Extended Test Drive 2018 Ford Ford Explorer Limited

We took a trip to Vermont. One of the objectives was to drop off an air compressor and a shelving unit we previously cleared out of our storage unit. These do not really fit in the BRZ so we decided to rent something a bit bigger.
It should be noted that we had an issue with the tires on this rental, this is discussed in another post.
Our first challenge was figuring out whether or not a Ford Explorer would have sufficient space with the rear two rows down for a 78" shelving unit piece. This proved really hard to find. Apparently the dimensions with seats folded down were not published for this generation of Explorer. Holly and I spent roughly 1 hour 15 minutes collectively searching for this information and came up with some board dimensions (kind of) off a Ford Explorer forum. Just to contrast we then searched Subaru BRZ cargo dimensions and found full dimensions (rear seats up, down, and removed) within 3 minutes. Funny how difficult it is to find anything except cubit feet of cargo volume for a vehicle that people might actually haul lumbers or other stuff in.

Rear of the SUV loaded, plenty of space for the air compressor. Just enough space for the shelving unit.

Budget / Avis Rental Car Tires

We recently rented a 2018 Ford Explorer Limited from Budget / Avis. During our drive the rear stepped out (slid) on two occasions. We took a look at the tires and were a bit appalled.
The rear tires on both sides were down to the wear indicators. Basically no tread left. Keep in mind this is in the US Northeast during winter with ice and snow on the ground.
Holly picked the car up, did not check the tires. And I typically do not check the tires when I pick up the vehicle (I tend to take a closer look when I photograph the vehicle). This has never been an issue for us, but we will certainly be on the lookout in the future.
Following are some images of the tires taken with my phone:
Driver front:

Passenger front:

Nausicaa - Project Update - Sparco Seats, Harnesses, and Hardware Ordered

We had P&L Motorsports order our seats, harnesses and so on for Nausicaa, our Honda Prelude project car.

Below is a list of the items bought, unfortunately no install pictures yet:

Sparco:

1) Circuit QRT (2019)
   Part No. 008010RNR
   Listed Price:   $950.00

Nausicaa - Project Update - Images from P&L Motorsports (1st Set)

P&L Motorsports sent me some images of progress so far.
Engine bay with the old H22A# still there:

Cagalli Yula - 60 Month Service Fluids

I still do not have regular access to a garage and therefor am still having the car serviced. Cagalli Yula, my 2014 Subaru BRZ Limited, is hitting her 60 month birthday. She only has 45,000 miles. According to the owners manual it is therefore time to drain and swap: engine oil, transmission oil, brake fluid, and rear differential fluid. Engine air filter, cabin air filter, and oil filter will be changed as well. These changes are recommended for 6 months or 60,000 miles, whichever comes first.
A point of caution: It is not uncommon for dealerships to provide different service recommendations than those in your vehicle's owner's manual or to attempt to up-sell service that you do not need. Keep in mind that the owner's manual is the source of truth for what the engineers of your vehicle thought was required maintenance wise for your vehicle.

Penske Ford F-350 16' Truck

We finally emptied out our Public Storage Unit. We drove from Glen Mills, PA to Chicago, IL in a Penske Ford F-350 16' moving truck. We liked it a lot more than most of the moving trucks we have rented. We moved a lot of parts for Nausicaa, our 1993 Honda Prelude project.
Basically, captain's chairs and cruise control plus a suspension that is not ridiculously bouncy makes for a much better driving experience. We had no problems at all and were as comfortable as we have ever been in a moving truck.

I found this one rather easy to maneuver (going forward or backward). I think I am starting to get used to driving things this big. I am not sure if I like that...

Nausicaa - Project Update - Parts Ordered (and Delivered)

Update on Nausicaa, our 1993 Honda Prelude project car. We rented a truck and emptied our storage unit of stuff, including a lot of Honda Prelude parts, primarily from my old Prelude, Ceras Victoria. This is not an exhaustive list of the parts for the car, but a list of the parts ordered so far.
I am providing links to the parts but I do not guarantee that these links will continue working. I am listing the parts in the chronological order of when purchased. All prices are USD and do not include shipping costs (though shipping was free on some parts).
I do not have photos for all the parts, some were delivered directly to the shop doing work on the vehicle, P&L Motorsports. Also, I left the parts wrapped as the car will not be worked on until January 2019.

In terms of the scope of the project right now:
We are having a K24A swapped in and doing a lot of suspension work. A NASA compliant roll cage is being installed (safety first). The plan is to have the car setup so that we can take it to HPDE events and then as we get better to track days. Once Holly and I are comfortable pushing the car to its limits on a stock K24A we will then look at upgrading the engine and transmission.
Whether we do the 5-lug conversion now or later and a better brakes is not yet determined yet.

Parts Ordered (so far):

Mishimoto:
Honda Accord Performance Aluminum Fan Shroud Kit, 1994-1997 - $185.50 (link)

Honda Prelude Racing Thermostat, 1992-1996 - $48.00 (link)

Extended Test Drive 2019 Ford Mustang Ecoboost

We took a trip to Atlanta by way of PHL flying into ATL. We rented a manual transmission Ford Mustange EcoBoost from Budget. It is unusual but very nice when we are able to rent a manual transmission; they are especially uncommon to rent in the US.
This was an interesting car for us. The EcoBoost Mustang, which uses a 2.3L turbocharged four cylinder engine, has received a lot of compliments and accolades from car reviewers about its improved handling. Their rationale is that Ford has improved the handling in general and that the reduced weight over the front axle (200+ fewer pounds) supposedly greatly increases steering feel and responsiveness. There have been reports that this brings the Ford Mustang EcoBoost closer to being a true sports-car (sporty handling) instead of just a pony car (fast in a straight line). We were therefore rather enthused to get a chance to try it in manual form as this is something we would consider cross-shopping in the future or if Subaru kills the BRZ.

One thing we were surprised by was how large it was. It is a two door coupe. It is not small.
We did not feel small in this car compared to other cars on the road.

U-Haul Ford F-350 15' Truck

We rented a U-Haul Ford F-350 15' Truck to move stuff from our storage unit to our apartment. It was less bouncy than the International TerraStar 22' Truck we drove as our last moving truck.

A 15' truck was more than we needed, but it was not too unwieldy / drive-able.

Test Drive 2018 Toyota Yaris iA

Both of my siblings have bought the Scion iA and the Toyota Yaris iA (both the same car, when Toyota rolled Scion up it brought the iA in as the Yaris iA). I strongly recommended this car to both of them because it is a rebadged Mazda Mazda2, comes with a manual transmission (what my immediate family drives), and because one of the best cars in a price and size category above this is the Mazda Mazda3. So far both siblings are happy with the purchase.
I apologize for the photos on this, we were facing west down a street in the late afternoon.

Styling: