u/klebersu

so i was flashing my golf r with a new tune and my laptop died halfway through. yeah i know. stupid. now the car wont start and the obd port is dead. no communication with the ecu at all.

i've been reading up on recovery options but everything i find is for older ecus. this is a bosch med17.5.5 i think. heard you can boot mode it but i dont have the tools for that.

anyone here done this on a mk7? how much of a headache am i in for.

hey, quick one because i’m going down a bit of a rabbit hole with DSCR loans and I’m not fully sure what matters in practice vs what just looks strict on paper.

we’re looking at a property in WA (vacation area), planning to buy through an LLC with my partner + maybe 1–2 friends.

background:

my partner and i already have a few rentals (all started as primary homes and then converted), but we’ve never used DSCR financing before. the other partner just has a primary residence. property is currently vacant (previous owner passed away). plan is STR, but we’d also probably use it ourselves a bit since it’s a place we actually go to. numbers-wise i ran it through a DSCR calculator and it comes out around ~1.8, so on paper it looks fine for qualification.

what i’m trying to figure out is more the “after closing” side of things:

- do DSCR lenders ever actually verify rent / occupancy after funding, or is it basically just underwriting at the start?

- how do they usually treat occasional personal use in STR properties held in an LLC?

- if the place needs a bit of work before it’s fully STR-ready (nothing major, just not turnkey), does that ever matter post-close or is that only an underwriting thing?

i know i’ll need to confirm with a lender anyway, just trying to understand how this usually plays out in reality vs what the documents say.

anyone here actually gone through DSCR on an STR setup like this?

Been thinking about this a lot lately after a debate with a friend who insists on only playing WAV or FLAC files at every gig. I get the argument in theory, but I genuinely wonder how much difference it makes in practice when you're playing through a loud sound system with a packed crowd.

I do most of my purchasing through Beatport and Juno and usually grab 320kbps MP3s unless WAV is the same price or close to it. On my home monitors I can sometimes notice a difference if I'm really listening for it, but in a club with a proper d&b or FunktionOne system cranked up, bass frequencies bouncing everywhere and hundreds of people around you, I honestly question whether anyone on the dancefloor can tell.

That said, I've heard arguments that certain systems actually expose compression artifacts more at high volumes rather than less, which would flip my assumption entirely.

Curious what experienced people here actually think. Do you have a strict policy on file formats for your sets? Have you ever done a realworld comparison at a venue? Does your answer change depending on the type of music you play? I'd imagine something with a lot of subbass detail is more sensitive to compression than a vocal house track, for example.

Would love to hear from people who have actually tested this rather than just going by theory.

Trying to get my hands on some Comfort Craftsman. Buying direct is just a headache with the pricing and shipping from AU.

I want to avoid huge custom duties so I'm shopping around. Trying to find alternative Aussie stores that ship internationally, maybe have better overall rates than official channel.

Comparing some options, found places like Mainstreet Clothing and Allingtons Country Clothing. Has anyone actually ordered boots from them to the US/Europe lately? Basically I want to know about packaging quality and how customs got handled (import taxes SUCK).

Is there another good store I should be looking at for international? Or are these fine?

Cheers.

So I have been looking around for a reliable second car for a while now, nothing fancy, just something cheap to run and easy to maintain. Came across a 2011 Toyota Yaris with only 34,000 km on it, full service history, one owner, asking around 5,500 euro. The body is clean, no major rust that I can see, and it sailed through the NCT recently.

Now I know from experience that low mileage on an older car is not always the dream it sounds like. Seals dry out, rubber perishes, brakes can seize up from sitting around too much. A car driven regularly at higher mileage can sometimes be in better mechanical shape than one that was barely used and left on a driveway for years.

That said, a genuine low mileage Yaris from a careful owner is hard to come by, and these things run forever when looked after properly.

Has anyone here bought a low mileage older car and found it worth it, or did you end up with a load of problems from it sitting around? Would you pay that price for a 2011 Yaris or is it too much? Curious what people think before I go any further with it.

