Today was a good day

"AlmostJalop" (almostjalop) 09/24/2014 at 18:28 • Filed to: Victory

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Firstly, I had chipotle for lunch. When I got home from school my mom was telling me that her minivan was making a noise under acceleration. I took it for a short (no license yet, couldn't go too far on my own) drive and then took a look under the hood. I researched a bit and concluded that it was just a loose heat shield.

Naturally my dad pretty much completely doubted me so when he took it to his mechanic and the tech agreed with me I was feeling pretty happy.

scoob > AlmostJalop 09/24/2014 at 18:31

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Chipotle for lunch pretty much automatically makes a day better.

Nibby > AlmostJalop 09/24/2014 at 18:33

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YAY FOR CHIPOTLE AND MINIVANS

Tapas > AlmostJalop 09/24/2014 at 18:34

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I know and love the feeling where you can say - Take that, Dad! I know shit now, you better recognize!

This is coming from a grown adult who lives in a different country from his parents. Yes, I still have to deal with that.

AlmostJalop > scoob 09/24/2014 at 18:34

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The day started off pretty bad, I forgot to pack myself something to eat so I ended up texting my mom to grab a $20 from my room to buy chipotle to bring me and buy herself whatever she wanted to eat

She didn't even end up using my money.

AlmostJalop > Tapas 09/24/2014 at 18:37

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Knowing my dad, I definitely foresee that being me down the road haha!

Nick, Drives a Cobalt LT > AlmostJalop 09/24/2014 at 18:41

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If you ever run into a heat shield rattle again, power brake it, itll make the noise then. I do that anytime they complain about a rattle under acceleration. You find it all the time everytime.

The man in the iron mask > AlmostJalop 09/24/2014 at 18:45

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My dad never trusted me, he never let me wrench my car, even though things like this happened, i proved him wrong and things. Now the son of a bitch left (cheated on my mom) and overall im happier. Finally i could put some bolt ons and tune on my car.

Tapas > AlmostJalop 09/24/2014 at 18:48

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Moving out faaar away does help though. So put that on your to-do list :D

AlmostJalop > Nick, Drives a Cobalt LT 09/24/2014 at 18:49

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Thanks for the info, that should come in handy in the future. The van isn't going in until Friday anyways, it's due for an oil change and tire rotation so my dad just decided to wait until then to have everything done.

Maybe tomorrow I'll give that a try.

Steve in Manhattan > AlmostJalop 09/24/2014 at 18:49

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A couple tack welds - noise gone!

AlmostJalop > The man in the iron mask 09/24/2014 at 18:53

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I don't even have my car yet and he's against me doing my own work on it. I'll probably still do it though, being the only enthusiast in the family (I have 3 siblings) he's just gonna drop it after getting mad a few times anyways.

The one thing my dad does that drives me crazy is always bring up this "incident" where I broke a plastic trim clip (literally a 60 cent part from the BMW dealer) on my brothers E90 when I was wrapping his interior trim.

AlmostJalop > Tapas 09/24/2014 at 18:55

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my current to do list:

1) buy old bmw that parents don't approve of

2) go to college hours from home so I don't have to live at home

AlmostJalop > Steve in Manhattan 09/24/2014 at 18:58

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if it were my own car that's how I would've solved the problem!

The man in the iron mask > AlmostJalop 09/24/2014 at 19:08

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Its kind of harsh to be the only car guy in the family right? I wish i have had someone to learn from growing up. There would probably have been car projects in the garage.
Also out of 3 times ive been to las vegas, only once i got to go to the Imperial palace car museum and my dad left it to the end of the trip, so we had to catch a plane and we saw everything very fast, pretty disappointing. Also since the first time i went i wanted to go to exotics racing, using my own money, he wouldn't let me, he said it was a waste of money
( sure casinos are much better "sarcasm") the third time we went i was like damn it i dont give a shit what he says, and i skipped out and went alone. I had a blast in a Ferrari 430 around a circuit, but since i was alone, nobody took pictures.

Tapas > AlmostJalop 09/24/2014 at 19:14

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Yaasss!!

Move out naoo :D If you're in Texas, hmu. I want a cool room mate lol

T5Killer > scoob 09/24/2014 at 19:20

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Never had it... I am told its good.

AlmostJalop > Tapas 09/24/2014 at 19:25

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Hey I actually have family out in Austin, I might head out there over winter break.

I'm in VA right now.

AlmostJalop > The man in the iron mask 09/24/2014 at 19:27

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Yeah it definitely is tough being the only car guy. My family wants to spend a weekend in NYC soon and my only request is that I get to go to Classic car club Manhattan. They don't even have to come with me... But I doubt that'll happen.

Hey at least you got to drive a Ferrari on a track! Any story that ends like that is a good story in my book haha.

