Toshi's thread
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In a nod to social respectability I have ordered these:
In my defense of my current music habits, I rode alongside my wife as she and the kids listened to music on the external Bluetooth speaker yesterday, and it was barely audible 5 feet away and not audible at all 20 feet away.
But this should appease @Nick and @johnbryanpeters . The speaker will be reserved for garage and kid-trike use.
In my defense of my current music habits, I rode alongside my wife as she and the kids listened to music on the external Bluetooth speaker yesterday, and it was barely audible 5 feet away and not audible at all 20 feet away.
But this should appease @Nick and @johnbryanpeters . The speaker will be reserved for garage and kid-trike use.
I had a good time out on the Commencal today despite riding it 95% of the time in Eco Mode, which is ~50% torque multiplier extrapolating from Bosch's figures. (I had to do this because Commencal didn't have their shit together and didn't charge any of the demo bikes overnight. I started out the day with 3/5 bars and ended the day with 1/5 after 2400+ feet of ascent.)
Pros:
- Eco Mode was great for riding with non-electrified buddies, and they were good sports
- good climbing traction, and indeed I cleared a few sections I typically don't clear
- competent enough downhill
Cons:
- ugly, heavy, conspicuous even in all black as was my demo
- motor is audible albeit not annoying--akin to a small brushless RC motor's noise levels
- whether due to weight, weight distribution, chainstay length, or all of the above, really tough to get the front wheel up
Verdict: I see why people like them. Today was a good day of riding, and it couldn't be farther from the case that I was just sitting back and letting the thing pull me along. Hell, I only used about 50 Wh per hour, which shows that its average output wasn't tremendous by any means. Were I to get one I'd want one that feels more playful and is lighter, but the good news is that such options should exist in this somewhat mature market.
Video from the ride coming today or tomorrow.
Pros:
- Eco Mode was great for riding with non-electrified buddies, and they were good sports
- good climbing traction, and indeed I cleared a few sections I typically don't clear
- competent enough downhill
Cons:
- ugly, heavy, conspicuous even in all black as was my demo
- motor is audible albeit not annoying--akin to a small brushless RC motor's noise levels
- whether due to weight, weight distribution, chainstay length, or all of the above, really tough to get the front wheel up
Verdict: I see why people like them. Today was a good day of riding, and it couldn't be farther from the case that I was just sitting back and letting the thing pull me along. Hell, I only used about 50 Wh per hour, which shows that its average output wasn't tremendous by any means. Were I to get one I'd want one that feels more playful and is lighter, but the good news is that such options should exist in this somewhat mature market.
Video from the ride coming today or tomorrow.
Latest post-Volvo idea, which may be trolling or may actually be brilliant:
A 993 Carrera 4.
Rudimentary backseat for kids in boosters at that point, off-road legacy (Paris-Dakar!) and probably good enough for getting me skiing with some Nokians, enough headroom in that generation for my big noggin, essentially no depreciation…
A 993 Carrera 4.
Rudimentary backseat for kids in boosters at that point, off-road legacy (Paris-Dakar!) and probably good enough for getting me skiing with some Nokians, enough headroom in that generation for my big noggin, essentially no depreciation…
For the commute alone this would do, though...
https://gizmodo.com/mad-scientist-dad-just-won-fathers-day-by-building-his-1826831934
https://gizmodo.com/mad-scientist-dad-just-won-fathers-day-by-building-his-1826831934
tl;dr version: “good work captain obvious”
Porsches and the like are a medium term fancy. (Earliest I'd act would be winter 2019, more realistically spring 2020 if not later yet. This is because I want to attack my pile of student loans first.)
My short term folly, on the other hand, is of trading in my wife's 2018 Pacifica Hybrid and bringing home a 2019 Pacifica Hybrid. She wants the exact same color scheme inside and out.
