[1027] With A Little Help From My Friends

Things seem to be going in a different direction career-wise. I will rarely talk about really personal things on my blog nowadays because of personal reasons, but I will say that things seem to have changed for me in my career.

Having a friendly and honest chat with some friends has helped a big deal, as well as coming to terms with some of my weaknesses and deficiencies.

Now all I can do is soldier on and hope that I can steer myself in a positive direction.

Out.

[1026] More Every Van Musings

This is a continuation of my thoughts from this earlier blog. Plus I also re-watched a youtube video from Surplus TV featuring a DA17 Every Van. I prefer the Every Van variant because they automatically (unless I'm mistaken) have a high roof. The DA17W Every Wagon variant I feel just has too many features that make it too expensive a surplus vehicle. Plus whatever working features (because I'm pretty sure they don't come here with all features, like having airbags?) the DA17W has you can offset with modifications on a DA17V.

I'll just add to my earlier opinions about the DA17V. As of this moment, with all available surplus units I've seen on Youtube, the DA17V is indeed the ideal base model in the event I actually win the lottery and decide to get a Japan surplus Every Van.

• The engine should either be the naturally aspirated R06A auto-gear shift (AGS) variant or the turbocharged R06A automatic transmission variant. Basically any variant that offers an automatic transmission. The simplest explanation is because traffic here sucks and I'd rather not have to juggle a third pedal just to go toe-to-toe with other motorists. I'd really prefer the AGS variant because then you'd have an option to go manual mode which would be useful for long highway drives or when you're driving inclines and declines.
• It should be an all-power variant. Power windows and auto-folding, auto-adjusting side mirrors. The reason is this variant has a wide shelf above the driver and passenger seats. As stupid as this sounds I'd rather maximize the cargo space of the van. You can probably store your car documents there as well as some emergency change of clothes. 
• It should have rear split-folding seats. Or "captain's chairs" as a majority of local Japan surplus dealers call them.

That's it. That will be the blank canvas from which I will add modifications. Here are some mods I would think should be added, in order of importance. These would most likely be additional costs and modifications I'd ask the actual supplier to do instead of me adding these. Specially the roof carrier and top-loading registration.

• OBD 2 multifunction reader. The DA17V dashboard I think just has a speedometer and a series of warning lights. Adding an OBD 2 scanner will give me additional information and from what I've seen in some videos these include oil temp, engine RPM, real time fuel consumption, and it also scans and reads your car's faults.
• Android ready head unit with a back-up camera. Android ready so I can pair my phone with the head unit. Back-up camera for added safety when backing up.
• Dash cam front and rear. Again for additional safety. I'd probably splurge for this so I get clear front and rear videos even during night time.
• Custom spoiler. If there's a stock spoiler of a DA17W or DA17V that's what I want.
• Fog lamps. I'm a bit torn here but I've seen videos where the Japan surplus suppliers add fog lamps that look just like the stock fog lamps on a DA17W so I'll probably be happy with that.
• Roof cargo basket and top-loading registration. I don't know how useful this would be but it's something that might be useful in the future.

Aside from those I'd probably try to look for some quality of life improvements to the car, namely making sure the side mirrors are fixed so they work for left-hand drive vehicles and swapping the wiper and light switches so that they're all left-hand drive oriented.

I'm not sure if there's anything else I'd want to add. I'm pretty sure this would become a permanent project car in the sense that I'd be doing some modifications or improvements to it the whole time I own it. Maybe getting better tires and rims, better speakers, or some aftermarket headlights I saw online.

Out.

[1025] Plans

Due to unexpected events happening these past few months I've decided it would be better to shelve my idea of getting a second-hand, fuel efficient car until next year.

It's a financial decision so that I can hopefully either increase my budget or find something more bang for the buck by next year. I could technically get one now but it just isn't the right time with regards to expenses and everything. I should ideally be looking and buying one by the first or second quarter of next year if everything goes according to plan.

I'm still sticking to my hope that I can find a decent 2nd generation Honda Jazz with an automatic transmission. I don't even mind if I can't get the 1.5L engine. However I'm not against buying a slightly newer, smaller displacement car if that's the best I can find. I just want a hatchback.

