Random Thoughts - Part Deux [NO POLITICS]

[Allch Chcar]

Originally Posted by serialk11r

Ah okay, I know what's going on. You're probably in 6th gear and running crazy rich from pressing the gas pedal too far. Look up a picture of the stock fuel map and you'll quickly understand. If the instant mpg gauge in 6th gear dips below 26mpg you're probably running rich already. It's kind of weird, but a lot of times you want to put it in 5th or 4th if you're accelerating at 40-50mph, as the engine really likes the higher revs. Like I said, the mpg actually starts dropping at 45mph because the engine loses so much efficiency below 2000rpm.

The stock throttle map is very weird, you only have to barely press the pedal to get 80% torque, so it's very easy to accidentally be running near max load and thus at <13 AFR.

With my tune, you just target ~23-24 mpg on the instantaneous mpg meter in 6th gear and that's the highest load you can use before it starts enriching the mix. With my edited throttle map it's very easy to modulate the pedal to get there. The best part about the map is that I made the bottom half of the pedal travel more sensitive so blipping the throttle for gear changes is much easier.

I actually changed jobs 2 times already (kind of how things work around SF/Silicon Valley), and moved into SF so I could just walk to work. I paid for parking for a year, and then realized I was burning more money on parking (350-400 a month is the typical going rate here) than exotic car drivers spend on their 6 figure cars for maintenance and insurance, so I just store the cars on the curb next to my parents' house now haha.

That's what I figured out. I was watching the MPG gauge a lot. It was a long trip. I figured it was running pig rich closer to 20 mpg though. Then there was times I would get 30 mpg driving through some twisty/hilly sections at 55 mph in 6th but it would get 40-50 mpg in 5th gear. The 80% torque being really easy I could kind of feel. It came in handy when passing on the two lane roads here and when showing it off to family or trying to get the hell out of town. But learning a new car takes awhile and I'm not in a hurry. I've been so busy that I basically sleep my one day off a week and stop playing video games except on half days. When I got time off I started doing drives again. That's kind of what I did today. Reading fuel and timing maps needs to be on my todo list. I used to lurk exclusively on the technical sections all the time.

Another detail that turned out different than I expected is when I first did a test drive I remember the seating position and visibility sucking bad.I couldn't adjust anything right it seemed. My knees were in the dash and when I turned my head I couldn't see anything but sheet metal. I sat in the BRZ and after scooting the seat back all the way I was comfortable and could see all around me. The blind spots are smaller than I remember too. I thought the drop in height would bother me being that I lost 6" (ha). Most of the traffic here is lifted diesel trucks and subaru wagons. Other than the occasional blinding headlight, which happens to all cars, I haven't felt small and insignificant. I'm still pretty cautious about positioning between two big trucks. But everyone seems to have no problem seeing me and and noticing me watching them watching me. Though the majority of people here don't know what the BRZ is other than a "speedy subaru." The few WRX/STI here have loud fart can exhausts and everyone knows where they live.

I'm glad to see you're doing well. Are you making six figures yet? I probably make a fraction of what you make but you pay more for parking than I do for rent/food/internet bandwidth. You won't ever catch me south of Ukiah anymore. Once I get a regular position here I'm hoping to get time off and explore more. It's supposed to be winter steelhead season but the pineapple express has everything blown out. So driving is all I can do right now.

[serialk11r]

Originally Posted by Allch Chcar

I'm glad to see you're doing well. Are you making six figures yet? I probably make a fraction of what you make but you pay more for parking than I do for rent/food/internet bandwidth. You won't ever catch me south of Ukiah anymore. Once I get a regular position here I'm hoping to get time off and explore more. It's supposed to be winter steelhead season but the pineapple express has everything blown out. So driving is all I can do right now.

Well, if you count the worthless paper value of the stock options, sure :P I may have made some bad calls with that, time will tell, but I was stretched pretty thin on money last year from buying too much stock in the last company. I have friends who dropped out of school and made millions before they could even buy alcohol legally, so I kind of bought into the whole ponzi scheme thinking I would strike it rich with no effort too.

Turns out, I am a latecomer to the gold rush, and all VCs are massively overpaying for just about every investment here lol. Most people in SF literally think getting investor money means you can ball out and blow money, which is why a lot of startups are crashing. If you google "austerity panda" you'll see a funny example of what I mean. I don't think the stock I bought will be worth nothing, but I regret not taking cash instead.

I actually really hope the SF tech scene collapses, because it would be awesome if everyone moved to a non-shitty city. I pay >1100/month for a corner of a living room for an apartment I share with 2 friends, there's not a single place in the city where there's no shit on the street or stabbings or cars being smashed daily.

