An Eventful Month for the E30

I'm sure that I've driven the E30 at least 3000 miles this past month. Time for an oil change... Anyways, I took it camping in the boonies, carried scouts and gear out there, tires are still okay, but it's getting close. Might have to break out the euroweaves and spring for some new tires. 225s!!

Let start last week.
I took off to a scout camp for the week. Took two passengers plus some gear way back in the boonies. Scraped a lot. Car did fine. (tires aren't smiling yet)
Friday night we leave camp, and I make the 2.5 hour trip back home. Two passengers again, some gear, they fell asleep in the car. Guess it's not stiff enough.

Saturday morning, my wife took off for NC on thursday, so I need to get my happy tail down there. 5.3 hours later, I arrive. Tried to break 5 hours, but I made three mistakes. (I had to gas up, I had to pee, and I took a wrong turn) Oh well, next time. I saw no less than a dozen coppers, could have been up to 20. I got lasered twice, pinged LOTS, no tickets or chases.

Yesterday morning, we need to come back. My wife goes to get the boy from the babysitter, and I decide to get a head start on the drive. We go opposite directions at the stop sign, and I hear a "chunk" sound then a woWOWwoWOWwoWOW sound, along with some vibration. I push the car back to our friends' house, and look underneath. 5 of the 6 bolts holding the halfshaft to the drivers side of the differential have loosened. (!?!) One is holding it on. How the hell, I have no idea. Go buy an 8mm socket, tighten them up, and away we go, with my wife leading me by a few minutes. Car drove fine, but everyone else was CRAZY. Not so many cops yesterday. Someone tried to rearend me while merging from three lanes to two, and had to be between my wife and I. I hate 95, lotsa frost heaves, potholes and rough transitions before/after bridges. Took an excursion into the grass when someone HAD to come over, then SLAMMED on the brakes. Not fun. It happened so fast. Got back on the road, whipped around him, gave him a salute, and on my way.
Later tonight, go to get a soda, and almost t-bone a honda civic that decided that I wasn't worth waiting for at this really shitty intersection. (I think that road is on my ban list now, there are 2 other ways to get into my neighborhood, too many close calls there)

Distressing thoughts: On my way down to NC, I pass this Pilot with all the beach gear hanging all over it within 15 minutes of my house. I stop to get gas, pee, and get some cash for the toll. I wasn't taking my time, and really trying to break my 5 hour record. It took me 2 HOURS and 150 miles to catch that same truck again. (???) I couldn't believe it.
Same thing happened today, my wife and I gassed up at different stations, and she got a jump on me because I needed a full tank and a bathroon break. Same thing. 130 miles to catch her, after she started cruising the speed limit to let me catch up.
There were lights and traffic both times, but it just seems INSANE that 5 to 10 minutes can loose you that much ground on the road, and can be that hard to make up.
Makes me wonder if I'm just not using the big pedal on the right enough...

Almost time for me to put this car up for a while. I need to get the Mini going, and get my E28 going as well, then I can finish all the stuff that needs to get done on the E30. I'll take some pics once I decide to park it.