The man in the iron mask > AlmostJalop 09/24/2014 at 19:39

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I didnt know there was such car museum or club in NY. When i went there i wanted to visit the plane carriers, and it didn't happen for similar reasons. Nobody wanted to see airplanes. Well, even if you doubt it will happen, you should try to go to that cars club, you lose nothing if they say no.
Yeah from las vegas, that was a good time, i recommend, there was also an instructor in the passengers seat, and he was giving tips to make me corner faster, and braking later and stuff.

Tapas > AlmostJalop 09/24/2014 at 19:41

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Cool, shoot me a message or something. I might be coming down there in winter too...

AlmostJalop > The man in the iron mask 09/24/2014 at 19:43

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I'm certainly gonna keep trying to go there while we're in NYC.

If I'm ever in Vegas that's the #1 thing I want to do. It'll probably be one of the very few chances I get to drive an exotic, let alone on a track!

AlmostJalop > Tapas 09/24/2014 at 19:45

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Will do, fair warning: I don't have my license yet (March couldn't come any faster) so organizing a meetup might be tough.

Dingers Ghost, Champion Jockey > AlmostJalop 09/24/2014 at 19:49

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I had a similar event a couple years ago.

When I first started driving, the AC in my Ranger was going. The compressor was failing and made tons of noise. I told my dad I wouldn't drive it like that. Instead of putting on a new compressor (because they're not cheap, same reason it still doesn't have one) he wanted a quick fix to keep driving it. I told him put on a shorter belt, one for a 3.o without AC. He told me you can't do that. I was annoyed because he isn't a car guy like me (at this point he doesn't argue because I do it for a living). I was also annoyed because the sticker has a diagram for no AC. So the next day he calls the mechanic we have used for a very long time. Said mechanic tells him the same exact thing. Dad removes compressor and installs new belt while I'm at school.

I had a bit of a bone to pick with him when I got home.

Tapas > AlmostJalop 09/24/2014 at 19:49

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No worries :) I like to drive so I can pick you up if need be. Just don't stay ludicrously far from Austin lol

AlmostJalop > Dingers Ghost, Champion Jockey 09/24/2014 at 20:02

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Hopefully he at least admit you were right afterwords? Knowing most dads, it's safe to say he didn't haha.

AlmostJalop > Tapas 09/24/2014 at 20:03

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Awesome. I'm trying to remember exactly where my aunt lives. I wanna say it has "Cedar" in the name but I'm not really sure. All I know is that its very close to Austin.

Dingers Ghost, Champion Jockey > AlmostJalop 09/24/2014 at 21:27

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I don't remember honestly whether or not he did haha

Tapas > AlmostJalop 09/24/2014 at 21:30

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Lol okay...just lemme know when you make plans :)

AlmostJalop > Tapas 09/24/2014 at 21:57

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Btw what do you drive? This is probably a stretch but I remember sending a link to a Jalopnik article that had to do with the winter weather in Austin to my cousin and she was telling me her neighbor has a jalopnik sticker on his mustang.

Tapas > AlmostJalop 09/24/2014 at 22:37

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I don't live in Austin. I drive an 03 Handa Accord :)

AlmostJalop > Tapas 09/24/2014 at 22:45

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Not gonna lie, I definitely enjoy driving my dads 07 accord. The new accords are pretty sharp looking too!

Tapas > AlmostJalop 09/24/2014 at 22:52

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Can you drive Manuel?

Update: I like '07! And the '14 Accord. The '13 was over-styled in my opinion...

AlmostJalop > Tapas 09/25/2014 at 09:23

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Yeah I'm decent at driving a manual, The opportunity just doesn't arise that often because all three cars at my house are auto.

The '14 are sweet, you can get a new sport model with a manual for $20k!

Tapas > AlmostJalop 09/25/2014 at 09:57

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Oh cool. Well maybe you could take a spin in the parking lot.

You can buy an M5 for that price though...I really want to buy something more exciting that an Accord, since I've had this for a bit now.

Give me your email or fb or something. Its easier to talk there...

Nick, Drives a Cobalt LT > AlmostJalop 09/25/2014 at 11:05

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i wouldnt bother with the heat shield personally if its gonna drive your mom and dad up a wall then i suppose have it fixed but the most they usually do for that is rip it off the car entirely

AlmostJalop > Nick, Drives a Cobalt LT 09/25/2014 at 11:41

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Yeah I mean my mom just thought it was something way more serious, so she's just happy to know her car isn't going to be in the shop for weeks haha.

AlmostJalop > Tapas 09/25/2014 at 11:56

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Yeah for $20k I'd probably get an E39 M5, maybe even a cheap E36 M3 with the leftovers.

I'm a slacker, only email I currently use is my school and I'm not on FB.

Tapas > AlmostJalop 09/25/2014 at 12:28

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Lol no worries.

I'm gonna be on Oppo so you know where to find me :)