April Chat Thread - 4/20 Smoke tires erryday

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randomidiot: May 12, 2006; by Fluffdaddy
(and can't post for 11 years!)

Are you gonna get down on Friday?

Alternate version: You ain't got no job, and you ain't got poo poo to do.

# ¿ Mar 31, 2017 18:33

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# ¿ May 15, 2024 02:12

randomidiot: May 12, 2006; by Fluffdaddy
(and can't post for 11 years!)

Didn't check my mail yesterday, checked it today when I got home from work.

Oh look... an envelope from my medical insurance company.

With "Here's your new ID card!"

With a different doctor on it. One that's right down the street. One who I've had a real bad experience with, and had already told them about my issues with him. Their website claims I made the change online on March 18th.

I'm going to have the state department of insurance crawling so far up their asses that they won't know which opening to eat or poo poo with. Third goddamn time they've pulled this poo poo in 6 months, and it's always back to the same crock of a doctor (mr "everyone with insurance has to pay cash, then I'll give you a refund when your insurance pays me, minus what they didn't pay me").

# ¿ Apr 3, 2017 05:40

randomidiot: May 12, 2006; by Fluffdaddy
(and can't post for 11 years!)

Welp, another friend OD'd.

He's alive, at least. This time.

# ¿ Apr 3, 2017 06:33

randomidiot: May 12, 2006; by Fluffdaddy
(and can't post for 11 years!)

Coredump posted:

Hey Some Texas Redneck, you sold me a pioneer headunit forever ago. I just moved it from one car to another. Just wanted to let you know that deck still lives on.

Good to know man. Pioneer is generally pretty solid.

I have a 2014 or 2015 Pioneer in my car now. :v:

# ¿ Apr 3, 2017 21:25

randomidiot: May 12, 2006; by Fluffdaddy
(and can't post for 11 years!)

So I have overdraft protection and "privilege pay" on my checking account.

At least, I thought I did. I remember opting in, I have the paperwork in front of me saying they'll cover up to $800. I asked them to opt out debit card purchases, they confirmed they opted out debit card purchases.

Today my rent check bounced (by :10bux:

) thanks to me forgetting about a bill on autopay :argh:

- more frustrating was getting a text stating my paycheck had been deposited less than 30 minutes after I got the text about the bounced check.

Called them up.. they said I had opted out of privilege pay entirely. Pulled up the email trail (thank gently caress I did this online), read it to them, they said they'd have to forward this to a manager, and they'd call back by 6pm (... never happened).

Went to the branch I opened my account at. They showed me a copy of the paperwork I have, but said there's no way to opt out of having it not cover debit card transactions (at which point I picked up the paper, held it so we could both see it, and read the part of it out loud about being able to opt out of debit card coverage). She insisted I was misreading it and that there's no way to opt out of that. Reminded her of "Regulation E", she said it doesn't apply to credit unions (it does, and the paperwork she handed me even cites regulation E). Wouldn't even refund the NSF fee (after initially agreeing to).

So.. got a money order, got my rent paid, but now I'm out $250 between late fees and returned check fees (between my credit union and the apartment complex) - so far.

Thus ends my love affair with local credit unions. Opened an account with BBVA Compass from the parking lot of the CU (bonus: I don't have to go to the next county anytime I need to deposit cash now!). Going to let 2 more pay cycles go into this account, then switch my direct deposit over (it takes 2 full pay cycles to switch with Amazon... but we get paid twice a week, so basically I won't get paid one week).

# ¿ Apr 5, 2017 04:03

randomidiot: May 12, 2006; by Fluffdaddy
(and can't post for 11 years!)

So you gonna share your chicken wrap secrets? :colbert:

So long as mayo isn't involved, I'm interested.

# ¿ Apr 5, 2017 05:58

randomidiot: May 12, 2006; by Fluffdaddy
(and can't post for 11 years!)

Rhyno posted:

Wheat wrap, lettuce, tomato, chicken (had to use lunch meat because reasons), cheese, onions, potatoes and some caesar dressing.

You had me until the potatoes. Those belong with steak or breakfast. :colbert:

I'd probably do light italian dressing instead of caesar personally, but that does sound pretty good. I have a chicken breast in the freezer, I'll throw it in the fridge to thaw before I go to bed, then cook it tomorrow night. Or maybe just go lazy mode and get a whole roasted chicken from Kroger. e: or maybe just grab a whole chicken from here, they're tasty. A bit more expensive, but taaaaaaasty. Just gotta brush up on my Spanglish a bit.

