Okay, so let me preface the following message with this statement: I do NOT want to hear any type of "I told you so" or "Serves you right" comments in light of the information I will provide.
Yes, I know many of you have stated this would happen. I won't deny that. Hell, even *I* knew it was going to happen! It was just a matter of time. And I'm fine with it, now. I just wanted to share the pictures with the world....
That link shows what is left of my car stereo. A few weeks ago, some amateur hoodlums broke into my car and took my stuff. It was bound to happen, I'm not horriby surprised.
I am, however, irritated. And what irritates me about this, you may wonder? Not the loss of the stereo. I mean, that sucks, and I miss my gear, but no. That's not the irriating part. What irritates me is the fact that my gear was taken by people who didn't even know what they were DOING, and were very careless. Looking at the mess they made of my car, and how badly they broke things, there's no WAY that gear came out in good shape. So really, they pretty much stole my shit and most likely f*cked it up in the process. THAT is irritating. If you're going to steal a stereo, at least have enough respect for the equipment to do it well.
And the insurance stuff is nonsense. I mean, seriusly... the insurance companies RUSH to tkae your money, but they sure do drag their feet when it comes time to pay it back.
And they put me under fraud review.
FRAUD REVIEW!
And I understand why, to an extent.... I mean, it's a total of about $6K in loss and damage, so I can see why they want to check everything. But what got to me is the fact that I was told "We are investigating you because it is highly abnormal for a 23 year old girl to claim such substantial stereo loss." Highly abnormal? Maybe. But, as I pointed out to them, it's ALSO highly abnormal for a 23 year old girl to pay an extra $40 a month for coverage JUST FOR HER STEREO, but I do and have for almost 2 years. Furthermore, it's highly abnormal for a 23 year old girl to have all of the boxes and reciepts for such a large amount of stereo equipment, but I do. And I have pictures, SOOOOO many pictures, all of which have been provided to the insurance company. And every employee at every stereo shop in town knows me by NAME. All highly abnormal, yet true.
But I'm obviously making my stereo and it's ensuing loss up.
They implied that maybe I took my stereo. Hello? I mean, I'm sure it's been done in the past, but as I told them, if I was going to take my shit, I would have done a better job. And I wouldn't have busted out a window when it's lower than 40 degrees outside. Hello, that's what a coat hanger is for! And if I'd taken my own stuff just to get a "better" system, odds are good that I wouldn't have FLIPPED out on my adjuster when she told me I was going to get "comparable equipment."
I hate that term. Comparable equipment? Nothing compares to your first set of Phoenix Gold amps. NOTHING. Especially when the ones you had are discontinued and CANNOT be replaced. Comparable, my ass.
So there's that. It's cool though... I'm a lot calmer about it than I expected to be. I'm just mostly irritated about the insurance BS and them dragging this out. Being without music sucks. But in the grand scheme of things, it's not that bad. It's just a stereo, not a life altering catastrophe!
So there's that... my vent for the day... hope you enjoyed! Posted by Hobbes (Member # 138) on :
Yes insurance companies are evil. My car's passenger side is all fucked up from someone side swiping it leaving two long scratches across both doors. It's painful for me to look at my 04 car with that kind of damage. I could take it to a body shop and see if my insurance will pay for the damage, but I'm afraid that the insurance company would only raise my rates even more. Which is bullshit, I might as well put it to use without having to start paying them more afterwards.
I'm not a huge car audio freak like you, my pal Thompson is though. He bought a $3000 audio system for his Focus. All I have is a Pioneer CD player and stock speakers. I have to worry more about repairing the side of my car before spending money on further modifications which for me is performance based. I'd rather spend money on a new GReddy exhaust system increasing horsepower than new speakers.
Posted by Malnurtured Snay (Member # 411) on :
Hell Liz, that sucks & I'm sorry.
That's why I have a big picture of a shotgun taped to my window and the caption, "Benelli: Culling the Herd."
Posted by LOA (Member # 49) on :
Snay! You suck! You haven't called me in a LONG TIME! Well... I guess I haven't called you either though, so that means I kinda suck, too, but that's okay, 'cause I've been told that most guys like that
Call me or I'll call you.... someday... when we're not both so busy........ Posted by Malnurtured Snay (Member # 411) on :
You're making me blush, here.
Posted by Lee (Member # 393) on :
You need to get out more, then.
Posted by Malnurtured Snay (Member # 411) on :
And interact with the real world? No, I already feel inadequate enough, thank you.
Posted by TSN (Member # 31) on :
"That's why I have a big picture of a shotgun taped to my window and the caption, 'Benelli: Culling the Herd.'"
So... what? Thieves are supposed to look at that and think "well, if there's a picture of a shotgun there, it must mean he's guarding the car with one at this very moment, so we'd better not break in"?
Posted by Topher (Member # 71) on :
To put things in perspective: about a year ago, someone stole a friend of the family's brand new Avalanche from a "secure employee parking lot". Along with an expensive Harley Davidson CB radio. And several $100 worth of Christmas presents.
Their new Avalanche has been fitted with a $2000 alarm system. Posted by Siegfried (Member # 29) on :
That really sucks, Liz, and you have my sympathies in dealing with the insurance companies. I wouldn't be surprised if part of their stalling is not so much a suspicion against you but not wanting to follow through on the claim.
My sister went through this a couple years ago. She had just gotten a new Civic, and her fianc� (who is a car audio/video installer) had just put in a new system. The car hadn't been back with them but one night before a couple kids kicked in a window and tried ripping everything out of it. They got some of the stuff before my now brother-in-law ran outside with a bat (mainly the dashboard components; they hadn't made it to the trunk yet). The kids had no idea what they were doing; the dashboard was completely ripped up from their prying and pulling.
The really unfortunate part was that the new car was going to have an alarm installed. However, that didn't get done the same day because my brother-in-law and his coworker spent all day on the stereo system and speakers. The alarm was going to be installed the following day.
They also went through hell with the insurance companies. Not a fun time for them.
Posted by Jason Abbadon (Member # 882) on :
I told you so. Serves you right.
Sorry about your stereo, Liz.
Posted by LOA (Member # 49) on :
I had an alarm. They clipped the wires. It wasn't a very fancy alarm, I'll admit.
My new alarm is a bit better... and much more expensive... but Car Toys is knocking the price way down for me, and I'll have remote start now, so that's nice Posted by TSN (Member # 31) on :
See, that's the thing with car alarms: they're only effective if the thieves can't disable them, and they intend to take the whole car. I mean, they certainly don't get anyone's attention.
Posted by Fleet-Admiral Michael T. Colorge (Member # 144) on :
What the hell... I hope they catch the bastards.
Posted by Grokca (Member # 722) on :
To paraphrase M.A.S.H. 'Goddamn, insurance companies' Sorry about your loss, the amount of info on the stuff you have should have been sufficient for the bastards. Insurance companies drive me nuts, you can be a model gougee for twenty years, make one claim and you somehow become a much higher risk, so they charge you more. My nephew recently bought a house and he went to get insurance. They wanted to charge him $2000 a year for house insurance, because get this, he was a first time house owner. Like he had never lived in a house before and he was going to drive it into a guardrail or something. He was too inexperienced to own a house. The filthy little theives. Who does the title refer to, the people who took your stuff or the insurance company?
