Learned'd VIII: Less Bewbs, Same Nonsense

[numbnuts240]

This weekends buyer was a no-show despite assuring me over and over that he'd be there. Go figure, thats what CL will get you.

tell me about it. i went to check out a car for my old man on saturday. the dude sends his brother in a car that was different from the ad

[Kompresshun]

Saw some top down enjoyment on the bookface. I drove mine today. 44 degrees makes for some awesome acceleration!
This weekends buyer was a no-show despite assuring me over and over that he'd be there. Go figure, thats what CL will get you. I'm going to list it on Ebay this week if no hits come by Thursday.

The Subaru ended up costing me $1006. The ECU failed (somehow?). A new unit and the car works. However, the rpm's are hanging ever so slightly after changing gears or revving in neutral with and without the clutch engaged. The computer could just be learning since its unlikely to be the clutch. Might be vacuum related, but if I hadn't been ALL OVER that engine the past few months, I'd think that, too. But, with that LKQ junkyard engine in the car, I'm just not thrilled with it right now. The weird compression of 180 across 3 cylinders and 1 at 205 still persists though the head was flat and the gasket is new. Leakdown doesn't show anything wrong, either.

I'm really understanding how Chris felt about his bad luck and cars. I just want one that works and doesn't surprise me with unexpected expenses and issues. Been actively shopping for a base model Civic since Saturday. Best quote I've received so far is 16,335. Not shabby. If one of the dealers can get it into the 15 and pay off my current lein and not roll it into the new loan, I'm just going to pull the trigger and be goddamned done with it.

Yeah it was a nice day so I decided to take a break from all the house work and go take a little cruise while the wife was taking a nap. Did about a 60 mile trip in it

Man that sucks the buyer didn't show up on the Miata. I'd toss it on eBay, because something tells me there will be a better market for it on there. I hate selling stuff on CL, because people can be really sketchy but I got lucky when I sold the 500 and my old Ranger. Both buyers were pretty solid. I guess i've figured out how to see through the BS too though, so I don't waste my time if I don't get a good feeling about them.

Sorry you had to throw down more cash on the Subaru too man. I'd dump that thing ASAP, because it seems like it's only a matter of time before something else pops up on it. Especially having a used motor in it with weird compression.

Have you thought about a Ford Fiesta? You can get those things dirt cheap new and I hear they are a lot of fun to drive around. Plus they get around 40mpg too. The Focus isn't bad either.

I just can't make myself want a new Civic. There are too many good options out there for that money that are better cars. Hell, i'd rather have a Yaris than a Civic personally but that's just me

[scotttak]

havent been on nico in a long time but thought i'd post a symphonic metal piece i made. didnt wanna make a new topic in gen chat since i posted it in the music room, which doesnt seem to get much traffic and thats why im posting it here. at least this thread gets some people lol.

i-made-a-symphonic-metal-song-t592978.html

[numbnuts240]

nice track. woke up in a s*** way, so a good tune is a nice way to turn the day around.

[frapjap]

Yeah it was a nice day so I decided to take a break from all the house work and go take a little cruise while the wife was taking a nap. Did about a 60 mile trip in it

Man that sucks the buyer didn't show up on the Miata. I'd toss it on eBay, because something tells me there will be a better market for it on there. I hate selling stuff on CL, because people can be really sketchy but I got lucky when I sold the 500 and my old Ranger. Both buyers were pretty solid. I guess i've figured out how to see through the BS too though, so I don't waste my time if I don't get a good feeling about them.

Sorry you had to throw down more cash on the Subaru too man. I'd dump that thing ASAP, because it seems like it's only a matter of time before something else pops up on it. Especially having a used motor in it with weird compression.

Have you thought about a Ford Fiesta? You can get those things dirt cheap new and I hear they are a lot of fun to drive around. Plus they get around 40mpg too. The Focus isn't bad either.

