GA Tacoma Owners BS Thread

I get 3G but it takes forever! That's Marietta for ya

 

#firstWorldProblems

 

I haven't duck hunted either, but from what I hear you better not start because you'll never stop. My brother is all kinds of into it, and it's hard to get him to do much else haha.

 

That's how some of my friends are, too. They all say it's a money pit lol. Gotta get a $1000 dog, $1000 auto-loader, $3000 for a chartered trip to Arkansas every year...screw that!

Also, I just realized gun season opens for bucks tomorrow. For some reason, I thought it was next weekend. I've been bow hunting a few times this season, so I'm ready to go, aside from the fact that I just put a new scope on my .270 and haven't sighted it in yet...looks like I'll be doing that at lunch today.

 

Yep redlands opens tomorrow buck only, but I'm off Tuesday and Thursday so I'm just gonna go during the week and avoid the crowd. .270 is a nice round - I've got a tikka t3 in .270 I'll be taking out.

 

So guys, little worried now. Found out I'll be headed to New York at Fort drum in January. It's 31 miles from Canada, worried it's going to take its toll on my truck from the salt and being cold as hell. Already thinking of swapping my tires out for some cooper at3s instead of mastercraft mxt's like I've been wanting in a narrower tread instead of my wishing for 285 or 295.

 

Just be sure to pre treat your frame and you should be good. Make sure not to have MT tires and I think you'll be alright for the snow. Oh and get a good battery

 

Also plan on frequent underbody washes through a carwash. I gather vehicle builds are a lot better than they were when I used to live up there, but still best to get that stuff off as soon as you can. Careful trying to open frozen windows or sunroof, it can bust stuff. Wipe the door seals with a bit of lube that's safe for them, sucks when your door is frozen shut.

 

My dad just put one in from slacks auto parts, he said the most expensive one...

Alot of guys in The teen bs thread say get st maxx but I'm mainly wanting the at3 for the past metric

 

I'll be saving tips like that for a while, thanks man

 

I've spent a lot of winters in western ny, and most of them with some really shitty vehicles. Your truck will be fine. First thing I'd do is get a good battery, some snow clearing equipment, and a snow shovel. Watertown area is no joke. I remember driving up 81 headed to Thousand Islands at it was clear blue skies until I got to the lake effect, then it immediately was feet of snow on the road.

That being said, all my old cars had some rust on undercarriage and even in paint. Granted, that was years ago, but even with new paint, etc, I'd still have to make sure to try to get that salt washed off as much as you can. My mom's brakes rusted out on her Audi after like 4 winters. My dad's Tundra has never had any rust though, and has seen a lot of winter grime.

 

@GreeGunc -- Some more thoughts. I used to live in the middle of the state; hills, curves, and lake effect snow. Twenty miles from a salt mine too just for good measure.

Buy the gear up there. It'll be readily available. Ice scraper. Gloves to wear while using the ice scraper. Snow brush. Shovel of some sort, snow shovel for where you park and carry an e-tool for digging out / breaking ice if needed. Make sure you're windshield washer tank has more than just water in it; most washer fluid should have stuff in it to prevent freezing.

Don't dump hot water on a frozen windshield. Seriously. I was in a college town and every year some kid from Long Island thought he had the perfect solution...

Best to have all weather mats, either Toyota or Husky or Weathertech. Keeps the salty slush out of your carpets.

First good snow, go find a parking lot to practice in. Biggest thing to be careful of is understeer on corners. Learn to feather the throttle, feather the brakes, gentle changes to steering. Easy does it. Countersteer if it kicks loose. Watch out for lamp posts. Also watch out for the other guys doing stupid stuff, anticipate where they'll go when they f' up. One time I was at a stop sign waiting to turn left to go uphill during a heavy snow and decided I'd best back up from the sign a bit... third car coming downhill to turn onto the street I was on understeered right into where I'd been sitting.

Oh and if you can afford to, think about getting a remote start installed.

 

An engine block heater as well....

 

gpb is dead on. All weather mats are a must. They didn't have weathertechs when I lived up there, but they would probably one of the first things I'd get, after ice scrapers, etc. Good suggestions on driving too. For what it's worth, we never put winter tires on our cars/trucks when I lived up there.

 

Shouldn't be needed in the Watertown NY area.

http://www.drumcountry.com/questionDisplay.cfm?qID=90

 

Really? I use mine in Georgia. 30 - 60 minutes in the morning warms the engine and oil, and makes for easier (for the engine) starting.

Overkill? Possibly. But I get many miles out of my engines, and do what I can to minimize wear.

 

Really. The warmth from a block heater is primarily to keep the oil from getting so thick it doesn't flow when the engine is started. Especially with modern synthetics that's really not an issue at the temps seen in a NY winter, even north of Syracuse. The biggest issue in the Watertown area is lake-effect snow, not cold.

I lived up there until I was thirty and don't recall anyone having a block heater.

In even colder climates (Fairbanks AK) some will have a battery wrap to keep its chemistry warm enough. Most parking lots have posts with 120VAC outlets and every car has a plug hanging out of the grille. That'll happen when -40F is common and they've seen -60F.

 

I was planning on straight peak antifreeze in my radiator, mix some with my washer fluid, ice scraper, shovels, gloves, and a brush.

Already have husky front floor mats and mud grips....

 

I don't know what peak is, a brand? A 50/50 mix was always fine for the temps we'd see, down to 0F every couple years but otherwise usually lows weren't much below teens. Don't dilute a premix though. Downside of 100% antifreeze is lower heat carrying capacity; doesn't work as well as a mix.

Best bet: stick with normal for now and ask a mechanic when you're there.

 

Ah, yes peak is the brand of antifreeze I have in now. It's probably a 80% antifreeze and 20% water as of when I changed it out. Forgot I bought the undiluted....

But good point on the ask a mechanic up there, now I've gotta see about my cheapo Atturo trail blade mt tires in the snow. Wanting to go with at3s, St maxx, duratrac, or mastercraft mxt...in a 285 or 295.