Posted by Aban Rune (Member # 226) on :
How old is that Pepsi cup in your front seat?
I just bought a brand new Pontiac Vibe this weekend. It's nothing special, just the base model with very few options, but it's my very first and likely only new car.
I say only, because I'm terrified to take it out of the garage. Someone will scratch it, pee on it, try to break into it... whatever. Now... I keep it in my garage, so the odds of anything happening to it along the lines of little piss-ants breaking into it are remote. But yes... people are moronic and will somehow find a way to bend us all over.
Posted by Fleet-Admiral Michael T. Colorge (Member # 144) on :
I bought a 2005 Toyota Corolla S and I've had a mad mom in a mini-van ding the back passenger side door already in three places. Imagine my joy...
I would suggest that next time LOA that you leave nothing inside your car... keep it spotless and perhaps people will think twice about breaking into a car that looks to have of nothing in value. Then again if you have a custom stereo or head unit that might not work.
Posted by LOA (Member # 49) on :
For the record, the car was NOT messy like that when I left it that night.
That cup was from dinner on the way home that night. And it was in the cupholder when I left the car.
The red bag is a gym bag.
I had a migraine that night, and didn't take everything in with me like normal. That's why I didn't wake up when they did it... normally I would have heard ALL of the noise they made, but i was on narcotic strength pain medication that night. It wasn't the stuff in my car that attracted them though. Like, not the stuff on the seats - I had my flute and my piccolo in the car, worth THOUSANDS of dollars, and the thieves didn't touch them.
They knew what they wanted, and it happened to be my stereo. And normally my car is spotless. It HAS to be! With the amount of money I've put into that thing, there's no excuse for a mess, and if I let it slide even a BIT, one of the stereo guys in town is all over me about it...
Colorage: I have $2500 worth of rims and tires on my Protege, and custom painting on the inside. Anyone can tell that time and money has gone into the car, whether there are personal contents in there or not.
TSN: If I'd had a good alarm that was harder to disable, then *I* would have heard it. Even if no one else cared. I mean, it was parked right outside of my bedroom window. Even with the medication, if the alarm had gone off, I'd have heard it. But the one I had only had one wire to be clipped, and they did that quite well.
Okay, lunch. Food is good. See yas!
And congrats on the new cars, those of you that have purchased! Enjoy!
~Liz
Posted by Aban Rune (Member # 226) on :
I love my garage. I will never own a home without a garage. Never ever. When I was in college, I never had a garage and it was hell on my car. And my nerves. We'd have people walk through our parking at night slashing tires and busting windows and all kinds of other worthless crap.
Garage. Yes.
Posted by Lee (Member # 393) on :
Just out of interest, how easy is it to remove the stereo unit from the dash? We're selling our car this Thursday and we want to keep our Xplod CD/radio. We have the little key things, and I assume it's easy enough to disconnect the wires once the unit's out. . . Or should we just pop into a car audio place and get them to whip it out for us?
Posted by Malnurtured Snay (Member # 411) on :
I'm loving my '04 Wrangler!!!!!
Posted by Cartman (Member # 256) on :
What, your Celica get trampled over by a deer or something? B)
Posted by LOA (Member # 49) on :
Lee:
It's pretty easy to take the deck out, if you have the tools to do it. I mean, every car is different, but most of the time there's just a trim piece that goes around your aftermarket deck that you'd want to pop off to get to where the deck is attached. Some decks use keys, other decks just "click" in, and some have little levers you push to eject the unit from the dash. However yours is set up, you just eject it, and then unplug the wiring harness and any aux input or RCA's you have plugged in, and you should be set to go. The tricky part is if you want to put the factory deck back in.... you'll most likely have to change the wiring harness, which will require some slicing and splicing...
If that's the case, take it to the stereo shop. It'll probably cost ya about $50, but they'll have all of the stuff necessary and be able to hook ya up with very little trouble.
~Liz
Posted by Lee (Member # 393) on :
Well, we still have the original Mitsubishi stereo. Thing was, this car was a new Jap import, and the frequencies on the stereo were different. Plus we didn't exactly have any tapes to play anymore, so we thought we'd just replace it with a new CD player. Turns out the original had had a converter fitted. . . We'll likely just leave the original in the boot, er, trunk, and leave it up to whoever buys it if they want to re-install it or put something newer and better in themselves.
Posted by TSN (Member # 31) on :
I'm not sure why people act surprised when insurance companies give them a good hard fucking. I mean, that's what they do. They get you to pay them as much money as possible, while they try to pay out as little as possible. That's the very nature of an insurance company. They exist, not to protect you, but to make a profit. Seriously, you don't need to be nearly as cynical as I am to understand that.
Posted by LOA (Member # 49) on :
Tim~
I know. This is my 6th claim in 6 years. It's just irritating though. Fraud investigations are no fun.
Posted by Aban Rune (Member # 226) on :
I understand them being in the business to make money, the problem is, they're mandated by law. If you want to drive in the US in most areas, you *have* to have insurance. The goverment requires you to purchase the service, but gives little to no assistance in making sure they provide what you're forced to pay for.
Bleh.
Posted by Balaam Xumucane (Member # 419) on :
FREE COUNTRY!!! Posted by TSN (Member # 31) on :
"The goverment requires you to purchase the service, but gives little to no assistance in making sure they provide what you're forced to pay for."
Well, good luck trying to change the government. As of three weeks ago, we've proved they can do pretty much absolutely anything, and the same people still get elected.
Posted by Hobbes (Member # 138) on :
A necessary evil. I've given Progressive enough money to repair my car, but if I go to a body shop and get a quote to tell Progressive they'll inform to shove it up my ass since there's no way they will use the money I've given them to pay for the damage. Begging the question, "What exactly am I paying insurance for if I can't use it?" And then again, as I said before, if your insurance company actually does work for you, they raise your rates as if to say, "How dare you try to use a service you've paid for! Just for making us use your money to pay for damage to your car we're going to start asking for more!"
As you can tell, I have such a low regard for insurance companies.
Posted by Aban Rune (Member # 226) on :
Exactly. Insurance is the only service in the world you pay for, hope you'll never have to use, and get treated like you've done something wrong if you do try to use it.
Insurance companies view themselves, not as a service industry, but as a collection depot for your money. Seriously... do they actually *do* anything that you don't make them do? I'm sure some are better than others, but what do they actually do for the customer? You get into a wreck, you make a claim, and if you're lucky, they process your paperwork and cut you a check without question. If you're unlucky, you get investigated for fraud and have your claim denied, putting you in an even worse position than you would've been without the insurance. Plus your rates will probably go up because you filed a claim and were investigated for fraud.
