General J

Edit : Boilersax posted a good head unit at a really good price. 22w RMS is on the higher side of most head unit amps. Most Alpines I was looking at had around the same signal-to-noise ratio as this one as well. If you want it today, go to Best Buy. Their price beats Crutchfield. If you want it slightly cheaper though, CF has it in their outlet are for $125 LINKY HERE!

Cheaper head units can be alright. I haven't been in the car audio world for a few years now (pimped out family cars and minivans don't seem to be the thing...) but I can suggest a few things to look at. I am a specs guy. Get all you can for the money you put into it, which could be why I have been debating on headphones for the last 3 days.

Take a look at RMS power ratings. Also look for a higher dB signal-to-noise rating. Like I said before, Crutchfield is a great place to look and learn more about audio equipment. Even if you don't buy from them, they are a good place to do research.

As far as brands go, I loved my Aiwa, but from what I understand they were bought by Sony. I can't say anything about the new Sony's, but when they were using the Xplod product line I had heard a lot of bad things about them. Pioneer, Alpine, Blaupunkt have all been around for a long while and are great names.

I personally tried to stay away from the head units that had the fancy graphics and crazy controls. I stuck with the simplicity=better philosophy. Remember when you look at a head unit that you will probably want to do things like change cd's, adjust volume and change tracks while driving. Take that into consideration when looking at buttons and head units that have to fold out or flip down to change cd's. And remember that the more motors and moving parts the thing has means more stuff that can break and go out after X number of uses.

If you are wanting to add amps and subs, look at the number of pairs of preamp outputs. You will need at least 1 for a sub amp, more if you plan on using a separate amp to drive your speakers.

I don't know about buying a $130-$180 unit at wal-mart or target. I would personally go to an audio shop and look around. They generally have a better selection and will be about the same price. Looking around, you should be able to get a decent unit for under $200. Have fun shopping, and good luck!

I see. That really sucks if that is the case. If Newegg ships to the great north, I would start using them vs the higher priced places. .Audio 90's were $18 from Newegg in 2004. Could have been much more if it were a year earlier I suppose. I guess I like to buy the cheap slightly outdated stuff.

Werd, I don't think what ZD was trying to say is spin. Dems have used the failures and every image of a failure in Iraq to their advantage to bash the administration. Instead of backing our troops to help get through the crisis we are in, they use their deaths and hardships for their gain. Ever notice that the Dems like to rally when there is a bad month in Iraq?

I will not say that the Rep's aren't doing this as well. Wars are not meant for political gain. Although, I think we are all smart enough to see that is exactly what is happening right now. Instead of focusing on a plan to either A) succeed completely or B ) do what we can and hand control over to Iraqis, Washington is using Iraq as a chess board for the upcoming elections and it makes me sick. I am not fooled into believing the propaganda that the dems want us out of Iraq immediately. They use it too heavily in their campaigns right now. Besides that, every military strategist has said that a full withdraw from Iraq would takes years, not the months that the candidates are touting.

I don't agree with the way things have been handled in both Iraq and Afghanistan, but you have to look at this realistically. We put our troops there. Give them the support they need to do their jobs. I am not in the military, but I can guarantee you that not a single service man WANTS to be in the position we are in. But since they were ordered there, that is their job, and they knew the risks when they enlisted. The least we can do is back them in what they are trying to accomplish, even if you don't back what the individual political parties are trying to do.

Dunno if this was already answered or not... I got lost in the evil Wal-Mart vs Target debate (freakin hijackers...)

But, even if your stereo is a double DIN size, you can buy an installation kit for a single din unit and masks the bottom section. It makes it look like an extra factory expansion area. Either that or some give you a nice little storage slot under the head unit. As far as the steering wheel controls go, get in touch with Crutchfield's customer service. They can generally help answer questions you have. Crutchfield is like the Newegg of car audio. Depending on how well the factory unit comes out, you will probably just have to plug up the wiring harness and install the new unit. But be warned. My 89 celica had us cutting and soldering every connection for the wiring harness. It's not difficult, but a pain to do for each wire.

