Why you taking the fat skis?
Toshi's thread
- Thread starter Toshi
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Those are my skinny skis! What are we, stuck in the 80s? (I already know the answer here)Why you taking the fat skis?
lol - 106 underfoot is my daily (and only) driver. Just taking the piss.
Here at Discount Tire. Their tire warranty certificates have me conflicted.
On one hand the people who buy them do seem as if they are close enough to broke that unexpectedly paying for an extra replacement tire would be difficult.
On the other hand it’s a product that clearly makes money per the actuaries, so their purchase of them is subsidizing my tire purchases. It’s like the lottery in many ways.
Re: subsidizing me: I nominally purchased four Nokian Hakka R3s at $190 each plus installation. They’d sold them to someone else in error (realizing this after I paid for the R3s) so I got Hakka 8s for a net cost of $799 installed instead. I applied for rebates on the original $900 charge, about $230 in total. Then today when getting them to put the correct R3s on after all they aren’t charging me for any difference.
Cliffs Notes: I’m ultimately getting four $190 tires installed for a net cost of ~$570. As with the Volvo deal I’d still rather have paid $670 and not sat here another hour, but still better than a sharp stick to the eye.
On one hand the people who buy them do seem as if they are close enough to broke that unexpectedly paying for an extra replacement tire would be difficult.
On the other hand it’s a product that clearly makes money per the actuaries, so their purchase of them is subsidizing my tire purchases. It’s like the lottery in many ways.
Re: subsidizing me: I nominally purchased four Nokian Hakka R3s at $190 each plus installation. They’d sold them to someone else in error (realizing this after I paid for the R3s) so I got Hakka 8s for a net cost of $799 installed instead. I applied for rebates on the original $900 charge, about $230 in total. Then today when getting them to put the correct R3s on after all they aren’t charging me for any difference.
Cliffs Notes: I’m ultimately getting four $190 tires installed for a net cost of ~$570. As with the Volvo deal I’d still rather have paid $670 and not sat here another hour, but still better than a sharp stick to the eye.
Volvo showing 5500 miles today. I have the displays set to hide this normally so had no idea. This is over about 4.5 months of actual driving, but I did have the original trip from Illinois included in that.
Therefore I should be fine or at least close enough with the 30k mileage allowance at 36 months. Still might get something earlier than lease end, over the winter of 2020-2021, dependent on vehicle choice and tax credits (if EV or PHEV instead of old-ass Porsche).
Therefore I should be fine or at least close enough with the 30k mileage allowance at 36 months. Still might get something earlier than lease end, over the winter of 2020-2021, dependent on vehicle choice and tax credits (if EV or PHEV instead of old-ass Porsche).
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That's why we don't lease. We're averaging about 20K miles per year on the truck...
So I sat in a 993 today.
Cliffs Notes: I'll need to hunt for a sunroof-delete car, and this might mean a Euro 25 year-rule-import ~2020.
Long version: I went to ADI Autosport, one of the myriad of independent used car dealers along Havana in Aurora. They had a 1995 993 listed, oddly with a whale tail but not listed as a Turbo, per se.
https://www.adiautosport.com/newandusedcars.aspx?clearall=1 (also note the Lamborghini Jalpa there--weird car!)
I'd called in advance and they graciously allowed me to test-sit in the car and bullshit for a bit. Turns out it is a weird mongrel of a car: 1995 911 Carrera 2 to start out with, only 16k miles, with lots of aftermarket add-ons: widebody kit and whale tail, aftermarket twin turbo + intercooler setup, lowered, RUF-style wheels. The interior was very mid-90s, what with aftermarket fake wood on the dash, a car phone (!), etc.
So clearly not the car for me at this time and place, as besides being RWD and tacky they wanted $100k for this mongrel! But it was the closest 993 to me and I just wanted to see if I'd fit with the USDM-standard-fare sunroof.
And I kind of do. 1 finger above my scalp to the headliner with the power seat all the way lowered. Not enough for a helmet and borderline for the street. It's a bit roomier than a 1st gen NSX but still wouldn't cut it. I'd need a sunroof-delete car one way or another.