I want to do this for two reasons. First is that 2019 brings memory seats. My wife and I are about 5" off in height, which is certainly not huge, but it's still annoying to hop in with her settings and vice versa. The second is that because of the magic of Federal and Colorado tax credits I'm hoping that I can do this with a very minimal financial hit.
There are no trade in values published for 2018 PacHys yet since apparently no one has been foolhardy enough to trade one in so early, so I'm going to back of napkin what would be acceptable to me financially.
2018 PacHy:
- Selling price with our various and sundry options of $47,889 + $489 doc fee. That was invoice - $1k, with the catch that invoice was all of $100 under MSRP.
- Taxes of $3,701, which would only be really relevant if I sell private party and pay taxes anew, as if I traded in then I'd only pay additional taxes on the difference between trade in value and the new purchase price.
- $7,500 Federal and $5,000 Colorado tax credits claimed and deposited at this past tax filing cycle.
==> Ignoring taxes that's a net price of $35,878.
So what would be an acceptable rate of depreciation? $500/month seems reasonable to me at this early stage in the game (~20% per year from the net price). By this I should be ok with any trade in offer that's $30k or higher, with $36k the magic point where the vehicle was free for the year.
I should probably prepare my anus for $25k offers...
My short term folly, on the other hand, is of trading in my wife's 2018 Pacifica Hybrid and bringing home a 2019 Pacifica Hybrid. She wants the exact same color scheme inside and out.
I want to do this for two reasons. First is that 2019 brings memory seats. My wife and I are about 5" off in height, which is certainly not huge, but it's still annoying to hop in with her settings and vice versa. The second is that because of the magic of Federal and Colorado tax credits I'm hoping that I can do this with a very minimal financial hit.
There are no trade in values published for 2018 PacHys yet since apparently no one has been foolhardy enough to trade one in so early, so I'm going to back of napkin what would be acceptable to me financially.
2018 PacHy:
- Selling price with our various and sundry options of $47,889 + $489 doc fee. That was invoice - $1k, with the catch that invoice was all of $100 under MSRP.
- Taxes of $3,701, which would only be really relevant if I sell private party and pay taxes anew, as if I traded in then I'd only pay additional taxes on the difference between trade in value and the new purchase price.
- $7,500 Federal and $5,000 Colorado tax credits claimed and deposited at this past tax filing cycle.
==> Ignoring taxes that's a net price of $35,878.
So what would be an acceptable rate of depreciation? $500/month seems reasonable to me at this early stage in the game (~20% per year from the net price). By this I should be ok with any trade in offer that's $30k or higher, with $36k the magic point where the vehicle was free for the year.
I should probably prepare my anus for $25k offers...
I haven't bought my Trestle season pass yet--one must buy it in person at the mountain if adding it on to an existing Ikon Pass, and we made it only 90% to Winter Park this past Saturday before the wife got altitude sickness.
So which is the lesser evil?
A) Riding the lift/gondola up at Trestle for 10-15 days
or
B) Self-shuttling local trails on those same days with an e-mtb with an extra battery pack in the Camelbak a la @SkaredShtles's late to the product-intro game idea.
When viewed this way it's more or less equivalent? Right, guys? Anyone? Why are you running away and looking back disdainfully?
$1k and change for not doing Trestle + DH rentals all summer long would potentially cover at least the tax on a new e-mtb were I to go that route...
Well since ebikes are permitted almost everywhere now, do whatever.
I'd rather ride DH trails on my DH bike, and ride trails on my trail bike. you can ride everything at Trestle on your trail bike. Keystone you'd want a big bike.
Biggest trail ride I've ever done since I've lived here in town was up/down WR, then up/down Chimney. I was toast. I'm good with one lap in town, and 10 laps on the DH bike & a chairlift.
I'd rather ride DH trails on my DH bike, and ride trails on my trail bike. you can ride everything at Trestle on your trail bike. Keystone you'd want a big bike.
Biggest trail ride I've ever done since I've lived here in town was up/down WR, then up/down Chimney. I was toast. I'm good with one lap in town, and 10 laps on the DH bike & a chairlift.
