Learned'd VIII: Less Bewbs, Same Nonsense

[float_6969]

[dasoupdude]

Yeahhh, I was a huge disappointment lel

no, you still are a huge disappointment.

[MinisterofDOOM]

We interrupt this thread with an important public service announcement:

If you haven't played the new DOOM, GO DO IT.

It's incredible.

Maybe my number 3 shooter of all time, and possibly in my top 10 games of all time. And it keeps getting better. New Arcade Mode is a freaking blast, and completely changes how you approach the levels.

I've smiled more playing DOOM than almost any other game in history. Occasional maniacal laughter as well. But the highest praise I can give it: usually, when I die, I die laughing at the ridiculous craziness that caused my death--rather than cursing frustratedly under my breath. It gets better on each tougher difficulty level. It has this incredible, unmatched, completely unique rhythm and flow to it that's a wonderful additional form of feedback. When you find your pace and start kicking a**, it just feels RIGHT. A very rewarding but also sometimes punishing gameplay experience. And all delivered with an efficient precision that I had believed forgotten by game developers. id has blended that feeling of godly power with the ability for the slightest misstep to lead to immediate death in a way where the two elevate each other. You're not so powerful that there's no challenge, but you don't die so frequently that there's no progress. It's almost like surfing: catch a wave just right and you're a powerhouse, but let yourself get even slightly off balance and suddenly you're looking at a face-full of pain.
And the game never lets you get complacent. Every time you figure out a flow, the game changes things up just a little. Just enough that you need to relearn some of your methods. The way you play the first few levels is entirely different from the way you play the last few.

[WDRacing]

Really? Hmmm....guess I need to go have a look.

[MinisterofDOOM]

Got stuck in traffic next to a brand new AMG GTS today. Holy s*** that thing is beautiful. I want one.

[numbnuts240]

so the focus hit 30k miles and a few maintenance things had to be done. since i'm in there, why not do a couple of upgrades?

cabin air filter is recommended to be replaced at 15k. screw that noise, 30k should be fine right? wrong. so very wrong


at $12 each, i think i'll follow ford's recommended interval next time.

the engine air filter actually didn't look bad, but i changed ti anyway



sure it can be cleaned and re-oiled, but $50 every 30k miles for a new one isn't a big deal.

so with the new filter that breathes more and has the open end, you can really hear the turbo spool and the bpv (which is destroying my gas mileage). that being said, inside the cabin, all those fun noises get drowned out by the sound symposer. so that goes away.



here's the snake that was crowding up the engine bay


the plugged firewall


and the block off plate on the intake manifold. so that's where the starter is.


next up is upgraded brake pads (hawk hps) and a new set of tires (idk, some good all seasons). after that? idk. i took apart the symposer and there was a little oil on the diaphragm inside, so maybe an oil catch can. aftermarket rear motor mount, since i can still produce shift bang and wheel hop, even with the e-focus mount. ss brake lines will happen when i have to replace the rotors, and probably upgrade the fluid while i'm at it. power? eventually. my buddy just put an ots cobb stage 1 tune on his speed3, so i know i'll eventually get tired of not being able to keep up with him.

[MinisterofDOOM]

Is that open-ended filter housing stock? Or did it come with the filter?

[numbnuts240]

Without a filter, the air box will have a hole at that end. It clam shells the filter in a groove in the upper and lower pieces of the box to negate the need for a worm drive clamp. The stock filter is closed at the end, so it fills the hole.

[MinisterofDOOM]

Ahhh I see.

I hate the airbox on my LS8. It's almost impossible to remove the cover because it's technically hinged, but it sits right against the radiator crossmember so you can't open it without unclipping the hinge. But you can't unclip the hinge without opening it. So you end up just wrestling with it until it sort of pops out. Which sounds a lot dirtier than I intended.

[float_6969]

[MinisterofDOOM]

Well, s***. Michelin doesn't make the Pilot Alpin PA4 for wheels smaller than 19'' (!!!!!). I guess it's intended as an OE Corvette winter tire. But there goes my tire plan for this winter. I guess I'll see if anyone can get me some Pirelli Winter Sotozero 3s.