Good luck with the new stereo. Even a new head unit with factory speakers can make a world of difference.

PS Alpines are nice, but overpriced. I had a nice Aiwa unit that I loved. Pioneer 4-way 6X9's can rock your world!

Cujo, I would hate to say you were taken on that deal. Audio 90's were only $20 from newegg when I got them. I am looking to spend around the same, $20-25. I have it narrowed down to either the GameCom 1's that I linked to above or these Sennheiser HD202's.

So let me first tell you a little story... I am outside playing with my son while my wife is vacuuming. I come inside to hear, "Daddy isn't going to be real happy with me..." She accidentally sucked one of the jacks of my trusty 2+ year old plantronics .audio 90's up with the vacuum. The wire snapped right at the volume control. So now I am stuck looking for a new headset.

I want basically the same thing that I had with the plantronics. Nothing fancy, nothing expensive. Just good quality sound, and a decent mic. I am looking at THESE. I think they are really just the audio 90's with a new name. Any one have any input on that? Any other suggestions, links to better prices, etc. will be greatly appreciated.

As a side note - any married man, or person who has seen A Christmas Story (the leg lamp ring a bell?), or any combination of the 2, will see right through the "accident" part.

I really do love my wife, and I really do believe it was an accident.

Take the MSF course! If you have no experience on a 2 wheeled, motor powered vehicle, it is a good move. You will tell by the end of the course (2-3 days) whether it is for you or not. I would suggest taking the course before ever purchasing a bike as well.

Do not fall into the "600's are the perfect starter bike" trap. I like to think of a 250cc bike as the Mustang GT or Camaro SS of bikes. A 600cc is like the Ferrari, Porsche, or Saleen. A 1000cc+ bike is the F1 of the bike world. A 600cc sportbike is a serious machine, putting out 100+ hp to move a 350-400 lb vehicle. Even the 250cc sportbikes are serious machines, and have the potential to kill you if you make a wrong move. You don't have 2000 lbs of steel surrounding you, or airbags for cushioning, so invest in some good gear! And I would definitly not suggest a Speed Triple to a new rider! 1050cc 3-cylinder that puts out 128hp is not a newbie bike.

You are talking about commuting quite a long ways. Bikes are tons of fun, and will give you a whole new outlook on the road. Just remember that they have no creature comforts like a car, such as A/C, heat, a roof to block rain or hail. If you are doing it just to save money on gas, don't bother. You will save at the pump, but lose when looking at tires and maintenance. If your car gets 25-30 mpg on highway, you will come out about even. I am assuming you will mostly be on the highway during your commute, which raises your chance of "cager didn't see me while they were drinking their coffee, reading the morning paper, putting makeup on, and talking on the cell phone, and now I am dead" syndrome pretty high. You learn to avoid these situations, but they are pretty common place.

Hopefully you decide you really want to ride, and find a good deal on just the right bike. I have been without my bike for about a year now (thank you greedy thief ) and I can tell you that once you start riding, you get addicted! I am going through withdrawals not being able to get my fix.

Wow. De_Volare? What an idea!

Haven't played CS in a very long time now. I should get back into it one of these days.

Being 16 and having a new license has nothing to do with it. States give out things called "learners permits" for a reason. Parents need to know how to drive properly, and practice good driving habits with kids in the car. Then, they can properly teach their child how to drive. Knowing how to drive is much more than knowing where the pedals are and how to drive forward and in reverse. Parents fail to realize this, or just don't care enough to make time to teach their kids. When I got my learners permit at 15 1/2 (MO law for learners permits), my mother asked if I wanted to drive home from the DMV office. She let me drive everywhere, so that I had plenty of experience. She felt comfortable enough letting me have the keys to the car, and going out of town, the first weekend I had my license. Never been in an accident.

I don't blame people for being scared of cars on the road. Between the idiots that don't know how to pay attention to the road and the constant media coverage of fatal accidents, people are bound to be freaked out. If you are genuinely afraid to drive a car, however, I applaud you for keeping yourself off of the road.

