Sellin To Grandpa

[Nightrage]

I've decided i'm going to sell my car. My grandpa just bought a '99 Grand Marquis but he hates it. Says it makes him feel like an old man. He married my grandma about 11 years ago or so. He's only 50. From the day he laid eyes on my car, he's loved it. I let him drive it and he coulen't believe the power. He's an old muscle car guy. Well, his dream car is actually a 68 Caddy Coup de Ville convertible but he loves Chevelle's and GTO's. He thought my car had an aftermarket camshaft in it for some reason but all i know is that he loves it. It's perfect because i've recently rediscovered my infatuation with martial arts. I've never been able to take classes but i'm planning on taking Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. The classes are expensive so i can't afford them and make payments on my car. My car is cool and all but i've found myself with $20 per week left over because of it. I have no money anymore so i think i'm gonna sell the beast. My grandpa would probably give me what i paid for it ($8900). 72,000 highway miles, Flowmaster, Moroso CAI and from what i've been told, the chip is modified but than again, that's what i've been told. Believe half of what you see and of what you hear so i'm just assuming the exhaust and CAI. He really wants my car but it's not a definite. What do you guys think i should ask for my car if i have to post it in the paper? I'm not sure what to get in place of it. Maybe i can find an LT1 Camaro for cheap. I've been seeing Twin Turbo Nissan 300ZX's in the paper for $5,500 but they're all automatics. I've been thinking a third gen Camaro since i love them and from what i've read, tests have shown that 3rd gen Camaro's can outhandle my car. I've even dabbled with the thoughts of a (*gasp* dare i say?) Honda for their 30+ miles per gallon. Maybe i'll get that Fiero i was thinking about. Well, anyhow, ay input would be appreciated.

[TraceZ]

Do what you need to do, but sleep on it first. If you cannot afford to keep your $8900 car, I'd be seriously looking into economy. I paid $4700 for my Oldsmobile Cutlass with 46,000 miles on it. It looks like new, drives comfortably and gets good fuel economy. It's cheap to insure too.

If you need to cut expenses, look around a bit on Ebay and you'll be surprised the deals you can find for really low mile one-owner cars like my Oldsmobile.

[Nightrage]

Thanks Tracy. It's not just that. I've been thinking about this for months. The shifter is garbage, i've nearly gotten into several accidents because of the damn skip shift (when it snowed, i couldn't accelerate enough to get the damn light to go off without spinning my tires from laying down too much torque ) It gets great gas mileage for what it is but once again, i rushed into something. I really want a 98+ WS6 or a black LT1 Camaro. I like the car and all but martial arts have and i'm assuming, always will be a love of mine. I'd much rather learn something as amazing as some of the types of martial arts out there than to have an awesome.....well, mediocre car. There's an Indian (India Indian, not Native American) form of boxing that focuses so much on conditioning the hand, that some of it's more experienced practitioners can shatter coconuts with their bare fists! I know that an LT1 Camaro is no different than my car but i just think a jet black Z28 is so much cooler looking. If anyone around here decides to have an even half decent car for around $5,000- 6,000 with a manual tranny, i'd jump on it. I've been considering the Ford Probe GT (don't ask lol), C4 Corvette, a Civic or a CRX or a third gen. I'd like to get a Mustang but those shifters.... Either my legs are too long or my arms are too short. When i'm comfortable enough to work the clutch in a Mustang, the shifter is 3" too far away from my hand. I've been looking for AWD DSM's but the owners are insane. They're asking in the $6,000 range for a early to mid 90's Eclipse GSX with 120,000 miles on it. That's freakin rediculous. All i need is another $2,000 or so and i'd be good. My stepdad is taking me off of his insurance soon so my rates will skyrocket. Even if i were to stay under his insurance, i'd still have trouble saving up enough money to take Jiu Jitsu like i want to. I think classes are around $130 a month. I make around $200-ish per week. $100 goes for insurance, $40 goes towards the loan on my car and whatever's left over is mine. My mom likes me to put more than that towards the loan because my stepdad is loaning me the money. I appreciate it and all but i never asked him, he offered. We worked it out that i'd be giving him $140 per week so i'd still have enough left over for gas and to take my girlfriend out to eat every so often. Not with my mom though. Every week she haunts me to cough up more $$$. Her and my stepdad are a little too obsessed with money. My brother, my grandma, my grandpa, me, we all noticed it. They think there's something wrong with us though because we aren't obsessed with saving every penny and scrimping. We don't mind spending money. I'm great at saving but there's nothing left to save!

