BIFL: Buy it for Life (the Good Stuff General) - or, Anti-Consumerist Consumerism

[Susanna]

It’s nice up until you have to make a repair, then you’re sticking paying four times the price at a mechanic for parts that take forever to source.

I haven’t had to go to the mechanic to have any parts exchanged yet, unless you mean consumables like brake pads. I doubt the difference in price is particularly big though, the mechanic work hours is going to cost two or three times the price of parts, no?

Driving should be a chore because traffic makes it such; but if you’re buying German cars you most likely drive like a German car owner (i.e. an asshole).

You don’t know how I drive, so shut up. I speed often, yes, but speed limits are set for the worst cars on the road, moskviches that haven’t been to a mechanic since they were made in the 60s and such. Modern cars can safely operate at much higher speeds, and I am a safe driver. I’ve never been in an accident as a driver, only as a passenger.

For a BiFL car, Honda or Hyundai are easy to work on and reliable. Toyotas are indestructible. Any other vehicles won’t last you 300,000 miles.

Nonsense, German cars make it to twice that regularly. Just look at Africa, every other car in the cities is going to be a severely bashed up but still mechanically fine 90s Mercedes. All you’re doing to yourself buying budget brands is making your car owner experience a miserable one.

 

[Star Spangled Bogger]

A good hifi stereo, you probably don't need surround speakers. Depending on what country you're in, there are lots of options.

Go to a local hifi store, have a listen, research online, think about the space you're putting them in, and it should last many decades.

It's hard to recommend specific brands because there are lots of good ones. Just avoid stores that sell Bose. Read about sales tactics so they don't fool ya, and consider the way you want to play music based on how high-tech or low-tech that amp is (e.g. are you streaming via optic from your TV? Or do you want to stream with your phone over high end bluetooth?).

 

[gildersleeve]

Boots, if ya want good boots I recommend Whites. Since your presumably not going to be living near the liberty lake data center (you should, the Idaho panhandle is a good place to live) and unwilling to go-to Spokane for fittings. you can send in your foot measurements and get some long lasting and rebuildable leather boots used in the forestry industry and can have them customized to your liking. Itll take your a while to break them in and it'll feel like your standing on the rung of a ladder barefoot till the archease breaks in. But you can get them rebuilt and your local cobbler is more than willing to resole them for you as you go through the sole. Your looking at about $500 for a custom pair. I've had mine worn everyday for the past 6 years. Definitely a keep it for life purchase.
Handmade in Spokane btw.

 

[McMitch]

I haven’t had to go to the mechanic to have any parts exchanged yet, unless you mean consumables like brake pads. I doubt the difference in price is particularly big though, the mechanic work hours is going to cost two or three times the price of parts, no?

Knowing how to replace consumables yourself should be a standard part of car ownership. Especially if your intention is to minimize your reliance on others and businesses to maintain your property (the entire point of this thread). Anything that forces you to go to someone who knows what they’re doing is going to cost you more, especially with how difficult it is to disassemble German engines.

You don’t know how I drive, so shut up. I speed often, yes, but speed limits are set for the worst cars on the road, moskviches that haven’t been to a mechanic since they were made in the 60s and such. Modern cars can safely operate at much higher speeds, and I am a safe driver. I’ve never been in an accident as a driver, only as a passenger.

You 100% weave through traffic, thinking it makes an appreciable difference on your commute time. Don’t confuse luck with ability.

Nonsense, German cars make it to twice that regularly. Just look at Africa, every other car in the cities is going to be a severely bashed up but still mechanically fine 90s Mercedes. All you’re doing to yourself buying budget brands is making your car owner experience a miserable one.

You’re retarded: you’d be lucky to get your Mercedes to 250k. Swapping the engine or transmission (which you will 100% have to do by that point) renders the odometer pointless.

All you’re doing is tying yourself to an expensive, disposable car which you can’t reliably work on yourself; which runs counter to the point of this thread.

 

[Flatline]

Filson and Patagonia’s workwear line (I believe it’s called Iron Forge) are both good if you have the money, which if you’re looking to buy Carhartt, you probably do.

A regular workwear coat would cost about $100-150 at Carhartt; the same style is about $500 at Filson. That doesn't seem like a good alternative.

 

[A Sentient Cloud]

A regular workwear coat would cost about $100-150 at Carhartt; the same style is about $500 at Filson. That doesn't seem like a good alternative.

That's the trade-off of "buy it for life." You're paying more for quality that lasts.

 

[Susanna]

Knowing how to replace consumables yourself should be a standard part of car ownership. Especially if your intention is to minimize your reliance on others and businesses to maintain your property (the entire point of this thread). Anything that forces you to go to someone who knows what they’re doing is going to cost you more, especially with how difficult it is to disassemble German engines.

I'm not going to the mechanic just to get the brake pads changed, I'm confident I could figure that out on my own. But the mechanic does change out filters and pads and such as part of the service, which was included when I bought the car. I've already spent the money to get the service, it would be silly to not use that.

You 100% weave through traffic, thinking it makes an appreciable difference on your commute time. Don’t confuse luck with ability.

