First Blood revisited

[mpcripps <mpcripps@mediaone.net>]

All:

It's been a week for the books. After spending a few hours last Monday 
replacing
the roof antenna that the garage door terminated, I took time off Tuesday 
to 
install new Bilstein Sports up front. While the first strut was apart, my 
wife
called to say she had been in an accident... She's AOK, just a sore nose 
from 
the airbag. By now the adrenalin is pouring into my bloodstream. Some 
butthead
sailed through a red. A quarter second later, I'd be a widower. Dash out 
in the
VW pickup to get her. The Jetta (a twin of my own) is *hurt*. I'm no 
expert, but
I'll bet it's at least $9K in damages. Coincidently, thevehicle behind 
the Jetta
is a Police Cruiser, and he cites the other driver for running the red, 
etc. 
The carnage was unreal. 3 cars near totalled, a few other less dmaged. 
No injuries!

Finished the struts late in the afternoon, too late for the shop I want 
to use to align it. No choice, have to work next day, Pep Boys is only 
place left. Drop it
off. Call back later, it's on the rack. Arrive in time to see the 'tech' 
hanging
on the drivers door, yapping on his cellphone. He backs it out, and 
dissappears 
into the night! I'm ready to explode. Head for the office. Try, as calmly 
as I
can, to ask 'Where the h*ll is my car?' Oh, Road Test they say. BS I say. 
Alignments are done on the rack, period.  Store manager doesn't like my 
"attiitude" and walks away. Fine. I'll call Corporate in the AM. Collect 
Jetta and leave. Call PB HQ in the AM, voice my displeasure and wait for 
callback from District Mgr. 

Can't get to the rear shocks until Saturday. Get one out and pager goes 
off.  
Wife and kids are home, so not too jumpy, but the DejaVu is alarming. 
It's a VM
from the PB manager apologizing and offering a refund. (Phew...)

Got the rear's installed just in time to dash out on a callout. 

Impressions: If you don't want to know about the road surface in near 
intimate detail, don't install Bilsteins. If, however, you are a 
performance enthusiast, 
you will *appreciate* them. The change is significant. The nose goes 
where I want
it too, everytime. A particular ramp that's about 130 degrees of turn, 
climbs and then descends has been one of my "test tracks". Hit the 
expansion joint midturn 
at over 70 and the outside nose would drop making the car feel very 
unstable. 
Now it just wants more. Bottom line is I'm pleased. Very Pleased. The 
Bilsteins
and the Michelin X-Ones are a happy combination. Next is better brakes. 
Ferodo
Pads and ATE Slotted Disks. Maybe SS lines too. I'll post the results as 
I 
proceed.

Regards,

Mike Cripps
'99 Jetta WE x 2 (wounded editions)
'88 Golf         (back in service)
'81 Caddy