The musings of an addict

[Karl Lazlo]

Orginally sent as a reply to a member here via PM who wished me luck in my ventures. Too weird to let it go unread as I try to document my relapse.

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Well, I will try to document it as much as possible. Trust me, it will be epic, as I am sure I will be slipping into madness this season. As some here know, I am in recovery. A recovering race car (rally) driver who hung up his driver's suit a while ago to drive cars professionally. In addition to a few other disciplines, I taught EVOC and High Risk Driving. Got paid to beat up on other peoples' (and agencies') cars instead of my own.

Since leaving that life a few years ago and go "white collar" I have the itch again. While I have not done drugs, I know the signs and rationale... "I'll only do it on the weekends, it doesn't affect my job, etc."

Slowly introducing my 7 year old to the finer aspects of motorsports, I have gotten the itch again. Nothing like a spring morning with the smell of burnt race fuel, cooked brakes and shredded tires to go with my coffee. Find my little girl a set of earplugs, and I want to walk the paddock.

i was pretty stable, kept it together with one car for a while when sold my basket case Audi, as I cranked out the miles on my 2003 330ci. Daring not to part with my 03 but needing a replacement DD, my g/f joined me when I took delivery of my ZHP. And, in true addict style, embarrassed to admit to her that I bought a broken M3 three months later...

So, down the rabbit hole I go, slowly circling the drain and possessing all the trappings of a full blown addiction. Hiding the packing lists of parts, trying to cut back on my weekly binge buying and trying not to let it affect my job. But to no avail. Secretly making plans to race next year, thinking of selling a kidney to pay for a roll cage... and then she does it. She thinks it is a nice and thoughtful Christmas present, our first Christmas together as a couple, so sweet she is to cover the costs associated with a driving school and lapping session with my car(s). As she said, "so I can go play with my toys."

Oh, she has no idea how wrong she is. This isn't some fanciful hobby, like building model planes or photography. This is an addiction that left unchecked, devolves into absolute madness.

Wish me luck.

[Sockethead]

Lol, I knew you were crazy :)

[fredo]

"Hi, my name is fredo and I'm a BMW addict." You, sir, are in the right place.

[cakM3]

I like it! ;)

[Karl Lazlo]

Lol, I knew you were crazy :)

Please be careful with that term; it has very specific legal and clinical definitions. I have certain lifestyle choices that would be problematic if I answered question 11f to the affirmative.


"Hi, my name is fredo and I'm a BMW addict." You, sir, are in the right place.

"Hi, fredo!"


I like it! ;)

I knew you would.

[Johnmadd]

Haha,awesome. Following you into a dark alley to see what you have for me to try :)

[danewilson77]

Good luck homey. I support you all the way.

:happyspidey

Sent from an S6 Edge

[Karl Lazlo]

I know it's had an effect on my family. My sweet, innocent, little girl. I was with her all day yesterday and before her doctor appointment, had some car time when she visited my M3. We were making plans to do climbing next weekend to try out her new harness and shoes. She is excited about it, since it was rescheduled twice. Then, she drops a bomb on me, "Daddy, when can we do racing karts again?"

"Soon, honey, after basketball season, OK?"

"Yes, that sounds good. I like driving fast. Can I get my own helmet, too?"

Crap.

[WOLFN8TR]

Good story! Ya I live this at times and it gets out of control. Modding is addictive thats for sure. My 5 year old daughter likes my BMW, great another addict! I can't wait to see that M3 when its finished!!!

[cakM3]

I can't wait to see that M3 when its finished!!!

+1 :thumbsup

[Sockethead]

My twins are addicted too and they are only 2.5!

[Karl Lazlo]

And UPS showed up with a box from FCP 20 minutes ago. /feeling shame.

[johnrando]

Good luck! :thumbsup

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

[BMWCurves]

This is excellent, it gave me a good chuckle.

You've taken the first step toward redemption (or so I'm told).

I remember being told by a friend's father that they planned to introduce their kids to the addiction of motorsports so that they will be too poor to afford drugs.

[Karl Lazlo]

I remember being told by a friend's father that they planned to introduce their kids to the addiction of motorsports so that they will be too poor to afford drugs.

A wise man.

Very similar to what my dad told me. He's not a car guy and came over for a visit when I was at the peak of my madness, no less than two race cars and my service vehicle in the driveway. He made a comment about it and I replied, "Could be worse, could be a coke habit."

Dad's reply, "A coke habit would be cheaper."

[Karl Lazlo]

Perfect racing weather!

http://i485.photobucket.com/albums/rr216/Karl_Lazlo/Public/IMG_19881-1_zpskmcwixab.jpg (http://s485.photobucket.com/user/Karl_Lazlo/media/Public/IMG_19881-1_zpskmcwixab.jpg.html)

[Johnmadd]

"A coke habit would be cheaper "
:rofl that is probably true

[Sockethead]

I was drag racing in the early 80's when some of my "friends" were doing drugs... I'd rather buy parts for my car and go racing.... thanks but no thanks.
I had a pile of trophies and they all had hangovers and empty wallets :)

Edit: Forgot to add the point I was trying to make: that this car craziness can be a great positive influence on our children like it was for me growing up...