[Z Ya Later]

You mean you like her???? lol



Honestly man, outside of the payments, I don't see why you want to sell it. If the skip-shift is bothering you, eliminators are cheap and I'm sure you could find one used cheaper or pull out the necessary funds for one week and convince your parents its for your safety (as it would be). If its Ju-jitsu (unless they spell the Brazilian version differently), you can find classes cheaper. I took Tae Kwon Do, Ju-jitsu and Eskrima 4 times a week for $70-$100/month depending on rank. Martial arts are great for a troubled, tortured or depressed soul...it saved me bigtime many times in my life, of them physical confrontations. But, that cost for 1 art is outrageous. Do some looking around, I'm sure you can find it for cheaper. Just because its expensive doesn't mean the school is good, trust me. Good luck on your decision.

[Injuneer]

The cost of eliminating "skip shift" from your 95 is "0". All you need to do is unplug the connector on the side of the tranny. Only the 96/97's will turn on the SES light if the solenoid is disconnected.

[Nightrage]

I absolutely like your car There's an 86 Grand National in the paper with t- tops and 68k miles listed for $8,300/best offer. Figured that's right up your alley lol. It's not that they wouldn't let me use the money but just that i'd never hear the end of it if i used the measly $30. The Jiu Jitsu (right on the head, Brazilian style!) classes are so expensive because the guy teaching them is well, this guy- http://www.sherdog.com/fightfinder/f...fighterid=1305

How awesome is that? The place is right up the street from me and the instructor is from the UFC. I'm looking into this style because 1) People have a habit of starting problems with me because i'm a passive person so they assume i'm a push over.
2) Statistically, 85-95% of fights end up on the ground. This is all grappling and takedowns.
3) I can use it however i want. If someone is completely pulling out all of the plugs just to injure me and it's an extreme situation, i can break they're arm, wrist, etc and end the fight before someone gets seriously (fatally) hurt. I can also use it to simply put someone into an uncomfortable hold where i won't be causing any real damage but they'll get the point and hopefully back off.

I'm not into fighting. I've never been in a fight and hopefully, i never will be. As much as people get on my nerves sometimes and i think i'd like to hurt them, i don't think i could ever go out of my way to put someone in pain. A lot of people go into martial arts so they can get a black belt and flash it around thinking they're tough or they just do it to learn how to beat people up. I want something i can be dedicated to and use for positive purposes. Learning how to break thin blocks of wood isn't going to do anything when some guy pulls a knife on me. The way society is going, the likelyhood of this situation arising is very realistic. Numerous people on my school campus have been raped or robbed with guns or knives. My girlfriends mom was breaking wooden blocks in Tae Kwon Do when she was a skinny 12 year old that weighed 100lbs so that's obviously not too effective.

