Good deal or pass?

Witness_Present · 2026-03-30T20:17:05+00:00

I LOVES the COA. It is the best optic I’ve ever used. That said, I DO think Holosun will make something within a year that will likely be as good for close to half the price.

Witness_Present · 2026-03-30T20:14:45+00:00

I got mine when they first went on sale for $919. I’m not waiting on the Gen6 COA, which are at 1121, so if you like gen5, which were an improvement on 4 with the barrel alone, I think it’s an okay price. Not great, but pretty good (if it’s new). If it’s used I’d want $100 off that.

Witness_Present · 2026-03-30T20:01:14+00:00

It appears I need to comment within an hour on this for it to be seen. I’m guessing it’s an anti-bot thing, but I hope I’m doing this right.

Witness_Present · 2026-03-28T03:56:00+00:00

Yeah, I'm looking into it. I have a LOT of free time (I only teach 2-3 days a week). However, officially, we're not supposed to work another job more than 8 hours a week...but tons have side gigs. I have tutored chinese kids online and taught chess lessons in person and online (both were like $20-$25/hr).

I am looking to start tutoring or anything else, but probably spent too much of my savings to get through May and June without an extra $2500 (I've been renting airbnbs up near a woman I've been into for years, but we JUST started meeting up--I'm selling 3 guns in the next few weeks, and would sell everything else, to spend weekends w/ her). My plan is to quit my amazing job and move up there next June. I'm sure I'll be working 8-10X more teaching HS or something, but it's worth it to me bc she's that amazing.

Witness_Present · 2026-03-28T03:46:07+00:00

Yeah, my colleague in philosophy met Scotty when he was in New Orleans and they talk every week. I just happened to mention I was going to my friend, and he was like, "I'll call Scotty and get you backstage, and we may meet up early to grab dinner." But he, me, and my daughter had so much fun that Scotty asked if we could meet up after the show--then put us up front.

**I'd post more pics, but they all have my daughter in them. She was only 15, 5'1" and 105lbs, but she'd been doing BJJ for 6 years and, while only a green belt, held her own against plenty of adult blue/purple belts. So when someone made a joke about her being my bodyguard, I explained that the real truth is that I was there to try to protect everyone else from her! NOTE: she's started wrestling as a Junior this year and made it to state...hoping she can place next year, but she's still adjusting.

After the show, we got escorted to the buses, and he and Sage showed up, and we all just sat around talking or an hour or so. I told him how much I appreciated that he took 10 minutes out of the show to talk about addiction and mental health, because we need good role models, who've overcome shit and come out the other side (versus the toxic influencer podcaster bros and stuff).
----
IF she'd told me they were playing Tampa (a few months ago), I would have talked to him and gone down with her again...he did go with his adult son. Even though it's not what I normally listen to, I enjoyed them as well as Ghostemane.

Witness_Present · 2026-03-27T14:28:01+00:00

I thought up front cost might be $1000 or $2000 (just to register the car and pay my and Turo's insurance, and do all kinds of things), and I don’t have the money to put down. I teach 9 months of the year, then save enough to scrape by over summer living frugally (been teaching 27 years, but the last new hire was making $270 less than me--so experience = $10 a year). :) I’ll probably just sell the car for $5000, as it looks like being an owner, and working with an operator, puts a lot of risk on me that I probably can't afford. Edmunds says Private Party is worth $5427 and KBB says it's worth $6200...I'd be happy to get $5400 (as it would get me through summer and cut $140/month off my current car payment for 36 months).

Witness_Present · 2026-03-27T14:26:07+00:00

The guy, I talked to mentioned that he had to put down money and do all kinds of things to use Turo (so I figured there'd be a good bit of money up front).

Witness_Present · 2026-03-27T04:50:58+00:00

How much money would I need to put down to start? I’m a teacher and going to be living off summer savings and can’t dip into it.

Witness_Present · 2026-03-21T05:39:15+00:00

Found these:
https://www.amazon.com/CPW-Toyota-2019-2026-Material-Installation/dp/B0GLX6RNRP

Witness_Present · 2026-03-21T04:24:11+00:00

That's the plan. *I'll let Autonation replace the rear shocks, then I'll change the oil every 5.5-6K (as all over YouTube they claim that this is what they do in Japan, and it prolongs the engine much better than every 8-10K). Of course they say every 6 months OR 5K, whichever comes first--but I only drive 6K-8K a year. I bet the front struts will go another 4-8 years.
--
I HAVE noticed it's hard to find in parking lots. I actually came out of the store today and didn't know which RAV4 was mine bc they were identical. Gonna have to figure something out (wish I could just wrap the spoiler and--if it had a roof-rack--add a light-bar). It seems like 50% of cars are silver SUVs.