I'm so sick of winter tires sapping the fun out of my car. The fact that I don't have ginormous wheels does't mean my car doesn't benefit from good tires! Utah has really mixed winter weather. I need a tire with good snow, ice, wet, AND dry performance, and it seems like those only exist for high-end sports cars. Which is stupid. A lot of good "snow" tires SUCK on wet roads, and I often encounter both conditions in one. Don't get why this isn't a more common tire type.

[nissangirl74]

I'm guessing two sets of tires is out of the question?

[MinisterofDOOM]

Two sets of tires is exactly what I'm after. I have two sets of OEM 17x7.5'' wheels. One wears Pilot Super Sports, the other wears my winter tires. It's time to replace the winter set, but I'm sick of winter tires that make the car feel numb and dull-witted, and I'm also sick of demolishing winter tires on dry asphalt half the winter because Utah's weather is all over the place.
After some research, I found a few high-end performance-oriented winter tires with better-rounded characteristics in all weather. They are NOT all seasons, they're just winter tires with a little different focus and more versatile tread patterns.
Unfortunately, they're either all out-of-stock or not produced in sizes that fit my wheels.

I can just fall back on some Hankook iPikes (dirt cheap and solid in the snow and rain) but they make my steering feel like it's happening through a barrel of molasses and completely destroy road feel. I'm also not interested in spending $900 on Blizzaks when they won't improve feedback and budget winter tires have provided plenty of traction in the past. If I'm going to spend that kind of money on tires, they bad better work some serious magic (like the SuperSports do in summer).

Really, it's not even snow performance that was critical last year. The roads were free of snow most of the winter. It was having a rubber compound that's still functional at winter temps. Most summer tires start turning to hockey pucks below 65*F, so they're not ideal for winter regardless of snow. I just want a cold-weather compound tire that won't get me stuck and doesn't ruin my car's feel.

Also, my favorite thing from tire shopping today (aside from nobody stocking tires worth actually buying) is the comment from the guy at Les Schwab:

"Well it sounds to me like you want all season tires so you don't have to swap them out."

NO. I said the opposite. I said I want a tire that's good at everything, not a tire that sucks at everything. What kind of psychotic idiot SUGGESTS all-seasons over winter tires? Not only is it less safe, it's one less opportunity for the shop to make a sale (one set vs two).

[float_6969]

I'm a die hard Blizzak user. Yes, you do loose steering feedback, but they're fantastic in the snow/ice/water/cold temps. I've never hydroplaned on them and I've used them on various vehicles over the last few years.

[MinisterofDOOM]

I may end up going that route. I just want my tires to impress for the prices Blizzak charges. I'm also generally not a Bridgestone fan...just haven't been wowed by their stuff before (but I've never tried S-04s). But I know Blizzaks are very highly-reputed for winter tires, so it's probably worth a try.

[szh]

I'm sick of winter tires that make the car feel numb and dull-witted

Having lived in snowy New Hampshire for many years (in the boonies, up a hill and a steep driveway, I am not sure I would want my winter tires to be exciting!

Frankly, the less exciting, the better ... I would say.

Z

[szh]

I may end up going that route. I just want my tires to impress for the prices Blizzak charges. I'm also generally not a Bridgestone fan...just haven't been wowed by their stuff before (but I've never tried S-04s). But I know Blizzaks are very highly-reputed for winter tires, so it's probably worth a try.

As I vaguely recall (but my memory is going) I used Blizzaks in winter in New Hampshire on my RX-7. But, it may have been Pirelli's too ... don't remember now.

Anyway, they worked well! The first winter I had that car, I didn't use snow tires and I would get stuck in even a few inches of snow behind my car at the apartment complex where I lived (car was parked outside) after the snow plow went by. I usually ended up down in the snow, scooping the stuff out from under the car to get it to move from the parking spot. Dangerous!

The second winter, I put these snow tires on and would be able to easily climb over the icy snow more than six to ten inches deep after the plow was done.

I suspect that any winter tire would have done reasonably well in those conditions!

Z

[Bubba1]

Having lived in snowy New Hampshire for many years (in the boonies, up a hill and a steep driveway, I am not sure I would want my winter tires to be exciting!

Frankly, the less exciting, the better ... I would say.

