Life sucks v2.0
 

I was hoping to start a build thread soon title "Damon's build v 2.0...not fucking around anymore" after getting the car running on MS2, but a lot of crummy shit has happened in the past few weeks.

I've received no less than 5 tickets on the bike after riding for a decade and never once even being stopped. Two of them were from the same cop, in the same spot, and same alleged speed differential (exactly 15 over somehow). Anyhow, I can't afford the crap, and CAN NOT get pulled over.

This couldn't have come at a worse time since the money I had saved up working all summer to cover my first ever semester of not working in 6 years of school is GONE. Our budget shortfall was greater than expected, and we are broke. We don't have debt, and are spending smart and tracking expenses, but can't get around a few things, especially transportation (I commute 180mi daily). I'm trading my bike for a Ninja 250 to help out there.

Oh yeah, and school sucks. I study incessantly (and post less), and my grades are better, but I bombed one of my mid-terms. I was very well prepared, but the exam was INSANE, and I'm pretty down about it.

To top it off after 4 datalogs on the MS2 the unit just completely died. No warning, just heard it reset 5 times and LEDs off. The LC-1 uses the same 12V supply and is fine. I've been converting the whole car back to the Mazda ECU...which sucks. Expect a part-out thread soon as I'm tired of messing with it. I seriously had all the parts for my build at hand except for the air filter and BOV, and just found a great package deal from a fellow member on those two. Crazy to have to give up now after getting a MUCH better setup all around on everything this time, and all for less than half what I spent last time.

That is all. Just venting and trying to gauge interest before I take the "urbansoot" plunge. Let me know if you need:

TorSen
RC550 PnPs
FM mani, dp, intercooler, heat shield and resonator
SR20 T25
COPS
LC-1
soon-to-be-diagnosed-by-Brain MS2
BBS 15" wheels (had a local buyer, but he's been flaky)
Bosch recirc
Bosch VTPS
3" axle-back
some 2.5" intercooler piping, no couplers


Thanks guys. Been great, but I should have taken the cue the first time and let the turbo stuff go. Caught a few great deals and thought I'd try again, but have much more important things to focus on...and definitely DON'T need a fast car. Looks like I'll daily the Volvo wagon when I can't take the bike.


EDIT:

My life really is good. Don't take the thread title seriously.

I love my family.
I love the goals we are trying to accomplish.
I love my hobbies when they aren't frustrating.

I just need to take care of things, and be a man about it. Means sacrificing my little boost fetish. At least I get to keep riding since it saves money (and time not having to park a car and take a 20min walk).

how much for the Bosch recirc

Like $35 shipped...whatever is fair.

cops?

3" axle back?

$60 shipped fair?

Will take pics and see what you think...was hoping for $100 shipped simply due to weight/size.

PM sending...

5 tickets? suck. i got 3 in < 6 mo recently. ug. i'd go see an attorney 5 is just way too much suck, i think a non-douche judge would agree.

Yeah, the fact that I ride over 1000 miles/week doesn't help any. They're also all nice curvy roads through the national forest where there's almost no traffic.

Would be nice if it weren't for Johnny Law.

Good luck with your endeavours, hopefully things turn around for you! When I parted out my NA at the beginning of this year I hated every minute of it but knew it was for a better cause. It paid off my student loans and other debt hanging over my head. Currently I have nothing more to worry about than the typical bills: car insurance, cell phone, etc., so I'm just trying to save what I can. I have other goals (finishing school, getting married, buying a house, etc.) and putting my wants aside for the time being will help reach them without putting my needs in danger.

And to satisfy my want to tinker and create fast Miatas, I just work on everyone else's or work on small, inexpensive projects that won't affect the reliability of my Miata. Works out pretty well. I'm currently putting my old drivetrain into a '91 shell, I'll get to enjoy it when it's done and I won't have spent any of my own money.

pm sent on yer lc1

Eric, it's good to hear edifying advice from someone that's been there.

Really I'm stupid because this is the second time I've been here...I just really thought I could get away with it this time since things fell together easier.

Hate to do it, but I did feel good not worrying about a build on the car I needed to be driving last time, and it's been a headache since starting again.

VTPS? Sorry to hear about this, but it sounds like you're making the right move. Although I know for a fact the Ninja 250 can go over the speed limit as well, sounds like you need to tighten that nut inside the helmet.

i wouldn't worry too much. psychologically yes, you are stepping away, but not really. when you are relaxed in future i'm sure the interest will return. i had to step away from my projects in '08 because work got to be too much. 70hr weeks will take its toll on your projects. '09 i was too poor until summer when i got fed up with the car sitting there and started working on it again. this year i've gotten some genuine enjoyment from the thing. mostly due to just being relaxed and having conditions where i can enjoy.

One of the opportunities I use to grow my collection of turbo parts is when a forum member doesn't manage his money well enough and sells his collection of stuff off at fire sale price in an act of martyrdom.

