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

[Bitter]

Not consistently sick though, like feel sick and low fever for a day then fine for 3 days then sick again for 2 days then fine for 2 days and so on. So it's like oh I'm sick but now I'm better. Then sick again. Then better. Then sick. So I just kept thinking oh this is it I'm fine now, everything feels 100% again. But it keeps happening so it's not just still a little sick. Also my insurance sucks so it's probably going to be like a $100-200 doctor visit once labs and office visit co-pay and whatever other fees and taxes and stuff, probably going to charge me for the paper I write on and the pen ink I use too.

[Box]

Ahhhh ok, I thought you had been consistently running fevers. Also that does suck, my doctor visit is usually just the copay of $30. Then again it's to a point now where I only visit my doctor if I have to for something new, since already running the gambit of medications out there and them not doing anything she doesn't insist I come in every 6 months now and refills my prescriptions over phone for me. She's really cool though, as I guess most doctors wouldn't do that.

Also side note, my brother is dead set on getting a RX-7 or RX-8 apparently. The other night a RX-8 popped up on local facebook ads and he was going to get it, but it was removed after he messaged the seller. It was listed cheap, so either already sold or changed their mind I suppose. Was like only $2,600 or so and the car looked to be in really good shape and it was said to run and drive. He'd really like a FD RX-7, wouldn't we all, but he also likes the FC and has been looking into a S4 Turbo. I think they'd both be fun in their own way, though the FC would need more done I'm sure in addition to the engine. I know he said he'd be selling the Suzuki, I suppose also the LTD, and that'd be enough for a nice example either way minus the costs of fixing the Firebird and a garage door.

[Box]

FedEx is supposed to deliver the tires tomorrow afternoon, so that'll be fun especially since it's supposed to rain. I am keen to see the tires in person though, and excited to see how well they do on the Genesis. It'd be nice if they live up to what's said about them, especially considering how much cheaper they are than a comparable Cooper, Firestone, or BFGoodrich much less Michelin. Sure they're made in Taiwan, but it's a Taiwanese company making their own product and they've been around for awhile now so I have faith they can be just as good as some of these other tires. Plus in instances like Firestone a lot of sizes are outsourced and made in Indonesia or Thailand now instead of Japan, so part of me trusts the Federal more in that regard.

[Box]

The tires arrived today as expected, thankfully only on and off sprinkling so far so they were fairly dry. Tires look to be nicely made and of good quality, especially for the money. Which guess will see once they're on the Genesis and it's driven Monday after putting them on, but if they perform well I think we'll have a new go to brand. Of course they'll have to be better than the worn out Ohtsu FP8000 that's on there, the other day he apparently left an exit ramp sideways inadvertently since it was wet out. Which he said that they weren't that great new even, then again he was comparing to BFGoodrich Sport COMP-2 and Cooper Zeon RS3-S and the Ohtsu were about half as much. Though the Federal 595RPM are also half as much, at least there's been many rave reviews on them that figured they were worth the chance. Also I noticed this on the tires and it kind of cracked me up:

Not sure exactly what's the premise there, which if they were South Korean I'd get it but I'd have to brush up on my history to see if and how much the U.S. has helped Taiwan beyond recognizing them as independent from China.

[Bitter]

Literally any tire is going to be better than what he has on there now, even snow tires. Here's my prediction, they'll be great for about 18 months and then either harden up and drop wet traction to brick like levels or be out of tread. While they're at peak performance they'll be a decent tire without a lot of communication about when they're ready to let go laterally and will be pretty predictably spun off a standing start.

[Box]

Being he goes through tires so quickly anyway they'll probably be worn out before they're hardened, but since so many rave about the Federal 595 series from many locales I can't see where they'd harden and lose wet traction that quickly. Unless everyone just burns through them before age becomes a problem, which is entirely possible I guess if they're driving the 15,000 mile a year average. Which the Ohtsu I'd have to ask but I don't think they even made it 10,000 miles on the rear, the Cooper Zeon RS3-S barely did if I recall correctly and the BFGoodrich maybe made it into 15,000 ballpark. Between not being able to rotate tires, those tires being on the drive wheels, and the fact he insists on 2 degrees of negative camber I don't think even a Michelin would last that long and if anything camber wear would kill it before you got all of the usable tread out of it anyway. So if the Federal offers comparable performance and life to even the Cooper I'd say they're a great buy, Hell technically if they're better than the Ohtsu that makes them a good buy since they're even less than them... I'm going in with bated optimism about them, the price says it's too good to be true but with how many enthusiasts love them they're worth a chance.

[Bitter]

I believe they're typical soft asian rubber, short life span in terms of tread wear and age wear and somehow despite being a soft rubber they're not super grippy. I see cheap tires often and they just don't last all that well, which for the price is fine as long as you understand that. Like I said, anything is better than the bald tires he has now, so these will be an improvement.

