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For three years, I've been wearing two sets of glasses.... One for normal vision, then once I get to work, I have a set for my computer and/or reading. (yes.. it's a pain in the....).
If I go out.... and need to read, I just take off my distance glasses and hold the menu up a little closer..
I really need the old-man bifocals... With the glass that covers up half of your face...
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I have an interesting prescription - my left eye correction is about twice as strong as my right, with significant astigmatism, plus the bifocal add-on. With my glasses off, I squint a lot
Cheers!
Paul
BUT - I do like the progressives and do just fine in them. My glasses are even fairly small but still have the bifocal progressive.
For the last 6-8 years I've had a pair of separate sunglasses that I like to wear when I drive. They only have the distance lens so I can't read a map with them on - but they allow me to move my head around into more positions while driving long distances and I can see what I need on the road just fine.
And ... I've worn bifocals since my mid-40's! One of the things I have learned about my preferences is that I like the bifocal a bit lower than most people. We always have to make sure they adjust it for my preference. They will mark it, and then I'll say .. now let me put MINE on and you see how low the bifocal is on my eyes .... and they always end up marking the new pair a bit lower than they thought ....
-Frank
Funny thing is those were both symptoms I felt with contact lenses!
Not a problem now. :shades:
Sounds like the next title in the Harry Potter series!
Some shameful stuff has come out about Toyota, NHTSA as well.
Did you see that Chris Santucci, a lobbyist working for Toyota, approached NHTSA about a recall for UA and they laughed at him?
Then Irv Miller (VP at Toyota for PR) drops the bombshell memo saying they need to "come clean". Frightening.
Saw this article from Popular Mechanics and thought of you:
http://www.popularmechanics.com/cars/news/industry/4347704
They're attacking PM even though there isn't a single ad for Toyota in that entire magazine.
Now, while he makes an argument that stray RF should not disrupt a DC based system, I'll throw in a counterargument. Every fly on a commercial aircraft? Remember the cell phone ban? The FAA and several of the aircraft makers (including Boeing) believe that under some conditions, gigahertz transmitters used within insulated spheres yield a sufficient airframe bias that it disrupt communications, navigation and flight control systems.
I'm not saying that a cell phone caused it.... But the engineering community is very divided on this stuff. There are still things that we don't yet understand.
I'll give another example from my experience decades ago: AC (60 Hz) caused a setpoint offset in a DC controlled hydraulic servo because of non linearities in the system. This AC-induced problem in the Ford glass plant was also originally said to be impossible. I was the engineer who solved the mystery.
Watch it before they take it down!
Who would have thought you can drift a Lexus GX, but not an IS?
Something that is reasonable to obtain (not like an F1 Maclaren) and might even be collectible?
I've been looking back and thinking about cars from the 80s-90s (I can't think of anything I'd want from the 70s) that I wanted as a teenager and maybe even getting one and restoring it with my teenage kids.
What do you guys think?
tom
Bob
I guess I should have added that in- I wanted something that I could reasonably restore.fix up on our own, be fun to have and own and actually drive (so no garage queens that I polish with a diaper!)
Some ideas I had so far:
SVX
Honda S2000
Porsche 944 turbo
Mustang Cobra (early 2000)
Corvette
E30 M3
RX-7
Supra
Mazda Miata- V8 conversion? Supercharged? Turbo?
Mazdaspeed Miata?
Most of these can be bought pretty reasonably. Just wondering if anyone had any other ideas?
I think my dreams of racing spec miata are ending (just no time)
tom
Runner up—and along the same line of thinking—a current-generation 2-door Wrangler Rubicon.
Bob
That's a good idea- I was kinda thinking an old land cruiser too. Never thought about the Land Rover. Cool truck.
Juice- I was also thinking maybe an M-edition NA miata. I've seen a couple around. I don't think I could find a 0 mile NA Miata anything! I really like British racing green too! If I were to buy a Lotus or Mini it would have to be BRG!
tom
I wouldn't discount the 911.. A mid-'90s 993 model (the last air-cooled example) would be very nice.... Of course, probably $30K+...
Not that they are collectible, but C5 Corvettes are a lot of car for the money.. if you just want gobs of cheap horsepower, Mustang GTs of any vintage are a hoot..
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Any 911 would be cool, (I have eyed a number of 993s) but to do anything to the engine you need to get under it- my wife isn't about to let my install a lift in our garage! That's why I figured a 944 or maybe a 928 would be easier to work on.
Corvettes are always fun, but I already have my dad's vette if I want it. (My mom has been offering it to me for years!
Besides, I have my STi, so I don't really feel the need for a ton of power.
tom
Talk about reasonable unsprung weight.
