PLFXpert 0 #1 March 6, 2001 Hey guys....we used to joke at my old home DZ about our cars b/c most were pretty battered but mine took the ribbon. Just wanted to hear your funny stories about yours.....here's mine:I have a '95 Geo Metro. My transmission is shot and since I don't have the $1200 to have it rebuilt, for the last 4 months I've been driving on gears 1, 2 and 5 since 3 and 4 don't work and I'm just praying she holds out for me until I can find a transmission in a junkyard (so far, have been unsuccessful.) My CV axle broke a month ago and the whole front of my car fell down but luckily some friends found an almost new one that fit in a junkyard and installed it for me so that is taken car of. Someone knocked my rear view mirrors off but they're still hangin on by a thread. My drivers side windshield wiper doesn't work too great and my window rolls up all but a crack so I get drenched driving in a thunderstorm. I have countless dents and scratches on it but my motto is "where there's a scratch, there's a sticker" so consequently my car is covered in skydiving stickers (used to be all surf/wakeboarding stickers until I started skydiving.) BUT I CAN'T COMPLAIN b/c she still takes me from point A to point B and has always kept me safe, *never* (knock on wood) broken down on me on the side of the road and she takes the cheapest gas. Of course, that's what makes my car a *she* b/c only a girl could take that kind of licking and keep on tickingMUCH LOVE AND BLUE SKIES!Carrie http://www.geocities.com/skydivegrl20/ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
OmriMon 0 #2 March 6, 2001 Cars?!?!what is that????we use Camels over here Free Skies,Omri Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Zennie 0 #3 March 6, 2001 I've always wondered if you could tap the camel's hump if you ever got thirsty. 'Course then people would fight over the German camels. ------------Blue Skies!Zennie Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Iflyme 0 #4 March 6, 2001 Some people here (triple F for example) are real car buffs ... for me, a car is just a form of transportation to get you from here to there. I drive a 91 Voyager Van which holds my hockey gear, skydiving gear, scuba gear (sounds like I might get to use it all again soon!), my telescope, plus my wife and 2 kids! And it's gonna pull the tent trailer this summer, too... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AggieDave 6 #5 March 6, 2001 I've got my '98 k1500 Chevy pickup, but my one true and undying love is my '73 SuperBeetle (1302). It's my baby and I've been restoring/modifying it for the past few years. :)AggieDave '02-------------Blue Skies and Gig'em Ags!BTHO t.u. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Deleted 0 #6 March 6, 2001 I just thought I'd share my story of how I came to drive a $200 1984 Toyota Camry. Years ago, before I was a skydiver, I saw the car of my dreams. A mint condition 1979 Pontiac Trans Am, selling for $5000. After seeing it, I took all of the money that I had been working hard for over the past few years and bought it. For years, I loved this car... until I started jumping. With my DZ being 75 miles from home, I was beginning to spend a lot of money driving 300 miles each weekend in a car that got 8 mpg on premium gas. Anyways, to make a long story short, about 6 months ago, my car had the misfortune of getting wrapped around a Buick (other driver's fault). The car was totalled, and here I was with a $5200 check from her insurance company. Although I was sorry to see the car go, this was definately a blessing in disguise. Well, I'm sure you can guess what I did. I bought the cheapest car I could find ($200) and spent the other $5000 on a brand new custom rig. Although all my whuffo friends thought I was nuts, I don't regret the decision for a second. So far, both the car and the rig have managed to get me from point A to point B safely, and I couldn't ask for anything more. Plus, with a car that gets 30 mpg, that's a lot of money (jump tickets) I'm saving. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cyberskydive 0 #7 March 6, 2001 I would tell you that I would rebuild your trans since I used to be a GM tech, but its a geo, so nevermind-LOL- Up untill 6 months ago I drove a 1969 VW BUG. Needless to say me and my little "Luv Bug" had some preyyt wild times, and its hard to see out of the back window with all the skydiving stickers stuck on the back. But everytime it broke, I fixed it, afterall its just a VW, I did take the engine half apart in the DZ parkin lot once to fix a few things-LOL- got it stuck in a ditch leavin a local bar, pulled it out with the plane tie-downs the next morning, that was a laugh. Shouldnt have been driving it anyway.And Aggie! CAnt say I agree with your choice of years-LOL- I'm not a big fan of superbeetles unless they were kept up throughout their life. That early Mcpherson system just sucks! Give me the beams! I also have a 71 standard and just got rid of a 64 6V a while back. D.Chisolm C-28534[email protected]http://www.sunraydesigns.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
miked10270 0 #8 March 6, 2001 Hi Frank,I'm with you (sort of). I'm running a Long Wheelbase Landrover which I've had a couple of years. It's a 1971 model, right on the change between Series IIA & Series III (so parts for it can sometimes be a pain - but that's part of the funAnyway... it carries Iona, the kids, my skydiving gear, the dog and our camping gear (not necessarily in that order) and you can just throw the whole lot in the back. Plus, it costs £75PA plus fuel to run! Oh yes, it'll go ANYWHERE!!!I even converted Iona & she's now got a 1989 Landrover LWB 12 seat station wagon (this is the civilised one with power steering & auto transmission).Mike D10270.PS. Just in case Social Services are reading this, I don't actually just "throw" the kids into the back!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
