Stewie's home, but not without a little protest...

[hammerhead300]

Some of you probably remember the Silverstone AP1 that I said I was considering buying. Well, the considering's all done, and so is the drive home.

At the risk of giving away the story before I've even told it, let me say that I hate winter weather. I'm not a huge fan of the cold, but I can live with it. I hate snow and ice, though. I found out the hard way that Stewie doesn't like it either. I'd been cruising along about 50MPH, getting through the snow with minimal trouble, and all of a sudden I hit a very small patch of ice on the highway. The back end of the car got loose, I tried to correct, and half a second (which is apparently long enough for a 22-year-old to watch every one of those 22 years flash before his eyes) later, the back end of the car was atop a snow-covered berm, and I was doing a strange combination of yelling obscenities and praying that my car was alright. Long story short, we got the car out of the snow and the only damage was a slightly loosened rear bumper (which should be nothing more than a couple ratchet clicks to fix). I think the big guy upstairs was watching out for me, but at the same time, He's making sure that I'm well aware of the car's limits and what happens when those limits are exceeded.

How do I like the car? Well, let's just say that the above incident was the only thing that's taken the smile off my face since the second I saw it in the gas station parking lot waiting for me to take it home, and even that couldn't keep the grin away for long!

[Java Junky]

'Best'a luck with it HH.
N' remember: the shiny side goes up.
Be well,
Java

[D1sclaimer]

Im guessing you were accelerating when the back end kicked out. Its something you have to be careful about when learning to drive stewie.

I live in Nubraska and use him as my daily driver in the snow on my regular tires. Unless we get about 3 inches, then I'll drive my accord.
Given its probably your first rear wheel drive car, it'll take a little learning to drive in the snow cause its completely different.

Im no way saying you're a bad driver. I got into an accident with stewie my first month with him. The same thing happened, just without the snow. The previous owner put B rated tires on him for some reason, but its still my fault cause I didn't properly maintain my vehicle. Your lucky thats all the damage that happened.

I'd just suggest gradually driving more spirited to learn how stewie responds. Even though we don't have much torque, its still enough to throw us off path.

[Java Junky]

D1, you're runnin' Stewie in snow with the stock issued tires?

[D1sclaimer]

yep, the only thing that'll stop me is a big hill. lol. You just have to know your limits when accelerating and watch out for the black ice. I'll also go a different route on bad days so I don't hit the big hills.

I have a funny story about driving in the snow. I was going up a decently sized hill, but I had the momentum, and I passed an evo that got stuck trying to go up the same hill. I waved to him and got a glare back.

Going from my accord to stewie is like taking off the training wheels. I'll only go back if I need to.

[Java Junky]

Okay, so you can activate the disclaimer ray from the get-go, okay?
This is life accordin' ta how I like ta live it n' I like to have as much'uv'an edge'z I can get.
I enjoy drivin' Stewie very, very much n' I enjoy drivin' it very, very hard most'a the time. Ta drive it like you would some other car . . whut'z'att leave ya doon? Profilin'? 'Ain't fer me.
Anyway, in the wintertime I don't like bein' hamstrung by the lack'a traction that ridin' in cold weather n' snow on the stock hoops'll do.
I certainly don't push as hard as I do when the weather'z warm n' dry, but it beats hell oud'a goin' Stewieless for the duration, y'know?
D1, if you're enjoyin' yourself, n' ya ain't riskin' anything . . more power to'ya.
But if asked, n' I figure HH'z little excursion begs some kind'a response, I'd have to recommend that anybody who chooses to stay Stewified durin' the colder weather only do so with hoops appropriate to the conditions.
Jus' 'cause you walked into the lion'z cage to retrieve yer cellphone once don't mean that that'z the way'da go, y'know?
HH, if you're plannin' on usin' yer new ride in'a winter, put winter tires on the stock rims.
When things warm up, treat yourself to a new set'a wheels (appropriately sized for the Stewie stagger) n' mount your stickies on 'em for the nice weather.
'Best I can tell ya HH.
Java

[Neil]

Big issue in Canada snow tires that is.......Quebec has a manditory policy.
Along with you JJ, anything below 40f for day to day driving I would install winter tires n some cheap steel rims, just to get you thru .........getting crunched in stewie would not be fun.

Neil

[bbcricketta]

60 ℉ here in the swamp today.

what are snow tires? i probably have driven in the driven snow 25 times in my life. don't like it.

spring is just around the corner.

i will be out and about seekin' corner when it warms up. it is chilly this morning. a little mash the gas and vtec, don't you know.

see ya at 8000 rpm.

[bbcricketta]

TOP DOWN TODAY

[Java Junky]

Beeb, wuzz'att "a little mash the gas n' VTEC", 'r, wuzz'att a little mash, the gas n' VTEC"?

[Neil]

Thanks for rubbing it in guys, your all out playin while my tongue is still stuck to the car.

