be ruined by driving in the winter".

I have some Tcoat stickers that ichi sent me around here someplace!

Originally Posted by villainous_frx

It's still seeing snow, but hopefully not past this year. Today at work I cleared about a foot of snow off of her

It got a winter break for a couple of years didn't it?

[NoHaveMSG]

Originally Posted by spike021

I think the mechanic is a good guy (older but parents have gone to him for years). So either he made a mistake or he's trying to scam my parents out of almost a thousand dollars...

edit: my dad just called me back. he told the mechanic what I found. apparently the guy is saying it's _not_ this part, but some wires or something attached to it?? But won't provide a part number for that. I'm like, wat, why give my dad the part number if that's not the part you need?

So who knows.

Hopefully he at least provides an itemized bill in the end.

[villainous_frx]

Originally Posted by Tcoat

It got a winter break for a couple of years didn't it?

Yep, two winters off... one of them in a garage even!

The Lava is also the longest car I've owned in my name, the "hand me down" Mazda in high school doesn't really count.

[Ultramaroon]

Originally Posted by villainous_frx

It's still seeing snow, but hopefully not past this year. Today at work I cleared about a foot of snow off of her

I dreamed of having a little rwd beater when I lived in Minnesota. Get her out there on the ice.

[villainous_frx]

Originally Posted by Ultramaroon

I dreamed of having a little rwd beater when I lived in Minnesota. Get her out there on the ice.

Been trying, but been tied up with getting a friend's UZ swapped 86 going again. There's a lake about 45 minutes west of Calgary that is frozen over, and people have plowed several tracks on.

[Capt Spaulding]

I tend to keep cars for the long haul. At one point I had 2 ‘88 Acura Integras. The departed in 2002 and 2006, both the result of idiots behind other wheels. I’d have kept them longer.

My DD now is an ‘06 F150. I had the front end rebuilt a couple of years ago and put Bilsteins all around. I suspect it will outlive me.

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by Capt Spaulding

I tend to keep cars for the long haul. At one point I had 2 ‘88 Acura Integras. The departed in 2002 and 2006, both the result of idiots behind other wheels. I’d have kept them longer.

My DD now is an ‘06 F150. I had the front end rebuilt a couple of years ago and put Bilsteins all around. I suspect it will outlive me.

From 16 to 21 it was not unusual for me to have two or more cars actively on the go. My first real car (plated with insurance) was my 64 Impala and although I had is for 7 years it was only regularly driven for the first two. Many of my second cars were ones that I bought, fixed, drove for a bit and flipped for the next one.
From 21 to 35 I drove nothing but junkers as we were broke as hell. If I got a year out of my 81 Citation I was happy. When one reached a point where it was just so worn out it was scrapped and I got another $200 special.
From 35 to 45 I had some nicer cars that I did hang onto for a bit longer but would eventually get bored and want something different so 3 or 4 years was it.
From 45 to now I had brand new cars but just put so many miles in them that 4 years was about the max. Other than the FRS of course which I never really intended to sell yet even at it's high mileage but the next gen was of no interest and the Hakone was available so I went for it. I doubt I will ever buy another car again unless of course disaster strikes.

[Capt Spaulding]

It’s a little embarrassing to say it but I love the truck. We have a couple of traffic circles nearby and I occasionally hoon the truck through one telling my wife, “but honey, it’s in the name. F1 fifty.”

After my brief flirtation with the Outback, I suspect I’m on board with both the truck and the BRZ for the duration. If Bilstein made B6s for a 2012 v6 Camry I’d be set. I had a shop install some WTF NAPA specials a little while back and both the BRZ and my truck STILL ride better.

I can not for the life of me understand how that happens.

[Kittykate]

Originally Posted by bcj

Meh. Those are a bit long in the tooth now. The Yamatriples have been attracting more attention lately.
A fast first bike isn't a really good fit if you haven't been riding at all. There's a lot more risk than only going fast.
For 10 miles an electric bike would be an ideal non-freeway deal right now.

For used bikes in CA have a look to the Bay Area Riders Forum (BARF). Long history and good folks.

Of course it's long in the tooth. The 4-bangers are going the way of the dodo because of emission regs.



I do have experience, just not very recent and a different format of bike (just offroad as I've never been licensed for bikes). And would be able to borrow my uncle's little bike to knock the rust off and get the endorsement on my license before making my selection. As for what bike it's a 4 banger or nothin. If it isn't screaming to 5 digit rpms I don't want it. Sound is important to me (and it's a shame the R1's only comes in the one size because what a cool engine). I want my first big girl bike to have the sound I want.


Particular bike is not decided yet, and I'm not the type to move quickly anyway. Would just buy my uncle's but a 250 is not gonna do it for freeway. Cheers for the rec on the forum.

Originally Posted by Clipdat

How's your balance?

Only bad when I'm walking lmao. I've been on 2 wheels since I was like 3.