To end that rant, my car just isn't what it used to be. Now i just think of it as my daily driver. Some guys love their F-bodies so much that they use them as weekend cars. I simply don't see it. My dad put 60,000 miles on his Viper in 2 1/2 years and the Viper is superior to stock F-bodies in every way (excluding price obviously). People saw that car and their jaws dropped. We've had girls pull up to us at lights and egg us on to break the tires loose. To each his own and i'm not saying that F-bodies aren't nice but i just don't see it as a weekend only car. This money would help me a lot. I could get something else, afford insurance and still have plenty of money to buy weights, modifications for whatever car i get, i'd be able to take my girlfriend out, unlike now, if my car broke down, i'd have enough money to fix whatever was wrong, etc. Now, I'd be in serious trouble. My mom is impossible to talk to. At first she was trying to steer me away from buying this car and then a few months later, she suggested that i get a WS6 LS1 (or as she put it, the Firebird with the pigsnout). My family is confusing. Sometimes they go completely against what i want. They wanted me to get an automatic because they thought i was incapable of learning how to drive a standard transmission. It doesn't exactly take a genius. Other times they go out of their way to help me (more my grandparents than my parents). I'm very much a pessimist and i get bored of things easily if they're not really what i wanted in the first place. The LT1 body style on birds is IMO, nice looking but nothing spectacular. I want something that wow's me every time i look at it. I'm still kind of mad i let that twin turbo Stealth slip through my fingers buti can't turn back time. AWD, all wheel steering, no real torque until the turbo's kick in= perfect winter car and the turbo's make for an excellent summer car. Two days ago my freakin car was stuck in a snow mound for a half hour. The night before,just pulling the thing into the driveway so the snowplow wouldn't hit it, i nearly hit the telephone pole in front of my house more times than i care to think about. I hastily bought the car, regret it and now have the opportunity to get rid of it. At least if my grandpa gets it, i'll know it's being well maintained and i can visit it all i want. I like the car just not enough to go bankrupt for it. (BTW, i've corrected a lot of spelling errors and tried not to babble but it's nearly 2AM right now and i'm sure my efforts are in vain)

[Z Ya Later]

Hehehe GNs are wonderful cars...picky to mod but poetry in motion when done right. I love 'em

If that's your reason for wanting to learn the Martial Arts and your thinking behind why many join the schools, you are sadly mistaken. Most people that join the Martial Arts schools are there to learn inner-peace, self-respect and self-confidence. The physical aspect teaches discipline, promotes physical conditioning and encourages mental exercising. What you see in the UFC is the lack of mental and emotional balance. Martials Arts teaches a triple balance for the student, a balance between heart, mind and body. Its your choice on what you want to take and who you want to learn it from, but learning for the physical aspect alone is fallacy.

As for the car, the Z is my daily driver and I love it every day. Honestly, I'm somewhat kicking myself for not getting the 93 double-black Trans Am I saw a couple weeks after I took possession of the Z. Make you're car unique...you'll fall in love again. Parents change their minds all the time about things, so don't let that get to you. Its your choice what you want to do with the car, but don't sell it for Martial Arts. Besides, how many problems have you actually had with the TA? Just my thoughts.

[wolfdogs]

I've decided i'm going to sell my car. My grandpa just bought a '99 Grand Marquis but he hates it. Says it makes him feel like an old man. He married my grandma about 11 years ago or so. He's only 50. From the day he laid eyes on my car, he's loved it. I let him drive it and he coulen't believe the power. He's an old muscle car guy. Well, his dream car is actually a 68 Caddy Coup de Ville convertible but he loves Chevelle's and GTO's. He thought my car had an aftermarket camshaft in it for some reason but all i know is that he loves it. It's perfect because i've recently rediscovered my infatuation with martial arts. I've never been able to take classes but i'm planning on taking Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. The classes are expensive so i can't afford them and make payments on my car. My car is cool and all but i've found myself with $20 per week left over because of it. I have no money anymore so i think i'm gonna sell the beast. My grandpa would probably give me what i paid for it ($8900). 72,000 highway miles, Flowmaster, Moroso CAI and from what i've been told, the chip is modified but than again, that's what i've been told. Believe half of what you see and of what you hear so i'm just assuming the exhaust and CAI. He really wants my car but it's not a definite. What do you guys think i should ask for my car if i have to post it in the paper? I'm not sure what to get in place of it. Maybe i can find an LT1 Camaro for cheap. I've been seeing Twin Turbo Nissan 300ZX's in the paper for $5,500 but they're all automatics. I've been thinking a third gen Camaro since i love them and from what i've read, tests have shown that 3rd gen Camaro's can outhandle my car. I've even dabbled with the thoughts of a (*gasp* dare i say?) Honda for their 30+ miles per gallon. Maybe i'll get that Fiero i was thinking about. Well, anyhow, ay input would be appreciated.

now thats scary... your grandfather is younger than me.......... and fred...

[Injuneer]

now thats scary... your grandfather is younger than me.......... and fred...

hahaha.... that's what I was thinkin'.... I'm old enough to be his great-grand father . And I think gramps deserves a fast F-Body. Don't we all?

