Self-imposed famine coming to an end

[Dominus]

Nice looking work truck. I live in a rural area where most everyone owns a pickup truck or SUV to ensure you can get around in the winter snow and ice. I've never owned a pickup, but have owned in the past 3 regular size SUV's and currently a crossover SUV...which to me is like a car with a hatchback/liftgate.

Thank you.

So, before I got this truck I had never "love" a car before. To me, it's always been a tool that would get me from point A to point B.

I guess having driven a crappy, barely functional minivan converted to a work truck for 3 years has changed my perspective on that. I know this doesn't sound very rational, but I love my purple truck so much now. I even dream about it from time to time. I'm finding myself just thinking about it while I'm not doing anything. It makes no sense LOL.

This weekend, I will be changing oil and use seafoam to clean out the engine.

I've actually never felt this way toward an inanimate object before. It's sort of like the feeling one gets about someone after the first couple of dates. Like this morning, I am just sitting here drinking my coffee and I'm finding myself smiling while thinking about my purple truck.

 

[Dominus]

^ Was just looking through old photos. This one is from 2018. Middle class house in nice neighborhood. Brand new truck. Happily married. Dogs. Pretty much living the dream.



A part of me really regrets giving all that up to try to further my life. From 2018 to 2022, I went from what's in that picture to the crappy minivan and a divorce.

 

[rareboy]

But think how much you have learned from the experience.

Hopefully the next time around you end up with someone who shares your ambition and dreams and not someone who sees you as just a means of only getting what they want.

 

[belamyi]

^ Was just looking through old photos. This one is from 2018. Middle class house in nice neighborhood. Brand new truck. Happily married. Dogs. Pretty much living the dream.

View attachment 1852645

A part of me really regrets giving all that up to try to further my life. From 2018 to 2022, I went from what's in that picture to the crappy minivan and a divorce.

You mean you got yourself freed from the gay picket fences hell.

 

[Dominus]

But think how much you have learned from the experience.

Hopefully the next time around you end up with someone who shares your ambition and dreams and not someone who sees you as just a means of only getting what they want.

It's been a year and a half. It still hurts.

 

[rareboy]

Of course it does.

And it may for a some months yet.

But you need to ,move beyond boys that need you for a meal ticket to men that appreciate your rather high level of risk taking.

NEVER, EVER, take on some hard case twink that needs you to cover their expenses.

Only engage with men (or boys) willing to do without and live the adventure with you.

Trust me.

 

[ShadowCat]

Of course it does.

And it may for a some months yet.

But you need to ,move beyond boys that need you for a meal ticket to men that appreciate your rather high level of risk taking.

NEVER, EVER, take on some hard case twink that needs you to cover their expenses.

Only engage with men (or boys) willing to do without and live the adventure with you.

Trust me.

I've done without my entire life, 34 1/2 years of that shit is enough, "But we have love" yeah we also have worry! I'm not about that anymore! In all honesty I wouldn't mind being a stay at home husband keeping the home clean, bills paid, laundry washed dried folded, hot meals on the table! While I would like a certain amount of adventure I also don't want financial uncertainty that I have grown up with and have accepted as "normal" Nothing is normal about how I had to grow up or what I currently deal with! Btw nice purple! I wouldn't mind a people Jeep myself!

 

[Dominus]

I've done without my entire life, 34 1/2 years of that shit is enough, "But we have love" yeah we also have worry! I'm not about that anymore! In all honesty I wouldn't mind being a stay at home husband keeping the home clean, bills paid, laundry washed dried folded, hot meals on the table! While I would like a certain amount of adventure I also don't want financial uncertainty that I have grown up with and have accepted as "normal" Nothing is normal about how I had to grow up or what I currently deal with! Btw nice purple! I wouldn't mind a people Jeep myself!

What do you mean you have worry? And by 34 1/2 years, have you guys been together that long? Or are you referring to your age?

What I did, at least what I tell myself anyway, was I took 3 steps back in order to take 5 steps forward. I was an engineer. My husband was in PR for a construction company. We both earned good income. And by all accounts, very secure.

But I was never able to shake the feeling that no job is ever secure. Look at twitter. Facebook. Even mega corporations have massive layoffs of their engineers all the time. That's why I searched left and right, high and low trying to find something more secure than that. What better security than real estate?