[Box]

Who knows, guess we'll find out short term performance here soon and long term perhaps if he keeps the miles off it like he has more recently with driving the Audi more often. Though he's in that 15,000 mile a year bracket, if not more at times, so even if he drives them 50/50 would only get two years to see how they age. For whatever it's worth these are rated at a tread wear rating of 160, but have 11/32" tread depth. That and they're HA oil free, for whatever that is worth in terms of rubber life. Which the slightly more expensive Ohtsu didn't last that long or grip that well, so comparing to them would be more fair I spose. Like I said, going in with bated optimism and only because of how many enthusiasts have liked them but if they can come close to the performance and life of the Coopers that'd be a pleasant surprise. Which my biggest problem with tires is age getting to them before miles, so I guess if I ended up with a set then we'd really find out how well they age.

[Bitter]

they only have 160 wear? ha I give them about 10k miles till cord if that especially if he drives like I think he drives.

[Box]

Well at least they'd match the Cooper for half the price.

[Box]

Oh yeah brother stopped to look at that old car earlier and I was right, it's a mid 70's Corolla sport coupe with a 4-speed. Said it looked to be in good shape except for in a few spots the white paint was yellowed, so must be rust on its way to the surface. Didn't have a price on it though, but it had been moved to where it was out in front facing the road like it's for sale.

[njccmd2002]

Sr5 or not. Those are rare and worth a lot of money if 74-75. Only two years in usa. Get a pic

[Box]

It's definitely a '75 then from what I could see from the road and from looking at pictures online. IF I HAD A CAR I COULD DRIVE, I'd stop by myself and get some pictures but alas I can't. I immediately thought of you wanting it though.

[njccmd2002]

Cant have another car. But those are rare. Is it on craigsliat

[Box]

Not that I'm aware of, just out there in front of the Servco. My brother was going to call tomorrow and see if there was anything to it.

[Box]

Well what I was partially afraid of happening, happened. The Federals grip so much better than the Ohtsu that it's now an under-steering pig, he had only changed the rear to test them before buying the front since the Ohtsu still had like 7/32 in the front left. Well that and the stagger doesn't help either. Said he's able to launch it without drama, so that's pretty impressive. Guess we'll see how well they hold up, but so far so good. What's sad is the Ohtsu FP8000 are supposed to be a performance summer tire taken straight from one of the older Falken designs, though I guess it could be the same mould but with inferior rubber. Also went back and looked and the Federal 595 series, anyway, uses a silica compound so it should hold up decently well to aging though I suppose we'll see depending on how they wear and how much he drives it. Then again I think he's getting the front now and those should last long enough to see how they age perhaps.

[Box]

Turns out the Corolla is a sale by owner and not a mechanic's lean, they want $2,500 for it.

If I had any interest at all, or enough liquid funds, in another old car then perhaps. Honestly though I couldn't convince myself when a Miata is newer and better in every regard, Hell that or a MR-S since those seem to be woefully under appreciated are in that ballpark for an "of the age" condition example.

This post has been edited by Box: Nov 2, 2018 - 6:13 PM

[njccmd2002]

https://atlanta.craigslist.org/atl/cto/d/19...6725310728.html

Looks rough, 1000

[Box]

This one looks a lot better, not seen it up close but at least this one runs and drives to some extent and is in one mostly shiny piece. I'm sure it's worth the $2,500 to the right person, but Hell IF I were to get an older car it'd be a first gen Celica liftback or a 280Z. That's a big IF, seeing as I want a car that needs little to nothing done to it. Right now I'm about to go super bitch on my brother since he's yet to start working on fixing the ****ing Firebird, and it's about to get to where it's too cold for doing all of that.

[Box]

That's ok been dealing with withdrawal for the last few days since I had to take myself off the Gabapentin since in addition to other side effects I don't care about as much it was apparently causing increased hair fallout. Never was enough to raise too much concern on amount alone, but I figured it was from going under surgery and general anesthesia since that usually causes increased fallout for a few weeks or months. I also started high dosage on the Gabapentin around the same time, and being it was 3 months post surgery without much tapering off in fallout and that was the only other thing I could think of I stopped it cold turkey. Sure enough it immediately reverted back to normal. Sigh... of course my left leg is back to being numb and hurting more than usual too, but if I have to choose I'll take the numb leg... Which apparently it's all anti-epileptic drugs that can cause it, and interestingly enough they will cause fur loss in dogs and cats too so it's not just humans. Of course since hair loss is a supposedly rare "non serious" side effect they don't bother letting you know upfront either and only through internet searches do you find info on it, yet there's plenty of info out there that's been around for years. There was a lady on 1,800 mg a day(same as me, recently I was bumped to 2,400) that lost enough to be noticeable within a couple of weeks, and because she "complained more about the hair loss" they took her off it and it immediately stopped as well. Which with my leg going back to being numb I guess that kills my chances of driving again, but so be it.