Misc Thread VI: Return of the Threadi

[watkins]

Theres a black MS3 that runs around my area. Found him on the highway tonight and we played a little.


Also, I need to take my summer wheels out of my trunk, get them refinished, put my tires back on, and get my heavy winter setup off the car and back in the basement.

[Squint]

Those are some fantastic pictures, Tups. I envy your ability to travel to places like that...

[ColJessip]

What brings you to all these exotic locations you often mention?

Last semester I was a full-time student at UNIS, the University Centre in Svalbard. Now I just applied for a three-day field course and took two and half weeks off from work. I might come back next spring if I manage to convince my employer that it's everyone's benefit that I study a bit more...

As for Pyramiden, I have a general interest in abandoned locations.

Do you party with the polar bears up there in Svalbard?

[Tups]

Do you party with the polar bears up there in Svalbard?

Unfortunately I haven't seen any during my time here - only tracks and one killed seal on sea ice. That's another reason to return next year :)

Here's couple of other shots from Pyramiden:


Lenin is lonely, but at least he can't complain about the view.


The mine, which ran out of coal sooner than expected.


Igor never finished fixing that electric motor...


A house built entirely out of vodka bottles.


The hotel.


One of the rooms, probably in original condition.

And finally one from last year:

[theholycow]

Those pictures are great. I too am very jealous.

[AHTOXA]

Theres a black MS3 that runs around my area. Found him on the highway tonight and we played a little.


Also, I need to take my summer wheels out of my trunk, get them refinished, put my tires back on, and get my heavy winter setup off the car and back in the basement.

Read: I got whipped by MS3.

[watkins]

Nope. We just pulled a few times. I chased him. No racing.

Though you did pique my curiousity. Turns out that the Viggen and a MS3 are rather evenly matched. Both have boosted 2.3 liter engines powering the front wheels. Power figures are slightly higher in the Mazda at 263hp/280tq versus 225hp/252tq in the Viggen, but the Viggen is around 350 pounds lighter and has slightly less wind resistance.

Assuming my car was new and we raced stock, I would probably stay pretty close but still get pulled on, depending on what the power curves and gearing are like. With 163,700 miles of wear, a roof rack, and so much extra shit weighing down my car, I would have been beaten handily.

[noob5,000,000]

Tups, those pictures are awesome. If you haven't already, you should start a thread for all your interesting travel pics. Or just post them all here .

[potownrob]

Theres a black MS3 that runs around my area. Found him on the highway tonight and we played a little.


Also, I need to take my summer wheels out of my trunk, get them refinished, put my tires back on, and get my heavy winter setup off the car and back in the basement.

Watkins, have you had problems running summer tires when it's still cool/cold at night or in the morning like now?? i'm wondering since I'm thinking of getting new rims with summer tires and then switching back to my steelies with the all seasons in the cooler months. Do you think I might be better off just getting a good performance all season tire since I have the base NA 2.5 litre engine?? They will be on 16" rims. Thanks for your imput.

[noob5,000,000]

Gah, seriously, f**k PayPal. I finally have the money I need in my account, but of course the vendor I'm trying to buy parts from requires a 'confirmed address', which you pretty much need a credit card for.

[Warner]

My Cobb Accessport is such a useful tool. I'm lovin' it.

[theholycow]

Watkins, have you had problems running summer tires when it's still cool/cold at night or in the morning like now?? i'm wondering since I'm thinking of getting new rims with summer tires and then switching back to my steelies with the all seasons in the cooler months. Do you think I might be better off just getting a good performance all season tire since I have the base NA 2.5 litre engine?? They will be on 16" rims. Thanks for your imput.

I'm no watkins but I recommend switching in winter tires, whether the rest of the year you use summer or all-season tires. If you're switching tires then there's no excuse for switching in all-season tires for the winter. You could use all-seasons in the summer; they generally are made for longer treadlife as well as being more common and less expensive than summer tires (plus they may be better in marginal conditions).

You can certainly get around on all-seasons in the winter, but in upstate NY you would really appreciate winter tires. I sure appreciated mine in the mild "winter" we got this year.

[potownrob]

I'm no watkins but I recommend switching in winter tires, whether the rest of the year you use summer or all-season tires. If you're switching tires then there's no excuse for switching in all-season tires for the winter. You could use all-seasons in the summer; they generally are made for longer treadlife as well as being more common and less expensive than summer tires (plus they may be better in marginal conditions).

You can certainly get around on all-seasons in the winter, but in upstate NY you would really appreciate winter tires. I sure appreciated mine in the mild "winter" we got this year.

Ideally, I'd have a set of winter tires and summer tires. The problem is the car came with 6 month old passenger (not even grand touring) all season tires on 15" steelies. They are good Michelin Harmony tires but I'd like to get decent looking wheels with sportier tires. I didn't get to drive them in the snow (crashed my old car in the last snowstorm) but I have read they handle the snow well on subarus. I can always mount winter tires on the steelies down the line but probably won't have to til these tires wear down (and from what i've read, the michelins will last a LONG time). I did some research online and am now leaning toward getting a set of kumho ASX ultra high performance all seasons on 16s and running them for at least the warmer half of the year. they are actually rated decent for snow but they are very highly rated for dry and rainy performance and handling. In a way they would replace the michelins on the steelies, except for maybe during november through february or march. feel free to tell me if i'm crazy (please look at my stock wheels first though).

[theholycow]

Yes, you are crazy to swap two sets of all-seasons. The only circumstance I can think of where that would be worthwhile is when you own all 8 tires already and are saving the unworn tires for winter while driving bald ones in the summer.

I would, without a doubt, use winter tires for the second set and drive on those nice Michelins for 3 seasons. Add some pressure to compensate for any excessive flexibility in the passenger-spec Michelins and see how fast you can wear them out so you'll have an excuse to buy those summer tires.

[AHTOXA]

Agreed with cow.

Running two no-season sets is like trying to masturbate wearing a boxing glove.