I have a batch of pinto beans in the fridge, along with half an avocado... I guess I could do a couple of chipotle style burritos too. Just need to find a decent salsa. As much as I hate on chipotle, their hot sauce is just right (in terms of flavor anyway.. not enough fire) for a burrito or bowl.

scrubs season six posted:

This is the marinade I use and it is amazing.

http://www.food.com/recipe/amazing-chicken-marinade-29598

randomidiot fucked around with this message at 07:08 on Apr 5, 2017

# ¿ Apr 5, 2017 07:03

randomidiot: May 12, 2006; by Fluffdaddy
(and can't post for 11 years!)

The Locator posted:

The other way (which I realize is simply not possible for someone in STR's position) is to simply not drain your checking account to near zero monthly. I make sure that after all my bills are paid for the month, I'll have at least a thousand left in the account so that I never get near the overdraft issue.

The trick is to manage to get to that point when your finances are already on a paycheck to paycheck basis, and then not spend the money that you know is there.

That's the thing... I have several hundred in savings, which they should have used to cover the difference (and this is how I had the account setup when I opened it). They removed all forms of overdraft protection when I asked them to just remove courtesy pay/whatever you call it from debit card transactions only, and they swear up and down that it's not possible to do that (when the paperwork the manager was having me read said they can do exactly that, and had my signature next to the option to opt my debit card out of overdraft protection/courtesy pay - I'd rather have the card declined instead of eating fees). I move enough out of savings every week to cover expected expenses, plus a bit extra just in case.

Everything is paid up now, and I opened checking and savings accounts with BBVA Compass. As soon as the debit card shows up, I'll be moving my direct deposit over and ending my membership.

I mean I get it, I'm already mostly on a paycheck to paycheck basis, but I did have enough in the bank to cover it, they just took my "please remove my debit card from overdraft protection" to mean "remove all forms of overdraft protection", and stonewalled when I called them out on it.

# ¿ Apr 5, 2017 22:20

randomidiot: May 12, 2006; by Fluffdaddy
(and can't post for 11 years!)

The Locator posted:

I understand what happened STR, and it sucks and seems like your paperwork would back you up and the bank should cover all your expenses. I was just saying how I avoid that personally by keeping enough buffer that even my biggest bill (mortgage) would be covered if I somehow forgot about it.

Given the terrible rates on savings accounts right now, I don't see much benefit of keeping my money there vs. in the checking account which also gets a miniscule amount of interest.

Like the others above, I also pay every bill possible (including my day to day living) on a cash-back credit card and pay it off monthly. Yet another thing that our society tends to deny to people who live paycheck to paycheck since they typically can't qualify for one.

They should, but they're stonewalling me. For 2 days now, they've promised to have a manager call me back, and of course, that never happens, and every post I've made to their social media accounts gets deleted. My decision is already made to tell them to gently caress off, I just need to get 2 or 3 paychecks first (remember, twice weekly paychecks from Amazon). Once I change my direct deposit info with Amazon, I won't get paid for about a week, so I need to have enough cash on hand to pay all the bills due in a couple of weeks, plus enough to live on for a week.

I did take the paperwork showing where I was supposed to have overdraft protection, along with a screenshot of my account balances (plus the timestamped entries showing where they bounced the check, then ~20 minutes later my paycheck was credited) to the apartment office; they let me get by with just a returned check fee (which is still painful.. $75) and waived the late fees. Embarrassing, and up until last month, I had never paid rent late.

And yeah, my credit took a huge hit late last year - I won't be getting any decent credit cards for a couple of years because of that. I have 3 cards now (1 store card, 1 Capital One, 1 USAA), but there's no rewards on them. The only things I have billed to the cards are my tolls and Hulu. I don't normally trust autopay for anything, but Geico insists on autopay unless I want to pay an extra :10bux:

a month.

slidebite posted:

Yeah str, savings is good so your mind is in the right place but put a cushion in your checking account for just in case. I suspect paying way more in fees and losing your mind than you would get as interest in your savings dude.

Yeah... I normally do keep (too small, as it turns out) cushion in checking, but I also knew that I had overdraft protection, and it was supposed to ding me for $5 if they pulled money from savings. Instead they removed overdraft protection entirely.