I just can't make myself want a new Civic. There are too many good options out there for that money that are better cars. Hell, i'd rather have a Yaris than a Civic personally but that's just me

I took a look at Mazda 2, Fiesta, and Focus and they can definitely be had for cheap. I'd be all for them, but the Fiesta isn't large enough for skiing, and more importantly, its doubtful that any of them will have the same retained value as a Civic. Its not a car that I'm going to keep for a long time (7+ years), just something to get through the transition years that requires minimal investment outside the payment. Right now I'm paying the same on the Subaru that I would for a Civic (overpaying monthly). The main difference being that the Subaru will be paid off in 19 months. I just really hate the feeling that I could have spent $1,700 to the principle of the loan instead of into a repair. The most worrisome thing is that as the car depreciates, I may be faced with another $800+ repair and it becomes a question of "is this car worth repairing anymore?"

[Kompresshun]

I've been there too man, so I know exactly how you feel. I think anything can be worth repairing, but it comes down to how much the car is worth to you and how much you like it.

The 500 didn't treat me too bad, but it was one repair away from me dumping it. On the other hand, I would completely rebuild the Pathfinder before I would consider getting rid of it. Seriously. I like it that much.

I still don't love the Civic, but that's just personal preference. I think it would treat you very well if you do decide to get one.

Another thought is the route we went with Kristens car, if you're wanting new... KIA gives you a 10yr/100k mi powertrain warranty and they're dirt cheap. Get yourself a Forte and not worry about anything major for 10yrs. It'll be paid off long before the warranty ends, so you'll know that you still won't have to come out of pocket for any major expenses even after it's paid off.

[frapjap]

You bring up some very good points.

I do like the car, but not to the point that I couldn't imagine my life without it or anything special connection like that. It'll be the same story with the Civic- just a means to an end.

I'll have a peek at Kia. Good thinking!

Kia is alright, not to shabby on price. Not much cheaper than the Civic, but still reasonable considering that the power train is under warranty. Found out that only the whole seat back folds down in the civic, not 60/40 or 50/50. Though I'm sure I could retrofit from a junkyard if needed down the road if the need arises.

next step is planning a dealer appointment to see what they'll give me for the Legacy.

[Kompresshun]

Kia has went up in price, at least closer to the competition but they've proven that they can because their quality has improved as well. Hyundai has nice cars too, but obviously they're the same vehicles with different body work.

The way I looked at it with our Sorento was just as I mentioned - We financed it for 5 years, so even though we plan to pay it off sooner it'll definitely still have warranty left when it's paid off. There isn't anyone else offering a warranty like that without buying an extended warranty. Now, we did purchase an extended warranty as well because it was only another $1,400 and I felt like it was well worth it. Basically the extended warranty covers EVERYTHING bumper-to-bumper for 7 years / 100k miles so in addition to the powertrain, we shouldn't have any additional expenses at all aside from normal wear and tear for a very long time.

I'm not trying to sell you on just buying a KIA, but it would give you that peace of mind you're looking for. I think you could get that peace of mind on other models too, but you won't get that kind of warranty of course in most cases.

Also keep in mind that you may be able to find some local specials the dealer is running on the models you're interested in. Check the paper and the local dealers websites, so you can use that as a bargaining tool as well. We were able to get way more for our trade at KIA that anywhere else locally and the price on the vehicle was a lot lower too.

[frapjap]

You guys got a pretty good deal on the Sorento. Its definitely the smart financial decision. If those were a little cheaper, I may have been walking straight up in your footsteps.

You hit the nail on the head though- piece of mine. It was there, and BAM! Gone the next day.
Good news though, since I have about 100 miles on it now, it rpm's no longer hang while shifting or in neutral. It was probably a 'learning' thing for the ecu and probably had just a little too much timing and fuel to compensate. Definitely runs well, but the whole junkyard engine thing still bothers me considering I have NO idea how old it is or how many miles are on it. However, since I was inside of it and could see the pistons, valves, and heads I can say it was in decent condition other than the leaking head gasket. Even the timing belt was still in good shape. Worn, but wasn't necessary to change it out.