I 100% do not, and you need to just shut up about this. I get it, you have some kind of weird prejudice against Mercedes owners just because you drive a shitbox that probably takes ten minutes and a push whenever you need to start it.

You’re retarded: you’d be lucky to get your Mercedes to 250k. Swapping the engine or transmission (which you will 100% have to do by that point) renders the odometer pointless.

https://www.thedrive.com/news/22187/meet-the-zombie-cars-of-west-africa

All you’re doing is tying yourself to an expensive, disposable car which you can’t reliably work on yourself; which runs counter to the point of this thread.

I disagree. No I can't swap the engine out on my own or whatever, but I couldn't do that with any other car either, so it's a moot point. All the parts I know how to swap out, filters, pads, wipers etc are just as easy to get hold of as they are for your car. The difference is you're miserable in your car, while I'm quite happy in mine.

 

[McMitch]

I get it, you have some kind of weird prejudice against Mercedes owners just because you drive a shitbox that probably takes ten minutes and a push whenever you need to start it.

My car starts with no issues, thank you, but everyone I know with a German car constantly needs rides to the mechanic.

I disagree. No I can't swap the engine out on my own or whatever, but I couldn't do that with any other car either, so it's a moot point. All the parts I know how to swap out, filters, pads, wipers etc are just as easy to get hold of as they are for your car. The difference is you're miserable in your car, while I'm quite happy in mine.

that’s my point, your car will get to where you can no longer maintain it before mine will. I’ve driven German cars before, the idea that it is a more comfortable ride than say, an Acura, is a cope.

 

[Susanna]

that’s my point, your car will get to where you can no longer maintain it before mine will.

I'm saying I already can't maintain it, apart from the basics. Most car owners are like me, able to do basic things like swapping tires, spark plugs, or AC filters, but go to the mechanic if they need something more complex like new brake calipers or suspension. If you're a competent mechanic with a well-equipped garage at home, I won't begrudge you preferring a car that may be easier to work on, I'm not qualified to make that judgement, but as a normie car owner, I'm telling you it makes little appreciable difference to the rest of us. We go to the mechanic to get the car serviced, and because the mechanic looks over the car regularly, it just works.

I’ve driven German cars before, the idea that it is a more comfortable ride than say, an Acura, is a cope.

You said Honda, not Acura. There's a very real difference in pricing between the two badges, even if they're technically the same manufacturer. For the Acura you pay extra to get better seats, better stereo, posher interior, prettier exterior etc. It also depends on the German car in particular. VWs are mechanically sound, but they're still budget cars, not as comfortable as a Mercedes or a BMW. Like with the Acura, though, if you want a comfortable VW you'd buy an Audi or a Porsche.

 

[hog cranking frog]

but go to the mechanic if they need something more complex like new brake calipers or suspension.

Amateur Toyota drivers with a mallet and a rusty screwdriver over here scratching our heads going "complex?????"

 

[BallsMcLongDong]

For cars, try not to buy anything made after 2006. This is when materials started getting cheaped on. Not to mention, this is also when more electronics started being added to cars. The main problem with that is the same reason why the Wii, The PS3, and the Xbox 360 all got various colored "rings of death." New regulations around this time changed solder, because lead was now being viewed suspiciously. So a lot of the soldering done around this time was done with inferior solder, which is why cooking them in an oven and getting that solder to flow again "fixes" these devices.
That is also around the time that DIY started getting outmoded, so cars were designed with this in mind. It is much, much harder to work on a car made in 2006 than it is a car made in 1996.
Get yourself an early to mid 90's Cadillac, make sure that it is American made, and is not the Northstar variant of the engine. I got a 1991 Seville that is my dream car. Thing floats like a boat. The engine is STRONG. These models are actually popular to buy, because people will rip the engine out to put it in a smaller frame for a racing build. They get a bazillion miles. And most importantly, everything I needed to do to get it running like a raped ape I was able to do myself, at home. Starts in -20 degree temps with no issues. Love that fucking thing.
And as an aside, here's Balls' Dad Tip for the day.
That jack that came with your car? Throw it the fuck away. It is an afterthought, and it is dogshit. I used one recently that came in a new Subaru to jack up a riding mower to change tires, and it bent the fucking scissor jack. I can life that mower with my muscles. These things WILL fail, and if they don't outright kill you, you will lose fingers. Get yourself a rolling floor jack.
As someone who has had to hold up a front end long enough for a buddy to wriggle out because of a jack failure, I don't want to see my kiwi buddies crushed.

 

[The Grognard]

Nonsense, German cars make it to twice that regularly. Just look at Africa, every other car in the cities is going to be a severely bashed up but still mechanically fine 90s Mercedes. All you’re doing to yourself buying budget brands is making your car owner experience a miserable one.

This is incorrect. Around the Daimler-Chrysler merger of 1998, they decided that they don't actually need to make reliable cars anymore so you can find 2000's Mercs surprisingly cheap, only to discover that the wiring insulation is biodegradeable, the previous owner treated it as disposable, and there are roughly 8 million different warning lights ongoing at every second. This is especially rancid with their current vans like the Sprinter which might as well come pre-rusted from the factory. Stuff made by the Volkswagen Group is somehow worse on the reliability department.

