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Meet Parsko
This week I get to introduce you all to Parsko. If you’re active in the Autopian Discord, you have probably talked with him. He’s also a pretty active commenter here on the site, so say hi! Parsko is an engineer living in Connecticut. He has a pretty much perfect collection of cars. We’ve got the beat-up old work truck, the manual station wagon, the sports sedan, and an EV for commuting. I’ve been trying to talk him into getting a Miata, but aside from that, what more could one ask for?
How did you get into cars?
My dad. My parents divorced when I was 6. Shortly after that, Dad bought us a go-kart. I still remember the day we brought it home. It was wet, and we had a good loop up the driveway and access street then around the house. I felt like a king holding it out sideways and countersteering. I was 7, and this felt completely natural. In the ensuing years, I spent a lot of time with my Dad driving back and forth between home and his house (2 hours away). He spoke a lot about his youth and building and fixing cars. He had Crossleys, Karmann Ghias, and a Porsches he wrecked in the snow in the late 70s. Before I had my permit, he would let me drive that 2-hour drive home illegally. It was mostly highway, and he would just say “Stay in the right lane and stick to 62 mph.” I did and we never got caught. He passed in 2021, and I miss him dearly.
What’s currently in the garage?
- 1994 Toyota Truck
- 2006 BMW 530 XiT
- 2012 Cadillac CTS
- 2018 Chevrolet Bolt
How did you end up with the Toyota?
In 2009, a colleague walked out into the hallway of the cube farm and asked “Who wants a free…?” I said “I DO” before he could even say “truck.” I asked what I signed up for, and it was this 1994 Toyota Pickup – 22RE, 5-speed, no power steering, no AC.
What’s your favorite thing about it?
Perhaps the airbags. The truck was shipped from the factory with leaf spring mounts/perches which were not parallel side to side. So, the dealer installed airbags so the truck could be leveled. I’ve never really noticed it, but I use them multiple times a year for hauling huge loads, like half yards of stone or yards of mulch.
How good of shape is it in?
It’s just average. The frame is very solid, no rot or appreciable rust. The previous owner (I’m #2) had the body undercoated on day one. So, it looks great. The suspension needs updating, the front bushings are pretty beat, but overall, it’s in pretty good shape. It’s had a seat cover on it its whole life, so the bench seat is near perfect.
Anything it needs or plans for it?
Not really. In 2012 or so it was hit by a City Garbage truck in the driver’s rear. Pushed the bed in quite a bit, but the tailgate still closes and holds great. The city paid me $3000 for the hit. So, at that time, I had made money on it. Honestly, I still think I’m ahead after all these years if you don’t count insurance and gas.
I had to put a new head in it due to it overheating and cracking between the valves on cylinder 4. But, the truck just kinda keeps running. I have moved on to not driving it in the winter to preserve it due to the heavy salt use in the Northeast.
I’m honestly on the fence about keeping it. I love it to death, but at this point, I only use it a dozen times a year. My fleet is now up to 4, and I have a kid that is of driving age (but not driving yet). This is not a good daily for him, IMHO.
What’s the story with the BMW?
At the risk of sounding like a Corvette owner, the 530 is very special because it’s a 6-speed, of which only about 200 wagons were imported into the US over the run of these things. In 2015, we sold our first house for profit, we bought this car as the prime family daily hauler in 2016.
I bought it sight unseen from a dealer in Florida who had no idea what he had. It was shipped up the East Coast and I picked it up in a parking lot off the highway. The dealer later said “I could have added a lot of money to this car and made out”, but he honored the deal we struck before he found out what he had.
Favorite story with it?
It drove the 4 of us and the dog to Florida in the first summer of ownership. Was an amazing family trip. I bought one of those USB OBDII readers prior to the trip. This came in handy because the car overheated in traffic a few times, but not consistently. This was in Georgia on the way down. We proceeded to just keep driving it while I monitored things. Made it all the way back home though.
What do you love about it?