Accidents happen this quickly. If you drive a cage, please keep your eyes on the road and pay attention to everything that is around you! Not just in front of you! I drive a very bright red Ford Ranger, and I constantly have people who manage to not even see it. While on my bike, I have been close enough to kick people's driver side front door. And they never notice that they almost merged into something or someone.

And yes, I do drive fast. Excessively on occasion. Is it possibly dangerous? Perhaps. But I am also one to develop intimate knowledge of the limits of whatever it is that I drive, and have done so since I turned 16.

Actually, AWD is not the end all of drivetrains. Far from it actually. If you really wanted something that was fast, yet handled well, you would be looking at Mid-engine rear wheel drive. Think along the lines of the MR2.

Front wheel drive doesn't mean bad handling. AWD doesn't mean good handling. You might get extra traction on the launch, and a little coming out of corners, but you also lose a lot of power going to the wheels.

Each drivetrain takes a different approach to drive fast. I am most comfortable with FR, simply because I have clocked the most time with this setup. Thus, me wanting something like that 240Z. However, I think I could survive with the SRT4 just fine.

ZD, Do you still have Master's of Orion 3? Loved the old games, but lost my copy Wife might let me get it for $3.50

As much as I would hate to see a Dodge Neon win this argument, I think Yo has the winner. SRT4 is the fastest car for the least amount of money. It is slightly heavier than the RSX Type S, but has much more power in both the HP and torque arena. It is also the cheaper of the 2.

You can find an 02-03 WRX for under $20k pretty easily. However, the only version of this car that would beat out the SRT4 in the power/weight fight would be the STi. They were not available in the US until 2004, and you would want to buy a lottery ticket if you found one for under $20k.

300zx (not a 350z Vovik. 300zx was the older model. 350z took its would be a good competitor after the mods. But finding a nice 1994-1996 with lower miles, worthy enough for mods, might kill you. A stock 300zx TT would be a nice find, but way over $20k.

Chevelle SS has the displacement of all these cars engines combined, but weighs about the same as all of them combined as well. You could get it to post great gobs of HP and Torque (especially torque!). But the weight would be the death of it.

E36 M3 is a nice bet. They are quick anyway you take them. Power adder like a supercharger would probably help it past the SRT4. You might run into trouble trying to find one for under $20k that didn't need some major work though (read engine rebuild) to keep it on the road after adding mods to it.

My money, however, would be on this 240z!

I should hire you tell find my next car/bike! $150 out of pocket for a newer/lower mileage vehicle is amazing! Way to go! She looks nice too. Never had the Jeep bug, but I know the people who have them generally love them. Now take the money you saved getting this and go get yourself a brand new CBR600RR!

MSF Courses. Do them! Or what Chief suggested through Harley Davidson called Riders Edge. It may seem like a good deal of money to drop on a riding course for either, but think of it as an investment. You wouldn't jump out of an airplane to go parachuting without knowing exactly what you were doing right? This also gives you the chance to ask yourself a few questions before throwing your hard earned money down on a bike. Am I really cut out for the open road on two wheels? Some people really are just not able to do it. Do I really enjoy this? The feeling of being exposed and vulnerable around 2000 lb. cagers is unnerving to a lot of people. Is this something I really want to commit myself to? Unlike a car, you really need to keep your bike in good running order and maintain it. If 1 of 4 tires goes flat or blows out, it is a dangerous situation. If 1 of 2 tires goes flat or blows out, it can be a deadly situation in an instant.

The other thing you will want to do BEFORE you even consider getting a bike is look at some gear. You will go down! Maybe not today, maybe not in 5 years, but it will happen. It might be a little get off (I did this the 2nd day I was on my own Ninja 250) that scuffs your bike and your pride. Or it might be the car next to you on the highway, driver on their cell phone, that switches lanes without looking (happened about a week after I purchased my Ninja ZX-6). You develop the skill to avoid such things, but have the protection just in case. If you want proof that gear saves lives, I can get you many pictures of people who went down with and without it. Not to scare, but to educate. It can happen this quickly (video).

