Misc Thread VI: Return of the Threadi

[AHTOXA]

I bought my GTO in November of 2009 or so and didn't have a winter car yet at that time. As I was shopping for a winter beater, I got caught in a about 2 inches of slush snow that froze as temps fell into the night. I drove home on a sheet of frozen snow. In a 400hp 400/torque RWD car with summer tires on it. I only had to do 5 miles from work to the house, but it took me forever and about 97.82% of the time I was at some sideways angle going slowly. It was quite late, there wasn't anyone on the roads and it was fun for the first 100 yards.

4 days later I bought a winter beater.

[wannabe87]

I bought my GTO in November of 2009 or so and didn't have a winter car yet at that time. As I was shopping for a winter beater, I got caught in a about 2 inches of slush snow that froze as temps fell into the night. I drove home on a sheet of frozen snow. In a 400hp 400/torque RWD car with summer tires on it. I only had to do 5 miles from work to the house, but it took me forever and about 97.82% of the time I was at some sideways angle going slowly. It was quite late, there wasn't anyone on the roads and it was fun for the first 100 yards.

4 days later I bought a winter beater.

Interestingly it hasn’t been Chicago with the difficult cars. During a day shift once we had a McLaren for the dealership. That’s fine, because we have staff then and the shop is open...

Sounds like a fun drive home! /s

[watkins]

Vacation starts tomorrow night. Finally!

[potownrob]

Vacation starts tomorrow night. Finally!

where to? pizza in the forecast??

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w5RKODxoFDQ[/youtube]

[wannabe87]

Vacation starts tomorrow night. Finally!

Mine is March 19!

[watkins]

Clearly you all missed me. Its been dead in here

[tankinbeans]

Clearly you all missed me. Its been dead in here

We've been struggling out from under metric fudgetonnes of snow, ice, and halite.

[potownrob]

Clearly you all missed me. Its been dead in here

urine the wrong Fred Watson. try won off the other Freds. pepper yer angus bee fore go wing inn dare though.

[Teamwork]

Happy March-- made it...

I'm still alive- '15 GTI is still alive a lot has changed. I've returned to more of a lurker status here but decided it's time to return with a posted update. I'll try and keep this to the lightning round bullet points without boring details unless feeling for a rant topic.

1) Successfully got married in middle of January.
2) Ended up moving out east on Long Island in a temp space for now but definitely like the Suffolk County life.
3) 15 GTI is still hanging around and has 45k on the odometer now - nothing really eventful going on with the car just going through the motions.

4) That tough job situation that was growing more toxic by the end of last year has finally dissolved more or less because I bailed out. In probably what was one of the riskiest moves I ever made in my life I decided to bail out in the beginning of January and take a trust fall in order to have a happy wedding/honey moon (which ended up working out). I did things by the book and "the right way" with my former employer and have been going through 3 hot leads now into final stages of the interviewing processes. Could use thoughts, prayers, and positive vibes coming my way-- really hoping something works out here. I may have to join the mass transit commute in the morning and evenings but regardless of this prior job scenario I had a feeling it may possibly work out that way for me. On the flip side of good news my commute to the train yard would be the shortest round trip commute in a car I've had in the first time in over a decade. Round trip would be about 15 miles going both ways...

If I do have to continue working on the island though I will definitely be highly considering a hybrid vehicle to get me into the HOV lanes during rush hour times. How so much has changed...

[AHTOXA]

So after a series of warranty events and a non-fixed issue common to the Fords, I got frustrated and sold it. Also, I just wanted to get into something different.

So, I picked up a 2019 4Runner TRD Offroad with some goodies like the TRD wheels, rock sliders and a few other things.

This thing heavily reminds me of my well-missed 2002 Xterra in a way that it's simple, rugged and regarded as reliable. I really like that it uses a motor and trans that they have used forever - port injection, no turbos, 5 speed auto, limited tech. It's an ancient relic of what a BOF SUV was and that gives it its charm. Superb 4x4, rear locker, terrain management, rugged BOF, spacious, can tow 5k (plenty for what I need).

