What did you do to/for your 1er today?

[chris_flies]

Originally Posted by Esteban

Always lived in SoCal, wouldn't live anywhere else! Perfect driving weather and summer tires all year long!

Looked at UCI on Monday, looking at the real Cal Poly (San Luis, according to mi padre). 30k students is ridiculous. The last school I looked at, Embry-Riddle of Prescott, had only 2500 students. My high school has more students. Teetering between Mechanical and Aeronautical Engineering here, working on cars sends me towards mechanical, seeing planes fly leans me towards aeronautical...they're both so cool!

EDIT: And a lot of the good schools are in the west, which means the weather will be brilliant

[gary_william]

Microfilter, brake fluid change, general checkup. Run flats are apparently toast, so time to upgrade tires. Woot!

[icegrill]

Originally Posted by BimmerAg

Spark plugs and charge pipe! Getting ready for MHD

Me too! Did you use NGKs?

[iminhell1]

I drove it, as a normal adult. No funny business or tom foolery.

It was depressing. I shall remedy that tomorrow, doubly.



In other news,
Buddy has had a TDI Touareg sitting since October. He finally tinkered and got it running, though not well. It need help and he's been reading and I've taken it up also.
I've read about some strange concept engines and a few oddball antiques. This thing takes the cake, bar none. It's pretty clear that the engineering dept at vag couldn't strike so they set out to force their will in another way to get a raise. Sadistic SOB's.

If you ever get a chance to drive one, take it. They are very fun and capable.
If you ever have to work on one, phenobarbital will be your best friend.

[tock172]

Originally Posted by chris_flies

Looked at UCI on Monday, looking at the real Cal Poly (San Luis, according to mi padre). 30k students is ridiculous. The last school I looked at, Embry-Riddle of Prescott, had only 2500 students. My high school has more students. Teetering between Mechanical and Aeronautical Engineering here, working on cars sends me towards mechanical, seeing planes fly leans me towards aeronautical...they're both so cool!

EDIT: And a lot of the good schools are in the west, which means the weather will be brilliant

I'm actually ERAU Prescott alumnus. My freshman year, total enrollment was barely over 1,200.

[JimVonBaden]

Originally Posted by chris_flies

Looked at UCI on Monday, looking at the real Cal Poly (San Luis, according to mi padre). 30k students is ridiculous. The last school I looked at, Embry-Riddle of Prescott, had only 2500 students. My high school has more students. Teetering between Mechanical and Aeronautical Engineering here, working on cars sends me towards mechanical, seeing planes fly leans me towards aeronautical...they're both so cool!

EDIT: And a lot of the good schools are in the west, which means the weather will be brilliant

I went to Embry Riddle. Great school on the level of MIT for aeronautical engineering. Prescott is a pretty great location, even if winters are worse then NoVA. You could look at the FL campus if weather is a consideration.

[BimmerAg]

Originally Posted by Esteban

Curious, what charge pipe did you go with? Can't make out what it says on the label.

Edit: whoops... just saw it in your sig. Nevermind.

Haha yep, I ninja edited that right after I made my post. Got it for $100 from someone in a local facebook group that had wrecked his car and was parting out some pieces. It has a few paint chips, but obviously nothing that affects performance. Fitment was a little tight squeezing it into place, but good once I got it in there. The guy I bought it from didn't include any hardware for installing the MAP sensor, so I assumed that the stock bolts would work. I was wrong...So for a day I put my stock charge pipe back on and then went to the hardware store to find the right bolts. I searched through the selection of metric bolts and screws for about 20 minutes trying out M6x1, M6x1.25, M5x.8, M4x.7, etc... and none of them worked, so I finally decided to check and see if any standard sizes would fit and #8-32 was a perfect fit. Why would they design a part to use standard size bolts when literally everything else on the car is metric?!?!?!

[BimmerAg]

Originally Posted by icegrill

Me too! Did you use NGKs?

Nope, Bosch

[desertman123]

Originally Posted by chris_flies

Looked at UCI on Monday, looking at the real Cal Poly (San Luis, according to mi padre). 30k students is ridiculous. The last school I looked at, Embry-Riddle of Prescott, had only 2500 students. My high school has more students. Teetering between Mechanical and Aeronautical Engineering here, working on cars sends me towards mechanical, seeing planes fly leans me towards aeronautical...they're both so cool!

EDIT: And a lot of the good schools are in the west, which means the weather will be brilliant

Hey Florida is always an option, we don't have that great of driving roads, but there's no emissions testing whatsoever and no front plate.

I'm at UCF where there's 66k students also a mechanical engineering major.

