First Post .. My history with cars

"TDIGuy" (owenrosier) 01/02/2014 at 20:01 • Filed to: None

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First of all I'll start off saying this is my first post on Oppo although I've been reading Jalopnik and Oppo for a while now. I've been a car person my whole life, I grew up around the hobby. My dad has always had old dodges around the house. My person favorite was the 1971 Challenger R/T with a 440+6 under the hood. That was the car that started it all for me. Now he's gone kinda old man and got a '70 challenger convertible but its still a beautiful car.

Anyway I've spent a lot of time around cars so when I got my first car, A Nissan Pathfinder, I had to sell it and get something with a 3rd pedal and a V8. I sold that and finally found what I really wanted and got a killer deal and a good loan from the bank. I truly stumbled upon the car. It was an '05 Roush mustang, nothing fancy engine wise, it was really a mustang GT with a body kit and some wheels and suspension work. Either way I got a killer deal and got to spend a lot of time in the drivers seat of that car. It took a few passes down the drag strip but no real track days. I loved that car so much and I had room in my dads garage so I was able to keep it off the road in bad weather but so I could do that I decided to buy a second gen Toyota 4Runner with a 5-Speed.

These are the cars I spend driving to community college and my full time job the past two years until issues really fired up. When I bought the 4Runner it blew the head gasket the second day I had it but I spit out the money to fix it because it was just such a fun thing to drive. Nothing really beats that real SUV feel with a 5speed and a low range 4x4. Between the Mustang and the Yota I enjoyed driving and hooning quite a bit till I was an idiot and got a bit carried away and hooned irresponsibly... I totaled the mustang letting a drift get away from me. Spun the car into a boulder off the side of the road on my way home from work. I called my insurance company and they made me two offers cut me a check for just shy of what I paid for it almost 3 years ago and I keep the car to part it out, or cut me a check for actually more than I paid for it. I really lucked out and decided to part out the car making another 4500 on top of the insurance check. Yes I lost the fun car but in a way it was needed...

So the poor car in never going to see the road again because of how bent the frame was. I learned one thing tho, When you hit a boulder, its not going to move a bit. Anyways the cars gone and I get accepted into college that involves a 65 mile round trip every day to finish my bachelors degree. I ended up selling the old 4Runner a few weeks later and buying my first ever brand new car. I bought a 2013 VW Jetta TDI 6-speed. Go ahead say what you want about the car but its what I needed for my commute to school now and real life kinda kicked me in the butt. I know its not as fun as the Mustang but it has its moments and I'm still just as much a car guy as I've ever been.

The car is still a 6 speed and it gets 45 mpg and 700 miles a tank on just average driving so really its kinda what I needed. Yeah its electric steering and all that crap but its a torque monster and its new which is kinda nice to have a warranty. Still a car guy just going a different direction for a short time. One day I'll sit behind a V8 again until than I'll make the best of the TDI

A3R0 > TDIGuy 01/02/2014 at 20:07

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Welcome! I'm glad to see another join the community.

deadpedal > TDIGuy 01/02/2014 at 20:07

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We'll allow it.

Kidding, welcome. Don't park where you're blocking anybody in. Beer's in the fridge.

Zipppy, Mazdurp builder, Probeski owner and former ricerboy > TDIGuy 01/02/2014 at 20:17

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I drive a TDI as well, but mine's a 2004 Sport Edition model I share with my brother.

stuttgartobsessed > TDIGuy 01/02/2014 at 20:18

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Welcome and Happy New Year! I don't think we'll be too hard on your Jetta. Its a diesel 6spd. Granted it's not a wagon, nor is it brown, but hey, close enough.

Brian Silvestro > TDIGuy 01/02/2014 at 20:22

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Welcome to the OppositeLock. The only VW's I'd ever buy are the Golf R or any TDI. Nice car.

TDIGuy > deadpedal 01/02/2014 at 20:25

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Thanks!

TDIGuy > Brian Silvestro 01/02/2014 at 20:26

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Same here I've always wanted a Golf R but for now this will due !

TDIGuy > stuttgartobsessed 01/02/2014 at 20:27

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Yeah its no wagon as far as oppo is concerned but its a good little car

TA4K > TDIGuy 01/02/2014 at 20:27

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I have been wanting to do an intro post like this, but I'm kinda confused on how to post to oppo... In the composer it only lets me publish to my personal blog, is this because I don't comment enough or something?

TDIGuy > A3R0 01/02/2014 at 20:28

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Thanks !

TDIGuy > Zipppy, Mazdurp builder, Probeski owner and former ricerboy 01/02/2014 at 20:29

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TDI's get a bad wrap because diesel is slow and boring because the crappy power band but I have a good bit of fun with it

Brian Silvestro > TDIGuy 01/02/2014 at 20:29

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desertdog5051 > TDIGuy 01/02/2014 at 20:30

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Great first post. I know how you feel with a long commute. I have been there done that. You are not a Jalop if you do not look at the big picture.

Now, my regular welcome.

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.

stuttgartobsessed > TDIGuy 01/02/2014 at 20:30

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Now you just need to figure out how to shoehorn one of these in there...

May I suggest removing the rear seats?

TDIGuy > TA4K 01/02/2014 at 20:32

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You need to find someone who can give you author-ship I guess is what it would be called. I think its just admins that can do it but once and a while you can go back and find a post they had and ask them to hook you up

TA4K > TDIGuy 01/02/2014 at 20:33

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Cheers man, will look those posts up.

Zipppy, Mazdurp builder, Probeski owner and former ricerboy > TDIGuy 01/02/2014 at 20:34

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They're really torquey, really easy to drive manual, I enjoy the unique sound they make too.

Sinanigans > TDIGuy 01/02/2014 at 20:36

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Welcome comrade. No one will knock on you for doing what you need to do. Here's to you getting behind a V8 again! :)

TDIGuy > stuttgartobsessed 01/02/2014 at 20:38

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Mid engine v-12 Jetta ? kinda reminds me of this whole thing

The mid engine w12 golf

Lets Just Drive > TDIGuy 01/02/2014 at 20:39

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Welcome to Oppo, fellow Opponaut.

You shared about you, so here's a little share about me.

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TDIGuy > desertdog5051 01/02/2014 at 20:40

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Yup its all a part of the Jalop life cycle, Thanks!

TDIGuy > Zipppy, Mazdurp builder, Probeski owner and former ricerboy 01/02/2014 at 20:40

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Yup great to drive as a manual and I love playing with the turbo lag

TDIGuy > Sinanigans 01/02/2014 at 20:42

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Thanks !

TDIGuy > Lets Just Drive 01/02/2014 at 20:48

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I like it the history of cars says alot about how you got to where you are in your automotive love affair, and yes that s197 is a stunning body style I sure do miss mine ...

Lets Just Drive > TDIGuy 01/02/2014 at 20:51

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I prefer the pre-facelift S197's myself. I quite like the '10s forward but prefer the earlier cars. Those headlights, so much better than the current lights! But, as a Mustang enthusiast, I find room to love both.