OmriMon 0 #9 March 6, 2001 U see now, all of u spend 100's of dollars for a car that last for lets say 10 years with a high maintance cost for gas and stuff, when u can buy a first hand orange camel for 50 Egyption Drekhmot (around 30$) that will last forever, with 0 maintenace cost (camels run on water) AND he could use as your pet or your fighting camel that u can make some exstra cash from camel fighting competitionsFree Skies,Omri Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cyberskydive 0 #10 March 6, 2001 Well I used to have this chiken but.......D.Chisolm C-28534[email protected]http://www.sunraydesigns.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skybytch 259 #11 March 6, 2001 I bought a 68 Camaro two months before I started skydiving. The plan was to restore it and have a sweet ride for once in my life... Managed to rebuild the front end (A-arms, tie rods, ball joints, etc.) and have a bit of rust around the rear window taken care of before I found freefall. A little later on I needed some cash...(three guesses what for!) Still had my ultra-cool 72 Dodge Dart 4 door that I was using as a daily driver. Just couldn't sell the Camaro though, so away went the Dart and the Camaro became my only transpo. So... At one point it had no reverse; if I parked it anywhere I had to put it in neutral and push it out of the parking place. Passenger side window mechanism busted and jammed the door opening mechanism so my kid had to climb in and out like a race car driver. I'd sanded and primed the back end hoping to get some new paint on it; skydiving ended that dream and the rust soon took over the whole trunk. Muffler was blown out so that little 250 straight 6 sounded pretty good. Headliner hung down just far enough to make the rear view mirror totally useless. Driver's seat upholstery was completely shot; had several springs that liked to poke me in the ass as I drove and absolutely NO padding left so the butt cheeks would go to sleep within 10 minutes of starting the drive. Lost the knob off the turn signal handle which turned that into a lethal weapon (still have scars from ramming my leg into it while getting into the car). Rust was growing around the windshield; finally got to the point where driving in the rain meant a nice little shower inside the car. There were no "rain flaps" (I've forgotten the right name for them...) around the wheel wells so if I went through any size puddle water would splash onto the distributor and stall the engine. Had an overheating problem; could only drive it during the summer with the heater on full blast (that's real fun when it's 105F plus outside...). pull and flare,lisa Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Zennie 0 #12 March 6, 2001 I think you're winning. ------------Blue Skies!Zennie Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skreamer 1 #13 March 6, 2001 I drive a Giant Yukon convertible. In the city I leave the Ferraris and Porsches for dead. And the mileage? Some Powerade and bananas and my 2 stroke engine will keep going for hours and hours...Cars suck!/s Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
flyboy62000 0 #14 March 7, 2001 Well, I did have two cars. A '77 MGB that I restored (my first car) that I drove most of the year and before last winter I bought the car I have now, a '78 BMW 530i. I sold my MG at the end of the summer when I moved to school as I had no garage to keep it in. My BMW had a transmission problem like Lisa's Camaro, no reverse. I also delayed getting it fixed and had to push the car into or out of parking spots. I did that only for a few weeks and then shelled out the bucks to get it fixed. It is much better now. Other than that problem I have been very happy with it. It drives nice and looks like brand new, except for a few little things here and there. I like my car and it gets me to the DZ and back. I do wish I still had my MG, though as it was my baby that I put much time and effort into. It lives on in my life, though, because the money I got when I sold it paid for some school, my rig, and getting into skydiving.Blue Skies,Adam Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PLFXpert 0 #15 March 7, 2001 Hey cyberskydive, Geo's (made by Chevrolet) are GM cars.....so how about that rebuild??? He he he....I WISH!MUCH LOVE AND BLUE SKIES!Carrie http://www.geocities.com/skydivegrl20/ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PLFXpert 0 #16 March 7, 2001 HA HA HA HA....Lisa, I think you got meMUCH LOVE AND BLUE SKIES!Carrie http://www.geocities.com/skydivegrl20/ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