I just moved to Chicago and already had a terrible experience trying to rent a room. I responded to a listing for a place in Lincoln Park for $950 a month, but the actual apartment looked nothing like the photos. The room was barely large enough to fit a twin bed, and the radiator made a loud clanking noise all night that made it impossible to sleep. On top of that, the utilities were supposed to be included, but the guy running the place demanded an extra $150 cash for heating on my first weekend. I refused to pay it and left the next morning because the whole situation felt incredibly sketchy. I am trying to find a regular apartment share now through apps like Roomster or Craigslist where I can actually see verified profiles. Do you guys have any tips for navigating the rental market here without running into hidden fees?

When I first started buying music I was grabbing whatever I could find, 192kbps files, YouTube rips, you name it. Over time I got more obsessive about quality, only buying 320kbps MP3s at minimum, and now I find myself gravitating toward WAV or FLAC whenever possible even though the file sizes are a pain to manage.

The thing is I play mostly club and bar environments where the sound systems vary wildly. Half the time I wonder if the average punter on the dancefloor could tell the difference between a 320 and a WAV through a midtier club system with a room full of people talking over it. But I still care. Maybe it's more psychological than practical at this point.

I also wonder how streaming through something like Tidal at its highest quality tier compares in a real gig setting versus a locally stored WAV. Has anyone done any serious back to back testing in a live environment rather than just headphones at home?

Would love to hear from people who have strong opinions either way, whether you're a resolution obsessive or someone who thinks 320 is plenty and the energy of your mixing matters far more than the bitrate.

My wife and I have lived in this house for ten years. And lately? It feels like the house has finally run out of patience with us

When we bought it, we knew it wasn’t our dream home. Awkward layout, dated finishes, a long list of changes we’d eventually make. But the location was great and the price was right. We told ourselves we’d stay a few years, save up, and either renovate or move on

Then life happened. A few years turned into ten

To be fair, we’ve done smaller stuff like a new faucet, fresh paint, a bathroom vanity. But the big projects? We kept pushing them off. The house was always “good enough.” Functional enough that we convinced ourselves we’d deal with it later

Well, later is officially here

In the past few months, everything’s been falling apart. The kitchen faucet started leaking. Then an upper cabinet literally came off the wall and all the plates and china did NOT survive. Then we found a bathroom leak, moisture damage, mold. Now a window seal has failed, and the front door barely closes

Every weekend, I wake up wondering what’s going to break next. The house has stopped making excuses for itself

We’ve started looking into renovation options and found Ubic and the reviews seem solid, and they handle everything from design to completion. But I’m irritated. And tired. And I just want this done as fast as possible without it turning into a disaster

We’re going on holiday in late August. Part of me loves the idea of coming back to a transformed home. Another part is scared we’ll return to a construction site with no kitchen to eat in

I wanna ask how long did your renovation actually take and what’s the fastest way to get it done without losing your mind?

I bought this gorgeous kitchen sink and a very expensive one. Never thought that kitchen sinks can be that pricey, but I’ve got what I like with deep basin, matte finish, and a filtered tap that cost more than my first car. It was going to be the centerpiece of my loft renovation. I could already picture it with morning coffee, filtered water on demand, everyone complimenting my taste

Then the plumber came.

He took one look at the pipes under my floor and shook his head and said smth like these are original, and probably 1950s. Nothing modern fits here without redoing the whole run…

He wouldn't even try. Said he didn't want to be responsible if something cracked.

So now I have this beautiful sink sitting in a box, and my old crusty sink still in place. I think that I can't return it and I bought it months ago…. I can't install it. I'm stuck.

My neighbor came over yesterday and I told him the whole story. He laughed and said to call Top Flow Plumbing Services in Wollongong. He also said that they basically redid all my piping to fit a new mixer tap, hooked up my dishwasher, and left everything neat. No mess, no excuses.

Apparently they even gave him a warranty on the work.

So now I'm wondering… should I call them and see if they can make this work? Or should I admit defeat, return the sink and if they'll even take it, and pick something that fits the old pipes?

I want my dream kitchen. But I also don't want to sink money into a project that's impossible.