Check out New Enough for good prices on gear. I have ordered from them numerous times, and they are great to work with. Check out their closeouts as well. And remember, you don't always need the $400 helmet. But, make sure you try one on before you buy it! All helmets fit differently, and the shell shapes are all a little different. So where one person may absolutly love their Shoei, Arai, Suomy or other top of the line helmet, another might hate the fit of it with a passion.

Once you have the education and some experience, gear or atleast money set aside for gear, it's time to start your search. I am not saying this is the only way to go about it. I knew that I wanted to learn to ride. I found an awesome deal on a 2002 Kawasaki Ninja 250 with low miles that included a jacket, helmet, and some extras for only $1700. I was looking to sell it for $1900 (more what it was worth) after a season of riding it. Sold it to my brother in law for $1500 since he wanted to learn to ride as well. $200 loss on a vehicle only because it was sold to family. Pretty good deal if you ask me. The 250 will hold its value as long as it stays in decent condition. And there will always be people looking for a good, cheaper starter bike.

Great Ninja 250 group! Check out the forums and FAQs. Tons of good info.

I hope you take some of this info into consideration. I also hope that you act on your feeling of wanting a bike. It is a great experience that I love to see others enjoy. PM me if you want any more info, or help searching for some used bikes!

Rev hit the nail on the head. Quality of customer service. I guess that should have been included in my original list of questions. Charter contracts all of their installations through other telecomm companies. Every one that I have talked to that works for such companies says the same thing. Charter has horrible, horrible, horrible customer service. In fact, I was hung up on by one of their csr people yesterday because she didn't want to bother trying to figure out why my bill was messed up. She even admitted that they hadn't mailed us one bill, and that they had changed our bills AFTER they had sent them to us. So why should we believe that we are paying the right price, even if it is printed on the paper bill that they mail us?

Here's the deal: I have been going round and round with Charter Communications. for some time now about our billing. Our bills are never the same from month to month. We had quite the ordeal just trying to transfer our service from one house to another (within the same city). They threw out a free month of service as an offer instead of just coming out and installing the service within a few days. Least they could do, so I took it. Our bills have been royally screwed up since.

Missouri, more locally St. Louis, has some sort of law that limits the number of telecommunications companies that can operate in the area. AT&T (formerly SBC) and Charter are the only 2 services in the area. AT&T offers decent prices from what I have seen for their DSL service. Charter is charging $42.99/month for 3Mbps cable internet service.

My question to you all - What is your ISP, how much are you charged for what speed of service, and how many other ISP's are in your area (if you know).

St. Louis has something on the upcoming ballot to allow other companies to come to the area. I am trying to get a feel for what prices we could expect to see. Thank you!

Wow... friends worked excellently before. What did they do to it now to make it not work. This falls under the same category as not having your "favorite servers" list available once in the game... Steam

Just wait for Blockbuster to follow the same path... They will have the same reason as well. And if it works for Netflix, why wouldn't it work for them?

That said, my wife and I have had Blockbuster's service for a month on a free account and have only had one problem with a DVD that we never received. Reported it, and it was there a day later.

I can't say that I will be buying this... Tried it free this weekend, and don't see any drastic improvement over the original DoD. Will stick to the free version. All those delays, and they still couldn't get a game that is more fun to play than the original. What's worse, is that the free weekend didn't come until months after people had paid blindly.

Probably will go to the St. Louis Auto Show. Last time the wife and I went to the auto show was 2 years ago. The only reps that didn't look at us like we were there to steal their cars or break something were the Saab people. Honestly made me want to go out and buy one the next day. Too bad that would have been a Sunday...

Did I mention I hate when service people stereotype young people?

Bump for Goot's comment on the turbo civic

Caution - some language involved in describing the civic. Note that the claimed time for the Viper is 10.77@133 mph.

Wow. I remember when I didn't know Mmmm existed. I was a regular on SoS. Then their server went away. About 4-5 months (atleast) later, I happened to notice that it had come back! Played there as a regular until it became LuckyCharms. I remember someone saying something about Fatty and Mmmm. Got the IP to their server and have barely ever played anywhere else.

And yes, I was in Mmmm for a time. Loved it, but took adminning a bit too seriously. Burned me out of CS for awhile.