I can't wait to have a 4 wheel drive car like a Subaru Outback or an Audi Allroad and enjoy confidently cruising through the snow covered and icy New York roads.  Hearing the tires crunch through the ice and get traction, feeling the seat warmers, and watching the defroster melt the delicate layer of ice off the back window.  It will be a whole new world for me.  It's one of the worst feelings when you're driving on ice and the brakes and steering wheel don't do anything.  I've made the mistake of taking my VW Jetta out on icy roads.  Who would have thought a Southern boy is planning on going north and tackling the winter weather for a year?  Wish me luck

Driving in snow, however, is not at all satisfying. Arriving home after driving in said snow is very satisfying. In snow, I find the control is slightly better with a manual transmission.

And Arriving at home and finding someone else has shoveled the snow from the driveway and sidewalks is even better..

Also, when the  V T E C   kicks in

I don't know much about snow being Australian. I do have some experience with it though having been to the snowy mountains a few times with my brother when we were much younger and once fairly recently during winter. Another satisfying thing is fitting a new car stereo yourself and also when you have awesome seat covers fitted as well like mine are black with a red dragon design on them.

The "afterglow" you get in a filament of a high wattage halogen or incandescent bulb after switching it off.  My big Philips 1000 watt halogen has an awesome afterglow, where it burns orange for about 10 seconds after unplugging it.

When you fix things yourself, no matter how big or small. Here I fixed the hazard/rear demister switch myself as the switches were falling into the dashboard. There is a ring that is heat welded to the centre dashboard trim, and the switches are clipped into this plastic ring. The clips on the plastic ring have snapped so I used hot melt glue to glue the plastic ring in place and after an hour I reassembled the trim assembly and now the switches don't fall in.

When you fix things yourself, no matter how big or small. Here I fixed the hazard/rear demister switch myself as the switches were falling into the dashboard. There is a ring that is heat welded to the centre dashboard trim, and the switches are clipped into this plastic ring. The clips on the plastic ring have snapped so I used hot melt glue to glue the plastic ring in place and after an hour I reassembled the trim assembly and now the switches don't fall in.

Those look great Mercurylamps, well done!  It is really rewarding to fix anything yourself. I've enjoyed many opportunities to work on small repairs in my car and maintenance in the new lake house.  I've repaired numerous lamps over the years by installing 3 way sockets (3-way light bulbs are common here in the USA). Probably the most rewarding car repair I've done are installing new headlights and headlight bulbs, Philips Crystal Vision 9003's. The headlights in my 2004 Jetta are better than brand new   Fixing things yourself saves money and it's enjoyable and rewarding, too!

Those look great Mercurylamps, well done!  It is really rewarding to fix anything yourself. I've enjoyed many opportunities to work on small repairs in my car and maintenance in the new lake house.  I've repaired numerous lamps over the years by installing 3 way sockets (3-way light bulbs are common here in the USA). Probably the most rewarding car repair I've done are installing new headlights and headlight bulbs, Philips Crystal Vision 9003's. The headlights in my 2004 Jetta are better than brand new   Fixing things yourself saves money and it's enjoyable and rewarding, too!

Thanks, and nice headlaps! Philips make great headlight bulbs, I especially like the Xtremevision which I've used in my old Ford (lasted two years until car was crashed) and again in my Subaru Outback. When I get the smaller issues sorted on my X-Trail I'll fit them again on this car. Out of interest what type of bulbs does your Jetta take? My Subaru Outback has H7 halogen for low beam (with projector lenses) and H8 for the high beams. The X-Trail has standard H4 for normal/high beam.

Thanks, and nice headlaps! Philips make great headlight bulbs, I especially like the Xtremevision which I've used in my old Ford (lasted two years until car was crashed) and again in my Subaru Outback. When I get the smaller issues sorted on my X-Trail I'll fit them again on this car. Out of interest what type of bulbs does your Jetta take? My Subaru Outback has H7 halogen for low beam (with projector lenses) and H8 for the high beams. The X-Trail has standard H4 for normal/high beam.