Even so, I can't say I'm living badly at all. Free food at work helps with expenses and I don't spend much. My car hobby is the biggest expense, but with the MR2 Spyder parts are pretty cheap so it's not too bad. That's a reason I am getting rid of the FR-S; if I want to take it to the track, I would need a 2k brake upgrade, several k on suspension, and I would be risking damage and paint chips on a much newer car. By contrast, there are dozens of Spyder owners at any time getting rid of their highly modified cars for really cheap. Mine came with a roll bar, fixed bucket seats, coilovers, and gauges at almost no premium to a stock car.

[cdrazic93]

Originally Posted by Cole

Installing a subwoofer tomorrow. Pray for me

What kind? Ive always been interested in those alpine type R subs. Pack one hell of a punch.

[Phijkchu]

Originally Posted by Tcoat

I am a bit odd (SURPRISE) in that my music taste evolved with music so much of my favorites are not considered age appropriate since I do tend to stick pretty close to the very heavy end of the spectrum. Talk about stand out at a Marylyn Manson concert though.

I will tolerate, without complaint, anything except country. I have about a 5 minute tolerance level for country music before I want to hang myself. That is ALL country music. When people say "Oh this is new country you will like this" I want to rip their still beating heart out and make them eat it. I will watch Shania Twain videos with the sound off from time to time.

with mah girl and mah truck and mah dog and mah truck get in mah truckoh yeah

**acoustic guitar**

[Cole]

Originally Posted by cdrazic93

What kind? Ive always been interested in those alpine type R subs. Pack one hell of a punch.

I'm embarrassed to say, but it's a cheap walmart one. No justification apart from budget, and learning a new skill. This way, if I mess up, I'm not out a huge amount of money, and if I decide I like the extra bass, I can do more research and upgrade down the line with most of the work already done. If I don't like it, I can sell it/gift it to someone and it won't hurt as bad.

[Cole]

Originally Posted by Tcoat

I am a bit odd (SURPRISE) in that my music taste evolved with music so much of my favorites are not considered age appropriate since I do tend to stick pretty close to the very heavy end of the spectrum. Talk about stand out at a Marylyn Manson concert though.

I will tolerate, without complaint, anything except country. I have about a 5 minute tolerance level for country music before I want to hang myself. That is ALL country music. When people say "Oh this is new country you will like this" I want to rip their still beating heart out and make them eat it. I will watch Shania Twain videos with the sound off from time to time.

Well, good thing I enjoy Marylyn Manson, otherwise I'd be an outcast at your trailer with my inexplicable love of country music.

[Ultramaroon]

Originally Posted by Cole

I'm embarrassed to say, but it's a cheap walmart one. No justification apart from budget, and learning a new skill. This way, if I mess up, I'm not out a huge amount of money, and if I decide I like the extra bass, I can do more research and upgrade down the line with most of the work already done. If I don't like it, I can sell it/gift it to someone and it won't hurt as bad.

Pretty damn smart. I like your approach.

[finch1750]

Originally Posted by Stang70Fastback

I agree that a lot of classical music doesn't do well in our cars. At least not with a good sound system that can make the quiet bits loud enough.

Found that out on the way home. I actually grew up listening to Andrew Lloud Webber soundtracks playing in the house so tried listening to Phantom only to turn it way up on soft intros and then have my eardrums blown out

[Cole]

Originally Posted by Ultramaroon

Pretty damn smart. I like your approach.

The worst that can happen is I blow a few fuses, or kill my new head unit. Either way, fuses are cheap, I have the OEM HU in my garage, and another aftermarket HU in the box with it.

Or maybe I fry my BCM and have to roll to the dealer and be like "lol idk wat happund bruh, shit don't wurk fam"

[Ultramaroon]

Originally Posted by Cole

The worst that can happen is I blow a few fuses, or kill my new head unit. Either way, fuses are cheap, I have the OEM HU in my garage, and another aftermarket HU in the box with it.

Or maybe I fry my BCM and have to roll to the dealer and be like "lol idk wat happund bruh, shit don't wurk fam"

You won't kill anything. It'll be a good confidence builder.

[serialk11r]

Originally Posted by Stang70Fastback

I agree that a lot of classical music doesn't do well in our cars. At least not with a good sound system that can make the quiet bits loud enough.

I think the issue is actually that the car itself is somewhat noisy, and this is a problem with listening to classical music on all the non-"luxury" cars I've seen. You have to turn the bass all the way up to be able to hear quiet parts, but then it starts buzzing when it gets loud.