It’s a wagon. I like the look, I never really understood the hate for the Bangle Butt. I’m also not a die-hard BMW guy. This car was originally a love/love relationship that has turned into a love/hate relationship due to its age.
It’s an 18-year-old BMW. It has biodegradable wiring insulation, which is just a ticking time bomb. I’ve already had to spend a weekend futzing with one of the headlights just to keep it going. I’m generally scared of it because of this. But at this point, nearly everything on it has been replaced. So it should become a good daily once again. SHOULD ... Right now it’s in its natural state of being in the garage awaiting another $700+ amount of parts to be installed. But, as I said, these should be the last “preventative” repairs to the motor. We’ll see.
Anything you wish you could change?
I want to drop in the S85 V10 and convert it to RWD to make a sleeper M5 wagon. But, that’s $10k that could be better spent on college education for my kids.
How did you find the CTS?
The search has always been for a manual. I have never owned an automatic, and never plan on owning an automatic. Nuff said. During Covid, my wife came across this on FM. $5500 asking price. Went to look at it, and bought it on the spot. Cost me $5200. It had almost exactly 200k miles on it.
How is it?
I absolutely love it. Once I repaired all the bits that wear out due to having 200k on them (I did a wheel bearing in less than 2 hours within 2 hours of having it home), it’s been pretty rock solid. It burns oil due to its age. It’s not particularly fast being only 258HP, but it’s a RWD 6-speed. So, the fun factor has been through the roof for me.
Anything you think GM did better than the Germans?
Well, it’s a Cadillac. The interior on this car was, and still basically is, beautiful and mint. It was one thing I couldn’t ever grasp about it, due to the mileage. It’s just perfect!
Has this one needed any significant work while you’ve had it?
Not really. I have replaced a lot of wear items, all the door locks, fixed stupid stuff, but nothing too major. It currently needs a fuel pump and rear differential. Both are explicitly tied together in where they are located. I just can’t find time right now to drop the rear subframe to get it done.
How did you come by the Bolt?
I’ve been wanting an EV for a long time for environmental reasons. That, and they just fit my lifestyle. I own a home, I can level 2 charge, and my commute is less than 100 miles per day. It’s a no-brainer. I find the Bolts are often completely forgotten about due to the battery issues, which every single one was replaced before 2020. So, it carries the 8-year/100k warranty good to 2032/132k. These don’t have all the bells and whistles that other EVs have, but it does have Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
Is it weird not shifting?
Yes and no. I’ve been saying that I won’t own an automatic until I go EV. Now that I have, I can’t believe how awesome one-pedal driving is. The regen is simply amazing! All that wasted energy braking in other vehicles is recouped on this car. I’ve been noting that trips around town can be 5-10 miles and only lose 2-4 miles in range. They recoup about 70% on regen, which is just awesome. I’m not giving up my manuals anytime soon, but I am certainly embracing this future we have. It’s easily the fastest car off the line that I own.
Anything you don’t like about it?
Nothing. Actually, my wife and I took a nice 75-mile drive while doing food shopping, and she turned to me and said, “Okay, I’m sold on this thing”. I was ecstatic by this statement. What sold her was the control. I have never felt in control of an automatic while driving them, and hence one of the reasons why I only drive manuals. I stated this early in our ownership that one of the benefits of an EV is this very same control we both desire while driving. Well, I’m super happy she discovered it herself. Both my kids like it as well, though my son says it’s “ugly” on the outside. But, 17-year-olds are too worried about their vanity anyway, so his opinion doesn’t count.
How has the charging been?
I charge at home, but currently only Level 1 until I do some upgrades needed for my kitchen remodel, then I’ll install a Level 2 myself. We get a $500 rebate for the charger itself from our local power company. Plus, we plan on going solar eventually, which would drop my rates even further.
I tried a charging station once, and it was fine. No issues. But we have not tried any long journeys, nor do we really plan on them with this car. It’s intended as a commuter.
