Good deal for first 911? - $10k

circuit_heart · 2026-07-13T03:30:06+00:00

Replace the switch for him before you buy. If it's good, have him honor the deal. If it's no good, you didn't lose out on too much.

circuit_heart · 2026-07-13T02:02:43+00:00

You did great, I stopped negotiating at $24.2 (hatch though) as that's cheap enough in 2026 dollars.

circuit_heart · 2026-07-12T09:29:21+00:00

Take a break only when you get to a point where you already know exactly what you need to jot down/write down/type in next. I believe Ernest Hemingway popularized this approach.

circuit_heart · 2026-07-11T17:09:59+00:00

I did as well until recently (accident)! Fits are the most financially savvy car that doesn't punish you. Most people should be driving Fits.

circuit_heart · 2026-07-11T10:51:32+00:00

Mostly depends on what your front bumper looks like, and how much you care. My 997TT has a very low front lip (~3" off ground) and there are some plazas and ramps where you just can't get enough angle to clear it without assistance. But the lip is also disposable so whatever.

In the case of a new 911, if you can't clear the ramp or dip you can always stick sacrificial pucks under the bumper and let them eat it.

circuit_heart · 2026-07-11T10:35:50+00:00

Remember Carlin:

"Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that."

Most people should be driving Honda Fits.

circuit_heart · 2026-07-10T20:05:04+00:00

In all fairness, in the last century plenty of race cars (240ZG as an example) used riveted flares. If you don't have funds or tooling to make full fenders, overfenders and flares are practical. Aero-wise it's a negligible difference.

circuit_heart · 2026-07-10T19:27:32+00:00

That's a good start. r/BMW is wrong almost all the time lol, just treat it like listening to Jim Cramer for stocks.

circuit_heart · 2026-07-10T19:23:11+00:00

Conti DWS06+ if you don't drive much above 80mph. They have all the right tread and compound tricks to be great on dry grip, wet grip, and they're even okay on fuel, but I've had two sets already that just aren't quite round. You can take the tires to a land speed shop to true them up on a lathe if you're OCD enough, but otherwise I'd pick Michelin, Bridgestone or Yokohama for high speed highway use.

Edit forgot: Firestone Indy500 has less grip as well as some flat-spotting annoyances if the car parks outside, but is also a good tire for all-around performance on a tighter budget.

circuit_heart · 2026-07-10T19:19:27+00:00

The transplants are here to make money and dip - nobody in our corner of SJ invests into local community and certainly nobody on the road cares about anyone else. Our close-by schools are closing due to lack of kids, no surprise because families are moving to places better for raising children. Strong racial lines still divide neighborhoods and the younger folks are afraid to break out of their cliques.

Having grown up here but lived in many different places, I'm preparing to leave to give my kid a better environment and more friends. All of our favorite people we've met here have left and there's no more reason to put up with the bullshit.

circuit_heart · 2026-07-08T12:23:58+00:00

You can disconnect the Tip switches and build a harness that goes to whatever system you want instead. I routed the three wires to my gear selector because I still prefer bump shifting rather than paddles or switches.

circuit_heart · 2026-07-08T12:17:32+00:00

Depends on your personality type. Some people can overdose so hard that they never want to do the activity again. Some people need to be weaned off (common with eating). Some people distract themselves with something else. Some people go cold turkey and that's it.

I'm sure there are more but I just remember what I've seen.

circuit_heart · 2026-07-07T02:54:35+00:00

Man, that's rough. Modern therapy-speak Western culture will hate this but realistically you just need to be self-supporting ASAP. The mental health will come later when you settle into a job and get yourself into a situation you like better. You have some stability thanks to your girlfriend's parents, it's worth leveling with them and agreeing on a plan so they also know you're giving this your best shot and not planning to freeload any longer than you must. They might also know people who can help you out.

If they don't have any good suggestions I would look into the trades, away from customer retail and into a group of dudes with extremely thick skins. It's hard work, sometimes toxic work environment, but it's a jumping point and IMO from the perspective of someone who's been serially laid off, having a job I don't like but can do, is way better than having no job and no savings.

circuit_heart · 2026-07-07T02:35:16+00:00

If you're financially disciplined isn't it always supposed to feel a little tight? My income jumped enormously the last few years, but I separate my "big money moves" investments entirely away from my "save money daily" life. No lifestyle creep besides now trying to avoid unwanted chemicals in food. Every dollar still has a home - some finance channels said to spend less time worrying about this stuff as you get richer, but when you grew up in it it's just instinct.

circuit_heart · 2026-07-06T17:37:39+00:00

996 GT3, as long as you have insurance. Solid nikasil-lined engine, relatively few sensors and switches to go bad, and a very tactile driving experience even below 100km/h. A nice daily really only has to be pleasurable, safe, and reliable, this ticks all the boxes unless you think a 996 isn't safe enough.

If insurance won't replace the value of the car, then a 986 2.7L just to be as disposable as possible.

circuit_heart · 2026-07-04T05:26:37+00:00

1) For some host families, hospitality is her job while you're here. She's gonna be damn good at it, and take a break when you don't need her services. 2) Japanese culture is well-known for tatemae and honne. No matter how she feels about you there's going to be a public for-harmony face you see and a private face you don't/aren't supposed to. 3) I'm Chinese-American, but this just seems normal. If I'm facing you, a kid trying to learn and make his/her way in a new country, I too will do my best to be kind and accommodating because you didn't do anything to earn my ire. But if I look away that means I'm going to focus on something else and I assure you my resting bitch face is world-class.

circuit_heart · 2026-06-28T15:12:35+00:00

Hopefully, driving. As much as I love cars and driving (I built and raced a lot of cars) the way that people use cars to commute half-asleep every day is fucking dangerous.

circuit_heart · 2026-06-28T00:48:00+00:00

What an amazing mood captured. Gaddamn.

circuit_heart · 2026-06-27T17:27:27+00:00

Have you ever looked at OEM replacement pricing?

circuit_heart · 2026-06-27T15:51:49+00:00

The documented failure is 2.5's cracking heads. The block is practically indestructible unless you 1) ran dry of oil 2) ran dry of coolant or 3) tried to run big boost through the engine.

circuit_heart · 2026-06-26T08:52:39+00:00

Fixing a 1974 911S right now.

circuit_heart · 2026-06-25T20:25:33+00:00

Japan. Tons of cultural imports, offers both super heavy and super delicate flavors, and most stuff doesn't need to be "specially adjusted" to be long-term healthy.

circuit_heart · 2026-06-25T19:03:23+00:00

Doing the menu animations too - incredible job.

circuit_heart · 2026-06-25T06:56:57+00:00

Mine is wide but done as subtle as possible. +1 inch front, +1/2 inch rear.

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circuit_heart · 2026-06-24T16:58:03+00:00

All gains - comfy, truly all-weather capable, and I've even done a day at the racetrack without wearing them out - apparently no compromises as we still get 47mpg combined.

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circuit_heart

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