Ooh, GBS has the Pivot Shuttle in their demo fleet. I was looking to see if I could demo a Mach 5.5 in medium to scout out geometry (size for size Pivot is slightly longer reach than my Santa Cruz) but this is even better.
Must be a typo - that rental rate says $150/day.
It is a $10k bike so that's par for the course. XT Di2 with 4 piston brakes, Fox 36 Factory, crabonz frame... Full dentiste-spec.Must be a typo - that rental rate says $150/day.
One nice thing about GBS at least is that they credit rental/demo fees toward eventual purchase.
Fucking hipsters... 
A proposal to electrify all the things my belt drive Soma Wolverine commuter:
What this would get me:
- proper torque-sensing output a la these new-fangled e-mtb things, with a thumb throttle as backup
- a little two-button auxiliary controller to dial up/down the torque multiplier on the fly
- enough power to comfortably cruise at 18.6 mph regardless of terrain (within reason and certainly within what comprises my commute), which corresponds to 90 rpm cadence with my belt drive gearing
- discreet, with a rear cassette setup chosen deliberately so as to hide the hub motor behind my panniers (and to obviate the need for a new fork since mine is through-axle)
- no drag if I decided to pedal sans assist, as it's a 2.55 kg geared hub motor that freewheels on its own
It'd be a fun little project to put together, would be easily reversible (just a matter of swapping the spacers + belt drive sprocket to the normal rear wheel + retensioning the belt), would speed my commute up, and generally corresponds to my interests.
What this would get me:
- proper torque-sensing output a la these new-fangled e-mtb things, with a thumb throttle as backup
- a little two-button auxiliary controller to dial up/down the torque multiplier on the fly
- enough power to comfortably cruise at 18.6 mph regardless of terrain (within reason and certainly within what comprises my commute), which corresponds to 90 rpm cadence with my belt drive gearing
- discreet, with a rear cassette setup chosen deliberately so as to hide the hub motor behind my panniers (and to obviate the need for a new fork since mine is through-axle)
- no drag if I decided to pedal sans assist, as it's a 2.55 kg geared hub motor that freewheels on its own
It'd be a fun little project to put together, would be easily reversible (just a matter of swapping the spacers + belt drive sprocket to the normal rear wheel + retensioning the belt), would speed my commute up, and generally corresponds to my interests.
So the Specialized Turbo Levo has a longer-legged cousin:
Specialized Turbo Kenevo FSR 6Fattie
180 mm front and rear, and an Öhlins coil on the rear to boot.
My chairman approves of my 993 C4 plan. Turns out that in prior years he's had a 964 C4, 964 Turbo, and a 964 Targa, which were respectively great in snow, lovely but nervewracking due to its value, and a dog.
(Right now he drives an Audi Q7, his wife an S7, and he has a restoration project underway for a Defender 110. We get along.)
(Right now he drives an Audi Q7, his wife an S7, and he has a restoration project underway for a Defender 110. We get along.)
my $.02 as someone who's shopped for a 993 for a few years...
Mint 993 are overvalued these days. The only investment 993 is a turbo, and those are ridiculously overvalued. You could likely find a much new 997 C4 for the price of a desirable 993. And, you'd be nuts to buy any of these and think it'll be your daily driver or winter car.
Mint 993 are overvalued these days. The only investment 993 is a turbo, and those are ridiculously overvalued. You could likely find a much new 997 C4 for the price of a desirable 993. And, you'd be nuts to buy any of these and think it'll be your daily driver or winter car.
Agreed that 993 Turbos are ludicrous. I'm hoping that finding a C4 at a reasonable price (i.e. $50-60k) would be possible. I don't want the Turbo-look S, which will help, and I wouldn't need or want a 15k mile showcar since I would be bullheaded and try to drive it 4 seasons.