Other impressions of the 993 as a platform were positive, however. It felt very compact inside in terms of width yet was very airy. Upright windshield, lots of side glass area, and delightfully thin A-pillars--just don't roll the car and those are great, right?
I still may well end up with something completely different (cheap-practical yet with a hitch and AWD, like a Crosstrek PHEV? Model Y? A donk with giant tire chains?!) but per this limited experience a driver-quality, unmolested 993 Carrera 4 with the sunroof delete option just might work.
Cliffs Notes: I'll need to hunt for a sunroof-delete car, and this might mean a Euro 25 year-rule-import ~2020.
Long version: I went to ADI Autosport, one of the myriad of independent used car dealers along Havana in Aurora. They had a 1995 993 listed, oddly with a whale tail but not listed as a Turbo, per se.
https://www.adiautosport.com/newandusedcars.aspx?clearall=1 (also note the Lamborghini Jalpa there--weird car!)
I'd called in advance and they graciously allowed me to test-sit in the car and bullshit for a bit. Turns out it is a weird mongrel of a car: 1995 911 Carrera 2 to start out with, only 16k miles, with lots of aftermarket add-ons: widebody kit and whale tail, aftermarket twin turbo + intercooler setup, lowered, RUF-style wheels. The interior was very mid-90s, what with aftermarket fake wood on the dash, a car phone (!), etc.
So clearly not the car for me at this time and place, as besides being RWD and tacky they wanted $100k for this mongrel! But it was the closest 993 to me and I just wanted to see if I'd fit with the USDM-standard-fare sunroof.
And I kind of do. 1 finger above my scalp to the headliner with the power seat all the way lowered. Not enough for a helmet and borderline for the street. It's a bit roomier than a 1st gen NSX but still wouldn't cut it. I'd need a sunroof-delete car one way or another.
Other impressions of the 993 as a platform were positive, however. It felt very compact inside in terms of width yet was very airy. Upright windshield, lots of side glass area, and delightfully thin A-pillars--just don't roll the car and those are great, right?
I still may well end up with something completely different (cheap-practical yet with a hitch and AWD, like a Crosstrek PHEV? Model Y? A donk with giant tire chains?!) but per this limited experience a driver-quality, unmolested 993 Carrera 4 with the sunroof delete option just might work.
Nah My Brother just went out and bought me a expensive Christmas/Birthday gift, I am all set. Get yer Porsche.....
Totally agreed on the mods. Having done that (pre-modded WRX) I never want to deal with other peoples’ bad decisions again.
But re 993 vs 997, I might be easier on a 993 because my expectations for each gen are different. The 997 is close enough to modern that it has navi, etc. but would look dated a la my 100 series. The 993 makes no pretense of being modern and I might be ok with that, especially given the existence of a Bluetooth/stealthy nav Porsche radio:
https://www.porsche.com/usa/accessoriesandservices/classic/genuineparts/producthighlights/navi/
More on this thought:
https://www.greencarreports.com/news/1120012_2019-subaru-crosstrek-hybrid-first-drive-of-17-mile-35-mpg-plug-in-crossover
17 miles electric. 35 mpg after that. Mechanical AWD. Net $27.5k plus tax car in CO in 2020 (-$1k if 2019 or before, which doesn’t fit my timeline).
This would make a lot of sense for me... if I liked it in execution. Electric commute. Frugal gas for skiing and biking. CarPlay and EyeSight. Hitch should be available: same body as the gas plus rated to tow 1k itself.
Related to this Crosstrek PHEV idea and that I'm a fickle bitch: I looked into getting out of my Volvo lease via swapalease.com. Turns out that some lease companies [1] don't allow one to transfer out of a lease at all, and some others [2] let one transfer the lease but still keep the original lessee on the hook for liability! (Worst of both worlds! as the second lessee would have no incentive to keep the car clean and undamaged.)
Volvo Car Financial Services is in group 1, of companies that don't allow for lease transfers at all. So my only option would be to buy out the car and then sell it. This doesn't make a whit of sense since I did a no-money-down lease (as one should) and thus would be eating a substantial portion of the lease term's depreciation up front instead of paying it evenly over the whole 36 months.