Don't think too hard about which side to go to, ME and AE's first 2 years are identical. Calc 1-3, diff eq, physics 1/2, etc. I got a friend who's working on airplanes for the military with his ME degree as well.

UCF actually even offers a program where you can get both degrees if you just take an extra semester or 2 of classes. Judging from the job market, at least in Central Florida, ME seems a bit more versatile.

Maybe look into aerospace as well? SpaceX, Lockheed and Boeing are always looking for fresh students.

[minirips2]

Originally Posted by chris_flies

Looked at UCI on Monday, looking at the real Cal Poly (San Luis, according to mi padre). 30k students is ridiculous. The last school I looked at, Embry-Riddle of Prescott, had only 2500 students. My high school has more students. Teetering between Mechanical and Aeronautical Engineering here, working on cars sends me towards mechanical, seeing planes fly leans me towards aeronautical...they're both so cool!

EDIT: And a lot of the good schools are in the west, which means the weather will be brilliant

I went to ERAU Daytona. A/C Maintenance. Graduated in'82. Man, I feel old! If you do end up in FLA, get a clear paint protection film. The lovebugs are murder on paint.

[Zombie_Head]

Took my car to a "professional" detailer to have him take a look at the paint.

From my experience and what i know, it needed a 2 stage (some medium scratches and some light ones).

This...gentleman was completely off, he did not want to use a clay bar, claiming he can "polish and clean" in one step, which makes no sense to me.

He will then use a spray wax/sealant and claim it will last "a very long time" if the car is garaged, wanted to charge me €200 for this "package".

When i saw some of his customer's cars, they looked nice and clean, scratch and swirl free but they lacked any kind of depth/wetness you get from using good carnauba wax.

He is fully booked till mid April, told him i will think about it, but i do not think i will go to him, i just did not feel comfortable at all, felt like he wanted to just machine polish, wax and hand me the car instead of proper work.

[WDE82]

Originally Posted by Zombie_Head

Took my car to a "professional" detailer to have him take a look at the paint.

From my experience and what i know, it needed a 2 stage (some medium scratches and some light ones).

This...gentleman was completely off, he did not want to use a clay bar, claiming he can "polish and clean" in one step, which makes no sense to me.

He will then use a spray wax/sealant and claim it will last "a very long time" if the car is garaged, wanted to charge me €200 for this "package".

When i saw some of his customer's cars, they looked nice and clean, scratch and swirl free but they lacked any kind of depth/wetness you get from using good carnauba wax.

He is fully booked till mid April, told him i will think about it, but i do not think i will go to him, i just did not feel comfortable at all, felt like he wanted to just machine polish, wax and hand me the car instead of proper work.

Find another person then. A good paint correction detail should be to wash thoroughly, claybar, at least a wipedown with quick detailer, compound, polish, wash or wipe-down again (careful to remove all wax from crevices), then wax.

As far as spray waxes go, I generally put on a sealant twice a year (Meg's 21 is what I use now), then whenever I wash my car, I dry it by spraying spray wax on the panel and buffing with a waffle weave. That lasts a very long time.

[WDE82]

Originally Posted by desertman123

Hey Florida is always an option, we don't have that great of driving roads, but there's no emissions testing whatsoever and no front plate.

I'm at UCF where there's 66k students also a mechanical engineering major.

Don't think too hard about which side to go to, ME and AE's first 2 years are identical. Calc 1-3, diff eq, physics 1/2, etc. I got a friend who's working on airplanes for the military with his ME degree as well.

UCF actually even offers a program where you can get both degrees if you just take an extra semester or 2 of classes. Judging from the job market, at least in Central Florida, ME seems a bit more versatile.

Maybe look into aerospace as well? SpaceX, Lockheed and Boeing are always looking for fresh students.

+1 on not thinking too hard in the beginning. Just be careful about unusual prerequisites for the respective programs.

As far as versatility, there isn't too much difference. I know AEs working in automotive and I know MEs working in aerospace. ME is definitely more general but they both give you a lot of the same tools.

SpaceX pays jack shit. A recruiter of theirs called me for a manufacturing engineer position and they were only offering 10-15% more than I make now to move to a place with COL that's WAAAAY higher than where I am and likely WAY more hours worked.

[chris_flies]

Appreciating all the point-outs and tips! Again, this community gives me such a warm, fuzzy feeling!

I've been specifically told that Daytona campus for ERAU isn't an option, because there's a beach within spitting distance, and it's a party town

Weather isn't even a consideration, really, just an added bonus with certain schools

[tock172]

I'm shocked to see two others in addition myself that have gone to ERAU. Most people can't even pronounce it correctly.