The stock 14"s are 12 lbs.
I'm sure the new 16"s are twice what the BBS rims weigh.
Moving away from both of those prospects, and showing my clear bias, my vote lies with a '67-'72 GM pickup: fairly simple mechanics, excellent supply of parts (cheap!), nice styling, readily available.... But, again, I am clearly biased! :shades:
Although I am teaching my son how to drive stick on my STi. :surprise:
So far he's doing pretty well. But he has his own car that doesn't have enough power to get out of control (I hope!)
Yes, I had to think about the time as well Wes, I'm getting older faster and faster!
tom
What I really want is over 30 though... 1976 Starsky & Hutch Gran Torino
kcram - Pickups/Wagons Host
Great Question!
For a hot hatch type care, probably a MkII Golf GTi (I had one for three years 1990-1993 and still miss it). Very fun to drive, mechanically pretty straightforward and solid as a rock.
For a 4WD, probably a Landcruiser rather than a Landrover. Not sure if the FJ40 was sold in the USA but they are indestructible. The downside to the Landrover (and not contesting their appeal) is the poor build quality. It is a really good way to master a whole host of automotive trades (including useful things like mystery electrics and replacing a stub axle in the field). Personally, I'd prefer to get home again rather than trying to master these skills
Cheers
Graham
Bob
Maybe the Lexus version. Nah, then I'd be whining about having to put premium fuel (in a $70,000 vehicle).
I've been looking and I've found:
A few Landcruisers from the late 80s early 90s, but they all have 150-300k miles! And aren't in the best of shape.
An E30 M3- they're asking 22k, but it only has 57k miles
an 04 and 05 mazdaspeed miata, and a lot of 99-02 miatas (NB)
A few 06-07 miatas (NC)
A few S2000s (AP1 and SP2)
I'm thinking parts wise the Miata's would be the easiest to find, with the M3 being a nightmare to find parts. The Landcruisers look like they'll be A LOT of work to fix up- and I don't think I could learn/have the tools to do body stuff. The S2000s look cool, but I don't think it's much better than a Miata. And if I get bored I can always plop a corvette engine in a Miata.
What do you guys think? Which would you like in your garage in 10-20 years?
tom
Anyway, still looking. . .
tom
Miata: yes
that might become somewhat collectible?
Miata: no
As sought after as a clean NA Miata is (they're actually going UP in value now), they were simply too abundant to ever be collectible.
You can buy it and know that it will never lose value if you take good care of it, though.
I bought an 8 year old Miata for $7800, used it a ton driven daily commuting, for 7 years, put twice as many miles as the original owner did, and still got $3 grand or so back for it. My cost worked out to about, oh, $57 per month.
I bet you can do better than I did now.
http://www.badgeofownership.com/
It's free.
Bob
So the lifestyle choices for Subaru owners are:
Snow Sports
Outdoor Sports
Biking
Mechanical
Animals
Performance
LGBT
High Mileage
Gardening
Love
Environment
Music/Arts
Interesting collection. Sitting down, doing nothing does not seem to be an option.
Do old Buick owners get a TV icon and Yellow Arches symbol?
How about Ferrari owners: a hairdresser and designer brand logos? (I'll pass on the most obvious, having carefully explained it to my 13 year old - he rather fancies the idea of being able to tell the inadequacy of a man by the ostentatious display of the car he drives!)
I'm waiting for a BMW with a Swastika
or an old Vauxhall with a pint of lager.
Cheers
Graham
I whole heartedly agree. There should be a "couch potato" option—and I'd be the first to sign up.
Bob
tom
What is "LGBT"?
tom
I like Juice's explanation better! Yumm!
It's a cartridge type filter, so I had trouble getting the metal enclosure out. Last oil change was done by a Goodyear place in the middle of the blizzard. They grossly overtightened it. You can tighten with a 3/8" drive, but to remove it's a 65/67 mm end wrench that goes on a ratchet, and mine's slipping.
I was furious. Another older wrench I have also did not work. It's WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY too tight.
I ended up having to add oil without chaging the filter, which peeved me to no end. I basically have to re-do the entire change now, wasted time, oil, energy, etc.
So question - what to do?
Should I buy a better tool to get more leverage?
Or take it back and demand they re-torque to spec? Maybe demand a free change as well since they screwed up?
I've been changing oil for 25 years but this is a first!
Image of the filter housing that is stuck:
http://i.ehow.com/images/photos/ididthissolution/000000/48/79/161825/92/72/ODQ~M- TM0_l.jpg
Access is difficult. I can get to it from the bottom, but not really from the sides unless I remove the fender liner (a pain).