Better to just shut off the music and listen to the engine, but the twins don't have a good exhaust note and the transmission makes weird sounds :/ In my 2ZZ Spyder though, I could listen to the smooth sound of Yamaha and Toyota all day...with earplugs, if I don't want to lose my hearing.

[Allch Chcar]

Originally Posted by serialk11r

Well, if you count the worthless paper value of the stock options, sure :P I may have made some bad calls with that, time will tell, but I was stretched pretty thin on money last year from buying too much stock in the last company. I have friends who dropped out of school and made millions before they could even buy alcohol legally, so I kind of bought into the whole ponzi scheme thinking I would strike it rich with no effort too.

Turns out, I am a latecomer to the gold rush, and all VCs are massively overpaying for just about every investment here lol. Most people in SF literally think getting investor money means you can ball out and blow money, which is why a lot of startups are crashing. If you google "austerity panda" you'll see a funny example of what I mean. I don't think the stock I bought will be worth nothing, but I regret not taking cash instead.

I actually really hope the SF tech scene collapses, because it would be awesome if everyone moved to a non-shitty city. I pay >1100/month for a corner of a living room for an apartment I share with 2 friends, there's not a single place in the city where there's no shit on the street or stabbings or cars being smashed daily.

Even so, I can't say I'm living badly at all. Free food at work helps with expenses and I don't spend much. My car hobby is the biggest expense, but with the MR2 Spyder parts are pretty cheap so it's not too bad. That's a reason I am getting rid of the FR-S; if I want to take it to the track, I would need a 2k brake upgrade, several k on suspension, and I would be risking damage and paint chips on a much newer car. By contrast, there are dozens of Spyder owners at any time getting rid of their highly modified cars for really cheap. Mine came with a roll bar, fixed bucket seats, coilovers, and gauges at almost no premium to a stock car.

I would have told you to take the money bro. At least you have something invested though. I'm too cynical to invest like that. And right now I'm not getting anything towards retirement from national guard or post office. That is interesting that you'd hope for a financial crash since that would leave you with some expensive toilet paper. Just be patient. Eventually it will be worth something.

I have been living rent free in a newer country home on three acres of mostly redwoods for the last year and a half. I get a room and bathroom to myself. They buy so much food I can live on leftovers. It's my grandparents' so they've said I could stay here forever, start a family, and even buy the place. The house is probably worth twice they put into it. I have had to convince them to let me pay for stuff. It took the BRZ to finally convince them I could pay rent too. I'm really trying not to take advantage of them since they're good people and living on fixed income.

The biggest downside? The social commentary from the peanut gallery. I think it's fawking hilarious but as you've noticed I have a thick skin so it's no big deal. For instance, I can't bring home asian food without hearing about "poor kitties and maggots." It doesn't stop me. But if I ever actually brought home a girlfriend it wouldn't matter if she was asian. That would really trigger some PTSD. But I'm two years from becoming a wizard. I can't afford to be picky. She better be able to handle common-tators, cooking and social commentary. And my extremely dry sense of humor...

[serialk11r]

Originally Posted by Allch Chcar

I would have told you to take the money bro. At least you have something invested though. I'm too cynical to invest like that. And right now I'm not getting anything towards retirement from national guard or post office. That is interesting that you'd hope for a financial crash since that would leave you with some expensive toilet paper. Just be patient. Eventually it will be worth something.

I have been living rent free in a newer country home on three acres of mostly redwoods for the last year and a half.

Well, the company has consistent revenue, and a path to profit, so it's not bad, but like many tech companies I don't really see a path to enough profit to justify the valuation investors are jumping in at.

I say I want the SF tech scene to collapse because the state of California and City of San Francisco think that you can always raise taxes and everything is going just fine, when it's not. This boom is temporary, but the infrastructure, irresponsible spending (cough corruption) and poverty problems are not.

It would be nice if other more business-friendly and low-tax states got some more investment and talent, because the only reason people put up with SF is because all the jobs are here, and the jobs are here because the talent is here, for now.

Hey, I have a lot of friends who grew up in the area living with their parents. People can laugh, but the 15-20k of saved rent is money in the bank, I would do that if the commute wasn't so long.

[cdrazic93]

Originally Posted by Cole

I'm embarrassed to say, but it's a cheap walmart one. No justification apart from budget, and learning a new skill. This way, if I mess up, I'm not out a huge amount of money, and if I decide I like the extra bass, I can do more research and upgrade down the line with most of the work already done. If I don't like it, I can sell it/gift it to someone and it won't hurt as bad.

No harm in that. My first sound system I did myself and they were very budget speakers, I chose the wrong amp and blew them all haha.