Moving to Indianapolis from Chicago Area was the start of that. And sure enough, about a year after I left that branch, I got word that the company laid off everybody in my department. Every engineer was let go (I was destined to take a hike had I stayed there). Even my boss the department head was gone. My husband also got word that his former company in Chicago also liquidated his whole department at around the same time.

Been trying to explain this to my folks ever since. When you are working for someone else, there is no such thing as job security.

The last 3 years have been ultra tough. But in the grand scheme of things, I firmly believe it was the right move. Who's to say my ex wouldn't have just get up and leave to be in Fort Bottomdale, FL had we stayed in Chicago? Some people in my life have told me he probably would have left anyway. He'd been talking about just getting up and go to down there for as long as we had been together. Had we stayed there, we would have been stuck with a mortgage and 2 car payments while not having any job. That alternate timeline was destined to be a disaster.

I guess I can't help but playing out alternate timelines in my head lately.

People keep asking me what if the housing market crashes? I keep having to explain to them that such an event has nothing to do with me. I own rentals. I don't own properties for the appreciation. I don't care that the housing market crashes. As long as there are renters in the market, I'll be fine.

 

[Dominus]

A couple days ago, I took my truck into the local chevy dealership to have them swap out the airbag inflater for free. It's a recall service. I also had them do a diagnostic on why the hell my dash kept flashing "service airbag". They called me and said the impact sensors needed to be replaced. About $500 each. That's $1K

I told them no thank you I will do that on my own. So, I just paid the $150 for diagnostic.

Went out and bought these.

https://www.autozone.com/collision-body-parts-and-hardware/air-bag-impact-sensor/p/dorman-air-bag-impact-sensor-590-206/717_2390502_56614?searchText=590-206

And the light went away. No more check engine lights!!!!!!!!!!



Ok, this may be stupid to some of you. But hear me out. Ever since I bought this truck, I've always had the check engine light and the service air bag light on. Things I've had to do to get rid of the check engine light.

-Changed all 4 oxygen sensors.
-Cleaned the 2 catalytic converters.
-Changed the PCV cover. It was horribly clogged.
-Changed the spark plugs, wires, and coils. They were original and started to misfire.
-Cleaned the engine idle valve.
-Changed engine oil twice.
-Replaced impact sensors for airbag system.

Things to do in the future.

-Disable AFM system. I hate it that this thing goes from V4 to V8 to V4 to V8... I'm gonna get it to just stay at V8 all the time.

-Install step bars. I have to jump in there every time. And my riders always have trouble getting in because it's too high up, especially my elderly parents.

-Lift it by 4-5 inches. LOL don't know why I want it even higher up.

-Put leather over all the seats. Fabric right now.

 

[Charon]

So, you did all that yourself? If yes, then I predict your truck will fall apart soon, since only those with experience in auto repair will know what they're doing. Unless, of course, you suddenly used to work as a auto mechanic in the past..

 

[Dominus]

So, you did all that yourself? If yes, then I predict your truck will fall apart soon, since only those with experience in auto repair will know what they're doing. Unless, of course, you suddenly used to work as a auto mechanic in the past..

Nope, never been an auto mechanic in my life. But those things are easy to do. There's also this thing called youtube that gives you instructions on how to do those things.

For example, replacing oxygen sensor is just a matter of unhooking and unscrewing it and then screwing the new one and hooking it up.

I can see how these tasks seem impossible to someone who views all of these things as a black box, though.

 

[Charon]

Nope, never been an auto mechanic in my life. But those things are easy to do. There's also this thing called youtube that gives you instructions on how to do those things.

P sure YT isn't the most reliable source for instructions.

I can see how these tasks seem impossible to someone who views all of these things as a black box, though.

Not really.

 

[cityboy-stl]

A couple days ago, I took my truck into the local chevy dealership to have them swap out the airbag inflater for free. It's a recall service. I also had them do a diagnostic on why the hell my dash kept flashing "service airbag". They called me and said the impact sensors needed to be replaced. About $500 each. That's $1K

I told them no thank you I will do that on my own. So, I just paid the $150 for diagnostic.

Went out and bought these.

https://www.autozone.com/collision-body-parts-and-hardware/air-bag-impact-sensor/p/dorman-air-bag-impact-sensor-590-206/717_2390502_56614?searchText=590-206

And the light went away. No more check engine lights!!!!!!!!!!