I drat near had a coronary while talking to the branch manager. The stupid was very strong with that one, and I have no idea how the gently caress she ever got hired by a bank (or CU, in this case). It was all I could do not to scream at her when she said "federal banking regulations don't apply to credit unions" when I read, word for word, the clause at the top of the form she handed me with my signature, referencing federal banking regulations and how they do apply to credit unions.

My bank balance also dwindled pretty badly in February - the whole "close friend dying of an overdose" bit left me in a funk for a few weeks, and I wound up living off of my credit cards and maxing them out.

Adiabatic posted:

I recommend getting a month ahead on bills. Keep a months worth of buffer in your checking account and call it a "slush fund" cause that sounds baller. Then you can pay all your line items on the first day of the month, and all money you earn that month goes into next months cash.

I cannot begin to tell you how liberating it feels.

If you don't count rent, I was a couple of months ahead up until February. My rent is on the high side for TX (but still pretty cheap compared to the rest of the US I guess - $820 with water, sewer, trash, pet rent, etc for ~750 sq ft), and I get stressed out when rent is due - my rent is about 1/4 of my monthly income, and it's a bit more than I was comfortable spending - but I wasn't going to find anything cheaper that wasn't a tiny shithole without going into the really ghetto areas. This area's on the ghetto side, but I don't feel like I'm going to be on the receiving end of a gunshot every time I walk outside, and I feel safe(ish) walking around at night.

ChocNitty posted:

Love the 4 inline seats. Love that its being used so practically. Buying some jeans at Sears probably.

I don't know what this is, but I need this in my life, at least I need to see it in person (preferably while I have my real camera).

blk posted:

then you get to live in a car and how great is that

Tried it, not a fan.

# ¿ Apr 6, 2017 05:21

randomidiot: May 12, 2006; by Fluffdaddy
(and can't post for 11 years!)

Just shaved (my face, thank you) for the first time this year.

My face feels really weird. I've just been buzzing my face with clippers anytime it started getting itchy.

I'd like to say I look less fat, but I don't.

# ¿ Apr 6, 2017 06:09

randomidiot: May 12, 2006; by Fluffdaddy
(and can't post for 11 years!)

So there's a building on fire at my apartment complex...

2 alarms at the moment according to the police/fire radio. At least it's not my building (this time).

# ¿ Apr 6, 2017 20:50

randomidiot: May 12, 2006; by Fluffdaddy
(and can't post for 11 years!)

So apparently the fire here started in a vacant apartment.

Nobody hurt, found out there's been several dumpster fires next to that building recently (how the gently caress did I not know this before?). :catstare:

I'm sure the random dumpster fires and a fire in a vacant apartment are completely unrelated, right? :ohdear:

# ¿ Apr 7, 2017 04:33

randomidiot: May 12, 2006; by Fluffdaddy
(and can't post for 11 years!)

The bathroom reno thread summed up in a GIF:

Adiabatic posted:

Maybe I'm jaded but I tend to focus heavily on things that I can change, and 99% of the time that's not politics. Seems like it's tabboo to just not care about it, but like whatever man get off my lawn with your dang pamphlets.

I vote, and I encourage people to vote (IMO, if you can vote, but don't, you have no right to bitch about what's going on in the government), but I try not to talk politics. When I do, I wind up hating people.

# ¿ Apr 7, 2017 05:49

randomidiot: May 12, 2006; by Fluffdaddy
(and can't post for 11 years!)

I know Dallas itself allows cab companies to take a hail, but I can't say I've ever seen it happen.

Getting a cab here is either call them and wait for an hour or three, or use Uber/Lyft.

Powershift posted:

You are paying for the bus through your subscription to the service, or per-ride cost, just like ride sharing services now.

I know DART is funded partly through taxes, partly through rider fares. Mostly taxes, I believe, which is why they only operate in 13 (out of hundreds) of cities in DFW.

randomidiot fucked around with this message at 21:28 on Apr 7, 2017

# ¿ Apr 7, 2017 21:25

randomidiot: May 12, 2006; by Fluffdaddy
(and can't post for 11 years!)

That moment when you're listening to the police radio and an officer announces he's locked himself out of his car and needs someone to bring a key.. :haw:

I'm surprised I didn't hear more laughter. Not really surprised to hear they have a lot of their cars keyed alike though.

# ¿ Apr 7, 2017 21:34

randomidiot: May 12, 2006; by Fluffdaddy
(and can't post for 11 years!)