Z

Yep ^. You pretty much want your tires to be predictable in cold, poor conditions. Yes, there is a minor sacrifice in grip in dry warmer conditions, but most folks don't normally push their cars so hard while in bad weather. That said, I've found Blizzaks to be well worth the premium. They grip well, and more importantly they wear well making them more price competitive in the long run than cheaper tires. Thing is, once any snow tire gets below 50% tread, they begin losing effectiveness rapidly. That's usually when they begin to feel more "numb and dull-witted", but to me, that makes driving in snow more exciting as you must be more focused to get the car to cooperate. Living in SE PA and with the effects of global warning, driving in snow and cold has become less of an issue here than it was 30 yrs ago, so I just run all-seasons on my DD's instead of buying 2 sets of tires.

[MinisterofDOOM]

I suspect that any winter tire would have done reasonably well in those conditions!

That's exactly the thing. Yes, any winter tire will do well in those conditions. But driving is more than just those conditions, and I want at tire that's more versatile.

Yes, there is a minor sacrifice in grip in dry warmer conditions, but most folks don't normally push their cars so hard while in bad weather.

Those are SEPARATE THINGS. Sacrificing grip in dry, warmer conditions and pushing the car in the snow are SEPARATE THINGS. Half the winter, the roads will be dry, the sun will be out, and it will be ~30 degrees. Too cold for summer (or all season) tires to be any good. But not necessitating any snow capabilities. BUT, any given day, it might snow. It might be icy. Or it might rain. I want a tire that will do all these things. I didn't say anything about pushing my car. I said I don't want it to feel numb.

Basically, what I'm getting at here is I don't want a "snow tire." I want winter tires. Which includes snow capability among many other qualities.

but to me, that makes driving in snow more exciting as you must be more focused to get the car to cooperate.

I completely agree. THIS right here is the key. That's part of the reason I'm being so picky here. I'm not looking for a car that'll let me "push" the car. I'm looking for one that'll let me make the most of the limited-traction scenarios that come with winter weather while still retaining decent good-weather manners. It's challenging, rewarding, and a lot of fun.

I don't need a tire that's 100% in the snow. I'm quite adept at driving in the snow, and I enjoy the challenge. I'm looking for a tire that's 80% everywhere, and I'll fill in the gaps. Right now, all I can find is tires that are 100% in the snow, 50% on dry asphalt, and anywhere from -10% to 30% on wet asphalt. I've driven on some snow-focused tires that are truly terrifying on wet pavement. And with cold nights followed by sunny days, snow becomes slush and then water very quickly, which gets really hairy on those tires.

But there are also two separate factors here:
Road feel
Handling

It's possible to have one without the other, so don't mistake my desire for steering feel for a desire to drive my car like it's on Formula One Reds. I just want to retain as much driver engagement as possible. The whole "drive a fast car slow vs a slow car fast" thing. I'll drive the car as hard as whatever tires attached deem sensible, but I want to know what's going on regardless of where that line may lay.

What I find every fall when I mount my winter tires is that steering feel, road feel, and general communication from the car diminishes greatly, because snow tires tend to have softer shoulders, taller treadblocks with more plentiful siping (unavoidable, of course) and, and differently-focused rubber compounds than summer tires. While I'm not expecting a summer tire experience, I would like something that doesn't feel like butter. I've read lots of reviews of performance-oriented winter tires that strike a more even compromise (good at everything rather than SOLELY being great at snow) but I can't find any for my wheels, which is disappointing. The tires I was looking at were the Michelin Pilot Alpin PA4, The Pirelli Winter Sotero 3, and Blizzak LM-60. Michelin makes the Pilot Alpin PA3 in sizes that fit my car, but they're listed as low-rolling-resistance which seems physically impossible (not to mention suicidal!) from a snow tire--and also antithetical to my desire for decent dry performance.

[Bubba1]

IF you're looking for a bargain you might check out the Continental winter contact si. I know someone that likes them and they're cheaper than the trio you're looking at and they perform about as well . I'm currently running Conti's for summer tires and am on my second set.