Posted by Jason Abbadon (Member # 882) on :
Fuck insurance in it's money-grubbing ass. "I've never trusted Insurance...and I never will. I can never forgive them for the death of my Buick". Posted by Nim' (Member # 205) on :
Ok, that quote is officially dead now. Like too little butter scraped over too much bread.
Posted by PsyLiam (Member # 73) on :
I WANT A POST "NEVER FORGIVE" QUOTE LOOKING FORWARD NOT BACK!!!
Posted by Lee (Member # 393) on :
"I do not trust Klingons now, and I never will. I will never forgive them for something they will do in the future?"
Posted by Hobbes (Member # 138) on :
I like your idea of a website based on your car. I plan to do the same.
Here's the first pass logo I have for it. Needs a lot of work.
Second pass...
[ December 06, 2004, 07:11 PM: Message edited by: Hobbes ]
Posted by Nim' (Member # 205) on :
Heeeelp! Ricer bloggerz!!!
Posted by Jason Abbadon (Member # 882) on :
Y'know...the Mitsubishi logo looks pretty Klingon-like. Mabye just when in front of the circular "rising sun" logo.
Posted by Austin Powers (Member # 250) on :
ROFL about this entire thread. Great comments...
Sorry about the loss of your stereo, but honestly, why do you buy a car stereo that is worth more than the vehicle itself?
By the way, if you want to "retaliate" for my ricer-bashing: I drive an '05 BMW 330 Cd (a model not available in the US) fitted with a standard Harman-Kardon 5.1 sound system - but no car alarm. Thankfully in our part of Germany we don't need that sort of thing.
Posted by Siegfried (Member # 29) on :
quote:Originally posted by Austin Powers: Thankfully in our part of Germany we don't need that sort of thing.
...yet.
Posted by Cartman (Member # 256) on :
"Thankfully in our part of Germany..."
Which is where, in the middle of the Black Forest?
Posted by LOA (Member # 49) on :
For the record, the stereo is NOT worth more than the car. The car is still worth more. And besides that, I have a stereo that big because I like it... I'm a total music junky... completely addicted. I know I have a problem, but I don't have it in me to complete the 12-steps to fix it
The car went to the body shop yesterday to have the body repairs done. Very exciting, 'cept I had to have a friend pick it up for me due to my impossible work schedule, so it wasn't 'til 7pm last night that I discovered that none of my interior lighting works now. I'm hoping it's just a fuse.
Now, it's at Car Toys, and they're going to begin the big stereo install process. Whoo, hoo! The new system is amazing, though I'd still rather have my old one. Ah, well... such is life. I'll have my car back on Dec 18th, with music. That's 6 weeks after the initial break-in. OY! LONG six weeks!
Though now I'm in a rental car, with a stock stereo, and that's better than the nothing I've had for the last month
I think I'm gonna make it.
~LOA
Posted by Topher (Member # 71) on :
Hopefully the thieves didn't clip bits out of your wiring harness in the process of ripping stuff out...
Posted by LOA (Member # 49) on :
Oh, silly.... there is nothing really left of the wiring harness. Or of any of my RCAs. Or anything else that's remotely important for signal processing within a vehicle... hehehe... I'm getting All New Stuff! Posted by Hobbes (Member # 138) on :
quote:Originally posted by Nim': Heeeelp! Ricer bloggerz!!!
heh.
I hope not. I plan to avoid crossing into the rice catagory as much as possible. That laugh at rice site has a lot of perfect examples of rice cars. Although I get the impression those people will label any import car automatically as rice.
Appearance is important to modifying a car don't get me wrong. However, performance and handling should always be a primary concern. Body kits and rims needn't be a bad thing as long as they blend in with the rest of car to help enhance the look without going overboard.
LOA, what speakers do you recommend? I have a Pioneer CD player, but I want new speakers to go with it. I was think 6.5in Kenwood or Rockford Fosgate.
Posted by Austin Powers (Member # 250) on :
@Cartman: actually I live in northern Bavaria, not too far from Frankfurt.
@all this car modifying: why modify a car in the first place? Buy a car that you like from the start and not some Ricer bucket where you have to add some gruesome body-kit to make it look like something out of TFATF. Honestly, here if you modify your car in such a way you would be and are considered a total geek. Well, it fits the modder demographic of the 18 to 23-year-olds.
Although I do appreciate your enthusiasm about a good car stereo, LOA. Posted by Topher (Member # 71) on :
Why modify a car in the first place? Because stock just isn't good enough for the majority of people. I myself don't modify cars. Trucks, on the other hand..... Posted by Austin Powers (Member # 250) on :
quote:Because stock just isn't good enough for the majority of people.
Well, in the US that may be. Here it is rather a minority.
After all, here hardly anybody buys "stock" cars. You go to your dealer and order a car specifically tailored to your liking. Of course with Japanese cars you are right. They often don't give you any choice but to buy a "stock" car. With my BMW for example I have customized it exactly to my liking meaning I don't need to modify anything and it still looks and performs better than most Ricer type cars.
Posted by Topher (Member # 71) on :
Don't forget Canada
Also, a lot of customized vehicles are older. People don't necessarily have the money to buy a brand new vehicle and make payments for 4-5 years on it. So, you buy an older vehicle and gradually customize it to suit your needs.
Posted by Siegfried (Member # 29) on :
The only mod I made to my Saturn was to rewire the horn to play the finale from Shostakovich's Symphony No. 5.
Posted by Fleet-Admiral Michael T. Colorge (Member # 144) on :
I think the only modifications I've made so far on my Corolla are to install aluminum door sils and a cargo net. Although I do want to get a head unit in order to play my iPod in my car down the line and get stiffer shocks. The wheels can stay the same for all I care.
Posted by Aban Rune (Member # 226) on :
I want to modify my horn to blast the Stargate kawoosh. I also want that as my cell phone ring tone. The locking chevrons can play whenever I dial a number...
Posted by Nim' (Member # 205) on :
No sweat, I can do yours next week. I'm doing Jeff's tonight, under cover of darkness. "La cucaracha", tenor and bass parts, 2:20. Auto doorlock when it starts.
Posted by Hobbes (Member # 138) on :
The only engine mod I've done is swapped out the stock air intake with an Injen cold air intake. The purpose? Well the stock air intake took hotter air right next to the engine. The cold air intake takes cooler, denser, air from closer to the road and away from the engine. Increases air flow to increase horsepower since air=horsepower. After getting it installed I had it dyno tested and horsepower went from 120 to 135. My next mod is a GReddy Evo 2 exhaust system and eventually a header. Which should get my Lancer ES to about 150-160 getting close to the Lancer Ralliart's 170 horsepower.
Posted by Topher (Member # 71) on :
quote:Originally posted by Aban Rune: I want to modify my horn to blast the Stargate kawoosh. I also want that as my cell phone ring tone. The locking chevrons can play whenever I dial a number...
Seven chevrons to open a wormhole, seven numbers for local calling... Coincidence? Posted by Hobbes (Member # 138) on :
So what happens when you call someone during a solar flare? Call the past?