Ehh.. I have electric heat, and if you average my electric bill out across the year, $90/mo is pretty accurate. My renters/car insurance combined runs $110, and I pay $26 for medical (only that cheap because I have lovely insurance that nobody takes, plus a decent subsidy).

The rest is hilariously out there.

e: I'm pretty sure Papa John's used to include the exact same "budget" in their employee handbooks. Whole Foods had something similar too.

randomidiot fucked around with this message at 01:52 on Apr 8, 2017

# ¿ Apr 8, 2017 01:48

randomidiot: May 12, 2006; by Fluffdaddy
(and can't post for 11 years!)

I worked for Walmart briefly a couple of years ago, and never got anything like that.

But they also paid me a bit above minimum wage (I want to say it was $8.50/hr?). I had a slight bump (I think 25c/hr or 50c/hr?) because I worked overnight, though.

To be honest, they didn't seem that bad to work for as far as retail and food service goes, but I worked in a neighborhood market (their version of a grocery store) instead of a full blown Walmart.

e: I know this used to be a thing, but it seemed like they'd been receptive to all the negative publicity by the time I went to work for them

randomidiot fucked around with this message at 02:09 on Apr 8, 2017

# ¿ Apr 8, 2017 02:04

randomidiot: May 12, 2006; by Fluffdaddy
(and can't post for 11 years!)

Dear Dallas County,

Please fix your broken outdoor warning sirens. Some of us would like to sleep tonight.

Alternatively, just tell me to bend over and kiss my rear end goodbye.

e: goddamnit, wish I'd nabbed a screenshot before clearing the notification, but one notification on my phone was about a new episode of Radiolab being downloaded - "Nukes". Oddly appropriate when all of the outdoor warning sirens go apeshit at midnight.

randomidiot fucked around with this message at 06:53 on Apr 8, 2017

# ¿ Apr 8, 2017 06:43

randomidiot: May 12, 2006; by Fluffdaddy
(and can't post for 11 years!)

nbcdfw.com posted:

Dallas Fire-Rescue firefighters are manually shutting off the sirens and a total shutdown could take up to three hours, or until just before 4 a.m.

IOwnCalculus posted:

Ahaha gently caress my life that'd be awful. Bad enough when your own smoke detectors false alarm in the middle of the night.

Edit: I am literally a child. http://www.colorfinger.net/assholeMovies/

The city I'm in got ours shut down really quick, but I can still hear the sirens in Dallas if I turn the TV off. I'm not close enough to any sirens (even the ones in my city) to have them wake me up from a dead sleep, though I do have a weather radio that goes apeshit with loud noises whenever there's a tornado warning or severe thunderstorm warning (weather radio is pretty much required equipment in this part of the country). I've still managed to sleep through that thing a couple of times, even though it's in the bedroom.

And thanks for that link... I have something to keep me laughing until I can fall asleep.

randomidiot fucked around with this message at 07:28 on Apr 8, 2017

# ¿ Apr 8, 2017 07:26

randomidiot: May 12, 2006; by Fluffdaddy
(and can't post for 11 years!)

I was thinking it was really weird for over 150 sirens to go off at once last night; they were blaming it on a "malfunction" until this afternoon.

Turns out Dallas got hacked last night.

At least they came out and admitted it was a hack.

randomidiot fucked around with this message at 00:28 on Apr 9, 2017

# ¿ Apr 9, 2017 00:26

randomidiot: May 12, 2006; by Fluffdaddy
(and can't post for 11 years!)

On this week's episode of "what else will break on the Saturd", I present...

A brand new OEM switch is $6 on Amazon... but an add-on item. $8 at Advance Auto and special order, or $5 at Advance (and in stock) for aftermarket. Could be worse.

# ¿ Apr 10, 2017 07:09

randomidiot: May 12, 2006; by Fluffdaddy
(and can't post for 11 years!)

funny Star Wars parody posted:

My redline is maybe worth 2500 and at this point I think I'm just going to give it away for the tax write off instead of trying to sell it to some 20 year old

I can only imagine this thought crossed the PO's mind as he was selling it to me

If you're gonna give it away, I could use a bit of supercharger in my life. :getin:

(also I'm closer to 200k than 100k on my Ionry... poo poo's starting to fall apart in typical GM fashion)

# ¿ Apr 10, 2017 07:34

randomidiot: May 12, 2006; by Fluffdaddy
(and can't post for 11 years!)

