It’s interesting, but having lived in these conditions, the issue of dignity never particularly occurred to me. I have my issues with Maslow, but if you subscribe to the hierarchy of needs theory, “dignity” is one of those things people worry about when they’ve got enough food to eat, but not much beforehand. Dignity…

That’s all depressingly familiar. We should start a club. Glad you, too, made it out.

I spent a substantial amount of my adult life homeless; sometimes that meant living on the streets or in the wilderness, sometimes it meant crashing with friends. I got there through bad decisions, most of them mine, mental illness, and substance abuse, although the variety of financial collapses in my region…

If I weren’t shit with a welder, every car I own would be like this. As it is, I have to settle for leaving the roof on but removing everything else, or just driving a Wrangler (since it already has its cage).

Did this once, with a Wrangler. Not really on purpose, but looking back, oh, yes: “Oh, you don’t like convertibles because they muss your hair? Well, let’s see how you like no roof or doors in the snow, fancy lady.” And if my e30 BMW wasn’t classy enough for her, you can bet the Wrangler wasn’t a popular choice.

My cognition braked with a surfeit of sleeplessness, my ire arose at the blatant and senseless Apple-specificity of this article, whose content I had been most gratified to discover. “Why would I care how many vegetarian restaurants Siri can find for me?” I silently fumed.

I’m no F-250 expert, but no, I don’t think there’s quite enough room to do that with the tranny in place. Funny, though, which is, I suspect, all it was ever meant to be.

Roof, optional. Doors, optional. 0-60 in less time than you’re comfortable with. Can drive over, through, or around anything you’re ever likely to find. Parts, cheap. Ease of owner-maintenance, very high.

Most important stuff first: how sideways will it get?

I’m looking, and conventional is about half the cost of synthetic. What do you all think: is synthetic likely to be twice as good - engine wear, time between changes, etc - as conventional? Under what circumstances?