Teh Official "Dude Where's My Forum?" Thread, Brought to you by the minds of Box, and her fiancée, Lorelei Options

[1994Celica]

Well Box can't make decisions but I can. Last night I decided that it's time to sell the 914 and do something better with that money.

[Box]

In my defense not being able to make decisions is a side effect of chronic depression. So are you going to put the money from the 914 towards the Celica or something else?

[1994Celica]

In my defense not being able to make decisions is a side effect of chronic depression. So are you going to put the money from the 914 towards the Celica or something else?

I'll spare you my rant towards your first comment. The money will go towards the Celica Subaru or a new daily.

[Box]

What's there to spare? It's a documented side effect as is the fact I've been struggling with depression for over 12 years now. Trust me I much rather be normal.

[Box]

I'm sorry, it's just even simple things are difficult to decide on at times. Even picking out something for dinner is an ordeal and the only reason that gets decided on is because the risk associated with a decision is practically non existent, same goes for picking out clothes for the day or anything else trite. It's so bad I actually gave up on not one but two girls, because I couldn't decide between them and which to pursue. Which part of that was personal ethics in dating more than one person at a time, but still. Like I even felt guilty at the thought of liking more than one of them at once, as if I liked both then I wasn't being true to either. They both were great and deciding on one was impossible, so I pursued neither... So it's far more reaching than stupid cars. I know it sounds silly not being able to decide, but you just can't do it. There's this fog over your mind and you just can't think things entirely through and come to a definitive conclusion. It's only if I have a very strong opinion towards one thing or another that I can decide definitively, like deciding on the purple toothbrush or the green toothbrush. Well that's easy, purple is my favourite colour and colour aside the toothbrushes are the same. You laugh but that's exactly how it is for me.

Anyway best of luck in getting the 914 sold, last I saw the market is pretty strong for them so hopefully it doesn't prove too hard to find a buyer.

[1994Celica]

Box I understand. I have trouble making decisions as well, but the thing is you can't just sit around and complain on the forums and do nothing about a problem. I've fought with depression and anxiety and I still do but you know what? I decided that I had enough of my wallowing in this back and decided to get help. So maybe you should attempt to do the same? What do you have to lose? It isn't always easy but if you put it in the work it's worth it. So what do you want to do, keep doing what you're doing or try and attempt to change things and improve your situation?

[Box]

I've already been tried on anti-depressant and anti-anxiety medications to no avail. I've thought about therapy, but I don't know... At the end of the day a psychiatrist is just another human with an opinion and nothing more. It's kind of funny, I actually thought about going into psychiatry. How ironic would that be... You're right though and I've gotten better to some extent on my own over the years, but it's still a far cry from where I want things to be. I actually often think about this most every night, and I never really get anywhere. Getting sleep, real sleep that's restorative, would help tremendously but one of the lovely parts of fibro is you never get past stage 2 sleep. I've actually forgotten what it's like not to hurt, or what it was like to wake up feeling well instead of waking up like I hadn't slept at all. I used to be able to remember, but not anymore... It seems so distant.

It's not like I want to sell the Firebird, but I've been thinking about ways to make my life easier and part of that would be to have a car as comfortable to drive and ride in as possible. Even if that means an automatic... The whole thing with a Miata I just was thinking about a light clutch, never mind it probably wouldn't ride that well. I just really don't want an automatic though... I actually thought about the MR-S with the sequential manual, since it's an actual manual but without a clutch as a compromise. Though it like the Miata probably wouldn't ride that well. So I've been looking at the SC400 again, since it's the most comfortable coupe I can think of besides some vintage land yacht.

This post has been edited by Box: Oct 2, 2017 - 12:26 AM

[Box]

Hmm, seems the '98-00 SC400 is rarer than a SC300 with the 5-speed...


Wonder how the clutch is in a SC300 then...

I also looked into ways of making the Firebird more comfortable and there's really nothing. They say Bilsteins are as comfortable as a shock you want to use without killing the handling, but even the Bilsteins are still somewhat firm. Sigh... Not to mention expensive.

[Bitter]

Box, do you have visual snow stuff? I got that, it's annoying as **** but not really debilitating, just kind of messes with my mind and perceptions sometimes.

[1994Celica]

Box give therapy a try what do you have to lose? Seriously? You're no worse off if you try, it's better than sitting on your arse doing nothing. Please attempt something.

[Box]

Box, do you have visual snow stuff? I got that, it's annoying as **** but not really debilitating, just kind of messes with my mind and perceptions sometimes.

Every now and then, usually before I get a migraine. Then it'll happen at night if I get blinded by oncoming lights.

[Box]

Box give therapy a try what do you have to lose? Seriously? You're no worse off if you try, it's better than sitting on your arse doing nothing. Please attempt something.

