Intro to OPPO

"Marriokart" (XVSM)
08/04/2014 at 16:11 • Filed to: None

Hello, my name is Simon. I am a kid entering my final year of high school in the fall, here in Vancouver, Canada at Sir Winston Churchill Secondary School. I'm in the International Baccalaureate program, along with the French Immersion program. I plan on pursuing an engineering degree in university. I am a basketball player and a AAAA BC provincial champion from this past year.

Enough about my personal background, and more about my car history. I have a beige 1995 corolla with 107,xxx kms, that I inherited from my grandmother. Unfortunately it has a slushbox, making it an ultimate beigemobile (it is literally beige). Despite the drawbacks, it was a free car, with fully independent suspension, the slightly larger 1.8 7A-FE engine and good fuel economy. I plan to do all the maintenance that I can and possibly some minor upgrades.

I have driven a total of 6 cars in my life including the corolla. They are as follows:

2009 Volvo XC70 wagon (father's car)

2006 Honda Civic sedan with 5MT (mother's car)

2012 Toyota Venza (not sure of the year)

2008 Mercedes B2oo Turbo

2004 Toyota Prius (not sure of the year)

and of course my corolla.

I plan on writing about each of these cars and my experiences with them in future posts, along with updates of my adventures with automotive maintenance. I want to replace the steering wheel on the corolla since it is quite worn out, but I am on a tight budget. If anyone has any suggestions please let me know. I would also like to thank HammerheadFistpunch and Gamecat235 for helping me gain author privileges.

DISCUSSION (21)

Laird Andrew Neby Bradleigh > Marriokart
08/04/2014 at 16:15

Hello Simon. Welcome to the land of insanity, the land of strange cars, strange beer and strange music. I can't promise we're not insane, but I CAN promise that we're mostly nice. If you love strange cars (and/or trains/planes) that's even better, but be prepared to be asked what wheels the 1986 Citroën CX GTi Turbo could have from the factory :)

NotUnlessRoundIsFunny > Marriokart
08/04/2014 at 16:15

Welcome Simon! You've come to a great place. Look forward to reading more from you.

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > Marriokart
08/04/2014 at 16:20

Homes, we need to get you some more cars to drive. Expand your horizon thingies. It seems so far that you have yet to even drive a non-unibody vehicle, let alone anything from before 1990, and that just seems wrong. Heck, there aren't even any RWD platforms on your list, and a very low top displacement.

$kaycog > Marriokart
08/04/2014 at 16:20

Welcome to Oppo! We're always happy to have a new victim friend.

promoted by the color red > Marriokart
08/04/2014 at 16:22

Welcome! This is a great place to learn more about cars and our experiences with them.

My aunt and cousin used to live up in Richmond many years ago (think late 1980's) as did my mother. They didn't have cars as cool as yours, just a shitty Hyundai Pony that was traded in on a then-new Acura Integra which later emigrated over to America with them.

Be careful with steering wheel replacements, especially with old airbags. There are write ups out there on how to safely do it. In any case, avoid buying cheap eBay knockoffs - yes, they're cheap but your safety isn't cheap.

Laird Andrew Neby Bradleigh > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht
08/04/2014 at 16:27

Now now, BE NICE to the new guy ;)

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > Laird Andrew Neby Bradleigh
08/04/2014 at 16:29

Oh, if I were near him, I'd offer him a '66 Land Rover infusion, stat. He needs something like that, desperately.

Laird Andrew Neby Bradleigh > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht
08/04/2014 at 16:33

I've got a MG MGB here now (not mine, borrowed it for a week), I'd let him have a go :)

desertdog5051 > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht
08/04/2014 at 16:36

Damn, RR. You're starting to sound like I get sometimes.

desertdog5051 > Marriokart
08/04/2014 at 16:37

Hey, Simon. A little DD to smooth the transition.

You'll be sorrrrry.....This is a land where things are not as they seem and before you realize there is no escape, you are trapped ...This, my friends, is the OPPO ZONE.

Welcome.

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > desertdog5051
08/04/2014 at 16:39

I wasn't shooting for "grumpy old man", but it came off a bit that way. It was meant more like a "petrolhead" version of a doctor's amazement his patient is still walking. All in good fun.

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > Marriokart
08/04/2014 at 16:57

Welcome! What car do you have your eye on once you've got that shiny new engineering degree in your pocket?

Marriokart > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht
08/04/2014 at 16:57

I definitely plan to get something RWD and older once I have a full time job, until then though this is what I have

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > Marriokart
08/04/2014 at 17:01

In the mean time, let me encourage you to beg, borrow, or steal friends' RWD or elderly cars just to try. Even 70s-80s luxobarges would be interesting.

Marriokart > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com
08/04/2014 at 17:02

Not sure, probably something fairly new but used. My (realistic) dream car is a DeTomaso Pantera

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > Marriokart
08/04/2014 at 17:03

I approve of that dream.

Marriokart > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht
08/04/2014 at 17:07

Not too many of those around here, a lot of import stuff. Two neighbours have a C1 corvette and a 74 (i think) Pontiac GTO respectively, but i doubt they would let me drive them since they are both in great condition.

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > Marriokart
08/04/2014 at 17:08

Only one thing to do - buy a $500 beater pickup or convince a friend to get one.

Marriokart > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht
08/04/2014 at 17:11

I want to try lots of different cars & trucks in the future, especially ones I don't care enough not to break or hoon.

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > Marriokart
08/04/2014 at 17:15

That sounds suspiciously like you have a Panther platform in your future, for however long. Noted for resistance to breaking while being hooned, and for being fairly cheap.

desertdog5051 > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht
08/04/2014 at 17:26

It's all good. Sometimes it's fun to stir up the readers just a bit. I do it every so often and I love the reactions I get. The haters voice their discontent wildly. Others just recommend the post or kinda 'wink, wink', "I saw what you did there."