References:
With some more time in the Volvo I can offer up a better summary of life with it, relevant to my infidelity-to-Volvo exploration as above:
Pros:
Volvo Car Financial Services is in group 1, of companies that don't allow for lease transfers at all. So my only option would be to buy out the car and then sell it. This doesn't make a whit of sense since I did a no-money-down lease (as one should) and thus would be eating a substantial portion of the lease term's depreciation up front instead of paying it evenly over the whole 36 months.
References:
In summary, I'll have this Volvo until 36 months, for better or worse, even though I may pine after other vehicles sane or insane for varying lengths of time.
With some more time in the Volvo I can offer up a better summary of life with it, relevant to my infidelity-to-Volvo exploration as above:
Pros:
Cons:
You mean 20" lo pro wheels don't give a better ride? 
The 18”s didn’t change things much on that front.You mean 20" lo pro wheels don't give a better ride?
I should just get a Lexus LX and be done with it. And by it, I mean driving enjoyment.
Beautiful car and great story of how he came to be reunited with it. Must be nice to come from such means, though: guy looks to be in his 50s yet was racing Porsches in the 1990s and now can travel several months of the year...
On old Porsches and driver-quality 993s in particular, Jack Baruth's tale hits home:
https://www.roadandtrack.com/car-culture/buying-maintenance/a30734/porsche-993-values/
With that to hammer home the sobering reality of old car life, particularly with one that's a valuable old car, along with that I'd need to find a unicorn (one of the handful of USDM sunroof delete 993s or a Euro import with all the headaches and time delays that'd entail) I think it's time to drop the lovely, seductive, and ultimately very bad 993 idea.
With a clearer head I see my post-Volvo choice converging on a few themes:
1) Sane newer choices.
See my current XC40 as well as prior Crosstrek Hybrid, Clarity Plugin, Prius Prime, and even ye olde Ford Five Hundred ideas. Cheap or at least relatively cheap, frugal to run, easy to fit in the garage, even the FWD ones probably capable enough with a 2" hitch and some snow tires.
2) Rehashing the concept of my old Land Cruiser.
Ideally this would be something under the radar, like my deliberately Toyota-badged ride, but faster than the 100 series was, with modern audio connectivity and adaptive cruise.
I'd be all over a late model 200 series in this vein, except that adaptive cruise with stop and go is only available on the 2016+ Lexus LX variant, not available on any Land Cruiser proper. I will remind the astute reader that a 2016+ LX is not an under the radar kind of vehicle.
3) Old school.
Of all the vehicles we've had over the years* the two that have been the most satisfying have been our current Pacifica Hybrid (x2) and our gen 2 Toyota Prius. If I dropped my arbitrary requirement for full-speed adaptive cruise control, and was ok with FWD (as in a Clarity Plugin) and somehow found a sane-priced, low mileage 2006-2009 Prius again...
It did have aux in, which was good enough. It had a super clean dashboard layout, even if the steering wheel was always oddly low even when at its highest. It also was dead reliable, quiet on the freeway, had cheap 15" tires, and always pleasingly gave me the sensation that I was piloting a ST:TNG shuttlecraft:
4) Expensive green.
The last theme is of EVs and PHEVs not aiming for the cheap-after-discounts pricepoint that's common to many of the ideas from the first theme. Under here would be the Audi e-tron and others of its ilk, the Model 3 Performance, and, probably most relevant to me, the Model Y.
Apparently the Model Y unveil event and deposit-taking shall be on the Ides of March, 2019. With Tesla's track record of delays I could get in line for the Model Y at that time and have plenty of time to stew over my thoughts, much as I jumped on a Model 3 reservation initially but then backed out a year later. (I probably should have stuck with it and gotten one if only to sell in a year. C'est la vie.)
Choices, choices, and in the meantime the Volvo will get me around the mountains.
1) Sane newer choices.
See my current XC40 as well as prior Crosstrek Hybrid, Clarity Plugin, Prius Prime, and even ye olde Ford Five Hundred ideas. Cheap or at least relatively cheap, frugal to run, easy to fit in the garage, even the FWD ones probably capable enough with a 2" hitch and some snow tires.