[bbcricketta]

i got mash; i got gas; i got gasoline; i got vtec.

i'll be a-mashin' thu gas petal, inducin' vtec (also known as enterin' the temple) and makin' that 2 pernt 2 liters sound liken it wuz demon possessed...i may be a-passin' gas as well...don't really matter wit' top down.

now as to the holy water (i believe you reffered to it as mash)--that will come after vtec-in'...vtec and mash is a most powerful combination, an' a downright heresey ta the temple of vtec...bein's i am a religious nutcase, an' a recent convert, i don't do it, and i don't recommend it. there is a time for everthing, and everthing in its' own time. a-drinkin' an' a-drivin' has struck down many a man, an' i have repented--sometimes ya look back and find it amazin' that ya are still livin'.

now, hit's a-warmin' up, an' i got petal mashin' ta do...

keep it twixt the ditches.

[Neil]

Where ever you go..................be safe, and don't forget your clubs !

[TheSoundMan21]

HammerHead man im 23 and I feel the same way about winter as you. Strange thing is here in OK. USA we still get 60 to 70 degree weather then the next day it will be 30 or below. So its pretty sweet. I am dreading tomorrow though because of snow and ice. Lord help me.

[DJJSR]

Still waaaaay too cold here. Even the liquid nitrogen that I keep my spare body parts in is frozen. (oops, forget you read that)

[Java Junky]

Whoa!
Don'z obviously godda cooler.
Roadtrip!
Whut's yer supply'a rum like lad?

[hammerhead300]

Don, why not just throw the bodies in the trunk and leave 'em for awhile? That should keep 'em nice and preserved.

This is actually my second RWD car, my first RWD car was my first car, a 1989 Thunderbird, which I put in the ditch once in winter weather, although it wasn't nearly as scary as the experience I had last night with Stewie. I didn't have that Thunderbird all that long though, as I found out first-hand that a Crown Vic will take a side impact at 15MPH without a scratch, but a T-bird won't take a front impact at that same speed without putting the front bumper a little closer to the front tires.

I drove Stewie to work this morning, and he behaved, even in the snow... at low speeds, it doesn't seem any different than any other car in the slippery stuff.

By the way, D1sclaimer, where in Nebraska are you? I'm in O'Neill.

[D1sclaimer]

Originally Posted by hammerhead300

Don, why not just throw the bodies in the trunk and leave 'em for awhile? That should keep 'em nice and preserved.

This is actually my second RWD car, my first RWD car was my first car, a 1989 Thunderbird, which I put in the ditch once in winter weather, although it wasn't nearly as scary as the experience I had last night with Stewie. I didn't have that Thunderbird all that long though, as I found out first-hand that a Crown Vic will take a side impact at 15MPH without a scratch, but a T-bird won't take a front impact at that same speed without putting the front bumper a little closer to the front tires.

I drove Stewie to work this morning, and he behaved, even in the snow... at low speeds, it doesn't seem any different than any other car in the slippery stuff.

By the way, D1sclaimer, where in Nebraska are you? I'm in O'Neill.

Bennington, Nebraska. Its less than a mile North of Omaha. I've got a bunch of relatives in Pender. I think thats only like 100 miles from you. Everytime I go up to Pender, everyones driving a Ford or a Chevy. How'd you pull off getting the S? Import isn't in their dictionary with my relatives.

[hammerhead300]

I think I've been through Bennington on my way to Omaha a few times... Pender's actually more in Wayne's neck of the woods, but it might be within 100 miles of here. This is definitely Ford/Chevy/Dodge country here, there are plenty of imports around, but most of them are family cars. There's someone in town that has a 300ZX, and two or three ricers (there's a guy with an MX-5 that has the spoiler, stickers, bodykit, etc. right next to where I work, and I've seen an orange-colored Eclipse with a big spoiler and carbon fiber hood around a couple times) but not a lot of sports cars. There was a kid in O'Neill who apparently got an S2000 as a graduation present, but he's gone now, and he may not even have it anymore. I did hear a lot of "get a Ford/I would never buy an import" type comments when I told some of the people I work with and some other people I know what I was getting, but I mostly just shrugged them off. My dad helped me pick out my Celica when I went car-shopping for a college car, and my uncle swears by Honda, so I think my family has a little more sense than that.

[flipngo]

Java

If you are ever west Canuck land I always have rum in the cupboard.

[D1sclaimer]

craziness. another member on here, cherry popper, lives in bellevue. hes stationed at offutt air force base.

[Java Junky]

'At'z right neighborly'uv'ya flip, much obliged.
'Lookin' forward ta takin' you up on the offer one'a these warmer (I talk big with the "winters" we have down here . . you guys got WINTERS up there, put a big-talkin' flatlander such'z myself right in'izz place) days.
Java

[gomarlins3]

Congrats on the new car. I am sorry to hear about your mishap, but glad to hear (most) everything is ok.

[hammerhead300]

Originally Posted by gomarlins3

Congrats on the new car. I am sorry to hear about your mishap, but glad to hear (most) everything is ok.

Thanks! It was pretty scary at the time (and pretty embarrassing too since I had a passenger with me), but I think in retrospect I'll be looking back and laughing at it for a long time now.