[frapjap]

In regards to snow tires-
Something that I inadvertently did was going wider than my stock tires. My Impreza has skinny all season tires on it from the factory. They're ok for just about every condition, but they're terrible for anything that resembles spirited driving.
My snow tires are left over from my Legacy (also wider wider than my summer tires on that car, but not as dramatic), but when I put them on the Impreza, its a MUCH better handling car. Gas mileage drops a mpg or 2, but some of that is also winter fuel. The tires are Firestone Winterforce- CHEAP. I have had them for 3 seasons, they've been solid.
I know the rule is tall and skinny for snows, but honestly, wide has been just fine and I haven't been stuck anywhere with them on. Except that time I high-sided my car pulling into my driveway after work when I lived off a highway, but thats another story...

Anyway, look into a wider tire if your current availability isn't great.

[MinisterofDOOM]

It's unfortunately wheel diameter that's the limiting factor, not treadwidth.

I generally run a little to a lot narrower with winter tires as well. OE spec for LS Sport models is 235-50-17. I run 215-55-17 or 225-55-17 in winter and 245-45-17 in summer due to much broader availability. 235-50-17 is a stupid, nonsense, moron size that only Ford would choose.

IF you're looking for a bargain you might check out the Continental winter contact si. I know someone that likes them and they're cheaper than the trio you're looking at and they perform about as well . I'm currently running Conti's for summer tires and am on my second set.

Cost isn't my primary focus; performance-for-dollar is. So if the Blizzaks are that much better, I'll drop the dough. I'll definitely check the Contis, though. I have zero firsthand experience with continentals, so it would be an interesting foray.

[szh]

Hmmm ... I suspect that winter tires will always feel like "butter" to some degree. They must stay flexible under temperature conditions where summer (and low enough temps where even all-season) tires get hard as a rock.

This is because when winter tires are used in snow, the tire tread must flex a bit as it rolls - this allows the snow to be cleared from the tread. Because once the tread gets full of snow, the traction goes down dramatically ... that is when chains become needed. So, soft for winter tires is normal ... tread life is lower too.

By the way, with the soft compounds used in winter tires, chains can damage them too easily. Here in California, when driving up to Tahoe in the winter, chains are required by the CHP in snow conditions - they will actually ticket drivers under certain driving conditions if not used! However, if you are on four winter tires (or two on FWD/AWD cars), they will not ticket you, since they consider the outcome good enough that they want to minimize the highway damage caused by chains.

One option you could consider. Get a second set of good all-seasons for general winter driving and keep a set of plastic (not metal) "chains" with you - I had a friend who did this in NH and MA very effectively on his 280 Z.

The all-seasons were generally fine in dry cold conditions (even when freezing cold ... it never went to -30 though), and when it snowed, he would put the plastic "chains" on for that duration till the roads were cleared, since it did not damage his tires like metal ones.

Z

[szh]

It's unfortunately wheel diameter that's the limiting factor, not treadwidth.

Yes, but I always recommend using a second set of wheels for winter tires - cheapest ones you can find and afford, even basic steel wheels. Then you can pick a narrower wheel to optimize the tire width for winter tires (narrower snow tires, but with correct load capacity, is better).

If you have the storage space (which you would need for another set of tires too, right?), then this is a good way to go. Else you are changing tires at least twice a year and never at the most optimal moment ... a late spring snow-storm could ruin your day!

With a second set of wheels, you could change wheels at home if you needed to (if the late storm stuck around longer than expected for example)!

Z

[nissangirl74]

Z beat me to it. ^^

[MinisterofDOOM]

I have a second set of wheels. That's the whole point of this.

This is what I always did with the Q, too.

[nissangirl74]

OK, for some reason I had the impression we were making one decision to check all the boxes.

[WDRacing]

I use these http://www.tirebuyer.com/tires/general/ ... v121000269 and I drive on a lot of twisties with a metric ton of elevation changes. I don't drive slow unless there is actual inclement weather and these have been great. I have them on my 540 and the wife's Dart, great snow performance and I never lost confidence in them during regular cold driving in otherwise dry conditions.

And they're cheap.

[MinisterofDOOM]

Those look extremely similar to the Hankook iPikes I've been running. Extremely solid in the snow, even studless.

[WDRacing]

Mostly on topic, I need a spare set of steel wheels for the BMW. I would love to just leave them all set up with snows on them. That way I could just throw them on at the last minute and save the wear and tear.