 

[Cyning]

If you're looking for a reliable timepiece, my Casio Pro Trek watch has served we well for many years now. The paint around the face has worn away but other than that it's in great condition after coming with me nearly everywhere for the past decade. It's solar powered so you'll never need to worry about replacing the battery, and it synchronizes to the atomic clock via radio automatically every night so it can be accurate to the millisecond (when it can get a signal. The transmitter is in Colorado but I've managed to get a signal consistently in the US, even on the east coast. It can be a bit iffy if it's indoors when it tries to sync at midnight). Without synchronizing, it'll only lose a few seconds a month. It's more waterproof than the average person would ever need it to be and has all the things you'd expect from a digital watch like a timer, stopwatch, alarm etc. as well as working as a compass, altimeter/barometer, and thermometer. All around a great watch, and not too bulky, would highly recommend if you don't care too much about aesthetics.

 

[Susanna]

Casio Pro Trek

I love Casio watches! One of my favourite watches is the Casio Vintage A1000D (white mother of pearl) with the milanese band from the A1000M (black mother of pearl). The steel watch case and band combine very nicely, and I love how simple the pearl face around the classic F91 display looks. It feels both modern and retro at the same time, and will wear nicely, unlike basically every other Casio with the cheap resin and acrylic cases. A bit bigger than I'd prefer, but I guess they were trying to make it unisex. Definitely works either way though.

I just bought them both, liked the band from the right more, but found the negative display pretty much unusable, so I just swapped the bands around. Left watch with right strap is a great combination imo. Only negative I really have about the A1000 is that it's only water resist, not 10ATM. I don't see why it couldn't handle immersion, having opened it up to swap the battery everything seemed well sealed, but still.

 

[BallsMcLongDong]

I love Casio watches! One of my favourite watches is the Casio Vintage A1000D (white mother of pearl) with the milanese band from the A1000M (black mother of pearl). The steel watch case and band combine very nicely, and I love how simple the pearl face around the classic F91 display looks. It feels both modern and retro at the same time, and will wear nicely, unlike basically every other Casio with the cheap resin and acrylic cases. A bit bigger than I'd prefer, but I guess they were trying to make it unisex. Definitely works either way though.
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I just bought them both, liked the band from the right more, but found the negative display pretty much unusable, so I just swapped the bands around. Left watch with right strap is a great combination imo. Only negative I really have about the A1000 is that it's only water resist, not 10ATM. I don't see why it couldn't handle immersion, having opened it up to swap the battery everything seemed well sealed, but still.

If you open it up and hyrdomod it with mineral oil, you can boost it up to the 10ATM. Make sure there are no gaps or bubbles, and water will not be able to penetrate due to the oil. Also gives you way more legibility, and more viewing angles. Don't know if you've ever tried to look at it from a fun angle, but hyrdromodding removes the "cannot see if at a 45 degree angle from watch."

 

[Nate Higgers]

Legacy Firearms makes a damn good holster. I would highly recommend getting a stout “solid core” belt/purpose-made-gunbelt for the holster as well. A solid gunbelt will aid in concealed carry and avoid any unnecessary “printing” or sagging of your firearm+holster, and the added weight capacity/“stoutness” allows you to carry an additional one or two magazines if you are so inclined.

I personally like my Kore Essentials gunbelts; they’ve got a ratcheting buckle so they have a very precise sizing that you can adjust throughout the day.

 

[BLACKHAWK_Entropy]

I would also recommend people look into mesh clothing for better heat retention if you want to cut down on heating costs in your home or are a regular hiker. They're wool mesh layered clothes that have tiny mesh to trap air pockets between your clothing layers. More layers traps air which retains heat so a mesh base layer lets you have 1000s of tiny air pockets to far more effectively trap body heat. Having these mesh layers also makes it very easy to wash off sweat. Simply waving it through the air would be enough to dry it sometimes. Brynje are the company that sells the best imo. I haven't needed to turn on my heating at all if I throw one on with a light wool jumper. Saves me a good bit throughout the past few weeks.
https://www.brynje.no/gb/en/wool-thermo-light-shirt-16
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A monster stands before you,

 

[AnOminous]

Driving should be a chore because traffic makes it such; but if you’re buying German cars you most likely drive like a German car owner (i.e. an asshole).

Don't talk shit about Mercedes drivers. BMW drivers can go to Hell though.

 

[Voyeur]

Does anyone have recommendations for a new bed frame? Yes, it's embarrassing but we've broken two wayfair beds.

Lewd.

 

[Otterly]

French ceramic food steamer

These look cool. Do they go in the oven or what?

The Ankarsrum Assistant is a strange beast. Its a Nordic Swedish style mixer

I have one, had it almost twenty years, it’s great. Can’t believe they’re that expensive now ! (Well o can…)

especially if you're making a builder's tea

Yeah I mainly drink that. You are correct about more delicate teas.

Where are you getting linen bed sheets? The places I was looking at were asking upwards of $500 for a set

I got a set of duvet cover and pillow cases from TK maxx for fifty quid. For everything else find where sells them and stalk them online for discount times/coupons. Almost everywhere has sales