Yes, I’ve literally never owned an automatic. Yes, I seek out manuals. I’ve even gotten my wife into the requirement. We are running out of manuals to choose from, especially since we love wagons. I have a hard “NO” when it comes to turbos. So, the newer BMWs after mine are a no-go. At least, I’ve never seen a naturally aspirated manual wagon post-2006. If I did, I might buy it (NOT). I’m done with BMWs at this point. Not buying another one.
Thoughts about the Prelude or Toyota EVs that will supposedly get manuals in the near future?
I am very intrigued to try it, but as a cheap bastard, it will be 20 years after they come out before I will actually get one I am sure.
My wife LOVES the Preludes from the 90’s. Not sure if she has seen the new one, but I myself love it. The fact that they are suggesting it may come with a manual is intriguing and desirable. We would definitely entertain that as the new fun car. She wants a new Integra, but I keep trying to tell her they are just slightly better Civics. The Prelude, on the other hand, would be different… I hope. We need a car that can go long distances, as she is not sold on long trips in an EV yet. These are supposedly going to be Hybrid manuals, so that might seal the deal.
What’s in the dream garage?
My only dream is to daily drive a V8 with a 6-speed manual. Mustang, CTS-V, Camaro, don’t care. I just want the experience for a year or so before my body and reflexes make it too dangerous for me to have fun driving one. Next would be to lower my Toyota pickup and electrify it. But, that would be sacrilege, and the world would hate me. But, I LOVE the look of lowered compact pickups.
Thanks for helping save the manuals Parsko!
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I love the control of a manual transmission. But as someone with a deteriorating clutching knee (not rapidly, but deteriorating) I must warn my younger Autopians…don’t get old. Stay young if at all possible. It’s not an injury, it’s just entropy.
I haven’t met Parkso, but nearly did.
When selling my Saabaru to JShaawbaru there was an iteration of the plan that involved him coming to Boston to meet up and help me and Josh swap in new brakes so that Josh could then fly and drive to Michigan at a later date. Ultimately I shipped it inoperable instead.
All of this to say, “Hey Parkso, thanks for the help almost” and that he seems like peak-Autopian in my brief interactions.
Hey Parkso, I too had an EV commuter and a Toyota 2wd pickup and we drive manuals too. Add a 2” lowering kit and a new (used) bed and have a blast with that little truck. I did autocross with mine and everyone loved to watch it. Mine was lowered a little and had some alloy wheels from marketplace. We ditched the EV since it was time for it to go and my wife drives a Civic Si 6pd. It’s a blast. Thanks for sharing your fleet.
How did the Pickup do Autocrossing??
It did exceptionally well. Everybody was rooting for it. The open diff made it so it would roast the inside tire, but other then that it was a champ. I almost matched the time of my son in his Miata.
I know you’ve said you would like to visit Australia Parkso, by how about for the next wagon you bring Australia to you and get a manual Holden Commodore SS wagon, gives you that manual V8 experience and replaces the old BMW too!
Now that would be fun! What years did they make them?
As far as I know they made V8 manual wagons since the start of the Commodore until the end of the VE generation (2012!)
I need to go Aussie with my next import. It’s going to be bad, but oh so much fun! Gonna be a few years though.
Very much YES!!!!
Well I know what I’m searching for on marketplace and spamming the discord with today then!!
I didn’t think you could get a manual CTS outside of the V. That’s pretty cool.
in the Northeast? Definitely needs a rusty 4wd of some sort for winter use.
I have what I would consider a fairly comparable collection: an 01 BMW 330ci convertible 5-speed, an 05 BMW X3 3.0, a 2013 Ford C-Max, and a 2014 Ram 1500 Hemi.
Love those pickups. I have a number of them around me, some in better outside shape than yours, but still very used. In fact, one that I see is being resprayed right now. Airbags are a big plus for your working one though!
I feel like we had closely parallel lives, from Connecticut, parents divorced early, cheap cars, technical vocation, 20+ year old pickup, family car, Chevy Bolt, Dad got a go kart we raced around nearby parking lots….are we parallel universe versions of each other where I got a lollipop at the store but you got a chocolate bar???