If you don't have debt, why sell everything? I would stick all of your parts in a box, tape it shut, then store and forget about it for a few months. I'm not just saying that because none of your parts interest me enough to PM you with a price. I've actually done the box thing a few times in the past 3 years. It's not like your parts will go bad--well maybe sell the injectors now.

That's what's weird...the BETTER I ride...the MORE tickets I get.

This all started a little over a month ago when I got pulled over while completing a pass. I was late for a 9am exam, and passed a line of cars doing 15mph under. The cop gave me a warning, and some advice which I took to heart.

I started slowing down...a lot. I thought about my daughter more while riding, and realized, like the cop said, that we're all late sometimes. I also dialed back the fun-meter...and did something I've always done, which is try to tackle curvy roads at a set speed (no braking/accelerating)...just lowering that speed to the actual limit, and not 5-10mph over.

I'll be the first to admit that I speed, always have, and have been pulled over a LOT. I average 1.5 tickets/yr...but all in the car. I've been riding for about 11yrs now, and have never even been stopped. I've seen enough bike wrecks to know to leave the craziness on the track and stay on high alert on the road.

So I get my first ticket...and it sucked. I took it to heart as well. I traded the 100hp V4 for an SV650 the very next day. Both bikes had broken speedos...so I immediately wire in a 12V socket and attach my GPS. I start riding at EXACTLY the speed limit everywhere...especially that same road, hoping to catch the same cop and show him I was serious about trying to slow it down.

Hilarity ensues. EVERY time in the past three weeks I've stopped paying attention, started enjoying the scenery, or even opened up just a little bit there has been a cop right friggin' there. I ride 1000mile/week...I can't be perfect, and in four years of commuting to Texas A&M I've taken my lumps as far as tickets being a part of transportation cost due to that much more exposure.

But 5 tickets in 3 weeks? When I'm really trying hard to be good? Come on...

So, extreme measures.

The thought occurred to me that maybe my perspective is wrong. What I think is acceptable may not be so to the majority of the people on the road. I don't pop wheelies, I never exceed 70% of my traction envelope, and I don't think I've ever seen over 80mph on any public road save one long pull in the Miata after going turbo, and of course one quick blast on a backroad after buying the VFR. But maybe I'm still wrong.

I'm proving to myself I can still enjoy projects and wrenching without the goal being the ability to go (much) faster. I'm proving to myself I can be a calm, considerate, and perfectly law-abiding driver who is in control 100% of the time. A change of mindset if you will.


This is the one part I worry about...I always come back. The only difference this time is mentioned above, I'm hoping that a more relaxed driving mindset will allow me to enjoy simpler projects that aren't about speed, or how quickly the project is completed either.




Everything has been in boxes for over 4 months, and I've tried not to be rushed on it...but having a non-running car is frustrating. Also knowing that the end result will likely only get me in more of my current troubles really takes away a lot of the motivation to finish as well.

Yes, this is an act of martyrdom, but maybe I need it.

Also, I've learned, the parts will always be there to buy as well. Although I was patient assembling them, and did catch a few deals, I'll be passing those along to others which I enjoy much more than watching them sit on a shelf unused. I despise unused things...and have been known to give away stale projects and spare parts. Along with my love of all things mechanical is the strong conviction that these things should be USED.



Thanks for all the advice and comments though. Sometimes I think I would like to keep everything and keep going...but like I said, this is the second time I've had to tell myself to step away, and change my focus. I'm pretty sure the turbo Miata scene will still be strong 3 semesters from now when I graduate and can do a JayL/hustler style build, or go FE3.

So I sold just about everything...

And have been driving/riding the speed limit everywhere...

Have paid off all tickets but one (cop hasn't submitted it yet)...

And put some money in our savings...




Things are better.

I'm studying harder too...not constantly pondering my build decisions and reading up on things. It's a physical way to cure a mental problem...but it worked. I think about the car less. Heck, I'm thinking about my bikes less too...so I'm getting somewhere with my discipline.



I'm still pretty down about a couple of bad exam grades even though I'm studying my butt off...but I can tell I just need to kick it up one more notch. I also need to get a lot more practice in instead of being content with understanding the material...only to make stupid mistakes or forgetting a step on a vibrations problem.



Anyhow...I'm still a whiny little bitch, but things are getting better, and I think my balls are finally dropping...despite having to face the reality that I'll have to live without boost.

Keep remembering this.

Man, I could do about a million nursing diagnosis's on you guys for anxiety and depression *goes back to homework......charting*

Fixed.

Sorry to hear about the tribulations. However, if you are a fan of German philosophers, you'll only get stronger for them.

- L

Damon you have some realy shitty luck, and i find that tragic becouse you are a hell of a dude, the shit will work out you will see before you know it you will be done and have more time/cash than you know what to do with.