Originally, my VW Jetta took 9007 headlight bulbs. However, after I installed new aftermarket headlight fixtures since the originals had oxidized, it now uses 9003/H4 headlight bulbs. The VW aftermarket headlights use different sockets than the original factory equipment.  Most of the Philips Xtreme Vision and Crystal Vision headlights are made in Germany. The 9003/H4's that I use are made in Poland, in the factory where many of Philips' household halogen bulbs are made that I like so much for my house and office.  

Many of the Sylvania headlight bulbs are USA made and are the most common brand in auto parts shops here. I had to buy my Philips Crystal Vision's on Amazon.  I've never seen them in an American auto parts store.

When my car is covered in condensation after a cool, humid night, I enjoy driving from the shade and into the sun to watch it slowly evaporate off the back window.

When you have an itchy back and the relief you get from scratching it.

Fresh baked crispy French bread.  The crackling sound as the hot bread is broken and the soft, fluffy inside is revealed.  Then dipping it in olive oil and basalmic vinegar, exquisite!

Anything that is freshly cooked coming out of the oven or off the grill is awesome.  Seeing a steaming batch of cookies or muffins come out of the oven or a sizzling steak come off the grill, that's some good stuff there 

When you fix things yourself, no matter how big or small. Here I fixed the hazard/rear demister switch myself as the switches were falling into the dashboard. There is a ring that is heat welded to the centre dashboard trim, and the switches are clipped into this plastic ring. The clips on the plastic ring have snapped so I used hot melt glue to glue the plastic ring in place and after an hour I reassembled the trim assembly and now the switches don't fall in.

Yes its very satisfying to fix things.
I just fixed a GE F36/29-530 T8 tube, its pins were folded over at 90 degrees on one cap, and the insulator was gone, so the pins were just hanging by the electrodes lead in wires.
I had a Sylvania 36w/835 that had lost vacuum in storage, it was due to go to the lamp recycling bin, but I smashed it, to get one of its caps off, removed the broken cap from the GE, by peeling the metal off with side cutters, I then soldered the cap, to the electrodes wires, and glued it back together, and the tube that was basically scrap, is now fixed
Sadly the other tube that I tried to fix with the same problem, had its electrode lead in snap off at the glass when I tried to re cap it, but at least I was able to save one of the tubes.
I put the repaired one into use in the garage.

Anything that is freshly cooked coming out of the oven or off the grill is awesome. 

Yep..so true.
Especially if you grilled it yourself.



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Always satisfying when after you've installed a new light you flip the switch and...it lights right up

Yes its very satisfying to fix things.
I just fixed a GE F36/29-530 T8 tube, its pins were folded over at 90 degrees on one cap, and the insulator was gone, so the pins were just hanging by the electrodes lead in wires.
I had a Sylvania 36w/835 that had lost vacuum in storage, it was due to go to the lamp recycling bin, but I smashed it, to get one of its caps off, removed the broken cap from the GE, by peeling the metal off with side cutters, I then soldered the cap, to the electrodes wires, and glued it back together, and the tube that was basically scrap, is now fixed
Sadly the other tube that I tried to fix with the same problem, had its electrode lead in snap off at the glass when I tried to re cap it, but at least I was able to save one of the tubes.
I put the repaired one into use in the garage.

Unfortunately my fix didn't last long and the switches are a little loose again. I'm going to try a different glue since hot melt glue inside a car probably melts from the harsh Australian sunlight.

Yep..so true.
Especially if you grilled it yourself.



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Always satisfying when after you've installed a new light you flip the switch and...it lights right up

Even fresh, hot cookies straight out of the oven are so good with the aroma of baked cookies and the dough being soft from the heat.

I agree that it is very satisfying that you have a new light work once you fit it and switch it on.