De-Conquest (it was taken)

[coius]

So October 31st, some idiot decided they would be funny and stole my honda accord. In it was a 1.2Ghz 14" iBook G4. I also lost 2 iPods (Mini and Nano).

While in Colorado, at a marriot, some staff thought they would take the opportunity when a fire broke out in Colorado springs to go into rooms and steal stuff. I lost an iPhone 2G my friend gave me, as well as a charger and cable.

I have had a really bad month, mostly in colorado, and every time I would shore up a situation, a new crisis presented at me.

I feel like tempting fate right now by hanging to a lightning rod in a rain storm and shouting "All the gods are b**t*rds" just for the lulz. (to quote the HHGTTG book)

Either way, I at least still have my macbook pro (early 2008) which ironically, compared to the ThinkPad T400 that went into warranty once (minor, GPU paste dried out. So it artifacted under heat), hasn't died or hiccuped.

Oh, did I mention a very nice weller soldering station was in car, as well as a $400 Hakko desoldering system?

Sorry for the rant. but I still got the macbook and my super expensive new tower I built recently.

Going to Anime Nebraskon 2012 in a few days. Boy am I going to need it.

P.S jokes on them, my car is huge on chop shop lists, and it's easy to slim-jim. My honda has had two electrical fires in the engine compartment alone, the AC doesn't work not because it's charged, but because of wiring issues, the clutch is going, the tranny is not shifting right, the car randomly dies, etc... So good luck to them. I lament more the fact I lost some dang nice bumper stickers on the back trunk than the car. Too bad it wasn't that someone just hit the car. My insurance won't cover theft. They backed out even though my policy says it covers it. They won't cover it because it wasn't parked in the driveway, just on the street next to the house. 3 hours was all it took. It's gone, probably forever...

 

[CelGen]

Just get a Tracker.

It's a car so ugly you can get kids to smash your window and not steal stuff out of it. I've lost count how many times I have gotten up in the morning wondering where my keys and wallet were only to find them still in the car. ;D

 

[volvo242gt]

Or, get a Volvo 240. I've left a Nikon D2x on the passenger seat along with a 50/1.4 in a grocery store parking lot. No one even looked at the car once.

-J

 

[mcdermd]

I never did own a 240, just 140s. I would really like to do a 122 or 1800 project one day.

 

[insaneboy]

my golf doesn't even lock... As such I've left the keys in the ignition several times. Found it takes about two full days for the radio to kill the battery.

 

[coius]

I think they used the master key. It was found over the weekend in carter lake Iowa. And the link below has the results:

https://picasaweb.google.com/pledoux/StolenHondaAccord?authuser=0&feat=directlink

They stole parts of the engine, trashed the console, stole the air intake system, took the battery, slashed wires, stole all the stuff including the trunk, Siphoned the tank, and essentially totalled it. They broke the linkage on the stick to the trasnmission, cut the belts on the engine.

My $2600 honda may be worth max $500 at auction.

I had to sign over the title as salvage free because it was found in Iowa and Iowa laws, whether you have insurance, or it was stolen, you HAVE to forfeit the title to the state.

So I lost even the $500, I couldn't even send it to upullit. Even if it was registered in nebraska, over the last summer they passed a law. If a car is stolen and trashed in the process, the person that had the car stolen has to give it up. Considered a crime car, then it goes to the state auction. So even though I saw the car, I lost it. Funny, the government stole the last of my money. I was able to get papers from my car the jerks didn't take, then the government stole what I had left.

I got nothing, and lost the car even if it was in my grasp.

Thanks Iowa, you stole my remaining money from me. I hope Iowa stays the armpit. They stole what I had left.

 

[insaneboy]

I'd tell Iowa where they could shove it and keep the title. Frame it and put it on your wall or something.

 

[coius]

Trawling craigslist, I came across an iBook G4.

I thought to myself "Wow, that looks awfully familiar!!!"

I contacted the seller, it matched the iBook stolen from my car, and inquired how he got it.

He said he found it on the side of the road outside his house and brought it in.

I asked if I could stop by and see it. He had it listed for $50.

I went and saw it was the one stolen from my car. I told him how my Honda got broken into and the iBook I had was stolen, and this I believe was the iBook due to the discoloration (which came from ink off of the newspapers my friend used to work with on his route). The guy all of a sudden handed me the iBook G4 and said "Here, you deserve it after the car was stolen"

So Re-Aquired is one (previously stolen from me) iBook G4.

The iBook G4 got one small crack in the plastic, otherwise it boots. I don't think they could use it since the OS wasn't booting and the optical drive itself is sorta finicky.

So I got the iBook back. Now if only I could get my LCD, PS2 and my Weller Soldering station back (They can keep the GPS, Garmin already has it marked stolen in the database)

So hurrah for me!!

 

[coius]

Oh, on the plus side, a customer handed me a smaller (less powerful) Weller soldering station. He didn't need it and got it free. It might work well. It is temp controlled somewhat, the knob goes from 1-9, but that's it. I have no idea what temp it reaches. The sponge is very old, so it would have to be replaced. but that was another conquest.

 

[volvo242gt]

Well, that's cool. Hopefully the other stuff appears as well. And, hope you find a decent replacement for your stolen Honder.