Posted by TSN (Member # 31) on :
"With my BMW for example I have customized it exactly to my liking meaning I don't need to modify anything and it still looks and performs better than most Ricer type cars."
So, in other words, you did modify your car, it's just that you had the dealer install the modifications for you, rather than doing it yourself.
Posted by PsyLiam (Member # 73) on :
I would call that nixpicking, except that
1/ I kinda agree with him, and 2/ This entire conversation is so insipid it makes me want to pour vinegar in my eyes just so that I don't have to read it any more.
Posted by Austin Powers (Member # 250) on :
@TSN: it's no modification at all.
By "customized" I mean "customized when ordering". Yes, I went to my dealer and ordered my car, but I ordered extras straight out of the BMW catalogue - like the Harman-Kardon soundsystem or the interior and exterior features, rims, etc.
The car was then built by BMW and shipped to my dealer where I got it. Neither my dealer nor I made any modifications to the car. It came straight out of the factory like it is now.
[ December 09, 2004, 03:56 AM: Message edited by: Austin Powers ]
Posted by PsyLiam (Member # 73) on :
Arguing the difference between "customised" and "modified" is the sort of thing that gives Tim a hard on.
Posted by Austin Powers (Member # 250) on :
Well, in my opinion "modified" means something that is done AFTER the car leaves the original factory. As far as mine is concerned it is therefor unmodified. Customizing IMHO means choosing the extras you like when ORDERING the car from the original manufacturer yet altering nothing after it has been delivered.
@TSN: No?
Posted by Topher (Member # 71) on :
Well there you go. When purchasing an older vehicle you'll be stuck with what the original owner ordered from the factory, and that might not be what you want. So you modify.
Posted by Cartman (Member # 256) on :
Or you conclude that "modifying" and "customizing" are synonyms and then do something that's actually productive and meaningful with your life, like debating wether there was a USS Discovery in Starfleet circa 2260 with other people who have reached the same conclusion. B)
"actually I live in northern Bavaria..."
And no cars are broken into there ever?
Posted by Austin Powers (Member # 250) on :
Not that I have heard of lately. And believe me, if cars are broken into here, it's in the newspapers. Not because there aren't any other news but because car break-ins are not very common here. Thieves rather tend to steal the entire vehicle - and then again that's mainly older cars. It is rare that newer models are stolen because many thieves don't want to risk being detected while trying to find and disable the electronic engine lock.
And I DO meaningful things with my life - but starship debates are no longer a priority...
And to take this thread finally really off-topic:
I'm rather more looking forward to next year's FedCon in Bonn. Great line-up of Trek stars:
Leonard Nimoy Brent Spiner John de Lancie Andrew Robinson James Darren Jolene Blalock ...
Just in case anyone of you is planning to go there...in your Ricer perhaps... Posted by Topher (Member # 71) on :
I would rather walk than drive a ricer.
Posted by Hobbes (Member # 138) on :
This is my car as it is today. I wouldn't exactly call it "rice".
Posted by Topher (Member # 71) on :
Definately not rice.... Posted by Hobbes (Member # 138) on :
Hmmm... since people automatically call Japanese cars "rice" what do people in other countries call American cars? Since for you Chris, Ford is a foreign car in Canada right?
Posted by Sol System (Member # 30) on :
There is some creepy racial context in there, but no one ever seems to comment on it.
Posted by Hobbes (Member # 138) on :
In my post? If so, I didn't mean any.
Posted by TSN (Member # 31) on :
"There is some creepy racial context in there, but no one ever seems to comment on it."
Well, it's not really a reference to East Asian people. It came from the fact that most of the cars being... modified... tended to be Japanese cars. Which is not so much the case, anymore, but the term stuck.
Posted by Balaam Xumucane (Member # 419) on :
There is this Toyota chop-shop at the front of my building. They're always taking these beat-up of Celicas and the occasional Supra and installing silly airfoils and carbon-fiber hoods (in addition to tuning the engines to within an inch of their lives.) I think it's kind of cool, really. I was always curious what my Chrysler would look like. Too expensive, likely. So instead I buy whirly LED fans and cold cathode lamps for my PC. Of course it's pathetic. And silly. But in a way that is still sort of cool.
Posted by Austin Powers (Member # 250) on :
It's not so much the modding itself that puts me off, but the often horrible results. I mean, some of the vehicles in TFATF and 2F2F look really cool, but that's in a movie. In real life, most modified cars look somewhat like those at "laughatrice.com".
IMHO there are mainly three types of cars:
1. Cars that are bought and not modified (the large majority) - because they either look and perform great from the start or because the owners just see their car as a utility and don't give a damn about "enhancements" of any kind.
2. Cars that are modified in a stylish and tasteful way - mainly by experts who OTOH charge a lot of money for their (excellent) work.
3. The "Ricer" type - whether a Japanese model or any other. Often horrible mixtures of underpowered mainstream cars with bodykits and engine mods that make the car look like something out of a freakshow - or Back to the Future.
No. 3 is the type of car - and driver - that I poke fun at because they think they look "cool" in their buckets while in reality they are just laughing stock...
@Hobbes: your car is a perfect example of my No. 1 type car. A nice family sedan like it came from the factory. Now No. 3 type drivers would add some "awesome" bodykit to it and install an engine mod (or new engine) to get that thing up to say 200hp. But that's where it would get silly and become a Ricer. If someone wants to have that performance and the matching looks he should get an RX8 or 350Z or the like in the first place.
Posted by PsyLiam (Member # 73) on :
Okay, I'm going to have to give up and ask what the hell everyone means by "ricer". Is it Japanese cars, modified Japanese cars, modified cars in general, or what?
Posted by PsyLiam (Member # 73) on :
And for what it's worth, we call American cars, er, "American cars". Except people don't really end to pay much attention to where the car comes from. It's more the reputation of the specific car company.
Posted by Cartman (Member # 256) on :
Not to descend too deeply into certain unkosher rectal-based practices here, but your average ricer (who is, however, not so average as to have a non-fluid definition yet) mods everything BUT the engine, because he is, on average, a retard.
Also, thisismycar and don't you dare ridicule it.
Posted by B.J. (Member # 858) on :
Somewhere near where I live, there's a car that has arguably the biggest "WTF??!!?" factor. Picture this: a mid-80's beat up Japanese hatchback (not sure what kind), rusting, most of the body panel have mismatched paint. And on the back, mounted about 2 feet above the body, is an "airfoil" made from a 2x8 plank of unfinished wood. Now that's pathetic. Wish I had a picture of this to show you.
B.J.
*Edit* - Okay Cartman, you and this person would get along just fine. Posted by Topher (Member # 71) on :
Hmm. Somehow I doubt Nismo accessories would fit a Toyota...
Posted by Lee (Member # 393) on :
Back in New Zealand - and, yes, I'm no longer there, mercifully; my wife had a medical problem which meant we had to come back sooner than planned - new cars are about the same price as they are in the UK (and houses too); since the salaries are about a third to half what they are in the Uk, however, this means that most cars in NZ are second-hand Jap imports. Common practice to buy a really cheap car (especially since they can drive when they're 15 but can't afford decent insurance on any sort of decent car until they're 25) and modify the hell out of it. Spoilers, fins, outsize exhausts, shiny mags - which, far as I can tell, are hubcaps. . .