Has anyone dealt with old plumbing and new fixtures? Is this actually doable or am I dreaming?

Looking for some advice and curious what others think. I've been saving up and have a budget of around 12 to 14k for a used car. I keep going back and forth between two options and can't make up my mind.

Option one is something like a 2012 or 2013 model with genuinely low mileage, say under 40k km. The appeal is obvious, less wear on the engine and mechanicals, but you're getting an older car with older tech and potentially older safety kit.

Option two is a 2017 or 2018 model with closer to 120k km on it. Newer features, better fuel economy on some models, more modern safety systems, but the miles are there and you just never fully know how it was driven.

I'm leaning toward petrol given the way things are going with diesel costs and the NCT situation with older diesels. Probably looking at something like a Yaris, Civic or maybe a Seat Leon.

I've learned the hard way that an NCT is no guarantee of a sound car, so I'd be getting any purchase inspected regardless.

What do people here generally prefer? Is low mileage on an older car actually worth it in your experience, or does the newer model win out every time?

so im on the committee for our building 12 units. thought id be able to help fix things but honestly the system is broken. one owner owes like 15k in unpaid levies. been going on for 4 years. when i asked why we havent taken legal action the manager said it would cost too much and the committee wont approve it cause nobody wants to pay legal fees.

meanwhile the rest of us keep paying higher levies to cover the shortfall. so basically we're subsidising someone who just refuses to pay. i was looking online for how other stratas deal with this and. they apparently have an in house solicitor which seems like a smart way to handle it without racking up external legal bills. our manager just sends everything to an outside lawyer and bills us every time.

is this normal how do you actually make people pay when the committee wont spend money on legal. feels like the system rewards people who ignore their bills

Been digging through my library trying to decide whether it's worth converting everything to WAV, or if 320kbps MP3 is genuinely good enough for a welltuned club rig. I know this gets debated constantly in general audio circles, but I'm curious what working DJs actually experience in real conditions, not just on headphones at home.

My home setup sounds fine with either format, but I had a gig recently on a bigger system and felt like a couple of my older MP3 encodes sounded slightly harsh in the high end when pushed loud. Could have been the encoding, could have been the source, could have been the room. Hard to tell in the moment.

I've read the technical arguments about frequency response and bit depth, but I'm more interested in practical experience. Are you actively hunting down WAV or FLAC versions of tracks you already own as MP3s? Is it worth the extra storage and the time spent repurchasing or redownloading? Or are we firmly in diminishing returns territory at 320, where the room acoustics and the PA are the bigger variables anyway?

Would love to hear from people who have done proper backtoback comparisons on real systems, not just spectrum analyzer screenshots.

i have been trying to find some good spots around western sydney for casual nights out and i really like italian style food with fresh pasta and nice flavors that are not too heavy. something with good service and a relaxed vibe would be perfect for meeting up with friends or a date.

what are your favorite restaurants in the area right now? any hidden gems for italian or similar food that you keep going back to?

Just moved to Ireland and looking to pick up my first car here. Back home I had a decent idea of what to look for, but the Irish market seems a bit different and I want to make sure I don't get caught out.

A few things are already confusing me. The NCT system is new to me. How much weight does a car being close to its NCT date actually carry when negotiating a price? Is it a genuine red flag, or do most reasonably maintained cars pass without much hassle?

Also noticed that a lot of cars here seem to have fairly high mileage compared to what I was used to seeing at similar price points. Is that just the reality of the market, or am I looking in the wrong places?

Private sellers versus dealers is one generally safer than the other, or does it really depend on the individual? And are there any specific history report services that people here actually trust and use regularly?

Any advice from people who know the Irish market well would be massively appreciated. Happy to share more details about budget or what kind of car I am looking for if that helps narrow things down.

Hey all, long time lurker here finally posting. I'm in the market for my first proper used car and honestly the whole process is a bit overwhelming. Budget is around 8 to 10k and I've been browsing Done Deal and Cars Ireland for the past few weeks.

