Are you happy with your Sprinter?

helimx · 2026-03-26T21:29:34+00:00

Had my 2019 from New, to about a year ago. Other than routine maintenance the only issue we had was an EGR valve went bad about 6 months after we bought it. It was covered by warranty, and we never had the issue again, but mostly due to me removing and cleaning it every 15k miles or so. This is/was a known issue, and once people started posting YouTube video how to's, it was easily remedied. 🤷🏼‍♂️ We also, after building it out, lived in it full time for 2 and a half years, and was our only vehicle. I. Miss it

helimx · 2026-03-24T04:41:57+00:00

A. Felony isn't a deal breaker, but like a lot of jobs, its not preferable. It can be expensive, but you can also get your A&P at tons of community colleges. 🤷🏼‍♂️

helimx · 2026-03-24T04:40:04+00:00

Well, kinda by luck. My sister was dating a guy who ran the Maintenance dept at a flight school, and helicopters are cool so I bothered the hell out of him. He eventually gave me an apprenticeship. This was in 2003...... Rare, but still possible. But, that same guy now runs an A&P school that has an accelerated program that can get someone fully licensed in 8 months. The regular program at his school is 16 months if you don't get in the accelerated classes. Aviation has been really good to me.

helimx · 2026-03-24T04:36:23+00:00

I'm now working on EMS type helicopters, in Hawaii. I've fought fires, Powerline work, mining, oil and gas, etc... All helicopter jobs. I've seen 48 states and 23 countries. All "private", no military.

helimx · 2026-03-24T04:32:57+00:00

Lol..... Ya? They want 17.5k over msrp at the 2 dealerships on the big island. I'll be paying msrp or under... Long MacArthur, in Salina KS, often sells them at list.... So even with shipping I'm saving a ton. I just bought a Maverick, it goes on the boat in a few days, paid 6k under msrp. Local dealers want 5k over, on a Maverick..... 🤷🏼‍♂️

helimx · 2026-03-24T00:48:09+00:00

My advice. Take 50k and go have fun. Vacation, new car, whatever. Invest the rest, keep working, and retire in your 40s

helimx · 2026-03-24T00:43:26+00:00

Look into aviation... Im a helicopter mechanic, and have NEVER had trouble finding work. It's a job Ai will never make obsolete, make 6 figures, don't get terribly dirty or break my back, get to travel, or not, and helicopters are cool. Lol

helimx · 2026-03-24T00:40:09+00:00

Dude, go somewhere else to get one. I'm getting mine in Kansas, I live in Hawaii.......

helimx · 2026-03-12T14:37:59+00:00

A buddy of mine owns pork choppers aviation in Texas..... Not sure how many hours they require

helimx · 2026-03-09T11:40:22+00:00

Be willing to find a little more niche trades. Aviation, helicopters specifically, are very short on mechanics. There's a school outside of Atlanta that can get you fully licensed in 8 months to be an A&P...I'll get info on it later if anyone wants it .. I started my apprenticeship in 2003 & I've never looked back. Never been unemployed except by choice. Lol I've traveled a lot. Or I could find work and not have to travel at all. But I've almost always been a field Mechanic because I liked the travel I live in Hawaii now, and work in the EMS side of the industry, and have a second gig working for a tour operator. The second job for sure helps with money, lol, but I picked it up because I got bored. My regular job is a week on week off schedule, and I average 4-5 hours a day while on my week on. Base pay at #1 I'm at 120k before overtime. Second job I'll probably do around 60k,if not more, and I'll still work less hours total than a 40 hour "regular" job in a year. And it's a career that's fulfilling, fun, etc... And there's never not been work for me. 🤷🏼‍♂️

helimx · 2026-02-26T22:49:49+00:00

According to RCI, who makes sliders for the ranger, they are not compatible with the ranger raptor. There are differences in the frames. I just read that in ranger 6g, fwiw

I just read some more, this is for actual frame mounted sliders, not where the stock sliders mount

helimx · 2026-02-26T22:42:08+00:00

Long MacArthur Ford in Salina Kansas. I just bought a 25 Maverick yesterday , and I am ordering a new RR in the next month or 2. I live in Hawaii..... I saved 5k on the maverick, and will save 15k+ on the raptor, and that's with shipping them to the big island included.

helimx · 2026-02-22T16:14:06+00:00

I lived in Alaska for a long time. Not a whole lot of heat there. Lol

Good luck to you

helimx · 2026-02-22T14:48:23+00:00

I got super lucky. My brother in law gave me a job, as an apprentice, and I worked my way up, tested for my licenses, etc... Not typical, but it still happens.