Most list: since tires and wheels are already taken care of, rock sliders are next, then probably a mild lift or a front level followed by a full set of skids. I plan to get a Loadwarrior for longer trips when needed.

Almost literally fresh off the dealer lot and it was taken on a trip to Arkansas for some camping, hiking and a little backwoods offroading. Sorry about the dealer ads on there... haven't had a chance to remove by then.

IMG_20190223_121647 by anthony zanegin, on Flickr

[watkins]

There are a few of those TuRD Offroad packages running around here with knobby-ass tires. I really like the look of them.

[AHTOXA]

There are a few of those TuRD Offroad packages running around here with knobby-ass tires. I really like the look of them.

Yeah I like this turd. I haven't fully tested these tires, but the Terra Grapplers seem well liked when it comes to AT tires and many say traction is on par with KO2s and similar tires.

Shopping for rock sliders now. Shit, the market has changed since the last time I bought a set. Some are pretty fancy and bumpouts are pretty standard to see on a set of sliders. Back in my day, no one really used bumpout design, even though it makes a ton of sense.

[potownrob]

Happy March-- made it...

I'm still alive- '15 GTI is still alive a lot has changed. I've returned to more of a lurker status here but decided it's time to return with a posted update. I'll try and keep this to the lightning round bullet points without boring details unless feeling for a rant topic.

1) Successfully got married in middle of January.
2) Ended up moving out east on Long Island in a temp space for now but definitely like the Suffolk County life.
3) 15 GTI is still hanging around and has 45k on the odometer now - nothing really eventful going on with the car just going through the motions.

4) That tough job situation that was growing more toxic by the end of last year has finally dissolved more or less because I bailed out. In probably what was one of the riskiest moves I ever made in my life I decided to bail out in the beginning of January and take a trust fall in order to have a happy wedding/honey moon (which ended up working out). I did things by the book and "the right way" with my former employer and have been going through 3 hot leads now into final stages of the interviewing processes. Could use thoughts, prayers, and positive vibes coming my way-- really hoping something works out here. I may have to join the mass transit commute in the morning and evenings but regardless of this prior job scenario I had a feeling it may possibly work out that way for me. On the flip side of good news my commute to the train yard would be the shortest round trip commute in a car I've had in the first time in over a decade. Round trip would be about 15 miles going both ways...

If I do have to continue working on the island though I will definitely be highly considering a hybrid vehicle to get me into the HOV lanes during rush hour times. How so much has changed...

MEANT TO REPLY TO THIS LAST WEEK...
congrats bro. glad to hear about all of your updates. glad you left that stresshole job and glad you like deep dark suffolk (as my nassau county friends like to call it). here's to a prosperous future.

[potownrob]

So after a series of warranty events and a non-fixed issue common to the Fords, I got frustrated and sold it. Also, I just wanted to get into something different.

So, I picked up a 2019 4Runner TRD Offroad with some goodies like the TRD wheels, rock sliders and a few other things.

This thing heavily reminds me of my well-missed 2002 Xterra in a way that it's simple, rugged and regarded as reliable. I really like that it uses a motor and trans that they have used forever - port injection, no turbos, 5 speed auto, limited tech. It's an ancient relic of what a BOF SUV was and that gives it its charm. Superb 4x4, rear locker, terrain management, rugged BOF, spacious, can tow 5k (plenty for what I need).

Most list: since tires and wheels are already taken care of, rock sliders are next, then probably a mild lift or a front level followed by a full set of skids. I plan to get a Loadwarrior for longer trips when needed.

Almost literally fresh off the dealer lot and it was taken on a trip to Arkansas for some camping, hiking and a little backwoods offroading. Sorry about the dealer ads on there... haven't had a chance to remove by then.

IMG_20190223_121647 by anthony zanegin, on Flickr

nice new ride. when you moving back up north/west??

[AHTOXA]

Still looking for the right job out in CO.