Heavy Metal & Nostalgia

[Wolfsong]

Originally Posted by DapperButch

I waited 9 years for my dream car. It was both a money issue and a practical issue (practical-it is a roadster). I suggest you put a little money aside at a time. Forego other things in order to be able to put that money aside. You'll get there.

Right now I am getting a lot of stuff done to my car. A few are preventative maintenance items, but I am also getting a couple of things I have been saving for, for a couple of years. Did I miss recreational activities because I wanted to put some nice coilovers on my car and a short shifter? Yes.

You can get there, one penny at a time.

Thanks Dapper. One of my current cars has 225,000 miles on it. It starts every day and runs like a champ. I'm likely going to sell it in August. The sticker is due in September. The check engine light is on and I have narrowed it down to an electrical short as opposed to what that light typically means. I'm not going to put the money into it to fix it just to hope that it will run through another Chicago winter.

It actually makes me kind of sad. It was the first car I ever bought brand new. It only had 38 miles on it the day I took it home. I know that it is stupid and not really rational to be emotional over a car, but that car has been more loyal than to me than both of my exes put together. I was sitting in it when I made the decision not to fix it, and I realized that it has literally taken me through the very best and very worst times of my life. As I sit here typing and thinking about it the impulse is to fix it. Maybe I'm just not ready to let it go.

[DapperButch]

Originally Posted by Wolfsong

Thanks Dapper. One of my current cars has 225,000 miles on it. It starts every day and runs like a champ. I'm likely going to sell it in August. The sticker is due in September. The check engine light is on and I have narrowed it down to an electrical short as opposed to what that light typically means. I'm not going to put the money into it to fix it just to hope that it will run through another Chicago winter.

It actually makes me kind of sad. It was the first car I ever bought brand new. It only had 38 miles on it the day I took it home. I know that it is stupid and not really rational to be emotional over a car, but that car has been more loyal than to me than both of my exes put together. I was sitting in it when I made the decision not to fix it, and I realized that it has literally taken me through the very best and very worst times of my life. As I sit here typing and thinking about it the impulse is to fix it. Maybe I'm just not ready to let it go.

225K? That is BEYOND impressive, my friend!

Emotional about a car? Check out post #9 of this thread.

This jackass mechanic (indy BMW shop), has had my 2002 BMW Z3 for 6 weeks now. Getting some mods and some maintenance work done, but DAMN outside of the weeks ship time from the opposite coast for coilovers, it is insane! I am finally picking it up at 9pm tonight b/c I told him he needed to have it done (the place is also a freakin' hour away <grumble>).

Anyway, the reason I am sharing my frustration is to make a point. Here I am driving a low mileage BMW 128i coupe (loaner for free) for the last week (his way to make up for being a douche) and all I can think about is my 10 year old car (mind you, it is gorgeous, but STILL...). I have started to think that I have an anxiety disorder the last month or so, but I have decided it is b/c this fucker has had my car. It makes me sick to my stomach daily. Talk about emotional attachment! And it is not like I believe he isn't taking care of it. He is actually pretty damn well known in the business and I have been up there several times since he has had it.

Year/make/model of your car? If you think she will continue to run well, why not just fix her up? Anything besides the short?

[Wolfsong]

Originally Posted by DapperButch

225K? That is BEYOND impressive, my friend!

Emotional about a car? Check out post #9 of this thread.

This jackass mechanic (indy BMW shop), has had my 2002 BMW Z3 for 6 weeks now. Getting some mods and some maintenance work done, but DAMN outside of the weeks ship time from the opposite coast for coilovers, it is insane! I am finally picking it up at 9pm tonight b/c I told him he needed to have it done (the place is also a freakin' hour away <grumble>).

Anyway, the reason I am sharing my frustration is to make a point. Here I am driving a low mileage BMW 128i coupe (loaner for free) for the last week (his way to make up for being a douche) and all I can think about is my 10 year old car (mind you, it is gorgeous, but STILL...). I have started to think that I have an anxiety disorder the last month or so, but I have decided it is b/c this fucker has had my car. It makes me sick to my stomach daily. Talk about emotional attachment! And it is not like I believe he isn't taking care of it. He is actually pretty damn well known in the business and I have been up there several times since he has had it.

So did you get your car back? How's it running?

Originally Posted by DapperButch

Year/make/model of your car? If you think she will continue to run well, why not just fix her up? Anything besides the short?

I was afraid that you would eventually ask that. It is a 1998 Plymouth Breeze.

Don't hate.

I know it will never be what anyone ever would consider to be a collector car. In fact, Plymouth thought so little of it that stopped making it practically right after they first starting making them ('96 through '00) when the Plymouth line was phased out altogether. In '97 they made Car and Driver's 10 Best list. I actually have more miles on my car than the number of these cars that were actually produced.

They are notorious for blowing head gaskets (which mine eventually did around 150K). The only other replacements were brakes and an alternator around 60K. Everything else on that car from stem to stern (including shocks and muffler) are 100% original.