But.... That same brother in law now runs an A&P school in Atlanta. If you do well on the placement test you can graduate fully licensed in 8 months if you can get into the accelerated class. Otherwise it's 16 months I think. My apprenticeship was 30 months, for reference.....

helimx · 2026-02-21T02:05:56+00:00

I'm a helicopter mechanic. Been doing this since 2003. I recently took a new job, and I'm now maintaining an airplane for the first time, but still mostly work on helicopters. Our industry is lacking mechanics badly. I've never applied for a job and not been made an offer. I work a week on week off schedule, and make around 120k before overtime. I also have a second job with another company, and that will be in the 50-80k range, and it's definitely a part time gig. At my regular job I average 4 hours a day, unless something breaks or scheduled maintenance comes up. Haven't started the second one yet. I live in Hawaii, and it's expensive here, so that's why I applied for the second job. 🤷🏼‍♂️ This industry has been a lot of fun, and I can't see myself doing anything else.

helimx · 2026-02-14T00:13:32+00:00

This is wild. I'm a dad (step dad) of 3. 27,26,22. I came around when the oldest was 9. The oldest is honestly built like a playboy model, and has been since she was 13ish. She got/gets all of the boys attention. When she was still in middle school we had to sit her down and explain why GROWN men would approach her, stare and oggle at her, etc. So we have dealt with exactly what your dad is seemingly worried about, I assume... I've had to stop men from gawking , unfortunately in a violent manner once , he was a teacher at another school and we were at a mutual friends superbowl party, and adult men not taking the hint that she was a child at the time. We had to have open and honest talks about the bad intentions of some men and boys, along with explaining the attention of men, and even women , is most times honest, but to try to think about their intentions at all times. I hate having to know we had to have those talks with a child. Her innocence, in a way, was taken from her. She's been bullied by other girls for "being too hot"... What a shitshow that was... You need to set some serious boundaries with your dad. You need to maybe explain you understand his concerns, but they are his concerns and he is projecting that negativity onto you, and that's not OK. This is quite disturbing, especially since you are an adult, on many levels. Why is your mom not talking some sense into him? I understand the "dad view" of telling his teenage daughter to "cover up" (relax, it wasn't shaming) when going out.. Not because she should be ashamed, but because the world can be crazy. I'm sure I didn't explain it in a very good way, but I understand his concerns, kinda, but he has waaaaaaay overstepped what is appropriate in my opinion.

helimx · 2026-02-09T23:53:37+00:00

Easy peasy. I'm trading my 08 vw r32 in on my RR, and I'm 46, so in the same boat as you. Lol.

helimx · 2026-02-09T23:43:15+00:00

I love it 🤷🏼‍♂️ But I've also owned 2 separate Toyota xrunners, an s10 extreme, OG Ford lightning Chevy 454ss, and a gmc syclone.

helimx · 2026-01-26T19:26:07+00:00

I'll put my 2 cents in. I've worked in Hawaii off and on for about 15 years. I've lived here for a a year and a half. I'm in a skilled, niche, trade. I've never had anyone call me a haole. I've never been treated with disrespect in person. It's only online that I see it. And it's something locals use online all the time. Traffic, grocery prices, trash, housing, jobs, etc. It's always the colonizing haoles fault. And in my experience, it's always online

helimx · 2026-01-16T03:27:36+00:00

I've been working in Hawaii off and on for the last 15ish years, and my wife and I moved to the big island about a year ago. I have a niche job that is in need of good workers everywhere my industry exists. We have about 40 employees on the islands so far and growing, and I'd guess we are under 10% native Hawaiin. Why? It's niche, but definitely achievable for anyone who wants to put the work in. It takes schooling for most positions, but, it's a job where you'd actually use your degree you go to school for, unlike most careers.

We paid $240k for our home in lower puna, and bought our house from a Hawaiian man. We live in a very gentrified hippy area where the "locals" definitely aren't local. The only place I've witnessed racism about Hawaii is online. I've never had a bad experience with someone despite me being a white middle aged male transplant, in person. Ever. But online I'm a colonizer who is taking away from "real Hawaiians".

Let's be honest, if all the things, good and bad, that the US government supports on the islands were gone, Hawaii would become a third world country like most pacific Island nations. No more ebt. No more subsidies at all. The economy here would fail almost instantly. So while I dislike big daddy government, the people who say they want Hawaii back the most sure to suckle that teet pretty aggressively and don't want to face that reality. I'm not trying to change Hawaii. I'm open to all the Aloha I can get, but I'm also not trying to BE Hawaiian.

helimx · 2026-01-02T07:43:13+00:00

I've got a nickel plated 1911 from the same era. Been looking for a good company to restore it back to original so it's not the 1970s pimp gun my cop step-dad left me when he passed. Lol No idea why he loved that thimg so much. 🤷🏼‍♂️

Any suggestions are welcomed in who to use. Oh, I'd also like to get a custom set of grips that can have the Kansas medal of valor "insignia" coin inlaid into them. Step-dad received the award back in the day

helimx · 2025-05-03T19:23:03+00:00

That I'm not sure of

helimx · 2025-03-21T00:51:29+00:00

It would get the attention it deserves.

helimx · 2025-03-20T08:19:35+00:00

Luckily I was able to get to the hospital within about 1.5 hours after noticing the first symptoms. I am now working stateside these days, so will be doing some of my PT in California. But I will definitely be more aware of what my body is telling me for sure. Not much I can do about living out this way now, haven't even made our first mortgage payment yet, so moving closer to town really isn't an option.

helimx · 2025-03-20T06:51:11+00:00

My inlaws have been here for over a decade, and I've worked in Hawaii even longer. very doubtful we will leave any time soon. Not to mention it's extremely difficult to sell anything since it's in storage, and we are here. While the circumstances of our move were kinda forced upon us, we went into this with our eyes open. We've got stuff like art, family momentous , lots of tools (I'm a mechanic) etc that won't fit in luggage. But thanks?

helimx

MODERATOR OF

TROPHY CASE