Whatafreak – The Blog

You read that right. I have a couple updates to report regarding my wonderful AE86.

First thing’s first, required repairs were completed, tests performed and passed, and registrations completed. My baby is completely street legal now.

In order to pass a smog test, I needed to get 2 things done. The timing was off, it was detonating too late (also explaining the occasional backfire, haha) . I took it to a smog repair shop and they informed me that the electric fans that were installed at some point were no bueno. I needed to get a fan clutch and a new fan. Once that was completed, it was determined that my catalytic converter was not functioning correctly and needed to be replaced as well. Once all was said and done, it cost me about $775 in repairs and parts to get my car to pass a smog test.

The car drives completely differently now. It sounds pretty much the same, but it feels more reliable. I have decided to keep her for a while to see what transpires.

I also installed a CD player and new speakers today. My car is now finally fun to drive in all aspects! It was fun before, but it’s a whole lot different when you can drive it and listen to Darude at the same time.

Next thing on the agenda is new brake rotors and new brake pads. Also, at some point I would like to get new tires and have a full set of rims on the car rather than 2 wheels of one style and the other 2 of a completely different style.

In other news, I have decided that Blogger was too boring for me and not flexible enough so I moved my blog to my own server running WordPress. I picked a theme that I liked and customized it for me and my liking. If you don’t like how it looks, well then tough. It’s my blog, I make it how I want.

My new computer is still down, waiting for a memory RMA. I have the new motherboard, but haven’t installed it yet. I need to though, before the memory comes so that I can just pop it in and be ready to go.

That about wraps it up for me. You probably won’t get to see this post for a day or two as I am still moving my blog files around a bit. Comment if you wish about the new design. I welcome both positive and negative criticism.

Alright, I know it’s been, what, nigh on 2 months since my last post. I have neglected to post anything because I don’t really ever do anything interesting.

No Content = No Posts

A simple equation, I know.

A few quick updates are in order.

So, I built myself a new computer. It’s not that great, but when my previous system stopped recognizing USB devices, I decided enough was enough. It’s got an Intel dual-core 3.0Ghz (1300Mhz FSB) processor, 2 gigs of RAM (in dual-channel, 1066Mhz), an EVGA 680i SLI mobo, and a Nvidia 8600gt. After a new case and a power supply, I was set back a total of $1200. All that being said, I am typing this update from Nick’s room as my system is down for the count at the moment. Summarizing the last few days, I think the GPU hardware is failing on me after about 3 weeks of use. Kinda sucks, but we will see if EVGA thinks the same and approves my RMA request. When it ran well it was amazing. It’s much different than my previous system. I haven’t really had a chance to put it through its paces yet, but when I can use it for more than an hour without seeing a BSOD I might run some benchmarks.

Work still sucks, but I did get a $1 dollar an hour raise for making Communications Technician 2. I have to go to Coalinga for work tomorrow which is roughly equivalent to the drive between Boise and Jerome only with half the scenery. The drive is really boring, but it’s also 90 minutes that I get paid to drive a crappy van (3 hours if you count the return drive). I get paid $40.50 just to drive tomorrow, haha.

Who’s the sucker now, Comc….. oh wait, that’s still me.

This car, oh, this car that I have. I want to get rid of it so bad I can taste it. I don’t think I have ever been so sure about something car related as I am right now about this thing. Don’t get me wrong, I love it. If I thought it would be a good idea to keep the car, I would do exactly that. Considering my desire to go back to school for an engineering degree, it is possibly the greatest mistake I could make financially to own this car right now. Every time I drive it, I can hear an audible ticking. No, it’s not mechanically related. It’s the sound of the ticking time-bomb that this car represents. I simply should not have this car. Once it gets smogged, and hopefully it will soon, I will immediately turn around and try to sell it. I will be happy if I can get out of my loan after selling it. There is not a single word in my vocabulary that can accurately describe the depths of my stupidity about cars.

I am done with cars for a long time.

I just want one that’s not completely crappy, runs well without extensive initial repairs, and won’t require frequent repairs once I own it. I hate feeling that the car is going to fall apart at any second. I hate pouring money into it without any tangible return on my investment. I don’t want to race anyone, I don’t want to look like I want to race anyone, and I don’t want to feel like a ricer kid anymore.

Well, that’s about it. I hate making posts on my blog because I inevitably finish depressed and sad. I hope I made you laugh once or twice, though. Sometimes it can be entertaining to chuckle at another’s plight.