flyboy62000 0 #17 March 7, 2001 Carrie, While Geos are sold by GM the cars are actually produced by a japanese company. If you look the Geo Tracker bears a great resemblance (read exact same vehicle) to the Suzuki Samuri. Transmissions are pretty labor intensive and expensive to rebuild, but you could probably find a good used one from a salvage company to replace your broken one. I'd look into this to see what you can find out.Blue Skies,Adam Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PLFXpert 0 #18 March 7, 2001 QuoteMy BMW had a transmission problem like Lisa's Camaro, no reverse. I hear you....so far my gears 3 and 4 NEVER work but my reverse, for the most part does except for every once in a while but I've never had to push it out, thankfully, in neutral, I seemed to always be on just enough incline for it to just kinda roll outIf I could have any car in the world (and not pay for it) I'd get a '69 mustang. I don't know why but I really love them. Cool car, awesome year. I also like the restored VW vans like they drove in the 60s. I saw a really cool one that was painted like the *Mystery Machine* from Scoobie DooMUCH LOVE AND BLUE SKIES!Carrie http://www.geocities.com/skydivegrl20/ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PLFXpert 0 #19 March 7, 2001 Quoteexpensive to rebuild, but you could probably find a good used one from a salvage company to replace your broken oneThis is exactly what I've been doing but so far, no used ones that match my car have turned up. I have quite a few people looking for me though. I'm screwed so far, a rebuilt one would cost $1200 which I don't and won't soon have.MUCH LOVE AND BLUE SKIES!Carrie http://www.geocities.com/skydivegrl20/ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cyberskydive 0 #20 March 7, 2001 I know geos are sld by GM, thats EXACTLY why I know I dont wanna work on em-LOL, but even if I did, the parts to fix it would probably get damn close to buying a new one. The reason you prolly cant find one in a junk yard is because they are all junk, speccially the little deathbox tracker.Plus its manual trans, I'm better with automatic, too many freakin special tools for manuals.D.Chisolm C-28534[email protected]http://www.sunraydesigns.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lazerq3 0 #21 March 7, 2001 Hey carrie as I'm sure you already know this , its all about who ya know!! My wife has a tracker and we had to have the tranny rebuilt, did some askin around and found a friend of the family that does this stuff. Come to find out hes kinda on the inside with certain dealers and I found out that a company called RPM makes all the parts for all diff makes and models of vehicles. They then sell them to the dealers for jacked up prices. Well he got them for RPM cost. Total for me 560$ for both sets of gears , 300$ laborjason Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
froggie 0 #22 March 7, 2001 could only drive it during the summer with the heater on full blast (that's realfun when it's 105F plus outside...). lisaROFLMAO. hehe. I was there! my 1988 dodge dynasty did that!Having to ride around all summer wiht the heat all the way up was horible. it stunk, i stunk :) It was horrible. Not only that, but the damn thing liked to do crazy shit for no reason. Driving down the pike, it would stall out. Sitting at a red light, It would overheat. Need gas? prepare for an engine fire, thats what I learned one night at the gas station (911! i need a firetruck. car!engine! fire! near pumps! help! Where am i at? iM at habeebes! The gas station! The real name?!?! I dont know, we say that were going to habebes to get gas! I dont know the real name! Help me! im at habeebes and the car is on fire!). My dynasty also had a thing for fences (sorry MR. cosner, you picket fence WAS pretty. Guess im building a new fence?). It liked to do crazy eletrical things, have you ever been stuck in your car cuase the electric died and you have electric locks/windows? Its not fun. and the plymoth reliant and ford escort werent any better. So glad ive got the sunfire now. I love my baby.froggie Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Patkat 0 #23 March 7, 2001 Subject: Re: Skydiver's Cars...... Sounds familiar, froggie - that bit about the DIE-nasty anyway. I'm still driving the '94 Topaz my parents gave me in college, and it's reaching that special age, when cars begin to assert their individuality. The neutral safety switch is going, so sometimes I have to jiggle the shifter to start it, some of the dash lights work once in a while, and go out if you hit the dash too hard, or if you don't hit it at all. I killed the fuel pump from driving around on empty too much (never ran out, just ran so low all the time that the pump never got cooled off - but that's not because I spent all my $$$ on jumps )and let's see - it's a Ford/Mercury, so it eats various engine sensors about every 10,000 miles. But it gets me to the dz on time, and provides a handy place for all them stickers... And the best (?) part is I'm thinking my next car will be a station wagon - easier to haul rigs, etc.! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
froggie 0 #24 March 7, 2001 oh! i almost forgot. My wipers worked when they wanted to. so that was fun tying a string out the windows onto the wiper and pulling back and forth on the strings cause i got stuck like 45 minutes from home and had to get to work. And, the blinker would only work the first three times so when i went to inspection i could only use the blinkers twice, cause i had to save that third click for the inspection guys. hehefroggie Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skybytch 259 #25 March 7, 2001 QuoteAnd the best (?) part is I'm thinking my next car will be a station wagon - easier to haul rigs, etc.!So true! I got my grandmother's '83 mid size Ford wagon last year with only 55000 miles on it. I love it! Enough room to comfortably take the kid, both dogs and an ice chest on a road trip, holds plenty of gear (or groceries). The only thing I don't like about it is the back windows aren't tinted yet; going to get them as dark as possible to help avoid theft...But the best part of driving a station wagon is... the cops DON'T EVEN NOTICE ME!!!! mwahahahahaha.... pull and flare,lisa Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