Nice collection, one main difference is my 20+ year old truck is an EV, I drive it just about every weekend but having 0 maintenance beyond giving it a charge once a week and making sure there’s air in the tires, but it’s always ready to go to home depot or the transfer station as needed, so if you’re considering that I’d say go for it, look at some of the Nissan leaf swaps that have been done, usually in Frontiers but could see it working in the little Toyota.
We must be! I think I’ve seen you on Discord, right?? I feel like I read about your pickup somewhere.
Not sure I’ll do the EV swap in the truck when these Bolts are going for the same amount of money, but basically new. But, it’s always on my mind, and if I ever find the time and money, I’d do it (but save the 22RE so it could be converted back).
Yeah I’ve been on the discord posted about my Ranger EV there too. The Bolts are crazy cheap now, sadly I did not get mine at such a deal but it still runs great and has the new battery too. I’m debating updating the Ranger’s batteries as I work hybrid now, and to reduce the fleet, but the zip of that little Bolt is so tempting to keep. The Ranger has less zip.(much less lol)
Woo-hoo!!! Thanks for the writeup, and thank you to this community for being so kind and awesome.
I’m also in the no automatics, manuals or EV only boat, and find shifting between D and L in the Bolt does a decent job of somehow mimicking a stick shift without a clutch, even though it is entirely different. The control in L for mountain passes is really nice, I generally never use the mechanical brakes. In the several years since getting the Bolt, the only automatic I’ve driven that didn’t feel like complete garbage was a rented Mini Cooper S.
At first I was annoyed by the shifter in our Bolt, but then realized it was a little like a manumatic with how you go into reverse and the downshifts to L for ‘engine braking’, better than the buttons and dials in other evs.
Agreed. The newer ones have the push button shifter, and in order to go between one-foot and normal mode, you need to press a button on the touch screen. I so much love that I can just tap the shifter back to switch, so much more convenient. I use it all the time. I would hate to have to deal with the screen to do the same thing.
I’ve had two CTS’s (2003 5 speed and 2014 V sport) and an SRX (2016). The later CTS and SRX were both very well built vehicles. The CTS suffered from some 1st year issues, but the SRX was tight as a drum and only ever needed a cam sensor replaced which was covered by the CPO warranty. The interiors got a ton of crap from the press for materials choices, but I found them to be great. They held up well, didn’t warp or discolor, and zero creaking or rattling. They were very solid. I also didn’t think CUE was nearly as bad as they said it was.
I love my Bolt EV for the same reasons you do. The one thing I would change, though, is the ride is awfully stiff to me. Compared to my Volt it’s downright harsh.
Interesting. I don’t own one but have driven them on a couple occasions trying to talk myself into taking the leap, and always found them to be softer than I like. If/when I get one, I will be putting lowering springs on it to stiffen it up a bit haha.
I wonder if the tires don’t agree with it. When I bought it in February it had brand new tires put on by the selling dealer and they’re not total trash (Falken Sinceras) so I just left it alone.
Maybe, but I am also used to sports cars that tend to have pretty stiff suspensions, so it’s just as likely that it’s personal preference. You were comparing against a Volt, last time I drove the Bolt, I was looking to replace my Celica GT-Four that was lowered, on coilovers, and had a pretty aggressive suspension set up.
Yeah I split time between Philadelphia (terrible roads) and rural PA (gravel roads) so maybe I’m not the right one to ask.
I’ve noticed it’s a bit harsh, myself. I’m only now really commuting with it this week. I’ll just have to get used to it with time, though. I can’t believe how much I’ve come to love this car, and how quickly.
Interesting. I probably just haven’t done enough miles in one, which makes sense given that I have only done so on test drives on like 3 occasions.
Might want to try getting 15″ wheels from a sonic, with 205/65R15 tires for an extra inch of sidewall. I have this setup for snow tires on steel wheels, and have thought about getting some junkyard aluminum wheels for the other set of tires as well, but not sure it’s worth the hassle.