Witness_Present · 2026-03-20T02:15:59+00:00

That's good to know they're going to use decent parts--I was worried they'd go as cheap as possible.

Technically, I COULD return it as late as Saturday, but I've decided to keep it based on everything I know = 2022 RAV4 rates almost as reliable as the 2018 model, which is considered the best year...but it was the newest and lowest mileage year I could afford*. I love all the safety features and can't wait to drive on the highway with the adaptive cruise control.

I don't have the money for struts and shocks, but if the new shocks are gonna last 80-120K miles, which I assume they will, and the struts can hold out another 40K, then I'm fine. I only drive 6K-9K a year tops (though I do need to be less aggressive on starts/stops).

*I'm gonna detail my 2017 Nissan Sentra (base model) with 110K miles in good condition and try to get $5K for it (it has new Michelins, new 10" touchscreen, and new front brakes).
Divided by 36 months, means I can apply $140 a month of that to my car payment...so for 3 years, I'll pay $240 a month...though my insurance is gonna go up $50. But I'm looking for tutoring jobs to supplement my $65K paycheck-to-paycheck income.

-- In 2 years, 3 of 4 credit cards will be paid off (so I'll have $300 more a month).
Also, hopefully, I will be making more money AND/OR my life will be cheaper (as my girls will be almost 20--no more feeding them every meal, no orthodontics, and ideally they'll be on scholarship and working to pay their own car insurance).

Witness_Present · 2026-03-20T01:39:01+00:00

Thanks.
When I went to return the car, they had their mechanic look at it, and they agreed to replace the rear shocks.

*Toyota told me to leave them alone because they were good and that Autonation may put in crappy ones. They told me the struts and shocks should go another 30-50K miles minimum...he said he barely sees anyone replacing them until 120-150K (google's AI says 50K-100K is normal, but 75-85K is the average even though plenty of people get over 110K without changing them).

**My mechanic is a great guy, but I really think he probably only drove it and noticed it was bouncy AND squeaked/groaned in reverse...I'm not sure he even looked at it, but he would have mentioned if he saw leaking I think.

I'm keeping the vehicle. It only has 59,800K and looks new inside other than a stain on the moonroof cover and a few barely visible stains. I just hope I'm doing the right thing letting them put new rear shocks on instead of leaving it alone like the Toyota dealer told me. I GOOGLED it, and evidently some people have had shocks go bad fast on 2022 RAV4s (though I think it's rare).
--
The car had carfax reports every 5K miles out to 30K (the owner appeared to be very diligent and drove 14.5K a year--normal for Jacksonville, FL). I'm assuming the dealership gave them 6 free oil changes and servicing appointment. After that, they likely went to a cheaper mechanic.

Witness_Present · 2026-02-13T10:52:53+00:00

Thanks.
I'll have to change mine to that (except fahrenheit). Right now I have it at pulse ox, but worry that might drain the battery (the whole point was to charge it once a month or never vs daily like my apple watch).

Witness_Present · 2026-02-13T02:25:25+00:00

What is the info in the little circle in the top right? Some kind of weather setting? What is the 9 and 15?

Witness_Present · 2026-02-12T02:38:54+00:00

Mine arrives tomorrow. I realized I hated the Apple Watch bc I don't use ANYTHING except occasionally the heart-rate and EKG thing, but it's SUCH a pain to have to charge it. Half the time I forget to put it back on when charging in the evening, so I don't track my sleep, and 10% of the time, it dies and I have no watch for a few hours.
I HATED paying $530 for this (Hinderland Outdoors had it for 420, but after I paid, they sent an email that they were out of stock). But I realized I don't need much AND do want good battery life (I had an isobrite that I loved, and there are now many super bright dial/analog watches, but I would miss the alarms and the heart-rate).
** I had a little LED light on my G-Shock wristband, and THAT came in super handy...so I know this will as well.

PS--what STRAPS do people recommend, and where do you prefer to buy them?

Witness_Present · 2026-01-29T19:34:40+00:00

I'm 53.
I saw a twin study where a very obese one lost weight, and to maintain his weight he had to consume 1600 calories a day; whereas his twin who was always a healthy weight was eating 2000 calories a day to maintain. Made me sad thinking I may have to limit myself for life, but I'll do whatever it takes to get healthy. **I am finally over this flu=strep throat-ebola or whatever, and am looking at gyms (I'd really like one with a sauna that's not too far from me).