Posted by Hobbes (Member # 138) on :
quote:Originally posted by Cartman: Also, thisismycar and don't you dare ridicule it.
Holy shit... what the fuck is that?!
I haven't modified the outside of my car as you can tell from my pic. I want rims to replace the factory hubcaps. Also get the Lancer OZ/Ralliart style spoiler.
However, because I think engine performance and suspension handling mods are more important than silly body kits that don't increase power or serve much purpose.
Following pics show one of the engine mods I've made. The first is the factory air intake. The big black scoop looking thing. The second pic you can see the polished silver Injen cold air intake.
Posted by TSN (Member # 31) on :
"Okay, I'm going to have to give up and ask what the hell everyone means by 'ricer'. Is it Japanese cars, modified Japanese cars, modified cars in general, or what?"
#3. Although the term originated because of the preponderance of #2. And I've also noticed that members of the older generations tend to use variations on the word "rice" to describe #1.
But, in this thread, it's #3. Any car that's been modified to look "fast", without actually doing anything to make it perform better.
Posted by Fleet-Admiral Michael T. Colorge (Member # 144) on :
Think of it as The Fast and the Furious without the engine performance and the hot groupy chicks.
My car looks like this one... except that it's Impulse Red and needs a wash. I'll take photos of it after it hits the carwash later this afternoon. A Facimile of my car. Posted by Sol System (Member # 30) on :
I mean, we don't call BMWs "kraut karts," or Rolls Royces "limers."
Posted by TSN (Member # 31) on :
We probably would if they were relatively cheap and dumb kids were regularly ruining them.
Posted by Nim' (Member # 205) on :
As I understand it, a ricer is also what we swedes call a 'durkslag', a bowl with holes in the bottom to drain the water from shall we say pasta? Kitchen tool.
So maybe the first proto-ricer persons in the 1930's fastened shiny metal kitchen things to their cars' corners and hubcaps, to adorn and embellish them, although not in so many words.
Posted by TSN (Member # 31) on :
That's a colander. A ricer also has holes in it, but it also has a levered press that pushes a potato through said holes. At least, I think I'm thinking of the right thing. Either way, the holey bowl of which you speak is a colander.
Posted by Nim' (Member # 205) on :
Well I disagree.
Posted by Cartman (Member # 256) on :
"Ricer" isn't so much derived from the name of any kitchen appliance as it is a contraction of "rice burner", which, I think, leaves little question as to the term's original ethnic connotations.
Posted by Lee (Member # 393) on :
Or "rice rocket."
Posted by Balaam Xumucane (Member # 419) on :
It was my understanding that "ricer" was shortened from "rice cooker." The idea being that Japanese cars are so affordable because they employ a small rice cooker instead of a proper engine.
Posted by Topher (Member # 71) on :
Zing! Give this man a prize.
Posted by LOA (Member # 49) on :
Sorry, I've been without internet for a few days... that's why there has been no response...
Anyway, back to Hobbes from a few days ago, for speakers, I don't recommend Kenwood or Rockford. If you're looking for a nice sounding and decently priced speaker, you could consider anything from the Eclipse line up. Even better, though possibly a little more pricey, Infinity makes an awesome speaker for the price. AWESOME.
If you're wanting to go all out though, and you're willing to sink some money into it, I recommend stepping up to the plate and going with a set of MB Quart or Focal components in the front, with a set of matching coaxials in the rear deck. That will create a very nice sound stage. You don't need to go high end with those speakers - it's more money and work than it's worth for just a minor system upgrade. I'd say Premium line for MB Quart or Poly line for Focal. The Quarts will be al ittle brighter in the high end, whereas the Focals will deliver a lot more midbass, so it's kinda up to you which sound you prefer.
However, if you're not going to run and amp to the speakers, it isn't really worth your money to upgrade to the Quarts or Focals. In that case, stick with the Infinity's or the Eclipse, but know that your speakers will never meet their full potential just running off of the deck.
As for the argument of why people would modify their car, and is it worth it to do it on your own or just order from the factory - People modify their car because they want to. Plain and simple. Some people have the passion, others don't. It's just part of what makes us all unique.
As for buying cars with all of the features straight from the factory - oy. Yes, if you're ordering a new car you DEFINATELY can do that. But in the long run, it won't be as good as the aftermarket stuff, and it will cost more. A "premium" sound system from the factory typically will run at around $2K. For $2K at a stereo store, you can get a FAR superior system, with more features and better sound. Solid fact.
But to each their own. For a lot of people, it's easier to just order the factory stuff, and that's cool. I'm not even going to pretend for a moment that there hasn't been a LOT of work involved in getting my stereo to the point that it's at. But still... for me, it's worth it.
And my car is not, and will not be, a "ricer". And yes, I AM putting a body kit on it. Why? To fill out the wheel wells the way I want to. Tasteful and satisfying. That's in the spring.
Oh, and one last thing? Guess who is contemplating the world of video......? Ooh, ahh..... Car Toys, here I come!
Posted by Topher (Member # 71) on :
Video in cars/trucks is just excessive to me. What's the point? Unless you're frequently hauling many passengers on long, long distances there's not much point in having all that video equipment.
Posted by Siegfried (Member # 29) on :
My brother-in-law wants to get his hands on my Saturn and upgrade the stereo and speakers. He also wants to put in a video system.
The only reason I can think of to have a video system in my car is to show all those drivers' ed films to my passengers.
Posted by LOA (Member # 49) on :
I'm constantly chauferring people around, small kids mostly, so a video system would be kind of nice to have. HOWEVER, the main reason I'm considering it is not due to practicality. I'll freely admit it. It's because with the new install per the theft, my system is being catapulted into the relm of SERIOUS competition quality system, but if I'm lacking the video, I won't be able to take home the trophies I'm most interested in. Competition season begins in march, and I need to be ready. So, today I will make the decision on video. There's no better time than the present to get it all set up - I mean, right now the car is GUTTED. No seats, panels, anything... so it's the ideal time to run those wires, too, while they are running everything else. We'll see. I'll keep y'all posted. ;-)
~LOA
Posted by Fleet-Admiral Michael T. Colorge (Member # 144) on :
Well my car will be modified... but it won't show it. Oh yeah... forgive my lil sister's expression in the first pic. My Car My Car 2 My Car 3 My Car 4 Posted by Hobbes (Member # 138) on :
In other words, a sleeper. Meaning everything under the hood that matters has been upgraded with aftermarket performance parts while the outside remains mostly stock.
Posted by Fleet-Admiral Michael T. Colorge (Member # 144) on :
Kinda... I actually don't plan on increasing the horsepower that much. Just get a cold intake from TRD or AEM, TRD sports muffler, and the 18 inch TRD wheels. And then the Alpine head unit that has the pulse touch technology that can play my iPod.
