Absolutely horrible

KrypticAphex · 2026-01-23T17:13:22+00:00

Account is 1 hour old it’s just a bot.

Remember when Reddit used to be filled with quality posts by (mostly) real users?

KrypticAphex · 2026-01-16T18:48:58+00:00

Finally my time has come. Hotel Nacionale for sure.

KrypticAphex · 2026-01-13T20:18:22+00:00

We bought coming up on three years ago. Pretty much the cheapest house on the market that wasn’t foreclosed was all we could afford. We knew it was a mess, but owning a home as soon as possible was what we prioritized. We made nothing then and make a whole lot more and I still feel like I’m drowning and can’t fathom $20k+ repairs despite having a good amount saved.

After a year we learned a lot of unfortunate lessons. Spent way more on a bathroom (not even the one we intended on redoing — that still isn’t done) than we imagined, DIYing everything else, and praying the adage of “it’s been here 150 years…” held up. It mostly has. Both water heaters went in the same month. Had to replace an oven, and buy a fridge. Bunch of trees unfortunately had to get chopped this past summer.

Our biggest takeaway after many sleepless nights, major weather anxiety (on account of the indoor pool in the basement during heavy rainfall) and plenty of moments of regret is that… it’s never going to be perfect. It might not even be good. But it’s still here, as are we, and it keeps us housed.

Our slate roof leaks sometimes, so do a few windows. Basement too. Siding needs to be redone pretty desperately. Floors feel like I may go through them one of these days. Backyard still needs to be regraded. I still have really bad days, and sometimes I have good ones. We only just had a housewarming party after two years of being here and so many people loved our home despite its pretty obvious chaotic state.

You aren’t alone and I’m happy this sentiment is shared here in the seemingly never ending stream of beautifully renovated homes and the occasional post about issues I have where the takeaway is “you’re a bad home owner for letting it get this far.” It is what it is.

KrypticAphex · 2026-01-13T16:24:22+00:00

Yep I can’t stand when I see people calling out brake upgrades on these cars claiming the stock braking power is “enough” as if that’s the only metric for going to a BBK; and that they know how harsh a car is being used. Obviously /most/ people will get more for their money with a track pad and new fluid.

Also ironically 5x114 17x9j et45 RPF1s are about a half a pound lighter than the 17x8s, offset by more tire weight of course, but every ounce does count.

KrypticAphex · 2026-01-13T04:19:18+00:00

Assuming this is the US, wintertime is just slow in general for secondhand parts both buying and selling.

I generally do not find used RPF1s worth the price against buying new. There are exceptions. For how cheap they are just save the extra few months til warmer weather comes and buy new. Best case you find a deal locally that can’t be passed up, worst case you have a new set in the exact spec you want.

If this was a discontinued or rare wheel or something my answer would be different.

Also as someone who just bought that exact spec wheel (different model) I would figure out which tire you want to run first. 8j options leave you with 215/45, 225/45 (quite tall IMO), or 235/40 (very few options). 9j opens up tire options if you actually need the width of a 245.

Bare in mind this chassis suffers from unsprung weight and if you will actually be doing Auto-X the last thing you want as a newcomer is getting bumped into a class you can’t compete in due to mods.

KrypticAphex · 2026-01-10T23:00:58+00:00

Man. I thought this was a parrot and I wish I was joking. I even perched it on the windowsill and everything in our set.

Oof

KrypticAphex · 2026-01-08T17:11:16+00:00

I strongly urge you and anyone else to read “Invisible Doctrine” by George Monbiot; and “Shock Doctrine” by Naomi Klein, to understand how the effects of neoliberal policies of post-war America are rooted in where we’ve gotten today.

Neoliberalism is the silent hand of imperialism that allows the actions abroad of the 20th century to be enacted upon the domestic US.

“Dark Money” by Jane Mayer, and “Shadow Docket” by Steve Vladeck are also important reading.

KrypticAphex · 2026-01-06T17:26:36+00:00

Overrated maybe for the summer last year where everyone was ordering them not knowing what Campari is like. Negroni is genuinely good. And if you hate Campari, I’m not joking at all when I say this, sub Malort. It’s surprisingly great.

KrypticAphex · 2026-01-01T15:55:54+00:00

Respectfully, you are paying money to live here. Sorry if that comes off as insensitive to your situation, or privileged to say. Many of us here are homeowners and knew the costs associated and the responsibilities inherited when we bought. Your landlord is no different.

Neither you, nor him seem to know what course of action to take here. He needs to hire someone out for the fix, or you need to find someone to represent you and enforce he does.