[Nightrage]

If that's your reason for wanting to learn the Martial Arts and your thinking behind why many join the schools, you are sadly mistaken. Most people that join the Martial Arts schools are there to learn inner-peace, self-respect and self-confidence. The physical aspect teaches discipline, promotes physical conditioning and encourages mental exercising. What you see in the UFC is the lack of mental and emotional balance. Martials Arts teaches a triple balance for the student, a balance between heart, mind and body. Its your choice on what you want to take and who you want to learn it from, but learning for the physical aspect alone is fallacy.

I'm a member of a martial arts message forum and there are constantly new posts of "What's best for street fighting". I know this first hand. My brother took Brazilian Jiu Jitsu just to learn how to hurt people. I know a few people like this. I've also heard that a lot of people want to do away with the belt system because too many people just focus on going up in rank. I never said i wanted to take it purely for the physical aspect. I merely stated that there's an instructor from the UFC so it's a proven form i'll be learning. I've read that "Martial" means something military related. Military= combat. If i just wanted inner peace then i'd meditate. I want to learn some form of self defense in addition to the boost of confidence (as confidence is something i lack) and the discipline that comes along with it.

That's not the only reason i'm selling my car though. I just don't care about it anymore. I want something different. Maybe a black LT1 Trans Am or Formula so if i ever do decide to swap the front end to the newer body style, i won't have to repaint the car. The only colors i like on the 98+ are black and midnight blue. In addition to that, i've never seen a hardtop LS1 so i'd assume that either they're very rare or they don't exist. I've only seen t-top versions and convertibles. I think i'd prefer a hard top. This car is driving me nuts. It's bright red so cops won't really look past the bright red sports car with the young kid driving it and i hate the exhaust system on it. It's just too loud. Even if i'm just accelerating slowly, i can hear my exhaust tone rumbling away. It also drones on the highway.

I haven't had many problems with the car. The drivers side power window switch that controls the passenger side window broke, the drivers side window is really loose and starts folding in towards me when i try to roll the window up. In addition to this, i have to force it into first gear quite often which i can't imagine is a good thing. I have to pull it back into second and then slam it into first as hard as i can. This is only when i'm at a dead stop as i don't even bother downshifting to first. It pops out of second when i downshift sometimes too. Sometimes the radio cranks itself up too. That's about all i can think of. My grandpa really likes this car though so hopefully i can sell it to him and use the money to get something else. I'd like a Camaro with some work done to it. There was one i was going to buy a few weeks before i found the Trans Am. It was a 95 Z28, dark purple, hard top, aftermarket clutch, aftermarket cam, roller rockers, headers, exhaust and i think there was some other stuff too. 6 speed, relatively low miles and it was going for somewhere in the ballpark of $6,000. He'd already gotten a deposit on it though. There tend to be some great deals around here like this low mileage twin turbo Stealth i found for $6,500. I'd love a third gen Camaro but i'd want one with a motor and tranny swap which is rare. Especially around here since everyone drives auto's.

[Z Ya Later]

Outside of the 2nd-gear problem, that's minor nickel-and-dime stuff. Window alignment can be done for about $100 or so, switch is $15 and 5 min. to install, and the first gear problem almost sounds like the clutch. Mine started doing that when I needed a new clutch, done it to me once or twice since (over a year now).

As for the deciphering of Martial, it depends on which art you look at. Tae Kwon Do was created as a form of defense for the people of South Korea. Your choice of art or arts is entirely yours...just be careful about how you think and look at it. I've gone to 2 different schools and the club at my old college, most were not there to learn how to hurt people. Meditation does not bring inner peace on its own, and can be dangerous depending on how deep you get into it and what you are meditating on. If all you are concerned with is street fighting, then I'm sure Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu will be fine for you. All I'm saying is be careful about your choice. Good luck on all your decisions.

[Z Ya Later]

hahaha.... that's what I was thinkin'.... I'm old enough to be his great-grand father . And I think gramps deserves a fast F-Body. Don't we all?