Is moving closer not an option?

I'd go insane if I had a nearly hour commute each way.

# ¿ Apr 10, 2017 19:41

randomidiot: May 12, 2006; by Fluffdaddy
(and can't post for 11 years!)

Enourmo posted:

What the gently caress, Jeremy Clarkson is younger than both my parents? For some reason I thought he was way older.

Holy crap. I thought he was about my dad's age (70).

# ¿ Apr 11, 2017 17:06

randomidiot: May 12, 2006; by Fluffdaddy
(and can't post for 11 years!)

This has to be the lowest effort spam I've ever received. "Worldwide Global Company"?

# ¿ Apr 12, 2017 23:48

randomidiot: May 12, 2006; by Fluffdaddy
(and can't post for 11 years!)

How the gently caress do you manage to rear end an ambulance? Even while drunk? :stare:

Also uh... 500k? Don't you guys (where you're at anyway) get staged around town and wind up idling? That seems like a shitload of miles for an ambulance to me, but every city I've lived in had the fire department handle EMS instead of outsourcing.

# ¿ Apr 14, 2017 10:37

randomidiot: May 12, 2006; by Fluffdaddy
(and can't post for 11 years!)

Metal Geir Skogul posted:

But the fleet is just that old.

What year was that thing? I thought Ford had moved away from that front clip, even on their cutaways, a long time ago. I'm guessing 2005 or older?

(sorry, my inner sperg is coming out)

# ¿ Apr 14, 2017 11:15

randomidiot: May 12, 2006; by Fluffdaddy
(and can't post for 11 years!)

Welp, credit union admitted they hosed up. Took nearly 2 weeks, but they claim they've mailed a letter to the apartment office, and a deposit just showed up in my checking account for the fees I wound up getting hit with.

The letter is a bit of a big deal for me - once you have a returned check with this property management company, they block you from paying online, you can't pay by check anymore (has to be a money order or cashier's check), and there's no night drop. Unless you can get your bank to admit they hosed up, anyway.

Sucks that it took a federal complaint to get their attention, but at least they made it as right as they could.

# ¿ Apr 14, 2017 20:42

randomidiot: May 12, 2006; by Fluffdaddy
(and can't post for 11 years!)

funny Star Wars parody posted:

Can I interest u in a supercharged Saturn that you can barely stuff anything into other than yourself

I've managed to cram quite a bit into mine, thankyouverymuch. :colbert:

# ¿ Apr 14, 2017 21:37

randomidiot: May 12, 2006; by Fluffdaddy
(and can't post for 11 years!)

Thought I remembered you saying something about yours not folding flat. Oops.

Only the passenger seat folds up like that on mine (it'd be pretty hilarious if the driver seat did). And it's pretty easy to yank the seat out anyway, but you'd obviously have to plan in advance for that.

Also, the dispatcher was watching me tetris all of that into the car. Two people with Suburbans had refused that route claiming it wouldn't fit, and I had tried to get him to put money on my being able to squeeze it into a Saturn (he wouldn't). The trunk was packed full, as was the interior.

e: huh, wonder how long the passenger door panel has been flopping around like that.. that pic is a year old.

randomidiot fucked around with this message at 21:47 on Apr 14, 2017

# ¿ Apr 14, 2017 21:44

randomidiot: May 12, 2006; by Fluffdaddy
(and can't post for 11 years!)

voicemail posted:

Hi, this message is for STR. This is <someone> with Nationwide calling about a claim you had with us in July 2016. I'm just calling about reimbursing you your $250 deductible for that claim, which I'll be sending to the address we have on file here.

I need to go buy a lottery ticket. Bank admits fuckup and reimburses me, now this, in the same day? :stare:

Raluek posted:

Both front seats fold flat in the Prius. Owns for car camping / road trips.

Nice.

I've slept in my car with the passenger seat folded flat in this car. I'm not a tall guy (5'7ish?), but my feet were still on the passenger side airbag. Not exactly comfortable. IIRC I had to fold down the back seat and sleep halfway in the trunk.

# ¿ Apr 14, 2017 22:27

randomidiot: May 12, 2006; by Fluffdaddy
(and can't post for 11 years!)

The Locator posted:

Good to see the CU and insurance both making things right for you STR. Nice to have things go right once in a while.

Was the letter enough to get you to stick with the CU, or you still bailing on them?