The best thing to do here is probably to chill out and not make knee jerk decisions. Let it all sink in and approach with a little less bias after some time has passed.

[frapjap]

%&@$!%^@#$%$# THIS $%@&*U%@% CAR!

Drove fine yesterday, decided I'd wait a week. Go out to to turn it on today and the car does nothing. N O T H I N G. Pull the key back, push the clutch a little harder in case it didn't go to the floor, the lights on the dash come on, flicker in rapid succession, and a wonderful typewriter noise comes from the right corner of the dashboard.

Some screaming and disbelief later, I measure the voltage at the battery- 12 volts. Try to jump it. Nothing new.

Yell f*** it, briefly contemplate setting it on fire, but decided to get in the Trans Am and burn rubber instead.

Never have I been so frustrated with a car.

[frapjap]

Also: http://westernmass.craigslist.org/grd/4668736991.html

[WDRacing]

A compression test will tell you a lot about the health of the engine Ray. Well worth doing imho.

[Kompresshun]

Yeah I know you're trying to be sensible and I agreed with your previous post, but with this news I would fix whatever is wrong with it and dump it. The junkyard engine with no history and the ECM issues(which seem to have reappeared) make it seem like something else is up with that car. I hope you get it sorted out soon, because there's nothing more frustrating than having to deal with multiple issues like this that you can't fix yourself.

At least you have a spare car to drive though. That's one thing i'm quite thankful for now is having a backup to drive if one goes down.

[Kompresshun]

A compression test will tell you a lot about the health of the engine Ray. Well worth doing imho.

The weird compression of 180 across 3 cylinders and 1 at 205 still persists though the head was flat and the gasket is new. Leakdown doesn't show anything wrong, either.

[WDRacing]

Well...guess I didn't read that...lol.

[Kompresshun]

It was on the previous page, so that's probably why

Even though I wouldn't blame the whole car, something is definitely sketchy about the motor.

So how's everyone doing?

I'm still trying to get this house stuff sorted out. This crap is getting exhausting too, but I can't wait to get moved as well.

I got to meet up with Matt(audtatious) last night for a bit and have a couple of beers. Always fun to catch up with him when he's in town. Looking forward to living closer to that grumpy old fart here soon

[frapjap]

Yeah I know you're trying to be sensible and I agreed with your previous post, but with this news I would fix whatever is wrong with it and dump it. The junkyard engine with no history and the ECM issues(which seem to have reappeared) make it seem like something else is up with that car. I hope you get it sorted out soon, because there's nothing more frustrating than having to deal with multiple issues like this that you can't fix yourself.

At least you have a spare car to drive though. That's one thing i'm quite thankful for now is having a backup to drive if one goes down.

Turned out to be a beautiful day for a work associated cruise to Bass Pro Shop in the Trans Am anyway.

My worry is that the dealer service dept will try to find an underlying problem that caused the ECU to fail (assuming thats what has happened) and it will cost me WAY more this time.

What do you still have to sort out in the house? Have you got the POD to stage it yet?

[Kompresshun]

I would still take the car back to the dealer and tell them to figure it out, because you just paid them to replace the ECM and now it's acting up again. Tell them to call you if there is going to be any additional charge to you first. You don't want too many hands on it, or you'll end up spending even more money IMHO.

Still have to de-clutter and do some last minute touch ups. We ran out of time this past weekend because of all the outside work we had to do.

We didn't end up getting a POD. That crap is a ridiculous joke... It would've run me about $800 + monthly fees after the first month to have one delivered, picked up, and delivered to our next place minimum. I'm not dropping that kind of money for storage and a normal storage unit really isn't a good option either. We just opted to leave stuff in the garage.

[frapjap]

Wow, I had no idea PODS were that expensive. They make sense on a long move, but definitely not as interim storage.

Sounds like you worked on curb appeal! People love garden gnomes. Get one of those. At least you're at the end of the selling season, winter is a b****.

Alright, off to make some sausage with the new sausage stuffer. At least the work day is decent!