I'm with you guys, Camaros and Firebirds for everyone . Now if only I could get my grandfather off of Ford...ugh lol

[Nightrage]

As for the deciphering of Martial, it depends on which art you look at. Tae Kwon Do was created as a form of defense for the people of South Korea. Your choice of art or arts is entirely yours...just be careful about how you think and look at it. I've gone to 2 different schools and the club at my old college, most were not there to learn how to hurt people. Meditation does not bring inner peace on its own, and can be dangerous depending on how deep you get into it and what you are meditating on. If all you are concerned with is street fighting, then I'm sure Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu will be fine for you. All I'm saying is be careful about your choice. Good luck on all your decisions.

Most people that are just there to learn how to hurt people don't last very long because as you said, they aren't into it mentally. The meditation, some guy on the martial arts forum i was talking about meditates and thinks he has flashbacks to being a ninja in a past life lol. If i just wanted to learn how to street fight, i'd take up boxing. Jiu Jitsu doesn't just give away higher ranks. You really have to work and train hard. Karate just doesn't appeal to me, Tae Kwon Do.....eh, there's a loooot of kicking involved. I've thought about Judo but Judo is the sport version of Jiu Jitsu the way that kick boxing is the full contact sport version of Karate. From what people have told me, Kung Fu is really more of an art than a fighting style. I'm thinking of taking Kung Fu once i progress in Jiu Jitsu (assuming i ever get to take classes). I'd either take mantis style or Wing Chun which is what Bruce Lee did before he created Jeet Kune Do. Well anyhow, i'm looking for custom third gens right now. I need a 350 with either a T-5 or a T-56. If i got $9,000 for my car which is probably what my gradpa would give me, i'd be able to get a good condition third gen and do suspension mods out the whazoo. I have a Summit racing catalog that has gobs of stuff. I'm really liking the Hotchkis sway bars and lowering springs they have. Right now i could easily spend $10,000 modifying the Trans Am. Probably $20,000 or more but unfortunately, i'm not rich. I'd rather have a custom car to call my own than to take years before i can modify the T/A.

[wolfdogs]

Most people that are just there to learn how to hurt people don't last very long because as you said, they aren't into it mentally. The meditation, some guy on the martial arts forum i was talking about meditates and thinks he has flashbacks to being a ninja in a past life lol. If i just wanted to learn how to street fight, i'd take up boxing. Jiu Jitsu doesn't just give away higher ranks. You really have to work and train hard. Karate just doesn't appeal to me, Tae Kwon Do.....eh, there's a loooot of kicking involved. I've thought about Judo but Judo is the sport version of Jiu Jitsu the way that kick boxing is the full contact sport version of Karate. From what people have told me, Kung Fu is really more of an art than a fighting style. I'm thinking of taking Kung Fu once i progress in Jiu Jitsu (assuming i ever get to take classes). I'd either take mantis style or Wing Chun which is what Bruce Lee did before he created Jeet Kune Do. Well anyhow, i'm looking for custom third gens right now. I need a 350 with either a T-5 or a T-56. If i got $9,000 for my car which is probably what my gradpa would give me, i'd be able to get a good condition third gen and do suspension mods out the whazoo. I have a Summit racing catalog that has gobs of stuff. I'm really liking the Hotchkis sway bars and lowering springs they have. Right now i could easily spend $10,000 modifying the Trans Am. Probably $20,000 or more but unfortunately, i'm not rich. I'd rather have a custom car to call my own than to take years before i can modify the T/A.

i have some pretty extensive 'lessons' in m.a. sometime ill do a write up about it. was taught in hawaii, private, by a former japanese high order martial artist with many degrees, who taught a mixed form of arts...... at 80..he did one armed pull ups in his garage..............

[cbrr_mike]

if you want to SAVE money, dont buy a dsm, or really any turbo car, they all seem to be finniky and have their fair share of problems. and they all seem to be a litttle more expensive than n/a cars problems.

and any honda that would get 30 mpg wont be able to get out of its own way, anything with vtec is down in the mid- low 20s and most of my friends with them get worse mileage than my ls1 (have to rev higher)

but....if you dont care about the lack of driving fun, mid 20s is nothing to frown upon