-J

 

[coius]

Will post pics later. I just sealed the deal (and purchased) a 2001 Volkswagen Jetta. 5-Speed, 4 Cylinder, 2.0 Liter Jetta, heated seats, heated mirrors. 120HP. lots of pep, 6 CD Changer (Lol, who uses CDs these days?) AM/FM/Cassette, Digital KeyFOB, 25MPG (easily), power sunroof, Power Windows/Locks, very good condition, 135k Miles

Only issues are:

Emergency Handbrake cable needs to be replaced,

Some rusting on front right fender over wheel. It bubbles up, it was from a previous repair when a mattress took off the bumper. Insurance covered the repair but a scratch on the paint allowed water and snow to get under it.

It needs the timing belt/water pump changed soon, $300 in parts (+ 3 hours) would take care of that.

Silver in color, 4 doors. leather seats in awesome condition, HUGE trunk (can haul LOTS of computers), good wheels, and runs awesome.

$3200 cash.

Gotta go get it registered/plates tomorrow. Already got the title signed/notarized.

Either way, I am loving the car. very good condition.

Will post pics later. Either way good score!

 

[coius]

Pics from the ads

 

[volvo242gt]

Nice ride. Some POR-15 would probably take care of the rust. Use the Metal-Ready stuff to treat the metal, then use the POR-15 before using some VW silver paint to go over the POR-15. One tidbit, do the POR-15 work when it's rather humid. Unlike most paint, POR-15 works better when there's lots of humidity.

I still use CD's, but, now that I have a CD player that handles MP3's, most of them are filled with MP3 files, instead of the normal AAC/AIFF files used on audio CD's. Once I do source an iPod and the cable, I will probably use that instead on my Volvo's Alpine deck.

-J

 

[TheMacGuy]

From I hear the early 2000's Jettas weren't bad. I'm not the car guy in my family, thats my brother. If you don't mind me asking, what year was the Accord? My father has had 2 or 3 Accords (I remember an early 90's which was totaled, and his current '99) and my mother has a 2010 or 2011 Accord Coupe and they haven't had any problems.

 

[IIfx]

I know a few people with Jetta's from the 2000's and they all like them. They all have the car with the 2.0l engine rather than the smaller 1.4l. I hear the diesel version is more efficient and fun to drive.

Right now I am researching what to get for a first car once I get my Drivers License. I am a bit behind on that and am tired of relying on others for transportation. At least I saved up enough money to buy a half-decent car. (Used, of course.)

 

[coius]

The Honda was a Honda Accord LX 1997 Model (with a '98 engine)

The VW is gonna get a little TLC. Gotta replace the timing belt and the like. Ditto on water pump. Oil change was just done about 50 miles before I bought it.

It's a fun car to drive. I did get more (better pics) but instead of showing them in here, you can click my picasa link and it will take you to the album. That way it doesn't take people's bandwidth if they have limits on download (Being courteous).

The car is really nice and I am loving it. pretty peppy, even though it's technically a lower HP (the 1.8 Litre has a turbo on it I guess), but nonetheless very cool.

The Reverse on it is opposite of most cars, and slightly different with the bug.

on the old Bug, you push down on the center of the stick (neutral) and push over to the left past first gear and down to the lower left (towards you)

the Jetta you push down (neutral) then over to the left and up towards the dash (away from you). Very different than any other stick car I have drive. The honda is opposite of 5th gear.

Unique

btw, the beer in the trunk of the car is not for me, it's for the Veedub club which I am going to tonight. I haven't been there in a while.

So on the bug, it's in the garage, found out my brake issue. No fluid >.<. Oops, I will have to re-do the brakes and bleed the lines in the spring. The brake pads need replacing anyways.

https://picasaweb.google.com/pledoux/2001VWJetta?authuser=0&authkey=Gv1sRgCNLrsf3tkOaR3AE&feat=directlink

 

[insaneboy]

2.slow is a good durable engine. The one in my golf was obviously very abused by previous owners, most recently after having the heater core replaced it was discovered leakstop had been used, which completely plugged a few coolant lines and there was evidence of a head gasket failure some time in the past... I've had it for 25k mi, who knows how long it was plugged up before that and what other hell it'd been through. even so, 215k mi and it still runs great.

MK4 with the 1.4L was never offered in the US (though I do know of one that was imported by a member of the military maybe 10 years ago?) 2.slow was the low end model, than the 1.8L turbo and VR6.

Reverse has been push down, left and up by first gear on watercooled VWs since the beginning(rabbit) on the 4speed tra.s, B5 passat is the oddball of the litter with reverse being next to 5th(mostly an audi any how, based on the B5 A4 with the rear end of an A6) . Still trips me up from time to time, since all my other watercooled VWs I've owned are over by 1st gear and I rarely drive the passat(wifes car) My ghia had reverse left and up where 1st would normally be, 1st was down where second was etc. Autostick

 

[TheMacGuy]

The Reverse on it is opposite of most cars, and slightly different with the bug.
on the old Bug, you push down on the center of the stick (neutral) and push over to the left past first gear and down to the lower left (towards you)

the Jetta you push down (neutral) then over to the left and up towards the dash (away from you). Very different than any other stick car I have drive. The honda is opposite of 5th gear.[/url]

I found this out when I tried to drive my grandmas '65 Bug. Confused the h*** out of me. Same as your bug, Neutral, push Down, Over to the Left, back to you.

 

[volvo242gt]

Watercooled VW's are a lot like RWD Volvos. Except, in my case, I pull up a ring to engage reverse, instead of pushing the knob down.

-J