CU posted:

We understand it may be too late to salvage your relationship with us, but we are truly sorry for the way this situation occurred, and we want to do all we can to make it right.

They handled everything knowing I had opened new accounts with a traditional bank, and my opening deposits for those accounts were drafted (EFT) out of my account with the CU over a week ago; my regular, twice weekly direct deposit also hasn't been dropped into that account this week. So yeah, even if I hadn't mentioned I wasn't staying, anyone looking at the account history would know I was on my way out. I'm kind of impressed that they still covered the fees (I was asking them to split the fees and included copies of the receipts, they countered with them paying 100%, not about to say no to that), but I've been a member with them off and on for nearly 20 years, and breakdowns in communication have always been an issue with them.

That said, the only reason I left last time (probably 2009) was because their backend hadn't been updated since the 90s - it would take up to a week for any debit/credit transactions to affect my available balance (online banking, ATMs, and automated phone), and security wasn't exactly great either (passwords could only be plain text characters, login was your account #, no mobile support, etc). I'm used to transactions at a gas pump taking a few days to show up, but this was any transaction that used the debit card.

I may keep a small savings account open with them, but my checking is definitely moved over to a regional bank. The CU charges a monthly fee for checking, which they just increased, while the regional bank I opened accounts at doesn't charge a monthly fee. There's some decent benefits (at first glance anyway, once you read the fine print you realize they're not great and have a lot of fine print attached) to eating the monthly fee, benefits that I don't get with the regional bank, but the stress from all of this was enough that I don't care to keep anything of real value with them.

cakesmith handyman posted:

We did the bare minimum only after you threatened to sick the Feds on us. Sticking around?

I did send the feds, who kicked it over to the state. I've already let the state know that it was taken care of, though.

randomidiot fucked around with this message at 23:45 on Apr 14, 2017

# ¿ Apr 14, 2017 23:25

randomidiot: May 12, 2006; by Fluffdaddy
(and can't post for 11 years!)

funny Star Wars parody posted:

Ya we use a CU for savings and for checking we use Chase since they offer Apple Pay and a relatively modern banking app

I had a bit of a bad experience with Chase years ago (though nothing on par with the CU crap I went through), and my mother has them trying to come after her for a debt that was discharged in bankruptcy several years ago. They remove the debt from her credit when she disputes it, they disappear for a bit, then it re-appears a few months later with different dates and they start calling her again. :argh:

The bank I wound up with is big enough to have a downright decent mobile app, I'd rate it as a little better than USAA's. The CU's app is downright barbaric in comparison, bad enough that it's generally easier/faster to just use their website.

# ¿ Apr 15, 2017 00:32

randomidiot: May 12, 2006; by Fluffdaddy
(and can't post for 11 years!)

Goddamnit. Just realized I threw away a winning scratchoff ticket.

Only $2, but still.

everdave posted:

Spotted down in Florida. Never seen or heard of one. It was way bigger and taller than the 4WD Explorer I was driving.

Huh, first one I've seen that wasn't either white or gray.

As pointed out, it's a MV-1. Around here you usually see them being used as paratransit (generally as part of a mass transit system), but some wind up in private ownership. They're purpose built from the ground up for handicapped use, instead of the more common modified Caravan that most taxi companies/people go with.

# ¿ Apr 17, 2017 22:19

randomidiot: May 12, 2006; by Fluffdaddy
(and can't post for 11 years!)

Darchangel posted:

Just had a job interview with the parent company of Funimation

Over in Farmer's Branch, right?

The Midniter posted:

1) How do you realize you threw away a winning scratch-off? "Sweet, I won $2!" [30 minutes later] "Let me just throw this out, as I clearly don't need it." [30 minutes later] "Whoops!"

2) Scratch-offs and lotteries are a poor tax, don't waste your money on that crap.

I bought it at a grocery store, scratched it off in the store, and left it in one of the bags.

I buy one every few months. That's it. Probably :10bux:

a year total spent.

# ¿ Apr 19, 2017 00:17

randomidiot: May 12, 2006; by Fluffdaddy
(and can't post for 11 years!)

Well the first half of that sentence is pretty true. :v:

# ¿ Apr 19, 2017 00:43

randomidiot: May 12, 2006; by Fluffdaddy
(and can't post for 11 years!)

