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Old 01-12-2015, 02:28 PM   #1
Dia
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Lola, The Petroleum Falcon

"She'll make point-five past lightspeed. She may not look like much, but she's got it where it counts. I've made a lot of special modifications myself."

It took us more than a year of looking to find the right van, a process complicated by a miniscule budget (15k base van, or 20k built out) and a wary hubby who wanted to hang on to the money while a merger at work played itself out.

The first van we found was just a straight passenger van, a 2010 EB with about 67k miles. At under $14k, the price was right. The merger sitch killed that one as it popped up right before we were ready to sign papers.

The second close one was a burgundy EB in Texas with no poptop but a nice interior. A 2009, also with about 60k on the clock. At $19k and change, it was right at the top of our price range, and that's before thinking about a top. We decided to do it, but somebody called an hour before we did to put a deposit on it.

Then we found Lola. Lola's a 2011 RB 5.4L with a SMB PH and no interior, but honestly, she's perfect for us. The thread where we found her, backed off, then grabbed her, is here: http://www.sportsmobileforum.com/viewto ... =2&t=15172

I'm starting this thread on a Monday. Thursday I take the train to my sister's place. Friday we drive to Vegas, hop a red-eye to Texas, grab Lola first thing Saturday morning, then make like Thelma and Louise all the way back to CA. Hopefully minus the driving off a cliff part.

Why Vegas? Because I'm cheap. A flight from my local airport to Texas was $350 for just me. A flight from Vegas to Texas was $68 for both of us, plus her roomie was already headed to Vegas for a conference that weekend so we had a free ride. If traffic cooperates, we'll have the crab leg buffet at the Stratosphere before we board the red-eye.

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Old 01-12-2015, 02:50 PM   #2
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Re: Lola, The Petroleum Falcon

Oh, and why Lola? Because Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

[youtube:112m3rqr]
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Old 01-12-2015, 05:28 PM   #3
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Re: Lola, The Petroleum Falcon



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Old 01-12-2015, 07:57 PM   #4
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Re: Lola, The Petroleum Falcon

Congratulations on finally finding your dream machine, Lola. Hope you have many happy miles and adventures.
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Old 01-12-2015, 09:05 PM   #5
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Re: Lola, The Petroleum Falcon



.......I love crab legs.........I've stayed at the Stratosphere a few times for $35/night.....great when you are passing through on the way to Moab.

We had a dog name Lola for a while; it was an abandoned Pomeranian that lived under a car in the parking lot where my GF worked in Santa Ana. It took a few weeks, but my GF finally gained the dog's trust, and she brought it home one day with the help of a cheeseburger.

A few flea-dips later and we had a little Pom, who turned out to be completely psycho.......we adopted the little maniac out to an eccentric old guy in 2008 who still has her. He calls us once in while. He called a few weeks ago to tell us that he's living in a train car that he owns.
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Old 01-13-2015, 04:38 AM   #6
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Re: Lola, The Petroleum Falcon

Welcome to the club of those who never run out of "modifications", "improvements" or "repairs" errr "excuses" to do one more thing to something that in theory is already "finished".

So first off I absolutely LOVE the name---very creative and fun too. Sadly I'm creative only in the area of offering "reasons" why I've not begun or completed something, too often that's quite unknown even to me.

As for Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D---love that too--- original Lola is quite the bird. Apart from that the women are quite striking themselves, right? I'm definitely smitten by Skye & Melinda May is today's Emma Peel---same black outfits so I'm sure there's some continuity there? Jemma Simmons is cute too in her own way but not quite the femme fatale type as Melinda..........

Hope to see photos of you new bird and progress thereof too!
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Old 01-13-2015, 12:45 PM   #7
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Re: Lola, The Petroleum Falcon

You know how in books or movies, when the main character is having a totally awesome week and everything is going just perfect, you just know that the Universe is fixin' to throw a wicked curveball? Yeah, that was today.

Two things happened this morning:

1) The CEL came on in my Prius. Probably an annoyance-factor item rather than anything serious, but really bad timing both logistically and financially.

2) We got a letter from the CA Franchise Tax board saying that the company my husband works for does not exist and they have no record of any of his withholding for last tax year, so they're zeroing out a couple grand in refunds and would we please send them several hundred that we now owe (because no withholding) plus some fees and penalties.

Curse you, O Universe, for your sudden but inevitable betrayal!!

I spent the morning on the phone, and the tax thing is a paperwork clusterf*ck. The company exists just fine, but records have gone missing at the EDD, so the payroll dept has to fax in a bunch of stuff. Sorting it all out will take 10 - 12 weeks, several sets of chicken entrails, and an Act of God. OK, maybe just the 10-12 weeks, and if we submit Form RU666Ck-N, we'll be allowed fry the chickens afterwards.

See, the whole reason we were hesitant to move on Lola is because we were waiting for this tax refund, and we wanted it in hand before we shelled out for her. So before we did the deal, I called the FTB they said the refund had been authorized, and should be in our acct. in a few days. When nothing materialized, I called again today only to learn that they'd sent us a letter...

Now, before you get all worked up, we're still getting Lola. Legally speaking, we already own her. It just means we're one vehicle and several grand short while we go get her.

ETA: Yep, I was waiting for the trifecta, and here it is: my new GPS arrived today and it's DOA. Hopefully, I have now used up all of my bad luck pertaining to this purchase and the actual pick-up will go smoothly.
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Old 01-13-2015, 04:45 PM   #8
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Re: Lola, The Petroleum Falcon

Hang in there Dia. Hopefully it will all sort itself out sooner than later. Meanwhile, go camping!

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Old 01-13-2015, 05:23 PM   #9
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Re: Lola, The Petroleum Falcon

Just find a Costco near the dealership and purchase a GPS there. Then return it when you get back. The Google Maps app on my Android phone is the best GPS I've used, it just sucks down the battery.

I bought one of these to hold my phone on trips. It holds the phone very well and allows me to easily access Pandora to switch stations and/or see the navigation.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002JT ... UTF8&psc=1
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Old 01-13-2015, 05:35 PM   #10
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Re: Lola, The Petroleum Falcon

Lola has been singing to Dia...

"Whatever Lola wants
Lola gets,
Take off your coat
Don't you know you can't win?
You're no exception to the rule,
I'm irresistible, you fool, give in!...Give in!...Give in!"


Second verse of "Whatever Lola Wants" from Damn Yankees.


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