I'll say this: moving and adjusting from San Diego, where I grew up, to Prescott for college was rough. There's just not that much going on around there, as the majority of Prescott residents are over retirement age. It's not uncommon for groups of friends at Riddle to split for the weekend to either head down to Phoenix, up to Flagstaff or out to California. I had a good group of friends that I was with from freshman year until graduation, but most of us left exciting lives to go to college in sleepy northern Arizona. It was rough, but worth it. The school is excellent, and my professors were passionate and inspiring people. Things have gotten better since I was there as well. It used to be around 90% male.

[chris_flies]

Originally Posted by tock172

I'm shocked to see two others in addition myself that have gone to ERAU. Most people can't even pronounce it correctly.

I'll say this: moving and adjusting from San Diego, where I grew up, to Prescott for college was rough. There's just not that much going on around there, as the majority of Prescott residents are over retirement age. It's not uncommon for groups of friends at Riddle to split for the weekend to either head down to Phoenix, up to Flagstaff or out to California. I had a good group of friends that I was with from freshman year until graduation, but most of us left exciting lives to go to college in sleepy northern Arizona. It was rough, but worth it. The school is excellent, and my professors were passionate and inspiring people. Things have gotten better since I was there as well. It used to be around 90% male.

I think I could use the slower pace, it'll be an adjustment from being near DC, but I think I'd enjoy it. Nice thing is, that there are a few tracks within 3 hours, so I'll be able to do fun car stuff on weekends . I love the area, I just have a thing for high desert; the weather is fantastic, you still have seasons, and the scenery is breathtaking. I think it's around 60% male now...

[desertman123]

Originally Posted by chris_flies

I think it's around 60% male now...

My dad told me this about women in science majors:

The odds are good, but the goods are odd.

[chris_flies]

Originally Posted by desertman123

My dad told me this about women in science majors:

The odds are good, but the goods are odd.

[JimVonBaden]

Originally Posted by tock172

I'm shocked to see two others in addition myself that have gone to ERAU. Most people can't even pronounce it correctly.

I'll say this: moving and adjusting from San Diego, where I grew up, to Prescott for college was rough. There's just not that much going on around there, as the majority of Prescott residents are over retirement age. It's not uncommon for groups of friends at Riddle to split for the weekend to either head down to Phoenix, up to Flagstaff or out to California. I had a good group of friends that I was with from freshman year until graduation, but most of us left exciting lives to go to college in sleepy northern Arizona. It was rough, but worth it. The school is excellent, and my professors were passionate and inspiring people. Things have gotten better since I was there as well. It used to be around 90% male.

Vegas is as close as Phoenix!

[JimVonBaden]

Originally Posted by chris_flies

I think I could use the slower pace, it'll be an adjustment from being near DC, but I think I'd enjoy it. Nice thing is, that there are a few tracks within 3 hours, so I'll be able to do fun car stuff on weekends . I love the area, I just have a thing for high desert; the weather is fantastic, you still have seasons, and the scenery is breathtaking. I think it's around 60% male now...

The 60% is good for you. You need to focus. Plenty of time for wimins later! Then again, there is Vegas and Bullhead City AZ for weekend fun!

[gary_william]

Airbag recall. Check.

I went to a small college in Vermont. On campus were 450 men and 50 women. Not good odds. Of the 50 womem, 30 were fat, ugly, or both because Vermont. Of the 20, 16 had boyfriends, 2 were celestial virgins, and one had every VD known to man. That left 1 girl for 450 guys to fight over.

Thank god the college had a working farm...

[tock172]

Originally Posted by desertman123

My dad told me this about women in science majors:

The odds are good, but the goods are odd.

This phrased was used very, very frequently when I was at ERAU.

Originally Posted by JimVonBaden

Vegas is as close as Phoenix!

I set a few personal speed records between Prescott and Vegas in my E46. Thanks to my V1, I never got busted either.

Originally Posted by chris_flies

I think I could use the slower pace, it'll be an adjustment from being near DC, but I think I'd enjoy it. Nice thing is, that there are a few tracks within 3 hours, so I'll be able to do fun car stuff on weekends . I love the area, I just have a thing for high desert; the weather is fantastic, you still have seasons, and the scenery is breathtaking. I think it's around 60% male now...

Sounds like a good fit for you. I am not an engineer, so my experience isn't completely applicable to you, and I also went into a career field completely unrelated to what I studied or what most Riddle graduates do. Good luck making the decision. It's a big one!

Originally Posted by gary_william

Airbag recall. Check.

I went to a small college in Vermont. On campus were 450 men and 50 women. Not good odds. Of the 50 womem, 30 were fat, ugly, or both because Vermont. Of the 20, 16 had boyfriends, 2 were celestial virgins, and one had every VD known to man. That left 1 girl for 450 guys to fight over.

Thank god the college had a working farm...