2) Rehashing the concept of my old Land Cruiser.
Ideally this would be something under the radar, like my deliberately Toyota-badged ride, but faster than the 100 series was, with modern audio connectivity and adaptive cruise.
I'd be all over a late model 200 series in this vein, except that adaptive cruise with stop and go is only available on the 2016+ Lexus LX variant, not available on any Land Cruiser proper. I will remind the astute reader that a 2016+ LX is not an under the radar kind of vehicle.
3) Old school.
Of all the vehicles we've had over the years* the two that have been the most satisfying have been our current Pacifica Hybrid (x2) and our gen 2 Toyota Prius. If I dropped my arbitrary requirement for full-speed adaptive cruise control, and was ok with FWD (as in a Clarity Plugin) and somehow found a sane-priced, low mileage 2006-2009 Prius again...
It did have aux in, which was good enough. It had a super clean dashboard layout, even if the steering wheel was always oddly low even when at its highest. It also was dead reliable, quiet on the freeway, had cheap 15" tires, and always pleasingly gave me the sensation that I was piloting a ST:TNG shuttlecraft:
4) Expensive green.
The last theme is of EVs and PHEVs not aiming for the cheap-after-discounts pricepoint that's common to many of the ideas from the first theme. Under here would be the Audi e-tron and others of its ilk, the Model 3 Performance, and, probably most relevant to me, the Model Y.
Apparently the Model Y unveil event and deposit-taking shall be on the Ides of March, 2019. With Tesla's track record of delays I could get in line for the Model Y at that time and have plenty of time to stew over my thoughts, much as I jumped on a Model 3 reservation initially but then backed out a year later. (I probably should have stuck with it and gotten one if only to sell in a year. C'est la vie.)
Choices, choices, and in the meantime the Volvo will get me around the mountains.
* all of the vehicles that we've had over the years, off the top of my head:
Me:
1990 Nissan 300ZX
1996 Nissan Pathfinder
2002 Subaru WRX
2004 Mazda RX-8
2007? Kawasaki Versys
2003 Acura 3.2 CL-S
2007 Toyota Land Cruiser
2019 Volvo XC40
Her:
1992? Toyota Tercel
2001 Toyota Corolla
2007 Honda Fit
2006 Toyota Prius
2013 Nissan LEAF
2012 Toyota RAV4 EV
2018 Chrysler Pacifica (Plugin) Hybrid
2019 Chrysler Pacifica (Plugin) Hybrid
what's wrong with just, you know, getting a vehicle and sticking with it for a while?
Took the PacHy to Vail today. See far right column in this graph.
That's with a nominally 30 mile full charge from home, and a similar 30 mile full charge at the Vail garage. The 66 extra electric miles logged above what was put in were from regeneration, what with the various passes.
That's with a nominally 30 mile full charge from home, and a similar 30 mile full charge at the Vail garage. The 66 extra electric miles logged above what was put in were from regeneration, what with the various passes.
steering wheel heating?Took the PacHy to Vail today. See far right column in this graph.
That's with a nominally 30 mile full charge from home, and a similar 30 mile full charge at the Vail garage. The 66 extra electric miles logged above what was put in were from regeneration, what with the various passes.
monocle_cat.gif
Heated steering wheel and heated and ventilated seats. Cool butt in the summer is amazing.
https://www.bikeradar.com/mtb/gear/article/whats-the-fastest-tyre-size-for-mountain-biking-53304/
Actually quite a well done test. T-tests, power meters, etc. Jives with what I've experienced: 2.8" Minion DHF/DHR II combo feels very secure, and that's coming from 2.5/2.4" DHF/DHR II as a comparison. I haven't had issues with floppy casings, either. Maybe I'm just not cornering fast enough.
Actually quite a well done test. T-tests, power meters, etc. Jives with what I've experienced: 2.8" Minion DHF/DHR II combo feels very secure, and that's coming from 2.5/2.4" DHF/DHR II as a comparison. I haven't had issues with floppy casings, either. Maybe I'm just not cornering fast enough.