Darchangel posted:

Flower Mound. I live near the south end or DFW Airport, and they're up at the north end, just past Grapevine Mills, so easy drive, and generally going the opposite direction most traffic goes around here. Another plus.

I always mix those up, even though they're not even in the same county.

I remember seeing a TV blurb about FUNimation awhile back, only reason I knew that much about them.

Enourmo posted:

Someone else was putting a 4.6 into... 240SX I think? All I remember was jokingly calling it the FM46DE model.

E: Am I crazy or did they change the default font on the forums? Post body text looks normal if I zoom out to 90%, but then all the headers and stuff are weirdly small.

I noticed that too, was thinking something got hosed up in Chrome (which has been having some issues lately for me anyway).

Cripes, a Ford mod motor into a 240? How much use of the BFH was that gonna take? That's a bigass engine (physically) for that engine bay.

Goober Peas posted:

Buick talk:

I have an Encore (the little rollerskate SUV) as a rental this week for travel. Just roomy enough for 4. Notably good ride, and is quiet for something so tiny. Handles and brakes as well as something as small as it is should, but is no Miata. Nice interior and satnav is easy to use.

Over 250 miles I'm averaging 32 mpg in 50/50 driving. I saw 40 mpg on a 50 mile freeway round trip at 65 mph (totally unexpected).

Biggest disappointment is the engine. It's smooth enough around town but well short of beans for passing, merging, or anything requiring any urgency. Engine sounds like a vacuum cleaner when pushed and makes more noise than power.

I think it's overpriced for what it is - sticker on this one says $28k. I'm pretty sure no one is paying that. Would be a nice $23k vehicle. At $28k I'd rather buy a CRV and get similar equipment, more room, an engine that goes and reasonably close gas mileage.

... 138 hp, 148 ft/lbs, from a 1.4L. Holy crap GM, talk about building to CAFE standards and not giving two shits about power. Those are decent numbers from such a small engine, but that's a whole lotta car for that thing to be dragging around.

They do offer another 1.4 with 153 hp/177 ft lbs, but that's still gotta be painful, and you can bet any rental has the older base engine.

# ¿ Apr 19, 2017 04:33

randomidiot: May 12, 2006; by Fluffdaddy
(and can't post for 11 years!)

One of my neighbors took a picture of his new doorbell. It's really tempting to do something like that.

_{_{He admitted he reversed the springs to keep anybody from getting hurt...}}

# ¿ Apr 19, 2017 11:40

randomidiot: May 12, 2006; by Fluffdaddy
(and can't post for 11 years!)

CornHolio posted:

I'm trying to decide which is more important to do in my '97 N/A Volvo 850: new tires or the timing belt.

The tires date to about '09. Plenty of tread but they're hard as a rock. Not a whole lot of rot though. Fronts are feathered at the edges.

Timing belt dates to about October of 2010. Only 26k miles on the car since then, though.

I only drive the car about a couple thousand miles a year and its main purpose is as a winter beater.

How much do you care about the car?

If you care about it, I'd do the timing belt and get a set of newer used tires.

If you don't care about it and can replace the car easily, OR you don't mind fixing it after the belt breaks, get a set of new tires.

I've been bit by a broken timing belt on an interference engine before, it wasn't fun. I especially don't trust low mileage belts with a lot of years on them. That belt is about as hard as your tires at this point.

# ¿ Apr 19, 2017 15:10

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# ¿ May 15, 2024 02:12

randomidiot: May 12, 2006; by Fluffdaddy
(and can't post for 11 years!)

The gently caress Windows... task bar quit doing task bar things entirely, and the desktop was restarting constantly.

At least it's easy enough to create a new user profile in 10, and since my account was tied to ~the cloud~ it sucks a bunch of poo poo back down on its own. My dumbass forgot to move a lot of stuff over to the new account, but hey, looks like it's a good time to test my backups. :shepicide:

I really shouldn't try to fix poo poo when I've been awake for 24+ hours

CornHolio posted:

The car's not worth much and it needs tires, a timing belt and honestly some suspension work. If the belt is that sketchy because of the age, though, it sounds like I better replace it.

Water pump and pulleys should be fine at least. I'm going to order only the tensioner and belt.

That's what I'd do, personally. I mean, you could probably drive it for awhile like that, maybe for a long time, but timing belt + interference engine = something I don't like to gamble on.

# ¿ Apr 19, 2017 16:25

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Automotive Insanity > April Chat Thread - 4/20 Smoke tires erryday

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