I'd want an S for the looks. I mean, it's already a terrible decision, don't stop short.Agreed that 993 Turbos are ludicrous. I'm hoping that finding a C4 at a reasonable price (i.e. $50-60k) would be possible. I don't want the Turbo-look S, which will help, and I wouldn't need or want a 15k mile showcar since I would be bullheaded and try to drive it 4 seasons.
It's probably a better idea than a velomobile or a Honda Monkey...
So what's your unicorn, Nick?
No unicorns. My financial adviser doesn't allow it. A few of my friends from the old country are 911 guys/girls. I've always lusted for a 993 but as before they're now almost exclusively for the collector crowd. If I had fuck you money it would be a 993 Turbo S, in Mexico blue.
Current midlife crisis car would be a 997 GTS. All the power/style add-ons I'd want, no more no less. Not the new 991, they're more a fast luxury GT car and are huge by comparison.
My promotion has gone through. I'll be one rank up as of July 1.
Assistant Professor <-- was here
Associate Professor <-- will be here
Professor (sans prefix) <-- plan to be here in maybe 4-5 years from now
This gets me a pay bump equivalent to what I'd earn under the new system for being in year 5 at this place... and I'll be starting year 5 so it'll net me bupkis. Still nice. Assistant Prof is the "up or out" level where one must publish or perish. Associate is a rank that one could stay at indefinitely, not that I plan to stop working on my various and sundry projects.
Edit: it'll get me a pay bump equivalent to being year 7. So not nothing, I guess.
Assistant Professor <-- was here
Associate Professor <-- will be here
Professor (sans prefix) <-- plan to be here in maybe 4-5 years from now
This gets me a pay bump equivalent to what I'd earn under the new system for being in year 5 at this place... and I'll be starting year 5 so it'll net me bupkis. Still nice. Assistant Prof is the "up or out" level where one must publish or perish. Associate is a rank that one could stay at indefinitely, not that I plan to stop working on my various and sundry projects.
Edit: it'll get me a pay bump equivalent to being year 7. So not nothing, I guess.
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Although the ultimate chances of me ending up in an actual 993 are slim for any number of practical concerns as Nick alludes to, this maybe-a-Porsche exercise is nonetheless useful outside of daydreaming about 911s, per se.
The motorcycle whimsy shows I'd give up all niceties for small size and rawness. The 993 fantasy is just a less extreme 4 wheeled version of the same idea, only with a magically-not-depreciating-asset twist to it--pay up front but not later. Driving my spunky little Volvo around has reminded me that I do like actually driving now and then.
The no-car-at-all thought experiment shows that having a small 2+2 for day to day use + large vehicle rental backup might just fly in my household.
The covered parking garage angle* shows that off road chops for the worst parking lot scenarios (like the 18" fresh parking lot that I got stuck in this past month) can be reasonably avoided without staying home.
* on NASIOC someone reasonably pointed out that 993s would be snowplows, just as I'd condemned the Fusion, Prime Prime, etc. to be. I countered that I could just park in the covered garage at Winter Park or other resorts when the snow is actively falling. Thus no nightmares like my time getting stuck in the Corona Bypass lot at Mary Jane
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here you go dude ... clean 6-sp 997 4S, low miles, under $60k
http://inventory.driveanything.com/web/used/Porsche-911-2008-Huntingdon-Valley-Pennsylvania/2158700/
get snow tires, and even then please don't drive it to the C-lot in February.
http://inventory.driveanything.com/web/used/Porsche-911-2008-Huntingdon-Valley-Pennsylvania/2158700/
get snow tires, and even then please don't drive it to the C-lot in February.
Ah, but two things:
1) 997.1s still suffer from IMS bearing failures: https://rennlist.com/how-tos/a/porsche-997-what-are-signs-of-ims-bearing-failure-383601
2) Different marque and all, but 997s give me sort of a Roger vibe:
I guess an Evora might work (or a Porsche 993 +/- low seat rails). No way that's fitting in my Denver house + lifestyle, though. Maybe after I retire early…
Relevant to the above Evora thoughts (and note an earlier riff on the 993 idea! I'm nothing if not consistently changing ideas):http://jalopnik.com/the-lotus-evora-400-is-the-best-track-car-i-have-ever-d-1784855962
Perhaps when visiting Seattle I'll hunt down a dealer who has one in stock so that I can sit in it, brush the headliner, and scratch off yet another dream.