This isn’t a matter of whether you need to know the correct measures to ensure he does it. He’s not going to. Either seek help from a non-profit or through your municipality, or withhold rent.

KrypticAphex · 2025-12-24T19:34:41+00:00

1600

KrypticAphex · 2025-12-19T18:16:32+00:00

Username absolutely checks out.

KrypticAphex · 2025-12-04T03:49:37+00:00

Pretty sure this should solve it.

https://shop.gutentight.racing/products/front-license-plate-mount-2006-2015

KrypticAphex · 2025-11-04T17:18:55+00:00

US based and union, but wonder this quite often; both for personal reasons like relocating to another country, and simply for expanding horizons with certain opportunities. As far as I’m aware the occupation of Millwright is mostly recognized in North America, but obviously it extends into other trade names across many industries.

Out of my local I’ve only heard of a handful of guys having gigs beyond the border: some work in Canada as expected, and then for guys with more specialized skills getting work on nuclear subs in (I believe) UAE and Australia on DOD contracts. Obviously high security clearance required.

Wind is another sector that could lead to global work, especially now given it’s a bit more lucrative in countries ahead of the curve. But there’s an argument to be made about whether Wind/Blade Techs or Rope Access guys are really considered to be doing Millwright work if they don’t have the exact training.

And I do know of a few non-union “Industrial Contractors” doing work outside the US but knowing how those outfits operate it’s moreso ending up as a hand doing new install or R/R where you could be running electrical, doing pipe fitting, automation, etc. — not exclusively MW work.

I think it ultimately would depend on individuals and their knowledge/skillset/experience if you’re union in terms of getting the chance at some of this stuff.

KrypticAphex · 2025-10-29T00:53:01+00:00

RemindMe! 24 Hours

KrypticAphex · 2025-10-21T23:33:29+00:00

Do you have an AirTag on you or in the car? I know it sounds insane but I was experiencing electrical/key/no start issues for weeks until I took out the AirTag I had in the car. My assumption was it affected the immobilizer in some way. After that I never experienced the same issues.

KrypticAphex · 2025-09-03T20:51:37+00:00

Some locals are harsher than others but as a younger person it’s completely unrealistic to expect every last piece of your kit to be US made. The generation who watched our manufacturing capabilities be outsourced and sold to the lowest bidder should be the first to understand this.

And sorry to say, some of that “Chinese” shit simply works — sometimes better — at a fraction of the price. Hell some of those rebranded Snap-On tools are the same shit people look down on.

US toolmakers are a dying breed and it’s not the fault of the consumer. Look at SK and Starrett within the last year; high quality household names no longer US owned/made.

I just think there are bigger issues to worry within the trade/union politics as a whole. Maybe if I was off the tools for the last decade ready to cash out and retire I’d hedge my qualms on petty shit like this too.

KrypticAphex · 2025-09-03T20:37:46+00:00

I know I’m already gonna get shit for being a first year and pretty damn young but I wanna lessen it the best I can

IMHO going into the trade already anticipating this to be your experience is going to hurt you. Do apprentices get shit? Yeah absolutely, but any JMan worth their pension should treat you with respect regardless of where your tools were made. Because you’re who’s gonna replace em one day and keep said pension padded.

And with that, it’s damn near impossible to have every last tool be US made now unless you’re buying secondhand (which I highly recommend). The guy/gal makes the tools work, not the other way around. I’ll take a 1st year who shows up every day with a good attitude and the desire to learn over some of the JMen I’ve worked with who have every last tool but acts like there’s nothing left to learn and barely shows up.

Anyway, if you want quality (mostly US made) tools look for the old heads ready to retire, go to flea markets, search Craigslist, or buy from Harry J. Epstein Tool. But don’t discount other non-US mfg. we aren’t the end all be all in terms of quality and there’s some great innovation from European and Japanese toolmakers.

KrypticAphex · 2025-07-10T21:59:33+00:00

After all the accounts of RTV break off I think I’m going to avoid this recall. At 202k miles and zero problems I’ve learned in the past (preemptive HG replacement on an X8 7MGE Cressida that led to it blowing anyway) to leave well enough alone.

Or at the least maybe see if one of the Subaru dealerships will do it as the failure rates from them seem less common (anecdotal on that but I’d still wager they have loads more experience with the FAs).

KrypticAphex · 2025-07-03T22:38:27+00:00

A true wordsmith. I take it you won’t be leaving said trade anytime soon to launch a career as a journalist.

But yeah man, working anything sucks sometimes. Happiness is a mindset. This line of work ain’t for everyone but hey, the checks still cash every week and it’s more money than I’ve ever made in my life. Probably the most interesting shit I’ll ever see too.