I keep reading about NCT history, clocking, and outstanding finance checks but I want to hear from people with actual experience buying privately or from dealers here. What caught you out, or what do you wish someone had told you before you signed anything?

A few specific things I'm unsure about. Is it worth paying for a full history check like Cartell, or is the free NCT check enough to get a decent picture? Should I always insist on a prepurchase inspection from a mechanic, even for relatively low mileage cars? And how do you handle VRT and registration when buying from someone up north?

Any advice from people who've been through this recently would be massively appreciated. The last thing I want is to hand over a chunk of savings and end up with a headache. Cheers.

Long time lurker here, finally at the stage where I need my own set of wheels. I've been looking around on Done Deal and a few dealer sites and honestly the whole process feels a bit overwhelming, especially coming at it with no real experience buying cars.

A few things I'm trying to figure out. Is it worth going for a newer imported car from the UK or Japan, or would I be better off sticking to something that's been on Irish roads its whole life? I keep hearing mixed things about UK imports with the right hand drive situation and how it affects insurance for new drivers.

When it comes to background checks, most people seem to mention Cartell. Is that genuinely worth the money or are there better options people use here?

Budget is around 8 to 10 grand. I'd mainly be driving around Dublin with the odd longer run. Something reliable and cheap to insure is the main goal, not too pushed about it being flashy.

Any advice from people who've been through this recently would be massive. What mistakes did you make first time around that you wish someone had warned you about? Happy to hear recommendations on makes and models too.

Long time lurker, first time poster. Moved over to Ireland about a year ago and finally need to get my own car. I've been relying on public transport and lifts from colleagues but it's not sustainable anymore, especially living outside Dublin.

Budget is around 8 to 10 grand and I'm looking at the used market. Back home I had a decent idea of what to watch out for, but the Irish market feels different, especially with the whole VRT and NCT setup which I'm still getting my head around.

A few things I'm genuinely unsure about. Is it worth getting a prepurchase inspection done, and if so who's actually reliable for that? How much weight should I put on NCT history when evaluating a car? Are there particular makes or models that tend to hold up well in this price range over here, or ones to avoid?

Also noticed a lot of cars listed seem to come from Northern Ireland. Is that a minefield or generally fine if the paperwork is in order?

Happy to answer questions if more context helps narrow things down.

Looking to replace my current car and trying to figure out the sweet spot for used cars in Ireland right now. Budget is around €15,000 and I want something reliable that won't cost a fortune to run or insure.

I've been looking at a few options like the Toyota Corolla hybrid, the Skoda Octavia, and maybe a Hyundai Tucson, but the prices on Done Deal seem all over the place depending on mileage and year.

The things I'm trying to balance are fuel economy, running costs, NCT readiness, and avoiding anything with a dodgy history. Tax and insurance costs matter too since they add up quickly here.

I'm open to diesel or petrol but leaning toward petrol or hybrid given where fuel prices have been sitting lately. No strong brand loyalty, just want something that makes financial sense for Irish roads and conditions.

Has anyone bought a used car in this price range recently that they're happy with? What would you avoid and what would you recommend? Any tips on particular dealers or private sales, and how to avoid getting caught out, would be useful too.

With used car prices still fairly high compared to preCovid levels, a lot of people are trying to stretch their budget as far as possible. The obvious choices like Skoda Octavia, Toyota Corolla and Volkswagen Golf get mentioned constantly, and for good reason, but I'm curious what the less talked about options are.

I recently started looking at the Skoda Superb as a leftfield alternative to the Octavia and was genuinely surprised by the value. You get a massive amount of car for the money and they seem reasonably reliable based on what I've read.

So what would you recommend to someone with a budget of around 12 to 15 thousand euro? Any body style, petrol, diesel or hybrid is fine. I'm more interested in the hidden gems that don't get enough attention rather than the usual suspects everyone already knows about.

Reliability, running costs and how easy parts are to source in Ireland would be great to hear about too, since that's often where the less popular brands catch you out.

Would love to hear from people who actually own or have owned these cars rather than just going off what the internet says. What have your real world experiences been like?