It's worth the few minutes.
So:
- AWD but not necessarily an off-roader at all
- spunky, and either manual or a good reason not be so
- not douchey
- 2" hitch
- at least a 2+2
- realistic/not a unicorn/easily maintained
- headroom++
Two vehicles come to mind:
STI.
Hitch, check. In non-Premium trim it and the base WRX are the only ones I'd have enough headroom in. Downside is flatbill stigma. On the upside its engine design would satisfy my desire for nostalgia.
Golf R, a la @Westy .
Torklift has the hitch covered here, too. Even has adaptive cruise, I believe! although I'm not certain how that plays nicely with the stick shift. Downside is association with Westy and VAGness.
- AWD but not necessarily an off-roader at all
- spunky, and either manual or a good reason not be so
- not douchey
- 2" hitch
- at least a 2+2
- realistic/not a unicorn/easily maintained
- headroom++
Two vehicles come to mind:
STI.
Hitch, check. In non-Premium trim it and the base WRX are the only ones I'd have enough headroom in. Downside is flatbill stigma. On the upside its engine design would satisfy my desire for nostalgia.
Golf R, a la @Westy .
Torklift has the hitch covered here, too. Even has adaptive cruise, I believe! although I'm not certain how that plays nicely with the stick shift. Downside is association with Westy and VAGness.
That said, eBay Motors seems to have many more 993s for sale than Rennlist, fwiw. Getting a real PPI would be a bit of a pain with such a transaction, it seems.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Porsche-911-CARRERA-4-C4/372342358396?hash=item56b155817c:g:eXYAAOSwj6lbKqRz
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Porsche-993-C4-Coupe/323301249262?hash=item4b464190ee:g:vOgAAOSwXSJbInE~
It'll be interesting to see how prices fare in the next few years.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Porsche-911-CARRERA-4-C4/372342358396?hash=item56b155817c:g:eXYAAOSwj6lbKqRz
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Porsche-993-C4-Coupe/323301249262?hash=item4b464190ee:g:vOgAAOSwXSJbInE~
It'll be interesting to see how prices fare in the next few years.
ACC works well with the manual on the R. It happily
ACC works well on the R. Happily accepts downshifts, however it does give up below 15 MPH where as the DCC version supports full stop and go. I don't use it very much but it seems pretty f'ing slick when I do.
I am not a big fan of the lane assist feature. It occasionally does weird things when I am in a lane that gets rather wide because of an exit or an additional lane. It might be nice for long road trips if I get a little distracted but otherwise turn it off.
For me the big attraction to the R above the competitors was the ride quality, comfort and interior. It is just a much nicer place to sit than the alternatives. My friends Focus RS has a punishing ride and still feels like a base spec rental car on the inside short of the seats. Subaru's interiors still feel like they were adopted from a tractor or combine. The R is also the stealthiest alternative. You have to really look to tell it is not a run of the mill Golf vs screaming at you with silly wings and garish interiors.
Overall I am very happy with the R. My only complaint is that the seating position is higher than I would prefer. Things have gotten better as the seat has broken in but I would happily sacrifice electric adjustments for the lower position provided by a non powered seat.
Edit: it also goes like stink. You don't have to go back in time very far before it could start taking down supercars.
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I figured out that the wheels make a huge difference. I do not like these stock 997s wheels, no siree.
But with some different wheels they clean up nicely:
Probably much more sane than a 993 as a daily and much lower on the price curve. We shall see what pops up when I'm actually in the market (November 2019 and onward–two bonus cycles from now).
My money is on Toyota Camry.