It is missing the passenger side mirror (which fell victim to my temper and rash impulsivness when, after a particularly nasty argument with my ex, was clipped off by the garage door frame while getting the hell out of there) I believe that's where the short is at. The hood is starting to rust at it's lip and it has a fairly unnoticeable trans leak.

My impulse IS to fix it. My wife would prefer that we got rid of it. She has not pressured me in any way about this, and really has been good about leaving me alone about it.

Our other car is a '04 Chrysler Sebring convertible with 34K on it. I drove it all day today, top down, 40s on 4 jammin' on the radio. It's just a complete joy to be in.

[DapperButch]

Originally Posted by Wolfsong

So did you get your car back? How's it running?




I was afraid that you would eventually ask that. It is a 1998 Plymouth Breeze.

Don't hate.

I know it will never be what anyone ever would consider to be a collector car.


My impulse IS to fix it. My wife would prefer that we got rid of it. She has not pressured me in any way about this, and really has been good about leaving me alone about it.

Our other car is a '04 Chrysler Sebring convertible with 34K on it. I drove it all day today, top down, 40s on 4 jammin' on the radio. It's just a complete joy to be in.

Don't hate?

I'd never hate. I'm impressed that an American car has lasted this long!

I think it is awesome that you love your car. If you love it, than it is worth collecting!

The sebring - my Z3 is a vert. There is NOTHING like driving a convertible, I agree. The sense of freedom is amazing to me.

There was nothing wrong with my car, I was just getting some long awaited mods done and some preventative fluid flushes/changes. I plan to post up pics, but I can't wash it until tomorrow and then we are off to the beach. So, a week or two after, when I wash it again, I will take pics and post.

What I got done:

1) KW Coil Over Variant 1 suspension kit. The drop is perfect.
2) 5mm front spacers/18mm rear spacers. Tires are flush now. Looks very aggressive.
3) short shift kit
4) Vorshlag front camber plates
5) new plastic rear window
6) other odds and ends (control arm bushings, shock mounts)
7) diff flush
8) tranny flush
9) allum pedal pads installed

My girlfriend is awesome about my car. Totally and completely awesome. She totally understands my obsession and will put up with me asking her to step outside to see how a newly waxed area is shinier than a "less new" waxed area. Or will tell me what she thinks of the current wheel gap. Or will listen to me rambling on about the length of various shift levers. This woman is amazing when it comes to this shit. So, yeah, I get the awesome wife thing!

I say if you love it and it is not costing you crazy money, keep it.

[always2late]

The Vintage Automobile Museum of NJ has now found a permanent home in Pt. Pleasant...which is just a few minutes from where I live!! Can't wait to go!

**sorry, I know this isn't about my personal car, or former cars...don't mean to derail the thread...I'm just really excited about it!**

[Wolfsong]

Originally Posted by always2late

The Vintage Automobile Museum of NJ has now found a permanent home in Pt. Pleasant...which is just a few minutes from where I live!! Can't wait to go!

**sorry, I know this isn't about my personal car, or former cars...don't mean to derail the thread...I'm just really excited about it!**

No worries.....I'm glad you are excited. We have a car museum near (and I say near as a relative term) us that has a great inventory. If you are ever in northern Illinois and near Volo (my bet is that you'd have to be lost or specifically going to the museum) you should check it out.


Volo Car Museum

[DapperButch]

Originally Posted by always2late

The Vintage Automobile Museum of NJ has now found a permanent home in Pt. Pleasant...which is just a few minutes from where I live!! Can't wait to go!

**sorry, I know this isn't about my personal car, or former cars...don't mean to derail the thread...I'm just really excited about it!**

No problem. I believe the OP (LaneyDoll), has no concerns about the thread staying "on track". Maybe I should make a general car thread? I have considered it before, but figured people wouldn't be interested enough in it. Will do it later.

[Wolfsong]

From The Wolf Den -

Wolf; "You want to good news or the bad news?"
Andi; "Bad"
Wolf ; "You apparently are on a *fast-track to get a speeding ticket in every state of the nation. Congratulations."
Andi; "I didn't get a speeding ticket!"
Wolf; "According to the paradise vacation destination state of Iowa you did."
Andi; "I didn't get pulled over."
Wolf; "They didn't need to. They have a speeding camera and took a picture."
Andi; "Those bastards!"

*Andi (my wife) is a travelling nurse with a lead foot. This isn't the first speeding ticket she's gotten this way.

[Hollylane]

This is not my Valiant, but one just like it (1968 Valiant Signet) It was my first car, and I called her Betsy the Blue Bomber. I loved that car. It saved my life more than once. I loved working on it, I could literally climb into the engine, there was that much room under the hood.



My 1972 Ford, Grabber Maverick was Bumble Bee Yellow and Black. It was an awesome car, I am not into Ford, but this one was one of my favorites. Nice heavy car.