Posted by LOA (Member # 49) on :
I. Love. The. Alpine.
I'm currently scheduled to get an Alpine 9835, unless I upgrade to video. Then I'll get the IVAD300 with pulse touch.
I'd rather get the Eclipse double-din that's touch screen and nav ready, but then I don't have the i-pod option.
And I'm getting an I-pod mini - a pink one, no less. Engraved to say "Liz is pretty. Everyone loves the Liz." Isn't the special?
Also, Alpine will now hook up either XM or Sirius sat. radio. Either of them. OPTIONS! Do you HEAR the angels singing down from heaven? I do....
Sexy.
~LOA
Posted by Hobbes (Member # 138) on :
I had a friend who use to work in a car audio shop and said Alpine was the best for players, not so much for speakers. For me though, I went with Pioneer. With maybe Kenwood speakers.
Posted by Siegfried (Member # 29) on :
You know, y'all can go on and on about your "cool" stereo upgrades, your "sleek" video units, your "spiffy" speakers, and all the "powerful" aftermarket crap going on under the hood. How about concentrating on something that's, you know, useful?
How about outfitting those cars with torpedoes? Surely I'm not the only person who spends two hours a day in traffic wishing I could drop a few torps on the street and thin out the traffic corridor? Or how about lasers, huh? You know, target the tires of all those bastards who cut me off and incinerate their tubes. Or, more importantly, a device that let's broadcast a short range on all radio frequencies? That way, I can ream out those assholes who learned how to drive from Atari's Grand Prix Racing. I'm also open to EMPs and battering rams.
Posted by Jason Abbadon (Member # 882) on :
FUck torpedos: I just want a cheap japanese cell-phone scrambler to disconnect all the assholes in south Florida that drive with one hand on their Starbucks latte and the other plastered to the cell against their head.
Ideally, I'd find a way to make the cell phone explode as well.
Posted by Lee (Member # 393) on :
The Alpine head unit I'm getting is useful... it plays my iPod mini (which is pink Liz) without static ruining my music.
Posted by Sol System (Member # 30) on :
Competitions? Wouldn't it be easier, then, just to print out copies of your bank statement and hand them around? I mean, I'm not sure where competition comes into buying stuff. My last trip to the auto parts store did not really resemble an episode of Supermarket Sweep.
Anyway, I'm hoping to mod my car into this: Posted by Balaam Xumucane (Member # 419) on :
Ricer.
Posted by Sol System (Member # 30) on :
Hardly! It runs, of course, on an artificial soul, harvested from Lilith.
Posted by Mighty Blogger Snay (Member # 411) on :
Lee,
In that car, no deer would survive! I could also expand my range to include other woodland creatures, like squirrels and rednecks.
Posted by Siegfried (Member # 29) on :
Welp, there goes New England. Again.
Posted by Austin Powers (Member # 250) on :
My, this thread certainly has developed a life of its own.
And for anyone interested, here's my kraut-mobile:
Nice... I prefer it in Carbon Grey though, which will be my next car's color in 6 months. I haven't decided yet if I'm going back to BMW's or another Corolla.
Posted by Cartman (Member # 256) on :
"Back to" BMWs? How many have you driven in your almost-23-year-short life?
Posted by Austin Powers (Member # 250) on :
Actually, the car I took for the test drive before I finally ordered mine was in Carbon Grey, but the color wasn't really what I wanted. My last car (a Volkswagen Golf) was dark blue, but this time I decided to go for some really light color. Titan Silver is the one I settled for.
Posted by Topher (Member # 71) on :
Presuming he's gotten vehicles on a 2 year lease since he was 16, 3.
Posted by Fleet-Admiral Michael T. Colorge (Member # 144) on :
2000 BMW M5 Sedan: sold 2004 Toyota Corolla S: gave it to one of my sisters 2005 Toyota Corolla S: will be giving it to my youngest sister when she gets her CA Drivers Licence.
Oh, and I don't lease.
Posted by Jason Abbadon (Member # 882) on :
quote:Originally posted by Sol System: Hardly! It runs, of course, on an artificial soul, harvested from Lilith.
I am ashamed to get that reference.
Posted by Fleet-Admiral Michael T. Colorge (Member # 144) on :
Fraiser?
Posted by PsyLiam (Member # 73) on :
Why does everyone here appear to be filthy rich apart from me (and Simon, I suppose)?
Posted by Topher (Member # 71) on :
I'm filthy poor. Posted by Cartman (Member # 256) on :
I can hardly accept the fact that you BOUGHT one, but that you SOLD it for a... Toyota... is just infuckingexcusable.
Posted by Jason Abbadon (Member # 882) on :
quote:Originally posted by Fleet-Admiral Michael T. Colorge: Fraiser?
Evangellion, I believe.
Posted by PsyLiam (Member # 73) on :
Yes. Frasier and Evangelion both came up with the name "Lillith". There was no prior use of that name anywhere.
Also, Cartman = correct. Do you shit money, or something?
Posted by Nim' (Member # 205) on :
Simple. Use up the retirement funds and pensions today (GeForce 6800 Ultra mm-mm) and book a japanese livingroom suicide ring for your 40th birthday. Neat and tidy.
Posted by PsyLiam (Member # 73) on :
It would be if I had a pension and or retirement fund.
Posted by Sol System (Member # 30) on :
(The powering of robotic death-machines via some sort of whacked out harvested soul scheme - "I can fight evil because my brave craft is powered by my dead mother!" - is, however, unique to a certain Japanese entertainment, in my experience.)
I might as well include this picture of my elfin companion's cyberglidecycle, useful for beating rush hour traffic to home or skyhook; for those of you who do not spend your evenings seeking out, well, this sort of thing:
Wow.... how do I pimp my ride to look like that? Posted by Fleet-Admiral Michael T. Colorge (Member # 144) on :
It's a Segway on drugs... or evolved.
And yes I sold the M5... why shouldn't I if I live in Los Angeles where I can't enjoy it while in traffic and deal with premium unleaded fuel costs with crappy gas milage. It's a luxury car that's not designed for students constantly driving around the LA County area.
Posted by Austin Powers (Member # 250) on :
An M5 is not designed with a STUDENT in mind AT ALL!
Unless it's a student with filthy rich parents who spoil their brat to everything...
Also I don't shit money either. I have saved money for years through a lot of hard work to earn my current car. That's why I decided to finally treat myself to a vehicle with almost every extra included. As well as to my favorite engine - powerful yet still very fuel-efficient, which is extremely important when you live in Germany!
Posted by PsyLiam (Member # 73) on :
Vor sprung derj technik, or whatever it was.
quote:Originally posted by Fleet-Admiral Michael T. Colorge: ...deal with premium unleaded fuel costs with crappy gas milage.
Aren't unleaded fuels generally cheaper than leaded? Can you even buy leaded cars anymore? Or is this diesel or some crazy US form of petrol that I haven't heard of?