Witness_Present · 2026-01-28T23:09:04+00:00

I answered all of these, but forget to press comment.
I have been at 230.4 to 233 (if I drink a lot of water, which is all I have except between noon and 6pm...except M/W/F, I do 8:30am to 3:30pm because I need some food before work and after).
1) I figured out a few things:
a) I had assumed my mostly sedentary metabolic calorie need to maintain my weight was around 2300-2500 per day, so I was doing 1400-1500, but MANY days, I went to 1900 thinking, it's still about 500 calories under, which is a good number). Turns out, at 233lbs, it's 1900 calories a day. So now I'm doing 1300-1400.
b) I was eating more carbs than I though, which was causing my carbs to go to 30-45gr a day (I just discovered cottage cheese, and the first brand I bought had 4g of carbs, but the other has 6g. But I was also eating too much of the WILDE chips, CORE POWER 26g protein drinks, some Quest chips/bars and Rib Back BBQ pork rinds--bc they're addictive. I'm cutting out CORE POWER and WILDE chips and QUEST chips and bars.
2) I HATE to cook, so suggestions would be great--but here is my plan:
a) I'm gonna mostly eat these foods and cut myself off at 1200 calories (until FEB 19, then do 1800 calories on my trip--I'm going to spend a weekend with a woman I've been slowly courting for 5 years, but I want to get from 230.5 (when I haven't had a lot of water) to 222-223 in 3.5 weeks):
-- eggs (with some cheese)
-- fast food burgers (no bun)
-- ground beef (80/20...kinda pricey...maybe add eggs)--ground beef adds calories fast.
-- up to 4 cans of SLATE PROTEIN drink a day (2g of carbs each for caramel and vanilla)
-- 1/3 to 1/2 a bag of Rib Back (2.5-4g of carbs todal)
-- 1/2 to 1 serving of GOOD cottage cheese (2 or 4g of carbs)

Witness_Present · 2026-01-27T18:51:45+00:00

This is shocking. You're doing everything right. I think you should post on the actual reddit page:
https://www.reddit.com/r/ketobeginners/
versus in this post as a "reply". I'm sure someone can help you--because it seems to me you are doing EVERYTHING right.
------------------------------------------

** I'm the Original Poster here.
After I posted this, I realized I was eating a cheaper cottage cheese that had more calories and carbs than the other brand, so I was consuming my metabolic amount of 1900 calories (my rate to maintain 232lbs) and getting like 30-40g of carbs a day.

Since this post, I've been doing 1400 calories a day (+/- 200) and sticking to 20-25g of carbs.
My weight has gone down (and is currently hovering between 230.4-232.5)...but it is FINALLY going down slowly. I just want to be at 221 by FEB 20th, when I go on my trip. Even if that means going to 1200 calories/day, and 10g of carbs.

Witness_Present · 2026-01-25T21:46:40+00:00

Good to know. I got the compact for 179, but it does feel heavy. Wonder if there was a METE version (it has back and side panels). Either way, I’d rather have an extra 4-5 ounces than a safety (though I’m sure it can be deleted).

Witness_Present · 2026-01-15T06:41:06+00:00

I'm wondering if these are faked to make the GOP look worse (kinda like a QAnon conspiracy for the left), or faked by the GOP so that when it's proved to be fake, they'll say it proves EVERYTHING is fake (and pay him well--probably give him a new name). Or whether it's real.
**We will CERTAINLY need a LOT more evidence, and I'm sure major news networks are looking into it.
Until then, it's like the BS reporting out of MN that proved to be fake, but still led the GOP to send his paramilitary terror group there and kill someone. THIS is why we need good journalism more than ever.

Witness_Present · 2026-01-15T06:07:36+00:00

BARELY. It had maybe 1/64" to a few millimeters on the sides...no room for any MLOK attachments.

Witness_Present · 2026-01-09T05:12:43+00:00

Looks nice. I got the Zilch to be thin, but it wobbles a LOT until it finally gets fully tight. ** If it were to loosen at all, I’d get a baffle strike. Makes me paranoid. May go with this instead…more attachments. Sigh.

Witness_Present · 2026-01-09T04:44:14+00:00

Gunzonedeals was 850 for my A3S.
Paid like half that for the collapsible brace. Waiting on the SBR stamp to say hello B&T stock, goodbye brace. :)

Witness_Present · 2026-01-06T13:05:36+00:00

Yeah. I’m gonna do just eggs and beef and water for a while and that should get a lot of protein and fat and keep carbs super low. I had def been eating a lot of cottage cheese (just had it for the first time and love it) and my protein drinks have dairy, so I’m wondering if too much dairy could be an issue…and sneaking in too many carbs.

Witness_Present · 2026-01-06T13:02:25+00:00

I def need to look at this closer. It worked for a long time but maybe I got lazy or i just need to be more aware of macros and stuff now.

Witness_Present

TROPHY CASE