I spose, but it's not like they'll tell me anything I don't already know. Positive reinforcement and all that jazz. I have started a diet of sorts, and need to get the exercise bike cleaned up so it can be used. So I think that'll probably help in many ways, just getting healthier should help physically and then dropping some weight should help mentally.

This post has been edited by Box: Oct 2, 2017 - 11:16 PM

[SwissFerdi]

Exercise good, yes. Talk to someone. I'm seeing a counselor, who is more approachable than the psychologists I used to do as a kid. Ritalin and the others never did anything for me.

Physical ailments aside, it's mostly in your head because you've been in the same pattern for so long.

[Box]

I'll look into it, see if insurance covers anyone near.

Today I couldn't drive the Firebird because depressing the clutch resulted in a knife being driven into the side of my knee and making my leg numb. At least it makes for a good excuse to not show up places, "Well you see I would, but I can't drive my car today."

[Box]

Being depressed to the point of crying does wonders for your sleep. I found my knee brace last night, still hurts though and still can't drive. I don't even know anymore, I really don't... This is the real issue in keeping it or not, all the other **** was me trying to convince myself to get rid of it before something like this happened. The real reason in not driving it more than I had to, because it'd make me sore even if I felt ok that day. The way things have been going I knew it was only a matter of time, at least had I gotten rid of it before it would've been a choice and not because I couldn't drive it anymore... I should've known better when I bought it, my knee was fluttering towards the end of the test drive but I didn't care I still wanted it. I could make it work, or so I thought...

[ClevelandGaint]

Believe me you will love the SC platform! I love the 1uz in them. It makes them move! I feel a 2jz should be In something lighter than a SC. Build quality is excellent. I learn something new every day about them.

[Box]

I'd prefer a SC300 with a manual, but if the clutch isn't light enough not much point. I just don't think I can be happy with an automatic, at the very least I think it'd take a paddle shift manual but all of those are expensive and Euro. Interesting thing from the chart above though, how is that the SC400 is heavier than the SC300 when from '92-97 the only thing really different was the engine and the 1UZ weighs a good bit less than the 2JZ? That's ok IF I got a SC400 I'd only really want the '98-00 which is even rarer than a manual SC300, at least the gated 5-speed auto could be somewhat engaging to use.

[richee3]

Having owned Toyota shiftable autos, they f***ing suck. Push a button, and if you’re lucky the transmission will respond in about a second and a half. It won’t get in a hurry to change gears after it responds either. No matter how hard you try, you won’t beat the computer. Even then, all you can do is limit the highest gear the trans will engage and it will still function on its own, and on occasion it will decide to override your gear selection because you’re hanging out with the rev limiter. And above all else, keep in mind that it’s still a rudimentary 5 speed auto, designed 20 years ago. Not a great choice.

[Bitter]

The U240E in my Celica isn't awful, it's not amazing but it really does make an honest effort to do what I ask it to do, if I tell it to stay in first it stays in first. If I tell it to stay in 2nd it stays in second down to nearly idle speed before blipping down to 1st but it won't grab 1st on it's own if I'm in 2nd and hit throttle. Besides getting a little confused at high rpm/very low throttle and dragging the shift a bit slow it's pretty good and that's likely a programming issue to do with line pressure commands and throttle angles. It shifts relatively firmly and quickly for a nearly 20 year old transmission with 131K miles. My only gripe is it won't let me into 1st till I'm under what would be 6000rpm but that's to prevent damaging driveline shock like you'd get in a stick shift by dropping it from 2nd to 1st and landing at very high rpm, that's harsh on the car and I understand why Toyota does not allow it. Can down shift into lift in 2nd and 3rd (allegedly ah hem never do I ever drive that fast) though.
Other slap stick Toyota transmissions though, yea they're not as much fun or anything like the U240E. It was purpose built for the Celica GTS and only used in the Celica GTS so that's a lot different than the slap stick in a Camry or a SC where it's the same trans that's used in other applications just with a shifty stick stuck onto the ECM programming.

[Box]

Hmmm, kind of figured as much since even brand new torque converter automatics aren't that great. Will just have to figure something out. The only car I can think of with a clutch-less manual that's in my price range and not Euro(most likely Audi DSG) is the MR-S with the sequential manual, though I've heard it's not all that stupendous for whatever reason. Something about upshifts being sloppy, but downshifts are actually good. That and it's a good bit slower than the lever operated manual. Which at that rate I know a Miata has a light enough clutch, that's the only car that never even remotely made my knee or leg hurt. I wonder how heavy the clutch in a 7th gen GT-S is, though if it's like the 6th gen it's a lot heavier than you'd think. My ST was just as heavy if not more so than the Firebird...