Posted by B.J. (Member # 858) on :
No, you can't buy leaded gas anymore, and they don't make cars that use it either. I believe he's referring to the octane of the gas, typically 87 (regular), 89 (mid-grade) or 93 (premium) octane. Don't know why he's going for premium, though, since most cars are designed to work best with regular 87 octane gas, and you could damage your emissions system with too high an octane.
Is this different in countries other than the US?
B.J.
Posted by Austin Powers (Member # 250) on :
@PsyLiam: Actually "Vorsprung durch Technik", which is the Audi tagline. It means something like "Advantage through technology". BMW uses the tagline "Freude am Fahren" which basically means "Joy of driving" or better (yet less exact) "Fun to drive". I'll go with that... Posted by Nim' (Member # 205) on :
Volvo - I roll.
Posted by Hobbes (Member # 138) on :
quote:Originally posted by B.J.: No, you can't buy leaded gas anymore, and they don't make cars that use it either. I believe he's referring to the octane of the gas, typically 87 (regular), 89 (mid-grade) or 93 (premium) octane. Don't know why he's going for premium, though, since most cars are designed to work best with regular 87 octane gas, and you could damage your emissions system with too high an octane.
Depends on the car. The Lancer Evolution for example requires premium.
Posted by B.J. (Member # 858) on :
I did say *most* cars, not all, are designed for regular. The owner's manual will tell you what it needs.
Posted by PsyLiam (Member # 73) on :
quote:Originally posted by B.J.: Is this different in countries other than the US?
Yes, in that there's just 4-star (leaded, quite hard to find nowadays), Diesel, and unleaded. A (very) few stations do a fancy ultra-wow unleaded, but no-one uses it. Well, possibly people who drive BMWs do, but I apparently don't have stinking rich friends who can afford top-drawer cars before they even have jobs.
Posted by Cartman (Member # 256) on :
"GeForce 6800 Ultra mm-mm"
Dual GeForce 6800 Ultra mm-mm-mm-mm.
"It's a luxury car that's not designed for students..."
Imagine that.
Still, couldn't you have thought of that before you handed over $70.000, or were you just dying to contribute to California's energy shortage?
Posted by Austin Powers (Member # 250) on :
Somehow I doubt that he paid 70K unless he really is a filthy rich student. Or perhaps he mistook the M5 for something else... Posted by Fleet-Admiral Michael T. Colorge (Member # 144) on :
Hell, it was my first car and I was asked to pick something out... so I chose that one. At least now I know that I am not ready for a BMW, especially an M5. I'd rather stick to a Corolla and look like the rest of the crowd than stick out like a sore thumb and say to people "Look at me... I'm ready to be carjacked!!!" Posted by LOA (Member # 49) on :
My first car was a '86 Chevy Cavalier. And I didn't get to pick it out. My great granda had her license taken away, so I got her car. And I still had to pay for it. Pleh.
Posted by Siegfried (Member # 29) on :
My first car was a '90 Chevy Cavalier. And I didn't get to pick it out. My dad had his license taken away, so I got his car.
The only difference between Liz's story and mine is that I didn't have to pay for it.
Posted by PsyLiam (Member # 73) on :
quote:Originally posted by Fleet-Admiral Michael T. Colorge: Hell, it was my first car and I was asked to pick something out... so I chose that one.
It's not so much that, as the fact that your parents said "yes".
My first car was a Vauxhall Nova, from god knows what year. It was shit. It broke down. The engine caught fire. I am poor.
Posted by AndrewR (Member # 44) on :
quote:Originally posted by Fleet-Admiral Michael T. Colorge: "Look at me... I'm ready to be carjacked!!!"
Is that a sex thang? Posted by Fleet-Admiral Michael T. Colorge (Member # 144) on :
No, but thank you for pointing out I can see it that way.
Posted by PsyLiam (Member # 73) on :
For some reason, all the gay 20-somethings I know are rich. Rich as Indians. I blame genetics, or something.
Posted by Austin Powers (Member # 250) on :
Of course they are rich. They haven't got girlfriends to ruin their bank-account... Posted by PsyLiam (Member # 73) on :
Neither have 99% of the straight men here, either.
Posted by B.J. (Member # 858) on :
Nope, no girlfriend here. Got a wife though.
Posted by Cartman (Member # 256) on :
"I am poor."
Sure you are, mister "I write Half-Life 2 walkthroughs for a living and am a bigshot game reviewer for PC Format magazine". Sure you are.
Posted by PsyLiam (Member # 73) on :
I HAVE YET TO BE PAID!
Plus, I could have gone to EA in Surrey and played Battlefield 2 and had lunch today, but I didn't because I couldn't afford it and had work. Boo.
Also, I would have to write roughly 48 Half-life 2 walkthoughs in order to afford a BMW.
Posted by Lee (Member # 393) on :
Nowadays 4-Star is called LRP, Lead Replacement Petrol. Don't seem to see it much on gas station forecourts these days, anyway. Nor do I see much Super Unleaded. All I know about it is that, unlike normal unleaded, you can put it in a 4-star enginned car. Because I did just that once, one Christmas Day (1997 I think) when I was feeling a bit frazzled.
Posted by PsyLiam (Member # 73) on :
I spent a year putting LRP in an unleaded car, because I didn't realise it was unleaded. Good thing it didn't have a catalytic convertor, or I would have really buggered the thing up. As it is, I was annoyed when I realised how much money I'd wasted.
Posted by Cartman (Member # 256) on :
"Also, I would have to write roughly 48 Half-life 2 walkthoughs in order to afford a BMW."
FIVE-HUNDRED POUNDS FOR A SINGLE WALKTHROUGH ??
Say "I am poor" again. SAY "I AM POOR" AGAIN. I dare you, I double-dare you, motherfucker. SAY "I AM POOR" ONE MORE GODDAMN TIME!
Posted by PsyLiam (Member # 73) on :
Actually, a bit more.
It's weird. The reviews didn't pay that well. �40 for a half-page, and �80 for a full page. They took about 3 or so nights to do, and I did get to keep the game, but when it's "Alexander: The Heroes Hour" or "Myst IV", that's not a massive perk.
So I was asking about getting paid (I hadn't filled in some forms), and the editor said that they had some work that needed to be done in a pinch. It involved writing a 13,000 word walkthrough in less than a week. And they would pay me �750. I was at work when I got that. I logged off my PC, walked over to the cafeteria, got a cup of tea, came back, and replyed in the afirmative.
I don't actually get it until the 20th January, though.
(I also got invited to EA to play Battlefield 2 yesterday, but I couldn't go due to work. That was annoying.)
(And, my car is still shit.)
Posted by Cartman (Member # 256) on :
They do seem to be sending you games from the butt-end of the industry to break you in, but still, 80 quid per page is not too shabby for a few day's freelance work. And you get your name listed in one of Britain's finest computer magazines! The entire world will soon be at your fingertips, I predict.
Posted by PsyLiam (Member # 73) on :
�80 is okay. The �40 one isn't too good though, as it only takes slightly more time to do a full page than a half one. The main pain in the arse is taking the screenshots and the in-game footage.