5010 now officially listed:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/frontrangebikeswap/permalink/1085193974981152/?sale_post_id=1085193974981152
Non-Facespace link: https://ridemonkey.bikemag.com/threads/2016-santa-cruz-5010-cc-x01-carbon-wheelset.281116/
@stoney @Nick @Full Trucker @6thElement @Pesqueeb please share if you know anyone in the market for such a ride at a fair price.
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I don't have facebook. Can you post it here or on pb too?
No Moab? No Fruita? No Crusty Butt? No Colorado Trail??
Or maybe just rent for such excursions?
Or maybe just rent for such excursions?
I'm not making it out to any multi-day riding trips in the next few years. Recall that kid 3 is due in February… If my 5010 fit me perfectly then I might keep it around. As it is, after some time on my 445 mm reach Shuttle my 425 mm reach 5010 feels cramped. With that, especially plus my less than favorable experience with the Race Face Cinch system and recurrent creaks (none now!) I'd rather ditch it and rent for odd occasions.
Renting is pretty damn close to realized depreciation anyway. Bikes are expensive, yo.
PB for your biggest audience, Craigslist and Nextdoor for more local exposure.
If the Bollinger Motors B1 ever materializes (as opposed to the vaporware that oh so many EVs have turned out to be) then it might actually be something I'd consider as it'd tie in the Land Cruiser/Mad Max and green themes in one vehicle:
https://www.bollingermotors.com/
Hard to parse but I think it shows 1000 mm of headroom, 39.3"
I'd be interested in the OG Bronco-esque B1 rather than the 4-door pickup B2. The B2 would be a bit long for my garage, and this would be a secondary vehicle in my household anyway (as we'll always have a minivan or big crossover until the kids are much older). 2 doors + 4 seats would be more practical than my 911 idea, anyway, at least with the shape of the thing.
Relevant specs on the Bollinger B1:
- BEV, with a 120 kWh pack yielding ~200 miles at 70 MPGe
- 12 kW level 2 AC charging, 100 kW level 3 CCS DC fast charging
- front and rear axle motors with dual range AWD
- 614 hp, 668 ft-lb, 4800 lb curb weight
- 15" ground clearance, 10" wheel travel, 32.7" tires, 52/30/43 degree approach/breakover/departure angles
- 5201 lb payload, 7500 lb towing
- 172" length
Realistically I don't see this ever making it to market, and if it did it'd probably have an incredible amount of NVH with that 1960s-Bronco-rendered-in-8-bit shape... but it's promising to see outfits expanding the BEV universe to things that aren't tiny FWD commuter sleds.
https://www.bollingermotors.com/
Hard to parse but I think it shows 1000 mm of headroom, 39.3"
I'd be interested in the OG Bronco-esque B1 rather than the 4-door pickup B2. The B2 would be a bit long for my garage, and this would be a secondary vehicle in my household anyway (as we'll always have a minivan or big crossover until the kids are much older). 2 doors + 4 seats would be more practical than my 911 idea, anyway, at least with the shape of the thing.
Relevant specs on the Bollinger B1:
- BEV, with a 120 kWh pack yielding ~200 miles at 70 MPGe
- 12 kW level 2 AC charging, 100 kW level 3 CCS DC fast charging
- front and rear axle motors with dual range AWD
- 614 hp, 668 ft-lb, 4800 lb curb weight
- 15" ground clearance, 10" wheel travel, 32.7" tires, 52/30/43 degree approach/breakover/departure angles
- 5201 lb payload, 7500 lb towing
- 172" length
Realistically I don't see this ever making it to market, and if it did it'd probably have an incredible amount of NVH with that 1960s-Bronco-rendered-in-8-bit shape... but it's promising to see outfits expanding the BEV universe to things that aren't tiny FWD commuter sleds.
Model 3 delivery scheduled. Saturday, 4-6 PM window, at my house.
Interesting way to buy a car, this. Not sure if my financial ducks will be in a row to be able to trade in the Volvo at that time and just be done with it or if I'll have to deal with it the next week in a separate transaction.
Interesting way to buy a car, this. Not sure if my financial ducks will be in a row to be able to trade in the Volvo at that time and just be done with it or if I'll have to deal with it the next week in a separate transaction.