[az3579]

Haha,awesome. Following you into a dark alley to see what you have for me to try :)

:shifty
Because I know you, I'm gon' let that one slide.

[Johnmadd]

:shifty
Because I know you, I'm gon' let that one slide.

Lmao, it's just lsd and speed :shifty

[3ZHPGUY]

A line like this should be added to your will1

"Don't let my wife sell my car parts for what I told her I paid for them."

[Karl Lazlo]

BAM! Dropped E46 content during my job interview this morning.

I RULE!

If it helped or hurt, I'm not sure. We will see.

[cakM3]

BAM! Dropped E46 content during my job interview this morning.

I RULE!

If it helped or hurt, I'm not sure. We will see.

Any word on your interview Ray???

[Karl Lazlo]

Any word on your interview Ray???

They ran my BI and came back with negative feedback. "Who needs 3 BMW E46 coupes?" I was shown the door and didn't validate my parking.

[Karl Lazlo]

And further down the rabbit hole I go.

So, started doing math and a shared driveway will make 3 cars untenable and will annoy my neighbors. In between coffee binges, decided to look for spaces for rent where I can store a car and swap out as needed. So, I replied to my first craigslist ad today. Got a call tonight...

He took a lot of bites to his ad and called me first. I guess my intro of, "recovering race car driver needing storage/work space for one of three BMWs," worked.

Met with him and his racing partner tonight. I like when I walk into a garage and what greets me is a a race car in working but being improved condition. The third guy is "moving" out and shown my space as being "plenty for 3 BMWs." I certainly don't need that much space but nice to know that I have room to store parts and such.

This is doing a fine job of keeping my addiction in check. Moving a car and parts in on 1 May.

[Sockethead]

Isn't that kinda like moving in with the drug dealer? ;)

I'm in the same dilemma: rental house with two car garage and two car driveway. We got 5 cars a boat and a golf cart on a utility trailer. No fancy race car stables for us though . The local public storage for the boat. We're still trying to figure out what to do with the two cars we left at our house back in Jersey...

[Karl Lazlo]

Isn't that kinda like moving in with the drug dealer? ;)

Precisely the analogy I used.

"Hi, I am in recovery, wanna' do an eight-ball in the corner?"

It's a friendly space. My daughter will love it and I look forward to some room to do some light maintenance with her on my car(s). :biggrin

[BMWCurves]

That's really cool, glad you found somewhere that suits your addiction.

[GotZHP]

I mentioned my E46 during my interview and my boss was like damn, i had a 328ci my wife made me sell when we had our first kid. I told him it was a ZHP, and he asked about the camshafts. Score. Got the job so I can resume my addiction of working on cars. This is a much healthier addiction than my past... I could have had 3 BMWs instead. But I have one now and parts are showing up again!

Love the first post btw

[KevinC]

I had a job interview recently, met the big VP at a local restaurant at opening time, pulled in in my M5 and he was already in his rental nearby, so I know he saw my car. Was hoping he might be a BMW guy (or at least a car guy) and go ga-ga over it. Never came up in conversation.

The good news: I got the job, I start Monday. :ronald

[Karl Lazlo]

Was hoping he might be a BMW guy (or at least a car guy) and go ga-ga over it. Never came up in conversation.

My g/f is more and more correct every single passing day. <Don't anyone tell her I said that> Being a BMW fan is a cult, we are always looking for our own. Some kind of secret handshake, of sorts, and we speak in code. S this, M that, E and F something or other.


The good news: I got the job, I start Monday. :ronald

How's the gig? I'm jealous, I need a new job.

[cakM3]

My g/f is more and more correct every single passing day. <Don't anyone tell her I said that> Being a BMW fan is a cult, we are always looking for our own. Some kind of secret handshake, of sorts, and we speak in code. S this, M that, E and F something or other.

nice...... so tempting to show Michelle this post..... so tempting.... :p

[Karl Lazlo]

Don't you dare, Charlie. I believe in the sanctity of forum:user privilege and secrets said here, stay here. Compartmentalized, if you will. Michelle is not a BMW owner and she hasn't been read in yet.

[danewilson77]

Don't you dare, Charlie. I believe in the sanctity of forum:user privilege and secrets said here, stay here. Compartmentalized, if you will. Michelle is not a BMW owner and she hasn't been read in yet.
What happens in the Mafia, stays in the Mafia.

The first rule of the Mafia is, there is no Mafia.

Sent from an S6 Edge

[Karl Lazlo]

What happens in the Mafia, stays in the Mafia.

The first rule of the Mafia is, there is no Mafia.

http://i485.photobucket.com/albums/rr216/Karl_Lazlo/Public/946120_zpszpltkffc.jpg (http://s485.photobucket.com/user/Karl_Lazlo/media/Public/946120_zpszpltkffc.jpg.html)

[danewilson77]

http://i485.photobucket.com/albums/rr216/Karl_Lazlo/Public/946120_zpszpltkffc.jpg (http://s485.photobucket.com/user/Karl_Lazlo/media/Public/946120_zpszpltkffc.jpg.html)
Amen.

Sent from an S6 Edge