This basically means my search for the fuel efficient hatchback will continue next time. Still hoping I can get a Honda Jazz, but if not I'm more than happy to get a Toyota Wigo, Suzuki Celerio, or Mitsubishi Mirage. They've all been proven to be practical and fuel efficient, and they can all do long drives. Plus they are indeed newer models to my dream Honda Jazz model.

Out.

[1024] Practical Car Dream Set Up

Still can't pull the trigger on getting a second-hand, fuel efficient car. Too much analysis paralysis and honestly I probably need to save up a bit more so I don't completely wipe out my savings. So I continue daydreaming about upgrades I would do should I finally get my practical dream car.

Register for top load. I believe this is required for the Philippines. You need to pay additional to the registration so you can mount cargo on the roof. I honestly plan on eventually adding roof rails on the roof so I can mount a bike rack, a cargo basket, or even a cargo box. This will give additional storage on the car.

Upgrade stereo head unit to an Apple Car Play and Android Auto ready head unit. Have a back-up camera installed at the same time. Pairing my mobile phone to the car will allow me to have the navigation and music from my phone connected to the car. A back up camera will help with maneuvering.

Dash cam front and rear. I'm guessing these are separate add-ons to the head unit and back up camera. We'll need this for security.

LED light upgrade for some lights. We can start with the interior lighting, and maybe the lights for the plate number at the rear. I'm not sure if upgrading brake, reverse, and signal lights to LEDs are plug and play, but if they are then I'll upgrade those as well. Headlights and fog lamps I will keep stock because I've read that not all headlights can use LED bulbs because of focusing issues.

Speakers. This is not a priority but a luxury.

OBD 2 scanner / readout. I've seen some of these in some Every Wagon videos and they seem like a nice addition. It can not only scan your computer for issues but it can also act as a temp gauge, fuel efficiency calculator, and other stuff.

That's it, basically. Nothing too fancy or extreme. Just get some quality equipment for those times I will want to go on long drives.

Out.

[1023] Practical Car Musings

I think I've finally decided that if I do end up buying a used car to become the daily driver for Metro Manila it would be the Honda Jazz GE. Ideally with the 1.5L engine and definitely with the automatic transmission. Even better if it's totally unmodified, though I will accept a new head unit installed, specially if it is an android head unit.

I just need the car to be reliable and fuel efficient. And yes I still ideally want a 1.5L Honda Jazz because at least I'll be owning one of my dream cars.

How would I feel if I have to get a Wigo, Mirage, or Vios? Not too bad, because I just really want to have a fuel efficient car we can use almost daily. Times are really hard and the gas prices are really screwing with my budget.

Out.

[1022] More Suzuki Every Musings

Learning a lot more about the Suzuki Every Wagon/Every Van by watching more youtube videos of different local Japan surplus suppliers. Plus I saw a few of them on the way to and from my folks' place in the province.

So the DA17 auto-gear shift is only available on non-turbo engines. The eco-mode that happens in an AGS equipped DA17 only works on auto-gear shift mode and not during manual mode.

Based on these two things I am once again adjusting the Suzuki Every Van I would like to have. It would still be the DA17 van, with a non-turbo engine and auto-gear shift. That's it. It would be nice if I could get the split folding rear seats (or "captain's chairs" like how local surplus dealers call them) and seat belts. Also hopefully get all-power windows and mirrors so that the shelf on the top of the front seats is available.

For modifications I'd like to ask for DA17W fog lamps, a 7-inch android head unit. roof rack and basket, and a rear spoiler coming from the dealer. Everything else is as stock as possible.

Then for additional modifications maybe the OBD 2 port digital temp gauge/OBD 2 for additional car info and a rear LED chase light bar I'd mount on the top of the rear tailgate. The chase light bar would be placed over the rear third brake light and I'd try to do some good wiring so that it can become a secondary set of signal, brake, and reverse lights.

I'd probably try to upgrade the speakers as well. Not sure about adding ceiling mounted fans to improve aircon circulation, but I have no idea how cool or strong the aircon is.

Out.