[scotttak]

nice track. woke up in a s*** way, so a good tune is a nice way to turn the day around.

thanks. as long as someone likes the music, ill keep making it. although it might be a while till i release something new, since i go to school (graduate after spring semester wth a bs in comp sci).

[frapjap]

Alright, so the ECU did not fail. The positive battery terminal ring just wasn't very tight. Bought a new one and bickity BAM, no more problems with flickering or turning it on and off again.
ECU is okay for now and I'll give it a trial again.

thanks. as long as someone likes the music, ill keep making it. although it might be a while till i release something new, since i go to school (graduate after spring semester wth a bs in comp sci).

Congrats on being almost done with school. I don't miss it at all!

Nice track, btw. Sorry I couldn't comment on it sooner- no youtube at work. I dig it though and could see myself driving around listening to that. Have any more unique stuff?

Actually, I know what it reminds me of now! It reminds me of the soundtrack to Dynasty Warriors 6.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zzgyhcg3uj0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j21qvlskkYE

Are you playing the guitar and overlaying the electo?

[scotttak]

Congrats on being almost done with school. I don't miss it at all!

Yeah glad im almost done with school. Need to get a job when i graduate to make them dollars so i can buy myself a 2015 z06 corvette.

Nice track, btw. Sorry I couldn't comment on it sooner- no youtube at work. I dig it though and could see myself driving around listening to that. Have any more unique stuff?

Actually, I know what it reminds me of now! It reminds me of the soundtrack to Dynasty Warriors 6.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zzgyhcg3uj0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j21qvlskkYE

Are you playing the guitar and overlaying the electo?

Im actually not playing anything at all lol. Everything is sequenced in fruity loops. I use a guitar sound library (for those that dont know what that is, it's like a collection of recordings of the individual notes on a guitar) and then run it through some effects. I do have a lot of music ive made that i consider "unique" but im not sure if its for everyone lol.

for a few metal tracks that ive made somewhat recently, go here: http://www.soundcloud.com/scotttak
for everything ive ever made pretty much go here (includes a lot of electronic/videogame type music): http://www.soundclick.com/rpgmusiccomposer

and feel free to share with anyone

[frapjap]

I'll give your other stuff a listen when I'm back at home again.

I always pictured a nerdy Asian dude ripping it up on guitar for those video game soundtracks and then mixing it. But now that you mention your technique, thats probably what he does, too.

Another day, another battery of sausage tests!

[WDRacing]

I haven't used Fruity Loops in a long time. Man I used to love mixing music. I think I started with Magix Music Maker back in the day, ever use that one scottak?

[scotttak]

I haven't used Fruity Loops in a long time. Man I used to love mixing music. I think I started with Magix Music Maker back in the day, ever use that one scottak?

Nope never heard of it. I've been using fruity loops since it was version 3 (like 10 years ago). I used to use a midi composition software called noteworthy composer but I don't use it anymore

[numbnuts240]

for a few metal tracks that ive made somewhat recently, go here: http://www.soundcloud.com/scotttak

[frapjap]

Ribbon cutting ceremony at work today. The company that owns us bought the business 11 months ago. Little slow on the uptake, right?
Either way, glad to see that they've invited the local government and put us in the public light since we are the second largest private employer in the city (the first is the hospital). Its more than the previous company ever did. Working for these folks is a breath of fresh air, love the job, love the company.

Headed on vacation this weekend until Tuesday! Hanging out in the Berkshires for some hiking, breweries, wineries, and general relaxing. We'll probably be a little early for the foliage, but whatever, time off is time off!!

[sx moneypit]

Mornin' Ray!

Glad to see you got the Subie straightened out!

[frapjap]

What a nightmare it was. Thanks for offering out help along the way, Ben.

How's things? Did you sell the 240 yet?

Also, this is hilarious.
http://deadspin.com/falcons-buccaneers- ... 1636684513

[numbnuts240]

i didn't watch the game last night. i knew tampa was bad, but damn. that was just embarrassing.