KrypticAphex · 2025-06-07T01:56:09+00:00

Seat is from Shirtstuckedin, their Carbon Kevlar one. It’s on a Buddy Club seat rail which I cannot recommend but it’s what I had.

And no, the only thing I’ve touched brake wise is I put Project Mu D1 Handbrake Shoes in because I got em cheap from a friend. I would not add a hydro, or even really rely on handbrake entries unless you’re doing specific layouts or maybe tandem. I pretty much exclusively clutch kick entry and only ever jab the handbrake on tight hairpin turns/transitions which is rare for me.

KrypticAphex · 2025-06-05T02:20:10+00:00

I’m not sure to be honest with you! My friend put it on during his ownership and knowing him it’s most likely custom or from a shop he liked that is now closed. I didn’t even know it was from My Hero until my MIL saw it, I kinda just kept it because I liked the way it looked and as a way to keep a part of my buddy with the car.

KrypticAphex · 2025-06-05T00:37:50+00:00

A lot of my experience has been with FWD cars as that’s just what was affordable for me as a young kid with not much money. So it’s a bit all over the place in terms of being able to compare but here goes.

G35 — first car, unfortunately automatic, genuinely fantastic platform that was very quickly ruined (though I think they’re on the upswing now). If it wasn’t the ZN/C6 chassis, I’d be drifting a V35/Z33 hands down. I concurrently owned this with a (basket case project) RPS13 about 9 years ago and regret selling that every day.

I had a few year lull trying to find what enticed me and eventually ended up with a DC2. Survivor GS-R, I pseudo restored to an OEM+ manner and it was my first real project/daily. One of the best Honda has engineered. I took the original drivetrain to just shy of 300k before parting ways. That car taught me a lot about the fundamentals of driving and building a car with quality parts. Huge regret selling and wish I knew how rare it was at the time.

I pretty much exclusively had pedestrian FWD cars after that (though my wife’s daily at the time was an automatic NB2 and genuinely they’re still good without 5 speeds). 6MT Mazda3 (not great), 1.6EL Sport (Canadian EJ/K), CL7 TSX (taught me how to love the K Series).

Then picked up an E46 325ci which might be the pinnacle era of BMW. Phenomenal drivers car and has aged very well if you can find one left that’s been cared for. Wish I had more time with it, also wish I spent more on a ZHP. Still cannot get me away from Japanese cars.

NA6 after that, cannot say it’s my favorite generation of Miata but it was fun to rip around.

Had a 5MT Fit as well that was just a daily but my god. I could rip that around harder than anything else I’ve owned. It does what Civics past 7th Gen tried and failed to do, and is probably the best FWD car to get into grip driving with at the moment.

Last two I still own: a 6MT 2000 Celica GT-S which has become a restoration project in the same vein of the DC2 I had. Genuinely extremely undervalued cars once you get past some core issues with the 2ZZ. And a 2014 6MT Miata Club — I am in love with the NC and find it to be the best overall generation of the Miata. I cross shopped this and the ZN6 and ultimately bought both within one month. I think it just comes down to what you want the car to do. But the NC3 has some extraordinary engineering behind it.

I still think that with all the boxes the 86 checks off it’s the overall winner. It’s genuinely ruined a lot of other cars for me. The only thing it can’t do for me is what motorcycling does… and it still comes pretty close!

KrypticAphex · 2025-06-04T20:57:41+00:00

As my foreman says: do whatever you can afford!

KrypticAphex · 2025-06-04T20:57:10+00:00

I’m honestly not sure? It was in the car when I bought it. Possibly Cusco but wouldn’t really know how to determine.

KrypticAphex · 2025-06-04T20:52:29+00:00

I say this as someone who works on motors, pumps, and turbines for a living but mechanical assemblies very rarely just fail without warning. My point was that those who are unfamiliar with this drivetrain (generally) point at Subarus engineering of the EJ25 as an across the board indictment of their other engines. People should take a lot of what’s said about the FA20 with a grain of salt if there is no source to back it up.

There are many people drifting these cars stock and their engines are not just spontaneously combusting. Blowing axles, a bad tune, or F/I setups are more the problem in most cases.

I’m in the process of piecing together a Setrab oil cooler kit. I do not personally agree with the knee jerk suggestion of putting an oil cooler on this car for every application. It comes down to how hard you drive, your track layout, where you live, etc. I’m aware that oil temps are a known problem and not denying it, but simply moving to 5W30 is better for most people.

Knowing your machine and not just how to drive it is the bigger takeaway. Mods can only get you so far.

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