View attachment 1877895

Ok, this may be stupid to some of you. But hear me out. Ever since I bought this truck, I've always had the check engine light and the service air bag light on. Things I've had to do to get rid of the check engine light.

-Changed all 4 oxygen sensors.
-Cleaned the 2 catalytic converters.
-Changed the PCV cover. It was horribly clogged.
-Changed the spark plugs, wires, and coils. They were original and started to misfire.
-Cleaned the engine idle valve.
-Changed engine oil twice.
-Replaced impact sensors for airbag system.

Things to do in the future.

-Disable AFM system. I hate it that this thing goes from V4 to V8 to V4 to V8... I'm gonna get it to just stay at V8 all the time.

-Install step bars. I have to jump in there every time. And my riders always have trouble getting in because it's too high up, especially my elderly parents.

-Lift it by 4-5 inches. LOL don't know why I want it even higher up.

-Put leather over all the seats. Fabric right now.

I think it's cool that you can do all this yourself.

 

[Dominus]

I think it's cool that you can do all this yourself.

Well, if you get a "professional" to do everything for you, everything adds up to you being broke real quick. I change my own oil, brake pads, rotors, etc. I only take my car to the mechanic for things I can't do myself or things that require specialized tools.

I treat it more like a hobby. It can be pretty fun. I know an old guy who's a millionaire who just spent a week changing his timing belt. Most people tend to think of millionaires that are stuck up and drive fancy cars. In reality, the ones I know drive old cars and like to be hands-on with a lot of things.

Again, I recognize that these things seem impossible to people who like to view everything as a black box.

 

[Rickrock]

It's really good that you are able to do so much yourself. There is no way I could do those things. It does take some of your free time, but if you look at it as a hobby that works.

 

[rareboy]

Things to do in the future.

-Disable AFM system. I hate it that this thing goes from V4 to V8 to V4 to V8... I'm gonna get it to just stay at V8 all the time.
-Install step bars. I have to jump in there every time. And my riders always have trouble getting in because it's too high up, especially my elderly parents.
-Lift it by 4-5 inches. LOL don't know why I want it even higher up.
-Put leather over all the seats. Fabric right now.

Usually it is about penis size.

 

[cityboy-stl]

Well, if you get a "professional" to do everything for you, everything adds up to you being broke real quick. I change my own oil, brake pads, rotors, etc. I only take my car to the mechanic for things I can't do myself or things that require specialized tools.

I treat it more like a hobby. It can be pretty fun. I know an old guy who's a millionaire who just spent a week changing his timing belt. Most people tend to think of millionaires that are stuck up and drive fancy cars. In reality, the ones I know drive old cars and like to be hands-on with a lot of things.

Again, I recognize that these things seem impossible to people who like to view everything as a black box.

I might do simple electrical stuff like change a plug or a switch. But I learned a long time ago that for most things (especially plumbing), I always end up calling someone anyway. Not only to fix the original problem, but to fix what I F'ed up. No matter how closely I follow the instructions on youtube or in a book, nothing ever works the way they say it is supposed to work. I do exactly what they say, and what they say is supposed to happen, never does.

 

[rareboy]

Usually it is about penis size.

Usually it is about penis size.

This was a joke by the way....

 

[Dominus]

I've become quite addicted to working on my truck. Here are some things I've done so far.

In no particular order. Also missing some basic stuff.

1. Added head unit for android auto.
2. Added backup camera.
3. Added backup beep.
4. Changed out all the brakes with new brakes and rotors... and drums.
5. Put leather seat covers on.
6. Replaced door lock actuators.
7. Replaced transmission filter, fluid, and pan (with plug).
8. Replaced oxygen sensors and air bag impact sensors.
9. Replaced all spark plugs, coils, and wires.
10. Replaced upper control arms.
11. Replace upper and lower ball joints.
12. Replaced sway bars.
13. Replaced tie rods.
14. Replaced rear differential fluid and cover plate. Cleaned out the rear differential.
15. Replaced front different fluid.
16. Transfer case fluid.
17. Put chip in to disable AFM to stay on V8 all time.
18. (Latest) Put running bars on.

What else can I do next?

 

[Dominus]

New leather seat covers really changed the look of the interior.