But to go back to the original tangent...people with BMWs are plainly spoilt. And rich. And bastards.
Posted by Lee (Member # 393) on :
And they're not even all that nice, either, for the price. For the price you pay, you might as well get a Merc, or pay much less and get an Audi which is just as good.
Posted by Austin Powers (Member # 250) on :
I don't agree. Not all people who drive BMW's are bastards or filthy rich. Look at me. Took me six years to save money for my car. And I don't spend a lot on other luxury items. As for BMW versus Mercedes or Audi:
1) Mercedes and BMW are very different cars. Ok, so both are expensive and offer a lot of gimmicks, but the driving experience is very different. Mercs are more the luxurious and plush "let yourself be driven-around" cars, whereas BMWs are sporty "driver" cars.
2) Audi and BMW are a bit more comparable but Audi still feels a little "cheap", especially the interiors - even though the price-tag has risen quite a bit in the last few years, so that Audis are almost in the same price range as BMWs now - at least in Germany.
And as for fuel: mine is a Diesel car so I don't have to think about leaded, unleaded, 4-star, premium, Optimax, Ultimate100 or whatever. Hooray... Posted by PsyLiam (Member # 73) on :
No, you have to think about Diesel. In the same way that people who have unleaded cars have to think about unleaded. Where's the difference again?
Posted by Jason Abbadon (Member # 882) on :
In the states (or at least in FT. lauderdale), the diffrence is that half the gas stations dont even bother with diesel.
My pal Anna (the bannana) has a diesel Jetta and knows every gas station in town that offers it so she's in the clear if her tank is low.
Diesel actually costs as much as premium here....strange.
Posted by PsyLiam (Member # 73) on :
Here, Diesel is cheaper than LRP/4-star, but more expensive than unleaded. Stop this conversation now.
Posted by Austin Powers (Member # 250) on :
quote:No, you have to think about Diesel. In the same way that people who have unleaded cars have to think about unleaded. Where's the difference again?
What I meant was, I just go to the petrol station and get Diesel. There's just one type. With petrol there are between three and five different variants, at least at German gas stations.
Posted by PsyLiam (Member # 73) on :
German petrol stations are obviously traps for rich fools with BMWs.
Posted by Cartman (Member # 256) on :
"Stop this conversation now."
Well, it had, until you jumped in after FOUR DAYS and restarted it. But did you think of that? Nooo. Stupid boy.
Posted by PsyLiam (Member # 73) on :
I had a busy weekend.
Posted by Austin Powers (Member # 250) on :
Me too, I had to check out all the local petrol stations on how many types of fuel they offer... Posted by Jason Abbadon (Member # 882) on :
So make an excel spreadsheet detailing your findings, and then start a blog about it and then..
Posted by Lee (Member # 393) on :
Saw a new one today at Reading services on the Westbound M4 - "Ultimate Unleaded." Threw me for a minute. I assume it's just Super Unleaded again.
Posted by PsyLiam (Member # 73) on :
Or Marvel are getting a bit desperate for comics to restart.
Posted by Mucus (Member # 24) on :
Out of curiosity, gasoline == petrol, diesel ==?
Posted by Lee (Member # 393) on :
Diesel.
Posted by Mucus (Member # 24) on :
Pity
Posted by Austin Powers (Member # 250) on :
Easy.
@Jason: Of course my posting was sarcasm, but there actually ARE websites in Germany devoted to petrol stations - price comparisons that is. You Americans don't seem to appreciate the ridiculously low running costs you have when it comes to cars. And don't start wailing about fuel prices of around two dollars a gallon. In Germany you would have to pay more than three times as much!
Posted by Sol System (Member # 30) on :
To me, diesel is what farm vehicles run on, though this is of course not a universal truth; just a quirk of my experience.
Posted by PsyLiam (Member # 73) on :
I think "experience" is too dramatic a word there.
Posted by Jason Abbadon (Member # 882) on :
quote:Originally posted by Austin Powers: @Jason: Of course my posting was sarcasm, but there actually ARE websites in Germany devoted to petrol stations - price comparisons that is. You Americans don't seem to appreciate the ridiculously low running costs you have when it comes to cars.
Well, you have to fight for it. Posted by PsyLiam (Member # 73) on :
Multi-layered. Nice.
Posted by Lee (Member # 393) on :
Another one - Supreme Unleaded, seen at a service station in Somerset, while we were down there visiting our cats in quarantine.
Posted by PsyLiam (Member # 73) on :
Ha ha. Your cats are contagious!
Posted by Lee (Member # 393) on :
No, they're not. That's the stupid thing. No rabies here, no rabies in New Zealand. And you've slept on the same sofa they sleep on, so you have cooties now anyway. So, nyah.
Posted by PsyLiam (Member # 73) on :
I have had a cootie jab. I am safe.
Posted by Nim' (Member # 205) on :
Lick doorknobs instead. I've been doing it for 20 years, my immune system is like my coffee, strong and..black.
Those damn hoodlums.
Posted by Lee (Member # 393) on :
Bloody hell. I just got breathalysed! Went to the supermarket to do our Christmas food shopping at 11pm, came out and ran into a random sweep. Was seriously panicking as I'd had a glass of wine with dinner - but that was four hours before. Was up front about it with the copper, who was actually really good about it, explained the whole process, and seemed as happy as I was when the result was negative. The guy in the car in front, however, failed his test. . .
Strange thing is, this is the second time this year I've been breathalysed, and it'd never happened to me before 2004. The earlier time this year was in New Zealand, when again we ended up in a random check-point set up cunningly just after some roadworks so the presence of a few extra flashing lights didn't tip anyone off. They're pretty shit-hot about such things in NZ, the machines they use are ultra-sensitive - they'd have to be given you don't blow into them but just speak into a grille. Just as well we'd only been to the cinema. . .
So, everyone remember to take care this festive season. It's certainly been a wake-up call for me, I usually take care to watch what I drink if I know I might be driving later, but tonight I didn't even think about it.
Posted by Austin Powers (Member # 250) on :
I never drive when I have been drinking earlier that day. So no problems there. OTOH, I have never been checked by the police as of yet anyway...
@LOA: How is your car doing. Everything repaired? How's the new sound-system? Posted by LOA (Member # 49) on :
Austin: I got my car back at 10pm two nights ago. So far, so good. It's not done yet though... just a LITTLE bit more work to do. My linear acctuator that motorizes my amp rack is on back order, so once that comes in it needs to go in. Plus, it's going in tonight just to have some minor adjustments done... turning up the gain on my sub amp, disconnecting my headlight dimmer on the deck, and adding a little bit of soundproofing material to the rear deck 'cause it rattles. All very minor and normal things to have done after an install like mine... I do love it though... it's gonna be cool. Once I get the chance, I'll take some pictures for y'all. Fun times!
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And if I'd taken my own stuff just to get a "better" system, odds are good that I wouldn't have FLIPPED out on my adjuster when she told me I was going to get "comparable equipment."![[Razz]](tongue.gif)
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